He is the Resurrection and the Life!

I know that Christ lives! Everything I have in my life I owe to him. On a daily basis I have the opportunity to come closer to him and come to know him even greater. I have peace and happiness in my life because of him. I know that relationships I have with friends and family members can continue beyond this life because of my Saviors sacrifice. I know all those who have lost their lives in their youth or in their old age will live again, because there was a man. A man who was perfect, who was better than any man who has ever lived. He was good and yet when the moment came for the people to choose between Christ and Barabbas, they chose Barabbas. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, an Apostle of the Lord, put it this way, "It is one of the ironies of history that sitting with Jesus in prison was a real blasphemer, a murderer and revolutionary known as Barabbas, a name or title in Aramaic meaning 'son of the father.' Free to release one prisoner in the spirit of the Passover tradition, Pilate asked the people, 'Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you?' They said, 'Barabbas.' So one godless 'son of the father' was set free while a truly divine Son of His Heavenly Father moved on to crucifixion." Our Father in Heaven watched as his perfect son was suffering and even cried out that he might not drink the bitter dregs of the cup. It was the Father's will that Christ chose to obey. He died on the cross for us, and he was resurrected for us, that we too might live again with our Father in Heaven. That we might have a way for happiness in our lives now and forever. Our lives do not end at death. A good man who loses his life for reasons that are not readily understood is not lost. Our loving Heavenly Father has provided a way for us through our Savior Jesus Christ. Through a perfect man that gave his life so that we might have one and then live again.



http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1032-27,00.html

Something I love!!

I have a love of making new things or trying out new recipes. It always makes me happy to see the finished product. I made snickers and twix from scratch once. I’ll be honest I was pretty proud of myself. It was just so darn cool. I always like to try out new recipes, one of my favorite being Asian food. I also like to try out desserts. I follow a blog that is called

Bakerella which has some fun recipes on it. With Easter coming up I decided I wanted to make the Easter egg basket cupcakes. Mostly because I thought it would be a fun activity to do. My younger sisters and brother joined me, and of course we had a blast with candy, frosting, and well let's just say there was tons of sugar!!! :S

The Picture Challenge

The answer to Sunni's challenge
( http://thecatesfamily.blogspot.com/ )

I thought it an interesting coincidence the pictures I came across. I will explain why there are two.

Tamara Kelm ( http://tck4texas.blogspot.com/ ) I nominate you for the picture challenge. It is your turn to pick the same pic, 4th folder 4th pic, and then explain it, then Challenge someone who reads your blog to do the same; it is kind of fun.

So for the first photo, I went onto my computer to see what was in my fourth folder, fourth picture. I came across this picture of the Dallas, Texas Temple. Inspiring since my most recent post was of temples, but this specific Temple has special significance to me because this is the first Temple I ever entered into shortly after I turned 12. And then later on June 19, 2004, which happens to be the day after my birthday, just before I left for my mission, I was able to enter this temple and make special covenants with my Heavenly Father. I was able to learn more about the special blessings that he has for me as his daughter. It was a wonderful day, one that is often remembered.

So then I went to post this photo to my blog and lo and behold I open up the "insert a picture" box and find that my folders were in a different order. So now my fourth folder, fourth picture is different. I decide to check it out and see what it could possibly be. I opened up the folder and look at the pictures and they are the pictures that I had taken on June 19, 2004 at the Dallas, Texas Temple. The fourth picture was my mother and me. :D I thought God works in mysterious ways and decided to share both pictures, and a little of the special memory that I have of that day.
What a blessing I have found it in my life to attend the Temple often and to enter into a Holy House that has been separated from the world and is the House of the Lord. I have felt His peace, His protection, His power, and most assuredly His love within these walls. I have been taught and learned much for myself and about His gospel. These things follow me throughout my daily life and strengthen me greatly. It has also taught me a great pattern for my life and to keep those things with me wherever I go and especially keep that same type of spirit in my home.

Thanks Sunni for this unexpected opportunity to share a special part of my life and my testimony of the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Temple Building People

This is a place that has brought me great happiness!! I am grateful for the blessings that come into my life every day because of the temple!

Ash Wednesday

This week was the beginning of Lent, which is marked by Ash Wednesday. Lent ends on Easter Sunday, marking symbolically 40 days from start to finish. This is celebrated by many Catholics. I went to High School where the religion was predominantly Catholic. So many of my friends would participate in Lent giving some sort of sacrifice for the 40 days. Often it would be chocolate or soda and it seemed that though they started off with good intentions often they would not last through the whole 40 days without their loved chocolate, or what not.

Several years have passed by and I became a room mate of Elizabeth who the previous year had decided to celebrate Lent and give up something for 40 days. (She is LDS not Catholic) She liked the idea of sacrifice. Again that year she was going to celebrate Lent and give up sweets.

This year my parents have several co-workers at work who are all giving up something for Lent. They represent many different faiths but all with the common goal of sacrifice. My parents are giving up ice cream. I know it seems there is some sort of dessert thing going on here. But lets face it, everyone has a hard time saying no to the sweet stuff, it beckons to us, it calls our names, it really is like the devil in disguise.

I have finally chosen to join in with this as well, but I thought Ice cream did not seem like much of a sacrifice to me because I already know I can say no to that. I have gone months without it. Not on purpose, just because I didn't see the need, or more that I would not bring it home, so I wouldn't be able to just have it.

I wanted my sacrifice to be something that I have a hard time saying no to. So I chose personal television watching time.

When I am busy, I don't have time to watch tv or movies or anything, but when I have these random weeks off work where all of a sudden my schedule gets extremely free and I only have to go to an occasional class, I find myself trying to catch up on the TV shows I enjoy seeing, watching them online to catch everything I have missed. Well let me just say this time adds up when on a normal basis I can't watch TV. Then I waste tons of time and well, lets just say it is not good. I find myself wishing I had been more productive. And I find it harder and harder to say no to watching the television shows because I am entertaining myself to death as an Apostle once said.

So for Lent I am giving up the online television watching. Which is where I do most of my tv watching. I will not be giving up the occasional movie watching experience with friends, or family. Just my own personal television watching time which about 99% of my screen time.

Seasons of Texas

Texas Summer - 110 degrees
Texas Winter - (otherwise known as summer to everyone else) 92 degrees.




Yep it was 92 degrees yesterday in the great state of Texas in Austin. I found myself wishing I had brought my swim suit with me to work, because I had time to kill after work before I had any plans.

We also get random hours of coldness, which is a shocker because it will be beautiful and sunny and I won't take my hoodie to work, only to leave from work and ice is falling out of the sky and I am freezing. Luckily that is normally only for a couple of hours. But still a shock to the system, when it drops 50 plus degrees in a matter of a few hours.

As they say if you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes!

Reason for a big sister to be proud!

This is my extremely cool brother Seth. :) He was in a contest for Mr. and Ms. Del Valle (that is his school) This is his dancing scene. :) Enjoy!