EVERYTHING Testifies of Christ

Dear Family and Friends,

I haven't much time this week, but I wanted to highlight a really cool principle from a devotional this week.  The speaker was talking about how everything testifies of Christ and he was talking about how sacrifices made in the temples before the birth of Christ had to be the sacrifice of a first born animal.

The speaker mentioned that there were shepherds who's job it was to watch sheep being born so they would know which was the first born and eligible for sacrifice.  With this background, he then told us that it made perfect sense that Shepherds would be visited by an angel and told to go visit Christ and witness his having been born.  Christ is the Only Begotten and first born of our Father.  So it made sense to have shepherds witness his birth, because shepherds witnessed the birth of first born's all the time.  And we know Christ is often called the Lamb of God.  We also know that he was sacrificed.  So it makes perfect sense that shepherds were there.  THAT'S WHAT THEY DID! That was their job.

I hope this made sense.  It's kind of hard to explain, but it really impacted me, and I wanted to share it.

The talk mostly deals with Scripture study, but if anyone would like to listen to or watch it, they can do so at: http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=2221


Have a great week!

Con amor,
S. Olsen

My Testimony

Dearest Family and Friends,

I am SO sorry it's been over a month since I've last written!  Hopefully, that won't happen again.  This blog is really important to me, and I hope it is important to my readers.

So, let me try to catch you all up.  I cannot explain everything that has happened in the past month, but one of the most significant is my three new roommates.  They are all returned missionaries and a huge blessing in my life.  Tomorrow, I will have officially been home for 11 months!  My roommate that has been home the longest, after me, has only been home for 5 months!

It's such a blessing to have such recently returned missionaries to live with, because they still have so many wonderful habits from the mission that I vowed I would never lose, but I have.  They are helping me to be a better person, and showing me the different ways they have turned mission habits into every day habits.

One of my roommates still does weekly planning.  She gets her planner, looks at everything she needs to do that week, and maps it out.  So, it's different than weekly planning on the mission, but I've started planning this week and it keeps me so much more organized.

Another blessing about having all returned-missionary roommates, is that we can go to the Temple together and do Endowment Sessions!  We were able to do that last Saturday, and it was a very special experience.

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on the earth.  I know it with all my heart.  The gospel is my life.  Without it, I am nothing.  I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father and the communication I have with Him day and night.  I am so grateful for His Son, Jesus Christ, who suffered for my sins and all my hardships.  I couldn't do what I've done without His help and guidance.  Whenever I've been lost and wondering what to do, He's helped me.  He is always there for me.  He is always there for you.  I love the scriptures!  All of them!  I'm currently studying by topic (right now I'm studying repentance) so I get to jump around the scriptures a lot and read a little of everything.  I know the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price are the words of God.  He answers me through the scriptures.  I read them every day because I would be lost without them.  I need that daily spiritual boost in my life.  I love the gospel so much!

Con amor,
S. Olsen