Archive for July, 2009
The Fray
I saw The Fray with Jack’s Mannequin Saturday night! 
They rock my socks! 
The Fray
18 July 2009
Photos by Marie Zamora
www.mariezamora.net
Add comment July 20, 2009
Words of a Prophet on The First Vision
“I thank my Father in Heaven for the testimony I have of the reality of the First Vision. I have stood among the trees where Joseph knelt as a boy, and heard the whisperings of the Spirit that it happened as he said it happened. I have read the words of critics, who from 1820 until now have tried to destroy the validity of that account. They have made much of the fact that there were several versions and that the account as we now have it was not written until 1838. So what? I find security for my faith in the simplicity of his narrative, in its lack of argument, in its straightforward reasonableness, and in the fact that he sealed his testimony with his life’s blood. Could there have been a stronger endorsement?
Is it strange that James, writing anciently, would invite all who lacked wisdom to ask of God in faith? (See James 1:5.) Is it strange that such prayer would receive an answer? I thank the Lord for the faith to believe that the answer to that prayer came with a glorious manifestation of the Eternal Father and His Beloved Son, to part the curtain after centuries of darkness and open a new and promised and final dispensation of the gospel. Did it happen? I have no doubt of it. Was it not time, as a great age of enlightenment began to dawn upon the world, that these, the Father and the Son, should reveal themselves to show their form and power and living reality, and thus declare, once and for all, the true nature of Deity?”
[Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, November 1993, 51]
“The first vision of the Prophet Joseph Smith is bedrock theology to the Church. The adversary knows this and has attacked Joseph Smith’s credibility from the day he announced the visitation of the Father and the Son. You should always bear testimony to the truth of the First Vision. Joseph Smith did see the Father and the Son. They conversed with him as he said they did. Any leader who, without reservation, cannot declare his testimony that God and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith can never be a true leader, a true shepherd. If we do not accept this truth — if we have not received a witness about this great revelation — we cannot inspire faith in those whom we lead.”
[Ezra Taft Benson, Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson (1988), 101]
“Joseph Smith’s first vision restored knowledge of God. Of all the great events of the century, none compared with the first vision of Joseph Smith.”
[Spencer W. Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball (1982), 428]
“The appearing of the Father and the Son to Joseph Smith is the foundation of this Church. Therein lies the secret of its strength and vitality. This is true, and I bear witness to it. That one revelation answers all the queries of science regarding God and his divine personality. Don’t you see what that means? What God is, is answered. His relation to his children is clear. His interest in humanity through authority delegated to man is apparent. The future of the work is assured. These and other glorious truths are clarified by that glorious first vision.”
[David O. McKay, Gospel Ideals (1957), 85]
“This vision was the most important event that had taken place in all world history from the day of Christ’s ministry to the glorious hour when it occurred.”
[Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine , 285]
Reading James 1:5 was a turning point in young Joseph’s life. “It was like a light shining forth in a dark place, to guide him to the path in which he should walk” (Dean C. Jessee, The Papers of Joseph Smith [1989], 1:390). As he knelt down he began to pour out his heart to God, but his tongue was bound so that he could not speak (JS-H 1:15). But this plowboy prophet would not be deterred, so the evil one used his ultimate weapon: an all-out attack. Most of us cannot relate to this type of attack, but Jesus Christ (Matt. 4:5-10), Moses (Moses 1:19-22), and others could because they also had had similar experiences. In Joseph Smith’s case, Lucifer was determined to physically destroy him. Here we learn a great principle on how to overcome Satan’s wiles and temptation: Look to God in prayer and he will deliver us from the enemy which binds us (JS-H 1:16). Truly, “[i]n the First Vision, light released the boy Joseph from oppressive darkness” (Ted E. Brewerton, Ensign, November 1991, 11; or Conference Report, Oct. 1991, 12).
Once the darkness had dispersed, Joseph saw the Father and the Son, “whose brightness and glory defy all description” (JS-H 1:17). Our Heavenly Father introduced our Lord and Savior with the affectionate title, “My Beloved Son” and admonished Joseph to “hear” Him. The Prophet was informed that his sins were forgiven (D&C 20:5). He was also informed that he should not join any of the churches on the earth for “they were all wrong.” When the vision ended Joseph experienced what many before him had experienced — he had no strength. (See Moses [Moses 1:9-11]; Daniel [Daniel 10:8]; Peter [Acts 10:10-11]; Paul [Acts 9:4; 22:17-18]; Lehi [1 Ne. 1:7]; Nephi [1 Ne. 17:47; 19:20]; Alma [Mosiah 27:19]; Lamoni [Alma 18:42; 19:6]; and Ammon [Alma 19:14; 27:17].)
President Gordon B. Hinckley has given us a clear view of the place of the First Vision in the restoration of the Gospel.
“This transcendent experience opened the marvelous work of restoration. It lifted the curtain on the long-promised dispensation of the fullness of times.
For more than a century and a half, enemies, critics, and some would-be scholars have worn out their lives trying to disprove the validity of that vision. Of course they cannot understand it. The things of God are understood by the Spirit of God. There had been nothing of comparable magnitude since the Son of God walked the earth in mortality. Without it as a foundation stone for our faith and organization, we have nothing. With it, we have everything.” [Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, November 1984, 52]
Add comment July 15, 2009
The Bride
Yesterday Kyle and I were talking about how he’s currently engaged and how he isn’t really involved in the planning. I told him “You can come with me whenever the heck I get engaged and help me pick out a dress.”
“Why?”
“Cause you’re a guy and I value your opinion.”
“Okay. Now I kind of want to go now!”
So the tradition begins. Today was my turn. I called Sarah and Shawn and asked them to be my “brides maids” as I tried on wedding dresses. I picked one. Honestly, I love it!! If I really was getting married, I would choose this dress. Instead of white, it is actually ivory – perfect I think! The sash is the old BYU gold color.
Next week is Shawn’s turn. Then the week after is Sarah!
Thanks, Kyle for the fun idea!!
Add comment July 14, 2009
Gotta Do it! Gonna Do it! WATCH ME!!!
So a friend and I decided last week we’d have a competition to see who could lose the most weight by November. Ugh! Can I just say loafing this weekend didn’t help!? I gained the 5lbs back that I’d lost… So what did I do today? Kicked my butt!! That’s right!!! I feel like I’m gonna puke, but who gives!
I cut out caffeine and wow have I seen an effect. Today was the work BBQ. Yes, I only had 1 hamburger with lettuces and catchup…. and one 1″x1″ brownie … and half a personal sized bag of regular potato chips… (shoot, that’s what I just burned off probably! GRRR)…. Anyway… I grabbed a can of orange soda, which I’ve decided today to totally cut out all soda. I was dead tired when I got to work but oddly at lunch I had so much energy I couldn’t sit still. I brought the can back to my desk and a co-worker pointed out “You know that has caffeine in it, right?” …. WHAT?!! Oh and believe me did I feel the crash. Honestly I’d never felt the effect of caffeine on me. I did today. Mainly because I hadn’t had it in a while… Ugh… I don’t want that crash anymore. I just need more sleep every night.
When April came to get her wedding photos last week she said something to me that I actually decided I’d try and do. “Read 10 pages of an uplifting book every day.”… Well I started! I’m reading a book called “The Five Love Languages: Singles Edition”. So far so good! I’ve only just started but what the guy is saying makes a lot of sense. There are 2 stages of love. The Obsessive Love and the Covenant Love. Obsessive love is where you can’t live without them, you love everything about them. Some people can’t concentrate on school, work, etc… Don’t forget the ignoring outsiders view as you’re obsessed with only what you can see. You see no wrong in them. Forget that they’ve been married 4 times, they have children with 7 other women, or that they’ve never held a job longer than 3 months. (Commitment issues!)… Or that every time you’re together he just wants to make out. When you ask him stories about himself he only talks about sex. Or he thinks the best thing about you is the fact that you have a great [insert specific body part]… (time to see the bishop ISSUES!!)
Most of the time people get married in this crazy, obsessed love stage.
Covenant Love comes when the honeymoon is over (which usually lasts around 2 years) and you realize you’ve got to choose to love this person. No matter what. No matter if now you’ve realized he snores like a Mac truck. His favorite place to put his dirty socks aren’t in the laundry basket but are in the middle of your bedroom or livingroom. Their bad habits are displayed and finally you understand the advice that your friends had given… “He’s been married 4 times.” or he grabs your butt in the middle of talking with friends…
So far, I like the book. Speaks truth to me! I’m on chapter 2 so I’ll let you know more as I keep reading!
PS: Sunday I got a priesthood blessing from my dad. I’m supposed to start planning to go back to school. It’s going to take a lot of planning and dedication (financial & time) on my part but it will benefit me and my future and I need to do it. I also need to stay here – I’m not supposed to move right now. I’ll know when the time is right to move though. I was blessed that I’d be able to feel the spirit’s guidance.
Add comment July 7, 2009
