Comfort from the Scriptures//

We all have those days that we are scared and worried. It happens to all of us. So here are some of my favorite {comforting} scriptures. These are great to memorize so that when you need comfort you can just repeat them in your mind,  & bring peace and comfort to you knowing that its in the Lord's hands--which can very important in today's world.

{please give credit if used!}

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27

"Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, wand will stand by you: and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come." D&C 68:6

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Joshua 1:9

"In me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Do you have a favorite {comforting} scripture that you would like to share? Please comment below!

h a l e e

{discover the book}

(old pictures...)

This book has brought me so much happiness. It has brought me so much comfort in my greatest times of need. I always look forward to reading it each night. I has helped me gain a much stronger testimony of Jesus Christ.  It has literally changed my life, as I've taken the time #discoverthebook on a more personal level. It helps me keep the Spirit in my life and brings so much peace and happiness.

Today is Discover the Book Day! So don't forget to share your picture and testimony of the Book of Mormon today on ALL your social media sites to help spread the gospel and #sharegoodness.

love, halee

#Embark

First of all, if you took the poll that was on the blog a couple of days ago, Thank you! I appreciate your feedback. This post is for you guys that voted for more scripture based posts, and since I haven't talked about this years new theme I thought I would because it's a scripture.

I know that it is not the first of the year but that's okay- a little refresher for the new theme! By the way, I hope you are all having a fabulous day & week.

--------

When I heard this years theme I loved it. I thought, "what a great new years resolution!"
I want to be able to really #embark myself in the service of God. 

This is MY photo. Because this is an older edit of mine it still
 has 'everything.mormon' on it. Please give credit if  used.

"Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him will all your heart, might, mind & strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day."D&C 4:2 

So lets figure our what this means:
{my definitions}

embark-to step aboard
service of God- everything from family history to bringing
dinner to a family in need to giving your lunch money
to someone in need to just being Christlike.
heart- be willing to serve him.
might-giving everything you've got to
embark yourself in service. in my mind it
encompasses all-heart, mind, & strength
mind-always be thinking what you can do next
strength-give everything you have.



so now that we understand it
lets serve him with all our
hearts
might
mind
&
strength.

Yes, it may be hard but we are promised something at the end of that verse- that we may stand blameless before God. I don't know about you but I feel this is a pretty great promise.

-Halee

5 Simple to Tips to Improve Your Life Today.

I've found that when I'm doing these five simple things my life is better and I am happier. Try them and tell me your not even a little bit happier. ;) Now remember I'm not claiming to be a happy expert or anything. These are just five things that I know make a big difference in my life, and I bet they would do the same to yours!

1.Reading & studying the scriptures daily. We all know how important this is. It is stressed on us so much. I can tell you that it works amazing wonders. I wrote a post earlier about how to better study your scriptures HERE. I look forward to my "study time" every night.

2. Saying meaningful prayers. This is also something is super important and that is stressed a lot too. But it brings tremendous blessings. Remember that saying, "If you want to speak to Heavenly Father PRAY, if you want him to talk to you, READ your scriptures." Who doesn't want someone to talk to that will listen, no matter what? Try it. Challenge it. It makes you day so much better.

3. Not judging or comparing. This is another life changer. Before you judge remember you have no idea what battle that person is going through. What does comparing do anyway? Hurts peoples self esteem... Just like President Utchdorf said, "STOP IT." This does take some time stop doing because its probably a habit, so try working on it, It will make you feel better about yourself and those around you, sounds like a win win to me!

4. Be grateful. Same here. When you start to become grateful for your challenges + all the wonderful blessings your Heavenly Father has given you, your life will turn around. Its turned mine around for sure! I also wrote a post about this HERE.

5. Serving others. "When you are in the service of your fellow beings you are only in the service of your God." Mosiah 2:17  Its so true. Your not worrying about this, doing something your not supposed to be doing. You are serving your God. And you will be blessed for it. + you become closer to your Savior. Try being more helpful around the house and playing with younger siblings.

If you aren't doing any of these {Or all but a couple} pick one, and try it for a week! See what happens. I know they have make a huge impact on my life, and I bet they will in yours too.

-EM

//Colossians 3:12-17//

I hope you are all having a wonderful week, going back to school and all! ;) Just think. Its half over now! YA!


I came across a passage of scripture while I was doing my Personal Progress (Divine Nature #6) & I absolutely LOVED it. Like it was so perfect. I understood it. It had everything I am striving to become listed in it. + It was easier to understand then Proverbs 31. (Not that I don't love that passage but this spoke to me more!)

+ This one could be for guys too. ;) This passages list it all so clear, makes scene, and it's everything an "Elect of God" would need to become.

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any : even as Christ forgave, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hears, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

I just love it so much. Don't you want to be the person listed in there?! I know I do!

Remember in D&C 25 when Emma Smith got called by God an "Elect Women." She must have possessed all of these qualities to be called that. + many more! I hope and pray that I can become half the lady she was. She went through so much, and yet continued to hold fast to what she knew to be right.

• holy & beloved
• bowels of mercies
• kindness
• humbleness of mind
• meekness
• longsuffering
• forbearing (not holding a grudge, patient)
• forgiving
• charity (pure love of Christ)
• peace of God
• thankful
• word of Christ dwell in you
• teaching
• singing with grace
• glory to God

I think we can all become an "Elect of God" if we will work towards it. Maybe each week you can take one of these, study it, and try to better develop it. (Just think what you could accomplish in a year, and the person you could become!)

I love and will probably memorize this passage because it is who I want to become. I hope you will join me in become a Colossians 3 woman too!

//halee {aka EM}

Studying Your Scriptures

The scriptures are such a blessing. 

This life is a test but its an open book test. Our scriptures will guide us through this life. It is truly an amazing blessing to have because who likes an closed book test??!? But in order to receive the blessing that come with having them we have to open them- Read and study them. AND apply it to our lives. 

Reading your scriptures shouldn't a check off of a to-do list but a privilege.

So today I'm going to give you that motivation that you need to open and study them.

I think we all suffer from not studying our scriptures...but through trial-an-error we all find a method that works for us. So I want to share with my method just in case you haven't found your method.

1. Designate a time. I do it right before bed, because I do seminary in the mornings. If you set a time your more likely to do it rather than if you say "oh I will do it when I have a spare 15 minutes." 

2. Set the mood. I turn out the lights and turn on my lamp. It sorta clams you down and gets you focused.  Turn off the music. Put away any distractions-phones, other books, homework...etc. 

3. Have fun study "tools."  My study "tools" are a cute notebook and lots and lots of coloring pencils. Get your favorite colors. Get lots of them too! Designate a every color for a different thing for example if it's talking about Christ you might use red or if it's a promise use purple..etc. This really helps me and makes me what to study the scriptures more so I can use my handy-dandy study tools!

4. Say a prayer. Ask your Heavenly Father to let the Spirit be with you and to be able to learn. This simple step makes day and night difference. Try it. Test it.

5. Study. Don't just read. You know that primary song that says "Search Ponder and pray..." Do that with your scriptures. Search for hidden promises. Ponder why Nephi, Heleman, etc put that in the BOM(or Bible or D&C). Ponder how you can apply that to your life. Pray about it. Pray to know the meaning- to understand it.  Remember it doesn't matter how much you read it only matters how much YOU get out of it. 

6. Write it down. Was that what you needed today? Was that an answer to your prayers? Did that mean a lot to you? Did you learn something? Did you realize you needed to work on something better? W.r.i.t.e. I.t. D.o.w.n.   ...please...

If you really are having a hard time studying your scriptures you could try, { http://oneshetwoshe.com/2014/07/never-miss-day-reading-scriptures.html } method which I think would work really well: finding a person (or a couple of people) that are are also struggling, and start a text group.  Everybody tell their favorite part then you feel inclined to do it too. 

Here are some quotes about reading your scriptures:

~"Scriptures can clam and agitated soul, giving peace, hope, a restoration of confidence in ones ability to overcome the challenges of life." Richard G. Scott

I mean WOOOW! Who wouldn't want that? Come on I could have just posted this quote it would have made me read my scriptures! That's a pretty great promise by a general attorney.  

~"If you want to speak to the Lord, pray. If you want him to speak to you, read the scriptures."

I don't remember who said this or where I heard it but I think its pretty cool. And true. 

~

Who doesn't want the Spirit in their home or lives? 

~“Let us not treat lightly the great things we have received from the hand of the Lord! His word is one of the most valuable gifts He has given us. I urge you to recommit yourselves to a study of the scriptures. Immerse yourselves in them daily so you will have the power of the Spirit to attend you in your callings. Read them in your families and teach your children to love and treasure them” Ezra Taft Benson

Guys, please take 15 minutes each day to study the words of our prophets. You will be so blessed and you will gain a stronger testimony of the gospel. Go read. 

Take 15 minutes each day beginning with prayer and read and study the words that our loving Heavenly Father gave to us. I promise it will be beneficial. 

Love EM