End of the World, May 21st 2011! What will you be doing?

   According to many people around the world, the End is coming on May 21st, 2011.  But good news to everyone, according to some recent articles God will not COMPLETELY destroy the Earth until October 31st, 2011. 
 As I have reflected on this matter the last few weeks, I've thought to myself,
1-"how do they know?"
2- "what brought them to this conclusion?" There are a lot of people out there that got this from doing math from the Bible and other resources, but as I have studied about this and pondered about it, a scripture kept coming to mind, the scripture is found in D&C 49:7 

"I, the Lord God, have spoken it; but the hour and the day no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, nor shall they know until he comes."

Also in Matthew 24:36  

"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."

 Only God knows when Jesus Christ will come! and that is what I rely on! I have faith in my God and know that He is preparing His people for that time,which no man knoweth. 
 

  I know that we have a prophet! His name is Thomas S. Monson (check out the link to find out more about him!) and I also know that as it states in Amos 3:7:"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."
 I know that as we continue to listen to the Prophet and follow his counsel, we need not be afraid! He will prepare us for what will happen. Trust in him. He cannot lead us astray!

The Power of Sincere Prayer

  Many times in our lives we hear the term "Power of Prayer". This in my head has taken on a completely new meaning. As a missionary I have never prayed more in my life than the past 6 months. I have needed it. But it's not just power of prayer I have noticed, but the power of sincere prayer.
  We were visiting a lady the other day who told us she hadn't been praying. This made me very concerned because she understood that prayer was important but hadn't for some reason. There are a few reasons why we don't pray. Maybe we forget or we're tired or maybe as in her case, as she shared with us, she didn't feel 'worthy' to pray.
It hurt me to hear her say that she felt unworthy to pray. She had made some mistakes and felt like she couldn't talk to her Father in Heaven. I knew what she meant by that but those thoughts are only from the Adversary. Our Father in Heaven would never tell us we are not worthy to pray to Him. We can ALWAYS pray to Him.
  He is our loving, kind, ever patient Father in Heaven. No matter what we have said or done will change that. It reminded me of the scriptures in the bible in Psalms 38 when David had sinned greatly. He had a man killed and he also committed adultery and knew what he had done was very wrong. He knew that he would have severe consequences but this is not the point today. The point I am trying to make is that David still prayed. He knew he had sinned but he still prayed and begged the Lord for forgiveness. If anyone was to feel unworthy to pray it would have been him.
  We talked with this lady about this. We told her she needed to pray. Prayer is not an easy thing sometimes. But it is necessary. The past 6 months of my mission would have never been possible without sincere prayers to Him daily.
  We need to pray. Always, everyday our hearts should be turned to our Father. He is waiting to help us. We should be showing our love and appreciation for Him in everything we do and say. Prayers are our time to be alone with Him. To tell Him our frustrations of the day, to tell Him our joys and our sorrows. He is ever listening no matter who we are and what we've done. I know this is true because I have felt it in my life time and time again.
  If there is anything going wrong or missing in your life, take 10 minutes every morning and night and set it aside for a personal, private prayer with your Father in Heaven. It will change your day, your mood, your outlook on life, and feel closer to Him.
-Hermana Skroski

Endure To The End

    Yesterday we had District Meetings like we do every Tuesday! we talked a lot about the role of the spirit in conversion.  It was wonderful district meeting, but that's not what i really wanted to talk about today.  after our district meetings we had a zone meeting with ALL  the other missionaries serving in Santa Rosa, we were setting goals for the next month and discussing how we have done for our progress in January, We all worked very hard this last month except for this last week.  Elder Ames, one of our Zone Leaders asked why we didn't do so great last week, one Elder spoke up and said that he always get down at the end of each month, that he isn't as pumped as he was at the beginning. Elder Ames is a very wise Elder and started to talk about Jesus Christ, and how in his last week of his mortal ministry he didn't give up, he did say "oh well, we can try harder next month" CHRIST had the hardest last week anyone in the world can imagine!

  Jesus Christ was perfect, being the only perfect person in the world can be very lonely. there were things that only  Christ could do.  He was chosen to be our savior and Redeemer.   In a talk by Jeffery R Holland titled "None were with him" He talks about his last moments here on this Earth he says: "He ventured into the Garden of Gethsemane alone. Falling on His face in prayer, “sorrowful … unto death,” the record says, His sweat came as great drops of blood as He pled with the Father to let this crushing, brutal cup pass from Him. But, of course, it could not pass. Returning from such anguished prayer, He found His three chief disciples asleep, prompting Him to ask, “Could ye not watch with me one hour?” So it happens two more times until on His third return He says compassionately, “Sleep on now, and take your rest,” though there would be no rest for Him."
  Christ suffered that we may be able to live with him again, that we don't have to be alone as he was. Christ DID NOT give up in his last week! he Endured to the End. He didn't give up. He knew he couldn't.  I know that we cant either, we only have so many years to live, lets make it worth our effort, let us not undo everything Jesus Christ worked so hard for. 
2 Nephi 31:20  "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

God Bless! ETTE (endure to the end)

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.

Today is a Gift!

Way back in June of this last year (weird to say that) at a District meeting a quote was places on the chalk board that said "There will never be another day like today." This quote reminded me of Kung Fu Panda. I found the place in the movie that talks about yesterday being the past, tomorrow's a mystery, and today is a gift that is why they call it the Present. there will never be another 1-1-11 so we should treat each day as a new gift from God!
What an amazing day today is! we should always try our hardest to make each day count! everything we have is because of God.
Lets make the year 2011 count!! Lets make it better than 2010!!

What are you willing to pay?

    
     What are you willing to pay to be closer to God? that has been sister Fulton and I theme for the day.  yesterday as we were planning for the next day (today) and we pulled out a book on the heritage of the early saints of this church.  I was reading about there trials, the triumph's, and there victories! they were so courageous.  In the Book Our Heritage in the 6th chapter it talks about a man who crossed in the Martin Handcart Company and he was over hearing 2 people talk about the leaders of the church and criticizing them for making them come when they did.  the man listened till he could bear no more, he turned the the 2 men and spoke with such great emotion saying:
   "I was in that company and my wife was in it... we suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but did you ever hear a survivor of that company utter a word of criticism?... We came through with the absolute knowledge that God lives for we became acquainted with him in our extremities.  "
  " I have pulled my handcart when i was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that i could hardly put one foot ahead of the other.  i have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and i have said, i can go only that far and there i must give up, for i cannot pull the load through it... I have gone on to that sand and when i reached it, the cart began pushing me... i knew that the angels of God were there. was I Sorry that i chose to come by handcart? NO. neither then nor any minute of my life since.  The price we paid to become acquainted  with God was a privilege to pay, and i am thankful that i was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company."

Brother's and Sister's, what are we willing to pay to become acquainted with God? are we truly giving of ourselves? are we helping the people we need? are we following the promptings of the Spirit?
  I am so thankful for the pioneer's who came across the plains so that we would be able to worship our God freely! I love this gospel with all my heart! I am trying to do everything i can to become more acquainted with my God. 

TOUGH TIMES

"Let the Tough times DEFINE you, not DEFEAT you."
i was first introduced to this by a former missionary Elder Korey Fras.  he was my district leader and always had good quotes to start out district coucil.  I often think of this quote, being a missionary we go through very tough times, but more than just us, our people! the People of the California Santa Rosa mission go through tough times and its our job to lead them to Christ, who suffered for all our sins, weaknesses, failures, everything! Elder Fras also said that adversity is a gift from God, this is how we experiance joy, love, peace, happiness.  we cant experiance any of these things without feeling the opposite.  in Mosiah 23:20-21 the people are prospering and they had built a city and everythings, sometimes the Lord see's fit to chasten us, he chasten them.  he tried there patience to help them in all things.  In Mosiah 23:22 it says that whosever puteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day.
   We all have trials, how we deal with them is what the Lord is looking at.  Do we always wonder "why me?" or "couldnt this happen to anyone else but me?" or do we think: "what can i learn from this?" "what is the Lord trying to teach me?" this is how we learn to bare our trials.  God promises that if we endure all things well, we shall be lifted up! that's a great promise.  I know that this church is true, i know that God is loving and will never give us anything we cant handle.  May God bless us in all that we do, and may we all rely fully on Jesus Christ.

Prayer

This picture brings such a smile to my heart!! If you couldn't tell by the picture, today i wanted to write about prayer, and how powerful it is.  today, 2nd day in my new area, went to the cutest ladies house to talk with her, her name is Michele and she has had a lot of challenges in her life.  She was in a car accident when she was 3 and was thrown out the window of the car and was in a coma for 4 1/2 months... the doctor's told her mom that she wouldn't survive, but she did, she obviously has some side effects from it, she has a great memory, she is a little slower than most people and her speech isn't all that great, but she is truly AMAZING!
  As we talked with her we asked her how the Lord has blessed her in her life,  the first thing she said is that she is alive! that's so true, we should all be grateful to be alive! to live and have more opportunities to follow Jesus Christ, and more opportunities to live the commandments and receive blessings. 
  When she was praying she TALKED to God, not at him, or as if he is a million miles away, but to him as if he was in the room! it was such a beautiful prayer! at the end of her prayer she said: " thank you very  much, i love you and I cant wait to meet you."
  It's truly amazing how much she loves God, and was made evident to me that i need to do better in my prayers and to think of God as being in the room with me, to talk with him and converse with him as if we are face to face!
  if you have the chance go to lds.org and find the bible dictionary and look up PRAYER.  the definition is amazing!!

There's nothing we cant handle without God with us.

1 CORINTHIANS 10:13
 "13There hath no temptation ^ataken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be ^btempted above that ye are able; but will with the ^ctemptation also make a way to ^descape, that ye may be able to ^ebear it."
   I was studying Corinthians this morning for my personal study and I read this scripture, I've always heard the saying that God never gives us anything we cant handle... and provides a way for us to bear everything we do.  I know this to be true.  There have been times in my life that i felt like i couldnt handle things or that i would ever get out of the situtation i was stuck in.  But the Savior provides a way for us if we will but trust him and know that he will guide us to eternal life.  This also reminded me of this scripture in 
2 CORINTHIANS 12: 7-10  7 And lest I should be ^aexalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a ^bthorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

  8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

  9 And he said unto me, My ^agrace is sufficient for thee: for my ^bstrength is made perfect in ^cweakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may ^drest upon me.

  10 Therefore I take pleasure in ^ainfirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in ^bpersecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am ^cweak, then am I ^dstrong.

  So this is Paul talking and he has a thorn in his side and he ask'd the Lord to remove it from him. we all have thorns in our side, it is to keep us humble, to help us and remind us to rely on the Lord in all that we do.  Paul says that he took pleasure in the infirmities, the persecutions, and was brought to his knee's and when that happen's when we are weak and call upon God, than he will lift us up and make us strong.