When We Think We Know...

Every Tuesday we have a Scripture Study class that we have for anyone who wants to come and study the scriptures. We take turns teaching and preparing lesson... and this week we're teaching. This week I am with a new companion... Sister Lee from Hong Kong. We're just together for the week, but we have the task of teaching the last lesson before for scripture study before Christmas! We've covered a lot in our class about the true meaning of Christmas, how we can make the season a time about Christ, and so forth.

As I was thinking about what we could teach I thought about a Christmas story I had just read the night before about how a young man is put together with another man, named Bill, to go out and visit people from church. The young man thinks that Bill is the wrong example for those they will be teaching. He is rough around the edges and not very tidy in appearance, he smokes and so forth. As they go out and visit these people, the young man sees that Bill is caring and charitable. Each person they visit expresses gratitude of how much Bill has done for them. At the end of each lesson Bill asks the young man to share a message. As part of his Christmas message he shares these scriptures~ Luke 18:10-13

 10 Two men went up into the temple to ^apray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am ^anot as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

 12 I ^afast twice in the week, I give ^btithes of all that I ^cpossess.

 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a ^asinner.

After he shares this message Bill says he doesn't quite understand it but that he probably should have spent more time studying the scriptures rather than studying diesel engines. The young man replies with "But you you know the scriptures Bill."

What a GREAT concept! We don't know the scriptures until we're following the commandments and words inside. The example of the Pharisee and Publican is so perfect because we're able to see who truly knows the word of the Lord. 

So think about how you can truly KNOW the scriptures... what do you think you can do?

Wise Men Still Seek Him

What a great depiction this video is of what we should truly be doing in order to come closer to our Savior. I can't think of a better way to explain it: Wise Men Still Seek Him

Seek and Ye Shall Find

When I was in France I had heard of the most GLORIOUS dessert ever... macaroons. I had not gotten the chance to try them while in Paris but as my friend and I made our way to Brussels we decided that it was time to have a try. We had seen a few places with macaroons and decided that after we did some site seeing we would top the night off with Macaroons. Well, the evening crept up on us and we found ourselves searching aimlessly for a shop still open that had Macaroons. After an hour and a half of going to every store in the main square we found one place that had them... but they were chocolate flavor (not my favorite) and much more expensive than they looked worth. So we decided that we had failed at finding our macaroons and went back to our Hostel.
The next morning we got up bright and early and made our way to the macaroon shop after breakfast. It was open and the macaroons were looking amazing! I ordered a few of the flavors and tried my very first macaroon. It was the best thing I had ever set between my teeth. I was overcome with an immense amount of joy in finding what I had been looking for... and it was even better than I had thought it would be.
In my life today, I have that Macaroon and it is The Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have seen many people wander and search for what they desire most: God's True Church. At times they have found that it may be too late or that the options given to them aren't exactly what they are looking for... but in the end when they find the truth they are filled with the Holy Ghost and realize that it is even more than they could have asked for.
For those of you "who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it" (D&C 123:12) I invite you as a representative of Jesus Christ to seek out in prayer with faith to know whether the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is Christ's Church once again restored on the earth. To find out more visit mormon.org!

There is a Reward

When I was younger my favorite thing to do was play "Adventure"... the only thing comparable to the excitement of trying to survive being stranded on a boat or living in box was being a secret agent or a ninja. So sometimes I was a stranded secret agent ninja. I remember making up stories about how I would be thrust into the unfortunate events and have to wade through them in order to survive and make it to the end of my journey. Most of the time the end ended up being the kitchen where I was rewarded with a grilled cheese sandwich! To me there was no greater reward than a most excellent adventure, ending with grilled cheese. I like to look at our life here on earth as the same thing. We can either be thrust into not so desirable situations and drag our feet or we can have fun and turn it into something that builds us instead of breaks us. In the end when we have made our way home and we're rewarded with Eternal Life (and maybe a hot Grilled Cheese Sandwich) it will all be worth it.
I can't describe how important our life on Earth is. I've often heard people explain it as "Hell" and that anything after this life will be Heaven. It's sad to see that we view our experiences in such dark light. We have been given the gift of life in order to build ourselves as Sons and Daughters of God. Yes, we will have trials, and hardships, and pain... but these things shape us as the children of the most Supreme Creator.
So next time you're going through a trial or hardship think of one of my favorite scriptures~ John 16:33: These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have ^apeace. In the ^bworld ye shall have ^ctribulation: but be of good ^dcheer; I have ^eovercome the world.
Joy comes through our hearkening to the Savior's teachings and commandments... God sent Him so that we could the Ultimate example, we should take advantage of that!

Sacrifice brings forth Blessings

So I stumbled across another Mormon.org profile that I LOVE! I remember when i first watched this profile I was at my friend's house on a Sunday evening and she commented with her eyes filling with a  few tears (she was pregnant and highly hormonal... I'll give her that much) that her parents gave so much for her to come to the United States when they could have stayed where they were and worked very professional careers. I look at the blessing this woman now has... a family, a degree, and of course Gospel of Jesus Christ which supports and blesses her in ways that make her family and career worth it. I am so grateful for my parents who raised me not only to succeed but to also remain faithful and true to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. sacrifice

Spend Your Christmas Serving!

Another video about the true meaning of Christmas... I know what your thinking... AGAIN! But hey... there's nothing better that could be done with our time than serving others... just as Christ would have done. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be on a mission during this time of the year. To know that I can help others come closer to their Heavenly Father through service and the building of Faith. Watch this video that came out a year ago depicticing volunteers and the service they gave to the Savior.

Whats Important

I just love this mormon.org profile! I watched it a while ago and so I decided to watch it again today and I really enjoyed it... AGAIN! I commend Robert for realizing what is most important in his life. Sometimes in society these days its all about what do we need now, how can we live now and we don't think about the future or why we do these things. Knowing what's most important in life is so vital in really making this life worth it. It's not about climbing the corporate ladder, impressing people, or being the smartest... it's about loving the people around us and lifting them with our own service and talents!

Coats, Goldfish... You Name It!

Got a coat? The truth is you don't need to have a coat to give to someone... you can give anything: your talents, skills, love, etc. I remember one time I was driving home from work and I saw the same man waiting before the freeway on ramp. He held a sign always expressing that he was hungry and looking for work. I happened to have a bag of goldfish in the car (something common for me to have... they're my favorite!) I was hungry like I always am but I knew that I could wait out the hunger pains for 20 minutes. So I rolled down the window and offered them to him. At first he hesitated and then he took them graciously. With a "God Bless You" I drove away. Now to be honest this wasn't really a big sacrifice at all, but it was a simple opportunity to be charitable. So as we're going about our day don't let a moment to serve pass us by. After all those we serve benefit from it, we benefit from it, and the Lord feels of the Love we have for him. What better could we do?

Decisions, decisions.

So Tom is the best. He is a really great guy... who I've never met... but you can meet him just like I did! Yay, Tom! I love when he mentions that every decision he makes is made with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in mind. This is a pretty hard concept for most people who aren't religious. Normally they just make decisions based on moral ethics or based on nothing at all. I am truly grateful that I know what is important to me and that the decisions I make are not only important but there's a reason why I make them. We have a purpose in this life: Alma 34:32 ~ For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.
What decisions do you make in order to prepare to meet God?

The Banana Incident

 

Yes. Today I purposefully threw away Elder Lenker's Banana at the Hill Cumorah. This is what happened:
I walked into the back room at the Hill Cumorah's Visitor Center, opened the refrigerator and quickly closed it. It smelt as if a banana had exploded and sat in a warm refigerator rotting for several weeks. Not good. So I opened it again and put my lunch in and shut it quickly. Nasty. Well... an hour passed by and I wanted some food, so I opened the refrigerator door and again... blast from the banana breath. This time I noticed that the fridge was not empty, besides Sister Trujillo's and my lunch there sat a banana browned a bit and slightly opened at the top to expose a quarter of an inch of white banana flesh. "well, well, well, I've found the culprit!" I thought, picked up the banana, and tossed it into the trash without a second thought. Well after lunch I made my way into the back room and Elder Lenker walked in and said "all right... who ate my banana?" I replied that I had not eaten it but I had thrown it away. Elder Lenker was not happy. He mentioned that all morning he'd been looking forward to eating this banana. I apologized and explained the horrific smell that still haunts my nostrils... he was not convinced. We said our goodbyes and parted ways. Well, Elder Lenker. I just saved your life. That banana was infected with disease that unannounced to your livelihood could have seriously injured your physical well-being. At first you wanted to eat the banana, in fact your desire was great and so you set it aside waiting for when that moment would come. I, however, noticed that the banana was bad and that if you would have consumed it... it could have caused some serious digestive issues. Sometimes we have those same issues in life. The media, people around us, and living in "Society" can sway us one way and affect the way we think and act. Sometimes the Holy Ghost is trying to warn us of something that will drive him away. Occasionally, we don't know that this something could affect the companionship we have with the him... but through the Holy Ghost we're warned not to take part in it... in some cases the extreme happens, he stops us literally from partaking of something that will drive him away. We may not realize it at first but in the end we have been blessed, and we still have the Holy Ghost as our companion. There is nothing we should do that will compromise the companionship of the Holy Ghost, after all, he is the one who can save our life when it's put into physical and spiritual danger.

So Elder Lenker... you have been saved from the life-threatening banana.

(Oh and as a side note... the banana was actually just a banana, I don't know if there was anything wrong with it or that or would have compromised his health... but it did make the Refrigerator stink... so maybe it's good he never ate it.)

Joyous Occasion!

The best Christmas Movie EVER! Well... to be honest, I have a lot of favorites, but this 10 minute film stays true to the Bible and illustrates the true meaning of Christmas. What could be better than that? So while your watching A Christmas Story, Elf, Olive the Other Reindeer (which aren't bad ones) takes the time to feel the true Spirit of Christmas! After all, this is why we celebrate!

Christmas Service

Sometimes I think of how at this Christmas time I can give a gift to my Savior. It's easy to give gifts to those around us, but what is something we can do in order to better ourselves. One thing I thought of was service! In Mosiah it says: 2:17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn ^awisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the ^bservice of your ^cfellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

Heavenly Father has asked us to serve others and as we're serving others we're following the example of our Savior! I watched this mormon.org profile about Ryan Wilcox, a humanitarian and loved how he mentioned that showing Christ like love was more important that talking about it! Now, you don't have to go to a 3rd World country to serve you can serve anyone around you, those you know and don't know. So think of what you can do to serve!

Gratitude Challenge!

So I found this on lds.org, and I thought it'd be great to challenge you to do! Just finishing up with Thanksgiving and looking forward to Christmas it's never a bad idea to remember what we've been blessed with! So take a look at this list and take the challenge!

1. Write 10 physical abilities you are grateful for.
   
2. Write 10 material possessions you are grateful for.
   
3. Write 10 living people you are grateful for.
   
4. Write 10 deceased people you are grateful for.
   
5. Write 10 things about nature you are grateful for.
   
6. Write 10 things about today you are grateful for.
   
7. Write 10 places on earth you are grateful for.
   
8. Write 10 modern inventions you are grateful for.
   
9. Write 10 foods you are grateful for.
   
10. Write 10 things about the gospel you are grateful for.
    
    

    

    Just to start off... I'm grateful for my family! >_<