Kendrick, Jessica

This week was a complete switch from the last. Hermana Wilson sprained her ankle on Monday... so we moved a little slower this week. But honestly it was a blessing since last week was crazy!  This week I studied about being ready. I dove into the stories of the 10 Virgins and Ester. I really enjoyed learning more about the story of the ten virgins, and there is pretty much one scripture that sums up what I learned: Doctrine and Covenants 33:17. "Wherefore, be faithful, praying always,  having your lamps trimmed and burning, and oil with you , that you may be ready at the coming of the Bridegroom." Honestly this is an equation of how to be ready. We have to trim (cultivate, trim) our lamps (testimonies), they need go be burning (we need to be passionate about the gospel) and we need to have oil with us (the Holy ghost). I loved this.  Testimonies are vital to our spiritual well being. We can see that in Matthew 25:12 when the bridegroom says "ye know me not." If we a...

I studied about Weakness this week. I had a day where it was good, but just really long and I felt like I just wasn't doing as good as usual. So I decided to study about why. Honestly, it all comes down to God wanting us to trust him, and rely on him. In Doctrine and Covenants 124:1 it says "that I might show forth my wisdom through the weak things of the earth." I'll add 2 Corinthians 12:9 for fun too. "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." God gives us weaknesses so that we realize that we need to trust in him, let him perfect our harvest. Because it's true, if we don't let him help, we will never be perfect. In a way I'm grateful for my weaknesses, because they humble me enough to turn to Jesus and walk with him.  We all know the Ether 12:27 scripture, during my studies I realized that there is an equation there! Yay, math! It's really simple. Humility (desire/intent) + faith in Jesus Christ (unlock...

This week I studied a talk by Gary E. Stevenson: Spiritual Eclipse. I loved it. It started off with the question: "how is it possible that the very source of our warmth, light, and life could be so greatly obscured by something comparatively insignificant in size?"    A solar eclipse is when the moon and the sun are in the perfect position so that in some places of the world, the sun us completely obscured. The sun is 400 times bigger... and 400 times further away than the moon. And just like the sun, our Loving Heavenly Father can seem so far away, and the daily inconveniences and challenges can seem so very close. And sometimes when we focus so much on those challenges it seems like He is so much further. Elder Gary E. Stevenson called this a spiritual eclipse. The cool thing about a solar eclipse is that there are only some places where it is a complete solar eclipse, when we know one is coming or can come, we can choose where to be, we can choose to stand in holy places.....

This week was good! My studies were all over the place. But I learned a lot.  I learned about the sacrament, and how we can know when we are okay to partake it. It's all about what we are offering unto God. In a scripture (that I don't remember where I found) it says "which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God." I looked up the definition of yield and one of them was to move in order to make room for something or someone. We need go make room for God in our hearts and give up all of our sins. I like that. We are all trying to find more time for God in our lives. And it really all starts from our priorities.  The points in Preach My Gospel have changed a little, and now we specifically review the 2 great commandments. One of the blessings of loving God and loving our neighbor is that we have better set priorities! How cool! I had some time to get to know President Ord a bit more this week, he's really so cool. I'm so grateful fo...