Live Long and Prosper

We are all here in this life for a reason.  Preach My Gospel states: "Our purpose in this life is to have joy and prepare to return to God’s presence."  Our Father in Heaven wants us to be happy and wants us to have joy.  "This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now." (President Thomas S. Monson) 

The time to prepare is now!  For us to prosper in heaven, we need to do all we can in this life to prepare.  What can we do to prepare ourselves?  By doing the simple things.  Read the scriptures, pray, keep the commandments, go to church, and strive to be better then we were yesterday.  Find joy in this life by preparing for the next.  Live Long and Prosper

Our "Pillar of Light"

16....I saw a pillar of ^clight exactly over my head, above the brightness of the ^dsun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

  17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself ^adelivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I ^bsaw two ^cPersonages, whose brightness and ^dglory defy all description, ^estanding above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My ^fBeloved ^gSon. Hear Him! (Joseph Smith History 1:16-17 (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_h/1)) 

When Joseph Smith inquired of the Lord, he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ.  Not all of us will have an experience like Joseph did, but we can all have our own personal "pillar of light".  The prophet Moroni tells us:

  3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how ^amerciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ^bponder it in your ^chearts.

  4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ^aask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not ^btrue; and if ye shall ask with a ^csincere heart, with ^dreal intent, having ^efaith in Christ, he will ^fmanifest the ^gtruth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. (Moroni 10:3-5 (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/moro/10)).

This is a promise, that if we ask God, He will give us an answer.  Whatever question's we may have in our hearts can and will be answered.  The Lord will bring light into our hearts and minds as we diligently seek Him out.  But, to get a SPECIFIC answer, we must ask a SPECIFIC question.  The Bible dictionary states "The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them".  The last part is what sticks out to me.  "....conditional on our asking for them".  Joseph Smith asked a specific question, and got a specific answer.  If you aren't asking specific questions, start.  Let the Lord show you your own "Pillar of Light".

Who I Am Hates Who I've Been

This is a song that has always reminded me that we can change our life around.  We do not have to stay the person we are or were.  Anyone can change and become better.  "If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living" (Gail Sheehy).   Let's all change for the better and not look back at who we were.

"Never tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon"

"What are you going to do when you go home?"  Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"  "What plans do you have for your future?"  These are some common questions that I am asked frequently, especially while on my mission.  Sure, I can answer them with what I want, but will it happen?  How can we achieve the things we want in our lives?  Elder M. Russell Ballard said: "I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the technique of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When you learn to master the principle of setting a goal, you will then be able to make a great difference in the results you attain in this life". 
As a missionary, goal setting is a daily thing.  We make plans and even back-up plans to be able to achieve our goals.  Sometimes we ask ourselves; "how do we know what kind of goals to set?  Are we aiming too high, or maybe too low?"  Having been a swimmer, I have loved the quote by Michael Phelps: "You can't put a limit on anything.  The more you dream the farther you get".  We can't limit ourselves to anything.  Our goals should be reasonable, but not easy.  Preach My Gospel states "Challenging goals will help you work effectively and lead you to stretch and grow".  If our goals are too low, we aren't challenging ourselves.  We limit our room for growth.
The ultimate goal each of us should have is to make it home to our Heavenly Father.  I know that each of us can attain this goal by doing what we need to now.  Set those small goals, such as being more obedient, so we can reach the ultimate goal.  It is possible and nothing is impossible.
-Sister Nestman

Slow Down

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication".  In the world today, everything is moving at mach-1.  We get caught up in being busy that we forget the simple things  Dieter F. Uchtdorf said in this last conference: "It is said that any virtue when taken to an extreme can become a vice. Over scheduling our days would certainly qualify for this. There comes a point where milestones can become millstones and ambitions, albatrosses around our necks." Let us all take a step back and "simplify" our lives.

Life

This morning while studying I found myself reading about life on earth.  Why we are here and what is the purpose in life.  In the May 1998 Ensign Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Twelve Apostles gave this analogy: "This is the day of our mortal probation.  We might compare our eternal journey to a race of three laps around the track.  We have completed the first lap [our pre-earth life] successfully and have made wonderful progress.  We have started on the second lap.  Can you imagine a world-class runner stopping along the track at this point to pick flowers or chase a rabbit that crossed his path?  Yet this is what we are doing when we occupy our time with worldly pursuits that do not move us closer to the third lap toward eternal life, the greatest of all the gifts of God".  This isn't the time to stop and "pick flowers".  We are to prepare to meet God and have joy.  By doing what the Lord asks, we will find joy.  Let's not worry about things that are "worldly pursuits".  I know that now is the time to prepare for that third lap.  The basics are how we prepare.  Study the scriptures, listen to the prophets words, go to church, pray, and daily strive to be the best you can be.

Family

"Because families are ordained of God, they are the most important social unit in time and in eternity" (PMG p.32).  Each of us is given an incredible gift in this life, family.  When I first hear the word "family", I think of my immediate family: mom, dad, brothers, and sisters.  After thinking more about it, everyone in this world is a part of my family.  We are all sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father.  He knows each of us individually.  He knows our strengths, weaknesses, thoughts, desires, and our potential.  As we view everyone as a beloved son or daughter of God, a brother or sister, we will have a greater love for them.  Each person on this earth has divine potential.  How much better would this world be if we could all see each other as children of god with endless potential?  I love my family dearly.  They mean everything to me.  I know that if I can have that same love for everyone, I will be that much closer to becoming like our Savior. 

Sunday Rain

Rain is an amazing thing.  It is so pure and clean.  The rain is what cleanses the earth and gives it that renewed feeling.  Just as the rain cleanses the earth, our Savior and His Atonement can cleanse us.  We too can feel cleansed and renewed by relying on the Atonement and applying it in our lives.  Today, I was able to see both processes of cleansing.  It rained, cleansing the earth, and we had sacrament meeting, which cleanses us all weekly.  Both, amazing blessings.

Blogging

This is the first time I have ever done a blog.....So here goes :)  I am very honored and excited to be an online missionary.  What an amazing opportunity to share the gospel with those not only in my mission, but around the world!  I know that our Savior, Jesus Christ, lives.  Joseph Smith was God's chosen Prophet for the restoration and that the Book of Mormon is "another testament of Jesus Christ".  I know that Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet for this Dispensation.  I love this work and know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only true church here on the earth today.