Do what's right

Heavenly Father is Infinite, we are Finite. We are not an Exception. Meaning that He is perfect, and we are imperfect. We make mistakes, but if we do things right we will get to learn from those mistakes and grow. Being a Latter-day Saint doesn't mean we are always right, it doesn't mean we have the answers to all the questions in the world. Being a Latter-day Saint just means that we are trying to be more like Christ.

If there is one thing that I learned this year is that, God's love is infinite. I may not be sure of tomorrow but I am sure that with Him by my side, I am ready to conquer the whole world. Nobody has said that this journey will be easy, if we keep wondering why or questioning our every thought we will get nowhere.

If my heart tells me that this is right and this is the truth, I am standing by the truth. In the Latter-days the immoral will seem moral, and the moral will be prohibited. If we aren't sure about anything, we have to pray for guidance. I know that Love is all that matters after everything has been said and done, I know that Patience is gained through trials, I know that Faithfulness is gained through trials, I know that Hope has been gained through loss. Strength has been the outcome of many things but there is one BIG thing we've gained strength from striving to be more like Christ. I hear primary teachers tell the students in church, when they get baptized "you have to choose the right in whatever you do".  

Do What Is Right  Hymn #237

Do what is right; the day-dawn is breaking,
Hailing a future of freedom and light.
Angels above us are silent notes taking
Of ev'ry action; then do what is right!
(Chorus)
Do what is right; let the consequence follow.
Battle for freedom in spirit and might;
And with stout hearts look ye forth till tomorrow.
God will protect you; then do what is right!

Do what is right; the shackles are falling.
Chains of the bondsmen no longer are bright;
Lightened by hope, soon they'll cease to be galling.
Truth goeth onward; then do what is right!
(Chorus)
Do what is right; let the consequence follow.
Battle for freedom in spirit and might;
And with stout hearts look ye forth till tomorrow.
God will protect you; then do what is right!

Do what is right; be faithful and fearless.
Onward, press onward, the goal is in sight.
Eyes that are wet now, ere long will be tearless.
Blessings await you in doing what's right!
(Chorus)
Do what is right; let the consequence follow.
Battle for freedom in spirit and might;
And with stout hearts look ye forth till tomorrow.
God will protect you; then do what is right!

Searching for something Greater.

"The fool has said in his heart 'There is no God'" (Psalms 14:1)
Lord, you who understands the why we believe and the why we have faith, tell me that there's something so much greater waiting to happen. Something so great we can't grasp the concept of the why it hasn't come to us yet. I want to believe that there is something greater waiting to happen, but its hard when everything is going so wrong, looking at the positive is so much easier said then done. I know that everyone has doubts, but as of today I have one huge question. I've been waiting for an answer.

Timing is everything that I'm certain of. I could call it fate or destiny, but it also feels like its a mystery. I've had close calls when I have asked myself so many questions, from why to how to what. So many times when I do feel like giving up, to forget the whole enduring to the end. Again its so much easier said then done. I just can't get my head around how this came to be. I thought I was so strong, I thought I knew the reason why? I'm here standing tall waiting for something bad to come to tumble me down.

I know that questioning myself is something that I shouldn't be doing. My heart tells me that there is a God, but my eyes are my worst enemies, they're deceiving me. It's tricky because I am more than certain that I'm standing in all the right places. I know this is where I'm supposed to be. I don't know how life should be lived, but I do know all the right things to make it a righteous one. I may not be perfect but I'm trying to reach perfection by following a holy path. I'm not rich, but I have the most amazing treasure, my most valuable possession The Gospel.

One doesn't truly value the concept of real love when we are focused on all the wrong things. Timing is everything and I'm so tired of saying this quote. I know so many things are yet to come towards my path. Maybe not today or tomorrow but when the time is right. Even if as of right now I feel like I'm all alone in the dark of night.
Lately I've found this quote to be true.
"You will one day stand aside and look at your difficult times, and you will realize that He was always there beside you." - Pres. Thomas S. Monson


"Be not afraid, only believe"(mark 5:36)
I know without a doubt that Our Heavenly Father loves, I know that if you seek you will find. I also know that Perfect love is perfectly patient. So even the fool admits that there is something greater. Lord our God, you exist so truly.

A letter to those who have been there for my family.

Family, Friends, Neighbors,

I want to start this letter by giving the thanks to my family, friends, neighbors, and fellow church members. I would like to say that during these hard times my family has not felt alone, although what happened wasn't a big thing, but a scare. We appreciate everything that has been done, the prayers, the visits, and especially the calls made to my father. I won't mention names to those who have been there, but I would like to give a special thanks to two churches.

I would like to give thanks to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and  Iglesia Manantial Redencion.  Churches that have been part of my fathers life. I know that if it wasn't for the gospel, this little downfall would of been different, but because we know that Our Heavenly Father loves his children, He didn't let anything bad happen to my Father. That event is something I would never forget, something I will not disregard. Although it wasn't a memory I find the most flattering or fun, but I saw how truly valued my father was. I know that Our Heavenly Father, shows us little by little the many blessings he has in our lives, by my surprise my father had many visitors; people he knew, and some he didn't know. Through the Gospel I know that if you follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit; the holy spirit will help you the through toughest of times. I know that if you have faith and you know without a doubt that Our Heavenly Father loves you, everything will be okay. I know that if you are faithful, if you stand in holy places, and persevere to the end you will have all the blessings that Our Heavenly Father has prepared for you. The Blessings won't be limited but unlimited. 

To my family, I appreciate the support and love you have given unconditionally. It meant so much for him, he knows that you love him, and he thanks you for being there for him. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, I am so grateful that I have a family that is willing to comfort us in troubling times. I am thankful that you were able to make time to make a visit and to give him a call. We love you and appreciate you very much.
To friends and neighbors, thank you for being there and we appreciate all the support, you've given us. 
We love and appreciate every single one of you, to those who were there and those who weren't. We know that Our Heavenly Father has a very special path for everyone of us. 

 "God's light is real. It is available to all! It gives life to all things. It has the power to soften the sting of the deepest wound. It can be a healing balm for the loneliness and sickness of our souls."- Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Sincerely,

Fam. Cardona 

Photography could last a lifetime

At times I don't realize the many blessings Our Heavenly Father has given me, until I start looking at old pictures. Whether if it was unexpected or expected. Everyone had those pictures, that you hate at first then with time you start loving it. With social media being so easy to access, our pictures are everywhere. Whether we approve of it or not. The memories maybe a blur, but the one thing I do know is that when I look back at those photographs there's nothing but happy memories, or what the heck was I thinking memories. Either way its amazing. We maybe ordinary people, but we may be ordinary people with extraordinary photographs one cannot replace. I may not be a professional photographer, but for what its worth its pretty good. Throughout the years, I've taken hundreds of pictures in some I've posed and in some I don't.
Our Heavenly Father loves us so much. When we feel hopeless, and we feel like we can't do it anymore, he makes sure that he puts in a memory of when you were the most happy. He promises us that if we persevere to the end, if we follow his commandments, and if we follow the promptings of the holy ghost we will one day be as happy as that memory you just thought of. He promises you, that if you do those things he will ease the burden you have upon your shoulders. The path isn't always easy, but it's worth climbing that mountain.

"We truly need him every hour, whether they be hours of sunshine or of rain."- President Thomas S. Monson, General Conference October 2013

It's important that we know that we need Our Heavenly Father, and that he know our every thought but he just needs us to pray and ask him for guidance that we won't get, unless we pray. Through the gospel, I've met so many wonderful people. I've experienced everything one wants to experience: love, faith, hope, happiness. At times, things you don't want to experience: discipline. It is important for one to experience these emotions in order to gain a great testimony of the church. I am no longer the person who relies on the missionaries to live from their testimony but I have my own. I know that if one day, I fail and I give up, I have to remember the reason why I am a member. The reason why I want to strive for more. 

" As we strive to understand, internalize, and live correct gospel principles, we will become more spiritually self-reliant. The principle of spiritual self-reliant grows out of a fundamental doctrine of the Church that God has granted us - agency."- Dieter F. Uchtdorf

 

THE POWER OF A BLESSING

I know that women are trying to start a movement about the priesthood and how "We the Women" need to withhold it. Now, I don't think its necessary to possess that calling. I'm not going to talk about that. I am going to talk about the blessing of having the priesthood in my house.

Growing up, my father has been in and out of evangelical churches. For a long time we didn't attend any church. The sister missionaries started talking to my brother, then they started talking to my dad. Ever since the sister missionaries started talking to our family everything changed. Although our family sees it as a blessing, others disagreed. They started thinking that we were joining something terrible, some of those people understand now that the church is the same as any other church, with one purpose to share the gospel. Others in the other hand still ridicule us because of what they hear others say, until they see what we see, until they get to experience what we do, they will understand that being part of the church isn't wrong. 

Just about 3 weeks ago my grandmother was sick, she had an ear infection. My father and I went over to see what we could do in order to help. I had to give her medicine in order to ease the pain and stop the itching. I tried my very best but when I thought I couldn't help anymore. I saw my father stand before his mom, and he told her "mom, I have the best remedy to cure that ear infection", she said " do whatever you have to do in order to take this away." With great faith he gave my grandmother a blessing, we said our goodbyes and we took off. Later on that day, they called my father and told him that my grandma didn't have that ear infection anymore.

Yesterday, she called my dad and asked him, if he could go to my uncles house and give him a blessing. He followed instructions and he went over. All I know is that, the people who were so against us becoming "Mormon" are now in need of receiving a blessing, and that man they once ridiculed is the one giving them the blessing. I'm so grateful for the priesthood, I'm blessed to have not one but two men that sustain the priesthood. I could see that Our Heavenly Father has used my father to testify that this church is true by setting an example and following the prompts of the holy ghost.

I testify that I know that the church is true, that the gospel was sent here to guide us, and that if we follow the promptings of the holy ghost we will end up in a righteous path. I know that if we follow the commandments we will receive many blessings. I know that if we patiently endure we will blessed. 

HAPPINESS

Sunday, September 22,2013
LDS Los Angeles California Temple.  

"Happiness is the object and design of our existence ..Don't you forget it."

September is coming to an end as we all know. This year will soon come to an end as well, 2013 a very successful year for me at least. I got baptized on Sunday, March 10, 2013. I got confirmed and received the holy ghost on Sunday, March 17, 2013. I could truly say that, I've gotten so many blessings in my life. Starting with the gospel, my family, and my friends. On September 22, we took a little trip to the Visitor Center, behind the California, Los Angeles LDS Temple. Although I haven't gone inside, I have had the wonderful opportunity to admire it from the outside. In the Visitor Center we had a chat with some sister missionaries, about how much God loves us, and we talked about how essential family is. I could testify that my family has gotten closer. We may not be as perfect as they show it in the videos. But, that's why we're here on earth to learn from our mistakes, mend them and go towards perfection. It may not be as easy as we would like it to be, but Life's a climb.

If my happiness consist of family and love? Why is it that it's easier to forget the simple things, when we have too many things to worry about? I may not be a rich girl, but I am rich when it comes down to love. We may not be perfect now, but I know that one day in exaltation we will all be. 

LDS Los Angeles California Visitor Center;
Family Cardona, Family Friend, Missionaries: Elder Roberts, Elder Fish.

" We work together in faith and unity-faith that the Lord will guide our steps and unity with each other and with the missionaries, always motivated by our love for Him, our love for one another, and our love for those we serve" - Neil L. Anderson, "A Spiritual Work"

When you figure out love is all that matters.

Every single morning, I wake up to a couple of text messages: 

1. "Good morning!"
2. "I love you."
3. "Hey beautiful."

Every night, before I lay my head down to sleep I get one text message:

• "I love you, good night."

There's days where I feel like, I'm alone even if I do get messages like the ones above. I know I could be so inconsiderate and I just start my day off with the wrong foot. Everyone has those days. I remember this one instance, I was having such a terrible, miserable day, I think it was because I was being a drama queen. I didn't realize at the time, the only one I was harming was myself. I was listening to one of my favorite songs; in which I could remember one verse: "Like it or not it's the way it's got to be. You got to love yourself  if you could ever love me."-Lifehouse "whatever it takes". Now, I have no idea why that part stayed with me, all I know is that when it comes to knowing what real love is, it has to come from within. If something is a love-hate relationship then, its not worth it. We need to learn that in order to receive, we must learn how to recognize what true love is, we need to love ourselves before loving someone else. Like a baby's first steps require admiration and all the attention, that's exactly what we need in order to become a better person in life.

Like the daily text messages I receive, our Heavenly Father doesn't forget to demonstrate how immense His love is. It doesn't matter how small it is, or how big it is. There is not a day that goes by that I don't feel special. There's not a night that goes by without me praying and feeling like God has heard and answered my prayers. Though there's days, there's days that I feel hopeless, but then I remember "I am a daughter of Our Heavenly Father, and he loves me." Maybe in the midst of my hopelessness, there's selfishness blinding me to see how wonderful my life is. I know he loves me, I know because without God's will I wouldn't have all the blessings I have today.  

1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

www.Lds.org

The Conformist.

In our everyday life how can our moral values be disrupted by social gatherings? Think about it are you really yourself when you have your pals or family around you? When it comes down to knowing who you are, do you know who you are? Are you honest with yourself and everyone else around you? There are many times in life where you will forget and you will swim up the stream instead of swimming down. There's a thousand ways things will fall apart but it's no ones fault but yours. You won't be able to distinguish who've you've become compared to who you used to be.
So hold on to you moral values and be true to yourself because your dignity is all you have. Don't lower your standards to become popular or become someone who's up to date to every trend. Don't be afraid to be different, there's plenty of people already trying to be someone they're not. embrace your uniqueness. If it bothers you to be different, then go ahead and change everything, else if it bothers you that much. You will just become a conformist that's what society wants you to be. Society doesn't want you to have your own mind, it wants to control your every move, they want to tell you what to become. They throw images through the media, even all throughout your life, they want you to become a good citizen of the United States. I remember standing in line before going to class in elementary, saying the Pledge of the Allegiance, and by the sixth grade you already know the National Anthem Of the United States, and you sing it with pride. This is your nation, this is  your time. Do something with it. Don't get me wrong, this is my pride and joy, I've become the person I am today due to the fact that I was raised here. I will stand behind this nation even if at times I may not agree with what they decide to do.

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they teach you that you should be true to yourself and that you should obey all rules and laws. You must follow, you must seek and then you will find the truth. The church encourages you to become a successful person in this world. They give you opportunities to be someone and to prove yourself to them. They don't want you to be a conformist they want you to conquer the world if you want to. As long as you choose the right thing. As a person who grew up outside the church, I had my goals I always left them unreached due to the lack of ambition. Now that I'm in the church, I know who I want to become.

HE loves YOU, like a MOTHER loves her CHILD.

Looking at a mother and their new-born, everything is amazing on the outside, meanwhile we don't know the struggle she had to go through in labor. My mother had four children, when I ask her "Mom, what's it like to be pregnant? Mom, what's it like to give birth?" my mom answers, " Its the most wonderful experience to know that there's a human being growing right inside of you, but I can't tell you what it's like to give birth, everyone's experience is different.". Meanwhile, my neighbor can't stop talking about the three different experiences she had. Now, I can't picture my life without my mother. Today for instance, I saw my mom and I started to noticing wrinkles she didn't have before, I started noticing the grey hair that she hasn't dyed. We don't stop to look at the "BIG PICTURE" like my sister says, we need to stop to see the whole image, but we're to busy looking at one spot. Creating a family doesn't come with an instruction manual, it happens and we learn from the lessons life throws at us. Yesterday I spent time with two of the many cousins I have, one of them with a new born baby. I realized that her baby boy receives all the love of the world from his mother, plus a bonus from the rest of the family and extended family.

I know this is home when I see my mother's face, I know that this is the truth when I see my dad. Sometimes, seeing them both together is all I need for my day to be okay. I find peace when I'm with them. The love they have for me and my older siblings is all I know. They don't give up on you, even when they have too. We all make mistakes because we're humans. They always tell me, if I knew then what I know now things would be different, but I wouldn't change a thing. I dislike seeing my mother when she feels bad, because she doesn't have her mother to give her consolation. I love seeing when my father gets sick because my grandma is always checking up on him, suddenly in my eyes he turns into that new born who depends on his mother to eat, to be changed, and most of all to be loved. 

I love listening to my father and my older sister talk about the significance of the Gospel in our lives. They don't need to give you their testimony, you could just feel it. The transformation didn't happen from one day to another, it wasn't the easiest thing for my sister. I am a witness of the many blessings we have at home. I am a witness of the blessings you could get. Our Heavenly gives us an abundance of blessings and at times we're so ungrateful we don't seem to give thanks. If you ever meet a LDS Missionary, they'll ask you "How do you know that Our Heavenly Father LOVES YOU?". Trust me I've tried answering and I couldn't come up with such a significant answer, and that's weird because I always have something to say, but that question is so simple but the answer is so great you can't describe it. 

We're just learning but with guidance, we won't have the necessity of  "wanting to go back, to how things used to be" instead we would say. I've come too far, and I won't go back to how it was. 

God Loves and Helps all of His Children -BISHOP KEITH B. MCMULLIN

(LDS General Conference Oct. 2008)

• "The Church welfare plan embodies this divine pattern, and faithful Church members follow it. Their offerings provide succor to the widow, care to the orphan, and refuge to the suffering." 
• "As the Lord’s prophet, President Monson counsels: “At times there appears to be no light at the tunnel’s end—no dawn to break the night’s darkness.… We feel abandoned, heartbroken, alone. If you find yourself in such a situation, I plead with you to turn to our Heavenly Father in faith. He will lift you and guide you. He will not always take your afflictions from you, but He will comfort and lead you with love through whatever storm you face.” 
• "The ultimate help from Heavenly Father comes to us through His Son, “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

WWW.LDS.ORG

I am a daughter of god

I never met my grandmother, due to the fact that she passed away four years before I was born. Growing up, I always heard stories of this strong powerful woman; filled with faith and belief. She was a mother, a grandmother, and a philosopher. I wish I could hop onto a time machine and see her from afar. From all the stories that I've heard, all of them are based into how much she loved her children, how much she loved GOD. Just recently while doing my genealogy, I asked my mother if she knew why my grandma passed away, she told me some bogus answer. I was determined to find out why she passed away, one of my many cousins gave me the answer I was longing for. Although the answer I got wasn't something I wanted to hear, I thought that she had died from pneumonia, but she told me "Grandma had lung cancer, she didn't want anyone to know." She had her reasons why she didn't want everyone to know, but to me that was a terrible decision.
 I know that my grandma was a great woman, I know that she's in Heaven with Our Heavenly Father. She's surrounded by her children, in their perfect state. She was a daughter of Our Heavenly Father, she served him faithfully until the day she died. With tears in my eyes I could say that I am proud to be called her granddaughter, and that I will serve him faithfully:

I Am a Daughter of God

I am a daughter of God,

he is my Heavenly Father.

He loves me, he is my friend.

I’ll serve him faithfully.

I’ll be a witness of God,

I’ll strive to live righteously.

In all I do and where-ever I go

I’m proud to be a daughter of God.

I’ll comfort those that need comfort,

I’ll mourn with those that mourn,

I will help to bear the burdens of others.

I will serve God, I’ll be his witness,

I will live as a daughter of God.

-WORDS ADAPTED FROM MOSIAH 18:9

Music by Brent N. Jorgensen

www.lds.org

The Brokenhearted!

"Silver wings. Shine in the sunlight. Roaring engines. Heading somewhere in flight.

They're taking you away. Leaving me lonely. Silver wings. Slowly fading outta sight.

Don't leave me I cry. Don't take that airplane ride. But you locked me out of your mind. Left me standing here behind.

Silver wings. Shine in the sunlight. Roaring engines. Heading somewhere in flight.

They're taking you away. Leaving me lonely. Silver wings. Slowly fading outta sight.

Silver wings. Shine in the sunlight. Roaring engines. Heading somewhere in flight.

They're taking you away. Leaving me lonely. Silver wings. Slowly fading outta sight.

Silver wings. Slowly fading out of sight. Slowly fading out of sight. Slowly fading out of sight."

-SILVER WINGS- MERLE HAGGARD

Lately, I've listened to this song over and over again. I've managed to come up with my own meaning of this song. This song means a lot to me; what hurts the most? Goodbyes that have been said or the ones that haven't? This experience captures the whole feeling behind this song, well at least for me. One afternoon, I was making my way out of school with a friend. Not knowing it was going to be my last time, I clearly remember the last words I said, they were out of spite. Little did I know how much those words would end up haunting me. Later on that evening I received a phone call, my friends' mother told me "He just passed away". As she told me those heartbreaking words, I hung up. I couldn't tell anyone what I was feeling, I dealt with that heart ache, I don't know why I sat myself down and saw the most amazing sunset I've ever seen in my life. I asked myself Why? How could that happen? Somehow I felt like it was my fault. Even worse, I felt like it was Our Heavenly's fault. I remember praying, crying, and begging. To be honest, I felt betrayed. I was told that by praying and trusting in Our Heavenly Father everything would be fine. I mocked every person who believed in God and his will. I was mad at him, with a valid reason (at the time it was). The timing was off, that day will always be remembered as the moment I learned to value a friendship, of course it was too late for me to apologize to him. It was my mom's birthday that day, I remember crying myself to sleep. I was constantly crying, those seconds turned to minutes, those minutes turned into hours, those hours turned into days, and so on. That was the beginning of many lessons God had in my path. 

I look back and I ask myself, how was it possible that I still managed to get up for years with a smile upon my face, but still have the sadness within my soul? One day, a missionary took it upon himself to get to know why I didn't believe. I told him my story, he told me "that it was painful to see me cry because I always had a smile upon my face". He told me that he felt like, I didn't have faith. I told him, "you don't know anything about me, how dare you say that?" He answered with a verse in the bible. "for those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who are humble themselves will be exalted." - MATTHEW 23:12  He added to that and told me "you are humble that's hard to find, all you need to do is to do some soul searching". In my Book or Mormon he wrote " I feel like I'm not the missionary who could help you." Now, a couple of months passed and I got a book from a really good friend called Believing Christ, I had all the questions in the world from why to what ifs. Little did I know that, that missionary was right I was lacking faith and I needed to do some searching on my own. I finally knew without a doubt that the gospel was all I needed to be happy. If Christ died for us, if he bled from every pore because of us. Then If he died for us, and all he asks for is devotion to His Father, Our Heavenly Father. Why are we ungrateful? Why must we be broken into itzy bitzy little pieces to find the righteous path? "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved" - JOHN 3:16-17 

Now take it from me, you could go on a whole life time blaming Our Heavenly Father for everything. He waits for his children to be ready to come to him. The blessings we have, we have them because he loves us and we should be grateful for all the good and all bad. If a broken heart and a willing heart is all he wants from us, then we must put all vanity and pride away when we step into his house.

Timing is everything

They say that "absence makes the heart grow fonder". Missing someone is missing their presence, maybe not all the time but certain things happen and that's when it hits you. You can't hide it anymore, you miss them! Or you're missing someone terribly, everything you do, you do it with a heartache. You can't hide it anymore, you miss them! Seeing them after some time, the way you felt before isn't the same; you start noticing little changes that makes that person become a stranger. Just an every day walker, with no purpose or significance. All you have left is a blurry memory of how they used to act. Is timing really everything?

Today while I was making my way to school, my mom walked to the bus stop with me. I didn't know how much it meant to me, until I got on that bus and saw her there, waving with a huge smile on her face. I won't lie, I did cry on my way to school. It hurt me to see my mom get smaller and smaller, I missed my mom terribly. I prayed to Our Heavenly Father, I asked please keep her safe, I added keep my father safe, I continued keep my older siblings safe. I came home, I waited for my mom to knock my room door, I gave her a HUGE hug. I let her know I missed her, she told me "it's because you love me". Now, I don't know why I missed her so much. Point is I love my mother, without her I wouldn't be here. I am my mother's daughter, I want to make her proud. I am the representation of my parents every where I go; that is something I won't hide nor deny.
To me timing is everything. Like my mother always tells me, "Don't tell me you don't have time, only the dead say that." I know that if I need consolation, I will always have my mothers hugs to let me know it's okay. I know that if I need protection, I will always have my fathers arms to run to. If I ever need a strong based foundation to hold on to, I always will have my family. I know we won't live forever, but with them I know I could dream, cry, fail, and fall in love. In this story timing is my only enemy.

Is timing really everything? Me and my sister are always talking about, how if you spend enough time with each other, you will grow to love them. Is it fate or destiny? I can't say but the one thing I do know, is that you make your own future, your actions today bring consequences to you later on in life. When it comes to life, love, and health; you're your future's keeper. You decide!
So I dare you to not only to figure out what your purpose in life is, but to set the standards of living. I dare you to breathe new air; find the land, the love, and the answers to all your questions.
In this case, "I wonder" won't be a question filled with what ifs, but a motivation to become someone to be proud of.  Missing you is my reality check to continue to love, to try to fall in love with many things possible, but to be honest and truthful to the only one you do matter to: Yourself, your parents, and God.

If faith could move mountains. Imagine what you could do! If absence makes the heart grow fonder, then make that your motivation to become someone who will be significant in the world.

Be brave, you could conquer the world. 

Missing someone or something is just a reality check of how much they/it means to you. 

Don't be afraid fall in love. At the end of the day that's all that matters. 

Timing is everything. Become the guardian of your dreams.  

DO IT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

a letter of gratitude

My mother, a loving woman. My father, a hard working man. Both of them, have molded me into a young strong woman, without them I'd be nothing. My sister an amazing influence. My brothers strong like my father. Without them, I wouldn't know what to do. Me, the youngest one of four, filled with hopes and dreams; just like the rest of us.

Every single minute, every single moment, I have had thoughts in my head, all of them being connected with family. Now, its not always a walk in a park here but my parents raised us with freedom of expression. I could say that they've showed us all the love in the world. Well, at least I could tell. Maybe because we have  that freedom, we talk to our parents the way we do. We expect them to know how much we love and appreciate them. At the end of the day, we don't focus on our parents but we focus on the things we do not have.

Today, June 30th. I turn 19! Now, I love my family and friends. They really do matter to me. I know I'm one of those people who take people for granted. I really wish i didn't. It is a work in progress.

I know I'm ungrateful, I don't always give thanks to Our Heavenly Father, but I have it in mind. It's not fair! I know that soon I won't have to I will be thankful every single day of my life, for all the good and the bad. I know my purpose here on earth is to pave the way for my future generation. Thanks to my parents, for making me who I am today. Thank you to the people who have harmed me emotionally and who have loved me. Thank you to my older siblings, for making me understand that it's okay to feel hurt sometimes. Thank you to my extended family; mostly my cousins for letting me tag along with all the crazy things they seem to do. To the people I've just recently met, I'd like to give thanks to you too. Without you I wouldn't of had a special interest in the gospel.

This letter isn't for just the people I know, it's for everyone who will one day come across me. I may not be as humble as I should be. I'm a work in progress. I am human, I do make mistakes. It is necessary for us to get challenge to learn. Life's a climb, but we have to enjoy the journey too.

Thank you!

A change of life

Our Heavenly Father, has blessed me with many people in my life; wonderful parents, marvelous grandparents, fantastic brothers and sisters, furthermore fabulous cousins, uncles, and aunts. We all want all want our Heavenly Father's redeeming love, to be protected by his grace. God has blessed my heart in many ways. I'm a  Mormon. (I live it, I love it, I own it) The church's name is very long, but its good that you know it. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I know that the church is the right church for me because it encourages me to continue doing the right thing. They teach about love and forgiveness. Concepts, I had no clue what they meant until I found the church. I recently got baptized on March 10,2013. I was searching, reading, and finally I found; I didn't become a member just to be a part of a place of worship, or just because some on my family members converted.

I was searching for guidance and love. The type of love and guidance I couldn't find in any other place. Not at home, not in school, and definitely not in the streets. I was fighting an inner battle with myself. It's hard but my soul searching helped me realize that my faith wasn't as strong as others. I wanted to believe but everything else told me to do otherwise. This was a huge step of becoming a Latter-day Saint, which broke me down, making me a little bit more vulnerable to possibilities in becoming a humble, strong, loving woman. I know one day I will return to our Heavenly Father's presence and I will stand tall.

I've met so many wonderful people, from all over the United States and many parts of the world. They've showed me friendship and love. When my family needed to be held and accompanied, the missionaries were there to lend a helping loving hand. To me Love didn't mean, feeling a strong attraction towards another being; it now means learning to accept others. The missionaries that once stepped into my house left really high standards for any other missionaries to live up to, but every set of missionaries are different. We have dinner with them about once a week, we share what we've read, questions we have, and we bring them into a friendly family environment. That doesn't mean that they are treated this way everywhere they go. They have to spend  hours knocking on doors waiting for answers, because they rather spend two years of their lives being an example, and sharing the gospel. The missionaries are welcome into our house.

I never dreamed that home, would end up a place where I don't belong; I've made up my mind and my home  has become a place where the love is pure and non-judgmental. I love the concept of finding your true love and being together for all eternity. Every girl dreams of that one day she walks down the aisle with a white beautiful dress. The time has come when they say the " I DOS" instead of the priest saying "until death do you part" he will say " for time and all eternity". It sounds absolutely amazing, well at least for me. A girl could dream on. Now, my family has never been this close; we dine, read and go out together. Family has become so essential for us.

Just know that being true to myself is so much more valuable than being part of a label. So, be true, be honest, be you! Feel loved because Our Heavenly Father loves you.

it's not you, it's me!

accepting others is a very difficult decision one has to take. Specially if that person doesn't do anything to actually help you tolerate them, but lets be honest how in the world would they know, if we don't tell them they are intolerable? How can we help ourselves if we cannot take care of the problem? How is it that we could go a whole lifetime without actually telling anyone we have a problem with them, we just ignore and move on. Is moving on a solution to many problems? Is saying see you later, easier than saying goodbye?

How is it that, circumstances make us so vulnerable to feeling what's right? Sometimes positive energy isn't all that matters, what matters is searching the truth, accepting ourselves. We're all like onions, filled with layers. Its hard to accept the truth in our lives, it hurts but its necessary to grow to protect our integrity.
Maybe letting go isn't the problem? Maybe the problem is us. Are we too prideful to ask for help? Are we to scared to drop that tough girl or bad boy act? Perhaps, but the truth is that we are way to blind to see what lies before us and we're to focused on every bodies personal lives. Maybe accepting others isn't the problem its accepting ourselves.

True love.

Everyone wants to believe that someone in the world loves us. Everyone in the world wants to find their significant other to spend the rest of their lives with. Nobody wants to be alone. Solitude could be your best-friend but it could also be your worst enemy. Everyone wants to have that storybook ending, with butterflies, white doves, love birds, and a theme song.

In all fairy tales, the main character goes through a lot just to find true love, or they wait until the potion runs off and they need true loves kiss to break the spell. If it was only that easy, for our prince charming to come barging down our door and sweep us away. Taking them to a land far far away, and making a run down town a better one by your presence. No one knows who they are or where they come from, all they know is that they're suddenly new neighbors. In all fairy tales, the main character wishes upon a star or they have fairy godmothers whom grant them they're every wish. With every little pleasure comes a consequence.  Now with that background I will go into a deeper story.

One night laying in bed, I started to doze off; I didn't if I was thinking or I got a response to one frequently asked question. Searching for love and guidance, in this instance I found myself crying asking myself "Why? What's the reason I hurt so much?". After so many nights of me asking that question, and crying myself to sleep I finally knew why. I hurt for so long, I didn't realize that my youth was already at its' peak. I pushed my cousins away, I didn't know why they stopped talking to me but the one thing that I knew was that if I could help I would. Not so long ago I took a huge step, I found the one thing I was longing for (guidance), since I've had love all along. Then something extraordinary happened to one of my cousins, and I'm so grateful that she gets to experience what every woman wants to at a young age. I'm not ashamed, I'm happy because I remember sitting at night, chatting it up with her. She would always tell me "The first child that I will have will be a boy", well she got that done. It's wonderful, I'm proud to be called her cousin, although sometimes I don't show it.

I wouldn't change a thing about this milestone for her, and  I wouldn't chance a thing for me. Now, how could this be a chance to true love? Well, she gets to experience motherhood and I get a chance to experience how great and wonderful God is.

His love for you is so great that He has granted you this earthly life as a precious gift of "once upon a time," complete with your own true story of adventure, trial, and opportunities for greatness, nobility, courage, and love. And, most glorious of all, He offers you a gift beyond price and comprehension. Heavenly Father offers to you the greatest gift of all-eternal life-and the opportunity and infinite blessing of your own "happily ever after."

-Dieter Ucthdorf 

  

Are you READY!

Many people reference "Chains being broken" to breaking free from a dark entity. Others reference it to a direct link to something powerful and glorious.

In my perspective, it means letting go of the things or people who harmed me or wronged me. This doesn't mean  that I don't have any connection with them. This only means that I matter to me. The other day, my old friend asked me "Why is it that you smile all the time?"

Why do I Smile?

• I'm blessed.
• I'm alive.
• I have all the love in the world.
• I know my priorities, and I have moral values

I could continue with all these answers, but the one that's missing is a huge part of me. I know why I'm here on earth. I serve a purpose. You serve a purpose. I know without a doubt that we are sent here on earth to deal with pain, heartaches, love, pleasure, and even temptations. Although, when pain and heartaches come to play, it feels like we're never getting out of that zone; it's a never ending agony. But when love and pleasure takes over, we feel wanted and useful; it feels surprisingly spontaneous. From temptations there's a choice whether we take it or leave it. All the trials and tribulations come from temptations. We gain and lose from that.

The feeling when you break free from a harmful relationship, is the best feeling ever. Finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, rejoicing because you feel brand new. Endless happiness and Eternal bliss is only found  in one place. It's found beneath His feet. It's found in His kingdom.

We deserve the very best, but we must earn it! So if I ask you, Are your chains broken? Are you ready for eternal bliss? 

We must seek and find the right path.

   

Loving thy neighbor starts with you.

Loving thy neighbor? what a strange way to start right? Well throughout my life I was taught to be sympathetic with everyone, to give everyone a chance. To always choose the right thing; but it isn't easy to always love and understand. Sometimes all you want to do is scream at them, tell them off. We are always judging and criticizing  depending on what they have on or just how they seem to be. We suddenly think we know who they are just by talking to them once, instantly we start saying "oh whats with that person" or "that person is so awkward". We don't give them a chance to introduce themselves to us.

After all we are only human, we all make mistakes. Even if we act like we're perfect we're not, but we do like to think no one could live up to our standards. We don't want to settle for less. Okay, lets be honest. Is settling for less really the issue? Is seeking and finding actually a high mountain to climb? Or are we too "scared" to show ourselves to the world?

Well, lets get the cat out of the bag. For me, searching and finding is a concept, I never actually thought of until someone gave me that challenge. Looking in a mirror, seeing who I've become and looking at what happened to the person I used to be. Comparing every single thing, from asking so many deep questions to asking the simplest question. "Are you happy?"

Loving thy neighbor starts with loving yourself. Finding who you truly are. Doing some soul searching. Setting goals. Enduring to the end.

So next time you stand in front of a mirror ask yourself "Are you happy?" and be honest, be true, and be you.