How I was Raised

As I grew up, my parents had fairly high expectations of me. I was the youngest of three and my older siblings set a standard that my parents wanted me to follow. I remember watching my sibling grow up. I saw their failures and their successful moments. I saw how they reacted and how they changed.
They are my heroes.
They have helped me shape who I am and continue to help me understand the person I want to become still.

There was one standard that I remember watching my sister keep sacred to her.

It was respectful and appropriate language.

I remember her telling my mom an experience of her first year in high school where there were people cussing and talking about Mormons in a negative way. She stood up for what she believed in and I remember being in awe of her. How she could have so much courage, it was amazing.
Didn't she care what people thought of her?
Wasn't she scared that they would make fun of her?
I think that answer is yes for both questions, but standing up for her beliefs and standards was MORE important.


I had friend who cussed a lot in 5th grade. I wanted to be just like my sister, but I was really scared that this person would hate me and judge me for being different than everyone else. I thought I would lose a friend. (a 10 year old worries about those sort of things a lot!)

One day, she said a bad word and I just went for it.

Me- "Allison, would you mind not saying those kinds of words around me?"
Allison- "Huh?"
Me- "The bad words.... Can you not say them around me?"
Allison- "Oh, sure! I didn't know they bothered you?"
Me- "Uh, ya, they do. Thanks."

UTTER RELIEF!

Now not everyone reacted that way when I asked them, but Allison was my friend and she respected me and didn't use those words around me ever again. If ever she slipped and did, she would immediately apologize and move on.

I was taught at an early age that foul language is degrading and harmful to our spirits. We should always use clean and wholesome language that uplifts and edifies.

When we choose to stand up for our standards and our beliefs, we are showing that we value the opinion of the Lord more than the opinion of men.

I want to be like Hyrum Smith when the Lord told him, " Blessed is my servant Hyrum Smith; for I the Lord, love him because of the integrity of his heart, and because he loveth that which is right."

I love the Lord.
I love his commandments and I WANT to obey them because I LOVE the Lord.

10 Ways to Add More Christ to Your Christmas

I didn't blog yesterday because I was too busy finishing my FINALS!!!!

WOOHOO!! Totally done!!!





I got onto LDS.org and found this really cool post about 10 things we can do to bring Christ into our Christmas this year, and every year for that matter!



 

“Finding the real joy of Christmas comes not in the hurrying and the scurrying to get more done, nor is it found in the purchasing of gifts. We find real joy when we make the Savior the focus of the season,” taught President Thomas S. Monson (“Christmas Is Love,” 2012 First Presidency Christmas Devotional).

The Church provides many online resources to inspire and focus members' attention on the Savior. Here are just a few free and easy things you can do to make Christmas this year less about what you purchase, give, or receive and more about the Savior Jesus Christ.

 1. Watch the First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional with seasonal music and inspiring messages.

2. Watch the “He Is the Gift” video and share it on social media with a personal message (#ShareTheGift, #ShareGoodness).
3. Watch the Bible Video “The Nativity.”
4. Scroll through the Church History Museum’s online gallery to see inspiring paintings relating to the Birth of Christ.
5. Listen to commercial-free Christmas music online on the Mormon Channel.
6. Listen to the 24/7 stream of Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas music and be sure to download five free Christmas songs.
7. Do the “Seek the Star” activity in the December 2014 New Era for a Christmas family home evening. Find more ideas for teaching children about Christmas from the Friend.
8. Browse the LDS.org Media Library for Christmas images and Christmas videos you can download, use, and share to bring the Spirit of Christ into your life and home.
9. Read how you can follow the Savior  through service.
10. Read 5 Gift Ideas That Bring Christ into Christmas for more ideas on giving Christ-centered gifts.




MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

Gift of Music

day 17

I think it is a miraculous thing- music that is.




When I think of music, I always think back to my musical career, playing in high school and college and then serving a mission where everything I did revolved around music.

I am sensitive to the spirit whenever music is involved. It is a way that the spirit can speak to me and help me feel the love that my Savior has for me.

He knows that I LOVE music. He has given me the talent of playing/performing music and I used it for good, to help others come unto the Him and partake of His love.

I LOVE THIS GOSPEL SO MUCH AND I KNOW IT IS TRUE!!!!!!!!!







#sharethegift #sharegoodness

gift of obedience

day 16







“Because our Savior was obedient, He atoned for our sins, making possible our resurrection and preparing the way for us to return to our Heavenly Father, who knew we would make mistakes as we learned obedience in mortality. When we obey, we accept His sacrifice, for we believe that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws, ordinances, and commandments given in the gospel.”
Robert D Hales


I love the idea that the more we obey the commandments that are so generously given to us, we can feel the love that the Savior has for us more readily.

The commandments were given to us to help us grow and learn while we are in this mortal life. They are the foundational principles for happiness and a continuing relationship with our Savior. When we obey, we are blessed.
It's literally that simple.

I remember while serving in Nauvoo, one of my main focuses as a missionary trying to improve herself, I kept the idea of obedience with exactness a main part of my experience.
When I would make my study time more about obedience and how I could obey the mission rules/commandments, I would find the blessings in my life more abundantly. I was kept healthy the entire time, I was given to strength to overcome certain obstacles and then I was able to help others follow that same pattern of exact obedience.

 

I am thankful for a Father in Heaven who has blessed me with commandments that are designed to help me stay on the path of happiness. I am also thankful that He has blessed us with the gift of agency so that we can make decisions on our own.

When we walk down a path and find a fork in the road, we can choose which one we want to go down. There will always be one that will benefit us the most, but we are not forced to take a certain one.

As hard as it may be at times, I am so grateful for this blessing.



#sharethegift #heisthegift

Gift of Life

day 15

 

 

 

 

 

I woke up yesterday to this:

and then this picture came through and I died a little of happiness.

 

 

What a gift to the Jex family. This beautiful baby boy has answered so many prayers and is a representation of PURE LOVE!

 

 

I can only imagine the Savior, laying in a manger on that night, surrounded by people and animals who loved Him dearly, knowing that He would save them all. His gift to us is His life, His example, and His Atonement. It's hard to think that this child would one day take all the sins of the world upon Him and then die for all mankind.

 

Luke 2:15-21

 

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

 21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

 

 

He loves us so completely and unconditionally- this little baby who grew up to be about His Father's business.

 

 

The gift of the season and our reason for living.

 



Jackson Steiner Jex
12-14-14
8:17am
9lbs 8oz
22 1/2 in





#sharethegift  #sharegoodness

gift of healing

day 14










today in church we talked a lot about the temple and our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

I was really moved by some of the scriptures we read in Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 47:11-12

11 But the miry places thereof and the marshes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.

 12 And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

We discussed the dead sea and why it is considered "dead". Then we talked about what it is going to be like when it is healed. The thing that I thought about the most was the fact that the dead sea had no connections with any outer water source that could help it. When it is healed, there will be channels of other water sources running in and out of the sea.

It made me think about when we are going through hard times.
Do we cut ourselves off from the very source of our healing?
Do we put barriers that prevent any help from getting to us?


The Atonement literally makes it possible for us to be able to connect with the Savior and be healed again. Every wound we may feel and emotion we experience is there for the Atonement to take hold of.

I know with every part of my soul that the Atonement can heal and make us alive again. We may feel that our souls are "dead" but they can be made perfect again.



#sharethegift #sharegoodness

Gift of Love

day 13








this is like barely making it for the 13th, but I will type super fast!!!!

(literally, so beautiful)

I was in the temple this evening and as I sat waiting to do my assignment, I saw a picture on the wall of the temple. It was of the Savior with all the little children surrounding him. (3 Nephi)

I looked at His face and saw the most all encompassing love. It was genuine and beautiful to witness as a representation of His love.

I read the scriptures and thought often of the commandment He has given all of us- to be like the little children.  

Meek, Humble, Prayerful, etc.

I pray continually EVERY day that I may feel of His love. I know it is there waiting for me to seek it out. Buckets and buckets of LOVE!

This Christmas season, always remember the reason we celebrate it. Remember that He set the example and path for us to follow. It will lead us right back to Him. 

#sharethegift  #sharegoodness

gift of happiness



day 12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isn't amazing how we can go from feeling so overwhelmed and stressed to feeling light and loved?

 

 

I LOVE that feeling.

 

 

It is one of the most beautiful feelings I have experienced. I seek that feeling knowing exactly where it is coming from.

 

You know how people say when you have weaknesses or trials, you need to humble yourself and give them to the Lord. I always say that and I literally have to imagine giving the Lord my load of burdens in order for me to do it. Then it is like magic.

 

LITERAL MAGIC!

 

 

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Matthew 11:28-30

 

 

 

I can promise you that if you give it over to Him, you will have the most wonderful feeling EVER! It is different for everyone, but for me, I always feel so freaking HAPPY and light.



#sharethegift #sharegoodness

Exemplify the Gift

day 11

"When He comes I so want to be caught living the gospel.  I want to be surprised right in the act of spreading the faith and doing something GOOD if I can.  I want the Savior to say to me, "Jeffrey," (because He knows all of our names), "I recognize you not by your title but by your life.  The way you're trying to live and the standards you're trying to defend.  I see the integrity of your heart.  I know you've tried to make things better, first and foremost by being better yourself, and then by declaring my word and defending my gospel to others in the most compassionate way you could.  I know you weren't always successful (He will certainly say) with all your own sins or with the circumstances of others but I believe you honestly tried.  I believe in your heart you truly love me."

Jeffrey R Holland

 

 

I think to myself, the Savior is watching us now, seeing how we treat people and act in hard circumstances. He knows the temptations we experience. He understands the feelings of inadequacies and failures.

 

He gets it.

He knows us.

 

So my testimony to you today, is about the power of following and exemplifying his example. He was perfect in every way and although we are all far from being perfect, we have all the abilities in the world to try to be more like Him, and be perfected through Him. I know that we can accept our inadequacies and be able to give them over to the Savior, He will take them and make them strengths.

 

Don't ever feel that you are not worthy of help or love because of your past. We all have a future that is as bright as we make it to be.

 

 

 

#sharethegift #sharegoodness