tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83616715436538578312023-11-16T03:02:09.144-08:00Missionary MusingsThe life and interests of an LDS missionary.
Courtesy of Elder Todd LeeMasterElder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-58146516328800477122011-04-24T10:13:00.000-07:002011-04-24T10:13:08.703-07:00An Easter Message From a ProphetHappy Easter everyone!<br />
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<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="500" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oXrOG02NMB0?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-84700909499753351182011-04-17T18:42:00.000-07:002011-04-19T10:31:36.975-07:00Scripture Sunday- The Power of the SacramentToday was a special treat for me when I went to church. I got to bless the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Something that I haven't done since the start of my mission. as I did so, it really hit me what a sacred ordinance it was. During the Sacrament each Sunday we renew our covenants with God to stand as witnesses of Jesus Christ, and to always remember Him. As we do so we receive a continuing remission of our sins.<br />
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</a>"O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen." Moroni 4: 3</div><div><br />
</div>"O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this water to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen." Moroni 5: 2Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-6904564004620782672011-03-08T08:51:00.000-08:002011-03-08T08:51:05.095-08:00Testimony Tuesday- Dallas' Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
To start out, like many testimonies do, I’d like to bare my testimony that I have faith that this church is the true church. Growing up, I was never really part of a church. My parents would take us to a Lutheran church on Christmas Eve and Easter, but that was really the extent of it. When I was in middle school I started going to one of the “come as you are” Christian churches with some friends from school and just started learning what I could. Then I started high school and things just went downhill I wasn’t part of the church really anymore and I had no motivation from my mom and step dad (who after my sophomore year got divorced, that was hard) to be moral and make decisions that would better myself in the afterlife.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrynVRdalF6fZV_RN4Q2iTFRRyMOSIzgL7CZPBzzSKYY49BDAGNjeHnHAiTjQaGwtT7wnlv29HgKYiYWbZmU9bP7IjaZbksikB7GJT9mDWGJrGWZkb_Uyw0wiAO1bFC6yetNulqGlpqk/s1600/Dallas%2527+blog+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrynVRdalF6fZV_RN4Q2iTFRRyMOSIzgL7CZPBzzSKYY49BDAGNjeHnHAiTjQaGwtT7wnlv29HgKYiYWbZmU9bP7IjaZbksikB7GJT9mDWGJrGWZkb_Uyw0wiAO1bFC6yetNulqGlpqk/s320/Dallas%2527+blog+pic.jpg" width="320" /></a> Everything was based off of “what will help you get your higher education and support yourself in the future?” It was extremely easy to fall under sin in my house, and so everyone did. I knew a lot of LDS kids from school, but just was never interested in learning about it.<br />
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At the end of my junior year I moved from Las Vegas to Southern California and of course didn’t know anyone. Not only was it hard on me that my mom was already getting remarried, but I was going to be starting my senior year without knowing a single person. But I held strong and pushed through it. Then one day an old classmate messaged me on Facebook and we got to talking. He was LDS and later became my boyfriend and I would go out to Vegas to visit him. The weekend before school started I went to spend the weekend with my sister and see him before I left, and on that Sunday I went to church with him and his family. My first LDS church service, I had no idea what to expect. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming, and I even saw a lot of old friends there. I secretly was getting interested in it, but never pursued it because my boyfriend told me that he wanted to leave the church.<br />
A few months later, during Winter Break, I decided that I wanted to look into the church and see just how different it was from other churches I’ve gone to. So I went to Mormon.org and saw that you could talk with a missionary online, so I clicked that. That was great for me, because I was too nervous to go to the church down the street and ask to talk to a missionary. Elder Blair Ahlstrom took my call and answered all of the questions that I had that one Sunday afternoon, which was a lot. I felt very comfortable talking to him and wanted to continue to, but had to go help my mom so we added each other as friends on Facebook and I told him I would talk to him later. Later that week he introduced me to Elder Todd LeeMaster and we had our first actual lesson. At first I was having a hard time understanding everything, but they helped me with every possible question I had.<br />
One night, after our lesson, I was sitting in bed reading my bible and decided to look for any signs I could possibly find in there that would show me that the Mormon church wasn’t true. I searched everything from false prophets to anything else that jumped out at me. I was up until 1:30am reading every piece of scripture I could find and praying to God and asked Him to give me any reason to think that the church wasn’t true. I could not find one thing. All I felt that whole night was “You think it’s false? Try to prove that.” I knew that God was telling me that I was getting my answers right there, in finding nothing; finding nothing that could prove to me that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was not a true church.<br />
The next lesson we had, I was much more understanding with everything. I was able to understand it so well that they would joke that I was teaching them. The missionaries sent me a book of Mormon and I always read it as much as I could, daily. Then one Sunday morning I got up, got dressed, drove down to the closest LDS church to my house, walked in and asked the first person I saw to point me in the direction of the missionaries, and sat through the lesson they were having. My first meeting with the local missionaries, Elder Bates and Elder Sabino, later that week was a big surprise for them. I had already decided that I wanted to get baptized and I told them the date. They were blown away.<br />
I later told my family and they told me that they would support me through the whole thing. My boyfriend, Zach, was fine with it in the beginning and when I told him that I decided I wanted to get baptized he was so excited for me. He finally confessed that he wanted me to join the church the whole time and that I helped his faith grow because of the happiness I had from converting. I’m happy that he didn’t tell me until after I decided that I wanted to get baptized, that he wanted me to convert, because then I was able to do it on my own. That way, it was for me and my happiness, not someone else’s. Zach even bought a bus ticket and came out to California from Las Vegas for my baptism. On February 19, 2011 Elder Sabino baptized me into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I couldn’t be happier.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSVj3ON5oFOmE3L9Qzb6l4gSwd_RnW_GkfB9KqHPnuIT1rhuhBOYoOwg7kKdqvpbS_HV1YlaWfPQxWmja-hNGCVRM4Nde_QyGBhwFLpo8KiM343Xz-Tj4LjQwjeADI5s1j6-DFBk1XgM/s1600/Dallas%2527+baptism+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSVj3ON5oFOmE3L9Qzb6l4gSwd_RnW_GkfB9KqHPnuIT1rhuhBOYoOwg7kKdqvpbS_HV1YlaWfPQxWmja-hNGCVRM4Nde_QyGBhwFLpo8KiM343Xz-Tj4LjQwjeADI5s1j6-DFBk1XgM/s320/Dallas%2527+baptism+pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Before I put the gospel in my life I was broken inside so badly that I had physical pains on a daily basis. I am now so happy that it radiates through me and I feel no pain. My body pains that once put me in the doctor’s have been eliminated and even my mom can see that it’s because I am just a happier person now. <br />
If you are unsure of whether the gospel is right for you or not, take a look at your life. Take a moment and step back and look at your life from someone else’s view. Are you the person you’ve always wanted to be? Are you living the life that you want to live? I cannot promise that once you are baptized your life will be perfect, because no one’s life is perfect. Everyone goes through trials, and everyone makes mistakes. But if you’re able to go through all of those things and still know that someone, your Heavenly Father, will love you no matter what then why live any other life? The only thing that keeps me going while I’m going through a bad time is the fact that I know that I can take a deep breath, bow my head, and pray to God. After I’m finished and say Amen, no matter what I say, I put my head up and feel this overwhelming feeling of relief and happiness. It may take awhile to get your answer, but that does not mean that you give up until you receive it.<br />
I know that Jesus lives, and that he saved us from our sins. I know that God is our Heavenly Father and loves us no matter what. I know that he will forgive us from our sins because he knows that we are not perfect and He still loves us unconditionally. Maybe the gospel is too difficult to understand at first, but if you go in with an open heart and mind, I promise you that it will change your life. I bare my testimony that the gospel has created miracles in my life, and I know that it will in yours too. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-39386324207846530062011-03-01T08:41:00.000-08:002011-03-01T08:42:22.576-08:00Testimony Tuesday- Aly's a new member!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJ9B5EXYBFbgyK4m5yZ7El4S51e_1AMUPFuhdrqajgNKGh-dp9M0LUv4dGb5ep18lSagXT33aWEgcoKPDQlcsoUpRm5y9PkKqci5yH4iJU8XsTg_GZtjGo0uHBIcfG2F5tLL5eInehGI/s1600/189366_1832408378827_1498932156_1907711_2510288_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJ9B5EXYBFbgyK4m5yZ7El4S51e_1AMUPFuhdrqajgNKGh-dp9M0LUv4dGb5ep18lSagXT33aWEgcoKPDQlcsoUpRm5y9PkKqci5yH4iJU8XsTg_GZtjGo0uHBIcfG2F5tLL5eInehGI/s320/189366_1832408378827_1498932156_1907711_2510288_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Aly got baptized on the 27th of February 2011. Here is her testimony only 2 days later!<br />
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My name is Alyssa, I am 20 years old, and I feel like I am about to explode! <br />
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I know that’s sort of a strange way to start a letter, or written testimony, but my goodness that’s really the only thing I can say to express the way I’m feeling right now. Well, physically at least. <br />
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As I write this, it 9:05pm, on February 27th, 2011. <br />
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My baptism was at 7:00pm, on February 27th, 2011. <br />
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If you’re not good at math, that was a little over two hours ago. I am so filled with the Spirit right now, that I can barely even think! My face hurts from smiling, and my heart is aching with joy! <br />
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A good friend of mine told me tonight, that when I got home, I should write down what I’m feeling, so that I can remember the way I felt on this day, for the rest of my life. Only, I’m having trouble articulating my thoughts because all that’s going through my head is, “This is it. Here it is. You did it. After everything you’ve been through, you have found your way home.” <br />
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I am home. <br />
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So I guess the best way to give my testimony is to go back to the beginning. <br />
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I was raised Baptist. From the time I was born, until I was in 6th grade, we attended church almost every Sunday. I was in bell choir, and I went to Vacation Bible School every summer. But I never really felt “good” at church. I always felt like I was getting in trouble, or being scolded. More like I was being warned of hell, than celebrating heaven. When I was 11, there was a family tragedy, which ultimately led me to leave the church, angry with God. I spent the next 5 years, doing nothing good with my life. I got into trouble, I made wrong decisions, and hung out with all the wrong people. But during this time I left school and home schooled myself, and graduated on my 16th birthday. Then I told myself I better get a job. So I stopped hanging out with the wrong people, stopped doing all the bad things and making wrong decisions, and I got a full time job. I changed my life, and became a work-a-holic, but still I was angry with God. I never denied the existence of God, and I knew in my heart that Jesus was his son and our savior, yet I always felt something was missing. <br />
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I was being pressured all the time to go to college. Do this, do that. But I never knew what I wanted to go to school for. I began to feel like I was worth nothing, that God had no plan for me. That I was sitting around waiting for a sign that would never come. I got very depressed. I was constantly wishing that I didn’t exist, wishing that the pressure would go away, and that people would stop bothering me. I started praying. <br />
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There is a band called Relient K, that I’m sure many of you have heard, and they have this song called “I Need You.” I love most of their music, but at this dark time in my life, the lyrics to this song really touched me. “I have not been abandoned. No I have not been deserted, and I have not been forgotten.” <br />
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I listened to this song on repeat for about 2 weeks. Crying, and constantly praying, saying to God, “I need you. More than ever, I need you right now. I don’t know what to do, I don’t know where to go. Please, just give me a hint.” <br />
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So after 2 weeks of feeling lost, and never receiving an answer to my prayer (I guess I was expecting a white light and a holy vision) I gave up. I decided I would get a general degree, maybe in business. So that I could just get people off my back and go about my business. So I put in an application for financial aid and started trying to get the ball rolling. <br />
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One day, I was working, as usual. When a girl came into the small grocery store I was working at. I lived in a relatively small town, and almost everyone knew each other, but nobody recognized this girl. After seeing her walk around the store for almost 2 hours, and no one ever talking to her and her not making any purchases, we all just decided she must be drunk. It wasn’t until I was ready to go home, and I had pulled my register for the day, and was counting my money, that she finally approached me. Her first question was, “What are you going to school for?” <br />
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My response, “Business.” After that she said something, that I know I will never forget. <br />
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“God sent me to talk to you.” <br />
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How is someone supposed to respond to such a statement? I can tell you how I responded. <br />
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“Um…ok?” Yes, I was suspicious, and was thinking, oh yes, definitely drunk. But then she said another thing. <br />
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“God wanted me to tell you, don’t settle. God has a bigger plan for you. Just keep going.” This girl looked like she was about to cry, and at that moment, I’m sure I did too. To this day, when I feel the Spirit in me, I just want to cry. It’s almost as if, there is just so much warmth and joy inside of me, that it wants to spill over and come out and show everyone in the world. So it spills out through my eyes. <br />
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So anyways, this is when I noticed her Relient K shirt, and doing my best to hold my ground, and not fall apart, or fly off into the atmosphere being filled with such lightness, I asked her, “You like Relient K? I’ve been listening to them a lot lately.” She told me she had grown up in the same town as them, and went to all their concerts before they made it big. She told me her name was Alyson, but her friends called her Aly. <br />
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In my head all I could think was, “Thank you God. Not only are you giving me some kind of hint, you are straight up slapping me in the face.” <br />
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I knew then, that this girl was sent from God. My prayers had been answered, even though I never did anything to deserve it. In fact I had pushed God away for years and years because of something man had done, and not even God himself. <br />
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Fast forward 4 more years. I had decided not to go to school, because well, God told me not to settle for that. I continued to be pressured into school, anything, just anything because you HAVE to go to school, otherwise your life is over, right? But I refused. A couple times I thought, maybe I could go for… never mind. School just isn’t for me. So long story short, I decided to move to Washington. I came up here to live with people I met on the internet, and everyone thought I was crazy. I got a job, met new friends, cried over different STUFF. That’s when I learned about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or, as it I knew it at the time, “That cult with all the wives.” <br />
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I immediately started reading about the church on the internet, and I liked that the church was so family oriented, and the idea of eternal marriage just sound awesome to me! So I downloaded the Book of Mormon on my Kindle, and that’s all it took. I read the testimony of Joseph Smith, and I was immediately reminded of the day God sent me a messenger. I had received a testimony, and felt the Spirit, and I knew, the first time I read it, that the Book of Mormon was true, and that Joseph Smith had been sent as a messenger by God. Just like me. That’s all it took. I had no idea what the rest of the book said, what it was about, or anything. I just knew it was for me, and I was ready to join the church. <br />
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I started out light. I was a little weirded out, or I guess just nervous about having missionaries over to my house, so I went on mormon.org and clicked on the Chat With Us icon, and began my investigation in the church. That is where I met Elder LeeMaster. I was completely comfortable talking with him, and we seemed to have a lot in common. So I thought, yeah, missionaries are cool, I can do this whole missionary thing. So I submitted my form to request a visit with the missionaries, and about 5 minutes later I got a call from Elder Smith. We set a date to meet (we met the next afternoon) and I started reading scriptures. I could go on telling you every detail, about every meeting I had with the Elders, but really all I need to say, is that this has been THE best experience in my entire life. <br />
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Elder Smith and Elder Bauman, are two of the most amazing people I have ever met. I feel like God picked out missionaries just for me, and delivered them to my door step. But then, not only did God deliver me two new friends, he delivered me two new brothers. I feel so blessed to have the missionaries, and the internet missionary Elder LeeMaster, and I someday hope to go on my own mission to share the gospel with the rest of my family, and all of the world. <br />
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I give my testimony, that the Book of Mormon is true, that the LDS is Christ’s church restored, and that this is the way, to eternal happiness, and I give this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-5947163546078924772011-02-22T07:52:00.000-08:002011-02-22T07:52:27.047-08:00Testimony Tuesday- Olivia's Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKON5ipSZBxjgytagF6Fwy4XrH1VlR18y77hCz5gXxRoBwWWk55a1BOlar7IhyphenhyphenG0935emOqqOW93yLEAKrhBmsGBbvxr9yOz8HrFt4FyzkqO5A_p1IERXQo7W3kAX1PHrkxuWTr7Nx9g/s1600/Olivia+Bright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKON5ipSZBxjgytagF6Fwy4XrH1VlR18y77hCz5gXxRoBwWWk55a1BOlar7IhyphenhyphenG0935emOqqOW93yLEAKrhBmsGBbvxr9yOz8HrFt4FyzkqO5A_p1IERXQo7W3kAX1PHrkxuWTr7Nx9g/s320/Olivia+Bright.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><br />
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I am 18 years old. For 18 years and 8 months I attended my parents’ church. We went every Sunday and often had family bible studies. Being close to the Lord was (and still is) very important to my mother and she did well instilling this love in me. <br />
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When I was about 14 I started to neglect my relationship with God. I made it a chore to read scriptures and pray and over the years quit altogether. Of course I was still going to church and all, but honestly I was just doing what I was supposed to do, going through motions. There were times I attempted to rebuild my relationship but over and over I failed. This had somewhat of an effect on my high school years. But, I know that God was still watching over me and directing my paths, because after a terrible freshman year, I changed schools and made friends. There are three friends in particular that stand out because they have been a great support in my life and all play a big role in how I have come lay the foundations to build my testimony. <br />
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I was first introduced to the church by two of my friends who are LDS. They invited me to church events and even church services. I am grateful for that because I came to learn what the LDS church really was despite myths I had heard. I went to the annual Trunk or Treat at my friends’ family ward twice, but I did not attend a Sunday service until my friend, Iver, was doing his farewell talk. To make a long story short the spirit was definitely strong in the service and I was amazed by the sincerity. That is what really sparked my interest in the church. That summer I went away to New York for a summer program. I attended two Sundays at a meeting house nearby and that only caught more of my attention. This time, I was drawn in by the lives of some young members I met; Jane a law student, Katie a dance student, and a pair of sister missionaries. They were very sure about where they were going in life and about their faith; they did not believe or go to church because their parents told them to. They had their own faith which is something I did not have. When I went back home everyone was gone to school and on missions. I had to defer a semester; however looking back it might be lucky I did. During that time I was able to meet with Elders in Denver at The Johnson’s house and I was even luckier to have two pairs of missionaries and also my friend Shakira and her parents to learn with. When I started to pray about the Book of Mormon and the truthfulness of the church, I began to receive many answers, not just about the church. The fact that I once again wanted to pray and read scripture assured me there was something true about this Gospel. I had not planned to get baptized as soon as I did, but I know that it was the right thing to do. My baptism and confirmation were very special to say the least. I was grateful to have my parents there and my good friend Ashleen to support me. I could not have had a better service with the wonderful talks. As I attend sacrament, and other ward activities, I continuously find the blessings, from the covenants I made. I am confident in the truthfulness of the church and so thankful for the people in my life that helped me to find it. (That includes E. LeeMaster and other online missionaries. They are wonderful indeed).Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-43836063073933861982011-02-17T15:37:00.000-08:002011-02-17T18:52:50.633-08:00Random Thursday post!I was listening to a talk by an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, Bruce R. McConkie today, and it led me to finding this slideshow about our Savior. The talk I listened to is called "The Purifying Power of Gethsemane". It is a powerful witness by a SPECIAL witness of Christ. I would highly recommend it for anybody who wants to know just a little more about the story of Christ's last 24 hours in mortality. For now, here is the slideshow. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;">Comment and give YOUR testimony of Jesus Christ!</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8athR6fvshY?rel=0" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe>Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-75219876480530484532011-02-15T09:23:00.000-08:002011-02-15T09:23:44.069-08:00Testimony Tuesday- Megan's Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnLHiTZJjDvR7hhZMF3VCr9D2TTGrkwwR2wxTqvz-rYPs4CJ-b1-1yG8LWngNwcDphLdtT5ZWlhCIDIx0qFXLeIuHWqGWTfoiFHW2nb7OMZtRPGvnE2kFtlz32KbQU-ITgMBmuTYlVkk/s1600/Megan+with+the+Christus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnLHiTZJjDvR7hhZMF3VCr9D2TTGrkwwR2wxTqvz-rYPs4CJ-b1-1yG8LWngNwcDphLdtT5ZWlhCIDIx0qFXLeIuHWqGWTfoiFHW2nb7OMZtRPGvnE2kFtlz32KbQU-ITgMBmuTYlVkk/s320/Megan+with+the+Christus.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Here is a little background on my history: All of my life, I grew up in a fairly secular home. I had attended a few protestant churches here and there, but I was never affiliated with one in particular. As I entered into high school, my parents were both remarried to religious people. Through my dad and stepmother, I was learning Jewish tradition. My mother converted to Catholicism after marrying my stepfather, so I had a couple major religions in my life to learn from. Although there were true aspects in both religions, I did not feel like I could commit to one or the other. Neither of them seemed complete to me.<br />
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</div><div>Fast forward to my senior year: I had made a few friends in different classes and started hearing things about the LDS Church. Like many others, I had inaccurate, preconceived notions about the Church. However, since I knew actual members now, I felt comfortable asking questions myself. At that point, I was still uninterested in any particular religion. I was just seeking some sort of truth. I gave many religions "test runs" and tried to learn through experience. After having the opportunity to get closer to a few LDS friends, I attended Church for the first time. Trust me when I say I was nervous. The idea of being at Church made me very uneasy. As soon as I entered though, I felt more at peace. Although I did not realize then, it was the first time bearing witness to the Holy Ghost<br />
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Quickly, I became fascinated by the LDS Church. I needed to know more, yet my pride was too great to talk to my friends about it. I started talking to the missionaries online from Mormon.org. Specifically, Elder LeeMaster and his companion chatted with me, and then asked if they could call me. After that, they gave me many lessons over the phone. I was impressed with how well they answered my questions (and put up with my stubborn nature). I really felt things were falling into place in my life. I knew I was going to be baptized, it was just a matter of when. I was soon set up with the local missionaries. I took the lessons with them and within two weeks, I was scheduled to be baptized.<br />
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As I prepared for my baptism, my faith and love for Christ grew exponentially. The fears in my heart slowly receded and I felt comforted by the Holy Ghost. It was an experience that is difficult to put in words and it is something I will never forget. It seems impossible that it has already been a year since that critical time, but the past year has been the best in my life. Having the Gospel has made all of the difference. Knowing the Plan of Happiness and having the Atonement has been so fulfilling and helped me overcome struggles. I am grateful for Heavenly Father and for the patience he has with me as I study the scriptures and learn the principles of the Gospel. I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to go to Church every Sunday and learn there as well. I am grateful for the chance I have to partake of the sacrament each week and to feel the love of Christ and Heavenly father while I renew my baptismal covenants. In rough times, it is always reassuring to have the Gospel and knowing the importance of keeping strong faith.<br />
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After joining the Church, some of my family members (and even my friends) struggled with the idea of me being LDS. I reassured them that it was the best decision of my entire life. After being a member for over a year now, I am still so grateful to say that I have the Gospel in my life. The teachings of Christ have served as such a wonderful example to me. My happiness and perspective on life has developed, and I am so thankful for all the blessings the Gospel has brought into my life. It has not always been easy though. There are always people that try to accuse you of things or disagree with your faith; but the best thing I have learned is that I can help my testimony grow by loving everyone as Christ did. I know this is the true Church and that we have the restored Gospel. I can feel it in my heart every single day. The Church means everything to me and I cannot wait until I can share my life with someone who holds the same beliefs. Being married and sealed in the temple will make all of the difference in my future. It will be wonderful to have my own family that I can share the Gospel with. I am grateful for the founders of the Church who although they were persecuted, continued to stay faithful. Their integrity and determination to do what was right is something that I try to reflect on often. I am so thankful for the Gospel and for the chance I have to practice my faith freely, without persecution. I know that the Church and the Book of Mormon are true, and I would not be the same without them in my life. I leave that with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.</div></div>Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-32757239411596274732011-02-06T14:49:00.000-08:002011-02-06T14:49:39.765-08:00Scripture Sunday- Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord<b>Doctrine and Covenants 65: 3-6</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://mormonfaq.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/christus-jesus-christ-mormon3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://mormonfaq.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/christus-jesus-christ-mormon3.jpg" width="320" /></a><b>3.</b> Yea, a voice crying-- Prepare ye the way of the Lord, prepare ye the supper of the Lamb, make ready for the Bridegroom.<b> 4.</b> Pray unto the Lord, call upon his holy name, make known his wonderful works among the people. <b>5.</b> Call upon the Lord, that his kingdom may go forth upon the earth, that the inhabitants thereof may receive it, and be prepared for the days to come, in the which the Son of Man shall come down in heaven, clothed in the brightness of his glory, to meet the kingdom of God which is set up on the earth. <b>6.</b> Wherefore, may the kingdom of God go forth, that the kingdom of heaven may come, that though, O God, mayest be glorified in heaven so on earth, that thine enemies may be subdued; for thine is the honor, power and and glory, forever and ever. Amen.<br />
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This is a slightly hurried post. But I am loving the references that talk of our Savior's 2nd Coming more and more as I find them. I hope you can enjoy them too!Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-59504949720784545682011-01-24T08:25:00.000-08:002011-01-24T08:27:32.591-08:00Movie Monday- Continuing our Savior Jesus ChristAs I was making my blog post yesterday I thought of this short video that condenses a talk given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. It's one of my favorites about the Savior.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="311" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/EpFhS0dAduc?rel=0" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="500"></iframe>Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-77945553003732748802011-01-23T18:26:00.000-08:002011-01-23T18:26:47.796-08:00Scripture Sunday- Our Savior Jesus ChristDoctrine and Covenants 133: 46-50, 52-53<br />
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46 And it shall be said: Who is this that cometh down from God in heaven with dyed garments; yea, from the regions which are not known, clothed in his glorious apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength?<br />
47 And he shall say: I am he who spake in righteousness, mighty to save.<br />
48 And the Lord shall be red in his apparel, and his garments like him that treadeth in the wine-vat.<br />
49 And so great shall be the glory of his presence that the sun shall hide his face in shame, and the moon shall withhold its light, and the stars shall be hurled from their places.<br />
50 And his voice shall be heard: I have trodden the wine-press alone, and have brought judgment upon all people; and none were with me;<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieB1ljXyPu5ysrVgAy8cEFwLomu3fl9fV0Gjg5BGoyVdcPZJqxMmb2r1SaqB-1mSXz1Dp7llkRSMhteh9MufjUA2Pmf_c65cxUJC4_r9HKybx7mYso5IHVp6CqXXM-XOpzC0NBdGjlTS8/s1600/JC+resurrected.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieB1ljXyPu5ysrVgAy8cEFwLomu3fl9fV0Gjg5BGoyVdcPZJqxMmb2r1SaqB-1mSXz1Dp7llkRSMhteh9MufjUA2Pmf_c65cxUJC4_r9HKybx7mYso5IHVp6CqXXM-XOpzC0NBdGjlTS8/s320/JC+resurrected.JPG" width="249" /></a>52 And now the year of my redeemed is come; and they shall mention the loving kindness of their Lord, and all that he has bestowed upon them according to his goodness, and according to his loving kindness, forever and ever.<br />
53 In all their afflictions he was afflicted. And the angel of his presence saved them; and in his love, and in his pity, he redeemed them, and bore them, and carried them all the days of old;<br />
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Our Savior Jesus Christ will come again...Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-59219517199792161712011-01-23T08:31:00.001-08:002011-01-23T08:31:15.555-08:00Finally!!Don't even worry, a blog post is coming today!! Yes, I've been a slacker... But no more of that! :DElder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-72691466072984995652010-12-23T09:49:00.001-08:002010-12-23T09:49:33.253-08:00Merry Christmas from Charlie Brown!I decided to post one of my favorite monologues of all-time about the Nativity story. :) I hope everyone enjoys their holidays!<br />
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<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DKk9rv2hUfA?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DKk9rv2hUfA?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-50923663404190942412010-12-06T07:55:00.000-08:002010-12-06T07:55:11.745-08:00Movie Monday- Christmas time is here again!In honor of the holiday season I thought I would start off with one man's musical tribute to our Savior, Jesus Christ. Handel was a composer who lived in the 1700s. He was a talented musician who was able to master the violin and organ at a young age. He started writing operas in Italy and later moved to England where he enjoyed early success. However, as he grew older his audience became less and less interested in his works. For the majority of his life he spent his time fighting off creditors. It was only after he suffered, and recovered from, a stroke that left his right arm temporarily paralyzed that he wrote a piece that is world renowned today and one of the best pieces of music ever written. Handel's Messiah.<br />
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May we all remember this holiday season the wonderful gift of having Christ live on this earth, and may we also use Handel as an example of perseverance that we might also be able to glorify God in our own individual ways as we strive to follow Him.Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-87828375586333963892010-11-23T13:38:00.000-08:002010-11-23T13:38:25.033-08:00Testimony Tuesday- Sacred Sunday Ordinances<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxqrLSS1tk0789wSq4l6A0NGmuRZTfeS8DF9rEAhY19UhBIlRO2fLElOe1BsIvKp5LKPrnMRBqnT0J18pJ1wAdInsrD8HQ85LsagVllEHn9GJe_yhj4wfkZjcB2y5S7Is6N5-wa3v37k/s1600/Sacrament+trays.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxqrLSS1tk0789wSq4l6A0NGmuRZTfeS8DF9rEAhY19UhBIlRO2fLElOe1BsIvKp5LKPrnMRBqnT0J18pJ1wAdInsrD8HQ85LsagVllEHn9GJe_yhj4wfkZjcB2y5S7Is6N5-wa3v37k/s1600/Sacrament+trays.jpg" /></a>This week, as with every week in church, I had the opportunity to participate in the ordinance of the Sacrament. Ordinances are just ceremonies where we make covenants, or promises, with God. The ordinance of the Sacrament is one that is performed weekly in the LDS Church and is a renewal of the covenants that members make at baptism to stand as witnesses of Jesus Christ and always remember Him. As we make this promise to God, He promises us a remission of our sins as well as the continuing presence and gift of the Holy Ghost.<br />
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As I sat in church pondering about the significance of the Sacrament the Holy Ghost confirmed to me once again that it is truly a necessarily and beautiful ordinance that is carried out under Priesthood authority and by Priesthood power. I know that it really is a renewal of our baptismal covenants. With it we can feel clean and pure every week just as we did when we were baptized. I invite all to prepare themselves to make those commitments where they could be baptized, so that they can enjoy all the blessings that God would have for them.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/59400/The-sacrament-renewal-of-covenants.html">Original Image</a></div>Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-3052708433158546882010-11-21T14:09:00.000-08:002010-11-21T14:09:13.661-08:00Scripture Sunday- I believe in Christ 2.0For anyone who didn't read my first Scripture Sunday post about my testimony of Jesus Christ you can look <a href="http://elderleemaster.blogspot.com/2010/09/scripture-sunday-i-believe-in-christ.html">Here</a>. In it I talk about a prophet named Nephi, from the Book of Mormon, who preaches and testifies of Christ. One of my other very favorite prophets from the Book of Mormon named Alma also talks about Jesus Christ and the sacrifice that He made for each of us.<br />
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Alma says, " And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."- Alma 7: 11-12<br />
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I testify that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. That through His sacrifice we all can be saved and return to live with our Heavenly Father again. That IS the central and most important message that any LDS missionary could share.<br />
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Here is one more video testimony from The Mormon Tabernacle Choir<br />
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<object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5W-qFeNiEaQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5W-qFeNiEaQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="340"></embed></object>Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-18689353509487901442010-11-20T11:17:00.000-08:002010-11-20T11:18:31.166-08:00Random Saturday ThoughtsWhen I was in elementary school my parents always used to have me walk to and from school. Of course it was always uphill and in 3 feet of snow. One fall morning in my first grade year it was particularly windy and cold. I was not excited to have to walk to school in that wind! I knew that walking out in the cold was necessary to make it to my destination, but it would be cold and hard and the wind was blowing hard enough that it could almost knock me over. I went to my dad and asked humbly for a ride to school since I was already late and it was so windy. He told me no, understanding that I needed to learn the valuable lesson of waking up for school on time, and bundling up for the cold weather. I cried and whined but couldn't convince him to take me to school. I started walking, wiping tears from my face, as the wind stung my exposed cheeks and nose.<br />
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I got barely a third of the way when I heard, and then turned to see, my dad's truck racing towards me down the street. He hadn't believed me that morning when I had said that it was VERY windy and cold out. But when he went to leave for work he realized exactly what he had sent me out into. The love of my father for me made him drop everything that he needed to do that morning to come to my rescue.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEgvx95GV9mP_IuOEVlapD-pvtIiiUTGxfOiU-VL5MbGtS5FehZMj1CF5c4_2lM-oQ4Fe2B2GzXqw1wwf8koiqi2uQ34xYoyt6El1Dea_5ATCL2_kgxWNqVI9N0SRE_EW3KZUxWn2R3I/s1600/ArtBook__116_116__ChristAndChildrenFromAroundTheWorld____.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEgvx95GV9mP_IuOEVlapD-pvtIiiUTGxfOiU-VL5MbGtS5FehZMj1CF5c4_2lM-oQ4Fe2B2GzXqw1wwf8koiqi2uQ34xYoyt6El1Dea_5ATCL2_kgxWNqVI9N0SRE_EW3KZUxWn2R3I/s320/ArtBook__116_116__ChristAndChildrenFromAroundTheWorld____.jpg" width="240" /></a>Just as I have an earthly father who came immediately to my rescue when I needed him, I know that we all have a Heavenly Father who is just as concerned about each of us individually as we travel through this mortal state. As we seek after Him He will rush to our aid anytime we need Him. One of the ways that I have found this to be true in my life is through the power of prayer. One of my favorite scriptures from the Book of Mormon about prayer says, " I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul."- 2 Nephi 32: 9<br />
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I know that God is there. He lives, and He loves us. He cares about each of us individually, and He wants to hear about our problems and our struggles. As we do things like pray and as we seek to have a relationship with Him He will always be there ready and waiting to help us in our lives.<br />
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</div>Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-31874359877266490272010-11-12T19:59:00.000-08:002010-11-12T19:59:56.734-08:00Friday Free Day- I'm finally back!So many people are wondering, I'm sure, where the posts have gone! I'm very sorry that I haven't posted lately. But here we are again and I promise not to be so irresponsible in the future. I was thinking about our Thanksgiving season as the holiday is soon approaching and it came to mind just how much I have to be grateful for to my Heavenly Father. I like the verse from the Book of Mormon... From Alma chapter 37, verse37..." Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">let they heart be full of thanks unto God</span>; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day." I hope we can all remember to be grateful for all of our many blessings that we receive from our Heavenly Father, especially in this season!<br />
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<object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Tuwid8_O8dk?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Tuwid8_O8dk?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="340"></embed></object>Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-7798913721625633492010-10-21T14:13:00.000-07:002010-10-21T14:22:51.016-07:00I hope I can be hopeful!During my Friday Free Day <a href="http://elderleemaster.blogspot.com/2010/10/friday-free-day-requests.html">"Requests"</a> post Trudi asked a question regarding hope and my favorite scripture that talks about that. One thing that I feel I have been blessed with in my life is hope. I say this not to brag, but to express thanks to my Heavenly Father, in a public setting, for one of the blessings that I see God giving me in my life. I believe that hope comes of faith, and faith in things like God and Jesus Christ is something that I've always been able to have in my life and such faith is able to give me hope. I'm reminded of a scripture in the book of Ether, from the Book of Mormon, "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."- Ether 12:4<br />
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One scripture that was recently mentioned by blogger Tiffany is in 3rd Nephi from the Book of Mormon. She says, " I love reading in 3 Nephi about when Christ comes to visit the Americas. After reading about all the wars and contentions, (in Alma specifically) and still more wars, then you read about the destruction of the earth and the darkness for days etc, it's so refreshing and peaceful to read about Christ coming after He was resurrected. He teaches, He blesses the little children, He lets people feel the nail prints in His hands, and it's lovely to read. All of those chapters give me hope."<br />
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I know that because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ we can hope for things to come, both in this life or in the eternal scheme of things. I'm really excited to see everybody's answers to questions on my blog as well! Any other ideas or topics that people would like to discuss? I would love to hear about them!!Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-13607062576886978372010-10-18T17:38:00.000-07:002010-10-18T17:38:20.075-07:00Movie Monday- Practice makes Perfect!When I was in high school I was into music. Well... I've always been into music, but in high school I had an organized outlet for my interests. I was in a couple of choirs in jr. high and enjoyed it so much that I decided to join some choirs while I was in high school! My senior year I had the opportunity to be in the large A Capella choir, as well as the chamber choir which sang the most difficult pieces that our teacher taught her students. It was a really wonderful experience and I learned a lot of things that I have taken away from it and incorporated into my life. One of those things is diligence and patience as we learn.<br />
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During my Junior year when I was in the large A Capella class we sang a song titled, "The Battle of Jericho". At first when we practiced it we sang it really, really slow. I wondered as we did it why we were practicing it that way. Having never heard the song before I wasn't quite prepared for the complexity and the difficulty of keeping everything exactly at the right tempo. Fortunately for me and the other people in my choir who complained about the tedious practicing, we had an excellent teacher who understood the importance of learning the basics with diligence and patience. When we finally did put the whole thing together it sounded like this:<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hiz54OHyCAg">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hiz54OHyCAg</a><br />
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Our Gospel understanding is much like this. We sometimes don't realize the importance of the little things like saying our prayers or attending church. We rationalize by saying, "one time missing church will be okay." But I can promise when we are diligent and patient with the "little things", that we will be practicing and learning principles that will help us when the difficult things in life come. We'll be able to do such things as, recognize the Holy Ghost speaking to us, or be able to take comfort in our prayers during those difficult times. God will always be there to bless and help us. May the Lord bless us all that we might be diligent and patient as we follow the example of our Savior, Jesus Christ.Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-60951032011827168312010-10-15T13:44:00.000-07:002010-10-15T13:45:47.920-07:00Friday Free Day- Requests??Over the past month or so you've had the opportunity to know a little bit about my testimony, and learn about the things that I like to see/read/listen to. Now it's your turn! I want to find out what YOU all want me to write about. Of course I'll only discuss topics regarding the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but anything within that goes!<br />
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Have a question you want to ask?? I'll answer it on a blog post!<br />
Have a favorite scripture that you want me to talk about?? I'll post it, and talk about what it means to you, or me, or both.<br />
Have a favorite church video that you want other people to see?? Tell me about it and I'll find it if it is anywhere online!<br />
Comment on this post, or message me on Facebook. You can even email me if you would like! Whatever way works best for you.<br />
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Let's start the insanity. ;)Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-9107116120307913182010-10-12T10:12:00.000-07:002010-10-12T10:20:33.710-07:00Testimony Tuesday- Slow and steady...Recently Elder Baird and I have taken up running as part of our daily exercise. Since we don't get much physical activity during most of our day we have the chance to spend time at the end of the day doing something active. Anybody who has been to our part of Provo, Utah knows that we live on the side of a mountain. It doesn't really matter the direction we go when we run because we are inevitably going to run into a hill at some point along the way. The first few times we ran, those hills terrified and discouraged me. I was not a good runner at first. This was not because I was unhealthy or out of shape, but because I did not think <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>positively</u></span></b> about the path ahead of me. I would think to myself, "How am I ever going to make it up that last large hill?? I've already run for several miles, and I am tired!" Always, this pattern of thought was crippling once I did reach that hill.<br />
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The more I ran the more I understood the importance of thinking positively. As I would run I would think to myself, "I feel great! As long as I <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>keep this pace</u></span></b> I can make it to the end of the run." I allowed myself to be realistic by admitting that the journey might hurt. But I knew that <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>consistency</u></span></b> would be key.<br />
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So often in life we run into the same obstacles. Not the metaphorical hills... But the obstacles of thinking negatively about our capabilities, and not building a strong and sure foundation of faith that relies on consistent, righteous behavior. My testimony today is one of faith in God and His son Jesus Christ. I have faith and hope that through my righteous living I can begin to make definite changes in my life for the better. Elder Richard G. Scott, in last week's General Conference, talked about the importance of having faith and being consistent in following God. Here is a portion of that talk:<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"></span>I know that God lives. That He cares about each one of us. He wants us to make correct decisions so that we might learn to become more like Him and more like our Savior and perfect example, Jesus Christ. I know that as we live the principles of the Gospel that we will be able to accomplish that. I encourage everybody, if you are not already doing so, to test and experiment on the things that you may learn about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. All you need is the desire to believe and if you experiment through prayer and study and trying to follow the commandments then I know that you will know that God is there for you in your life. You will have a peace and love of God and of your fellow-men. And you will be hopeful in your standing before God.Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-65880419109128960552010-10-11T14:12:00.000-07:002010-10-11T14:12:56.712-07:00The Bean Counters<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rvRCXl08w3RpwEZRfVqWpNOxLeql-Oc8RKR1F41VI-MWDZW-MEK6gAbVyztyErGrFWhAzcmoqDUoZ5cpaJe63OmcVvqN0gYMsH_ETodjrOHbXlH9AOzRe7orqB26WWslckEZiMYHnfA/s1600/2346350880_1e229f4624_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rvRCXl08w3RpwEZRfVqWpNOxLeql-Oc8RKR1F41VI-MWDZW-MEK6gAbVyztyErGrFWhAzcmoqDUoZ5cpaJe63OmcVvqN0gYMsH_ETodjrOHbXlH9AOzRe7orqB26WWslckEZiMYHnfA/s1600/2346350880_1e229f4624_m.jpg" /></a>I remember reading an essay in high school entitled "The Bean Counters" which chronicled three theories made by a very observant girl regarding the Bean Counters of life. Her conclusion was that she was not here merely to count beans; but to count them, organize them, and even make them in to bean soup should the mood strike her.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">So often I find that to be the case in life, and especially in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are welcome to become preoccupied with counting our beans, carefully cataloging and organizing, making sure that everything is just so-so. Or we can refuse to count beans all together, and miss out on the joy that is the bean! These two extremes rarely lead us to the place that we want to go. This place that I am referring to is, of course, safely back into the presence of God, our Heavenly Father.</div><a name='more'></a><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I have heard it said that God isn't so much interested in what we do... But who we become. Naturally if we recognize that ideas lead to thoughts, which lead to actions, which lead to habits, which lead to character... We understand the relationship between actions and who we are. We also have an example to look to for guidance, " Jesus [said]...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) There is a reason why God gave us a perfect example whom we could follow. We now know the way. We have the instructions. Through modern prophets and apostles we receive slight course corrections when our bean soup starts to be over-seasoned or too runny.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">As we follow what God wants us to do we add things to our metaphorical bean soup. It becomes the consistency, and has the proper flavor and look, that we want. There is no need to become preoccupied with our bean counting. There IS a need to remember who we are, and who we want to become. We are children of a loving Heavenly Father. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can be cleansed from the sins and mistakes that we make in this life. We can be, as it says in Romans, "...Heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if it so be that <b>we suffer with him</b>, <b>that we may be also glorified together</b>."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">As we trust in God, we can understand and know that He has given us many things to help us in our lives. We don't need to become preoccupied with those things. But we can trust that if we do those things that God asks us to do, we will reach that goal that we are shooting for!</div>Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-71418435665235861152010-10-05T10:52:00.000-07:002010-10-12T10:14:17.427-07:00Testimony Tuesday- A prophet of GodI had the opportunity last weekend to be part of an MTC Choir that sang in the Priesthood Session of General Conference. It was a really special experience for me, and probably something I won't get the chance to do many more times in my life. The sweetest part of that trip though was the chance I had to hear President Thomas S. Monson speak. I can tell you that watching him on TV is a great experience, and that you can feel the Spirit as you watch. But there is also something special and powerful about seeing him in person. I testify that He is a prophet. He is the 16th prophet since the reorganization of Christ's Church to the earth in 1830. Find out for yourself! :) Go watch him speak. Pray about it. I know he is a prophet. You can know it too. Just in case you can't find one of his conference addresses for yourself, here is the one from Priesthood Session that impressed me. :)<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="412" id="flashObj" width="486"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=623511248001&playerID=66819209001&playerKey=AQ%2E%2E,AAAAD5C7cik%2E,NkEKrBzbuXL1RD1uYGY2x0Vcg3Yr-Utp&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=623511248001&playerID=66819209001&playerKey=AQ%2E%2E,AAAAD5C7cik%2E,NkEKrBzbuXL1RD1uYGY2x0Vcg3Yr-Utp&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object>Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8361671543653857831.post-72879153136637201892010-10-03T17:27:00.000-07:002010-10-12T10:14:48.216-07:00Scripture Sunday- Come Listen to a Prophet's Voice<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7tQjCnNXxphQp9usF7D9QUR4tl340SQNI3uw_evm-eaMqbrf1AhfNEnLkPmT7jm1Ng7zjkeSwXbe_l7uIcIfMlCoN0valyaFbqFtifJfEHKNiWKHoypj8JZvH0JbB6aLNoz6kQ3v-Kg/s1600/thomas-s-monson-mormon1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7tQjCnNXxphQp9usF7D9QUR4tl340SQNI3uw_evm-eaMqbrf1AhfNEnLkPmT7jm1Ng7zjkeSwXbe_l7uIcIfMlCoN0valyaFbqFtifJfEHKNiWKHoypj8JZvH0JbB6aLNoz6kQ3v-Kg/s320/thomas-s-monson-mormon1.jpg" width="256" /></a>This weekend was a very special weekend for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was the weekend when we have our semi-annual General Conference. The time when the entire worldwide church is able to come together to be instructed and uplifted by Prophets and Apostles; Special witnesses of Jesus Christ that convey to all of us those things that our Heavenly Father wants us to know.<br />
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In <a href="http://scriptures.lds.org/en/search?search=amos+3:+7&do=Search&anonymous_element_1_changed=search">Amos chapter 3, verse 7</a> it reads, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." When we listen to General Conference we are able to better understand the counsel and advice that God would have us know at this specific time.<br />
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It has been confirmed again to me today that there is a living prophet on the earth today. His name is Thomas S. Monson. He stands as the leader of this church, under the direction of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. I promise that as we follow the counsel that he gives we will have a pure joy in this life. We will be able to follow the commandments that God would have us follow, and we can one day return to live with our Heavenly Father again. For anyone who missed any session of Conference, I would urge you to watch it, and to be open to the Holy Spirit as it speaks to your heart and mind about the truthfulness of the doctrines that were shared. Here is a link: <a href="http://lds.org/broadcast/gc/1,5161,9199,00.html">http://lds.org/broadcast/gc/1,5161,9199,00.html</a><br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://beliefs.ldsblogs.com/4513/why-do-mormons-obey-their-prophet">Click here for original image</a></div>Elder LeeMasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763140632932519018noreply@blogger.com0