End of another amazing Seminar!

From November 26th to November 30th We attended a Mission Leadership Seminar held in Cebu. This was a treat for us since we love getting to know people in other areas of the Philippines. In Cebu people speak another dialect " Cebuano" The Pajaros are currently the Mission Presidents there so we visited them when we first got in. Their son went on a mission to Argentina so it was fun to listen to him sing us in Spanish. It is always wonderful to visit with dear friends.

What I learned at this Seminar is that there is an urgency to find gathered Israel. They are those elect people who if they knew of the gospel would join in and how do we know who they are? We don't really know so we need to ask around and those who would be receptive to receive the message will join. They were pre ordained before they were born. We learned about the Abrahamic Covenant. The gathering of Israel is taking place as we speak. We are gathering gatherers.

There 2 promises:
Scattered Israel to be gathered and
The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As mothers and grandmothers we need to teach our children and grandchildren to serve a mission and prepared them for that! How do we go about it? One by one and the Book of Mormon is the tool to use when gathering Israel. In the Book of Mormon missionaries are asked to read 10 pages every day and to mark every reference to Jesus Christ. We all need to be gospel scholars. We need to use the Bible as a common ground. The Book of Mormon teaches us to be better parents.

Baptism is part of the doctrine of Christ and the goal for each missionary for his investigator. We need to teach people, not lessons. When you pray saying Heavenly Father, I love you but our actions are different we are liars. Satan is attacking us and wants to erase His name so it is important that we use the correct name of our Religion. When we are referring to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we are preaching of Christ.

Do not let any day go by without reading the scriptures, powering and reflecting.

Con amor,
Vero

Christmas trees no more

I found a post written three years ago on December 2015

Apparently the White House referred to Christmas Trees as Holiday Trees for the first time this year, which prompted Ben Stein, to say, on CBS Sunday Morning, 

My confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejewelled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a nativity scene, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorist attacks, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell.
Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. 

Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. 

Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit.

If not, then just discard it.... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what a bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,

-Ben Stein

Something to think about.

Con amor,

Vero

Light the world

Last night was the temple lighting event where all the lights were turned on at the temple grounds. What I loved about this event is that people from other faiths were invited to attend as well. 

Earlier that day we went to the Mega Mall for the ribbon cutting and to introduce the newest invention for giving to charities. This is a giving machine where you can donate money to your favorite charity starting today until the end of December. 

I made my donation to Caritas, Unicef and the Purple Center Foundation. Representatives from these organizations were in attendance also. There are only four of these machines in the world and the Philippines was chosen to have one. 

We also let people know of the traditional awesome challenge for all of us to “light the world” in 25 ways over 25 days as we lead up to Christmas.More than 800,000 have already joined the challenge and that number keeps growing. 

 It’s a challenge meant to help us focus on incorporating more Christ-like attitudes and behaviors in honor of this Christmas season. How awesome is that! And what a great way to make sure we keep ourselves focused on the things that are most important during this holiday season rather than having our minds get caught up in all the meaningless busy hustle and bustle that can go on. 

Since its only November 24^ththat means we will be starting earlier today and make it a 32- day challenge but that’s okay because in the Philippines Christmas is celebrated starting in September so remember take the challenge and start your light up the world by doing acts of kindness each day. 

Con amor,
Vero

We got the best working for us

“Do what is right, let the consequence follow.”

That quote is a quote that has been on my mind every single day since the auditors came and to look at our books. We always hope that nothing fishy is going on in our office and that every transaction is accounted for. That quote has come to mean a great deal to me in my life and the truth is that it is living by that quote that I attribute the successes that have happened in Daniel’s life and it is living by that quote that you will find the greatest successes in your lives. Thankfully, the audit came fine and nothing serious or of concern was found. 

 I believe the blessings we enjoy in life come as a direct result of that integrity and dedication. 

I wish I knew how to express the depth to which I believe in the power of Integrity. Your reputation of honesty and integrity is worth its weight in gold in all of your business relations, your human relations, and your relationship with God or the higher power you believe in. Some time ago we were asked to give a talk on this very subject. There will be so many opportunities in your life to take a shortcut or do the wrong thing or even to justify bad behavior as a reaction to someone else’s bad behavior – DON’T EVER FALL FOR THAT! Don’t. It will never be worth it. 

“Character is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that’s right is to get by, and the only thing that’s wrong is to get caught.” ~J.C. Watts 

I can assure you that there will be times that doing the wrong thing will look so much easier and it will appear to guarantee the outcome you want – that will always be the temptation – But when it’s all said and done doing the wrong thing will never bring you lasting happiness. It just won’t. So when times are tough and you are struggling, just remember to say: 

“God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right even though I think it is hopeless.” ~Chester W. Nimitz 

I realize that it is not always an easy thing to have the courage to do the right thing, no matter what. Sometimes there are consequences that can hurt you or others when you do the right thing, but it is still always the best choice to do the right thing. When you do the right thing it will always work out in the end. Maybe not as fast as you would like and not always in the way you would think – but I can promise you this, if you do what is right then in the end it always works out right… so if something hasn’t worked out right yet, then it is simply not the end. Trust that. I promise that it’s true. 

Live your life in such a way that when each day comes to a close you can look in the mirror and say, or you can kneel down to say your prayers and say, “Today I did the right thing”. Nothing will bring you more joy and satisfaction than being able to close each day knowing that you did what was right. 

In case I haven’t expressed this lately, I want the people my husband is able to work with each day to know that we think you are all amazing and we appreciate all of you for having character and integrity and for upholding our area office culture of doing the right thing. I am so proud of all of you and I am so honored to associate with you. You are the best team any boss could ever ask to lead. Truly. I love you all and thank you for being there for us when we needed you. 

Con amor,

Vero

"I can't believe I ate the Whole thing"

It’s thanksgiving  and I like each year I say: " I can't believe I ate the whole thing" 

Each Thanksgiving in the United States people get together to share a meal. Our family used to go around the table to share what we were grateful for that year. It is a tradition we never miss doing. And every year in the back of my mind there is something I am truly grateful for on Thanksgiving, but I’m always too embarrassed to say it out loud, but this year I am going to own it…this year I say “Thank Heaven for Stretchy, loose clothes!!!” I couldn’t survive Thanksgiving dinner without them!

A few years ago I found this poem and I like it so much that I have to share. It’s called T’was The Night of Thanksgiving:

T’was the night of Thanksgiving,

But I just couldn’t sleep.

I tried counting backwards,

I tried counting sheep.

The leftovers beckoned,

The dark meat and white.

But I fought the temptation,

With all of my might.

Tossing and turning,

with anticipation.

The thought of a snack

became infatuation.

So I raced to the kitchen,

Flung open the door,

And gazed at the fridge,

Full of goodies galore.

I gobbled up turkey,

And buttered potatoes,

Pickles and carrots,

Beans and tomatoes.

I felt myself swelling,

So plump and so round.

‘til all of a sudden,

I rose off the ground.

I crashed through the ceiling,

Floating into the sky,

With a mouthful of pudding,

And a handful of pie.

But I managed to yell

As I soared past the trees

Happy eating to all,

Pass the cranberries, please!!

May your stuffing be tasty

May your turkey be plump.

May your potatoes and gravy

Have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious,

May your pies take the prize

And May your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off of your thighs!

-Lauren

Have a great Holliday everyone and eat a lot of turkey for me because here in the Philippines this day is like any other ordinary day. Except that today we went to Clark in the Subic Bay area for some training and yes, they fed us a ton! 

Con amor,

Vero

Thanksgiving every day

I can’t believe that Thanksgiving is tomorrow.  Time has flown this season!  As I started to wrap some Christmas gifts, it hit me that I hadn’t even taken one moment to think about Thanksgiving yet. I have been so wrapped up in Daniel's Christmas gift that the holidays had taken a back seat. But now that I went to pick up his gift, I really want to get into the spirit of Thanksgiving!  I love the Thanksgiving holiday because it is the perfect time to focus all your attention on feeling grateful and giving thanks even when is not celebrated in the Philippines. I love the quote:

“Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.” –W.J. Cameron

So with Thanksgiving coming quickly I made of list of some actions we can take to really get into the spirit of Thanksgiving not only one day but every day. 

These are some examples:

Invite a neighbor to dinner. or take a Thanksgiving dinner to a family in need. You can either let them know ahead of time or you can leave a big frozen turkey on their doorstep with a box of Stove top stuffing and mashed potato flakes so they have all the ingredients to cook the dinner for their family.

Visit someone who is sick or go to a Children's hospital or any hospital and take stuffed animals or kids’ books or games to leave with the patients who will be stuck in the hospital for Thanksgiving.

Send a note to a family member or a friend expressing appreciation or send a care package to soldiers overseas. Being away from home is hard enough but being away from home on a holiday is the worst. Send a care package over and include some fun holiday movies on DVD to entertain them.

Visit a home for the aged at a rest home who are alone on Thanksgiving. Listen to their stories. Ask them for life advice.

Donate to a food pantry or food bank or shelter. Not only do they need food but they need coats and blankets to help keep people warm.

Invite someone alone to join your family for Thanksgiving dinner. Nothing is worse than being alone on a holiday. Most people won’t admit they don’t want to be alone so you have to be the one to reach out and invite them to join you.

I think that last one is so important. Being alone on the holidays should never happen to anyone, and the only way to avoid that is if all of us are willing to look around at the people we know and make sure that we reach out to anyone who may not have somewhere to go and include them. What better way to show Thanksgiving in action? And they may just end up blessing your life more than you bless theirs.

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”  – Melanie Beattie

Have a blessed grateful day tomorrow everyone! 

Con amor,

Vero

Gracias

Thank You! Two simple words that are said to be the most powerful words in the universe. “Thank You” is an acknowledgement that you appreciate the other person’s time, kindness, and talents they devoted to doing something. Saying “Thank You” is an expression to of love and kind thoughts. It`s the best way to say “I appreciate you”, and who doesn’t love to be appreciated?!

Hearing the words “Thank You” is reinforcement that what you have done has been valued, acknowledged and is appreciated, and hearing it makes you feel FANTASTIC!

But, how often do we say the words “Thank You”?

Sometimes we forget to say thank you and we take people for granted.  We just expect people to help us, or listen to us, or just be there for us for that reason I have started a gratitude journal where every night before going to bed no matter how tired I feel, I write something down about that day to give thanks. 

Today, I am so grateful for the Christmas gift I had made for Daniel. I think he is going to love it and I can't wait for him to open it. This is a small way I can thank him for all the things he does for me and our family. I also have another little gift for him to open in Uruguay as a thank you but I can't say anymore about i because it is a surprise. 

Now think about how you feel when someone tells you how much they appreciate you. Doesn’t it make you want to do even more?? Yes, because you know they really noticed what you did.  Hearing “Thank You” really motivates people to do even more good things for you in the future!

Why is it that we wait until Thanksgiving to share with others all that we are grateful for?  Why not make every day Thanksgiving?  How would our lives be enriched if we told at least one person a day how much we value and appreciate them?  And what if we sent out at least one thank you card a week?   How would that make us feel?  Not to mention how the receiver of our thanks would feel.  It’s not enough to feel grateful – we have to express our gratitude!

If we spend our day looking for ways we can say “Thank You” it will keep us focused on noticing the good things other people do that we are thankful for.  It will keep us constantly reminded of the good in the world around us.

I think we should all try harder to use the words “Thank You” every single day.  We should all put a note on our car dashboards and on our mirrors and on our desk that say “Thank You” so that those words are always in front and center in our minds.  We should use those words all day long.  We should use them when we talk to people at work, when we talk to friends, when we talk to strangers, and when we talk to each other in our homes.

So I’ll be the first to say gracias, merci, Shunkran, Danke, Mahalo, Dhanyayad, Grazie, Domo, salamat, Thank you! to all of you for just being you, and for being awesome, and for making the world a better place because you’re in it. Thank you!

Con amor,

Vero

Gratitude

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” – William Arthur Ward

Today at our family home evening with the senior missionaries we celebrated thanksgiving. Why on a Monday night and not on Thursday? well because Thanksgiving is not celebrated in the Philippines so this coming Thursday will be like any other ordinary day. 

Daniel and I cooked one of the turkeys Salvadoran style. Daniel did a good job preparing it, so good that when it was our turn to get our food it was gone but there was plenty of more food to fill up our plates. If there is one tradition I miss not celebrating in the U.S. is Thanksgiving. 

Tonight, I have been thinking a lot about gratitude and all the amazing things I have experienced this month. Just last week Elder Carl B. Cook came to the Philippines to get to know the Area and the people here since he is our first contact. Daniel spent a whole day with him and the other Seventies looking at a temple site. 

David Archuleta also came to do a benefit concert and this week we will start our Light the World Christmas tradition with a giving machine at a mall. The gratitude that I am feeling today is hard to put into words but I am going to try because I think expressing our gratitude is incredibly important. That is why I love the opening quote of today’s letter so much. When we feel gratitude in our hearts, we need to express it. 

First and foremost, I am grateful to my Heavenly Father because He has blessed my life beyond measure. When things go right for me I know He played a major role in it. When things go wrong for me He helps me get through it. And when things seem to be confusing and I can’t understand why things are going the way they are I know that He is the one ultimately in charge and he is always leading me toward something that will be for my own best good. I am eternally grateful to know that. 

Second I am grateful to my family. I have the most amazing husband and together we have the most incredible children and grandchildren anyone could ask for. Our extended family is wonderful too. Our family means everything to me. 

Third, I am grateful for our friends. I have awesome friends. I find myself surrounded by greatness in every aspect of my life. From my neighbors to people in the office. They make me a better person because I associate with them. 

I have not yet posted photos but today I feel like sharing two photos: One of Daniel with Elder Cook and the other Seventies in care of the Area and one with Elder Soares and his wife at his 60^thbirthday party. 

I love this quote by J.F.K. “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to LIVE by them.”

Therefore, my goal is to not only express gratitude, but to live every day of my life with gratitude so in –order- to do that, I am  keeping  a gratitude journal. 

Happy Thanksgiving and eat a lot of Turkey for me. 

Con amor,

Vero

Footprints in the sand

There are a few poems that everyone has heard but just in case you never have read this poem, I am posting it today because it's a classic. The tittle of the poem is Footprints in the sand. 

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,
‘You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?’

The Lord replied,
‘The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand,
is when I carried you.’

                                                          -Mary Stevenson

I am so grateful for all those times in my life when the Lord carried me as I needed Him the most! I know He is there when we need Him. All we need to do is ask for His help and He will come to our aid.  

Con amor,

Vero

David Archuleta in Concert

A quote I love came from a talk given a few years ago which says:

“Have the determination to make the effort, the single-mindedness to work toward a worthy goal, and the courage not only to face the challenges that inevitably come but also to make a second effort, should such be required.” –Thomas S. Monson

That is a quote that was given in a talk about the ABC’s of having an abundant life. He tells us to have a good Attitude, Believe in ourselves, and have the Courage to face challenges and to get back up when we stumble and try again.

Too often when we stumble and fall we read into it as a sign that something “just isn’t meant to be” and maybe sometimes that is true, but I think a lot of time that’s not really it at all. Sometimes we are meant to get back up and make a second attempt at it. David was the second runner up at the American Idol contest and even though he lost, he still knew he could make it in the music world. Sometimes we need that experience of falling to gain the humility and wisdom needed to try again more wisely. Sometimes we are NOT meant to give up, but to make a second effort. And we need to have the courage to actually do that.

That was in general the theme David Archuleta shared with the missionaries at the MTC before he got ready for his concert the next day. He told the missionaries to have courage and to have a good attitude. I think having a good attitude is the easiest of the challenges he gives. Believing in ourselves can be difficult. And without a doubt the most difficult thing is getting back up when we stumble and fall and make a second effort. 

 David Archuleta is a timid guy, in other words, he is an introvert and never wanted to be the center of attention so as shy as he is to go on stage requires a lot of effort because he is not naturally a "show man." but he does it anyway. He does it because he loves to share his musical talent for the enjoyment of his fans. 

Have determination, work hard, and have the courage to face the challenges and then be wise enough to consider making a second effort…it might just be the smartest thing you ever do. A quote that comes to mind says:

“Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide on, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

How refreshing it was for us to see David Archuleta in a different setting doing what he loves to do, making people smile and feel happy with his music. He is a great performer but most of all a good example for young adults worldwide to stay focus on the things that matter. The fame has not gone over his head and that is something to be so proud of. Good for him! 

Last night, I only wished I had more time talking to him in Spanish but I only had about one minute. The fans all wanted to chat with him as well and take photos with him so maybe next time. 

Con amor,

Vero

Dr. Jackson's dream

Yesterday, we attended a dinner to thank all the donors who have given over the past 30 years to Mabuhay Deseret Foundation including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and for this reason, we were invited representing the Church along with the Area Presidency and the humanitarian missionaries of the Church.  

Dr. Jackson founded Mabuhay Deseret foundation in 1988 while he was living in the Philippines as a Mission President for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The foundation is helping  Filipinos who need surgery for lip/palate, cross eye, cataract, club foot, and they also do artificial limbs. They have successfully completed over 100,100 surgeries and have totally changed lives. Dr. Jackson explained how he started the foundation with no resources at the time but with the help of a few friends. Those friends and doctors were there tonight.

It has been said: “Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic” 

 I love that quote! It totally reminds me that we should never sell ourselves short in life. We should never assume we are not capable of achieving GREATNESS because WE ARE! Every one of us is capable of achieving so much more than we ever give ourselves credit for. If you look at the accomplishments throughout history you will find that all of them were done by ordinary people who pushed themselves beyond their limits in order to accomplish extraordinary things!

I love reading about average, everyday people who go on to accomplish amazing things.  It always gives me a boost to remember that I can accomplish anything that I set my heart and mind to do.  Sometimes it is so easy to think “I could never do that” or “that person is so much better, or smarter, or more capable than me”, but the reality is that none of that is true.  I truly don’t believe it is ever about better, smarter, or more capable.  I truly believe that it comes down to hard work, sweat, and sometimes a lot of tears, but its dedication and perseverance that separate the average doers from the extraordinary accomplishers.

 I know that in our own life, when you think of it, the times we have put ourselves out there and taken on the seemingly impossible tasks that we felt were so far above our capability to achieve, we have always ended up accomplishing more than we ever thought possible…all because we tried…all because we worked hard and we didn’t allow ourselves to quit when things got tough…all because we had faith that if we would simply show up and put in our best effort that our Heavenly Father would help us achieve whatever we were supposed to achieve…and He always has. 

 We are all far more capable then we give ourselves credit for. We just have to remember that we are not in this alone. We always have help from the heavens when we are willing to try. Dr Jackson did just that! He asked for help and it worked! It was an honor to meet him and to get to know a little better the people behind Mabuhay, including David Archuleta. 

Con amor,
Vero

Self- Reliance

“You will never know your limits until you push to them.”

At Pathway we went over the topic of self-reliance. It is amazing how much we need to remember to try harder each day. The human spirit is an amazing thing.  It is capable of doing and becoming more than we ever recognize.  The fact is that we never really know our limits in life until we are pushed into them or until we push ourselves beyond what we are currently doing.  It is so easy to just do the same old-same old.  It’s so easy to get caught up in a routine day after day where you do exactly what you already know how to do and don’t push yourself to go beyond that.  And we typically will continue on that path until life throws us a curve ball that forces us to step or, or until we finally reach a point of misery where we decide enough is enough and we force ourselves to change our lives by going outside our comfort zone.

So often in life we think to ourselves as we see other people’s trials that are more difficult than our own,  “I could never handle that”, but when push comes to shove and you have no choice but to handle it, it is amazing that somehow you find a way to get through.  Our outer limits of what we can handle is well beyond what we seem to think.  We are stronger and more capable then we typically believe we are, so its really a shame that it takes the negative trials to show us that.  Wouldn’t it be so much better if we could push ourselves beyond our own limits without waiting for circumstances to force us there?

That has been on my mind a lot today for some reason – The desire to push ourselves beyond our comfort zone and the desire to push ourselves to be more and do more than we are currently doing.  So I made a daily checklist of what we need to do to make that happen:

Every morning when you wake up:

Wake up each morning with a desire to accomplish a task before it's due

Decide to do and accomplish more each day then what you did yesterday

Don’t allow any excuses that hold you back from making progress today

Believe in your ability to be much more today than you were yesterday

No more procrastinating – START NOW!

We have control of determining how much we will push our own limits in order to truly achieve our greatest potential in life.  Don’t sit passively by waiting for life events to force you to go beyond your limits – Do it yourself first!  It feels much more gratifying when you take charge and make it happen on your own.    So start pushing your own limits and discover exactly how far your limits can take you!!

Everything around us is related to being self-reliance. 

Con amor,

Vero

Fun people

Today was a fun day for the ladies at the office but especially for Lesli who is having a baby soon and had her baby shower. it was all planned and executed by an amazing sister missionary. Cathy Skinner. 

As I sat down with those ladies to have some lunch and mingle together, I realize how much we need to get together to have some fun. Any excuse is a good excuse for a party. 

Nothing is better than hanging out with people that add to your good mood.  I have been mega lucky in my life to be surrounded with people like that – starting at home with my mom and sisters and my daguhters and now with my husband, then spreading to the workplace, I have been surrounded with amazing friends who make me laugh and who lift me up when times are tough and who always remind me that there is always time to have a little fun in life.

Let’s face it – Fun people make the world a happier place!  They can turn doing the worst task into a total party.  The make you laugh and celebrate and they spread joy to everyone around them.  Yes, choosing to hang out with people who are fun is the best way to ensure a happy journey in your life.  

Fun people are pure joy and who doesn’t like to experience pure joy?!

Con amor,

Vero

Putting off the natural man

What a day this has been for us! Elder Carl B. Cook and his wife spent a whole day with us! 

"Today I realize that I am speaking to a group of very intelligent and educated people, but I am not scared, because the topic I would like to address is applicable to each of us in a very personal way. It is how we can put off the natural man or the natural woman and become Saints through Jesus Christ and His Atonement. This is something I have been working on for many years—battling with the natural man. But I am determined to never relax, retreat, or retire from the fight.

Putting Off the Natural Man or Woman

The natural man or woman is the mortal part of us that allows the physical, the temporal, or our own desires to overrule our inherent spiritual goodness and our desires to become like our Heavenly Parents (see Spencer W. Kimball, “Ocean Currents and Family Influences,” Ensign, November 1974). Of course the fight will not be won immediately. It is a daily battle for each of us, and we are dependent upon God and Jesus Christ to help us change our nature.

We are taught in the Book of Mormon:

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 enticings 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. [Mosiah 3:19]

Spinner

I actually had a horse who helped me appreciate the amazing process of change. When our children were young, my wife and I looked for a gentle, well-broke children’s horse. Our neighbor had such a horse, but he would sell us kind and gentle Bob only if we also bought his other horse, Stubby. The names alone describe the horses. Eventually we decided to purchase both horses in order to acquire Bob.

Sure enough, Bob was wonderful, and Stubby ended up being, as expected, a stubborn, strong-willed, obnoxious animal who consistently acted up and caused trouble with the other horses. Because of our limited number of horses, I usually ended up riding Stubby during our family rides. He was defiant. When I tried to turn right, Stubby fought to go left. If I wanted to gallop, he would buck or crow-hop.

I decided to do all I could to help bring about a change in Stubby’s disposition. I gave him consequences for bad behavior and rewarded him for good behavior. I rode him side by side our well-behaved horses. I rode him frequently and groomed him often. Over time, after many rides—and somewhat to my surprise—Stubby began to soften. He submitted more readily to the saddle and bridle, and he was less determined to have his own way. He began allowing me to guide and control him without resistance. At times he even seemed to enjoy our time together.

As Stubby’s disposition improved, he surprisingly became my horse of choice. He was energetic and had good stamina. He was not at all hesitant or fearful in challenging situations, and in a group of other horses, he led out without needing to be urged on. Over a period of ten to fifteen years, Stubby developed into an exceptional lead horse. I was very grateful that I hadn’t given up on him during those earlier challenging years. In fact, Stubby made such a turnaround that we changed his name to Spinner.

When I walked to the pasture, Spinner was quick to come to me. He recognized me and seemed eager to please. He responded to the gentlest commands. I could ride him easily without a saddle or even a bit in his mouth. We spent many pleasurable hours together. He was very gentle and became a favorite horse of our grandchildren. He took care of our granddaughters, and he tolerated our grandsons. We would say, in horse lingo, that he was well broke. Spinner gave up his wild nature and aligned his will with his owner’s—or his master’s—will.

Spinner underwent a major change or transformation, but it took time, patience, and a lot of work. Through this process of change, Spinner’s life improved immensely, and so did mine! It broke my heart when he passed away this past spring. We buried him in a place of honor, marked with a hitching post and his halter.

In a similar though much more meaningful way, we are invited to change, to submit ourselves to God, who is our Master. In the New Testament we read:

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. [James 4:7–8]

Submitting to God

President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) described some of the blessings that come to us as we draw nigh to God and align our will with His. He said:

Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. [“First Presidency Message: Jesus Christ—Gifts and Expectations,” Ensign, December 1988]

Blessings do come as we submit our will to Heavenly Father, and the more fully we submit our will to Him, the richer the blessings will be. They may not be the blessings we expect, but they will always be the blessings we need.

It is possible to submit our will to God anywhere, anytime. One setting that is particularly conducive is while serving a full-time mission, when there are fewer worldly distractions. We are able to consecrate all of our time and attention to His work and to focus on what He would have us do instead of on what we may otherwise choose to do.

I recently read a letter from a missionary, Sister Wilde, who had been serving in the Houston Texas East Mission for less than six months when Hurricane Harvey hit. In addition to their usual missionary work, she and her companion and other missionaries worked for days tearing out damaged walls, floors, and sopping-wet carpets—sometimes working from 9:00 in the morning until 7:30 at night.

Though her work is very challenging, Sister Wilde described her experience as “one of the most incredible things I have ever done in my life.” She said, “What a blessing it is to be a part of God’s work. . . . I cannot begin to express the way that my mission has changed me. . . . The Lord can do amazing things with us when we give ourselves over to Him” (Brooklyn Wilde, email to family and friends, 4 September 2017).

I have experienced similar feelings in my life. I know that the joy Sister Wilde experienced is real—and available to each of us—as we submit our will and align ourselves with God.

In order to experience this joy, we must learn to follow the enticings of the Spirit—the things of God—rather than the enticings of the adversary—the things of the natural man. Because of the Father’s gift to us of agency, we choose daily which enticings to follow. In Matthew we read:

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. [Matthew 6:24]

As my Grandma Jenny, who was a true cowgirl, used to say, “You can’t ride two horses at the same time” (Jenny Afton Skeen Cook [1906–91]).

Enticements of the Adversary

The adversary entices us to be lazy, complacent, discouraged, indifferent, and doubting. Other of his enticements include giving in to appetites of the flesh, such as pornography, breaking the Word of Wisdom, not living the law of chastity, or engaging in other immoral practices. If we are wise, we ignore and shun those enticements. We exercise self-control and develop the capacity to avoid them. If we are injured by them, or if we become ensnared by them, we escape through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Though some things may take time to overcome, nothing is impossible—­including repudiation of sin, repentance, forgiveness, and healing.

Another enticement of the adversary that can keep us from submitting fully to the will of our Father in Heaven is pride. President Ezra Taft Benson described pride as “the great stumbling block” (“Beware of Pride,” Ensign, May 1989).

One sign of pride is pushing back or turning away from God or from others who invite us to do God’s will. Invitations may come from parents, friends, teachers, Church leaders, the scriptures, and sometimes the Spirit. They may be invitations to stop doing things we shouldn’t be doing, or they may be invitations to do something that God would have us do.

A resistant and prideful condition is described well in the Book of Mormon:

Behold, they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath created them, should rule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide. [Helaman 12:6]

In other words, pride says, “Don’t tell me what to do. Don’t try to control my life.”

When we rebel or turn our backs toward God, we are actually turning our backs on true joy and happiness. Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) said, “Only by aligning our wills with God’s is full happiness to be found” (“Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father,” Ensign, November 1995). Elder Maxwell also taught that we may mistakenly think that by letting our will be swallowed up in the will of God we lose our individuality. But the Savior is asking us only to lose our old self in order to find our new self. It is not a question of losing our identity but of finding our “true identity” (“Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father”). Using a cowboy’s words, I would say that God asks us to give up a penny in order to receive a dollar, and a dollar has some obvious advantages over a penny!

Pride, that sinister, grievous, subtle, disrupting, insidious, menacing, and rotten attribute of the natural man, constantly pulls us to focus on ourselves, our looks, our talents, our desires, our goals, our passions—on me, me, me. We look inward rather than outward toward others or up to God. Pride focuses on what I want instead of on what others want or on what God wants.

The antidote for pride is humility. It is humbling ourselves and putting God’s will above our own, seeking what He wants instead of what we want and aligning our will with His. One challenging aspect of replacing pride with humility is recognizing pride for what it is. As President Benson described, we often sin in ignorance (see “Beware of Pride”).

I find that when I lose the Spirit or feel distant from God or from others, pride is often at the root of the problem. I have found it helpful to ask myself, “Is it my pride that is causing this conflict?” When there is tension in a relationship, I ask, “Is it pride?” When I am not getting along with my leader, “Is it pride?” When I am not getting along with those whom I am called to lead, “Is it pride?” When I shrink from correction, “Is it pride?” I find that inevitably when I ask myself the question “Is it pride?” the Spirit whispers, “Yes, it is!”

I am grateful for the Lord’s mercy and kindness in helping us overcome our weaknesses. It is not easy to ask the question “Is it pride?” or to accept the answer. But recognizing pride seems to be the first step toward overcoming it. We can then identify what we need to work on, humble ourselves, plead for forgiveness, let our pride go, and align our will with God’s.

Enticements of the Holy Spirit

Yes, the enticings of the adversary are real, but the enticings of the Holy Spirit are also very real—and powerful! As we are obedient and yield to the enticings of the Spirit to pray, study the scriptures, and serve others, we begin to see who we really are—from God’s perspective and not just from our own. We feel God’s pure love for us and recognize our infinite worth. We can feel comforted, valued, and lifted. And often the enticings of the Spirit and our feelings of God’s love will prompt us to repent and change and become better.

Seeing Ourselves Through God’s Eyes

I had an experience as a young man in which I felt a distinct “enticement” to change. This experience helped me understand the difference between who I thought I was and who I really am in God’s eyes.

During a temple recommend interview prior to my mission, the bishop asked, “Are you honest in your dealings with your fellowman?”

I paused for a moment, evaluated my honesty from my point of view, and thoughtfully responded, “Yes.”

I went to the temple and then to Germany to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others. As I studied the scriptures, taught the gospel, and served God, the influence of the Holy Ghost increased in my life. My thoughts and attitudes began to change. I had an increased understanding of God’s expectations of me. As Preach My Gospel describes, I began “forming a fresh view of God, [myself], and the world” (PMG, 2004, 62).

One evening my companion and I were teaching a lesson on honesty, and an experience came to my mind that had occurred before my mission. As a sixteen-year-old, I had fixed up an old ’46 Chevy truck to drive to school and work, but it was an ongoing challenge to keep it running.

One day, when a friend and I were driving along a country road, we noticed a truck similar to mine discarded in a field next to some old equipment. The old truck was partially dismantled and rusting away, but it had a part that was missing on my truck. Since the truck in the field appeared to be abandoned, I rationalized that surely no one would miss the part. My friend encouraged me, and we removed the part from the abandoned truck and put it on my truck. I justified my action by reasoning that the owner didn’t really need the part and I did.

In the mission field, I was teaching investigators that stealing is taking something that does not belong to you. My experience of taking that once-insignificant rusty truck part was brought forcefully back to my memory. Suddenly I was pained by my having taken the part. I knew it was wrong. The Spirit helped me understand that from God’s point of view, I had not been honest. I began repenting and asking God for forgiveness. I realized that to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ, to teach gospel principles, and to testify with power, I must be living those principles. From a cowboy’s perspective, I knew I had to have both feet in the stirrups.

This incident was on my mind for the remaining eighteen months of my mission. When I returned home, it was a great relief to find the owner of that old truck, reimburse him for what I had taken, and complete my repentance. At last I felt clean, and I was filled with joy and peace.

I learned a valuable lesson from that experience. There is only one way to assess our honesty, or any other aspect of our conduct, and that is from God’s point of view—not our view, our friends’ view, or the views of people in our community, including the online community.

Understanding Our True Worth

Heavenly Father will help us identify areas in which we need to repent and improve. He can also help us recognize and comprehend our true worth. Rather than gauging our value by comparing ourselves to others or by our perception of how other people view us, we can look to Him. This may take focused effort, particularly in the media-rich environment in which we live.

There is public scrutiny with each photo that is posted, each comment that is made, and every “like” that is given. Each of us is affected by the posts and comments of others, whether they are positive or negative. “The great and spacious building [which] was the pride of the world” seems to no longer be confined to a building (1 Nephi 11:36). The pride of the world today has no walls. It has infiltrated cyberspace.

I suggest that it is more important than ever to look to God and let Him communicate to us our worth and the value of our contributions, rather than looking to others. We can let Him influence our decisions—what we wear, where we go, whom we go with, and what we do. His “likes” will be accurate, consistent, and much more merciful than the “likes” we may or may not receive from the rest of the world. In His eyes and in truth, we are of infinite worth. In fact, God sacrificed His perfect, holy, and Only Begotten Son in order that our souls might be saved and that we might return to Him. Let God be the audience that we look to please, not those in the great and shapeless black hole of cyberspace. Let us pray to Him and check for His inspiring messages. Let us look to Him, our Creator and our Eternal Father, in all things.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

The path of repenting and changing is a path that each of us can follow, no matter our situation. It is a joyful path, full of blessings. It is a path that we walk with the Savior, and as we do, we come to better understand His great power, mercy, and love. We better comprehend who He is and therefore who we are and who we have the potential to become. The path of repentance is the path that leads to becoming a Saint.

The first step along the path is to exercise faith in God and pray to Him with real intent, sharing our heartfelt feelings. We may feel a desire to repent of our sins, to be cleansed and healed. We may also be filled with resolve and strength to change and progress. The Spirit will guide us, and Jesus Christ will help us along the path.

It took approximately fifteen years for Spinner’s nature to change significantly. Because horses live an average of only twenty-five to thirty years, it actually took him about fifty human years to change. I hope it doesn’t take me that long to transform some of the things I am working on. How about you?

Heavenly Father doesn’t expect immediate perfection. He accepts our efforts, but He would not have us delay. He would have us come unto Him now and work to become “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” (Mosiah 3:19). He wants us to be His.

Discipleship can at times be challenging, but if we have faith and cultivate the Spirit, we can cowboy up and learn to put off the natural man or woman without becoming irritated, frustrated, or discouraged. It can be a joyful process. I love the scripture in the Book of Mormon that describes this pattern of living and progressing:

They did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God. [Helaman 3:35]

My message today is an invitation—an invitation for each of us to see ourselves as God sees us, to yield our hearts to Him, to align our will with His, and to change. We can ask ourselves: “Am I stuck as a Stubby, or am I becoming a Spinner? Am I following my own course, my own agenda, and striving to please myself, or do I desire to please God? Am I attempting to satisfy the appetites of the natural man or woman, or am I striving to please my Master?”

Heavenly Father can help us answer these questions. He can also help us in our quest to improve and become more like the Savior.

I know that as we submit and yield our hearts to God, He will bless us. Jesus Christ sets the perfect example for us. His only desire is to fulfill God’s plan. God’s will is His will. God’s work is His work. They are one. Even when faced with making the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus submitted His will to His Father’s, saying, “Not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). I bear testimony that through Jesus Christ and His Atonement, we can do all things—including putting off the natural man and becoming Saints. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." Carl B. Cook 

I decided to share a BYU devotional he did a few months ago because I loved it! 

Con amor,

Vero