The Boys and Baptism

Sunday January Nineteenth Two-Thousand and Fourteen----

THE BALDENEGRO BOYS WERE BAPTIZED!!!!

I have had the privileged of working with these cute boys for 7 months. It was such a wonderful experience! So, many people came out to support the boys. It reminded me of how important baptism  is, and why we make the covenant to be baptism. Because, we WANT to follow Jesus Christ, we WANT the gift of the Holy Ghost. And in return Heavenly Father continues to bless us more than we can imagine. 

My Companion and I sang "Teach me to Walk in the Light" at the baptism, and then I also gave a talk on my experience with working with the boys and what I have learned from them.

(A story I told the Boys, and they wanted me to share it in their baptism) 

An old Bishop of mine shared this with me when I was being interviwed for baptism. 

When he was a teenager, he got his license, and his parents we're letting him drive the car. But when he driving he started driving as fast as he could down the road, and as he was driving the back door slide open and slammed shut. He said he knew that the Holy Ghost had left him, because he was being disobeident. 

That's how the Holy Ghost works. We receive Him as a gift from Heavenly Father and he becomes out constant companion. He will always be with us, but we are warned that the Holy Ghost will not dwell in unclean things. So, that takes in everything. If we are being disobedient, in-taking things into our bodies that are not good, using bad language, being in places were we should not be, or participating in activities that are not inviting to the Spirit. He leaves us. He doesn't want to stick around and be apart of the adversary's games. 

I started working with the Jr. and Micah about 7 months ago. 

I remember the first time we meet with them they asked if they could be baptized. They wanted to be baptized right then and there. They have been in foster care, and the Clarke's who are caring for the boys brought them to church with them and they loved it!

This actually was just a dinner appointment, we didn't realize it was going to turn into such a blessing. 

We started working with them, and due circumstances they couldn't be baptized right them and there. 

Something I learned from working with these boys was to have HOPE. They never lost HOPE in their desire to be baptized. 

Hope is to have the abiding trust in the Lord, it requires patience, confidence, and optimism that The Lord will take care of everything. 

Though there may have been many trials on the journey to baptism, the boys never lost hope.

Through out the Scriptures we read consistently The Lord telling us to become as Little Children. 

Little Children are great examples of Hope. When the boys came upon discouragement, they conquered it by having Hope. When the Journey got rough Hope reassured them that they would make it there one day. They constantly persevered with Hope. 

Working with Jr and Micah I now understand a little bit better what it means to become as little Children. 

Matthew 18:3

Verily, I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye, shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Little Children are easily converted to our Heavenly Father, because they are not distracted by the worldly things that poison out Spirits.

 They have Hope that leads them to Faith in Jesus Christ, and know that they are loved by Heavenly Father. Their little testimonies, may be small and simple, but they know for the facts that they can trust that The Lord will always take care of them. This is how we enter into God's Kingdom, remembering the innocence of Children and having Hope in all that Heavenly Father does for us. 

In psalms it tells us that we are all children of the most high. 

We are all God's little Children, no matter out age. If we come to Him with the innocence of a little child, He will accept us, and with that we are more subject to feeling the Holy Ghost testify to us, because we are opening our hearts with real intent and sincerity to learn and grow in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I have learned so much working with this sweet family. I have a deep love for them, and so grateful for all the wonderful things they have taught me. I know that this is the True Church, and Heavenly Father loves us all. If we have Hope in this Gospel, we all can return to live with Heavenly Father in the highest kingdom.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

 The Boys gave us Flowers :)

Repentance! Thee Greatest Gift!

Doctrine and Covenants 16:6

And, now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto will be to declare repentance unto this people. that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen.

The greatest gift that we have is the ability to Repent. Soooo, many times we think that repentance is a "bad thing". It's not! It's a great thing! 

Repentance is the act to change, to change ourselves for the better. To become closer to Heavenly Father and feel at peace. 

Doctrine and Covenants 18:11-13

For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him. 

And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentacne.

And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!

Our Savior Jesus Christ made repentance possible. He suffered and died for us, so we could be forgiven of our sins and return to live with out Father in Heaven. That truly is the greatest gift we could ever relieve. To have the knowledge that someone loved me so much, they we're willing to die, so that I could have a happy ending.

Mark 1:15 

And saying, the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel.

Heavenly Father and His divine Kingdom is awaiting us. When we humble ourselves enough, we will have the desire to change and want to repent.

Heavenly Father loves us so much, and He wants us to return to live with Him. He wants us to be happy! To have Peace, and feel His love. He desires all that for us! We are so blessed to have a Father in Heaven who loves us, that He is waiting and wanting to forgive us. 

I know that repentance was made possible through our Savior, Jesus Christ. I am forever grateful for the sacrifice He made for me. I have a firm testimony that if we live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and want to change ourselves to become closer to Heavenly Father we will have many blessings in store, and we all can have a happy ending.

I love you all

-Sister Ashcroft

MurMuring? ...I think NOT!

Many, many, many, many MANY, many, many, MMMMMMAAAAANNnnnnnyyyyyy.... YEARS AGO! 

Heavenly Father spoke to Nephi and commanded him to build A SHIP! 

WHAT?!?!?!?!

 Nephi didn't  know how to build a ship, how can he do something that he has never been taught to do?

 The Lord would teach him how to build a ship. 

Nephi's older brothers Laman and Lemuel MURMURed. "Our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship..." (1 Nephi 17:17)

They didn't want to help him. They wanted to hurt him, and make fun of him. Nephi told them to repent. They became even more angry and wanted to throw him in the sea!

Well, the story goes on that The Lord tells Nephi to "stretch forth thine hand again into they brethren, and they shall wither before thee, but I will shock them, saith the Lord, and this will I do, that they may know that I am the Lord their God."(1 Nephi 17:53)

Laman and Lemuel learned that Nephi was telling the truth, so they repented and then helped Nephi finishing building the boat.

1 Nephi 18:4 "And it came to pass that after I had finished the ship, according to the word of the Lord, my brethren beheld that it was good, and that workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine; wherefore, they did humble themselves again before the Lord."

Moral of the story is - DON'T MURMUR! When The Lord gives us a commandment He is ALWAYS going to provide a way. He will never leave us a alone to figure it out ourselves and set us up for failure, He loves us way too much! 

We all pull a "Laman and Lemuel" once in awhile, but we put our trust in the Lord He going to bless us and help us in whatever we face in life. 

I know that this Gospel is true! There are times in my life where The Lord needed me to do something, and I didn't think I could. Yes, I murmured! (GASP!) A grand Example- SERVING A MISSION! I did not think I could do it, and I came up with every excuse (murmuring) not to serve a mission. But look at me now! I have nearly been out for 10 months, and yes it is the hardest thing I have.ever.done.in.my.ENTIRE.life! But it is the greatest blessing I have ever received in my life. The Lord has helped me so much, I can't even express the amount of help I have received from The Lord in the past 10 months.

I know that when we put our faith in The Lord, He will always provide a way! 

I love this Gospel! The Church is true! 

Love-

Sister Ashcroft

The Voice of the Spirt...LISTEN UP!

So, sorry! It's been awhile since I have posted anything! But it's a new year! Happy twenty-four-teen! 

let's make this a great year, but coming closer to Christ.

THE SPIRIT-

"And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do." (1 Nephi 4:6) 

Yesterday, my companion and I were walking home form a Zone Lunch. Early that day we had a zone training and we made a goal to talk to everyone we see about the gospel. We are both really good at just walking up to people and carrying on a casual conversation, and as always extending our help. But, so many times we walk off without inviting them to hear the Gospel.

Aftter discussing this weakness we came to the conclusion that we want to change that. NOW!

"It's better to bomb it, than walk by" 

Which means, it's better to talk to someone and them totally shut us down, or we totally just bomb it than walk by and never give them a chance, because everyone we talk to we are planting a seed in their hearts whether they accept us or not.

So, walking home yesterday we see someone walking towards us, and I know that we are suppose to talk to this person. 

As, he gets closer we say "hello"... no response. We then slow down and asks "how are you today?" He walks right past us, as if we weren't even there! 

So, I'm thinking to myself why did I feel so strongly to talk to that person if he wasn't even going to acknowledge us? It bothered me for awhile and we continued to walk home. Then we see another man, who looked Polynesian. 

My companion shouts "Talofoa!"

...no response

I shout "Aloha!"

He starts to laugh at us, so we ask "well, what are you" 

He replied "Mexican!" 

The two of us together "HOLA!"

We giggle and then tell him to have a nice day and start to walk off, but then the SPIRIT reminded me that we made a goal we wouldn't just walk past anyone without inviting them to hear about the Gospel. 

So, I turn back to go talk to him. We carry a casual conversation and then guided by the SPIRIT we start asking him questions that are related to the Gospel. We told him that we were Sister Missionaries serving for The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints. Ha, he knew who we were. Serving in  Utah almost everyone knows who we are. 

Sadly, he wasn't interested, but that's okay! Because He wasn't  prepared to hear the Gospel at that time in his life. He was very friendly and he listened to what we had to share, but when the day comes that he is prepared to hear the Gospel he will know how to reach the missionaries. 

As we reflected back on the two experiences we realized that Heavenly Father was preparing us for the next person we were about to meet.

Going into that situation Sister Greene and I had no idea what we were going to say, but we were led by the Spirit. The spirit told us what to say, and because we listened to the Spirit we were able to plant a seed in that mans heart, and he is one step closer to coming unto Christ. 

"For when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men"(2 Nephi 1:33)

We read throughout the scriptures that the Spirits voice is not loud, it's not harsh, rude or anything of the sort. The voice of the spirit does not compete, it comes, but only if we want to listen. 

We live in a world where there is so much that can distract us from the voice of the spirit; music, language, clothing, magazines, television, jokes, phones, and more. 

The adversary is all around and will do anything to distracts us from the spirit and bring us further away from Christ. 

Always remember to be alert and listen to the Spirit. In Moroni 10:5 it tells us "And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth to all things" I know that this is true! If you are listening to the Spirit He is going to tell you exactly what you need to hear. 

If we try our best avoid the worldly things that are louder than the Spirit, than we will hear and feel the Spirit more strongly in our life!

This Gospel is so amazing! We are so blessed that it is possible for us to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

Alma 5:16 "I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth."

IMAGINE THAT! 

I love you all! 

Love, Sister Ashcroft