Becoming Like Jesus Christ through Faith

I have been thinking a lot about how I can become more like my Savior, Jesus Christ. So, I began by studying the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Then a young man at church gave a talk about the attributes of Christ from the "Preach my Gospel" missionary manual. I gave that a look and found some real good stuff that I believe will help me become more like Jesus. I want to share those things with you. This week I will share scriptures about faith,which is the first thing we need to have to become more like Jesus.

Moroni 7:33
"And Christ hath said: ^aIf ye will have ^bfaith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is ^cexpedient in me."

We shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in Him meaning whatever He needs us to do for the benefit of His kingdom here on earth. We can help that kingdom to grow if we do what He asks of us. What does He ask of us?

One thing is He gives all of us individual talents that we can use to build His kingdom. My example is that I like to write and He has given me a talent in writing and a creative mind to do so. I have chosen to use it to write these blog posts to hopefully help someone have a better understanding of His ways or draw closer to Him.

I have chosen to use it to write books that will help people have a better understanding of the scriptures; I am just beginning that project. This is what I have chosen to do with my talent in writing. I may not be the best writer in the world but at least I am trying.

But, I have had a fear of writing publicly because I was afraid of rejection. I, like many others throw away those talents because of fear in rejection by the world, but God gave us these talents and we have to do our part and at least try, then, have the faith that if it is for a good thing then He will bless our work and put it into the hands of those who need it most.

It is through my faith in God that I have the power to do my part. He has asked me to not waste my talents, or hide them, but to use them for good (see Matthew 25:14-30). So I give my best and He fills in the rest. I can do that.

And when I do good for others, man, how I feel good within myself. This is how we can do the things we are asked of by our Savior, to live our lives like Him. This is how we can become more like Him. Faith is really not so hard once we understand it and it is a powerful tool in His plan.

Tools for Genealogists

Hello There!

When I blog about genealogy, I write it more for the beginners. I'm sure there are lots of people out there who know about researching your family history better than I do so I think these Sunday posts are more for the new guys but any one can read it and I would love some input that will be helpful to the beginners, and me.

When I go to do family history research whether it be out of town or at the local genealogy library, I like to carry certain tools with me that might be helpful in this process. Here is a list of things I like to take with me.

1) a big bag to carry everything in
2) pencils, pens, highlighters
3) pencil sharpener
4) notebook or folder to hold my papers in
5) camera
6) handheld/wand scanner
7) SD cards
8) batteries for the camera and scanner
9) names of people I am searching for
10) water/quiet snacks
11) small stapler

These are the tools that I like to take with me so if I am somewhere and need these items I don't have to keep asking to borrow them from someone else. It is good to be prepared but as you go along you will find what things are most common for your use in research.

Most everything is low cost (under $20). The only things that might cost a little are the camera and scanner. You don't have to buy an expensive camera, in fact, I would never take anything of great value with me because you don't want someone else picking it up as theirs by mistake.

You can usually find a digital camera for around $100 or less, shop around. Be sure it can hold a SD card so you can store your photos on them.

I have wanted a desktop scanner for quite awhile but I don't want to pay the price they charge for one. I was able to find a handheld/wand scanner for around $100. Someone gave me a gift card for Christmas and that was what I bought with it. It is an awesome tool.

You can find most everything in a n office supply story or Best Buy, Walmart, or some place like this. Anyway, these are a few of my tools. Again, you will find over time what tools you will need that will be  most helpful in your research for your ancestry. Happy Hunting!!!

Service Projects for the Family

Hello,

A this time of the year we start to feel a sense of excitement. The weather changes always get me excited not matter the season. But at this time of the year we are preparing for the holidays; fun times with family, gift exchanges, good food are only a few of the things that we get excited about.

I love spending time with my family, no matter the what time of year it is but at this time I feel the need to focus more on others than myself so I like to think about the kinds of service I can offer to others. I decided that in order to spend that time with my family and provide a need in the community that organizing family service projects would be a great idea.

SO, over the next few weeks on Saturdays I will offer some service project ideas that you and your family might like to do. I promise it will be a fun time for your family, great memories, and good teaching moments for your children as they learn to do for others.

Today, I would like to offer the idea of gift bags for kids who will be in the hospital on Christmas Day, no fun for them, but we can try to make it a little better for them by proving a bag of fun. Maybe you could even find a Santa suit and dad can dress up as Santa to deliver them. It doesn't even have to be Santa but maybe his elves. Looking for green and red costume ideas that time of the year should be really easy. Your kids could dress up as the elves, they would love it.

First, we need to make a gift bag. Here is how to make a paper gift bag.

I'm giving credit to the following link for the paper gift bags; Scrapbook Paper Gift Bags.

You will need the following:
1) 1 - 12X12 sheet of scrapbook paper
2) glue stick
3) scissors
4) tape
5) cardboard (cereal box)
6) ribbon
7) single hole punch

1. Start with a large piece of scrapbook paper (I used 12x12). Find a box around the house that is the size and shape of the bag you want to make. I used a box of spaghetti for one, and macaroni for the others. Fold  the scrapbook paper around the box as if you are wrapping a gift. Don't tape the paper to the box. Glue the edges together. (I added a couple of pieces of tape to the inside seam for extra support.)

2. Fold one end of the paper as if you are wrapping the edge of a present. This will be the bottom of the gift bag.

3. Use a glue stick on every fold of paper. I used a little tape for extra support.

4. Now remove the box from inside and pinch the sides of the bag to crease in the middle. You will be left with a little triangle on each side. You can fold the bottom over for easier storage.

5. Trim the top of the bag to whatever height you want the bag to be. I used fun scissors.

6. Punch little holes and attach ribbon handles. I also measured out a small rectangle of cardboard (a cereal box works great), and glued it to the bottom inside of the bag to make the bottom a little sturdier.

Now you have made some cute bags and an inexpensive cost. Now what are some good ideas to put inside?

1) coloring/activity books/crayons
2) reading books/comics
3) play dough
4) toys from the dollar store
5) stuffed animals
6) card games
7) movies
8) balloons
9) puzzles
10) drawing paper/pencils/colored pencils

These are just a few ideas that might be helpful. You can use your imagination and come up with some wonderful fun to keep their sweet minds off being in hospital during the holidays. Then, when they are made and delivered, pray for them and their families, then pray for gratitude that your child are not the ones in the hospital. We must always remember to thank God for what we have including our health.

Fall Weather Foods

It's Fall, and one of the things that reminds me it's Fall is the coolness in the weather. And when it's cool I think of hot soups, stews, and chili; well, my mom reminds me of the chili part. Florida got it's first cool weather of the season and I started thinking of the warm delicious foods that I love in the Fall. So I went out searching for some good recipes for these foods. Hope you enjoy them!

Cheesy Potato Soup

Corn and Chicken Chowder

New England Clam Chowder

Chicken Noodle Soup

Tortellini Vegetable Soup

Worldly Treasures

Matthew 6:21
"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

I used to buy things for my kids when they really wanted something, which was all the time. My mom did the best she could in giving us what we wanted but she couldn't afford much. I remembered that there were things I didn't have that I wanted in my life so I wanted my kids to have what I could give them.

One day, I watched a video about children from third world countries who had nothing and were starving. I cried, a lot. But in those tears I realized that my children had a lot of things. So I committed to not buying tons of needless things for my kids. I talked with them about the video and why we needed to make changes. We referred to this scripture and made our changes. We took the money and gave it to programs to help these children have more. It felt good.

When we die we can not take worldly things with us so why do we need to buy so much now?
Through this scripture we can see that the things we can take with us are knowledge, goodness, and everything that we retain in who we are; our character.

Who we become is the most important thing we can take with us. God gave us the gift of this life and now, we in turn, give it back with all we become in hopes of it being returned full of goodness and knowledge. 

We, as righteous women can find great treasures to fill in our hearts through studying the scriptures and doing good deeds. When we return to our heavenly home the Lord will know where our hearts were by all the good that pours out of them. Remember to seek after the true treasures that you should fill your life with.

All Shall be Judged from the Book of Life

Revelations 20:12-13

"And I saw the ^adead, small and great, ^bstand before God; and the ^cbooks were opened: and another book was opened, which is the ^dbook of life: and the dead were ^ejudged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their ^fworks.

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and ^adeath and^bhell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works."

These scriptures tell us that all of us will be judged from the Book of Life. Our eternal future will be according to the things written there. What will be found in that book?

The book will contain our works. Not what we do for a living but what we do with the life that is given to us. How much good do you do in the world? How do you handle life's trials?

See, Jesus came and payed the price for our sins, all we have to do is repent of the things we do wrong and promise to never do them again, and don't do them again. Because Jesus already paid the ultimate price then we can be forgiven when we make wrong choices and stay on track. The scriptures tell us he remembers them no more.

What comes next is what is in the book, obedience. We need to be obedient to the commandments which are given to us by God. Part of that obedience is to love our brother (everyone) and do good things for them.  There are so many good charitable organizations in the world, so there are many opportunities to to be helpful. Those are things that could be written in the book.

When  you see a need to be helpful and produce good and you do them, those are things that could be written in the book. Taking care of one another and our planet, including the inhabitants that reside on them are good things we could find in the book. All things will be brought to our remembrance on judgement day.

What about the bad stuff, will they be found in the book? Good question, I think they will be only if we do not repent of those things. 

As righteous women we need to repent of the bad choices and put them behind us, God will. Then we need to get out there and do what ever good we can do to help build the Kingdom of God and help our brother along the path of life. We can all climb the ladder together and work to be saints of God. These are the things we want to find in the Book of Life. These are the things that will be our rewards in Heaven.

Simple Knowledge

Genesis 1:26-27
"And God said, Let ^aus ^bmake ^cman in our ^dimage, after our^elikeness: and let them have ^fdominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
So God created man in his own ^aimage, in the image of God created he him; male and ^bfemale created he them."

These verses are simply said and quite clear on a few issues that seem to plague mankind. 

1) God said let us make man in our image. Here we see that there was more than one person involved in the creation of man, meaning the Godhead, which consists of God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ,and the Holy Ghost. The information about who is part of the Godhead is found later in the scriptures. The point here is there is more than one was involved.

2) This verse also says that we were created in God's image and likeness, not an ape's or anything else's image. They created us to be like them. That makes us special.

3) This verse says that we, mankind, are to have dominion over everything on the earth and the earth included. What does dominion mean? It means responsibility, not dominance over things. We are to take care of the earth and it's inhabitants the best we can. 

4) God created male and female for a purpose, to be together as man and wife; to help one another through life. That's how our obedience to procreate works, it takes a man and a woman. That's simple.

God's wisdom is so much greater than ours. When we try to make sense of things from our point of view, we find  it hard to see things from His. 

As righteous women we need to stand up for what we know if truth and good. This world has too much man's wisdom and not enough of God's. When we listen to man we get confused, when we listen to the Spirit of God it becomes clear again, simple knowledge.

With my Whole Soul

2 Nephi 25:29
"And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and ^aworship him with all your ^bmight, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out."

One day, not too long ago, I realized that I had been sleeping my way through life, with everything I did. I went to work, everything was routine. I would joke that I could do my job with my eyes closed and I could. There wasn't a lot of thought put into it, just do the same old job again and again.

Even in school, I just went in, learn what I needed to then passed the test and moved on. No more thought about what I learned and I was an A-B student. It amazes me now when I look back and see that I was asleep. I wasn't using my brain and intellect to make a better me. As far as my religious life went I was obedient as far as not doing the wrong things but I wasn't doing all the right things either.

One day, I realized that it was time to wake up and make a conscious effort in my life. I knew I needed to make changes in my life now before I looked back and saw that I had wasted it not doing anything worth while. I am starting to see changes in my life now that are for good. But I have to make myself do these things.

When it comes to religion, I find that I am really studying the scriptures now and pondering the things I learn. When I worship my Lord I am doing it with all my might, mind and strength. I am doing it with my whole soul. In order to do that I have to make a conscious effort, and not sleep my way through things. It's not always easy and at times I fall back into that old habit of doing what was required but not getting anything out of it. 

But now I can see the difference and I want to know God better and do what He wants me to. I want to be the best me I can be. I can only do that if I am worshiping Him with ALL my MIGHT, MIND, and STRENGTH, with MY WHOLE SOUL.  If I can do it, so can you.

As righteous women we need to stand up against the things that are destroying us and our families. We have to make a conscious effort to understand things and make change for the good of all, in God's ways. When we do this we will be worshiping Him as we should, with our whole souls doing our part in building His kingdom here.

Overwhelmed with Names

I was in my early 20's when I started looking into doing family history work for my family. I got real excited about it. I was able to do about 4 generations pretty quickly, then life happened. I got married, started having children, etc. So of course family history got put on hold for awhile. I did do a little bit of work now and then but not much. The excitement was always there.

Once I hit my 40's I found a little more freedom to do some work so I did, but not much, because I was working on my education. However, I was blessed with good people who were sharing the information they had on family history.

I remember one day one of my aunt's called to see how I was doing and before the conversation was over she committed to sending me some family history that she just got for her paternal line. I was so excited once I received it. I entered it in on my family tree. This got me excited again to start looking and confirming this new information.

Once I started looking into things again, I realized that new technology made it possible to see more names and I was able to find two family lines of genealogy that others had submitted online. Now, I was getting a fever for family history. With a little more research I was able to find more and more information, I did hit a few roadblocks from time to time but I would just take a detour to find something else.

So I sat back looking at all this stuff and realized that it needed some organization. That in itself has created a roadblock for me. I really struggled with how best to put this stuff in order so someone else could make sense of it, and so I know that I wasn't duplicating work.

I still find myself overwhelmed at times with the overload of information but I have found a couple of ways that work for me. I have created a blog that only my family has access to, but I am only listing info for those how have died already. I add pictures, documents and links to where others can find the documents. Family Search and Ancestry are my main tools and they have places where documents can be saved with the name of your ancestors. That's pretty cool too. So I can save the documents instead of printing them to file away.

I am also trying to create books of my family history that can be shared with family as well. Lots of fun ideas but you have to find the one that works best for you. It can get frustrating with all the overflow of research that you have found so its time to get organized and have it make some sense.

 I thought maybe others could be having the same issue so I decided to blog about it and add some links showing how others have organized their family history work in hopes of helping you. There are lots of helpful ideas online. Good luck!!!

Organize your Genealogy

About.com: Organize your Genealogy

U Tube on How to Organize your Records

Organize your Family History

Homemade Costumes

My youngest son was always so creative with costume ideas for Halloween. He almost had to because I never really had the money to buy the costumes that he would have wanted. But every year he would ask for a certain costume, knowing the answer was going to be that I could not afford it so he started getting creative.

Here a couple of his costume ideas from the past. I'm looking for the pictures, once I find them I will add them to the post. Sorry about that.

Super Mario

Mega Man

So I thought that maybe there might be a few people out there that would be interested in ideas for homemade costumes. I have provided links with a picture of one from the link. Have fun and let the creative juices flow.

Spoonful.com

 

Brit & Co

DIY

 

parenting

These are just a few of the fun ideas you can make.  If you put your mind to it you can come up with many more. 

Plan a contest with your kids and their friends to see who can come up with the most creative costume from things found around the house. You will be surprised at what they will do. I certainly was with my youngest. See, Halloween can be lots of fun!!!

What to Do with Rice!

When I was a young child I remember the one thing for dinner was some kind of potatoes; mashed, baked, roasted, etc. When I married into a Latin family I learned that rice was a part of the main dish. As a kid rice was a treat but as an adult rice became the main stay of our meal.

I like to bake, but I have never been a good cook, or should I say a creative cook. If you asked me how I would've served rice with a meal, it would have been as a side. But after years of eating with my in-laws I now see the wisdom in rice as a food that can be used to make a meal to feed many.

Rice can go along way to feed many mouths. I never realized how much more your meal can feed by adding rice as a main course; see some examples below.

Eggs over Rice

Rice and Beans

Beef Stew and Rice

Crock Pot Chicken over Rice

SOS over Rice

You can use your imagination and come up with much more uses for rice.

They say brown rice is better for you than white rice, I never liked the taste of brown so I really never used it but my friend, Ashley, said that you could cook the brown rice in chicken broth and it will give it a better flavor. I'll have to try it sometime.

Rice is a good items to store for food storage because it goes along way and has a long shelf life, like 20+ years, if stored properly.

Best way to store rice


Who else has some rice ideas whether its brown or white? We'd love to hear what you do to spice up rice.

Here is one way you can use rice as a non food item.I have heard of using rice in bags to make heating pads. I found this Pinterest page that had some real cute ideas to make these bags.

Fun Rice Packs

Here is more on rice bags.

Rice bags

What about crafts, I probably wouldn't waste food on crafts but you might like this idea for kids if you are trying to find an activity to entertain the kids.

U tube colored rice activity

What else can do you do with rice? Share with us!

Well Done my Good an Faithful Servant

Doctrine and Covenants 14:7
"And, if you ^akeep my commandments and ^bendure to the end you shall have ^ceternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God."

Some days I wake up and wonder if I really want to live forever. My body aches and I feel tired a lot more as I get older. But in the end I usually realize that I do want to live forever because I know that if I can endure and keep God's commandments then I can live forever with a stronger body and spirit.

God gives us commandments to test us and see if we will choose to keep them or not. If we do then we can receive eternal life. One thing we have to remember is that eternal life is a gift from God.

I never really thought much about that. I just knew I needed to keep the commandments of God and I would be happy but what does that mean?

I have found over the years that enduring our trials meant that if we could learn from our these experiences then we grew stronger and had gained the things we needed to become better people. And, that is was possible to endure challenges by keeping the commandments.
If we put God first in our thoughts then when we experience life we can follow a path that helps us to become stronger and happier. 

Over my many years of life I have experienced many challenges and trials that have made me stronger. When I was younger I suffered over these things by thinking only of the trial. I came to realize that trials weren't punishment for something I did wrong but were things to help create the best me I can be. 

As I grew and studied God's words I began to put God first in my thoughts. So when the trails came I was able to think of what God wanted me to learn from it and it helped me to get through it easier and happier. God's gift to me is eternal life but my gift to Him is what I do with my life.

Jesus suffered more than  any one person has ever suffered. He did not lose his faith, he endured it to the end. Righteous women can follow His example so that we can strengthen ourselves and then others to become the people we need to become, as God's people. Then when we it is all done we will hear the words, "Well done my good and faithful servant."