Blessing from our Father

Many Saints out there may have memories of their blessings by their fathers before the school year starts or when they are sick. Others may be more like me who do not have the unique blessing of having a priesthood holder within the household. Others may have had it at one point but dont anymore. No matter what your situation is you  can receive blessings from your father in heaven. He is the father to all of us. No matter who administers the blessing it comes from out Father above. Weather it is a health blessing or a baby blessing or even a blessing done within the temple, our Heavenly Father knows our individual circumstances and connects to us individually through blessings. I had recently suffered from a concussion that kept me in my house for a month. I was unable to go to school or even function properly. It was to the point where I was getting ill and not improving. After many doctors visits and no improvement I was days away from being put on an experimental drug that my doctor was even scared to give me. I was informed that there were signs of permanent damage and I was scared. I was unable to attend church for a while without leaving rather early and felt uncomfortable asking Heavenly Father for help. I was awkward and afraid to ask my Bishop and close friend for help. He had done so much for me already and I didnt know enough about blessings to ask for one. I prayed and prayed for a week for knowledge to know what to do and courage to ask. The following Sunday I attended the first part of sacrament meeting. I was feeling rather weak and contemplating no going at all but the small still voice inside me told me to go. I mustered up all the strength I had and went. Before the meeting started the Bishop sat next to me. He asked to see me in his office after the meeting. For some reason I got scared and remembered the horror stories of when i was little and people were called into the priests office. it was never good. Then I remembered what church I belonged to and who had asked me and felt calm. Anxious to see what the Bishop wanted and rehearsing how I would bring up the subject of blessings I patiently sat through the meeting anxiously awaiting our talk. By the time the meeting ended I ran to the seat out side of his office and within a few minutes was called in. To my surprise he asked me is he could talk to me about blessings. My eyes started to tear wit joy that my Father in heaven had prompted this righteous man to answer my prayers. I agreed right away and him and two other priesthood holders began to teach me about blessings. Thy taught me about how the blessing was from God and they were mere instruments. They explained how they give the blessings and how they work out in their own ways.  They taught me how the spirit guides them to give me advice and allows them to administer the will of the lord weather it be to heal me or comfort me.Then the blessing came. My head had been pounding from the bright lights and loud speakers. I had done too much thinking in such a short time. Once the blessing stop it was like my mind went numb. There was no more pain and everything had become clear. I could feel the hands upon my head like they were familiar even though I had just met them a few minutes earlier. I listened closely and carefully to what they had to say and felt the spirit strongly. It has been weeks since that blessing. I have not had one symptom since. The doctors tested me again as a follow up and I passed with flying colors. I astounded them and they did not believe the results so the retested me a few days later. I passed again. They called it nothing short of a miracle. The permanent damage turned out to be gone as well. I know that it was the blessing and to this day am so grateful that the priesthood is on the earth today and that our Father in Heaven loves us enough to give us access to it. I know that God answers prayers and will never forget this experience. I hope everyone no matter what their situation seeks help in their times of trials with faith.

Importance of Family

Ive been thinking about family a little bit and what they actually are. I have nothing in common with them really. I am of a different religion, I look nothing like them, and we don't share any of the same interests really. So why do I hold them so high? They could make fun of me or make me feel horrible about something but I would take a bullet for any of them. The truth is that we chose our families before we came here to Earth in the preexistence. No matter how dysfunctional they are I know that they are mine because I want them to be. I need them and they need me and thats just how it works. I chose them for a reason and Ive been looking for that reason lately. What they are mine. Well as I look and keep my heart open to the idea that i chose them, I am starting to notice the small things that bring us all together and make us a family. I notice the way we all look out for each other and the different things we all bring to the table. We may not all be the same type of people but we do balance each other out. I am so grateful for families. I am grateful for my family most of all and hope that they feel that way too. My advice is if you think you got it bad then step back and really look. You may be surprised to find that you are made for your family.

Understanding Matthew 13

In Matthew 13 we read about the parable of the tares and the wheat. While the men slept, the enemy sowed tares in with the wheat. They grew together side by side. When everyone realized this the servants were unsure what to do. The master said let them both grow together until they can be harvested. Then they will bind up the tares and burn them while saving the bundles of wheat. When I first read this I had no idea what the message was. Then I read D&C 86. The enemy is obviously Satan. The tares are false doctrines that keep us from our heavenly father and those that spread it in order to keep us from him. The wheat is the righteous who strive to do well. We grow together side by side on this earth. We influence how each other grows. In the final days those who are "tares" will not be spared but those who were righteous will be. This does not mean that we are either a tare or wheat. We can start off as wheat then become a tare or start a tare and become wheat. We get the choice of whichever we want to be. If we follow Christ's example we can all be like wheat and saved when Christ comes again. Do not let tares hold you back.

Calling all Converts

Being a convert isnt easy. It certainly isnt the most popular decision you could make when it comes to friends and family. At least it wasn't that way for me. We can be criticized for changing our lifestyle and for choices. Even the church's statistics of us staying active is against us. Guess what.....we arent alone. Most of this church is made up of converts. It can be hard sometimes and you may feel alone. If you do I recommend talking to the missionaries. I am a new member and the only member in my family. Once I became a member things got even harder in my home life. My family considered me the black sheep and thought I was some crazy bible/ book of Mormon thumper who had no life. I was made fun of all the time and hated being home. Instead of throwing in the towel and doing the easy thing, I had the missionaries come over. The missionaries didnt try to convert my family. Instead they just talked to them. We talked about life and sports and then God. We didnt talk about the church just our views on certain topics that religions battled over and we defended them. After a conversation that lasted almost 4 hours, my parents came out of it with a new respect for me and my choices. Missionaries are here to help up. They give up two years of their lives for us so that we can learn of the gospel and one day return to our Father in heaven. They are here for us because they love us. So use them. They can really help you experience as a convert become a lot easier.

New Year's: Look Not behind Thee

Happy New Year's everyone! So many people celebrate the new year in different ways. Its a great time to start new goals and to press the reset button on life. Its a new year and you are given a clean slate. Make the best of 2011. Its the first day of a new beginning. One great thing about the new year is that you can change whatever you want about yourself and become a completely different person and just use the excuse that its a new year resolution. If you ended 2010 in a bad mood or don't like something about yourself, here is the chance to change. Its not too late. The past is in the past and its time to move forward. Think not of what you didn't do but what you can do.