Be of Good Cheer

(Sunshine Through the Clouds- Shantell Giles)

My heart is full and is begging for some release to this blog. I hope that the things I write from within my heart have helped you in many ways and I feel that my message today may benefit us all wherever we may be in our lives. I hope to change my life today and to work harder!

“Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.” (D&C 68:5–6.)

From this scripture we can see that the Lord has given us an invitation to be of good cheer. This is a commandment given to each of us to be of good cheer in each of our lives. Honestly, how often is this commandment broken? How often in the midst of trial and tribulation do we forget that the Lord asks to be of good cheer? I feel that there is no greater need at this point in the world for us to exercise this principle in our lives than there is now.  The Lord has promised us that as we are of Good Cheer that He will be with us and that He will stand by us.

"Good cheer is a state of mind or mood that promotes happiness or joy. Some like to think good cheer is found in a bottle, a six-pack, an injection, a pinch under the lip, rationalization, or self-deceit. Incidentally, it has been my observation over the years that those who try to drown their sorrows with drink only sicken their tomorrows. With God’s help, good cheer permits us to rise above the depressing present or difficult circumstances. It is a process of positive reassurance and reinforcement. It is sunshine when clouds block the light." - Marvin J. Ashton ( April 1986 General Conference) I find this statement so profound and utterly true and I feel that it is so blunt that it takes care of many things that are eating the people of this world today. We all know that none of us are perfect. God never promised that we would be without trial, suffering, or tribulation, but he promised that through Him we could find that good cheer and peace would radiate within us.

When we allow the Lord to come into our lives, cheer honestly lights the way. As we talk of Christ I find His words touching, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33.) All in all He has promised to stand by each of us. He has invited us to bear record of Him and to be of good cheer. He has overcome the world.

I feel strongly that there is one last thing I should share and its something dear to my heart. Today I had the opportunity to listen to and feel the testimony of a dear friend and hero of mine. Sister DenBoer is an incredible woman who has the desire to share her feelings for the Savior and her deep love for Him. She has always been an example to me and when Christ asks in D&C to bear record of Him she is someone I think of. All of this matters in being of good cheer, but its what she said today that hit me. She asked what is it that defines us? What is it that sets us apart as Daughters of our Heavenly Father. ( In the case of this blog... What sets us apart as Daughters and Sons of our Heavenly Father?) With emotion she said, " It is our Testimonies. It is our Testimonies that defines each and everyone of us."  The spirit that radiated through the room today touch my heart and filled my mind and changed my life. I am grateful for the words she had expressed because I believe it is so true that my testimony is what defines me in this world. I love the Savior, Jesus Christ with all of my heart and with all of my soul and I know that as I bear testimony of Him and also of His love for me that I may grow closer to Him and He will stand by me. Be NOT afraid to bear testimony because you never know whose life may be affected by your words and the spirit! Let us all be of good cheer! Let us all be ready to answer as to why we are cheerful. It is because of Jesus Christ and who He is to each of us that we feel of good cheer! Have a wonderful week and remember to smile and to be happy :)

To Walk with Heads Held High

September 2010 New Era Magazine, pg. 11

 As I am now coming upon more time in my life to do those things I continually hunger for as part of my study of the gospel, I have come upon many talks that have really warmed my soul. I have learned a lot of things recently and I feel as though bursting with feeling for Jesus Christ and testifying of His Gospel and Divinity as Our Savior. I know that through genuine love and devotion we are given trials and weaknesses by Our Heavenly Father so that we might be strengthened in the process. After being baptized and confirmed it is our Duty and Destiny to endure to the end in the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We may all know that life here on Earth is not merely our final destination, but is a journey. Life is a journey that will lead us home to our Father in Heaven if we choose to endure to the end. This thought today is one that I find very helpful and true. 

"For those who eschew evil and live good lives, who strive for a brighter day and keep the commandments of God, things can get better and better even in the face of tragedy. The Savior showed us the way. From Gethsemane, the cross, and the tomb, He rose triumphant, bringing life and hope to us all. He bids us, 'Come, follow me' (Luke 18:22).

"President Thomas S. Monson has counseled: 'If we are to walk with head held high, we must make our contribution to life. If we are to fulfill our destiny and return to live with our Father in Heaven, we must keep His commandments and pattern our lives after the Savior. By so doing, we will not only achieve our goal of eternal life, but we will also leave the world richer and better than it would have been had we not lived and performed our duties' (Thomas S. Monson, used with permission)." - Keith B. McMullin, "Our Path of Duty," Ensign, May 2010, 13

We must live with our heads held high and if we do so we must make our contribution to this life. We have been given a course to follow. Let us all seek after the light of Christ and live with our head held high. Smile at someone you don't know this week and make your contribution to this life so that your future may be brighter in the life to come! Continue with a great week! Make it good! :)

Who You Are Becoming



(Lost and Found © Greg Olsen)

The last year has come and gone and it's time for a new year. As I have thought long and hard the last week I have questioned who I am becoming and where I am going. As I start off this new year I would like to share with you a couple quotes that have hit home the last little while. I received a wonderful book for Christmas called Saying It Like It Is by Sheri Dew and as I have read through some of the quotes this is what I have found.

"Ultimately we will become what we give our hearts to, for we are shaped by what we desire and seek after. If we love the Lord such that our hearts are changed, His image will fill our countenances. But if we love the world more, we'll slowly take upon us those characteristics." - Sheri Dew

From the beginning God has seen us by who we really are. He knows us more than we could ever know ourselves and His love for us has no end. We have been so blessed to live in this time where are are continually preparing for the return of Our Savior. We are all very special and there is a special purpose for each of us. This last quote has shown me a lot about who we all are in God's eyes. You decide what it means to you...  " Noble and Great. Courageous and determined. Faithful and fearless. That is who you are and who you have always been. And understanding it can change your life, because this knowledge carries a confidence that cannot be duplicated any other way." - Sheri Dew I hope that each of us can feel this way about ourselves in one point of our lives or another. We are all God's children and no matter how many times Satan makes us feel otherwise we are and we can feel that through peace. Peace is something Satan can never feel and he can never replicate it. We are determined to overcome him and we will each day as we remain faithful and fearless. I hope that I can do better at remembering who I can become and where I really want to go. I hope you all have a great week! Make it good :)

The Most Wonderful TIme of the Year!

I have found that the message I would like to share this week is that of Christmas and how wonderful it really is. I love the Christmas holiday so much and it just makes me so happy to feel the way I do at this time. I have thought a lot about how blessed we are to be able to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. What a miraculous gift we have been given and I hope that we can focus on Jesus Christ a little bit more this Christmas season. The children in this video are so soft spoken and really touched my heart and I felt like the children have said it better than I could! I am grateful for all of the little children because they thrive on the things that matter. They take life simple and are some of the best examples to each one of us. I hope that we can listen to the children a little more. May you all have the joy and happiness in your heart this Christmas season as you think of Jesus Christ and who He is to you. I love Christ with all of my heart and I know that if I were there at his birth I would have thanked him and told him how much I truly love him as my best friend and my Savior! Merry Christmas!

Silent Night

For those of you who don't keep up with Paul Cardall there is one other video that brings warmth that I would like to share! Enjoy the music and video! :)

A Gift of Love

Paul Cardall was involved with this tree and its just so beautiful

Isn't this the most wonderful time of the year? A time for love.. a time for service... a time for happiness... a time for change... and a time for remembrance. For the last little while I have just been so excited about the Christmas season and the spirit of Christmas that flows through me like a whirlwind. I am so grateful for this time of year and it has to be my absolute favorite time! This year my family has started a new tradition to go to the Festival of Trees! I have never been before and I will never miss another year if I have anything to do with it! I want to share a few pictures with you that mean a lot to me and then share my message with you today.

These two pictures are of a tree that was donated to festival of trees by a dear sweet family that I am really close to. They happen to be the Manuela's who have lost two daughters to a rare condition and so they do a tree every year in memory of them. My sister and dear friend Jolyn Manuela is the one wearing green in the 2nd picture. The tree is filled with sea shell angels holding a heart or a star and many Hawaiian flowers. The tree's title is "Sisters in Paradise". This very tree had a great impact on me and really had me thinking as I went on to look at several trees dedicated to sick children from primary children's medical center. I thought for a small moment how lucky we are to have angels all around us to teach and care for us when things get hard here on earth. I thought for a small moment how blessed we are to know that angels like those on the tree touch our hearts. They make the stars so beautiful... Have you ever looked to the stars when you are missing someone who has made it to the other side? I know I have and what comfort that brings to my life. That's why I find this tree to be so special because it depicts those very things we feel when we think about our angels. Many of you have "Sisters in Paradise" you may have a brother, dad, mom, grandmother, grandfather, or friend in paradise. Paradise is not so far away. Our angels are all around us all the time lifting us up and catching us when we begin to fall. Each of them touches our hearts and fills the sky with stars. As this Christmas season continues I hope we will take time to help each other and to touch others hearts and be an angel to others in so many different ways. Let us remember Our Savior and remember that He is the greatest gift that has EVER been given! Festival of Trees is known as the A Gift of Love. Let us all give love to those around us! Merry Christmas! Love ya guys :)

Motivation Through Trial

Over the past couple of weeks I have been really paying attention to people and observing what life may be like for them, what they are going through, and how I can help. Just this last week I was able to talk with a dear friend of mine about trial and the people around us. She pointed out one of her favorite quotes that I have grown to love and understand more by Marjorie Hinkley which states, " Be kind, everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." I believe this to be so true that everyone is fighting a hard battle. Something else she pointed out to me is that just smiling at someone could really change a lot of things. Maybe a smile is all we could really give to someone and what we don't realize is that something as simple as a smile may mean the world to someone else.

We all go through hard times. Nobody is perfect and we are all doing the best we can and know how. I share this post with you because I am struggling with a few things too and its been rough but there are three quotes that have really helped me through and have strengthened me to push through these weaknesses that I have and I would like to share them with you. These quotes are very near and dear to my heart and maybe they will help you too.

"During moments of discouragement I find strength to go forward with faith by surrounding myself with others who LOVE God." - Paul Cardall

"I used to tell God how big my problems were... Now I tell my problems how big my God is."

"It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out don't worry. Put your trust in God and move forward with faith." - Gordan B. Hinkley

God won't give us anything we can't handle. In fact, God is there every step of the way if we let him. He is our Father. How do you think He feels? What is is like for him to see us in pain, sorrow, sadness, and tangled in sin? I hope that I can do the best I can for Him. Put faith in Him and trust Him. He loves each of us! I hope you can find some motivation through your trials. Be happy and keep smiling wherever you go. Have a great week :)
Love,
Shantell

The Way

"Jesus Christ is the Way. He is Light and Life, Bread and Water, the Beginning and the End, the Resurrection and the Life, the Savior of the world, the Truth, and the Way.

There is only one way to happiness and fulfillment. He is the Way. Every other way, any other way, whatever other way, is foolishness.

• He offers a well of living water. Either we drink and never thirst more, or we
  don't and foolishly remain thirsty still.
• He is the Bread of Life. Either we eat and hunger no more, or we don't and foolishly remain weak and hungry still.
• He is the Light of the World. Either we follow Him and see clearly, or we don't and foolishly remain bling and in darkness still.
• He is the Ressurection and the Life. He said, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." Either we learn of Him and have life more abundantly, or we don't and foolishly remain dead still.
• He is the Savior of the world. Either we accept the blessings of His Atonement and are made clean and pure, worthy to have His Spirit, or we don't and foolishly remain alone and filthy still.

He is the Way.

The Lord's way is not hard. Life is hard, not the gospel. "There is an opposition in all things," everywhere, for everyone. Life is hard for all of us, but life is also simple. We have only two choices. We can either follow the Lord and be endowed with His power and have peace, light, strength, knowledge, confidence, love, and joy, or we can go some other way, any other way, whatever other way, and go it alone--without His support, without His power, without guidance, in darkness, turmoil, doubt, grief, and despair. And I ask, which way is easier?

Life is hard, but life is simple. Get on the path and never, ever give up. You never give up. You just keep on going. You don't quit, and you will make it." - Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge October 2008 Conference

It is hard to find words to express my love for this talk. It is appropriate in such a powerful talk as this one to say AMEN. Amen to the fact that He IS the Way. Happiness ONLY come in ONE way and He is the Way. We are all able to make choices and we can choose to go his way which is NOT hard... or we can go another way and suffer. Jesus Christ has created the path. With His own blood and tears the path was laid for each of us. He is our ultimate example. If we follow His Way we have a promise. A promise of safe return into His presence with Our Heavenly Father. If we do not follow His Way we have no promise. " Life is hard, not the gospel." Life can be made easier by living the gospel. " Life is hard, but life is simple." Find His path and stay on it! Never go astray! Never give up! Do your best and you will find the greatest happiness in this life! Jesus IS the Christ and He IS the Way. I love you all! Have a wonderful day.

Love Shantell