What a privilege it is to live among good people! Our friends and neighbors in our ward and stake are great people and they provide many blessings for us. I'm sure I could not list them all. But here are a few of them.
We are surrounded by a brotherhood of worthy priesthood holders. At any time we can call upon a home teacher or a neighbor to help give a family member a blessing. The priests came to our home every week for a time to bring the sacrament to Shana during her illness.
The system of home teachers and visiting teachers allows for every family to be watched over and provided for by friends who love them and desire to meet their needs. They can notify the Bishop or other leaders when a situation needs more help than the home and visiting teachers can themselves provide.
We have the opportunity to meet often with the saints, to renew our covenants via the sacrament, and to feel the spirit and learn the gospel from one another
The opportunity to be in the ward choir is, for me personally, a chance to worship through music and to feel the spirit. My week is always better if if includes a choir practice or performance.
We have the opportunity to grow through service. Our callings not only help those around us, but also help us to stretch and grow.
We feel the love and concern of our community. It is obvious that they love us. They inquire about the health of family members. They ask about our adult children who no longer live at home. They ask how we are doing, and don't hesitate to help where appropriate.
All of these and more are wonderful blessings that come of living among the saints.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Sunday, March 2, 2014
What Does the Legacy of My Ancestors and the Saints Means to Me
First of all, much of my knowledge of the gospel comes from those who have gone before. Even my personal testimony came as a result of applying the principles taught by my parents and by the prophets through the scriptures.
The choices of the prophets and saints have made these scriptures available. The choices of my parents and other ancestors have put me in a place where the gospel was taught to me from my youth, both by precept and by example. It has taken the efforts of a long line of faithful and worthy ancestors to put me where I am.
Many came to this country at great sacrifice in order to to follow the Lord's ways and gather to the church.
I owe my eternal life to them, if I should succeed in so living as to merit eternal life.
I am unable to express the enormity of what they have done for me and for my family. Their examples give courage and faith, and have caused me to come to love the Lord, just as they did,
The choices of the prophets and saints have made these scriptures available. The choices of my parents and other ancestors have put me in a place where the gospel was taught to me from my youth, both by precept and by example. It has taken the efforts of a long line of faithful and worthy ancestors to put me where I am.
Many came to this country at great sacrifice in order to to follow the Lord's ways and gather to the church.
I owe my eternal life to them, if I should succeed in so living as to merit eternal life.
I am unable to express the enormity of what they have done for me and for my family. Their examples give courage and faith, and have caused me to come to love the Lord, just as they did,
Sunday, February 16, 2014
What does a personal relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus mean to me?
This is hard to write about because it is hard to put into words.
I know that God our Father is literally the Father of my spirit and the Jesus Christ is literally the brother of my spirit. They know me personally by name. They know about my family, my life, and the challenges that I and my family face. They love me in spite of my imperfections. They know me better than I know myself.
So the remaining challenge is, how do I get to know them? This is the task of mortal man - a most serious and important task, since "this is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God". Our eternal life depends upon it!
The only way to truly know our Father and Jesus is to serve them and to make covenants with them. Faith, prayer, scripture study, and church activity all help - especially sincere prayer in which we talk freely to our Father about our lives and our deepest needs and feelings. But true knowledge of them comes only through making and keeping gospel covenants with them. Through baptism, the sacrament, and temple covenants, if kept, we can become more like them and so come to know them better. There is no other way.
I have come to rely on them in my troubles, and I think I know them better now than at any previous time of my mortal life. Each time I learn more about them I become a better man. If I learn to know them completely, I will then be like them - a perfect being.
I know that God our Father is literally the Father of my spirit and the Jesus Christ is literally the brother of my spirit. They know me personally by name. They know about my family, my life, and the challenges that I and my family face. They love me in spite of my imperfections. They know me better than I know myself.
So the remaining challenge is, how do I get to know them? This is the task of mortal man - a most serious and important task, since "this is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God". Our eternal life depends upon it!
The only way to truly know our Father and Jesus is to serve them and to make covenants with them. Faith, prayer, scripture study, and church activity all help - especially sincere prayer in which we talk freely to our Father about our lives and our deepest needs and feelings. But true knowledge of them comes only through making and keeping gospel covenants with them. Through baptism, the sacrament, and temple covenants, if kept, we can become more like them and so come to know them better. There is no other way.
I have come to rely on them in my troubles, and I think I know them better now than at any previous time of my mortal life. Each time I learn more about them I become a better man. If I learn to know them completely, I will then be like them - a perfect being.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
What Faith Means to Me
Faith is the first principle of the gospel. Faith is to believe in things that are true. As such, it is the motivating factor in our lives, and is a principle or source of action. If we did not believe that our actions would have the desired result, we would not make any actions. This it is important to believe in true things. Otherwise, we choose incorrect actions.
True faith can be based only in Jesus Christ and his atonement. There can be no other foundation, because there is no other source of salvation. So we must learn of Christ and his atonement, and get to know Him. As we do this, our faith grows. It also grows stronger through service to God's cause. Therefore, we can strengthen our faith by serving in the church and obeying the Lord's commandments.
Faith is a source of strength, power, and comfort. The more we know we can rely on the Lord, the more we have strength and power to do his will and to face the obstacles of life, and the more we have comfort in our trials.
I testify that faith in Christ has brought great strength and comfort, and has been the source of all that is good in my life.
True faith can be based only in Jesus Christ and his atonement. There can be no other foundation, because there is no other source of salvation. So we must learn of Christ and his atonement, and get to know Him. As we do this, our faith grows. It also grows stronger through service to God's cause. Therefore, we can strengthen our faith by serving in the church and obeying the Lord's commandments.
Faith is a source of strength, power, and comfort. The more we know we can rely on the Lord, the more we have strength and power to do his will and to face the obstacles of life, and the more we have comfort in our trials.
I testify that faith in Christ has brought great strength and comfort, and has been the source of all that is good in my life.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
What Does the Gift of the Holy Ghost Mean to Me?
The Gift of the Holy Ghost is the baptism of the spirit. It gives us the right, as long as we liver worthily, of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.
His role is to be a witness to truth, and a witness of the Father and the Son. Thus, the surest testimony a person can receive is through the influence of the Holy Ghost. A person can see miracles and still not be converted - only the Holy Ghost can do that.
He also serves as a guide, who can be relied upon to direct us right in our choices and actions, and to warn us of error and sometimes of danger.
In order to receive these blessings, we must keep ourselves in tune with the spirit. If we are not worthy, he will not stay with us. We must also obey and follow his promptings if we expect to continue to receive them.
It is by this gift that I know that Jesus is the Christ, the only source of salvation. It is by this gift that I know that Thomas S. Monson is truly the Lord's prophet, and that the church is true.
His role is to be a witness to truth, and a witness of the Father and the Son. Thus, the surest testimony a person can receive is through the influence of the Holy Ghost. A person can see miracles and still not be converted - only the Holy Ghost can do that.
He also serves as a guide, who can be relied upon to direct us right in our choices and actions, and to warn us of error and sometimes of danger.
In order to receive these blessings, we must keep ourselves in tune with the spirit. If we are not worthy, he will not stay with us. We must also obey and follow his promptings if we expect to continue to receive them.
It is by this gift that I know that Jesus is the Christ, the only source of salvation. It is by this gift that I know that Thomas S. Monson is truly the Lord's prophet, and that the church is true.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Thoughts on the Lord's Followers Being a Light to the World, and Saviors of Mnn
Today at church a speaker based his talk around the idea that Christ has asked us to be a light to the world. He started with Mathew 5:14 and also quoted D&C 103:9, which not only says that we are to be a light unto the world, but that we are also to be saviors of men. The emphasis was that Christ is the light of the world, and we are to show his light to all. We are to do as He would do in bringing all who are willing to salvation.
Another scripture quoted in this talk was Luke 4:18, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set a liberty them that are bruised." Here Jesus describes his role on earth.
When we are baptized and make covenants with our Savior, we promise to be his witnesses and his servants. His work should be ours. So...
It should be our goal to share the gospel with love to all who will hear, as He would and did and does. It should be our goal to bring his spirit into people's lives where it can heal the brokenhearted, deliver captives from their captivities of illness, sin, error, and other things that bind men. It should be our goal to help everyone see truth, and set them at liberty through his gospel.
Into my mind, though our speaker did not mention this, came the Lord's statement of his mission and purpose from Moses 1:39, that his work and his glory is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." It came to me that if this is the Lord's goal and the purpose of all that He does, and if I am sincere about being his servant and furthering his cause, then the most important goal that I have should be to do whatever I can to contribute to this goal. My mission statement in life should reflect that my highest goal is to help bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
I, of course, can do nothing compared to Master, and very little compared to many of his authorized servants who are so much more capable than I. But what I can do, I should do; and I can love those around me. I can comfort them when they sorrow, I can bless them through my service. I can testify to them of Jesus and so let the spirit teach them the things of eternal life. These things should be my highest goals. I hope that I can do better at keeping these goals in mind, and acting accordingly.
Another scripture quoted in this talk was Luke 4:18, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set a liberty them that are bruised." Here Jesus describes his role on earth.
When we are baptized and make covenants with our Savior, we promise to be his witnesses and his servants. His work should be ours. So...
It should be our goal to share the gospel with love to all who will hear, as He would and did and does. It should be our goal to bring his spirit into people's lives where it can heal the brokenhearted, deliver captives from their captivities of illness, sin, error, and other things that bind men. It should be our goal to help everyone see truth, and set them at liberty through his gospel.
Into my mind, though our speaker did not mention this, came the Lord's statement of his mission and purpose from Moses 1:39, that his work and his glory is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." It came to me that if this is the Lord's goal and the purpose of all that He does, and if I am sincere about being his servant and furthering his cause, then the most important goal that I have should be to do whatever I can to contribute to this goal. My mission statement in life should reflect that my highest goal is to help bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
I, of course, can do nothing compared to Master, and very little compared to many of his authorized servants who are so much more capable than I. But what I can do, I should do; and I can love those around me. I can comfort them when they sorrow, I can bless them through my service. I can testify to them of Jesus and so let the spirit teach them the things of eternal life. These things should be my highest goals. I hope that I can do better at keeping these goals in mind, and acting accordingly.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
What Baptism Means to Me
Baptism is the gateway ordinance by which one enters the kingdom of God.
We covenant to serve Him and one another, to bear one another's burdens, to obey his commandments, and to remember Him always. In return, He promises that we can have his spirit to be with us.
In the performance of this ordinance, we are immersed in water. This is symbolic of several things, such as being washed clean from our sins, or burial of the old sinful self and resurrection as a new-born child of God.
Jesus said, "Except a man be born of the water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
Once we are baptized and confirmed, we are officially members of the Lord's church, and we have begun the path of ordinances that will lead us back to Him.
Baptism is incomplete if not accompanied by the gift of the Holy Ghost, which will be next week's subject.
What does all of this mean to me? It means that a loving God has provided a way for me to be cleansed of sin, enter his church, and begin on the road home to Him. It means that He has provided authorized agents who hold his priesthood, and who can perform the ordinance of baptism with his full authority and backing.
It is yet another evidence of his love for us.
We covenant to serve Him and one another, to bear one another's burdens, to obey his commandments, and to remember Him always. In return, He promises that we can have his spirit to be with us.
In the performance of this ordinance, we are immersed in water. This is symbolic of several things, such as being washed clean from our sins, or burial of the old sinful self and resurrection as a new-born child of God.
Jesus said, "Except a man be born of the water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
Once we are baptized and confirmed, we are officially members of the Lord's church, and we have begun the path of ordinances that will lead us back to Him.
Baptism is incomplete if not accompanied by the gift of the Holy Ghost, which will be next week's subject.
What does all of this mean to me? It means that a loving God has provided a way for me to be cleansed of sin, enter his church, and begin on the road home to Him. It means that He has provided authorized agents who hold his priesthood, and who can perform the ordinance of baptism with his full authority and backing.
It is yet another evidence of his love for us.
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