Sacrifices

Sometimes in life we all have to make sacrifices that we really don't want to, even if the thing we are sacrificing are uplifting and fun that will cause no harm. Sometimes things come up in our lives that makes us incapable of doing those things we love to do.  Instead, perhaps, we gain something greater or of more worth.  I know that I have learned that Heavenly Father knows what is best for me.  By sacrificing something I would love to do, I am able to realize that sometimes I don't always get what I want in life, and in the long run, everything will work out and I will be eternally happy.  Here are some quotes that have helped me through this:
"We have much reason to hope.  Joy can be ours if we are willing to sacrifice all for the Lord.  Then we can look forward to the infinitely priceless possibility of overcoming all the challenges of this life." -President James E. Faust
"Brothers and sisters, the most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of your spirit.  He knows you.  He loves you with a perfect love.  God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season- He sees you as His child.  He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become.  He wants you to know that you matter to Him." -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
"Though you may feel that no one can understand the depth of your despair, our Savior, Jesus Christ, understands.  He suffered more than we can possibly imagine, and He did it for us; He did it for you.  You are not alone." -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
I am so grateful for this knowledge that I know that Christ has suffered for me.  He knows exactly what I am going through.  Even though I may have to sacrifice something that is really hard for me, He suffered His body for every single person.  I can not comprehend how much love He has for me.  I know that if I stay close to the Lord, he will help me get through anything that comes my way.

Future Husband

I found this letter at http://www.lds-yw.com/ and really enjoyed it.  I hope my future husband is looking for these traits, and I hope that I can live these standards and live up to my best potential and be the girl that my future husband is looking for. Enjoy!

Dearest Dream Girl,

You might not know me yet and I’m not sure I know who you are either, but you and I will be in love someday. I think about you all the time. I wonder about what you look like, what things you like to do, and what it is about you that will make me fall in love with you when I find you.

However, there are a few things that I know about you already; I know that you are a faithful daughter of our Heavenly Father and that you have a testimony of the gospel. I know that temple marriage is one of your goals and you don’t want to settle for less. I know that you are sweet and kind and you are feminine and fun loving.

Although you like to laugh and have a good time, I know you look at life seriously.

Dream Girl, I’m not interested in the girl who gives her lips freely, or the girl who is immodest in dress and conduct. I’m not interested in the girl who changes her standards to fit her company, the girl who can’t see anything wrong with an occasional cigarette, and occasional drink, or an occasional bout of immorality.

I’m not looking for you among questionable company. I’m not looking for you at shady parties because you are not there.

Neither of us are perfect. Yet we will love each other for what we want to be as well as what we are.

And when we both see eye to eye we will kneel hand in hand and seek the inspiration of the Father. There will not be many tomorrow’s until we find each other. I’m waiting anxiously for that day!

Stay sweet and pure because I’ll be looking for you. Until then, Sweet dreams,

Your Future Husband

His Blood Shed For Me

Heavenly Father knows that I need the sacrament every week.  I do not know how I could live with my sins for more than a week.  I love the sacrament.  It gives me the opportunity to start over and cleanse myself from my sins for that week.  I really hate it when I sin after church on Sunday, so I have to wait until next week to take the sacrament again.
I am so grateful for the atonement so that I can repent of my sins.  Christ knows exactly how I feel and he loves me perfectly that he will help save me and help me, through the atonement, get back to Heavenly Father.

This quote is amazing.  I do love God and try to please him, but I make mistakes every single day.  Even though I fail him, he has an unconditional love for me, and he will love me no matter what mistakes I make.
Elder Legrand R. Curtis Jr. said in this last General Conference, "Although we can never repay the Redeemer what He paid on our behalf, the plan of redemption calls for our best efforts to fully repent and do the will of God."  We may never be able to pay Christ back for what he did for us, but we can use the atonement as a gift.  Just like in the passover in Exodus 12, the Israelites had to wipe the blood of the lamb on the door posts so they would pass over their door and not kill the first born of every creature.  We have to use the blood, or else it does not work.  We have to use His blood.  The sacrament is a symbol of His body and blood, and we need to partake of it each week and repent of our sins.  The sacrament is to remember Him and be appreciative of what He did for us.

BYU football= missionary work

I love BYU football. At the beginning of the 2010 season, I had the opportunity to go to a BYU fireside and listen to Bronco Mendenhall and a couple of the players talk. They have these firesides often throughout the season. I love how Bronco uses his beliefs and the church to help organize the team.

This “football fireside” tradition, Mendenhall said, is “really the only reason to have a football program.”
"The firesides have been a way for us to make a very clear statement of what our priorities are, or should be," Mendenhall says.

"Football is simply the vehicle we use to help others come to a knowledge of what really brings joy and happiness to our lives. Football is not the priority. Some people don't understand that. He pointed out that many recruits and parents are surprised, even shocked, when he tells them that football is the fourth priority for his nationally ranked Cougars behind church, family and academics.

"These firesides are a way for all of us to help consider our priorities through understanding the purpose of life."  He explained that the football players voluntarily sign up to give the prayers, talks and provide musical numbers to share their testimonies of Jesus Christ.

Mendenhall has taught his players the importance of using sports to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“I think that if we can be good role models as far as representing not only the Church, but the team as well, I think that can go a long way for kids who might not have their mind made up with what they want to do in life,” said senior running back Bryan Kariya. “They can have a good role model and something to aspire to.”

I think that this whole meaning behind BYU football is a great way to do missionary work. I remember the fireside that I went to, Bronco said that they want to show who they are and what they stand for by the way they play, and that if they win then the team they played will walk away thinking about who they just played.

One of my favorite parts of the fireside was when the whole team got up and sang a musical number: We'll Bring the World his Truth.

I absolutely love this song. Here are the lyrics:

We have been born, as Nephi of old,

To goodly parents who love the Lord.

We have been taught, and we understand,

That we must do as the Lord commands.

We are as the Army of Helaman.

We have been taught in our youth.

And we will be the Lord's missionaries

To bring the world his truth.

We have been saved for these latter-days

To build the kingdom in righteous ways.

We hear the words our prophet declares: 

"Let each who's worthy go forth and share." 

Chorus

We know his plan, and we will prepare,

Increase our knowledge through study and prayer.

Daily we'll learn until we are called

To take the gospel to all the world. 

Chorus

I think this is so cool. If the team goes out and plays every game thinking that they are the "Army of Helaman," then they will be able to win; maybe not the game, but as missionaries, they will be on the right track.

The firesides are a great way to go and see the football players. I was so excited to see them all on the stand in white shirts and ties. I was able to get Jake Heaps autograph afterwards also.

Here is another quote from one of the firesides: “At the end of our lives, the outward exterior, the muscles, the height, how far you can kick a ball, how hard you can block an inside linebacker or make a tackle — none of that will be measured,” Mendenhall said. “What will be measured is the strength of our testimonies, the service we have given, and our obedience to the commandments which have been given.”

One person in the audience at a fireside said, “I wish I had the opportunity to hear the testimonies of football players when I was a kid. That would be like my dream, it would have probably strengthened my testimony a ton as a kid, hearing my heroes talk about the gospel.”

BYU football players are heroes. Little kids and youth and sometimes even adults look up to them.

One of these heroes, BYU running back David Foote, said he enjoys meeting fans and church members just as much. “It’s my favorite part, to meet everyone after [the fireside], and seeing the faces in the crowd that’s cheering us on,” Foote said.

Bryan Kariya 

This year, 2011, the theme for the football team is Rise Up. I love this theme. I think it is a great reminder for the team rise up to the next level and really think about why they are playing and how they can do better. I look up to the BYU football players and Bronco Mendenhall. I respect him a lot for making service and Christ a higher priority than football.

sources:
http://universe2.byu.edu/node/12269
http://byu.scout.com/2/784808.html
http://universe.byu.edu/index.php/2011/09/02/byu-fans-pack-tupelo-meetinghouse-for-fireside/
http://byucougars.com/m-football/2011-football-fireside-schedule

Let Earth Receive Her King

Christmas is my favorite time of the year!  I love celebrating Christ's birth and remembering everything that he did for us, and I love listening to Christmas music.  David Archuleta sang with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir last Christmas.  I absolutely love this song!  David's voice is so amazing and he has such a great spirit when he sings that tells the message of the song.

I love the saying "Wise men still seek him."  It refers to the three wise-men who brought gifts to Jesus at his birth, but it is also saying that if you are wise, you will still seek Christ.  That is so powerful.  We need to seek Christ in our everyday lives.

I love the lessons we learn during Christmas time.  We learn that it is not about receiving gifts but serving others and giving.  Christ served others his whole life.  This movie helps show the true meaning of Christmas:

 

And I just love this song:

The translation is:
We are glad that we have a Father to trust.
We are glad that we have a Father to rely upon
Where was Jesus born?
Where was He born?
Bethlehem, the city of wonder.
That is where the Father was born for sure.
Praise, praise, praise be to Him.
We thank Thee, we thank Thee, we thank Thee for this day.
Gracious Father.
Praise, praise, praise be to Thee,
Merciful Father

Gratitude

The Thanksgiving season is wonderful.  I made a list of all of the things that I was thankful for, and filled up every little space on a piece of paper of things I am grateful for.  It was hard to come up with things. I am grateful for my nice warm bed and clothes to change into everyday, but I am mostly grateful for my family.  I love my family so much and I am glad that I will be with them forever.  I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the strength and comfort it gives me.  I am grateful that Joseph Smith restored the true church on the Earth today so that I may partake of the eternal blessings the gospel brings.  I am grateful for temples and the ordinances that are performed there.  I am indeed grateful for my Savior and for everything that he did for me.  I am grateful that I have the atonement and that He suffered for every pain that I have felt. I am grateful for repentance.  I am grateful for the Holy Ghost to be my guide and comforter.  I am grateful that I can live with Heavenly Father and my family for eternity.  

I love this quote.  It helps me to always be grateful for everything that I have and to realize how fortunate I really am.