Open Doors

This painting is called "Let Him In" by Greg Olsen. I chose this painting because I feel that it is important that we let Christ into our lives. He is forever knocking at our door and whenever we need help, we just have to let Him in. In Matthew 7:7-8 it says, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." This is the perfect scripture to match this picture. I also just love the words because of the meaning and the poeticness of it. I am so grateful for Christ being there for me all of the time. If I ever need anything, I just have to ask. My favorite part is where it says "Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Life is like a giant hallways with many doors leading off into different paths. I choose one door and that is the path I take. At one point, I come to another choice of doors. Sometimes it becomes super difficult to decide which door to choose. But if I simply knock on Christ's door He will guide me to the correct door. I am never alone in this life because Christ is always there for me. He may not be physically with me but in Spirit He is. I am so grateful for this gospel and the many doors it opens for me. I think that if I didn't have the gospel with me, my doors would be severely limited.

Christ Lifts Me Up

Along with the semester-long project, we are required to do a discussion board each week for New Testament. I really love that assignment because it gives me the opportunity to read through my notes from the week and have the things I learned really sink in. In my other classes I hardly read over my notes unless I'm studying for a test. So having that opportunity is great for me and really strengthens my testimony. Anyways, the point of this is that today in my discussion board I found a recurring theme of strengthening our individual selves. This begins with finding yourself and being your own person. This year I have found myself and learned to not care what others think. I love being me and doing what I like to do. As long as I am doing what the Lord wants me to do, it doesn't matter what others think of me. I also read posts about strengthening our faith and going through trials. From reading these I thought about how we are here on this earth to be tested so we will always have trials. We are expected to work hard and get through them. However, the Lord is always there to pull us up and strengthen us when we don't have enough strength. That's where the picture comes in. This picture is called "Be Not Afraid" by Greg Olsen. Christ's arm is always outstretched to help us. In Philippians 4:13 it says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." This fits perfectly with what I have been talking about. We have trials and hardships but we also have Christ. My life isn't perfect and I for sure have hardships but I make it through with faith in Christ. My faith isn't perfect either and I know I need to work on it everyday. Christ is patient with me and helps lift me up. I know that with Christ in my life He makes it possible for me to do all things. We learn from the scriptures about Christ walking on water and that Paul did too. What faith Paul had to ask if he could walk on water with Christ. My faith seems tiny in comparison to Paul's faith but it's my faith. I wouldn't want any other person's faith. I am grateful for the opportunity to strengthen my faith through my struggles. I am so grateful for a Savior that is always there to lift me up when I need Him. I know He is there when I need Him, waiting for me to ask for His help. This gospel is so great and helps me through so much. I don't know where I would be without it. I am so grateful for my Savior and I want to do the best I can so that He can be happy with me and my decisions. He is great and my Savior.

Gathering Israel

I didn't know what to do this week for a picture so I did what we all do when all else fails: I googled. As I was looking through the many pictures of Christ, and many pictures of people that were clearly not Christ, I found this painting by Simon Dewey. It's called "The Lord is My Shepherd". When I saw this picture it made me think of how we are Christ's flock and that He watches over and protects us. I also thought about the scattering of Israel and how there are so many people in Christ's flock that are lost. John 10:16 says, "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." Last Sunday I received my Patriarchal Blessing and this weekend was General Conference so I've been hearing a lot about the Gathering of Israel. In my Patriarchal Blessing I am told that I am of the tribe of Ephraim and that with this heritage comes the responsibility in the gathering of Israel. In General Conference I felt I was hearing a lot about missionary work and how it's important that we help bring those sheep back into the fold. I may or may not serve a mission, at this point in time I most likely won't, but whether I do or not, I still have a mission on this earth to help seek out those who are lost and give them a lending hand. I think one way I can do that right now is by talking with Taylor and Aubree. Taylor has had all of the discussions and wants to be baptized but her parents do not approve at all. I'm sure this is very hard for her so I feel that maybe part of my mission there is simply to be there for her and a support to her for when she needs it. Aubree is reading the Book of Mormon and is thinking of taking the discussions soon which I am so excited about! I've always thought that Aubree would want to be baptized into the Church someday; she just seemed like that kind of person. By sharing my testimony with her and answering any questions she may have, I can be a missionary to her. "But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." -Matthew 10:6. Again, it is written that we are supposed to seek out the lost sheep.
As I mentioned above, this weekend was the 181st Semi-Annual General Conference. Throughout it, I felt missionary work was a recurring theme. Elder L. Whitney Clayton said, "our work has no boundaries." A bold and true statement; missionary work is being spread all across the globe and those sheep that are lost are being gathered. What a hopeful and joyful statement, that many people will be able to hear the gospel and come unto Christ. Elder Jose L. Alonso expressed the importance of seeking out the one and bringing them back. I loved that he added that we cannot delay in seeking them because if we do, they could be lost forever. Our dispensation has a great duty to fulfill, but we were also chosen to fulfill this because our Father in Heaven and Elder Brother has faith in us that we can do this. Now we must have this faith in ourselves. President Uchtdorf said to never wonder if the Lord has forgotten us; He never has and He never will. Not only has the Lord never forgotten us, He also has never forgotten the lost sheep. He loves those people as much as He loves us. He wants them back into His fold and we are the ones that can do that. It is our duty and responsibility to find those people. Elder Ian S. Arden gave one of my favorite talks of Conference this weekend. He didn't necessarily talk about missionary work but it can be applied to missionary work. Elder Arden expressed the importance of using our time wisely and that we will have to give an account of how we used our time. I truly believe a great way for us to use our time is by doing missionary work and serving in the Church. By doing this, we can help the Church grow and seek out those that are lost. Elder LeGrand R. Curtis Jr. also discussed the importance of rescuing the less active members of the Church. Missionary work is not always about finding those who have never been taught the gospel before. It is also about rescuing those who have been part of the Church but have fallen away for whatever reason. I remember in my home ward that the importance of rescuing the less active was stressed greatly. Elder L. Tom Perry talked about how we can share who we are and by that, many people may come to know Christ. We can share who we are and what the Church is about by simply being an example to others. Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." If we are living worthily, we have the Light of Christ in us. Therefore, by simply doing what we're supposed to, the Light of Christ can be shown unto all men. It is important for us to be doing what we're supposed to not only for our benefit, but also for the benefit of others. To add to this, 1 Timothy 4:12 says, "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." There are so many things we can do to be an example of a follower of Christ. I strive each and every day to do what I am supposed to. I am by doing that I am being an example of the believers in all of those things.
I know this post was kind of everywhere and I'm not very good at organizing it, but these are my thoughts. I know it is so important for us to seek out those lost sheep. The Lord loves us and He loves those lost sheep and wants them to have what we have. Shouldn't that be enough for us to seek them out? The knowledge and happiness we have and the want to share that? I am so grateful for this gospel and all that it does for me. I'm grateful for those missionaries that sought out my ancestors and brought them to the knowledge of the gospel. I am going to "try a little harder to be a little better" so that I can be an example of the believers and bring the lost sheep back into the fold of Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Birth of Christ

I decided to start out this blog with pictures of the Birth of Christ. Normally I will probably only post one picture per post but I found two great pictures that I couldn't decide between the two. The first is a picture of Mary holding baby Jesus on her shoulder. It's called "Be It Unto Me" by Liz Lemon Swindle. I originally found the other picture and was just going to go with that one until I found this one and I knew I had to include it. Why you may ask? Because this is one of my mom's all time favorite paintings. I'm not really sure why it's one of her favorite pictures, it would probably be a good thing to ask her. I remember when I was younger one Christmas my dad was searching everywhere to find it in print because it was her favorite picture. (If I remember right, the picture went out of print so it was difficult to find. But don't quote me on that.) I found a few scriptures from Luke 1 that I thought would fit well with this picture. "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou has found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS." -Luke 1:30-31. "For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her." -Luke 1:37-38. Mary must have been an incredible woman to find such favor with God at such a young age. She must have had immense strength to be able to believe the angel and say that she is a servant of the Lord and will do whatever is needed. To me, the picture shows in her eyes that she may have been a little fearful, but she knew that her journey ahead of her was not impossible and that she could do it. She was about to become the mother of the Son of God and to be able to say that and know that is incredible to me. Mary was a strong woman and mother. I hope that someday I can be half the mother she is.
I chose this picture by Ted Henninger because it not only shows the joy in the faces of Joseph and Mary, but baby Jesus looks so happy and peaceful. I have 8 nieces and nephews so I know how cute and adorable little kids are. I love when newborns smile and laugh. This picture depicts just that. The scriptures I chose to go along with this picture are as follows. "And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." -Luke 2:6-7. I chose this scripture for some obvious and not so obvious reasons. Obviously, this scripture relates by the depiction of Jesus being laid in the manger, swaddled in clothes. I also chose this scripture for a less obvious reason. In my New Testament class, when we went over this scripture, Bro. Griffin asked us if we were going with the "inn" crowd or part of the "stable" few. Of course it was funny because there's a pun there but it really stuck with me. Am I part of the "inn" crowd or the "stable" few? I like to believe that I'm part of the "stable" few and I hope my Father in Heaven sees that and comes to that same conclusion. It seems that each semester there's something that Bro. Griffin says that sticks with me for life and I believe this will be it. I hope that I can continue to walk along the path of righteousness to be part of the "stable" few. This is probably a little out of order but it just came to my mind that you may be asking, what does it mean to be part of the "stable" few? I think essentially it's something that each person defines themselves. I believe to be part of the "stable" few you need to have a testimony of Christ. This gospel is based the Atonement, which was done by Him. Christ atoned for my sins and your sins. He knows how I feel at this very moment. I have a testimony of Christ, that He lives and that He is the Savior of the world. I think you also need to be moving forward. None of us are perfect, but we can become perfected in Christ. We all make mistakes and have up and down weeks, but as long as we are moving forward, we are part of the "stable" few. I am so grateful for this opportunity to come to know Christ better by learning about His life through the scriptures and through these pictures. I was inspired by Kiley Cash to do this blog because she had done a blog for her Book of Mormon class. I'm grateful to her for that because I feel this is a great way that I may know Christ better. I'm grateful for all that He did for me, does for me, and will do for me. He is my Savior and I say these things in His name, Jesus Christ, Amen.