because i'm happy

recently i read an article someone posted on facebook that basically talked about how this woman is the happiest she will ever be. that really struck me - because i am! i have so much to be thankful for. sure, i have trials. i have things i wish i could change and things i'm working on. despite all of this, i am the happiest i can ever be! i have so much joy and love surrounding me. i'm heavier then i want to be and there's never enough money in the budget. kids rarely behave and gray hairs are sneaking onto my head. but honestly, none of that really matters.

justin has a job. we are in a home. we are comfortable. we are healthy. we have two beautiful boys who fill my life with purpose, direction, and love. i have friends and i have faith. i get giant bear hugs several times a day - to go along with my sloppy [and often boogery] kisses i'm showered with. i have people wanting to sit on my lap and want my attention, my love. i have the capacity and ability to teach my kids, to enjoy our time together, and i can the potential to grow. really, can it get better then this? most likely. will there be times that are worse then this? for sure. but for right now, i feel like i'm on an upswing. we recently had a trial that, looking back, has lasted a long time but honestly, it only felt terrible for a little bit. then we were blessed - SHOWERED with blessings.

i hate to get all preachy but for reals yo, heavenly father is real. he knows when you are in pain, he knows your desires and he WANTS to bless you! ask for what you need, work for what you want, and always have faith.

and in case you haven't seen pharell's happy video, watch it here. or better yet, watch this better version- always puts a GIANT smile on my face!

a boy & two girls

monday was a rough day for the harrisons. porter had to have some surgery and it completely threw me for a loop. when he was born, we found the problem and had to wait till he was 6 months to fix it. nothing major- i guess it's fairly common but it was still a shock to hear and scary to realize what he was up against. i didn't think too much about it
but when the day got closer, i really started freaking out. ever since porter's birth, i've been having a harder time emotionally then usual. especially with my mom moving, i've been somewhat of a mess. the night before the surgery, landon went over to his mema's house for a sleepover. we reported to the hospital at 6am sharp- but that meant a fasting baby since 3am. he was not a fan of being told he couldn't nurse but thankfully he took it better then landon would have at that age. waiting in the back for the surgeon, i was feeling a wave of emotions. it really made me think about the atonement and what our heavenly father sacrificed for us. he loved his son- so much. he didn't want him to have to suffer but he let it happen. for us- these silly people who make the most ridiculous mistakes- again and again. how it must have pained him to see jesus christ suffer- to let him die - to let him go. i kept holding my baby, kissing his head and saying a million prayers for everything to go alright. isn't it a miracle any baby is born healthy and whole? while we are growing in our mother's tummy, there are a bazillion things that could go wrong and yet, those are the exception. generally peo

ple are born healthy. isn't that a miracle? how can someone not look upon a beautiful baby and see the hand of god? the hour+ that the surgery took was an emotional one. just seeing my baby wheeled away from me was agonizing. he made it through like a champ and i couldn't wait to hold him again. when we walked back to post-op [a little too slowly for my taste mr. volunteer], my heart just broke hearing my baby and seeing him. i don't think he was in pain [yet] but he was so confused, so lost, and he needed me. not the nurse or doctor- just me. out of everyone in the world, my baby needed me. it took a while for him to calm down but eventually he snuggled into my arms and fell asleep. the rest of the day was a mixture of snuggles, kisses, and lots and lots of sleep. the day before, justin gave porter a priesthood blessing. we recently explained what the priesthood is to landon and how important it is so he was ready and excited to see porter receive a blessing. on the way to church landon gave the family prayer in the car [we can't be the only ones, am i right??] and he specifically prayed for porter to do well in the hospital and for the holy ghost to help him feel safe. can you imagine the tears that sweet prayer brought to my eyes? without any prodding or nudging on his part, that simple prayer helped calm my fears and fill my heart with love. i can't imagine having to go to the hospital and doing that ever again, or even doing it over and over again. but my sister does.

mid yawn = adorable

breanne was born with a shortened bowel. she spent the first few months of her life in the hospital and was placed in my sister's family early on. she is a very sick little girl who will spend her whole life in hospitals, getting pricked and poked. she can't eat real food, even water is a luxury. she has to walk around w
ith a backpack full of tubes and bags- and that's all she's ever known. i asked my sister once if one specific hospital visit was painful and she remarked that no, because of how much she has had done, she rarely fusses over pain. can you imagine that life? the doctors have said she doesn't have a long life expectancy but seeing how hard she fights and how hard her family fights with her- i can't help but doubt their analysis. after going through this singular experience with porter and knowing that my sister goes through this so often- it makes me how but she does it. how can her heart handle seeing her precious baby girl go through so much? i've always known devin was a special girl- she's kind of the odd duck in our family but she's a special duck. i don't know anyone who has more christ like love- that's such a special gift. and despite all the hardship devin has known in life through her own medical problems and her two children, she is the kindest and most loving person i know.

oh- i promise a boy and two girls didn't i? well this gal is proud to announce that my sister is having a baby girl. a baby girl we have all prayed very hard for- and i couldn't be happier.

the worst two years & august blues

last sunday marked the twoiversary of justin's mission homecoming. how WEIRD is that? he has been home [now] longer then he was gone. sure doesn't feel that way. those two years were the worst for me and the best for him - okay, not completely true. missing him was the worst. in fact, after you get over

the worldwillneverberightagain-ihateboys-myheartwillnotgoon-beingsingleagain-thisistheworst feelings,

 i really had the best time. luckily my life sort of started over again by going away to school [for the first time, no one knew justin and no one knew meltin] and justin was able to have this amazing experience, serving and helping so many people come to know the gospel. his mission turned out to be the best thing he's ever done and the same thing for me. but it was the worst going through it. now i see so many missionary girls [ie: the suckers who wait for their men to come home] and i try to talk them out of it, but i know i'll have no such luck. success stories are few and far between [granted, caitlin & i were the exception- thanks for teaching us that 'he's just not that into you'] so it's better to enjoy your life one day at a time, not two years into the future.

how justin changed
-justin learned he could speak spanish. so those years of studying in school were really not for nothing [except they were. take that CCSD/UNLV- the church taught him a foreign language in 4 months, something you couldn't do in four years]. mrs. o'brien would be so proud.
-he found out he could eat anything. and i mean anything [dog, bugs, armadillo]. watch out burt the conqueror, he's coming after your job.
-he met many of his closest friends, including the boy our baby is named after [okay that's not true- but he was the first landon we both knew so we got the idea from there. in history books, i'm going to say i named him after michael landon from bonanza and little house on the prairie. or landon from 'a walk to remember'. or landon pigg the singer. or landon donovan the soccer player. take your pick]

as you can tell, i couldn't wait to lose this dead weight

how i changed
-i learned to move my left hip while dancing, a feat previously impossible for me. but i'm afraid i've started regressing again. discovered this at my last yoga session when the teacher started laughing at my attempts. talk about a self-esteem push for the giant whale in stretchy pants.
-accepted that yoga pants + sports bra do not make acceptable attire. except again, i've somehow regressed to this. now when i get home i'm lucky if i wear any clothes at all. it's this giant alien in me, causing me all sorts of discomfort, and let's be honest, it's in my blood to enjoy being naked.
-i discovered i could be funny. i've always been cynical but i discovered i could do it in a comical way that didn't make my mother cry anymore. who knew? not my brother. every time i see nate he is starstruck by my wit [that might be a slight exaggeration]. it's like he forgets, sees me, then discovers he likes hanging out with me or likes reading my blog. don't worry- justin just discovered this a few weeks ago and has already forgot.



look at the prettiest little girl
in the world! i'm such a proud
fairy-mother



in totally unrelated but on my mind news, i am seriously feeling some post-july, august blues. so far the summer has been so exciting, with an event each month- you know, something to get me through the 8-5. may we vacayed in san diego for lynsey's graduation, june justin came home and we saw my besties in cedar. july saw the birth of abbigale mae tappana and the death of the harry potter movies. and now august? blah- you've got nothing going for you. no baby showers, no baby, no house. it's just the worst. if august was something else, it'd be a scalding hot turd on a blanket of ants with voldemort feeding rotten yams to it while kicking kittens & updating it's facebook status every 2 minutes. that's how much i hate august.

i can't go on any trips [$] and even if i did, i can't stand too long without puffing up like a macy's day float and can't miss any work. i swear this baby has decided he doesn't want to cook any longer. not that i'm about to go into labor, he's just done growing. i swear i'm the same size i was a month ago! my baby showers are in september because heaven knows i'll be going stir-crazy then. it's just the worst. i'm feeling an incredible urge to kick, stomp, then lay on the ground kicking and screaming but alas, if i got down on the floor on my back, i'm about 83% sure i wouldn't be able to get back up again. yes, i've become a beetle.

worst. so fans, do the world and me a favor and do something awesome this month so i can blogstalk and live vicariously through you. please.

my name is melissa and i am a mormon

i have a lot of people who view my blog who aren't mormon or LDS so i don't like to be too preachy, but it's important to share your faith [my biggest fear is to become one of those boring mommy blogs---which i feel is coming on sooner then i'd like it to be] because it makes you who you are.

mormons are different then other religions because we believe we have a modern-day prophet on the earth today who leads and guides us. think about it- if the people back in moses' time were that horrible that they needed a prophet, why wouldn't our world today need one? most people know mormons by things they don't do: we don't drink, smoke, do drugs, go out on sundays, etc. but that's not who we are: we are a church set on helping the world through humanitarian projects, a people who value family and believe families are together beyond this life. we believe that jesus christ not only visited the people in jerusalem [bible] but also the people in america [the book of mormon]- why would heavenly father only give his word to a select group of people? he loves everyone!

in our last general conference [a world-wide meeting with members throughout the world held twice a year], one of our apostles, dieter f. uchtdorf [from germany] urged members to share their testimony through their blog/websites/social media outlets. mormons have a saying, 'every member a missionary'- meaning you don't have to wear a suit/tie, ride a bike, and wear a name tag to share your testimony. this is true with any religion. that's why i decided to add a button on the side of my blog - it's not very intrusive but hopefully, it could help answer some questions people have about the gospel. i found cute ones here but you also create one by creating a profile on mormon.org [here's mine] .go here to watch some incredible videos.


i am proud to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. the gospel continues to bless my life every single day. i am not perfect [hello! you read my blog - you know this!] but i am trying. isn't that what everyone is just trying to do?

hello. my name is ken & i'm delightful

meet ken. ken is delightful. not that i know from personal experience. my friend, johnny b. told me so. err.....kinda.

last weekend the hurst gaggle of women put themselves in time out. for women. i guess this is not a commonly known event in utah but it's put on by deseret books & includes LDS speakers/musicians- much like women's conference.

the big star of the weekend, by FAR, was kris belcher. kris was born with cancerous tumors on her eyes. at the age of 7, she could only see out of one of her eyes. right after her first son's first birthday, she lost all use of her eyes. her struggles didn't make her the supa-star but her contagious attitude. i've never laughed so hard. here's an article about kris. her husband said he met kris by calling 1-900-BABE, which is, coincidentally, how justin found me.


while kris was amazing, i really looked forward to johnny b's talk. john bytheway is the mormon's version of dane cook. i've heard his talks and watched his videos but let me tell you, this guy is phenom. he's the one who introduced me to ken.

johnny b. told the story of ken and his delighted wife. john went on a cruise where he had the opportunity to speak to couples. during one of the meet & greets, one woman stood up and introduced herself. but really, all she would talk about is ken, her delightful husband. ken, supposedly, is the bee's knees. and she was quite delighted to be there with ken because ken is delightful. john said everything  this woman would talk, she inevitably would brag about her delightful husband. john said "i wondered if she was just overly infatuated with ken or if ken was really delightful- that's when i realized- IT DIDN'T MATER!". she thought her husband was delightful and so, he was. [or maybe the other way around].

johnny b. went on to talk about how, as spouses, we first appreciate all that our husband/wife does for us. [the first time justin rubbed my feet- i was over the moon!] eventually, it leads to that action becoming expected [a foot rub per gilmore girls episode] then finally, demanded [my feet need lotion! now!]. john said that he & his wife have tried to make it a point to always stay in that appreciative state of mind.

it got me thinking, wowzers- i demand a whole lot. now i know i'm not a low-maintenance kind of woman. anyone who knows my grandmother or jessica simpson basically know me. i am an offender of this appreciate-expect-demand cycle. and i don't think know i'm not delightful all of the time. my dream is to become ken. or justin to become ken? but not like ken, the barbie doll. but that'd be hot. either way, i want one of us to be so delightful the other one can't stop talking about them! or someone to talk about them being so delightful that they are. doesn't everyone want that?

stephen covey [wrote the seven habits of highly effective people] said

"between stimulus and response is our greatest power- the freedom to choose".

 i'm going to choose to be delightful. whose with me?!

10/28/2010
AFTERTHOUGHTS
last night on my favorite new show, modern family, phil talked about how it's important to remain delightful in a marriage- while talking to a neighbor who Phil just found out is getting a divorce:

"that's coconuts- you are super delightful!"

boom. you've been lawyered.

sandy valley pearls

in our stake boundaries in a tiny branch of sandy valley- it's about 30 minutes outside of jean, nv. our friend the irelanders were originally going to speak there but had to bow out due to the primary presentation so we were asked (yes, that does make us second stringers). we were so excited- as everyone knows, i like to speak. it was such an amazing experience- not only was everyone INCREDIBLY friendly but the spirit was so strong there.

we spoke on the 3 fold mission of the church

preach the gospel - perfect the saints - redeem the dead

i spoke on perfecting the saints and used a story that i've loved for years. to me, it's a story about giving up those things in life that turn our neck green for those things of eternal nature. enjoy below.

highlights of the trip: seeing places where mobsters obviously bury bodies (i even told that to the congregation!), seeing justin finish getting dressed outside the chapel, and the awesome homemade jam a member gave us- i guess he gives it to all guest speakers but we got 2. so i guess we were his favorite, OBVIOUSLY.

the pearls - author unknown

　

The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. With her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. "Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!" Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face. "A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2.00 If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."

　As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbour and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.


　Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere -- Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.


　Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"


　"Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you."


　"Then give me your pearls."


　"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess -- the white horse from my collection.


　The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favourite."


　"That's okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.


　About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"


　"Daddy, you know I love you."


　"Then give me your pearls."


　"Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."


　"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you." And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.


　A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek. "What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?" Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you." With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. He had had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her genuine treasure.


　So much like our heavenly Father. What are you hanging on to?

"12 ways to have a happy, healthy marriage"

last night for family home evening, i found this jewel of an article. i absolutely loved the things they suggested. it helped us evaluate where we are and what we can do to constantly improve our relationship. enjoy.

original article found by clicking on this segment of blue, underlined text.

by: rachel bruner

Everyone in this life is affected by marriage, either that of their parents, their own, or their children's. Keeping a marriage strong while surviving life's trials can be a huge struggle, but learning from other's experiences can help us through these times. Here's a list of twelve ways a couple can develop a happy, healthy marriage.


1. Marriage Based on Faith in Jesus Christ

A  happy marriage will be more easily developed and maintained upon a firm foundation of faith in Jesus Christ. Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the Seventy said:
"A final gospel truth that will contribute to our understanding of and hence the quality of our marriages relates to the degree in which we involve the Savior in our relationships as husbands and wives. As designed by our Heavenly Father, marriage consists of our first entering into a covenant relationship with Christ and then with each other. He and his teachings must be the focal point of our togetherness. As we become more like him and grow closer to him, we will naturally become more loving and grow closer to each other" ("A Union of Love and Understanding," Ensign, Oct 1994, 47).

2. Pray Together


One of the most common things mentioned in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when talking about having a happy, healthy marriage is to pray together. President James E. Faust said:
"Marriage relationships can be enriched by better communication. One important way is to pray together. This will resolve many of the differences, if there are any, between the couple before going to sleep....
"We communicate in a thousand ways, such as a smile, a brush of the hair, a gentle touch.... Some other important words for both husband and wife to say, when appropriate, are, 'I'm sorry.' Listening is also an excellent form of communication." ("Enriching Your Marriage," Ensign, Apr 2007, 4–8).

3. Study the Scriptures Together

To really strengthen your marriage study the scriptures daily with your spouse! Here's some great counsel to help you start:
"As husband and wife, sit down together in a comfortable and quiet place in your home. Consult the Topical Guide found toward the back of the LDS edition of the King James Bible. Scan the scriptural topics for areas that you feel might help strengthen your relationship with the Lord, with each other, and with your children. Consult the scriptural references listed with each topic, and then discuss them. Jot down the insights you gain and the ways you will apply these scriptures in your own lives" (Spencer J. Condie, "And We Did Liken the Scriptures unto Our Marriage," Ensign, Apr 1984, 17).

4. Have Charity for Each Other

Selflessly giving of oneself is one of the hardest aspects of marriage. Our natural tendency is to be self-focused: that we make sure we're happy; that we get our way; that we're right. But happiness in marriage cannot be achieved when we put our selfish needs first. President Ezra Taft Benson said:
"Today's inordinate emphasis on individualism brings egotism and separation. Two individuals becoming 'one flesh' is still the Lord's standard. (See Gen. 2:24.)
"The secret of a happy marriage is to serve God and each other. The goal of marriage is unity and oneness, as well as self-development. Paradoxically, the more we serve one another, the greater is our spiritual and emotional growth" ("Salvation—A Family Affair," Ensign, Jul 1992, 2).

5. Only Use Kind Words

It's easy to be kind and say loving words when you're happy with your spouse, but what about when you're upset, frustrated, annoyed or angry? It's better to walk away and say nothing then to say something hurtful and mean. Wait until you're calm so you can discuss the situation without negative emotions tempting you to say something that would be hurtful and damaging.
Saying unkind words in the form of a joke or with sarcasm is an abusive technique that people use to avoid being responsible for their words/actions by forcing the blame on the other person, making it their fault that their feelings were hurt because they "just couldn't take a joke."

6. Show Gratitude

Showing genuine gratitude, to both God and a spouse, shows love and strengthens marriage. Giving thanks is easy and should be done for both the little and the big things, especially those things a spouse does on a daily basis.

"In the enriching of marriage, the big things are the little things. There must be constant appreciation for each other and thoughtful demonstration of gratitude. A couple must encourage and help each other grow. Marriage is a joint quest for the good, the beautiful, and the divine" (James E. Faust, "Enriching Your Marriage, Ensign, Apr 2007, 4–8).

7. Give Thoughtful Gifts  (my personal favorite- haha!)

An important way to maintain a happy, healthy marriage is to give your spouse a gift now and then. It doesn't need to cost a lot of money, if any, but it does need to be thoughtful. The thought put into a special gift will tell your spouse how much you love them- much more than a gift of monetary value ever can. Unless your spouse's "Love Language" is gifts, then you don't need to give them often, but it would be highly advisable to still give an occasional gift.
One of the twenty suggestions by Brother Linford is to give "occasional gifts... such as a note, a needed item- but mostly gifts of time and self" (Richard W. Linford, "Twenty Ways to Make a Good Marriage Great," Ensign, Dec 1983, 64).

8. Choose to Be Happy

Just like being happy in life, being happy in marriage is a choice. We can choose to say unkind words or we can choose to hold our tongue. We can choose to be angry or we can choose to forgive. We can choose to work for a happy, healthy marriage or we can choose not to.
I really like this quote by Sister Gibbons, "Marriage demands work. A happy marriage exacts the very best of us. Yet above all, maintaining a successful marriage is a choice" (Janette K. Gibbons, "Seven Steps to Strengthen a Marriage," Ensign, Mar 2002, 24). The attitude we have about our marriage is a choice: we can be positive or we can be negative.

9. Keep Stress Levels Low

It's so much harder to react rationally and kindly when we are stressed. Learning how to lower our level of stress, especially in regard to finances, is a great way to have a happy, healthier marriage.
"What do airplanes and marriages have in common? Relatively little, except stress points. In airplanes, stress points are the parts that are vulnerable to a lot of wear and tear....
"Like airplanes, marriages have stress points.... As engineers of our own marriages, therefore, we need to be aware of the specific stress points in our marriages so that we can strengthen our vulnerabilities" (Richard Tice, "Making Airplanes and Marriages Fly," Ensign, Feb 1989, 66).

10. Continue to Date

Continuing to date each other will help keep the spark in your marriage. It takes a little planning and prioritizing but the results are worth it. You don't have to spend much money to have a fun date, but can easily find something enjoyable to do together, such as going to the temple together or doing one of these dating ideas.
"Time spent together sharing interests helps a couple grow closer and gives them a chance to relax and take a break from daily stresses. Perhaps most important, dates help a couple build a reserve of love. Filled with memories of good times and strong positive feelings, this reserve can help them through difficult times of stress, disagreement, and trial" (Emily C. Orgill, "Date Night—at Home," Ensign, Apr 1991, 57).

11. It Takes Time

Building a happy, health marriage takes a lot of hard work, time, and patience- but it is possible!
"Marriage, like any other worthwhile activity, requires time and energy. It takes at least as much time to keep a marriage in shape as it does for a weight lifter to keep his body in shape. No one would try to run a business, build a house, or rear children on two to three hours a week. In fact, the more two people who love each other interact, the stronger their bond becomes" (Dee W. Hadley, "It Takes Time," Ensign, Dec 1987, 29).

12. Complete Fidelity

To keep their covenants of marriage a husband and wife must always been completely faithful to each other. Trust and respect are built upon this faithfulness, while breaking the law of chastity, even with something as seemingly harmless as flirting, can destroy the sacred bond of matrimony.
I strongly believe that love and respect go hand in hand. Without love you can't respect your spouse and without respect how can you love your spouse? You can't. So build your love for each other by respecting one another and always being true and faithful to your spouse.

the story of abish

sunday i get the privledge of teaching the relief society lesson! i am way excited but quite nervous- i loved teaching when i was at college but this time it'll be in front of a bunch of older & wiser ladies, not my friends. quite nervous am i. our theme this year is 'woman at the well' (john 4). each month we spotlight women from the scriptures and apply it to our lives.to begin my lesson, i wanted to do something different.
abish is a story from the book of mormon about a woman who had a testimony of jesus christ but was living in a land that didn't have faith. not alot of known about her background so i took some artistic liberty with the story. hope you enjoy.

The Story of Abish

(alma 19)

 

Once upon a time there was an ordinary girl who lived an ordinary life; her name was Abish. She a quiet and plain girl, one who many people often passed over as unordinary and uninteresting, but Abish had a great destiny before her. You see, Abish had been blessed with a great and wonderful gift; the gift of faith.

Abish grew up wild and free in a small home outside the city. She had a wonderful and steadfast father who absolutely adored her mother. They lived a simple yet peaceful life together until one day, that all changed. Her father became very sick, slowly losing his strength every day. Near the end of his life, he called little Abish to his side.

“Abish, do you know why I am always so happy? So full of life?” her father asked.

Abish replied: “No Daddy. I just always thought being with momma and me made you so happy!”

“Well of COURSE that is what makes me happier beyond my wildest dream! But something else fills my life and soul with such happiness. A long, long time ago, when you were just a baby, a miracle happened. I was in the field harvesting the grain for the season, and a spirit overcame me.”

“A spirit? Like a ghost!” cried little Abish. She did not like ghosts that much.

“No, not like a ghost; a divine feeling; a vision, from our Father in Heaven. Abish, I saw many wonderful things. I saw a Savior, for all of mankind, who will one day come to our world. He will bring happiness, healings, and he will make it possible for us to one day live with our Father in Heaven. My little girl, this is the joy that fills my heart with such happiness. You must promise to always remember these truths and seek out those messengers of God that I know will one day come to this land”.

“I promise Father. I will never lose my faith”.

Soon after, Abish’s father died. Her mother was forced to move to the city to work in the courts of the King. Over time, little Abish grew up into a woman and started serving alongside her mother, but she never forgot her father’s dying testimony. She worked day after day with wicked men and woman surrounding her, but she never lost sight of the truth.

When Abish was about nineteen years old, some stranger from her enemy’s land came to work in King Lamoni’s court. Ammon was a Nephite, but had somehow charmed the King into working as one of his servants. He was feared among most of the servants, for his miraculous strength and valor in protecting the King’s sheep, but Abish could tell something was special about this man.

One very special night while Abish was attending to the Queen’s needs, she overheard Ammon speaking to King Lamoni about a “Great Sprit” who created the heavens and the earth. Abish’s heart leapt with joy! Was this a messenger of the truth her father had told her about, many years before? Ammon spoke of the creation of Adam, of the fall of man, and of Holy Scriptures which testified of prophets. This was not all though. This holy messenger spoke of a Christ!

When the King heard these words, he immediately fell to the earth, overcome by the spirit. Abish immediately ran to tell her mother of the miraculous events that conspired, but knew not what to do. King Lamoni’s servants, fearing he was dead, took the king and placed him upon a bed.

The Queen mourned and mourned for two days and two nights. She then called Ammon before her to ask. She had been told this Ammon was a prophet of God so she hoped that he would be able to tell her if her husband was really dead. This was precisely the greatest desire of Ammon’s heart.

“My Queen,” Ammon declared, “He is not dead but sleeps in God. Tomorrow he will rise again. Do you believe what I have told you?”

The Queen replied, “Not one of the many people in my court can say a single evil thing about you. Nevertheless, I believe what you have said.”

“Blessed art thou because of thy exceeding faith. There has never been such great faith among all people, even the Nephites”.

Ammon proceeded to bless the Queen and testify of the Redeemer and Savior of mankind. Upon hearing these remarkable words, the Queen also sunk down, having been overcome by the Spirit. Ammon then began to pray and he too fell down!

All of the King’s servants saw this miraculous event and was instantly terrified! What evil had this Nephite brought into their land? What kind of man had power to kill their King and Queen with his words? The servants began to pray ferverently, calling upon the Lord with all their might and too fell to the earth. Everyone, but Abish.

Abish could hardly believer her eyes: The Lord had truly sent his messenger to save her land! Having kept her testimony in the dark for so many years now was her chance to proclaim the truths she held so dear. Abish wasn’t a great leader or particularly eloquent, but she had the truth and she had faith, and that is what made the difference.

She immediately ran from the court, going house to house, calling all of her people to come and witness of the miraculous event that just transpired. Abish knew that if the Lamanite people could view for their own eyes the power of God; they too would come to know of the truth.

When the people got to the court, though, they were immediately terrified! Who had killed their King, their Queen, and their many servants? What evil had come upon them? Fearing that a great evil had befallen their kingdom, one man drew his sword, hoping to smite the cause of all this pain, Ammon. But as soon as he lifted his sword, he fell dead. The people began to argue, trying to make sense of the confusion that lay before them.

When Abish returned to the courts and saw her people arguing and so full of fear, her heart broke in despair. How could her people be so unbelieving? How could they not believe this miracle? She ran to her Queen’s side, grabbing the Queens hand. Immediately, the Queen arose and cried in a loud voice, “O Blessed Jesus, who has saved me from an awful hell! O blessed God, have mercy on this people!”

The Queen then took her husband by the hand and he too arose. King Lamoni began to preach and rebuke his people for their evil ways. Some people disbelieved the words of their leader, walking away as if ashamed of their King’s testimony. Ammon and the servants then arose. Ammon began ministering unto the people, declaring the truth. Many people believed in the words spoken, having been converted to the truth.

Because of Abish’s brave and fearless heart, many were baptized and brought to the truth. And those that were baptized became a righteous people, establishing a church among them. The Lord began to bless the Lamanites, pouring out his Spirit among them. Abish’s testimony changed a nation.

WHAT WILL YOUR TESTIMONY DO?