Who is YOUR Best Friend?

God is the Best Friend I have EVER had.

Genie has lots of abilities.  He grants three wishes to every master.  However he can't make anyone fall in love.  He can't kill anybody, and he either can't or won't bring people back from the dead.

Seems pretty limited to me.

God has no limitations, and He grants more than three wishes, to Everyone.

"For with God nothing shall be impossible."

-- Luke 1:37

We simply have to go to Him in Prayer, and ask in Faith.

"If any of you lack wisdom,

let him ask of God,

that giveth to all men liberally,

and upbraideth not;

and it shall be given him.

But let him ask in faith,

nothing wavering.

For he that wavereth

is like a wave of the sea

driven with the wind

and tossed."

-- James 1:5-6

So make God your Best Friend, and counsel with Him in all that you Do.  He might say no sometimes, but it is for your own good.  He always does whatever is best for us.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;

and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him,

and he shall direct thy paths."

-- Proverbs 3:5-6

"Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings,

and he will direct thee for good;"

-- Alma 37:37

My Dad is . . . AWESOME!!

Today I want to brag about my family.  Mostly just my dad.  Within my family there are contained four women, and two men.  That means three sisters, mom and dad, and then me.  I usually never got anything I wanted at the store because I was the youngest and the only boy.  When we would rent a movie, it was almost guaranteed to be a chick flick, because three older sisters will always out-whine a single younger brother.  My dad was usually working late all the time so I didn't get a whole lot of backup either.  But that is just fine now, I can quote most of those movies better than my sisters.   ;)

However, as the years went by, my dad got a different job.  I got myself a job.  Then I went to college.  Then dad lost his job.  Then I came home from college.  Then me and my dad were home together all the time.  Almost everyday.  So we started doing more stuff together.  We went golfing.  I proceeded to lose somewhere about ten golf balls in the same spot, a water hazard, on a single same hole, which was only about ten feet away, all trying to tee off. (I think it was hole 3.)

Then we decided that golfing would be expensive.  So we started doing things we already had at home.  I had some video games, and we started playing them together.  Dad found a game that he enjoyed, so we started playing.  I have a lot more experience in gaming than he does, but I would teach him how to do different things and mix up the strategy he was using so he wouldn't be so predictable.  I thought that I was the teacher and he was under me.  I was wrong.  Not until months later did I realize that he was teaching me to be a good dad.  True he had been gone most of when I was growing up trying to make money to support the family.  But when he finally had time to spend with me, he found a small interest in something I enjoyed that he could do with me.

Although my dad only ever won about 5% (maybe less) of the games we played, I know that he had fun because he was playing with me, His son.  Although he really didn't know what he was doing, and I frequently had to let him win, he was happy being able to spend time with me.  I also enjoyed my time with him.

This picture is from snorkeling in New Zealand...I'm the scrawny one, standing by my dad.

I know that the family is there for us to learn from.  Not only do we have our best friends within our own family, but the family also contains the best teachers.  No one other than my dad will ever be able to teach me about being a dad, and only I could teach him gaming.

So it is with our eternal family.  My Father in Heaven is the only one who can truly teach me about Himself.  These teachings come from the Spirit, but I have to make time to listen to Him, and learn from Him.  This applies to everyone.  Old or young, male or female, bond or free, none of these matter.  I know from experience, both temporal and spiritual, that we must look to our Father if we want to go anywhere.

Sisters

So there we were...in front of my house.  Mom wanted more pictures...I didn't know why.  Dad had taught me to not say anything when I didn't understand what my mom was trying to do.  So I just stood there.  Then one of my sisters decided to bring back a pose that the four of us have been doing since I was little.....

Rian's Angels

My sisters are a big part of my life.  I never really had a brother to do stuff with but I am ok with that.  Lacey went before the rest of us and showed me what not to do if I wanted to avoid getting into trouble.  Ashli had lots of friends that were kinda like older brothers for me.  Shayla being only two years older than me was always around when I was sad and needed someone to talk to.

I remember one morning when me and Shayla were getting ready for school, and my dad happened to have a day off, we somehow ended up in my room.  At some point I thought it would be funny to 'pin' her to my bed.  I was smaller than she was still I think, but either way I was going to win this one.  After a few minutes of struggling I had her down.  She proceeded to struggle a bit more and then started calling for dad.  Normally I would have been swift in getting off and pretending I didn't do anything, but she sounded like a sheep every time she called for him.  It was something along the lines of, 'DaaaaaD' ... 'DAAAaaaaaaaaD' ... 'DaAAAaaAAAaaaDdy, he's squishing me'.  It was just so funny, all I could do was laugh at her.  Then she started laughing and it was even more funny.

 

Basically I love my sisters.  If they weren't there, I wouldn't have come on a mission.  Because of the examples they have been for me, I know that serving the Lord for two years is exactly what I needed to be doing.  Everything in my life so far has led me to this.  Everything in my life after I go home will be affected by what I do for my mission.

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true and living church on the earth today.  I have felt the witness of the Spirit confirming my testimony that this is true.  I have that same knowledge that the Book of Mormon is true.  It was translated by Joseph Smith, a prophet, by the gift and power of God.  If anyone does not believe that, I invite you to first READ THE BOOK. Then pray about it and ask God speciffically if the writings contained therein are true.  I know, and promise anyone who is willing to do so, that you will also be able to find out the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, by the power of the Holy Ghost. 



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

Click HERE for a free copy of the Book of Mormon

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.