"Familiarícense con las lecciones que se enseñan en las Escrituras… Estúdienlas como si les hablaran a ustedes, porque así es”. - Presidente Tomas S. Monson
Desde antes de empezar mi mision, me encantaba leer en las escrituras. Pero de verdad, no leia mucho como podia o debiera. Pero recuerdo cuanto gozo, paz y consuelo encontraba cada vez que lei.
Al estar aqui serviendo una mision me ha enseñado otra vez la importancia de las Escrituras en cada una de nuestras vidas. Cada mañana durante una hora, estuido de las Escrituras. Busco dentro de sus paginas en busca de respuestas, no a mis preguntas esta vez, pero para los demás. Encuentro la paz y el gozo y siento un gran sentido de la guia del Espiritu Santo de mi Padre Celestial. Y como Yo hice en mi juventud encuentro las repuestas a preguntas que no sabía que existían. He aprendido que cualquier pregunta en la vida puede ser contestada a través de las escrituras, especialmente El Libro de Mormón y la oración.
Más que todo lo que he ganado es un amor más grande de las verdades restauradas del Evangelio Restaurado de Jesucristo. Tantas verdades marvillosas se perdieron pero con el bendicion del Libro de Mormón , encontramos repuestas más clara a las preguntas de nuestras almas. Cualquier duda, cualquier pregunta, cualquier preocupación, se puede resolver o contestado al escudriñar en sus paginas y luego ir a nuestro Padre Celestial en oración.
Cuando Jesucristo visitó la gente aquí en las Américas antiguas despues de su resurrección, les mandó a escudriñar las escrituras, para estuidarlas.
Y les dijo:
"Y he aquí, ahora os digo que debéis escudriñar estas cosas. Sí, un mandamiento os doy de que escudriñéis estas cosas diligentemente... Y quienes escuchen mis palabras, y se arrepientan y sean bautizados, se salvarán. Escudriñad los profetas porque muchos son los que testifican de estas cosas."
3 Nefi 23:1,5
Yo sé que a través de un estudio diligente de las Escrituras que cada uno puede encontrar muchas bendiciones, y la mayor de todas estas bendiciones es la que podemos encontrar el camino de regreso a nuestro Padre Celestial y vivir con él para siempre.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Search The Scriptures
Since before I started my mission, I loved the scriptures. I'll admit though, I didn't read them as much as I should have or could have. But I remember how much joy and peace and comfort I found everytime I searched within their pages.
Being out here on my mission has re-taught me the importance of the scriptures in every one of our lives. Every morning for 1 hour I study (mostly) the scriptures. I search within their pages for answers, not to my questions this time, but for others. I find peace and joy and I feel a greater sense of the guidance of the Holy Ghost from my Heavenly Father. And just as I did in my youth I find answers to questions I never knew existed. I have learned that any question in life can be answered through the scriptures especially the Book of Mormon and prayer.
Most of all I have gained a greater love for the restored truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So many wonderful truths were lost but with the blessing of the Book of Mormon we find clearer answers to the questions of our souls. Any doubt, any question, any concern can be resolved or answered by searching within it's pages and then going to our Heavenly Father in prayer.
When Jesus Christ visited the people here in the ancient americas, he commanded them to search the scriptures, to study them.
"And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search, these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently.. And whosoever will hearken unto my words and repenteth and is baptized, the same shall be saved. Search the prophets, for many there be that testify of these things."
3 Nephi 23: 1,5
I know that through a diligent study of the scriptures that we can each find so many blessings, and the greatest of all these blessings is the one that we can find the way home to our Heavenly Father and live with him forever.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Gracia y la Obra: Por el cual viene la Salvacion?
El otro día mis compañeros y yo estábamos caminando a la biblioteca, tuvimos la oportunidad de hablar con algunas personas. [Ellos] han dado cuenta de que vayamos a la biblioteca casi todos los días de la semana, y pues, estoy segura de que como cualquiera de ustedes, llamo a su curiosidad. Así que nos preguntaron qué estábamos haciendo, tener que ir a la biblioteca todos los días.
Me encanta cuando la gente nos hace preguntas como eso! Se da una gran oportunidad para nosotros para ayudarlos a conocer un poco más acerca del Evangelio restaurado de Jesucristo. Bueno, por supuesto, les dijimos lo que somos.
Su respuesta fue que en la iglesia bautista todo lo que necesita para que alguien se lo guardó sólo aceptan a Jesucristo como su Salvador y Redentor, y decir que con todo tu corazón y te salven. Luego citó (o menos)
Efesios 2:8-9 "Porque por gracia sois salvos por medio de la fe; y esto no de vosotros, pues es don de Dios;
Me encanta cuando la gente nos hace preguntas como eso! Se da una gran oportunidad para nosotros para ayudarlos a conocer un poco más acerca del Evangelio restaurado de Jesucristo. Bueno, por supuesto, les dijimos lo que somos.
Uno de los hombres nos dijo que era Bautista luego nos preguntó lo que nosotros como "los mormones" creen que se necesita a alguien para ir al cielo. Esto llevó a una pequeña discusión bastante bueno, pero realmente nada en términos de su verdadera comprensión de la pregunta. Nosotros le hizo saber que "Creemos que por la Expiación de Cristo, todo el género humano puede salvarse, mediante la obediencia a las leyes y ordenanzas del Evangelio." Articulos de Fe 1:3
Su respuesta fue que en la iglesia bautista todo lo que necesita para que alguien se lo guardó sólo aceptan a Jesucristo como su Salvador y Redentor, y decir que con todo tu corazón y te salven. Luego citó (o menos)
Efesios 2:8-9 "Porque por gracia sois salvos por medio de la fe; y esto no de vosotros, pues es don de Dios;
(9) no por obras, para que nadie se gloríe." Y pasó a explicar que somos salvos y sólo a través de la gracia de Jesucristo y es un don gratuito.
Esto me hizo pensar: ¿Cómo es que alguien puede ser salvo, solo por "aceptar a Jesús Cristo".
En Santiago 2:17-18 dice: "Así también la fe, si no tiene obras, es muerta en sí misma.
(18) Pero alguno dirá: Tú tienes fe, y yo tengo obras; muéstrame tu fe sin tus obras, y yo te mostraré mi fe por mis obras."
También sabemos más acerca de la gracia de leer en el Libro de Mormón en 2 Nefi 25:23 El Profeta Nefi dijo "...pues sabemos que es por la gracia por la que nos salvamos, después de hacer cuanto podamos"
Por lo tanto, sabemos que a pesar de que Cristo sigue padeció por nosotros, por nuestros pecados, y tenemos que aceptarlo, pero al aceptar a Cristo como su Salvador, que significa que usted está dispuesto a actuar en esta creencia. Es a través de la fe en nuestro Salvador, y nuestras obras (es decir, seguimos el ejemplo de Jesucristo en todo lo que hacemos, nos arrepentimos, somos bautizados por la autoridad de Dios y perseverar hasta el fin aka permanecer fiel, arrepentido al día, hasta el final de nuestras vidas) que podemos recibir salavtion.
Tenemos que estar agradecidos por la gracia de Jesucristo en nuestras vidas, sin su gracia, de verdad no serámos capaces de estar en la presencia de Dios, pero no podemos olvidar que tenemos que hacer nuestra parte en esta vida con el fin de recibir la salvación. Por lo tanto, es sólo a través de Gracia Y las Obras que podamos recibir la salavation.
Tenemos que estar agradecidos por la gracia de Jesucristo en nuestras vidas, sin su gracia, de verdad no serámos capaces de estar en la presencia de Dios, pero no podemos olvidar que tenemos que hacer nuestra parte en esta vida con el fin de recibir la salvación. Por lo tanto, es sólo a través de Gracia Y las Obras que podamos recibir la salavation.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Grace and Works: By which cometh Salvation?
Today as my companions and I were walking into the library, we had the opportunity to talk to some people. They've noticed us coming into the Library everyday this week, and well, I'm sure like any of you, it struck their curiosity. So they asked us what we were doing, having to come to the library everyday.
I love it when people ask us questions like that! It gives such a great opportunity for us to help them know a little bit more about the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Well of course we told them who we are.
One of the men told us he was Baptist then asked us what we as "mormons" believe it takes for someone to make it to heaven. This led to a fairly good small discussion, but really nowhere in terms of his true understanding of his question. We let him know that "We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." Article of Faith 1:3
This got me really thinking: How is it that someone can be saved, just by "accepting Jesus Christ".
In James 2:17-18 it states "(17) Even so faith if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. (18)Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."
We also know more about Grace from the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 25:23 the prophet Nephi wrote "for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."
Therefore we know that even though Christ still suffered for us, for our sins, and we need to accept him, but by accepting Christ as your Savior, it means that you are willing to act upon this belief. It is through faith in our Savior, and our works (meaning we follow the example of Jesus Christ in all that we do, we repent, are baptized by the proper authority of God, and endure to the end aka stay faithful, repenting daily, until the end of our lives) that we can recieve salavtion.
We do need to be grateful for the Grace of Jesus Christ in our lives, without Grace we truly will not be able to stand in the presence of God, but we can not forget that we need to do our part in this lifetime in order to truly recieve the Salvation. Therefore it is only through Grace AND Works that we can be saved.
I love it when people ask us questions like that! It gives such a great opportunity for us to help them know a little bit more about the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Well of course we told them who we are.
One of the men told us he was Baptist then asked us what we as "mormons" believe it takes for someone to make it to heaven. This led to a fairly good small discussion, but really nowhere in terms of his true understanding of his question. We let him know that "We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." Article of Faith 1:3
His response was that in the Baptist church all it takes for someone to be saved it just accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Redeemer and mean it with all your heart and you'll be saved. He then quoted (sort of) Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" And went on to explain that we are saved in and only through the grace of Jesus Christ and its a free gift.
This got me really thinking: How is it that someone can be saved, just by "accepting Jesus Christ".
In James 2:17-18 it states "(17) Even so faith if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. (18)Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."
We also know more about Grace from the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 25:23 the prophet Nephi wrote "for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."
Therefore we know that even though Christ still suffered for us, for our sins, and we need to accept him, but by accepting Christ as your Savior, it means that you are willing to act upon this belief. It is through faith in our Savior, and our works (meaning we follow the example of Jesus Christ in all that we do, we repent, are baptized by the proper authority of God, and endure to the end aka stay faithful, repenting daily, until the end of our lives) that we can recieve salavtion.
We do need to be grateful for the Grace of Jesus Christ in our lives, without Grace we truly will not be able to stand in the presence of God, but we can not forget that we need to do our part in this lifetime in order to truly recieve the Salvation. Therefore it is only through Grace AND Works that we can be saved.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Blessed Honored Pioneers
This time of year in my home state of Utah, we like to celebrate a day that we call "Pioneer Day". Every 24th of July we celebrate the entering of the first Latter Day Saint Pioneers in the valley of Salt Lake City, on
July 24th 1847. (which at the time was not in habited by anyone besides Native Americans).
Having been raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints my whole life, I come from a long line of "Mormons". A few of my ancestors traveled across the western plains in the mid 1800's. My Grandpa has always taught me by telling my siblings and I all about them.
I just want to first state that I am so proud of the sacrifice of my ancestors to cross the western plains with so few of their many possessions. They sacrificed family, friends, homes, comfort, many earthly goods, all to be able to find the peace and joy that comes from being able to worship their beliefs. The faith, courage, hope in the Savior Jesus Christ that they had was what brough them through.
But not everyone who is a member of the church has this kind of "Blood Line" so to speak. Many members of the Chruch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints are probably only the first in their family to join the church, or maybe their parents were or possibly grandparents. And each one of them is a modern pioneer in their own way by sharing the Gospel. Each one of these people have sacrificed so much to be able to have the true and everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives. They didn't cross any treterous plains for 5 months, or have to bury a family member a long the way, or anything really that many of the early Pioneers went through. BUT they have sacrificed. They may have sacrificed their family, their homes, their friends, their old habits, and just like the pioneers of old they are blessed.
And like many of the pioneers of old, they have that same hope, courage and love for the Savior that keeps them going and helps them to share this Gospel with everyone around them. And this unify force of Faith and Love is what connects these modern pioneers with the early pioneers who crossed the plains many years ago.
In a recent article on LDS.org Elder M. Russell Ballard said that:
“We must be sure that the legacy of faith received from the pioneers who came before us is never lost. Let their heroic lives touch our hearts, and especially the hearts of our youth, so the fire of true testimony and unwavering love for the Lord and His Church will blaze brightly within each one of us as it did in our faithful pioneers.”
I encourage each of you (members and non-members) to make a legacy of your own, be a modern Pioneer, live the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Share it with others. If you are not a member, I invite you to investiage it. Really learn for yourself about what we as "mormons" or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, are really about.
July 24th 1847. (which at the time was not in habited by anyone besides Native Americans).
Having been raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints my whole life, I come from a long line of "Mormons". A few of my ancestors traveled across the western plains in the mid 1800's. My Grandpa has always taught me by telling my siblings and I all about them.
I just want to first state that I am so proud of the sacrifice of my ancestors to cross the western plains with so few of their many possessions. They sacrificed family, friends, homes, comfort, many earthly goods, all to be able to find the peace and joy that comes from being able to worship their beliefs. The faith, courage, hope in the Savior Jesus Christ that they had was what brough them through.
But not everyone who is a member of the church has this kind of "Blood Line" so to speak. Many members of the Chruch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints are probably only the first in their family to join the church, or maybe their parents were or possibly grandparents. And each one of them is a modern pioneer in their own way by sharing the Gospel. Each one of these people have sacrificed so much to be able to have the true and everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives. They didn't cross any treterous plains for 5 months, or have to bury a family member a long the way, or anything really that many of the early Pioneers went through. BUT they have sacrificed. They may have sacrificed their family, their homes, their friends, their old habits, and just like the pioneers of old they are blessed.
And like many of the pioneers of old, they have that same hope, courage and love for the Savior that keeps them going and helps them to share this Gospel with everyone around them. And this unify force of Faith and Love is what connects these modern pioneers with the early pioneers who crossed the plains many years ago.
In a recent article on LDS.org Elder M. Russell Ballard said that:
“We must be sure that the legacy of faith received from the pioneers who came before us is never lost. Let their heroic lives touch our hearts, and especially the hearts of our youth, so the fire of true testimony and unwavering love for the Lord and His Church will blaze brightly within each one of us as it did in our faithful pioneers.”
I encourage each of you (members and non-members) to make a legacy of your own, be a modern Pioneer, live the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Share it with others. If you are not a member, I invite you to investiage it. Really learn for yourself about what we as "mormons" or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, are really about. Wednesday, July 20, 2011
La elección de la felicidad
"Pero confiad; yo he vencido al mundo" Juan 16:33
"Venia a mí todos los que estáis trabajados y cargados, y yo os haré descansar...aprended de mí.. y hallaréis descanso para vuestras almas. Porque mi yugo es fácil y ligera mi carga" Mateo 11:28-30
Y realmente, tenga paciencia, sus pruebas no van a desaparecer por completo inmediatamente, pero pueden hacerse más ligeras, por causa de Jesucristo.
Sé paciente en las aflicciones, porque tendrás muchas; pero soportalas, pues he aquí, estoy contigo hasta el fin de tus días." DyC 24:8
Finalmente, aceptelo en su vida que va a ser feliz, eleja la felicidad. Al principio puede no parecer tan fácil, pero simplemente, relajarse, tome una respiración profunda, sea feliz y recuerde que confiar en su Salvador Jesucristo.
"Sed de buen ánimo, pues, y no temáis, porque yo, el Señor, estoy con vosotros y os ampararé" DyC 68:6
Sencilla, pero profundo. Esto fue y es la llamada del Salvador a todos nosotros, muchos veces durante su vida en la tierra. "Confiad" o "Sed de buen animo". Me encanta esta frase, y recientemente se ha llegado a significar mucho más para mí....
En el mundo de hoy es muy fácil quedar atrapado en nosotros mismos. Fácil pensar en todas las cosas terribles que sucede en nuestras vidas, en el mundo. Fácil quedar atrapado en la desesperación y la tristeza de la vida. Fácil quedar atrapado en nuestros pruebas y las cargas. A veces .. demasiado fácil.
Entonces, como puede tomar esta llamada de felicidad que Cristo ha declarado, y realmente encontrar la felicidad en su vida?
Primero: reconozca la realidad de este declaración, Cristo venció al mundo. él vino al mundo con un propósito: Para llevar a cabo la expiación: su sufrimiento en el jardín de Getsemaní, su sufrimiento y muerte en la cruz y su resurrección. Él venció al pecado a través de su sufrimiento y venció la muerte por la resurrección. Satanás realmente no tiene poder sobre nosotros a menos que se lo permitía.
Segundo: No piense que pueda evitar las pruebas que se puede evitar esos momentos difíciles. Confíe en mí, son inevitables. Y no piense que usted puede hacer esto por si mismo. Recuerde que Cristo ya ha sufrido todo esto, ¿por qué? para que pueda ayudarle, él puede ayudarle a vencerlos. Ore por su ayuda, busque su ayuda y siga las impresiones que se siente.
"Venia a mí todos los que estáis trabajados y cargados, y yo os haré descansar...aprended de mí.. y hallaréis descanso para vuestras almas. Porque mi yugo es fácil y ligera mi carga" Mateo 11:28-30
Y realmente, tenga paciencia, sus pruebas no van a desaparecer por completo inmediatamente, pero pueden hacerse más ligeras, por causa de Jesucristo.
Sé paciente en las aflicciones, porque tendrás muchas; pero soportalas, pues he aquí, estoy contigo hasta el fin de tus días." DyC 24:8
Finalmente, aceptelo en su vida que va a ser feliz, eleja la felicidad. Al principio puede no parecer tan fácil, pero simplemente, relajarse, tome una respiración profunda, sea feliz y recuerde que confiar en su Salvador Jesucristo.
"Sed de buen ánimo, pues, y no temáis, porque yo, el Señor, estoy con vosotros y os ampararé" DyC 68:6
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Choosing Happiness
"Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" John 16:33
Simple, yet profound. This was and is the Savior's call to every one of us, many, many times during his life on the earth. "Be of good cheer". I love this phrase, and recently it's come to mean a lot more to me.
So how can you take this call to happiness that Christ has declared, and truly find the happiness in your life?
First off; recognize the reality of this statement, Christ overcome the world. He came into the world with one purpose: to bring to pass the atonement: his suffering in the garden of Gethsemane, his suffering and death on the cross, and his ressurection. He overcame sin through his suffering and overcame death through the ressurection. Satan truly has no power over us unless we let him.
Second, don't think that you can avoid trials, that you can avoid those tough times. Trust me, they're inevitable. And don't think that you can do this all by yourself. Remember Christ already suffered all this, why? so that he can help you, he can help you get through them. Pray for his help, seek his guidance and follow the promptings that you feel.
"Come unto me all ye that labour and are heaven laden, and I will give you rest..learn of me..and [ye shall] find rest unto your souls..For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30
And really, be patient, your trials won't disapear completely immediately, but they can be made lighter, because of Jesus Christ.
"Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days." D&C 24:8
Finally, just accept it in your life that you are going to be happy, Choose Happiness. At first it might not seem as easy, but just relax, take a deep breath Be Happy and remember to rely on your Savior Jesus Christ.
"Wherefore, be of good cheer and do not fear for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you.." D&C 68:6
In the world today it's so easy to get caught up in ourselves. Easy to think of all the terrible things going on in our lives, in the world. Easy to get caught up in the despair and sadness of life. Easy to get caught up in our trials and burdens. Sometimes..too easy.
So how can you take this call to happiness that Christ has declared, and truly find the happiness in your life?
First off; recognize the reality of this statement, Christ overcome the world. He came into the world with one purpose: to bring to pass the atonement: his suffering in the garden of Gethsemane, his suffering and death on the cross, and his ressurection. He overcame sin through his suffering and overcame death through the ressurection. Satan truly has no power over us unless we let him.
Second, don't think that you can avoid trials, that you can avoid those tough times. Trust me, they're inevitable. And don't think that you can do this all by yourself. Remember Christ already suffered all this, why? so that he can help you, he can help you get through them. Pray for his help, seek his guidance and follow the promptings that you feel.
"Come unto me all ye that labour and are heaven laden, and I will give you rest..learn of me..and [ye shall] find rest unto your souls..For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30
And really, be patient, your trials won't disapear completely immediately, but they can be made lighter, because of Jesus Christ.
"Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days." D&C 24:8
Finally, just accept it in your life that you are going to be happy, Choose Happiness. At first it might not seem as easy, but just relax, take a deep breath Be Happy and remember to rely on your Savior Jesus Christ.
"Wherefore, be of good cheer and do not fear for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you.." D&C 68:6
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