In the Dark of the Night - The Devil is Waiting for YOU

What does it take for the Devil to find you??

In the 'Dark of the Night', your guard is lowered and then you DIE!!!

Spiritual Death is much more frightening to me than Physical Death.  Spiritual Death includes, but is not limited to, Separation from God, not Feeling the Spirit, and Ignorance of the Gospel.

Satan is probably everyone's worst nightmare.  He is not a 'corpse falling to bits', but he is rather creepy.  I prefer not to talk about him much, as it is better to focus on our Savior, Jesus Christ, but occasionally we need to address who we fight against.

Rasputin claims that "[he] was once the most mystical man in all Russia", and that "when the Royals betrayed [him] they made a mistake."

However, as Rasputin is the villain, or 'Devils Character', and represents Satan, doesn't that mean he betrayed them?

"For thou hast said in thine heart,

I will ascend into heaven,

I will exalt my throne above the stars of God:"

-- Isaiah 14:13

God's firstborn Son is Christ, who is King of Kings.  These may be considered the 'Royals'.

Satan who was a 'Son of the Morning' (Isaiah 14:12) sought to be higher than God.  In this he turned against God in open Rebellion.  Then he and those who willing chose to follow him were cast out.

His curse has made each of us pay.  We must go through mortality which is strewn with uncomfortable things and simply bad happenings.  However through Christ we are able to overcome these things.  The payment is a Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit. (Psalms 34:18)

Rasputin states that Terror is the 'Least he can Do'.  Satan is there to terrify us so that we feel incapable of approaching God and asking for forgiveness.  The least he will do is try to make us afraid of what might happen if we do accept the Gospel.  However Fear is in direct opposition to Faith, which is taught by Christ.

Through Faith we can know that even if those around us don't approve of our actions and choices, at least God does.

"Here is a Sign, It's the End of the Line"

Can Satan really give 'Signs'?  Yes, but through Prayer we may detect those who are Sent from God, and those who are not.

"Beware of false prophets,

which come to you in sheep’s clothing,

but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

-- Matthew 7:15, 3 Nephi 14:15

"Praying always with all prayer

and supplication in the Spirit,

and watching thereunto with all perseverance

and supplication for all saints;"

-- Ephesians 6:18

"Pray always,

that you may come off conqueror;

yea, that you may conquer Satan,

and that you may escape the hands

of the servants of Satan

that do uphold his work."

-- Doctrine and Covenants 10:5

"Pray Always", so that you will not be taken captive by the Devil 'In the Dark of the Night'.

God Helps Us Fix Our Mistakes

When SG-1 went to Cimmeria, Colonel O'niell and Teal'c were beamed away to a Labrinth where the only way out was through a Door protected by an energy field.  This energy field was specifically designed to target Goa'uld and Jaffa.  This being because Cimmeria was a Protected planet under Treaty between the Asgard and the Goa'uld.  Therefore Thor had placed his 'Hammer' to protect the planet.

The only way to free Teal'c was to destroy the Hammer.  However, destroying the Hammer meant that any other Goa'uld or Jaffa that came to Cimmeria would be able to escape as well.  Not too long later they did just that, and Heru'ur invaded the planet.

After receiving a distress signal, SG-1 returns to the planet and tries to help as it was their fault that they were now under siege.

Knowing that they didn't have enough technology themselves, Daniel and Sam go with Gairwyn to the Hall of Thor's Might.  They were hoping to Find some Asgard weapons.  'God' however answers in his own way.

Thor helped SG-1 because they had accidentally allowed room for the Goa'uld, or Ettins (Evil things), to come to Cimmeria and begin enslaving the Cimmerians.

We also have the ability to seek after 'God's Might'.  We can go to our Heavenly Father in Prayer, and seek the Spiritual Weapons of Faith, Repentance, Meekness, Humility, and Charity.  Sometimes God might respond a little different than we might like, but He always does what is best for us.

We can Repent and be clean from all our Sin, but we have to go to the Lord with a Broken Heart and Contrite Spirit.  When we Repent God is always willing to grant us blessings.

The Cimmerians received a new hammer to protect them from the Goa'uld,

but it makes exception for the one called "Teal'c".

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?

Armor of God - Four of Six - Shield of Faith

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, 

wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."

-- Ephesians 6:16

The Shield of Faith is your most important piece of armor.  It says 'Above All' because even if you aren't righteous all the time, or you don't have a good preparation period, or sometimes you are not as 'True' as you should be, YOU CAN STILL HAVE FAITH.

"Jesus said unto him, 

If thou canst believe, 

all things are possible to him that believeth."

-- Mark 9:23

Faith is more than a mere belief.  Faith is an action word, if you have faith in something you are willing to DO something about it.  The first principle of the gospel is Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Without this faith it is not possible to have any form of progression Spiritually.

However, if you have Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the second Principle of the Gospel becomes something that we desire almost daily, that is to repent for things we do wrong.  Faith leads us to Repentance.

Faith can be acquired and still be forgotten.  Sometimes it goes dormant and is not needed for a time.

"Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith is dormant"

-- Alma 32:34

This is when we need to continue to Study the Scriptures to increase of Faith in other parts of the Gospel, because Faith has a very short shelf life.

If we use our Shield of Faith, we can deflect and block all the attacks that Satan throws at us.

However, if we have that Faith in Christ, but we don't ACT on it, it is like having a shield and going into battle with it just hanging by our side.  No effort to lift the Shield and there will not be a deflection of oncoming attacks.  The shield then becomes this dead weight that instead of helping us, it actually hinders us.

"Thou believest that there is one God; 

thou doest well: 

the devils also believe, and tremble.

But wilt thou know, 

O vain man,

 that faith without works is dead?"

-- James 2:19-20

"Ye see then how that by works a man is justified,

 and not by faith only."

-- James 2:24

I know that by having True Faith in Jesus Christ we will come closer to our Savior and receive a fulness of Joy.  We will have more peace in our lives, and there will come a time when we shall see that our Faith has 'Shielded' us from the Fiery Darts of the Devil.


NEXT POST : Helmet of Salvation

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'.

Laws and Ordinances

Just as we have Laws for a Country and State Laws, there are also Laws that have been set to Govern our Spirit.  It is by obedience to these Laws that we receive blessings. (Doctrine and Covenants 130)

Faith is the First Principle of the gospel, or a Spiritual Law of Salvation.  Without Faith there is no progress.  Faith is an action word, and you gain more by exercising it.  Just like a muscle in your physical body, Faith is the muscle of your Spiritual body, the more you use it the stronger it becomes, but if neglected and left to itself it begins to fade away.

Reading scriptures, praying, going to church, and teaching others about the gospel are all ways to exercise Faith.

Repentance is the Second Principle or Law of the gospel.  Repentance is also an act of Faith, therefore if you have Faith it will lead you to Repent for things you have done wrong.  Repentance is the means by which we receive forgiveness from our sins, and align our will to the will of God.

Sometimes you might hear of an Ordinance.  The Ordinances of the gospel are Physical actions, prompted by Faith, that are part of the Plan of Salvation.  Where Faith and Repentance are Principles to live by everyday, an Ordinance is something that happens at a specific place and time.

Baptism is the First Ordinance of Salvation, and the Third Law of the gospel.  Baptism is the Gate by which we start down the path of living the fulness of the gospel.  Baptism is symbolic of death, burial, and the resurrection. When we are Baptized we are cleansed from past transgressions.

Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, or Confirmation, is the fourth Law of the gospel and is the second half of Baptism.  Baptism and Confirmation both must be done by Priesthood Authority.  The Priesthood is the Authority to act in God's name, and makes the ordinance binding both in this life and for all eternity.  The Gift of the Holy Ghost is different from the Influence of the Holy Ghost.  The Influence of the Holy Ghost is how we gain a testimony of truth before baptism, the Gift of the Holy Ghost is a promise given as part of the Baptismal Covenant (a covenant is a promise made with God) and entitles each of us to have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion as long as we live worthy of His presence by keeping the commandments.

By living these Principles and partaking of the Ordinances of the Gospel, we chart a course for ourselves to return to live with our Heavenly Father.

Learning of Life - Current and Past

Hey Everyone.  I was wondering, why is it that we are always trying to understand the same thing that those before us were trying to understand?

Maybe we just have the same questions and no one ever found the answer.
Maybe because we don't understand what our ancestors already knew.
Maybe we have the answers, and we just haven't put forth the energy required to actually understand what is in front of us.

"The scriptures also enlarge our memory by helping us not forget what we and earlier generations have learned. Those who either don’t have or ignore the recorded word of God eventually cease to believe in Him and forget the purpose of their existence.

In Tyndale’s day, scriptural ignorance abounded because people lacked access to the Bible, especially in a language they could understand. Today the Bible and other scripture are readily at hand, yet there is a growing scriptural illiteracy because people will not open the books. 

Consequently they have forgotten things their grandparents knew."

-- Elder D. Todd Christofferson

There must be some other reason for us to be interested in what has happened to our families in the past.
Go to http://mormon.org/family-history/ for more information.

http://new.familysearch.org/ is also very helpful for doing Geneology.

What to DO When We Struggle

"And it came to pass that the Lord God caused 

that there should be a furious wind blow 

upon the face of the waters, 

towards the promised land; 

and thus they were tossed 

upon the waves of the sea before the wind.

And it came to pass that they were many times 

buried in the depths of the sea, 

because of the mountain waves which broke upon them, 

and also the great and terrible tempests 

which were caused by the fierceness of the wind."

Ether 6:5-6

We all struggle in life sometimes, and the winds and the waves and the storms come upon us with the fierceness of wolves.  However as these trials and temptations are beating upon you, look to Christ, that sure foundation, "whereon if men build they cannot fall." (Helaman 5:12)

"And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep 

there was no water that could hurt them, 

their vessels being tight like unto a dish, 

and also they were tight like unto the ark of Noah; 

therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters 

they did cry unto the Lord, 

and he did bring them forth again 

upon the top of the waters."

Ether 6:7

If you are having a bad day, say a Prayer.

Meditation on the Law of the Lord

"But his delight is in the law of the Lord; 

and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

-- Psalms 1:2

How do we delight in the Law of the Lord?

As I was reading this scripture I thought about this question.  I wondered how it applied to me.  I could see that by obedience to the commandments of God I am indeed a happier person, but do I delight in the Law or just act out of fear?

The second half of this verse states that the individual meditates day and night in the Law.  During the times of the Old Testament the 'Law of God' was what we know as the 'Law of Moses'.  So it is saying that we should be meditating, or thinking about, the Law of Moses day and night.

Well what about now?  We don't follow the Law of Moses anymore, so does this scripture become void?

NO.

We are supposed to meditate the Higher Law, taught by Christ and His Apostles.  This makes it so that we can always be thinking good uplifting thoughts.  It is when we stop thinking about the Laws of God that we start thinking carnally and cultivate desire to sin.

So to delight in the Law of the Lord is to desire to 'do good continually'. (Alma 19:33)  It becomes something that we are happy about, and willing to do, rather than being told to over and over again.

As we meditate in the Law of the Lord by reading His scriptures and pondering their meanings, we will grow closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ, and be more able to follow His example.

Read a verse or two of scripture each morning and then think about it throughout the day.  I promise it will help in every aspect of your life.

What are You DOing???

As a missionary I often ask people to read the Book of Mormon.  Missionaries ask people to pray and ask God if the Book of Mormon is true, and to come to church so they can feel the presence of the Holy Spirit more powerfully, and to learn more about God and His commandments and His kingdom here on the earth.

We are always asking because we know that in order to truly understand something you have to act in faith to see what happens.  I know that the Book of Mormon is true because I have read and prayed about it myself, not because someone else told me a little bit about it and I said 'hey why not'.  My journey to truly knowing what the Book of Mormon was just that, a journey meant for me to be able to understand the gospel, and how it applies in my own life.

So are YOU going to do something about it, or are you just going to sit there and read all about it without ever truly trying to figure it out for yourself??

I hereby invite anyone reading this to Read the Book of Mormon, Pray and ask God if it is a True record, and then to act in Faith.  I know that anyone who follows this course will feel the Spirit, and know what to do to come closer to Jesus Christ.

If you do not have a Book of Mormon, go to this website and request one for free.
>>http://mormon.org/free-book-of-mormon/<<

Any questions you may have can be answered by reading and praying about this book.  If you would like to learn more, or ask missionaries in your area about the Book of Mormon, please go to one of the following.
http://mormon.org/missionaries/ to talk to the missionaries.
http://mormon.org/faith/ to understand what we believe.
http://mormon.org/meetinghouse/ to locate the nearest meetinghouse to you.

Some of My Favorite Scriptures

"And this Zeezrom began to question Amulek, saying: Will ye answer me a few questions which I shall ask you? Now Zeezrom was a man who was expert in the devices of the devil, that he might destroy that which was good; therefore, he said unto Amulek: Will ye answer the questions which I shall put unto you?

And Amulek said unto him: Yea, if it be according to the Spirit of the Lord, which is in me; for I shall say nothing which is contrary to the Spirit of the Lord. And Zeezrom said unto him: Behold, here are six onties of silver, and all these will I give thee if thou wilt deny the existence of a Supreme Being.

Now Amulek said: O thou child of hell, why tempt ye me? Knowest thou that the righteous yieldeth to no such temptations?

Believest thou that there is no God? I say unto you, Nay, thou knowest that there is a God, but thou lovest that lucre more than him.

And now thou hast lied before God unto me. Thou saidst unto me—Behold these six onties, which are of great worth, I will give unto thee—when thou hadst it in thy heart to retain them from me; and it was only thy desire that I should deny the true and living God, that thou mightest have cause to destroy me. And now behold, for this great evil thou shalt have thy reward."

-- Alma 11:21-25

"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself."

-- 2 Nephi 2:27

"And I will come unto you, and if there be any among you that has a desire for freedom, yea, if there be even a spark of freedom remaining, behold I will stir up insurrections among you, even until those who have desires to usurp power and authority shall become extinct."

-- Alma 60:27

How Do We Glorify God?

This is a story about me, my breakfast cereal, and JEEPs. (I LOVE JEEPs, just in case you didn't already know that.)

So there I was, eating my breakfast cereal, when out of the middle of nowhere I had a bit of revelation.  I was thinking about how to "Be an example of the Believers"(1 Timothy 4:12), and the thought came to me of what we were commanded to do.

"Let your light so shine before men, 

that they may see your good works, 

and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

-- Matthew 5:16

Then I thought, "How exactly do we Glorify our Father in Heaven?"

"For behold, this is my work and my glory

—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."

-- Moses 1:39

So if God's work and glory is immortality and eternal life, then to glorify Him would be to help others find this eternal life.  Everyone will be resurrected and become immortal, because the Savior was resurrected.

"And, if you keep my commandments 

and endure to the end 

you shall have eternal life, 

which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God."

-- Doctrine and Covenants 14:7

So I thought about how we gain eternal life, or rather how do we keep the commandments.  Those who keep the commandments have Faith, Repent of their sins, are Baptized by someone holding the Priesthood Authority, receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and then Endure to the End.

Baptism and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost are ordinances, something that takes place at a specific place and time, and is performed by someone holding the proper Priesthood to do so.

Faith and Repentance however are both principles of the Gospel that we must have every day of our lives in order to truly Endure to the End.

But my original question was How do we apply this in our lives?

Basically everything we do should be to Glorify the Father.  This doesn't mean we shout praises and sing hymns all day long although there is a time to do so.  This means that everything we do should be an example, to help others make that decision to exercise their Faith in Jesus Christ by, Repentance, Baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and then to help them stay strong and Endure to the End throughout the rest of their lives.

Being this example and striving to help others to also come into the waters of Baptism will qualify them for eternal life, which brings much more Joy and Happiness to God then any amount of praise or singing.  

Our Heavenly Father is most happy when we keep His commandments, so as we help others come closer to Him, we are only giving Him praise and glory by our works.  Let His work and glory, become what we work for, and we can truly Glorify Him.

If you are wondering when I am going to get to the JEEPs I mentioned, I will start now.

So my favorite car in the world is a JEEP.  I don't have one yet but I really really want one.

Why do I want one?  Because I think it will make me happy, but that happiness will only last a short time in this life.

So why would someone want to be Baptized?  Because the example of those who have been Baptized makes them think that being Baptized will help them be happy, and this happiness can last forever and extend beyond this life.

source



The JEEP will represent Baptism.  I don't have a JEEP, but the JEEPs I see around me look cool in my eyes, and I desire one.

So since I have been Baptized, I need to be just like a JEEP and my example should help others desire to be Baptized.



source

 

People are there to Glorify the Father by helping others get Baptized!!

JEEPs are there to make me want a JEEP!!



source



Armor of God -- Fight for Your Life

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:"

-- Ephesians 6:10-17

Loins girt about with Truth.  In Biblical times to 'Gird up your Loins' would be to wrap the bottom of you cloak into your belt, and by doing so you would be more able to move about and perform the days labor.  You really don't want your clothing to limit your movement in battle.

The Breastplate of Righteousness.  The Breastplate covers your Heart and Lungs, as well as other vital organs.  When the scriptures say that in the last days, "men's hearts shall fail them", (Luke 21:26) it is because they do not have their Breastplate protecting them.  Your Righteousness, which is your diligent obedience to the Commandments of God, will protect you from having your heart fail you.

Feet Shod with Preparation of the Gospel.  When the Hebrews were 'Preparing' to leave Egypt they were told to eat the Passover.  This was done with their Shoes on their feet and their staff in hand, and you ate while standing.  This is because even though they had not yet received permission to leave Egypt, they were planning on going somewhere.

Whenever I go home for anything my Mommy always gets frustrated with me because I never take my jacket off.  This has several reasons behind it, but the first and foremost reason is because I like having my jacket on, even in the middle of the summer.  Then there are the reasons that are actually logical, like my jacket is somewhat a safety object and i am more comfortable around people when I am wearing it.  My jacket has all my stuff in the pockets, my keys, my iPod, my phone, and an assortment of other things for the day.  My jacket is what prepares me to go do what I need to later, and I don't take it off just because I am going to sit down for a few minutes.

 

A Shield of Faith.  You must have Faith in order to be equipped with your best defense, your Shield.  This Faith is required because when you put your Shield up you cannot see your enemy.  You cover your head and most of your upper body to block the opponents sword, but also block him from your eyes.

Much like when Luke Skywalker puts the BlastSHIELD down and cannot see the remote, but must follow the promptings within, or his instinct, to know what to do.

 

The Helmet of Salvation.  The Helmet protects YOUR BRAIN.  There are a few things we need to know in order to return and live with our Heavenly Father.  First is that Jesus Christ is His only Begotten Son in the Flesh.  Second is the Plan of Salvation.  Once you have a Knowledge you must protect it and continue learning.

The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.  The only offensive weapon you have in the Armor of God is the Sword of the Spirit.  In combat your sword is your life, you need it in hand if you are to fight the foe. 

If you do not have your sword and you go up to battle anyway, your only option is to try and block the blows of your enemy.  Sure you have your other Armor, but how long can your Shield last when it is being beat upon repeatedly.  How long do you think it would be before your breastplate either came loose, or perhaps had a small gap between the plates where the enemy's sword found a way through.  How long before your legs grew tired and you trip over your own feet.

The answer, not very long at all.

Without the Spirit you begin to lose faith (Shield), it is harder to keep the commandments (Breastplate), and you become less prepared for the fight (Feet Shod).  Once you lose these other pieces of Armor you are an easy target and then POOF, you die.  When it comes to the Armor of God you die Spiritually, and Christ is the Light and Life of the world, therefore the only way back is through His Atonement.

So remember to always have your Armor, and be on Guard.

God will protect you, IF you are doing what is Right.
 

"And it came to pass that I said unto them 

that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, 

according to the truth; 

and the righteous have I justified, 

and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; 

wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, 

for it cutteth them to the very center."

-- 1 Nephi 16:2 (emphasis added)

The Scriptures are the Word of God.  Both the Bible and the Book of Mormon.  God teaches only Truth, and therefore the Wicked take the Scriptures to be Hard.

Keep the Commandments, Read the Scriptures, and do whatever it takes to truly have the Spirit with you at all times, in all things, and in all places.

The Sword of the Spirit is the Spirit of Truth.
Truth will fight your battles for you, as long as you keep it close by, and in your Heart.

Prayer is How We Talk to Our Father

Do you like it when you talk to your parents?  Do you like it when your kids talk to you?

Does your Heavenly Father like it when you talk to Him??


We are all children of our Heavenly Father.  He loves us and cares about everything that we go through, every single day.  If we look to Him and ask for His help, He is always ready to help us.

All we need to do is Ask.  (Matthew 21:22, Moroni 10:4-5)

We should also give thanks for the blessings we have already received.  It makes heavenly Father even more happy to give us more blessings.

I am the Light and the Life of the World

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying,

I am the light of the world:

he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness,

but shall have the light of life."

-- John 8:12

"Ye are the light of the world.

A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Neither do men light a candle,

and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick;

and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men,

that they may see your good works,

and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

-- Matthew 5:14-16

"The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble."

-- Proverbs 4:19

He who walks in Darkness, knows not where he goes.  But if you have received the light of Christ, the Words of Christ shall tell you all things that ye should do. (see 2 Nephi 32:3)

"For we walk by faith, not by sight"

--2 Corinthians 5:7

There is a Reason for MY Faith in Jesus Christ

Many people do not fully understand what Faith is.  Faith is an action word.  Faith in Jesus Christ leads us to follow His example and to do those things which He would do.  Faith is not required to be blind, and is not even designed to be blind.  Faith is a Hope for things which are not seen but are true. (Alma 32:21)

Reason on the other hand is based almost entirely on what you can see, hear, touch, smell, or taste.  It is the idea of Logic.  If you can see the leaves moving, you know that it is windy outside.  If it hurts when you touch the stove, you know that it is hot.

Faith and Reason are both involved whenever we receive inspiration from the Lord.

"Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart,

by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you

and which shall dwell in your heart.

 Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation;

behold, this is the spirit by which Moses

brought the children of Israel

through the Red Sea

on dry ground."

-- Doctrine and Covenants 8:2-3

So when you are looking for an answer to your prayers, make sure that what you are asking makes sense in your Mind, and feels good in your Heart.  This is how you can know if something is right.

Remember to Pray Always when seeking guidance from the Lord. (Doctrine and Covenants 10:5)

I myself have thought long and hard about the Book of Mormon and the Bible.  I have prayed and asked God, MY Heavenly Father, to let me know whether or not they are true.  He has answered my prayers and thus by Reason and Faith I KNOW that they are truly the word of God.

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.