Doctrine and Covenants Essay

For my Doctrine and Covenants class, I had to do a project and make a "Book of Remembrance" that contains a few personal experiences when I have felt the spirit with a principle from the Doctrine and Covenants.  Here is a part from that essay:
Charity was a Christ-like attribute that I felt I had always struggled with.  As a full-time missionary learning Spanish in a foreign country, I felt that I did love these people, but maybe not so much as I wanted to.  Moroni the prophet tells us to pray to God with all of our hearts that we might possess it in the last day.  I knew that this was something I needed to possess to be a better representative of Jesus Christ.   I began to pray that I could develop this Christ-like attribute, and began to fast so that I too, could love those people as the Savior did.  One day in particular, we found one of our investigators in her house.  On the previous visit, she had told us of some of the difficulties she was having with her family.  She was going through a divorce, and her children were struggling a lot.   I felt on this particular occasion the need to help her with something as simple as her house.  We offered to help her clean.  She let us clean her dirty old kitchen with the stacked dishes, and then we mopped the floor.  While we were doing it, I remember feeling lots of peace as I helped her.   There was no rush.  This was what I was supposed to be doing in this moment, and this was what God wanted me to be doing-helping this woman clean her house and showing love.  We sat down afterwards to teach her a lesson.  She immediately pulled out a cigarette and asked us if we would mind it if she smoked because she felt so stressed.  It was kind of an uncomfortable situation, obviously no, she shouldn't smoke, but it was her house after all.  We felt that it would be appropriate to teach the Word of Wisdom, which is basically the Lord's law of health.  I'm not a person who gets very emotional, but I remember this time, I could feel a strong desire for this woman's happiness.  I could hear my voice starting to crack, and I was somewhat surprised with myself.  It could have been just an emotional day, but I remember that being a time when I felt a great amount of love for someone.  As we learn in Doctrine and Covenants 46, charity is a gift of the spirit.  Nobody can beat the Savior's example of charity.  He was beaten, mocked, persecuted, and everything other cruel thing, and yet, He continued to love the people with all His heart and soul, even those who hated Him.  I think of all the times I probably let the Savior down with my imperfections and it helps me be more patient and loving to others.  Christ has never given up on me, nor has He given up on anyone else.  That is a quality I want to try harder to live.
I think of charity in my life as a normal person, without the missionary name-badge.  Oftentimes, its easy to get caught up in my own life.  My life is busy, my schedule is demanding, and time is little.  I truly believe that is part of the test.  After all, I'm pretty sure God didn't say," serve others, give to the poor, be charitable...but only if you have the time!"  That would be all too easy and we wouldn't grow as much from that.  I think that the test of life is putting others needs before ours.  In the end, we will feel better about ourselves, and everything will work out in the end.  There really is not bad side to having charity because the promises of the Lord are great.  "But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him."  (Moroni 7:47).  

Always an Anne Frank fan

Thought I'd share one of my all-time favorite Anne Frank quotes.  For some reason, it came to mind today.  I always admire people who remain positive, in even the most awful of circumstances.  It is something I want to achieve in my own life.  Anne Frank inspires me!

 "In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.  I simply can't build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death.  I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again."
-Anne Frank

I admire positive people.  Positive examples of people in my life are first of all, my brother.  In his first 2 years of married life, he has been through a lot.  He was diagnosed with cancer when they found a tumor, the size of a large tomato, near is his heart after about 3 months of getting married.  When they first found out he had this large cancerous tumor, I was still serving as a full-time missionary, and I felt a little bit afraid.  I think one thing that helped me a lot in this time was his positive attitude toward everything.  Never once did I receive an email of complaint from him.  Now, that's not saying much because I wasn't there on that side of the world, but I felt comforted nonetheless, and could continue focusing on my mission.  We thought that the cancer issue was over with for just about a year, when they found that he was still having some other problems with other potential tumors or cancerous tissue, and he may have to repeat chemotherapy, or other treatments.  It was hard news for my family, and probably harder news for him, but he still manages to keep his head up and be positive.  Having the gospel of Jesus Christ is a huge blessing in my life, and the life of my family.  If I didn't have the assurance that in the end, things will be okay if we endure it well, I don't even want to imagine how I would feel.  Sometimes, for me, it's easy to lose sight of the eternal perspective because of the storm of stuff happening around us, but it's the small and simple things that keep us going and enduring.  I have started to realize that from trials in life, we start to appreciate more and more the little tender mercies the Lord gives on a daily basis.  There is always something new we can learn  and be grateful for.  What a blessing that is.

This is me.  Photo Credit goes to my roommate Ashlee. 

Here it is.  I randomly decided to start a blog today for a number of reasons.  I like reading peoples blogs, and it is a good way for me to get my words out.  I had a blog when I was about 16 but I eventually got bored with it because I tried fitting in every detail of a particular event that happened.  I think for the moment, I will just write what I feel like writing.

For anyone who doesn't know me whose reading this, I'll give a brief introduction.  My name is Emily.  I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I love it so much.  If there's one thing I could say that makes me happier than anything, it is the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life.  More into that later. 

I'm studying to work in the medical field, hopefully nursing.  I love math and science, and find everything about the human body absolutely mind-boggling.  Yay geek.  

I love the Latin culture.  Music, food, you name it.  I speak Spanish and served a mission in the Vina del Mar Chile mission.  I have a strong love for the people of South America and they mean a great deal to me.
I am a big fan of the outdoors.  I love hiking, guitaring, singing, biking, camping, playing ball sports (except baseball), yoga, swimming, running, and rock climbing.  I like to read and write if it's something that interests me.  Life's a garden, dig it.