Rejoice in your God!

     This morning during my personal study, I was reading from the book of Alma in the Book of Mormon, and was going over a chapter that I have read multiple times. In it, there never have been any particular versus to stick out to me, until this morning. Here is what stuck out to me.

" 11 But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.

  12  Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."

- Alma 26: 11-12

 

     These two versus hit me really hard today. We need to understand where we stand and where God stands. Everything we have comes from him. All the gifts and talents and parts of our personality come from him. We owe everything we have to him, and need to be so grateful for it. Ammon also does a wonderful job in understanding that without God, we are nothing. If we can remember this, it will be easy for us to stay humble, in always recognizing we are nothing without Him.

     The next thing I noticed and loved in my reading today was how Ammon says he will " REJOICE in my God " This stands out because it shows how thankful and how much love he has for Him. When I think of rejoice, I think of visible happiness. Someone who is not trying to hide their delight, and who wants to share it with others. That is how we need to be about our God and our faith. We need to always be thankful for our blessing, and always willing to share our happiness with others.  I love Jesus Christ and am so thankful for his atoning sacrifice, I am nothing without him. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and how close it has brought me to my Savior!

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

Service

     I've been pondering lately, the true meaning of love. What does it mean to love someone and how do we show it to them? It is really easy at times, to throw around the phrase " I love you " to family and friends, but how can they really know of our love for them. Like I said, after much pondering and searching out the answer, it all comes down to service. We must be willing to serve those that we love. This life is not easy, nor was it meant to be however, we can make it much more bearable if we are willing to help those around us who are in need.

King Benjamin said it best in the second chapter of Mosiah in the Book of Mormon
"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."
- Mosiah 2:17


     Nothing makes our Heavenly Father happier than when we serve and help our fellow man. We are all children of God and he wants all of us to be happy. Since our Father in Heaven cannot be on the Earth with us right now, it is up to us to do the service towards others that he would do if he were here. I testify that when we are helping and serving others, we truly are in the service of our God. I do know that he loves each and every one of us, and I know that the best way to prove my love to others and to my Savior, is by serving and helping others. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Small and Simple Things

     In recent years, I have had trouble understanding the little things of the Gospel, or the importance of those little things. We are always taught that prayer and scripture reading everyday is so important. These are the main little things will affect us so much. They may seem so menial and routine, and growing up I never could understand how those little things could affect my life so dramatically. However since being on a mission, where all the little things have to be apart of our daily lives, I have learned of the joy that the little things will bring into our lives. One of the prophets from the Book of Mormon, Alma, said it best :

"6 Now ye may suppose that this is ^afoolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by ^bsmall and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

7 And the Lord God doth work by ^ameans to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth ^cconfound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls"

-Alma 37: 6-7

These small and simple things are what will lead to our salvation. It is not to say that the big things and big commitments we make are not important, but rather, if we do the small things it will make the big things not so much of a chore. With the small and simple things in our lives everyday, we invite the spirit into our hearts, making us more loving, charitable and overall more Christlike, which to me, should be our overall goal.

I just want to bear my testimony, that I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints ( Mormons ) is true. I know with all my heart Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that through the power of God he was able to bring forth the Book of Mormon. I know that if we read the Book of Mormon everyday, we will come closer to our Savior. I am so grateful for it and know that it changes lives. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Families

     One of the most important aspects to our message as missionaries is the message about families. The true Gospel of Jesus Christ blesses families better than anything else in this life. Through this Gospel and the ordinances within it, we are able to have an eternal family as long as we keep the promises we make.
     I know in my life, my family has been one of the biggest sources of strength for me when I am feeling discouraged or down in the dumps. They have always been there for me, to build me back and show me the love I need to keep moving on. With a family like that, who I love and a family who loves me, wouldn't it make sense for our Heavenly Father ( who loves us more than we can comprehend and just wants us to be happy ) to make it so we can spend eternity with our families? To me, it just seems like common sense. I don't know where I would be without my family, nor would I like to think about where I would be.



     Unfortunately, not everyone feels there family life is where they would like it to be. People are not perfect, and there are situations where family life is not a good memory growing up. If you have been victim of this I am very sorry. However! It is not too late. It is up to you to do what it takes to make sure that when you start your own family, you make it as happy loving as possible. This section from Mormon.org explains the best way to have a great family life.
    
    
"Happiness within our family will most likely be achieved when it’s founded on the teachings of Jesus. That means being unselfish, honest, loyal, loving and a whole host of other virtues, not to mention a lot of effort. A loving and happy family doesn’t happen by accident."
-Mormon.org

I am so grateful for how the Gospel of Jesus Christ has blessed me and my family, and I know it can bless yours in the same way. You just have to let it. I leave this with you 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.