This is a principal I learned under god's tender tutoring hand. It is a true principal and if followed will help you make many good decision's in life.
Once you have made a commitment to be true to god the Adversary will step in and tempt you to abandon your dedication. He will tempt you to think it's okay to let down your guard just this once and then you will make the decision to change. Of course, this is false. But how can you know if this is temptation from the opposition? How can you decide to decide to live the Commandments of God? A dedicated person who wants to be true to his covenants may fall in his efforts to be true, but the fall should never keep him down. He can get up, regroup and decide again and again until he gains the strength to remain true. It isn't easy, But it is possible to make this decision.
"Our destiny and ultimate fate depend on our daily decisions. Tomorrow's joy or despair has it's roots in decisions we make today. Those who stand at the threshold of life always waiting for the right time to change are like the man who stands at the bank of a river waiting for the water to pass, so he can cross on dry land." Joseph Smith made the right choice of praying to god at the right time for an answer to his questions. We are his children whom he loves and we have that same right. But, We must decide to decide.- Joseph B. Wirthlin "The Three Choices" Ensign- Nov. 2003
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Stanley Cup
Congratulations to the 2009 Stanley Cup Champions...Pittsburgh Penguins. Lord Stanley's Cup is back in the Burgh!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
My Testimony of the Prophet
So often as I think of Joseph Smith and the work he accomplished in bringing forth the Restoration, I am brought to tears of gratitude for his sacrifices. He went through so much pain and heartbreak , through almost constant persecution which began immediately after he began speaking of the First Vision, the loss of family members, including many of his own babies, and through his own errors, such as losing the 16 pages of the manuscript of the Book of Mormon. Yet, he remained strong, steadfast, immovable, faithful even to his death as a martyr.
I am grateful for the teachings he brought forth, for the latter-day scriptures, especially for the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants, and for the blessings of the temple work that he instituted. No uninspired man could have done what he did in the relatively short time that he had. He was given his calling at the young age of 14 and martyred at the age of 38. In only 24 years he laid the foundations for the great work of the latter days, brought forth new scriptures and teachings, restored the priesthood authority, helped to build two temples, founded the beautiful city of Nauvoo, served as an officer in the Illinois state militia, and ran as a candidate for President of the United States of America.
I think John Taylor said it best in the Doctrine and Covenants 135:3, when he said:
Joseph Smith, the Prophet and seer of the lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it.
I testify to the world that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of god. I have studied his works, read the scriptures he brought forth, and worshipped in the church he restored as the instrument and mouthpiece of the Savior. I know with no doubt in my mind, that he was a true prophet. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. What is your testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith? Leave a short testimony in the comments section. I look forward to reading your testimonies.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Things That Make Me Happy
I have been going through a bit of not generally being satisified with my station in life. I don't know if it is because I am getting older...but I have been questioning all of my choices lately. I am sure most here can relate to such insanity.
Anyhoot, I decided to make a list. I needed to figure out what makes me happy. So here it is:
1. Beverli...The light of my life. My beautiful girlfriend. She is my heart and soul.
2. My family...There is alot of chaos in my family, Then again what family does not have chaos. In the end they are always there for me.
3. My job...Ok my job does not always make me happy, but in the end in this economy I am still grateful to have a job.
4. Writing...Letting it all hang out, good, bad. Novels...short stories...poetry.
5. Church. ..I truly love The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, As I know it is the gospel restored on this earth.
6. My friends...Ellen and Brian are my 2 best friends on this earth. They have always been there for me and I can never tell them how grateful I am to have them in my life.
7. Reading...I love reading. It calms me down. Right now I am currently reading about 4 different books. It is hard to find time to read them all. I should focus on 1 book at a time.
8. My nephews...Bradley and Dylan. I love them with all of my heart. They are the greatest nephews anyone could ever ask for.
9. Watching tv...Once again, watching tv helps soothe me after a hard day.
10. My future...My future with Beverli is what keeps me going.
These are just a few things that make me happy. They are in no particular order.
Anyhoot, I decided to make a list. I needed to figure out what makes me happy. So here it is:
1. Beverli...The light of my life. My beautiful girlfriend. She is my heart and soul.
2. My family...There is alot of chaos in my family, Then again what family does not have chaos. In the end they are always there for me.
3. My job...Ok my job does not always make me happy, but in the end in this economy I am still grateful to have a job.
4. Writing...Letting it all hang out, good, bad. Novels...short stories...poetry.
5. Church. ..I truly love The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, As I know it is the gospel restored on this earth.
6. My friends...Ellen and Brian are my 2 best friends on this earth. They have always been there for me and I can never tell them how grateful I am to have them in my life.
7. Reading...I love reading. It calms me down. Right now I am currently reading about 4 different books. It is hard to find time to read them all. I should focus on 1 book at a time.
8. My nephews...Bradley and Dylan. I love them with all of my heart. They are the greatest nephews anyone could ever ask for.
9. Watching tv...Once again, watching tv helps soothe me after a hard day.
10. My future...My future with Beverli is what keeps me going.
These are just a few things that make me happy. They are in no particular order.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Keeping The Savior In My Life
The atonement can be an amazing thing, for me it has helped me to set my life back on the course it needed to be. I am so grateful to my Savior for what he has done for me. For so long I had been living without his presence. I had kept the Savior out of my life. I didn't realize how empty I was. It is wonderful to have the Savior with me to help and inspire me. I have noticed that as long as I am willing to listen to his promptings he will guide me in the right direction. This has become ever more clear to me as time has passed.
Because I had grown lax and because I was not keeping the standards to where they should have been I allowed certain things to come inside my life. Certain tv shows that used foul language and crude behavior in an effort to be funny. Certain movies(Rated R). These things have had an effect on me, My language changed. My behavior changed. I grew desensitized to crude and offensive things.
Since deciding to change myself and bring the Savior back into my life and returning to the lord's true church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints I have found my sensitivity to those things returning. I am once again shocked to hear foul language, and offensive behavior on and off television has once again begun to bother me.
I have thought about asking my family to remove those things from our home. But that is much like trying to force my ideals on them. So instead, I have asked them to watch them when I am not around or not at home. They have to let the Savior guide them to what they feel is right just as I have to do the same thing.
I cannot truly focus on repentance and on trying my hardest to return to God if I allow things in my life to drive him away. Keeping the Savior strong in my life is what helps me resist temptation and any urge that may come along to return to old bad habits.
Because I had grown lax and because I was not keeping the standards to where they should have been I allowed certain things to come inside my life. Certain tv shows that used foul language and crude behavior in an effort to be funny. Certain movies(Rated R). These things have had an effect on me, My language changed. My behavior changed. I grew desensitized to crude and offensive things.
Since deciding to change myself and bring the Savior back into my life and returning to the lord's true church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints I have found my sensitivity to those things returning. I am once again shocked to hear foul language, and offensive behavior on and off television has once again begun to bother me.
I have thought about asking my family to remove those things from our home. But that is much like trying to force my ideals on them. So instead, I have asked them to watch them when I am not around or not at home. They have to let the Savior guide them to what they feel is right just as I have to do the same thing.
I cannot truly focus on repentance and on trying my hardest to return to God if I allow things in my life to drive him away. Keeping the Savior strong in my life is what helps me resist temptation and any urge that may come along to return to old bad habits.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Regrets
Many people have regrets in life. Regrets are something we just have to live with. Some we cannot change, some we can. Since my return to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints one my biggest regrets is not being able to go on a mission. To serve the lord and spread his word to those who seek it is something that I really have a desire to do. Since I was active and inactive throughout my life in the church I never got the chance to serve a mission. To fully devote 2 years of my life serving the lord and spreading his word is something I now have a desire to do. Of course, there are senior missionaries. When a husband and wife retire, they are able to go on a couple's mission. This is something that I really want to do with my future wife. My wife and I spreading the word of our heavenly father to those who seek it or need the lord in their life is something I really want to do. Just knowing that I have changed someone's life for the better makes me proud. The church has a saying, "Every member a missionary." I know that I do not have to actually be on a mission to spread the lord's word. I can spread the word of our heavenly father to those who seek it. That is something that I look forward to.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Love
Love, It is an interesting thing. It can drive us to do so many things in life. And the promise, or premise of it can drive us to do things we never thought to do. Sometimes in love you hurt the person you really care about. You don't mean it. It just happens. For example, Recently I hurt the woman I love.
On my last blog I mentioned how I am returning to the LDS faith. There is a big difference between my girlfriend and I. She was raised in the gospel, as I was in and out of it all of my life. She lives the gospel. Myself, I know I believe it with all of my heart and soul, However, I find it a constant struggle to live it. As I try to change and live the way heavenly father wants me to live, I find that old habits die hard.
In the bible there are mentions of temples. The LDS church has restored those temples on earth today. Every man and woman who strives to live a worthy life like heavenly father commands his children may enter the temple after they are deemed worthy. In the temple, lots of things take place. We make sacred covenants with our heavenly father. Covenants that we strive to keep every day. Temples are literally the house of the lord. We make promises in the temple and receive blessings. The greatest blessing is that we can return to live with god and be with our families forever.
In the temple, We can be sealed with our families forever. In the afterlife, We can actually live with our families. I know I find great comfort in knowing that. Also in the temple, marriages are performed. Let me explain this. A marriage in the temple is also called a sealing. Meaning, You can be sealed to your spouse for time and eternity. Also you can be sealed to your children. In the afterlife, you can know that if you live the life heavenly father wants us to live you can see them in the afterlife.
I have been struggling with this topic for weeks now. The only reason why is because my family, although members of the church have been inactive for several years. This means my family cannot enter the temple to one day see me get married. Beverli and I have been arguing about this. She has tried and tried to help me understand. In all honesty, I have prayed about it and received my answer from the lord. I do understand it. I know the lord commands his children to get sealed in the temple so they can be together for time and eternity.
I was puttiny my needs above Beverli's and heavenly father's. I wanted a civil marriage first.
Because I wanted my family to see me get married. I was being selfish and stubborn. I carried on like this for weeks. I was basically acting like an imature baby. I admit it. Fact is, We all have our free agency, If my family chooses not to live the way heavenly father intended us to live, then Why should I punish the love of my life by demanding nothing less than a temple marriage first?
Last night I gave her an ultimatum. I said civil marriage first or we are over. The fact is, I love Beverli. I do not want to push her away. I know the lord commands us to get married in the temple and that is what I am going to do. Beverli is a remarkable lady. A rare gem. I am glad that after my behavior, the way I have been acting, she has given me another chance. I am going to put heavenly father first in my life, I someday want to return to live with him and Beverli and our children in the celestial kingdom. I feel really bad for what I have done. I just hope that I can make it up to her. I love Beverli with my heart and soul. I want to be worthy of having her and living with her in the celestial kingdom.
Love, it is a very misunderstood word. It is a word that is used for many, many things. But the truth of the word is that if you really love a person, you will do anything you can not to hurt them , and if by chance you do end up hurting them, as I am sad to say we all do at one point or another, then try your hardest to make it up to them. Service, understanding, asking for forgiveness.
On my last blog I mentioned how I am returning to the LDS faith. There is a big difference between my girlfriend and I. She was raised in the gospel, as I was in and out of it all of my life. She lives the gospel. Myself, I know I believe it with all of my heart and soul, However, I find it a constant struggle to live it. As I try to change and live the way heavenly father wants me to live, I find that old habits die hard.
In the bible there are mentions of temples. The LDS church has restored those temples on earth today. Every man and woman who strives to live a worthy life like heavenly father commands his children may enter the temple after they are deemed worthy. In the temple, lots of things take place. We make sacred covenants with our heavenly father. Covenants that we strive to keep every day. Temples are literally the house of the lord. We make promises in the temple and receive blessings. The greatest blessing is that we can return to live with god and be with our families forever.
In the temple, We can be sealed with our families forever. In the afterlife, We can actually live with our families. I know I find great comfort in knowing that. Also in the temple, marriages are performed. Let me explain this. A marriage in the temple is also called a sealing. Meaning, You can be sealed to your spouse for time and eternity. Also you can be sealed to your children. In the afterlife, you can know that if you live the life heavenly father wants us to live you can see them in the afterlife.
I have been struggling with this topic for weeks now. The only reason why is because my family, although members of the church have been inactive for several years. This means my family cannot enter the temple to one day see me get married. Beverli and I have been arguing about this. She has tried and tried to help me understand. In all honesty, I have prayed about it and received my answer from the lord. I do understand it. I know the lord commands his children to get sealed in the temple so they can be together for time and eternity.
I was puttiny my needs above Beverli's and heavenly father's. I wanted a civil marriage first.
Because I wanted my family to see me get married. I was being selfish and stubborn. I carried on like this for weeks. I was basically acting like an imature baby. I admit it. Fact is, We all have our free agency, If my family chooses not to live the way heavenly father intended us to live, then Why should I punish the love of my life by demanding nothing less than a temple marriage first?
Last night I gave her an ultimatum. I said civil marriage first or we are over. The fact is, I love Beverli. I do not want to push her away. I know the lord commands us to get married in the temple and that is what I am going to do. Beverli is a remarkable lady. A rare gem. I am glad that after my behavior, the way I have been acting, she has given me another chance. I am going to put heavenly father first in my life, I someday want to return to live with him and Beverli and our children in the celestial kingdom. I feel really bad for what I have done. I just hope that I can make it up to her. I love Beverli with my heart and soul. I want to be worthy of having her and living with her in the celestial kingdom.
Love, it is a very misunderstood word. It is a word that is used for many, many things. But the truth of the word is that if you really love a person, you will do anything you can not to hurt them , and if by chance you do end up hurting them, as I am sad to say we all do at one point or another, then try your hardest to make it up to them. Service, understanding, asking for forgiveness.
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