[Sister Butts] is, That [she] Might Have Joy

Need a pick me up?  I hear you.  Here is some comforting news for you: there is a God.  He is your Heavenly Father and He loves you very much.  He cares for you and wants you to be happy.  Need some proof?  In 2 Nephi 2:25 (in the Book of Mormon) it says "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy."  Whenever I've read this scripture, I've always thought of it in a general sense, but this morning I read an article that put it in a different light:

"Sister Butts is, that she might have joy."

God wants me to be happy in my life.  He does!  Everything he has done or will do is with the purpose to have me be truly happy.

This is why he has given so many beautiful things on this Earth to be grateful for.  If I just pause to look around me at the sky, the grass, the birds...I feel his love.  I feel happy.  :)

This is why he has given me commandments.  He knows what actions will lead me to destruction, so he has given me rules I must follow to keep me safe.  When I do, I feel joyful.  :)

This is why he has given me trials.  When I'm just coasting through a summer day with nothing to challenge me, I feel pretty lifeless.  But when I'm expected to do something hard, and I work at it over and over again I find satisfaction.  It may be hard at first, but in the end I am satisfied. :)

Scriptures, church, friends and family, leaders like President Thomas S. Monson, the list goes on of the things God has given me.  All for what?  All for the sake of true happiness.  The kind that stays.  The kind that is real.  You can't find it in a store, on a shelf, or on a specific day. 

All it takes is open eyes, an open heart, and a willingness to accept Christ more fully in your life.  "[You] are, that [you] might have joy."  Find the real stuff.  Let me know how it goes.  :)

Take a Deep Breath - FAITH!

It's winter.

I'm standing on the edge of a mountain, looking down at the steep slope that is before me.

I've skied this slope before, I know I can do it again, but looking down my legs start to quiver.  It's too hard.  It's too steep.  I can't do it.

I take a deep breath...

It's fall.

I'm standing on the edge of the boat, looking at the deep water that is before me, wakeboard in hand.

Nerves seem to gum up my actions.  I'm reluctant to get into the cold water, knowing what will be asked of me in a few moments.  It's too hard.  I can't jump the wake.

I take a deep breath...

It's summer.

I'm standing on the edge of a street corner, looking at the people walking towards me.

I talk to strangers every day.  The human race is actually quite nice if you give them a chance, but still I hesitate.  I'm fearful of what they'll say.  It's too hard.  I don't have what it takes.

I take a deep breath...

And I go.

Have you ever felt that paralyzing fear?  That build up of anxiety and uncertainty just before you make a decision?  In those circumstances you really only have two options: you let the fear keep you from taking that step forward, or you push past it and do it anyways.  Usually, the thing that keeps us from acting is our own self-doubt.  Nothing truely physical blocks our path, just ourselves!

Let me use an example.  It comes from "Cleansing the Inner Vessel". 

"Many of us are like the elephant that, as a baby, was tied to a large tree. It tried many times to pull away from the tree. It eventually gave up. And when the chain was later taken off the tree and attached to a small stake, the fully grown elephant never even tried to get away. By then, it had given up all hope of freedom and had become imprisoned not by the chain, but by its own set of false beliefs."

Sometimes when we are faced with opposition we fail multiple times and we allow that failure to give us the mindset that we can't do it.  This builds fear and is a difficult roadblock to break through.  Yet we must!  If we are going to reach the potential that is inside all of us we must break through our own self-limits!  How?  How do we take the step forward when our mind is screaming at us that we can't?

It takes faith.

We must learn to learn on Christ.  We must learn to trust Him.  He will prepare the way for us to succeed.  Even when we don't, we can have the faith that He will help us stand up, brush off the dirt of despair, and send us on our way to try again.  He has sent us to this Earth to succeed, and success isn't measured by outward results, but by the inner effort we put into it.

Through Christ's example and teachings, we can find the faith to keep moving forward.  We can have the peace to keep going, even if we do fall.  We won't be worried about what other people think because we will be entirely focused on doing His will, opposing opinions will cease to trouble us.  In Him we will find strength, in Him we will keep going to the very end.

Down the slope, I feel the rush of the wind and the snow beneath my feet.  The mountain quickly flies by at an exhilarating pace.

Into the water, then onto the water, I hang on tight to the rope that pulls me, handling the waves as they come.  I cut through the water, sending up a thrilling spray behind me.

Up to the person, I shake their hand and bear my testimony that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that through Him we can find the greatest strength and peace in this life.  A new light appears in their eyes, and I know that they have felt the truth of the statement.

I have succeeded.

They Shall Know My Voice

This is my Dad

Once upon a time I wasn't a missionary.  Save your gasps for later, there's more.  I used to work at a fast food restaurant as a cashier.  One day it was in the middle of rush hour, orders were coming in on the double from the drive through and the front and I was frantically trying to make shakes, fill orders, bag fries, and deliver food all at the same time.

With a dozen things calling for my attention and demanding my energy, I had blocked out all of the distractions from beyond the counter.  But everything I was doing came to a screetching halt as a familiar noise cut through the din of the dinner rush.  Freezing in my tracks I pivoted towards the sound.  "Dad!"  I exclaimed in surprise.  There in the middle of all those people, was my dad.

What was the noise that caught my attention?  A cough.  A simple, little, genuine cough coming from a person I had known and lived with my entire life.  You would think that a little noise like that wouldn't be heard above the din of the restaurant, but because I knew him so well, I immediately heard it.  We had spent a lot of time together and so I recognized the sound of his cough.

This experience reminded me a lot of the parable that Christ shared with His apostles about shepherds and sheep.  He said, "...he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 

"To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 

"And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 

"And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers."

Sheep can recognize the voice of their shepherd because of the amount of time they have spent together.  Christ has said "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine."  He is showing us in this parable that those that are followers of Christ will respond readily to His words and counsel because of the time they have spent together.

Now, this world is a busy one.  There are plenty of distractions around us.  I'd write a list, but I'm sure you could come up with a longer one.  It's hard to be able to hear the quiet promptings of Christ when we're busy focusing on other things.  Yet there is a way.  Just like my father's cough cut through the din of the fast food restaurant, Christ's voice can cut through the worldly pleasures and catch our attention.

How?

It takes time.

This could be seen as an impossible challenge because He doesn't live on Earth currently, we can't walk and talk with him physically just yet.  So how then can we spend time with Him?  The answer is to study the scriptures.  In 2 Nephi 32:3 it says, "...wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do."

The Book of Mormon and the Bible contain the words of Christ.  When we take the time to study them, we will be drawing nearer to Christ.  We will learn His will, and over time we will come to recognize more clearly His voice.

Sounds simple, right?  Reading a little bit of a book every day?  Perhaps there is something grander that we must do.  And yet, "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass."  It is a small thing, but with it comes the great peace and direction that comes from drawing closer to Christ.  If it's been a while since you've opened those pages, will you do so today?  And if you've never had the opportunity, will you make the time to try it?  The scriptures have changed my life, and I'm looking forward to the change I will continue to make as I seek to know Christ more fully in my life.

The Final Hour

Have you ever noticed how blessings, miracles, and answers usually come in the last moment possible?  Remember that time where you needed to get out of the door for something that was really important but the keys were lost and you were frantically looking all over the place but you just couldn't find it anywhere so you said a quick, frantic prayer and just before you were going to be late you found the keys just in time?

I know the feeling.

This past week we were planning on meeting one of our investigators at the front of the store.  This was important because we were going to introduce him to the Elders.  It was a struggle just to get the appointment because it wasn't easy to get a hold of him over the phone, and he would frequently forget appointments that we set up.  But tonight was going to be different.  Tonight, things were going to finally work out!

We met up with the Elders at the specified time and waited.....and called....and waited some more....the sun was going down, it was getting darker.  We kept calling, hoping that he would answer his phone, but still there was no response.  Twenty minutes after the scheduled meet up time the Elders looked at their watches.  It was time for them to bike home.  We looked at each other with a small amount of discouragement.  Another appointment had fallen through.

As we waved the Elders good bye, we got back into the car.  What else could we do?  We'd just keep calling and try to keep setting up appointments, but before we threw in the towel we decided to pray.  After the "amen" I looked up, half expecting to see our investigator pulling into the parking lot right then and there.

He didn't.

With a sigh and a check of the time, we decided to call him one last time.  To our

great surprise, he answered the phone after a couple of rings!  Work had held him later than he expected, but he was on his way!  With great excitement we called back the Elders.  "We got a hold of him!" We explained, "come back!"  The Elders were almost to their home by the time we called them, but they agreed to bike back.

We got out of the car and anxiously awaited the arrival of our investigator.  Ten minutes passed and the Elders showed up.  Ten more minutes passed and the Elder's asked us if we were pranking them: he still hadn't shown up.  We resumed our anxious phone calls.  Time was running out, we had a curfew to keep.

I'll admit, at this point my faith wavered.  He hadn't shown up before.  He wouldn't show up now.  He wouldn't answer his phone.  I felt bad for the Elders, knowing that they had biked that far only to have a no-show.  Sister Wright looked me in the eye and said strongly, "he will come.  You have to believe he will come."

Still I doubted.

It was 8:50.  Almost time to go home.  We had waited nearly an hour for this appointment.  Sister Wright was keeping her positive attitude.  I thought to myself, "do I believe?  Do I believe that Heavenly Father could help him come?"  Memories came to my mind of other times that blessings had come.  When did they come?  In the very last moment possible.

I relaxed.  This was just a trial of our patience and diligence.  Sister Wright was right: he would come.  It just would be at the last moment.  As I put my trust in Christ my worry and anxiety melted away.  A few more minutes passed and there he was; riding onhis bicycle, our investigator entered the parking lot.  We were then able to have a good lesson with the Elders.  A miracle indeed.

The question may come of why?  Why did we have to wait nearly an hour to have a lesson with him?  Why do we have to wait so long to receive much needed blessings?  So much pain and anxiety and suffering could be eased if he had just arrived at the appointed time: 8 o'clock. 

I think there are multiple blessings that come from this trial.  One, we learned patience.  We can't get everything we want right when we want it.  Like waiting for traffic to become less crowded or waiting for a red light when you're in a hurry, it takes patience to not get angry or frustrated at the situation. 

Along with that, we learned trust in the Lord's timing, not our own.  He knew that our investigator would come, we needed to trust Him that he would.  We need to put our trust in Christ that he will take care of us and that blessings will come.  He knows what we need.  As it says in 3 Nephi 13:32-33 "For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."  We have to trust that this promise is true.

We also learned diligence.  We couldn't give up when our efforts seemed to be fruitless, we had to keep going and endure to the end.  Sometimes we're not going to get something right on the first try.  Sometimes things just won't be obvious and completely understandable in the first moment.  The key is to not let it get you down and discouraged but to keep going until things fall into place.

This lesson seems to be a repeat lesson.  Have you noticed that?  Whether it's a paycheck that hasn't come in yet, waiting for a job offer, or news in the hospital, we have to go through situations that are full of anxiety, stress, and lots of time.  What should we do in those situations?  As hard as it is, we are to relax and learn to let the Lord handle it.  Keep working, of course, keep doing our best to move forward, but build our faith in Christ.

He will take care of us as we strive to do our best.  If you're going through a rough point in your life where you don't know what to do, remember who is in charge.  His blessings usually come in the final hour.  Continue to pray, continue to work, and above all continue to trust in His plan.  :) Things will work out.  Let me know if there's a way I can help.  <3

STOP. Don't Knock on that Door!

A couple of nights ago Sister Wright, Sister Karony, and I were out checking up on people.  As a group, we decided we should check up on a person that none of us had met, and whom we knew nothing about.  (No, this is not abnormal.  We're missionaries, we do this every day.)  We parked the car and got out, laughing and talking with each other.  After double checking the address, we headed off to meet this friend we hadn't met yet.

We spotted the house and headed towards it.  The moment I stepped up onto the stairway I stopped.  I looked up, surprised.  I looked up and had this feeling...I wish I could describe it, but it simply felt like I should not go up and knock on that door.  Sister Wright was ahead of me, so I looked to Sister Karony to see if I was the only crazy one.

She had stopped too, and she looked at me and said, "Do you feel that?" I nodded.  "It's creepy." I quickly looked to my companion who was at the front doorstep.  She stopped just before she grabbed the door handle, and Sister Karony and I whispered for her to come back down.  She did so with much speed.  Once we had regrouped, Sister Wright shared her feelings that just before she touched the handle, she got this strong feeling of "No!"

The three of us looked up at the door, each wondering what had caused the prompting, and then walked back to the car.  We don't know what would have happened if we had knocked on the door, perhaps something, perhaps nothing.  We just know that we were warned ahead of time by the gift that we have all been given.

What gift is that?  The gift of the Holy Ghost.  He is the third member of the Godhead, and is given to all those who have been baptized and confirmed by priesthood authority.  He has many roles, but in summary His role is to communicate with us the things that God wants us to know.  Whether that is guidance to know which college we should go to, intelligence and understanding as we read the holy scriptures, or warning when there is unknown danger ahead.

He spoke to us through our thoughts and feelings.  We all made the decision independent of each other, but we all came to the same conclusion to not knock on that door.  He spoke to us in different ways because we are all individuals and unique.

How can we receive the Holy Ghost?  While we can feel his influence in our lives, the only way we can have him with us always is by confirmation.  By being confirmed by men holding the priesthood authority of God and living up to the covenants we make at baptism.

I'm grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost, he has blessed my life in the past and I trust he will continue to help guide me to make good decisions in the future.  As I live righteously and keep the covenants I've made at baptism, I can have his influence with me always.

It's Better Than CHOCOLATE

So the other day my companion and I were walking through a supermarket, picking up enough food that would last us through the week.  As we were browsing the aisles, we saw a woman at one of those taste-testing booths.  Standing in the middle of the aisle with a lot of people milling around her, she looked a little uncomfortable at the position that she had been given within the store.

Do you know what she was offering?  CHOCOLATE.  Little free squares of delicious, wonderful CHOCOLATE.  Yet, no one was taking her offer of FREE chocolate.  Even as my companion and I walked past her booth she asked, "Would you like some chocolate?" And I passed down her offer and kept walking.

This seemed to be a common reaction from most of the people there, they'd glance at her and keep walking, only the occasional person would reach out to receive the gift.

Upon reflecting on this moment, I had to face palm myself.  She was offering FREE CHOCOLATE and I just walked by her without even pausing to taste it!  What was I thinking?  What was everyone else thinking?  I mean, hello we're talking about CHOCOLATE here people!  The brown stuff that is full of sugary goodness that people go crazy over!  You eat it in parties, give it away at Halloween, and mold it into funny shapes at Easter, it's the wonderful, desirable, indescribable CHOCOLATE...and yet we all just walked by it as if it was a normal day occurrence that we didn't want or need.

So why did all these crazy people pass up this opportunity to put a smile on our face and get a little bit fatter?  Obviously it wasn't the chocolate...my guess is that it was the woman manning the booth.  She wasn't comfortable or confident in her desire to give out the chocolate.  Perhaps this was her first day on the job, or perhaps she was thinking about other things, in any case I don't think the people there felt like taking it from her.  She wasn't excited, energized or enthused to do it.

Now, I'm not saying she should have been bouncing around like the energizer bunny, but perhaps a more confident smile would've helped others feel comfortable with taking the tasty treat.

Flash forward a couple of hours to two Sister missionaries walking down the street.  Up comes a person walking on the opposite side of the street.  "Hello, I'm Sister Butts.  Could we share a message with you about Jesus Christ?"  Come the words out of my mouth like I've done many times before.  The person looks at the name tag and responds a little uncomfortably, "no thank you, I'm good." and keeps walking.

Does this experience remind you of anything?

I was doing exactly what the woman in the store was doing.  I felt uncomfortable talking with people, I wasn't sure if anyone would want to hear what I had to say, I wasn't sure in myself and the person walked right on by, missing out on the opportunity to partake of the greatest gift given to man.

What is this "great gift"?   It's the knowledge of the gospel.  The way we can be cleansed from sin and guilt.  A way we can progress and become better every day.  A way to feel comfort in our deepest distress.  A way to find knowledge and guidance in this world of turmoil and trouble.  Direction.  Peace.  Power.  Ultimately, this gift is one of eternal happiness.

This gift comes from Jesus Christ and the sacrifice He made for us.  We can receive this gift as we believe in Him, repent of the things we have done wrong, make sacred covenants (or promises) with Him, listen to the quiet promptings of the Holy Ghost, and refuse to give up when it gets tough.  Our part is so small when it is compared to the sacrifice He has made.

This gift is so much better than chocolate.  It's non-fattening, it's longer lasting, you don't have to spend money to receive it, and it improves your very character.  Why then, why did that person pass us up from the wonderful opportunity to improve their life?

Likely it's because she had no idea that is what we were offering.  Why?  Because I was too scared to tell her more.  I needed to be more excited about the message that we share, the knowledge that we have.  I needed to be more bold, and more loving as I reach out to others.  I am going to learn from this experience.  I am going to share my testimony more and offer the gift of the Gospel with more zeal.

Why?  Because it's the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He has offered it to me and I have felt the change in my own life.  I have felt the power, the comfort, and the direction that comes from it.  Who am I to withhold it from others?  If you have any questions, or if you know someone who is struggling with something difficult in their life, will you point them my way?  I'd love to give them a "free sample" of the gift our Savior has given me. :)

Taking Out the Trash

Today I wanted to talk about cleaning our apartments effectively.  (Or homes if you've got a bigger place to live in than most missionaries.)  As much as I would like to have someone come in and clean out everything for me, we can't have maids that do it.  So we have to do it ourselves.  Are you ready?  This plan is going to help you get your home clean in 3 easy steps!

First, go around your entire living quarters and collect all of those objects that are cluttering up your life.  Whether it's the wrappers to the chocolate you ate yesterday or that closet full of lotion you've received for every anniversary, birthday, and Christmas for the past 5 years, pull it out and put it in the trash!  That's right!  Into the trash!  If you don't really use it and it's taking up space and you don't really need it just let it go and throw it away!

Have you done that?  Great!  It's okay if you can't fit everything into the little garbage that lives under your sink on your first try, that's why we have extra grocery bags, so we can eventually fit everything...eventually...so after you've done that, you need to take the garbage out.  Yes.  Out of your house.  The garbage man won't come inside to take it all away, you've got to take it out to him.  

Sometimes that takes a little bit of extra work.  Maybe you have a really long drive way or you live 6 floors up in a high-rise apartment building.  Trust me, it's worth it.  You don't want all of those bags and bags of garbage stinking up your home, you have to get it out.  

If you're like most people, you don't just leave the trash bags on the the sidewalk.  No, you have to put it in a specialized compartment, formally called a "trash can".  That's the third step.  Use an authorized can to put your trash in.  And then...just walk away.  Leave it alone, don't go back to retrieve something, just return to your much cleaner home.

Doesn't that make you feel better?

You know...this process of cleaning out your home - taking out the trash - reminds me of something...it too is a process that we all must go through if we want to live happier lives.  It's called repentance.  I'll ignore your shudder and just keep going.

Have you noticed that?  Taking out the trash and repentance seem to have a negative air about it when really the whole reason it's there is to improve our lives.  To make it so we don't have to live with excess waste that we produce.  Now I'm not going to merrily skip down the hallway as I throw my trash into the "rubbish" chute, but perhaps I'm going to look at it a little
more like it's a blessing and less like it's the bane of my existence.

What does it mean to repent?  Basically it means we take out all of the things we've done wrong in our life, when we make mistakes and feel guilty about something we did we can change and live a happier healthier life.  Repentance is the way that we can be relieved of the things that hold as back.  How, do you ask? 

Well, by taking out the trash.

First thing you'll need to do is to do a self inventory of the things that you do or have done.  What are some of the things that just get in the way of things?  Eat up time?  Clutter your day?  Put them all in a mental pile.  What about some of the excess things you do that aren't really productive?  (You know, like that weekend where you spent 7 hours just watching movies?  I know.  I was there.)  Put them all together and become determined that they won't be a part of your life.  Make the decision to stop.

Next?  It takes a little bit of effort, but you need to make the effort to stop.  Ask for forgiveness from those you may have harmed, spend some time and effort on your knees talking to Heavenly Father in prayer about what is going on.  Prayer is a form of work, after all.  This process might be long and it may be challenging, but with every step you take you'll be closer to getting rid of the things that hold you down.

Just like you have to put your garbage in an authorized trash bin, there is only one way that we can be rid of our transgressions.  That way is through Jesus Christ.  We can't forgive ourselves of our sins and expect to be made clean, we simply do not have that power.  But He does.  When Christ suffered in Gethsemane and on the cross, He took our sins upon him, paying the debt and making it possible for us to be cleansed from it.

Just like the trash man though, he won't come into our houses and into our lives and forcefully take out the things that aren't good for us.  That would take no effort on our part and we wouldn't learn anything from it, nor would we appreciate it.  We need to do our part by asking for forgiveness and taking the steps necessary to give him our sins, to give him the things that we have done wrong.

When we have done that...we walk away.  We don't go back.  We don't say "just kidding, I think I'll keep this" to our favorite sins.  We don't remember the things that we've done in the past and hang it over our heads for eternity.  No.  Once it is taken care of by Christ's atonement, we have to trust that it's taken care of and to simply let it go.

You will receive more power in your life as you repent.  And just like we have to clean our apartments daily to keep them clean, we have to repent daily to keep ourselves free.  It's not a one-time event, or even a yearly thing like spring cleaning.  It is a daily process to do our best to live like Christ would have us live.  It is a powerful opportunity for us to feel an increase of light and joy in our lives.

As you repent your life will change.  You will be happier, and you will find the peace that you are searching for.  I know because this is what I have felt in my life.  My apartment is far from perfect, but I'm finding greater joy as I live in it.  Repentance makes that happen.  My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, makes that happen.  And I'm so very grateful that He has.

Mothers: God's Greatest Job Offer

When I was younger, I wasn't too thrilled with the idea of being a mother.  My thought process was, "I'll finish High School, go to College, get my degree and a good job, and get married at some point."  Family life was far from my desires, let alone my thoughts.  Education was #1 in my life.  

Then one day as I was walking along the Weber campus, I was thinking through what kind of job I wanted to go for.  At this point I knew I loved Physics and Theatre, so a job as a high school teacher seemed like the best option.  As I reviewed everything my thoughts fell along the line, "I want a job that will challenge me, one that I can constantly learn from and won't get stuck doing the same thing over and over.  One that's flexible, I'll be in different environments.  I don't care too much about the pay, I'm more interested in loving what I do.  What is something that I can continue to learn from and grow in...hmmm....?"

I spy 3 moms and 3 future moms.  Happy Mother's day!

As I was thinking I suddenly stopped in my tracks.  (Literally, I think I might have thrown off the traffic of college students a little bit.)  The perfect job hit me out of nowhere: motherhood.  Where else would I learn about every sort of subject under the sun?  Where else would it ask me to be able to do a variety of tasks day in and day out?  Motherhood takes children outside to play in the playground, at school, at home, on vacation, everywhere!  The payment isn't in monetary value, it is far greater to watch the ones you love grow in themselves.  It was the perfect fit!

What prompted me to think of this "job" that I had never honestly considered before?  It didn't come from me, I can tell you that.  It came from my Heavenly Father.  It was a prompting of the Holy Ghost.  Why?  Why would a member of the Godhead lead me to a greater desire to have the title of "mother"?  The answer is simple:

It's because families are the most important thing to Heavenly Father.  Mothers are very much the center of the family and it's been said that "Motherhood is near to divinity.  It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind.  It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels".  

Mothers are gifts from God to help us in our every day moments, and I am so grateful for mine.  She always taught me that I was a daughter of God and that He loved me.  <3  She always supported me when I struggled and cheered me on in my accomplishments.  She truly is a precious gift to my life and I hope to follow her example as I continue to grow.

Motherhood is not without its challenges though, and our Father in Heaven knows that.  He has provided prayer, scriptures, and even a woman's program called the Relief Society to specifically help mothers with their special calling.  Every mother can receive help from on high and revelation for her family.  They simply couldn't do it without it.

I invite you this Mother's day to be especially grateful for your mothers.  Whether you get the chance to see her every day, or you haven't been able to give her a hug for more than a year, show her that you love her.  Christ's final act was to make sure that His mother was well taken care of.  He knew and was appreciative of her important role in His life.  So too must we.

May the Faith be With You

A few weeks ago a challenge was posed to me.  My mission was to move a brush with my faith.  "Go ahead," Sister McBride encouraged me.  "You can do it, move the brush by using your faith."

I stared at the brush for a while.  Move it with my faith?  What is she talking about?  I was halfway tempted to raise my hand and go all Star Wars on her and "use the force"...but I thought better of it.

Use the faith...Use the faith...As I stared at the plastic object before me it suddenly clicked.  With a smile I reached out and picked up the brush.  (Okay, it was actually a pen, but I didn't have a picture of a pen so I used my artistic license and changed it to a brush.)  My mission was accomplished.  I had moved the brush using my faith.

"Now, hang on a second," someone might say "you didn't use your faith, you did it yourself.  Faith is when it happens all by itself."  To which I would reply, "not quite, my friend.  Not quite.  You see, faith isn't just a passive belief, it is an active action.  Here, let me show you," and I would pull out my scriptures.  Flipping over to James 2 I would show what the scriptures say about faith and works.

In between verses 17 and 26 it says 6 times how faith is directly connected to works.  My favorite verse is the 18th one where it says "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."  We may say "I have faith" until the cows come home (which will take a long time because I don't own any cows), but it won't mean anything unless we are willing to act on what we believe.

Like with the brush.  If I had sat there thinking move....moooooooovvvee....move!!!  It probably wouldn't have budged an inch.  But when I put my faith into action on the belief that I could move the brush, it was a simple matter of muscle movement.

Another story?  Okay...there once was a woman who was very very sick, she lived around 30 A.D. and nothing the doctors did could cure her.  Nothing.  For twelve years.  She had spent all of the money and wealth she had in the hope of becoming well and still she was plagued with her illness.  She had faith in the doctors - she paid to have them come to her after all, she did act on that faith - but still she was left in her weakness.

One day she heard of a man named Jesus.  She heard that he had power to heal.  She said to herself "If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole."  So she left her home and went to the streets to where he walked.  It was crowded, there was a lot of people around him but she pushed forward in faith.  Faith in who?  Faith in Christ.

Reaching through the crowd she touched Christ's garment "and straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague."

What brought this healing?  After twelve years of doctors, what made it so instant?  Christ himself provides the answer: Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole;

She didn't simply wait for him to come to her, she reached out and did her part.  She believed in his power enough to act on that belief.  In doing so, she was blessed.

Our faith can be like hers in our day.  We show our faith in Christ in more than just word, but also by action.  How?  By doing as the Savior has done.  By showing love to all around us, by being obedient to the commandments even in the face of opposition.  Faith is an action word, and we live it every day.  When we reach out in faith, miracles will happen.  It's about more than just moving a brush, it's about moving the world.  By faith.

Sisters to the Rescue!

Growing up, I was never too involved with missionaries.  Occasionally I saw them walking on the street and we'd honk the horn and wave at the Elders in suits.  I didn't think too much about what they did or how they could help me.  They were there and I was here and the two worlds never really touched.

That changed one snowy day in Utah.

I was driving up to work in Ogden and the snow was just dumping down in the Utah way.  Traffic was slow and everyone was slipping on the roads, but I was able to drive safely until I got to the neighborhood of my destination.  Here the roads weren't clear of the ever-deepening snow, and the house I was trying to reach was higher up on the mountain.  I knew that there were steep roads ahead of me, but what other option did I have but to go forward?  I had to get to work.

My little Hyundai Elantra managed fine until I was about two blocks away from my destination.  I was on a steep road and it slid down to a stop on the opposite side of the road.  What was I going to do?  I couldn't reverse and try again, I didn't think I'd be able to hold the traction, but my wheels were spinning out without any success.  I would've parked it right there and just walked, but my car was completely blocking the road.  What could I do?

As I picked up my phone to ask my Dad for help, I saw to figures come running towards me out of the corner of my eye.  I rolled down my window as they came up and to my surprise I saw that they were Sister missionaries!

"Would you like some help?"  One asked.

"I'm stuck, I'm not sure how to get out," I replied, phone still in hand.

"We can help push," she replied and the sisters went to the back of the car. 

In disbelief I wiggled the steering wheel, pushed on the gas and the sisters behind me pushed.  In just a few moments my car was freed and I was able to crest the top of the hill.  "Thank you!" I shouted to the Sisters and continued to drive to my job.  The Sisters waved back and returned to their home.

I've never forgotten that act of service.  It came at the right time of my distress and was the exact help I needed.  Not to mention, it was unexpected.  I never would have guessed that Sister missionaries lived on that street.

Now, it's my turn to wear the black badge with Christ's name on it.  As I do, I think back to those first Sister missionaries I met.  They were doing more than just helping a stranger in need, they were following the example of Christ by giving service.  They were fulfilling those covenants they made at baptism. 

When we are baptized, we make a promise that we will "bear one another's burdens" and "comfort those that stand in need of comfort".  Giving selfless service is a part of this.  Not just service when it's convenient or when you feel like it, but giving it when it is needed.  The Sisters could easily have said, "It's cold, it's wet, and it looks like she's calling someone for help.  We have other things we need to plan and do, we don't need to go outside to help her.  She would never know." and forgotten about it.  Instead, they didn't just walk out of the house to help, they ran to help.

I have learned from their example that this is how I need to respond to opportunities to give service.  To be on-demand for service opportunities, regardless of how "busy" I am or how I feel.  As a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have made a promise with my Heavenly Father that I will reach out and serve his children - my brothers and sisters. 

That means you.  :)

Know that right here, right now, Sister McBride and I are here for you.  Whether you have a gospel question or you'd just like someone to clean your bathroom, we are here to help.  Our number one priority is to do as the Savior would do if he were here.  We love you and we want to help in anyway we can.  Give us a call, send us a message, or catch us when you see us.  Let us know what we can do to help. 

You are a precious child of God and He is there for you.  So are we.  :)

Two Stories of Faith in Christ

Today I'd like to share two stories with you about having faith in Jesus Christ.  They're not my stories, but they very much apply to us. 

The first one comes from a talk by Elder David A. Bednar, an apostle of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  This is his experience with a young man and his wife.

"John is a worthy priesthood holder and served faithfully as a full-time missionary. After returning home from his mission, he dated and married a righteous and wonderful young woman, Heather. John was 23 and Heather was 20 on the day they were sealed together for time and for all eternity in the house of the Lord...

"Approximately three weeks after their temple marriage, John was diagnosed with bone cancer. As cancer nodules also were discovered in his lungs, the prognosis was not good...

"Heather noted: “This was devastating news, and I remember how greatly it changed our perspectives....This was the worst day of my life, but I remember going to bed that night with gratitude for our temple sealing. Though the doctors had given [John] only a 30 percent chance of survival, I knew that if we remained faithful I had a 100 percent chance to be with him forever.”

"Approximately one month later John began chemotherapy...three months later John underwent a surgical procedure to remove a large tumor in his leg...

"Two days following the operation, I visited John and Heather in the hospital. We talked about the first time I met John in the mission field, about their marriage, about the cancer, and about the eternally important lessons we learn through the trials of mortality. As we concluded our time together, John asked if I would give him a priesthood blessing. I responded that I gladly would give such a blessing, but I first needed to ask some questions.

"I then posed questions I had not planned to ask and had never previously considered: “[John,] do you have the faith not to be healed? If it is the will of our Heavenly Father that you are transferred by death in your youth to the spirit world to continue your ministry, do you have the faith to submit to His will and not be healed?”

Pause there.  What are your thoughts as you read those questions?  When I first heard this, it was not what I was expecting.  The usual question is, "Do you have the faith to be healed?"  Why would we think about the alternative?  God has the power to heal all illnesses, and if we trust in him, that means we will be healed...right?  What would our faith be if we believed that we might not be healed?

Before I answer those questions, or finish of Elder Bednar's story, I'll turn to the second story.  This one happened way before any of us were born, it is found in the Old Testament in the Bible.  It is the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

"Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold...Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,

"That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

"Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

 

"Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar...There are certain Jews...Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

"Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king.

"Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? ...

"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

"If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

"But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."

Think about their response for a minute. If Elder Bednar had asked them the same question he asked the young couple, what would their response be?  From what I can tell, it would be a solid, resounding "YES."  They were willing to submit to the Lord's will instead of insisting on their own.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego had faith that God had the power to preserve them.  They knew his power and they trusted that he could save them.  But their second sentence holds weight as well, and shows even greater faith.  They were still going to choose the right, even if God didn't save them. 

Heavenly Father isn't one to give us instant gratification.  Sometimes the best blessings, the best lessons, come after trials of patience and faith.  There will be times when the Lord will let us fall so that we may pick ourselves up again and learn from the experience.  We must remember that His plan is the only plan that will bring the greatest growth, happiness, and knowledge.

Faith isn't simply believing that we can be lifted from our trials, true faith is more than that.  Faith in Christ means trusting in His will completely.  Meaning we take all of our ideas, thoughts, and plans and we place them on His altar holding nothing back.  That is what these two stories have in common, the people in them found the faith to believe in Christ and trust in his judgement, even if it meant they passed from this world because of it.  They met the challenge and conquered it.

So what happened to them once they found the faith to submit their will to Christ?  John's cancer was defeated for a time, but then it came back.  From Elder Bednar's talk, he is still going through this trial.  As for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, they were preserved from the fiery furnace to become great leaders in Babylon.

These two stories have ended well, from what we can tell.  But there are plenty of other stories like Abinidi (See Mosiah 17), Nephite women and children (See Alma 14:8), and Joseph Smith (See Doctrine and Covenants 135) who put their trust in the Lord and perished because of their belief.  Their faith was equal to each other, even though the result was different.

We face opposition and trials in our lives, the point isn't for us to plead for instant relief of the pain that tears apart our hearts, the point is for us to humbly submit to all things which the Lord sees fit to inflict upon us.  (Mosiah 3:19)  We can do it, because we will not be alone in our trials.  We will receive strength to endure as we are obedient to the commandments and as we have faith that we will receive His aid.

I know that Christ has the power to heal all sickness, remove all trials, and lift all burdens.  But I also know that in many cases he will not so then we can learn, grow, and become more like Him.  I know that we are not alone in our struggles, we have the greatest advocate on our side, and He will help us every step of the way as we look to Him for guidance.

A Good Health Plan

A few months ago, I made the decision to start eating healthy.  People have told me that if I do, I'll feel better and have more energy in my life, so I decided to try it.  I stopped buying ice cream and sugar, substituting it with salads and fruit cups.  But I didn't see a big difference in how I felt.  From what I could tell, I was the same Sister Butts as I was before I started eating healthily.

 

This past week, though, I had an experienced that changed my views on food.  It was dinner time, so Sister McBride and I decided to go to a fast food restaurant.  I chose some of the less than healthy foods, including a 12 pack of cream-filled pastries that were fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar.  :)  They were delicious and I'm sure I ate more than half of them!

Shortly after I ate them, however, I noticed something.  My stomach was hurting a little bit, I was feeling nauseous, tired, and a little more irritable.  Something just wasn't right.  I wasn't sick, but I sure felt like it.  It didn't take long for me to realize that it was because of the food.  

Now, I had eaten unhealthy food before, but it hadn't bothered me then.  That's because I was used to it.  But as my body acclimated to the nutrient filled food of salads, fruits, and other vegetables, my body wasn't prepared for the damage of fats and sugars - hence the negative reaction.  I may not have noticed the benefits of eating good food at first, but I could clearly see and feel the absence of it when I made a different choice.

As I was thinking about this experience, I found myself drawing parallels to things of a more spiritual nature.  Our spirits, like our bodies, need sustenance.  There are a great variety of things that we can feed our spirits, movies, books, games, schooling, entertainment.  Many of those things are very enjoyable, like movies!  Others are a little bit more drab, like a lecture on Physics.  (I personally love the subject, but I understand most people consider me crazy for thinking so.)

We know that we should study the scriptures, and that we will find strength from them.  But sometimes, we can't feel that strength directly affecting us.  We don't feel a difference when we turn off the T.V. and decide to read the scriptures for a few minutes.  My promise to you is that there is a difference.  Just like fruits and vegetables give our bodies energy, the scriptures give our spirits energy to keep going.

May I give you a challenge?  Something for you to experiment with in your own life?  For one week, trade out a movie, an online game, or a half hour of looking on pintrest and instead pick up a pair of scriptures and study.  Try for 15 minutes a day, and see how things change.  Notice how your days go, how you feel, and how you react to challenges that are presented to you.  If you're looking, you'll notice a difference.

Or, if you're like me.... :) ....at the end of a consistent week of reading the scriptures daily, go back to your daily routine and see if you notice the absence.  

I know that the scriptures fill and feed our spirits for the challenges of our day.  We will find strength from their words, and we will draw nearer to Christ because of them.  I know that if you are struggling with something, you will find help and understanding in the Book of Mormon.  You will see the difference.  More importantly, you will feel the difference.

Living the Gospel

Imagine you're on the ground and your kite is very high up, stuck in a tree.  You jump and you jump and you jump with all of your might, but you can't reach the kite.  Gravity keeps pulling you down.  You try to climb the tree, but it's prickly, sticky, and much too difficult for you to do it.  A man comes by, sees your plight, and brings a ladder that will reach all the way to the top of the tree.  He holds it steady so then you can climb it and get your kite back.

Step by step you climb up the rungs, it's a little high and a little scary, but you reach your kite!  With triumph you pull it out of the tree, go back down the ladder, thank the man, and run back to play with your kite.  You did it!  You got the kite!  Thanks to the man with the ladder you achieved your goal and can resume playing with your kite.

Did you get the kite all by yourself?  Not at all.  You tried doing it by yourself the first time and it didn't work out so well.  The man's ladder helped you get there.  Did the ladder get you to the top of the tree all by itself then?  Of course not.  It's a ladder, not an elevator.  You had to put forth your own effort to get up all of the rungs.  The man couldn't have done it for you, you had to do it yourself.

This is very similar to our lives.  Our goal is a lofty one: to reach heaven and live with our Father again.  It is so high up there, that there is no way we can get to it on our own!  We could get there by living perfectly, but since no one can do that, we're kind of stuck.  This is why Christ's atonement is so important.  Because of his suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross, he made it possible for us to reach heaven and make it home again.

Now, his atonement is a lot like a ladder.  It is a necessary tool that we need - without his sacrifice we'd never be able to make it back to heaven - but it isn't an effortless thing on our part.  It's not an elevator that will take everyone straight there, there are things that we must do to apply the atonement in our life.  To use the ladder, in effect.

Our part is summed up in "the Gospel of Jesus Christ".  What is it?  To put it simply, it is faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.  Make sense?  It didn't make sense to me at first either.  In fact, there are still things I don't understand about it.  But that's okay, because you don't jump from the bottom of the ladder to the top.  You take it one rung at a time.  So let's brake it down.

The first step is faith in Jesus Christ; "Faith is to hope for things which are not seen, but which are true (Heb. 11:1; Alma 32:21), and must be centered in Jesus Christ in order to produce salvation.  To have faith is to have confidence in something or someone." (Bible Dictionary: faith)  We must believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, and the only begotten of the Father.  We must trust in him, that he is, and that he knows us and loves us.

This can't be an idle feeling, but an active motivation.  When we have faith, we are willing to obey the commandments that we have been given.  We seek for more knowledge and understanding, and we continue to chose the right even when everything else is going wrong.  This is how we can apply faith in Christ in our lives - by doing what he has asked of us.

The second step is repentance; repentance put simply is change.  A change in our actions - a change in our hearts.  "It is much more than just acknowledging wrongdoings.  It is a change of mind and heart that gives us a fresh view about God, about ourselves, and about the world.  It includes turning away from sin and turning to God for forgiveness." (https://www.lds.org/topics/repentance?lang=eng)


When I was young, I thought repentance was saying "I'm sorry" to my sister and "please forgive me" to Heavenly Father.  I thought of it as a punishment, a negative consequence to my bad action.  Now I realize that it is so much more than saying "I'm sorry".  It's an opportunity for me to truly be cleaned from my mistake.  By asking for forgiveness daily, I can change and improve and go on living life without the guilt weighing me down at every step.  When we repent, we are really renewed.

The third step is baptism; the action itself seems simple: go into the water and be baptized.  That's it.  The end.  But there is so much more to this step than the moment you're baptized.  For when you are baptized by God's authority, you are making a covenant - a promise to live your life in a certain way for the rest of your life.  In Doctrine and Covenants 20:37 it says "...all those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized...and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end...shall be received by baptism into his church."

We then take the step of baptism as we remember and act on the covenants we have made.  When we take the name of Christ upon us, we are promising to do as he would do.  To obey his commandments in all situations we are placed in.  How do we serve Him?  "when ye are in the service of your fellowbeings ye are only in the service of your God." (Mosiah 2:17) As we reach out and help the people around us, we are fulfilling our baptismal covenants, and we are living the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The fourth step is receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost;  like being baptized, there is only one moment where you are confirmed and "receive the Holy Ghost", but also like being baptized, there is more to it than just the one moment.  To fully receive the Holy Ghost, you must accept his guidance in your daily life and be open to his voice.

Now, the Holy Ghost doesn't usually speak verbally, he is more likely to be felt than to be heard.  He can warn us of danger, encourage us to do good, and help us understand things of a spiritual nature, like scriptures or gospel truths in church meetings.  To hear his voice we must live worthily for it by obeying the commandments.  Our hearts must be devoid of pride so that we can be open to his direction.

You can't really call the fifth step a "step", because it's not really a single step.  It is enduring to the end.  Meaning, we don't stop taking steps.  We keep living our lives as best as we can, building our faith in Christ, repenting of the things we have done wrong, keeping our baptismal covenants, and listening to the Holy Ghost.  On the one hand, this step sounds like drudgery, a never ending circle of effort.  But on the other hand, it is a wonderful process that will bring us never ending joy.

"Enduring to the end brings direction, peace, and happiness to life.  You will feel the joy of trying to become more like Jesus Christ as you serve and help those around you. You will better understand your relationship with your Father in Heaven and feel His perfect love for you. You will feel hope and a sense of purpose in an often unhappy and troubled world."  (The Gospel of Jesus Christ pamphlet)

"We need to study and learn the fundamental principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and then we must do our very best to live them. That is how we become disciples of Jesus Christ, and that is how we build an enduring testimony." (Richard J Maynes)  When we can take these 5 simple steps of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we will build for ourselves a foundation that will never fall.  We will gain the strength and the wisdom we need to conquer every challenge that we face in this life.

So if you feel like something is missing in your life, take a look at how you are living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Continue to seek to understand it and apply it to your life, and your life will be filled.