honoring the past

I got chills while watching this. If you want, you can look into the Warsaw Uprising, which is what they're commemorating in this video, but basically it was an uprising that took place in Warsaw, Poland during WWII where the Poles tried to liberate themselves and over 200,000 ended up being killed.
It's so neat that even today, decades later, the lost lives of these people are still being remembered and honored.

I was able to attend the funeral of my great-grandpa this week, and it was such a special day spent honoring him and all that he did in his life. How long will he be remembered on this earth? How long will I be remembered on this earth?

It is so important to remember and commemorate our history. You are the person you are because of those who came before you. The world is the way it is because of centuries upon centuries of decisions and events that have shaped it. Literature is the way it is because of the literature that was written yesterday. The same can be said of music and movies and pretty much anything else.

The things that we do today will affect the future in ways that we can't fully realize.

The history of the world is just one long story that includes the lives of many people who have helped write it and will continue to help write it.

What are you going to contribute to the world's story? And how will you remember those who came before you?

Sorry this was a quickie post, I've just been busy! Have a great first week of school! :)
Haley

who are you?

In Nov. 1975 Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone tells this story:

"Many years ago I heard the story of the son of King Louis XVI of France. King Louis had been taken from his throne and imprisoned. His young son, the prince, was taken by those who dethroned the king. They thought that inasmuch as the king’s son was heir to the throne, if they could destroy him morally, he would never realize the great and grand destiny that life had bestowed upon him.

They took him to a community far away, and there they exposed the lad to every filthy and vile thing that life could offer. They exposed him to foods the richness of which would quickly make him a slave to appetite. They used vile language around him constantly. They exposed him to lewd and lusting women. They exposed him to dishonor and distrust. He was surrounded 24 hours a day by everything that could drag the soul of a man as low as one could slip. For over six months he had this treatment—but not once did the young lad buckle under pressure. Finally, after intensive temptation, they questioned him. Why had he not submitted himself to these things—why had he not partaken? These things would provide pleasure, satisfy his lusts, and were desirable; they were all his. The boy said, “I cannot do what you ask for I was born to be a king.”

We are all born to be kings in the kingdom of God. Our Father is a king, and just as the king’s son was exposed to every vile and perverted thing in this life, so you will be exposed to much of the filth and degradation of our generation. But you Aaronic Priesthood bearers and Young Women are also born to be kings and queens, priests and priestesses."

(Click here to read more...)

"Simba, you have forgotten me."

"No, how could I?"

"You have forgotten who you are, and so forgotten me."

"Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the circle of life."

"How can I go back? I'm not who I used to be."

"Remember who you are. You are my son, and the one true king. Remember who you are."

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Do you remember who you are? I guess... I guess I forget sometimes. 

You are the daughter/son of a King. A great, mighty, merciful, and glorious King.

A King who is waiting for you to return to Him, to claim the blessings that are rightfully yours.

You are Cinderella, you are Belle. You are Snow White, Fiona, Rapunzel, and Mia Thermopolis.

You are Prince Eric, Prince Charming, and... and Prince Zuko.

And like the fairy-tale characters above, you have come a long way to be where you are now. 

And you have a long way to go.

But nothing could be more important than the choices you make now.

Your eternity is riding on them. 

I know I have used this analogy before, but imagine a never-ending string of Yogurt Cheerios. (Because they are yummier than normal Cheerios...)

That never-ending strand represents your eternity. And a single Cheerio on that strand represents your earth life. 

The choices you make now, during this minuscule period of time, they affect your eternity. 

The time you spend here is very important. 

(So all you YOLOers should stop YOLOing...!)

D&C 25:10 - And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better.

That's my very favorite scripture, you know. 

A beautiful and perfect realm awaits you. 

Remember who you are.

Memorial Day... 2012

A memory is what is left when something happens and does not completely unhappen.  ~Edward de Bono

You know... I've heard that remember is the most important word in the English language... 

And I think that that's true.

So... remember.

Remember what people have sacrificed for you in the past... 

And remember the people that are making sacrifices for you now.

And never ever take for granted the gifts that they have given you. 

And always live with a grateful heart.

To all those who have given me freedoms... and to those who are fighting today so that I can keep those freedoms... thank you.

To those who have sacrificed more than I could ever imagine... so that I could have the gospel... thank you.

And to you... thank you for giving me perspective... and something to look forward to.

A Marked Generation

We all know those people around us that just amazing.
They are smart, funny, spiritual, and just all around... good.

And there is no doubt in our minds that they are going straight to the Celestial Kingdom...

And then there's us.

At least that's how we seem to always see it.

We tend to often feel that we are not measuring up, that we're just not good enough.

Well...
There have been people on this earth for thousands of years.
There was Adam, the Ancient of Days.
From him came many, many prophets who preached to millions of people that we read about in the Old Testament.
In the New Testament, We read about Christ being born. He preached healed, and offered himself up for a sacrifice.
There were many, many generations following that.

Read history books. Read about the Indians, the Revolutionary War, Ancient Rome, Chinese history...

There have been a lot of people on this earth.

Billions.

Billions of people have lived and died here over the course of six thousand years, each with their own special mission.

And then you were born.

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For nearly six thousand years, God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the Second Coming. Every previous gospel dispensation has drifted into apostasy, but ours will not.... God has saved for the final inning some of his strongest children, who will help bear off the kingdom triumphantly. And that is where you come in, for you are the generation that must be prepared to meet your God...." Make no mistake about it you are a marked generation.

- Ezra Taft Benson
(read more)

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You came here for a reason. You have a mission to complete that no one else can complete for you.

We are the strongest generation... the generation strong enough to defeat Satan.

Strong enough to stand up for what we believe.

Strong enough to make a real difference.

The fact that you live on the earth at this time... makes you amazing.

The Father saw something in you during the pre-existence. He knew you were strong enough.

You were foreordained to be great.

Of course, that means that we have a great responsibility. We can't let our Father down.

We have to work hard to accomplish what we came here to do.

But. I promise.

It will be worth it.

Real People.

One Good Woman by Cherie Call

Mary Chilton never knew what the salty winds would do

When she stepped aboard and sailed away on a 1620 autumn day

At Plymouth Rock she was the first to touch dry ground

But she became an orphan when the winter came and the tears fell down

But she grew, and married a good man

And they had eleven children

And they would never understand what she'd been through but they knew 

That a girl of just thirteen 

Crossed one big ocean 

And that she grew up to be

One good woman

And Polly Angel didn't know what the hands of time would show

When she dressed in white and said, "I do" in the fall of 1832

Her life would change that very year forever more

When they heard the message of two strangers at their door they headed west

And Polly had six children, but only two survived

And they could never understand what she'd been through

But they knew that a woman of great faith

Crossed one big country

And that they were being raised 

By one good woman

There they are, written in the spaces of a family tree

Till it all comes down to me

I know that I can never say that I'm the only one who's prayed 

For pain to end or love to last or for time not to go by so fast

But it will fly and in a hundred years from now

Will there ever be someone who reads my name and wonders

If I laughed

Or if I believed in Jesus

Or if my heart were ever broken

They may never understand what I go through

But I will live the best that I know how

For one big lifetime

It's not too much to ask

Of one good woman

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     To forget one’s ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root. 

(Chinese Proverb)

I know I've shared the following quote before, but I love what President Gordon B. Hinckley said about remembering the pioneers...

“I will never get over being thankful to them; I hope you never get over being thankful to them. I hope that we will always remember them. . . . Let us read again and again, and read to our children or our children’s children, the accounts of those who suffered so much.”
- Gordon B. Hinckley  

Joseph Smith said that "The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead." Just remember while doing genealogy... That those people are not just names on a page. 

They really lived and breathed.

They quarreled with their siblings

They fell in love.

They worked for their families.

They were homemakers.

They played with their kids.

They burnt dinner.

They laughed and goofed off.

It's hard for us to imagine sometimes... but when you research your family history or do ordinances for those who have died... try to picture them. 

...I'll bet that they're up there with a smile on their face, so grateful to you for completing the work they couldn't finish while on the earth. 

Between YOU and your GOD...

    So I counted just now... and I have 78 posters/pictures on my wall... I honestly can't cram anything else onto my wall. :) (At least it hides the paint color... I've been wanting to repaint my room for a while now... :))
     Anyways... if you care to play I-Spy, you can find the following poem hanging in my room amidst all of the other stuff. It is perhaps one of the first things that I hung up because it is one of my very favorites:

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People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;

Forgive them anyway. 

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway. 

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway. 

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway. 

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway. 

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway. 

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway. 

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you've got anyway. 

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;

It was never between you and them anyway.

[Credited to Mother Teresa, although nobody is positive... there are many speculations as to who first came up with it.]  

---------- 

I think that the following quote kinda goes along those same lines:

"My young friends, be strong. You know what is right, and what is wrong, and no disguise - however appealing - can change that truth. If your so called friends urge you to do anything you know to be wrong, you be the one to make a stand for right, even if you stand alone."
- President Thomas S. Monson

I love the last two lines of that poem... because in the end, it really will be between you and God. Nobody else. And 'final analysis' will come sooner than you might think.

     Imagine a never-ending strand of little tiny seed beads. Our earth life is one of those tiny beads. Do not throw away the rest of the beads - the rest of time itself - because you decided to give in and take foolish advice from people. If you had a wider window - a greater perspective - you would always try to make the best choices you could, because you would better know what you would be sacrificing otherwise.

     The thing is... we do know. It's just tricky to visualize sometimes. BUT... I know that if we try to live life the best we can... and make the choices that would please our Heavenly Father... we will find peace and happiness during and after this life.

An Easter Message

     I decided one Easter, while swinging on the swings, that it was officially going to be my favorite holiday.
     It's perfect. Great weather, the Easter Bunny comes, new church dresses, egg hunts, yummy food, and last but not least, jello eggs.
     I love me some jello eggs.

     Of course, once the 4th of July rolled around, I decided that it would be my favorite holiday. After that, Halloween.

     I like holidays. All of them.

     Easter and Christmas however, hold their own special and sacred meanings to members of our Church as well as people all around the world.
     And as fun as Halloween is, it could never come close to Christmas or Easter.

     Tomorrow... Easter... is a day that we should spend feeling grateful. Grateful for all that Christ did for us, and grateful that we can repent and overcome hard things because of Him. No matter how hard things get - and things could get really hard - just remember the following:

To every thing there is a season.
A time to every purpose.
A time to be born - a time to die...
A time to break down - a time to build up.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh...
A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to get... a time to lose.
A time to keep - a time to cast away...
[See Ecclesiastes 3: 1-6]


AND... remember that trials aren't permanent. If you are faithful and trusting, they will go away eventually... even if it isn't until your earthly life is over. Always remember that "This too, shall pass."
(Phrase stolen from following poem!)

When some great sorrow, like a mighty river,
Flows through your life with peace-destroying power
And dearest things are swept from sight forever,
Say to your heart each trying hour:
"This, too, shall pass away."

When ceaseless toil has hushed your song of gladness,
And you have grown almost too tired to pray,
Let this truth banish from your heat its sadness,
And ease the burdens of each trying day:
"This, too, shall pass away."

When fortune smiles, and, full of mirth and pleasure,
The days are flitting by without a care,
Lest you should rest with only earthly treasure,
Let these few words their fullest import bear:
"This, too, shall pass away."

When earnest labor brings you fame and glory,
And all earth's noblest ones upon you smile,
Remember that life's longest, grandest story
Fills but a moment in earth's little while:
"This, too, shall pass away."

(This, Too, Shall Pass Away - Lanta Wilson Smith)

    And that leads us into the following quote:


Joseph B. Wirthlin, speaking of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection, said in a talk once,
     "I think of all the days since the beginning of this world's history, that Friday was the darkest. But the doom of that day did not endure because on Sunday the resurrected Lord burst the bonds of death, ascended from the grave, and appeared gloriously triumphant as the Savior of all mankind."

He later went on to say,
     "Each of us will have our own Fridays -- those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our worldly life littered upon us in pieces. We will all experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. But I testify in the name of the One who conquered death -- Sunday will come.

(See a video about that talk here.)








Isaiah 53
3- He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4- Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5- But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Christ suffered more terrible pains than we could ever imagine. He did it for me. And you. He gave us the atonement, so that if we did our part and repented, we would never feel of those pains.

And then, on the third day, He rose again. He conquered death.
He rose above death... so that we could too.
And He succeeded... even though He went through great adversity. Following His example, WE can succeed amid great adversity too.

AND, perhaps the most significant knowledge that we gain from Easter... is that we can and will be resurrected someday... with a perfect body. Families... are FOREVER. 
That means so much to me... and I'm sure it does to you if you have lost loved ones.



Matthew 28
6- He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.


"Our Savior lived again. The most glorious, comforting, and reassuring of all events of human history had taken place—the victory over death. The pain and agony of Gethsemane and Calvary had been wiped away. The salvation of mankind had been secured. The Fall of Adam had been reclaimed. The empty tomb that first Easter morning was the answer to Job’s question, 'If a man die, shall he live again?' To all within the sound of my voice, I declare, If a man die, he shall live again. We know, for we have the light of revealed truth."
- Thomas S. Monson

And with that, Happy Easter!

My Conference Highlights [Part One] - True Conversion and Spiritual Experiences

     Okay. Long time no see, right? I haven't blogged in a week. That may be the longest gap as of yet. (Not counting when my computer was broken last December. I've created a mental block of those weeks. That was a very dark time, yes. Haha...)


     Anyways. Conference. I hope that you watched with attentiveness. If you took notes, double points for you.


"Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." [D&C 1:38]

     When you listen to the Prophet or apostles speak, you are hearing God's will. I think most of us would say that when God reveals things to us, we want to hear it. Why then, do people not make it a priority to watch General Conference? There is always something shared that can speak to you. 


     If you missed any of the sessions, you can watch them here. Text for the talks will be available Thursday. Sometimes it is easier just to read them. 


     So for the next couple of posts, I would like to go over a few of my favorite talks. (I'm not actually sure how many "parts" this little series will have. Who knows, this may be the only one, but I'm sorta thinking 2-3...)




     One talk that I loved was in the Saturday Morning Session... "The Gospel and the Church" - by Donald L. Hallstrom.



(Hopefully you've already heard this talk, but if you haven't, or if you need some refreshing, here's the talk for your convenience. I'm surprised that all of the talks have already been uploaded to youtube. Sweet.)


Here are some of my favorite quotes from this talk:

     "Sometimes we use the terms 'Gospel' and 'Church' interchangeably, but they are not the same. They are, however, exquisitely interconnected, and we need both."

     "Some have come to think of activity in the Church as the ultimate goal. Therein lies a danger. It is possible to be active in the Church, and less active in the Gospel."

     "How much faith do we really have? How repentant are we? How meaningful are the ordinances in our lives? How focused are we on our covenants?"

     "We need the Gospel and the Church."

     "We often wonder: 'How can someone be fully active in the Church as a youth, and then not be when they're older? How can an adult, who has regularly attended and served, stop coming? How can a person who is disappointed by a leader or another member allow that to end their church participation?' Perhaps the reason is they were not sufficiently converted to the Gospel, the things of eternity."

     "The Lord wants the members of His Church to be fully converted to His Gospel. This is the only sure way to have spiritual safety now and happiness forever."


     If you never heard the talk, do you get the basic message? True conversion. 

     Hopefully you understand the concept of true conversion, because it is different than just being a member of the Church.

     There are some members of the Church who have been members their entire life, but do not follow the commandments. There are other members who are converts, and maybe have had the Gospel a shorter time, but they are more faithful and valiant. There are some people who have had the gospel their entire life, and it is their highest priority.

What is the difference between these different types of people? They've all been exposed to the same teachings.

     The difference is that some are not truly converted.

     Say you were born into the Church and were baptized when you were eight. You have grown up in the Church your whole life. There comes a time, however, when you must become truly converted. That is when you fully believe in the Gospel and its teachings, and you understand that nothing should be more important in your life.
     True conversion requires a change of heart.

     -----

     How can we get this change of heart? Well, "ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." [Ether 12:6].

     Keep the commandments. Pray often. Go to church. Read your scriptures often. Try really hard to have a spiritual balance in your life. When you are to this point, pray for a witness. Pray for a special experience. Pray that the Holy Ghost will tell you that what you are doing is right. 

     You will receive a witness. 

     Now is when another talk comes in... "To Hold Sacred" - by Paul B. Pieper (Sunday afternoon).

     (It's a long quote, but really good.)

"At times we may feel vulnerable and in need of greater spiritual assurances. The Lord told Oliver Cowdrey, 'If you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know the truth of these things. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have, than from God?' The Lord reminded Oliver - and us - to rely on sacred personal witnesses already received when our faith is challenged. Like Moses, Alma, and Joseph before, these divine encounters serve as spiritual anchors to keep us safe and on course in times of trial." 

- Paul B. Pieper

     Times of doubt will still come for most of us... but when that happens, never forget those witnesses you received. Never forget the times when the Holy Spirit enveloped you. Write those experiences down!

     For me, I always think of a night at EFY when I felt the Spirit so strong that it was almost tangible. It was such a happy feeling, and I knew that the Gospel should always be the most important thing in my life. I always want that feeling within reach. 

     If I ever have times when I have doubts - times when Satan is working on me - I just remember experiences like that. I remember what I felt then, and how it was undeniable. It washes all doubts away. 

     I think that is what Elder Pieper is trying to say... never forget those special experiences, because in times of trial, it's important to have those witnesses to look back on. 

(To read all of Elder Pieper's talk, click here.)

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O Remember, Remember

     Sorry that I have been kinda AWOL this week...
     The end of the term means a lot of studying and homework... so I've been pretty busy.

Now.
I think that "O Remember, Remember" is one of my favorite phrases from the scriptures. I discovered this video tonight... (amazing how I keep finding new ones)... and really liked it...

Without further adieu...



I can never decide which scriptures I want to share... so here are a couple... :)

Deuteronomy 32:7 - Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.


D&C 46: 10 - And again, verily I say unto you, I would that ye should always remember, and always retain in your minds what those gifts are, that are given unto the church.

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     I have heard it said that REMEMBER is the most important word in the dictionary. I would agree with that statement.

     This will most likely be a pretty short post, because I am tired, but here's something to think about...

     If you take the sacrament at church every Sunday, you are making a promise to always remember the Lord.

3 Nephi 18:7 - And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.


     The Lord has done SO MANY amazing things for us... and He continues to bless us every day. Make sure that you are always recognizing these things, and that you never forget about them. 
     
(Remember this article? yeah. Read it again.)


Never forget that God loves and blesses you.
Never forget that Jesus Christ died for you.
Never forget what Joseph Smith went through to bring us the restored gospel.
Never forget what your ancestors, the pioneers, went through. 
Never forget that your parents care about you.
Never forget that other people do too, like your friends and leaders...
Never forget that life can be enjoyed.
Never forget that you were made to do good.
Never forget that it is never too late to repent.

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If we do not remember the past, our mistakes will be repeated... 

You need to let your mistakes teach you lessons, and then you need to always remember those lessons.

“Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”

- George Santayana

And lastly...

Helaman 5:12 - And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

Just never forget to serve your Lord... the one who knows you best, and loves you endlessly.






P.S. I suppose that post wasn't as short as I imagined it would be. Now I really am tired. Goodnight.

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