Learn to Express Yourself by Sharing the Gospel!

Elder M. Russell Ballard said, “Yours is the world of cyberspace, cell phones that capture video, video downloads and iTunes, social networks like Facebook, text messaging and blogs, hand-helds and podcasts…. How will you use these marvelous inventions? More to the point, how will you use them to further the work of the Lord?”

The Internet is filled with opportunities for you to be an online member missionary:

1. Participate in a forum like LDS.net — LDS.net is a forum and social network where you can connect with both Mormons and non-Mormons to share your beliefs and testimony using photos, videos, blogs, forums, and chat. If you know a foreign language, you can participate in that language as well.
2. Be yourself on social networks like Facebook — If you use Facebook, you can share your testimony or favorite scripture on your Profile by adding our Facebook app. You can also create Facebook events for ward activities or General Conference. Join Church-related groups. Change your status to reflect that you’re preparing a lesson or going to a fireside. Post pictures of your mission or wedding. Be more transparent about your life and beliefs.
3. Post a video on a video sharing website like YouTube — “Broadcast Yourself.” Join the ranks of Mormons who have shared their testimonies and stories by video on YouTube, Google Video, and other video sharing sites. Mission stories, conversion stories, and your testimony of specific principles can be especially effective. Perhaps you could videotape your parents or grandparents and capture their stories too.
4. Support Mormon videos on YouTube — In addition to posting your own videos on YouTube, it’s also helpful to rate and comment on other good YouTube videos.
5. Post mission and wedding photos on photo-sharing sites like Flickr — Flickr is a photo sharing website. Why not share photos from your mission, your baptism, your wedding, or your family home evening at the park?
6. Answer a Question at Yahoo! Answers — At Yahoo! Answers you’ll find a variety of questions and answers. Search for questions about “Mormons” and answer a few of them.
7. Blog what you’ve learned and how you know — Learn what a blog is, then start one. You can write what you learn in Church each week or in your daily scripture study, or explain how living the Gospel has blessed your life.
8. Comment on other blogs — Well-known blogs like Mike Otterson’s and Jeff Lindsay’s are great places to share your beliefs because persons of many faiths participate there. Click on “Comments,” then participate in the discussion.
9. Comment on newspaper articles — Most newspapers’ websites allow readers to make comments below each article. Find a newspaper article about the Church and then leave a comment. If the journalist reported accurately, say so. If other comments are misleading or inaccurate, say so. You can find lots of articles about the Church by searching Google News.
10. Edit Wikipedia.org or MormonWiki.com — Wikipedia is an online collaborative encyclopedia that rivals Britannica. MormonWiki.com is its Mormon cousin. After signing up for a free account, you can edit or create articles immediately. If you speak a foreign language, even better! Both MormonWiki.com and Wikipedia are “editable” in a variety of languages.
11. Link to good websites — If you have a website or blog, create a link to your favorite talk at LDS.org as well as 3 other good websites.
12. Write in a foreign language — If you speak a language other than English, you can do the above things in your other language as well.
13. Be transparent — One member noted that by using the word “mormon” in her username, people in forums and chat rooms were more likely to ask her questions.
14. Write a book review for The Book of Mormon — Amazon.com and other booksellers allow you to rate and write reviews for any book. Why not rate and write about the The Book of Mormon?

We are Christians

When I say that 'I am a Christian', I am not shouting that 'I am clean living. 
I'm whispering 'I was lost, but now I'm found and forgiven.' 



When I say 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride. 
I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.


When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong. 
I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success. 
I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess. 





When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect. 
My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain. 
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name. 



When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good grace, somehow!

Food for Thought

Something  To Think About!
  
 Imagine that you had won the following prize in a contest:
 Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400.00 in your  private account for 
your use.
 However,this prize has rules, just as  any game has certain rules.
 
 The first set of rules would be: 
 
    Everything that you didn't spend during each day   
     would be taken away from you. 
 
   You may not simply transfer money into some other 
          account. 
    You may only spend it. 
 Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another 
$86,400.00 for that day.
    The  second set of rules: 
   The bank can end the game without warning; at any 
         time  it can say, Its over,the game is over! It can  close the 
account  and you will not receive a new one.

    What would you personally do? 
 
 You would buy anything and everything you wanted   
 right?
Not only for yourself, but for all people you love, right?
 Even for people you don't know, because you couldn't  possibly spend it all on 
yourself, right?
 You would try to spend every cent, and use it all, right?
   ACTUALLY This  GAME is  REALITY!
 Each of us is in possession of such a magical  bank. We just can't seem to see 
it.
           The MAGICAL BANK is  TIME!
 Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life, and when 
we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is  NOT credited to us. 
 What we haven't lived up that day is forever  lost.
 Yesterday is forever gone.
 Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank  can dissolve your account 
at any time....WITHOUT  WARNING.
 SO, what will YOU do with your 86,400  seconds?
 Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars. 
 Think about that, and always think of this:
 Enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than 
you  think.
 So take care of yourself, be Happy, Love Deeply and enjoy life!
 Here's wishing ya'll a wonderfully beautiful day.

  Start spending.

Cabbages, Carrots, and Coconuts

FHE is full of spontaneity and adventure, especially when it involves.....vegetables? I don't remember the last time I used adventure and vegetable in the same sentence, but it was probably...well never. But hey, there is a first time for everything right? Even cabbage bowling!!! All I have to say is that our FHE Committee sure is a creative bunch. I don't imagine I ever would have come up with the activities we performed Monday night, but boy they were fun. Bowling with cabbages and cans of soda got a little messy, but who honestly didn't see that coming.

We also had a coconut shot put and all got to practice our ninja skills on baby carrots. And if you get the chance to see Bryan Nay, congradulate him on his success, for where he lacks in childcare he makes up for it in Vegetable Olympics. Also, Jason Parkinson, thanks for bringing along all or your horse shoeing tools. Had you not, we would have been without our fantastic tropical tailgate bash. I wonder what FHE adventures await us next week. P.S. In case any one was wondering, a coconut is neither a fruit or a nut......it's a seed!

Friday Love

Now you would probably expect a Young Single Adult Ward to be chalk full of energetic youth, right? Well true as that may be, we are nothing compared to the amazing children you'll find at Friday's Kids. Infact, I am positive that they put quite the wear and tear on those of us who had the privilage to attend the service project friday night. Perhaps even more than some of us are willing to admit. Oh but we sure loved it! For there is nothing like becoming a kid yourself for a day. We played in the ball pen, blew a thousand and one bubbles, ran around for hours, and even became doctors and dragons who both helped/make house calls and terrorized the surrounding villages.

 

 To those kids we were probably just their goofy and perhaps slightly insane playmates for the evening, but as the night grew, so did the place in our hearts for these special kids. God may not have granted these children with all of the same privilages that we have aquired, but in a way they are far more blessed than we.

No matter how old they become, their minds will always remain in a childlike state, therefore keeping their pure innocence and their close proximity to Christ our Savior. It is by their example in which we should always learn. Laugh, listen, and love all of God's children. For there is a child found somewhere in each of us. Find it and find God again and again.  

Thanks again for all those who came to help out. Friday's really appreciates it and would love to have you back. Even if you didn't volunteer with the ward they are always looking for more helping hands. Except for but no offense to Bryan Nay. It's nothing against you friend, but I don't think Santiago can handle any more of your awesome skills. ;)