Satan Cannot Imitate Peace

September 8, 2014

This week I decided that I love my mission even more. I really learned again about the importance of receiving and following promptings that we get. This week we got to go on exchanges, and that night I really felt like there was a companionship of sisters that needed to go on an emergency exchange. I thought maybe we could just wait a week, or wait till the next day,  but as I prayed and asked what God wanted, I felt a huge sense of urgency. We needed to do it that night. Sister smith and I had planned on talking to three people before we went home that night, and we had only talked to two. We had to run home so I could pack for our exchange, but we really wanted to talk to one more person! We were going down this street and no one was home and time was running out  so we decided to run to the last house. We ran over there and right when we got to the door, someone opened it and said, come in! We ended up being able to teach them and they wanted to learn more! it was quite a miracle.

We went out the next day, but by dinner time a sister I was on an exchange with  wasn't feeling too well so we stayed in that night.  I really felt like God was guiding me a lot because everything that I needed to say was coming to my mind. I really felt like something big was going to happen that night, but I also just felt the Spirit comforting me the whole time, letting me know that it would work out. We ended up talking a lot that night, and without going into too much detail, I helped this sister realize how much her Heavenly Father loved her. She was not happy here, and as we talked about her going home, it just felt peaceful. I told her that the only thing that Satan cannot imitate is peace and there was a huge sense of peace that had come over the room. It was amazing. I truly felt God's love for this sister and I was so glad that God trusted me to be the one to help her realize that she had completed her mission in His eyes. It was amazing to see the smile on her face as she realized this and she said, "I think I got my answer." She is so great.

So now Sister Patera, Sister Smith and I are covering both wards and we are loving it. We are really good friends which is probably bad and we have too much fun probably, but I'm so excited for the rest of this transfer! Great things are happening.   The Spirit is so real and I'm so thankful for it!!! I seriously don't know what I would do without it. I am so grateful that whenever we are not sure about a decision, we can just make it and take it to God and He will let us know if it is right. I love missionary work and I love being a missionary. It makes me happier than I've ever been before. I'm so thankful for eternal families and that I have such a great family to come home to!!! I love this gospel with all my heart and I know it's true without a doubt especially the Bible and the Book of Mormon. My faith in Christ has never been stronger. I love my Savior and Redeemer with all my heart! I LOVE MY MISSION!!!!!!!

Also, mom, I played the piano at a baptism and accompanied a musical number and I almost died but it was okay. I can magically play hymns now, it's great. At the beginning of my mission I couldn't play at all!!

Don't Run Faster Than You Have Strength

August 25, 2014

HELLO EVERYONE. I have been so busy I haven't really been able to email for the past couple of weeks! but hey now I have a lot of exciting updates and I love it and I have so much to say. I am staying here again for another transfer!

So the reason this transfer has been so crazy is because we had to go on a lot of exchanges with the sisters in this area.  I feel like I haven't had a chance to breath. It was probably the busiest I've ever been and the most tired I have ever been. Seriously, at times I thought I was going to fall over and die because my BONES were so tired.  At times when a sister was sick and I had to stay inside with her, I felt like I had lost all of my motivation. I felt lost and that I had forgotten how to be a missionary because I hadn't been able to teach in 2 weeks.  Another reason we were so busy was because we were planning a Sister's Conference. We didn't get the inspiration we needed until a week before, so Sister Jones and I were running around like insane women trying to get everything done. There were times during this transfer that I did not think that I could stand up again, or go on another exchange, or do another thing, but what I learned from this transfer was more valuable than anything else. I learned about the enabling power of our Savior Jesus Christ. As we were doing all of these things serving the sisters around us, I knew that it was God's will for us to do it and to finish this Sisters Conference. I knew without a doubt in my mind that He would prepare a way. I always thought that the Atonement was just for our sins, and that our Savior knew how we felt when we were sad, but He truly can give us strength to do things that we could not do alone in our mortal bodies. Missionary work requires all of your strength, for 16 hours a day. We literally do not stop until then  and I know that I could not do that without my Savior Jesus Christ. When he needs us to do something, we will be given the literal strength in our bodies to push through it. I have learned that I need to take time for my own conversion and own well being, and when I do that- when I fast, when I pray, when I read the scriptures- I learn what is possible for me to do because I am learning the will of God. When we know the will of our God, we know that anything He asks is possible. We just need to know what He's asking.

Something else I learned was to trust in all of God's promises. In the beginning of the transfer, we asked God what He wanted us to do this transfer- and I got the distinct answer that we needed to find a single woman to baptize. Throughout all of the busy things we had going on, our area was pretty neglected and we weren't able to do much missionary work. We knew God wanted us to find someone to come closer to their Savior through baptism in the month of August- but by week 4 out of 6 we didn't have anyone we were really teaching that was close to that point. But I knew that God had told us that is what He wanted. So, one day, we were teaching this lady who had recently come back to church and she had mentioned that she didn't think she was ever confirmed with the Holy Ghost, because after she was baptized 40 years ago, she never came back to church. WE FOUND OUT THAT SHE NEEDED TO BE RE-BAPTIZED AND CONFIRMED! Could you imagine thinking you were a part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for FORTY YEARS and you weren't even receiving the blessings of baptism and the Holy Ghost!??!!? This Wednesday is going to be the best day of this lady's life. I could not even believe that this great blessing had fallen upon us. I knew that God was taking care of us every step of the way.

In the middle of the week, this lady had called us and cancelled her baptism. Her family was not supportive and she would not be able to go through with it, and would not even be able to come to church for a long time because of it. I was so preoccupied with everything else going on that truly, I didn't have time to think about it really. I knew that if God wanted it to happen, it would. The Bishop ended up calling her and explaining the scripture in Matthew 10 that says that Christ did not come to bring peace, but a sword  and everything clicked for her! Making this right decision would not necessarily fix everything in her family, but she would be strengthened enough to overcome this hardship and do what God's will was for her. Knowing God's will can change our lives.

Something I struggled with during this transfer was feeling like these problems with the sisters were never going to end, and we would not be able to do what God wanted us to do. I felt like all of my strength had been taken away from me, and I wasn't able to be myself, but I got to witness a miracle in my own life at this time of sadness. Elder Dallin H. Oaks, one of Christ's 12 apostles on the earth today, came to speak to us and he even said my name!!! haha but he came to speak and before we went in the chapel to listen to him speak, one of our leaders reminded us that sometime we need to slow down our minds to the speed of the Spirit. our minds can be so preoccupied by the world that we simply cannot be in tune with the Spirit. We had the opportunity to read the scriptures for 45 minutes before we heard him speak, and this scripture really stuck out to me... "Do not run faster than you have strength, or labor more than you are able, but be diligent until the end. pray always, so you can come off conqueror."  When we need to conquer different things in our lives, we need to slow down to the speed of the Spirit and work how our Father in Heaven would have us work. Sometimes we just need to stop and think, what would the Lord tell me to do in this moment? This is something that really helped me. Whatever we do to cultivate our faith, we need to do it consistently and that will give us the motivation to repent. It will prepare us for our covenants. and most importantly, that will help us endure to the end. "act upon this land as if for years." (scripture from the D&C I forgot where) do everything you're doing consistently, as if you would be doing it for years. It brings a lot more joy into whatever you're doing and it completely changed my life. Being grateful in all circumstances helps us battle our trials.

I truly know that Christ is our Savior and I know that because I experienced His mercy and because of that, I feel like I can do anything. I know he takes care of us because I experienced it firsthand as He led us through these past weeks. I know He wants this lady to be baptized because without Him, she would have fallen back into her old habits. After she told us she was not going to be baptized, she picked up a cigarette to smoke, but then decided she did not want to do it anymore. Angels surround us every single day. I rejoice in the times that are hard because I know that our Savior is closer to us. I know that He is teaching us what we need to know for heaven. Lastly, this is all worth it because of experiences like these:

I got an email from a recent convert in my last area and it brought me to tears knowing that this is God's work:

"My comprehension of death is so different now that I know about the plan of salvation. It's crazy!! I'm more happy than confused for people who pass. I know they finally get to see the truth.

Did I ever thank you for sharing the gospel to us???? Because it is the greatest gift EVER!!!!!! IT IS SO AMAZING AND I LOOOOVE IT!!!!

Love you!!!!!! And miss you!!!!!!

PS- I finished the Book of Mormon. My faith and trust in God is rock solid now. I now know without a single speck of doubt this gospel is true."

I could go on and on about how much I love this gospel. I loved meeting one of the 12 apostles. I know without a doubt that He is an apostle of the Lord and we got to hear His words just like the people of old got to hear Peter's words, or John's word, or James' words. I know with all of my heart that we know the plan of salvation and it changes us into who we need to be. I know without a doubt that we are in the right place at the right time, and we are chosen servants of our Lord and Savior. This is the true gospel and I love it. I've never been so happy. I've never felt so excited to meet my God and Savior one day and thank them for giving me this Gospel here on earth. I hope you all have an opportunity to learn more about this gospel and experience all of the blessings that flow from it daily. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the truth and I know it because I feel it.

Find Your Relationship with Christ

July 21, 2014

Hiking in Ouray,  the most beautiful place on earth, and Sister Smith and I getting lost in our jeep in the mountains!

I am here in Montrose now with Sister Smith! It's crazy because our ward is so huge and we are whitewashing and I got called as a new sister leader trainer and my partner is SISTER JONES MY TRAINER WHO I LOVE FOREVER. I'm excited to be here. It has been crazy this past week trying to figure everything out, we can never find the houses we are looking for and sometimes I forget I'm in Colorado! But it was a good week, trying to get to know the ward and tracting a lot. There is one story in particular that is sticking out to me.

So we were tracting and were about to leave, but we decided to do one more house. So we did, and we met this man that wasn't too interested in talking to us, but we got to know him a little bit and all of a sudden this HUGE impression came to me that we needed to tell him simply that God loved him. so much. So in the middle of the conversation, I said that I just really felt like I needed to tell him that he was important and that God loved him.  Then he just broke down CRYING! it was so unexpected and we kind of didn't know what to do.  As he cried he just told us how he had lost his wife last year and she was so faithful and he really drew on her faith. and right before she died, she said, "God deceived me." and it broke his heart and he didn't know what it meant, but his faith was completely shattered.

 It was an amazing experience to be able to tell him that we were representatives of our Savior Jesus Christ and He did not want him to feel this way. We shared with him how His church that He had established here on the earth had been restored with His priesthood power, and that he could and would live with his wife again through being sealed together for time and all eternity. This man appreciated what we said, but it did not end up going anywhere.

What stuck out to me was that we truly cannot rely on other people's testimonies of our Savior for our whole lives. We need a relationship of our own that we understand, and that we can grow and develop throughout our lives, so that our faith is not shattered in the matter of minutes. Our Savior Jesus Christ is unconquerable, and when we let Him into our lives, we are safe from the world and our families are protected by His sacred power. I love Him so much and I am so thankful that I get to be here sharing what He wants me to share because it has strengthened my relationship with Him. I've never felt so close to my Savior in my life and because of it, any challenge is worth it because I get to know Him better. I truly challenge you to find your own relationship with Christ! because He is our rock so that when the hard times come, we are okay. We are strong and we feel it. I love Him so much, and I am so happy to be here. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

Have a great week!

All Things are Possible with Christ

July 14, 2014

I don't have any time this week! like 10 minutes! but I'm getting transferred so don't send mail to the D 1/2 Road address! I'm so excited!

Alsoooooo this weekend "M" was baptized! He has been meeting with missionaries for over 16 years and it is so cool to see how the gospel has completely changed his life. I love it. Sorry this is the worst email ever... BUT I LOVE YOU ALL!

I guess I do have one thing to say. I was reading about repentance this morning and it is so powerful. I know that the Atonement is real because when you are willing to gain a new perspective on yourself and God and give up whatever it is you're doing, you see miracles in your life. Repenting can be as small as reading the scriptures every day or keeping the commandments, or as big as asking for forgiveness for something you've done and going through the repentance process. Whatever it is, it's possible because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It's possible because He died and rose again. That is a big part of the atonement that sometimes we forget about. Because he rose again, and performed the greatest miracle of all time, we are able to do all things with him on earth. All things are possible.  I know because I see it every day in my life and I know that Christ is walking this path with me. He is walking with you too. He loves you and I love you! 

He Has a Plan For You

July 7, 2014

This was quite possibly the best weekend of my entire life. LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL FAMILY (sorry picture not posted). THEY WERE MARRIED AND BAPTIZED THIS WEEKEND. I can't remember anything that happened this week except for this and I can't think of anything to say except that I love my mission. Things could not be better. On Sunday, "K"  in this picture- the mom- bore her testimony and I have never felt the spirit so strongly. I have learned that listening to the Spirit is SO important. She explained the whole story of how we found their family, and I'll share a little bit of what she said. She said she had just finished reading the Bible and she didn't know where to go next, she didn't know what to read next and a few days later, we knocked on her door and introduced the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. She said that she used to be one of those people who thought the LDS faith was weird because she didn't understand, but just weeks after we started teaching them, their life changed more than she ever imagined. Her health improved, and their family was stronger than ever. She couldn't wait to see what else was in store for them because they had seen so much already. She said she felt like she finally belonged and that she would give up anything to serve her Heavenly Father. Tears came to my eyes during this story because she was just GLOWING with Jesus Christ's light. She was so happy and she had so much faith and happiness radiating from her. The reason I started crying wasn't only because I felt the Spirit so strong, but because I was SO thankful that Heavenly Father had led us to this family. I felt so scared and my stomach turned inside me because I thought of what would have happened if we didn't decide to go tracting that day or to knock on their door or to follow the Spirit. Or even to come on a mission. They would have still been lost, still living the life that they were living, when they could have this overwhelming happiness.

I now understand how important it is to listen to the Spirit every single day  and to plan effectively so we can find the people that God has prepared. After sacrament meeting, a man in our ward came up to me and thanked me for coming on a mission, because if I hadn't, this family would probably still be searching. Tears came to my eyes again because I was just so thankful that we had the opportunity to teach them. I think back to that day that we found them- we had ten minutes before dinner and NO ONE had been answering their doors, so we almost decided to just leave, but we thought- let's do one more and this is who we found.

I just know that every one of us is known by our Heavenly Father and just like He planned perfectly for this family to find the gospel, He has a plan for you. for us. for every single person on this earth and He places people in our lives so that we can be led to the true happiness that He wants us to feel here upon the earth. Missionary work is not easy by any means, but it's the most worthwhile thing I've ever done. I am SO thankful I get to be here and get to learn how to be a true instrument in my Heavenly Father's hands. I am so thankful for my family, and I LOVE MY MISSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After the Trial of your Faith

June 30, 2014

This week has been the craziest week of my entire mission!!!!!!! But I don't think I'll be able to explain it right! so when you're reading it and going.. okay this isn't that crazy...just remember that I said it was. or judge me for it. haha okay here we go!

So it started last Wednesday. We woke up at 6:00 all excited to go to a miracle baptism that was at 7:00 in the morning! I stepped out of the room to go to the bathroom..and I almost slipped!  There was a BUNCH of water all over the entire floor of our apartment. We live(d), in a basement and  there is a back entry way and before you come into our house there is a small room that's in between outside and the actual house, kind of like a mud room. So I looked out there and there was a literal POOL out there. It was like 5 inches high and everything was floating! We were so shocked and confused and all we could do was laugh because we didn't know what to do! So in our panic mode we tried scooping the water out of the mud room with buckets haha but we obviously didn't get very far. The housing coordinators came over and they had us pack up and we left and moved out for the time being! we went and studied at the 9th ward sisters house and got ready there. That was the first event of the morning.

Then we had district meeting. It was all wonderful until one of the missionaries leaned over to me and asked if I had heard about one of my previous companions. She was going home. I was crushed and I started CRYING.   I was so confused because I didn't want to cry but I did! So that was great and embarrassing, but I just was so sad that she had gone home after all we had gone through. Then our district leader gave a training on the Atonement. He told us that our greatest glory is not in never falling, but rising every time we fall. When he said that, I knew that this was going to be the theme of the week. He then went on and asked a sister in our district to tell the story of what happened this week. She shared with us how her sister had cancer. She was married and had four kids, and this sister was so sad. She felt like her sister was being punished because she hadn't been the best missionary she could have been. She described how she got a blessing, and our district leader suggested that we have a district fast for her and her sister. We all agreed. He then asked if there was anyone else we should add to the list. It was really cool because then our district all gave names and situations of close family members and friends. It was really interesting to hear what all the missionaries were going through. I could not believe it. The Spirit was just so strong in that meeting, especially as we sang "Savior Redeemer of My Soul"  for the closing song. If you get a chance, read the lyrics here  https://www.lds.org/music/library/hymns/savior-redeemer-of-my-soul?lang=eng.  
The Spirit was so strong and I have never felt so united with a district. The rest of the day we had to clean out the water and dirt and all of our stuff out of our apartment. The 9th sisters helped, and we moved!

That night, we started our fast. We prayed individually for these missionaries and their families. It was one of the most powerful fasts I have ever participated in. I knew that much power would come from this fast. The next day, Thursday, as we were fasting, we got a call from this sister who was struggling with her sister having cancer.  The surgery was supposed to be 7 hours, and she was supposed to have a speech impediment for the rest of her life as a result of the surgery. Early in the morning, SHE called sister Murdock and said that the surgery had only been an hour, it wasn't cancer anymore, and she could talk perfectly! EVERYTHING WAS OKAY! This was such a big and great miracle that we got to experience along with this wonderful family!  I cannot even explain the joy that we felt that day. It was truly amazing to be able to be bonded as a district like that. Sometimes I think we forget that even though we are immersed in the work of salvation every single day, we are important too. We are the work. I knew that it was a powerful fast for all of these people and it would leave a lasting impression on our souls. I will never forget that day.

The next day was Friday. We were going to teach this man that I have talked about before- the one who has been meeting with missionaries for over 10 years! and his wife is a member. We went to go teach him the law of chastity... BUT HE BROUGHT UP BAPTISM!  He wanted to know what he had to do to get there. So we read over the commandments and things he had to know- and he said he had a problem with tithing. So we spent some time explaining the commandment and the blessings of it, and he really just didn't see how it was going to happen- money was tight already. I felt bad because I could feel the tension in him rising, and I thought maybe he would put off baptism or something, but then all of a sudden he was like... okay! and we were like... okay what? and he was like I'll do it. I want to be baptized. and then we died because it was the best moment ever. I couldn't be happier and more excited for him. He had truly changed and I felt God's love for him stronger than ever before. I couldn't believe the miracle that was sitting right in front of us. Heavenly Father had prepared this moment for a long time!

Then we had dinner with our favorite investigator family that I talk about all the time and  they are getting baptized this Saturday! At dinner we planned to have their baptism interview the next morning and they even got their white baptism clothes! It was all planned and great!

THEN CAME SUNDAY. Satan hit hard. The man that we taught on Friday was devastated because of something that had happened in his family, and he didn't know if this was the right time for baptism. He thought he would maybe want to wait because he was just confused and sad and didn't know what to do. He said he didn't even know why he was at church because he was so sad. He was contemplating postponing. and then the other family that I mentioned  that we had dinner with, they were crushed because they were having some huge disagreements with their family, and there were some issues with where the baptism could be. Everything seemed to be falling apart, and on top of that, the Bishop had pulled us in and told us about a few things going on that completely crushed us. I felt like Satan had taken my heart and squeezed it. He would not let go. of anyone. But I knew that I needed to remember that the witness does not come until after the trial of our faith. I knew that it would be okay, and I needed to be patient and wait. If Heavenly Father had brought them this far, He would not abandon them/us now. We would make it through, and so would they.

Not even an hour later, both families called us and told us that everything worked out and they were still on for their baptisms. the family will be baptized this Saturday, and the other man the next Saturday. It felt like a huge burden had literally FLOWN away. We were so grateful, so happy and so relieved. It had been such a rollercoaster all day. Yes, the problems are still there. but it's okay. We are all being strengthened along the way. That is why we have Jesus Christ. Without His strength, there is NO way we could do it. With our district united together, and being strengthened at church, we really felt like an army. I know that there is strength in numbers and in family. We need to do everything that we can to endure to the end TOGETHER. Enduring to the end is the hardest part but the most important. I know that we have been given the tools to do it well. Enduring well is the best talent you can develop here on earth. I know that the Savior was with us every step of the way.  Alma 26:35 "Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name."

He understands everything that is going on. He knew that these things would happen to us. Nothing is a surprise to Him. He has all power, wisdom, and understanding. when I remembered that, and read that he is a "merciful being", I knew we would be okay and this would be the most miraculous last two weeks of this transfer. I am so excited.

We just need to endure.

I love you!

Be An Answer to Another's Prayer

June 23, 2014

This week was a whirlwind! I cannot believe all that happened but I'm convinced that I want to stay on a mission forever and no one can do anything about it. So we got a call from our assistants and they said that president invited us to Denver for a special training because a couple of people from Salt Lake were coming! So us and the 7th ward sisters dropped everything and went to Denver for the next couple of days! When we got there we found out we got to stay in a HOTEL! We didn't feel like missionaries because what missionaries ever stay in a hotel? It was so fun though. AND I GOT TO BE IN MY FIRST AREA AGAIN! I was so happy to just drive around there and I think it was a small taste of what it would be like to come back home.  it will be a great reunion. Then we spent the next day being trained how to be better teachers and planners.. and oh my gosh it changed our lives. In a good way though! We have so much to change and its working already! the inspiration that has happened because of it is the best.

So when we came back, we had the best weekend ever.  We decided that we needed to act on every prompting no matter what, because we figured that God was helping us more than we knew, and we couldn't ignore the promptings anymore. So, Sunday morning, we decided to do that. Before church we really felt like we should go leave a note on one of our investigator's houses and after that all of a sudden I had the BIGGEST prompting that we needed to go see one of our less active sisters. I didn't know why- we had been teaching her for 5 months and we had even taught her the night before and she refused to come to church. Every time we asked her, or invited her to pray for the strength to do it, she said that it just wasn't her time, but we went anyway . We showed up on her doorstep and said, hi! We wanted to invite you to church today! and she said no, I'm not ready! and she was like no way. Then we said "A", we were prompted to come here and we know that Heavenly Father knows that today is the day you are coming to church. She still said no. So we invited her to pray about it. Then we saw her son in the background and we asked him if he wanted to come to church with his mom today and he said.. sure! we asked him if he knew where it was and he said no and then "A"  I do!  and we were like SWEET IT STARTS AT 11:30 WE WILL SEE YOU THEN!  Then we ran off her porch and back to our car.  THEN SHE SHOWED UP TO CHURCH! for the first time in 5 months! YEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

The inspiring morning didn't stop there. After that, the thought came to us to go visit this other less active sister and invite her to church! So we went and she wasn't home, but there was this lady frantically talking on the phone. We found out her baby was having a seizure!!! We knew immediately that that is why we needed to be there. So, we asked if we could do anything and she was just in tears and so we decided to leave. But then something told me to turn around and we could NOT leave until we said a prayer with them. We said a prayer with the son, and we ended up finding out that they were members of the church- they were in the spanish branch! so we were able to call the spanish missionaries and tell them about it, and people in their ward could send help. If we hadn't been there, no one would have know this happened!

Then we drove to the church and we were late for our meeting but on our way in the parking lot, we saw this man walking with his two kids and in my head the Spirit was like YOU NEED TO TALK TO HIM. It wasn't even a question, I had to do it. So we got out of the car after parking and ran after him down the street. Really quickly I said HI WERE MISSIONARIES CAN WE COME SHARE A MESSAGE ABOUT JESUS CHRIST AND FAMILIES WITH YOU and he was like YES! He looked so relieved. He said that he just got his two kids back today and he just looked so happy. He gave us his name and address and we got to pass it on! It was the perfect start to our Sunday!

I learned this week that you need to listen to every good thought or prompting that you have  because that is how God speaks to us, we just have to listen. Even if it seems like just a silly thought, or we don't understand why- IT DOES NOT MATTER.  just do it. The Spirit speaks to us a lot, especially when we have the gift of the Holy Ghost and are worthy to have it with us always. Everyone needs this gift, it has changed my life! When God prompts us to do things, it is always to serve others in some sort of way. This is how prayers are answered. Be an answer to someone's prayers this week! go and do!

This just shows me that Jesus Christ is the head of this work. Man is not. Yes, man runs the church here on earth, but it is truly Jesus Christ who is directing this work. I know this is true because I experience it every single day. Ordinances such as baptism, confirmation, and taking the sacrament WEEKLY are essential for our lives. Strive every way you can to have this in your life. It's how you get to know your Savior Jesus Christ and come unto Him when you don't know any other way. This gospel is amazing because it is healing and inspiring. It mends families and it mends our Spirits. It brings us on the path back to our Heavenly Father with our families. What is better than that! Now is the time to act, because Jesus Christ is hastening His work and preparing families to hear this restored gospel that will change their lives! Find it now! We have a prophet who leads and guides Jesus Christ's church under the direction of Him. I am so thankful for Him and His words!

Read this article:

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/love-the-essence-of-the-gospel?lang=eng

and you will know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet. It is so important to develop our own testimonies of our living prophet, because he holds the same power as the prophets of old! This is truly the Church of Jesus Christ restored on the earth today and I love being a part of it and living it every single day of my life.