Moments

I just likes the feeling I had watching this video and thought that maybe another person out there might enjoy it. The little girl on the swing made me smile. Just take a moment and watch this video and see how you feel. There is a good message in it- Don't let the moments pass you by, especially when it comes to doing what matters most.

When I was growing up one thing that I remember from my childhood was going to the grocery store with my mom. It is quite a task to take a child to store and especially where there is food and even worse when there is candy. Every time without fail I would ask for some candy bar or chips or just something that I wanted, Well without fail the reply I would receive from my mom was not today. At the beginning I would think that there was hope in this statement thinking that next time I would ask I might just get what I wanted. Trip after trip to the grocery store would soon prove that not today meant never. As a young kid I never understood the budget was tight and we had to get the needs not the wants but my little heart would break knowing I wasn't going to get the candy. The Parallel is that our Father in Heaven asks us to choose Him everyday. He knows we are busy with things that we label as a priority, but unlike me as a young kid with the candy, He knows that it is for our good. It seems as though we, like my mother at the store, give the reply not today. The danger is that this becomes our reply daily and we get in the habit of thinking we are doing whats right when really He who provides true happiness is left out of our lives. Still our Father is there and day after day He offers us the choice, knowing that it will lead to our eternal happiness. As the scriptures often say, "His hand is stretched out still". The question is today who will I choose?

Recognize the Source

Heman is sweet. Let's just start off with that well known fact. This childhood hero of so many kids including all my brothers was unstoppable. I mean Heman was the most powerful man in the universe. He could take on anyone and pretty much do anything. It really doesn't get better than Heman. Here is the cool thing about this man, he recognized the source. It was all by the power of greyskull. Without that power Heman was not the most powerful man in the universe, nor could he take on anyone, but by the power of greyskull there was no match for Heman. Lately things have been going pretty good for me. I am being blessed like crazy. I am by no means the most powerful man in the universe but yet I feel like I can do things that before I would not have had the ability to do. I am sure others have felt an extra boost in their lives at times. Here is the danger I face; I don't want to get to thinking that it's me. Just like Heman with the power of greyskull there is a power and a source not of my own. I know that the source of this success and the source of this ability is from the Lord. I have found that when I have my relationship with God where it is pleasing to Him then it seems as though I get this boost. I have of course learned this by sad experience. There were times I got prideful and took the credit. I have had times when I thought it was me. I know a little better now and I am grateful I do. It truly is all God. Whenever we have blessings in our lives we have to make sure we give credit to the Lord. All credit needs to go to the source. I love the lessons you can learn from Heman. Its awesome. So learn with me what Heman is teaching- That, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)  or "by the power of greyskull!" Whats even better yet is that when we recognize the source we get more power or the ability to do things that before we couldn't or thought we couldn't. It's the best thing ever people and we learn from the scriptures and even Heman.

Makes me feel so Good!

Last night the greatest thing happened. I witnessed something that is easily called a miracle. It is what a Book of Mormon prophet called "a mighty change of heart". When someone comes to have this change and they see that God loves them and they are able to recognize truth I get the greatest feeling ever. I feel like jumping up and clicking my heels. I know that these changes can only come from God through His Spirit. The happiness that we are intended to have in this life is unreel. I cannot even come close to imagine how it will be like in Heaven. The gospel is great. It really is the Good news and when someone does what the Good news says they get the Good feelings and when we keep getting those Good feelings and following them we get the Good reward and we are told, "Well done, thou Good and faithful servant....enter thou into the joy of thy lord."(Matt25:21) And that is what it is all about. Its that simple really; just choose the good stuff, the really good stuff. Don't take the sand paper when you have 3 ply toilet paper right there! It says in Moroni 7:13, "But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do Good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do Good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God." Isn't that great we just go for what is Good and by doing that God then blesses us and those around us and more Good comes into our lives to the point where you are sure you can't possibly get anymore blessings and then God pours down even more; and it makes me feel so GOOD!

Not the Chocolate?

Growing up I always looked forward to Easter. I will admit I liked the chocolate. I looked forward to opening up the door and seeing a basked with candy that was put there by a bunny. Then coming to an understanding of what Easter is actually about I have to laugh a little and ask how in the world did this turn into a bunny and chocolate? The real reason is that my Savior's sacrifice was complete. He finished what His Father sent him to do. He died and was raised from the dead. He is alive! I refer to Him as my Savior because, even though what He did was for all, it means everything to me and it is me as an individual that uses this sacrifice to help me in my life. When I first listened to this song I had a feeling of peace come over me and a stronger assurance that what Christ did was real and done out of love. Enjoy this song and little video and keep in mind that there is something more to Easter Sunday than the chocolate. Something even sweeter.

The Empty Tomb

The time is coming when the Christian world will get to turn their thoughts towards our Savior who is not dead but is risen. I am grateful for the empty tomb that lets us know that there is hope. For death is swallowed up in Christ, the scriptures teach, and we all partake of that great blessing. This time of year lets not get caught up in all the distractions around us; but rather let us glory in the Resurrection. It has been said, "It is the office of a true teacher to show us that God is, not was, that He speaketh, not spake." And so it is today among those that the risen Lord Jesus Christ has called to be apostles. This video shows a few of their testimonies.

To learn more visit http://www.mormon.org/

The Buddy System

As someone who loves nature and the handiwork of God I am big into scuba diving. I have had many cool experiences. I have been to some serious depths and even had a close encounter with a shark. Times like that get the heart racing. There are many dangers to this hobby that require one to use wisdom and always put safety first. When one puts safety first and dangers come we are prepared and then as the scriptures say we "shall not fear".  One of the biggest safety steps in scuba diving is the buddy system. This is huge. For me it was great learning to scuba dive with my dad or Pops as I call him. He was a good buddy. The role of the buddy is to check all equipment before a dive and to be there for the other person all the way through the dive. If there is a problem in the equipment that I overlooked Pops was there to help me before it got serious. Many dangers to diving don't pose a threat until we are in the water. If for some reason we run out of air our buddy has a spare regulator for us to use to help us survive and safely make it to the surface. Luckily problems like that are not ones that I have faced but I do know that because of Pops I have a buddy that is there and prepared to help me out. Knowing this the dive is more enjoyable and I can safely focus on the beautiful surroundings. There is nothing like it that compares to the beauty of our blue planet.

This principle of the buddy system is one that is found outside of scuba diving as well. In life we have the opportunity to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost after baptism by the proper authority. This gift entitles us to have whenever we are worthy the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, or the Spirit as it is sometimes referred to. This is a spiritual safety system. The Holy Ghost is our spiritual buddy. The Holy Ghost can help us out when Satan comes along to distract us from our purpose and cut us off from the our spiritual life source comparable to a scuba diver being cut off from his air supply. Just like a good buddy the spirit is there to take care of us in these matters. It is the Spirit that brings us safely back to God as it does only the things that God wants done. In the New Testament in St. John we read the words of Christ which says," And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever" This comforter is the Holy Ghost. One of his roles is to give us comfort as we are worthy. Though there are dangers in this life we can be comforted knowing the Spirit, our spiritual buddy is there. Just as I was comforted knowing my dad was there. This comfort and direction that we receive from the Spirit makes life more enjoyable. We can focus and find the happiness in this life that God intends all to have. For "men are that they might have joy". The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness and faith. These fruits that bring spiritual safety are given to us by the Lord through our spiritual buddy and with these fruits we experience this life having joy and happiness. There is nothing that is even close to comparing to the hope and joy we receive through this buddy.

Hope for the Hopeless

Just a great message of hope. We all need a little boost every now and again to help us get out of ruts that we find ourselves in. There are times when we stray from the course that we know we should be on, or times when we feel alone and that everyone around us has left us. There are times when we have a close friend or family member die, or when we have been overcome with an addiction. The best thing is that there is a hope that is always there. The good shepherd Jesus Christ is waiting to provide that hope. As it says in the scriptures "His hand is stretched out still" and "He sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them". No matter what we have done or where we are there is hope that through Jesus Christ we can end up back into His loving arms and arrive with the faithful into the arms of God the Father. I am so grateful for my Father in Heaven who sent His son to suffer and die for me that I may have this hope and that all may experience it for themselves.



To learn more visit http://www.mormon.org/

God Lives!

There are certain verses of scripture that seem to stick to us for one reason or another. A phrase that has stuck with me almost since the first time I read it was "all things denote there is a God" it continues by saying that the earth and everything on it as well as all the planets "do witness that there is a Supreme Creator." I have loved nature. It is a testimony to me that truly God lives. This is His handiwork. This is not a product of random chance. I enjoy taking time and thinking of things that help me see that God is indeed real. I encourage all to do the same. Whether its the beauty of this world or some other blessing in your life find the things that personally help you know that God lives.

To learn more go to http://www.mormon.org/

The Power of Choice

There has been something on my heart lately that I feel I need to share. It is something that is simple and yet it is something that is not understood by many. It is what we refer to as agency. Agency is a gift from God that allows us to choose for ourselves in all things. By this gift we can choose who we will become. It goes so far that we can choose where we end up when all is said and done. God's gift of agency is a perfect example of His love for each of us. We can all make choices that will bring us closer to our Father in Heaven and we can even make the choices that will bring about endless happiness in the presence of God. I am so grateful for this wonderful gift. There are those out there who find it hard sometimes to accept, especially when we find that all around us is negativity and nightmares becoming reality. Indeed as I have mentioned before in my blog bad things happen to good people, but it is also true that what we seek for we shall find.

 

The prophet Lehi taught, "Wherefore, men are ^afree according to the ^bflesh; and ^call things are ^dgiven them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to ^echoose ^fliberty and eternal ^glife, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be ^hmiserable like unto himself." From this I know that in the end where I am is where I chose to go, and who I am is who I chose to be. The power of choice when truly understood will change the very way we make decisions. I love this gift called agency and I love my Heavenly Father for allowing all people everywhere to choose for themselves what will be.

 

To learn more go to http://www.mormon.org/

Even in the Hard Times

The question often asked inside of our minds is why does God allow this to happen to me? Why doesn't God take this away from me? Often times we ask ourselves these questions when we have lost a loved one or when we see all the trouble and natural disasters going on in the world. Indeed these times are difficult for anyone to go through and my sympathy and heart goes out to them, but there is a hope that shines through even in these times. God loves all of His children. That is a doctrine we learn from both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I know for myself that it is true and yet bad things happen to good people. I have tried to live a life that is one of which God can be pleased with and yet there are difficult times that make me ask myself questions. Earlier on I would find myself asking questions like those listed above. Now, having felt God's love and knowing that He seeks to bless my life and all of His children's lives I ask myself how this helps me draw closer to God? An example is Joseph as in Joseph of Egypt. Joseph was sold by his brothers and became a slave and was even imprisoned for a good part of his life. This could have easily justified anger and thoughts of why me? Why do you do this God? But Joseph never had that perspective. He learned from the situations he was put it. He excelled and become a leader in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. As I or others have had that mentality and try and excel and learn from the situations that happen to us we will be blessed. Maybe no when we want, but when it is needed. We will become closer to God.

As a Book of Mormon prophet observed, that fits well into our situations we face today, "Yea, and we may see at the very ^atime when he doth ^bprosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of ^cprecious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the hearts of their enemies that they should not declare wars against them; yea, and in fine, doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do ^dharden their hearts, and do ^eforget the Lord their God, and do ^ftrample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity.

And thus we see that except the Lord doth ^achasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with ^bdeath and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not ^cremember him."

Look for opportunities to draw closer to God. Look for what we can do to excel in the situations we get put it. Remember God and all His goodness. This is sometimes something we forget to do but how grateful I am for a God who may at times love us enough to help us remember Him.

Super Bowl Winning Mormon

Come on who doesn't love football? Rob Morris is a Superbowl winning football player. He loves the game. Above all that he loves his family and that is what it's all about. Families is one of the greatest blessings God gives us. That is where true happiness is found. Check out this video on Rob. See why families are important to him.

Understanding God and His Love

One of the greatest things I can declare as a full time missionary and representative of the Master is the doctrine of God's love. I have had quiet moments of reflection where I have felt an overwhelming sense of the love God has for me. I know the Bible is true and that God is no respecter of persons. I find that this quick video of an apostle of the Lord helps us all feel of that love that God has for us. For as He says in Jeremiah,"I have loved thee with an everlasting love". And though there are times we turn ourselves away from the Lord we can have hope. There is always a way back to those loving arms. For we know as it says in Isaiah, "His hand is stretched out still".

Going for what matters most.

The other day I received an email from my dad who was encouraging me to keep a journal. He lives by example and has always let me know how happy he is to have moments written down so that they are not forgotten. It made me stop and think about what I have done. I am all about journal writing but I have not been keeping up the way I should. I have let other things get in the way and I am afraid I have let great experiences I have had go by. This idea of letting things get in the way is something that is a constant struggle in this life. We have so many choices to make. How do we know which one is best. I love this clip by President Monson, the Lord's Prophet on the earth today, which sheds light on the subject. It may help you as it has helped me see what matters most and what is most important.

The Book of Mormon

I encourage all to listen to the words of this modern day Apostle. This book brings people closer to the Lord Jesus Christ. It speaks of  miracles and all we need to do to have happiness in this life and in the life to come.