Hello dearest friends.
I don't have much time to say much, but I just want to echo President Utchdorf's theme of last night's devotional of being grateful. We need to live with our hearts full of gratitude. "There is so much to be grateful for" are the words that Josh Groban sings in one of our family's favorite holiday movies, and it is so true. There is so much to be grateful for.
Don't ever let a minute of your life go by without enjoyment and fascination of God's creations around you. What a beautiful plan He has for all of us, his literal children. We are all here in the world that He created, with families and friends that He gave us. His plan is perfect, simple, and personalized for each and every one of us individually. As we search the scriptures, pray, go to church, and keep the commandments, we find our place in his plan.
I think about the phrase that we say at the end of all of our meetings, prayers, and talks. "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." What a powerful statement. In the name of Jesus Christ. Everything we have is because of him and his sacrifice. Amen or in other words, we agree with what has been said.
I know that this is the exact church that Savior Jesus Christ established with the guidance of his Father in Heaven. It has been restored in its complete perfection because a young man had a question of which of all the churches were true. God and Jesus Christ appeared to him and informed him that none of the churches on earth had the complete fullness of the gospel, then with time, they called him to be a prophet to restore the gospel. Peter, James, and John, Christ's first apostles, returned as angels and conferred the priesthood, which is God's power to perform ordinances, to him. This is what the other churches were lacking. Today the church is still lead by God, through a prophet, currently Thomas S. Monson. We can receive guidance through following his council, our own personal prayers, scripture studies, and having a constant desire to do good.
I love my Savior with every fiber of my heart and soul, and know that he personally suffered for my pain and short comings. Because of his sacrifice, I could come to this earth and learn for myself who God wants me to be, without being scared if I will be able to go back to him someday. I will be able to stand in front of him confidently and say that I did everything I could to follow him, as long as I am faithful to what he asks me to do. I know it, and you can know it, too. All it takes is a heart felt, prayer said with intent to act on the promptings that you receive. If you struggle with prayer, ask for the missionaries to come and teach you. You won't regret it, in fact, it will be the greatest decision you will ever make.
I love and trust my Heavenly Father and his plan for me as his daughter. I am grateful for the opportunity he has given me to be a representative of his church. It has changed my life, temporally and eternally. I say these things humbly and gratefully in the sacred name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Hermana Hemmingsen
I don't have much time to say much, but I just want to echo President Utchdorf's theme of last night's devotional of being grateful. We need to live with our hearts full of gratitude. "There is so much to be grateful for" are the words that Josh Groban sings in one of our family's favorite holiday movies, and it is so true. There is so much to be grateful for.
Don't ever let a minute of your life go by without enjoyment and fascination of God's creations around you. What a beautiful plan He has for all of us, his literal children. We are all here in the world that He created, with families and friends that He gave us. His plan is perfect, simple, and personalized for each and every one of us individually. As we search the scriptures, pray, go to church, and keep the commandments, we find our place in his plan.
I think about the phrase that we say at the end of all of our meetings, prayers, and talks. "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." What a powerful statement. In the name of Jesus Christ. Everything we have is because of him and his sacrifice. Amen or in other words, we agree with what has been said.
I know that this is the exact church that Savior Jesus Christ established with the guidance of his Father in Heaven. It has been restored in its complete perfection because a young man had a question of which of all the churches were true. God and Jesus Christ appeared to him and informed him that none of the churches on earth had the complete fullness of the gospel, then with time, they called him to be a prophet to restore the gospel. Peter, James, and John, Christ's first apostles, returned as angels and conferred the priesthood, which is God's power to perform ordinances, to him. This is what the other churches were lacking. Today the church is still lead by God, through a prophet, currently Thomas S. Monson. We can receive guidance through following his council, our own personal prayers, scripture studies, and having a constant desire to do good.
I love my Savior with every fiber of my heart and soul, and know that he personally suffered for my pain and short comings. Because of his sacrifice, I could come to this earth and learn for myself who God wants me to be, without being scared if I will be able to go back to him someday. I will be able to stand in front of him confidently and say that I did everything I could to follow him, as long as I am faithful to what he asks me to do. I know it, and you can know it, too. All it takes is a heart felt, prayer said with intent to act on the promptings that you receive. If you struggle with prayer, ask for the missionaries to come and teach you. You won't regret it, in fact, it will be the greatest decision you will ever make.
I love and trust my Heavenly Father and his plan for me as his daughter. I am grateful for the opportunity he has given me to be a representative of his church. It has changed my life, temporally and eternally. I say these things humbly and gratefully in the sacred name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Hermana Hemmingsen