Pink

Pink-For the Divine Role of Women

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies."

~Proverb 31:10

Women, this is to you!

We inherently doubt ourselves. Please watch this video and know that you are loved! Heavenly Father loves all of His children, including and especially His daughters.
We are daughters of God!
Our value is beyond measure, please do not doubt that!

Throughout my whole life I have always hated and doubted myself. I had few friends, was bullied a lot, and went through my fair share of awkward looking teenage years. 

But through it all I've learned that my Father in Heaven loves me and that I truly am His daughter. Of course I still struggle. I still fight insecurity and doubt, but at the end of the day what really matters is---

 I am a child of God. 

Please don't forget that you are too!

He Loves us with an infinite love.

This is a picture I drew to depict how I've often felt in my life. I've felt like I have to hide behind a mask. But God loves us just the way we are and understands us perfectly. We don't ever have to hide from Him. 

He embraces us wherever we are and however we come.

We just have to let Him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As a second point of conversation-There has been a lot of controversy over the last year about women and the Priesthood. I thought I should at least address this issue since that's the direction I think my title leads. But! What I really wanted to address was in the beginning of this post.

As a woman in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I in No way, shape, or form feel oppressed. In fact, quite the opposite! I feel liberated! The doctrine, principles, and fundamentally the gospel as a whole apply to me in the very same way that they apply to anyone. Male or Female.

Gender roles and equality get confused. Just because we are different and we do different things does not mean that one is less than the other. I know that Heavenly Father designed me divinely to be a woman. And with that design come specific qualities and talents that help me to be able to complete my mission here on this earth. 

I may not hold the Priesthood, but I have access to it in every way.

The Priesthood is God's power on the Earth.

We can each call upon the Priesthood to bless our lives.

I, SaraLynn, am a woman and I am proud to be a member of Christ's church upon the earth today.

I know that He loves and cherishes His sisters just as much as His brothers.

He loves all of us. That's what makes Him our Redeemer.

Orange

Orange-By their fruit ye shall know them

Jesus Christ said," ...Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit...A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit...Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." 

Matthew 7:17-20

Actions speak louder than words.

We must not only say what we want to be.

We must become what we want to be.

We will all fall short, but with the help of our Savior, we can bring forth good fruit.

At times we may feel worthless, but through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can be Reclaimed.

We can change.

Don't dig up your old garbage.

See the good fruit that you have brought forth through our Redeemer.

Gold

Gold-for the Refiner's Fire

                 3 Nephi 24:2,3

"But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap.

And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness."

Our trials and tribulations truly bless us and help us grow. Our divine nature shines and is revealed as the Lord removes our impurities with adversity. 

Silver

Silver-Technology/Pornography

Technology, media, and all forms of worldly entertainment are dangerous. In fact, anything outside the bounds of moderation can be dangerous. I hope that we may all strive to find the balance in our lives that will bless not only ourselves but also those we love. 

As a child of divorce and one effected by the brutal addictions that come from technology, I plead that we will each take a step back and reorganize our priorities. 

Please put God first. 

When you do this, the most important things will always be second.

Cherish and protect your families. Even if you have to protect them from yourself. Be willing to change for God and by so doing be willing to change for them.

 

Grey

Grey-For the Slow Fade

Slow Fade by Casting Crowns

"It's a slow fade when you give yourself away. It's a slow fade, when black and white are turned to grey...People never crumble in a day. It's a slow fade"

A lot of things in life are black and white, but if we're not careful we quickly begin to think that they are grey.

It is crucial that we continually strive to stay close to our loving Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ. 

Throughout my life I've seen, as I'm sure many have, that I have gone through cycles. At times I am doing what I should be--and other times I'm not. When I'm doing what I should and trying my best to be close to the Lord, I feel close to Him and feel the spirit. But when I stray even in small ways, I quickly start to fall away from His light and life becomes

Grey

There are wars and rumors of wars all around us. But even greater than that, there is a spiritual war raging not only around us but within us each day. 

We each must strive to follow the Lord. Every single day, every moment we must fight to be disciples of Christ.

1 Nephi 8:24,28,30This scripture is from the Book of Mormon. It is a section describing a vision that is an analogy to our journey towards the God's love or the tree of life. May we each strive to be part of the group that continues to press forward. Of course we will all fall down and stumble. But what matters is if we keep getting up and keep pushing to make it to the Lord. Then we will find strength and comfort--for the Lord will never leave us alone.

24 And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.

28 And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.

30 But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of therod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.

 

Music

Music-Is the Color of My Soul

I wanted to put up some of the songs that I have written, but I cannot figure out how! I do love music, but I'm not so good with computers :-/ 

Music has helped me so much through out my life. It has such a deep impact on me and helps me to truly and deeply express myself. I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father gave us music so that we can feel His light and love!

In Doctrine and Covenants 25:12 the Lord says

 "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads."

Thank you Heavenly Father for Music!

Purple

Purple-For Royalty

When I think of purple, I think of royalty. I think of grand robes and great titles; people who are important. 

When Jesus Christ was scourged and spit upon, the Roman soldiers mockingly put a purple robe on Him.

"Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!"

John 19:5

The crown He wore and the cross He carried for us encompasses each of the burdens that we carry in our lives. 

Like a thistle, life is a combination of the beautiful and the bitter. One is not complete without the other. Understanding the pain helps us appreciate the joy.

Sometimes I don't understand how God could love me. Or if He does love me, how could he let me go through so much pain. If I am truly His daughter then why does He let me suffer? 

Whenever I feel this way, I remind myself that God sent His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, His One and only perfect child, and allowed Him to suffer all manner of afflictions.

Afflictions are not a punishment from God.

Trials are Gods way of showing us how much He trusts us. That He knows we are His children and that we have the strength and divinity to endure them. And not only to make it through them, but to become stronger.

I am a daughter of God.

We are each Children of God!May we each live in a manner that we may be worthy to wear the purple robes or royalty and righteousness!

How
could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him?

~Elder Holland