Always Trust Him

With my last post being about trials, I decided to post about how we need to trust Our Heavenly Father at all times.

Do you like to know what lies ahead in life? I am that type of person, I love to plan things. I like to belief that I know what is going to happen in my future. Do we really know what our future holds? Nope, we walk through life not knowing what exactly is going to occur. However, our Heavenly Father knows what our life holds. We can’t see the end of the path, but He can.

Perhaps I can’t do anything about the big trials that awaits me next year, but right this moment, there might be something I can do. I can trust Heavenly Father, focus on what is right in front of me, and do what He wants me to do. As I do those things I will be okay. It’s not always easy to trust heavenly father, especially when going through tough times. How do you put your trust in Heavenly Father at all times? Personally, I try to look back at everything that has happened in my life and see how he has been there every time. He hasn’t let me down yet, so why not trust him? All I have to do is follow the small steps given to me, one at a time, by God, the perfect guide.

 
 

I found a quote recently that I liked a lot, “Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers” (President Gordon B. Hinckley). To trust in God means to obey Him willingly, even when we do not know what will happen in the end.

Life on this earth is a difficult path. It is full of trials, sadness, blessings, happiness, joy.  Sometimes, in the middle of the difficult times it’s easy to forget the moments of happiness. A quote from the Book of Mormon, probably one of my favorite is, “...Whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day” (Alma 36:3). Life is a test and trials are part of that test, but if we always trust in God he will give us comfort and support us through all of our trials. It is a hard thing to trust God, yet we must. He gives us the tools and the strength that we will need to face our trials whatever they may be.

We have to have faith in God that He knows what He's doing. He knows what he wants you to become. I know if you trust Heavenly Father at all times He will bless us immensely. Heavenly Father loves us, and will be there for us at all times. I say all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Everything Feels Unbearable

When a challenge arises, how often do you think to yourself “why is this happening to me?” When I am facing trials I often think this. Over the years, my life has been filled with many unanticipated trials. Some that seemed like they will/would never pass.

One of the challenges that I have been going through more recently is: as I began to become closer of becoming baptized, I lost the support of my family with the choices I was making. As much as I love my family it hasn’t been easy to lose the support. I became hesitant of the decision I was making. I didn’t know if the church was the right fit for me. I remember questioning everything, thought about saying to those around me I quit but then I remembered something. I already received my answer that the church was true, when I was doing the things I was supposed to from reading, praying, going to all three hours of church that is when I was the happiest. I could not deny, ignore, or turn back. I had to do this for myself, although I would have loved to have the support of those I love I knew at this point my life I had to be an example for them. I hope one day that they will be supportive but until then I am going to keep going! Sometimes it is hard to get through the trial but I know I will.

As I found the gospel I have had to rely on it. Things have definitely been hard, but the gospel has provided a strong foundation which has lifted me up in my times of need.

Trials are hard, some feel like you aren’t going to get through them. However, I know that the trials we face are given to us in order to strengthen us in a way that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. In order to grow, we have to face adversity.

 

A quote that I have grown to love is: “…we learn and grow and become stronger as we face and survive the trials through which we must pass. We know that there are times when we will experience heartbreaking sorrow, when we will grieve, and when we may be tested to our limits. However, such difficulties allow us to change for the better, to rebuild our lives…and to become something different from what we were—better than we were, more understanding than we were, more empathetic than we were…” (Thomas S. Monson).

As we experience difficult trials, it may be hard to see a reason for our struggles. It is important, however, to view these trials as opportunities to grow.

Our Heavenly Father knows the depths of our trials, pains, and sufferings. We can look to Him for comfort, peace, and guidance. I know that He loves us, and He wants us to grow and develop into better people. I know my Savior felt everything I have felt and will feel in life. When I feel like I am alone, when I feel that no one could possibly understand, that nobody has been through what I’m going through, I can stop and remember that someone has. That person is Jesus Christ. As long as we live righteously and strive to keep the commandments, our trials are like stepping stones towards growth. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

                                                                                                                                        

Going from Nothing to Everything

I am not really sure how/where to start as I write this so here it goes.

My name is Lauren Wilson. I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I grew up in a loving family that taught me good morals. I love my family! We however were not very religious, other than a week during the summer at bible school, and church on Christmas Eve. So I really had no solid spiritual foundation. Friends and their families spoke to me about Jesus and the Bible, but I did not understand the importance at that time in my life.

I was baptized on July 5, 2014 in to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Since becoming a member of this church I can see a huge change in my life. Because of getting baptized, because of the gospel, this is the happiest I have ever been.

Flashback to October 2013, I had a friend who is a member of the church. In October, she had invited me to watch General Conference, at the time I didn’t know much about the church. Actually I got to be honest I knew NOTHING about the church! As I watched General Conference I had a hard time following along with some things, however one thing I gained from General Conference was the fact Heavenly Father does love us one quote that I never will forget comes from the Relief Society Meeting. Our Prophet Thomas S. Monson’s said, "your Heavenly Father loves you-each of you. That love never changes....it is simply always there". This is the one thing that kept me wanting to watch the next four sessions.

As General Conference came to an end my friend invited me to meet with the missionaries, I pushed it off said maybe, and that was it for a little under a month. In November, finally I was ready to meet with the missionaries, she got me in contact, after agreeing with the missionaries to meet with them. I thought to myself what did I just agree to? I wanted to chicken out, not show up to our meeting.

The day was here I was meeting with the missionaries for the first time. We were meeting after math class at my school. While I was sitting in class, all I could think about was how I would be meeting with the missionaries. I had mixed feelings about this. I was excited, I was scared. It was time to meet with the elders; these were the first two who helped change my life; as I stepped in to the lobby and saw them I wanted to turn around, but I couldn’t, my feet wouldn’t move. Looking back on it now I am so glad that I hadn’t turned around. As we were going over the lesson I just felt something. A feeling that is something that is so great, and hard to explain. The missionaries invited me to read the Book of Mormon (which I had already started) and as I read I couldn’t put it down ever! I knew from the moment I started that it was true. When I got to the end I prayed about it, and I knew my answer.

It took me awhile to make the right steps toward baptism, 8 months to be exact. I had met with many missionaries, and they all have helped me along the way.

To all those who this may concern, missionaries, members of the church, friends,

Thank you! Thank you for always being there for me, when it seemed like I was never going to make it. Thank you for forgiving me when I messed up. Thanks for teaching me the importance of forgiving those around us. Thank you for those who have shared the gospel with me, Thank you for those who inspire me every day to change.  Thank you for changing my life because without all of you that would have never happened.

Thank you sincerely,

Lauren

Being a member of this church has changed my life in ways I never expected, I never thought I would feel this happy. Of course I still have hard days but I know that I will get through those days.

I know that this church is true! That without a doubt challenges we face are for us to become stronger, I know that heavenly father lives and loves us unconditionally, Jesus Christ is His Only Begotten Son the Redeemer and Savior of the world. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, if you take the time to read it you can find the answer for yourself. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen.