There Will Always Be Hope. . .Part 2

You know the story of Jesus walking on water, right? Its a good one. I love Jesus in the story of course but I really love Peter and his example. Yep, Peter. I just love that apostle of the Lord! He teaches us a lot in this story. Let's review. The apostles are on a boat in the middle of a sea in the midst of a storm. All of a sudden they see Jesus but don't know it's him at first, they actually think he is a spirit on the water. Wrong, it's Jesus and he tells them to fear not and to be of good cheer.

Alrighty, let's stop there. Can you imagine? You're in this horrible storm, you see a spirit and you're all afraid and then you see Him. The Savior of the world walking on the water, the storm tossed water. I know what I would be thinking, "Hey! get in the boat, it's crazy out there!" I don't think I would really notice that He is walking on water. But Peter does, and he wants to walk on water too! First off, I don't have that faith. Peter is incredible. All Jesus says is, "Come." So he does, he walks on the water but we all know that he starts to sink because of whatever reason you want to put. It could be attributed to a lack of faith, fear, the storm, many different reasons. What I want to focus on is what Peter did after he started to sink.

There Will Always Be Hope. . .Part 1

Alma says, "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God." I have found this statement to be very true. We have this life to prepare, to make choices, wether they bring joy or sorrow we have that gift to choose. What I want to focus on is not the joy in this post.....I know weird but there can be a lot of saddness that we experience in life because of our choices. Let's face it.....we aren't perfect. I am FAR from perfect. Trust me on that one! As Paul says in his epistle to the Romans, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." I have never met someone who says they are perfect. I've read about a man who was perfect. He is more than a man He the one who makes up for our short comings.

God Gave Us Families. . .

For most of my mission I have served in Single's wards. . .I know weird. I love it though. The singles ward has a great vitality to it that is unlike any other. You maybe wondering why is I'm blogging about families. It has been on my mind a lot lately especially since I will be seeing my family in December. I think they are really getting excited for me to be back home. :) Family is also on my mind a lot because we teach people all the time that families can be together forever. That I know to be true! Just see my last post on temples.

Most people when they think Mormon they think huge crazy families. I am mormon and I think that. However, family is where it's at! Heavenly Father gave us families to help us. We are to love one another and support each other in whatever phase of life we are in. My family isn't mormon and that's okay. I love them so much and I know they love me no matter what. Sometimes it's hard for them that I am on a mission; being away from them for 18 months. But I know they love me and support me in my decisions. For that I am ever grateful.

(My amazing family-not all of us but close)

Your Relationship with God. . .It's as Easy as Riding a Bike

I have been thinking a lot about The Book of Mormon  recently. Yes,  I know I'm a missionary and that I'm supposed to think about it a lot but recently it has taken on a whole new meaning for me. As I have talked to people on my mission the common thing people tell me is that they want to be closer to God; or they want to have a stronger relationship with Him. I think this is a desire most of us have in life. Especially when life seems to be ripping at the seams and you just don't know what to do. So how do we come closer to our Heavenly Father? In the introduction to the Book of Mormon Joseph Smith is quoted as saying, “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”

This statement is very true. This book of scripture, which is another testament of Jesus Christ, truly has brought me so much closer to my Father in Heaven. I have come to know who He is and to really feel how much He loves me by reading it.  For instance today I felt close to Him as I read in 2 Nephi 8 verse 22, "Thus saith thy Lord, the Lord and thy God pleadeth the cause of his people; behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again." This scripture shows me how much my Savior loves me. He loves me so much He took that which was going to be my punishment for my sins and bore it on His back so I can return to our Father in Heaven.