I am in Love - Meg

Have you ever felt that you just can't do anything right?

Well, Meg felt like she couldn't ever make a right choice too.

However, that is why we have the Atonement of Christ.  Even when we make wrong choices, we have the oppurtunity to repent and have our Sins forgiven.

Our subject in question, Meg, has apparently had a bad day with her boyfriend, Hercules, and now she is quite frustrated with men in general. (she is also in service to Hades, and ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24)

Now you see, the Muses(the statues) can see that Hercules is "the Earth and Heaven" and take all their time to convince Meg that she needs to accept him and be with him.

Much as the Prophets have always done.  They teach people and tell them that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, and that only through His Atonement can Mankind be Saved.  He is 'Earth and Heaven'. (see Mark 2:5-12)

One of Meg's arguments is that it is "Too Cliche".  Some people say that they don't believe in the Scriptures because they are just the Cliche old tales of 'good versus evil'.  Why would the Gospel not be cliche?  The Gospel is unchanging and has been around since before Time began.

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

-- Hebrews 13:8

Some people think that Christians need to "get a grip".  However there is no need to "Cry Your Heart Out" when you live the Gospel.  Christ has already performed the Atonement, which is a Vicarious Ordinance allowing Him to take upon Himself all of Our Sin, Pain, Sorrow, and Weaknesses.

"And he shall go forth,

suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind;

and this that the word might be fulfilled

which saith he will take upon him the

pains and the sicknesses of his people.

And he will take upon him death,

that he may loose the bands of death

which bind his people;

and he will take upon him their infirmities,

that his bowels may be filled with mercy,

according to the flesh,

that he may know according to the flesh

how to succor his people

according to their infirmities."

-- Alma 7:11-12

Many of those who reject the Gospel have felt the Joy that comes from it, but they don't want to have to 'Keep the Commandments', so they just deny the whole thing.

How can we be "way off base" if the Foundation is Christ?  Is He not Big enough, or Strong enough, or Smart enough, to hold all of us the way we should be?

Finally we have those who accept the Gospel, but "At least OUT LOUD, [they] won't say [they're] in love".

If we truly Love the Savior, we should do everything we can to receive Personal Revelation from Him every day.  We should also Search for others who we can share the Gospel with.

Hercules - Go the Distance

Figure out where you belong,

And then go there.

Hercules wanted to feel like he 'belonged' somewhere.  His heart told him that he was more than just the son of a farmer.  He knew that when he found his place he would be 'great' or 'awesome' or 'radical'.  But even having this in his heart he still didn't know what to do about it.

"I will find my way, I can go the distance.

I'll be there some day, if I can be strong.

I know every mile, will be worth my while."

How do we find our way in this Troubled World?

 
How Far do we really have to go?

Heavenly Father has given us the Prophets, both Ancient and Modern, to guide and direct us in His Ways.  We don't have to go very far if we don't want to, we just have to LIVE the Gospel anywhere we are.

We are not perfect at this, but through the Atonement of Christ we will 'be there someday', if we 'can be strong' and LIVE the Commandments.  Every mile WILL be worth our while, but if we don't put any effort into it then there will be no reward to look forward to.

Hercules left his parents to find what he needed to do in life.  As a Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I have been away from my parents for two years.  As much as I have missed them I also have found out much about myself, and about the ways of God.  Sometimes we need to leave our surroundings and that which is familiar in order to grow in the Gospel. (Matthew 19:5, Mark 10:29-30)

So what are you going to Do?

Start reading the Bible and Book of Mormon everyday?

Show more Kindness to others?

Volunteer your Time in the Service of others?

"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

"And the King shall answer and say unto them,

Verily I say unto you,

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren,

ye have done it unto me."

-- Matthew 25:40



Who is REALLY in Charge Here?

Just in case you were wondering, I do not like sports.

However I do like looking at symbols, and most sports teams have an animal as the symbol of the team.

Lion

Penguins

Bears

So why do we used all these animals as a symbol of strength for the team? We are higher on the totem pole than they are right?

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."
-- Genesis 1:26

So if we are the ones who attach specific symbols to animals, wouldn't God help us learn through symbols as well?

Christ sacrificed His life for us Vicariously.  His suffering can take away our sins.

In the same way He commanded us to be baptized.  This allows us to follow His example more fully.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
-- Acts 2:38


There must be an opposition in all things.  Think about it, if you never got hurt at all, would you really know what it felt like not to be in pain?  If you never saw the sunshine, would dark clouds really be that gloomy?  If you were never alive, would you be able to die?

 "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things.

If not so, ..., righteousness could not be brought to pass,

 neither wickedness,

neither holiness nor misery,

neither good nor bad.

Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one;

wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead,

having no life neither death,

 nor corruption nor incorruption,

happiness nor misery,

neither sense nor insensibility."

-- 2 Nephi 2:11

So there is opposition in all things, and they compound in one.  The Ankh is an ancient Egyptian symbol of life, but it closely resembles a cross which we see today as a symbol of death.  This is where we may easily see that opposition must be a part of mortality.  Through the Resurrection of Christ we shall all be made alive, but with His Death on the cross He would never have been Resurrected.

God can see everything.  Below is the Eye of Ra as well as the 'All Seeing Eye' that is on the back of American currency.  Egypt again has the ancient form of a symbol we recognize today.  They knew that God could see everything, and used this trait to depict Ra, the false 'Sun God' of Egypt.

As we read the scriptures, we should look for those symbols that help us to understand the True nature of God, as well as our purpose in life.  These Symbols will make it so we know exactly who is in charge here on Earth, and it is the same person who has been in charge forever.

Easter Remembrance

Baptism - A Contract

What is a Contract?

A Contract is a Legal and Binding agreement with a set of terms and conditions.

Contracts are often used to regulate money, such as when you buy a house or a car.

The Contract to buy a House usually states how much Money will be paid each month, and the number of months it will take until all payment is completed.

This means that as long as you are paying off the house, you are in Debt to whoever you signed that Contract with.

The Lender is willing to pay for the House as long as you do whatever is part of the Contract.

You agree to their terms by Signing the Contract, and in return receive the House.

With Baptism it works much the same way.  We agree to take Christ's name upon us, to represent Him at all times, and keep His commandments. 
 He agrees to give us blessings, and the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

If we simply skip several payments, we would lose the house.  If we are not being obedient and keeping the commandments, we will lose those blessings and the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

Contracts are written out by someone who has the authority to do so.  Baptism must also be performed by someone holding the Priesthood and be Authorized to do so.

Until we are done paying for the house we are technically under bondage to our Contract.

Christ has already paid the price for out sins, and we will not be able to truly repay Him.  But He is willing to forgive all of our debts if we are obedient, and He will make our burdens light and deliver us from bondage.

Westley = The Gospel in Action

The Atonement of Jesus Christ includes His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, His death on the cross, and His Triumphant Resurrection.  Without this Atonement all mankind would be lost.

Lost is Bad

However, due to the Reality of this Atonement all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.



Westley in "The Princess Bride", used the Atonement in his everyday life.

He bested Inigo's Steel...

He defeated Fezzik's Strength...

He then out-thought Vizzini...

These three will represent all of our Pains, Afflictions, and Temptations.

How did Westley overcome all these things?

Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people."

-- Alma 7:11

By obedience to the Commandments we can all overcome the trials in our life.

"And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice;

for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men,

yea, the pains of every living creature,

both men, women, and children,

who belong to the family of Adam.

 And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men,

that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day.

 And he commandeth all men that they must repent,

and be baptized in his name,

having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel,

or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God."

-- 2 Nephi 9:21-23

Just as Prince Humperdinck and Count Rugen caused lots of pain for Westley, the devil is always there trying to make us feel like we are worthless or that we should simply give up.

Right after they went through the worst day ever, Count Rugen goes and makes things worse.

But though the Atonement, even when we have fallen for a time there is still hope.

This Hope is in the Resurrection.

"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world,
yea, even a place at the right hand of God,
which hope cometh of faith,
maketh an anchor to the souls of men,
which would make them sure and steadfast,
always abounding in good works,
being led to glorify God."
-- Ether 12:4

May each of us study the Scriptures and Pray often, so that we too can have these blessings of the Atonement in our life.




It is by obedience that we may receive our own 'Happily Ever After'.

Purity, Meaning of

In most Role Playing Games (RPG's) you have the option of 'upgrading' your character.  Most people simlpy go through the game and upgrade the ability they need the most at that time.  Some abilities might include things such as agility, strength, stealth, and health.  Some games have the option of using Swords, Bow and Arrow, or Magic.  These games give the opportunity to decide how you will fight your enemies.

Each type has its own strengths and weaknesses.  Swords have powerful attacks, but you have to get up close.  Bow and Arrow is a ranged weapon, but you do less damage.  Magic is both powerful and ranged, but certain armor can usually withstand its effect.

What does it mean to be Pure? 

- free from foreign or inappropriate elements

Is there more than one meaning of Pure?
- clear; free from blemishes
- free from anything of a different, inferior, or contaminating kind
- unmodified by an admixture

While some people use a blended form of combat, many people pick a single type and stick to that only.  These is called 'purists' or 'Pures', because they have only a single combat method.

By playing a 'Pure' game you have the advantage of not wasting upgrade points on attributes that you dont really use.

In Real Life, we also have to make the choice of what we are going to do with our time.  We can upgrade our Strength by working out.  We can upgrade athlectic ability by practice and by watching others.  We should upgrade our Spirit by reading the Scriptures, Praying Daily, and going to Church.

While we need to do other things in life in order to have money to live, we can remain Pure in Heart by obeying the Commandments of God.  By being Pure we can better receive revelation and have the Holy Spirit's guidance in our lives, so that we know how to best use our 'upgrades'.

Sometimes we make mistakes, and that makes the Holy Spirit leave.  Through the Atonement of Christ we can be Clean and Pure again.

If we Keep our lives Clean and Pure we will have the blessing of the Lord.  The only thing we need to do is remove those items in our life that draw us away from our Father in Heaven.

One Ring to SAVE Them ALL

This is a Ring of POWER.

Created by Sauron.

One Ring to rule them all,

One Ring to find them,

One Ring to bring them all

and in the Darkness bind them.

Gandalf knows that this Ring is Evil and Breeds Destruction.

He Seeks to Destroy the Ring and bring Light and freedom to Middle Earth.

Jesus Christ (Gandalf) has already won the Fight.

Satan (Sauron) may have power, but only if we let him.

Frodo (each of us) was strong enough to endure his trials.

Sure he got lost a few times along the way.

He was stabbed by a Ringwriath.

He even didn't trust Sam for a bit there in the End.

But overall, Christ has promised Each of us that:

"God is faithful,

who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able;

but will with the temptation also make a way to escape,

that ye may be able to bear it."

-- 1 Corinthians 10:13

Addiction Recovery

There is always a need to have something to latch onto in life.  Some people latch onto reading books as a way to deal with stress.  Many turn to video games.  Others may turn to harmful drugs or Alchohol.

I turn to Sprite!

We all have those things we enjoy, that help us to deal with high stress situations.  The Lord has promised us that if avoid Harmful Substances and Anything that causes an Addiction, we will be blessed.  By not having Drugs or Alchohol, we not only stay out of trouble with the law, we are more Healthy and much more Happy because we can spend our time (and Money) with our family.

Occasionally I am told that I am addicted to Sprite.(see picture below)  So in order to make sure that I don't cast away my agency I make sure that I only buy Sprite when I am eating out or for special occasions.  This year I bought 36 cans of Sprite to decorate the apartment and build a Christmas Tree.  Elder Burnham also got a 24 pack of Ski.

 Elder Burnham drinks the Ski and I drink my Sprite. (Sprite is the Elixir of Life)

These Can are all being used for us to build a Christmas Tree, as it was cheaper to buy something we would use and then recycle it into something else that would bring Happiness.

While I had more cans to drink, I drank them all about a week faster than Elder Burnham drank his Ski.  This again brought to mind the words of my family who so often tell me that i drink too much Sprite.

Basically if there is any addiction that you struggle with just know that our Heavenly Father can help.  Christ has suffered everything for all of us.  Even though I love my Sprite, I know it would be better for me to not have it very often and not have a large amount.

Please avoid any addictive substance, that you may better feel the Words of the Spirit.

How to Unlearn Things

I want to be a U.S. Marshal.  This means I have a very firm mindset.  I know exactly what I need to do and then I do it.  It leaves very little room for error, and I often tell others what bothers me.   In order to do what I want, I must first become who I want to be.

Unlearning a way of thinking is often very difficult, possibly the most difficult thing anyone would ever do.  With something that is hard physically, you simply go work out and build up strength until you can accomplish the task.  But when your obstacle is Mental you must be able to break it down, and yet not remove the wall.

Black Wall

I have wondered . . . How is it possible to build a Blue wall in the place of a Black wall without removing the Black wall?

Blue Wall

Then a good friend helped me to see that the wall doesn't have to be all one color.  Both colors can be part of the wall.  So all I have to do is figure out which bricks need replaced from the Black, and then remove it and insert a Blue brick.

"And according to his faith 

there was a mighty change wrought in his heart. 

Behold I say unto you that this is all true."

-- Alma 5:12

Knowing what to do is only the beginning, the actually doing it takes time and effort to change not only the way you act, but also the way you think.  Rethinking things and changing your mind is usually not all that difficult, but having a permanent change in how you see things is often a very hard struggle.

Black Wall with Blue Brick 'upgrades'

"And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, 

if ye have experienced a change of heart, 

and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, 

I would ask, can ye feel so now?"

-- Alma 5:26

I have one year left on my Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  In that time I hope to assimilate all the Blue bricks I need to in order to make my wall balanced as it should be.

"And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, 

have ye spiritually been born of God? 

Have ye received his image in your countenances? 

Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?"

-- Alma 5:14

"The bricks are fallen down, 

but we will build with hewn stones; 

the sycamores are cut down, 

but we will change them into cedars."

-- 2 Nephi 19:10

Friends - Isn't that Everyone

So I have thought a lot lately about friends, and who my friends should be.  When Christ was asked what the greatest commandment was He answered to Love God and to Love others.

So what does it take to truly love someone?

I think it takes more than just being nice, and saying hi to them when you feel like it.  Being a true friend means you do whatever you can to help them.  True love is intended to last throughout the Eternities.

One of my friends told me that this was her favorite scripture.

"Thy friends do stand by thee, 

and they shall hail thee again 

with warm hearts and friendly hands."

-- Doctrine and Covenants 121:9

Sometimes we just need to remember that even though things don't turn out the way we wanted them to, Heavenly Father loves each one one us and wants what is best for us.  If we want what is best for those around us we will always be doing that which is right in the sight of God.

"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

So if we serve each other, we find more joy and happiness, plus we are serving God.  Charity is the Pure Love of Christ.  (Moroni 7:47)

Always remember,

"Thou art not yet as Job; 

thy friends do not contend against thee, 

neither charge thee with transgression, 

as they did Job."

-- Doctrine and Covenants 121:10

We always seem to think we have it the worst, but the Lord knows each of us and will not allow us to be confronted with anything we can't handle. (1 Corinthians 10:13)  Someone else has been through something worse, and they made it out ok.

"Be strong and of a good courage; 

be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: 

for the Lord thy God is with thee 

whithersoever thou goest."

-- Joshua 1:9

The Siberian Tiger is a symbol of Courage to me.

He Will Take Upon Him Their Infirmities

I love this picture.  Christ loves the world, and everyone that lives in it.  But when He has suffered for all of our sins, and we go about as if we don't care, I am sure that He has wept for the pain that He can not keep back from us.  If we go on and make bad choices that go against His Commandments, then we cause the burden to be that much worse for our Savior.

Temptation is Unavoidable

So why is it that we repent?  Is it because we have been told to or because we feel that we should?

I feel like I truly repent when I feel bad for something I have done and then decided to fix the problem.  If I did something to one of my sisters then I need to apologize not only because mom and dad said so, but because I will feel better after I am no longer fighting with them over it.

Take a look at this picture.  It shows a depiction of a young boy being tempted.



As we go through life we will all be tempted.  Even Christ was tempted to see whether or not He would keep the commandments.  As we keep the commandments we will find that we are naturally happier, get along with others easier, and can feel the presence of the Lord more abundantly.

When Tempted, sing a Hymn or quote scriptures in your mind, part of the commandments is to read the scriptures daily.  If we are reading the scriptures each day, something that we read recently will be available for us to think about whenever temptation enters into our thoughts.

We all sin, it is our job to do our best to not sin, and when we do we repent for it.

"IT IS BETTER TO PREPARE AND PREVENT, THEN IT IS TO REPAIR AND REPENT."

-- Author Unknown

What Exactly is Required to be 'Saved' in the Kingdom of Heaven ? ? ?

"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?"

-- James 2:14

Lets say you are at home, and your stomach says your hungry.  You believe and have faith that there is food in the fridge.  Your friend tells you that there is indeed food in the fridge.  You know that the food in the fridge would make your stomach feel better, but unless you actually get off the couch and go in to the fridge and get some of the food you will still be hungry.

In the gospel you can believe that Christ is the Savior of the world.  You might even read scriptures, and have your friends tell you all about it.  But unless you actually do those things which Christ has commanded us to do on your own, you will never be able to gain a testimony, and be saved at the last day.

The first action to take after having a Faith in Christ is Repentance.  To Repent is to ask for forgiveness for sin, or something you have done wrong, and to promise that you will do you best to never do it again.  Part of the Repentance process also includes making things right with others, or paying them back if you stole something.  When we sin we incur spiritual debt, but through Repentance and exercising our Faith in Jesus Christ that debt can be paid.

Mark 16:16

After you believe and repent of your past sins the next step is Baptism.  Just as before if you have a belief and do nothing about it, then you really don't believe in it that much.  If you truly believe that Christ is your Savior, and you have a desire to follow Him, then you will be baptized even as He was.

When Jesus Christ was baptized He walked somewhere around 40 miles to get to John the Baptist.  There were people who baptized right in Jerusalem, but He walked to John the Baptist because John had something that the others did not have . . . The Priesthood.  The Priesthood is the Authority to act in the name of God.  It is required to perform sacred ordinances.  While anyone can go to a lake and perform a baptism, only those baptisms done by Priesthood Authority will be recognized by God.

Acts 2:38

Even after we are Baptized we still need to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  This is much like an upgraded conscience.  The Holy Ghost is there to testify of truth, to comfort us(John 14:16), and to help us make good decisions.  We can feel the influence of the Holy Ghost before Baptism, but the Gift of the Holy Ghost is when He becomes a constant companion, if we live worthy of His presence.

Matthew 24:13

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is just that, His Gospel.  We have to follow His plan in order to have a part in it.  We cannot pick and choose which parts we like and which parts we don't.  If we are to live again in the presence of our Eternal Father, we need to Endure to the End of all things.


So in order to truly be 'saved' you must have Faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, Repent of your sins, be Baptized by someone who holds the Priesthood, Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Endure to the End.

Have a Firm Foundation, Don't Fall Down

"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."

-- Helaman 5:12