Skydiving and Spiritual Promptings

I was asked to give a talk in church earlier this year about "acting on spiritual promptings." This has come to mind again and again over this past year and especially now. Soooo here is the text to that talk! 

About 2 years ago the idea came to me to do a solo skydive. I had done 3 tandem skydive jumps over the years but this time I felt to do a solo skydive. It seemed like a craaazy idea but it was also exciting and I felt good about it. So, I started to look into it. I realized that I definitely did not have the money nor the time to do all the 7 levels of certification that are required. But I could do the Level 1 jump which entails you jumping out of the plane with a coach on either side of you and you deploy your own parachute and you land the parachute by yourself. I felt good about that and so I started to train for it.

I went and did some practice indoor skydiving. They emphasize you keeping an arched form with your body so that you maintain your stability. It turns out I do not arch very well and I was all over the place in that facility. After a couple of hours of that I drove home and I thought to myself, “Wow! That was a lot harder than it looks. And that was indoors.” But I still felt good about it so I kept moving forward.

I went to ground school where they teach you everything that you need to know for your first jump including many different scenarios of everything that could potentially go wrong with your parachute! That was super scary to me but I remembered that I had felt good about it so I kept moving forward.

About a week later I showed up to do my last practice tandem jump before doing my Level 1 jump. I had done 3 other tandem jumps before this but as we ascended to the 13,500 feet that we were going to jump from I got so scared. I thought to myself, “Heidi, are you sure this is a good idea? You don’t have to do this.” But we jumped and we landed and the coaches were super encouraging and I remembered that I had felt good about it so I kept moving forward.

We had about an hour until my Level 1 jump and my coach, Jeremy, came over and we reviewed everything that I had learned in ground school. Then Lindsey came over, the other coach I would be jumping with, and we reviewed a little bit more and then it was time for us to do the Level 1 jump. As we started walking toward the plane I had this feeling of subtle calm and I felt like, “It’s going to be okay, Heidi.” Very subtle. And we got in the plane.

As we started to ascend to the 13,500 feet that we would jump from Lindsey and Jeremy had me talk through every step of the jump with them. Then they had me close my eyes and mentally walk through every part of the jump and I remembered everything that I was supposed to. Then we hit 10,000 feet and fear just PIERCED me. I was so scared! At this point Lindsey and Jeremy were having me do deep breathing exercises, “Breath in, breath out.” And I was like, “This is way beyond deep breathing exercises!” I was TERRIFIED. But I had felt good about this, right? So I moved forward. We hit 13,500 feet and Lindsey stepped just outside the plane and grabbed on to my left side. I moved into the door of the plane and Jeremy grabbed on to the right side of me and we stepped up and we stepped out and we JUMPED OUT OF THE PLANE!! And I remembered everything that you’re supposed to do when you first get out of the plane! And we hit some turbulence but then we hit 5,500 feet and I deployed my parachute. Jeremy let go and flew off to one side, Lindsey let go and flew off to the other side. And I counted, “One one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand, four one thousand” and I looked up and my parachute was out exactly as it should be and it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life!

I steered the parachute to the landing area and then I landed it and Jeremy was waiting there and ran over to me, gave me a big hug and told me “good job.” And it was awesome! It was wonderful.

In life we receive promptings and sometimes they don’t make sense to us or seem hard or even impossible to us. But when we feel the fruits of the Spirit-love, joy, goodness, peace and faith (Galatians 5:22)-we can be assured that those promptings come from God. And we can always trust promptings from God. God is all powerful, all knowing-“all things are present” with Him (Moses 1:6) and He loves us. President Uchtdorf has said, “Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount-that is the measure of God’s love for you” (General Conference October 2009).

Knowing these things we can move forward in faith and act on the spiritual promptings we receive from God. But sometimes our faith to act on those spiritual promptings will be tested. We will come up against opposition or we will feel fearful. We will worry because we didn’t arch very well during indoor skydiving or we got scared during ground school. But if we will remember how we felt when we received that prompting and we will move forward in faith and continue to act on that prompting from God, He will be with us. He will strengthen us, His grace will enable us to accomplish what He has prompted us to do and glorious blessings await us.

We see this in the example of Moses. Moses spoke to God face to face! And God told Moses that Moses would deliver the children of Israel from the Egyptians. Three times Moses expresses some doubt to the Lord about how this will happen. He says, “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh?” (Exodus 3:11) The people “will not believe me” (Exodus 4:1) and “I am not eloquent” (Exodus 4:10). Each time the Lord reassures Moses and even gives him tools to overcome the things he is worried about. So Moses moves forward in faith. He goes back to Egypt and goes to Pharaoh and asks him to let the Israelites go. And Pharaoh says no. And the Lord sends so many plagues to the Egyptians. And Moses keeps asking and Pharaoh keeps saying no. What intense opposition to the prompting that Moses had received from the Lord! But Moses keeps at it and finally all of the firstborn of the Egyptians are slain and Pharaoh says that the children of Israel can go.

As the children of Israel leave Egypt they come up against the Red Sea only to look back and see that the Egyptians are pursuing them. They are now caught between the Red Sea and the Egyptians and the scriptures tell us that they were “sore afraid” (Exodus 14: 10). They turn to Moses and say, “it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness” (Exodus 14:12). The children of Israel want to go back and they do not want to continue to move forward in faith. Elder Holland commented on this. He said, “Some days we will be miraculously led out of Egypt-seemingly free, seemingly on our way-only to come to yet another confrontation, like all that water lying before us. At those times we must resist the temptation to panic and to give up. At those times fear will be the strongest of the adversary’s weapons against us” (Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence, BYU Speeches, March 1999).

As the children of Israel express fear and doubt to Moses, he turns to them and he says to them, “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day; for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you,” (Exodus 14:13-14). It would not have been better for them to go back or to give in to their fear.

The Lord places a pillar between the Egyptians and the Israelites and then Moses stretches forth his hand over the sea and the Lord parts the Red Sea and the children of Israel enter “into the midst of the sea upon dry ground” (Exodus 14:22).  And they are delivered.

God is all powerful, all knowing and He loves us. He will prepare the way and provide the means for us to accomplish what He prompts us to do. Nothing is too hard for the Lord (Genesis 18:14).

Shortly after I did that Level 1 skydiving jump I was looking for a new job. I came across a position in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I thought, “Who moves to Minneapolis?” I’d never thought twice about Minnesota in my life! But the idea stuck with me and I felt good about it so I moved forward. I set a goal for when I would give my two weeks notice to my job. The day I had set to give my notice I received a job offer in Minneapolis. I didn’t know a single person in Minnesota. But when I had mentioned to my family that I was thinking to move there my sister said she had a friend, Rachel, who was going to grad school there. We connected and were roommates along with Shaina from South Carolina and Nadia from Jamaica who was in Minnesota doing a year-long internship. I loved my job in Minnesota-it was perfectly suited for me at that time. And I loved my roommates. What are the odds that a girl from southern California, a girl from South Carolina, a girl from Utah and a girl from Jamaica end up living together in Minneapolis, Minnesota? It was not chance. My roommates were perfectly suited for me at that time and we had a blast exploring Minnesota for the first time together. The Lord prepares the way and provides the means for us to accomplish what He prompts us to do.  

We have a Savior, who is the Son of God. He is “full of grace and truth” (Moses 1:6). His promptings to us are true, even when they do not make sense to us or seems hard or impossible to us, He cannot lie (Ether 3:12). He is full of grace and when we come unto Him His grace is sufficient (Moroni 10:32) to enable us to act on the promptings we receive, whatever they may be, and to keep acting on them even when we are fearful or come up against opposition. “The way is prepared (Alma 37:46)” and He will provide the means and with Him we can keep moving forward until we reach the promised land.

I know these things are true. I know that God and Jesus Christ live.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

This Christmas I keep thinking of the classic Christmas song, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." It has made me think why we have a "merry" Christmas. I believe it is because of Jesus Christ. 

These are a few thoughts I have had about Him this Christmas season. They are more precious to me than any gift I have ever received. I am so grateful for these things: 

I am grateful that Christ gives me peace when no one and nothing else can. 

I am grateful for a Savior that comforts me. I am grateful that He is with me when I cry and knows exactly how each one of those tears feels. 

I am grateful that Christ rejoices with me, that He wants always and forever the best for me. 

I am grateful that Christ is my Redeemer. To redeem is "to compensate for faults or bad aspects of something." How grateful I am that Christ redeems me. 

I am grateful that He helps me forgive others. I think it is one of the best feelings in the world to forgive and that feeling is possible because of Jesus Christ. 

I am grateful for Christ's grace and that with Him I am enabled, strengthened to do things and believe things that I never could on my own. His grace is so empowering and it helps me be courageous and progress. 

I am grateful that Christ delivers us. 

I am grateful that Christ is everlastingly kind. 

I am grateful that Christ is all powerful and all knowing and that He sees the end from the beginning. 

I am grateful that I can always trust Christ even though I sometimes struggle to. 

I am grateful that Christ recognizes my efforts. 

I am grateful that Christ cares more about my progress than my comfort. 

I am grateful that there is always hope in Christ. 

I am so grateful that God sent His son, Jesus Christ, to be born in a humble stable. I am grateful for His life, His death and resurrection. I am grateful that He never leaves me, is always there to help me and always will be. And I am grateful that I have the opportunity to some day return and live with Him again forever. What a glorious day that will be! 

"Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord."

Merry Christmas! :)

"Redeem" Oxford Dictionaries. https://www.bing.com/search?q=redeem&form=EDGTCT&qs=PF&cvid=669b9626a7564af19bbeb7bcd2847cf7&cc=US&setlang=en-US&PC=DCTE. 18 Dec 2017. 

My Mission

I served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Dominican Republic in the Santo Domingo West mission. I was a missionary for a year and a half and I invited people everyday to learn about Jesus Christ and His gospel.

Ten years later, here are some of my thoughts.

I miss it SO. much. Not a day has gone by in ten years that I have not thought of my mission in some way-a person I met, a companion I served with, a lesson I learned, an experience I had.


DOMINICANS

Bah, I love them! You will not find a more generous, loving, happy and crazy people on this planet. How grateful I am to have known them, to still know them and to have been taught by them and continue to benefit from what they taught me.  










SWEAT

I loved my mission but missionary work is HARD work and the Dominican Republic is an EXTREMELY humid place. This picture was taken after two hours of proselyting. Except for a few brief hours of respite in some air conditioning in the capital, I sweat all day, every day for 18 months.














My Companions

As a missionary, you are assigned a “companion” missionary. You are to be within sight and sound of each other at all times. I loved my companions-all 7 of them. We had our moments but overall, each one of these girls totally blessed my life by their example.




Laurie Evans-crazy Spanish skills in the MTC!
Glenys Lebron-patience, mucha paciencia J
Jenni Jenkins-worked like crazy.
Fior Esquea-never have I laughed as much as I did with her. That girl knows how to have a good time!
Yeidy Almonte-so sweet and knows how to masterfully teach about the Book of Mormon.
Karina Garcia-love, amor, and more love from that chica.
Rachel Taylor-so much enthusiasm to be a missionary and to be serving Dominicans!
Branigun Scoffield-my hija tan buena, J she was such a good sport about everything.

FAMILY

Standout impression from the mission-family is so important! Husbands and wives should love each other. Mothers and fathers should strive to be good parents, love their kids, and teach them about God, Jesus Christ and the gospel. I’m so grateful for parents who consistently did this.









La Bandera

The Dominican Republic’s classic meal. I crave this still.













Motorcycle rides

Love these (only in emergencies). Who needs an SUV when you can fit everyone on a motorcycle?














Be A Disciple of Jesus Christ ALWAYS

While I was serving as a missionary in the Dominican Republic, I often thought about what kind of returned missionary I wanted to be. What kind of person did I want to be for the rest of my life? I felt inside of me an excitement and a passion and a love for the gospel of Jesus Christ that I had never felt with such intensity before. With that came the greatest happiness and joy and the desire to never stop living the gospel of Jesus Christ and sharing it with others.

“…and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.” Alma 36:24

Long live the Dominican Republic! ¡Que viva la República!

Temples -Templos

 

God has commanded us to build temples. In the temple we make covenants with God and receive greater knowledge and power. We can be married in the temple for time and all eternity. This means that a man and a woman are “sealed” together forever and that their family is eternal. When worthy adults have been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for at least one year, they can receive a temple recommend from their bishop and begin to attend the temple.

Because God loves all of His children and wants them to return to live with Him, He has provided an opportunity for all of His children to receive and accept the gospel and its ordinances. Many people die without a knowledge of the gospel. They have not received ordinances like baptism which are necessary to enter God’s kingdom. The gospel is shared with these people in the spirit world. Members of the church on earth can perform ordinances in the temple for those that are deceased and the deceased can choose in the spirit world if they accept these ordinances or not. For example, my grandmother may not have had the opportunity to hear the gospel during her life. I can go to the temple and be baptized in her behalf and she can choose to accept that ordinance or not from the spirit world. This allows me to serve my ancestors by performing ordinances in their behalf and it allows them the opportunity to receive and accept these ordinances and be prepared to enter God’s kingdom.

The temple has blessed me immeasurably during my life. I’ve been blessed to go to the temple and perform ordinances for the dead, including my own ancestors. Those are always special experiences. I have received my own ordinances in the temple. Those have strengthened and protected me and blessed me with greater knowledge and understanding of God’s plan for me. I have also received personal guidance, peace and comfort while at the temple.

While I was an intern in Washington, D.C., I traveled by metro and bus to get to the temple there. It was such a wonderful break from the hustle and stress of that busy city. I felt calm and rejuvenated when I attended the temple.

As a senior in college at Brigham Young University, I was offered a spot in a prestigious graduate school program. Surprisingly, I felt very unsettled about accepting that offer. While walking on the Provo temple grounds, I felt a strong impression to pursue graduate school at a different university. That decision has blessed my life in a myriad of ways ever since.

I have most recently attended the temple in Bountiful, Utah. My heart has been heavy and full of questions. Each time I have gone to the temple in Bountiful, I have felt an added measure of comfort. That comfort has helped me keep going, to be reassured that God is aware of me and has a plan for me.

I have felt peace in temples from Sacramento, California to Madrid, Spain and Tijuana, Mexico. The Santo Domingo temple in the Dominican Republic holds a special place in my heart. I love the temples in Arizona that I have attended-Mesa, Gila Valley, Snowflake and Gilbert. I love the temple I saw constructed and dedicated as a child in San Diego, California. My life has been blessed by The Hague temple in the Netherlands and by many others in Utah and throughout the world.

Will you attend the temple? If you are not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you can go to the temple grounds. If you are a member of the church and do not have a current temple recommend, you can work towards that goal. If you are a member of the church with a current recommend, you can attend the temple as often as you are able. I know that when we attend the temple, we will continue to learn about God and His plan. We will be blessed with peace, direction and happiness.

Templos

Dios nos ha mandado a edificar templos. En el templo hacemos convenios con Dios y recibimos mayor conocimiento y poder. Podemos casarnos en el templo por el tiempo y toda la eternidad. Eso significa que un hombre y una mujer estarán sellados para siempre y que su familia será eterna. Cuando los miembros adultos dignos hayan cumplido un año en la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días, podrán recibir una recomendación para el templo de su obispo y empezar a asistir al templo.

Porque Dios ama a todos sus hijos y quiere que vuelvan a vivir con Él,  Él ha dado la oportunidad a todos sus hijos de recibir y aceptar el evangelio y sus ordenanzas.  Muchas personas mueren sin conocer el evangelio. No han recibido las ordenanzas (como bautismo) que son necesarios para entrar en el reino de Dios. El evangelio se comparte con estas personas en el mundo de los espíritus. Miembros de la iglesia que están en la tierra pueden realizar las ordenanzas en el templo por los que han fallecido y los fallecidos pueden elegir en el mundo de los espíritus si aceptan o no estas ordenanzas. Por ejemplo, mi abuela quizás no tuvo la oportunidad de escuchar el evangelio durante su vida. Yo puedo ir al templo y ser bautizada por ella y ella puede elegir aceptar o no aceptar esa ordenanza en el mundo de los espíritus. Eso me permite servir a mis antepasados al realizar ordenanzas por ellos a su vez les da a ellos la oportunidad de recibir y aceptar estas ordenanzas y estar preparados para entrar el reino de Dios.

El templo me ha bendecido inmensamente durante me vida. He sido bendecida al ir al templo y realizar ordenanzas por los muertos, incluyendo a mis antepasados. Esas son siempre experiencias especiales. He recibido mis propias ordenanzas en el templo. Me han fortalecido y protegido y me han bendecido con mayor conocimiento y entendimiento del plan de Dios para mí. También he recibido dirección personal, paz y consuelo mientras estoy en el templo.

Cuando era pasante en Washington, D.C., tomaba el metro y el autobús para llegar al templo. Era un maravilloso descanso de la agitación y el estrés de la ciudad.  Me sentía en calma y rejuvenecida al entrar al templo.

Cuando era estudiante del último año en la universidad de Brigham Young, se me ofreció un puesto en un prestigioso programa de la escuela de graduados. Sorprendentemente, me sentí intranquila al aceptar la oferta.  Mientras caminaba por los jardines del templo de Provo, sentí una fuerte impresión a seguir con mi posgrado en otra universidad. Esa decisión ha bendecido mi vida de diversas formas desde aquel día.

Visité recientemente el templo de Bountiful, Utah. Mi corazón ha estado pesado y lleno de preguntas. Cada vez que asisto al templo en Bountiful, siento una medida adicional de consuelo. Este consuelo me ha ayudado a seguir adelante, de estar segura de que Dios me tiene pendiente y tiene un plan para mí.

 

He sentido paz en los templos desde Sacramento, California a Madrid, España y Tijuana, México. El templo de Santo Domingo en la República Dominicana tiene un lugar especial en mi corazón. Amo los templos que he visitado en Arizona: Mesa, Gila Valley, Snowflake y Gilbert. Amo el templo de San Diego, California el cual vi construir y dedicar cuando era una niña. Mi vida ha sido bendecida por el templo en la Haya en los Países Bajos y muchos otros en Utah y por todo el mundo.

¿Asistirá al templo? Si no es miembro de la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días, puede visitar los jardines del templo. Si es miembro de la iglesia y no tiene una recomendación activa, puede trabajar para cumplir la meta de entrar al templo. Si es miembro de la iglesia y tiene recomendación activa, se puede asistir al templo tantas veces como le sea posible. Yo sé que cuando asistimos al templo, continuaremos aprendiendo de Dios y su plan. Seremos bendecidos con paz, dirección y felicidad.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

Faith
The first part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is having faith in Christ. We believe He is the Son of God, that He is our Savior and Redeemer. When we have faith in Christ, we follow His teachings.

Repentance
Because of Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity to repent. When we have faith in Christ, we want to become more like Him and repent of those things that are not in line with His commandments. When we do something wrong we repent by asking God for forgiveness and righting our wrong as much as we are able to. We turn away from that sin and do not do it again. Because of Christ’s sacrifice for us, we can be completely forgiven of the wrongs we have done.

 

Baptism
When we have faith and repent, and are willing to follow God and keep His commandments, we are prepared to follow His commandment to be baptized. We should be baptized just as Christ was-by someone with the authority to baptize, at an age when we are accountable for our actions, and by immersion (being completely submersed in water). When we are baptized we are cleansed of all our sins. We promise God that we will always remember Him, that we are willing to take His name upon ourselves, and that we will keep His commandments. In return, God promises that we will always have His Spirit with us.

 

The Gift of the Holy Ghost
After we are baptized with water, those having authority, lay their hands on our head and we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Sometimes the Holy Ghost is referred to as the Holy Spirit. The Holy Ghost teaches us truth, warns us, comforts us and direct us. When we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by those having authority to bestow it, the Holy Ghost can be with us always, our constant companion, as we are obedient and make good decisions.
 
Enduring to the End
After we have been baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost, we must endure to the end of this life. If we do so, we are promised eternal life with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We will continually have opportunities in this life to exercise faith and repent. We can remember and renew our promises that we made at baptism each week as we partake of the sacrament at church. The sacrament includes the bread and water that we take that symbolize Christ’s sacrifice. We are once again cleansed of our sins and remember and renew our promises to God. This and other blessings, continually give us the opportunity to be strengthened and to keep pressing forward. There will be many trials and many happy experiences to have in this life. If we can continue to have faith in Christ, repent, and hold fast to our promised that we have made with God, our happiness will be real in this life and our joy will be full in the next life when we live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

I am so grateful for the opportunities I have had to have faith in Christ. They have helped me come to know Him better. I’m grateful that every day, every minute, I have the opportunity to repent, to be forgiven of wrongs and move forward clean and whole. I’m grateful I was baptized as Christ was baptized and that I am a member of His church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I’m especially grateful for the chances I have had to see other be baptized. It is such a joyous occasion. The gift of the Holy Ghost has blessed my life immeasurably. It has warned me, guided and instructed me, protected me, consoled me, and helped me feel peace which passes all my understanding and happiness which exceeds all my expectations. I know that God has provided these things for us-faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost-to bless us. I know that we must endure and keep moving forward so that we can have true happiness in this life and be prepared so that one day we will live with God and Jesus Christ and experience a fullness of joy with them.

 *Dancing bachata along the way helps. ;)

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

Faith
The first part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is having faith in Christ. We believe He is the Son of God, that He is our Savior and Redeemer. When we have faith in Christ, we follow His teachings.

Repentance
Because of Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity to repent. When we have faith in Christ, we want to become more like Him and repent of those things that are not in line with His commandments. When we do something wrong we repent by asking God for forgiveness and righting our wrong as much as we are able to. We turn away from that sin and do not do it again. Because of Christ’s sacrifice for us, we can be completely forgiven of the wrongs we have done.

 

Baptism
When we have faith and repent, and are willing to follow God and keep His commandments, we are prepared to follow His commandment to be baptized. We should be baptized just as Christ was-by someone with the authority to baptize, at an age when we are accountable for our actions, and by immersion (being completely submersed in water). When we are baptized we are cleansed of all our sins. We promise God that we will always remember Him, that we are willing to take His name upon ourselves, and that we will keep His commandments. In return, God promises that we will always have His Spirit with us.

 

The Gift of the Holy Ghost
After we are baptized with water, those having authority, lay their hands on our head and we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Sometimes the Holy Ghost is referred to as the Holy Spirit. The Holy Ghost teaches us truth, warns us, comforts us and direct us. When we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by those having authority to bestow it, the Holy Ghost can be with us always, our constant companion, as we are obedient and make good decisions.
 
Enduring to the End
After we have been baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost, we must endure to the end of this life. If we do so, we are promised eternal life with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We will continually have opportunities in this life to exercise faith and repent. We can remember and renew our promises that we made at baptism each week as we partake of the sacrament at church. The sacrament includes the bread and water that we take that symbolize Christ’s sacrifice. We are once again cleansed of our sins and remember and renew our promises to God. This and other blessings, continually give us the opportunity to be strengthened and to keep pressing forward. There will be many trials and many happy experiences to have in this life. If we can continue to have faith in Christ, repent, and hold fast to our promised that we have made with God, our happiness will be real in this life and our joy will be full in the next life when we live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

I am so grateful for the opportunities I have had to have faith in Christ. They have helped me come to know Him better. I’m grateful that every day, every minute, I have the opportunity to repent, to be forgiven of wrongs and move forward clean and whole. I’m grateful I was baptized as Christ was baptized and that I am a member of His church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I’m especially grateful for the chances I have had to see other be baptized. It is such a joyous occasion. The gift of the Holy Ghost has blessed my life immeasurably. It has warned me, guided and instructed me, protected me, consoled me, and helped me feel peace which passes all my understanding and happiness which exceeds all my expectations. I know that God has provided these things for us-faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost-to bless us. I know that we must endure and keep moving forward so that we can have true happiness in this life and be prepared so that one day we will live with God and Jesus Christ and experience a fullness of joy with them.

 *Dancing bachata along the way helps. ;)

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

Faith
The first part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is having faith in Christ. We believe He is the Son of God, that He is our Savior and Redeemer. When we have faith in Christ, we follow His teachings.

Repentance
Because of Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity to repent. When we have faith in Christ, we want to become more like Him and repent of those things that are not in line with His commandments. When we do something wrong we repent by asking God for forgiveness and righting our wrong as much as we are able to. We turn away from that sin and do not do it again. Because of Christ’s sacrifice for us, we can be completely forgiven of the wrongs we have done.

 

Baptism
When we have faith and repent, and are willing to follow God and keep His commandments, we are prepared to follow His commandment to be baptized. We should be baptized just as Christ was-by someone with the authority to baptize, at an age when we are accountable for our actions, and by immersion (being completely submersed in water). When we are baptized we are cleansed of all our sins. We promise God that we will always remember Him, that we are willing to take His name upon ourselves, and that we will keep His commandments. In return, God promises that we will always have His Spirit with us.

 

The Gift of the Holy Ghost
After we are baptized with water, those having authority, lay their hands on our head and we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Sometimes the Holy Ghost is referred to as the Holy Spirit. The Holy Ghost teaches us truth, warns us, comforts us and direct us. When we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by those having authority to bestow it, the Holy Ghost can be with us always, our constant companion, as we are obedient and make good decisions.
 
Enduring to the End
After we have been baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost, we must endure to the end of this life. If we do so, we are promised eternal life with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We will continually have opportunities in this life to exercise faith and repent. We can remember and renew our promises that we made at baptism each week as we partake of the sacrament at church. The sacrament includes the bread and water that we take that symbolize Christ’s sacrifice. We are once again cleansed of our sins and remember and renew our promises to God. This and other blessings, continually give us the opportunity to be strengthened and to keep pressing forward. There will be many trials and many happy experiences to have in this life. If we can continue to have faith in Christ, repent, and hold fast to our promised that we have made with God, our happiness will be real in this life and our joy will be full in the next life when we live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

I am so grateful for the opportunities I have had to have faith in Christ. They have helped me come to know Him better. I’m grateful that every day, every minute, I have the opportunity to repent, to be forgiven of wrongs and move forward clean and whole. I’m grateful I was baptized as Christ was baptized and that I am a member of His church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I’m especially grateful for the chances I have had to see other be baptized. It is such a joyous occasion. The gift of the Holy Ghost has blessed my life immeasurably. It has warned me, guided and instructed me, protected me, consoled me, and helped me feel peace which passes all my understanding and happiness which exceeds all my expectations. I know that God has provided these things for us-faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost-to bless us. I know that we must endure and keep moving forward so that we can have true happiness in this life and be prepared so that one day we will live with God and Jesus Christ and experience a fullness of joy with them.

 *Dancing bachata along the way helps. ;)