Digital Dialog Week 9

Just yesterday my roommate and I had the opportunity to do our visiting teaching for the month. This time was different for me because for the first  time in a while I felt same spirit that I did as a missionary. My roommate and I had both served full time missions and it meant the world to me that we got to teach two wonderful girls about the importance of the family.

In each lesson we talked about  how we are all apart of God's family and that we have a responsibility here as college students to make our ward a family. Heavenly Father has organized the world in a way that we are grouped not only in biological family but ward families. We told both of our lovely relief society sisters that our goal was to strengthen the love that we have for each other as daughters of a Heavenly Father. We then played this short video about the importance of families. 

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2015-01-1050-what-is-the-purpose-of-family?category=topics/marriage-and-family&lang=eng  

As the short and simple video played the spirit engulfed the room. I could feel the love of our God surrounding all of us. I love the part of the video that says, "he is not only our creator but our father". During this video I felt like I could also better understand the beautiful plan of salvation that we have. The scripture 2nd Nephi 25 came to my mind. 

 25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

This small and simple scripture has such a great impact on me because it testifies of one of the greatest purposes that we have here earth, to have joy! I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father has put me in such a loving earthy and ward family. I am grateful for the plan of salvation and the blessing that I have to one day not only live with my father in heaven but to live like him. 

 

I love my Heavenly Father and I know he loves me. 

xoxo han. 

Digital Dialog Week 8

These past weeks I have been having a lot of pain in my tailbone. The pain became too much to handle so I went to the emergency room. The next day I had emergency surgery to remove an infection in my tailbone.

While I was under anesthesia my mom told me that all I was doing was bearing my testimony in Spanish. At first I thought this was just a funny coincidence. As I thought more deeply about it I was SO grateful that I inside had a desire to share my testimony without consciously thinking about it

After the surgery I watched a video that my mom had taken. My testimony was simple but it really reflected the thoughts of my heart.

I said.

I am grateful to go to Brigham Young University.
I love my teachers and friends.
I know that the Holy Ghost leads us
I know that Jesus Christ lives
I know that our Heavenly Father lives and loves us.

My small testimony reminded me of 1 Nephi 11:17

 17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.

This was a very simple and small testimony that I shared while under anesthesia . I know these things to be true. I know that we all have desires to share the truths that we know. Humanly we all desire to be loved and be close to our Heavenly Father. We become closer to him by sharing these truths with others.

xoxo Han.

Digital Dialog Week 7

For many months I have been feeling down but after this week I was able to more fully see the blessings that Heavenly Father has for me. On Tuesday I was sitting in the library and decided to check my email. As I checked my inbox I noticed that I had received an email from the BYU London Study Winter 2017 Program. I had interviewed around 3 weeks ago for the program but they told me that there was little to no chance of me getting in. I opened the email and was pleased to read the words "Congratulations!". 

To my surprise I was accepted to the program. I couldn't have felt happier and was filled with the feeling of accomplishment. I felt like I had finally had a win. 

After being accepted into the program I remembered this scripture in Doctrine & Covenants came to my mind.

Doctrine and Covenants 58: 3-4 

 3 Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.

 4 For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand.

Through these digital dialogs I have been able to recognize more the way the Lord works to bless me continually and how Satan works to discourage me.

 Satan is able to get me down by making me feel like nothing good is going on in my life. He does this by forcing me look through my " natural eyes". These natural eyes are focused purely on the earthly and temporal highs and lows of life. Whereas, God wants me to focus on the many blessings I have. He also wants me be able to rejoice when "after much tribulations come the blessings". 

After what had seem to be a rough couple of months it was so rewarding to see how my Heavenly Father has an individual plan for me. I felt a strong presence of his reassuring love this week. 

I love God and I know he loves me. 

- han. 

Digital Dialog Week 6

This week my home teachers came over and shared a beautiful message with my roommate and me. They talked about obedience from the talk "The Blessings of Obedience" by Prophet Thomas S. Monson. 

As they shared the message I was surprised when Heath, one of my home teachers asked me, "Hannah why do you keep the commandments?" I quickly responded by saying "It is a way for me to show Heavenly Father how much  I love him.  

After they gave their message I was impressed to go back and read the whole talk by our Prophet. While reading this paragraph stood out to me. 

“God’s commandments are not given to frustrate us or to become obstacles to our happiness. Just the opposite is true. He who created us and who loves us perfectly knows just how we need to live our lives in order to obtain the greatest happiness possible. He has provided us with guidelines which, if we follow them, will see us safely through this often treacherous mortal journey. We remember the words of the familiar hymn: ‘Keep the commandments! In this there is safety; in this there is peace’ [see “Keep the Commandments,” Hymns, no. 303].”3

I feel so grateful to have the knowledge of that sweet him. The words " in this there is safety; in this there is peace" bring such joy to my heart. I feel safe peaceful while I keep the commandments. I know after I keep the commandment Heavenly Father also shows me so much love my blessing my life. I love him and I know he loves me.

Han. 

Digital Dialog Week 5

In 3^rd Nephi 11:29,  It states, “For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.

These past two weeks I have been studying the doctrine of anger. I chose to study this because of a paper I was writing for my Book Of Mormon Class. I would like to share some of my thoughts about this will all of you. 

Often I ponder about how I can come closer to God but rarely do I think about what keeps me from being close to him. I came to the realization that when I am angry I am closer to Satan than I am to my Heavenly Father. 

I've come up with two things that help me calm down when I get angry. First, I think of three blessings in my life and breath three times slowly. Another thing that I have started to do is say a quick prayer.

I am grateful that my Heavenly Father gives me weakness because through my mortal imperfections I can slowly come closer to my Heavenly Father. I love him and I know he loves me.