My talk from ward conference 02/21/16
When I was asked to speak a
month or so ago I can’t say I was surprised.
I actually got the email of the schedule for Ward conference and somehow
overlooked that I was speaking. I was actually
surprised because I had, had a feeling that I was going to have to speak and
when I didn’t see my name there I thought that’s weird I guess I don’t have
to. It wasn’t until ward council when
Bishop Warner asked us if we saw the email and the person that was on there to
speak saw their assignment and then looked right at me. Surprise you are
speaking. The reason I tell you this is because this is
how my life has been especially this past year of being the Young Women’s
president of things that happen and I know before hand that they will this is a
reason of WHY I BELIEVE!
We will not accidentally come
to believe in the Savior and His Gospel any more than we will accidentally pray
or pay tithing. We actively choose to BELIEVE, just like we choose to keep
other commandments.
I have been fortunate that I
was raised in an active LDS home and we went to church every Sunday growing
up. My parents have been such a good
example to me especially as an adult as I have watched them serve 4 missions.
It has been amazing to be a part of their mission experiences. I have been blessed with the gift of faith and
obedience. I have never doubted things
or why we have to do something when it comes to the gospel. When we were told a few months ago about the
policy change and that President Monson had revelation that this needed to
be. I didn’t question it. It made me even more grateful to have a
living prophet that can get those revelations and guide us today. This is a reason of WHY I BELIEVE!
I have always had a love for
the prophet Joseph Smith and have had faith in him and never doubted his vision
he saw in the sacred grove on that special day but it wasn’t until a few years
ago that Mike and I took our kids to Nauvoo and we visited all the church sites
that I really gained a strong testimony of Joseph Smith. I remember sitting at Liberty jail and seeing
where he was held captive and just being amazed of what he went through and
then to go to Carthage Jail and sit in the room and listen to the hymn a poor
wayfaring man of grief playing and see the hole in the doorway where the bullet
went through and the window that Joseph Smith fell through that I had a deeper
love and respect for this man. Recently
as a family we have been reading in the Doctrine and Covenants. Section 135 verse 3 it reads…Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus
only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever
lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book
of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the
means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it
contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations
and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many
other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men;
gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and
left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in
the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient
times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum.
In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated! Learning more about Joseph Smith and being
able to read and study the book of Mormon because of all he went through is
another reason of WHY I BELIEVE!
Last month
our son Will had the opportunity to receive his Patriarchal blessing. He is now the 3rd one of our 4
kids to have received this blessing.
Sitting in the room with each child has been so meaningful and the
spirit all 3 times has been very strong.
Brother Heap’s told us that Will was his 10th blessing he has
given as the new patriarch. Sitting in
his front room talking to him before the blessing was just so peaceful. He asked Will a few questions and then he
gave him his blessing. His blessing like
our other kids have been was just so perfect for Will. Brother Heap’s didn’t know Will and had never
met Will before this mtg but the things he blessed him with and promised him if
he lives a righteous life were so perfect for Will and fit his
personality. I love reading my
patriarchal blessing and seeing promises that were made to me and that have happened
and it is just amazing. I have a strong
testimony of these blessings and I know that if we live the way we should and
make good decisions that these promises will be kept to us. Patriarchal blessings is another reason of
WHY I BELIEVE!
I look forward every week
to “Missionary Monday”. I have the
pleasure of getting 7 missionary emails each Monday. Reading each of these emails and hearing
about the experiences and the changes in these youth is absolutely
amazing. Each one of their testimonies
are so strong. People had told me how
amazing having a missionary out is but until Rachel left 7 months ago I had no
idea. Each Monday when I read her email
I just sit at my computer and cry. It’s
not because I miss her and want her home its because of the love I have for her
and hearing how much she is impacting those she is serving. Her being out has made us grow closer as we
read about her experiences together as a family. When I was asked to give this talk I told her
to email me of Why being on a mission has helped her believe even more and this
is what she sent… “I absolutely love
being a missionary! The miracles that I have seen every day are
incredible. My heart is so full. I can feel my Savior's love more
deeply than ever before. I have learned how to truly study the scriptures
and to listen to the promptings of the Spirit. In the hard times, I have
had nowhere to turn but to my Savior. I have been able to fall to my knees and
truly ask him to give me the strength. That is something that I have
learned so incredibly. The Savior doesn't take away what we are going
through, he gives us the strength to carry on. The miracles I have seen are
undeniably sent from my Heavenly Father. I know that He lives and that He
is with me every step of my mission. He knows every single one of us and
wants us to be happy.”
Getting emails like this
and watching our daughter and these other missionaries in my life change and
grow closer to their savior is a reason of WHY I BELIEVE!
A few weeks
ago I went to the temple with a friend and we did initiatories. The name list I was given were people from
Hungary. Sitting in the first room I
looked at those names and I noticed this lady lived in Debrecen a city that
Mike served his mission in. The spirit
was super strong and my eyes started to tear up. The temple worker in the room with me said I
just had the most overwhelming feeling and the sprit is super strong here. I
told her that I had felt the same way and that my husband had served his
mission in this city that the woman was from.
She said I feel this lady is in this room with us and she is so happy
you are hear at the temple today. It was
such a cool experience and a reason of WHY I BELIEVE!
I have felt the merciful love of the Savior
in my own life. Just over 8 years ago When my
father in-law laid lifeless and there was a 10% chance of survival after he had
a heart attack, we prayed for a miracle that he would recover and I BELIEVE
that our heavenly father listened to us and he answered our prayers and we got
our miracle because Roger made a complete recovery. Driving on the freeway in a snow storm and
having Rachel when she was 10 years old quickly feel that she needed to move
out of the front seat not knowing that our car was soon going to go out of
control and that we were going to hit the freeway barrier wall, I choose to
BELIEVE that was the Holy Ghost that whispered to her and told her to move and
that was why she was saved. When our son
Will had a seizure that lasted 30 minutes and was taken by life flight from our
neighborhood when he was 18 months old and he made a complete recovery with no
lasting side effects, I choose to BELIEVE that our heavenly father sent people there
to comfort Mike and I at the hospital and he helped us get through that
difficult time. When I was driving down
Parley’s Canyon and had an overwhelming feeling about 8 months before I was
called to be the next young women’s president that I would be the one called, I
choose to BELIEVE that was the Holy Ghost letting me know so I could prepare
myself and be ready to serve.
I have
absolutely loved this past year serving and getting to know all of these sweet
young women and leaders. The girls have
made me feel so loved and I am grateful to be a part of their lives. When I was
called I prayed to be told of who I should ask to serve in this program with
me. Some of the women I knew better than
others before, but after serving together I have grown to love each one of them
and am so grateful for their support. I
couldn’t do this calling without each one of them. Having the gospel in my life
has only brought me happiness and I am so grateful for it. I love my savior with all my heart and each
day I am trying to be more like him. I
am grateful for our stake president and his counselors and for our bishopric
and how supportive they are in all we do.
I am so grateful for Mike and our 4 kids and Love them each very much.
They make life fun.
Make your
moments in life become stepping stones to your ultimate goal of having a
confidence that this gospel is real.
From my experiences in choosing to BELIEVE my moments in life were sent
to me for a purpose, my testimony has strengthened immensely. I love my Savior, Jesus
Christ and I know that he is the source of light and hope for all of us. I pray
that we may all choose to BELIEVE in Him.
