Story Time!

A Kiliki's Story

   We all have a story to tell. Each of us goes through life with joy and sorrow. Trials and triumphs. It's the experiences that shape us to who we are.
   
My story is a bit goofy... different and somewhat interesting. It's about family.. craziness.. and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 So ya that's me as a little kiddo rockin' that tiger costume. I was born and raised in Orange County, CA to some pretty bomb parents. Old school, tough, and very understanding.. I learned a lot from them.. and continue to do so. At a very young age I learned of God and Jesus Christ. They taught me that church was pretty important.. and praying can do some awesome things. Along with them, I had two older broskies.. Keli'i and Keoni. We are really close to one another.. and love to do crazy things with each other.

 Growing up I was very quiet... adventurous.. and curious. As I got older... I was very involved in sports... socializing.. and eventually comic books!!! (Yes, I am a nerd at heart... but we won't go any further..).

But biggest thing that has shaped who I am is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I remember missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints teaching me the Gospel. It was so clear.. easy to understand... and answered so many of my questions about life's journey and purpose. For the past year I wasn't attending church with my family and friends.... so having these guys around taught me the importance of church again. Soon I was baptized.. along with Keli'i. My mom was the forerunner and was baptized a few months earlier.

Cory Cargill and I

Being a member of the church wasn't easy at all. Being a convert was scary and challenging at first. For the first few years my family and I also faced many trials... testing our faith. Adjusting to the changes and new atmosphere came over time.The trials were overcame with our faith and love. As I started going to church faithfully.. attending the activities.. I learned so much of Christ and His teachings. I made lots of new friends for life. I grew closer to my family most importantly. Even one of my best friends from childhood wanted to learn of the Gospel and eventually was baptized as well. I had the opportunity to baptize him.

Life moved along. Then God once again tested me and broke me down pretty hardcore. And during that time.. a thought came to my head.. A thought that I would change my life. I decided to serve a mission.. be a missionary for the Lord and share the Gospel. A lot of people thought I was crazy.. but hey... missionaries taught me the Gospel.. and has changed me life.. why not do the same? Many months later I was called to serve in Montana.. a very foreign place.

Missionaries!

I left many things out.. but hopefully you got a clear overview of my life. If anything... I guess I want to leave with this. The Gospel has been the biggest blessing to my life. This gift was introduce to me by 3 young men serving the Lord. My family has been the center of this Gospel... along with the Savior, Jesus Christ. I hope some day you take time to listen to these young men and women who take so much sacrifice to share this great message.

Some fun pictures of my adventures.



Can't Forget him!



  

Pretty sweet view..



Sledding with a wetsuit. Yup.

 

  

My neighborhood friends.



Good Ole' Surfing!



A life which is Endless

    I remember when I was little, I often would be scared of the thought of dying. I was taught God was around and that we would go to heaven.. but for some reason it didn't satisfy me. I didn't know for sure that I would be around after death. For a couple of years I put it on the shelf in my brain. Then I was taught be Lds Missionaries and about God's plan for us. I understood where I came from, why I'm here and where I'm going. And the way they explained where we go after this life and what happens to us made perfect sense.So here is a brief explanation of what they taught me on death and hopefully it will benefit you as well.

First, death is part of God's plan. It will happen to all of us. Whether we go soon or late is up to God. And we will be spirits until the resurrection. Yes, we will be resurrected.. every one of us! We will receive a perfect body! Our spirit and new body will never be separated again! How is this possible? The answer.. Jesus Christ. In the book of John chapter 20 we read of the resurrection of Christ. There he appears to Mary and to His disciples.. testifying that we will all live again. A few chapters earlier we read "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in  me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.." John 11:25. In the Book of Mormon we get a clearer picture of what Christ was referring too by the words of Abinadi... "He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death." Mosiah 16:9.

It brings me so much comfort and peace knowing that we will all live again. We will see our loved ones who have passed on again. Jesus did resurrect. Christ did overcome death for us all.  I am no longer afraid of dying. And with these words, I hope you too as well.  

Water to Wine

  John 2:1-11. Here we see the small glimpse of what is known as Jesus' first miracle, water to wine. Attending a wedding, Jesus was asked to somehow provide wine for the event. Telling the servants to get 6 pots of water, He told them to fill everyone's cup with the water. And to the servant's surprise, the water turned to wine. It interesting to think about.. Jesus Christ's first miracle was simply to provide a beverage for a wedding.. not healing, raising the dead, or walking on water. What was the purpose of it?
  I guess in my point of view, changing water to wine is impossible. It goes against the laws of the universe. But Jesus Christ made it possible. He makes things ALL possible. The Apostle Paul said that through Christ we can do all things (Philippians 4:13). But where I'm getting at is that Christ can also change all things, even when it seems impossible. He can turn a dark situation into a good one. He can heal us, temporally and spiritually. And most importantly, He can change who we are, to become better people. Through Christ we can be forgiven of our mistakes, and move forward. Don't get discourage if you feel you can't change.
  Remember, Christ did change water to wine. Have faith in Him. Know that everything is possible with Christ!

Never Changing Values

 Poor Steve Rogers. A man out of time. Growing up in the "Greatest Generation" era has left poor Steve lost in the 21st century after waking up from a deep sleep. Here in this particular panel, Steve questions his purpose as Captain America. Was he just a soldier in the hands of the government? A propaganda tool to counter the Nazi regime in Europe? A rallying symbol to unite all of America?
   Renown for his courage and desire to do good, Captain America is mostly recognized by his fellow heroes for his values. Before being the a hero, Steve was an Orphan trying to serve his country but rejected many times for his physical stature. Finally transformed by the Super Soldier program, he still never lost his values and his pure goodness.Cap is a Greatest Generation icon struggling to maintain those values and beliefs in a far more ever changing and complicated world.
  The same way works with God's commandments. Even though the world may portray the commandments as "old school" or "outdated", they still are for our time. Steve often gets made fun of, mocked, or put down for his beliefs and standards. But he knows the world needs an example of pure goodness for our time. As being a Latter-day Saint, I know that we never lower God's standards. The world is always changing, God's law doesn't change. We must hold onto what is right!
  Seriously, what purpose does Captain America serve outside of combat? Of course we know the answer now Steve. But as for us, we must be like Jesus Christ, our Savior. He was perfect in all things, including keeping His Father's commandments.

We will have Cap wrap this up with a quote..

"...Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right... When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world — No, you move."

Smile and be Grateful!

Smile!

It seems like a smile can be hard at times, especially in a world like ours today. As people, I think we naturally like to focus on the negatives. But we can't forget the wonderful time we have on this earth! The best way we can put a smile on our face is to remember all that we have. Or in other words, Gratitude.

The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. A pretty clear definition according the the dictionary. So, how do we return gratitude?

Maybe slow down a little and stop and think.. What are some things that I have that others don't? What are some of the blessings in my life? It could be your health, having a family, education and home. Or going in deeper, maybe the ability to walk, see, talk or hear.
I  mean lets face it, there is always out there who has it worse than you.

Here is a few quote verses from the Hymn "Count your Blessings" from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint's Hymnbook.

"When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings; name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. …"

 

 Paul said it clearly in Ephesians 5:4, " Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks."

 

Just remember to be grateful for your many blessings and you will see there are many things to smile about!

Who is God?

God. To many God is a mystery. For thousands of years, many people have professed on worshiping a higher being or deity.

Who is this deity? Who is this higher being?

Throughout my life, I have heard many definitions and attributes of God. I'll list a few.

1. God is a spirit, everywhere to found. He can enter into anyone and anything
2. God is a mean God. He makes us suffer and allows bad things to happen.
3. God is a changing God. He is dictated by the words and actions of man.
4. God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All are one.
5. God doesn't exist. Logically and scientifically it can't make sense.

For someone seeking to know God, it is challenge! So where do we turn? Where can we find truth? Who can tell us who God truly is? What are ways we can come to know God?

Thanks to the restored gospel, all of these questions can be answered. God is our Father in Heaven and we are his children (Romans 8:16).He is the supreme creator of all things. He is a man and we are created in his own image (Genesis 1:27). He has a perfect body of flesh and bone (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). He is a God of Love (1 John 4:7-8). The trials we each go through are for our own experience and good (Doctrine and Covenants 122:5-7). The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are 3 different beings (Matt. 3:13-17) God sent his Son, Jesus Christ to atone for the sins of the world (John 3:16). God's purpose and glory is to see each of us return back to Him (Moses 1:39). He is the author of the plan of salvation. We can come to know him by prayer and reading the scriptures.The Holy Spirit will tell you all truth and bear witness of God (John 14:7,26)

I know that God lives. Without a doubt. I invite others to come to know Him as well.

Letting Go.

MY PRECIOUS!!

 I love Lord of the Rings, probably my favorite trilogy of all time. One of the most best characters (and weirdest) in the series was Smeagol/Gollum. Once an innocent hobbit, he fell upon the one evil ring. With his one friend, the two got into a fight. The end result was Smeagol murdering his fellow hobbit in cold blood.





He ran away.. tormented by the ring. Later he formed an alternate personality and his name would be Gollum. Sadly, Gollum was a huge downer. He would always remind Smeagol of his awful crime and say he can never go back to who he was. With the help of Frodo, Smeagol did conquer Gollum for a bit. But later unfortunately, he came back and finally convince Smeagol to give up and get the ring back.

Eventually Smeagol gets the ring back.. but then slips and falls into some magma.


Smeagol's story is a tragic one. His life is an example of a reoccurring theme in each of our lives. We all maybe have a Gollum inside of us. And he reminds us of our guilt, shame, and the past. He tells us that we can never be forgiven for the mistakes we have committed.

Whether this is ourselves telling all of these things, essentially it's Satan. The Father of all lies will do everything to bring us down. We are God's children, His work and glory. The adversary will do all he can to bring us down to his level of misery.

But God loves us. And he provided a way to escape Satan's hold on us. Of course His way is through His Son,  Jesus Christ. In the Book of Mormon another testament of Jesus Christ, Alma describes how he suffered for not only our sins, but our pains, afflictions, sorrow and guilt (Alma 7:11). Christ knows all that we went through and will continue to go through in our lives. The Atonement is infinite and continuous for each of us. How do we do it? First have faith in our Father in Heaven. Pray to him, ask for strength and maybe even for forgiveness. Poor your heart and confess everything to Him. Next, have faith in Jesus Christ. Have faith that his grace and mercy will heal you in time. He is the only one who knows your suffering. And most importantly repent. Only through repentance can we receive the blessings of a guilt free conscious.

It won't be easy. Letting go of the past is difficult. But I promise through repentance, having faith in Christ we can be forgiven and move forward. After that has been said and done, we then can look in the mirror and forgive ourselves. And see we are a changed person, ready to face life's challenges once again. This time, stronger.

Redemption

Redemption.
  
  Right now I'm serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. But before my life as a missionary, one of my favorite hobbies was to read comic books. Growing up, I still remember watching Saturday morning cartoons with my dad. As I grew older, I lost in touch with my super hero side. But one day while in a Border's book store, I stumbled upon the comic section. It has been many years, and I thought comic books were no longer needed. However, I bought a novel and took a read later that day. Evidently I was hooked, reading of stories of people who did miraculous things. Yet, thanks to the great authors and story tellers, the characters didn't seem to "super" after all. All suffered from everyday set-backs and problems. They were human. 
  

  One of my favorite super heroes that I was reading every week was Captain America. Being revised by a new author, the stories got me hooked! In this series, one character was brought back, his old side kick, Bucky Barnes. Only being 16 years old, he was hand chosen to fight along side the living legend himself. With no powers or super capabilities, Bucky  was skilled in hand to hand combat. He grew up on an Army camp, being an orphan. Tough, hardworking and smart, he would always show the GI's who is boss! Along with Captain America, Bucky became a rally figure for the youth in the United States. Together for 4 years, they lead the war against the axis forces. Sadly, things turned to the worst, and Bucky was presumed to be dead, after falling from a plane. 

  Eventually, he was found by the U.S.S.R., brainwashed, and turned into a secretive assassin for the country. With no control over his own mind, he was led to do horrific things, most of the time, murders. To fast forward a little, Bucky was later brought back into reality and became aware of the evil deeds that he has done for decades. It destroyed him on the inside. Guilt, sorrow, pain were evident everyday for him. 


Throughout my mission, I have reflected a lot on the past choices that I have made. And there are a few in which I am not proud of. For a very long time, it troubled me. I did my best to forget and to move forward, but it wasn't enough. Through studying the Gospel, and the life of Jesus Christ, I found a few answers. Answers that helped me personally overcome my guilt and helped me reform who I am. 


1.Prayer. Discuss openly with your Father in Heaven of what may be troubling you. I learned to be humble, and seek His guidance and wisdom. Ask for forgiveness for the things that you have done, with all honesty. After a while, I realized how prayer can bring much comfort. And knowing there is a God who loves me and cares for me brought peace to my heart. 


2.Scriptures. The scriptures are the word of God. More importantly they testify of the Jesus Christ and His mission. Along with the Holy Bible, we have the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ. Through much study, prayers will be answered. And new perspectives will be formed on how we can improve.  


3. Restitution. Maybe the past choices we have made hurt another. We must somehow fix the problem and heal the wounds. Do all that you can! Ask for forgiveness. Yes, it may not turn out the way we want it too. But I promise after you give it your all, you will feel much more at peace.


4. Use the Savior, Jesus Christ. After all that is said and done, through Jesus Christ we can be free from all things. Jesus is also known as our Redeemer. He took upon him the sins of all. But not only sins, but also our pains, guilt, sorrow, sickness, and trials. Through His grace and mercy, we can be transformed. Exercising Faith and Repentance in the Savior, we will feel the forgiveness in our hearts.


5. God will forgive. After doing all of these, God will forgive. If we hurt another person and they didn't forgive you.. that's alright. Pray for them, love them, and they will. 


  Bucky was given a second chance. He later became the new Captain America and fought for the good of all. Like Bucky, we can all get second chances. We will. It is my testimony through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we may learn from our mistakes and move forward. Start this day to let go of the guilt and be free.


 We may not be able to change the past, but with Jesus Christ, we can give the future a chance. 

"Greater love hath no man than this.."

   I love comic books. With great artwork and awesome heroes... it's never a boring read. Of course one of my personal favorites is the Ultimate Spider Man series. Peter Parker, a nerdy teenager growing up in New York City, succumbs to a spider bite that transforms him to super human capabilities. Receiving these powers, he later recognizes the responsibility that comes with it. 

  Taking the entire city under his wing, he fights against the rising crime. And in some cases.. a few crazy characters. Peter than sees the sacrifices that a hero must go through in order to maintain the peace. Long hours of the night fighting against criminals, Peter can barely focus during school. Being a masked vigilante, he must protect his identity, even from loved ones such as his aunt and uncle. And if the villains ever found out who he was, then all who he loves will be placed in danger. He must sacrifice his relationships with others, since this is one of his greatest fears. And of course, he is always putting his life on the line for others.

    With all of the pressures of such responsibility, what can a kid do? Spider Man is known for his sarcastic humor and positive outlook on all situations. This is why he is one of my favorite heroes. Despite facing a really hard situation, he will crack jokes and often mock his foes. In the end, Peter realizes what he is doing is good. He knows his sacrifices are never in vain as long as the people are safe. At times, he does face sorrow and despair, such as the losses of loved ones. 

  Eventually, Peter made the ultimate sacrifice. Seeing Captain America in the line of a sniper, Peter quickly took action and pushed the legendary hero away from the shot. Captain America was safe, yet young Peter was not and could not recover. The young hero who fought valiantly for others was gone. 

   I often wonder of the great sacrifices Peter had to go through. Yes, he isn't real.. but doesn't mean people today aren't doing the same. Everyday, there is someone in the world putting their life on the line.. or a parent working long hours everyday to put food on the table. Or a student staying up late into the night, so one day he/she can provide for themselves and their future families. In the Bible, in the book of John 15:13.."Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. "  Yes, many of us may not have to sacrifice our lives for others, yet we can still do a lot! Bearing the burdens of loved ones, serving people at all costs, and sacrificing our time for the benefits of others.  

  The perfect example of sacrifice of course is our Savior, Jesus Christ. Taking upon him the sins of the world, of our sorrows, pains, trails, and afflictions... Jesus Christ sacrificed his life so that all of us can return to our Father in Heaven. I hope that we may put ourselves aside for the benefit of others. 

  For those who think their sacrifices go unnoticed, remember that you have a Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, who love you and see all that you do.

Standing Firm

Standing Firm

   The American Bison is one of  the United States' favorite symbol. The animal appears on many mascot teams and even the Wyoming state flag. The Bison can reach great size, almost 6 ft on the top of the hump and males can top over 2,000 pounds!
  

  So far, I have learned interesting facts about the buffalo. One in particular stands out to me the most. During harsh blizzards or snow storms, the buffalo in fact stands it's ground. And turns out, faces the wind and endures the heavy storm. Most of the fur is in the front of the animal, so it makes sense why the buffalo would face the storm. This behavior left me puzzled. Most animals attempt to seek shelter and hide. Others try to run away. But not the bison. They stand firm and face the turmoil that nature has sent towards their way.
 

As I think about my people overall, do we also stand and face storms? It may not be literal storms but maybe perhaps our trials. Our afflictions. Do we persevere or simply flee away? Do we have enough faith to stand firm and have a hope that it will someday pass?

One of the most iconic Native American leaders in all of history was Sitting Bull. His name reflects on the also the behavior of the bull bison. Standing strong in opposition. He took his name to heart, resisting the US Army and the idea of Reservations. Independent and bold, he believed strongly in the Sioux way of life. He rejected any American interference with the Native way. What a great example of standing firm in faith, tradition, and what he believed to be right.

  I often wonder how such men or beasts are able to do this on their own. But you always have to remember that you are never alone in the fight against trails, afflictions are temptations. Heavenly Father has given us the many tools to overcome the many everyday challanges of life. We can pray for strength and comfort. We can read and ponder the scriptures. We also can use the Savior, Jesus Christ, who has felt everything we have been through. And let him guide us through and pull out of the storm. He is the Shephard and we are the sheep.

As it states it Alma, may we stand firm in our faith..., "Now this was a great trial to those that did stand fast in the faith; nevertheless, they were steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God, and they bore with patience the persecution which was heaped upon them." Alma 1:25

Alma the younger then testifies of our Father in Heaven who cares and loves us..," And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me." Alma 36:27

 Like the Buffalo and Sitting Bull, may we face our trials head on. The Lord reminds us why we have trials... 

"... know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee ^eexperience, and shall be for thy good." Doctrine and Covenants 122:7

I know that trials are a blessing and that they give us the experience we need for us to become better. For us to become stronger and more faithful. And during these trials, we learn of Heavenly Father and our Savior's love for us.

Step of Faith

 
        The Apostle Peter loved the savior Jesus Christ. Throughout the scriptures he showed his love and faith to Him. One such example shows Peter's willingness and strong faith to follow the Savior.

       After a strong storm, a few of the Apostles struggle to get a shore during the night. The long and strenuous task left the ship to only travel 4 miles throughout the night. Jesus Christ knew of their distress and went out to assist the troubled Apostles. Here one of the great miracles took place in all of the scriptures. Looking up, the disciples saw a figure walking towards them on the sea. In their minds they were scared and troubled. They thought it was a spirit and cried out in fear. While the Savior was walking towards him he said, "...Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid" (Matt. 14:27) When Peter recognized Him, he was full of joy! He cried out, "..Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water" (Matt. 14:28) With his faith, Peter stepped towards the water and started to walk also on the sea. Suddenly the waves and wind became stronger. Peter's faith and confidence faltered and he began to sink into the water. Becoming fearful he cried out with agony and said, "..Lord save me!" Jesus Christ reached out his hand and simply said, " .. O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?".

      

        I always marvelled at this event. Peter's faith in the Savior proved to be very strong. And yet, when the waters became rough, he fell. I wonder if I would sink into the sea. Would I have enough faith to walk on the water as well? Would I also sink.. or keep walking? Would I even take that step of faith and even try!?

     Faith is a hope of things which are not seen but are true. To have faith is to have confidence in something or someone. Faith is not just believing but a principle of action. As stated in James, faith without works is dead (James:17-18). As I reflect on my own life, I think about me preparing to serve a mission. Giving up my job, schooling, and the people I care for is scary. I thought about if I have enough faith to do it. If I had faith in the Savior... and a hope of the blessings that he promised.

    Now reflecting again on Peter and his experience.. I realized something. There will be trouble waters in our lives. And we will fall many times and start to sink. Yet Jesus Christ will always be there with a hand to reach out. Simply, faith is a gift, given to us by our Heavenly Father. As we show our diligence to follow Christ, all will be well.

   Remember the kind words spoken to the Apostles, "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid".

 

Remember Who you are.

                       I remember going to my neighbor's house so many times, perhaps a few times a week. Over the years I have grown close to the family and they have taken me in into their home. As my friends and I would go out, the mother would always say "Remember who you are!".


                      
                       I often wondered about that statement time and time again. Who am I? Was she talking about my personality, or about what my parents have taught me? Or maybe it was something a little bit more. Many people now a days have lost a sense of identity. Others may feel lost or don't know where they come from. I remember growing up often looking into an eternal perspective. Did God really know me by name? Did he hear my prayers? Did he create me? Does he look like me? And of course, "Does God truly love me?".


                     I now know my answers. I know we have a Father in Heaven who loves us and knows us by name. He knows our troubles, sorrows, and pains. Yet he wants us to have true and lasting happiness. He has created us in his on image as his spirit children. We are all his sons and daughters. He answers our prayers, on his own time. But he does answer. Knowing these truths has brought me great comfort and peace throughout my life. So remember who you are. A child of God.
  
                 
                   I would like to conclude with a quote from an Apostle from the Church Of Jesus Christ Of  Latter-day Saints. "God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season—He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become. He wants you to know that you matter to Him." President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
October 2011 General Conference "You Matter to him"