Lesson 6: The Gospel of Jesus Christ

The gospel of Jesus Christ is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, & enduring to the end.

"Gospel" is a word that I threw around A LOT growing up. I threw it around in talks and in seminary and in Sunday School. But my understanding of "the gospel of Jesus Christ" was very vague. Before my mission "the gospel" was this kind of blob that involved things like reading the scriptures, keeping the Sabbath holy, having faith, and doing what Jesus would do, etc.

So when Brother Doxey defined the gospel of Jesus Christ in our first lesson at the MTC, my mind was blown! What? THIS is what the gospel is? It's so simple! And it encompasses EVERYTHING we believe in the church. It encompasses all the commandments, it encompasses using the Atonement in our lives, serving others, etc. It's PERFECT.

The pattern of faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end is presented time and time again in the scriptures. I remember one day I was reading Alma 32, which is a great sermon on faith. But then I discovered something amazing--Alma 33 . . . and Alma 34! Alma and Amulek didn't just teach the Zoramites about faith. They taught them about faith (how it's like a seed and needs nurturing, but that as you nourish it your faith is strengthened), and about repentance!

After teaching the people about faith in chapter 32 the people basically said, "Faith sounds great! But how can I get it?"

So Alma teaches them about repentance. Repentance means we not only stop doing what's wrong, but we start doing what's right. He taught them about prayer, studying the scriptures, and attending church. Why? Because keeping the commandments and bringing our lives in line with God's will through repentance is how we build our faith. It takes faith to pray when you aren't really sure if God is there or listening. It takes faith to study the scriptures because you believe it will help your family draw closer together. It takes faith to overcome your fears about being judged at church and go.

As a missionary, I was blessed to get to help people develop faith in Jesus Christ and repent. Some people chose to be baptized, others chose not to. But if their faith grew, I knew I was fulfilling my purpose. I got to be there when a woman prayed out loud for the first time and afterwards said she felt like there was a God who loved her. I got to feel the contentions in a busy household dissipate as the mother read the Book of Mormon. And I got to see people who swore they'd never come to church come and feel the Spirit there. It was awesome. :)

I'm grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I know that it's for everyone. It's just like Nephi says in 2 Nephi 31:32 to end his sermon on the Gospel of Jesus Christ: "And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen."

So, if any of you are feeling particularly brave here's a challenge I received from my mission President. Buy a new copy of the Book of Mormon (one of the soft cover blue ones is $2.50 at store.lds.org) and go through marking anything relating to the gospel of Jesus Christ. So any reference to faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, or enduring to the end. See what you learn & notice. :)

And in case you missed it, here is latest original song. :)

I hope you all have a great week!

Inspiration and Making of "Song for You"--an original song

Hey Everybody!

So, this is my 60th post on this blog. Woot, woot! :D This particular post has been a long time in the making. You may have read in previous posts here and there about how I love to write. Two years ago I took a songwriting class and I've been writing songs ever since. It's something I love to do because it combines my two greatest loves--music and writing! Best of both worlds.

For those of you who haven't seen my video yet, here it is!



"Song for You" was conceived two years ago while I was in my songwriting class. Those of you who know me know that I'm a fairly introverted person and I get really nervous letting other people hear me sing or listen to my songs. So when this tune and the first verse popped into my head, I was downstairs in our washroom where no one could hear me (or at least where I believed no one could hear me). It was around 11 pm. I pulled out my handheld recorder and

Fast forward two years. I recently returned from serving an 18 month mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, wondering where to go with my life. I found my old recorder and notebook where I'd hummed tunes and scribbled lyrics. When going through the songs, I rediscovered "Song for You." I decided that this was a good place to start when getting back into songwriting. So I sat down at the piano, wrote the last two verses, and got the melody on paper.

After I had the accompaniment worked out, I recorded the song. My original plan was to record a video of me singing the song live, but it just wasn't going to work. I couldn't use 2 mics to record at once when using my webcam. So in the end I recorded the piano, recorded me singing, and combined the 2. :)

Once the song was recorded I realized, "Crap! I need a video to go along with this!" So, I decided to settle for a video of me doing what I do best--silly stick-figure drawings and lip syncing. Haha. It's not the greatest, but I had determined to get this video out ASAP. I'd already put it off too long because, I'll admit it, this is really scary! Putting one of my songs out there like this. But I'm also excited to share what I love with all of you!

Thank you for reading and watching and listening! Hope you all have a fantastic week! :D

Lesson 5: People are different, but we all have an important purpose.

Not sure this post is going to make a ton of sense, but I'm still going to take a whack at sharing my feelings about how awesome it is that we're all different and how we all have a purpose and how our differences can help us fulfill our purpose. :)

My mission was a valuable, amazing experience for many reasons. But one of the biggest blessings and challenges of my mission was working with a lot of different people. As a missionary you're constantly pushed outside your comfort zone and you interact with people you might not normally interact with.

I didn't always understand my companions--why they did what they did, how they reacted to situations. I'm sure they didn't always understand me either. But I can honestly say that my mission is where I started to really love people. Moreover, I started to love people because of our differences.

I'm not exactly sure when this change occurred. I think it happened gradually. But when it did happen, I no longer dreaded going out and talking to strangers. The thought made me excited! Getting to meet so many different people from so many different walks of life is one of the greatest blessings of my mission. I met University football players, professors, homeless men & women, carnival workers, immigrants--people from all walks of life. And one of my favorite parts of the mission was hearing their stories, their perspectives, why they do what they do.

I learned that even though each one of us is different and unique, we're all here for the same purpose--to learn and grow and become like our Heavenly Father. And our Heavenly Father has tailor-made our journey. In the Oct. 2013 General Conference, Elder Richard J. Maynes said this, "Brothers and sisters, we have a loving Heavenly Father who has designed our earthly existence so that we can individually learn the lessons we need to learn to qualify for eternal life in His presence."

Our life is tailored for our specific needs. So getting to talk with others and hear their experiences, their struggles, their concerns--and then helping them understand that those experiences have been given for a purpose was very rewarding. Because even though we're all different, we're all trying for the same thing--to be happy, to be loved. Sometimes people don't know where to find that though. But that is where the gospel of Jesus Christ comes in. It is the only way to lasting peace and lasting happiness in this world. No matter who I met or what their trials were, I knew the gospel of Jesus Christ is what would help them achieve their potential and find and keep happiness.

Another, related lesson to all of this is that Heavenly Father can and will use our unique gifts, talents, and quirks to help others as we go throughout our life. In D&C section 46 the Savior is speaking to Joseph Smith about the gifts of the Spirit and He makes this revealing statement in verses 11 and 12.

"For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God. To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby."

Isn't that awesome? Each one of us have been given a gift, a talent, something special and unique. And God expects us to use and share those gifts and talents so that all will be benefited. Because we are unique and different, we all have something unique and different to bring to this world. God wants and expects us to seek to understand our gifts and use them to help His children.

Something I've struggled with since getting home from my mission is finding my purpose. How can I use the talents God has given me to help others? I'm slowly figuring it out . . . I think. Haha. But on Sunday I found this really cool video that I wanted to share.



So, know that you're loved! Know that you are unique! Know that you have talents and gifts to offer the world that only you can offer!:D

Did You Know . . .

Since this blog is called "The Other Side of Erin" I thought I'd share some things that people might not know about me & let you see, well, the other side of Erin. ;)

Did you know that . . .

I play the piano?

I write songs?

I write stories?

I'm planning on posting some of both on this blog soon?

I love sandwiches?

I'm officially an English Professional & Technical writing major with a minor in Communications?

I'm taking a Japanese class in the Fall?

I have two callings--Relief Society Pianist & Visiting Teaching District Supervisor?

Nephi is my favorite Book of Mormon character?

I bought a Hello Kitty bobblehead?

I love to read?

I read Manga?

Me and Yoshi make a great team?

I can run a 10 minute mile?

I'm still obsessed with Korean Pop culture?

There are lots of cute boys in Ogden?

I'm not a missionary so I can think about how many cute boys there are in Ogden?

I'm wearing a Ball State University shirt right now?

Chickens can't swallow upside down?

It would take four hours to hard boil an ostrich egg?

You can't cry in space because there's no gravity to make the tears flow?

I'm really bad at writing on my blog when I say I'm going to write?

I'm sorry?

I'm going to be better? :)

My first week in the mission field I accidentally deleted all the pictures off my camera?

There's software to recover deleted pictures?

In Lafayette we used to go bowling on P-Day?

One P-Day I didn't bring normal clothes, so I bowled in my proselyting clothes?

Being a missionary was fun? :)