The Holy Ghost!

The Savior teaches his children about what the Holy Ghost does and what the disciples must do to receive the Holy Ghost. In John 14: 15-17, it is taught that I need to keep the commandments to receive the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost abides within you forever and he is a comforter. He only testifies of truth. Since he dwells within us, we need to keep our bodies a sacred temple. Verse 26 explains that the spirit will teach us all things and bring the things we have learned to remembrance. John 15: 26-27 explains that he is a testifier. He will testify of the father when people are seeking to find this truth. John 16: 7-8 explain that it is expedient that the Lord goes away from us so we can receive the Holy Ghost. This means that we will never be alone and we will have a constant companion.  The Bible dictionary explains the Holy Ghost as the third member of the Godhead. He is personage of Spirit and has not yet received a body of flesh and bones. He has been on Earth since every dispensation of the Gospel and first being Adam. The spirit has manifested by the power of the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Ghost has blessed me greatly in my life. Something that is really important to me is when he testifies of truth as well as bringing things to remembrance. This has helped me throughout my entire education. I always knew the difference between false doctrine and things of the Lord. I have always tried to get good grades and remembering what I learn during a test is a huge blessing. Before a test, I feel as if I forgot everything I learned. For every test I have prepared for, the spirit always enlightens me which makes me feel so happy and stress free. I know that whenever I seek his comfort, I receive it.

 

Second Coming

                To be prepared for the second coming, believers need to read Matthew 13 verses 5, 9, 23, 33, 35, and 37. The Lord is telling us to take heed and watch the world around us. In verse five, I need to take heed in case people deceive me. In the last days, there will be a lot of lies and deceit. In verse nine, the Lord explains that we need to be prepared to bear our testimonies to all people. We could be in physical harm but we always need to remember not to be scared of man but of God. We need to always bear testimony of him. We need to take heed because we have been given this knowledge and many are called but few our chosen. Since we have this knowledge, we need to share it with others. Since we know what is to come in the last days, we need to prepare accordingly. Nobody but God knows when the second coming is. We need to be completely prepared and watch and pray. We need to watch for signs and just always repent. Christ can come at any moment. The most important thing to do is ‘watch’ according to verse 37. Watch for signs of the second coming. The most important thing we can do right now is to build our testimonies as strong as we can.

Earthly and Heavenly Rewards

In Matthew 19 verses 16 to 30, a young man asked the savior how he could obtain eternal life. He was told to follow the commandments such as abstaining from adultery or murder. He said that he had been following the commandments and what he had lacked. Christ told him that as a rich man, he needed to give his possessions to the poor to become perfect. He probably decided not to follow the Savior because his heart was set on his material objects and did not treasure up his heart in the Kingdom of Heaven. Christ explains that “A rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Vs. 23). This man was sorrowful because of Christ’s answer but this was the answer of truth. He was already doing so much good but even the little bad things are able to capture the heart. Christ explained that no man can be saved except through God. “With God, all things are possible” (Vs. 26). All people who forsake their loved ones and most prized possessions for Christ’s sake will receive “an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life” (Vs. 30).

It is important for me to put the Lord first in my life. Sometimes it gets hard because the Lord is not really visible. But in verse 30, it is stated that we even need to put him before our family. This is important because in my life, my sister is going against the doctrines of the church. She wants me to support her wrong decisions and she is even making me feel guilty. I know that I love the Lord and the gospel more than bad choices and I will never let anything get in the way of my love for him.

There is a parable of the Laborers that the Lord wants us to understand. It is explained in Matthew chapter 20 that the last shall be first and the first shall be last. I believe that this is talking about the resurrection and the afterlife. As in the parable, everyone is paid the same amount no matter how much or how less each worker worked. Everyone is promised the same amount. This is referring to the Jews or the chosen people and the gentiles. The Gentiles will be the first to be resurrected and the Jews will be the last. In the end, everyone is equal and will receive all that has been promised to them. God is a man of promises and is bound when we obey. Converts should feel comfort because no matter when they join the church, they will receive as much as any other member.

Being a Disciple of Christ

Luke 10: 38-42 First you need to receive Christ into your home. You need to sit at his feet and listen to his word. We need to become servants and serve one another with a kind heart.

11:1-13 We need to pray to our father in heaven and become his friend. Always ask for forgiveness. Always seek for truth and Christ will give it unto you.

12: 13-40 A disciple is not covetous. Our life does not consist in the many material things that we own on Earth. “The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment” (Vs 23). Don’t obsess what you are going to put in the body or on it. Do not doubt the Lord for he will take care of you. Seek the Kingdom of God. Provide yourself a treasure in the Heavens because where your treasure is, that is where your heart will be. Always be prepared for the Lord to come because you don’t know when he will arrive.

13:23-24  Seek to enter the kingdom through the strait gate.

14:16-33  The Lord comes before anyone. We need to be humble like the poor and never make excuses to leave Christ. We need to bear his cross and come after him. We forsake all that we have for the Savior.

Becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ is very difficult because we have to give up the selfishness of the natural man.  We learn patience because God might delay the blessing that we keep asking for. He delays them because he wants us to learn stronger faith.  In spite of rejection or delayed needs, God wants us to know that he will grant us our greatest wishes if it is asked for persistently with faith and it is a righteous desire. To make prayer effective, we need to be conscious of how important it is and really trust in the Lord. Blessings are even delayed because the Lord wants us to practice more fervent and sincere prayers. (Student Manual pg. 115). I testify that this is true. I love BYU-Idaho but I have hada great desire to go to BYU. I have been praying for one year and working really hard towards this goal and I got accepted. I cannot believe this but I need to thank my heavenly father so much!

I am going to practice being a disciple by not coveting other people’s lives. Sometimes I get jealous of how much fun others are having or how pretty this person is. When I am focusing on what I do not have, I forget to see what I do have. Honestly, I have one of the best lives anybody could ask for. I know that my eyes can be opened greatly if I just focus and appreciate what the Lord has given me.

To be a disciple, it is ultimately required to forsake all that you have. You need to offer your whole soul to him, fast and pray, and endure to the end. You need to render him all that you have and are.

Become as a Child

In Mathew 18: 1-14, we are instructed to become as little children. Christ explains that children are the greatest in the Kingdom and we need to humble ourselves as they are humble. We should not become offenders and should never “offend one of these little ones which believe in ‘Christ’”(vs 6). It is better to sacrifice our weaknesses now so we have the chance to make it in the Celestial Kingdom. The greatest in the kingdom of heaven are those that are humble.

In D&C 78: 17-18, The Lord tells us that we are like children and do not yet understand all the blessings that the Father has prepared for us. We cannot bear that knowledge yet but we are told to be of good cheer. The Lord will lead us along and all of those great blessings will be ours.

Mosiah 3:9 says, “Salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name”. If we want to become humble as little children, faith is the key and this needs to be practiced daily. I have been struggling with my faith for a long time now. I have always had faith in the Lord but I just felt like I would never get answers and I tried to be happy but I could not be as happy as I used to be. I am constantly struggling in my life but today, I have felt a change in my life. As of yesterday, I realized how much faith I have in the Lord. Reading these scriptures just now were an answer to my prayers. I know that Heavenly Father has plans for my life and I can trust him whole heartedly. I love my Savior and I hope to always be humble before him. I know that this gospel is true with all of my heart. I know that Christ loves me and if I ever stray as the lost sheep did, I can see the savior in my life always trying to find me and never giving up.

Walking on Water!

In Mathew chapter 14 verses 22 to 33, this talks about the time when Jesus Christ walked on water.  The apostles were in the ship and they were frightened because the seas were not calm at all. But they were also frightened when they first saw Christ on the water. They had never seen man do that and they believed Christ was a spirit and “they cried out for fear” (vs. 26).

Peter wanted to make sure it really was Christ so Peter asked if he would be able to walk on the water towards the Lord. For a moment, he did have faith and he was doing the impossible. According to Mathew 14:30, Peter became scared because the seas were boisterous and he became afraid; In that moment, he started to sink because he lost his faith in the Savior even when he was right there. When He began to sink, he asked the Lord to save him. In verse 31 it reads, “And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him…” (vs. 31). When we are in desperate need of the Lord, he will help us right away.

I believe that the most important scripture in this section is verse 27. The Lord says “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” This reminds me that in the craziness of my life, the Lord will always be there to calm the seas. He does not want me to be afraid because in the end, I will always be taken care of.

In D&C 88:67, it explains that if my eye is single to the glory of Christ, there will be no darkness in my body or life. My body will be filled with light and I will be able to comprehend all things. This scripture relates to Peter because he was able to walk on water for just a moment because his focus was on the Lord. Because of his priority, Peter was truly was able to comprehend so much more. He was able to comprehend miracles and he understood perfect faith. I know that this relates to my life. The more I read the scriptures, the more faith I receive.  With the more faith I have, I notice that I comprehend scriptures so much more. With Christ in my life, I know that I can accomplish the “impossible” because if have my eye on his glory, he will calm my seas!

Parables

The Bible dictionary has the definition for the word parable. Simplified, parables are intended for the people who are seeking the gospel. Those people with faith and intelligence will understand parables as more than just stories. Parables use material things to describe divine truth. Parables are usually stories that have a wider significance.
Christ uses parables such as the tares, mustard seed, and the pearl of great price. The future growth of the church reminds of the pearl of great price. I believe the church will grow because people will realize  the great worth of this gospel.
The church sends out missionaries so the gospel can be spread and people will find the savior in their life. This reminds me of the mustard seed parable. The wicked will be cast out. The Lord does not want to cast his children out and he wants the young missionaries to inform and teach through the spirit. The church grows pretty rapidly because the spirit is able to enlighten individuals. The spirit testifies that this gospel is the true gospel.
As in the parable of the tares, Satan is decieving and sly. Those people who give up worldy things are wise because they know of this truth that the Lord revealed. They know that temptation is strong with worldy pleasures. I think money and material things are ok as long as people do not get greedy and as long as the Lord is always put first.
Some individuals leave the church because they do not want to miss out on the fun that the world offers. Sometimes that fun is what can lead to the greatest misery. Some people just do not want to follow the commandments of the church.
I know this gospel is true and I would give my life for this truth I have. Without it, I am nothing. Every choice I made is inspired by the teachings and commandments of this gospel. I have already made sacrifes for this gospel. My sister is homosexual and asked if I would go to her wedding because she is engaged. I told her I would not because I do not support or believe in gay marriage. I might lose our relationship but I know what is right.
The kingdom gathers people like a net would gather fish. It gathers every kind of people or different race and religion. All people are welcome into the gospel because everyone is a spirit son or daughter of God. I think that " casting out the wicked" is talking about judgement day and individuals need to find priority in their lives. I know this gospel to be true and the Lord wants every person to find the gospel. He loves each of us and that is why it is my duty to always have a good example. I want others to know how much happiness this gospel can bring!

The Power of Miracles

God has extraordinary power because he can work through man on Earth to accomplish miracles. Christ is the greatest example of God working through man. In the New Testament, Mathew chapters 8 through 9 and Mark 2 hold some great examples of miracles and faith.  Christ healed leperacy, palsy, blindness, fevers, and blood diseases. He also cast out devils and calmed the seas. These are only a few of the miracles he bestowed on his brothers and sisters. These scriptures are amaazing because the people had great faith. Everybody that Christ helped had unshakable faith and followed had faith in Christ the moment they heard what he can do. Many people followed without question. In Matt 8:5-13, A man had faith that Christ could heal someone even if he was not in the same room as him. This man had a servant with palsy but he diid not want Christ to enter his home. Since the man had amazing faith, Christ just said the word that he would be healed and this was done.

Almost all of the people in these chapters had unwavering faith. With this faith, Christ made anything possible. I know that this is true because the spirit testifies this to me as I read. I know that if I pray continually and have faith in Jesus Christ, I know he will help me accomplish my dreams. I am going to practice having unwavering faith. Sometimes it is hard but even if just pray to have more faith, the Lord will help me. I will try everyday to have faith because I know that Christ can make my life whole.

Importance of Baptism

      In Mosiah 5:7, it explains that people are called the children of Christ if they make the covenant to take on Christ's name. When I made the covenant of baptism, I was making a promise with the Lord that I would have faith in him. Once this promise is made, I can have a change of heart and be more Christ-like. In John chapter 3 verses one through eight, Christ explains the process of being born again. He is referring to baptism and being cleansed from sin. Baptism is the only way that I am able to enter into the Kingdom of God. Entering the Kingdom of God is the ability to live with God in heaven in a perfect state. Being accepted into the Kingdom is one step closer to becoming like my Father in Heaven. Christ has made it possible for man to be baptized with fire or the Holy Spirit. This is critical for entering into His Kingdom.

In Moses 6:59, it explains that man is born of blood and I need to be cleansed of that blood, "even the blood of my only begotten". It is through the blood of Christ that we can be born again of water and spirit. This is what will sanctify me of all of my sins and could possibly achieve immortal glory. According to Romans 6:4, Baptism is similar to death because like Christ died and was raised up, I too can be cleansed and rise again with a new life. Heavenly Father compares the natural element of water to the spirit. This is because the body and spirit are what create the soul. Our bodies need both water and blood to survive and referring back to blood as just the body, it would make sense that it is water that is our spirit. Both our needed for people and souls to exist.

God loves us so much that he gave up his only begotten son to sacrifice his life for me and the rest of the world. I cannot imagine giving up my child for the sake of others. That is precisely the reason. People on Earth arent just 'others'. We are all children of God and he loves each and every one of us. I know that with all of my heart. God gives me so many chances and he created the miracle of forgiveness. Sometimes it is hard to repent but it is all worth it. He made is so all I have to do is believe in Jesus the Christ. Since I believe and have faith in him, I know that I must follow the  commandments. I gladly follow these commandments because I know the Lord will provide all of my necessities. Just knowing that someone loves me so much is a necessity. I know that Christ died for me and feels all the pain that I go through. He is the one who hears my heartfelt prayers and he is the one who feels so much empathy for me. This is what I know and I know that this church is true and through baptism, I can be saved and live with Christ and Heavenly Father again.

The Birth of John the Baptist

In Luke 1: 14, Zacharias was told by an angel, "And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth". This was an extremely exciting for Zacharias and his wife because his wife Elisabeth was unable to have children. John was truly a miracle. Zacharias was a priest and he was a righteous man along with his wife. One day, Zacharias had went to the temple and the angel Gabriel had appeared to him. He was fearful but the angel comforted him and said that he would have a son that would be great in the sight of the Lord. He will be filled with the holy Ghost from birth. He will help prepare the people for the Lord. Zacharias's faith was shaky and the angel made it so he couldnt speak until his son was born. When he was born, Zacharias's tongue was loosed and he was able to praise the Lord. People were excited because he would "turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just". Johns Lineage was perfect priestly descent which was essential for him to prepare the way for the Messiah. John would be the one to baptize Jesus Christ and he knew it was the Son of God because there would be a dove at his baptism and John also heard the voice of the Lord. "Jesus praised John as a prophet, saying there is none who was greater" (Matt 11: 7-11). His mission was entrusted to only him and he did it perfectly. He babptized the savior and continually bore testimony that he was the Christ.

Conflict in Marriage

 Within marriage, there is always going to be conflict. Conflict means that two different people have different ideas or opinions but it does not mean that the people do not like each other. Conflict does not mean that people need to fight or argue. About 60% of Americans freeze when it comes to fighting and blood pressure actually goes down instead of up. When this happens, there is not much logical thinking going on. This also happens when blood pressure goes up and it is important to recognize when this is going on before escalation and flooding occurs. When people are fighting and they seem angry, it is usually because they are hiding real emotions like sadness or pain. Some also experience fear because they do not want to lose the love of the other person. It is important to remind your partner that you love them when arguing and then maybe take a break to cool down. In most cases, those who enjoy the highest level of success are those who accept their spouse and do not try to change them. Everybody hates criticism and it is important to realize that there is no such thing as constructive criticism. In the end, just always remind your spouse that you love them even if there is conflict and always ensure your love before you start talking about a touchy subject. When couples go through really tough times, they usually come out a lot stronger than when they were first married. When people get married they need to make sure that they are completely committed so when challenges come up, they can work through them.

Communication

Humans are social creatures and they have made a system of communication to interact. A great deal of people’s communication is not in the form of words. Most communication is expressed through non-verbal accent and tone or body language. Communication is 51% non-verbal, 35% tone, and 14% words. The reason that people do not always say what they are thinking is because it leaves that person vulnerable. It leaves them open for attack or prejudice and the American culture teaches individuals to suppress their feelings, especially men. It is important to be intentional with what people communicate because anything can be taken the wrong way. Individuals can communicate anything but they do not have to communicate everything. People usually choose their own battles and what to express. Communication can be an important aspect of marriage. Most conflict in marriage is caused by miscommunication rather than true feelings about one another. It is important not to assume everything the other person is feeling because most of the time it that person would be wrong. In marriage there should not be any hidden agendas and the best action is to openly communicate and state what you are truly feeling.

Depression

Depression is a complex issue and it is something that affects so many people all the time. Much of depression has to do with the train of thought because the brain believes everything that the person tells it to believe. People depress themselves by telling them bad things and it becomes a habit. Since it is a habit, it is something that can be changed! Most of the thoughts that make people miserable, terrible, or bad are usually the most untrue. For example, some people believe that nobody around them likes them when in fact, everyone likes them. When people are depressed and others tell them truths that they care or they are liked, they might not believe it because they only believe what is already in their mind. If someone feels awful, they often find ways to prove that there is something wrong with them. Anxiety is usually connected with depression. Anxiety is when someone feels that there is something awful and they have to fix it. Depression is when some feels that they can’t fix that problem. To fix the problem, people just have to change their bad thoughts and replace with true and good thoughts. It is important to make it a habit of thinking good thoughts and after a while, the person will notice a change and become a lot happier. I know there are many factors that play into depression and it will take time to overcome a challenge like that but it is possible. Some people don’t understand why they are depressed and that is because evil is never makes sense. Satan is evil and he plays a part and helps to see all of the negatives about ourselves. It is important to remember that each individual is a miracle from God and that we have the potential to be good and to be happy. If people look at their challenges with a sense of humor, that can help a great deal. If the Lord is involved in our lives and we try really hard to change our thoughts and our hearts, people can be helped beyond belief.

Infidelity Within Marriage

“The grass is greener on the side of the fence you water”. A good marriage is something that is worked for and spouses show fidelity by loving each other with all of their heart, might, mind, and strength. The spouse is the only other being that we are commanded to love as much as we love God. It is important to acknowledge the fact that infidelity is prevalent in many marriages even if it is not recognized. There are four types of affairs and people need to always be on guard so they do not fall into these categories. The first affair is the fantasy affair. People let their thoughts unfaithfully imagine what life would be like with another person. This can occur when no other person is actually involved. The second affair is the visual/pornography affair. This is when a viewer usually acts out sexually with wandering eyes. The third affair is the romantic affair. This is when a person is emotionally involved with a specific person other than his or her spouse. This is often seen as an escape from every-day life. The fourth is the sexual affair which is when a person engages in sexual acts outside the bonds of marriage. Any affair will result in bad consequences. “Guilt and shame will eventually set in. People sneak, hide, lie, and cheat. Love begins to die. Bitterness, jealousy, anger, and hate begin to grow.” Some impacts and consequences are an emotional and spiritual harm and divorce. The spouse may feel nauseated, repulsed, depressed, undesirable, insecure, helpless, abandoned, anxious, and suicidal. Sexually transmitted diseases are also a risk. A way to prevent fidelity is to be on guard and be fiercely loyal. It is great to control thoughts and always put the spouse above anything else. 70% of couples where an affair occurred stayed together and there are five ways to repair after an affair. They are to rebuild trust, gain perspective, repentance and forgiveness, overcome addiction, and actively make the choice to stay together. It is easy to fall into the trap of fidelity and I am always going to be active to prevent any fidelity to occur in my life.

A New Child in the Family!

A couple’s marriage is not a continuous honeymoon. As couples go deeper into their marriage, satisfaction usually decreases about two weeks after they have their first child. That doesn’t mean that the individuals are unhappy but it just means that the individuals roles change and they are different than expected. When the first child is born, it is typical that the husband is left out and the grandma is becoming more involved in the mother’s and child’s life. The wife tends to migrate towards her mother because she is more experienced. This can create a split between the spouses and on top of extended family, there is usually less physical intimacy, less time together, and the topic of discussion is usually just about the child. When the home becomes an empty nest, the spouses still want to be in love and know that they are having a great marriage still. A great way to ensure this is have the dad become more involved in the pregnancy and share every moment of prenatal care. The mother should share moments of the child kicking with her husband. Naturally pregnant women will migrate towards other private women. The Lord wants us to overcome the natural man so people need to make this happen and make sure they act on intelligence rather than urges. It is sad because some men feel like they were just sperm donors. The man can help build the nursery, help to talk about things  beside the child, read child development books with the wife, men can learn how to be home-keepers, continue to have date nights, join in hobbies together, and establish family habits before the baby actually comes. The birth of a child should mainly between creating this new family and not necessarily involving all the relatives. They are important but the husband and wife are creating this new family unit between the two of them and it is a special moment for them. Spouses should become stronger with this new child because they should decide together what the needs are and decide together how it will get done. The spouses should help each other out with all tasks. Some women aren’t capable to have children so I think it is important to appreciate everything you have. There will be sacred moments with children and it is important to remember that God loves these children way beyond our own capability. We have the chance to work together and raise God’s children on this earth.

How to Date

Many people ask the question, “How do you know the right person to marry?” The best way to choose a spouse is to date and date correctly; Dating needs to be intentional and thoughtful. The dating “Know-Quo” has three steps to follow. The first way to get to know somebody is to talk and each individual practices mutual self-disclosure. That is the fact of how fast each person can tell their secrets and it is a two sided process. Time is very valuable in getting to know somebody because a person can put on a fake mask for at least 3 months. Togetherness is ideal and that is the act of seeing how the candidate reacts in a variety of situations and doing all types of activities together. It is very important to look at all the qualities of the person and see if there are any red flags. It is good to never settle for less than what you want but also to have reasonable expectations because nobody is perfect. So what exactly is a date? A date is something that is planned, paid for, and paired off. If it is planned, that means that there is a starting as well as an ending time. When it is paid for, that means that in most cases, the guy treats the girl. This doesn’t necessarily mean that dates are about money but it simply means that everything is prepared for. Paired off means that there is either a one on one date or double date but not just hanging out. People act differently in front of roommates than if they were paired off. When they are paired off, they are responsible for each other and they make sure that the other person is the most important person at that time and they protect each other from feeling like the third wheel. It is important to develop good habits because these caring habits almost always stay throughout a whole marriage relationship. Dating is good practice and if someone cannot have commitment for a few hours on a date, it shows that they cannot commit to a relationship. In the proclamation, it mentions three p’s that men should follow. They should preside, provide, and protect. This goes perfectly with the three P’s of dating which is very interesting. When you find somebody to love, it is important to have all four types of love for them. There is a Godlike unconditional love, a romantic love, the natural instinct love, and the friendly brotherly love. They are all important and when they are combined together, that is what makes a true love. To develop a true love, one must date and court and try to fully understand who a person really is.

Environment Can Determine Homoexuality

The subject of homosexuality is a very controversial topic right now.  There has been much research on this subject and the media is able to take this research and twist it. Although no research has discovered a “gay gene” much of society believes there is one and people are simply born that way. Each individual has predispositions that might be expressed but much of the environment can modify those expressions. Many people proclaim to be gay just because of the environment they were raised in that shaped their thoughts and inklings. Homosexuality is not genetic. It is comprised of genetics, childhood environment, and personal choice. There are some boys or girls that may have more feminine or masculine qualities. If a child is seen in the middle, they are usually seen as the “third” gender. For example, if males are put off by their peers because they are more sensitive, caring, or creative, they tend to migrate to the girls because they may have more interests in common. When children start to become attracted to each other, they like the fact that the opposite sex is interesting and mysterious. When a boy had been secluded from his male peers, he might start to see them as the opposite but what he wanted all along was to be accepted and have intimacy. Intimacy is not sexual relations per say. It is the fact of being loved and cared for. Once this boy is separated, his peers may start to call him “gay”(even though they don’t necessarily know what it means) because in our society, it is not acceptable for males to be more feminine even though it is acceptable for a girl to be a tom-boy.  When boys are pounded everyday by their peers, they may test the waters and realize they had body stimulations toward males and now they believe they are “gay”. It is just because they were stimulated. This is absurd because even infants get stimulated in some way. Body stimulations should not be a defining factor of who anybody is. If a boy is sexually molested, they are four times as likely to be homosexual because they become confused about sexuality. Most people who proclaim sexuality had cruel fathers and overinvolved mothers. If a father formed a good relationship with his son, they will most likely not be homosexual. If the father spent time with his son even doing more feminine things, they will just turn out to be more feminine but straight men. It is so sad when boys are condoned for their feminine qualities because many qualities of the savior are kind, caring, and gentle. So many talents could have been developed in those children but society does not accept that and it is a shame. Most girls that proclaim lesbian had male relationships before but want to find satisfaction somewhere else. In almost all situations, it is a matter of intimacy and not sex. It is important for LDS members to go back to what they actually know. Heavenly Father made us and gave us a gender for a reason and none of us our broken. In my life, I have known homosexuals and I do not accept their lifestyle and it is a choice they make but I still love them because I try to love all of God’s children. Being homosexual is a behavior and it does not make the person who they are. I hope people will become aware of the matter that environment plays a huge role and in the end, it is the homosexual couple that will the most hurt if homosexuals marriages are allowed.

My Love for Mexican Culture

All around the world, people have their own cultures and traditions within the community and the family. This week I learned about latino culture and the struggles parents go through to help their children get ahead in life. There are many undocumented illegal Mexicans that live in the United States. One of the main reasons they come to United States is because parents want to help there children get ahead in this life. Usually the father comes to the states first to provide a foundation for the rest of the family to come over later. Mexicans focus most of their life on familism and they see family, including extended family, as the most important aspect of life. When the father leaves the home, family roles start to change and the mother usually takes charge. When they are reunited with the father in the U.S., children have a hard time adjusting to the new “boss” in the home. Latino families will continue to support the family through really hard struggles and adolescents will help bridge the culture gap with their parents by becoming bilingual. Parents support the children by working an average 12 hour days. In mexico, the family is traditional with a stay at home mom who is the nurturer and the father is the provider. It is a really tough transition having both parents working, due to higher standard of living in the U.S., and still trying to keep the family strong. The typical family may go three days without seeing each other due to conflicting schedules. One of the hardest things was to stop having family dinners. Since parents could not be as involved in the children’s lives, they seemed to get into more trouble and the parents become stricter than they were in Mexico. The adolescents report that they are lonely all the time and depressed because they focus on their past and how happy they were with all of their extended family and friends in Mexico. Adolescents see Americans as sad. They feel that Americans have money but no family. They see mexicans as happy because they are always around family and everyone genuinely cares for one another. They face much discrimination and people tell them to go back to Mexico. Due to the lack of knowledge of the language, they have a really difficult time learning the skills of their jobs but they sacrifice a lot of happiness just for their children. “They did not measure their success by their work. Success for parents meant helping their children get ahead.” Many children become Americanized and start questioning their parents (Which they dont do in Mexico out of respect) but they still keep their Mexican cultures and traditions. These traditions build the family identity and unity. These Mexican-Americans find U.S. culture and holidays interesting so they do keep and open mind and sometimes converge the two cultures. I do not fully agree with illegal immigration but I have a new love for the mexican people. Their whole lives are based on family relations and they typically keep the traditional family. They recognize the importance of certain roles in the family and that family time is vital to be happy. But most of all, the parents love their children so much that they would sacrifice anything for them. They gave up their home, their extended family, they are at risk for losing traditions, parents work long and physically demanding hours, family time is lost, and there is more to worry about with youth getting into trouble or trying to fight depression. Mexicans are strong people because they have solid family values and I completely love and respect what they stand for.

Family systems

When two people get married, they converge their own styles and traditions that they followed in their old families. The primary relationship in the home is the husband and wife. Each family consists of systems and a few are unstated rules, symbolic interaction, roles, homeostasis, exchange, and detouring. I find unstated rules the most interesting because people do not really recognize that they are really there. Rules are created by redundancy and repetition. I noticed rules in my home that I have never thought of before. My dad loves to get huge glasses of ice water and if I sneak a sip of it, he tells me that I have to refill the entire thing. So I try not to take some but if I do, I know there are consequences. Another rule is that if my family watches a movie together, my dad gets the recliner chair. If he is walking in the living room to sit down, us children have to jump of the chair really fast before he gets there. There are also three different family types that make up a community. There are  open families, random families, and closed families. I would say that my family is open because we are flexible, bound by love, and we have healthy interaction. We do not display a lack of love and we are not over involved in each other’s lives and that is why I feel we are open. The family systems even goes in depth with the order that children are born. Everything that happens within a family is significant and the Lord made it that every single person matters and contributes!

What is love?

What exactly is love? Is it a strong passionate feeling of the heart or is it a chemical drive formed in the body? These are questions that are extremely hard to test as well as answer. In the book Marriage and family, scientists say that people may interpret other emotions such as a strong sex drive, fear, or a hunger for approval, as love. People marry for other reasons besides love but love is a big contributing factor. When two people meet for the first time, they notice if the person is attractive, easy to talk to, and comfortable to be around. If they are harmonious together and share same interests and values, they become even more attractive. Looks are not everything because every individual has so much depth and charisma. It is easy to be physically attracted to someone but I believe falling in love is more than attraction and sexual desire. “It is attraction to and desire for a person with certain qualities, attitudes, and mannerisms” (Lauer P. 132). Once people mutually depend on each other, it leads to the fulfillment of people’s intimacy needs. People need intimacy in the fact that they all need someone to love, someone to confide in, someone to share experiences with, and someone to appreciate you for all that you are. There are two kinds of love which are passionate love or companionate love. Passionate love is the intense longing for union with a certain person and intense joy along with jealousy. Companionate love is affection for and commitment to someone that is deeply involved in one another’s life. Love is a commitment to the spiritual growth of your companion’s spirit. It is completely selfless and it is more than trying to satisfy one’s own desires such as happiness. It is constantly worrying about the other’s well-being. Besides the passionate love and companionate love, I think there is one more kind of love. There is a Christ-like love. I think this is a means of caring about every single person because we are all sons and daughters of God. Christ loved the sinners as much as he loved the children. He knows the intent of everybody’s heart and truly cares for the well-being of every individual’s soul. He loves us so much that he bled from every pore and died for us. He is the greatest example of selflessness and love. I know that Christ loves me and I want to follow his great example and show a Christ-like love towards all of God’s children.