Happy Holidays!!!

Hello everyone! I hope everyone has been doing well. It is a great time of the year now and also my favorite! I love the way everyone is towards others. I wish it would be like this the whole year through.
Well, I am almost finished with my first semester of college. Only two more weeks left! It is so weird! I still can't believe I'm going to college. It has been a goal of mine since I graduated!
We are cruising along in the Book of Mormon. We've been reading through Mosiah and some of Alma. These are my favorite stories! I love how the 4 sons of Mosiah and Alma the Younger had a mighty change of heart and wanted to go and teach the people all that they learned!
A few things I learned while watching some of the videos available to us:
The birth of the Savior means the world has a chance to feel His love. Look to the Light! Repentance is a Divine Gift! It gives us freedom, confidence and peace. Try not to be selfish. "God implanted strong appetites in us...for nourishment and love, we need to master the appetite with God's love! True change and healing can only happen through the Atonement of Jesus Christ!" (Russell M. Nelson) Do not be a slave to the appetite. Master your emotions and passions and be free from one-self. Slavery is true liberation.
On of our prophets from the church who has since passed away advised us to cease to do evil and learn to do well. If there are sins that are scarlet, they can be white as snow! Use the Atonement of Jesus Christ and repent. Have a change in heart and be clean in language, in thought and in dress and body. Be a grateful disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ by seeing who YOU are. A beloved Child of God!
This next video was so good I thought I would share it all with you. It has such a great message that I couldn't word it just right so please watch "Reclaimed" by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. These are Mormon Messages that are made to help others know more about "the Mormons" so please feel free to watch others on YouTube!




I am thankful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ so that I can become reclaimed. I can work hard and become a disciple of Christ by repenting of my sins and showing my brother Jesus Christ that I am thankful for his sacrifice. Because of Him I can live my life and know Who I Am! I am a daughter of a Loving Heavenly Father and Mother. Who shows me their love daily. I am a mother, wife and friend to those around me. I am thankful for the family that my Heavenly Father has given me. I am thankful for the gospel that He has shown me, and has testified to me that it is true. Thank you for reading my posts and I hope that my stories, strength and learning will help you to grow and learn as the Pathway Program has done for me.

New Power Point from class

Hey everyone! It's been a few weeks and life has been crazy. I've made another PowerPoint for class so I thought I would share. I've learned a lot these past few weeks. Can I just say how awesome King Benjamin is! And reading into this week’s material, what a difference he made! This book is so awesome. Speaking of, did you read the book like I challenged you to last time? I'd love to hear the comments on what insights you have gained. Please keep it to positive comments only. I will delete any negative. (Thanks!)

Life in the Van De Venter household has still been a roller coaster. It has been up and down for sure with us. We are trying to live life day to day and just make sure that our kids know how much we love them. Searching the scriptures and really studying them has helped me focus on what is more important. I start seeing things with a positive outlook. I know there is a lesson for me to learn through each trial that I face. I will accept any challenge that Heavenly Father throws at me, because I know that He will help me and guide me through it. He is a loving Father and He does not want to see me fail. I will look to Him for anything I might need. Guidance, Love, a Shoulder to cry on. I know He will be there.

With Thanksgiving coming up this week I thought I would share a few things I wrote down in my gratitude journal. It's quite a long list!

Family, Husband, Friends, Food, Clean Air to Breathe (asthmatic), Beds, House, Blankets, Clothes, Snow, Car, School, Internet, Book of Mormon, Sleep, Church Music, Kangen Water, Heavenly Father's Love, Priesthood Blessings, Charity, Sacrament, Work, The Gospel, Anything Purple, IPad, Testimonies, Zumba, Costco, Medicine, Scriptures, Modern Day Prophets, Holy Ghost, Temples, Eternal Marriage, Pencils, Pens, Chocolate, Five Senses, Talents, Doctors, Health, Freedom.

Just to name a few.

I was given a paper to write all the things I'm thankful for. On the top of it is this saying, 

"It is not happy people who are Grateful, it is Grateful people who are happy." 

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving Holiday and a safe shopping weekend! 

With Love,

Nini Van De Venter

PowerPoint Enos - Mosiah 3

Happy Birthday to Me! Oh wait, I'm studying.

We are cruising along with our college courses in Pathway. We are already on Lesson 7! I can't believe how close we have come as a group in our Thursday night gatherings. It's pretty neat. Last week I had one of those trials you wish you never had to go through. Can I just say that teenagers are the hardest? My gathering group had noticed the change in me, asked about it and all week have prayed for me and my family. So inspiring! I can feel their love when I walk through the door.

Speaking of trials and Pathway, I have grown so much through this that I was better prepared for this trial we are going through. I usually go deep into depression and feel sorry for myself. I think about how horrible of a mother I am and all the things I do wrong. But with my college course I am taking, I have been improving myself by working on a Christlike attribute. I chose self worth to work on. It has helped me so much! I haven't once thought down on myself. I know that I am going to get through this with my Heavenly Father's help and support. I love this gospel. We will never be alone!

So, what I've learned this last week has been very informing. Some things that I didn't even put together before.

I learned that if we have hope, we can stay on the right path. We can have hope that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of his resurrection we can be raised until life eternal. Did you know that the Book of Mormon says that Christ loves everyone? All nations! Every nation, every person, is invited to come unto Christ. He also gives us a hint about what's to come! "And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I can not speak another, for my work is not yet finished, neither shall it be until the end of man." I'm gonna leave that up to your imagination about what that means! But I've got my ideas.

What is the definition of witness? To sum it up? A testimony. So did you know that Divine Doctrines are confirmed by more than one scriptural witness? The scriptures are revelations to the prophets from God. When reading the Book of Mormon it is intended to help believe the Bible! The Book of Mormon reiterates the law of tithing, the temples, keeping the Sabbath day holy, and the Priesthood.

Now, of course with the good, there is always the bad. Satan is always around. He is very deceiving and entices us in such easy ways. Some of his followers will say there is no God, there's no one to follow. There is no sin, eat, drink and be merry, Some of them will have too much pride in their hearts that they will not follow God. Some will have more love for their pleasures then they will for following God. Then there's those that commit all sexual sins, lie, and steal. The Devil will portray these as fun but they result in spiritual fatality.

When reading all of these teachings in the Book of Mormon, one thing I did remember from before is that if we seek this knowledge by faith, He will give us the spiritual knowledge that we need. We will be taught by the spirit. We will learn by Faith. If we are learning with the guidance of the Holy Ghost, it will be remembered in the heart and not just in the mind.

So as Boyd K. Packer said, "We are in enemy territory" growing up in this era. Stand tall as a daughter/son of God. "Feast upon the words of Christ" (Boyd Baggett) and feel his spirit as the Holy Ghost comforts you and teaches you, for the Savior is never far from us. He is there to guide us and help us. I would like to challenge all those that are reading my blog to read the Book of Mormon and ask in earnest prayer if it is the word of God (ask me for one if you need one to read).

                                          

I know that I am a daughter of God. I know I am loved by Him. I know that through the Atonement of Christ, I can live with Him again. I am thankful for latter day prophets to guide us in our days. I am thankful that I have the Holy Ghost to guide me in the right direction, as long as I am following the commandments. It is my goal to endure to the end so that my family will be by His side for eternity.

Oh yeah, and Happy Birthday to me tomorrow!!!

So much spiritual growth!

Wow. So, where do I even begin. I absolutely love this class! I am so glad that I have this opportunity to be a student at BYU-I. I have learned so much already. This is such a blessing in my life. 

So, here is what I've learned about this week. Isaiah is hard but he rocks!!! (So does Jon Bytheway! Check out his book "Isaiah for Airheads" to better understand it) Ok, so technically I am no expert on Isaiah and I still don't understand everything in 2 Nephi but I can understand some of it and that is a Big change! 

In my Book of Mormon class we studied 2 Nephi chapters 9-16 this week. Can I just say that I am very luck because of the professor that I was assigned to. He is awesome. If any of you know who Brother Mike Beckstrand is, please tell him he is an awesome instructor!!! He sent us this awesome slide show and a video to watch starring (non other then) Jon Bytheway! It was a crack up to watch. Jon Bytheway states that Isaiah is like a great national forest. To start understanding it you need to first remember the 4 C's. Coventants, Christ, Current Events and Coming Events. The Covenants are pretty much telling the House of Israel to "get their act together." Isaiah tries to persuade the House of Israel to believe in Christ our Redeemer. In the Current Events Isaiah warns us about making alliances with kings, or not to make ally with some kings, during the time of Isaiah. Then the Coming Events are about things that are prophesied to come in the future, or our time now. So the 4 C's are a good way to start understanding the words of Isaiah. 

Now, I'm not saying that once you figure out the 4 C's you'll totally understand Isaiah. So our best friend (Jon Bytheway) has given us even more things to look at. So I would recommend when re-reading the scriptures try different ways of studying it.

What different ways are there you ask? Well! I'll tell you! There are also 4 keys to understanding Isaiah. 

1.) Understand the manner of prophesying among the Jews.

2.) Have the spirit of prophecy

3.) Know the geography

and 4.) Live in the last days

Or you could look at the "guides" talked about during 2 Nephi: Nephi, Jacob, Abinadi and Jesus Christ.

Elder Russell M. Nelson said "to gain salvation means to be 'saved' from physical and spiritual death. Through the atonement all will be saved from physical death but by having faith we will be saved from spiritual death." If we have unbalanced goals in our lives, more towards physical things, then that would lead us to spiritual death. "The Savior can not save us from our sins, we need to repent." 

He also states that "Zion is wherever righteous Saints are. Spiritual security depends on How one lives."  President Thomas S. Monson says that in order to gain exaltation, we must use our agency. President Boyd K. Packer said "Opposition is in all things...testing is the source of our strength." We will all make choices and have to go through the consequences, whether they be good or bad, it is our agency to choose, and it will be a test to strengthen us and help us become closer to God. My favorite saying throughout this whole lesson (I wrote it three different times in my notes!) is from Elder James E. Faust. He says, "Tomorrow's blessings and opportunities depend on the choices we make today." 

Nephi tries to help us understand Isaiah by giving us a few "keys" to look for. A few of them that I have found are: manner of prophesying among the Jews, Knowing the judgments of God, that no man can err and men shall know of a surety at the times that shall come to pass. 

Isaiah also mentions signs and events about the second coming. Some that I have found are: Temple to be built in the mountains (Salt Lake Temple anyone?), idol worshiping, people hiding for fear of the world, sins as even as Sodom, and corrupt leaders. 

How scary these are knowing that a lot of these are true in our world today. So, how can we prepare ourselves to live with our Heavenly Father again? Well, we have our Latter Day Prophets that have given us advice on how and what we can do. Some things I try to do are: tend a garden, stock up on food storage, be the learned man (or woman), and of course temple attendance. I'd like to leave with a quote from our beloved President Joseph Smith, Jr. "If you wish to go where God is, you must be like God, or possess the principles which God possesses." (Teaching of Prophets, Joseph Smith, Jr.)

Power Point Fun!

While going to college I am able to put together Power Points about what I've learned. Click on the link to watch what I've learned during my third week! This is so much fun!

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?page=view&resid=346C0819BD2533BC!918&authkey=!ADp919z6UPJaaTg

I hope you all enjoy! There will be more coming! 

With Love,

Nini V.

How is my learning affecting who I Become?

It has been quite some time since I've last posted. Life has been great! I'm very excited to say that I have started college courses this year. Let's back up a bit.

When my seasonal job ended in January last year I took the time to relish what I had before I worked. I enjoyed being with the kids and going to their events. It was great. We enjoyed the summer together, went on a few vacations and just enjoyed each other's company. Once they started school again I went looking for part time jobs. I found a great job at the school district where I was working as a sub. I worked as a parapro and as a child nutrition (CN) server. In October of last year I was asked to take a long term sub position as a CN server. I enjoyed the hours so I said sure. I go to work at 8:15 get done at 9:15 then start again at 10:30-1 every day. I was still able to be home when the kids got home from school. It was perfect. Well, a week later I had a visit from one of the CN managers. She flat out said, if I want this job it's mine. So with much thought and conversation with my husband, we decided yes, it was just what we needed. So I must have done a good enough job because I was hired back this year. It's great.

Like I said earlier I started college courses this year. I've been so excited to start I can hardly contain myself. Since I graduated high school in June then married in July I didn't really think about college. But I've always known I've wanted to go. BYU-I has this amazing opportunity called Pathway for LDS members to start a college. The Pathway program allows us to take 15 credits for the year at an affordable rate. So with lots of pondering and praying my husband and I decided that now is the time that I can return to school. So here I am! Writing one of my assignments in my blog! How great is that!

So we were asked to write about what we learned this week. I have to say that one thing that stuck out to me was the murmuring and the quotes that I learned along with it. Here are some examples of what I have read, 1 Nephi 2:11&12 "for behold they did murmur, and thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father...and they did murmur because they knew not..." 3:5 "And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing..." 3:31 "...Laman and Lemuel again began to murmur..."4:4 "...they continued to murmur..." Six times in the first four chapters! You hear how these brothers complained six different times! In a quote from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland he says "No misfortune is so bad that whining about it won't make it worse." This is so true! What is the purpose of whining (or murmuring)? What good does it do for us? If we do something that is not good, or doesn't help anyone then why do it? He then quoted Orson F. Whitney, "The spirit of the gospel is optimistic, it trusts in God and looks on the bright side of things. The opposite or pessimistic spirit drags men down and away from God. looks on the dark side, murmurs, complains and is slow to obedience." What better way to feel of the spirit then to be optimistic and look on the brighter side of things? You'll notice that some of these scriptures have other words to them. I added them on purpose. You'll see that it says something like "it is a hard thing," "because they knew not." Life isn't easy all the time. We may not know all the answers. But staying firm with the faith will keep us on the straight and narrow path towards our goal. Living with Heavenly Father again. I know I will always try to see the good in others, see the brighter side, and try my hardest to keep His spirit with me always.

I am so thankful for the gospel in my life and the knowledge that Heavenly Father is always there for me. And loves me for the person that I am.

With love,
Nini V.