My Testimony

I have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

When I was a teenager, I would share with my friends beliefs I have about the gospel. They would ask me, "But how do you KNOW it's true?"

It took me a while to figure out why I knew.


When one has a confirmation from the Spirit, this brings a knowledge that is spiritual in nature. It is not based on the five senses. It speaks directly to the heart. Yet it is as powerful as watching the sun set, jumping into icy water or hearing some one say "I love you." It becomes irrefutable spiritual knowledge.

In fact, I can remember spiritual experiences with greater recall then everyday experiences. I remember what it felt like when I was baptized and received the Holy Ghost, yet I can barely remember anything else about that day.  I can remember the beautiful Spirit I felt when I received my patriarchal blessing, yet I have no idea what I wore that day. I can remember the first time I finished reading the Book of Mormon and praying whether it was true. But I can't remember what day it was.  

When the Spirit whispers truth to me, it can be a completely encompassing moment. I feel warmth all over, I feel emotional and  my mind sees truth. Truth seeks deep into my soul.

My testimony has grown as I have. As a child, I remember certain things that just seemed right, like I had always known them.  There are other principles that I have had to experience, pray about and work through to gain a testimony. My testimony is still growing. It is something very much alive and must be nurtured like a tender plant.  

Having grown plants, I now understand this principle. When you first plant a seed, it is very fragile. Too much water, sun light and fertilizer are just as detrimental to a plant as too little. Much care must be taken. Once the plant becomes stronger, you can't leave it alone. If you want good fruit, you must continually take care of the plant.  In fact, I have found that a testimony is so much like a plant that if neglected for a week, the plant will start to wither. We must care daily for our testimony through prayer, scripture reading, service and an eye single to God.


I believe that there are certain key principles to my testimony.

• I know God lives! He is the Father of my Spirit. He is the Creator of the great plan of Salvation. 

"And ^aworlds without number have I ^bcreated; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the ^cSon I ^dcreated them, which is mine ^eOnly Begotten." Moses 1:33

Why did God do this?

    "For behold, this is my ^awork and my ^bglory—to bring to pass

 the ^cimmortality and ^deternal ^elife of man." 

 Moses 1:39

• His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, came to this earth and worked out the Atonement personally, for each of us. He is the Creator, the author and finisher of our faith. He loves each of us dearly as witnessed by the nail prints in His hands. In all He does, He and the Father are One. He wants us to become like Him. 

Matt 11:28 ¶^aCome unto me, all ye that ^blabour and are heavy laden, and I will give you ^crest.

 29 Take my ^ayoke upon you, and ^blearn of me; for I am ^cmeek and^dlowly in ^eheart: and ye shall find ^frest unto your souls.

 30 For my yoke is ^aeasy, and my burden is light.

• Christ restored His church again on this earth in its fullness, through the prophet Joseph Smith.  Joseph's simple pray of which church to join was answered by a heavenly visit from God, the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

 Joseph Smith, the ^aProphet and ^bSeer of the Lord, has done more, ^csave Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the ^dfulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own ^eblood; and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not ^fseparated! Doctrine and Covenants 135:3

• Joseph Smith did indeed translate plates of  scripture kept by ancient people of the Americas. This book of scripture is The Book of Mormon. It is another testament of Jesus Christ. I have read it many times. I know it is the true word of God. I feel the Spirit as I read it and know that as we live the principles found in this book, we can become like Christ.

We believe the ^aBible to be the ^bword of God as far as it is translated ^ccorrectly; 

we also believe the ^dBook of Mormon to be the word of God.

Articles of Faith #8

• As in times of old, we, too, have a living prophet: President Thomas S. Monson. He has the Priesthood authority given him by God to lead His church in these Latter-days. 

We believe that a man must be ^acalled of God, by ^bprophecy,

 and by the laying on of ^chands by those who are in ^dauthority, to^epreach the Gospel 

and administer in the ^fordinances thereof.     

          Articles of Faith #5 

He will not lead us astray.

“The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the programme. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that, the Lord would remove me out of my place” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff[2004], 199).

We are each given the seeds.

We have a choice. 

We can plant these seeds and nurture them OR we can cast them on the wayside.

What will you do?

I know it, I love it, I live it!

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. My parents are members as well so I was brought up in the faith. I was baptized when I was 8 years old. As far back as I can remember I have known that God exists and is the literal Heavenly Father of every human being's spirit. The Spirit of Truth has whispered to my soul the divinity of the Plan of Salvation: the path that takes us back to live again with our Father according to our faith and obedience in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 As I have lived my life, I have had many opportunities and experiences that have shaped me into who I am today and hopefully I will continue to become a better person. I have miles to go as my family can attest.
But I also know that my Savior is always reaching for me to lift me up as I turn to Him for help. I have made mistakes and rebelled against the Lord but I know that as I repent the Lord will forgive me. It is hard work and many times I do not feel worthy of the love of my Savior, but I also feel the peace the Atonement brings.

I have often felt the desire to share these things. Perhaps this format will fulfill this yearning.

I wanted to write some things on my blog to help others who may be struggling in their lives to know who they are and for what purpose they have come to earth. Every so often I will write about a certain gem of truth. It will be like a personal study notebook. It will be very rough and full of my weaknesses. Yet it is all for the glory of my God.

So here goes. . .

Whisperings of truth

I have been reading many Near Death Experience (NDE) books during this past year. It all started with Lance Richardson's book called The Message.  It was written by a man whose son is on my own son's football team. He has passed on since writing the book but his message to mankind continues to live on. This particular book was so inspiring and I truly have felt like it was a gift from heaven after coming out of a difficult period in my life. I was awakened anew to my purpose here on earth and the mission I still have yet to fulfill. I also don't feel so alone on earth anymore knowing there are people greatly interested in our progress. The experiences we participate in no longer seem as meaningless.

I have since read Embraced by the Light, Led by the Hand of Christ, Proof of Heaven, Life Everlasting, The boy who came back from heaven, I saw Heaven, Visions of Glory  and a couple volumes called Beyond the Veil.The familiarity of the experiences these people have had continues to touch me deeply. Each of these books share a similar essence. There is indeed a spirit in these books like no other, excepting the scriptures.

Reading these books stirs the remembrance of long forgotten learnings. The deep and glorious love that is felt by these people during a NDE used to be the life blood of our very existence. We were eternally wrapped in God's glory. Now we are here on this earth wandering around, seeking this love but are many times lost. Knowing there are people that have passed on that are truly interested in our well being should wipe away our tears of loneliness. We have angels that watch over us.

There is a plan for us.  Death is not the end.

After reading these books, I do not fear death like I used to.  Death is merely a gate we must all pass through to continue our experiences. What made me fearful was the unknown.  These books have painted a beautiful picture of what heaven will be like and I look forward to the day I have competed this earthly stage and can move on to greater service enveloped in the love of God.

I think of all the people who have paved the way here on earth for those to follow. To name a few:  Adam and Eve; all the many prophets, Noah, Enoch, Moses, the brother of Jared, Ether; especially my favorites, such as Nephi, Jacob, Alma, Abinadi, Captain Moroni, Ammon and Aaron, and many others; of course, My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; the Founding Fathers; the prophet of the Restoration, Joseph Smith and all my beloved ancestors and family members. I am so very grateful for their love and sacrifice.

The lesson from these books of most importance is the following truth. Neither power, prestige nor pecuniary influence will do us a bit of good when we meet up with our Maker. Only how we treated those around us in service and love. I saw Heaven spoke about forgiving others but especially ourselves. The Message and Embraced by the Light shared experiences of visiting with the Founding Fathers. We are admonished to value truth, righteousness and freedom or we will lose our great country.

My heart has been touch by these stories in a life changing way.  I am grateful to the people who have had these experiences and the courage they had in sharing them. They are very special and sacred.

It's a beautiful day!

A mother's pride is boundless.

My amazing daughter is graduating today and my joy is incredible. This final year of school has been a roller coaster ride.  There have been lots of struggles, arguments and posturing. But it has all been for a good purpose.  The growth of my beautiful daughter. She may wonder why I have been so "nosy" about her life but it is all because I love her. I am interested in her. Inquisitive. Caring. I have always wanted the best for her. Sadly, she must deal with an all too human mother, as well, who makes mistakes. But someday she will see my attention on her personal life as a blessing.

I know that God wants us to be our best self. This is shown by the trials He gives us that continually stretch us and make us better if we choose to learn from them. We cannot get stronger unless we exercise our body. This includes our physical, intellectual and spiritual strength.  On this day of celebration for all the hard work my daughter has accomplished, I shout my praise and adoration for you. Always remember to press forward with an eye single to the glory of God.

 The ^aglory of God is ^bintelligence, or, in other words, ^clight and truth. 

D&C 93:36

How to make the day brighter

I believe the single most important thing we can do every day is inviting the Spirit of the Lord into our heart.

During the time that I was consumed with playing my game, rarely did I make efforts to feel the Spirit.  If I prayed, it was half-hearted. When I did feel the Spirit, it was sporadic. This was due fully to the effort I expended and it was not much.

I remember not too long ago, after I had quit my game, that I heard something that has been a huge influence on helping me continue to change. The bishop in my ward challenged us to do something every day to bring the Spirit into our heart.  It could be reading the scriptures or listening to a conference talk.  It could be listening to uplifting music.  Really anything that touches the heart and invites the Spirit.

So I decided I would try this experiment.

I started reading the Book of Mormon more diligently and was able to finish reading it last December.  I replaced the music I listened to with more uplifting things.  I started to listen to conference talks on my smart phone.  I cut down on the time I spent on the Internet.  I started reading self-help and inspirational books. I pled with the Lord to strengthen me in my daily activities. I began reading the Doctrine & Covenants.

I can now testify of the truth of these words. The Lord has blessed me immensely in my efforts.  As I have sought to do those things that invite the Spirit, I have absolutely felt His presence. I also  know the power of prayer. I look back each day and am amazed at the things I have been able to accomplish as I ask in faith.  This has been a huge blessing as I have realized how my MS is sapping my strength. I only have so much and need so much more.

I know the Holy Ghost is real and is a member of the Godhead. We have great need of the Testator. I have tasted time and again of the Spirit and it is delicious to the soul! May we all experiment upon the word and come more fully to the Lord by doing those things that invite the Spirit so that we may be guided back to Eternal Life.

45 For the ^aword of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever

 is truth is ^blight, and whatsoever is light is ^cSpirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

 46 And the ^aSpirit giveth ^blight to ^cevery man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.

 47 And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit

 ^acometh unto God, even the Father.

Doctrine & Covenants 84:45-47

A benefit of Gratitude

There is a sickness that is plaguing many souls these days. I admit, I struggle with it as well.  For whatever reason, there is this constant need to compare ourselves with others. We wish our bodies were more beautiful, like that one airbrushed actress. We wish our children were better behaved, like the neighbor's down the street. We wish we had more money,  like our boss appears to have. We wish we were more popular, like that lady who has a gaggle of friends, etc. . . the list could go on and on. However fun this game may seem in the beginning, it has dire consequences in the end.

When we start down the comparison road, we also start chipping away at our sense of self-worth.  Inevitably, we compare our greatest weaknesses with someone else strengths.  As we can only see the outward appearances of those around us, we fail to factor in that same someone's inner struggles and weaknesses.  Shockingly, they are similar to our own.  We all have trials we struggle with. God has given us each specific trials that will mold our lives into the beautiful masterpiece he sees in us. He knows our Divine worth.

I was pondering this element of the natural man the other day and came to a shocking conclusion that comparing ourselves to others is a part of coveting.  Coveting is wishing obsessively for something that is not ours. I believe when we compare ourselves to others, we are doing this to a certain extent.  It is poisonous to our soul. We begin to wish we were different and forget the great talents and abilities God has bestowed upon us. I think it is wonderful to have a desire to become a better person, but not to the detriment of our core being by wishing we were someone else. We should desire to become more for the right reason, becoming who God wants us to be.

The way to combat these covetous tendencies is to replace them with positive thoughts. The remedy is gratitude.   When we feel gratitude toward our Heavenly Father for the things He has blessed us with, we feel at peace with who we are.  We see our true inner beauty and it shines brightly on our countenance.  We are grateful for the blessed spirits we are able to nurture no matter what their disposition.  We are content with what material things we do have.  We glory in the relationships we can strengthen.

Gratitude combats all covetous thoughts. Gratitude softens the heart. When we feel more gratitude, we begin to have the desire to share these same feelings with others.  We become more generous, sharing our love, our talents and our material things.  We compare ourselves less and less as we seek for the comfort of others more and more.  We become less selfish and more self-less. Empathy comes as we realize other peoples struggles are like our own and we want to comfort those in need. As we do this we become Saints of God.

That ye ^acontend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it,

 and take upon you the ^bname of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, 

and ^cworship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in ^dthanksgiving daily, for the many ^emercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.

Alma 34:38 

Un Tributo a mi Madre

Since Mother's Day is fast approaching, I wanted to write a tribute to my wonderful mother.  I have not been the best daughter, not always sending the best gift on that day.  My mother deserves so much more than I have given her in the past. Maybe this will make up for my negligence, in some small way.

The following are attributes that have had and continue to be a great influence in me, many of which are only becoming more clear to me as I experience more in my life.  I am eternally thankful for these, mi madre:

One of my most treasured gifts that my mother nurtured in me is a love of music.  Music  is such an integral part of my life, I don't know what I would be without it. My mother taught me to play the piano at a young age.  She would spend Saturday mornings teaching theory classes which I quite enjoyed.  There would always be music floating in the air at our home, whether it was on the classical radio station or someone practicing.  My mother liked to sing and I remember feeling great comfort hearing her happy voice. I had the opportunity to learn to play the flute so piano was set aside. My mother selflessly created opportunities for me to take flute lessons for many years and bought a new flute for me that I have ever been grateful for. Playing the flute has always been such a joy.  It hasn't always been easy but I am so grateful I have this talent.

A side benefit of playing music is hearing it often. At an early age, I became tuned into music that touches my soul.  My most favorite primary song is "My Heavenly Father Loves Me," which somehow, thanks to my mother, I had to sing once in sacrament meeting.  I truly savor music that speaks to my soul.  Some of my very favorite songs are "This is the Christ," "Savior Redeemer of my Soul," "Be Still my Soul" and "Come thou Fount of Every Blessing" to name just a few. I also love stirring movie soundtracks and classical music such as Barber's "Adagio for strings" and Vaughn Williams' "Variations on a theme by Thomas Talis."  My list could go on and on. As a result of music in my childhood, I cannot help but have something playing at my house every day as I clean.  I especially cherish songs that bring the Spirit of the Lord into my home, although I admit it is fun to have other lively ones as well.

The next great attribute my mother nurtured in me is the desire to work.  I can not thank her enough for teaching me the virtue of hard work.  I have not always appreciated it.  I did not enjoy cleaning as a child except for those solitary moments when I was assigned the bathroom and I would clean it to a shining glow.  I have struggled myself, trying to teach my children cleanliness.  There is always a mess at home, except for maybe the few moments before the kids come home after I have finished cleaning all morning. But the difference I feel between doing not much of anything and tackling a messy room is substantial. The sense of accomplishment I feel afterwards is worth the labor.  It has taken a long time to temper the disappointment I feel (and I still struggle) when I have to start it all over again in the morning.  I know God has a lesson in it all.  Maybe the biggest is just learning to serve my children over and over everyday.

This takes me to my next attribute.  This one I am still in an infantile state but my mother is such a great example of it that she helps me strive to be better.  It is the attribute of service.  Everyday of my mother's life that I can remember, she was serving someone. For a long time, it was to an ungrateful bunch of kids. As I have had my own children, I see what an amazing person she continues to become. My mother was far from perfect. She chewed on us every so often but most of the time she did her motherly duties of cleaning, making dinner, laundry, etc. without complaint.  I cannot even come near that attitude.  Ask my kids.  They will tell you that their mom's a grump.

The next attribute, I can only dream of matching her depth, is her faith in Jesus Christ.  She believes.  She knows. I have always felt her strength and perhaps this is why I have never doubted. As I have seen more of her struggles, that weren't quite so obvious as a child, I have marveled at her absolute belief that God will bless her in whatever way she needs.  I know that her strength has influenced my testimony of Christ. A segment of this attribute is commitment.  My mother has steadfastly demonstrated commitment to God and in other aspects of her life that has truly been humbling. She has strength,  She has courage.  In the face of great trial, she has pressed forward into the darkness. My mother truly is an angel.

Thank you, my mother, for being the divine woman that you are, for bringing me into this life and for selflessly serving me all my days.  You are truly a woman of God.

A final note I cannot leave out is the fearlessness you showed when getting on Shadow. What a great day that was, sharing my love of horses with you.  Your the best, mom.