He loves us all!

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we have been asked to keep a journal or a book of remembrance. Family History is very important to us and this is a way to keep a book of remembrance.  This is not something I am good at!  I have had numerous experiences that make me want to keep a journal, but I just don't.  Sooo....I decided that when I have an experience that needs to be shared I will blog about it. I have said this before, but I REALLY mean it this time! I know that journaling is important.  There are numerous ways that this can be accomplished and I am hoping this will be the easiest for me.
I had an experience last week that needs to be shared. My son's friend called him and was in tears and asked him to come get him.  We went and picked him up and  when we got there he was a mess!  He was sobbing uncontrollably and was bent over like he was going to puke.  We finally got him in the car and calmed down.  As we were driving home he said "Mom...I did something tonight that I haven't done for a LONG time."  I was pretty sure I knew what he was going to say.  He said "I prayed."  We had a good discussion about prayer and how the Lord will always be there for us.  We got home and he was still pretty upset.  I had asked the missionaries to come out and give me a blessing (my achilles tendon is torn and was really hurting me).  I asked my son if he thought his friend would want a blessing.  My son has been struggling and I figured he would say NO WAY without even talking to his friend.  My son asked him and he said "YES" When the Elders got to my house we talked about what a blessing was and they gave me a blessing of healing.  When it was over I asked Conner if he still wanted one.  He said yes and one of our Elders who has only been out in the field for a couple of weeks gave the MOST amazing blessing ever!  The spirit was so incredibly strong.  It was amazing how the spirit was almost touchable.  It almost felt like a blanket wrapped around you.  I could not stop crying during his blessing.  This 19 and 20 year old boys giving the blessing had no idea the struggles, trials and choices this 18 year old boy has been through but the Lord knows.  He knows that this man/boy has no one...at least HE thinks he doesn't.  The Lord knows he feel alone and abandoned.  The Lord knows he needs to know he is LOVED. The Lord told him all of these thing through his humble servant!

The next day I asked my son if he had felt the spirit during the blessing.  He looked at me like I was an idiot and said "Well duh".  I was so happy!  I thought my son was beyond feeling the spirit. I was thrilled that this opportunity not only helped his friend but allowed my struggling son to feel the spirit and see the power of the priesthood in action and experience an incredible moment with the missionaries. I asked him what Connor thought.  He said that when the Elders were giving me my blessing, the Elder paused.  Connor told my son that he thought the blessing was fake and not from God, but when they laid their hands on his head that he knew it was from God.  He as well could not stop crying and sobbed through most of his blessing.

I am so grateful for this experience that reminded me of the power of the priesthood and how much the Lord knows each one of us individually.  He loves that Connor boy just as much as he loves the Prophet Thomas S. Monson.  He will never leave us alone...never, ever, ever!

My brother, my friend

Today is special day for me.  One of my seminary students is being baptized!  Michael is a special kid.  Ever since I met him about a year and a half ago I knew he was one of those kids.  You know the type, funny, sweet, kind to everyone.  I just loved him from the start.  When I was called to teach seminary, I was shocked to see him show up on the first day.  Was a non member really going to attend seminary?  Surely this won't last.  I was wrong...so WRONG!  It did last and that boy has 100% attendance! He has a better attendance percentage than I do!  He constantly amazes me.  One day early in the year I broke them into groups and one group discussed the creation, one group talked about the fall and one group talked about the atonement.  We went around the room and talked about each subject with one of the students presenting the information for their group.  Michael was the spokesperson for his group and pulled out his scriptures and looked up a beautiful scripture on the atonement. I know I just stood there and stared at this kid with my jaw half open!  Why was this kid not a member?  Shortly after that experience I was talking to the missionaries and they told me that he was taking the missionary discussions.  I was over the top excited! I knew he would be baptized, I just didn't know when. Well, the day has finally come!  Why am I so excited about a 15 year old boy being baptized?  The day I was baptized was the day I took my first step toward my Savior, Jesus Christ.  I put my foot on His path.  It was the best day of my life.  The very best decision I have ever made.  Everything good in my life has stemmed from that one decision 36 years ago this month.  Has joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints made my life easy? Yes and No.  Is being a member mean you get baptized and then do what you want because you have been saved? No!  Being baptized means you are covenanting with the Lord to keep his commandments, take his name upon you and always remember Him!  Those are not easy things. It's tough to try and do all of those things!

However, the Lord makes my burden light.  By following Him and His commandments my burdens are made light.  I have freedom that I never knew was possible!  I am free because he has set me free! Staying within the lines he has drawn give me protections and freedom. I am so grateful for the decision I made many years ago to join His church.  I am a better person than I ever could've been.  He has truly changed me!