KrazyKay

If you pray with all your heart, with a strong intent on finding the truth, believing with all your might that God will answer you, then you will receive an answer. In the Bible, James chapter 1, verse 5-6 talks about how to pray when asking for knowledge: Now let me share my testimony to you. I was born into the LDS religion. There was a point when I wasn't sure the Book of Mormon was true. So I read the testimony's listed at the front of the Book of Mormon, sat and thought about those testimonies for a few minutes. Then I got on my knees, with my arms folded on the top of my bed, and prayed with all my heart to know if the Book of Mormon was true. I did see a vision, atop of my bed was a personage that was brighter than the noon sun on a cloudless day. I don't know who the personage was nor was I able to see any details, but just seeing that personage for a few seconds before he left was enough to tell me that the Book of Mormon is true. I have never doubted the Book of Mormon since then. Now, not everyone will have that happen when they pray. My dad, when he prayed, didn't get an answer right away like I did, but he got his answer through receiving a strong warm comforting feeling every time he sat down to read the Book of Mormon before he was baptized - he joined while in college about 3 years before I was born.

I agree with Texas having way more than it's share of summer heat - too much heat. My mom was growing grapes - watering them every day but they still died due to this heat.

Away in a Manger - (not sure the author and I'm too lazy to go look it up, lol)

I would love for the temp here to drop down to 18C. Right now here in Houston it is 89F (31.5C) and I am tired of this heat. Especially when I have to be out in it in the middle of the day.

I haven't read any of the other replies yet, so some of this might be repeated info, lol. But I did want to tell my story first. I was 18 years old, the year was 1997, and I was leaving home to go to Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah. My parents were living in Houston, Texas at that time. I was never a rebellious teenager; however, once I was no longer under my parents roof, I stopped attending church and Satan got a hold of me. That first semester at Westminster College, I met this one guy online and we fell in love - at least I thought he loved me at that time. I also was learning and for some stupid reason thought I would like BDSM which is what that guy liked. I found a guy in SLC who was also into BDSM and was looking for a no strings attached encounters - that was when I lost my virginity. Then a month later I took a weekend trip down to see him where he lived in Phoenix, Arizona and we had sex. To make this short, I failed that first semester of college and thought I was too stupid for college, so he and I decided to get married. 6 months later, I caught him cheating on me with another woman in our bed who he had told that he was living with his sister. I was so mad and I left him - moved back in with my parents. Luckily he and I had no children. After moving back in with my parents, I was depressed and spent so much time online mostly learning how to code HTML to make websites (the website I made is still up but I can no longer edit it if anyone wants to see, send me a PM). I also met another guy online who is LDS, but inactive. So a year after leaving my husband, I was able to get that marriage annulled. A few weeks after that marriage was annulled, the inactive LDS guy I met came down to Houston to meet me. I wasn't fully active yet myself, that guy and I did have sex in the back of my car during that trip. He then went back to Indiana. A few weeks later, I found a job in Indiana and moved up there so I could be with that guy. To make this short, that guy and I did get carried away a few more times and I ended up pregnant. We decided we needed to start going to church again and went through the repentance process. Our daughter was born March 2000 and we had a civil marriage June 2000 with our bishop marrying us in the R.S. room. Our daughter was the most beautiful person there (in my opinion). Anyway, in 2003 we were sealed together as a family forever in the Houston Temple and he and I are very active at church and go to the temple as often as we can. He is the Elder's Quorum secretary and I play the piano in R.S. So what I am saying, through the atonement, yes you can be forgiven as my husband and I were forgiven. A great book to read that will help with understanding the atonement and forgiveness is "The Miracle of Forgiveness" by President Spencer W. Kimball. My husband and I have read that book while we were going through the repentance process. So yes, someone like me who broke the law of chastity not with one guy, but with 3 guys, can be forgiven. That means that you can be forgiven too.

Thank you Pam... I also get the DailyWOW in my email, but this one is important enough it's worth reading multiple times and applying to our daily lives.

Ram your post reminded me of something that happened when I was a child. It was Christmas morning, I was 10 years old and my brother was 8 years old. I received a camcorder from "Santa". My little brother was jealous, he wanted a camcorder and started begging and begging my parents to get him one too - to the point of crying and throwing a temper-tantrum. I will never forget what my dad said to him: "When you are mature enough to handle the responsibility of owning a camcorder, then we will get one for you." I can see our Heavenly Father saying the same thing to his children here who are praying to see a vision like the prophets see: "When you are mature enough spiritually and have enough faith to handle the responsibility of a vision, then will I give you a vision." How many people are at the maturity level and have enough faith to handle the responsibility that comes with seeing a vision? I know that I am not there yet. The level of faith that I think is required is the level that Jesus mentions to his disciples when they asked him to increase their faith: (Luke 17:6)

“Forty thousand years of evolution and we've barely even tapped the vastness of human potential.” -Spiderman

"Ah, they're heading for the park." "A perfect meeting place... if I can only arrange it." (Pongo in 101 Dalmations)

Can we have a laugh and cry button? I laughed and cried at that Lilered. Anyway, I wanted to share this with all the pet lovers: Excerpts from a Dog's Diary...... 8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing! 9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing! 9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing! 10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing! 12:00 PM - Lunch! My favorite thing! 1:00 PM - Played in the yard! My favorite thing! 3:00 PM - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing! 5:00 PM - Milk bones! My favorite thing! 6:00 PM - Oooh, Bath . Bummer. 7:00 PM - Got to play ball! My favorite thing! 8:00 PM - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing! 11:00 PM - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing! Excerpts from a Cat's Diary. .. Day 983 of my captivity. My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. In an attempt to show my disgust, I once again vomit on the carpet. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. !!IDIOTS!! There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage. Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs. I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded. The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now................

This is why we shouldn't make assumptions, lol. Michael, I am sorry for my assumption But I am still very glad that you have decided to return

Someone pays too much attention to historia and fiction instead of history and real life.

You are not alone in your non-stop trials. I remember someone very wise once told me that we will never have a break from our trials and tribulations until the day we are embraced by Jesus and our Heavenly Father. Meaning that during this life, each day, each minute, each second is a trial and tribulations; further, every single person has different trials and tribulations and no two are alike. I would never want the trials and tribulations that I know others are going through. Take for example: My parents have been blessed by paying their tithing. They have never had a time when the money wasn't there for bills after paying tithing - including when they were first married. Now they still have enough to help my brother and his wife, my sister (who is single), and my husband and me with bills, food, etc. without running out of money. On the other hand, my husband and I are full tithe payers, but we never have enough money for bills after paying tithing - we are in constant monthly need of monitory help from my parents. Yet we get blessings in other ways - even though my husband has diabetes, he has never had any complications arise from it - almost as if he didn't have diabetes. Our daughter and I have had great health despite our weight problems (I'm dangerously close to 200lbs and our daughter is 130lbs). So us paying tithing is giving us blessings with our health while my parents paying tithing is giving them blessings with money. The point I'm trying to make is that even by doing what we know is right, everyone gets blessed in different ways and we have to look at how ourselves are being blessed by doing what is right and not compare ourselves to others. I love this poem and it always helps me through what seems the trials that seems hardest for me to handle (like that 3 weeks with no power and 1 of those weeks also no running water last September when Hurricane Ike hit our area):

I don't know what happened, but from your post I'm guessing you were excommunicated. In which case, this is great news that you've come back and will be baptized :) Congratulations!!!

Aim for the exclusive 1000 club. I'm still working on trying to join them, lol. Which is one reason I participate in the forum games - other reason is I find those forum games fun,

Amen to that. I'm living proof that it's so much harder with kids. I graduated high school in 1997, had my daughter in March 2000 and fall 2000 went back to school - I still haven't finished my B.S. degree Although my R.S. president thinks I'm (actually superwoman, but you get the idea) because during the school year I work part time as a substitute at the high school, go to college as close to full time as I can, take care of my husband who has autism (high functioning) and diabetes as well as our 9 year old daughter, take care of the housework, work my garden, and play the piano for R.S. But that is why 9 years after starting college, I'm still working on my B.S. degree: Mathematics 5-12. I can not stress this one enough - DO NOT have kids until you finish your degree.

I still don't get it But then there are many things that other people get that go right over the top of my head, lol.

I wasn't implying polygamy, how'd you get polygamy from that

If you looked at my birth certificate, it says I turn 31 this year But I tell everyone I'm not a day over 16

*with tongue in the cheek* Obama is the president, so everything has to be his fault - even if he doesn't have a hand in it

1. Pray 2. Go to bed on time. 3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed. 4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule or that will compromise your mental health. 5. Delegate tasks to capable others. 6. Simplify and unclutter your life. 7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.) 8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places. 9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together. 10. Take one day at a time. 11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it. 12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases. 13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc. 14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble. 15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday. 16. Carry your scriptures with you to read while waiting in line. 17. Get enough rest. 18. Eat right. 19 Get organized so everything has its place. 20. Listen to a tape or CD while driving that can help improve your quality of life. 21. Write down thoughts and inspirations. 22. Every day, find time to be alone. 23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray. 24. Make friends with Godly people. 25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand. 26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good 'Thank you Jesus.' 27. Laugh. 28. Laugh some more! 29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all. 30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can). 31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most). 32. Sit on your ego. 33 Talk less; listen more. 34. Slow down. 35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe. 36 Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU.

I was given some vegetables that can be planted at this time of year for where I live. I have a spot in the backyard where I want to plant the seeds, but I have never planted a garden before and need some advice on how to start. There isn't an area in our backyard without weeds/grass, lol. Is there an easier way to get rid of all the weeds/grass in the area I want to plant these seeds than using a hoe? I was out there this morning for about an hour with the hoe and only got about a 1 foot by 1 foot area cleared and even that didn't get all the weeds. If anyone is interested, I live in southeast Texas, just north of Houston and the vegetables I was given are Carrots and Peas - both of which on the back say they can be planted in late summer (August/September). As I work on this garden with these two vegetables, I will most likely be back with more questions too, lol. I'll just keep them to this thread though.

I love that.

Hemi brings up a good point. We don't know God's will nor does anyone understand entirely things in an eternal perspective as of Father in Heaven does.

I also cringe at the idea of having to make car payments. My last Chevy S-10 (which was a 1995) went to just over 300,000 miles before I sold it. My current Chevy S-10 (which is a 1998) I've only had for about 1 year, paid 100% cash when I bought it so I would have no payments and it currently has 60,000 miles. I'm expecting this truck to last me at least 5 to 10 more years :)