To Moms and Dads

Lately I have been sharing a lot about parents, and I'm not really sure why, but I feel as if this is what I need to be sharing right now. Today I will be sharing about moms and dads and their role in our lives. Even though I have already shared on this topic I wish to share some new things today. (If you can't tell I really love moms and dads; especially my own.) I have three different videos I would like to share today.

The first one is about Fathers and how their role as a father can lead them and help them understand how our Heavenly Father feels about us. It explains their role in helping us and being there to support and love us. It explains how important the role of an active caring father is in a child's life.
http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages#earthly-father-heavenly-father

The second video is for Mothers. This video tells mothers that the partnership they have with their Heavenly Father is one of the most sacred. That their special and sacred duty to have and raise children is such an eternal blessing. This video reminds mothers that what they are doing is the single most important thing for them to do. http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#motherhood-an-eternal-partnership-with-god

This last video is for both Mother and Father. I feel like parents are always asking what they can do to be better parents. This video teaches our parents that the single most important thing they can do to raise their children (and be better parents) is to love each other completely and unconditionally. By showing your children that you both are deeply in love and care for each other shows us, especially when we are teens, what we should strive for and what we should look for in others. Loving each other is one of the best things you can do to teach us. We look up to your example, especially when we are dating, to see what we should be looking for. http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#love-her-mother

I love these videos. I know that our parents are some of the most important people in our lives. I know that I look up to my parents, and I know that I love them with all my heart. I know that they have taught me so much and that they love me too. I know that I can look up to them for what I want to be looking for in men I date, and what kind of a relationship I want to have when it's time for me to have one. I know what kind of a person I need to be because my mother has taught me to be like her. I wouldn't have it any other way either. My mom is quite the amazing mom. Words cannot even describe all that she has done, still does, and will do in the future for me. My mom is my best friend. My dad had taught me what kind of a man I should be looking for, how men should treat women, how to respect others, etc. My dad always know how to give me advice (that girls can't) because it takes a guy's point of view to know sometimes. I know that my dad will always be there and he is my other best friend. My parents are my prime examples and I love them with all my heart. I know that it can be really hard to look up to your parents sometimes, and sometimes it's not "possible" for you to look up to them because you don't agree with their standards. That doesn't mean you can't look up to parents. I know of kids, my own friends, that look up to my parents because they can't look up to their own. That is okay too. There are parents you can look up too somewhere. And parents: please do your best to be the example you want to be for your kids. Be the parents you want your kids to be to your grand-kids, because they watch your example and they learn young. They will adapt to the way you do things and that is what kind of a family they will lead. I know I do things a certain way because that's the way my mom would do it. Teach your kids what you would have them do, not just by words, but by constant action.

I know that parents are lead and guided by our Heavenly Father to lead and guide us where we need to go. Don't give up parents, even if it's hard. You're doing the best thing you can do by being a parent. There is no greater call than for you to raise your children in the the eyes of the Lord. You can do it. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will lead and guide you in the right direction if you take the time to ask him, and take the time to listen to his answer. It will not always be easy, but your family is always worth it. I love this gospel, I know it's true. I love my family and wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for my parents. I love them very much.

In the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen

Love,
Samantha

Short and Sweet

He is knocking at your door, there is no handle, you must let him in. 

Well today my message is just going to be a short video clip that I like. I am not feeling the best, and looking at a computer for a long time only makes it worse, so: Short and Sweet today! :) I hope this message touches your heart none the less! In this video I chose to share today I think it helps remind us that we don't know what's going on in other's lives and sometimes we need to take a step back and let Heavenly Father And Jesus Christ guide our actions so that we can be of help in the way They need us to be, not the way we think we need to be. The invitation is there, Christ is knocking, but only YOU can let him in for yourself. No one else can do that for you, except yourself. He isn't going to push himself in, he will wait until you open the door. Brothers and Sisters, I beg with you: Open the door. He loves you and wants nothing more than to be with you, to lead and guide you back home, and be with you forever. Let him in. I know this is true, in the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen

Love, Samantha

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=3019287996001

Family and Friendships

This is my family and I love them so much!

Lately I have been thinking a lot about parents and their role in my life, other than being my parents. Of course my parents play the parent role in my life, but what else do they do for me other than being parents? I know that most teens think that their parents are always out to get them, that they can't talk to them, that their parents don't understand, etc. but not my parents. I don't feel like that about my parents. Recently my eyes have been opened to the wonderful friendship that can occur within a family. I have known my whole life that I can talk to my parents, but I never did cause I was too scared. However since I started talking to my parents and just talking to them as if they were my best friends our relationship grew from just being parents to daughter, to being best friends who are also my parents. This weekend was such an eye opener as well because my parents had 10 million other things to be doing but they gave up their weekends to help my sister and I have an amazing weekend just because it was important to them to help us to have a good time and do something fun. They even took all their time to help clean everything up from our crazy mess. Then it was important for them to be involved. They weren't just physically there, but they were emotionally there too. My parents are really my best friends. I can talk to my parents about anything and everything and just being able to do that makes such a world of difference to me. I want to encourage every one of you to at least try and build a friendship with your parents. To try and get past that "my parents don't know who I am" stage. The truth of the matter is that life is hard and you cannot do it alone. Your parents really do care and I can almost guarantee that if you try to be a friend and be there for your parents as well, life can change. And it can change for the better. Once you can be friends with your family members, especially your parents, life is different and you look at things differently. I know that Heavenly Father chose out our parents for us for a specific reason. I know that our parents can do amazing things, and if you don't believe me: give it a shot. At first it's not easy. I know it takes work and you have to learn to slowly understand your parents on a different level. Don't look at them as people in the way, or people who just boss you around all the time, rather, look at them as people who need help, people who need a friend too. I know that without my parents I wouldn't be me. I know that I would be completely lost if it wasn't for them. And parents: as a teen I know it's hard to talk to my parents sometimes so when your kids start to talk to you, no matter how busy you are: stop and listen. Because nothing is more important than the relationship you have with your kids. If you wait for what you think is a better time to talk, they won't want to talk anymore. When your kids are out a date for example, stay up and wait for them because after the date they will talk about it, but if you wait for morning: they won't talk anymore. Give us space and let us come to you. I know that developing a friendship with family members can be a big challenge and hardship sometimes, but they will love you mo matter what and they are the best kind of friends you could ever ask for. I believe that by developing these relationships in our families will strengthen our families and it will make us happier and stronger. My parents are my best friends. Are yours? I challenge you to try and develop that relationship with them. I know that the spirit will be in our homes more abundantly if we can accomplish this and it will make Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ so happy and they will be proud of us and our success in our family life. I know this is true, In the name of Jesus Christ,

Amen



Love,

Samantha

Remember Who You Are

Today I just wanted to share a few videos that I thought you all might enjoy, and that may help bring you some spiritual uplift that you may need if you feel the same way I feel about going back to school tomorrow. These videos helped bring me peace and comfort and reminded me that it will all be okay if we focus our lives on the gospel. I know it isn't easy, and I know we get down and have hard times, but I know we do not have to face them alone. We can face them hand in hand with our Savior. As you watch these videos, remember that you are a child of God, he knows you, your struggles and hardships and he loves you more than anything. You are his son or daughter and he will never give up on, so don't give up on him. I know this church is true with all my heart. I know that Jesus Christ lives, and so does his father, our Father in Heaven and they love us so much. You are never alone. Don't give up. Give your burden to the Lord and you will receive blessing and help, and everything will be okay. I know this is true, I know it, and I absolutely love it.
In the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen

Love,
Samantha
Here are the video links:

http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages#lessons-i-learned-as-a-boy

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/sanctify-yourselves?lang=eng (This one is very personal to me, because I have a close friend who suffered an experience much like this one. I KNOW that without the priesthood he would not be who he is today and his life would have changed much more that day at football, and the weeks to follow in the hospital. I know the power of the priesthood is very real.)

http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages#none-were-with-him (This one is one of my all time favorites. It was given the week of Easter, but it most definitely still applies. Instead of looking to Easter, look to this new year and remember you are never alone.)