~by Whitney

I am only a few days away from starting my service as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It does not seem possible that something I have waited for all my life is finally within reach. Knowing what is ahead is daunting, but my feelings of inadequacy and nervousness subside when I think about the lessons God has taught me this past year and especially this past semester to prepare me for “that which will be my finest hour” (to quote Winston Churchill found in Elaine S. Dalton’s talk: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/…/come-let-us-go-up…)

Here are some of the lessons I have learned these past couple of months.

1. “Own it.” These words came after pleading to Heavenly Father to help me out of the whirlpool of negative thoughts about myself. These two words changed everything for me. Now, I am choosing to own my body, my thoughts, my personality, my family, my weakness, etc. Through this, I can repent and find satisfaction in my life because I am honest and grateful.

2. Be deliberate in bettering the relationships you care about. This is probably a “no duh” for most, but I needed to remember it. I need to remember it for my mission for both those at home and those I work beside.

3. Ask questions. They change everything. Because of a simple question, I’ve been able to spend my time between school and a mission with two of my favorite families. Because of a simple question, I get to do my MTC at an unimaginably perfect place. Because of simple questions, I have gained some of the sweetest relationships with strangers on planes and in the classroom. If you don’t believe me, just look at what a question did for Joseph Smith.

4. “Trust it, even though you don’t feel it.” Another powerhouse phrase that the Spirit inspired me with when I was consumed in anxiety. In my life right now, I know that the mission is the right next step. So even when it feels daunting or crippling, I can trust what I know rather than what I feel in the moment.

5. “Whitney, it’s true.” These were the words my coach said to me after receiving my temple endowment. I’ll never forget how I felt when he said those simple words to me.

6. Like any parent, Heavenly Father does not respond to everything His children ask for. This sounds harsh, but just picture what a day would be like if a toddler got their way the whole day. It simply would not be good. It is the same for Heavenly Father. I do not know if He always responds. But for me, that does not matter because I know He always listens.

7. “Cheerfully do all things that lie in your power; and then… stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed” (Doctrine and Covenants 123:17). Just show up (as my mom puts it). God is aware and will work a marvelous work for us.

8. Heavenly Father wants to help us know we are on the right path. And when we know what we are doing is right, it is exhilarating.

9. When I know it and I know that God knows it, that is enough.

10. I #HearHim through the words “that is what I can do.” I know Christ wants us to press forward. Therefore His words of correction and inspiration motivate and excite us. This principle was emphasized in my Portuguese study: He gives us power through revelation (power in Portuguese = poder) and with that, we can do what He asks us to do (poder as a verb = to be able to).

I love truth. I love my Savior. I love my Heavenly Father. I love this Gospel. I love what is coming in a week. It is all so good.

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This is a vulnerable post for me, so please be nice.

I am grateful for second chances. That you can change what you want to be when you grow up.

I started drinking alcohol when I was 12. I overdosed from alcohol at 14 and almost died. I started smoking marijuana at 15. At 20, I started cocaine and meth (we called it crank), along with a variety of different drugs with different nicknames. Once, I was sitting around with a bunch of “bikers” and one of them said “We are free! We don’t follow laws! We live by our own rules!” I never felt so trapped and lost. I did meth every single day for six months, which almost destroyed my marriage. I quit cold turkey and never looked back.

So, if you ever wonder why I jumped at becoming a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please reread the above paragraph. I feel like God personally plucked me out of a bad situation, and I thank Him every single day.

I am thankful for peace and comfort and the knowledge that our Savior understands us personally and never holds a grudge. It’s been about 7 years now that my dad said to me, “You must not be real smart and must be uneducated to be a member of the ‘Mormon’ church.” I respectfully said to him, “Would you rather have me doing drugs, drinking until I pass out, and having little to no morals?”

I ended with, “Thanks, but I am good staying just where I am.”

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Wendy Watson Nelson, the wife of the prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a big fan of family history. She talks about doing family history as one way to open the heavens.

I was impressed as I listened to some of her experiences that she has recorded specific family history miracles.

So I wanted to record a recent experience.

Elmer C. Mathews and his wife, Addie Ostrander Mathews, distant relatives of mine, had a child listed in FamilySearch, but the program flagged this child as being born before the mother was able to have children (birth years were only 8 years apart). Also, the last name of the child was different (Rae). So I dug deeper.

I love looking for the original records (not indexes, if possible). There was a census record available. I looked at it and at first, couldn’t make sense of it. I asked questions in my mind about what could have been possible. Could this be a child from another marriage? Could the dates have been recorded incorrectly? Then I noticed that James Rae’s name was not indented in the census as children usually are. His name was recorded as though he was a head of a new household.

That led me to look at the address section of the census record. It said “See page 8A4.” I was on page 13 of the census. So I went back a few pages…and sure enough, on page 8A, line 4, there were James M. Rae and Harriet P. Rae.

I was so excited to be able to update the records in FamilySearch (each record represents real people!).

I worked then on merging the records that already existed for this family (and finding more original records to verify that James Rae is indeed James N (not James F as originally indexed…hard-to-read handwriting sometimes means errors in indexing).

With more of this work, I discovered that James’ middle name is Nathaniel (as per a typed directory that shows him living with his father, James M…at the very same address that was listed on page 8A, line 4: 367 Pennsylvania Avenue in Elmira, NY)!

After a couple of hours working on cleaning up the records, I was also able to create a new record for a different James and Harriett. I also found James Nathaniel’s baby brother who died at age 1. The census that was so strange had indicated that James and Harriett had had 4 children, 3 living. Now Charles D. Rae can be sealed to his parents, once temples are once again opened for what is called proxy ordinance work.

Family history is a true love of mine, both because it’s just such a fun challenge (a kind of data science) and because of my deep belief in the eternal nature of life, and God’s desire for families to be connected through priesthood authority beyond death’s door.

I love bringing families together through family history. Bringing their records together. Using records to tell more of their stories. Mourning with them as I learn more of their stories, as many of them had very hard lives. Rejoicing with them, too. I feel the power of family woven throughout their stories…seeing widowed parents living with their children, or siblings taking in single siblings, for example.

The power of family is as old as time (and older). I feel like these people know that I’m here trying to help them, and sometimes I feel their desire to help me do that. It usually takes a while for me to find a groove each time I open up FamilySearch, but almost every time I do family history work, something like this happens. There’s a ZING of energy as pieces of a family’s puzzle come together. I feel a little like we’re having a little bit of a family reunion through the veil.

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I went on a study abroad last year. This was one of my favorite places we visited. I’m grateful for the reminders from something I wrote a year ago—beauty from ashes and the Creator is in control.

Beauty from ashes.

What a hopeful thing.

This church was destroyed during WWII. In 1993, they began to rebuild it, and even used some of the original stones (the darker ones in the pictures). After 12 years, it was complete.

As I had the opportunity to visit this magnificent church, I thought about this:

Sometimes the beautiful things we have in our lives may be destroyed, right before our eyes. We may see a pile of rubble and not exactly know what to do with it, or how to piece it back together. However, one day, when the time is right (as patience is often required), it can be rebuilt. One brick at a time. Until this new and beautiful thing is complete.

It took 12 years for this church to be rebuilt. What’s that saying? “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Find patience. Find the joy in the journey of rebuilding. It’s there. You’ll just need to work some to dig around in the pile of rubble and find it. This church was completed by using pieces of its burnt self. It stands as a constant reminder that beauty really can come from ashes. Its scars provide hope for a better and more beautiful future.

“If mortal hands can transform rubble and ruins into a beautiful house of worship, then we can have confidence and trust that our loving Heavenly Father can and will rebuild us. His plan is to build us into something far greater than what we were—far greater than what we can ever imagine. With each step of faith on the path of discipleship, we grow into the beings of eternal glory and infinite joy we were designed to become.” -Dieter F. Uchtdorf (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2016/04/he-will-place-you-on-his-shoulders-and-carry-you-home?lang=eng)

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As this site was originally designed to help those not of our faith learn more about women in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we’re including this interview with Lita with the Center for Latter-day Saint arts. Lita is a convert to the Church, a mother of five, a passionate learner, a performer, a licensed social worker, and, most importantly, an ardent follower of Jesus Christ. Everything she does is with the intent to help bring people to Him.

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~by Rachel

I sketched this picture a few years ago while on the phone with a friend. I had this image pop into my mind as we discussed what it means to have the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives.

This is what it means to me. It means I am not alone. It means I’m supported.

It means I am filled with Peace. I know that I have the companionship of the Holy Spirit with me, that Heavenly Father is simply a prayer away, and that Jesus Christ’s name is written on my heart.

I wish everyone could taste of this. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted something more.

I will be listening to the General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints today and tomorrow, and I invite all who feel lost, disconnected, sorrowful, or broken to listen too. I’ve been feeling those things pretty poignantly lately, but I can testify that God’s power and the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ are real, and the hope I feel because of them is life changing.

The post Jesus Christ walks with me appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

I am a working mother who is also a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The reason I mention that I am a working mother and a member of this church, is because sometimes those two things don’t seem cohesive, at least they didn’t always to me.

I believed a mother should be home to teach and care for her children, unless the family didn’t have enough money to eat or pay the important bills. Now that I am a working mother and have seen the struggles of my own children and the struggles of other children, I believe this teaching even more.

I wanted to follow the teachings found in The Proclamation to the World on the Family, that a mother was to be the main nurturer in the family. My husband worked very hard to provide, so that I could stay home to raise our children. He supported me in my role as nurturer and I was very grateful.

When our children were old enough to go to school, the Lord showed me a different teaching that is also found in the Proclamation to The Family. That husband and wife are to work together to meet the needs of the family. I was inspired to gain an education, which I did through a Church program (Self-Reliance Services), which in turn, inspired me to apply for a job.

I mention this, because the Lord knew that after my husband had supported me in my role as nurturer, it was time for me to support my husband in his role as provider. At the same time as I received work (which was terrifying for me to take), everything in our house started to break and would continue to break for the next 4 years. I am talking fixes to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars, not including our family vehicle which needed to be replaced.

Heavenly Father knew this would happen, so He prepared a way for my husband and me to work together, as partners, in providing for all the needs of our family. Through this experience, we have become a stronger, more united couple. The reason we are stronger is because the struggles were very rough, but we held firm in the teaching of the Church of Jesus Christ. We didn’t allow doubt to overtake us (mainly me) about following personal revelation, supported by the teachings of the prophets.

I have struggled greatly these last 4 years with weight gain, high anxiety, exhaustion, health concerns, family time, and more. But, I have also found medicine that calms my anxiety. I realized I can do more than I ever thought possible (with God’s help). I gained valuable skills in the work field, in my family, and church. I have also put a focus on my formal education, which has been huge for me.

The most important thing I have gained, (strange as this might sound, considering I just stated it became a struggle) is time with my family. It isn’t perfect, but I make more time to do things with my kids and my spouse, because I see the need more than ever and I desire that time with them even more.

How I have grown in my thinking on where the Lord wants women. He wants them where He needs them and he will let them know as long as they are being diligent in striving to follow his teachings and are listening for his voice guiding them. I am very grateful for the lessons I have learned.

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