A witness more convincing than sight!

     So we hear about the Holy Ghost a lot in our lives right? He is something we cannot see however we can feel of his love when he testifies of truth. I often find myself getting that feeling in my heart when I know I am doing something righteous, something that I know would please my Savior and my Heavenly Father. He also gives me that feeling when I have questions about things.  In the Doctrine and Covenants, we hear about Heavnly Father answering our questions throught the Holy Ghost.

"But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right."

- Doctrine and Covenants 9:8

     That is what we ask people to do as missionaries, to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it, and let God tell you if it is true or not, through the power of the Holy Ghost. We would never ask anyone to take our word for it, we want them to know for themselves. However, for some reason people in the world today do not think they can trust their feelings or trust their heart, but rather the only thing they can trust is hard evidence that they can see in front of their face.

      We recently had a meeting with all the missionaries and our mission president and this very question arose. How can a witness from the spirit be stronger or more convincing than something we can see or hold in our hands? The answer he gave made it all too clear for me.

     Imagine this. Your about to do some branding, and you have your branding iron just come out of the flames. You are standing there looking at it... What does it look like? Probably really red correct? Looks pretty hot and the knowledge that we have which tells us metal conducts heat really well is another clue that it is really hot.

     Now imagine this. Instead of standing there looking at the red iron, you are blind folded while someone else is holding the iron. All of the sudden that person presses the tool into your chest. Now you can't see it, but what is a stronger witness that the iron is hot, when you can see? Or when you can feel it? Now, the witness of the Holy Ghost is not as hot as a branding iron don't worry! But the concept is the same! We know these things to be true even when we haven't seen them, because of the things we have felt in our hearts! I know my Heavenly Father would not lie to me! And we are all entitled to this feeling. Our Heavenly Father wants us to ask questions and find out for ourselves if things are true. I promise he will do that for you!

Follow the Leader!

     Have you ever noticed that all great sports teams have something in common? Take the past dynasty's in recent years. The Indianapolis Colts, or the Chicago Bulls back in the 90's. Why were they so successful? Its been my experience in sports and just in life really, is that people have the most success in what they do, when they have a great leader to rally behind to accomplish their goal.

A great leader is someone who makes everyone else better. He understands that you are only as good as your weakest player or weakest aspect of your team. They constantly set the example for others to follow, and has a determination that is not matched by anyone.

     The Colts have been lead by Quarterback Peyton Manning for over a decade now and have been one of the most successful franchizes since then. Most people will attribute it to Manning's leadership skills that he brought to the program. He is great leader who makes his entire team better. He brings them up to his level, leaving none behind.

     Michael Jordan may be the best example of this. Winning 6 NBA championships, and not playing with a group of guys who were known for being all stars. But because of Jordan, the level of play was raised as they rallied around him. He was that mediating factor between the Bulls just being ok and achieving greatness, and he did it for his whole entire team, leaving none behind.

     How do we liken this to ourselves personally?  Who is my leader that I rally behind, that I follow his example, and I let him make me better day in and day out? Who do I let be the mediator to take me from being good, to great? Well of course that would have to be Jesus Christ! He is the mediator for all of us! Without him we can only do so much on our own, without him, we will never achieve our goal. Without him, we can never live with our Heavenly Father again.
Its become apparent to me that my only shot is to rally around my Savior, and do all the he asks, and follow his example. Ill leave you with one of my Favorite scriptures that I am dedicating to always apply to my life.

Joshua 24 :15 ".... as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD"

Life is all about how we handle Plan B!

     It has been my experience, since being on my mission, that things are not always going to go your way. In fact, it feels like things rarely ever go the way we would have them go, in our perfect world. We always seem to need a Plan B. I came across a quote the other day that I think sums up how life is in a nut shell.

"Life is All About How you Handle Plan B
Plan A is always my first choice.
You know, the one where
Everything works out to be
Happily ever-after.
But more often than not,
I find myself dealing with
The upside-down, inside-out version --
Where nothing goes as it should.
It's at this point that the real
Test of my character comes in..
Do I sink, or do I swim?
Do I wallow in self pity and play the victim,
Or simply shift gears
And make the best of the situation?
The choice is all mine...
Life is all about how you handle Plan B."
— Suzy Toronto



     In my opinion, she hit the nail on the head, that it does test our character when we have a change in plans. It really says a lot about who we are when we can just take it in stride, and keep a positive attitude. Because attitude really does make all of the difference. We as human beings, tend to forget that so much of our happiness depends on us.

"Happiness is an attitude.  We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong.  The amount of work is the same." 
-Francesca Reigler

      I think we all can agree however, that it is much easier said then done. While we all would love to constantly have a good attitude about life, it gets difficult without something to hold on to or a little motivation behind us.
     For me in my life and through the course of my mission I have come to realize the reason we always read our scriptures and pray everyday, as well as go to church every sunday, is to invite the spirit into our lives. When we have the spirit in our life, we are happier, and have that motivation to keep a good attitude. We find that strength to press forward in the work of the Lord, with a smile on our face and joy in our hearts.

     I promise that as we all do the little things, our attitudes will be positive and we will be able to deal with the woes of life, especially when plan A falls through, and plan B is placed before us.

    

My Testimony

     I haven't been too sure what to put in my blog lately, because there are so many things I think that everyone should know. Things that give us hope, and things that bring us true happiness. Then it hit me that all these things are a part of my testimony, so I decided I would post parts of my testimony, that hopefully will be a resource for some to draw strenght from.

     I KNOW that this church is true. I know with all my heart that the same Church and Gopsell has been restored to the Earth that Jesus Christ himself set up when he was here. I know that the Priesthood, the authority to act in God's name, was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know he truly was a prophet of God, called to bring back those priesthood keys that were lost, those keys that are crucial to our salvation.


    I know that families can be together forever. If I live worthily and keep the commandments God has set for us, I will have the opportunity to be with my family for eternity. Families are so important. God organized us into families so that we can support and love each other through the trials of life.
    I know my Savior lives. I know the atonement is real. I have felt the power of it in my own life, and I know we can be forgiven of our sins if we take the necessary steps of repentance.  I know that He sufferred the pains and sins of the world because he loves us, and me individually. When I am going through a hard time in my life, I can draw strength from his atonement, and know he is there bearing me up. I am so thankful for how the Gospel blesses my life and how it will bless me in the life to come. I say these things in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

We are not alone, God has called a prophet to lead and guide us!

     In my personal study this morning, I had the opportunity to study the account of when Nephi is commanded with his brothers to go and retrieve the plates from Laban. The plates were so important because they recorded geneaology as well as words which were spoken by prophets at the time. The verse thaty stuck out to me the most in my study this morning comes from 1 Nephi 3:20

"And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since the world began, even down unto this present time."

This scripture has so much truth to it! There is another scripture that I think if we apply both of them to today, it makes everything so clear!

This is Nephi, talking about the Lord:

"For he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him."

     These two scriptures give me so much peace and comfort! Since we know that God is the same forever, we know that he calls prophets today just as he did throughout the bible and Book of Mormon. And since we know that the prophets that have been called by God, speak by the power of the Holy Ghost and testify of truth, we have reason to rejoice! We have a prophet on the Earth today, Thomas S. Monson, who leads us and guides us, to know what our Lord would have us do! I am so grateful that we are not left alone, but that God has called someone to be his mouth piece and help us obtain our salvation!

     I know this church is true, I know Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God called to lead us and guide us today. I know that Jesus is my Savior and that through him and his grace I can return to live with my Heavenly Father. I say these things in that sacred name, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Mormons don't EARN Heaven, We LEARN Heaven

     Last night, I had the opportunity to attend a fireside in which Brad Wilcox was speaking. He is a proffesor at BYU and a great motivational speaker. In his talk, he mentioned something that I found very interesting.
     He mentioned how many of his friends of a different faith say that Mormons try and earn their way to Heaven. His reply to that is always the same. "We do not EARN Heaven, but rather, we LEARN Heaven." Which is so true! It is said in the scriptures that no unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of Heaven. Brad Wilcox pointed out that no unclean thing will WANT to enter into the kingdom of Heaven. They will not feel comfortable and realize they do not belong. This is a perfect explanation of why Mormons live the way we do. We are living our lives in a way that will make us feel comfortable in Heaven. Brother Wilcox referred to it as "practicing". This life is a probationary and practice period for the life to come!



     It is so true. If we do not live good clean lives, and do our best to repent for the sins we know that we do commit, we will not even have a desire to reside in Heaven because we will feel uncomfortable and unclean. We are not earning it, but trying to learn how to live so that we can feel comfortbale.
     I testify that we enter into the kingdom of Heaven only by the grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ, after all that we can do. I love my Savior with all my heart, and am so thankful for this Gospel and the Book of Mormon. For the comfort and peace it gives to me in my life, and the comfort and peace it can give to anyones life, as long as they have a soft heart. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Consider on the Blessed and Happy State

     There are many who do not like or agree with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are those who will call us foolish for the standards we keep, and how we abstain from many of the things in the world. They will ask why we deny ourselves those certain pleasures and not just be happy. Well over the course of my mission I have really seen the difference between pleasures of the world and true eternal happiness. As a representative of Jesus Christ, I will testify that those worldy things WILL NOT bring you true happiness. The only thing that brings us the satisfaction we are all looking for, is keeping the commandments of God. When we keep the Word of Wisdom ( abstain from alchohol, tobacco, drugs, tea and coffee ) as well as the Law of Chastity ( no sexual relations outside the bounds of marriage ) there is where we find the true happiness. Going to church and partaking of the Sacrament is where we find the true happiness. And of course, in the sacred unit of family is where we find the true happiness.

I would like to quote one of my favorite scriptures in the entire Book of Mormon, that gives great advice to anyone having a hard time keeping the commandments of God.

"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."

- Mosiah 2:41

     As a true representative of the Lord, Jesus Christ, I testify that he lives. I testify that the only way back to our Father in Heaven is through him and him alone. I testify that those cammandments that have been given to us are not restrictions, but rather freedoms. They are to keep us safe and free from the bonds of sin. They are how we will return to Him. I know this Gospel is true, and am so grateful for the blessings I have in my life because of it. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World.

      I have been thinking a lot about what it means to be a missionary. Why is it so important for us to go around sharing our message? Clearly, it is because Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. We are nothing without him and we would have nothing without him. For some reason, the world has this idea that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints ( or Mormons ) are not christians. As I was scrolling through the Mormon.org website today I came across this excellent explanation as to who Jesus Christ really is.
   "But what do we mean when we say He is the Savior of the world? The Redeemer? Each of these titles point to the truth that Jesus Christ is the only way by which we can return to live with our Heavenly Father. Jesus suffered and was crucified for the sins of the world, giving each of God’s children the gift of repentance and forgiveness. Only by His mercy and grace can anyone be saved. His subsequent resurrection prepared the way for every person to overcome physical death as well. These events are called the Atonement. In short, Jesus Christ saves us from sin and death. For that, he is very literally our Savior and Redeemer. In the future Jesus Christ will return to reign on earth in peace for a thousand years. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and He will be our Lord forever."
- Mormon.org

     I would just like to add my testimony to this wonderful explanation. I know my Savior Jesus Christ lives. I know that through him, we all can be saved. I know that when I apply the atonement to my life, my sins can be washed away, which in turn gives me a greater quality of life. I know that he loves me, and that he loves everyone. He is my Lord and Redeemer, as well as my closest friend. When I am discouraged, I can find strength from him. I love him with all of my heart. I say these things in that sacred name, Jesus Christ, Amen.