We Do Not Doubt Our Mothers Knew It.

One of my favorite stories in The Book of Mormon has always been the story of the stripling warriors. As a kid, I remember just feeling fired up when reading about their faith and their success in fighting for the right - knowing that I myself was engaged in that same kind of battle. As I have grown up, the story has come to have a different meaning to me...

In the Fall of 2010, I was sitting in a sacrament meeting one Sunday alone in one of the back rows of a chapel in Illinois. I was listening to a woman talk about her son who was serving a mission at the time and the thought came in my head to read in Alma 56. I immediately opened my scriptures, and the rest of the chapel fell away, it was just me and the words. My eyes quickly found verses 47 - 48 which read:

Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.

...as I read those last words I felt like a chorus of people were reading words along with me. I sat in that chapel feeling surrounded by something - something like calm and gratitude - and I let myself cry. I reached down towards my bag and pulled out the papers I was working on to send in for my mission and my decision became unshakeable and final. I had always been certain I would serve a mission, but that didn't mean I didn't have some worries and "but what ifs" - but in that moment I was done with all of them. I wanted to serve my Lord and my King, show Him how much I love Him and His gospel - and I wanted my children to never have a doubt that their mother knew it.

This scripture has become a strength to me every time I want to take a break or listen to the adversary, I think about my future children and how nothing means more to me in the world than them knowing that I know that Jesus is the Christ and God is our loving Heavenly Father and that they appeared to a young boy and called him as a prophet so that the gospel could be restored, and I press on. I find myself being motivated a lot by them. As I know that my entire life and testimony has been influenced by the life of discipleship that my mother has lived. I owe her everything.


In this weekend of celebrating Mothers I've decided to start a series of posts containing the short testimonies of some stripling warriors that I know - and how their mothers have influenced them in this fight for the cause of Christ and boldly declare that

We do not doubt our mothers knew it.

Who is Jesus Christ to me?

Last Fall, I got a letter from a friend asking "who is Jesus Christ to you?"

The idea of me trying to compile words that adequately express the answer to that question is absolutely impossible for me. I don't think I could convey exactly who Christ is to me through word, music, art, dance - anything.
I think that is why I do what I do. Why I chose to leave "my life" behind for a year and a half to preach His gospel and testify that I know He lives - because that is the only way I know how to show Him what He means to me. The only way I know how to show Him what He means to me is through obedience to His commandments and serving Him and others. I can only express it through the way that I live. I think that is the foundation of my understanding that "faith without works is dead" (James 2:26).



But if I must try to express who Christ is to me, I am going to have to use the help of some more eloquent sources:

Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.
He is the Son of God.
He is my Redeemer.

Jesus Christ is the firstborn of the Father in the spirit and the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. He is Jehovah, and was foreordained to His great calling in the Grand Councils before the world was.

Jesus Christ is the only way by which we can return to live with our Heavenly Father. Jesus suffered and was crucified for the sins of the world, giving each of God’s children the gift of repentance and forgiveness. Only by His mercy and grace can anyone be saved. His subsequent resurrection prepared the way for every person to overcome physical death as well. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and He will be our Lord forever. (ref: http://mormon.org/jesus-christ/)

He is the greatest Being to be born on this earth - the perfect example - and all religious things should be done in His name.

He is Lord of lords, King of kings, the Creator, the Savior, the God of the whole earth, the Captain of our salvation, the Bright and Morning Star. He is in all things, above all things, through all things, and round about all things; He is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last; His name is above every name, and is the only name under heaven by which we can be saved.

He will come again in power and glory to dwell on the earth, and will stand as Judge of all mankind at the last day.
(ref: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bd/christ?lang=eng&letter=c)



And my small and simple words to convey the great emotions this question awakens within me are these:
He is the reason for all and any hope in my life. Without Him, every moment of my life would be worthless, cold, and sorrowful. With Him - my life is full of peace, purpose, and true joy. He saves me from the sting of death, the bitterness of heartache, He is the reason I can change, He is the reason I can do ANYTHING. He saves me from sin, guilt, and regret. He suffered and died for me. He heals me. He loves me and knows me perfectly. I love Him and I try to live like Him - again relying on His grace and mercy.
He is my best friend. He is my Savior. He is my King.

Celebrate Easter With Us!!!

(Photo from mormon.org)

THIS WEEKEND! Come celebrate Easter with us! Mormon.org is helping us all worship our Savior Jesus Christ together on this special and sacred weekend. They have created a special Easter page and HERE you can post YOUR answer to the question:

"Why is Jesus Christ important to you?"


Then on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of this weekend there will be a live feed of people sharing their thoughts and feelings of our Savior. There are also Bible videos to watch of His life and ministry.
As for me and mine? I know that He lives! and I am so grateful for the opportunity to share that beautiful truth that defines my life with the rest of the world.

Happy Easter!

Not the only online missionary in the family...

I have discovered that I am not the only family member that is involved in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ online. My dear sister, Kristy, has a new video on mormon.org about how she lives her life as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

(my sister L, Kristy, and I)

Watch it here!

I add my witness with hers that I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and that He can heal any hurt, any sin, any anxiety and weakness. I know that He has gone forth suffering pains, afflictions, and temptations of every kind - and knows, according to the flesh, how to succor us, His people. (Alma 7: 11-12)

I have felt His love for me and the power of His sacrifice in my life. I have felt it today, even, as I have chosen to have faith and take a couple more steps in trying to live more like Him. I know that the blessings of His atoning sacrifice are not just for after death, they are for right now, they are for today.

I know that you can know and feel, just as my sister Kristy and I have felt, that His matchless power and love is real.


How?

Get down on your knees. Take a moment. And poor out your heart to your Father above who is waiting to talk with you, and console you - His dear child. Ask Him to feel. Ask Him to feel how much He loves you and whatever pain, concern, or sadness you may feel to be taken away.
I promise you that what you will feel is real. It is the power of the atonement of the Savior of the world.
I too can testify of these things

Elvia Too Can Testify

I asked my dear friend Elvia to share her conversion story. She is a rockstar, she is preparing to serve a mission, and she has changed my life!!!! Here she is:




So, I was asked to share my conversion story and I said.."You know, everytime I talk about my conversion story I cry"...What I really meant is....You know, everytime I testify of my conversion story the spirit is SO strong the impulse of crying is an iner-reaction of my Happiness..

I was raised and born in Santa Rosa, CA. Was taught to always do the right thing and personally I thought I was an overall good kid..my parents never felt like they would every worry about me doing something wrong..in other words they could trust me..When I was a little past 18 years old I decided I was done with every one thinking I was Miss little goody goody, I was going to do what I wanted and no one was going to tell me other wise..Sadly, that one decision took me down a path I could've never imagined...it took me 2 years to realize that I had litteraly lost all self esteem and hope..in a way I felt like my life was worthless...and found my self thinking how one bad decision lead me to make even worse decision..I was in a deep hole and didn't know how to get out of it...after many let downs I realized my life had to change..and if that was going to happen I had to change my self..

One day in mid August 2010 my Aunt who lived in Oregon out of the no where called me and after hours of talking she told me how much she loved me and how much it pained her to see me hurt...coming from someone I had only met twice my whole life was pretty powerful for me in that moment..I was loved and it felt good..she invited me to come live with her in Oregon for 2 months just to get my self together..I agreed and before I knew it I was bording a plane to Portland, Oregon. I felt free and ready to change...even though I had no idea how that was going to happen...My Aunt was so helpful and was putting every part of importance to my life.

One day she comes home telling me how she met 2 Missionaries, they were coming over later that day to talk to her...my response "Oh really thats cool, just make sure they don't talk to me, I want NOTHING to do with them". To my surprise, there was a knock at the door. My Aunt opens the door and lets these 2 young men come in and take a seat in the kitchen table. As I was on the computer, I hear the one of the Missionaries ask my Aunt who I was and if I could possibly join them..pretending I didn't hear them my Aunt pretty loudly asks me to join them...So I did...thinking to my self..they're "american" and speaking spanish...better spanish than I speak..they invited me to read a verse of the Bible in spanish..I was stuttering the words and was embarrassed at my terrible spanish..soon after they left, I told my aunt when were they going to come over again..I wanted to know more!!

Two days later they show up again..and every lesson after that got easier to understand and I wanted to know more! One of the most powerful comments they said was "Don't trust us we can sin and make mistakes, but Trust God our Heavenly Father and I know if you ask him if what we tell you is true you will receive your answer". This is all they had to say. I found my self truly wanting to ask our Heavenly Father if this was his true Church. For the first time in my life I felt good I had never been prompted to ask our Heavenly Father for an answer such as this...a month after my arrival in Oregon I got baptized ,on September 19, 2010..the best day of my life! I'm so greatful to know what I know and to know how to live in order to be happy. I KNOW MY SAVIOR LIVES! I KNOW HE DIED FOR US AND THAT HE WOULD'VE DIED FOR YOU EVEN IF YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD WHO NEEDED IT. I KNOW JOSEPH SMITH WAS A TRUE PROPHET OF GOD! I KNOW THE BOOK OF MORMON WAS TRANSLATED THROUGH THE POWER OF GOD! I testify this in name of JESUS CHRIST. AMEN.

He is my King!!

Yesterday we got to visit the temple in Oakland yesterday. Every time we get to go to the temple, I have trouble sleeping the night before because I am so excited to enter the House of the Lord and feel so close to Him there. It was a beautiful experience being able to spend a few hours feeling like a daughter of God in such a pure and real way.

After the temple, we stopped by the visitor's center real quick just to look at the Christus statue there. I stood for a moment and looked up at the face of my Savior, my Redeemer, my Brother, my Friend and as I turned around I realized that Elder Millard had taken a picture of me.




I love this picture because it truly candidly depicts how I feel about the my Savior Jesus Christ.
He is my King!
When I look up and remember Him - this is how I feel. He is the reason that I have joy in my life. He is the reason I feel constant and consistent peace and hope. I have never been lacking in happiness because He lives and He loves me.

So this picture is my testimony of the Savior as I stand at the foot of a statue of Him

And this: http://bcove.me/0e12u6ds
is the testimony of an apostle of the Lord as he stands at the foot of the Christus statue.

I too know that He lives. I believe in Christ; so come what may. I will worship Him with all my might!!

I Am Repenting.

Repentance: is much more than just acknowledging wrongdoings. It is a change of mind and heart that gives you a fresh view about God, about yourself, and about the world. It includes turning away from sin and turning to God for forgiveness. It is motivated by love for God and the sincere desire to obey His commandments. (Ref from True to the Faith)

I've been thinking a lot about repentance lately. When I was a kid I remember thinking of repentance as a big scary word - something bad that we needed to be afraid of.
Now as an adult, repentance is my best friend. Repentance is the sweetest thing in the world.
There have been times on my mission where I have felt myself crave repentance. Not because I've done anything really wrong - but because I hadn't been doing something as right, good, exact, fully, as I could.
That relief. That fresh view about myself, my Heavenly Father, and the world - tastes so so good.
Repentance is healing. It is healing our soul from the disease of sin.

Elder Richard G Scott once said:

"If one of you has seriously sinned, repent—now. It is not good to violate the commandments of the Lord. It is worse to do nothing about it. Sin is like cancer in the body. It will never heal itself. It will become progressively worse unless cured through the medicine of repentance." (Dont Face the World Alone)

I love that. Our Savior Jesus Christ has given us the cure; He has provided us the medicine. It is our decision whether we are going to take it or not. We can be healed. We can be clean. It is our decision.

How do we gain that?

The Book of Mormon teaches the doctrine of Christ so simply.

In 3 Nephi 9:13 Christ asks "will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?"

Earlier in 2 Nephi 31 the Savior explains perfectly and simply that "returning to Him" means having faith in Him, repenting, being baptized in His name by somebody who holds His authority, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.

verse 11 states: And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.

and verse 12: And also, the voice of the Son came unto me saying: he that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me: wherefore, follow me and do the things which ye have seen me do

So what does that mean for those that have already been baptized by somebody who holds the authority of God?

We must continue to grow and cultivate our faith in Jesus Christ, repent till the end, renew our baptismal covenants in partaking of the sacrament, be worthy and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost, progress till the end, and help others take these steps as well.

That is where healing comes from. That is where peace comes from. That is the way that He has shown us to return to live with our Heavenly Father and our families forever.

His invitation is to heal us. Our decision is whether we will let Him.

Repentance is changing to be more like Him. When we live more like Him, we are happier. Period.

So this post is about repentance. It is about my repentance. How I am now repenting for my lack of attention to my own blog. I am forgetting those weeks of neglect and being a better representative of my Savior Jesus Christ.

Posts to come. Count on it. It wouldn't be lasting repentance if I went back to my heathen non-posting ways.

Testifying Tuesday: Sister Kahrs Too Can Testify

Hi! I am Sister Kahrs!
(Sister Kahrs: full-time missionary from Las Vegas can be found writing over HERE)

Hello to all that read Hermana Anderson's blog! Isn't she amazing!?

I am so grateful to share my testimony of the Book of Mormon. It has been such a great strength for me in my life. It has brought a deeper understanding and relationship with my Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. This book, this sacred book, testifies of Him and who He is and how much He loves us. This is another testament of Him. I have felt that so much in my life. As I have gone through trials and struggles in my life I have turned to prayer and The Book of Mormon, especially as a missionary.

Our Heavenly Father is aware of all our struggles and He gives us the Book of Mormon to help us in those struggles. There was one time I was doubting my testimony of God and knowing if he was really there. So I decided to put all that I have been taught to the test. Then one day, not right away, I came across the scripture in Alma 30:44 - It says that all things denote there is a God. When I read that I just knew that He was there just by looking around me.

I know that He lives and loves us and gives us the Book of Mormon to help bring us joy. I have seen that in my life and I know that all men everywhere can as well when they read and pray about it. The Book of Mormon is how I know that there is a prophet on the earth and that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
This is my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Testifying Tuesday: Dad Too Can Testify

Testifying Tuesday is officially part of the blog. Every Tuesday I will post a different person's testimony of The Book of Mormon - or how they came to know that The Book of Mormon is a true word of God.


I thought I would start out with the man that has influenced my life the most - my dad

My dad has been a quiet example to me all of my life. He is one of the most Christ-like people that I know and he works hard as a disciple of Jesus Christ without any self-promotion. I remember as a teenager sometimes waking up early to finish some homework, or getting up in the night to get some water, or maybe just being up WAY too late and seeing my dad sitting at the table at 4:30am studying his scriptures. I remember walking by his room and seeing him kneeling beside his bed in humble prayer. I remember how every. single. night. we would have family scripture study and family prayer. No matter what - he made sure that we had it. The very few times he was out of town - I think he called us to make sure we had had prayer and scripture study that night. Mostly, I remember seeing my dad dropping whatever he was doing and leaving the house in a shirt and tie, not even uttering a complaint or a sigh, to go and serve some other lamb of the fold. Seeing the importance of the gospel in his life - it easily became the main focus of my life. He is faithful, humble, and obedient - or in other words, he is powerful. His example has shaped my desires - which have shaped who I have become. I asked him to share his testimony of The Book of Mormon. The testimony that changed the life of his children - and therefore the lives of those we meet.

Dad Too Can Testify:
      I have been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 52 years.   During those years I have lived in three different countries, five different states and earned two bachelor degrees and one DDS.  I have had many experiences including marrying and raising four children and working as a general dentist in suburban Chicago.   I have enjoyed many good things in life, particularly the love and warmth of good family and many friends. 

       Recently I was feeling that I wanted to know more clearly and succinctly truths regarding my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I felt that I wanted to know more concisely Heavenly Father’s will concerning me.  I also wanted to feel stronger spiritually.  I wanted to feel greater love towards others and a greater ability to resist temptation.  I wanted to have a purer heart and happier mind.  I wished for a clearer answer to my prayers and a greater closeness to my Heavenly Father.  I wanted to know with greater assurance that God knew who I was and heard and answered my prayers.  I wanted greater faith and increased ability to lead my family and to do well in my career.   I wanted greater peace of mind and peace of conscience. 

This was quite a list of desires and goals.

      I had heard that someone had read the Book of Mormon from beginning to end once a month for a year with a very positive spiritual result.

      In order to find these spiritual gifts I decided to read the Book of Mormon with great intent.  I had first read the Book of Mormon from beginning to end when I was 18 years old.  Since that time I have read it from beginning to end about once every three or four years, for a total of about 10 to 12 times.  

This time I read the Book of Mormon once a month for each of three consecutive months.    I would get up early in the morning and read 18 pages before I started the day.   Once I finished the book I would start again.

     The results for me were very good.  I allowed the good feelings and thoughts that I had as I read to change my attitudes and character.  With time I realized that my spiritual goals were being fulfilled.  It was a gradual benefit but a benefit nonetheless.  I was grateful for the gradual changes that took place in my character.  Even though others may not have noticed any positive changes in my character, I did.  I can say for me the spiritual power of studying the Book of Mormon is immense.  I love the deep drinks of spiritual living waters if gives to my soul, because the book speaks of Jesus Christ.  The book teaches of Jesus Christ and explains Him to my soul in such a way that I am motivated to be a better person.

The Book of Mormon is of God and teaches of Jesus Christ.  It is a true book of Holy Scripture. 

Remembering 10 years ago today...

An amazing video about the hope that we have through our Savior Jesus Christ

The Title of my Blog...

...comes from a song written by President James E. Faust called "This is the Christ":

They heard His voice, a voice so mild;
It pierced them through and made their souls to quake;
They saw Him come, a man in white,
The Savior who had suffered for their sake.

They felt the wounds in hands and side,
And each could testify; This is the Christ;

This is the Christ, the holy Son of God,
Our Savior, Lord, Redeemer of mankind.
This is the Christ, the healer of our souls
Who ransomed us with love divine.

I read His words, the words He prayed
While bearing sorrow in Gethsemane;
I feel His love, the price He paid.
How many drops of blood were spilled for me?

With saints of old in joyful cry
I too can testify; This is the Christ;
This is the Christ, the holy Son of God,
Our Savior, Lord, Redeemer of mankind.
This is the Christ, the healer of our souls
Who ransomed us with purest love divine

When listening to this song I have always been affected by how true that statement is to me. I feel that I could stand up with the same conviction as those who had the opportunity to feel the prints in the Savior's hands and proclaim "This is the Christ". I do not need to see Him physically face to face to know that He is the Savior of the world.

That unshakable conviction for me has come through reading The Book of Mormon. In the first page of The Book of Mormon it states that its purpose is for "the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ". I'm not sure I've read a book that has realized its purpose in such an effective way.

As I think about the coming forth of the translation of The Book of Mormon - another testament of Jesus Christ, another affirmation of our Heavenly Father's watchful care, a testimony of His continuing revelation to a world that is full of such confusion and turmoil - I see it standing up with The Bible and proclaiming "I too can testify; This is the Christ". With The Book of Mormon's hand of support and courage to stand up next to The Bible and proclaim lost truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it seems that the Bible, worn from the hands of men desperately trying to disprove another set of hands holding the same Bible, would give a sigh of relief and with a grateful heart, turn to The Book of Mormon for assistance in clearing things up and in sustaining it.

^ picture drawn by Elder Adam Sherrow

Surely all who love The Bible can celebrate in the coming forth of The Book of Mormon. Surely all who have held fast to the truth that God is not a God of confusion, but a loving Heavenly Father can revel in the sweetness of another testament that clarifies the fullness of the doctrine of Jesus Christ, and testifies of Our Father's continued watchful care.

This blog is for me to proclaim that I too can testify of Christ...and that it is through The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, that I am able to do it.

Why I am a Missionary

When contemplating my first post I kept thinking about the letter I wrote before I left for my mission. It gives greater clarity into what it is that I do as a missionary and why I, personally, have chosen to dedicate 18 months of my life to this great work...
 19 year old boys that are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or Mormons) are expected to serve a full-time mission for 2 years. Girls do not have the same obligation but are still given the opportunity to serve at the age of 21. I feel as if I have been waiting for my 21st birthday forever. The desire to serve a mission fills my entire being - it feels as if it reaches through every vein even to the tip of each toe. I can not look at all the blessings of my life, the overwhelming truth of the atonement, the relationship that I have with my Heavenly Father, and the blessings that come through my Savior Jesus Christ and sit still knowing that there is work to be done. After everything the Lord has done for me, how can I not give 18months of my life completely to Him?

When I know that there are people in the world that do not understand that they are children of God, that Jesus Christ suffered and died that they might be redeemed, that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored once again to this earth, that they can kneel down and pray to their Heavenly Father knowing that He loves and understands them - or in other words that there are people that do not understand who they truly are, why they are here, and where they are going - or in other words that there are people that do not feel truly happy and truly peaceful - I must get up and help them find the peace and happiness that they seek. I must help Heavenly Father's children return to Him. I must help in the cause of Christ. So I guess my one sentence answer to this loaded question would be - I am serving a mission because of the deep love and gratitude I have for my Savior, and the love and concern that I feel for Heavenly Father's children. I recognize that the Lord has a need for service in His work. I prepare myself, pack my suitcase, and stand before Him; Here am I, send me.


I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer - that the atonement is real and makes it possible for us to continue in our quest to be more like Him. I know that I am a daughter of God. That my Heavenly Father knows and loves me - that He hears and answers prayers. I know that true and lasting happiness comes from living in accordance with the gospel of Jesus Christ - the message of Christ, the message I bring is a message of happiness and a message of family. I am so grateful for the truths that I know through the assurance and peace of the Holy Ghost - that Heavenly Father provided a plan for us to be happy and to be with our families for eternity. He provided a Savior for us as a way to return to Him. I wish I had the words to express my love and gratitude for all of these truths. I believe in a God that loves - and therefore a God that continues to speak. He has not left us to wander on our own - He continues to speak to us this day through latter-day prophets. I know with my whole heart and soul that Christ has restored His gospel yet again on the earth through His prophet Joseph Smith and blessed us with another testament of Him through The Book of Mormon. Studying The Book of Mormon alongside The Bible, and striving to live a Christ-like life has helped me come to know Him in a way that is so personal and sacred to me. I challenge you all to assess the role of Christ in your life and work to strengthen your discipleship. I challenge you to get down on your knees and talk with your Heavenly Father and feel of His concern and love for you. I challenge you to work harder to be the person the Lord needs you to be. I, too, take this challenge.


I know all of these things to be true and that is why I go. I work to bring the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who seek joy and peace. I strive to aid Christ in His mission to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. I stand as a witness of the healing powers of the atonement. I know that He lives.


"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell:
                                 but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15)