Sunday, April 29, 2012

Have Faith : Step into the Darkness

"There are times when we have to step into the darkness in faith, confident that God will place solid ground beneath our feet once we do."

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf


We must show our Faith in God in order to receive His Highest Blessings.


"Now, he who finds the Grail must face 3 challenges.

First, is the path of God: Only the penitent man shall pass.

Second, is the word of God: Only in the footsteps of God, shall he proceed.

Last is the breath of God: Only in a leap from the lion's head shall he prove his worth."
-- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

So what do we do to show Faith?

First : Pray
Second : Read Scriptures
Last : Go to Church


What can you do to be closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ, in your own Life?

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Prepare for Disaster

Let's face it, each of us will have disasters in our life.  What kind of disaster?



 Wind?


 Water?

 
Fire?


 Earth?


 Small Children?


 Some of these might seem pretty scary, but none of them can destroy that which is of most importance.

With each of these Disasters there come a temptation to lose Faith, give up hope, or simply sink into despair.  However we can prepare for this temptation before hand, so that we will not be in despair, give up hope, or lose our Faith.

What is needed for us to be prepared when these temptations come upon us?



Read.


Pray.



  
Go to Church.


It is by doing these small and simple things that the great things are brought to pass.

"You know, brethren, 
that a very large ship 
is benefited very much 
by a very small helm 
in the time of a storm, 
by being kept workways 
with the wind and the waves."


"And now, my sons, remember, remember 
that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, 
who is Christ, the Son of God, 
that ye must build your foundation; 
 that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, 
yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, 
yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, 
it shall have no power over you 
to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, 
because of the rock upon which ye are built, 
which is a sure foundation, 
a foundation whereon 
if men build 
they cannot fall."



 .

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Joseph Smith : Prophet of the Restoration

This is one of my favorite movies.  The Bible speaks of the "restitution of all things."(Acts 3:21)  The Bible also says that there would be a general or great Apostasy, or a "falling away."(2 Thessalonians 2:3)

In Ezekiel 37 The Lord speaks to His Prophet of two books of Scripture, the Stick of Judah and the Stick of Ephraim.  The Stick of Judah is the Bible, because it was written by the Jews.

What then is the Stick of Ephraim?
What book of Scripture did the tribe of Ephraim write?
The Stick of Ephraim is the Book of Mormon.
The Book of Mormon was written upon the American continent.
The Book of Mormon was brought forth in modern times by a Prophet of God.
The Book of Mormon was Translated by the Gift and Power of God.

This movie is a depiction of what Joseph Smith went through in order to restore the Church to the Earth.

ENJOY






Thursday, April 05, 2012

Pray About It . . . What Does it Mean to Pray ? ? ?

Prayer is one of the ways in which we as Humans receive Revelation.

The Bible Dictionary states the following about Prayer :

        "As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matt. 7:7–11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings.

        Christians are taught to pray in Christ’s name (John 14:13–14; 15:7, 16; 16:23–24). We pray in Christ’s name when our mind is the mind of Christ, and our wishes the wishes of Christ—when his words abide in us (John 15:7). We then ask for things it is possible for God to grant. Many prayers remain unanswered because they are not in Christ’s name at all; they in no way represent his mind, but spring out of the selfishness of man’s heart."

Prayer is something we should do out of love.  When we love the savior we will pray to the Father for forgiveness when we have done something wrong.  When we love our neighbors we will pray for them even when they are not in need of help.

The pattern of Prayer that Christ taught His diciples was to pray to the Father, in the Name of Christ.  Much like a letter to a dear friend.  We speak freely and sometimes emotionally in personal prayer.  We can say whatever we want our Father to hear.  We give Thanks for our blessings, and we ask for those things we still need help with.

I hope that we might each find a new desire to pray, and to speak with our Heavenly Father more often.

This is my prayer for everyone, in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.