Jorja did a great job on her talk today. She practiced with me a few times this morning. Kristin gave a talk today as well. That was perfect! Jorja adores Kristin and sitting next to her completely calmed Jorja's nerves. She smiled the entire time. Kristin's just that awesome. My dad also came and was there before we were. It was extra cool because he had to sneak out of his church to come and see Jorja. This is Jorja's talk:
When Jesus was on Earth, he walked and talked with his disciples. He promised them that they would be given the gift of the Holy Ghost. John 14:26 says, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." This scripture shows us that the Holy Ghost can reveal new knowledge, make connections, and bring into our minds forgotten things.
The Holy Ghost is our constant companion. In John 8, Jesus says that the Holy Ghost is like wind. You can't see the wind, but you can feel it on your skin and know it's there. You can see the leaves move, or the flowers sway, or the flag wave. You can see everything all around showing that the wind is there, but you can't see it at all. Just like we can't see the Holy Ghost, but we can feel the warm feeling it gives us as it helps us find the path to lead us back to our Father in Heaven. When we do something right, we are filled with the feeling of His spirit, but when we do something wrong, we feel the Holy Ghost leave as we get a sick feeling inside.
I'd like to share a story with you that my brother told me about his friend Josh who recently moved out of our ward. Stockton and Josh were at dive practice and Josh decided to try a new dive off the three-meter. Before he went, he asked his coach to call him out. Soon after he was in his tuck, his coach called him out just like Josh asked. However, Josh thought, It's not time to come out yet. He must be wrong. I'll stay in just a little longer... Once Josh thought he had been in his tuck for long enough; he came out to finish his dive. But because he didn't come out when his coach told him to, he ended up doing a very loud and painful belly flop. The next time he tried this dive, he came out of his tuck right when his coach told him to, and ended with a successful dive.
In this story, his coach is like the Holy Ghost. He prompted Josh to do the right thing, to come out of his tuck when he was supposed to, but Josh chose not to listen, which ended in a painful mistake. The next time he tired, the Holy Ghost was still there. This time, he listened and received the reward of God, or in this case, successfully completing this difficult dive.
Before I close, I'd like to share what Elder Anthony W. Ivins said in the April 1934 Conference. That is, "While the Holy Ghost may be conferred upon us, and is designed to be our guide and support, it is only restrained and manifested in its fullness in our guidance and defense in proportion to the degree to which we cultivate it and listen to its promptings. And once deprived of its presence we are left in darkness more dense than before its reception. Cultivate it, my brethren and sisters, and it will become in reality the iron rod, which is the word of God, and will lead us back to Him."
If you go into a place where you know you're not supposed to go, you'll lose that joyful feeling you always have with the Holy Ghost. But it's not the Holy Ghost leaving you, it's you leaving the Holy Ghost as you choose to do what is wrong even when you know you shouldn't. And once you come back, the Holy Ghost won't be there to welcome you. He'll only come once you earnestly repent to your Father in Heaven and ask for His forgiveness.
I'd like to bear my testimony that I know the Holy Ghost will always be by our side watching out for us, and guiding us on our way to heaven. He is always with us, even if we may not feel him there. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I was very proud of Jorja, and she is very relieved to have her first talk over with. The best part is now she knows what to expect and won't be as nervous when she is asked to give a talk again.
Jorja's frog has been sick lately. He was really sick after Christmas, but is doing a lot better. He hasn't eaten much lately, so Jorja and Mike force fed him. Mike held him and pried his mouth open with a frosting knife while Jorja stuck a cricket in his mouth. They got him to eat two crickets this way. Isn't he a beauty?
Horizon
Mike got a new game called Risk Legacy. Steve and his family brought this game up to the cabin. Mike loved it. It's crazy because based on decisions, you permanently alter the game. They tell you to destroy cards. Matt came up to play the game with us. It is only five players, so it was Mike, Stephanie, Maysen, Preston and Matt. Preston thought it was awesome. Matt was weirded out at the prospect of destroying parts of the game. Proof that he did though:
Preston
Matt
I guess you play the game 15 times and then the game is set permanently. Maysen won the first game. I should have won the second! I was robbed! I had enough stars to win, but there is an obnoxious rule that you can't cash in your cards until the beginning of your next turn . . . so technically I didn't have enough . . . but still! Once it was pointed out how close I was to winning ***cough, cough, Mike*** I was throttled! Both Mike and Matt turned in all their cards for armies and attacked me. Although by Matt attacking me it left him weak and on Preston's turn he came and destroyed Matt and me and put me completely out of the game. Preston won the game on that turn. Preston was thrilled, but I was robbed! Mike said he wants to go and read the rules of the original Risk game to find out if you have to wait until your next turn to cash in cards. He remembers Steve always immediately cashing in his cards for armies and then attacking. Well, Sherry used to always sell the hotels off of Mike's spots on Monopoly, so I'm not sure how much the rule book was looked at in his family.
