Kendrick, Jessica

This week I studied about how to have a good personal study. :) Our new president, President Ord, is making a big focus on the importance of a good personal study. While I was studying I found the story of Manna. Well I found a cool video... but that video talked about how just like the Israelites had to go out and gather it every day to be fed. They had to trust in God, completely- because of their daily gathering they grew to have confidence that the Lord would provide it. That's just how our personal study is. We need to gather daily so that we can grow to have the same faith and confidence in the Lord, so that we can know he will take care of us, and save us. One thing that really stood out to me is what Manna means... "What is this?" That is what we should ask ourselves during our study time. What does this mean to me? What is the definition of this?.... questions are how we can learn. Anyway... I didn't mean to rant... but personal study is good. Especially when...

This week I was studying a lot about repentance, I spent most of my time reading and studying the story of Alma the younger. In his story, I saw a lot of prayer, faith, and fasting. I think those things are super important for when we are repenting. Sometimes I like to think about how Alma the older must have felt when he was watching his son go down a similar path ad he had. He had the priesthood and was tempted and became one of the wicked priests of Noah, but he was lucky and brought back to the truth. How painful it must have been to watch his son be raised in the gospel, but stray to the point of trying to destroy it. No wonder he had been praying and fasting.  I read a talk by Boyd K. Packer titled "The touch of the Masters hand." It explained what "harrowed" means. "A harrow is a frame with spikes through it. When pulled across the ground, it rips and tears into the soil." This is such a good description. When we sin, our guilt feels like a harrow, ...

Wow... crazy week. I studied joy and affliction. And there are a couple of thoughts and scriptures I want to share. First, I've shared this quote before but I just love it, "I give you assurance that regardless of the world's condition and your personal circumstances, you can face the future with optimism and joy if you have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and his gospel." President Nelson is right, an overarching theme of my study was that when we can see the whole picture, and know God's plan of Salvation we can have peace in this life, and our afflictions will truly only be for a small moment. This week we were asked to help in a funeral for a members grandma that passed away in Mexico... hermana Wilson played the piano, I led the music... a bunch of the family weren't members. But it was cool to see how those who were members, and had the knowledge of the plan of salvation, they were more calm and collected. They knew where she was.  I also really liked Joh...

This week I studied a little about missionary work. Sorry I don't have anything crazy profound to share this week, but here is what stuck o ut to me: Feed my sheep. After reading a talk I really recognized that feeding his sheep means to love them, to nurture them, and to know their needs. I really like that. It reminds me of a scripture in ephesians 2:19. "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God." Sometimes I forget that we are really all brothers and sisters. And when I think of my sisters, I would do anything for them... but everyone is a sibling. And I need to treat them that way. A voice of warning. One of the things that was part of our mission as latter day saints is to be a voice of warning. It made me remember natural disasters. If we somehow knew that a natural disaster was coming... wouldn't we warn people? I think of missionary work as warning people about the natural man. So mu...

This week I was studying more about the priesthood, and I came across the name "everlasting priesthood." I just really liked it. I thought about how perfect that name was in 2 ways. 1) When a man receives the priesthood, he will always have it. He will have it for eternities. As long as he is worthy, he will be able to exercise that priesthood. 2) Everything that is everlasting is made everlasting through the priesthood. Baptism, Confirmation, Initiatory, Endowment, Sealing... Everything. Families are made eternal through the Priesthood. While I was thinking about this, Hermana Foley was reading in 3 Nephi 13:19-21. Where it talks about how we should put our treasures in heaven where neither moths nor rust can corrupt. The only way we can reach that to put our treasure there is through the Holy, everlasting priesthood. Wahoo... teamwork! Anyway, I'm just really grateful for the priesthood in my life, and for my loving Dad, Uncles, Grandpas, and Priesthood leaders who have...