Joining the Conversation.

I will admit that I hesitated in joining the blogging community. Not that I have anything against technology. Quite the opposite, in fact, anyone who knows me knows that I love almost anything that has to do with computers. I thought it was amazing that I could log onto a myriad of my friends and family members' blogs and stay in touch with them so easily. I guess my hang-up was the fact that everyone's blog primarily focuses on writing about their beautiful children, and since I have not been blessed with children at this time in my life, I felt I had nothing much to write about.

It wasn't until I received this month's church Ensign that I finally decided that blogging could be more valuable than I might ever realize. The cover article written by Elder M. Russell Ballard entitled, Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet, reminded me that I cannot just sit by and hope that my good example will be enough to further the work of the Lord, but that I must join the global conversation about the Church of Jesus Christ.
I will be the first to tell you that moving from Orem, Utah to just north of San Francisco has been a bit of a shock. The area is beautiful! There is so much diversity and a thousand wonderful things to see and do. It is also an area of the country with very liberal political views that don't often align with the teachings of the gospel. Right now, for example, all the the Stake Presidents in the state are pushing hard for members to support causes that will reverse the right for same-sex marriage. Some going as far as challenging their members to donate $500 per family to the coalition of christian churches that are opposing this decision.
Being a member of the church at this time in this place has forced me to really see the division between good and evil. I share with you my testimony that knowing who I am and what I stand for impacts my life everyday. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored and more importantly, when I walk among my brothers and sisters here in the Bay Area of California or blog on the internet I know how much their father in heaven loves them and how much he needs me to let them know that.