*~Sending a Message*~

So.... Once again it's happend. I have neglected my blog! I am aweful at updating...
Life is so crazy!! Everyday feels like a lifetime and then you look back and six months have flown by. This year has been a learning one to say the least. If you asked me one year ago on this day if I could survive the things my family has been through I would say No way. In fact on the 26th of Aug. 2010 I told my best friend Mabry those exact words "I could never survive without you." We were laying in her bed late at night, having a good little chat-just like normal. She reached over and put her arm around me and said "Thanks for being a good friend. I love you too!" and we rolled over and went to sleep. Little did I know, less than 24 hrs from when we had that little chat, I would say goodbye to one of my best friends for the last time while we were both alive. I was riding home from the boys football game and she was driving the grain cart. The next night my life changed forever. I lost a best friend. I lost 2 cousins that I loved. I was forced to grow up. I was forced to mourn. I was forced to grow. As I look over the last year, I realize that I have changed. A lot. and that maybe, in some ways, I have changed for the better. I have come to realize what true compassion towards others is. I have learned to genuinly care and love someone who is struggling. I have learned that sometimes people need to talk, and sometimes people just need to sit, remember, and cherish the memories. I have learned to put a genuine smile and truly be as happy as I can. I treasure every moment that I was able to enjoy with Mabry. The laughs, the tears, the long chats late at night and early in the morning. I miss the daily calls. I miss begging Misty to let Mab have texting. I miss the sisterly fights that I would have to break up. I miss the ice cream, mud, water, and anything else we could find to use fights between us 5 cousins. I miss going shooting as cousins. I miss fixing her hair and makeup- cause I was the "girly girl." I miss sitting at Sam's house on the tailgate. And most of all I miss that contagious smile that lit up a room. I miss having that one friend that you could trust with all your secrets.
As I was scanning Facebook today, Mabry's name was on the list of friends to chat with. The way the new chat thing is set up- it shows people's name's, even if they are not online. Somehow I accidently clicked her name. A little thing appeared that said "Mabry is currently unavailable, but you can still send her a message." That got me to thinking. If she was able to receive one message from me what would I tell her? The first thing that popped into my head was to tell her Thank You. I would tell her thanks for being such an amazing example of pure love. She cared about every person she came in contact with. I never heard her say that she disliked anyone- even if they sometimes got on her nerves. I would then tell her that I am going to try hard everyday to do something that reminds me of her. I would tell her thanks for letting me be friends with her family. Camas and Talyn are so fun and I look up to them a lot. We have had a lot of fun memories and they remind me of her often. Misty and Jeremie are great examples to me and I am glad that they expect me to be the best person I can.
As I have grown this year, a lot of my old childish perspectives have changed a lot. I have come to realize that the petty things I worried about before don't really matter. That my family is the most important thing on this earth. I have learned that my tuff brothers have tender hearts and love me. I have learned I love them more than anything. I have learned to cherish every moment and remember to find the good in every situation. I have learned also the importance of writing things down and taking pictures. As much as we try to not to forget things, as time passes the little details start to slip our minds. I am so glad to have the journal that Mabry gave me.
So.... Although the past year has not been what I would have imagined, or maybe hoped for- I know there is a reason for everything. And although I am not sure how it is all going to work out after this life, I know that I am going to live the best that I can to be an example of what my friend Mabry was while she was here on earth. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I will be reunited with her when my time here is done. We will be able to hang out, laugh, get in a mud fight, and we will pick up right where we left off. I know that she is here with me when I need her the most. So.... My message to her is- short and simple. I love you. Miss you everyday and cannot wait to see you again. Thanks for being my best friend. Forever and Always! <3

*~We are as Little Children~*

SO........... Here is the assignment so you know what I am talking about! :)
*Review Matthew 18:3-4 and D&C 78:17-18. Explain in words the ways that we are like little children. In these verses, how does the Lord say He will help us??
Also, read Mosiah 3:19 and list the ways in which we are to become as little children.

And............. Here is my answers! :)

These verses never have really stuck in my mind, until today. In D&C it says that we are "little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;" to me this is what this assignment was asking us to think about. As far as the Gospel goes, I know I am a little child. There is so much that we can learn each day. And through our struggles and successes, Heavenly Father teaches us everday new principles that we must learn to be able to return to live with Him. The verses also tell us that we "cannot bear all things now"- we are not supposed to know all of it right at this time. I love in D&C 78 verse 18 how it says "Nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The Kingdom is yours and the blessings therof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours." It is ok that we do not know everything right now. We need to always strive to continue learning in all ways possible. It also talks about how we need to be as little children- humble and open to learning at all times.
Ways in which we are to become as little Children
*Become submissive
*Become meek
*Become Humble
*Become patient
*Become Full of Love
*Become willing to submit to all things which the Lord see fit to inflict upon him, even as a child does submit to his father.

Sometimes as we look at this list it can be a little overwhelming to think of becoming as a young child. My favorite thing about small kids is that they look to us (older people :) ) as an example. Many times they think whatever we are doing is the "coolest thing ever." They will watch older people and try to imitate what they are doing exactly. If we are like that with Heavenly Father, there is no way that we will not grow in more ways than we can imagine possible.

*~Feeding the Multitudes~*

Matthew 14: 14-21 Matthew 15:32-38
How many people were present? 5,000 men beside women & children 4,000 men beside women & children.
What did they need? Food, strength, energy Food, strength, energy
What were they able to offer in order to meet that need? 5 loaves, and 2 fishes. 7 and a few little fishes
What words or phrases describe the Savior’s feeling toward the multitudes in their time of need? Moved with compassion, healed their sick, I have compassion on the multitude, I will not send them away fasting.
What words or phrases describe what the Savior was able to provide for the multitudes? And they did ALL eat, and were filled. And fragments that remained twelve baskets full. And they did ALL eat, and were filled. And they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

Ok so my chart is not working, I am not sure how to fix the graph. So... The first answer to every question is to the first story and the second to the second story. It is amazing to me how the Savior works, and also how he uses repetition to us. In Romans 3:23 it tells us that "All have sinned.and come short of the Glory of God." Without our Heavenly Father's love and forgiveness and without our Savior giving his life for our sins, we would all fall short of reaching our eternal goals. I know that I have some very special people in Heaven that I miss every single day and I hope that I can always remember to try and live better. And when I fall short
I need to always remember to ask the Savior for help because He is always right there when we ask.

Parables, Gospel, and Good Vessels!

Hey Everyone! So this week in New Testament class we learned able the parables. It was really interesting to read these stories. The reading assignment was Matthew 11, 13, Mark 4-5, and Luke 7-8.

My favorite verses and principle for this week come from Luke 8:46. It is the story of the woman that touched His garments to become clean again. This verse made me think of just how virtuous the Savior was. He could tell that someone had touched Him, because he said, he could tell that virtue had gone out of Him. I think it is very important for us to remember how important virtue is and always remember to hang around people that will lift us up and not tear us down.

The student Choise Assigment for the week is as follows: Choice #2
- In your own words, define Parable.
* I think the word parable means to use materialistic things to explain a spiritual concept.
-What describes the future growth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints?
*Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:24-30)
-Why does the church send out so many missionaries?
*Parable of the Gospel net (Matthew 13:47-50)
-How do you explain the remarkable growth of the church, considering that it is fairly new compared to most world religions and started small in the American frontier?
* Parable of the Mustard seed (Matthew 13:31-32)
- Why are some members of the Church willing to sacrafice so much worldly wealth and recognition in order to maintain membership in the church?
*Parables of the Treaure and the Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:44-46)
-Why do some members choose to leave the Church?
* Parable of the Tares( Matthew 13:24-30)
-Considering the parables of the treasure and the pearl of great price (see Matthew 13:44-46)what sacrafices would you be willing to make to obtain the treasure of the gospel? What sacrafices have you or those you know already made for the gospel?
*I think we are so blessed to live when we do. We are not required to give up very much to live the gospel and do what is right. We are challenged more to keep ourselves spiritually worthy, than actually having to sacrifice something physical. Knowing the comfort the Gospel gives us, I think that I would be willing to sacrafice alot. I know that I want to spend eternity with my family and I will do what is asked of me in order to be with them. I know personally the comfort that we can receive from the Atonement and I will sacrafice what I need to in order to have those blessings.

-What does the net represent in the parable of the net cast into the sea? (see Matthew 13:47) What does it mean to be gathered into the net? What is represented by the action of gathering the good into vessels and casting the bad away? (see Matthew 13:48-50).
* In verse 47 it says that the net is like the Kingdom of heaven. I think the visual of a net being thrown into the sea is cool. It is like our church. We are asked to be in the world, but not of the world. So, throughout our lifetime we are in this net in the sea. When it is time, Heavenly Father will draw in His net and we will all have to account for what we have done on this earth. The good will be seperated from the bad.

Week #2 of New Testament

This week we studied Matthew 5-10, and Chapter 12, Mark 2-3, and Luke 5-6

There were so many good verses to choose from. During the first part of the week we are asked to pick our favorite and most powerful principles from the lesson. I am shocked at how many different principles there are in the scriptures. And it is so weird to me that depending on the day and what I need the spirit directs me to a different footnote or scripture that I need and I find new principles everytime I read. This week one principle that stood out to me most is found in Matthew 5:14-16. The principle to be learned is that we are the Light of the World. It talks about how we would not put a candle under a bushel and waste it, but rather we would put it out in the open so that it can light the darkness and help us accomplish our tasks. I compared that to us. We are so lucky to know the things we do and have the comfort of knowing the Plan of Salvation. For me, often times it is not the fact that I am "doing something wrong" but rather I am just not doing the BEST things possible. I have two little brothers and a lot of friends that I look up to a lot. I hope that I can be a good example to them. It is so easy to get caught up in our our activites and lives and forget about the needs of others. We each have great opportunities to teach the people around us, whether it be at home, work, school or other places. I have been working really hard this year to write in my Journal. I have started a new challenge this week and encourage you all to join in. So... Here's the Challenge! Do one thing kind for someone else throught your day, then write about it! Somedays it has been really easy and other days not so much. It can be something as simple as a genuine conversation with someone. I promise you it will help. It will make us all think about the things we do and say to others and will help us to be more in tune with the Spirit. I notice such a difference in my personal happiness when I am helping others. I know that by doing kind things to others we will stand out as a Light to the World and we will encourage others to come to know the truth for themselves.
I am excited for this personal challenge to Blog about what I am learning. It is out of my comfort zone, I have never done something like this before. I am excited to strengthen my own testimony and hope that I can share something that will help you out to! :) And this is some other stuff I learned!!! <3
I could not get the chart to work on my blog so this is how it goes....
Reference, Miracles of the Lord, Who Demonstrated Faith
Matthew 8:1-4, He cleansed a leper, The Leper had to show great faith because he came unto the lord.
Matthew 8:5-13,He healed the mans servant that was home sick with palsy, The Leper needed to have faith that he could heal his servant
Matthew 8: 14-15,Healed Peter’s wife,Peter and his wife both had to have faith
Matthew 8:16, He cast out the devils and healed the sick, The sick and those with devils had to have faith
Matthew 8:23-34, He cast out devils, Those who were overcome with the devils
Mark 5:25-34, He made the diseased woman whole, The woman showed amazing faith Matthew 9:27-31, He healed the blind men so they could see, The blind men
Mark 2:1-12, He healed the sick of palsy, The friends/family of the sick

New Challenge, and Where has the Time Gone?!

Hey Everyone!! So I know it's been a while! I am so aweful at updating my blog.Life is crazy and seems to be flying out from under my feet. I have been going a million miles an hour as always! :) I finished another semester of school in the fall (barely) and survived the winter (nasty!) I think there are signs of spring in Eastern Idaho.... and I have broke out the Capris and Shorts even if its not warm enough! :) I started a new sememster of school 2 weeks ago! 12 Credits online and still working 45ish hours a week! Life is crazy! One of our weekly assignments in our religion class is to post on our blogs about what we learn.... so GUESS WHAT?! For the next 10ish weeks you will get to learn what I learned in my New Testament Class! So.... Here goes! :)