There is opposition in all things; but why?

Have you ever made a decision and felt really good about it? Not necessarily something you have acted on yet but you made the choice that you are going to go for it. Then, all of the sudden, BAM!!! You run into this invisible brick wall that randomly showed up in front of you. It isn't the best feeling, is it? Then it makes you question whether or not it was the right decision to go with in the first place, right? I'm pretty sure we have all been there! I certainly know I have many times. The best decisions I always make have opposition come right as I choose to follow the right path.

Why does it happen?

Let me ask you one question...Who wants you to be miserable and will do anything to stop you from bringing joy and happiness to your life?

I think we both know who I'm taking about.

Satan, of course. He's a sly guy. He tries to make us think that when opposition comes when making, what we thought was a good decision, bad all of the sudden that it's God telling us to not do it.

For example in my life every time I pray about a decision and decide to act upon my answer there is always opposition. The best choices I've made have always come with opposition. When I moved to Utah by myself for school, filling out my mission papers, and just a few days ago applying to go to BYU. All of these huge decision (but the right ones) have come with opposition!

Some people on my mission have committed to be baptized but sometimes get scared and back out because all these bad things start to happen and they think God is telling them not to be baptized. What do you think happens?  Well why would Satan want you to be eligible to live with God and Jesus Christ again? Think about it.

Joseph Smith had opposition just before God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared to restore the fullness of the gospel to the earth again.

Despite all the opposition Job dealt with in his life, he continued to press on and trust in God.

Christ, our ultimate example, dealt with opposition everyday of His mortal life. He was always on the right path and He constantly was faced with ridiculing, judgement, and torture. He pressed on, alone.

Opposition is good! It means that you are on the right track and that most likely you are doing what God wants you to do!  If you have prayed about a decision and feel good about it, do everything you can to fulfill it. God won't let you go too far off the right path without warning you first.

11 "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things." -2 Nephi 2:11

How can you tell the difference between God warning you and Satan messing with your head?

 

16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

 17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him. Moroni 7:16-17
 

Whichever decision you make that will bring you closer to God, you know it's from God.
If it is bringing you further away from God you know it's from Satan.

So next time you have trouble when you are pushing forward in your life just remember there is opposition in all things and to put your trust in God, that you are following His plan and He will deliver you.

More precious than rubies; Daughters of God

I've been thinking a lot about my youth and how hard it was sometimes. I grew up in a town that didn't have very many "LDS" kids my age. To be honest it was really hard. I fell to temptation sometimes but learned how to pick myself back up. I want all the girls in this world to know that you don't have to be someone else other than yourself to be accepted.

 

 

 

 

I know its hard sometimes to be surrounded by so many "things" of the world. There are so many different people telling us who we need to be, what we need to do, and what we need to look like. Let me tell you something I learned later than I hoped, YOU ARE A DAUGHTER OF GOD. You are beautiful the way you are! You have a loving Heavenly Father who knows what you go through and made you (physically and spiritually) the way you are for a purpose. He doesn't want you to give into temptation because it will make you more popular or fit in with others. We all have weaknesses and will fall sometimes but we have a loving Heavenly Father who is there to forgive us and to strengthen us.

One of the 12 Apostles in the church said:
"In this same vein may I address an even more sensitive subject. I plead with you young women to please be more accepting of yourselves, including your body shape and style, with a little less longing to look like someone else. We are all different. Some are tall, and some are short. Some are round, and some are thin. And almost everyone at some time or other wants to be something they are not! But as one adviser to teenage girls said: “You can’t live your life worrying that the world is staring at you. When you let people’s opinions make you self-conscious you give away your power. … The key to feeling [confident] is to always listen to your inner self—[the real you.]”   And in the kingdom of God, the real you is “more precious than rubies.”   

Coming from a big sister point of view, I just want all my little sisters out there to know that YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! You can be yourself, and if people don't accept you for who you truly are then they weren't your true friends anyway. Be strong and stand up for what you believe in and what you stand for. I was told once by a wise woman that "A girl without courage is like a night without stars." Be that shining star to others.

When you look in the mirror try and see what Heavenly Father sees you as. Let your light shine my dear sisters! Don't let boys, peer pressure, or anything take any light away from you. When you do make a mistake, take the blame, repent, and move on and don't do it again! Remember your goals and work towards them!

You are loved more than you know..I know sometimes it doesn't seem that way but it's true.

Remember who you are and be proud of it.

My sister sang this song a while back but I loved it so much I cried because it made me realize how I needed to love myself just as Heavenly Father loves me.

 

Oh how you shine..

You are filled with the Father's love,

you are worthy of His trust,

Oh what beautiful light,

Light keeper

 

Light keeper be strong..

Light keeper walk on through the night.

When all the world is telling you, you're not worth the fight

Hold onto your light,

Hold it tight...light keeper

 

Sea cuidado con los caminos desconocidos

Por el dia de perparacion esta semana todos los misioneros en mi area decidimos salir del departamento a una caminata. Ibamos a "Old Stone Fort" en Manchester, TN. Era tan hermoso y divertido!

 

Caminamos por casi 30-45 minutos.

Decidimos regresar para que podieramos regresar a tiempo para la cena! Lo que fue un 30 minutos en llegar se convertio en casi uns hora! Nos perdimos! Todos nosotros pensabamos que sabiamos el camino pero nadie estaba de acuerdo.

 

  No es suficiente dejarnos guiar únicamente por nuestros instintos.

No es suficiente tener las mejores intenciones.

No bastará el confiar solamente en nuestros sentidos naturales."

 
Eventualmente regresamos a nuestros carros. Lo que pensé cuando estábamos perdidos era que a veces nos apartamos del camino de Dios. Tenemos directrices que pueden ayudarnos a regresar al Padre Celestial con seguirdad.

Necesitamos poner atencion a ellos. Varios ejemplos son leyendo las escrituras y viviendo lo que aprendemos, escuchando al profeta, orando por la guia de Dios, el arrepentimiento, el bautismo, asistiendo a la iglesia, etc.
 
Las Escrituras son la palabra de Dios; son los puntos de referencia de Dios que muestran el camino que debemos seguir a fin de acercarnos a nuestro Salvador y de lograr metas dignas.
 
Al vivir los principios que aprendamos no nos perderemos. Sabremos cual direccion que necesitamos tomar en nuestras vidas para volver a Dios. Si, todavia tendremos dificultades a veces, pero todavia estamos en el camino. Yo se que haciendo las cosas que Jesucristo nos ha pedido hacer, podemos disfrutar este trayecto que se llama VIDA!!

 Siga adelante mi amigo!