Interview for new curriculum

Hey readers!,
Well.. you're kinda wondering what the title got to do?.. let me explain it
My church is testing out a new curriculum for the youth, in sunday school and YW/YM... and let me say this... it is truly amazing!

My ward along with a couple more in my stake are apart of it, not even my whole stake, there's only three other stakes in the whole world that are testing it out, one in Utah, Florida, and the Philippians
I am truly blessed to be apart of it, it's my last year in the YM program and this is just want I need, for preparing for my mission etc.

We're a couple of months into testing it out, so tonight me and some YM from my ward had a interview with people from Salt Lake City, Utah.. along with some other YM in one of the wards in my stake.
The interview was awesome, we were asked questions, they asked how we like the program, if there's anything we would like change, all in all we love it and there were just some minor problems that we told them, but in the end we all agree we love the curriculum and glad to be apart of it and hope everyone in the church can be apart of the program

One question was about, what are some things you seen that are different with this new curriculum.
someone from the other ward said "I have noticed the people who would go to classes  and listen but wouldn't talk much,  since the new curriculum, they been talking more, and being part of the lesson"

That described  me, I would go to class, listen to the lessons and instead of saying the answer I would say it in my head, I hardly spoke anything in Sunday school and quorums.. but since starting this curriculum it's all about the youth, the youth give their thoughts and you feel the spirit so much,  so I started talking, giving my thoughts.

After he said that.. I raise my hand and said "I was like that, I would hardly talk in class, but since this new curriculum I been talking each week, being part of the class"
The interviewer (there were two, I forgot their names) the one who asked most of the questions asked if anyone from my Priest quorum  was in the room with me, Justin sitting next to me was the only priest in the room from our quorum beside me, so he said that and he was asked, "Have you noticed Michael talking more, and what do you think of it"
Justin said he have noticed me being part of the class more, and said he loves hearing what I got to say, he said whenever Michael speaks he always in some way share his testimony"
I had a nice and warm feeling  when he said that.

When we were talking about the quorums I said the first lesson we had, we talked about how the quorum is like a council, and how we're suppose to counsel each other.
I hope the church will add this new curriculum in every stake.
My testimony have grown and this is just what I need right now to finish my last year in the Young Men.

The Opportunity of a lifetime

Through your devoted service and willing to sacrifice, your mission will become holy ground to you

This talk was given by Elder Chistopher Waddell of the Seventy. He gave it in the priesthood session of General Conference October 2011. 

This was one of many talks that stood out to me, as I am preparing for a full time mission  

Tears came to my eyes as I listen to this truly amazing talk.. in his talk he said "Each mission is unique, with challenges and opportunities that stretch and test us according to our particular needs and personalities" I learned from listening to this that my mission will fit me, I'll be called to serve where God sees fit for me. 

He taught that our Heavenly Father know us, he knows our strengths and weaknesses, our abilities and potential. He knows which mission president and companions and which members and investigators we need in order to become the missionary  

Prophets, seers and revelators  assign missionaries under the direction and influence of the Holy Ghost. I know that when I will send my picture in with my mission papers that, they will send me where God want me to serve his children,  that they  may be fill with the Holy Ghost and by it's influence.

When I will receive my mission call, I'm pretty sure I'll be speechless... and not wanting to open the call, but when I do, the spirit will fill my body and I'll know in my heart, this is where God want me to serve.

From Elder Christopher Waddell he said, "In whatever manner the Lord may choose to bless us during the course of a mission, blessings of missionary service are not designed to end when we are released by our stake president. Your mission is a training ground for life. the  experiences, lessons, and testimony obtained through faithful service are meant to provide a gospel-centered foundation that will last throughout mortality and into the eternities."

I'm so grateful for my friends who are on their mission and who gotten their call and will leave shortly, I know they will do amazing out there.

God knows my weakness and he'll help me threw them, he will help my friends, and missionaries around the world. Our father in Heaven love all of us, I can not say that enough.. it has been something I have learned this year.. he know who I am, he knows what goes on in my life, and he loves me, he loves to hear from me when I pray. During trek this year I prayed, crying unto my savior for the strength, for the last day of trekking.. and he heard my prayer, he knew what I needed help with. 

Brothers and Sisters, as I been preparing for my mission what wonderful things I have learned, my testimony is growing every time I read and pray to my Father in Heaven.. I would counsel you to do the same.. even if you're not planning on going on a mission.. you will need   the relationship with God.. I can't thank one of my best friends enough... he made me realize God loves me, and to pray to him to build my relationship.. when he told me this I thought he might be right.. but I still didn't pray often or even read.. but when I started doing it, I have gain so much.

Please study the General Conference talks, you will learn something each time  you do, I have and I know you will.

Endure to the end, stay strong in the Gospel and you won't regret it 

  

Working out update 11/12/11

First I would like to thank my 9th follower, Chase for.. well following my blog, thanks man!
Well, this week I really focused on cardio , and man am I sore!
There's a workout called Plyometrics, it counts as a workout for the whole day.. but does it count for me?, No!
(P90X works everything, it not just cardio.. just I been really focusing myself on that, to loose more)
And I do enjoy saying the no, plyometrics is tough, just listen to Tony explain what this workout is about  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkE7kTz_ato  on the 4th week until the 8th or 9th week you're suppose to add in 3 cardio workouts, they are called cardio X... but I been replacing that with plyometrics which is the "Mother of all workouts" and let me tell you this... it IS the mother of all workout, but I love it!
Tuesdays is when  plyometrics  is listed as a workout, this week I did it along with cardio X.
I been doing 2hours of workouts in a day, my goal for this up coming week is 4hours per day, I know i'll be able to do it... "I have not yet begun to fight!'
4 hours per week,  4x7, 28 hours right?.... if so dang!! haha but I'll do it
My church shoes are getting looser and annoying my feet, getting them red on the sides.. they weren't doing this a couple of weeks ago, so I googled it, and my guess was right, my feet as weird as it sounds are loosing fat, making my church shoes fit differently, I been loving all the signs I have seen, biceps getting some guns, clothes fitting better, shoes etc
Although... something that I don't get is, why the scale say I'm still around the same weight two weeks ago?,  I don't know maybe this sunday it'll be different, haven't weighed myself for a couple of days and that was at evening time, best to weight yourself in mornings, so sunday here I come... either way, whatever the scale says I'll still do the 4hours per day working out.
Things that keep me going is.. thoughts of walking into the MTC, (Missionary Training Center), getting a suit for church, when I'm all skinny like and smexy.  mutual in opening exercises when asked if anyone has any  announcements... I'll be so happy when I say I have lost 70 or 80 pounds, and still working on loosing more, to go on my mission, going on some dates... I have only been on two dates when I was 17, going with the local missionaries and being with them, I heard others have done this before going on their missions, I would love to do that. My amazing friends!, I have many things to keep me going and pushing myself, so.. Michael... has not yet begun to fight, as Tony (guy from P90X) says it... Bring it!

Invitation to speak with God

Readers,

In Priest quorum last year then one of my youth leader was teaching us a lesson, he grab from his bag, envelopes  for everyone we open them up.
There was a small letter saying  Invitation to speak with God  inside listed Who, Why, Where, When, Promise I have written out some of the scriptures, and so on, so enjoy.

Who- Moroni 7:48  " Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen"

Here are the whys: 2nd Nephi 32:9, 1st Thessalonians 5:18, James 1:5, Matthew 7:7-8, 3rd Nephi 18:15

1st Thessalonians 5:18: In every thing gives thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you"
Matthew 7:7-8: Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seekth findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened"
You need a desire to seek on you're own, I know that once you seek for yourself you will find you're answers, once you knock... it shall be opened.

Here are the Wheres: Matthew 6:6, D&C 19:28
D&C 19:28 "And again, I command thee, that thou shalt pray vocally as well as in thy heart; yea, before the world as well as in secret, in public as well as in private" Don't be afraid to vocally say you're prayers when you're alone, they do help and  you get more out of them.

When:  Alma 34:21 and 1st Thessalonians 5:17
1st Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing" Alma 34:21 "Cry unto him in you're houses yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening"
We need to pray always, so we may have the spirit to be with us always.

Promise: Alma 37:37 and 3rd Nephi 18:20
3rd Nephi 18:20 "And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you" Our promise is that when we pray, our Heavenly Father will hear us.

Please, look up the rest of the scriptures.. you will love yourself if you do, you will get a deeper understanding, this is our invitation to speak with God ... John Bytheway has often said, "If you want to talk to God pray, if you want God to talk to you read you're scriptures
Endure to the end, stay strong in the Gospel and you won't regret it

The power of hugs

Readers, have you ever noticed how powerful a hug can be?. hugs from you're friends they can really help
They can help when you're going threw something, or even just reminds you how much you're friends love you and are there for you.

I got my first hug when I was 15 years old, from someone outside of my family and around my age.. I was shocked at first.. it was a amazing moment for me... I remember feeling loved.

I'm glad for my friends who give me hugs a time or two.. a friend of mine named Spencer, when he first gave me a hug it felt so good too.. and I remember from scout camp in 2010, he left a day early and he gave me a hug that night before he left.. I loved that, and then later in the month we went on a boat for 2-3days as a Priest outing.. we took some pictures  and hug on the last day.

Hugs can really change you're mood, that is why they are so powerful to me... efy is just amazing you get hugs like everyday, one of many reasons why I love efy.. it's like a hug fest

A friend of mine I met at efy this year that just lives in town from me, we carpooled to our company efy reunion  in August, we got to the reunion which was so much fun, hugs went around with the few of us who showed up, haha
Part of the time coming home (3 hour drive, both ways), we were talking.. which I just loved, it gets hard for me to talk to people and have a good conversation.. but our conversation was great and when we got to my house he asked if he could give me a hug, so we both got out of the car and hugged each other.. I felt so much loved from that.

At efy then when we were singing the efy medley in our company on the last day, many girls from my group started to cry... I had tissue in my pocket and when the song was half way done I reached in and gave some tissue to the girl next to me, once the song was done I went around in my group giving the tissues to the girls,
One of them said "I just want a group hug with Michael!"  That was a really good moment
In Priest quorum   the following sunday, my youth leader asked how efy was... my ending note was about the last night when we sang the song and I got the group hug.. haha we were all laughing, cause my youth leader is just amazing haha!, today at church he was talking about the best of efy for this Saturday, when he was naming off the stakes he looked at me and said "oohhh, Michael is thinking of all the girls and thinking who will be there", we all laughed.. PQ is amazing

I have not yet begun to fight!

At efy this year, there were many talk that really hit me and I still remember a lot of it today
There was many other great talks, but this one I enjoyed a lot

John Paul Jones, born in Scotland, came to America later on, searching for his new life
He was a great seaman and once the revolutionary war broke out, he joined the US Navy
Back then.. our Navy was weak, they acted as pirates and  they sabotage the British ships

In September 1779, Jones served as captain of  Bonhomme Richard an old converted merchant vessel, and commanded a "fleet" of three smaller warships in the waters off Scotland and northern England when he encountered a British convoy carrying naval stores to England from the Baltic Sea region. Acting as an escort to this convoy were two British warships. The largest of these warships, which Jones engaged, was Serapis, a 44-gun vessel - though at the time carrying fifty guns - with a crew of 284. A ship of that size and firepower occupied a place in the eighteenth-century Royal Navy equivalent to a cruiser in its twentieth-century counterpart. From the battle's onset, Bonhomme Richard was at a disadvantage fighting a ship with superior firepower and maneuverability

He sailed to the Serapis, firing any firepower they had on their ship, which then got destroy from the 44-gun vessel.. Understanding immediately that it would be suicidal to continue to sail toward the vessel, he did so.
He got close enough  allowing his crew to use grapples and lines to secure Bonhomme Richard to the 44-gun vessel.
John Paul's ship was  so battered that it resembled more a raft than a fighting ship. In fact, the British gunners wreaked such devastation with their broadsides  that their  cannonballs would pass through Bonhomme Richard without hitting anything solid.

By this time  half of his crew were dead or wounded.  At this point in the battle, the senior warrant officer of Bonhomme Richard and the ship's carpenter, unable to see their captain or the first lieutenant and assuming both were dead, decided to surrender their sinking, burning ship. They called for a ceasefire and ran

 Hearing their calls for surrender, an enraged Jones drew his pistols and ran at them, shouting, "shoot them, kill them!"  Jones, finding his pistols unloaded, hurled his empty guns at the carpenter, the slower of the two fleeing men, striking him on the head and knocking him unconscious. The captain of the British warship, who heard the calls for surrender, yelled across to the Jones, taunting him. Jones then replied, "I have not yet begun to fight," - With that, the battle continued.

A Scottish seaman serving in Bonhomme Richard,  began to throw the eighteenth-century equivalent of hand grenades onto the deck of the enemy. One of these "grenades" rolled down a partially opened hatch and landed near cartridges that had been stacked along the portside guns of the Serapis. Because of the position of the two ships, these guns were not in action and these spare cartridges were piled behind them. The grenade's explosion ignited these cartridges, which in turn ignited other cartridges on the gun deck creating a flash-fire, which had a devastatingly horrible effect in the cramped gun deck filled with men and officers. Twenty crewmen died instantly and another thirty were badly injured. Several of these men - their clothes burned off, their skin seared, and their hair on fire - jumped out of the ship's gun ports into the sea. With this disaster, the big guns of Serapis fell silent.

When news of the disaster was conveyed to the captain, Richard Pearson, he decided to surrender and save his remaining crew from slaughter. Calling for quarter, he personally made his way to the rear of the warship and hauled down the battle ensign. Thus ended the three-and-one-half-hour battle. Jones and his crew had prevailed and had captured the enemy's vessel, which was fortunate since the badly damaged Bonhomme Richard sank shortly after the battle. Against long odds and a formidable foe, they had achieved a remarkable victory.

The battle was over.
Brother McDonald shared stories from the book of Mormon too,   he talked to us about when you feel like giving up, don't and to think of "I have not yet begun to fight!" he bore his testimony to us, efy was the first week of July, it's now the first week of November... I have not forgotten those words
I used them while I was on trek, been using it while I work out too, I have not yet begun to fight!

Endure to the end, stay strong in the Gospel and you won't regret it