I Am a Mormon Monday: Meet Kirsten

I am Kirsten and I grew up in a military family. We moved often and now I love to travel, see new places, and meet new people. I have been studying health for about 5 years now and am pursuing my bachelors degree in microbiology. I love learning and progressing any way that I can. I am a novice blogger so give it a little time before checking me out at essentialhealthfoodie.wordpress.com. ;) 

I went on a mission to the best mission in the world, the Arizona Mesa Mission! I loved every minute of it and still think about it every single day. I had the most amazing experiences and met incredible people. Two weeks after getting home from my mission I met the man of my dreams in Provo, Utah. We went on our first date a month later and were married in the Manti Temple ten months later. Over the last 9 months of marriage, we have lived in three states and have now settled in Las Vegas for the time being. A fun start to the eternal journey I get to have with my best friend!!

I was born into an LDS family and was raised by incredible parents. Although I have been a member of The Church my whole life, I have not always followed the gospel principles. There was a time that I thought that I knew how to live my life and I could figure things out on my own. I lived life the way I thought I wanted to, the way everyone told me would make me happy. Pretty soon I was falling faster than I could catch myself. One particular evening I had gone to work as normal, but something was definitely not normal. I had this scary feeling in my heart that would not leave. One of my best friends and roommate at that time found a Book of Mormon at our house and brought it to me when she picked me up from work. It was the only thing that made me feel better and brought me the comfort my soul was searching for. That night, It became clear that I was far from happy living my life the way I had. It was a very tangible realization that I needed to make some significant changes in my life immediately. I know that it was a warning from my Heavenly Father. Through the power of Christ's Atonement, I was able to change. I was able to feel the burden of sin lifted from me. I felt hope for the first time in a very long time. I will forever be grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who continued to reach out to me with loving and forgiving arms. I started to meet with the missionaries to relearn all of the lessons taught by the gospel of Jesus Christ. I started to read in the Book of Mormon and felt its cleansing power. I started to pray to my Father in Heaven and I felt Him so close to me. I made the changes that I needed to and have seen non stop blessings and miracles.

I know that no matter how far lost we feel, out Heavenly Father is only a prayer away. I know that if we will just reach out to Him, even if it is only a little bit, He will take us by the hand. I know that the Book of Mormon is a book from God. It was translated by the prophet Joseph Smith. I know without a shadow of a doubt, that by reading the Book of Mormon we will be comforted and
will receive guidance in our life. Our Heavenly Father prepared a Plan of Happiness for us, His children, so that we can live with Him again. I know that He loves us more than we could ever even imagine, even if we are made mistakes. He loves us even when we continue to make mistakes. He will help us to overcome any trial we are faced with. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is God's church.

What is hope and what do you hope for?

Hope, to me, is the combination of faith and trust. The faith portion is the action or actually doing something. I believe with all my heart that we must put forth the effort and action necessary. That is how we obtain faith in this. In combination with faith, we must trust. We must trust our Heavenly Father and our Savior, we must trust the prophets and apostles, we must trust the Spirit. Hope is that internal beacon of light that shines in the midst of any trial or hardship. It is the motivator to continue forward, even when we don't completely understand why. Hope is what pushes us beyond our own sphere of comfort and helps us to progress in ways we never thought we could. 

I hope for many things. I hope for good things to come into my life. I hope that I will become a better wife and future mother. I hope that I will be able to get my education and do well at it. I hope to be able to bless the lives of all of those that I come in contact with. I hope to be a better disciple of Jesus Christ. I hope to be able to inspire hope in others.

How do you live your faith?

I live my faith with everything that I do. It is a part of everything that I do and say. I love listening to conference talks and reading the Ensign magazine. I strive to be the very best wife I can be and show respect and love to my wonderful husband. I try to become the woman I need to be for my future children. I love to serve others, especially my Relief Society sisters.I am the Relief Society Secretary and love it so much. I love to go out and teach with the full-time missionaries in my ward. I do all that I can to be actively involved in ward activities and participate while I am at church. I love it when people share their experiences and insights because that is how we learn from each other. I truly believe that we come in contact with different people for a reason and if we will just take the opportunity to get to know those around us, we will be amazed at what they can teach us. Heavenly Father knows who to put in our paths at the perfect time, either for us or for them. I am so grateful for the constant guidance of the Spirit in my life to lead me to where I need to be.

Social Media:

https://www.facebook.com/ktaylor2050

https://www.pinterest.com/essentialfoodie/

Thank you so much for having me Kimberly!!

I Am a Mormon Monday: Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley and I blog over at The Power of One Girl (link). I have competed in nine different pageants and never took the crown, it was after the last pageant that I realized I was never meant to win, it was all about the journey. After trying to please and impress judge after judge, I came to the realization that Christ was the only one I ever need to please. Now I'm making it my life mission to empower girls to have strong self esteem through being comfortable in their own skin as they get on the journey to draw closer to Christ. I love speaking to young women groups about this message as well as writing down my life lessons and adventures. I am a Mormon because this gospel brings me a sense of peace and hope that can't be imitated. I am forever changed day by day through this gospel.

How do you live your faith?

I live my faith by striving to focus on my Savior daily. Christ-like attributes are something I strive to live my life around. The more I focus on humility and integrity, two attributes Jesus Christ was perfect at, the more my I draw closer to Christ and my confidence grows. As I devote my life to the will of my Heavenly Father, I find a greater sense of peace and happiness that can't be found anywhere else in this world. Making my faith part of my every thought, every word, every action, and every aspiration is what draws me closer to my Savior and builds a greater strength in my life that I would be lost without. 

What is hope to you?

Hope to me is believing things will get better and work out when you are at your lowest point. Hope is moving forward and always believing there is room for self improvement. Hope is the desire and expectation that promised blessings will come. Hope is the belief that Christ is always there and He will carry you through the difficult times in your life.

I hope to get married and become a mother. I hope to make an impact on teen girls and the way they feel about who they are and what they look like. I hope to make every day of my life a day for self improvement and becoming my absolute best self. I hope for success, happiness, love, and many opportunities to give of myself and serve others.

Blog - www.ashleyfrederickson.blogspot.com

Website - www.powerofonegirl.com

Twitter - www.twitter.com/powerofonegirl

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/powerofonegirl

Instagram - http://instagram.com/ashleymariefrederickson/

Pinterest www.pinterest.com/ashley5524

I Am a Mormon Monday

About me:

I am a thirty-something wife and mother of four little ones. I have degrees in Marketing and Finance from Texas Tech University. I enjoy spending time with my family, being outdoors (as long as it's not in 100 degree heat), and blogging over at The Mrs. & The Momma about my personal style, my babies, and our crazy happenstances with a family of six.

What is hope and what do you hope for?

Hope to me is intertwined with faith, which is hoping for things unseen.  Hope is seeing the glass half full.  Hope keeps me going when part of me wants to be a pessimist.  I hope for all the dreams I have to come true...for my children to be righteous individuals, to be a blessing in others' lives, for my family to be healthy, and that my family and I can and will be blessed for keeping the commandments.   

I hope for an eternal family.

How do I live my faith?

I live my faith both in the home and at church. At home, I fulfill my responsibilities of teaching my children the ways of the Lord, and being a faithful wife and supporter to my husband. We say family prayers together each and every day. We read our scriptures as often as we can. We designate Monday nights as "Family Night," where my husband and I lead our family in learning more about the gospel of Jesus Christ....this involves singing, games, story-telling, scripture reading, and usually a yummy treat! At church I work with the children in primary.  I enjoy serving the children in this capacity and feel grateful for the opportunity to aid in bringing up our little ones in faith.

Thank you so much for having me Kimberly!!

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Interested in being apart of this fun series? Email me and I will add you to the list! 

Email: bostonksox@gmail.com

I Am a Mormon Monday: Meet Stephanie

About me: 

I drink too much Coke, drive a little too fast, get way too involved in my OCD tenancies... why? Because I work full time and go to school with six kids, two dogs, and a fish. They call me mom, I call them The Circus.  You can just call me Steph.

Why am I Mormon? 

Technically speaking you could say I was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon) but I'm not Mormon because my parents told me to be.  My parents didn't attend church regularly and didn't expect me to either.  But even as a child of 8 years old I knew that going to church was something I needed and loved to do. So I would go to church by myself.  The church house was close enough for me to walk to, and I lived near my grandparents so I was able to sit with them at church on most Sundays.  As the years passed my grandparents grew ill and weren't always able to attend church.  On those Sundays in my teenage years I still went to church by myself, but I never felt alone. The gospel of Jesus Christ has always rung true to my heart and soul and I can honestly say I live it, not because anyone has ever told me I had to, because growing up the choice was always optional and always mine, but because of my own accord and convictions that it is the true gospel of Jesus Christ. And that's something that has always been with me.

What is hope and what do I hope for?

Hope is the idea that life is good, solid, and okay.  Even when it doesn't feel like it at the moment.  Hope is knowing that whatever it is we face in this life, it is worth it. Life gets difficult, but in the words of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, we can "hope on."  ( https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/lord-i-believe?lang=eng )  Doctrine and Covenants 45:62 says, "For verily I say unto you, that great things await you;" I hope for that.

How do I live my faith?

I would hope I live my faith with real intent.  Marjorie Pay Hinckley summed it up perfectly when she said, “I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.”

You can find out more about me here:

Blog: http://www.circusofmine.blogspot.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thecircus6

Or you can also find me here:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/circusofmine.blogspot

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/thecircus6

Twitter: www.twitter.com/thecircus6

Thank you, Kim, my heart is full.
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If you are interested in being apart of the I Am a Mormon Monday series on Diary of a Brown Eyed Girl, send me an email and I will fill you in on all the details.  Email: bostonksox@gmail.com 

I Am A Mormon Monday: Meet Sarah

 

About Me

Hey readers!! I am a blogger over at mrsdrapersstories.blogspot.ca.  I have been blogging for almost two years now and I love it! I just blog about whatever I feel like. Whether thats about my day, my opinion on something, or just blog some cool pictures. Blogs shouldn't have rules! Blogs are meant to be a reflection of you! And I am random!

What Is Hope and What Do I Hope For?

I feel that hope ties with faith quite well. I know I hope for things all the time. I hope to be better tomorrow, I hope one day that I will be a mother, I hope that I am a good wife, I hope for exaltation. I guess you could compare hope to wishing, but I feel like hope is more realistic, when wishes sometimes aren't as serious. If that makes sense! This is a hard question! Hope is the feeling of something better to come.

How Do I Live My Faith?

I am no perfect Mormon by any means, but I try really hard to be good. I think the most important thing you can do to live your faith is to just be a good example to those around you. When you are a good person, and have the spirit of Christ with you always people will notice the difference in you, and they will want to know what makes you special. I try and do that. I try and be compassionate, and a good friend to those around me. I also live my faith by fulfilling my callings. Right now my husband and  I are primary teachers, and my faith gets stronger when I teach these children of God the gospel. Also most importantly I try and pray to Heavenly Father often, and thank him always for the life I have been given.

I have a strong  testimony of this gospel. I believe it 120%. It is the most real, true thing in this world. I know God lives, and loves me, I know we have a prophet on the earth today. I believe the Bible to be the word of God. I also believe the Book of Mormon to be a true book. I am grateful I have the gospel in my life, for without it, I would not be as happy, as I am today.

 Thank you so much for having me Kimberly! It was so much fun! ...............................................................................................................
If you are interested in being featured on Diary of a Brown Eyed Girl for I Am a Mormon Monday, please contact me and I will send you all the details.  Email: bostonksox@gmail.com    

I Am a Mormon Monday: Meet Kaycee

A little about me! I live in Scottsdale, AZ for half of the year, and Oakland, CA the other half. My husband plays baseball for the Oakland Athletics, and we are a busy, traveling baseball family. Our life is pretty crazy [understatement], but we have been immensely blessed [also an understatement]. 

I was raised Mormon, but spent the majority of my young adult life away from the church. After getting married, my husband and I decided to start going to church. We weren’t like many of the stories you hear, where things were going terribly wrong, we had hit rock bottom and we needed to find something more. In fact, it was pretty much the complete opposite. Our life together was amazing, we had all we needed, and were very blessed and happy. Needless to say, we began going to church anyways and found exactly what we didn’t know we were looking for.

Being Mormon has brought nothing but happiness to my life. Following the teachings of Jesus Christ fills my life with joy, and helps me to have a long-term outlook on the day-to-day aspects of my life. I have never been happier than when I am living my life in a Christ-like way, and am so grateful for this church and it’s teachings in my life.

What is hope and what do you hope for?

For me, hope is the desire for something to happen. What do I hope for? Oh goodness. I might need the next 2,375 blog posts to answer that question! I think what I hope for most is complete happiness in my life. For a happy marriage, happy children, and to bring happiness to everyone that crosses my path. 

How do you live your faith?

I am not the type of person to hand a Book of Mormon out, or talk a lot specifically about my faith (unless of course someone asks!). I would like to think that I live my faith my living a good, Christ-like life and by being an example to those around me. Whether it’s helping someone in need, or simply being a good friend. I have been SO blessed by this church and am so grateful for it in my life.

Twitter: @kayceesogard

Instagram: Kayceesogard

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If you would like to participate in I Am a Mormon Monday, please contact me!
bostonksox@gmail.com

I Am a Mormon Monday: Meet Landon

I am a twenty-something gal, married to my best friend, mom to the cutest 2 year old boy in the world, foster mom, hoping to adopt, piano and voice teacher, with depression and anxiety, a deep love of theater and Coca-Cola. I am a Mormon!! 

Hello there.... I'm Landon!  I have been married to my prince charming for seven years.  We got married in the Portland, Oregon temple after meeting at BYU and have been enjoying life together ever since!  We had a difficult time getting and staying pregnant, but then we were blessed with our miracle child - he is now 2 and we simply adore him.  I can't have any more biological children, but we have always known that we wanted to adopt.  We felt very directed to pursue foster care and are hoping to adopt.  When I'm not chasing my kiddos, you can find me at the piano or singing.  I teach piano and voice lessons and love it!  I also love theatre and hope to go to graduate school to get my MFA in directing. I was raised in a Mormon household.  And, while I was baptized when I turned 8, my conversion to the church came when I was 12.  My family moved from Detroit MI to Portland OR when I was 12.  I was very unhappy about it and complained to everyone about having to leave the only home I'd ever known!  I prayed that our house in Detroit wouldn't sell so we wouldn't have to move.  Well, we moved anyway and lived in an apartment until the house sold.  One night, I broke down.  I felt so bad about seeing my parents so stressed and unhappy.  I knew they wanted to be in Portland and be closer to family.  I prayed (more liked begged!) that our house would sell - I remember pleading with God that the house would sell the next day!  When I came home from school the next day, my parents were at the bus stop waiting for me - I thought someone had died!  Turns out they had gotten and accepted an offer on the house!  It was then that I knew that God knows me, listens to my prayers, and cares about me!  This one experience has shaped my life.  I have always known that I can turn to God in prayer and He will listen with all the care and love of the perfect father. 

What is hope and what do you hope for?

Hope has been my anchor word, especially since becoming a foster mom.  My go to scripture lately has been Hebrews 6:19 "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."  My anchor is rooted in Jesus Christ because I know that he is firm and secure and never fails.  I have depression/anxiety and often times my worry spirals almost out of control.  But Christ is always constant and has the perfect balm to my fears.  Hope isn't just a nice idea.  Hope is a real and living thing.  It brings peace and reassurance.  I hope for happiness for myself, my husband, and children.  I hope for a successful adoption soon.  I hope for an eternal family.  

 How do you live your faith?

I live my faith by choosing moment by moment.  This life isn't easy.  But it's not meant to be.  Life isn't so much about who has it harder or easier, but about how we choose to deal with our challenges.  I choose faith.  And while my sphere of influence is small right now, mostly within the walls of my own home, I try to keep my focus on Christ and in such a way that would make Him happy.  I choose to pray with my children.  To pray with my husband.  To pray by myself.  I choose to smile, to share the happiness and love that I feel inside, to serve, to be kind and generous.  One of the things that I am working on is letting my faith be bigger than my fear.  Where faith lives, fear cannot enter.  I am working daily on putting my trust and hope in God.  It's not easy, but it's a much happier way to live! 

Pinterest

Blog 

Facebook
Instagram is @landonetw and @bannersoflove 

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If you are interested in being featured on my blog for I Am a Mormon Monday. Please contact me and I will add you to the list! Right now I am booked out through November.  

Email: bostonksox@gmail.com ***I look forward to hearing from you!***

I AM A MORMON MONDAY: MEET KALI

Happy Monday to you! I hope you had a fabulous weekend! Our weekend was filled with new house projects, gardening/yard work, and family. 
Guys........... today I am so excited today to announce that I Am a Mormon Monday is back!! I have had a few emails asking "Why aren't you doing I Am a Mormon Monday anymore!?!" I guess my answer to that is life kind of got in the way. Once I was done with my last feature on my blog, I kinda forgot about it until I got another email and decided that I should start it right back up again! So here we are!!
Today I am featuring Kali Matthews. She is wonderful. She is so devoted to the Gospel and has such a love and testimony of Jesus Christ. Her two boys are the cutest and just about two months ago they decided that they would like to become foster parents with an intent to adopt which is so great!
Take it away Kali!

Blog // Website // Facebook // Instagram

Hello. I'm Kali Matthews, blogger at www.kalimatthews.blogspot.com. I am one of 8 children and an Air Force Brat, so I've lived all over the United States, but ended up in Sunny California. Here's where I met a tall, dark, and handsome, mysterious basketball coach from the Singles Ward, and we were married in the Oakland Temple 7 1/2 years ago. We were blessed almost right away, with 2 wild little hooligans-- boys. They are crazy, fun, and keep us on our toes. We have felt very prompted lately to pursue adoption through Foster Care and are halfway through the certification process. We are very excited! When I'm not chasing my two boys around or macking on my Husband, you might find me photographing anyone and everyone, at church with the Young Women, or relieving stress in the weight room. You might occasionally find me in the kitchen or cleaning my house, but probably not.

I was blessed to have been born to an LDS family, a convert mom, and a dad relating all the way back to Brigham Young, but as I got older, and we moved around a lot, I had the opportunity to learn about many different cultures and religions. In New Jersey & Ohio, I attended several different churches with friends. There were great qualities about these churches, but for me, nothing could compare to the warm, peaceful, Spirit I felt at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Even though I grew up in the church, I took the missionary discussions at the age of 14 to further acquaint myself with the doctrine. I was also attending seminary and took the challenge to read the Book of Mormon daily and to pray and ask if it were true. I did just that, and for awhile, I wasn't really sure. Then one night, I had an experience that changed me forever, and I realized, that all along, I already knew. I'll never forget that powerful witness. Reading the Bible and Book of Mormon, daily, strengthen me and remind me of who I am and what my purpose is. 

What is hope? 

Well, I just Googled it & my favorite definition to come up was, "a feeling of trust". I LOVE that! I definitely feel like hope and faith are trusting in our Heavenly Father that good things are to come. I am a worrier by nature, so this is an important reminder for me. I hope to see my children raised to become people who change the world for the better. I hope to adopt in the next year or so. I hope to grow old and serve a mission alongside my husband. I hope I never ever get bedbugs {I have an irrational fear... see? worrier by nature}.

How do you live your faith? 

I live my faith by striving to be the best mommy and wife possible. I do believe the most important work you will ever do is within the walls of your own home. I also serve as Young Women's President in my ward. I told them I was probably too disorganized and inappropriate to be Young Women's President, but here I am anyway, and I'm working on both. I have a special love for today's youth, and feel like the girls in my ward are my own little sisters. It's been such a blessing and privilege to work with them and learn from them. I also love serving in the temple, and try to go as often as possible. It is such a beautiful place of peace and refuge from the world. Another way I live my faith, is just by trying to forget myself and serve others. I love Martin Luther King Jr's words,"Life's most urgent and persistent question is: What are you doing for others?" I've just realized that by serving others, my own problems are minimized, and I feel closest to my Savior, Jesus Christ, which is the greatest blessing of all. 

If you would like to know more about what I believe, click HERE.

Thank you, Kimberly for having me on your beautiful blog! I look forward to getting to know other featured bloggers!

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If you are interested in being featured on my blog for I Am a Mormon Monday. Please contact me and I will add you to the list! Right now I am booked out through November 3rd. Next open slot is for November 17th. Email: bostonksox@gmail.com ***I look forward to hearing from you!***

I AM A MORMON MONDAY: MEET VALERIE

About me:

My name is Valerie and I blog at A Little Life Journal 

http://valeriebt.blogspot.co.uk/

My blog is really just a family blog although it has taken some unexpected twists and turns since it began. We live in a small cottage by the sea on the East Coast of Scotland, and despite the weather, we love it here.

What is hope and what do you hope for?

Hope is the surety that everything is working out exactly the way it is meant to. Feeling hopeless is feeling cast adrift with no course and no purpose. I hope for peace and happiness, which sounds like a cliche, but in the end its what my heart desires for myself and for everyone I care about.

How I live my faith:

I live my faith with love. Loving everyone does not come naturally to me (most of us?),  but its how our Savior lived His life and He is my Teacher. Love can be divided endlessly, love can build bridges, and move mountains and change lives forever. I try to live my life full of love. “Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye.” 

Thank You for including me in Mormon Monday Kimberly!

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If you would like to be apart of I Am a Mormon Monday, 

please contact me and I will add you to the list! 

Email: bostonksox@gmail.com 

JUST IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING....

I testify to you that there is s God! He is real and personal and loving. He is also just. The fact that we can see, hear, and experience, all testifies of this fact that He is real and that He has a wondrous plan that allows us to partake of His goodness and creation all around us every day. I challenge you to try and find God in everywhere you look and in everyone you meet.

I AM A MORMON MONDAY: MEET JEN

Hi!  My name is Jen and Matt and I were married in the Salt Lake Temple almost 13 years ago after I graduated from Southern Utah University.  A year later we moved to Phoenix, Arizona so Matt could attend dental school at A.T. Still University.  During school, we were blessed with two, rowdy little boys, and a year after Matt graduated dental school we were blessed with a third little boy.  A short 8 months later I could not believe I was expecting again.  I almost didn't dare even hope for a girl, but our wildest dreams came true and we were blessed with a princess in 2009.  One more baby blessed our family in 2012.

4 months after the birth of our son, I had a seizure in a grocery store.  My husband insisted we go to the ER and when we got to the hospital they ended up admitting me and performing several tests.  Never in a million years did we expect to hear that my seizure was caused by a malignant brain tumor.  We were beyond devastated.  Who was going to raise my babies?  My newborn?  What was going to happen?  I was not ready to die!

We do not believe for one second that it was a coincidence that we chose to attend dental school in Phoenix.  We would have never decided to build a practice and live here had we not gone to school here.  Barrow Neurology is one of the best neurological hospitals in the world and we live 40 miles away.  My surgery, radiation and chemo has all been through Barrow and we could not feel more blessed or be happier with my success.  The cancer I have is bad (Stage 3)--my doctors give me 3-5 years to live, but I am doing so well we cannot imagine that statistic being true.  In the meantime, I live each day to the fullest and remember that life is a gift we must cherish.

My Heavenly Father wrapped His arms around me and carried me through the most unimaginable trial of my life and I could not have made it without Him.

What is hope?

Hope is the ability want something enough to keep going.  Hope is what got me through my trial.  Hope is what gets me through everyday.  When times are hard, hope will get you through the next minute.  When times are good, hope can keep your future bright.  Without hope we have nothing.  I had many dark days where I would BEG my Heavenly Father to take my cancer away.  I would cry and plead with Him for hours until it suddenly hit me that this trial is His will for me and I needed to let it go.  Instead of hoping for a miracle cure for cancer, I needed to become at peace within myself and hope for a "good day tomorrow", hope to instill the proper truths and values in my children now so if I do pass away, they will carry those on.  Hope is a raw and beautiful emotion that I've become very familiar with.

How do I live my faith?

I pray to be an example to others everyday.  I believe in the power of prayer with ALL of my heart.  I am far from perfect, but try to speak kindly, include others, have patience (this one is the hardest for me!) and be loving to those around me.  I serve in the Young Women and really love it.  I read my scriptures daily and try to teach my children Gospel Principles as often as I can.  I love the Gospel and truly, truly cannot imagine my life without it.  How blessed we are to have a loving Father in Heaven and a Savior and an atonement.  My heart is so full when I think of all of my incredible blessings.  

Thank you for this opportunity Kimberly!  

You can follow me on instagram: @jenniferroper or visit our blog: theroperfam.blogspot.com.

................................................................................................................................................................. Interested in being apart of I Am a Mormon Monday?  Email me for details! bostonksox@gmail.com 

I Am a Mormon Monday: Meet Alexa

I'm Alexa from Written in The Midst! I’m a 20 year old life wanderer who loves to write about my random occurrences of life and little happenings. I'm a still trying to find my place in this big ‘ole world, but I love the adventure of it! I love all things random and crazy. I’m a lover of pictures and letters, capturing the best moments of my life. I love to write, and my blog is my go-to place for that. I love life, and I love to share mine with people! So, let’s be friends, because I would love that too!

What is hope, and what do you hope for?

To me, hope is an incandescent feeling of the soul. A feeling of trust, courage, desire, and a longing for everlasting happiness; anticipating for good through faith. I love the way Elder Steven E. Snow describes it as "an emotion which brings richness to our everyday lives." Our hearts are always full of hope, and I think that's a beautiful thing. When we hope, we begin a journey into a lifetime of good works. I hope for success, adventure, and meaning; for a future filled with love, opportunities to serve and to learn, and for others to experience the greatest happiness. Along with all the silly things like hoping to one day travel the world and ride in a hot air balloon ;)

How do I live my faith?

I live my faith through love. I consider my huge heart a gift, and I strive to use it in any possible way I can. I believe that love can change the world, and I like to think that I'm helping the world through open arms. I want people around me to feel the love that our sweet Savior has for them, and we can help them feel that by loving. I try to set an example in the way I talk, dress, and act, and hope that it affects somebody in some way. I'm not afraid to stand up for my beliefs and to share them with others. I look for the positive in all things, because I know that trials are blessings, and I strive to help people see that. I am extremely grateful for this church and have the deepest love for the gospel and my sweet Savior! I can’t even begin to imagine my life without it.

Thank you so much for having me Kimberly!

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I Am a Mormon Monday: Meet Sonja

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About Me:

I am the oldest of five kids (4 out of the five of us are gingers) and grew up in wet but beautiful Portland, Oregon. But my family just moved to Midway, Utah after living in Oregon for almost 20 years. (Needless to say it was a very tough move and took a huge leap of faith!) I turn 21 this Saturday. I am a senior at Brigham Young University-Idaho in Narnia (aka Rexburg) Idaho. I am getting my BS in Communication with an emphasis in Print Journalism and minor in Photography and hopefully graduating in July. I am currently the content manager for the BYU-Idaho Scroll and love it. Going to a church school has strengthened my testimony in so many ways. To be surrounding by so many people who hold my same standards and who uplift me everyday has meant the world to me. 

I am a sarcastic girl who loves to laugh. I want to someday make a difference with my writing, to change people's lives. I also feel like I am meant to share the Gospel with it, and am making it one of my main goals. I have a photography business and specialize in senior portraits and weddings. Taking pictures helps me express what the words can't, and I love showcasing everyone's beauty- because everyone is beautiful. 

I love my family and CANNOT wait to have one of my own. Looking for that special someone has been a bit harder than I thought it would be, but I'm learning that that's okay :) My youngest sister is 5 years old and my best friend and other half. She looks just like me and is easily mistaken for my daughter all the time.    

My grandma (or Mormor, as I call her) is Swedish and was converted when she was in her late teens and came over to the states all on her own when she was 20 to find a nice Mormon boy to marry. Thanks to her I have been raised in the Church and consider her one of my heroes. I absolutely love being Swedish, especially with all the traditions we have.

Some other hobbies of mine include graphic design (which I am also studying a bit along with my major), watching movies, singing (I was in three choirs my senior year of high school, back in the day) and social media. Yes, I do consider it a hobby. 

What is hope and what do you hope for?

Hope, for me, is that quiet guiding light that can only be found through faith. I believe that hope and faith work hand in hand. Hope is the very existence of light and I have learned this through some very difficult yet strengthening life experiences. 

I hope most, without wavering, to return to my Heavenly Father someday having done all that I could to come back clean and pure. I also hope to be a light in others lives. To help them see light. 

How I live my faith:

I try my hardest to live as Christ lives. To be an example to others who might not have the blessing of the Gospel in their lives. I try, and it is a constant battle, to remember Christ more throughout my day. To love him more by living my faith as much as I can. I live my faith my striving to trust in my Heavenly Father that the trials I go through are for my good, no matter how hard they may be. 

Thank you so much for having me Kimberly!!

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