Sunday, September 19, 2010

Advice from Elder F. Enzio Busche

Elder F. Enzio Busche - Quorum of Seventy
BYU Devotional - 14 May 1996

It helps when, from time to time, we ponder and seek identification with the following thoughts:

Embrace this day with an enthusiastic welcome, no matter how it looks.

The covenant with God to which you are true enables you to become enlightened by Him, and nothing is impossible for you.

When you are physically sick, tired, or in despair, steer your thoughts away from yourself and direct them, in gratitude and love, toward God.

In your life there have to be challenges. They will either bring you closer to God and therefore make you stronger, or they can destroy you. But you make the decision of which road you take.

First and foremost, you are a spirit child of God. If you neglect to feed your spirit, you will reap unhappiness. Don't permit anything to detract you from this awareness.

You cannot communicate with God unless you have first sacrificed your self-oriented natural man and have brought yourself into the lower levels of meekness to become acceptable for the light of Christ.

Put all frustrations, hurt feelings, and grumblings into the perspective of your eternal hope. Light will flow into your soul.

Pause to ponder the suffering Christ felt in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the awareness of the depth of gratitude for Him, you appreciate every opportunity to show your love for Him by diligently serving in His Church.

God knows you are not perfect. As you suffer about your imperfections, He will give you comfort and suggestions of where to improve.

God knows better than you what you need.

He always attempts to speak to you. Listen, and follow the uncomfortable suggestions that He makes to us - everything will fall into its place.

Avoid any fear like your worst enemy, but magnify your fear about the consequences of sin.

When you cannot love someone, look into that person's eyes long enough to find the hidden rudiments of the child of God in him.

Never judge anyone. When you accept this, you will be freed. In the case of your own children or subordinates, where you have the responsibility to judge, help them to become their own judges.

If someone hurts you so much that your feelings seem to choke you, forgive and you will be free again.

Avoid at all cost any pessimistic, negative, or criticizing thoughts. If you cannot cut them out, they will do you harm.

On the road toward salvation, let questions arise but never doubts. If something is wrong, God will give you clarity but never doubts.

Avoid rush and haste in uncontrolled words.

Divine light develops in places of peace and quiet. Be aware of that as you enter places of worship.

Be not so much concerned about what you do, but do what you do with all your heart, might, and strength. In thoroughness is satisfaction.

You want to be good and to do good. That is commendable. But the greatest achievement that can be reached in our lives is to be under the complete influence of the Holy Ghost. Then he will teach us what is really good and necessary to do.

The pain of sacrifice lasts only one moment. It is the fear of the pain of sacrifice that makes you hesitate to do it.

Be grateful for every opportunity to serve. It helps you more than those you serve.

When you are compelled to give up something or when things that are dear to you are withdrawn from you, know that this is your lesson to be learned right now. But know also that, as you are learning this lesson, God wants to give you something better.

Thus, we prepare all the days of our lives, and, as we grow, death loses its sting, hell loses its power, and we look forward to that day with anticipation and joy when He will come in His glory.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Ward Opening Social

Here are pictures that we took at our ward opening social last week!

Keri, Alex, me on our way to FHE

Stephanie, Alex, Keri eating



Can you feel the love tonight?

Alex, me, Keri



me and Keri laughing :D

Pictures from the mission BBQ

I realized that I've taken lots of pictures recently but haven't posted them. This post is pictures that I took at the mission BBQ we went to a few weeks ago:

me, Keri, Stephanie upon realizing that we were some of the oldest missionaries at the party

Kaitlin, me, Keri

Keri behind the balloons, German flag, Stephanie

The DRIT! Angela, me, Caitlin

The Webb-Ninow Sisters: Angela, me, Stephanie, Kaitlin, Emily, Keri

Monday, September 6, 2010

I can do anything...better than anyone

Matthew 18: 3 - "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Just The Way You Are

We went a little camera happy today while we were ice skating...and decided to make a music video.

We also really love this song....

Sunday, September 5, 2010

MTC friends

Last night I went to a little mission get together. The missionaries that I was in the MTC with were also there!
Here's a picture of us in the MTC: January 2008 - March 2008
(some kid I don't know), Elder Johnson, Sister Stewart, Elder Berry, Sister Doty, Elder Hafer, Elder Folley, Elder McDonald, Elder Eaton

After being in the mission for a good long while, we got to see eachother again at a mission conference!

Elder Berry, Elder Hafer, Elder Johnson, Sister Stewart, Elder McDonald, Sister Doty, Elder Eaton, Elder Folley


2 1/2 years after entering the MTC we meet again! But as 'normal' people!!

James Eaton, Cameron Johnson, Rachel Doty, Kaitlin Stewart, Robert Berry, Spencer Hafer