Jesus Visited the Lonely and So Can You

#LIGHTtheWORLD

I've always loved meeting new people. Throughout my life, I've come to find a joy playing games with and hearing stories from the elderly. I've loved visiting them since jr high and high school. I also loved interning at a senior center my senior year of high school and visiting, serving and playing games with senior patients with dementia.

When I looked at the theme for today's way to serve on mormon.org, "Jesus Visited the Lonely and So Can You" I was overjoyed.  One of the service ideas said to, "Visit a nursing home. Studies show that 60 percent of those living in a nursing home never get visitors during their stay," and I couldn't pass up the simple suggestion because I truly love getting to know the elderly.

A few weeks ago I visited a senior living center new where I'm going to school. There's a group from my apartment complex and ward that go sing hymns to them each Sunday. This day I decided to attend, and I was able to meet a dear sweet lady who had just lost her husband the week before.

Fast forward back to today, I remembered my friend Flo from the senior center. Although I hadn't seen her for two weeks, and I didn't even know if she'd remember me, I decided to go visit her. Although nervous and kinda thinking of myself as foolish, I tried to visit her unannounced and around dinner time at that. Luckily, I was able to chat with my new friend Flo. We talked about families, teachers, storytelling, and much more.

At first she showed confusion of why I choose her to talk to and why I asked the questions I did. After all I wanted to hear more about being a music teacher in an elementary school. I ultimately came to get to know her and spend time with her. I found joy in talking and spending time with those I love, yet even if I've only known them for a very short time. "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." -Mosiah 2:17

I challenge you to go out and serve people this holiday season! Share your heart, love, and happy spirit with those around you!

Love Inspire Smile Serve
mormon.org #LIGHTtheWORLD
Melissa Longhurst

Pride, Peace, & Prayer

A new look at the Pride Cycle:

My Book of Mormon professor showed us this recently. He has eight basic steps in the pride cycle and it can start wherever, but I love some of the connections he made. For the Terrestrial kingdom and lifestyle the bride cycle continues along the basic outer circle. This includes the pride, sin, and destruction that come about a lot in our own lives and specifically in the Book of Mormon, but this cycle offers humility and many blessings and prosperity that come from their repentance. We all go through this cycle within our lives to some extent. With Telestial and Celestial they only cycle between four of these stages and continue to build upon them. 

This diagram helps me track our goal to find humility from our blessing and prosperity given to us and continue to keep the Savior in our hearts and minds to not become prideful. This creates a spiral between these processes and helps get you to the Celestial Kingdom or on the other hand takes you on a path of misery, sorrow and temptation.

Something else taught in Book of Mormon comes from the story of the brother of Jared. He had three concerns about the barges that were made and their journey. He asked God about light for the barges, steering to stay on course, and how to breathe and have air within the barges. From these three issues every question you take to God will fall under. Let me explain: for the first question of light in the barges God gave the brother of Jared agency to discover a way to light the barges on his own. Then he gave him two ways not to do it and let him figure it out. We must use agency and action many times in response to questions to God, for then he can direct our path if needed but let us choose.

The second question asked was about the steering of the barge, and God's answer relied on grace. Therefore, the brother of Jared need not worry about steering for he will direct you to the promised land. We don't tend to find this answer to most questions, but it's another option. At times we are given other tasks, service, situations to focus on while others might be taken care of. I've heard countless stories of miracles and blessings received through paying their tithing and many other things. The last question about breathing Heavenly Father gave step by step instructions to help him accomplish this task.

Every question asked will not be ignored but he might let you choose your own way. I love this quote from Boyd K. Packer, "Prayer is your personal key to heaven" and you really can receive answers to your prayers. I just love the the idea that every question you take to God will fall under agency, grace, or steps. There are still times a lot of work is needed with your agency to follow God's plan and will for you. Even the brother of Jared didn't go get stones that were right around him for his light, but he traveled to get them from one of the highest mountains and eventually ended with molten rock. For this wasn't perfect but it was the best that he could do without the touch of God.

Whatever God touches it lives! Make your best efforts glow and shine and help others shine through Christ. Go out and serve others during this Christmas Season! Have a great week!

#LIGHTtheWORLD
www.mormon.org
Melissa Longhurst
Love! Inspire! Smile! Serve!

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is True

This phrase commonly said in testimonies contains important understanding and teachings. To be in Christ's church "ye must take upon you the name of Christ" and the church must be "built upon [Christ's] gospel," (2 Ne 27:5,8). What is Christ's gospel? This question is answered in verses 13 through 22 in 2 Nephi 27. Gospel refers to the "good news" of the atonement that Christ paid the price for our sins that we might return to God and live with our families forever. In verses 13 through 15 it discusses Christ's part in the Gospel, and 16 to 21 is our part and the doctrine. The gospel and doctrine we must follow includes repentance, baptism, enduring to the end, etc. 

What is the difference between "I know the church is true" and "I know the gospel is true"? 
We were asked this in my Book of Mormon class, and we created some annalogies to correlate church and the gospel. Here are a few:

        Hogwarts is like Church as magic is like the Gospel
        Hospital is like Church as treatment is like the Gospel
        A sailboat is like Church as the wind is like the Gospel
        Body is like Church as the spirit is like the Gospel
        University is like Church as classes and teaching are like the Gospel

This helped me discover the difference between Church and Gospel. For the Church is dynamic and changes with different people and buildings, but the gospel is constant through the teachings and good feeling. The gospel is the doctrine of Christ and is perfect. Therefore both can be true, but the phrase "I know the (church/gospel) is true" has different meanings.

I've loved these intreaging things I've learned in my Book of Mormon class and Gospel Doctrine. I love learning more about Christ, this church, and the gospel. I loved this quote that I found that says, "Jesus Christ knows each of us personally. If we but reach out, we can know Him too." (https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/jesus-christ) I've loved studying the scriptures (especially the Book of Mormon) in more depth this year to find Christ and God in each scripture and page. 

If you haven't seen the Christmas video for this year go to mormon.org and you will be amazed by the power the video has with very few words. I love the spirit brings and I challenge you to accept the Christmas challenge. There are a few things that you can do each day of December to grow closer to Christ through service and love. Do it! It starts on December 1st and the theme is "Jesus lifted others' burdens and so can you."

#LIGHTtheWORLD
www.mormon.org
Melissa Longhurst
Laugh Love Inspire Smile

   

Give Thanks!

In church this week, a friend of mine spoke about the times we feel and show our gratitude. Yes, there are specific holidays for people and individual events to be grateful for. There's much more we can show our gratitude for each day and week. He spoke of the opportunity we have each week to worship and have a day of rest, for this day is a perfect time to show our thanks.

I found many inspiring quotes this week about thankfulness. I love to think of gratitude in prayer. An important message comes from Alma 34:38 "That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you." There's so much to be grateful for; nevertheless, it just depends on what you choose to focus on. Wherefore "learn to pray not because you need something but because you ought to thank him [for] everything."


President Thomas S. Monson remarked, "To live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven." I love the thought of keeping gratitude in our hearts brings us closer to God, angels, and those we love. Remember you're loved deeply!

"Because he loves you he will find you" - Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Melissa Longhurst
Laugh Love Inspire Smile

Patience and Trust

          I love the stories of Stephen Jones in the article, "One Question That Puts Life in Perspective"(https://www.lds.org/blog/one-question-that-puts-life-in-perspective?cid=HP_TH_10-11-2016_dOCS_fBLOG_xLIDyL2-2_). In the conclusion of some of his experiences he shares,

           "Two months after saying no to an opportunity that didn’t feel right, two months of struggling financially, the phone call came. A teaching position had opened up near my home and they offered me a job. It came right when I needed it, right when I was at my lowest. And after that call I looked up and said, 'I trust you. I trust you.'

           God knew me. He had answered my prayers. But He made me wait on it. He made me stretch. And sometimes He does that—even when we want good things, even when we’re focused on things that will matter in 1,000 years. The point is if you trust Him, He will never let you down, because He looks out for us today, tomorrow, 1,000 years from now, and for eternity. "

          I love the messages told within the personal experiences of Stephen Jones, and I love to remember the parallels from my Teachings and Doctrines of the Book of Mormon class. Within third Nephi, Nephi "cried mightily unto the Lord all that day; and behold the voice of the Lord came unto him..." (3 Nephi 1:12). Wherefore, then questioning God's choice to keep the knowledge of the sign's coming from him for so long when people's lives were on the line. When he poured out his soul, all he believed he could, Nephi continued to stretch and discover more that was in his soul. God waited to respond to Nephi in order to help him understand more about himself, his own soul, and created opportunity and growth for him to become more like God.

Love Inspire Smile
Melissa Longhurst

Joy and Grief

Choosing and studying a question helped me reflect on this past year and how to continue onward. The question “How can I find and feel joy through times of trouble and loss of a loved one?”, focuses on finding peace and understanding inner thoughts and feelings. I found myself engaged and applying the words of modern day prophets to my everyday life through the stories shared and discussed. “Suffering is universal; how we react to suffering is individual.” Your Sorrow Shall Be Turned to Joy by Robert D. Hales, for the sorrows remain inevitable but many reactions towards others and ourselves come from each challenge.

This past March my youngest brother, Eric, passed away. There’s not a defined line between time for grief and joy in these situations. Many situations involving the loss of a loved one have a variety of those experiences and a variety of people who are affected in different ways. In the past months, my mind has felt foggy at times about my understanding of myself and how I am truly doing. Somedays I’ve forgotten entirely about the situation, and other times I feel guilty for not feeling sorrowful. Of course God does not intend for us to remain overwhelmed with grief constantly, but at times I don’t know how to balance my thoughts of sadness with the surprisingly evident times of joy and happiness. Nevertheless, how might I control and understand my emotions, of sadness, love, and joy, to better understand myself?

To more fully understand this confusion of joy and grief, I found a beautiful talk entitled “The Healing Power of Grief” by Steven Eastmond. He states, “one can feel both sadness and peace at the same time,” this created understanding of God’s purpose and plan of grief and how it isn’t simply overwhelming sadness that can consume us from day to day. Later in the talk Brother Eastmond describes, “grief is the price we pay for loving someone- and that the price is worth it.” Although heartbreaking in some instances of hardship, grief keeps our memories full of experiences with the loved one and can bring peace. Christ’s knowledge of your specific challenges brings an opportunity to keep an understanding and active relationship with him. At times I take this knowledge for granted, but through faith and study to receive answers, my relationship yearns for a stronger friendship.

A quote found in Russell M. Nelson’s talk entitled Joy and Spiritual Survival, and further quoting Hebrews 2 he says, “As in all things, Jesus Christ is our ultimate exemplar, ‘who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.’ Think of that! In order for him to endure the most excruciating experience ever endured on earth, our Savior focused on joy!”

Another topic I’ve had in my mind is about the future and how to continue forward in challenges. The future contains countless opportunities, yet my mind wanders to family celebrations that Eric won’t be there for. Nevertheless, I haven’t found all the answers that are quite right for me in my specific times of need. Everything will work out if we rely on faith in Christ and find simple joys to brighten our lives. An understanding that the angels surrounding us from day to day are those who have passed on before, and we feel their presence and love for them continually.

I’ve experienced many small miracles which help to answer the small doubts and worries in my mind, and I would love to continue this study through talks written about comfort and joy through trials and loss. I hadn’t realized the abounding number of talks written on these topics, but realize everyone faces challenges in this modern day. God speaks through his prophets to strengthen us that we might return to him.

Live Laugh Love Life

Melissa Longhurst

Family History & Temple Work

My Book of Mormon project this semester is to go to the temple for at least an hour each week. I have recently brought family names to do baptisms for the dead. I personally did not do all the family history work to find these names, but my aunt has been working hard to find these names for me to take to the temple. I love bringing names to then have a record of those I've been baptized for.

Recently my aunt emailed me an experience she had, and permitted me to share the story:

"Well, it has been quite a day.  I have had a wonderful spiritual experience today with Josephine Smith.  I had a prompting to review a particular set of records but when I looked at them I couldn’t see why as their work appeared already complete.  But.. Josephine wasn’t going to let it go that easily.  She was one of the most persistent angels that I have had the fortune to experience.  SO… I listened and started looking and very quickly I found her marriage record I could truly feel Josephine's joy as I attached them together… but she wasn’t letting me go so quickly she promptly led me down another path and soon I had several children and even a few of her grandchildren.  I was feeling pretty good about this but she wouldn’t leave me yet. I kept having this uneasy feeling that I wasn’t done.  I moved on to work on her brother but Josephine by now is distraught and pestering me to keep looking.  So… I did and I found one more child.  He had died at a young age. Young children are often very hard to find   But she lead me to her last son.  The feeling then was one of PURE JOY that filled my home.  Her family could now be together forever.  I will keep researching her other brothers and sister but in a few day you will receive a bunch of Smith names and I know Josephine will be right there with you in the temple making sure it is all done right!  She is an amazing mother that just can’t wait for her family to be together forever.  I am sure you will feel her joy too."

In amazement and excitement I talked with my aunt further. Although Josephine's baptism was completed she sent me all the other girl baptisms in the family. Then my aunt concluded, "before she let me go I had found probably 60+ names of her family.  She is a lovely and persistent angel." I'm planning to go to the temple tomorrow to start working on more of these family names.

I'm extremely grateful to help be an instrument in God's hands to help others. I found a scripture in Doctrine and Covenants chapter 127, verse 7 that states, "that in all your recordings it may be recorded in heaven; whatsoever you bind on earth, may be bound in heaven; whatsoever you loose on earth, may be loosed in heaven;" I love these principles that are taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.



I love the temple and the opportunity given to us through the ordinances performed there. I know that families are eternal! Through family history and temple work we can help other families join the church and be sealed for time and all eternity.

Know that you're loved!
Love! Inspire! Smile!
Melissa Longhurst

Finding Your Spiritual Pulse!

In my Book of Mormon class, my professor asked us all to find our pulse within 5 seconds. This task wasn't too hard, but then he asked us to find our spiritual pulse. In response, many of us didn't know where to turn to and discover our spiritual pulse. Those 5 seconds rolled by without a good thought on how to discover my spirituality at that time. My professor had us turn to Alma 5. He revealed unto us that this chapter contained more questions than anywhere else.

To find our spiritual pulse we needed to reflect on the rhetorical questions asked in Alma 5. I method to track our pulse through these verses is to answer each question from 1 to 10. Then you can graph your responses for your self to recognize the areas that need the most improvement and focus at this time.

I challenge you to try it. It was shared in class that the Book of Mormon is not a quote book but a handbook for life, so don't just read it like a history of others life that is separate from our own. Instead apply it to your daily interactions, challenges and situations it can truly bless your life.

Thank you for reading, and don't forget God loves you!

Love! Inspire! Smile!
Melissa Longhurst

Teachings about Christ

I've learned many things from studying the Book of Mormon this year in my class at BYU. Here are a few of the things I've learned or have studied once again...

1. Christ in Isaiah! If you simply skim through Isaiah and don't get much out of the teachings but a few abstract symbols you have missed the point, because "if you missed Christ in Isaiah you missed Isaiah." I am no expert, but I have begun to understand Isaiah through his patterns and repetition. I've learned to understand more each day by understanding that Isaiah is set up in symbolic repetition.

2.  Almost all things are through Jesus Christ. The church of Jesus Christ delegates to Christ. He is our redeemer, light, life, cornerstone, teacher, etc. Nearly everything leads us to Christ, but it's crucial to recognize that one thing is reserved for our God. We begin our prayers with something around the lines of "Dear Heavenly Father..." The prayers we offer are in the name of Jesus Christ, but we are talking with God our Heavenly Father creating an open line of communication between us.

3. Jesus is our Father! This might raise confusion and suspicion in the beginning but stay with me. A father helps create or gives the opportunity of a new life. Let's go through the fathers in each of our lives: Heavenly father gives a new spirit life in the beginning and your earthly father helps give you a new body creating a new life. Finally Jesus Christ gives you new life through the resurrection creating the opportunity for eternal life and a spiritual rebirth. Jesus Christ ultimately eternalizes our relationships with our earthly father (dad) and Heavenly Father.

4. Christ is always there for us. He's our brother, friend, comforter, father, etc. Christ understands each challenge you struggle with, temptation you face, and the overwhelming joy you can feel through the atonement. Talk with him, learn of him, and preach of his words and example. Help others find the joys in the gospel and the benefits and comfort felt from Jesus Christ.

"Love is the very essence of the gospel 

  and Jesus Christ is our exemplar"

I love you all! 

Melissa Longhurst

Gethsemane

The Atonement is for each one of us. For our sorrows, weaknesses, challenges, but also our pleasures, joys and simple delights. Children across the world have heard of the song "Gethsemane" in primary. This teaches simple truths and truly touches my heart.

My youngest brother, Eric, heard this song while visiting a different wards primary while on a trip. He loved the song, and after returning home he requested to sing it in primary by telling the primary chorister. This became a tender mercy in the lives of my family. For when Eric passed away recently after this experience my family was unaware of this song, "Gethsemane" and his interest in it. Informed shortly after, my older brother Kyle and I prepared to sing a duet of this song at the funeral with my sister-in-law at the piano.

This song brings comfort and love along with a greater understanding of Christ's sacrifice and suffering in the garden. "Gethsemane" brings a visual picture and story to accompany Jesus to the garden where he would bleed from every pore and suffer for the sins of all mankind. Through this process Christ creates the opportunity for us to return home to our father in heaven and see our loved ones again. Families are eternal!

Love, Melissa

P.S. Here's the lyrics and after there's a quote from the church website about "Gethsemane"

Jesus climbed the hill
To the garden still
His steps were heavy and slow
Love and a prayer
Took Him there
To the place only He could go

Gethsemane
Jesus loves me
So He went willingly
To Gethsemane

He felt all that was sad, wicked or bad
All the pain we would ever know
While His friends were asleep
He fought to keep
His promise made long ago

Gethsemane
Jesus loves me
So He went willingly
To Gethsemane

The hardest thing that ever was done
The greatest pain that ever was known
The biggest battle that ever was won
This was done by Jesus
The fight was won by Jesus

Gethsemane
Jesus loves me
So He gave His gift to me
In Gethsemane

Gethsemane
Jesus loves me
So He gives His gift to me
From Gethsemane

"Gethsemane lay still and dark; creation watched in silent awe

As Jesus suffered His Father’s will to satisfy unyielding law.

He knelt in earnest prayer alone. His friends, o’ercome with sorrow, slept.

Beneath the burden of grief, He groaned; beneath the weight of sin he wept,

And with his blood so freely spent, He bought my soul; He paid my debt.

What work of love was wrought for me in the stillness of Gethsemane!

“This bitter cup wilt thou remove? Yet not my will, but Thine be done.”

Behold His anguish, and weep anew for love of Christ, the sinless one.

With His wounds my own are healed; my ev’ry pain o’ercome in His,

My shame, my weakness, my grief untold find ranson in His priceless gift.

For with his blood so freely spent, He bought my soul; He paid my debt.

What work of love was wrought for me in the stillness of Gethsemane!"

https://www.lds.org/music/text/other/gethsemane?lang=eng

Preparing for Conference!

I attended a scripture study/ gospel discussion group in my ward this week, and we studied and discussed 3 Nephi 1-7. The question was asked: How do we refrain from turning into these people? The response I found came from 3 Nephi 2:1, when it says "... the people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven..." thus without remembering the importance of amazing guidance and power shown before us we will suffer and fall into their path of transgression. We must instead keep each prompting and sign from God as astonishing as the first. To continue to show our appreciation for the miracles and promptings God blesses us with we can write down our spiritual experiences, listen to promptings, and much more.

Therefore, still on my mind I connected this topic to sacrament meeting. The talks were focused on preparing for conference in a few different ways, like preparing our hearts. I related this to the discussion earlier, for General Conference is a great opportunity to  hear the words of God through the quorum of the twelve apostles and prophets. Sometimes we need a reminder that General Conference is astonishing and we can receive more of our Heavenly Father's words through a small preparation before and actively listening and seeking for answers.

I discovered one more way to get the most out of conference. My friend, Allie, on Sunday mentioned how a speaker in her sacrament meeting gave some ideas for how to get the most out of conference. Allie paraphrased the speakers words and stated that we need not write all the words of the apostles and attempt to copy down every quote. for the stories and talks will be printed shortly after. But remembering the past remains difficult-but a different tactic might be to write down and record what stands out to you as the scriptures answer questions you've asked.

Their are many ways to prepare for Conference, and various ways to stay focused and get the most out of it.
Find what works best for you and ENJOY CONFERENCE!

Much Love,
Melissa Longhurst
Live Laugh Love Life

Applying the Book of Mormon to my life!

A week ago I had the opportunity to read and ponder the scriptures in a nice quiet location. These locations have been hard to come by recently, so it was nice and relaxing therefore creating the opportunity to enjoy the scriptures and find small connections to my life. I will share some with you:

In 1 Nephi 16:34 Ishmael died. I wouldn't have questioned or thought about this much because of the countless wars and lives we hear about within the Book of Mormon, nevertheless I was thinking about my youngest brother Eric who passed away this past March. I've always imagined or hoped to compare myself to Nephi in the Book of Mormon, but in this case I discovered I'm like the daughters of Ishmael. For I imagined myself in their situation: wandering in the wilderness, starving, and loosing a loved one I would complain too. Within 1 Nephi 16:35 the daughters are said to have mourned exceedingly and murmured. I would add a few more emotions and words to describe this experience, such as anger, sadness, hurt, discouragement, confusion, struggle, and crying. In verse 36 the daughters wanted to return to Jerusalem, and this correlates with my feeling in March. After spending some time away for a school activity I felt the feelings of longing to be in that familiar place of home. Although their father wouldn't be there I believe they wished to keep the security of what they know and are familiar with. I wished to keep what I knew and surrounded myself with the normal things that created the surroundings of my life, (family, close friends, games, choir, etc). It's nice to keep what you love and your normal routine even amidst adversity and challenges.

I continued to find a few more connections that brought me to ponder on my experiences and choices I've made. I love the thought that it says in 16:38 "angels have ministered unto them" for I know this could be taken in many ways, but I love this idea


I'm very grateful for the connections I've found with the Book of Mormon and I hope you enjoyed reading my insights from the week.

Live Laugh Love Life
Melissa

The Book of Mormon!

Have you ever truly read, studied, and understood the title page of the Book of Mormon? It's the end of Moroni's writings and it's a great overview of the book. Their are many answers to the basic questions of who the book is about, who it's for, why, when, etc. It also shows Moroni and other prophets of the Book of Mormon's purposes. One of these is to learn about Christ and Heavenly Father, and while discovering Christ we can come to understand our situations, recognize us in the scriptures. Then the ultimate objective of the Book of Mormon is stated in the final line of the title page, "...that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ."

With many articles, textbooks and/or books that you read, a specific focus may help find answers and remembrance about a specific topic throughout your read. With a question or two in mind while reading the Book of Mormon, I have found I understanding and recognizing the topic I'm wondering about. With each question you ask or topic to focus your scripture study around you find new lenses to read through.

A scripture that stood out to me in my Book of Mormon class this week was 1 Nephi 2 verses 3 and 14. In verse three Lehi choose to follow God and when he was commanded he remained obedient and followed. But in verse 14  it states, "And it came to pass that my father did speak unto them in the valley of Lemuel, with power being filled with the spirit until their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them, that they durst not utter against him; wherefore they did as he commanded them." Nevertheless, Laman and Lemuel followed and obeyed eventually but the cause to get them to obey varied greatly from Lehi's.  Recently I've thought of how many of us act like Laman and Lemuel at times and we do as we're told eventually just maybe not with the best attitude or willingness and effort. 

My goal and challenge for you and me this week is to try to have Lehi's attitude and start your pattern of obedience now. So when you are given a commandment you will already have an attitude of obedience to follow the Lord like in verse 3 with Lehi.

Live Laugh Love Life!

Until next time,

Melissa