For the Coming Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well, I stopped on one of my absolute favorite talks from Conference.  It was given by Elder Robert C. Gay and can be found HERE.

Elder Gay recounts a story from his youth.  We've all had similar experiences of learning to tell the truth or not steal, I'm sure, but for some reason this story really struck me.  I think it was the way his father asked him, "Son, would you exchange your soul for a nickle?"  Go and read this story--it will hit you hard.

So, my question to myself and all of my readers for the new and upcoming year is "What will I exchange for my soul?"  This questions will require each of us to take a deeper look at our motives, our desires, and our willingness to answer the Savior's call to follow Him.  Since this is a personal thing, I won't go into details about what I am planning to do, but I hope each of you take time to ponder this question and to resolve to be a little bit better each day of 2013.

Here's the print I made with a quote from this talk~

I've also added a few words on how we can become an 11 on a scale of 1-10 when we utilize the Atonement of our Savior HERE on my paper crafting blog.  You'll have to see my card first, sorry, but hop over there if you have the time, I hope it inspires you!

Please feel free to use this print for PERSONAL USE only.  More information about disclaimers and printing policies can be found in the tab up top.  Happy printing!

Merry Christmas!

Promises of the Book of Mormon

I've got another General Conference quote to share with you today!!!  This one is from Elder Hawk's talk found HERE about the importance of the Book of Mormon in regards to the House of Israel.

Here's the print I made~

I love reading The Book of Mormon.  As I have served in different Church callings, The Book of Mormon has answered many questions I've had regarding my responsibilities.  Each time I've had a question about something, the answer came as I prayed and studied The Book of Mormon.  It helps in my daily life as well and I feel closer to my Father in Heaven and Savior as I read the words of the ancient prophets that were written for our day.

I know that it is a true book of scripture intended for us in the latter days and that men will learn about Christ and His gospel as they study it's precepts.  I feel so grateful and blessed to live in a day where each of us can have our own personal copy of this important volume of scripture.  I hope that you will take time to read it and pray to know if it is true.  I also hope that reading it will help you as it has helped me and will continue to help me in the future.

Please feel free to use this printable for PERSONAL USE ONLY.  More information about disclaimers and printing policies can be found under the tab at the top of this blog.  Happy printing!

Gifts of the Season

Isn't Christmas a wonderful time of year?  I LOVE making homemade gifts to give to people or finding fun new ways to give gifts in a unique way.  This year at work we did something so fun!  We had a "Hot Cocoa Bar."  Each participant brought a fun holiday mug to trade in for a new one.  I got the cutest one!!!

Here it is~

Isn't that darling?!  I just love it!  I think that this is such a great idea!  There were different types of marshmallows and peppermint sticks for stirring the cocoa.  There were different types of bagged powder cocoa and some hot water in a warmer.  AND donut holes!  What fun!  This had to be blogged because I want to keep this idea for later!

The other gifts that I want to blog about are the gifts I've made for the sisters that I visit teach for Christmas.  As you know, I've been creating printables for the October 2012 General Conference talks.  Well...I've finished them, I just haven't blogged them!  I got prints made and my companion and I have compiled the photos in albums to give to the sisters we visit. 

Here's a look~

It was seriously budget friendly to do this!  I had a 40% off code for the photos and the albums were just altered $1 albums from the store.  The total for each on was under $5!!!  And it's something that will encourage further study and inspire the sisters as they use the photos to decorate their homes. 

I think the next gift will be for Valentine's Day and it will be picture frames that these quotes will fit in.  Then each sister can display the quotes in a place that they will be able to reflect on them daily.  The beauty of this is that they can choose different quotes at different times in their lives!

I hope you've found inspiration in these two ideas--I will be back with more General Conference quotes SOON!!!  Merry Christmas friends--I'm not sure how much blogging I'll be able to do over the next few days! ;) 

Strong Families Start With Strong Marriages

Since I'm home sick, I thought I'd share another printable with you really quickly!  This one features a quote from Elder Perry's talk about becoming goodly parents.  I used a quote about marriage as the focus.  You might find this strange that I would focus on a quote about marriage from a talk about parenting, but it has been my experience that you can only be a goodly parent if you are living in harmony within your marriage first.

Here is the quote~

I am so grateful to have the husband that I have.  I know some of you might get sick of me saying this, but my husband is the best man in the world!  This week as I've been sick, he has taken care of me like nobody else--not even my mother--ever has or will.  He is just amazing. 

I know that as we continually strive to make our marriages second priority in our lives--second only to our relationship with God--that we will find so much more happiness and peace in this world.  Marriage is the only way that men can become like God.  It is the foundation for a happy home and happy families. 

Any time that I felt unhappy with my life during our short stint with foster care, I knew that I needed to work on strengthening my marriage.  It helped me get through it.  Anytime I feel that something in my life is not right now, striving to strengthen my marriage has opened up windows to me about what I need to do to become more perfect.  These insights usually come as my dear love and I talk to each other nightly about everything. 

I am so grateful to God for the amazing husband that I have.  I am grateful for my husband's parents who prepared him to be the man he is today.  I am grateful for the Atonement of the Savior that helps my husband and me to perfect our marriage and our lives.  I hope that each of you takes the time today to do something to strengthen your marriage.  It will bless you in ways that you never thought possible!

Please feel free to use this printable for PERSONAL USE ONLY.  More info about printing policies and disclaimers can be found under the tab at the top of my blog.  Happy printing! :)

Regrets

I know that we all have regrets from our life time.  Okay, I know that I do.  I can't speak for you.  Elder Uchtdorf's talk really hit home for me and I realized that living with regrets should be something that teaches you to be better.  We should learn from our mistakes and not continually make the same ones over and over thinking we can just repent each time.  Repentance is sincere change, not feeling sorry for a bit then going and performing the same sinful act again. 

I LOVE this statement that Elder Uchtdorf makes~

Isn't that simple perfection?  It's so easy.  Living the gospel can be SO EASY!

I was talking to my husband recently about how I am trying to do better at treating others the way the Savior would.  After one such incident, he told me that he was proud of me for trying to work with difficult people.  You know what I told him--because this is what I had realized--I am the only one being difficult. 

I am the one who decides how difficult to make a situation.  I am the only one who makes myself sad.  I am the only one who can make me happy.  I am the only one who can choose to rise above whatever I perceive is going on and choose to treat others as children of God anyway. 

This attitude shift has really effected my life and has made me so incredibly happy.  I hope that as we continue on the path set out by our Savior that we will see an increase in our happiness and peace.  I know that we will find both if we are doing all we can to live a righteous life.  I also know that when we follow the Savior, we will be able to live a regret free life and return spotless to our heavenly home.

Please feel free to use my print FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY.  More disclaimers and policies about printing can be found under the tab above.  Happy printing! :)  And stay tuned...there are more General Conference prints to come! :)

Ask the missionaries...

So, I was very grateful for Elder Nelson's talk because I never really thought of asking the missionaries to help me with things other than moving furniture or teaching a non-member friend.  Seriously.  Don't laugh!  I just never had...and his talk has made me realize that all of the things that are required of missionaries are also required of us.  So really, when he told us to ask the missionaries because they can help, doesn't that apply to us all?

I'm currently trying to be more watchful and prayerful about my ability to serve others.  I feel that I have not done a good job in the past and that I could widen my sphere of influence for good in a way that would please the Lord.  Because this is a personal matter, I won't share specifics, but I do feel a great difference in my life and I feel so much happier and blessed because of the opportunities that have come my way to serve those around me!

Also, this talk brought back memories of an adult session of Stake Conference that we had a little while ago.  We had an Area 70 with us and he did something that I found very thought provoking.  He asked the full time missionaries to stand.  The missionaries that had been called to our mission all stood.  He stated that he felt that he had been misunderstood.  He said that these were the part time missionaries.  They would only be in our area between 18 and 24 months before leaving and returning home.  He asked them to sit.  He then asked for those who were living in our are full time to stand.  We all stood.  Then he explained that we were the true full time missionaries in our area.  That really got me thinking.

Anyway, I created this printable with the missionary name tag in mind.  I want to print it out and put it somewhere I can see it on a regular basis so that it reminds me to ask for help when I need it and also to remind me that I need to be more aware of how I can serve as a member missionary.  I hope you can use it, too!

Here it is~

Please feel free to use it FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY.  More disclaimers and policies about printing can be found under the tab above.  Happy printing! :)  And stay tuned...there are more General Conference prints to come! :)

Simply Sunday 24

Living a Pain Free Life

Have you ever gone through an experience that was excruciatingly painful for you to endure?  It could be physical, mental, emotional pain, whatever.  I know that you've all felt this way before.  I have had these times in my life.  It helps me to appreciate the good times more but it also helps me to come closer to God. 

I was talking with a sweet co-worker today about losing someone that you love--particularly someone that is young and shouldn't be leaving this life so early.  We both agreed that all trials in our lives are there to help us to come closer to our Savior.  The most wonderful part about this is that when we rely on the Savior and allow ourselves to be comforted by the knowledge of hope that comes from faith in His Atonement, our pain can be taken away. 

That is the message of this talk by Elder Shayne M. Bowen.  It is an excellent read for all of us--whether or not we are going through something painful at this time.  It reiterates to each of us that our lives do not end when we leave this earth!  Families and individuals are eternal beings.  We will be reunited with our loved ones that have passed before us if we endure to the end in living the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I know that this is true.

I've used on of my favorite parts of this talk to make a printable that you can have as a reminder of this important eternal truth.

Here it is~

Feel free to use it for personal use only.  For more disclaimers and guidelines for using my digital artwork, please consult the tab up top.  Happy printing! :)

Simply Sunday 23

The Importance of the Holy Ghost

I think that people {or maybe just me, myself, and I} take the inspiration that comes from God's Holy Spirit for granted.  The Gift of the Holy Ghost can become such an amazing blessing in our lives!  This quote from Elder Craig C. Christensen's talk says it better than I can...

Here's the printable I've made for it~

I know that this talk made me want to do better each day so that I can have the constant companionship and power that comes from allowing the Holy Ghost to be a part of my life.  Who doesn't want the blessings promised in this quote?!

Please feel free to use this print for personal use!  Happy printing! :)

Simply Sunday 22

Know it, Love it, Live it!

I'm back!  Sorry for the long delay, I'm trying to sort out my life after my laptop died! ;)

I'm sure that this is probably one of the most loved quotes from this past General Conference, and so I wanted to do something a bit different.  I wanted to go elegant and just make the statements bold as a reminder to myself to BE this each and every day!

Here's the print~

And here's a little something else for you if you want--if you email me at onastampage@yahoo.com and tell me what color you'd like instead of the yellow green I used, I will personalize this for you!  

I hope that you find this printable inspiring!  Please feel free to use this for PERSONAL USE ONLY.  Thanks, and happy printing! :)

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General Conference Printables: Immersion in the Scriptures

One thing that I KNOW I need to better on is immersing myself in the scriptures.  I once read an article or blog post about feeling the same way about scripture study as one does about reading fiction books.  I NEED to work on that!  The scriptures are God's words to us and they contain the truth of Christ's gospel.  The benefits of immersing oneself in the scriptures are numberless, but Elder Quentin L. Cook gave mentioned some major ones in his talk from General Conference.

Here's what he said~

Please feel free to use this printable for PERSONAL USE ONLY.  Stay tuned for more printables! :)

General Conferenct Printables: Temples

My favorite quote from President Monson's opening remarks was that the temple is the most important Church-built facility in the church.  So, I made this the focus for this talk's printable!

Here's the printable~

  

There was a lot said this Conference about the temple and it has strengthened my resolve to participate more in the blessings that come from temple service.  It will be hard since we don't have much money and the temple is 3 hours away, but I know that it will be worth it!

Please feel free to use this for PERSONAL USE ONLY.  More information on printing policies can be found under the tab up top.

Simply Sunday 18

General Conference Printables: Honey Bees

***This is the first post in a series of General Conference Printables that I will be posting.  Stay tuned for more free prints that uplift and inspire!***

Hello!  Long time, right?  I know.  Sorry about that!  I've been trying to come up with a way to balance everything I want to do in my life.  It's been super hard!  But, now I'm back, and I've got 2 printables to share!

This past General Conference,  Elder M. Russel Ballard gave an AMAZING talk entitled "Be Anxiously Engaged." In it, he tells us about the miracle that is a hive of honeybees.  Did you know that each bee only gives 1/12 of 1 teaspoon of honey during its entire life (about 4 weeks)?  The point was that we all need to be anxiously engaged in a good cause and that every little bit is what contributes to the whole. 

We read about being anxiously engaged in Doctrine & Covenants 58:27.  I've made two printables with this scripture--it's one of my favorites!!!

Here they are~

I've made them in two different styles hoping that they will be well used!  Please take them and use them FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY.  More information about using my printables can be found under the tab up top.  Happy printing!

PS: More will come...

Simply Sunday 17

Mynnette's Musings: Self Reliance

The Parable of Fast Food

 

                I have noticed something about myself.  I go through phases where I don’t eat any fast food for a long time and then I don’t have time one day and so I’ll go through a drive through.  This makes me once again realize how convenient it is to have someone do the work of preparing food for me, and I waste a lot of money buying things to eat that I could have made for less at home.  It’s so much cheaper to buy the ingredients and make the meals yourself, but it is time consuming and sometimes labor intensive.

                This can be related to life in this way:  we can choose to do things for ourselves and work hard but reap the reward of less money taken, or we can always shirk our responsibility and have others do our work for us.  This is the more costly option of the two.  Not only do we rob ourselves of much needed work and learning, we create a burden upon others and take away from our spiritual bank.  Heavenly Father has taught us that He expects us to do all that we can and then Christ will make up for the rest.  How scary is it to think that if we do not do ALL that we can, we have robbed ourselves and burdened someone else along the way!

                I sincerely hope that we learn to do things for ourselves when we are young so that instead of creating a burden on those around us, we will be able to give ourselves to the important work Heavenly Father has given us to do here on earth.  If we do so, I know that our spiritual banks will be full for our time on earth and for our life to come!

Related scriptures:       Genesis 3:19, Moses 4:25, 2 Chronicles 15:7, Proverbs 6:6, Proverbs 10:16, Proverbs 14:23, Proverbs 20:11, Ecclesiastes 5:12, Matthew 25:15, Romans 2:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:9, 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 2 Nephi 5:17, 2 Nephi 9:51, Jacob 1:19, Mosiah 2:14, Mosiah 10:5, Mosiah 23:5, Mosiah 27:5, Alma 10:4, Alma 36:25, D&C 42:42, D&C 58:27, D&C 68:30, D&C 72:17, D&C 82:18.

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Mynnette's Musings: Share Your Leftover Candy!

The Parable of the Left-over Halloween Candy

I tend to go a bit nuts on buying Halloween candy.  I want to be prepared to have a lot on hand to give out to our trick or treaters.  The problem is, I usually get more than we need and it ends up staying in our cabinet getting stale until the next year unless I throw it out.  I don’t even think about giving it out to other people who may like it but didn’t come to our house to trick or treat!

This is how our testimony can become if we’re not aware.  It’s easy to get up on fast Sunday and to share our testimony for those who have come to hear them.  It is not so easy to share our testimony with those who may like it, but didn’t come that week but do need it!  If we don’t continually share our testimony each day and not just present it to those who come to hear it on fast Sunday.  We can do this by living the gospel, talking to those around us about gospel topics that we have a testimony of or just testifying that Christ loves everyone by doing simple acts of service.  I hope that instead of letting our testimonies go stale, we share it and don’t waste it and let it become stale!

Related scriptures: John 3:11, Acts 10:42, 1 Timothy 2:5-6, 1 John 4:14, Alma 5:45-46, D&C 17:3, D&C 88:81.

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Mynnette's Musings: The Leaky Faucet of Sin

The Parable of the Leaky Faucet

 

                I’m sure that we’ve all experienced the annoyance of a leaky faucet.  It is a simple fix, but if we let it go, it just gets more and more annoying each day.  We hear it while we’re lying in bed trying to sleep and it keeps us up.  We’re trying to read a favorite book and it breaks our concentration.  We are talking on the phone and are unable to concentrate on our conversation because of the distracting leak!

                Our sins are the leaky faucets of our spirits.  They can be easy to fix, but if we let them go, they become more and more troublesome each day.  We will think about them while trying to sleep at night, while trying to relax and while working with others.  If we let them go too long, it is too late and we are stuck with our sins.  I pray that we will take the time each day to truly repent of our sins so that we can go about our lives with a clear mind and a clear conscious.

Related scriptures: Numbers 5:7, Ezra 10:11, Psalm 38:18, Proverbs 28:13, Mosiah 4:10, D&C 58:42, Isaiah 1:16, Ezekiel 18:30, Hosea 13:14, Matthew 3:2, Mark 1:15,  Luke 13:3, Luke 15:7, Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19, 2 Nephi 9:23, 3 Nephi 11:32, D&C 133:16, Moses 6:57, Article of Faith 4.

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