Heavenly Mother

I have been impressed upon quite often as of late to write about our Heavenly Parents. We often talk of Heavenly Father, our brother Jesus Christ who is the First Born, but what about our Mother. We know that through the atonement and modern revelation, while there is no reference in the standard works (canon) of the LDS church nor in other non LDS denominations, there is a Heavenly Mother. However even before I joined the LDS church i was always impressed upon, even as a kid, there was a Heavenly Mother who was a nurturing, empowered, loving mother who despite the destruction we cause in our temporal lives, works to keep balance in the family, unites one another when disasters hit and helps us find love, compassion, joy, endurance, gladness in the seasons of love and helps nurture us in the changes in our lives.

The world has known her since infancy as Mother Nature, but I know her as my nurturing Heavenly Mother. many people over the centuries and millenniums have attributed Mother Nature as a mythical idea or person such as the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy, Jack Frost, tree sprites, elves, fairies and dragons; and yet Mother Nature or Heavenly Mother is a very real and much alive person. While be blame Mother nature quite often for natural disasters, storms, losses to disasters, global warming, heat, cold and much more, we also thank her for sunsets and sunrises, winter blanketed landscapes, tropical paradises, the budding rose, the gift of life at the changing of seasons and creation in partnership with Heavenly Father. I am often reminded of Heavenly Mother in the song "For the Beauty of the Earth."

Heavenly Mother is the one that brings the bonds of family closer, and helps families find empowerment, love, compassion, and endurance. She is the living example of a Latter-day Saint woman who should be serving with their husbands as helpmeets, or any man for that matter in their lives along side of one another. 

Our Celestial Parents are the pattern we are to follow in our lives and without an example of a family structure how can we be expected as Latter-day women to raise a family being the bond and glue as we strive to return home not only to the Church of the First Born in humble worship and exaltation in ourselves but return to be kings and queens, priests and priestesses, gods and goddesses as children and heirs to the Kingdom from our Heavenly Father and Mother who ARE the Celestial King and Queen, the High Priest and Priestess, and THE God and THE Goddess. Just as Christ our brother who is the Crowned Prince and as is His birthright descending from the royal lineage both celestial and temporal starting with Adam. Adam, as we know to be Michael and co-creator of this world and other worlds alongside of Christ, who was the first king of this temporal world while without title or the need of nobility but Adam also served as the first Priest and Prophet in this temporal world given the authority by Peter, James, and John.

When Christ consulted with his Father in the Great Temple called Heaven or the Holy of Holies in Celestial Glory during the pre-existence and after the Great Council when earth was formed about it is not good for man to be alone? I believe Heavenly Mother was present among Her Husband and Son and as Heavenly Father asked Christ that question I can imagine and picture Heavenly Father giving His Wife a special wink but more likely walked over to Her in embrace with respect, love, humility, admiration and his agape love as he stared into her eyes in front of Their Son letting it be a witness that women (female spirit) are the foundation to the home and are essential to life, creation, and the ability to love.  It is by this example I also believe Christ was married himself and hand children, where a good 18 years of his life is untold and he would have had to follow His and our Heavenly Parents example of marriage as when He began His ministry he had to be a living example, testimony and witness to His own life and the divinity of life. I like to think Christ was raised by a queen because he treated ALL women with respect and like a princess.

Even in natural or personal disasters I think Heavenly Mother, while keeping beauty and renewal upon the earth, regardless if Saints or not, allows people to experience such things as they come together and forget their differences to help one another in compassion as they rebuild a community nurturing one another. As Saints we have Mormon Helping Hands travel worldwide and are on scene to help out in a nurturing and compassionate way.

Fathers are suppose to be the chastiser when we need it and also a place of safety, mothers are suppose to be the nurturing one and place the band aid upon, and the older sibling such as Christ to be and set the example for their siblings. While Heavenly Mother has her roles in the work and the glory of the Kingdom and in our lives, She supports her Husband and Son as they help build, shapens and strengthen our lives through the power and gift of the Holy Spirit.

As Latter-day Women we are the mothers of the church whether we have our own family or not we are to be the nurtures and compassionate women under the mantle of service, love and hospitality to all people member and non member alike and be the foundation of the world and church as man is nothing without us nor are we anything without them.

The motto of the Relief Society is, "Charity Never Faileth" and was set up to reach out to the needs of those who were the sick and the afflicted or in need of love, provide for the needs, hospitality, or service as helpmeets to take the some of burden from the Priesthood and equally bear the yoke of serving one another

While we do not pray to Heavenly Mother personally as Latter-day Saints, when we address Heavenly Father we address the whole Holy Family in the name of our brother Jesus Christ because of the Atonement.

It is my prayer and blessing we live as sisters in Zion by following our Heavenly Parents example and let our light shine brightly as a witness to our testimonies and of the truthfulness of the gospel through our baptism, temple, and celestial covenants (made in the pre-existence as the roles we play in this temporal state) and be diligent as we serve along side our priesthood holders and leaders supporting them and empowering them as we empower ourselves in Heavenly Mother's example.

Impressions

My life is ever being enriched since i found this group and Mormon Women: Who We Are and LDS Women for Faith and Family

So last night i was tired and after taking my sleeping pill and them starting to kick (if i dont take them I am either an insomniac or toss and turn all night) I was deeply impressed upon to read my new scriptures- my sword of of truth and iron rod. I did not know what to read so i silently asked Heavenly Father to give me what I needed. So i let the scriptures of my new quad to fall open to where Heavenly Father wanted it to somewhere in 2 Nephi. When i finished reading the the chapters passage, i could not tell you what chapter or what it was about last night it was something something about Jews and gentiles coming together. However the deep spiritual revelation and inspiration that came to me had nothing to do with what was read but because of the obedience to read from this sacred gift from sisters in Zion that I just received that day. The impression and deep spiritual revelation came to me: 1) I need to be having the Ensign coming to my house every month even if I have to ask people to help with the subscription and 2) in the most overlooked part of my life and in my Patriarchal Blessing as one I don't pull it out as often as I should and in 7 years of having my blessing this one simple and profound piece of blessing compared to all else remained forgotten, while I don't remember it word for word from the blessing itself or i don't think i do the blessing I was prompted with was this.

"You are blessed and encourage to learn the proper way or manner of the true order of prayer."

This is profound as one I don't pray as often as I should even though I know how to turn my will over to Heavenly Father and I have learned to ask in faith when needed something. But the true order of Prayer is taught to us in the temple and I can speak for myself only, however impressed upon me that we often as sisters tend to forget the true order of prayer and follow not only in asking Heavenly Father for something whether strength, hope, financial or what ever it may be. We tend to forget our troops our leaders, are true and humbled thank yous for the blessings in our life and as in the movie "Pollyanna" which I watched on BYU yesterday we forget to play the Glad Game where even when we are feeling down, depressed, irritated that things aren't going the way we expected, or we dont know what to do next as we feel loss, there is always something we can feel glad about- Like example from movie Mondays I don't like Monday, well you can be glad that you only have to deal with mondays once a week.

These scriptures are a very powerful gift and again I thank you and so were the garments and it really humbled me. As they are a blessing of indescribable words for this servant whose income doesn't afford what is often sacred and overlooked gifts in our lives scriptures, garments, modest clothes which can be hard to find outside of Utah lol, at least my faith and testimony as a convert to the church i dont pay a dime for but by giving my heart and service to the Kingdom. my greatest joys in the church is teaching Family History as the church has given me that calling ever sincew i joined the church with out ever doing it before, and served two service missions in FH at both BYU and Salt Lake. And the temple, nothing brings me greater joy than talking about the temple. I teach Sunday School in Family History and Temple Retention in a curriculum I developed over the almost 8 years of being a member to engage members who have been to the temple tom keep going and help them realizes the work that is being down in your life as work is being done on both sides of the veil.
a.

But regardless thank you all for everything

Charly encore, 10 years later

An article i did for the examiner.com on Charly check out article and trailer at
 http://www.examiner.com/article/charly-encore-10-years-later?cid=db_articles

"Sam Roberts thinks he has all the answers: the purpose of life, the meaning of love, the plan for a perfect future. Until Charly walks into his life."

10 years ago the LDS version of Charly captured the hearts and the lives of Mormon and non-Mormons alike. Now in an effort to promote life, love, endurance, change, and empowerment, the producers of Charly have created an encore campaign while teaming up with Utah's Westridge Academy, a group home for trouble teens, where the proceeds of the encore theatre, DVD, and a new sountrack sales will go to benefit the group home.  Charly teamed up with Westridge Academy to help promote that even in the toughest trials of our life we can find empowerment, meaning, and purpose as we learn ways to overcome.
I remember seeing this movie a year after I first joined the church at a Family Home Evening of Single Adults and it really touched my life as an LDS woman that while we don't always find our life to be how we planned it, we instead can find abundant miracles of love and meaning we never knew existed.
Charly is about a young Mormon man full of ideologies how life should be until he meets Charly a beautiful non- Mormon woman who turned his world upside down.  When life seemed to be going perfect, there lives were forever changed in a single moment.  How strong is love, and what do you do when you feel your life has forever been shattered?

Lance Williams producer of Charly states, "While Charly remains the most successful of all the LDS genre films, just having people see it again in theatres solely for that experience wasn't enough to drive us to reissue the movie. We are happy that so many of the film's fan base have, over the years, asked us to do this, but it wasn't until we connected with West Ridge Academy that the fire was lit to get Charly back out to the public. For us, Charly is not only being re-released because of its 10 year anniversary mark, but because we have teamed up with West Ridge Academy to help support their extremely important mission.
West Ridge Academy [http://www.westridgeacademy.com] was founded in 1964 and has since served a world-wide community in helping struggling youth and their families. They deal with addiction, emotional problems, behavioral issues, overcoming grief, loss, etc. Now, more than ever, the need is great to help our struggling youth in this crazy complex world we live in and West Ridge Academy is doing everything it can to make a difference. The best part is, they are a "faith-based" program. It is nondenominational and open to all faiths. Their successes are profound. They really touched us and we want to do whatever we can to help support them. Accordingly, we have pledged a significant percentage of all 10th Anniversary encore revenue, both from the theatrical as well as the DVD/Blu-ray special edition to go West Ridge. We are going to feature that organization in a special feature segment on the DVD/Blu-ray as well. They are featured on everything we do as the above the title sponsor of the re-release so we can help make people aware of who they are and what they do. Charly fits perfectly with their mission and what they do for people on a daily basis."

The encore version of the film goes deeper into Charly's conversion and has added addition scenes.  The encore project also creates a forum of hope, endurance, love, and empowerment for everyone of us as they invite us to share our stories on these topics in Charly Stories.  One story touched my heart as it was a success story of Westridge Academy as well.

"Brianna has suffered with depression since she was 10 years old.  She had been to counselors and doctors to help her with this disease but never really connected with any of them enough to make her therapy productive.  Over the years the depression continued to worsen and the severity of her illness became more evident.  The sweet, thoughtful daughter that we knew was hiding deep within her.  Even though she was the Jr. Class President in her school, well liked by everyone she came in contact with (especially small children), and active in the young women’s organization, she felt helpless and alone.  In 2009, Brianna’s moods took a turn for the worse and she became very unpredictable.  As her parents, we tried to encourage her to open up and let us into her dark depressing world so that we could help her, but she was completely closed off.  In February 2010, Brianna over dosed on penicillin pills leaving a note saying “just let me die.”
We, as her parents, were also feeling helpless, but never alone.  Through promptings of the spirit we were lead to West Ridge Academy.  Within a couple of days of our initial phone call we had gone to West Ridge to meet with their staff and tour their facility.  We immediately felt the spirit and love of everyone that we came in contact with. We knew in our hearts that this was where our struggling daughter could find peace and hope again in her life.

From the first day that we stepped foot onto the West Ridge Campus our family’s lives have been changed for the better.  Through individual and family therapy with Jacob Gibson, and other programs that the staff has been inspired to put together Brianna has learned the skills necessary to cope with the trials that she faces.  Brianna was given the opportunity to participate in many character building experiences that have helped her grow and build confidence in herself.

Through the course of the seven months that Brianna was at West Ridge we saw the transformation of a sad, discouraged, frustrated, and angry daughter into a happy, productive, and confident young woman.
Today, Brianna is working full time at a local day care and teaches the 8 year olds in our church.  She is very kind and thoughtful, always thinking of others.  Brianna has opened up with us and now shares her thoughts, feelings, hopes and dreams for the future.  We now have the relationship with her that we had always hoped for.

Brianna has set goals for her future that are possible because of the programs at West Ridge.   She has applied to be a nanny back east and hopes to get married and have a family of her own someday.
We know without the close relationships that continue to be important to her and the therapy at West Ridge Brianna would not be the young woman that she is today. A MIRACLE has occurred in our family!!"

Charly is sponsored by Temple Square Hospitality, The Roof, Lion House, and Larry H. Miller Megaplex and Racetrack.  Please check out the Charly Encore Campaigns by following the links below.  Charly hitting theaters August 10, 2012

Website:  http://charlyencore.com/
Charly Stories: http://charlystories.westridgeacademy.com/featured/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/westridgeacademy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/CharlyEncore
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/charlyencore/

Blessings

I received two gifts this week from sisters whom I only know via facebook from this page LDS Women for Faith and Family and Mormon Women: Who We Are both gifts making me cry and giving me a deeper impression and appreciation of the atonement as a convert to the church. I received both the armor of God and the sword of truth as well as the iron rod. The love I have and the empowerment that has been given me by such unconditional love and servantude by these sisters are beyond words and emotions and can only be spoken among the language of angels. Thank you very much every day is a struggle when you have serious health problems, and disabilities and its moments like these that renew not my faith but gives me hope and a will to live another day. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

MY ldsjournal.com 30 day challenge

PLEASE JOIN MY JOURNAL.COM 30 DAY CHALLENGE this is a wonderful program and its free, I have not affiliation with it however i have used and recommend it to all people whether LDS or not. 30 DAY PROMPTS OF WRITING AS well as why the campiagn is currently up.

Love Kat

https://www.facebook.com/pages/LDSJournalcom-30-Day-Challenge/421994391177118

I am not affiliated with LDSjournal.com in anyway. you can contact me if you need help with the journal, if you have any questions or want ideas about making Family History Fun as it is about living. I am also writing a series of books on the temple and its blessings, as well as temple and Family History quotes and Fun facts As a convert to the church of almost 8 years Family History and the temple are my life. So come along for the journey. I also host to LDS call in radio talk shows for more info email me as I am always looking for guest

Stay tuned for new FB page as well Family History 101: Making Life Fun

Contact me personally at Katerina.dulac@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/katdulac

or contact us at ldsjournal.30days@gmail.com this email can be used to subscribe to the challenge and updates via email as well or for people who do not use Facebook.


As a church genealogist and served to service mission one at BYU Family History Library, the other at the Salt Lake Family History Library, also trained at the Provo training center for Family History and I also teach Family History to church leadership, helped beta test the www.new.familysearch.org as well as extractions and I teach Family History and Temple Retention, and Temple Prep. , and what Family History really is, and yes Facebook is a form of Family History, I came across a free journal program a few years back that is for members and non members alike and i recommend this journal site to all people.

This a free journal site and its private and you can have it printed into a book at a low cost when you are ready. with multiple copies you can order at any time to be able to give each of your kids and family members. you can also go back in time and put entries as well as far back as you need. this is a great opportunity and way to preserve those old journals from family by putting it in to a digital format and print for every family member to have a copy of old family journals.

I recommend this journal for the whole family and its a great way to get those always on the computer including kids especially the ones who FB and blog to write in their journal as well as put their FB statuses as well into journal. this is a simple program for beginner and advance computer users. allows you to add foot notes pictures, scriptures, and after thoughts. And it also gives daily and fun writing prompts if you need something to write about. Also allows for emoticons on your moods.

I FELT IT WOULD BE FUN TO CREATE A 30 DAY CHALLENGE FOR ALL PEOPLE INCLUDING MYSELF -

1-SIGN UP IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY AT LDSJOURNAL.COM,

2-GET YOUR FAMILY TO DO THE SAME.

3- AND WRITE EACH DAY FOR 30 DAYS AND SEE HOW MUCH THIS ONLINE JOURNAL SIMPLIFIES YOUR LIFE. EVEN IF ITS A WRITING PROMPT OR QUICK SCRIPTURE.

4-SHARE YOUR PROGRESS

5-SHARE THE SPIRIT

6-SHARE AND CREATE PROMPTS FOR OTHERS AS WELL COME UP WITH 30 DAYS OF WRITING PROMPTS.

7. ALSO IF YOU HAVE TIME START PUTTING THOSE OLD JOURNALS FROM YOU FAMILY INTO A DIGITAL FORMAT TO PRESERVE YOUR HISTORY.

8- HAVE FUN

Seasons of love measuring life in a tangible way

For several years now the song "Seasons of Love" has been an important and thought provoking anthemn in my life, that has forced me to remember what is important to me; in doing so, these recollections have saved my life many times. The song gives many examples on how people measure their lives; and that is all they are, examples. We are on our own individual journeys and our life experiences are never completely the same as another, creating our own measurements of life. There is one key element though in measuring your life, and that is the ability to LOVE; for without love we miss the intended picture, or purpose of our journey. People love money, things, places, people, food, God, or a countless number of other miniscule things in life, and yet without learning to love oneself- everything else is just an empty shell of nothing with no substance. For when one loves themself, they appreciate the wonderful gift and learning process that allows one to understand the good and bad for what they truly are- lifes building blocks and puzzle pieces in the intricate puzzle we call life.

No one will succeed 100% of the time in loving oneself, or realizing at a particular moment when life has down is only a temporary problem. It is in those times, one really needs to stop by taking a few minutes, or block of time, to find that self love that remains temporary hidden. One needs to change the current thought processes by forgiving those that need your forgiveness especially when you need to forgive yourself for being too hard on your personal expectations and give yourself permission to make mistakes because you are human; Making and learning from one's mistakes is what makes you perfect individual and a better person who should never be ashamed regardless what another may think. You answer to no one except for yourself and let them remain prisoners of their own faults.

When we can accept the fact that we can't change the last moment with their consequences, we can move forward and accept the current moment's lesson, using what we learn from past moments to move forward and love the new person that came out of the previous moments lesson. Love is the skeleton key of life that opens portals to exciting new worlds of strength, empowerment, self expression, and necessary life lessons whether wanted or not; but most importantly will open every possible connection on the levels of energy, spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally, and even sexually between all people and situations that one comes into contact with. No one is limited to their dreams, and when one knows how to love themselves they can accomplish anything. Know how to love oneself in the good, the bad, the mistakes, and the
perceived failures for all things are what makes your life a special unique and rare treasure. Celebrate your life and celebrate you

Quote

Life is an amazing journey that is full of obstacles, twists and turns, and detours; However, it is through our journey on the unknown path that we find light, happiness, and blessings as we light the way with our Christian testimonies.  For its through the good and the bad, the rough and smooth sailing, peace and chaos that we grow as individuals an continuously grow as a person and receive the greatest treasure of all- the ability to be your own unique and individual as a child of God-  KGD Original Quote 3/10/12

Our Freedom and mission

Happy Independence Day.  During the 4th of July Festivities over the next several days we have many opportunities to partake of a wide array of events with our family and friends, and even for quite a few our wards.  This is a time of remembrance of independence in our lives, and not necessary the signing as much in 2012. While the Declaration of Independence was pivotal and a turning point for this country, we celebrate today the continual freedom we have as a people of the United States, a place where all people should be treated equal despite our differences and ideologies and ill perceived self notions. The greatest freedom we have as Mormon women are that of what is actually the core of faith and that is that of freedom to choose a religion of our choice. As Latter-Day Saints we are blessed as members of the church as we have had the greatest gifts given to each and everyone as we hold onto our baptism and temple covenants.  As these covenants become instrumental and lay a foundation in our lives, our lives and actions become a living witness to the gospel, to life, to our families, those around us members and non members alike, Heavenly Father, Heavenly Mother, Jesus Christ, and most importantly to ourselves. While life brings trials these trials only help us overcome the adversary as well as life's natural problems, and trials of our own making through our actions and words to prepare us for Celestial Glory in the presence and congregation of the Church of the First Born. We hold a special heritage and by our covenants and adherence to our leaders counsel as the Spirit dictates upon our hearts is godly or not, we will be eternally blessed and examples to the world as non members are watching us and seeing if we live by what we believe or not.

We are part of the great work and the glory of Zion however as Saints we allow ourselves to become calloused and numb quite often to those who need our witness and light the most whether family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and often ourselves as we allow schedules, egos, hard hearts, or life circumstances to bring us down and we miss the bigger picture and the reason we are Saints, and temporal workers of the Kingdom in the work of Him who sent us.

In many wards, which suppose to serve as an external family and support system to its members, often leave new members and people in some area that did not grow up in your ward out in the dark, as the light is on yet no one is home.  As a convert to the church of 8 years this coming October and introduced to the church April 2004 I've witnessed this in all my wards except the current one I am in.  I joined in Escondido California and I am glad for I would have never joined in Utah as I feel, and I lived in Utah for 5 years after my conversion, that Utah Mormons for the majority are cliquish, self absorbed and don't go out of there way or make new members feel welcomed.  I was not born in the church and as a member due to the exact callousness and attitudes of members I tried leaving the church on several occasions however it was my Temple covenants, stronger than my baptism covenants, and my testimony of the healing powers, the sanctity, the love, life, and solace, gift of revelation, and many other special eternal and celestial gifts the temple offer, while know that those holy walls and the Saints who have passed through the veil is something greater than me and called me and brought me back each and every time. When I moved to San Francisco, and many wards have great members it was here that I felt welcomed in open arms and that I truly belong in this church.  It took 7 years to feel welcomed as a convert, while everyone through my membership loved my conversion testimony I never felt fully welcomed.  I buried myself in Sunday School teaching, serving two service missions, and any and all callings to feel welcomed to feel like I belonged but it wasn't the wards that kept me going or when i disappear and not come to church for weeks no one checked on me.  It took 7 years to have home teachers visit and check up on me, it took 7 years to have visiting teachers care.  And it was worth the wait, however no member whether born in the covenant or a convert especially a convert should ever have to feel that way.

Why remember our freedoms and independence, remember our heritage and struggles we faced as church coming across on the Mormon Trail to Utah.  We as a church, as Saints to share in the struggles still with one another as the church is a family and in the end after the endurance and holding fast to the iron rod we will be sealed together.  No one is greater than another, and it is our job as sisters in Zion to welcoming committee, as well as the member/convert retention committee.  We agree to give our time and Talents until the church so lets give our time to our families and those who need it because sometimes as Saints as a whole have only one chance and one chance only on this side of the veil for someone to surrender to the gospel and its teachings and taking the lessons followed by baptism.  Live and be a gift. Invite a non member to family gatherings, dinners, and just be yourself while your internal and external testimony becomes the missionary while you just allow the Spirit work on them through you and they will see your light and start asking questions themselves.