Here goes nothing....

So I am new to this whole "blogging" thing. I don't want this to be a journal, but more of a resource of my thoughts, in a myriad of topics both temporal and spiritual. I do not want this to be a forum for argument, so please be respectful in your comments. IF you happen not to agree with my views, you don't have to keep reading the blog. I really felt for some reason I needed to start this so here goes nothing.

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Many people know us as "Mormons" a nickname given because we believe in sacred literature that was translated by a prophet named Joseph Smith. This book is called the Book of Mormon. It is an account of people that lived on the American continent before and after the time of Christ's mortal ministry. It declares along with the Bible that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. It proves that the Lord is no respecter of persons, and that Christ not only showed himself among the people of the Middle East, but also here on this continent. He taught them as he taught his disciples in Galilee. This book has a magnificent promise contained in it, that if you desire and have real intent, that if you ask the Father in the name of the Son if it is true, then by the power of the Holy Ghost, you may know the truth of it's witness for yourself. I know that promise is true. I know that the Lord does not leave us alone. He has given us opportunities to search for and find the truth. I know that He answers prayers through the Holy Spirit. I know that you can find that truth yourself if you sincerely ask and intend to follow through on what the Lord has to say to you. I believe in personal revelation. I would not be where I am today without that. I know that because the Lord has answered my prayers, he can answer yours. I know the Book of Mormon is true! I know that who I am today stems from the teachings of that book. I am grateful for the sacrifices people have made for the publication of that sacred testament. I am grateful to Jesus Christ and for his sacrifice and his love most of all. It is only through His grace that makes eternal life possible. I know it is a possibility.

My membership in the church makes up mostly who I am. There are other things that I do enjoy though many aren't as important as the Gospel of Jesus Christ. My family makes up the rest of me. To me they are everything. I know that because of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are an eternal family. We are definitely not a perfect family. We are very far from it. But we will be together forever, whether they like it or not! Everyone better be there in the end...and we all better be going to the same place, because heaven would not be heaven without them. I could not imagine it without them. In our church, families are sealed for time and all eternity by the power of the Priesthood in holy temples. My parents were sealed in the Salt Lake City Temple for time and all eternity. All future children were then sealed to them when they were married. This makes us an eternal family. I am so grateful for that sealing. It's a promise that as we are faithful, that blessing cannot be broken. I hope to one day marry in the temple. At this point I don't care which temple it is, as long as I can be sealed to my spouse and my future family and continue that chain that leads into eternity. It is one of the deepest desires of my heart. These things are the foundation of my faith, and of who I am. I am not very eloquent, and have great difficulty expressing the things of my heart that I deeply wish to express. Hopefully as I get more experienced with "blogging" things will come easier. That's all for now.
~Risa