Keeping The Sabbath Day Holy

What will you with your Sabbath Day?? 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today I wish to share an article I found about keeping the Sabbath Day holy. I know that The LDS Church is putting an emphasis on ways to keep the Sabbath Day holy. Most LDS members know that this is a basic doctrine of our Church, but some of us look at it as a restriction- being told the things we should not do on Sunday. Rather, let's focus on the things we can do to make Sunday more meaningful and more worthwhile. I personally believe that Sunday is a blessing- with "restrictions" or not. This is a day where I know I can be with my family and friends to rejoice in the Gospel's truthful message. Sunday is my day set aside from the world, set aside to serve others and do His work. I love Sundays. And although I have to work on some Sundays- I do everything I can do to make Sundays a little different, and a little more special.

Let's take a look at the article I found on LDS.org. Click here to read "Five Ways to Celebrate the Sabbath as a Family". This article has 5 main ideas- with some sub heading ideas to help you get to the "big idea".

The way I have looked at this is to find some things that I know I need to work on- picking only 3 or 4, and focusing on those until I feel I can add more things to work on. (Don't over whelm yourself!!)

Here are the few I have chosen:
1. Make the Sabbath Different- specially "Make Sunday Feel Different" &
2. "Make Sunday Sound Different"
For number one, I want to do my part to participate in wholesome activities with my family, especially on Sunday. I want to do my part to help us participate in activities that we wouldn't normally do everyday. To do this I will have to make the effort on Saturday to make sure that we accomplish the things we need too so that Sunday can be focused on the Savior.
For number two I want to make sure that I am listening to LDS music. I have found on Pandora Internet Radio that there is a station called "LDS Hymns of Worship" and this station has beautiful music that invites the Spirit and helps you to be happy! I am going to try and play this music more often to help set the mood/tone for Sunday Worship.
3. "Perform Family Service"- To set this into motion I want to try and invite my family to help me make cookies or other desserts for families in our area who may be in need. We can take the treat together and write them a "thinking of you" card to let them know things will be okay and we are here for them. We may also invite other families to participate with us in serving others, or in Family activities.

These are three things I decided I want to try to work on. I just want to challenge you to look over the list of suggestions and find a few things that you feel you could do better on, and make a plan to execute them! Write it down, put it on the fridge, on the calendar and do it! I know that by making an effort every week to make the Sabbath more special, and different than all the other days of the week- by giving our Sabbath to our Heavenly Father, we will be truly blessed. Our days and weeks will be better, and we will be so much happier. I know that Heavenly Father will bless us when we strive to follow Him. I know He lives, and He loves every single one of us.
Of this I testify, In the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen

Love,
Samantha

The Power Of Prayer

Make Him a Priority 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today I want to share a message with you about prayer. I'm not really sure what I need to share except for I need to share a video and bear my testimony so that is exactly what I am going to do!

This is the newest Mormon Message called: Building Families The "details" explaining this video are as follows: "Whether your children are grown or still growing, opportunities to teach them truth will never run out. That fact is brought to life in this sweet and simple story of a dad doing his best to set an example of service, love, and prayer for his young boys. It is a perfect reminder that true success comes to parents who don’t let distractions—no matter how worthwhile—get in the way of living basic gospel principles and teaching their children to do the same. "How can you seek opportunities to teach?

The part of this video I want to focus on is the end when the boys pray with their dad. First, the boys tell their dad "it's time for prayer dad!" And the dad replies "I'm still working on something; do you think you could do prayers on your own tonight?" And as soon as the boys walk away the dad realizes that he's missing out on the things that are most important- like saying prayers with his children.

I just want to bear testimony that I know that the power of prayer is real. The influence that parents have on their children is real and very powerful. And the power of family prayer, morning and evening is a beautiful thing. I know from seeing and participating in family prayer that we can take it for granted. I know that we also sometimes forget these little things, because there are so many bigger things begging for our time. But in fact, those "bigger things" are not bigger. The small simple things, like family prayer, build your family relationships, and they add up to the big things. It provides a protection and a unity in your family that Satan cannot easily break. I know these things are true. I see them work every single day. I beg you to make the little things with your family your priority. All the other things of the world can wait. Your family cannot.

I know that if we put God first in our families we will be blessed. Our days will be happier, we will be able to do more, and we will be guided to serve others. I know that Heaven's help is waiting at our doorstep, but we must open the door and let them in. Don't wait till tomorrow. You have to choose and act today.

In the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen

Love,
Samantha

Choose This Day

What do You Choose?

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today I want to share a video with you about choosing to follow our Savior. This has been on my mind a lot lately because I have been trying to make some very difficult decisions in regards to mission preparation and going to school this fall. Things are not always as we may expect. The Lord's plan for us is defiantly not the plan we have for ourselves and this past week I have been learning that a lot. And the question is always there: "Are you going to serve The Lord this day? Or are you going to keep putting it off to someday?"

Click here to watch "Choose This Day" By Elder Eyring of the First Presidency of the Church.

Are you willing to ask God " "Please let me serve, this day. It doesn't matter to me how few things I may be able to do. Just let me know what I can do. I will obey this day. I know that I can, with Thy help."

Brothers and Sisters I want to invite you, no matter what stage of life you are in right now, to humbly knee and ask God what you can do. Because I know with His help you can do whatever you are called to do. I want to invite you to remember Elder Eyring's promises concerning this question.

1.  "Hard as things seem today, they will be better in the next day if you choose to serve the Lord this day."
2.  "By choosing to serve Him this day, you will feel His love and grow to love Him more. You would not want to delay receiving that blessing. And feeling His love will draw you back to His service, wiping away both complacency and discouragement."

I just want to add my testimony to Elder Eyring's, that I know that Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ live and They love every single one of us. I know that if we choose to serve Him this day, no matter how hard it may seem: we can do it, and we will be immensely blessed with power to overcome and to be His true disciple. The Lord will know He can count on you to do His work, if you will just pray, ask for His guidance, and Act/Obey His will. I know these things are true, and although it will almost never be easy for any of us: it will all be worth it in the end.

Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Our Elder Brother and Savior,
Amen

Love.
Samantha

This Life- What are you doing with it??

Provo City Center Temple

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This weekend was a crazy one for my family and I. This week we had many events happening because it was the 4th of July! We had the biggest Military truck outpost in Utah County, the Freedom Festival Parade, The Candy bomber candy drop, a live bald Eagle demonstration, retiring of the American flag, and many more things. It was the craziest week of my whole life! I learned so many lessons, and spent so much time surrounded by family doing what my family does best. I loved every minute of it- and a lesson was learned every hour. I wouldn't trade it for the world! 

I wanted to share one experience I had that really stuck out to me. This happened during the morning of July 4- at the Freedom Festival parade. We were all very tired, as this was our last day of our huge event. We were supposed to have volunteers to hold our banners for the parade, but last minute found out we did not. I wanted to help my dad in any way I could- so last minute, my siblings and I stepped up and instead resting and watching the parade like we were supposed too, we jumped in and offered to be the sign holders. This had been a long, long, long week for us- and although 3.5 miles doesn't seem very long, when your holding a banner, you've had very little sleep that week, you've been in the sun for 4 days prior, and it's humid- 3.5 miles seems like the longest walk of your life. But I was going to do it without complaining because my dad needed me. 

Before the parade we were given instructions of what we could and couldn't do with the banners. We were instructed to not spin our banners, as we could fall and get hurt and the banners could get ruined. While I walked I thought "Oh no biggie! I got this. I've walked parades enough to know what to do." However I was wrong. As we walked, the crowd would yell at us to "spin the sign!" At first I thought it'd be easy to ignore the people, until they started calling us names and being rude. Suddenly all I wanted was for the parade to be over. But then up ahead, I saw the Provo City Center Temple. As I looked at the temple in the distance, I was filled with peace and I got to thinking. 

This life is much like that parade. We were all given instructions before we came down to earth, then we crossed the line into mortal life and we had to make the choices for ourselves: Do we obey those instructions, or rebel? The parade route is like the straight and narrow path back to our Father in Heaven. There is only ONE way back to Him- and that is through obedience, Faith, and action on our part. Just as I had to obey the parade instructions, have faith that I could make it to the end, and have action in my body to walk and endure the path no matter what the crowd yelled at me. The crowd is like the world. They will always be screaming at us that we aren't good enough, calling us names, and making us doubt the instructions we were given. But we must keep our sights on the temple and the Celestial Glory found there. If we falter on our path and give into the ways of the world, we could get really hurt, physically or spiritually. If we want to be successful and end the "parade of life" smiling and ready to meet God, we must always have our sights set on the temple. We must do all we can to be worthy. We must become one with the Atonement of Jesus Christ and use it to be cleansed and have strength every single day of our life. We cannot walk this "parade" alone. We must always have the temple in our hearts and mind and overcome the ways of world- no matter what they say about us or to us. As long as God is with you- you will never lose. 

In closing I want to share this song with you. It is called "This Life". Click here to watch. 

I want to challenge you to think about your "parade of life" and the lyrics of this song: 

"Let's make every second count. This life is a matter of time, we've only got so much before we leave it behind what will we do with it? What are you doing with this life? "

I just want to bear my testimony that I know our Savior lives and loves each one of us. I know that with Him and the Atonement He blessed us with, we can overcome the world and we can stay on the path to the temple. I know that the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints is true and I love it with all my heart. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, 

Amen 

Love, 

Samantha