December 7, 2015- Holiday Time!

If ya'll didn't get a chance to watch the Christmas Devotional, you totally should. :) It was great.

https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/watch/first-presidencys-christmas-devotional/2015/12?cid=HP_SU_12-6-2015_dPFD_fMLIB_xLIDyL1-C_&lang=eng

This past week we went to Walmart! That was so exciting. :)

This week a lot of our appointments fell through and we had the hardest time being able to share the gospel with people. On Tuesday Krystal said she didn't want to learn from us anymore. :( Tiffany was busy, and Jeanette was sick. It was a rough day! So we went and got Bo-berry biscuts from Bojangles. :D

Wednesday was unexpected! We were going around meeting people, and a lady named Maxine let us in to share a message with her. :) We had also set up an appointment with a man named Ralph, and we were unsure if he was even going to remember. But he did! Sister C from the ward came with us and we taught Ralph about the restored church of Jesus Christ, and that the power of God is once more on the earth. He had lots of questions and thoughts and it was an unexpectedly powerful lesson.

We also got to see Jeanette and Anna that night. :) Jeanette's brother Wesley joined our lesson, too! We talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the things that He taught us so that we could know what we need to do to live with God again. It's so simple.

You know I've been thinking a lot about the "how" of the gospel this weekend. We had our monthly testimony meeting yesterday, where ward members get up (if they feel so inclined) and share their belief in Christ with the congregation. A lot of them say that they "know" but they don't say "how" they know.

"The gospel has blessed my life" - how?

"I know that the church is true" - how?

I guess I am a nosy person. :)

Well I know that the gospel of Christ, the things He teaches, has blessed my life in that I feel like I have direction and purpose. Even when crummy days like Tuesday happen, I know that everything is going to be okay. I am doing all that I can, and He will help me because He loves me!

I know the church is true because I have read the evidence - the Book of Mormon - and asked God, if it were true. He doesn't lie, and He also knows everything. He told me Himself, through prayer, that it is true. That is a good enough answer for me!

Well I love ya'll! Thank you for being examples to me in my life by your faith and love of the Savior.

https://www.lds.org/manual/the-restoration?lang=eng

Oooh, so another cool experience this week. We were teaching Matthew and Shawna about the Restoration of the gospel and after we shared the 1st vision (below is the page that we share) we asked Shawna if she thought this actually happened. She said yes, and we asked "why?" She looked at us and said, "Because...I feel this warm feeling." We testified that that was the Spirit that she was feeling, and that this message is true. Wow!

The Restoration of the Gospel

Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Of this experience, he said:
“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. …
“When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—
This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”

Joseph Smith—History 1:16–17

In 1820, as He had done throughout history, Father in Heaven again chose a prophet to restore the gospel and the priesthood to the earth. That prophet’s name was Joseph Smith. As a young man, Joseph was confused by the differences among the many churches in his area and wanted to know which church was right. Knowing he lacked wisdom, he followed the counsel found in the Bible, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5).
Joseph Smith decided to ask God what he should do. When Joseph prayed to know the truth, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him. Jesus told Joseph not to join any of the churches, for “they were all wrong” and “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof” (Joseph Smith—History 1:19).
As God had done with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and other prophets, He called Joseph Smith to be a prophet through whom the complete gospel was restored.