Untitled...for the moment.

Alright so this is Alyssa Hundley and Beth asked me to write a few thoughts here on her magnificent blog. It’s not going to be as well-written, and it might not make any sense at all, but hopefully my crazy thoughts will be understandable…

Today I had the amazing experience of seeing the dedication of the Gila Valley Temple. I had been to one before, but I was too young to even realize what was going on. However, I was in the first session and I was touched so much by President Monson. What an amazing man! As I watched him put in the cornerstone I loved how enthusiastic he was and his sense of humor truly made me so very happy. It really got me though when he was asking little children one by one to come to him and help take part in it. I’ll admit, I was a tad envious, but at the same time, extremely happy for them. Who wouldn’t want to simply be in the Prophet’s presence, let alone meet him AND have him help you as you put the cornerstone into a house of the Lord? Have you ever heard of a cooler testimony building experience? I know I haven’t. I love President Monson.

I know this is a totally different topic now, but I’d like to share a few thoughts I have on the Book of Mormon. We have been studying it in seminary this year, and I never before truly realized what an impact it can have on a person’s life. Simply reading these scriptures is not enough, one must have a desire to learn, and then go search, ponder, and pray to find the answer. Fifteen years too late, I realized this and started applying it to my own life, and I tell you, it has made all the difference in the world. My eyes were opened to changes that I needed to make, and then I did make those changes, and now, I am the happiest person in the world. When I’m making good choices, and doing the small, simple primary things like reading scriptures and praying, I feel like a newly born person, all clean and pure.

Just to finish, I want to share the scripture that has impacted my life the most this year.

“For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticing s of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.”

I had a personal goal this year to “put off the natural man” and believe me, it was hard. The natural man wants you to judge others, to go to that party, to gossip about that girl, to do it because everyone else is, to watch that one movie, and to put the spirit on hold while you go do whatever is pleasurable. I know that all these temptations may seem wonderful on the surface, but in reality, that’s not what’s going to get you back to Heavenly Father again. I know that by putting off the natural man and staying close to Christ you will be happy and you will be in tune with the spirit always.

Thank you Beth for letting me write on your blog. You are an amazing person, I love you, and please keep up the good work :)