Some Things I Do Know With Certainty

There are many things I don't know nor do I have the answers to. But there are some things I do know with complete certainty.

I know there is a God. Before we came to earth, we lived with God. He is the Father of our spirit. Everyone who has ever lived or will live on this earth is a spirit son or daughter of God.

I know God is loving, kind, compassionate, merciful, just and true.

I know His work and His glory is to have His children return home to Him. But there are two things that separate us from being able to return to His presence. The first is sin. The second is death. Since we cannot cleanse ourselves from sin anymore than we can raise ourselves from the dead, we needed a Savior. A Savior is someone who does for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

I know Jesus Christ was and is that Savior who makes it possible to return to our Father. Through His Atonment we can be cleansed from sin and live beyond the grave. Jesus is God's Son. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever beliveth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

I know Jesus came to redeem us and show us the true character of our Eternal Father. He said, "I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me."- John 5:30

I know that after our Savior's death; Jesus, the Risen Lord, appeared to many that He loved in life and also ministered to the "other sheep" (John 10:16) in ancient America. (We have this record.) God has spoken to prophets anciently and He speaks through living prophets today.

I know God lives, I know Christ is His Son and our Savior, I know we are God's children and that He loves us. I know God wants us to come back home to Him and He has provided a way. I know this with all of my heart and with every fiber of my being.

I have hope in Christ. It is through Him that I am able to return to my Father in Heaven. I am so thankful for the gift of God's Son. I am so thankful for the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ!

May God bless each and everyone of you!
Alicia

Anger and Ignorance

When I read the news and various comments from viewers I am saddened by so much anger. I don't care who is wrong or right in the conversation...... it makes me so sick to my stomach to see people lashing out at one another, accusing, scorning, mocking, name calling, swearing etc. Can't we all just get along!!! I see it among the Liberals, the Conservatives, religious, non-religious and among every race and color. There is no excuse to treat anyone (no matter who it is) there is no excuse to be so uncivilized whether online or in person!! And before we look around and point the finger we must first examine ourselves. There are times when I've reacted in anger or in sharp hurtful words and I'm not proud of it. I believe in forgiveness. I believe we can let go of perceived offences. I believe in redemption.

I just heard about the shooting in Fort Hood. This incident makes me very sad because the shooter was a so called "Muslim". Of course immediately following this news there are those who blame the religion of Islam for the shootings. But, Islam is not to blame for these violent acts. Ignorance and anger are to blame. These extremists are taught from a Koran that has been distorted, twisted and changed from it's original text thus in many cases excusing their violence in the name of God. They become fed a steady diet of lies that lead them far from the original teachings of Islam.

Terrorism isn't related to Muslims any more than it is to Christians. There are incidents where Christians have become ignorant to the doctrine of Christ and twisted His teachings to justify violence. Anyone is susceptible to causing terror.

On a smaller scale how often do we get in arguments with neighbors, family or friends when we don't have all the facts, when we jump to conclusions, when we gossip or twist words?

What does it do to us when we dwell on these injustices?

What does it do to us when we see only bad and close our eyes to any of the good around us?

This is where it starts.........If unchecked it leads to violence, misery and sorrow... destroying everything in it's path.

I have a hard time listening to talk radio these days. There is so much fighting and mud slinging. I can't stand it.

Last general conference our modern day Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson warned against anger.

He quoted the words of the hymn written by Elder Charles W. Penrose, who served in the Quorum of the Twelve and in the First Presidency during the early years of the 20th century:

School thy feelings, O my brother;

Train thy warm, impulsive soul.

Do not its emotions smother,

But let wisdom’s voice control.

School thy feelings; there is power

In the cool, collected mind.

Passion shatters reason’s tower,

Makes the clearest vision blind.

On another occasion he quoted this poem by, Bolton Hall:

'I looked at my brother through the microscope of criticism,

and I said, 'How coarse my brother is.'

Then I looked at my brother through the telescope of scorn,

and I said, 'How small my brother is.'

Then I looked into the mirror of truth and I said,

'How like me my brother is.

I pray for all of us, myself included, that we will

seek to understand more,

to get the facts,

to refrain from anger and cease idle words & gossip,

to find the good in our brothers and sisters

no matter what our political view, religious view, cultural background or however different we might me.

No one accomplishes anything by tearing down another human soul.

Let us build each other.

We are all brothers and sisters.

We are all children of the same God.

Let's be civil.

Let's be kind.

I pray for peace.

Oh how I pray for peace.

Just Thankful

I'm just thinking how thankful I am to have a living Prophet of God on the earth today and to have the Quorum of the 12 Apostles as well. I've been listening to the most recent conference address by these men.
http://lds.org/conference/languages/0,6353,310-1,00.html

I love to hear them speak! Every time I do, I feel a undeniable wittiness in my heart that they are called of God, I feel peace, I feel direction, I feel love, certainty and hope. When I hear these men speak I feel a greater desire to serve my neighbor, to love my family better, to pray harder, to listen to more of God's words, etc. In short I feel better and I live better when I follow their counsel. I am so thankful for Divine revelation, where God speaks to us through those in authority, through holy writ and through the Holy Spirit. I feel like shouting hallelujah! I have the greatest treasure on earth, a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I love to share it!

Black Mormons

Just the other day I found this really cool website. http://www.blacklds.org/ It's not a site that is owned by the lds church but it is one that some black members have put together by their own making. It includes their testimonies, stories, pictures and history. Truly an inspiring site to visit!!

Feeling Grace

I've tried to put into words how Grace makes me feel.... it's not easy because

it's so much more than this. Either way, here it goes:

FEELING GRACE

"Warm rays of sunlight stream down upon me and dance across my face.

Darkness is dispelled as the morning breaks.

I breathe in the crisp refreshing air that follows a summer rain.

I smile.

I breathe deep again.

I feel blessed, I feel free.

I am home.

A new day has arrived,

I am rested and renewed.

Hope is alive,

It pulses through my veins.

There is nothing I fear,

I am safe here.

And it's only the beginning..."

by, alicia rawlins

No matter where I've been or what I've done, after I have experienced a mighty change of heart and after I have given all I can and tried my best, no matter how imperfect or flawed my best may be......Grace is the enabling power that allows me to lay hold on the things of heaven. Through sincere prayer, sincere repentance, I feel strengthened, sweet forgiveness.....I am made whole, washed clean, I feel hope and enabled to keep going because of the amazing miracle of Grace through Christ and the atonement....and I want to share it!

Reflections of Christ Video AMAZING

I saw this at a concert the other night, I want to share this video with everyone!!! It is absolutely AMAZING!!

click on this link to watch...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yioom_iTXug

Happy Constitution Day!!

Today Sept. 17 in the year 1787, The Constitution of the United States was signed. A Historic Day! One of my favorite stories of the convention is what Benjamin Franklin said concerning our country imploring the help and guidance from God...

"The Constitutional Convention was on the verge of breaking apart completely over the issue of representation, a stalemate created by the concern of smaller states that they would be overpowered by the larger states, and the concern of larger states that smaller states would be given representation out of proportion to their relative size." "Tempers were short, and the ship of state seemed headed for the rocks before its maiden voyage had barely begun." "Benjamin Franklin rose and uttered these immortal words:"


“...To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?"

“I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth – that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?"

“We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that “except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.” I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel...

“I therefore beg leave to move—that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business.” - Benjamin Franklin