Christmas

Wrapping paper

Cocoa

Shopping trips

Trees

receipts

sleds

presents

ham (or in my family prime rib)

Santa Claus

Coal and Stockings

These define modern day Christmas, but this isn't what Christmas is. 

Last night I had the wonderful opportunity to watch the Christmas Devotional given by the leaders of the Church. 

One of my favorite quotes from the evening

"Because when we keep the spirit of Christmas we keep the 

spirit of Christ, for the Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit. It will 

block out all the distractions around us, which can diminish 

Christmas and swallow up its true meaning"-President Monson

This Christmas lets be aware of what the true meaning is. 

Christ. 

Heavenly Father sent his son, and thats what we should be celebrating. 

Christ was sent to this world to suffer the sins of all men (and women), 

He would redeem those who believed and acted in his name. 

He sacrificed himself for ALL men, but we do have to do our part. 

This Christmas lets serve others, and bring joy into others lives. 

Lets praise the name of Christ and his atoning and everlasting sacrifice.

Lets love Him like He loves us. 

Merry Christmas, 

T. 

Joseph Smith

As a young man of fourteen years, Joseph already had a desire to find the truth. Like the rest of his family, he was deeply religious, and when the time came for him to be baptized, Joseph had to decide which of the many Christian denominations to join. After careful study, he still felt confused. He later wrote, “So great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was [ … ] to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong [ … ] In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?”(Joseph Smith-History 1:8, 10).

Joseph turned to the Bible for guidance. He read,

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5).

This verse deeply impressed him. He decided to pray about what he should do, with simple faith that God would hear and answer him. (Mormon.org)

He did that. He prayed. He received an answer. 

God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him in the sacred grove. 

He did see them, and they spoke to him. 

God answers all prayers. He answered Joseph's. 

In the spring of 1820, Joseph went to a grove of trees near his home and knelt in prayer. He described his experience: “I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me [ … ] When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other-This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith-History 1:16-17).

He then later translated the Book of Mormon, which is another testament of Jesus Christ. 

I know Joseph Smith was a prophet. 

He did see God the father and Jesus Christ in person 

He did receive guidance from them 

He did follow their words

This is the true gospel of Jesus Christ. 

It is the only true church on the earth today. 

Christ lives. 

He is my savior. 

Book of Mormon

How did I come to know the Book of Mormon was true? 

It provided me answers. 

It provided comfort

It spoke to me and my life. 

And I asked. 

I asked God if it was true, and I got an answer. 

"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ^aask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not ^btrue; and if ye shall ask with a ^csincere heart, with ^dreal intent, having ^efaith in Christ, he will ^fmanifest the^gtruth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost." 

Ask God, and you WILL receive and answer. 

Alone

You are alone. 

You and only you know exactly what you feel, when you feel it. 

You go through experiences and they lead you to more experiences.

Things that happen to you, and things that you go through are completely unique to you. 

 You are alone. 

Except that you aren't. 

One person has felt exactly what you feel. 

What you are going through. 

Christ. 

He is the only person that understands your experiences as you do. 

He loves you no matter what. 

He has provided the ultimate comfort. 

Next time you are hurt, angry, upset, abandoned, abused, banished, threatened, sad, disappointed, guilty, loved, happy, proud, or anything you would ever feel. He knows.

Pray. Hit your knees. Cry to him, thank Him, praise Him, ask for comfort, Love Him, 

T. 

Be happy

I am personally not a depressed person. 

Even as a child, I was always a happy kid. 

My life hasn't been particularly easy, but it has been enriched by the knowledge of a Heavenly Father, and a Savior who want me to be happy. 

"True happiness comes from following Christ’s example and developing Christlike attributes such as obedience, goodness, honesty, gratitude, humility, love, charity, and forgiveness. It comes from serving others and helping them to follow Jesus Christ. It comes from controlling the appetites of our human bodies and following the promptings of the Spirit. It comes from working hard and having a healthy lifestyle, friends, family, and personal achievements." (From LDS.org)

Now, I'm not a perfect person, and I am certainly not professing to be. 

I make MISTAKES, but I know of a loving and living Savior who atoned for those sins. 

He suffered for my sins so I wouldn't have to. 

He was the Advocate to the Father, and he took care of my sins already. 

No matter how hard my life gets. I will be happy. 

My trials here are but a small moment in ETERNITY. 

Be happy. Find joy in your life. 

Find the person that made it possible -- Christ

T. 

Christians.

Do I believe in Christ? 

Absolutely. 

Do I believe Christ is the son of God? 

Definitely 

Do I accept Christ as my savior?

without any hesitation. 

Am I Christian? 

Yes. 

Breaking the ideals of Mormons, 

T. 

Christians vs. Cult

For any more questions please refer to the source

Purpose

I guess I should explain the who, what, and why. 

I am Trachelle, I am a college student at Brigham Young University - Idaho. 

AND

I am a Mormon,

 or more correctly,

 I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

I was given an assignment in one of my classes to find something that would bring me closer to Christ. 

I chose to openly express my beliefs about God and Christ through the best way that I know how, in an attempt to help others along their way through this world. 

• I am a Christian 
• I believe in God. I know God loves me. 
• I am God's child. 
• Christ is my Savior. 
• I'm a reader and believer of the Book of Mormon. 
• I am a woman who has a divine purpose. 

Why be Mormon? 

I haven't always had the testimony of this gospel as I do now. 

But, the gospel made sense when nothing else did. 

taking everything in at once doesn't often make sense, but seeing the gospel for what it is does. 

Its a plan of eternal happiness.

Families can be together forever. 

I can be forgiven of my sins, and my faults can be strengths. 

There is a latter-day prophet. I know God would never abandon His children to fight for themselves. 

It outlines right and wrong. 

It makes sense. complete, total sense. When nothing else does, the Gospel does. 

More to come.