Truly Converted

  Yesterday morning I was doing my personal study, and was looking in the Bible Dictionary, boy do I love it!  I came across Conversion.  The definition is "Denotes changing one’s views, in a conscious acceptance of the will of God (Acts 3:19). If followed by continued faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism in water for the remission of sins, and the reception of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, conversion will become complete, and will change a natural man into a sanctified, born again, purified person—a new creature in Christ Jesus (see 2 Cor. 5:17). Complete conversion comes after many trials and much testing"

  As I thought about this I was thinking about this scripture in Ether 12:6 "... faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith"  Sometimes its scary to think about things that are going to test us, that might cause us pain. I try to always remember that all the trials that I go through are for my own benefit,  that Heavenly Father will never give me anything I cant handle!  I know that sometimes we don't remember that principle as we are going through the pain but after it's over and we look back and see that God's hand truly was with us, and makes the trial seem not so bad!  For example:  way back yonder about a year and a half ago I was prompted to go on a mission...and followed through with it.   As my report date for my mission neared my immediate family and I went to go visit some family in St. George Utah.  My dad and I went for a joy ride in his truck and I wasn't telling him how nervous I was, that I knew it was going to be hard and I was second guessing my decision...  He gave me some great words of council about when he join the Military and was scared too, but that the Military helped shape and mold him into a better father, husband and worker.  He told me that my mission was going to do the same for me! It will help mold and shape me to be a better mother(when the time comes) a better wife, and disciple of Jesus Christ.  I am truly grateful for his words of wisdom! they have stuck with me since the beginning.  I know that this has has changed my life, even though I have faces many trials and challenges.   I can honestly say that I am truly converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that makes me happily endure all my trials!

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.

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.