good times

I was teaching primary in my ward last Sunday; the topic was how we can all be missionaries. The lesson suggested that I, the teacher, bring in a guest speaker who served a mission and have them talk about being a missionary. I decided to bring in some full-time missionaries and have them talk about how we as members can help them do their job. When I actually got to primary, it was only me and a kid who's family just moved into our ward. The missionaries and I told this cutie about missionary work and asked him questions and stuff. At one point, I told this kid, "I love how smart you are," because he was giving us some really good answers and asking some really good questions. He then told me something to the effect of, "Yeah, people are surprised sometimes at how smart I am cuz I'm only just a kid." Toward the end of the lesson, the elders gave him a couple pass-along cards to give out, and he was SOOOOO EXCITED to make friends and give the cards to them. I told him that when he gave them away, if he wanted more he could ask any missionary for some because they have a bunch more in the trunk of their car, and he got even more excited. It was pretty epic. Good times in primary. :)

Relief Society

As women, we are strong, and we want to seem that way. We don't want to ask for help because we think that we would look weak, we wouldn't be being strong if we ask for help. This is NOT TRUE!!! Relief Society is a society of sisters who provide relief. How does one provide relief? By seeing that there is a need and doing what they can to help. If we need help, we should ask for it. I mean, isn't that the point of Relief Society? To help and get help? As women, we feel the need to be superwoman and to do everything all by ourselves, but let me tell you a secret...all superheros have aside kick, i.e. Batman and Robin, to help them. We need to learn to be humble as the Lord has commanded and let someone help us. No matter how little or stupid you thing it is, even if you just need a hug, there is a group of women eagerly waiting for you to ask for their help. We don't have to be strong all the time.

Alma 23

I read Alma 23 last night. It talks about the Lamanite king and his entire household becoming converted and then the king made it illegal to mess with Ammon, Aaron, Omner, and Himni (the prophets at the time), who then went tracking. Seven cities of Lamanites ended up converting, repenting, and laying down their weapons of war. It got me thinking...what are weapons of war? I thought about bows and arrows, cimeters...those kinds of things mentioned in the Book of Mormon. But we don't use those anymore. So what ARE weapons of war?

I got to thinking, and the thought came to me that choosing the right is often referred to as a battle against Satan. In a sense, I guess "weapons of war" could be our choices, our actions. While wrong choices might not causes physical bloodshed or harm, they cause harm to our Spirits.

Sister Dibb told a story during the General Young Women Broadcast on Saturday about a man who went to his neighbor's farm to steal some corn one evening. "He took his little boy with him to sit on the fence and keep a look-out, so as to give warning in case anyone should come along. The man jumped over the fence with a large bag on his arm, and before commencing to take the corn, he looked all around. First one way, and then the other. And not seeing any person, he was just about to fill his bag. The boy then called out, 'Father, there is one way you haven't looked yet! You forgot to look up!'"

When we are tempted to do something wrong, we tend to think that it's not going to hurt anyone, what's the big deal? Who's going to find out anyway? But sin ALWAYS hurts the one doing it, and most of the time, it hurts someone else too, whether we realize it or not. We also hurt God; we disappoint Him. Alma 23:7 says about the converted Lamanites, "...they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more..." God has commanded us to be humble and repent. We should also lay down our "weapons of war," our rebellion, our sins, everything...I believe that that is the way back to the Celestial Kingdom, where we can live with our Heavenly Father once more.

~Sister Jones!~

No lies, I completely love this lady. Sister Jones was called to serve on the General Young Women Board a few years ago, I guess...I'm not completely sure when. It's crazy for me to think that it's been almost a year since I met her. I was attending Snow College at the time; it was my 4th semester there. This one Friday, I was running a tad late for Friday Forum (an hour-long Institute class only on Fridays with a guest speaker), as always. It was the last Friday of March.

I left my house, like, 2 minutes before it was supposed to start, and proceeded to walk the block and a half to the Institute. I had no idea who the speaker was going to be, but I remember that the closer I got to the Institute, the more excited I became to listen to the speaker to the point that I was practically sprinting toward the Institute.

The speaker turned out to be Sister Jones. I don't remember what she talked about; in fact, if you asked me right after she finished speaking, I still wouldn't be able to tell you. But I DO remember how I felt. Ever since I started attending church, I was always told that I'm a beautiful daughter of God. I always knew it in my head, but it never clicked, I never had a testimony of it, until that day. She was the first one to actually make me feel beautiful, the first one who's testimony of it I felt.

The next evening was the General Young Women Broadcast. I don't know that it's possible to feel more beautiful, to feel more loved, than I did those two days. Sister Jones, along with the General Young Women Presidency (Sisters Dalton, Cook, and Dibb), are AMAZING, inspired women of God. If you ever get the chance to listen to them speak, TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE!!!