Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Just a quick thought. 

My mission experience was wonderful. I loved every minute and I know it has helped shape me for the rest of my life. 

Returned home has been filled with experiences just as joyful, but just like in the mission field it comes with its challenges. 

I think one of the tougher things about returning to "the real world" has been being exposed to the news and the currents events of the world. It's important to keep up-to-date with what's going on in the world, but being loaded with lots of news that's hard to hear after a year and a half of being in a "bubble" was a little bit of a shock to me. 

There was one day I was talking to my sisters (one of my favorite things to do how days, by the way) and something they said hit me pretty hard. It was the straw that broke the camel's back and I just wanted to break down and cry. 

I decided to flip open the scriptures on my phone. I started where I had left off in the Book of Mormon in Ether 12. Just a few verses in I ran across this verse: 

4 de modo que los que creen en Dios pueden tener la firme esperanza de un mundo mejor, sí, aun un lugar a la diestra de Dios; y esta esperanza viene por la fe, proporciona un ancla a las almas de los hombres y los hace seguros y firmes, abundando siempre en buenas obras, siendo impulsados a glorificar a Dios.

In English:  

4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

This brought so much peace to my heart. 

It reminded me that this life is the the end, but a test. That this life is not our home, but the "better world to come" on the "right hand if God" is our true home. 

I was filled with gratitude that the Lord has not left us alone in this journey home. Has has given us the scriptures, living prophets and apostles and the gift of the Holy Ghost to help us out. 

This world gets scarier every day, but as long as we are doing our best to live the commandments and follow the prophet, we have nothing to fear. 

From the words of Christ in D&C 50:

41 Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have covercome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me;

42 And none of them that my Father hath given me shall be lost.

I know this promise from the Lord is true. I know that we are His and that we have nothing to fear. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Un pequeño pensamiento. 

La experiencia de mi misión fue absolutamente maravillosa. Estoy muy agradecida por cada minuto, los buenos y aún los malos. Sé que mi misión me ha ayudado llegar a ser la persona que Dios quiere que sea. 

Regresando a mi casa ha sido una experiencia maravillosa también llena con momentos muy dulces. Pero ha estado momentos difíciles tal como los en el campo misional también. 

Siento que uno de los dificultades más grandes al regresar al "mundo real" ha sido la exposición  a las nuevas y los eventos mundiales actuales.  Aún que es importante estar actualizado en los eventos del mundo, me sentía completamente abrumada al escuchar a todos los eventos que han sucedido durante el año y medio que he estado en la "burbuja" de la misión.  

Había un día estaba hablando con mis hermanas (unas de mis cosas favoritas que hacer en esas días :) ) y una de ellas dijo algo que me impactó mucho y me hizo sentir muy mal. Sentí la compilación de todo que he sentido durante las últimas semanas y tenía ganas a llorar. 

En ese momento decidí a abrir las escrituras en mi teléfono. Empecé a leer donde estaba leyendo en Éter 12. En algunos versículos leí este versículo: 

4 de modo que los que creen en Dios pueden tener la firme esperanza de un mundo mejor, sí, aun un lugar a la diestra de Dios; y esta esperanza viene por la fe, proporciona un ancla a las almas de los hombres y los hace seguros y firmes, abundando siempre en buenas obras, siendo impulsados a glorificar a Dios.
(Énfasis agregado) 

Este versículo llevó mucha paz a mi corazón. 

Eso me recordó que esta vida no es el fin, sino un tiempo de aprobación. Me recordé que este mundo no es nuestro hogar y que este "mundo mejor"  por la "diestra de Dios" es nuestro hogar verdadero. 

Estaba llenada con gratitud al pensar que el Señor no nos ha dejado solo. Él nos a dado las escrituras, un profeta y apóstoles vivientes y el don del Espíritu Santo para ayudarnos y guiarnos. 

Perece que tenemos más y más razones para temer en este mundo diariamente, pero si estamos haciendo todo posible para guardar los mandamientos y seguir al profeta, no tenemos nada que temer. 

De las palabras de Cristo en DyC 50:

41 No temáis, pequeñitos, porque sois míos, y yo he vencido al mundo, y vosotros sois de aquellos que mi Padre me ha dado;

42 y ninguno de los que el Padre me ha dado se perderá.

Yo sé que este promesa del Señor es verdadero: que somos de Él. No tenemos nada que temer. 
Les digo esas cosas en el nombre de Jesucristo, Amén. 

Friday, July 25, 2014

Prayer: It even works in German.

I had a cool experience a while ago and I felt I should share.

Once upon a time, (now upon a time...)  I was in the process of learning the German language.  I love German.  It's a fantastic language.  But that's not the point here...

The point is, at one time in my studies I was speaking the language so often that my thoughts turned to German as well.  That happens every once in a while, I enjoy it.  Anyways, as I went to bed that night I knelt down to say my prayers.  Since my brain was still in German mode,  my prayers came out in German as well.

I don't remember what I was praying about, but I do remember the feeling I felt that night.  Halfway through my broken-German prayer,  I realized that Heavenly Father could understand me perfectly.  Not just because he knows German and every other language perfectly.  Honestly, I'm sure most of the words I was using were completely made up by me on the spot (it's easy to do that sometimes... and it's kinda fun).  Even when I was using my new, non-sense German words to try and convey to my Heavenly Father what I wanted to tell Him,  He knew exactly what I was trying to say.  How?  Because He knows my heart.  He knows my intentions, my worries, my fears, and my joys.  He knows what I'm trying to say before I can find the words to describe it - whether it be in English or in German.  Language is just what we use to express what He already understands perfectly.  All that matters to Him is that you are trying to express those thoughts, worries, fears, and joys.  He's waiting to bless you, all you have to do is open your mouth, (don't worry, silent prayers are good too when needed), and recognize that He is there, and the blessings are yours.  No matter what language you do (or don't) speak.

Verstehen Sie?  Gut.

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Little Lucky Moments

"Little Lucky Moments,
A dollar on the ground,
Something that was lost is finally found.
You make it to the station
Just in time to catch the train,
A smile when it's needed,
A cactus in the rain.
But little lucky moments
Aren't really what they seem.
What we call "coincidence"
Is much more heavenly."
~Annalise Kunzelman, AZ
I LOVE this poem.  I found it a while ago in the New Era magazine and decided to save it.  I've always said that I don't believe in coincidences.  I've always felt that moment when two things happen at the perfect time, at almost an impossibly perfect time,  that it's God's way of showing us tender mercies, God teaching us something, or God showing His sense of humor.  
So next time you think, "Wow, what a crazy coincidence,"  think, "Wow, I wonder what Heavenly Father is trying to show me today."
~Jolyn Short

Monday, May 26, 2014

A Collection of 'Short' Stories: Story Time: Prayer Works, Folks

A Collection of 'Short' Stories: Story Time: Prayer Works, Folks: Once upon a time, my family went to Logan (shocker, right?).  On Saturday morning we went down to our old house in Nibley for some good-ol&#...

Story Time: Prayer Works, Folks

Once upon a time, my family went to Logan (shocker, right?).  On Saturday morning we went down to our old house in Nibley for some good-ol' family bonding time via yard work. (Our renters just moved out, so we were trying to clean it up and get it ready to sell).  Many of the tools we brought to use were our own, but many were borrowed from my grandparents.  One of the things we borrowed was a lawn mower.

This lawn mower is very old.  Not old enough to be a manual push mower, but it's seen better days.  One of the wheels is broken, the motor has some issues and the grass bag would fill up quickly.  The yard wasn't massive, but a decent size; and the grass was getting to be pretty long.  "Hmm, shouldn't take too long," I  thought to myself.  The lawn mower however, decided otherwise.

I began the job excited that we could even get the mower to turn on.  I moved the mower three feet, then got to feel the excitement of getting it to turn on all over again.  Literally, there were cheers every time.  This continued every 3-10 feet for the first lap of the yard.  Near the end of the lap, the motor would last maybe 3 inches before it died again.

Luckily, we had a back up lawn mower.  (It's great having two sets of grandparents living right next to each other.)

Unluckily, we couldn't even get the back up lawn mower to start. Whoo!

So what did I do then?  What I was taught to do since I was a wee child - Pray!

I closed my eyes, folded my arms, and said a silent prayer to myself, asking for help with the current situation.

Not even a minute later, I was able to get the lawn mower to start up and run for more than 3 inches.  After that, It ran like a perfectly normal lawn mower.  No more stalls, no more issues.  No 5-hour lawn mowing project.

Prayer works, folks.  God cares about you, even when you're mowing lawns.    

Monday, May 12, 2014

I Love Music

I love music.  Love, love, love it.  Now, that may come as surprise to some of you (not really), bur I very much do love it.

I love it when it's used as a force for good.  It's powerful, it's beautiful, it's magical. And the more I study music, the more I recognize that there is no way music could have come to be without the influence of an ultimate being.

Here's some awesome quotes:

“Music is given of God to further his purposes. Sweet melodies mellow the souls of men and help prepare them for the gospel. After men receive the truth, songs of praise to Deity help to sanctify and cleanse their souls.”
-- Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine (1966), 521

“I am comforted by the assurance that there will be beautiful music in heaven, and for that I am most grateful.”
-- President Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, Nov. 1982, 4

“We are able to feel and learn very quickly through music, through art, through poetry some spiritual things that we would otherwise learn very slowly.”
-- President Boyd K. Packer, 1976 Devotional Speeches of the Year (1977), 267

“It really matters what you listen to. . . . Select music that will strengthen your spirit.”
-- Elder Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, Nov. 1985, 32

"We are in a position, as musicians, to touch the souls of those who listen."
--President Spencer W. Kimball, Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball (1982), 520


And here's some great songs:

Youtube: Kenneth Cope
Youtube: Jon Schmidt
Youtube: Hilary Weeks

Watch for some more music stuff coming up soon.  I'm working on lots of different musical things and I'm excited to share (:

Have a fantastic day!

Sunday, May 4, 2014

A Collection of 'Short' Stories: When you give Jolyn a pen...

A Collection of 'Short' Stories: When you give Jolyn a pen...: I went to an amazing  fireside this evening.  Elder Ballard spoke via broadcast and touched on 3 pretty big topics that seem to be talked ab...