Tell Me the Stories of Jesus

I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormons. Each Sunday, I discuss some things related to my faith and what I believe. Regardless of your own beliefs, I hope this gives you a chance to get to know me and my religion a little better. For previous installments, click here.


Last week, Emily asked:

Do you have any book recs that are not too intellectual and in modern language. Basically something easy to read. I have the Book of Mormon but it's not easy for me to read. Maybe a young adult type book?
I want to learn more, but all the books I pick out are way over my head.

Honestly, the best way to learn about the Book of Mormon is to read it. However, I totally understand that, well, sometimes it's not easy to understand. My first suggestion would be to read the Book of Mormon Study Guide published by the church for their Institute of Religion classes, in conjunction with the Book of Mormon itself. You can order a hard copy or read it online. In fact, all the study manuals can be found online, or in the Church's official iPhone app.

Other companion books that might help are Christ and the New Covenant by Jeffrey R. Holland or Unlocking the Book of Mormon by Pinegar, Ludlow, and Allen. Thanks to Eilonwy and Mr. Eilonwy for the suggestions!

Emily - I hope this helps! Thank you for the question!

He's got the whole world in his hands

I've recently been teased for having a bag so big I couldn't find my keys (guilty) and both Laylabean and Bridget have asked "What's in your purse?", so I decided to play along.  Here's what was in my purse yesterday.

Glasses case (Brown case - for regular glasses that currently in my bathroom, black case for computer glasses that are currently on my face)
Orthotics (So I could wear them with my "custard shoes" that live at work)
Bike gloves (I use them as my weightlifting gloves)
Oil absorbing sheets
Checkbook
Socks (Also so I could wear them with my "custard shoes")
Travel toothbrush
Toothpaste
Sunglasses (Not the pair I like, which are in the car)
Earbuds
Lock
Change purse
Wallet
Paycheck
Stub from said paycheck
Envelope for said paycheck
Gym card
Two lipsticks (same color, natch)
Nail buffer
Nail polish
Eyedrops
Church program (at least it was from this most recent Sunday)
Exercise band (I've won three of these from school district's fitness competition, don't know that I need three)
Lipbalm
"Thor" ticket stub
Used tissues (gross)
iPod arm band
Nail clippers
Three pens
Grocery receipt
$4 (not in my wallet)
77 cents (not in my change purse)


Fortunately, I've now thrown away the garbage, put the dinero in their respective carrying cases, and the socks and orthotics are at home, since I don't work at the custard shop until Saturday.


Still, maybe it's time to downsize again.


Oh, and my keys are not in my purse. At least this time.


What's in your bag/purse?

Book of Mormon stories that my teacher told to me

I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormons. Each Sunday, I discuss some things related to my faith and what I believe. Regardless of your own beliefs, I hope this gives you a chance to get to know me and my religion a little better. For previous installments, click here.

8We believe the ^aBible to be the ^bword of God as far as it is translated ^ccorrectly; we also believe the ^dBook of Mormon to be the word of God. (Articles of Faith 1:8)

The Book of Mormon is not a replacement for the Bible. Instead, we believe they work hand in hand to testify of the life, ministry, and teachings of Jesus Christ. While the Bible was written by prophets in the Middle East, we believe The Book of Mormon was written by prophets in the Americas who lived at the same time. 

For a much more in depth explanation of the history, purpose, and message about The Book of Mormon, please click here. To read it online, click here.

As for me, I have felt blessed and guided in my life as I read and study the words and messages found in its pages. I feel connected both with the people who wrote and lived at the time of Christ and with my fellow members of my church and even God by acting on the things I have learned. It truly is the keystone of our religion and written for our times. I am so grateful to have it. If you are at all curious about what we believe, fundamentally, I encourage you to read it and decide the truthfulness of its content for yourselves. 

As always, if there are any questions you have or topics you want me to cover here, please ask!

Been up all night wondering why things aren't getting any better

Have you ever been so tired that your lack of competency and complete clumsinsess astounds even you?

Um, yeah, me neither. . .

Well, except for last night. Mondays are just hard for me. I get up at 5 AM to workout then have a 13 hour work day between my two jobs. I'm usually tired, but last night I was absolutely useless at the end of my day.

How useless you ask?

First, I ran a stoplight. Except not so much ran as came to a complete stop at, then forgot what was going on and proceeded to drive again, straight through it, before it turned green.

Genius, I tell you.

Then! I forgot how to get to my co-custard scooper's house. It's not a drive I've made super often, but enough that I know how to get there. Usually. I didn't get us turned around completely, thank goodness, but he did have to confirm all turns I was only half-committed to making on my own.

Of course, he was heartily amused at my exhaustion and its consequences. He doesn't know yet that once I made it home (without any more automotive incidents, for which I am grateful), I knocked over my large glass makeup bowl, which shattered on my bathroom tile and cut my foot.

It was all I could do to sit slumped on the floor and pick up the pieces, then clean and dress my wound.

Mind you, this was only 11 PM. Remember when I used to go out that late? Those days are clearly over, at least after working all day.

On This Day of Joy and Gladness

I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormons. Each Sunday, I discuss some things related to my faith and what I believe. Regardless of your own beliefs, I hope this gives you a chance to get to know me and my religion a little better. For previous installments, click here.

While we've talked about the importance of the Sabbath as well as that of meeting together regularly, we haven't discussed exactly what it is we do at church for three hours every week.

Our current meeting schedule looks like this:

Hour 1 - Sacrament meeting
Hour 2 - Sunday School
Hour 3 - Auxiliary meetings

Sacrament meeting is a general meeting for the whole congregation. There are congregational hymns and other music, two or three talks given by members of the congregation (they're usually asked a week or two in advance), prayers, and, most importantly, the passing and partaking of the Sacrament - bread and water to symbolize the Atonement and Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, much like Catholic communion.

Sunday School is broken up by age group from ages 18 months to 18 or, depending on the size of the congregation, two or three classes for the adults to choose from. Ages 18 months to 11 is called Primary and 12-17 is Young Men and Young Women. Classes are taught on gospel topics from the scriptures, appropriate to the age group.

The auxiliaries of the Church are Priesthood (men) and Relief Society (women), who generally meet separately. The youth and children are still in their various Primary and Young Men/Women classes. Currently, the Priesthood and Relief Society classes are taught from teachings of the presidents of the church.

I realize this is a really brief synopsis, but hopefully it provides a basic idea of our meeting structure. In between and after classes, we have plenty of time for socializing and ministering to each other. I know I've said this before, but I do enjoy meeting with other members and worshiping and serving together, and if you ever want more details than I provide about our meetings and their content, visitors are always welcome.

P.S. Happy Mother's Day!!

Mother, I love you; I love you, I do

Mom came to visit me! (Three weeks ago and I'm just now telling you about it. I'm awesome that way.)

Back when I was a fresh-faced little undergraduate theatre student, my mother offered to pay for my voice lessons. The condition was that I would learn "O Divine Redeemer" by Charles Gounod, one of her favorites. Even though I had three years of private vocal instruction and multiple recitals, I didn't sing that particular song for her until I was graduating from my Masters program. When we were given the opportunity to audition a solo for the Easter program of Mormon Choir of Washington, DC, I knew exactly which song I would pick, and, luckily, they picked me as one of the five soloists. 

Mom, ever supportive, then arranged with my dad to use all their frequent flier miles to spend three nights and two days in DC to hear me sing! Of course, when they wanted to Skype on a weekday morning on April Fool's Day to break the news, I didn't believe them right away. But it was true! Two weeks later, I picked her up at Dulles International Airport and we had an incredible weekend!

Saturday was rather rainy, but after I went to the gym and choir rehearsal and Mom slept in, we had dessert at The Dairy Godmother (where, bee-tee-dubs, I work part-time now) and for a walk around Eastern Market, which effectively shuts down all outdoor operations (translation: the coolest part) when it rains. So we holed up at Capitol Hill Books and I read Sandol Stoddard Warburg's I Like You to her.

We lunched on burgers and fries at Good Stuff Eatery. You can see the stack of books we adopted by my elbow.

Sunday morning, we wandered the National Arboretum, taking loads of pictures and enjoying the herb garden, bonsai exhibit, and the glory of spring in DC, since it was finally sunny.

And, of course, we went to my choir concerts, enjoyed just being the two of us together, and had way too much fun. I love my mom!!

O Divine Redeemer

I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormons. Each Sunday, I discuss some things related to my faith and what I believe. Regardless of your own beliefs, I hope this gives you a chance to get to know me and my religion a little better. For previous installments, click here.

Happy belated Easter! As much as I love Christmas, the Easter season is also wonderful. Spring is such a beautiful time of year with brilliant, natural colors (as opposed to the lights and manufactured shimmer of Christmas) symbolizing a season of rebirth and new possibilities. To me, it is a reminder of the Resurrection of our Savior and the rebirth and new possibilities available to us through His sacrifice.

This year, I got to celebrate a week early with my mom in town (which is why I didn't write two weeks ago) and then enjoy a beautiful, quiet Sunday on the actual holiday (why I didn't write last week). I'm so grateful for the chance to reflect in gratitude for our Jesus Christ, my Redeemer.

My mom was in town specifically to hear me sing the following song, which I share with you today as a testimony of how I truly feel about Jesus Christ. Enjoy.

O Divine Redeemer - Charles Gounod

We Give Thee But Thine Own

I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormons. Each Sunday, I discuss some things related to my faith and what I believe. Regardless of your own beliefs, I hope this gives you a chance to get to know me and my religion a little better. For previous installments, click here.

I give ten percent of everything I earn to the Church. It's called tithing, and we're all expected to give a full ten percent. These funds help build up the church throughout the world, whether it's for actual buildings, or in financially supporting the activities of its members. 

By paying tithing, Church members show their gratitude to God for their blessings and their resolve to trust in the Lord rather than in material things. They also help further the work of the Lord in the earth, blessing others of God’s children with the opportunity to learn of Him and to grow in the gospel. 

This isn't a new principle. Even in the Old Testament, we read in Malachi 3:10 :

 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

I'll be honest; it's not always the easiest principle to follow. I could think of many other things I could do with that money. Yet, I feel that it is blessed me. At the very least, being a full tithe payer allows me to attend the temple and when I am faithful in paying every month, I feel like I'm still okay financially. Personally, I am grateful for the opportunity to give an honest tithe and thank the Lord for everything He has given me.

Baby we could sleep in

You guys, I think I'm turning into my dad.

Now, I love my dad, but I don't want to be the person who sleeps until 8:45 AM on a Saturday morning and then thinks to myself "Oh my gosh, I'm soooo lazy!"

I mean, seriously? A month ago, I would sleep in that late on a workday. Funny how that attitude changes so quickly, at least for me. I would have gotten up earlier if Cabeza or A$ were going to be at the gym today, but I was on my own this morning and it was nice to sleep in a little after getting to bed so late last night. (So late = 11 PM.)

Later today, I turned into the person who thinks "Guh. I've only worked out today, had a protein shake, fixed a pair of shorts, and showered/dressed? That's it!?"

Friends, it was noon-thirty. Really, there was still plenty of time left in the diem to be carpe'd.

Tonight, I'm going bowling for a birthday celebration. I'm actually worried that I'm not going to make it the entire evening, because we're not going until 10 PM, which is my goal bedtime most days. In fact, I haven't been out that late (as a starting time) since I started being a morning person, but in the 26 years and 9 months previous, I'd be all over going out that late. (Granted, during 18 of those years, I did require parental permission.) And after a lower body weightlifting session this morning, my first shift on my feet for 5 hours at The Dairy Godmother (for fun and extra clams) this afternoon, and bowling tonight? I'll be lucky if I'm able to move tomorrow.

Please send a foot masseuse, and don't mind the girl sleeping in lane 9.

Come listen to a prophet's voice

I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormons. Each Sunday, I discuss some things related to my faith and what I believe. Regardless of your own beliefs, I hope this gives you a chance to get to know me and my religion a little better. For previous installments, click here.

This week's Sunday post is coming a little bit early, and not just because it's April Fool's Day. This weekend, we are gathering as an entire church to listen to General Conference. Of course, gathering as entire population of over 13 million people in one place is rather impossible, so we're meeting together in a worldwide broadcast at church buildings and in homes via radio, television, and internet. In five two hour sessions over two days, members will hear counsel from President Thomas S. Monson and each member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, as well as other General Authorities and auxiliary leaders of the Church.

We believe that President Monson and the rest of the Quorum of the Twelve are truly modern day prophets, seers, and revelators, according to the same organization of the Church that existed in the time of Christ. Their counsel from the Lord is regarded as modern day scripture.

I'm looking forward to watching Conference this weekend, and the semi-annual excuse to wear pajamas during church (if you're watching at home) is only part of it. I'm actually posting early this week to invite you to join us. There's more information about the broadcast schedule here, or you can just watch it on your computer here. You can even follow along on Twitter via the #ldsconf hashtag. Tune in for all 8 hours of public broadcasting (the Saturday evening session is for the men only and broadcast exclusively at chapels; the women have their own sessions in September) or just 20 minutes. You can see our beautiful Conference Center and hear the amazing Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and listen to talks from the senior leadership of the Church, both men and women, to hear what we're all about as Latter-day Saints.

If you can't participate this weekend, the video archives and transcripts will be online soon. They're already up for every Conference since 1974.

And if you tune in during the intermediate hymns, know that I'm singing loud and proud right with you!