I am in the Lehi 31st Singles ward, and let me tell ya! That ward is so amazing! It really brings such on a different atmosphere! You feel the spirit pretty much every week! And our fast sundays... Talk about WOW!!! The spirit just kicks at ya like crazy! There was a challenge that the Stake president gave to the priesthood holders this morning at a priesthood meeting. And especially asked them to practice their Priesthood authorities and bare their testimonies often in Fast and Testimony meetings and basically set the tone! And WOW! Some of the men in my ward that don't normally bare their testimonies came up and started to set the tone... soon enough... women started coming up and do the same thing! And there were some strong testimonies and stories. In my ward, there are some people that are divorced and some have kids, etc... so there are people that are just recently starting to go back to church... or even we have some new converts! And it is so much fun to hear those testimonies! They mostly talk about their conversion stories and it just brings a whole different meaning to what a true conversion is! :D It is so amazing!
Any ways... I got up today in Fast and Testimony meeting, and if you know me, I am pretty shy, and I don't really like getting in front of people that is one of the hardest things for me really. It's just my personality and it isn't easy to get in front and people and speak. Anyways, I get up and I know somewhat of what to say, and yeah... I pretty much choked, and stammered through the whole thing. I couldn't think that straight and so I just said a simple testimony pretty much... I wasn't very happy with that I wanted to say something more about the atonement and what I've learned about it so far with in these past couple months or so. But anyways.. here was what was on my mind and what I wanted to say before I choked! LOL
On Tuesday, My Boyfriend and I had a bit of a down time, and we were kind of in a sense Fearful, and not really faithful (if you know what I mean). We were talking about what we could improve on in our relationship of how we could help each other through a little hard time. And he wants to get rid of some habits that he has had in his life, and was in a sense almost giving up in a way. But I summarized a quote from a book that I have been reading slowly but surely call the Continuous Atonement, and the first paragraph says something that we all can relate to in some way shape or form... "I'll never do it again. we say and then we do it. Now I'll really mean it. I'll never do it again, and then we do it. 'This has got to stop. I swear I will never do it again.' And we do it. When we or those we Love are stuck in cycles of compulsive behavior, it is easy to become discouraged and feel like giving up. We fast, pray, seek blessings, and still wonder if the needed changes will ever occur. When they finally do, we wonder if the positive changes will last. At low points we want to quit-or worse, we just stop caring altogether. Those are the moments when we need to remember there is always hope."
And he interpreted it in a pretty good way! He said that basically that if we do our best and do what we can to do better, that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will help us through! :D And Brad Wilcox says later in the book, that "Christ doesn't just make up the difference. He Makes all the difference."
A couple months ago, I during one of my down times, I was asking for help and forgiveness, and I was prompted to read, D&C 132 and I was questioning and asking if he was sure I wanted to read that section because that section is mainly about Marriage, and at that time I wasn't quite ready to think about marriage especially talk about it yet... LOL Any ways I felt a "Yes, just read it!" So I read it and when I got to verse 49-50 and it says: "For I am the Lord they God, and will be with thee even unto the end of the world, and through all eternity; for verily I seal upon your exaltation, and prpare a throne for you in the kingdom of my Father, with Abraham your father. (50) Behold, I have seen your sacrifices, and will forgive all your sins; I have seen your sacrifices in obedience to that which I have told you. Go, therefore and I make a way for your escape, as I accepted the offering of Abraham of his son Isaac." That was such a comfort to me! That no matter what the mistakes I have done in my life so far and that if I really do my best. Heavenly Father will provide a throne, and accept my offerings as he did with Abraham! :D
I do have a Testimony of this Gospel and I know this church is True! I know that Joseph Smith restored this Gospel and that the Book of Mormon is true! I also know that President Monson is our true Living prophet today! In the name of Jesus Christ amen!
So now off to another tangent, kind of more of a question actually... So Every time I post something... It doesn't show my paragraphs... Is there a setting or something to help you out with that? I am still trying to figure that out... :P
