Never Give Up

What a wonderful blessing Gabe had in his life when he continued with his dream. He put everything behind him and was grateful for what he had. That attitude changed everything. He didnt just give up, even though he wanted to, but he endured and then the blessings came.

I find it very similar in my life, that i go through so many hard times and it gets tough to keep my motivation up. There are times where i am told what i am doing wrong and i feel even worse, and there are times where i just dont feel adequite enough for what i am doing.

In 1 Nephi of the Book of Mormon, Nephi goes through many tirals, and a lot is asked of him but he didnt give up, because he knew God loved him and would help and bless him. Nephi not only was betrayed by his own family, but he was asked to build a ship that he had never done before. When i think about anything like i cant even imagine doing anything like that. Thankfully Nephi had the help of his Heavenly Father and never quit. So we learn from the example of Gabe and Nephi, that times get hard, but we should never quit, because if we pray and ask for help we will recieve it and we will be blessed in a way that will be best for us. I know that if you push through your hard times there is a great reward whether great or small after that will come our way, also we will build a greater confidence in ourselves that is a blessing in of itself.

So if there is something you want to do and you arent sure you can do it, look at what the result will be in the end, and work for that blessing. 

NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER QUIT!

Love Our Mother

   Today i would like to talk about my wonderful mother! I have come to deeply love and appreciate her and all she does for me. I was blessed to be raised and taught by her. So how should we love the mother that loves us.

  When i was a young boy the age of  7 i started a paper route. It was an early morning one and i had quite a few papers to deliver, with no transportation. For some of that time i shared the route with my brothers and a a sister ocasiaonally. None of us at this time were able to drive ourselves so each morning 365 days a year my mother would wake up, wake me up (usually more than once), drive me around to deliver the papers, then she would help me get ready for school, go to work for 8 hours, come home listen to me complain and throw fits, make or help with dinner and homework, go to sleep then do it all over again. I never thought of how much she did and as i got a little older my mother sang for the mormon tabernacle choir, so she added that into her schedule. There were the occasionall day where she may be sick and my dad would take over. As i was looking back on this i realized NOT ONCE did my mother ask for anything in return or take more money from the paycheck than what was used for gas, or complain about how tired she was, and for NINE YEARS my mother did this because she loved me. Through all my complaints and temper tantrums and sicknesses my mom took care of me and gave me her time. She couldve taken that extra two or so hours to catch up on sleep or practice singing which she so dearly loved, or even spent time with other things she had fallen behind on; but no she loved me and helped me earn money for my childhood, and teen years. As i look back i think of how many times i didnt thank her or how i nagged her for things, or thought she didnt do enough for me or spend enough time with me. If i realized back then what i do now i would be so disappointed in myself. In Doctrine and Covenants 4 we read 5And ^afaith, ^bhope, ^ccharity and ^dlove, with an ^eeye single to the ^fglory of God, ^gqualify him for the work.

 6Remember faith, ^avirtue, knowledge, ^btemperance, ^cpatience, ^dbrotherly ^ekindness, ^fgodliness, charity, ^ghumility, ^hdiligence.  Jack R. Christianson says: "I love these verses because, to me, they are not just about missionary work, but are also about how to love people."

 My mother was full of these attributes towards me. She wasnt a perfect mother but she tired her best, and with how imperfect i was and am as a son she did a great job.

  We also can learn to love our mothers or our children if we strive to develop these attributes. And when you do something for your mother or children do it out of love not to gain a reward or earning.

Jack R. Christianson also stats: "If we really want to be loved, the formula is to do what? It is to love others, and to express it, and to show it."

  So not only this mothers day but always,  remember the formula. I know there may be times where your parents or children dont show their love, but inside you still know they love you. Do things out of love, just as the Savior did for us.

Lifting Burdens

Just as the video shows we can and are vunerable to satan and his power. Satan knows our weaknesses and and will use those against us. Thankfully we have a Savior who atonened for our sins and knows how to strenghten us.
  27And if men come unto me I will show unto them their ^aweakness. I ^bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my ^cgrace is sufficient for all men that ^dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make ^eweak things become strong unto them.
  First we must recognize that without Jesus Christ we are nothing and we need his support to overcome the evil in our lives. There have been many times in my life where i thought i was strong enough to overcome the temptations, and addictions of satan. We cannot let pride guide our lives. The Savior died for us and he knows what we can and cannot do ( http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/7.11-12?lang=eng#10). If you have faith in Jesus Christ and trust in him then he will guide your life for the better. I know this to be true and evey consequense good or bad was for my benefit. The Atonement was for every one of us and we are never forgotten.

The Saviors Love For ALL Of Us

I myself cannot express my feeling towards Jesus Christ for what he has done for me, what he continues to do, what he will do for me, and each one of Heavenly Fathers children. What a wonderful time we have to remember the our Savior and his atonement and that he does indeed live. He knows our pains, our trials, our weaknesses and he has felt them all, so that we may be forgiven of anything if we have faith in him repent, and forsake our sins.

11And he shall go forth, suffering pains and ^aafflictions and ^btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will ^ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12And he will take upon him ^adeath, that he may ^bloose 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 ^csuccor his people according to their infirmities.

14Now I say unto you that ye must ^arepent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.

Elder Bruce C. Haffen says: "The Atonement not only pays for our sins, it heals our wonds, the self inflicted ones and those beyond our control". We must strive to remember our Savior not only this easter sunday but always in our hearts. I know if you do so that he will guide you and help you along the way, back to the Heavenly Father who loves you perfectly.

Is God Real? Does God Love Us?

Take a look at what you see and ask yourself again if God is real?

 I know that God is real and that he loves all of his children perfectly. God created us and everything around us, even the very air we breathe. He loves us so much he wants us to become like him. To me that is a pretty selfless loving God. You might think to yourself well if he loves me why do i face trials and go through such hard times. If we look at the story of Nephi in the Book of Mormon he says something very profound; 

16 And he said unto me: Knowest thou the ^acondescension of God?

 17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.

  So if we go through trial after trial and we don't understand why these things happen to us or why God allows bad things to happen to good people, remember that God loves his children , and if we know that and remember that then we will trust in him! I have found myself before questioning why certain trials have come my way, but as i pray and read and do what I'm supposed to be doing i later come to find out why some of those things happen to me. I don't know about you but i tend to learn more from my hard times, then from my easy times anyway, and I'm sure that's how it is for most if not everyone. Look at Jesus Christ for example, the one perfect person to live on this earth and never sinned once went through more then any of us ever will go through. So the bad things that happen to us or in the world we may never realize why they happen in this life but one thing we do know is that Heavenly Father loves us.

  Now back to how we can all know God is real. Look at the world, look at yourself, think of the complexity of those things as you read these scriptures...

   44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of ^aall these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the ^bearth, and ^call things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its ^dmotion, yea, and also all the ^eplanets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.

40 And now what evidence have ye that there is no ^aGod, or that Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your word only.

  We have all been greatly blessed by our loving Heavenly Father who wants us to feel complete joy and happiness and return to live with him again. Again i know that God is real and that he loves each and every one of us more then we know. I pray that we can all set aside our pride and see how we have been blessed and seek for the good things in life and in eternity.

Is Church Nessassary for Returning to Heaven... Is a parachute nessassary when skydiving?!

                               
    Today i was impressed to talk on why we need to attend church. When i have people ask me if church is nessassary or tell me that it isnt I think of the question well thats like saying a paracute isnt nessassary for skydiving, or asking them if they think a parachute is nessassary for skydiving. The answer is simple. YES! Whenever you go skydiving the instructors make sure everyone has a parachute so they dont just come crashing into the ground. We can think of that as Heavnly Father making sure we follow his commandments. We go to church to partake of the sacrament and to be forgiven of our sins the prior week. Seeing as how we all mess up and sin all the time God has blessed us with a way to stay close to him and be clean. So many people in this day and age think it is unessassary and that as long as they believe in Christ on sunday that they are doing what they need too, others may say well i can worship God from my own home.  Elder Dallin H. Oaks talks of the importance of church and partaking of the sacrament as well. "The resurrected Lord emphasized the importance of the sacrament when He visited the American continent and instituted this ordinance among the faithful Nephites. He blessed the emblems of the sacrament and gave them to His disciples and the multitude (see 3 Nephi 18:1–10), commanding:" We also attend church to strengthen our faith and to feel the spirit and pray for those arond us (alma 6:6). When we go to church and do these things we not only bring joy and happiness to ourselves but we please Heavenly Father and we can help those around us by being a friend or sharing a smile. We have 168 hours in the week and Heavenly Father only asks for 3! Is 3 hours a week to much to ask for the blessing of eternal happiness. Lets go back to the question is church nessassary to Return to Heaven, well is a parachute nessassary when skydiving? If you want to enjoy this life then yes! I know that when we attend church Heavenly Father will bless us throughout our lives and we can be happier and feel more peace in our day to day living.

Today Is The Day

 

Do you know where you will be tomorrow?

Choose You This Day

Thomas S. MonsonFirst Counselor in the First Presidency

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Joshua of old declared, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” ¹

All of us commenced an awesome and vital journey when we left the spirit world and entered this often challenging stage called mortality. We brought with us that great gift from God—our agency. Said the prophet Wilford Woodruff: “God has given unto all of His children … individual agency. … [We] possessed it in the heaven of heavens before the world was, and the Lord maintained and defended it there against the aggression of Lucifer. … By virtue of this agency you and I and all mankind are made responsible beings, responsible for the course we pursue, the lives we live, the deeds we do.” ²

Brigham Young said, “All must use [this agency] in order to gain exaltation in [God’s] kingdom; inasmuch as [we] have the power of choice [we] must exercise that power.” ³

The scriptures tell us that we are free to act for ourselves, “to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.”

Let us not find ourselves as indecisive as is Alice in Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. You will remember that she comes to a crossroads with two paths before her, each stretching onward but in opposite directions. She is confronted by the Cheshire cat, of whom Alice asks, “Which path shall I follow?”

The cat answers: “That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter which path you take.” ⁶

Unlike Alice, we all know where we want to go, and it does matter which way we go, for the path we follow in this life surely leads to the path we will follow in the next.

        

   As i have learned and grown serving Heavenly Father, i have seen the blessings of choosing to serve him now. We can not wait, as President Henry B. Eyring says, for we do not know what the choices of others may bring to us. Do we have another day? Fill your heart with the desire to follow the commandments and have faith in Jesus Christ. I know that as you follow him you will see a difference in your life. It will be one of a greater peace and love. You will feel better inside and you will feel the love of your Heavenly Father. He desires complete joy and happiness for each one of us and wants all of his children to return to live with him again. I have seen to many people throw there life away because they do not what to do that which may be hard, even if it is worth it. So choose this day to serve Heavenly Father and he will bless you, whether it be in this life or in eternity. I promise it will be worth it.