Are You Rebellious?

    Last Sunday Sister Beefelt and I went to go see a family in our ward after church, we had this AMAZING lesson of what we wanted to share with them!  So we started by reading in the Book of Mormon in Alma 24.  This is where some of the Lamanites, the wicked people, are converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  They changed there Names to the "Anti-Nephi-Lehi's".  So these Anti-Nephi-Lehi's used to be very wicked and used to kill people and do all sorts of bad things, so when they were converted to the gospel, they decided to bury all there weapons of rebellion! (good people!)   

   " and all the people were assembled together, they took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man’s blood, and they did bury them up deep in the earth."  

  So as we were preparing this lesson we cut out little paper swords for all of us to to write down something that we rebel against that we can bury deep into the ground!  The Kids and all of us wrote something that we wanted to bury deep into the ground. 

And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace.

I think we all learned a very good lesson that day! That when we bury our weapons of war for peace, God will deliver us, he will protect us because we are keeping the covenant that we made with our Heavenly Father.  I know that there are things that everyone can bury deep into the ground and never dig them back up and we all will be blessed beyond measure for it! I know that God lives, I also know that He loves me!

ChOoSe ThE rIgHt, Say what??

    On my 20th birthday, my Best Friend Dianna came to my work and had a present for me, I was super excited like I am anytime I get a present! she pulled out of her pocket a little baggie that had a ring in it, it was a CTR ring! I've wanted one for a long time!! CTR stands for Choose The Right. 


what my CTR ring looks like.

 How do we choose the right? what does it mean to Choose The Right?   We choose the right by doing the right thing, if we see someone drop there book bag, help them pick it up.  If someone is getting picked on, stand up for them.  Choosing the right means having good works , Charity ,and virtue (what you choose to think and do when you are alone and you believe no one is watching is a strong measure of your virtue) Preach My Gospel pg. 118.  I feel so much better when I know that I've chosen to do the right thing. I know that everyone who follow's this simple phrase CHOOSE THE RIGHT will feel so much better about themselves and the people around them, I know that they will draw closer to there Heavenly Father, and have an increase desire to continue choosing the right.

What's your Goliath?

   I've often thought of things that seem much bigger than I am, things that I don't think I can handle, or thing's that are just to big for me to be able to tackle alone! I Love the story of David and Goliath, how courageous David was to go up against someone much bigger than him and not fear him at all because he knew that he had God on his side.  "One man’s Goliath may be the stranglehold of a cigarette or perhaps an unquenchable thirst for alcohol. To another, her Goliath may be an unruly tongue or a selfish streak which causes her to spurn the poor and the downtrodden. Envy, greed, fear, laziness, doubt, vice, pride, lust, selfishness, discouragement—all spell Goliath."

  Even though we all go through things that are bigger than we are, or we don't feel like we can handle it, we can.  David was a Shepard boy, very small in stature, but had a mighty heart.
  I recently read a talk given by President Thomas S. Monson titled Meeting your Goliath.  In the talk, David prepares to fight against Goliath the giant, who has been in battles and wars since he was a youth. David is given all this armor to wear and cant seem to do much with it on,  so he takes it off. Goes and  finds 5 smooth stones from a small brook,  to use with his sling shot.  these 5 stones can help us in our fights with our own Goliaths.
STONE NUMBER 1: "The stone of COURAGE will be essential to your victory. As we survey the challenges of life, that which is easy is rarely right. In fact, the course that we should properly follow appears at times impossible, impenetrable, hopeless."
STONE NUMBER 2: "Next, I select the stone of EFFORT—mental effort and physical effort....

The decision to overcome a fault or correct a weakness is an actual step in the process of doing so. “Thrust in thy sickle with thy might” was not spoken of missionary work alone."

STONE NUMBER 3: "Then there must be in our selection the stone of HUMILITY, for haven’t we been told through divine revelation that when we are humble, the Lord, our God, will lead us by the hand and give us answer to our prayers?"

STONE NUMBER 4: "And who would go forth to battle his Goliath without the stone of PRAYER, remembering that the recognition of a power higher than oneself is in no way debasing; rather, it exalts."

STONE NUMBER 5: "Finally, let us choose the stone of LOVE OF DUTY. Duty is not merely to do the thing we ought to do, but to do it when we should, whether we like it or not."

  These 5 stones coupled with our sling of faith can help us to conquer ANYTHING that stands in our way.  I testify to these 5 steps.  I know that they work, I know that if we use them, we can meet any Goliath that stands in the way of our happiness! I've tried this! I've seen it work and I know that it can work for anyone who is willing and open to letting the Lord help them in any battle.

Parable of "The vineyard and the field"

Sister Stebar here, Sister Kenemore and I got to go on exchanges today (thats where missionary's trade companions and learn how to become a better missionary) and she asked if I would do a blog entry, what a honor :) I wanted to share something I have thought alot about... Vineyards. Ha I love them. When I served in Cloverdale each week we made the 30 mile trip to Ukiah and we passed alot of vineyards. My sister and I use to play a game where, when we were driving we had to relate objects to the gospel, so I thought for old times sake I would play. There is a spot where there is a beautiful vineyard on one side of the road and then a untouched field on the other side. And I was thinking how sad that a whole field is wasting away when the vineyard is producing fruit. It all clicked and I came up with the parable of the "vineyard and the field". In our lives we can choose which one we want to be like. The vineyard is beautiful, its balanced and perfectly in line. The field has its own beauty but it doesnt really compare to the vineyard... But if we look deeper the vineyard is constanly being trimmed, dug, and mowed. While the field goes unchanged. We might think to ourselves I wish I was a field, so I didnt have to hurt always being trimmed, bothered.But that isnt the case. Do you get what I am putting out there to become fruitful, to become orderly we have to go through hard things. But the out come is breath taking and inspiring. Brigham Young said,"God never bestows upon His people superior blessings without a severe trial to prove them". We are here to be corrected this is our learning time, we just have unplanned tests sometimes...Thomas Paine says it beautifully, "These are the times that try men's souls, the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph, what we obtain too cheap, we esteem to lightly." I am grateful for trying times. I want to close with a quote by President Hinckley,"All of us have problems. We face them every day. How grateful I am that we have difficult things to wrestle with. They keep us young, if that is possible. They keep us alive. They keep us going. They keep us humble. They pull us down to our knees to ask God for help in solving them. Be grateful for your problems. And know that some how there will come a solution. Just do your very best". I hope next time you feel pruned you will remeber change is a process not a event. Let God mold and make you into something breathtaking.

Is our all good enough?

   This last week we have focused on the Atonement A LOT! It's been so amazing to study it! i feel like i draw closer to my Savior every time i study.  we were given a talk on Tuesday that President Bunker wanted us all to read, it is titled "The Atonement: All for All" by Bruce C. Hafen.  it is such an amazing talk!
  Elder Hafen talks about Adam and Eve, he says: "The Fall was not a disaster. It wasn’t a mistake or an accident. It was a deliberate part of the plan of salvation. We are God’s spirit “offspring,”  sent to earth “innocent”  of Adam’s transgression. Yet our Father’s plan subjects us to temptation and misery in this fallen world as the price to comprehend authentic joy. Without tasting the bitter, we actually cannot understand the sweet.  We require mortality’s discipline and refinement as the “next step in [our] development” toward becoming like our Father.  But growth means growing pains. It also means learning from our mistakes in a continual process made possible by the Savior’s grace, which He extends both during and “after all we can do.”
  He later talks about our "all" he says: "If we must give all that we have, then our giving only almost everything is not enough. If we almost keep the commandments, we almost receive the blessings."....Almost receive the blessing? that doesn't sounds good enough to me! I would like the WHOLE blessing... don't you? we talked about sacrifice...we were asked "what are you willing to put on the alter to sacrifice?" I have thought about that a lot since yesterday... what am i willing to sacrifice? Am i willing to give up my possession? my worldly things? are you willing to give up your worldly things? Elder Hafen continues..."

Some people want to keep one hand on the wall of the temple while touching the world’s “unclean things”  with the other hand. We must put both hands on the temple and hold on for dear life. One hand is not even almost enough."
    My fellow Brothers and Sisters... what are you willing to put on the Alter to sacrifice to become more spiritual? to become one with God? "When the Savior’s all and our all come together, we will find not only forgiveness of sin, “we shall see him as he is,” and “we shall be like him.”" I love you all and hope you are giving Heavenly Father your all!
 God bless all of you!

Elder Bruce C. Hafen's talk: http://lds.org/general-conference/2004/04/the-atonement-all-for-all?lang=eng

why I'm a missionary!

Why I'm a Missionary

My Journey to being an online missionary started way back on May 4th 2009 when I went with my best friend Dianna to have breakfast at IHOP at about 11 O'clock at night.  I asked her all about her mission that night, I don't know why but i was very curious about her life as a missionary, so my questions began and didn't end till about 1:30 in the morning.  I had felt the spirit prompt me to prepare for a mission, when I got home I woke up my mom to tell her what the spirit had told me.  She perked right up and we talked for about another hour in my room about what all this meant.  I had later talked to my bishop and had gotten discouraged, he didn't seem as excited as i was at the time.  So i put it on the back burner.  I found out 3 weeks later that my dad had take a job offer in Salt Lake City Utah and was planning to move up there with the rest of the family.  i prayed to see if I needed to go, the spirit confirmed to me that I needed to go, so reluctantly i moved with them to Holladay Utah.  I quickly made some new friends and came to find out that most of them had served missions, big slap in the face right there! I need to serve a mission... and i wasnt getting out of it. 
  In August of 2009 I set up an appointment with my newly called bishop and we began the process together. I finally got my paper's in the week after Halloween and received my call about 2 weeks later, my call said that i would be serving in the California Santa Rosa Mission, I  was so excited to serve in California! i was born in southern California and felt that it was were I was needed.
   I got to my mission field on March 2nd 2010 and instantly connected with President Bunker and Sister Bunker, I told them that Las Vegas is where my heart is! and quickly became a favorite, after being out for 2 transfers I got the call that i would be training a new missionary right out of the MTC (missionary training center) and i was SCARED! I was still a new missionary myself but President Bunker knew that  I would need challenges here, so i trained Sister Nestman, who is an online missionary too, after I was transferred to Fortuna California (way north) I was invited to a leadership meeting, I was super excited because I've been to them before and they were amazing! Than......they dropped the bomb (great bomb to be dropped if there was ever going to be one) that there would be 18 missionaries from our mission that were being called to be Online Missionaries, we talked about it than President Bunker announced the names of those missionaries... I was one of them. At first i felt like I was breaking rules, but it got easier, I felt inadequate to be doing this, but i kept on.  i now love being an online missionary and look forward to talking to people everyday online about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  So now I've been blogging and talking to people on facebook for a few months.  I LOVE doing this.   I communicate with my investigators, less actives and recent converts! its such an amazing tool to use.
    I was recently transferred to Santa Rosa-Peterson Lane ward and absolutely love it! the members here are so strong and willing to help us in anything that we do.  They support us and do all they can to help us.  I feel so blessed to be a part of this online missionary work! I know that through my efforts and the efforts of all 200 online missionaries that we are taking the gospel to places it's never been heard! and to people that need this gospel! I love being a missionary! i will be a missionary for the rest of my life.  Every member a missionary. 

Christ is our Light

 In the Book of Mormon, 1st Nephi 17:13 Nephi is commanded to build a ship that will take them to the promised land.  Nephi doesnt question the Lord, he just ask's where he should go to find the tools he need's to build this ship.  He gets started right away.  How often do we ask questions before doing what the Lord tell's us to do? I know that I am guilty of this... but I am repenting and striving to become more like Nephi and Moroni and more importantly my Savior Jesus Christ.  just doing what I need to do.  Christ tell's us that he will be our light.
13And I will also be your ^alight in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the ^bpromised land; and ye shall ^cknow that it is by me that ye are led.
    After they built the ship and they start on there journey to the promised land, Nephi's brethern start sing and dance in much rudeness and Nephi is bold with them and telling them to stop... Nephi's older brothers dont like this so they tie him up and he is bound for 4 days while this very bad storm is upon them.
Later on in 1 Nephi 18:15-16 Nephi says:
15"And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to ^asee that the judgments of God were upon them, and that they must perish save that they should repent of their iniquities; wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were upon my wrists, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof.   

 16Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did ^apraise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions."

what I love about this is that no matter what happened to Nephi, he was always quick to remember his Lord.  He knew that Christ would deliver him if he was faithful, and Christ did. 
  I know that if i am faithful and follow the commandments, Christ will be my light, he will guide me to where i need to be.  I love this gospel, and I am so excited to be a missionary! I love being able to help people see Christ hand's in there life!
LET US ALL LET CHRIST BE OUR LIGHT.

Attitude of Gratitude

Sister Fulton and I just got the November Ensign of conference and looked up President Thomas S. Monson's talk from the Sunday Morning session where he talk's about Gratitude. I just wanted to put some things on that i loved about his talk.  Since it is the time of Thanksgiving what a more perfect opportunity than this to share an amazing talk on just the thing?
    "To express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven."

     A grateful heart, then, comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives. This requires conscious effort—at least until we have truly learned and cultivated an attitude of gratitude. Often we feel grateful and intend to express our thanks but forget to do so or just don’t get around to it. Someone has said that “feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”¹²

     "This is a wonderful time to be on earth. While there is much that is wrong in the world today, there are many things that are right and good. There are marriages that make it, parents who love their children and sacrifice for them, friends who care about us and help us, teachers who teach. Our lives are blessed in countless ways.
We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Someone has said that “gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”⁸
How can we cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude? President Joseph F. Smith, sixth President of the Church, provided an answer. Said he: “The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life.” He continued: “Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man!”<sup>9"

  I'll just leave you with my testimony about gratitude! I am so greatful for this opportunity i have to teach the gospel! and to learn so much! I am grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ, for his loving sacrifice and his life that he gave for me and for everyone that will accept him and follow his teachings! i'm grateful to be in the California Santa Rosa Mission! Its the best mission on earth, in my opinion.  I'm grateful for President Bunker and Sister Bunker and the love that they have for us and accepting us at there own! I'm grateful for my wonderful companion Sister Fulton! she is such a blessing to me! She teaches me so much!</sup>

FAVORITE SCRIPTURE!

  11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and ^aafflictions and ^btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will ^ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

  12 And he will take upon him ^adeath, that he may ^bloose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to ^csuccor his people according to their infirmities.

  13 Now the Spirit ^aknoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the ^bflesh that he might ^ctake upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

 

 

 This is my favorite scripture!! the first time actually read and understood it was with my companion Sister Darley.  She was studying  and shared this scripture with me and she told me what the definition of infirmities, infirmities are our personal failings...so every time we fail, Christ as felt it...every time we are sad, Christ has felt it, EVERY TIME we sin, Christ has felt it.  This scripture makes me think of all the sin's I've committed in my life, a song that i love says "which drop of blood did i make him shed? did i put the thorns onto his head?" I think of that often... the best thing about it is he did this to "blot" out our sins, and to know how to "succor" his people.  To succor is to run to the aid of.  Christ suffered all things so he would know how to help us, he is the only person who has felt everything we have felt, so we never have to be alone in this world.

   I am truly grateful for this gospel, for the knowledge of knowing that my savior Jesus Christ has suffered all things that he me be able to help me. as long as i follow him, have Faith in him, repent of my sins, renew my covenant with him weekly after i was baptized, i rely on the Holy Ghost constantly, and Endure To The End!!

 

for more information on this scripture please go to http://www.new.lds.org/ or you can chat with me on facebook www.facebook.com/sisterbrookkenemore.com

 

Book of Mormon.

2 NEPHI 33:10-12
one of the members in our ward shared a funny story with me tonight over facebook, her Daughter was following her step-dad around the house reading this scripture over and over again to him.  She is only in 3rd grade and she understands te scriptures enough to quote that scripture to her "not-yet-a-member" step dad! i say not yet because I wont label anyone, there is always hope!

" 10 And now, my beloved brethren, and also ^aJew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and ^bbelieve in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall ^cbelieve in Christ ye will believe in these ^dwords, for they are the ^ewords of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they ^fteach all men that they should do good.

  11 And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye—for Christ will show unto you, with ^apower and great ^bglory, that they are his words, at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to face before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness.

  12 And I pray the Father in the name of Christ that many of us, if not all, may be saved in his ^akingdom at that great and last day. "

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/2_ne/33