65 Years of Marriage

Mr. and Mrs. Walker hollered in from their screen door for us to come in. As we sat in their air conditioned living room and listened, I was very impressed that they had been married for 65 years. They are strong believers in the Bible and attend a local Baptist church. They said, "The Bible means everything." 

I asked them their best advice to a happy marriage, 
Love one another. 
Give and take. 
Make Christ your anchor. 

They shared an experience of one of their children, who lived until he was 20 years old, even though the doctors only gave him until age 12 to live. Their son was blind and unable to walk. Mrs. Debbie said, "Even though our son didn't really know us, we knew him." It was a trying time in their marriage, but they learned a lot. They learned how to love, have trust in The Lord and relied on their church family. Mr. Robert said, "Every night I pray for the good woman and good wife that Debbie is."

I feel so blessed to meet so many couples that have been through a variety of trials and rely on Jesus Christ through them. I have met many people on my mission that struggle with the understanding of marriage and why it's so important for us to have families. But, I know that we need to be united and loving towards whatever family we have. It's part of God's plan. 

One of my favorite apostles, Elder Dallin H. Oaks once said, "Knowledge of God’s plan for His children gives Latter-day Saints a unique perspective on marriage and family. We are correctly known as a family-centered church. Our theology begins with heavenly parents, and our highest aspiration is to attain the fulness of eternal exaltation. We know this is possible only in a family relationship. We know that the marriage of a man and a woman is necessary for the accomplishment of God’s plan. Only this marriage will provide the approved setting for mortal birth and to prepare family members for eternal life. We look on marriage and the bearing and nurturing of children as part of God’s plan and a sacred duty of those given the opportunity to do so. We believe that the ultimate treasures on earth and in heaven are our children and our posterity." 

To learn more about the views of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, click here.

It's Just a God Thing

The other night, my companion and I were invited to a worship service. When we came in, the room was filled with Southern gospel music on the guitar and violin. As I was trying to muster through songs I wasn't familiar with, I felt the love that each of these people had for Jesus Christ. While singing, individuals of all different faiths thanked the Lord for leading them out of dark places. Many testified of being protected while in car wrecks, in ICU, through deaths of loved ones, physical ailments and others. Miracles after miracles were shared that night.

After the service, my companion and I were able to clear up stereotypes of the church. I promise we don't have multiple wives. I met a woman, Mrs. Deanna, who is a recovering drug addict. She has been sober for a year and three months today, after starting in recovery back in 2006. I asked her what helped her through. She said, "It's just a God thing. It's just something that only He can do."She talked about how relying on Him is something gradual that requires a lot of prayer. After 18 years of drugs, she said she was just tired of disappointing her kids. Her best advice that I'll always remember is, "Sometimes we pray so much and believe in it so little. We must believe and have faith that He can heal us."

One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible is Psalms 37:5: "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." I know that what Mrs. Deanna taught me that night will stay in my memory for forever. Sometimes I feel like Peter when he walked on water and my faith shakes a bit but I just have to believe and get back on track. I know that despite the circumstances that we're faced with, when we trust Him we will be guided.

If you or someone you know is struggling with any kind of addiction, The Church of Jesus Christ offers an Addiction Recovery Program. I have heard amazing things from it.

Pineapples

As we sat on Ms. Edna's porch, a cool breeze rushed over me. I whispered a quiet prayer for the tender mercy. As we sat on her rusty lawn chairs, we learned of her gratitude and love for Jesus Christ. Ms. Edna, an 83 year old woman still nurtures her jungle of a yard. As we walked around her yard, she mentioned that her doctors tell her to stay out of the sun. But she pays no attention to the advice. Her worn out face showed hard work, love and exhaustion. As we walked she said, "I just don't know what I'd do without my plants!"

Ms. Edna used to do a lot of traveling and her favorite adventure was to Hawaii. As she reminisced of her trip, she mentioned that as she was in a taxi, her taxi driver pulled over on the side of the road and picked her a fresh pineapple plant. Little did the taxi driver know that his small act of kindness brought dozens more acts of kindness down the road. She packed the plant in her suitcase and took it home to Georgia. Since planting that pineapple, she has flooded her yard with over thirty pineapple plants.

As I asked her what goes into keeping her dozens and dozens of plants healthy, she said, "Everything needs re-potting and fertilizer." As we talked more, I told Ms. Edna that my mom loved flowers. With her frail skinny body, she picked up a pineapple plant and handed it to me. She said, "I want your mom to have this." I was obviously surprised and I asked her if she was sure and she said, "Yes, I have plenty!" From the small act of kindness from the Hawaiian taxi driver, I reaped the benefit of a pineapple plant from Ms. Enda. As we kept walking, with a huge pineapple plant on my hip, I thought a lot about my dad who spends a lot of time in the yard. Every Spring for Mother's Day, my dad and my siblings fill my momma's flower beds in our front yard. I think one of the most important things that my dad has always taught me is the importance of serving and loving my momma. Ever since I can remember.

Ms. Edna reminded me, that we must be willing to love and serve those around us.This experience reminded me of a quote by Elder C. Max Caldwell, an apostle, who once said, "Charity is not just a precept or a principle, nor is it just a word to describe actions or attitudes. Rather, it is an internal condition that must be developed and experienced in order to be understood. We are possessors of charity when it is a part of our nature. People who have charity have a love for the Savior, have received of his love, and love others as he does."

Ms. Enda taught me that in order to gain even a fraction of the love that Jesus Christ has for us, we must also be willing to make sacrifices. We must love and serve anyone and everyone around us, even a complete stranger like myself. I am grateful for the humble taxi driver's act of kindness that started a domino effect of Christlike love.

One of my favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon reads, "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 them." (Moroni 7:47) I know that when I serve someone, I truly learn to love them.

Wish me luck as a proud new owner of a pineapple plant. Pray I don't kill it.

Choosing to Serve

I met Ms. Jean the other day when we were out walking on the hot Georgian dirt roads. The day had gone south after a solid lesson had fallen through. I was feeling frustrated, hot and exhausted. We decided to knock on a door nearby. As we approached a door, we met a Ms. Jean, who saw our badges and kindly declined our invitation. I thought, this is the icing on the cake for the day, sarcastically. As we explained who we were, she became more open and receptive towards us. Her hostile attitude towards us which began to be a 40 second conversation turned into almost an hour. She said her and her husband started a ministry and traveled across America in an RV in the late 90's. They traveled to every RV park that they could find. They attached signs with scriptures to their truck and RV to promote their ministry and Jesus. I asked her what made her want to spread the good word and she said simply because she just had always wanted to. As she was talking about her passion for ministering and serving, I thought back to my own decision.

My decision to serve was far from black and white. I had just gotten accepted into the Graphic Design program, I was dating a guy, and things were going well. I always had the idea in my head that serving a mission would be a way that I could give back to God. But I brushed off the idea as I got pre-occupied with worldly things. I had been praying for a few months quite causally about wondering if I should serve. After Spring semester of 2013, I felt impressed to do a session of Summer school. Which I had never done before. I lived in my own apartment, where I had a lot of time to myself to think. One night, I had got out of my painting class really late and I had one of my soul moments. I had the strongest impression come over me that I needed to serve a full time mission. I remember walking into my bedroom and collapsing to my knees. For the first time in my life, I gave the most sincere vocal prayer. I told God that I was going to serve a mission and I needed it confirmed to me. With tears running down my cheeks, I then turned to my patriarchal blessing and that confirmed it.

Over the next several weeks, My painting class became therapeutic and I was able to mentally prepare myself for what lay ahead. I began my make arrangements to put my schooling on hold, quit my jobs, and told the guy that I was dating that I was choosing to serve a mission. I knew that my parents would be fully supportive, but I was slightly apprehensive about my extended family, who are not all members of the church. But I knew without a doubt, that I needed to serve a mission.

As mind tuned back into our conversation with Ms. Jean and I felt a peace come over me. I had just recently approached my half way mark of my mission and was feeling like I could've done more up to this point. That I could've been more exactly obedient, could've baptized more people, could've had a better attitude, and so on, but after meeting Ms. Jean, I realized that God had given me a sweet tender mercy that day. He helped me remember that my service was good enough and that I was trying my best. Despite how many "could've's" I could come up with, I was simply ENOUGH. Ms. Jean found God later in her life and she taught me a valuable lesson, regardless or when you accept God in your life, you just have to be willing to share it. Even though I felt like I was giving " so much" up to serve, I actually gained a lot more than I imagined.

Ms. Jean is getting ready to share a sermon at her local church focusing on, "Who is in your DNA?" She is helping all her congregation realize that we are all children of God and each of us has God's DNA in us. Once we grasp our value as sons and daughters of God, we need to share that with others. Ms. Jean commended us for our service and invited us over to her home for a once a month for a worship service that she's been holding for over 40 years.

Well kids, as Ms. Jean says, let's be "gung-ho for Jesus."

"I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy."–––Alma 29:9 (The Book of Mormon)

Daily Devotion: Trials

Trials

"For he said: Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my prayer, even when I was in the wilderness; yea, thou wast merciful when I prayed concerning those who were mine enemies, and thou didst turn them to me."

-Alma 33:4

My name is Carly Smith, I am 19 years old, I served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I am an early returned missionary, and I have suffered from Depression and Anxiety. I have been through a lot in my short life of 19 years. I have moved around, lost many who were close to me, and I have had been tried and tested many many times. Because of my depression and anxiety, I was not able to complete my mission. I was out for about 2 months and I felt like a loser and a failure. After I had come home, I felt as though I had failed my family, friends, fellow missionaries, my mission president and his wife, but most importantly, I felt as though I had failed the Lord. But, I am able to stay close to God because I know that he has a special plan for me. I know that I am supposed to go through all of these trials to gain something bigger than said trials. I love Heavenly Father and I am so grateful for the plan that he has for me. Though I may not know all of the details yet, I am anxiously awaiting the day where everything falls into place.

Today, if you are feeling far from God, spend a few minutes on your knees and pray for strength to know that He has suffered for each one of your trials, hardships and fears.

I pray everyday to get closer to Him and live His will.

I was born in the late 1970's, weighing only 2.5 pounds, born 3 months premature. Back then, that was a miracle to survive. I believe I have been a child of God from the beginning, although I wasn't officially saved until I was a teenager. I grew up in a house that I believe had evil spirits. At the age of only two, I was sitting on the side of a major highway at 2 a.m. and a truck driver finds me and brings me to the door of my home. Later, not much later, a 500 pound or more dresser falls on top of me which would have required much force to push over. I am injury free like nothing happened. There are other instances but those two are just a couple to show God's grace and mercy, His protection. God has a purpose for me and I have yet to discover what it is but I keep searching and I continue to believe in Him. I am far from perfect and make many mistakes, yet He continues to love me unconditionally. He has blessed me with two beautiful daughters that are everything to me and I am so grateful for them. I know there is nothing that God cannot do and I pray everyday to get closer to Him and live His will. May God bless you and live in you and may you feel the presence of his amazing love and no longer thirst.

Name withheld, Starke, Florida

Seizures

I have seizures often. Usually I have multiple ones one after another for about 15 minutes. They are so tiring and exhausting to experience. When I get in these daily situations, I pray for a blessing from Heavenly Father. I can often feel literal hands on my head and my seizures will stop. We just have to ask for strength. He knows what we need, but we have to acknowledge our need and he's more than happy to give it to us. When we feel like we have no place to turn, we can always turn to Heavenly Father.

Name withheld, Keystone Heights, Florida