Come Unto Christ

I invite you to come unto Christ,
Though mere words cannot suffice.
May I, of His life expound?
That He, in your heart may be found?

During Our Lord's ministry,
Precious few came to know Him,
Though all He did made history.
Though He offered pure love to them.

He's our bright miracle
And our plan for happiness.
His arms extend to encircle,
With joy and love. He's Holiness.

There is no other name that saves.
He gives assurance to us.
There's no better path than he paves.
He teaches of faith, hope and trust.

It warms my heart to speak of Him
And of all He's done for me.
Through times of sorrow and of sin,
His love's been there enveloping.

His life's example paves the way.
I will strive to be like Him.
I'll keep my covenants and obey
What I promised at baptism.

May you find faith to do His will,
As the Spirit manifests.
Know that His promise does fulfill.
May you feel joy within your breast.

-President Eyring

Life Is A Ladder

Life is like the ascent of such a column. While we are climbing up its dark stairway, there lies outside its walls a glorious world, reaching away into eternity, beautiful and filled with the rarest things of God's love. When thoughts of immortality and knowledge of the gospel come to us, they are like little windows through which we have glimpses of the infinite sweep of life beyond this hampered existence of earth. If we use the doctrines of the gospel as the rungs on the ladder upon which we climb this staircase of life, than our ascent will be enlightened, and all of our duties and responsibilities will be relevant to the goal ahead-that of eternal life we will realize the highest achievements and most satisfying joys. Our success in life depends on the way we make use of it. the advantage of leisure time is mainly that we have the opportunity to choose our own tasks. Not time to be spent in idleness. To make, to create, to produce something necessary or beautiful, at once lifts us closer to companionship with our Heavenly Father. Whether in work or leisure, it is important to keep our spiritual values uppermost in our lives, directing and determining our actions. We can all establish a beautiful relationship with the Lord if we so desire and then we will be able to feel His inspiration and work and live for Him. This is a ultimate joy that can be a part of each of our lives and mission to the service of the Lord, He will shower blessing upon us and we can become an instrument in His hands for accomplishing His will among our associates in the church. Spreading the gospel, loving it and being proud of it is always an asset. The worst thing that can destroy us is our spiritual pride. Turning to the Lord is an essential part of our eternal progression. A wonderful tuning agent is prayer. We must be careful that we do not only pray in our distress and need, but that we pray also in the fulness of our joy and in our days of abundance.

Weekly Talk That Inspires- "You Are My Hands"

This week I am going to pick a talk from the most recent General Conference, that inspires and lifts me. I wasn't able to watch much of last conference, and so its always good to read a talk that I haven't listened or read before. And this one kinda just drew me in!!
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“You Are My Hands”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency

As disciples of Jesus Christ, our Master, we are called to support and heal rather than condemn.

A story is told that during the bombing of a city in World War II, a large statue of Jesus Christ was severely damaged. When the townspeople found the statue among the rubble, they mourned because it had been a beloved symbol of their faith and of God’s presence in their lives.

Experts were able to repair most of the statue, but its hands had been damaged so severely that they could not be restored. Some suggested that they hire a sculptor to make new hands, but others wanted to leave it as it was—a permanent reminder of the tragedy of war. Ultimately, the statue remained without hands. However, the people of the city added on the base of the statue of Jesus Christ a sign with these words: “You are my hands.”

We Are the Hands of Christ

There is a profound lesson in this story. When I think of the Savior, I often picture Him with hands outstretched, reaching out to comfort, heal, bless, and love. And He always talked with, never down to, people. He loved the humble and the meek and walked among them, ministering to them and offering hope and salvation.

That is what He did during His mortal life; it is what He would be doing if He were living among us today; and it is what we should be doing as His disciples and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

On this beautiful Easter morning, our thoughts and hearts are drawn to Him—the Hope of Israel and the Light of the World.

As we emulate His perfect example, our hands can become His hands; our eyes, His eyes; our heart, His heart.

Our Hands Can Embrace

I am deeply impressed by the way our Church members extend themselves to others. As we hear of your selfless sacrifice and overwhelming compassion, our hearts swell with gratitude and happiness. You are a shining light to the world, and you are known for your goodness and compassion all around the globe.

Unfortunately, from time to time we also hear of Church members who become discouraged and subsequently quit coming to and participating in our Church meetings because they think they don’t fit in.

When I was a young boy, during the aftermath of World War II, Germany was broken and in ruins. Many people were hungry, sick, and dying. I remember well the humanitarian shipments of food and clothing that came from the Church in Salt Lake City. To this day, I can still remember the smell of the clothing, and I can still taste the sweetness of the canned peaches.

There were some who joined the Church because of the goods they received at that time. Some members looked down on these new converts. They even called them an offensive name:Büchsen Mormonen, or “Canned-Food Mormons.” They resented these new members because they believed that once their temporal needs had been met, they would fall away.

While some did leave, many stayed—they came to church, tasted the sweetness of the gospel, and felt the tender embrace of caring brothers and sisters. They discovered “home.” And now, three and four generations later, many families trace their Church membership back to these converts.

I hope that we welcome and love all of God’s children, including those who might dress, look, speak, or just do things differently. It is not good to make others feel as though they are deficient. Let us lift those around us. Let us extend a welcoming hand. Let us bestow upon our brothers and sisters in the Church a special measure of humanity, compassion, and charity so that they feel, at long last, they have finally found home.

When we are tempted to judge, let us think of the Savior, who “loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. . . . 

“[And] he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, . . . [for] all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.”¹

As I read the scriptures, it appears that those who receive the Savior’s strongest reproach are often those who hold themselves in high esteem because of their wealth, influence, or perceived righteousness.

On one occasion the Savior taught a parable of two men who went into the temple to pray. One man, a respected Pharisee, prayed: “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.”

The other man, a hated publican, stood “afar off, [and] would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”

And Jesus said, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.”²

In truth, we “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”³ We are all in need of mercy. In that last day when we are called to the judgment bar of God, do we not hope that our many imperfections will be forgiven? Do we not yearn to feel the Savior’s embrace?

It seems only right and proper that we extend to others that which we so earnestly desire for ourselves.

I am not suggesting that we accept sin or overlook evil, in our personal life or in the world. Nevertheless, in our zeal, we sometimes confuse sin with sinner, and we condemn too quickly and with too little compassion. We know from modern revelation that “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.”⁴ We cannot gauge the worth of another soul any more than we can measure the span of the universe. Every person we meet is a VIP to our Heavenly Father. Once we understand that, we can begin to understand how we should treat our fellowmen.

One woman who had been through years of trial and sorrow said through her tears, “I have come to realize that I am like an old 20-dollar bill—crumpled, torn, dirty, abused, and scarred. But I am still a 20-dollar bill. I am worth something. Even though I may not look like much and even though I have been battered and used, I am still worth the full 20 dollars.”

Our Hands Can Comfort

With this in mind, let our hearts and hands be stretched out in compassion toward others, for everyone is walking his or her own difficult path. As disciples of Jesus Christ, our Master, we are called to support and heal rather than condemn. We are commanded “to mourn with those that mourn” and “comfort those that stand in need of comfort.”⁵

It is unworthy of us as Christians to think that those who suffer deserve their suffering. Easter Sunday is a good day to remember that our Savior willingly took upon Himself the pain and sickness and suffering of us all—even those of us who appear to deserve our suffering.⁶

In the book of Proverbs we read that “a friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”⁷ Let us love at all times. And let us especially be there for our brothers and sisters during times of adversity.

Our Hands Can Serve

An old Jewish legend tells of two brothers, Abram and Zimri, who owned a field and worked it together. They agreed to divide both the labor and the harvest equally. One night as the harvest came to a close, Zimri could not sleep, for it didn’t seem right that Abram, who had a wife and seven sons to feed, should receive only half of the harvest, while he, with only himself to support, had so much.

So Zimri dressed and quietly went into the field, where he took a third of his harvest and put it in his brother’s pile. He then returned to his bed, satisfied that he had done the right thing.

Meanwhile, Abram could not sleep either. He thought of his poor brother, Zimri, who was all alone and had no sons to help him with the work. It did not seem right that Zimri, who worked so hard by himself, should get only half of the harvest. Surely this was not pleasing to God. And so Abram quietly went to the fields, where he took a third of his harvest and placed it in the pile of his beloved brother.

The next morning, the brothers went to the field and were both astonished that the piles still looked to be the same size. That night both brothers slipped out of their houses to repeat their efforts of the previous night. But this time they discovered each other, and when they did, they wept and embraced. Neither could speak, for their hearts were overcome with love and gratitude.⁸

This is the spirit of compassion: that we love others as ourselves,⁹ seek their happiness, and do unto them as we hope they would do unto us.¹⁰

True Love Requires Action

True love requires action. We can speak of love all day long—we can write notes or poems that proclaim it, sing songs that praise it, and preach sermons that encourage it—but until we manifest that love in action, our words are nothing but “sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”¹¹

Christ did not just speak about love; He showed it each day of His life. He did not remove Himself from the crowd. Being amidst the people, Jesus reached out to the one. He rescued the lost. He didn’t just teach a class about reaching out in love and then delegate the actual work to others. He not only taught but also showed us how to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”¹²

Christ knows how to minister to others perfectly. When the Savior stretches out His hands, those He touches are uplifted and become greater, stronger, and better people as a result.

If we are His hands, should we not do the same?

We Can Love as He Does

The Savior revealed the perfect priorities for our lives, our homes, our wards, our communities, and our nations when He spoke of love as the great commandment upon which “hang all the law and the prophets.”¹³ We can spend our days obsessing about the finest details of life, the law, and long lists of things to do; but should we neglect the great commandments, we are missing the point and we are clouds without water, drifting in the winds, and trees without fruit.¹⁴

Without this love for God the Father and our fellowmen we are only the form of His Church—without the substance. What good is our teaching without love? What good is missionary, temple, or welfare work without love?

Love is what inspired our Heavenly Father to create our spirits; it is what led our Savior to the Garden of Gethsemane to make Himself a ransom for our sins. Love is the grand motive of the plan of salvation; it is the source of happiness, the ever-renewing spring of healing, the precious fountain of hope.

As we extend our hands and hearts toward others in Christlike love, something wonderful happens to us. Our own spirits become healed, more refined, and stronger. We become happier, more peaceful, and more receptive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit.

With all my heart and soul I give thanks to our Heavenly Father for His love for us, for the gift of His Son, for the life and example of Jesus the Christ, and for His sinless and selfless sacrifice. I rejoice in the fact that Christ is not dead but risen from the grave! He lives and has returned to the earth to restore His authority and gospel to man. He has given us the perfect example of the kind of men and women we should be.

On this Easter Sunday, and every day, as we contemplate with reverence and awe how our Savior embraces us, comforts us, and heals us, let us commit to become His hands, that others through us may feel His loving embrace. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Here is the video of this talk, if you would rather watch than read:

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Why I liked This Talk:

Well I have always loved Pres Uchtdorf and all of his talks, but this one really struck a chord in my heart. What I really got out of this, and what I really want to work on, is to put love into everything that I do and feel. I have noticed that when I go out and help others, without thinking about the time, but focusing on them and loving them. Also what I learned from this talk is that we need to emulate the Savior, and how in everything he did was out of love for us and everyone around Him. So should we: we should put love in every action, every emotion that we do in our daily lives to show others that we care. Also to those that aren't only just members, but others of other faiths and beliefs as well, to set a example that love isn't limited, its eternal in its truest form. 

Weekly Talk That Inspires- Friendship

One of the great tributes the Savior can give is to call us “friends.” We know that He loves with a perfect love all of His Heavenly Father’s children. Yet for those who have been faithful in their service with Him, He reserves this special title. You remember the words from the 84th section of the Doctrine and Covenants: “And again I say unto you, my friends, for from henceforth I shall call you friends, it is expedient that I give unto you this commandment, that ye become even as my friends in days when I was with them, traveling to preach the gospel in my power” (D&C 84:77).

We become His friends as we serve others for Him. He is the perfect example of the kind of friend we are to become. He wants only what is best for His Heavenly Father’s children. Their happiness is His happiness. He feels their sorrow as His own because He has paid the price of all their sins, taken upon Himself all their infirmities, borne all their troubles, and felt all their longings. His motives are pure. He seeks no recognition for Himself but to give all glory to His Heavenly Father. The perfect friend, Jesus Christ, is completely selfless in offering happiness to others.

Each of us who has made the baptismal covenant has promised to follow His example to bear one another’s burdens as He would (see Mosiah 18:8).

In the next few days you will have many opportunities to be a friend for Him. It may be as you walk on a dusty road. It may be as you sit down in a railroad car. It may be as you look for a place to sit in a Church congregation. If you are watching, you will see someone carrying a heavy burden. It may be a burden of sorrow or loneliness or resentment. It may be visible to you only if you have prayed for the Spirit to give you eyes to see into hearts and have promised to lift up the hands that hang down.

The answer to your prayer may be the face of an old friend, one you have not seen in years but whose needs suddenly come into your mind and heart and feel as if they are your own. I’ve had that happen to me. Old friends have reached out to me across the miles and the years to offer encouragement when only God could have told them of my burden.

Living prophets of God have asked us to be faithful friends to those who come into the Church as converts and to go to the rescue of those who have drifted away. We can do it, and we will do it if we always remember the Savior. When we reach out to give succor and to lift a burden, He reaches with us. He will lead us to those in need. He will bless us to feel what they feel. As we persist in our efforts to serve them, we will more and more be given the gift of feeling His love for them. That will give us courage and strength to reach out again and again in faithfulness.

And, in time and in eternity, we will feel the joy of being welcomed to the company of His faithful friends. I pray for that blessing for all of us and for those we will serve.

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This I found on LDS.org, and its the visiting teaching message, but I think its something that everyone could benefit, whether you are man or woman or child. I think its so vital to keep up with our friendships, because they are what lift and inspire us to be something better and higher than ourselves!!! To all those who have been such a good friend to me whether in the past or the present, I thank you, for your support and love!!! 

Spiritual Saturday

Every Saturday I will be posting a spiritual talk that has meant something to me and then discuss what has inspired and lifted me up about the certain talk I have picked out.

Here we go:

The Blessing Of Scripture: Elder D Todd Christofferson

The central purpose of all scripture is to fill our souls with faith in God the Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ.

On October 6, in the year 1536, a pitiful figure was led from a dungeon in Vilvorde Castle near Brussels, Belgium. For nearly a year and a half, the man had suffered isolation in a dark, damp cell. Now outside the castle wall, the prisoner was fastened to a post. He had time to utter aloud his final prayer, “Lord! open the king of England’s eyes,” and then he was strangled. Immediately, his body was burned at the stake. Who was this man, and what was the offense for which both political and ecclesiastical authorities had condemned him? His name was William Tyndale, and his crime was to have translated and published the Bible in English.

Tyndale, born in England about the time Columbus sailed to the new world, was educated at Oxford and Cambridge and then became a member of the Catholic clergy. He was fluent in eight languages, including Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. Tyndale was a devoted student of the Bible, and the pervasive ignorance of the scriptures that he observed in both priests and lay people troubled him deeply. In a heated exchange with a cleric who argued against putting scripture in the hands of the common man, Tyndale vowed, “If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough, shall know more of the Scripture than thou dost!”

He sought the approval of church authorities to prepare a translation of the Bible in English so that all could read and apply the word of God. It was denied—the prevailing view being that direct access to the scriptures by any but the clergy threatened the authority of the church and was tantamount to casting “pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6).

Tyndale nevertheless undertook the challenging work of translation. In 1524 he traveled to Germany, under an assumed name, where he lived much of the time in hiding, under constant threat of arrest. With the help of committed friends, Tyndale was able to publish English translations of the New Testament and later the Old Testament. The Bibles were smuggled into England, where they were in great demand and much prized by those who could get them. They were shared widely but in secret. The authorities burned all the copies they could find. Nevertheless, within three years of Tyndale’s death, God did indeed open King Henry VIII’s eyes, and with publication of what was called the “Great Bible,” the scriptures in English began to be publicly available. Tyndale’s work became the foundation for almost all future English translations of the Bible, most notably the King James Version.¹

William Tyndale was not the first, nor the last, of those who in many countries and languages have sacrificed, even to the point of death, to bring the word of God out of obscurity. We owe them all a great debt of gratitude. We owe perhaps an even greater debt to those who faithfully recorded and preserved the word through the ages, often with painstaking labor and sacrifice—Moses, Isaiah, Abraham, John, Paul, Nephi, Mormon, Joseph Smith, and many others. What did they know about the importance of scriptures that we also need to know? What did people in 16th-century England, who paid enormous sums and ran grave personal risks for access to a Bible, understand that we should also understand?

Not long before his death, the prophet Alma entrusted the sacred records of the people to his son Helaman. He reminded Helaman that the scriptures had “enlarged the memory of this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls” (Alma 37:8). He commanded Helaman to preserve the records so that through them God might “show forth his power unto future generations” (Alma 37:14).

Through the scriptures, God does indeed “show forth his power” to save and exalt His children. By His word, as Alma said, He enlarges our memory, sheds light on falsehood and error, and brings us to repentance and to rejoice in Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.

The Scriptures Enlarge Our Memory

The scriptures enlarge our memory by helping us always to remember the Lord and our relationship to Him and the Father. They remind us of what we knew in our premortal life. And they expand our memory in another sense by teaching us about epochs, people, and events that we did not experience personally. None of us was present to see the Red Sea part and cross with Moses between walls of water to the other side. We were not there to hear the Sermon on the Mount, to see Lazarus raised from the dead, to see the suffering Savior in Gethsemane and on the cross, and we did not, with Mary, hear the two angels testify at the empty tomb that Jesus was risen from the dead. You and I did not go forward one by one with the multitude in the land Bountiful at the resurrected Savior’s invitation to feel the prints of the nails and bathe His feet with our tears. We did not kneel beside Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove and gaze there upon the Father and the Son. Yet we know all these things and much, much more because we have the scriptural record to enlarge our memory, to teach us what we did not know. And as these things penetrate our minds and hearts, our faith in God and His Beloved Son takes root.

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. You will remember how important it was for Lehi’s people to take the brass plates with them when they left Jerusalem. These scriptures were key to their knowledge of God and the coming Redemption of Christ. The other group that “came out from Jerusalem” shortly after Lehi had no scriptures, and when Lehi’s descendants encountered them some 300 or 400 years later, it is recorded that “their language had become corrupted; . . . and they denied the being of their Creator” (Omni 1:15, 17)

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.

The Scriptures Are the Standard for Distinguishing Truth and Error

God uses scripture to unmask erroneous thinking, false traditions, and sin with its devastating effects. He is a tender parent who would spare us needless suffering and grief and at the same time help us realize our divine potential. The scriptures, for example, discredit an ancient philosophy that has come back into vogue in our day—the philosophy of Korihor that there are no absolute moral standards, that “every man prosper[s] according to his genius, and that every man conquer[s] according to his strength; and whatsoever a man [does is] no crime” and “that when a man [is] dead, that [is] the end thereof” (Alma 30:17–18). Alma, who had dealt with Korihor, did not leave his own son Corianton in doubt about the reality and substance of a divine moral code. Corianton had been guilty of sexual sin, and his father spoke to him in love but plainly: “Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?” (Alma 39:5).

In a complete reversal from a century ago, many today would dispute with Alma about the seriousness of immorality. Others would argue that it’s all relative or that God’s love is permissive. If there is a God, they say, He excuses all sins and misdeeds because of His love for us—there is no need for repentance. Or at most, a simple confession will do. They have imagined a Jesus who wants people to work for social justice but who makes no demands upon their personal life and behavior.² But a God of love does not leave us to learn by sad experience that “wickedness never was happiness” (Alma 41:10; see also Helaman 13:38). His commandments are the voice of reality and our protection against self-inflicted pain. The scriptures are the touchstone for measuring correctness and truth, and they are clear that real happiness lies not in denying the justice of God or trying to circumvent the consequences of sin but in repentance and forgiveness through the atoning grace of the Son of God (see Alma 42).

Scripture tutors us in principles and moral values essential to maintaining civil society, including integrity, responsibility, selflessness, fidelity, and charity. In scripture, we find vivid portrayals of the blessings that come from honoring true principles, as well as the tragedies that befall when individuals and civilizations discard them. Where scriptural truths are ignored or abandoned, the essential moral core of society disintegrates and decay is close behind. In time, nothing is left to sustain the institutions that sustain society.

The Scriptures Bring Us to Christ, Our Redeemer

In the end, the central purpose of all scripture is to fill our souls with faith in God the Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ—faith that They exist; faith in the Father’s plan for our immortality and eternal life; faith in the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which animates this plan of happiness; faith to make the gospel of Jesus Christ our way of life; and faith to come to know “the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He has] sent” (John 17:3).

The word of God, as Alma said, is like a seed planted in our hearts that produces faith as it begins to grow within us (see Alma 32:27–43; see also Romans 10:13–17). Faith will not come from the study of ancient texts as a purely academic pursuit. It will not come from archaeological digs and discoveries. It will not come from scientific experiments. It will not even come from witnessing miracles. These things may serve to confirm faith, or at times to challenge it, but they do not create faith. Faith comes by the witness of the Holy Spirit to our souls, Spirit to spirit, as we hear or read the word of God. And faith matures as we continue to feast upon the word.

Scriptural accounts of the faith of others serve to strengthen our own. We recall the faith of a centurion that enabled Christ to heal his servant without so much as seeing him (see Matthew 8:5–13) and the healing of a Gentile woman’s daughter because that humble mother would accept, as it were, even the crumbs from the Master’s table (see Matthew 15:22–28; Mark 7:25–30). We hear the cry of suffering Job: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15)—and professing, “I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: . . . [and] yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19:25–26). We hear and take courage from the determination of a tender boy prophet, hated and bitterly persecuted by so many adults: “I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it” (Joseph Smith—History 1:25).

Because they expound the doctrine of Christ, the scriptures are accompanied by the Holy Spirit, whose role it is to bear witness of the Father and the Son (see 3 Nephi 11:32). Therefore, being in the scriptures is one way we receive the Holy Ghost. Of course, scripture is given through the Holy Ghost in the first place (see 2 Peter 1:21; D&C 20:26–27; 68:4), and that same Spirit can attest its truth to you and me. Study the scriptures carefully, deliberately. Ponder and pray over them. Scriptures are revelation, and they will bring added revelation.

Consider the magnitude of our blessing to have the Holy Bible and some 900 additional pages of scripture, including the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Then consider that, in addition, the words of prophets spoken as they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost in settings such as this, which the Lord calls scripture (see D&C 68:2–4), flow to us almost constantly by television, radio, Internet, satellite, CD, DVD, and in print. I suppose that never in history has a people been blessed with such a quantity of holy writ. And not only that, but every man, woman, and child may possess and study his or her own personal copy of these sacred texts, most in his or her own language. How incredible such a thing would have seemed to the people of William Tyndale’s day and to the Saints of earlier dispensations! Surely with this blessing the Lord is telling us that our need for constant recourse to the scriptures is greater than in any previous time. May we feast continuously on the words of Christ that will tell us all things we should do (see 2 Nephi 32:3). I have studied the scriptures, I have pondered the scriptures, and on this Eastertide, I bear you my testimony of the Father and the Son, as They are revealed in the holy scriptures, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

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My thoughts:

As I was reading this talk, I was reminded by how much I have loved the scriptures and how much they mean to me. They are truly a blessing in each of our lives, for they teach us much and we are able to grow and progress from the lessons that they teach, if we ponder, and follow up on it and have the courage and faith to stand tall and following God's will. We all have different methods of studying the scriptures. As for myself, I will get study guides and commentaries to help me understand the place, time, culture, the deep meanings that sometimes ourselves don't see and the great symbolism that is all over the scriptures that teach us so much. I will relate a personal spiritual experience of studying the Book of Mormon. I was studying in Mormon, and I had never understood the depth of this part of the Book of Mormon until that point. I was studying with the commentary from Millet and McConkie, (which is a great version if you are interested) and it really talked about how Mormon was such filled with faith and dedication to the Lord. How he saw his people turn wicked, people that he loved and taught, and then to be killed right in front of him and he couldn't help them. As I was reading through Mormon, I felt a kinship with the man, for he had much courage and strength to go through something so challenging yet remain tall and faithful and ever remaining dedicated. If I was in his place it would have broken me to see such a thing, because I feel such sorrow when a friend or family member falls away from the church but to have that happen to everyone that I knew, now that would just be heart breaking sorrow. I pray that one day I will have that much courage, strength and faith!!!! May we all endeavor to follow his great example and have such a great faith as he did and does!!!! 

Living Righteously in a Wicked World

'And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, hat he said, escape for they life, look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest though be consumed'(Genesis 19:17)

1. We need to be more like Abraham- who was kind, gracious and loving. He had a deep concern for family-which wax a priority for Abraham. ' Let there be no strife' a soft answer turneth away wrath.
2. He also had faith in the Lord. He had his tent pitched toward Zion, toward the Lord and all things righteous and good. Lot however had his tent pitched toward Sodom(a very wicked city)
3. Lot was selfish, Abraham was unselfish. You can't have one foot in Babylon, and one in Zion. "And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent with the door therof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them;"(Mosiah 2:6) They pitched their tents toward the temple, just as we must learn to do as well. In Gen 14- Melchizedek arrives and establishes the Sacrament. He is also called Shem, a righteous high priest. "The sacrament of the Lord's supper is a ordinance of salvation in which all the faithful must participate if they are to live and reign with him. It may well have been prefigured , some two thousand years before its formal institution among men, when 'Melchizedek, king of Salem, bought forth bread and wine, and he brake bread and blest it, and he blest the wine, he being the priest of the most high God. and he gave to Abram'....It had its beginning as an authorized ordinance and as a required rite when Jesus and his apostolic witnesses celebrated the feast of the Passover during the week of our Lord's passion"(Bruce R McConkie, The Promised Messiah)
4. Avoid even a thread of unrighteousness, if we do, it has the potential to grow and spread to immorality. We should want to become like Abraham. We need to take the time to accept the Lord's message. Even one person can make a difference, if we are righteous and be able to be helping others as well.

It Is Possible to Change, Really Change

Charity is not an emotion or an action. It is not something we feel or do. Charity is who the Savior is. It is His most defining and dominant attribute. it is the greatest of all the gifts of the spirit. Charity defines who and what we are seeking to become. Without Chairty, we cannot enter into the Celestial Kingdom. For Charity changes us, it transforms us, it is a healing balm. Charity is a bestowal from the Father to true followers of His son and he and only He can change our hearts and our natures. the Lord needs every one of us, and we need each other. A distinguishing feature of the Gospel of Christ is that it makes His followers one. No matter what course we may take so long as it is in righteousness, if we are united, we can stand against the world. For unity is strength. We each have to walk through life on our own, but no one should have to do it alone. We are to bear each others burdens, even to absorb each others burdens. But not to cause each others burdens. We can do it, I know we can.

The Truth Sets Us Free

In John 8:32-59- The Truth Sets Us Free:

In verse 32 is one of the most profound verses in all the scriptures. It is a simple and powerful fact. The truth sets us free. For example, if people believe that a baby who dies without baptism is forever damned from returning to heaven, "And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven."(D&C 137:10) sets them free from anguish and lingering guilt of having neglected this rite for the child. If one has lived a life of serious sin, and upon repenting and changing lifestule still believe that he or she will forever be a 'second class' citizen in the church, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."(Isaiah 1:18)-will set him or her free from feelings of being permanently limited by past lifestyle. Elder Richard G Scott said "If you have repented from serious transgression and mistakenly believe that you will always be a second class citizen in the kingdom of God, that is not true"
As we continue on from verse 33 we learn that those who sin are slaves to sin, and the only way to be free of sin, is with Christ.
In verse 39, that True followers of Abraham, would do the works of Abraham. Christ says to the Jews that if they were true followers of Abraham they wouldn't desire to kill him. They reply that they are loyal to God and not born of fornification. (We learn that the words "fornication and adultery" are often used in the Bible to refer, symbolically, to complete disloyalty to God.
In verse 43, it teaches us that there are some people who, because of their beliefs or lifestyle, simply can't stand the truth. In verse 44, the Savior gives us a brief but concentrated description of the devil.  In verse, 48, we learn is a major message for us. As learners, we have the obligation to actively receive the gospel when we hear it, rather than simply hearing it.
In verse 48, the phrase "thou art a Samaritan" is saying, that Jesus is 'illegitimate' and God is not his father. The Samaritans came from remnants of the ten northern tribes of Israel, who intermarried with non-covenant people, mainly Assyrian occupational armies, beginning in about 722 BC., and apostatized. Thus, Samaritans were considered  by the Jews to be former members of the House of Israel who had "stepped out on God" by marrying non-members and thereby had polluted the race. They were "illegitimate"children, therefore, were despised by the Jews.
Finally in verse 58, the Savior tells the Jews, that He is the Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament, and that the reason He has seen Abraham is the he is the god of Abraham and appeared to Him.

The Creation and Us

The creation shows why we are here and where we come from.
1. Why?
2. What and How it was done?
Jesus Christ created the world which was done for God's purpose- which is in Moses1:39 "And this is my work and glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" Everything that he does is to bring us back home to live with Him again, and to also become as He is. He is teaching us, in the accounts of the creation, the patterns of creations since we will be creators just as He is. The creations testify of a creator. "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 all 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 earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator."(Alma 30:44) There is so many of God's creations which prove how much God cares. All of His creations testify of God's purpose. For example, as a institute teacher explained once, that for example when we usually see rainbows they are in a half circle, but it reality they are a whole circle, but we cant see the whole circle, unless something was in front of it. And that the rainbow symbolizes turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers. Which is a testament to one of God's purposes for us. So when we look at rainbows we will remember what they stand for. All creation is preceded by a spiritual creation. Its so important to master the techniques of accomplishing our goals.
1. They need to be measurable
2. Write them down, so we will see them around us and remember
3. Set time periods- moniter your progress
4. Make a commitment to accomplish that goal and invite  the Lord in our goals because He wants us to succeed.
5. Always keep going and set a realistic goal that is within reach of accomplishing.
Most importantly we need to have spiritual goals, to work out way toward being with our Heavenly Father again and also to become like Him.

Broken Things To Mend Part Two

Following these most basic teachings, a splendor of connection to Christ opens up to us in multitudinous ways: prayer, fasting and meditating on his purposes, savoring the scriptures, giving service to others, Above all, loving with "the pure love of Christ". We all need to have a more straightforward personal experience with the Savior's example. What is most important is personal experience, true discipleship , and the strength that comes from experiencing firsthand the majesty of His touch.
Whatever struggles or trials we are going through, we need to first come to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Trust in heaven's promises. "I  do know, that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions"(Alma 36:3)
The Savior's atonement lifts from us not only the burdens of our sins but also the burden of disappointments and sorrows, heartaches, and our despair. From the beginning, trust in such helpo was to give us both a reason and a way to improve, an incentive to lay down our burdens and take up our salvation. There can and will be plenty of difficulties in life. Nevertheless the soul that comes unto Christ, who knows His voice and strives to do as He did, finds a strength. He is not going to turn His back on us now. He knows the way out and He knows the way up. He knows the way because He is the way.
If you are lonely, know you can find comfort. If you are discouraged, please know that you can find hope. If you are in poor in spirit, know you can be strengthened. If you feel you are broken, please know that you can be mended. May we all, especially the poor in spirit, come unto Him and be made whole

Broken Things To Mend- Part One

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"(Matthew 5:3) Many people are facing personal trials and family struggles, enduring conflicts fought in the lonely foxholes of the heart, trying to hold back floodwaters of despair that sometimes wash over us like a tsunami of the soul. What follows is especially for those who feel their lives are broken, seemingly beyond repair. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give thee rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls"(Matthew 11:28-29) This is the key to the peace and rest that we seek. It seems clear that the essence of our duty, the fundamental requirements of our mortal life, is captures in these brief phrases from any number of scenes in the Savior's mortal ministry. He could have said this to us " Trust me, learn of me, do what I do. Then, when you walk where I am going" He says " We can talk about where you are going, and the problems you face and troubles you have. If you follow me, I will lead you out of darness," He promises " I will give you answers to your prayer and I will give you rest to your souls" Just believing, just having a molecule of faith-simply hoping for things which are not seen in our lives, but which are nevertheless truly there to be bestowed--that simple step, when focused on the Lord Jesus Christ, has ever been and always will be the first principle of His eternal gospel, the first step out of despair.
Second, we must change anything we can change that may be part of the problem. We must repent, perhaps the most hopefull and encouraging word in the Christan vocabulary. We thank our Father in Heaven we are allowed to change, we thank Jesus we can change, and ultimately we do so only with their divine assistance. Often our trials result from the actions of others or just the mortal events of life.
Third, in as many ways as possible we try to take upon us His identity, and we begin by taking upon us His name. that name is formally bestowed by covenant in the saving ordinances of the gospel. these start with baptism and conclude with temple covenants, with many others, such as partaking of the sacrament, laced throughout our lives as additional blessings and reminders.

Aligning Our Wills With The Lord's

1. Through the scriptures-we come to know Him and His will through the Spirit.Which speaks to us through the feelings that come to our hearts while reading the scriptures where we are given peace, hope, joy, comfort, strength, and courage. The scriptures are a tool for us because they invite us to come unto Him. Its also a way for us to come to know our Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ, to apply His atonement into our daily lives.
2. Prayer-to know the will of God we need to live it. Christ is a source of light. The more light we have, the better choices we will be able to make. whatever decision we make directs us toward God or to satan. Satan can only be in our lives if we allow Him to be. We also need to understand our relationship with our Heavenly Father to understand His will, and the ways that He speaks to us. There are 3 ways: 1. Pray 2. Scriptures 3. Other people around us. we also need to have faith, also to wait for His answer, and then act upon it! "For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have."(2 Nephi 28:30)  Also the choices of others will affect us whether its positive or negative. Prayer is the passport to peace, the answer of miracle are wrought through prayer. If we have God on our side we cannot fail.
3. Communication- Communication with the Lord in Holy Places- to understand the will of the Lord our homes should be dedicated to holy things. we came here to learn and grow. there needs to be a good atmosphere in our homes. Which applies to temples and our homes as well. we need to make our homes a continually holy place by scripture study, prayer, kind words, cleanliness and a place of order, wholesome literature and media. to have a positive influence in our lives, in our homes. By praying we allow the Lord to come into our lives, to comfort and help us.

Extending God's Love To Others

' I receive you to fellowship, in a determination that is fixed, immovable, and unchangeable, to be your friend and brother through the grace of God in the bonds of love, to walk in the commandment of God blameless in thanksgiving, forever and ever'-Doctrine and Covenants 88:133
When we help others feel God's love; when we are: supportive, encouraging, inspiring, nourishing, nurturing, comforting, compassionate, understanding, patient, long suffering, good humored, willing to cut him/her some slack and extend the benefit of the doubt, willing to talk and listen openly and honestly, trusting and accepting non judgmentally. When we counsel, guide, teach, mentor, pray and fast with  empower, validate, acknowledge, withhold judgement. "And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light;  Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—"(Mosiah 18:8-9) Our ability to worship God, to reaffirm our covenants and receive the healing power of the Holy Ghost, to receive the instruction we need in order to make personal progress-all of these things are greatly affected by how secure and safe we feel in our church environment during the three hour block of time on Sundays. When we truly pay attention to others-with open hearts, hearts filled with His validating, acknowledging, and accepting love. We work miracles when we simply pass it on. One of the great wonders of God's love is that it expresses itself uniquely through each person's personality.

Was It Prompting, Or Was It Just Me?

Why we pray-The search for answers

As God our Eternal Father- Does He love us more than we know? Does He want us to be happy? Does He want us to pray? Is He anxious to answer us? Does He know exactly what we need? What are we praying about?

Essential Questions:
* Why do we pray?
* What are we praying (specifically) for?

The object of prayer to secure blessings God is willing to grant, but are conditional for our asking for them.

Elder C Lewis " I pray because I am helpless, the need flows out of me all the time waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God, it changes me."

" The education of our desires is one of for-reaching importance to our happiness in life"-Pres Joseph F Smith
To be taught what you need is one of the purposes of prayer.

"Even though we may ask in faith for something unless its right for us, God reserves the decision making process to himself. in asking in faith we need to ask for that which is right" Elder Maxwell " The Lord reserves the right to decide that which is right for us.

1. Why do we pray( The Essential Question)
-To learn His will for us
-To have the faith to carry His will out

• Dramatic Differences

-Natural Man: What I want
                       What I need
                       I've got to have....
                      Please Change this
(When I am desperate I look for dramatic answers)
-My submission prayer
                     Thank you
                     I'm grateful for...
                     Give me ears to hear...
                     Help me to know what to do...
Am I to be directed in everything?
" Only with the Holy Ghost can we be lifted out of our narrow little theatre of our own experiences. God see's things as they really are, we must rely on the promptings of the Holy Ghost" Elder Maxwell