It is better to look up!!

I am sure all of you agree with me saying this, but wasn't conference incredible? General Conference is like Christmas for me! The Spirit is always so strong, and the words they say always speak right to me. I wrote down a list of questions before I watched conference, and they were all answered in one way or another. I am so grateful for the love that Heavenly Father has for me in that He would answer all of my questions. I loved seeing President Thomas S. Monson speak. The Spirit is always so strong when he speaks, and I am able to know that he is a true prophet. I am so grateful to have the knowledge of the true restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I felt like a central theme to the conference was that the Book of Mormon is true and Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to gain a closer relationship with Him. He loves us so much.

Yesterday was Ian's birthday, and he said, "There is no better birthday present than hearing the prophet of the Lord speak to me." Ya, he is great. He is still on for being baptized this weekend, and I am very excited for it! He loved conference, and hung on to every word that was spoken. He was feeling nervous about his baptism before this past week, because he didn't feel like he was ready yet. So we told him to pray and read the Book of Mormon every day and he can receive an answer that he is ready. So we went over last week and he told us of his story. He had been praying to know if he was ready, and he felt sorrow. He thought at first that it was sorrow because he wasn't ready, but then he received an answer that it was sorrow that he thought he wasn't ready. He then thought "If I don't have faith in myself, I don't have faith in the Lord." It was such a neat story, and after that, he said he couldn't be more excited to be baptized. I love hearing the answers the Lord gives us to our prayers. He truly does love us and has answers to our prayers if we open our hearts to receive them.

I was studying this past week and felt impressed to study a specific chapter in the Book of Mormon. It was one of the war chapters in Alma, and so I thought that was strange, but I did anyway. It really gave me an appreciation for what the soldiers do for our country and why things have to be done to keep our religious freedom. So that same day we went to an appointment with Ann, and we were reading in Mosiah about a war that went on. She then asked, "I keep thinking about the commandment, 'thou shalt not kill'. Why are they killing so much?" Right then I realized why I was prompted to study what I did that morning. I was able to answer her question with another reference in the Book of Mormon and it made so much sense to her. It was something so simple, but I was grateful that I was able to answer her question.

One thing that really stood out to me in conference was that we need to always be worthy to receive spiritual promptings. That is something I really want to work on and I hope that all of you will as well. The Lord needs us to be ready to receive His promptings to help His other children.

I love you all so much! Have a wonderful week!

Love, Elizabeth

TAWANDA!!