Gospel Message Day 37

Exaltation, Part 3

For us to obtain exaltation, there are certain ordinances we must receive. To quote the Gospel principles manual:

1. 1. 
   We must be baptized.
2. 2. 
   We must receive the laying on of hands to be confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ and to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
3. 3. 
   Brethren must receive the Melchizedek Priesthood and magnify their callings in the priesthood.
4. 4. 
   We must receive the temple endowment.
5. 5. 
   We must be married for eternity, either in this life or in the next.

Just gotta say I love how that last part makes sure to include "in this life or the next." And that phrase applies for all the ordinances. Because as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe that everyone has a chance to choose for themselves if they want to receive these ordinances, even those who died without knowing there was a choice to be made.

That is what we do in temples. We do vicarious ordinance work for those who have died. We are giving them a chance to have their own exaltation. That's what I did this morning. I went to the temple and performed one of those ordinances for a woman who was born in 1889. It seemed fitting to do service for the deceased on the day of the dead. Last time I was able to do that, I acted proxy for my great-grandmother and was sealed (ie., established the relationship for eternity) to her mother. It is a very sweet work to do when it is for my family--especially for a grandmother whom I knew and loved very much.

Exaltation for the living and the dead eventually has to have a part that takes place only in temples. It is no wonder that I find my greatest joy within temples, working towards my exaltation and however many of my Father's children that I can bring along the way.

Gospel Message Day 36

A Day of Gratitude

I just got back from a dance that was about 1.5 hours away. I knew I should have blogged before I went down, but I was at work. When would I have had time? So you're just going to get a late/early post tonight. :-) It's much too late to start on a whole new topic. And I honestly can't think more on the topic I've been in the middle of. So, I'm just going to do a quick post on current gratitudes. Because I can never say enough about the things I have been blessed with and which I'm grateful for. And that the Lord blesses me both great and small.

I'm grateful for the social opportunities that I've been able to have lately. They have been a lot of fun while also forcing me out of my introvert comfort zone.

I'm grateful that I've been able to achieve my goal in the last month of meeting a new person at each social event I have attended. It hasn't been easy, but I have been meeting more. Expanding my list of friends and acquaintances which is nice. I'm actually starting to recognize people at different functions and I feel like I'm succeeding in not falling into hermit status.

I'm grateful I got to see my Freshman Breakfast Club friend VG. I haven't seen her in years! I'm also grateful I was able to see my Virginia friend CP. Amazing how many people I have been blessed to meet during all my walks of life, and even more amazing when our paths cross again. I'm pretty sure the Lord is in that!

I'm grateful I had a chance to attend another dance. I do love to dance. I'm not very good at it. But I love it. It's my favorite kind of exercise, too.

I'm grateful that our new friend joined us in carpooling up to the Halloween party. I like deepening friendships more than I like making them. So it's nice to get the chance to work on that.

I'm grateful that my favorite (and the best!) West Coast swing partner was there tonight, and that I got to dance with him!. TWICE!!!! Oh my goodness, I think I was on a high from that the whole drive home. Possibly still am.

I'm grateful I have my job and that it is never dull.

I'm grateful that I'm finally able to get to know the teens in my library and that we are forming friendships. It only took 3.75 years for us to figure out what way to reach them.

I'm grateful for the regulars at work who make me smile and appreciate my service.

I'm grateful my house is still standing. Each day. :-)

I'm grateful for the sleep that is coming. Such excitement!

I'm grateful for the anticipation of temple service tomorrow.

I'm grateful for the Halloween season and the time of year when other people completely accept my love of dressing up.

I'm grateful for my life. It is so wonderful and marvelous and amazing and full of great joy. My favorite Cross Country song is right: It's good to be alive!!


Each and every day I always have innumerable things to be grateful for, and I can never thank my Heavenly Father enough for them. But I believe He reads all of it in my heart and in my smile.

Gospel Message Day 35

Lessons from Alma and Amulek

I'm going to pause on the topic I have been writing about to talk about some things I learned in Institute tonight. We talked of 3 men, one of them being a favorite scripture hero--Amulek. I love that man. And someone pointed out yet another thing that showed how amazing he was. In Alma 9:34 we see that Amulek could have turned back. He could have backed out from having to say anything. The people were after Alma, angry with him and wanting to put him in prison. But Amulek was still safe from their wrath. He could have walked away. He didn't. He stood up and spoke out about what he had finally allowed himself to hear, listen to, and believe.

We talked of Alma 10:6--that the Lord tried many times to reach Amulek. Our teacher asked us how often do we give up after only a few times? How often do we give up early on? This could be in home/visiting teaching. In missionary work. In teaching harder-to-reach family members. We can't give up. They need us too much. We don't want to pressure them, push them away, or alienate them. But we can keep loving them.

And I also liked that we talked of how "Sometimes you're the Alma, and sometimes you're the Amulek." In Alma 8-9, we read the story of Alma trying to preach in the city of Ammonihah. They persecute him and throw him out and he is very low. But then a friend of his, who happens to be an angel (love the symbolism--again what we see what Elder Holland spoke about) reassures him that he has great reason to rejoice. His success is measured by his obedience, not by how many he has baptized unto repentance. He is then commanded to return to preach repentance. He does so, but he is so hungry because he has been fasting for days for the people of Ammonihah. He has no place to go and no one to turn to.

That is often us. We are weakened physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. The Lord is always there for us, but often His love and strength have to come to us through someone in our life.

He can't be there to physically hold us and reassure us with a hug. I don't think I could ever explain how much good a hug does for me. Unfortunately, my life is rather short on those these days. :-(

He can't physically be there to feed us. Yes. I've been there when I had absolutely no food in the home and unexpectedly food was at my door).

He can't physically be there to say "I love you," "It's going to be all right," or "I'm there for you." Or to be a listening ear. We can find His words of love and comfort in the scriptures, but often we need to physically hear it.

We need someone. We need an Amulek. 

Because as Alma came back to the city, he met Amulek--there because an angel told him to be. Amulek took him to his home, fed him, and helped him during his low time. So, some times we are an Alma needing an Amulek. But often we need to be Amulek--reaching out to others in need.

Gospel Message Day 34

Exaltation, Part 2

I feel like I should take a different angle on my topic today, as I don't think it coincidence that my daily Gospel study related to a conversation I saw on Facebook today. So, I'm blogging about it.

I made an acquaintance over the weekend, who posted this video on Sunday. It is excellent, I highly recommend you watch it. Very touching, eye-opening in some ways, and a great reminder that not only are we loved, but we need to show love to others and be there for them.

The video reminded me of the darker times in my life. The suicidal thoughts were in my younger teen years. I look on it now and think it is silly, especially as I wasn't exactly suffering from depression. Like most teens, my emotions where anywhere and everywhere. And where I was in the family line-up, I often felt misunderstood. Perhaps even unwanted. I used to wonder if I would even be missed if I were to die--hence the occasional suicidal thought. I just didn't feel like any one would care if I wasn't around any more. Hindsight, of course, lets me see that it is a silly notion. But to the person suffering through whatever they are suffering, it isn't silly. It's real to them.

It is ironic to me that what finally got me out of that funk--my dreams and desires to marry my best friend and raise our children together--are still not in my life, yet. But I have come to know that that isn't what life is all about. My life is about living as Heavenly Father wants me to. I want to make Him happy, and that makes me happy. And He wants me to live my life to its fullest.

I learned that as a teen. But that doesn't mean the road of my life was free from bumps, pitfalls, detours and such. And a few years ago, I was going through the most difficult time of my life. I don't think I was suffering from depression, but I know I was suffering from depressing things that just kept coming at me one after another, without allowing anything to let up. I was bombarded with trials and and struggles, and trying to deal with all of it while I was significantly tired. I'm almost a lost cause when I don't get enough sleep! I didn't want to get out of bed on some mornings because the thought of facing another day just seemed impossible, unbearable, or not worth it. Some days I needed to take random breaks to go cry. I created an I Need to Cry playlist on my iTunes just for that purpose. I listened to this song on repeat many times a day because it felt like the last strand of hope that I was hanging on to.


I felt like I was drowning and I was never going to make it back on solid ground. But I knew there were friends and loved ones ready to help me. I just didn't know how to reach them. Or I'd reach and feel like I was getting pulled further away. I gained a very great testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and I learned to trust and have hope in Him as well as in the people He was sending my way. Elder Holland was right--there are angels all around us.

Two of my music videos were created as I came to firmly believe that I was loved and life was worth fighting for and living in.



 

I often re-read the blog entries I wrote during that time, because it amazes me how difficult things were. But I also never want to forget how much I felt of His love. How much I fought to find happiness, joy, and gratitude one day at a time. How much those around me reached out to me and finally were able to get a hold. All of those things helped me get back to shore. I've been climbing higher and higher ever since, and trying to remember to help others along the way to climb up high with me. In the end, you can only be responsible for your own exaltation, but you can certainly help a whole lot of others on their way to theirs.

I have loved this song since I was a child, and in 2008, on National Sisters Day, I made a music video tribute to my friends.


The lyrics in the bridge of the song are very applicable for what I've been writing about tonight:

So many lonely souls are calling

And our brightest stars would not be falling

If only they had a friend--

A real friend.

My dark times and the struggles and eventual joy as I pulled through them are what I thought of or remembered as I watched that video that my new friend posted, and then later read his follow up comment. So, when I read these verses tonight, they really struck home with all of this being on my mind. In Alma 56, the army of Antipus--which is tired and worn out and as low as they could get--finds that Helaman's army has come to their aid. In verses 16 and 17 we learn:

16 Yea, and they were depressed in body as well as in spirit, for they had fought valiantly by day and toiled by night to maintain their cities; and thus they had suffered great afflictions of every kind.

17 And now they were determined to conquer in this place or die; therefore you may well suppose that this little force which I brought with me, yea, those sons of mine, gave them great hopes and much joy.

"Great hopes and much joy." Isn't that so wonderful and beautiful? We can offer others great hopes and much joy. And having been on the receiving side of great hopes and much joy, I definitely want to be a giver of those now.

Gospel Message Day 33

Exaltation

Whoa. That is what I picked for today? I don't even know where to begin! I suppose a definition is a good start. I was taught that exaltation is not just eternal life. Eternal life has been promised to all of Heavenly Father's children. Exaltation is getting to live with Heavenly Father again. I'm often asked what my greatest desires in life are. Most assume that they are marrying my best friend and having children. And yes, those are two of my greatest desires. However, they are 2nd and 3rd on my list. My first, greatest, and strongest desire is to return to my Heavenly Father in my own due time. I want to see Him again. I want to live with Him again. Of course, I want my husband and children to be there with me. But I don't know if those other two desires will be granted me in this life. But I can do all that's possible to try and achieve the first when this life is over. And what is required of me is that I keep my covenants and obey my Father's commandments.

Gospel Message Day 32

More Than You Ever Wanted or Needed to Know about My Name

The oddest thing, but I've been thinking all day that I should blog about my name. And for those who wonder what a name has to do with the Gospel, then I quote a favorite scripture from my teenage years: "A good name is more precious than ointment" (Ecclesiastes 7:1). And there are at least two articles that refer to having a good name--and what we do with it. I will refer to those near the end. To begin, I want to talk about the importance to me of my name(s).

First, let's go with the fun stuff: nicknames! Here are nicknames I've had.
*Fluffy
*Miss Muffy
*Doll Baby
*Pooh/Poohbear
*Fruit Loop
*Turbo
*Soccer Mom
*Big Mama (from a foreign friend--I told him I wasn't thrilled with that one even though he said it was a huge compliment)

I love kind nicknames, because it gives me a sense of belonging to/with the person/group who has given me the nickname. There's also always a story (or more) behind every nickname, and it creates a particular bond within a relationship.

Then there is my actual name. I have a first, middle, and last name. For internet privacy reasons, I have not used my first name on this blog. But if you know me, then you know my name. :-) And you might be able to guess it otherwise. My first name came about because my mother loved the book it came from, and because my dad lived twice then served his mission in Germany. In all honesty, if I could pick my own first name, I don't think I would pick what is mine. Not that I don't like it. It's just one of those things when you step back and think of something you are so familiar with, it almost seems surreal. Once in a while it rather surprises me that my first name is what it is. Yes, I know. Bizarre. I am a definite oddity, the like of of which you may never meet another. And I'm tired. So I'm sure I'm rambling every way possible.

My mother told me that my middle name came about because we had a lot of one name on Mom's side of the family, and a lot of another name on the Dad's side. So they took the two names and combined them to form my middle name. I have loved my middle name mostly for that reason. And I always liked how all 3 names flowed together. As a child, I signed my full name whenever possible. I loved it! And then one devastating day, I learned that when girls marry, they typically take on the husband's last name--and that was often why most females were never given a middle name because their maiden name would become their middle. I hated that idea. I loved all 3 of my names. I was told I could choose if I wanted to drop my middle or my last name. I didn't want to drop either! But I noticed that around that time, I stopped signing my full name.

It was some time before at least my middle initial creeped back in to the signatures, but even then that was just for official purposes. But it was niggling at me--that middle name was important. It was a part of who I was. And my last? It speaks volumes of who I am. And as it has been my last name for a lot longer than I had hoped it would be, I certainly don't ever want to drop it. And why should I have to drop either when all 3 names are used in every blessing I've received and on all official, legal documentation? It makes sense to add on my husband's name, even if 4 names does seem pretentious.

Then in college, I started to make a lot of acquaintances and friends who went by two names. I liked the sound of that. Started to wonder if I could go by both. On one move to a new place, I almost started. But my best friend lived there at the time and I didn't know if I could convince him to help me go by both (especially when my friend his sister started to go by two names in college and he only calls her by one). When I moved back here, I was determined that I would switch to two-name status. For a few reasons:
*I liked the sound of my name that way. I always had.
*I like the two-name sound. My niephews call me by two names (Aunt + First Name). At work I'm called by my kids and teens by two names (Miss + First Name). Two names just sound well to me.
*I could finally honor my ancestry and love of family history work by using my middle name
*It is a nod to my southern girl beginnings
*There are SO many girls where I live now who have the same first name. I would like to distinguish myself from them.
*I actually think my middle name by itself is kind of ugly, and reminds me of others I've known in this life who I don't have the most pleasant memories of. I don't want to go by it alone.
*Now going by two names, when it comes time to add my husband's name to mine, then my maiden name can become the middle. Easy solution! :-)

In 2004, Sharon G. Samuelson said, "Each of our names represents who we are. We become known by our name to all with whom we associate. Our reputation or the opinion generally held of us is always inextricably linked to our name. Yes, our name and reputation are inseparable....To have an unspotted name and reputation is of greater value than all the wealth one could acquire in a lifetime." She also referred to a few other stories related to what some people in history and scripture did with the names that they have received.

In 2010, Elder Mervyn Arnold also spoke about what we do with our names. His main message was the same as one of Sister Samuelson's points: that in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we take on the name of our Savior. What have we done with His name? What am I doing with His name? How does taking on His name affect me? It has influenced my decisions. It helps me want to deserve His name. And it gives me a great responsibility, for every day I want my Savior to see that I have kept it unspotted and that I am still worthy to be called by His name.

I think Anne was right when she disagreed with Shakespeare: "I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I've never been able to believe it. I don't believe a rose WOULD be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage." (Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery). I don't think I'd be who I am without the name my parents blessed me with, because that name makes me who I am. But more importantly, the Savior's name--which I have covenanted to take upon me--is the greatest influence in helping me be who I am and who I want to be.

Gospel Message Day 31

Daily Gospel Study Reflections

I made it! An entire month of Gospel messages. Woohoo! How am I doing so far? Well, I'll admit that tonight is another cop out. I'm not drawing on a topic. It seems when I draw one, it ends up being one that takes a few days. And the first day requires some thinking time. But I'm off to another Halloween celebration and I have little time for "new thinking" just now. For a girl who hates candy but LOVES to dress up, it was nice that as an adult, Halloween had so much more to offer in the way of costume parties and dances. This is definitely one of my favorite times of the year. So I'm taking every advantage. Even with the niggling headache from the past week that is now threatening migraine. I just don't want to pass on the chance of seeing fellow West Coast swingers in costume, and having the chance to dance with one of the best west coast partners who promised he'd be there tonight.

Anyway, tangent aside, I'm going to blog a bit about what I read in my daily scripture study today. I read Alma 54 in the Book of Mormon. This is when Moroni and Ammoron are exchanging epistles negotiating the exchange of prisoners. In these letters, we see even more how their causes for fighting in this war are so very different. Ammoron wants to subject the Nephites to his will, to be ruled by the Lamanites. If he can't have that, then he wants to kill them. Moroni just wants to protect his people the Nephites, preserving their rights. He wants to coexist peacefully with the Lamanites.

Never before have I seen such a strong parallel in this story to our day. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a lot of principles, values, standards, and beliefs that are no longer shared by the majority of the world. And we are under attack for them. We acknowledge that there are many who do not choose to believe as we do. They have different customs, beliefs, practices, standards, etc. We may not agree with those, but we still love those people and we want to live in harmony with them.

And yet there are some of those people who fight us because of our beliefs--just as this combined group of Lamanites and Zoramites fought the Nephites because of their beliefs. Today, there are some who want to silence us. They get angry when we speak about what we believe, or when we stand up for what we believe. I can imagine that there may be people out there who are reading these simple blog entries of mine, or my meme quotes on Facebook that come from these entries, who do not like what I have to say. Or perhaps they simply find it annoying that I keep saying anything. But anyone who knows me should know I can't help saying something about my beliefs. I love what I believe! It makes me happy. I want to share it and talk about it whenever I can because I want to share that joy with others. (Elder Bednar's recent Conference talk nailed it when it comes to why I do this.) But there are probably many who would just rather me be silent on it all.

Then there are those, perhaps the same ones, who want us to change what we believe, or how we practice it. In essence, they want to control us and our religion. That would be taking away our freedom. That would be trying to rule us. Moroni led the Nephites in this battle against the Lamanites because he was defending their rights--the right to be free, to practice their religion, to live peacefully. The Lamanites wanted them to do as they said, or to be silent (or be silenced in that case). I see this happening now, and it is scary. Yet I have no reason to fear, for our Captain Moroni is a living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. He will navigate, guide, and lead us through this battle. Like the Nephites, if we are righteous we will have the strength of our Savior Jesus Christ to aid us. And with the Savior, we cannot fail.