It's 71 degrees in the house because the rain brought a drop in temperature. Lexi is taking her afternoon nap. I just heard her whimper, but I'm hoping she'll sleep longer than 40 minutes because she is moody if she doesn't. I'm wondering why we haven't really gotten the change in color as we expected in the month of October. Perhaps we should visit somewhere closer to the mountains to really breathe in fall. My sweatshirt helps. I forgot how much I miss sweatshirts & I'm okay with using the "I'm a mom" excuse to dress down for the grocery store. I just need milk & chicken.
But less about myself & more about the whole - America is at an interesting crossroads between the government shutdown and The Affordable Care Act. Countries are on the brink of financial disaster. And let's not forget all the previous & current natural disasters, poverty & moral decay. As a family, we are trying to evaluate our budget, figure out where we can save due to increased fixed costs, stock up for emergencies & plan for the future the best we can. I think if you want fear, it is easy to find it. But as faithful Christians, we can only afford to look up, move forward & put our faith in God's timing, his promises & his love. Our Savior created this world under the direction of a loving Heavenly Father. Satan would be here to try & influence us, but they also had a plan to get us back & to keep us from falling into Satan's traps. Jesus Christ, our Savior & His Atonement is our plan of redemption. We fell, and continue to fall every day, but it is only because we are imperfect. We are growing and learning through our earthly experiences. We're being shaped and molded into something great. They see us as something great because they see our potential completely. We only see the pixels, but one day we'll see the entire picture & we all will remember our original goal. That we didn't end up on this earth by chance. That we weren't forgotten. That agency brings consequences good & bad. That how we lived on earth mattered. Not what we had, but what we did & who we became.
God & his son, Jesus Christ restored His true church on the earth today, in these latter days. The Great Apostasy was real. Joseph Smith was looking for truth as a young boy, and he found it. We can be baptized under the proper authority and be cleansed from our sins due to a loving Savior who took them upon himself. We have the choice to continue to abide by those baptismal covenants:
1. to become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
2. To be called His sons & daughters, taking upon the name of Christ
3. To bear others' burdens, to mourn & comfort those who need our help
4. Stand as a witness of God at all times. Testify of Christ & be a good example
5. Serve God and keep is commandments
With this covenant we are promised to have our sins forgiven & have the Spirit of the Holy Ghost with us. We are not saved once. We are saved every day when we try a little harder to be a little better, to become closer to Christ. We renew our covenants during the sacrament each week. We will not be perfect in our endeavors, but we can put our faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ and take it one day at a time. He can complete our efforts. We can put our faith in a just & merciful Heavenly Father. Their plan is eternal happiness. Our glory can be eternal.
But we have to do our part. We have to rise to higher standards and become more excellent. We have to abide by his protective commandments. The path might be narrow, but straight is the way that leads us back to life eternal. Matthew 7:14. I know I am lucky to have found this truth in my life. I still struggle to raise the bar, to live righteously in all my decisions, but I know if I try, the Holy Ghost will guide me down that path that I want to go.
As a worthy Priesthood holder, my husband can allow the powers of heaven to bring blessings into our home. He honors that Priesthood power by being faithful, obedient, and full of service towards others. He is a great example of my potential. He helps me understand what love & devotion is.
We are raising one of God's choice & noble daughters. Her sweet spirit has come to this earth and into my family so that we can teach her to understand her body, to grow in the gospel & stay true to the faith in this ever changing world that tells her it's okay to defile her body & spirit. There is so much to learn in this life. It's a humbling & most valued position, being her mother. Her smile & laugh complete me & give me hope. She shows me what purity is. She shows me how to love.
The world is distracting. Darkness hides behind corners & tries to deceive you, but all good things come from God. You have to know there is more to your potential. There is so much more to learn & live for. We don't live with an end of just heaven or hell. There are degrees of glory. Why settle for wait&see? Why settle for drink&bemerry? Marry for eternal life. Live for eternal life. Live eternally in God's presence.
That is my goal each & every day. To be worthy of eternal life
with Mr Smith & Ms Lexi & any other children that come our way.
To be reunited as a Heavenly Family within celestial glory.
If you ever have questions about what it means to be "Mormon" please feel free to ask me
(Elder Troy Looper was in that choir; he's currently one of the 80,000 & I'm so proud of him)
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