A collection of simple messages. :)

There were lots of great messages today!! So I am just going to post them in bullet list form. :-)

Sacrament meeting: Specifically about missionary work/mission prep, but it also works for the Gospel in general:

• To be able to teach, we must first love the student.
• All refining comes with a price.
• The Plan of Salvation would be void without the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
• You know more than you think you know. 
• Doctrine and Covenants 38:30-"If ye are prepared ye shall not fear."

Relief Society: Simplicity ("It Works Wonderfully" by President Uchtdorf):

To become converted, you have to actively live the Gospel. Develop your own testimony. Study the scriptures and pray. That is how you become converted. Conversion is a life-long process. :)

These are a couple of thoughts that I had after our lesson in Relief Society:

• You are a child of God. And there is nothing that He wants more than for you to return and live with Him.
• People often forget that we are all human, and humans make mistakes. God does not make mistakes–His Gospel is perfect. It is the people living the Gospel who are imperfect.
• The message of the Gospel is love. It's the love that our Heavenly Parents and our Savior Jesus Christ has for each of us–They want us to return home to Them. 

I am trying so hard to be a good example. I'm trying so hard to be a better hand for the Lord. I'm not going to lie–sometimes it's difficult; sometimes it's really easy and fun. :-) Regardless of whether it's difficult or easy, it's always worth it to see a smile on someone else's face, or to make their life easier, or whatever the results end up being. 

Loving those you serve makes your life so much better. 

You know more than you think you know. Don't freak out so much. Take a breath and step back from your worries–believe me, I know how hard that is, but you can do it!–and think about it slowly and carefully. The answer will come to you in time. :)

The process of refining and changing yourself to be a better person comes with a price–you have to let go of who you were. I know that it is super difficult, but I also know that you can do it with the Lord's help and guidance. Trust me–Jesus Christ will help you, and He will not let you fail or fall. 

I know that this Gospel is true. I know that my Savior lives, and that He died so that we could all be saved. I know that He died so that we would never be alone in our troubles. I know that He sends people to us to help us. I know that He has sent me to help those around me. I know that conversion is a life-long process, and that your testimony can stop growing and disappear if you don't work on it daily. I know that God is always there for me. I know that He loves me. I know that He is always there for you; I know that He loves you. I know that you are a child of God–a daughter or son of an almighty King–and I know that He loves you with an infinite and endless love. That will never change. 

P.S. If you ever have any questions, you can ask me, or you can check out lds.org or mormon.org. These are a few of the Church's official sites. Mormon.org has a link where you can ask to meet with the missionaries. 

Joseph Smith and the First Vision.

Okay, so I have the devotional in seminary on Monday, and I am going to be performing the musical number that I was going to perform for the seminary conference, but we ran out of time. So, I've been practicing, and I decided to record it the other day, and I did! Even though I'm still a little under the weather, I think it turned out nice. So it's the hymn "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" (Hymn No. 26) to the tune of the song/hymn "Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing" and I had to do just a little bit of arranging for the end of the song because the soundtrack I picked (done by Chris Rice) had a different ending, so I had to arrange the last two verses to combine them. I really had a wonderful time with this project, and I'm so excited to be performing it on Monday! I really am so grateful for Joseph Smith, who had the courage to ask God a question, and who had the courage to stand up for what he believed and knew was right. Please enjoy the song and video here. Here are the words and lyrics that I arranged:

Joseph Smith's First Prayer:

1. Oh, how lovely was the morning!

Radiant beamed the sun above.

Bees were humming, sweet birds singing,

Music ringing thru the grove,

When within the shady woodland

Joseph sought the God of love,

When within the shady woodland

Joseph sought the God of love.

2. Humbly kneeling, sweet appealing–

T'was the boy's first uttered prayer–

When the pow'rs of sin assailing

Filled his soul with deep despair;

But undaunted, still he trusted

In his Heav'nly Father's care;

But undaunted, still he trusted

In his Heav'nly Father's care.

3. Suddenly a light descended,

Brighter far than noonday sun,

"Joseph, this is my Beloved;

Hear him!" Oh, how sweet the word!

Oh, what rapture filled his bosom,

For he saw the living God;

(interlude)

Oh, what rapture filled his bosom,

For he saw the living God.

(interlude)

Oh, how lovely was the morning! For he saw the living God.

I just love this hymn and this arrangement because it's so pretty. Joseph had a question about which church he should join, and he went to God for an answer. He was only fourteen years old, but he really, really wanted to know which church he should join, so he went into a grove to pray and "ask of God" (King James Bible, James 1:5). He then received what we as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints call The First Vision. I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph was the first Latter-day prophet. I know that Thomas S. Monson is our prophet today and that he speaks to us from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know that this church is true. I know that Jesus Christ lives, and I know that He loves us. I know that He sends us tender mercies, and I know that preparing this song to sing for my seminary class has really helped me gain a better testimony of Joseph Smith. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.