Entering Nowhere



First thing that popped into my head when I saw this picture,
Montana and Wyoming. But getting to my point...



We all get into situations where we feel completely lost and without direction. Ever feel like things never get better? Is there any hope for us to get out of "nowhere", and back where we should be? Is there anyone we can turn to in those situations? Well, in our lives, it would be Jesus Christ. You have heard of the parable of the lost sheep, and how the shepherd left the rest of his flock to go find the one that went missing. I mean think about it. There were 99 other sheep, that's a lot of sheep! And he left them all to go looking for just one that had gone astray. Well that's exactly what Christ is doing for us. It doesn't matter where we are, who we are, or what we have done; Christ will come searching. The Savior cares for each of us the same, and wants us all to return to him. I know it. 

Push or Pull?

 Sometimes I tend to overlook the obvious. Lets say you walk into a building, and all you are thinking about is getting in and doing whatever you're there for, making things quick and easy. But have you ever run into those doors that aren't the usual "Push" kind? Sometimes there are those "Pull" kinds, and they sort of throw you out of your rhythm, and make you slow down. They make you take a step back and look at whats around you. Sometimes we can get a little impatient, irritated, and even a little upset. But when you take that step back, you realize that you are just missing so much of what is going on around you. And a lot of times it's right there in front of our faces.

 So why am I saying all this stuff? Well recently I've been reading the words of Isaiah, and everyone knows what you do when you get to Isaiah, you plow through them and don't stop until you finish. But for me, THEY are those "pull" doors.  They are just full of stuff that slows me down. And sometimes they do make me a little irritated, especially when I sit down and read for an hour and don't get anything out of what he has just said. But it has made a difference when I take the time to slow down my reading and really look around at what he is trying to teach me. I guess what I am just trying to say is, SLOW DOWN and smell the roses (or the words of Isaiah).

My brain is full!

This is how school felt sometimes. You had so much going on. You had your schedule to memorize, teachers names, class rooms to find, way too many assignments, and the list just never seemed to run out. But it never stops does it. Your brain is going to get full everyday, probably several times a day. And you don't have to be in high school to have these experiences, they are all around us. We all have those nerve wrecking situations, deadlines, appointments, jobs, family, friends, etc.

 And one reason that list never ends is because we are all different, unique. The things that fry my brain, may not even be a thought to you. That's how we were created, we all go through challenges that will test us, and push us to our limits. But there is one thing that we can all rely on, and that would be God. When we rely on Him, we realize how it all works.

 Take this scripture in 1 Corinthians 10:13... "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but 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." Now it's talking about being tempted, but you can apply it to your situation. God will never suffer us to be put through anything we can't handle. He won't let it happen because He is our Heavenly Father and loves us. 

The Resto Project

Okay, so I have been trying to come up with a way to talk a little more about the restoration of the gospel, and I think I finally came up with an idea. Lets take the idea of a restoration, the dictionary answer is...
1. the act of restoring; renewal, revival, or reestablishment.
2. the state or fact of being restored.


Me, pre-mission... obviously

3. a return of something to a former, original, normal, or unimpaired condition. So some things that are restored on a normal basis, and something I love, are cars. And not just any cars, but the classic muscle cars. Before I came out on my mission, my dad and I had started working on a car, a '72 Mustang. Man I love that car. Everyone likes them, and if you don't you can stop reading, because you probably wont like my analogy. But restoring a car means doing a lot. You have to restore the whole car, bring it back "to a former, original, normal, or unimpaired condition."  That means everything, the body, paint, engine, interior, wheels, rims, and the list goes on. To make it a true restoration and make it worth something, it has to be done right, and it has to have everything that it originally had. Just like a car, things were changed over time. People added extras, they changed the interior, tried to make the engine bigger and better, and just couldn't keep it the same. But what needed to happen was a full blown re-do. That is exactly what the restoration of Christ's church is. Joseph Smith acted as the prophet, or mechanic, to bring back the fullness of what was lost over time. And that's what we have today, a beautiful, shiny, tuned Church that has the same value and quality it did when it was first made.
I know that this is true, that through Joseph Smith, Jesus Christ restored the fullness of His gospel to the earth. And that we have prophets here today that work constantly to keep it in good, working condition so that it can bless us all.

The Far Side of Happiness

 Ever hear someone say, "you can't buy happiness"? What do they mean? To me they are saying is that no matter what your worldly status is, happiness isn't something you can go out and get in a gift wrapped box. It's something you work for. So ask yourself, "Am I happy?"

If you are, think about how you came to be that way. If you are not, well, the same question applies. To me it seems like both paths usually stem from one trail, choices. The things we choose to do now will not only have an immediate effect on us, but most likely a lasting one too. Who do you want to be in your future, someone like Mr. Crawley, having to go buy his happiness? (I wouldn't suggest it, because like everything else we buy it will eventually wear out and break. It's not made to last a life time, only to satisfy you until you get bored or find something better.) Or do you want to find that true, lasting happiness? Well from what I have seen, the only way we can gain that lasting joy is by doing the things we know are right, even if the rest of the world doesn't agree. I bet you Mr. Crawley wouldn't be looking for a store to buy his happiness if he was making the right choices. But he knew that what he was doing would not give him what he wanted, so he took the world's advice and went for what seemed like the next best thing. Don't be a Mr. Crawley. Decide right now what path you are on, and what path you want to be on. Then act, and choose what is right. There are people out there doing it right now, so make a difference in your own life and choose now who you will be in the future.

Chicken!

Ever feel like this chicken? Ever been thrown into a situation that was obviously not going to turn out for the better? We all do, but unlike this chicken, we have control over those situations. No one grabs us, ties us onto a balloon, and sends us to our doom. In a sense the only person who does that is us. We do it to ourselves by the things we do and the people we hang out with. And even when we get into those situations, we can grab our stuff and book it out of there whenever we want. So make the right choices now, so that you don't have to worry about these situations in the future. Do as Joshua councils and "choose you this day whom ye will serve... as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Do that and I can promise you that you won't have to be this chicken, and life will be a whole lot easier. Don't you think?

Jesus Loves You

Many people have struggles, trials, and hard times in their lives. We all have times of doubt and distress. So if we have these, how are we supposed to overcome them? With all the confusion and just plain hypocrisy that goes on today there aren't many people we can all trust in.

But God is always there to hear our prayers and to comfort us when we are going through hard times. God loves us. He is our Heavenly Father and wants to bless us. And the most significant way He has blessed us is through His Son Jesus Christ. Do you remember what it was that Jesus did for us all? I am not talking about helping old ladies cross the road, or picking up someones papers that they had just dropped. No, I am talking about a gift that Christ gave to each and every one of us, something that we can use in our lives, this is called the Atonement.

When Christ performed the Atonement he not only died on the cross for us, but suffered for all the pains and trials we would go through. He knows the hurt we feel and the guilt we all carry around with us. But it is up to us to take those feelings and seek His help in overcoming them. He wants us to come to Him and be freed from those burdens. I know that God loves us, He loves us enough to send His own son to die for us. And I know that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, and that His sacrifice for us is real.



Angels are all around us.




First off I have to say that this is probably one of the coolest pictures I have ever seen. But getting to my point. While we may not see angels that look like this in our everyday lives, that does not mean that we are left alone.  I know that everyone of us can be an angel for someone else. As we go about our lives, as busy as they may seem, take the time to look around you and see who is in need of help. I know that as we do this we can not only do good for others, but we will also be doing good for ourselves. Show your love to others. As we do this, we will  feel the love that our Savior has for each and every one of us more abundantly. Spring is finally hear, that means lots of hard chores and things to do around the house. Take the opportunity to be someones angel.

You have the courage!







 

  The story of the sons of Mosiah has always been one of my favorite stories to read in the Book of Mormon. It is a story of faith, courage, and valiance. But if you know the history of these men, you would understand who they really were. Before their conversion they used to run around stealing from, and mocking those who believed in the Messiah. They rejected the teachings of their father and the church and wanted nothing to do with it. But after the conversion of their friend Alma (the younger), they realized the blessings that came from living the gospel of Jesus Christ, and they started sharing it with everyone around them.

 And that is were their story starts. They went on many missions, all over the country and to many different people. The lamanites were one of those groups of people they taught. In the Book of Alma it describes just what these people were like,

 "And assuredly it was great, for they had undertaken to preach the word of God to a ^awild and a hardened and a ferocious people; a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites, and robbing and plundering them; and their hearts were set upon riches, or upon gold and silver, and precious stones; yet they sought to obtain these things by murdering and plundering, that they might not labor for them with their own hands.

 Thus they were a very indolent people, many of whom did worship idols, and the ^acurse of God had fallen upon them because of the ^btraditions of their fathers..."

  Not exactly the kind of people I would like to run into while tracting in Wyoming. But Ammon and his brothers willingly went into the lands of the Lamanites to share this great message with them. They knew that it had changed their hearts, and they knew that it could change the lamanite people's too.

The world is a tough place, no matter where you are. All of us face challenges and hardships that test our faith. If we are mocked, cheated, robbed or hurt for what we believe in, is that going to stop us from living a good life? I don't think these men are the only ones who have the ability to gain the courage that they had. We all need to trust in the knowledge of our Savior, and know that he is with us. If we are doing the things He wants us to do, then He has promised to help us. So go out, remember who you are and keep fighting a good fight. You have the courage!

Read more about these amazing missionaries here. Alma 17-19

Stand Tall








  This morning I was reading an article by President Henry B. Eyring. The article is called "Teaching True Doctrine", and it comes out of the Ensign, the church's monthly magazine. In the article it mentions many people throughout history who have sought to follow Christ's teachings, and to share their knowledge with the people around them.

One story in particular stood out to me. It was a story from President Eyring's family, of a girl named Mary Bommeli. The story tells of how her family was converted to the gospel in Switzerland, and traveled to the Americas to join the saints there. But they did not have sufficient funds for all to travel together, so Mary stayed behind to earn her way there.



As she worked as a seamstress in Berlin, she would talk and teach her employer and her friends about the gospel. The people she taught were touched by the words she spoke to them, and they began to tell others of the gospel. At this time it was illegal to teach the doctrine of the LDS church there in Berlin, so when word spread of Mary and her preaching, she was arrested and thrown in jail. She heard that her judge was a man of the world, and after writing a letter of the things she knew and how it could help him repent of the wrongs in his life, all charges were dropped and she was released.

As President Eyring states, "Her teaching the doctrine of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ had opened eyes and hearts enough to get her cast into jail. And here declaring the doctrine of repentance to the judge got her cast out of jail."

Mary Bommeli knew the truth, and she would not deny it. This is story is a witness to the power the truth holds. As a missionary we sometimes get backed into a corner on certain subjects and see no way out. But soon we realize that there is always a way out, by bearing our testimony. That is something that is for us to know and for them to hear. no one can challenge your beliefs. We can share our own conviction with those around us, and as we do so we will see the gospel change lives. As Captain Moroni, we must declare our purpose. I know this is Christ's church, once again established in it's fullness. I know that we are called by a prophet of God, and I know that our message is true. 

Ensign Article by Pres. Henry B. Eyring

Captian Moroni

The Wise Man

  There is a popular children's song that is well known to church members around the world, called "The Wise Man and the Foolish Man". In the song it describes two men and their efforts to build their houses. The wise man builds his house a rock, and the foolish man builds his on the sand. All seems well until a storm comes, and it starts to flood. Now those of you from coastal areas of the world know that it is not a good idea to build a house right on the beach, because you have the possibility of water damage. The story goes on to describe how the wise man's house is immovable through all of this rain and flooding because of the rock it is built on, while the foolish man's house is washed away and lost.

This story is not only entertaining but also has some deep morals.  In The Book of Mormon there is a prophet named Helaman who talks about this. He talks about building our house on Christ because He is that sure foundation. He also says that doing this will help us withstand the "hail and mighty storms" of the devil. Think of the sand that the other man built his house on. It was not sturdy, it was ever changing like the world around us. How many of us get our feet knocked out from underneath us everyday because we have nothing to cling to that is strong and immovable?

This is a simple story like I said, but there is something to be learned from it. Compare yourself to these two men, which one are you? Are you building your life on Christ, our sure foundation, or are you following the world and getting thrown around by all the confusion that exists today? I know that by following Christs example and striving to do our best to follow Him, that we will be blessed. We can experience greater peace and happiness by following the council of a modern day prophet and apostles, and by studying the teachings of those in the past. "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" - Helaman 5: 12

Read Helaman here: http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/hel/5.12?lang=eng#11http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/hel/5.12?lang=eng#11

Sing the complete song here:  http://lds.org/churchmusic/detailmusicPlayer/index.html?searchlanguage=1&searchcollection=2&searchseqstart=281&searchsubseqstart=%20&searchseqend=281&searchsubseqend=ZZZ

The Portrait of Our Lord

Take a look at these paintings of Christ, and as you look at them, think of Him, and of His purpose.

Art By Walter Rane

Jehova Creates

 

Behold The Lamb

 

And The Child Grew And Waxed Strong In Spirit

 Mary Heard His Word

 

Whom Say Ye That I Am

He Anointed the Eyes of the Blind Man

These Twelve Jesus Sent Forth

In Remembrance

The Triumphal Entry Of Christ

Portrait Of Christ

He Is Not Here

Christ Visits The New World

Christ In America

 

  Resurrected Christ

I am so thankful for all that our Savior does for us. His Atonement has played a very important role in my life, and I am learning every day how to apply it more fully to the things I do. As you go about your day, and experience your normal everyday troubles and stresses, remember that it has all been taken care of. Your Father in Heaven loves you and cares for you. Enough to send His own son to die for you. Remember that and follow Christ's example in all things.