LDS Fam 4 Ever

The beauty of MUSIC ~

2012-02-12T22:31:00.000-08:00

*Please turn off music player on right column to view music videos in this post!

I love to hear good music and have many favorite songs and hymns. Music is very powerful and has the ability to lift us up and touch our lives for good. . . But, it can also be degrading and tear down one's peace of mind, thus leading us farther away from the spirit of the Lord.

I am grateful, however, for good, wholesome music that is uplifting and inspires the soul. I appreciate all 'good' music and the talent behind the composer and/or artist. My focus today will be on good gospel music that is centered around Jesus Christ and has the power to heal one's soul. Music can turn the night to day and lift an individual who is feeling down.

Each week that I attend church I am so thankful for the hymns that we sing in praise to our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, our elder brother. Many hymns move me in a positive way and I am humbled when I sing or listen to them. Often I get a bit teary-eyed and choked up while singing. It makes me feel closer to my Heavenly Father. There is so much power and emotion behind a beautiful hymn or song.

Although I have many favorites, these are a few of my top picks:

I Stand All Amazed: I truly do each day!

The Holy scriptures teach us to praise the Lord with music:
28 If thou art ^a merry , ^b praise the Lord with singing, with music, with ^c dancing , and with a ^d prayer of praise and ^e thanksgiving . D&C 136:28

In honor and recognition of the talent portrayed by many in the Grammy music awards:
Grammy-Nominated Artist Shares Testimony through Music

I Need Thee Every Hour - We ALL DO!

How Great Thou Art - One of my favorite renditions...

Freedom and Liberty in America?

2012-02-05T14:40:00.000-08:00

*Jon McNaughton is a great artist in the Utah area.

Happy Sunday! I hope you are enjoying your Sabbath day and trying to focus on our Savior, Jesus Christ and all He has done for us. Thank you for stopping by to read my blog!

Today my thoughts are turned to this great land of America. My great, great grandfather came to the United States from Denmark in the late 1800's and my family has been here ever since. I am so grateful for he and his family and sacrifices to come here and settle.
As we study the history both inside and outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints it is easy to recognize that all people that live here, in America, have roots that originated in another country. We all have connections (ancestors) of first, second, third, or more generations who immigrated to this nation from another land.

Recently I have been following the Republican GOP candidates campaign and debate throughout the country in different states. It's interesting to watch them claim to be conservative and by the "Constitution." The GOP nominee is hoping to win during the voting and election process this Fall to overturn our current President from the Democratic side. Politics are politics so may the best man to lead our country WIN!

My thoughts are not to support or side with one person over another but rather to discuss the importance of this great nation that was founded by enduring principles and the Constitution. Our Founding Fathers most definitely were inspired of God and led by His guiding hand to establish the laws and governing principles of the United States of America.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD

This is some of my favorite artwork. The artist lives next to my wife's grandparents.

A companion book of scripture to the Holy Bible also speaks of these latter-days and what to watch for within our society...

The Book of Mormon speaks of the "promised land" and how anyone brought here shall be brought by the hand of the Lord. There is a promise that if we, the people of this land, obey and keep His commandments it shall be a FREE land unto us. Unfortunately there are those who are trying to destroy our freedoms and liberties.

6 Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall ^anone come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.

7 Wherefore, this ^aland is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of ^bliberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound ^ccursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.

8 And behold, it is wisdom that this land should be ^akept as yet from the knowledge of other ^bnations; for behold, many nations would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an inheritance.

9 Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a ^apromise, that ^binasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall ^cprosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall ^dkeep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their ^einheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever.

~ 2 Nephi 1:6-9

~ PEACE IS COMING ~

To view who the people are in these illustrations, simply click on the photo!

I am so grateful for The Book of Mormon that was brought forth in the early 1800's by the young Prophet, Joseph Smith. IT is a guide and road map for all who will read and study from its pages. I have read from it numerous times and am always filled with the spirit of God when I read from it. My life seems more easy to navigate day-by-day and I feel an added strength and protection from our Heavenly Father.
I am also grateful for our Founding Fathers who were inspired to write the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America as a guide for the governing laws and enduring principles to protect the people and our rights and freedoms of this great nation under God.

In 1776, the United States Declaration of Independence declared that all men are endowed with certain inalienable rights, and that "among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness".

As we move forward in 2012 and will be electing new government officials and a President of the United States, my challenge to you is to vote for the best candidates that will uphold our moral values, freedoms, and liberties of this great country so that God may continue to bless and prosper us as a people. Our country is too great to become corrupted by people of 'power.'

May you have a great Sunday and week ahead of you!

~ C. Poulsen

*The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not have a political agenda and stands neutral on this topic. Each individual member of the church is encouraged to support and vote for those they feel will best represent our country, its people, and our freedoms. The above is my thoughts and opinions. Thanks for reading!

Navigation?

2012-01-29T14:39:00.001-08:00

It has been a great Sabbath day for my family and I today. We arose to a beautiful, sunny morning amongst the Bear River Mountain range which paint the sky just East of us out the windows of our home.

At 9am we arrived for church and had a great three hour block of meetings. In our first meeting, Sacrament meeting, where we partake of the bread and water in remembrance of Jesus Christ's death and suffering in atoning for our sins, we learned about pondering upon the revelations that have been given to us by modern-day prophets. Specifically, we learned about the many benefits of the Word of Wisdom and praying to aid us in all decision making. 5 ^a Pray always, that you may come off ^b conqueror ; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may ^c escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work

Next, I dropped my son off at nursery. He began to scream and cry as we left the chapel and walked to his classroom because he knew I was going to leave him for the next two hours. After a few minutes he calmed down as he does each week and loved coloring pictures of Christ and Joseph Smith, puzzles, toys, singing songs about Jesus, snack time, and BUBBLES! We hope he outgrows his fear of being dropped off soon. I then met my wife in the adult Sunday school class and we had a great lesson on navigating the storms of life today.

This is the subject I want to recap and express my feelings about most today. The scriptures have many great stories of faith, analogies, and parables to teach us spiritual lessons. Today we dove into The Book of Mormon and learned more about the "Liahona" which was a small instrument (A ball with spindles-"compass") that helped Nephi and his family navigate through the wilderness outside of Jerusalem and travel across the ocean to the Promised Land of America.
In the beginning of The Book of Mormon, Nephi's dad, Lehi, had a vision to leave Jerusalem and lead his family into the wilderness. In summary, Nephi supported his father's decision and put faith in the Lord that this was the right thing to do. His elder brothers, Laman and Lemuel, however, murmured and complained about leaving their riches and belongings to venture off into the wilderness. Along the way, his father received a "guide," the Liahona, which would point them in the right way of their travels if they continued exercising faith in the Lord.

10 And it came to pass that as my father arose in the morning, and went forth to the tent door, to his great astonishment he beheld upon the ground a round ^a ball of curious workmanship; and it was of fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles; and the one ^b pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness. - 1 Nephi 16:10

28 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the pointers which were in the ball, that they did work according to the ^a faith and diligence and heed which we did give unto them. -1 Nephi 16:28

29 And there was also written upon them a new writing, which was plain to be read, which did give us ^a understanding concerning the ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. And thus we see that by ^b small means the Lord can bring about great things. - 1 Nephi 10:29

Through this great story and example of faith, we learn that a family left their home and belongings to travel with few provisions to an unknown land. They relied upon this ball or instrument to guide them where they should go through exercising faith in God.

In these latter-days, the Restored gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth once again in its fullness which enables each of us as God's children to receive special blessings such as baptism by immersion and the gift of the Holy Ghost...Each one of us already have the spirit of Christ within us which leads us to do good. When we act on these feelings to do good we allow the Holy Ghost to teach us the truth of all things. As we discover more truth, we are able to become more free from sin and bondage... 5 For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will ^ashow unto you all things what ye should do. ~2 Nephi 10:5

In our day, the "Liahona" is the Gift of The Holy Ghost which is given to every new member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after they've been baptized by immersion by someone holding the proper priesthood authority. Although each of us have the spirit of Christ and can feel the Holy Ghost's influence day-by-day, just as we can feel the warmth of the sun, it is only upon being baptized that we're given the Gift of The Holy Ghost.

The Gift of the Holy Ghost is much like the Liahona because it guides us through the storms of life and helps us navigate our way by choosing the right things that God would have us choose. The scriptures are also a type of "Liahona" that act as a road map to aid us along our journey. Reading and studying the scriptures allows God to speak to us... If our destination is eternal life and to return back to our Heavenly Father's presence, the Holy Scriptures give us a blueprint or outline of what needs to be done to do just that. The Holy Ghost testifies that the scriptures and gospel of Jesus Christ are true, thus keeping us on the right course of action each day during our mortal life here upon the earth.

I loved our lesson today and bringing the scriptures to life. I know that The Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ and compliments the Holy Bible. I am grateful that I have invested time to learn more about its pages and have prayed to learn for myself that its true. If you have not read from The Book of Mormon yet, I challenge you to get a FREE copy delivered to your home and begin reading and praying. I can promise you it is a life changing book. I have grown closer to my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ as a result of reading, pondering, and praying about The Book of Mormon. The Holy Ghost has testified to me that it a true book of Jesus Christ's gospel. I hope you've had a blessed Sabbath today as well. Until next week~

~ C. Poulsen

The Priesthood of God

2012-01-22T22:51:00.000-08:00

The priesthood is the eternal power and authority of God. Through the priesthood God created and governs the heavens and the earth. Through this power He redeems and exalts His children, bringing to pass “the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). God gives priesthood authority to worthy male members of the Church so they can act in His name for the salvation of His children. Priesthood holders can be authorized to preach the gospel, administer the ordinances of salvation, and govern the kingdom of God on the earth.

John 15:16
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have ^achosen you, and ^bordained you, that ye should go and bring forth ^cfruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my ^dname, he may give it you.

I am very grateful for the Priesthood power and authority that exists within the Restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have been blessed by its power throughout my life and have been privileged to bless the lives of others through exercising the rights and privileges of the priesthood.

When I turned age 12 I had hands laid upon my head and was conferred the Aaronic Priesthood and ordained to the office of Deacon. At age 14, I was ordained a Teacher. At age 16, I was ordained to the office of Priest. And at age 18 I had conferred upon me the rights, power, and authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood and became an Elder in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have been able to serve in these various offices within the church and be an instrument in the hands of God to bless others. It has strengthened my testimony and life as a result!

For a male member of the Church to hold the priesthood, an authorized priesthood holder must confer it on him and ordain him to an office in that priesthood (see Hebrews 5:4; D&C 42:11)

The proper authority is essential in order for the true church to grow and for each of us to receive the proper saving ordinances to return back to live with our Heavenly Father some day.

~C. Poulsen

Prophets on the Earth Today!!!

2012-01-15T14:30:00.001-08:00

Today, as in ancient times, prophets and apostles minister throughout the world. To see where they have recently been and learn what they are teaching, click on the picture above.

Prophets have been on the earth throughout the history of the earth. From the beginning of time Adam spoke with God and was commanded to teach his children gospel principles. In every dispensation God has called prophets to teach His word to His children on earth. It is no different today. We each have the opportunity to hear a prophet's voice and can follow the counsel given.

We learn of several examples in the Old and New Testaments of prophets called to be leaders of faith, a warning voice to the people of the earth, and excellent examples of righteousness.

I am so grateful for my knowledge of a living prophet and 12 apostles who travel the globe teaching Christ's restored gospel and lifting people everywhere. I have been privileged to meet a few of the apostles and have seen them all in a live setting at Worldwide General Conferences of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

*When I was a senior in high school, our mixed choir named Freelancers, got the opportunity to go to Salt Lake City and sing Christmas carols to the living prophet at that time, Gordon B. Hinckley, and his two counselors. This was a unique experience and I felt the spirit of the Holy Ghost testify to me that these were men called of God.

Come and listen to a prophet's voice...
THOMAS S. MONSON

AMOS 3:7
7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, ^abut he ^brevealeth his ^csecret unto his servants the ^dprophets.

1st Temple in El Salvador

2012-01-08T15:38:00.001-08:00

For this New Year of 2012, one of my resolutions was to attend the temple at least 2-3 times per month. I would like to attend weekly and get in the habit of going on a routine basis. Then I learned that our temple here in Logan, Utah is closed the first three weeks of January for cleaning. So...today I volunteered to help clean it next week! :) I love to see the temple and go inside to learn more about our Heavenly Fathers plan of salvation and happiness!

The primary song, I love to see the temple is one of my favorites. Each night as I lay my 20 month old son down to sleep, I ask if he would like me to sing a song about Jesus or the temple...He usually says Jesus but he has said temple a few times and that is the song I select. It is found on my music player down on the right if you would like to hear it!

The blessings of the temple are being brought to people around the earth! It seems that each year for the past few years several temples have been announced to be built throughout the world at General Conference. The prophet, and president of the church, Thomas S. Monson has announced different areas where temples will be built. This El Salvador was one of them. Enjoy the video and learn how the El Salvador temple came to be.

Happy New Years 2012 ~ Living the Abundant Life

2012-01-01T16:01:00.000-08:00

It couldn't be said any better than from our living prophet upon the earth,
Thomas S. Monson.

Living the Abundant Life

At the advent of a new year, I challenge Latter-day Saints everywhere to undertake a personal, diligent, significant quest for what I call the abundant life—a life filled with an abundance of success, goodness, and blessings. Just as we learned the ABCs in school, I offer my own ABCs to help us all gain the abundant life.

Have a Positive Attitude

A in my ABCs refers to attitude. William James, a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher, wrote, “The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.”¹

So much in life depends on our attitude. The way we choose to see things and respond to others makes all the difference. To do the best we can and then to choose to be happy about our circumstances, whatever they may be, can bring peace and contentment.

Charles Swindoll—author, educator, and Christian pastor—said: “Attitude, to me, is more important than … the past, … than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.”²

We can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. For maximum happiness, peace, and contentment, may we choose a positive attitude.

Believe in Yourself

B is for believe—in yourself, in those around you, and in eternal principles.

Be honest with yourself, with others, and with your Heavenly Father. One who was not honest with God until it was too late was Cardinal Wolsey who, according to Shakespeare, spent a long life in service to three sovereigns and enjoyed wealth and power. Finally, he was shorn of his power and possessions by an impatient king. Cardinal Wolsey cried:

Had I but served my God with half the zeal
I served my king, He would not in mine age
Have left me naked to mine enemies.3

Thomas Fuller, an English churchman and historian who lived in the 17th century, penned this truth: “He does not believe that does not live according to his belief.”⁴

Don’t limit yourself and don’t let others convince you that you are limited in what you can do. Believe in yourself and then live so as to reach your possibilities.

You can achieve what you believe you can. Trust and believe and have faith.

Face Challenges with Courage

C is for courage. Courage becomes a worthwhile and meaningful virtue when it is regarded not so much as a willingness to die manfully but as a determination to live decently.

Said the American essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide on, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.”⁵

There will be times when you will be frightened and discouraged. You may feel that you are defeated. The odds of obtaining victory may appear overwhelming. At times you may feel like David trying to fight Goliath. But remember—David did win!

Courage is required to make an initial thrust toward one’s coveted goal, but even greater courage is called for when one stumbles and must make a second effort to achieve.

Have the determination to make the effort, the single-mindedness to work toward a worthy goal, and the courage not only to face the challenges that inevitably come but also to make a second effort, should such be required. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, “I’ll try again tomorrow.”

May we remember these ABCs as we begin our journey into the new year, cultivating a positive attitude, a belief that we can achieve our goals and resolutions, and the courage to face whatever challenges may come our way. Then the abundant life will be ours.

Jesus Christ is the Light of the World!

2011-12-14T23:55:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of the month the Prophet of the world and his two counselors spoke via satellite broadcast to the world about Christmas and preparing our hearts for this season of giving and rejoicing in the life of Jesus Christ!

CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONAL 2011

This is a touching video about looking to the LIGHT = Jesus this Christmas season

Jesus Christ, Our Savior

2011-07-24T11:15:00.000-07:00

Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and the Son of God. He is our Redeemer. The Holy Bible teaches us that Jesus Christ's mother was Mary, His father on earth was Joseph, that He was born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth, and labored with Joseph as a carpenter. When he turned 30, He began a three-year ministry of teaching, blessing, and healing the people of the Holy Land. He also organized His Church and gave His apostles "power and authority" (Luke 9:1) to assist in His work.

I learned from a young age that my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love me. Throughout my life I have had many faith building experiences to confirm this fact. I know of their love for me through the study of scriptures and prayer. I feel my Savior's love when I learn of His sacrifice for me and all mankind. I am grateful for the Holy Ghost that witnesses and testifies of His gospel and eternal truths.

In the New Testament, we learn about the "fruits of the spirit." They are the following:

Galatians 5:22-23:

22But the ^afruit of the ^bSpirit is ^clove, ^djoy, ^epeace, ^flongsuffering, ^ggentleness, goodness, ^hfaith,

23^aMeekness, ^btemperance: against such there is no law.

When we feel these types of feelings we can know for a fact that truth is being taught and the Holy Ghost is witnessing it to us.

In John 14:26, we learn that the Holy Ghost will teach us the truth of all things:
26But the ^aComforter, which is the ^bHoly Ghost, whom the Father will send in my ^cname, he shall ^dteach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Through these two scriptures we learn that Heavenly Father speaks to us and teaches us through the Holy Ghost. We can learn of His plan and love for us if we but listen with our spiritual ears.
This is not always easy to do. In fact, it takes a lot of focus and desire. We must push aside the distractions of this world and tune in to the messages that are laid before us in Holy scriptures. We then must act in faith and pray unto our Heavenly Father to ask if what we read and ponder is true or not. I know from experience that this recipe works. I know that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ love me.

The video below shows some history past and present in preparation for the Savior's Second Coming. Doctrine and Covenants 45:24–38 , The gospel will be restored, the times of the Gentiles will be fulfilled, and a desolating sickness will cover the land; 39–47 , Signs, wonders, and the Resurrection are to attend the Second Coming;

I am a Child of God

2011-05-29T21:51:00.000-07:00

I am a Child of God and so ARE YOU! I love this beautiful rendition of this hymn. The creator of this catchy video did a great job designing it.
As I watched it tonight and thought about what it means to be a child of God, I pondered on the idea for awhile. My mind instantly turned to my own son who is just over a year old. I thought, He is a child and is a great example to me in many things. He is pure and innocent, full of loves and giggles, and is surely alive in Christ. Oft times, I know that I am full of pride and natural man tendencies. I believe we could all learn a great deal by observing children and remembering that no matter our age, we are each a child of God.

The scriptures teach us to be Christlike and also to humble ourselves and to be as children:

Mosiah 3:19 ~ The Book of Mormon
19For the ^a natural ^b man is an ^c enemy to God, and has been from the ^d fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he ^e yields to the enticings of the Holy ^f Spirit , and ^g putteth off the ^h natural man and becometh a ⁱ saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a ^j child , ^k submissive , meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

Book of Mormon Reaches Another Milestone: 150 Million and Counting

2011-05-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

Book of Mormon Reaches Another Milestone: 150 Million and Counting

Atlanta LDS Temple Rededication~

2011-05-01T21:48:00.000-07:00

Atlanta, Georgia LDS Temple

My family is soon to move to the Atlanta, Georgia area and we are super excited for the re-dedication and reopening of the Latter-day Saint Temple there. It is a beautiful temple and we will definitely be going there often to enjoy the peace and serenity that exists on the temple grounds. Here is a clip from the LDS Church newsroom:

Church President Thomas S. Monson Rededicates Atlanta Georgia Temple After Renovation

I am so grateful for the temple and the many blessings we receive by learning more about them. The temple is a sanctuary from the world, a holy place where we can learn more about the plan of happiness that our loving Heavenly Father has made for us. In the temples, we can be sealed as husband and wife for time and all eternity. We learn more about wh ere we came from, why we are here on this earth, and where we are going after this life. It gives meaning and purpose to life and is a wonderful blessing.

Enjoy this short video on temples:

Mormon Temples: The Blessings of the Temple

Washington D.C. LDS Temple

Agency

2011-02-20T17:43:00.000-08:00

Today in church, I led our gospel principles class as the Holy Ghost taught and testified of the following truths from the holy scriptures:

Moses 7:32

The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency;

2 Nephi 2:27

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

I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who gives us agency to choose right from wrong and learn for ourselves. We are here upon the earth to be tested. As we are tested, we are faced with much opposition in all things. In the book of Nephi we learn that opposition is necessary to the plan of salvation.

2 Nephi 2:11

For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

Each of us on earth have this gift of agency. We are the only ones who can halt our progression by allowing bad influences/choices to creep into our lives. We have been given the gift of agency to exercise faith unto repentance and to seek the Savior, Jesus Christ's path and teachings.

May you have a great week and choose the right when the choice is placed before you!

C. Poulsen ~

Apostles ~ Christ's church is founded upon this quorum.

2011-02-06T14:20:00.000-08:00

Christ ordaining His original Apostles

During Christ's time on the earth, He established his church and called 12 Apostles to stand as special witnesses of Him and to be the foundation of His church. It is no different today in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church has been restored to the earth in its fullness and these 12 brothers have been called and given the proper keys and authority of the priesthood to administer the affairs of Christ's church.

Quorum of the 12 Apostles 2011

Yesterday I witnessed two baptisms. Following the baptisms the two newest members of Christ's church were confirmed and given the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by worthy Melchezidek Priesthood holders. The priesthood has been restored to the earth to allow the people of all nations to receive these essential, saving ordinances.

Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood to Joseph Smith the Prophet.

Restoration of the Melchezidek Priesthood to the Prophet Joseph Smith.

I am so grateful for my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or the "Mormon" church. It has blessed me abundantly with a greater understanding of the love my Heavenly Father has for each of us, His children. I know more about his eternal plan of salvation and happiness. I am grateful for the Holy Ghost that whispers this to my heart and teaches me by these feelings:

Galatians 5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, ^btemperance: against such there is no law.

Whenever we experience these types of feelings we can know with certainty that the Holy Ghost is teaching us truth from our Father in Heaven.

John 14:26

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Have a blessed Sabbath Day today. If you're unfamiliar with what I have shared today, I invite you to pray to God about it and ask Him if it's true? For God is the source of all truth.

Baptism

2011-01-30T21:41:00.000-08:00

Baptism is an essential ordinance of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are commanded to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone who holds the proper priesthood authority.

Baptism is known as the gateway to salvation. We first must exercise faith unto repentance. Once we have faith in Christ and are willing to repent of our sins and mistakes, the Savior invites us to "Come Follow Me." The way we show the Savior and others our willingness to follow Him, we take upon us his name by being baptized.

2 Nephi: Chapter 31

Nephi tells why Christ was baptized—Men must follow Christ, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end to be saved—Repentance and baptism are the gate to the strait and narrow path—Eternal life comes to those who keep the commandments after baptism. About 559–545 B.C.

Baptism is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of new life just as the Savior died and rose again.

Christ taught us to repent and enter in at the straight and narrow gate that leads to eternal life.

3 Nephi 27:20,33
20Now this is the commandment: ^a Repent , all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be ^b baptized in my name, that ye may be ^c sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand ^d spotless before me at the last day.

Enter ye in at the ^astrait gate; for strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it; but wide is the gate, and broad the way which leads to death, and many there be that travel therein

The first principles and ordinances of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ are:

1. Faith in Jesus Christ
2. Repentance for the remission of sins
3. Baptism by immersion
4. Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost

This coming week I will get to witness a couple of baptisms. My nephew will be baptized at the age of 8 and a friend of 25 years old will be baptized along with her son who just turned 8. As the Ward Mission Leader for my ward, I will be attending the baptism of Judith and Terrence Joe.

Gratitude

2011-01-23T22:55:00.000-08:00

Gratitude - today in our Elder's quorum we discussed this topic and I have been contemplating it all today. A few of the main reasons we tend to lack gratitude is because our pride and ego get in the way. Often we take life for granted along with the many blessings we've been offered. We also discussed that many of us feel entitlement for that new car or house or keeping up with the neighbors and always "wanting" more...never satisfied with what we've been given. It was a great lesson that made me ponder all that I am grateful for.

I wanted to illustrate what I have been thinking today with the following acronym:

G - Gospel, I am extremely grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and my understanding and testimony of it. I feel very blessed to have the fullness of the gospel at my fingertips each new day when I get up. I hope and pray more people may discover the truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ this year of 2011! WHY become a Mormon?

R - Repentance, Jesus Christ has made it possible for each of us to overcome sins through repentance. The ABC's of Repentance are 1. Admit you've done something wrong, 2. Be SORRY, 3. Correct the problem, 4. Don't do it again!

2 Nephi 31:17
17Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and ^abaptism by water; and then cometh a ^bremission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

A - (At - one) - ment, The Atonement of Christ enables each individual to repent, be cleansed and become at one with Christ. I am very grateful for the opportunity I have been granted to improve and work at overcoming my weaknesses.

T - Testimony, I am grateful that I have a testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I am also very thankful for the testimonies of the living prophet and apostles.
I - am a Mormon. My heart is full of gratitude for the privilege it is of being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

T - Temple, I love to see the temple and go there as often as I can. It is a special place of holiness where one can learn the mysteries of God such as where we came from, why are we here, and where are we going after this life.

U - Understanding, I am grateful for my understanding of the Plan of Happiness our Heavenly Father has laid out and revealed to us through scriptures and living prophets and apostles.

D - Discipleship, I am grateful that I get to stand as a witness of Christ each day and strive to live my life by example. Being a follower of Christ is a huge blessing with many benefits.

E - Eternal Perspective, As I ponder all of these things I gain an eternal perspective of what I have been given and blessed with throughout my life. I know that where much is given much is required. I hope to teach my family about gratitude and to become more grateful this year.

Happy New Years ~ Goals for 2011

2011-01-16T13:56:00.000-08:00

Another year has come and gone; 2010 was a great year and 2011 will bring many new and exciting experiences. I love the fresh start of a new year, new month, new week, and new day.

My family experienced many new things this past year, but the best part of our year was that we added a little one to our family. It was the highlight of the year for sure. Becoming a parent is a great blessing. It is a privilege to be entrusted a little baby to raise, train, and teach. I am so grateful to be a new daddy.

In 2010, I also began a graduate study program in Human Resources and business management at Utah State University. So far it has been a lot of work but a great experience. I have met many new friends and colleagues.

Today, my wife and I were asked to speak in church. Our topic was priorities and goals.

My beautiful wife gave a great talk on making relationships a top priority this year. She gave great insights on how to enrich our current relationships with our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, our spouse and family members, as well as friends and colleagues. Due to time restraints, she was not able to speak about developing new relationships which is also important.
My talk leaned more towards setting goals, especially spiritual goals.

I decided to break up the word GOALS and focus on some key ideas and suggestions for spiritual growth in the New Year.

G ospel, Get to work, Go to the temple. Sharing the gospel and our testimonies of it will help strengthen us and those around us. Get to work - by being anxiously engaged in a good cause.

27Verily I say, men should be ^a anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;

Go to the temple - here we can learn about the plan of salvation with lessons of where did we come from, why are we here, and where are we going after this life.

O bedience - Jesus Christ is our perfect example of obedience unto God the Father. He gave His will unto the Father in all things and lived a sinless life. We should obey the commandments and learn to follow Him.

A t-one-ment - When we develop a personal relationship with Christ, we can become At-One with Him. By repenting of our sins and applying the Savior's atonement for us, we can be forgiven and progress spiritually.

L ove - We should love our neighbors as ourselves. We should love our spouse and children. And we should love life! Charity is the pure love of Christ. In the Book of Mormon we learn more about this. REPLACE the word charity with Christ . This is a true principle for everyone.

46Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

47But ^acharity is the pure ^blove of Christ, and it endureth ^cforever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

48Wherefore, my beloved brethren, ^apray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true ^bfollowers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall ^cbe like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be ^dpurified even as he is pure. Amen.

S acrifice, Service, Spirit, Savior - These all go hand in hand. As we sacrifice our time and talents to serve others we are following the Savior's example and allowing the spirit to be our guide.

With my ideas and suggestions, perhaps we can set some new goals to improve in any one of these areas.

In 2011, I hope to work on going to the temple once per week and developing a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ through prayer, scripture study, and temple worship.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

New Year's: Look Not behind Thee

2011-01-02T19:15:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Daily

2010-11-12T17:10:00.000-08:00

I am thankful every day and strive to always keep a prayer in my heart. I love November for a number of reasons. Currently, I live in the beautiful state of Utah and love it. The mountains here are amazing.

First of all, I love November because there are beautiful Fall colors all about and the final red, golden, and brown leaves are about to fall to the ground. The warm evenings switch to crisp, cold evenings and your breath can be seen in the mornings. I love the feeling of fresh, cool air, especially watching the sunrise over the mountains to the East.

Second of all, there is always a lot of political buzz and elections take place the first week, followed by my birthday. I enjoy being engaged with our country and taking an active part to do my role as a US citizen. I love our country. I love my birthday too because I get to enjoy the full day with my family. I get to reflect on another year past and set goals for a new upcoming year. It is always super refreshing; one of my favorite things to do is attend the temple on my birthday. I have done it for the past 5 years. This year my wife and I attended the Logan Temple and participated in marriage sealings.

I also love the Pioneer spirit that comes hand-in-hand with the Thanksgiving holiday. The food is great, especially the yams and pumpkin pie, but the spirit of gratitude is even better. I love giving thanks and praise to my Heavenly Father for all of my blessings. I feel that He showers blessings out upon me, especially when I choose the right and act in faith.

Having a prayer and fast of Thanksgiving is also one of my favorite things to do in the month of November. I hope to always have this but it seems easier this month.
Most importantly my heart is full of gratitude when I think about the Savior, Jesus Christ and what he has done for each one of us. He has shown us the way by teaching truth and setting the perfect example for each to follow. He has given me the privilege of being married to my sweetheart in the temple and beginning an eternal family. I love Him for this. I am so thankful for my family and love them dearly.

Moving forward, I am committed to follow Jesus Christ and strive to live by His teachings. I have a strong testimony and belief in Him and His gospel. I know that He lives and speaks to living prophets whom are called to help guide us through these turbulent times.

Thanks for stopping by and reading this post. Please bookmark and come back often.

~C.P.

Sharing the Light of Christ~

2010-11-07T21:46:00.000-08:00

I am grateful for so many things. With Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner it helps us to reflect upon all of our many blessings. I have been blessed in so many ways and thank my Heavenly Father for what I have been given. I know that I must give back and share my testimony of the gospel with others. I created this blog as a means to do just that, to share my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ with the world. I know that Christ lives.

I am full of gratitude at the beginning of this new month. My heart is full and I love the Autumn leaves that color the Cache Valley where I live. I am grateful to be a Latter-day Saint and to have an understanding of the Restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

I invite you to watch this short video, become a follower of my blog and look for new posts often.

Thanks for stopping by.

C. P.

Jesus Christ - Redeemer of all mankind ~

2010-10-24T22:41:00.000-07:00

Learn more about Jesus Christ and what Mormons believe

In the beginning of time, prophets of old testified of Jesus Christ throughout the Old Testament in the Holy Bible. They testified that a Savior would come to redeem all mankind from sin. Prophets are called of God as special witnesses of truth and of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

In the New Testament we learn that Jesus did come to earth, established His church and kingdom, and taught true life principles for all. He taught us to love one another. He taught us to forgive and serve others. He taught us how to pray unto the Father. He taught us by living a life free from sin in pure obedience to our Heavenly Father above. He is our perfect example in all things! He is surely our light in a darkened world ~
John 14: 6
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the away, the btruth, and the life: no man ccometh unto the Father, but by me.

I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of all mankind. He is my Redeemer, my advocate with the Father. I know that He died for me and I know He lives today. I know that He came to earth to give himself as a sacrifice for all mankind. He does heal the broken-hearted.

In this short video you can see reflections of Christ. It touches the heart and soothes the soul for any who may be suffering or struggling in your personal lives.

~C. J. Poulsen

Lessons I Learned as a Boy

2010-10-22T00:14:00.000-07:00

Continue in Patience

2010-09-29T00:25:00.000-07:00

Patience is a key character trait in life. It is very easy to get impatient when seeking for answers or wanting to get a task accomplished right away. This past week has been hectic as I have moved my little family to a new state and we have boxes strung about, no refrigerator, or washer and dryer for the time being. This has surely tested my wife and I's patience. As a graduate student with a teething six month old, patience is of the essence. Patience in many things is required for me at this phase in my life. I hope this short video clip will give some inspiration to those who watch it.

God bless you!

C.J.P.

Parenting: Touching the Hearts of Our Youth

2010-09-20T23:24:00.000-07:00

Max n me'

The past six months have been a tremendous blessing for my wife and I. With the birth of our newborn son, Maxwell, my perspective about life has definitely changed. As a new father, I feel a close bond and love towards my son unlike anything I have ever experienced. I have a deep sense of gratitude and love for the miracle of birth and life.

I am so grateful for the privilege and opportunity our Heavenly Father provides us to be parents as He entrusts us with one of his sweet spirit children. I love my little guy more than words can describe. He is so innocent and perfect!

In an ever darkening world, we must hold up the torch of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. We must, by example, follow the Savior and have His image in our countenance so our children may know where to look for refuge. The light and truth of the gospel will offer a shield of protection from the fiery darts of the adversary.

As parents we have a duty and responsibility to train, teach, and raise children in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It is our imperative calling as parents to love and nurture our children and lead them in light and truth.

In the past few weeks, my son has begun crawling and making funny noises with his mouth. I love watching him change and grow. It brings so much joy to my heart. I have now gained a small glimpse of what our Heavenly Father must feel towards each of us and especially to His only Begotten Son in the flesh, Jesus Christ...the Savior of the world. I know that Christ lives and died for you and me. I know that He is our perfect example of righteousness to follow.

The Missing Piece

2010-09-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

2010-07-04T21:46:00.000-07:00

Good Things to Come

2010-06-20T21:52:00.000-07:00

Mormon Myths and Reality

2010-06-06T20:30:00.000-07:00

I meet people everyday knocking doors for my sales commission job. It amazes me how many misconceptions are floating around about my faith and religion. This video helps summarize some of the myths and reality of who "Mormons" are. Take a look for yourself...

The Holy Temple ~

2010-05-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

DENVER COLORADO TEMPLE

I must tell the world that my favorite place on earth is to visit one of our Heavenly Father's Holy Temples. I recently moved my family to Denver, Colorado and we are enjoying all the new and exciting things of a new city. We moved here for my employment and are reaping the blessings of this part of the Lord's vineyard.

After a couple weeks of attending our new ward, (congregation where Latter-day Saints meet on Sunday to worship God and Jesus Christ), our Bishop and his counselors called my wife and I to teach the Temple Preparation class. Courtney and I were happy to accept our new 7 week assignment and had our first class last Sunday. It went very well.

The first lesson touched upon the principles found in The Plan of Salvation... Where did we come from? What is the purpose of this Earth life? And where do we go after we die?

It is one of my favorite gospel topics to discuss and always makes me feel closer to my Heavenly Father. My wife and I set a goal for 2010 to attend the temple once a week. We were on task until our beautiful newborn son arrived to our family. He is our firstborn child and is such a blessing. Since having him join the family it has brought a new perspective in my life. . . The miracle of birth and life! What a glorious experience that brings many tears and joy!

I love my new son Maxwell. I am so grateful for the understanding I have gained through study of the holy scriptures and modern day prophets. I know that Families Can be Together Forever through God's blessing and His sealing marriage in the temple.

At the core of our faith and beliefs is family. Family is the fundamental unit of society and God ordained husband and wife to marry and have children.

The Temple stands as a beacon of light to a world that lies in darkness. I love to see the temple and go there often to partake of the goodness of blessings our Father in Heaven has in store for each one of us as His children. I love learning and all that this life has to offer. I am now striving to attend the Denver Temple weekly while living out here for the summer.

~C.J. Poulsen

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

2010-05-09T13:36:00.000-07:00

Seek the Higher Ground

2010-05-01T21:22:00.000-07:00

Seek the Higher Ground

He-Lives ~ Happy Easter Everyone

2010-04-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

Becoming Provident Providers

2010-03-21T14:00:00.001-07:00

The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is a great blessing for all who accept it and strive to live accordingly. This is a great story on being provident providers and living within one's means.

I Love to See the Temple~

2010-03-06T11:52:00.001-08:00

I Love to see the Temple is one of my favorite primary songs in the children's songbook.

Here are the words to it:

1. I love to see the temple. I’m going there someday To feel the Holy Spirit, To listen and to pray. For the temple is a house of God, A place of love and beauty. I’ll prepare myself while I am young; This is my sacred duty.

2. I love to see the temple. I’ll go inside someday. I’ll cov’nant with my Father; I’ll promise to obey. For the temple is a holy place Where we are sealed together. As a child of God, I’ve learned this truth: A fam’ly is forever.

My beautiful wife and I have the privilege of seeing this beautiful temple everyday. It is such a unique blessing and we love to go here often. One of our goals for 2010 is to go at least once per week! So far we are 100%! It has been a tremendous blessing in our lives and we feel much closer to our Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ.

The temple to me is a symbol of Christ's love and light to the rest of the world which lies in darkness. Christ taught, "Come Unto Me..."

D&C 45: 7, 9

7 For verily I say unto you that I am ^aAlpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the light and the life of the world—a ^blight that shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not.

• • •

9 And even so I have sent mine ^aeverlasting ^bcovenant into the world, to be a ^clight to the world, and to be a ^dstandard for my people, and for the ^eGentiles to seek to it, and to be a ^fmessenger before my face to prepare the way before me.

Christ will come again to redeem His people on the Earth. It is exciting to see His work roll forward across the globe. Temples such as this are being built around the world to fulfill part of His covenant to mankind.

In celebration of my wife and I's five year anniversary yesterday, we went to the temple last night and learned about the sealing powers, which were restored to the Prophet Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple in 1836. Husbands and wives may be sealed and bound together in the Lord for time and all eternity when married in one of God's Holy Temples.

Matthew 16:19

19 And I will ^agive unto thee the ^bkeys of the ^ckingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt ^dbind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

The Tender Mercies of the Lord

2010-03-04T11:09:00.001-08:00

Charity Never Faileth ~ "Christ" Never Faileth

2010-02-18T23:39:00.000-08:00

44 If so, his ^afaith and hope is vain, for none is ^bacceptable before God, save the ^cmeek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and ^dconfesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.

45 And ^acharity suffereth long, and is ^bkind, and ^cenvieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily ^dprovoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

47 But ^acharity is the pure ^blove of Christ, and it endureth ^cforever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, ^apray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true ^bfollowers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall ^cbe like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be ^dpurified even as he is pure. Amen.

~ Moroni 7:44-48 In the end of The Book of Mormon

Temples- A key part in the Restoration of Christ's gospel

2010-02-12T01:22:00.000-08:00

Temples were built in Old Testament times and have been part of God's plan from the beginning. So, what is the purpose of Temples?

Today, in modern times, the gospel of Jesus

Christ has been restored to the earth and temples are a key part of the work of the Lord taking place around the world.

Temples are a place of worship where Latter-day Saints are allowed to enter and perform saving ordinances for the living and the dead. These Holy edifices stand as a beacon of light to the world and symbolically represent Jesus Christ. On each temple is etched the words, "Holiness to the Lord," because it is His sacred house.

I enjoy going to the temple. It is a sanctuary of peace, a place of refuge from the storm of commotion all around us in the world today. My wife and I went to the Idaho Falls Temple

this evening and I wanted to capture a few shots of it...

Enjoy. . . I want to learn more about temples.

Love One Another

2010-02-11T22:45:00.001-08:00

The prophet Nephi ~ A great example for each of us~

2010-02-04T08:49:00.000-08:00

In The Book of Mormon, we learn from the prophet Nephi many different times. He is a great example for us to look unto when seeking the Lord's will rather than our own. Nephi sought the will of the Lord and was blessed. We too, can do this in our daily prayers.

I know that when I put my trust in the Lord and seek his will rather than my own selfish desires I am blessed.

Nephi was blessed in particular for 5 things he did:

4 ^aBlessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how 1. thou hast with ^bunwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And 2. thou hast not feared them, and 3. hast not sought thine ^cown life, but 4. hast sought my ^dwill, and 5. to keep my commandments.

5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that ^aall things shall be ^bdone unto thee according to thy ^cword, for thou shalt ^dnot ask that which is contrary to my will.

~http://scriptures.lds.org/en/hel/10

Have I Done Any Good in the World Today?

2010-02-04T08:26:00.001-08:00

Prayer

2010-01-15T22:04:00.000-08:00

Prayer

Infinite Power of Hope

2010-01-03T16:25:00.001-08:00

What Shall We Give?

2010-01-03T15:32:00.001-08:00

Christmas Music Video--Do You Have Room for the Savior?

2009-12-08T13:34:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2009-12-01T22:09:00.001-08:00

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

2009-12-01T22:09:00.000-08:00

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

2009-12-01T22:08:00.000-08:00

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Marriage and Divorce

2009-11-14T10:04:00.001-08:00

Lifting Burdens: The Atonement of Jesus Christ

2009-11-01T13:13:00.001-08:00

Sunday Thoughts ~ 14 Fundamentals in Following the Prophet

2009-10-18T15:25:00.000-07:00

(Address given Tuesday, February 26, 1980 at Brigham Young University)

My beloved brothers and sisters. I am honored to be in your presence today. You students are a part of a choice young generation—a generation which might well witness the return of the Lord.

Not only is the Church growing in number today, it is growing in faithfulness and, even more important, our young generation, as a group, is even more faithful than the older generation. God has reserved you for the eleventh hour—the great and dreadful day of the Lord (D&C 110:16). It will be your responsibility not only to help to carry the kingdom to a triumph but to save your own soul and strive to save those of your family and to honor the principles of the inspired constitution of the United States.

To help you pass the crucial tests which lie ahead, I am going to give you today several aspects of a grand key which, if you will honor, will crown you with God’s glory and bring you out victorious in spite of Satan’s fury.

Soon we will be honoring our prophet on his 85th birthday. As a Church we sing the hymn, “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet.” (Hymn no. 196). Here then is the grand key—Follow the prophet—and here are fourteen fundamentals in following the prophet, the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

First: The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.

In section 132 verse 7 of the Doctrine and Covenants [D&C 132:7] the Lord speaks of the prophet—the president—and says:

“There is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power and the keys of this priesthood are conferred.”

Then in section 21 verses 4–6 [D&C 21:4–6], the Lord states:

“Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me;

“For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.

“For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.”

Second: The living prophet is more vital to us than the Standard Works.

President Wilford Woodruff tells of an interesting incident that occurred in the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith:

“I will refer to a certain meeting I attended in the town of Kirtland in my early days. At that meeting some remarks were made that have been made here today, with regard to the living prophets and with regard to the written word of God. The same principle was presented, although not as extensively as it has been here, when a leading man in the Church got up and talked upon the subject, and said: ‘You have got the word of God before you here in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants; you have the written word of God, and you who give revelations should give revelations according to those books, as what is written in those books is the word of God. We should confine ourselves to them.’

“When he concluded, Brother Joseph turned to Brother Brigham Young and said, ‘Brother Brigham I want you to go to the podium and tell us your views with regard to the living oracles and the written word of God.’ Brother Brigham took the stand, and he took the Bible, and laid it down; he took the Book of Mormon, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and laid it down before him, and he said: ‘There is the written word of God to us, concerning the work of God from the beginning of the world, almost, to our day. And now,’ said he, ‘when compared with the living oracles those books are nothing to me; those books do not convey the word of God direct to us now, as do the words of a Prophet or a man bearing the Holy Priesthood in our day and generation. I would rather have the living oracles than all the writing in the books.’ That was the course he pursued. When he was through, Brother Joseph said to the congregation; ‘Brother Brigham has told you the word of the Lord, and he has told you the truth.’ ” (Conference Report, October 1897, pp. 18–19.)

Third: The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.

God’s revelation to Adam did not instruct Noah how to build the Ark. Noah needed his own revelation. Therefore the most important prophet so far as you and I are concerned is the one living in our day and age to whom the Lord is currently revealing His will for us. Therefore the most important reading we can do is any of the words of the prophet contained each month in our Church Magazines. Our instructions about what we should do for each six months are found in the General Conference addresses which are printed in the Church magazine.

Beware of those who would set up the dead prophets against the living prophets, for the living prophets always take precedence.

Fourth: The prophet will never lead the Church astray.

President Wilford Woodruff stated:

“I say to Israel, the Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as president of the Church to lead you astray. It is not in the program. It is not in the mind of God.” (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, pp. 212–13.)

President Marion G. Romney tells of this incident which happened to him:

“I remember years ago when I was a bishop I had President Heber J. Grant talk to our ward. After the meeting I drove him home … Standing by me, he put his arm over my shoulder and said: ‘My boy, you always keep your eye on the President of the Church and if he ever tells you to do anything, and it is wrong, and you do it, the Lord will bless you for it.’ Then with a twinkle in his eye, he said, ‘But you don’t need to worry. The Lord will never let his mouthpiece lead the people astray.’ ” (Conference Report, October 1960, p. 78.)

Fifth: The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or diplomas to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.

Sometimes there are those who feel their earthly knowledge on a certain subject is superior to the heavenly knowledge which God gives to his prophet on the same subject. They feel the prophet must have the same earthly credentials or training which they have had before they will accept anything the prophet has to say that might contradict their earthly schooling. How much earthly schooling did Joseph Smith have? Yet he gave revelations on all kinds of subjects. We haven’t yet had a prophet who earned a doctorate degree in any subject. We encourage earthly knowledge in many areas, but remember if there is ever a conflict between earthly knowledge and the words of the prophet, you stand with the prophet and you’ll be blessed and time will show you have done the right thing.

Sixth: The prophet does not have to say “Thus saith the Lord” to give us scripture.

Sometimes there are those who argue about words. They might say the prophet gave us counsel but that we are not obliged to follow it unless he says it is a commandment. But the Lord says of the Prophet, “Thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you.” (D&C 21:4.)

And speaking of taking counsel from the prophet, in D&C 108:1, the Lord states:

“Verily thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Lyman: Your sins are forgiven you, because you have obeyed my voice in coming up hither this morning to receive counsel of him whom I have appointed.”

Said Brigham Young, “I have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out to the children of men, that they may not call scripture.” (Journal of Discourses, 13:95.)

Seventh: The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.

“Thou has declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear,” complained Nephi’s brethren. But Nephi answered by saying, “The guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center.” (1 Ne. 16:1–2.)

Said President Harold B. Lee:

“You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may conflict with your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life … Your safety and ours depends upon whether or not we follow … Let’s keep our eye on the President of the Church.” (Conference Report, October 1970, p. 152–153.)

But it is the living prophet who really upsets the world. “Even in the Church,” said President Kimball, “many are prone to garnish the sepulchres of yesterdays prophets and mentally stone the living ones.” (Instructor, 95:527.)

Why? Because the living prophet gets at what we need to know now, and the world prefers that prophets either be dead or worry about their own affairs. Some so-called experts of political science want the prophet to keep still on politics. Some would-be authorities on evolution want the prophet to keep still on evolution. And so the list goes on and on.

How we respond to the words of a living prophet when he tells us what we need to know, but would rather not hear, is a test of our faithfulness.

Said President Marion G. Romney, “It is an easy thing to believe in the dead prophets, but it is a greater thing to believe in the living prophets.” And then he gives this illustration:

“One day when President Grant was living, I sat in my office across the street following a general conference. A man came over to see me, an elderly man. He was very upset about what had been said in this conference by some of the Brethren, including myself. I could tell from his speech that he came from a foreign land. After I had quieted him enough so he would listen, I said, ‘Why did you come to America?’ ‘I am here because a prophet of God told me to come.’ ‘Who was the prophet?’ I continued. ‘Wilford Woodruff.’ ‘Do you believe Wilford Woodruff was a prophet of God?’ ‘Yes, sir.’

“Then came the sixty-four dollar question, ‘Do you believe that Heber J. Grant is a prophet of God?’ His answer, ‘I think he ought to keep his mouth shut about old-age assistance.’

“Now I tell you that a man in his position is on the way to apostasy. He is forfeiting his chances for eternal life. So is everyone who cannot follow the living prophet of God.” (Conference Report, April 1953, p. 125.)

Eighth: The Prophet is not limited by men’s reasoning.

There will be times when you will have to choose between the revelation of God and reasoning of men—between the prophet and the professor. Said the Prophet Joseph Smith,

“Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason thereof until long after the events transpire.” (Scrapbook of Mormon Literature, vol. 2, p. 173).

Would it seem reasonable to an eye doctor to be told to heal a blind man by spitting in the dirt, making clay and applying it to the man’s eyes and then telling him to wash in a contaminated pool? Yet this is precisely the course that Jesus took with one man, and he was healed. (See John 9:6–7.) Does it seem reasonable to cure leprosy by telling a man to wash seven times in a particular river, yet this is precisely what the prophet Elisha told a leper to do, and he was healed. (See 2 Kgs. 5.)

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa. 55:8–9.)

Ninth: The prophet can receive revelation on any matter—temporal or spiritual.

Said Brigham Young:

“Some of the leading men in Kirtland were much opposed to Joseph the Prophet, meddling with temporal affairs …

“In a public meeting of the Saints, I said, ‘Ye Elders of Israel, … will some of you draw the line of demarcation, between the spiritual and temporal in the kingdom of God, so that I may understand it?’ Not one of them could do it …

“I defy any man on earth to point out the path a Prophet of God should walk in, or point out his duty, and just how far he must go, in dictating temporal or spiritual things. Temporal and spiritual things are inseparably connected, and ever will be.” (Journal of Discourses, 10:363–64.)

Tenth: The prophet may well advise on civic matters. When a people are righteous, they want the best to lead them in government. Alma was the head of the Church and of the government in the Book of Mormon; Joseph Smith was mayor of Nauvoo and Brigham Young was governor of Utah. Isaiah was deeply involved in giving counsel on political matters and of his words the Lord himself said, “Great are the words of Isaiah.” (3 Ne. 23:1.)

Eleventh: The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.

The learned may feel the prophet is only inspired when he agrees with them, otherwise the prophet is just giving his opinion—speaking as a man. The rich may feel they have no need to take counsel of a lowly prophet.

In the Book of Mormon we read:

“O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.

“But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.

“And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them.” (2 Ne. 9:28–29, 42; italics added.)

Twelfth: The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.

As a prophet reveals the truth it divides the people. The honest in heart heed his words but the unrighteous either ignore the prophet or fight him. When the prophet points out the sins of the world, the wordly either want to close the mouth of the prophet, or else act as if the prophet didn’t exist, rather than repent of their sins. Popularity is never a test of truth. Many a prophet has been killed or cast out. As we come closer to the Lord’s second coming you can expect that as the people of the world become more wicked, the prophet will be less popular with them.

Thirteenth: The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency—The highest quorum in the Church.

In the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord refers to the First Presidency as “the highest council of the Church” (D&C 107:80) and says “whosoever receiveth me, receiveth those, the First Presidency, whom I have sent …” (D&C 112:20).

Fourteenth: The prophet and the presidency—the living prophet and the First Presidency—follow them and be blessed—reject them and suffer.

President Harold B. Lee relates this incident from Church history:

“The story is told in the early days of the Church—particularly, I think, at Kirtland, Ohio—where some of the leading brethren in the presiding councils of the Church met secretly and tried to scheme as to how they could get rid of the Prophet Joseph’s leadership. They made the mistake of inviting Brigham Young to one of these secret meetings. He rebuked them, after he had heard the purpose of their meeting. This is part of what he said: ‘You cannot destroy the appointment of a prophet of God, but you can cut the thread that binds you to the prophet of God, and sink yourselves to hell.’ ” (Conference Report, April 1963, p. 81.)

The Lord's voice through an Apostle! ~

2009-10-14T19:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a really neat experience to be in the midst of an apostle of Jesus Christ's church. Elder Dallin H. Oaks came to the University I attend and spoke to us about religious freedoms and freedom of speech. He is a very powerful speaker and was once a U.S. Supreme Court Judge.

He spoke about our Constitution and how it was inspired through God to preserve America and allow for the Restoration of the gospel to occur. He touched on many topics of today's society and brought in a global perspective. It was an awesome experience and I got to shake his hand after the devotional ended.

From lds.org:

An apostle for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said religious freedom is being threatened by societal forces intimidating those with religious points of view from having a voice in the public square. Elder Dallin H. Oaks made the comments today in a major address to Brigham Young University-Idaho students on the importance of preserving the religious freedoms guaranteed by the United States Constitution.

2009-09-30T18:25:00.000-07:00

The 179th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be held in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday and Sunday, October 3-4, 2009.

For complete details please click below:

http://www.lds.org/broadcast/gc/0,5161,8870,00.html

God's Words Never Cease: The Bible, the Book of Mormon, and Continuing Revelation

2009-09-28T11:11:00.001-07:00

What Matters Most

2009-09-26T22:10:00.001-07:00

Faith abounds~

2009-09-09T20:28:00.000-07:00

On Monday I had another amazing missionary experience. I was once again out selling alarm systems door-to-door on the same street as Saturday. Around 6pm I knocked into a very sweet young mom who happened to be single with a 7 year old and 4 year old. As we were filling out paperwork for the alarm the topic of school came up. I told her I went to BYU-Idaho and she said, "So you're Mormon?" I replied, "yes, I am, do you know any?"
She then proceeded to tell me that she knew some growing up but didn't fully understand why we are different than other Christian faiths.

I asked if I could share what we believe and she gladly agreed informing me that she keeps an open mind and has been praying for answers/guidance since adversity and divorce plagued her in the past 4 years. She is a strong Christian with a lot of faith! :)

I was happy to receive a strong witness/confirmation from the Holy Ghost that I was again sent to share the message of the Restoration of Christ's gospel and church back to the earth. What a wonderful feeling of peace and joy~being an instrument in God's hands! I felt as though I was sent to share with her the Restoration of Christ's gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith and the bringing forth of The Book of Mormon.

Jesus Christ ordaining His apostles with Priesthood Authority...New Testament

A strong witness came over me and I felt a deep and sincere charity for my new friend. I informed her that I had a Book of Mormon in my trunk for her, (one of the 2 copies the full-time missionaries had given me the night before), and would bring her back a copy before leaving the neighborhood that night.

Joseph Smith's First Vision 1820, Palmyra, New York

She agreed to take a copy, read, and pray and I am so grateful I could share in this experience with her...Thank you!!! May God bless you in your investigation of the Church and The Book of Mormon!

Restoration of the Priesthood authority

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Christ's gospel taught in both world's amongst prophets of old...

Holy Bible verse:

Matt. 18: 16

16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three ^awitnesses every word may be established.

Book of Mormon verse:

2 Ne. 29: 8

8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the ^atestimony of ^btwo nations is a ^cwitness unto you that I am God, that I remember one ^dnation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two ^enations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.

Heavenly Father is preparing His children all across the earth to hear His message of The Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Prophet Joseph Smith has restored Christ's original gospel and church in it's entirety! The Book of Mormon is a tangible witness of evidence that this event DID occur. Here is Moroni's promise at the end of The Book of Mormon....

Moroni 10:3-5 (Moroni's promise to all)
3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how ^amerciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ^bponder it in your ^chearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ^aask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not ^btrue; and if ye shall ask with a ^csincere heart, with ^dreal intent, having ^efaith in Christ, he will ^fmanifest the ^gtr uth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may ^aknow the ^btru th of all things.

After I left her home I knocked a few more doors and came across another middle-aged woman who is a Catholic. She discovered I was a Mormon after talking a few minutes and I told her I was headed back to school as well. She then told me she dated an LDS member back when she was younger but he got killed in a car wreck. And since then she's never really been told what we believe as Latter-day Saints.

I asked her if I could share what we believe with the new full-color Restoration pamphlet? Barb agreed and said she would be very interested to know our beliefs. I explained to her how God has always called a prophet to lead His children on earth in every dispensation and has not wavered in doing so. I then testified of Joseph Smith and the restoration of Christ's original church and The Book of Mormon. I also witnessed of the truthfulness of living apostles and a prophet on the earth today, Thomas S. Monson. She was excited to hear the "good news"=gospel and walked with me to my car to get my last copy of The Book of Mormon. I asked her what she wanted to share on here and Barb said to tell the world that God will answer your prayers for anything you ask and desire to know?... Another humble, open-hearted daughter of God willing to listen open-hearted and gain new light and knowledge.

My heart was full as she departed back to her home with a copy of The Book of Mormon and a Restoration DVD. I then went back over to the young mom's home to deliver her copy of The Book of Mormon and a DVD. She was anxious and excited to get a copy and told me she would read and pray as well as Moroni has directed.

I added my promise along with Moroni to both of these daughter's of God that they WILL get the answers they're in search of if they read and pray... May Heavenly Father continue blessing you for your goodness and desire to know His will for you!

~Christopher Poulsen

My Sheep will hear my voice~

2009-09-06T23:12:00.000-07:00

~PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED~
19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the ^awilderness, and ^brivers in the desert.
-Isaiah 43:19

-San Diego Temple

Luke 11: 9

9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

This past weekend has been one of lifting and strengthening. Miracles do exist... On Saturday morning I woke up and headed out to work to knock doors and market alarm systems in Indianapolis, Indiana. I was unsure where I was going to work for the day because I had knocked out the neighborhood I worked all week. I decided to drive until the car stopped and got out and began knocking.

-Mesa Arizona Temple

Before I left out of my room I prayed that I may have a successful day and be an instrument in the hands of the Lord. I asked specifically if it was the Father's will to lead me to someone whom I could share the gospel with. I always carry pass along cards and Restoration pamphlets, (a small booklet explaining the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.)Later that day I knocked into a mother of three boys and actually woke her from resting. She had dental surgery earlier this week and was resting. I explained the alarm and what I was doing and she liked the idea and invited me in. Her youngest son who is 20 was also home with a friend. He offered me a bottle of water.
As we sat at the dining table the topic of gospel arose instantly and she asked me how we as Latter-day Saints differed from other churches and religions. I shared with her the calling of prophets in every dispensation and how Heavenly Father is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I testified to her of the Restoration of the gospel and priesthood authority to the prophet Joseph Smith. I also witnessed of The Book of Mormon and it's truthfulness. I taught about a living prophet and twelve apostles today and the building of Holy Temples all across the earth.

-Salt Lake City Temple

The spirit of the Holy Ghost was there very strong and she and I both knew that I was God sent to deliver this message to her. She expressed to me how she has been praying and searching for these missing pieces of truth. I then testified that we met for a reason today beyond the alarm system. She agreed and we rejoiced in the miracle of what just took place. I proceeded to answer a few questions of hers that arose and invited her to come to church with us. Yesterday on Sunday morning I led her to church. It was a perfect day for her to visit with fast and testimony meeting. The first person to introduce herself was the Relief Society President. Then, what I thought was a Senior missionary couple walked by and greeted us. Next my three friends walked in and greeted us along with a few other members of the ward.

Directly following Sacrament meeting, I wanted Sister Higgins to meet the "Senior missionary couple," who happened to be the Mission President and his wife. :)

-Moroni burying the brass plates...later to be translated into The Book of Mormon-Another Testament of Jesus Christ

They invited us to the gospel principles class which happened to be on missionary work. After the class, they invited us over for dinner later that day at 5pm and to watch The Restoration video. Sister Higgins stayed with Sister Corey, (Mission President's wife) in Relief Society and had a great lesson on temples.

At a quarter to 5, I called to confirm our 5pm dinner appointment and at first Sister Higgins said she was tired and asked for a rain check. I told her that it meant a lot to me and was a unique opportunity to go to their home for dinner. I knew opposition would be working on her. After a moment she said ok, I'll come but can I wear jeans? I said, "Of course, that is fine!"

We met there a little after 5pm and had a lovely dinner that Sister Corey prepared. We had a great dinner conversation and then watched the Restoration video. The Elders, Elder Lanaro and Huntsman, were very excited to share in this experience as was I. They shared with Sister Higgins the importance of baptism and being baptized by someone who holds the proper authority. They testified of The Book of Mormon and asked her if she would be baptized into God's church after praying about it and finding out if she should...

What an amazing experience this has been and strengthening of my testimony. Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways and all things are in His timetable. I know that He has been preparing Sister Higgins heart and she was ready to hear this message of hope, peace, and glad tidings of joy. As a solid Christian, Sister Higgins is grounded in the Holy Bible and is very familiar with all the stories in the Old Testament and New Testament. She has blessed my life and I am grateful that I was led by the spirit to go and do the will of the Father. I know that she and I met for this special reason and I am in awe pondering the power and wisdom of God.

-Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I pray that this experience may strengthen those who read it. It has surely strengthened my testimony and desire to be a member missionary and share the restored message of Christ's gospel with as many as I can. I know that God lives and that His Son, Jesus Christ, came and atoned and died for each of us. I know that He too lives and leads His church through our living prophet, Thomas S. Monson. How grateful I am for the workings of a loving Heavenly Father!
Sister Higgins, Know this that YOU are never alone!~

Finding Hope

2009-09-05T22:44:00.001-07:00

O Remember, Remember!

2009-07-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

Baptism by Immersion!

2009-07-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

Baptism~ an essential step in our progression here on earth! This past weekend was one of much rejoicing. I was privileged to go to Mountain Home, Idaho and witness my best friend from high school be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The priesthood power and authority has been restored to the earth and the necessary ordinances for salvation are being performed around the globe. Full-time missionaries are proclaiming the good word and helping bring others to Christ.

In The Book of Mormon, when Christ visited the Americas and came amongst the Nephites they fell down on their knees in worship to Him. He then gave unto them His power to baptize:

3 Nephi 11: 16-23

16 And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying:

17 Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did ^aworship him.

18 And it came to pass that he spake unto ^aNephi (for Nephi was among the multitude) and he commanded him that he should come forth.

19 And Nephi arose and went forth, and ^abowed himself before the Lord and did ^bkiss his feet.

20 And the Lord commanded him that he should ^aarise. And he arose and stood before him.

21 And the Lord said unto him: I give unto you ^ap ower that ye shall ^bbaptize this people when I am again ascended into heaven.

22 And again the Lord called ^aothers, and said unto them likewise; and he gave unto them power to baptize. And he said unto them: On this wise shall ye baptize; and there shall be ^bno disputations among you.

23 Verily I say unto you, that whoso repenteth of his sins through your ^awords, and ^bdesireth to be baptized in my name, on this wise shall ye baptize them—Behold, ye shall go down and ^cstand in the water, and in my name shall ye baptize them.

The Lord himself outlined what we should do and taught the gospel in its fullness. With the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ the power and authority is on the Earth once again after being taken during the Great Apostasy from the truth.

I am so grateful for The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. It helps clarify the teachings in the Holy Bible and is consistent with what Christ taught. It is an ancient record from the Americas kept during the same time as The Holy Bible.

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T21:49:00.000-07:00

The Truth Restored!

2009-05-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

Life is a beautiful blessing! Today is sunny and warm, birds chirping, clear blue skies, with the hum of a passenger jet flying by. Beautiful sounds of Sunday hymns are playing lightly in the background as I ponder the beauties of Heavenly Father's creations. The Sabbath Day is truly a blessing and delight! I love Sundays and the peace and serenity they bring to my soul. No worries of work, stress of school, or other worldly distractions...but a day of reflection and deepening of one's faith.

D&C 128: 23

23 Let the ^amountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid ^brocks weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the ^cmorning stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever! And again I say, how glorious is the voice we hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory, and salvation, and honor, and ^dimmortality, and eternal life; kingdoms, principalities, and powers!

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

2009-05-10T21:29:00.001-07:00

Another Sunset~ Horizon of eternity

2009-04-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

I decided to catch a few more sunset shots this evening! The weather has been so beautiful here in Idaho and it was warm today! Yahoo! I love taking sunset pics as some of you are aware. Thank you for your comments! :) I hope to make calendars as a hobby in the near future with sunset, nature, and wildlife photos.

17 By these things we ^aknow that there is a ^bGod in heaven, who is infinite and ^ceternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same ^dunchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them;
~D&C 20:17

As I look upon these beautiful sunsets I cannot help but ponder God's magnificent creations and as I look out on the horizon I have gratitude in my heart for the beauty of the painted sky. I thank Heavenly Father as it makes me ponder eternity for its never ending beauty.

~Christopher

God's Artwork! ~ Simply Magnificent ~

2009-04-19T21:10:00.000-07:00

Courtney and I decided to take a Sunday drive around 7:30 pm tonight after a 2 hour nap. We drove around the Burton area and then went down by Bear World and the Snake River. Next we drove out through Menan and around th e Buttes ('R' Mountain). During our drive I snapped a few shots. The m oose and sunset were my fav orite. We saw the moose along a canal bank in Burton.

Sunsets in Idaho are just beautiful! These photos were taken tonight on our Sunday drive!

EASTER BLESSINGS!

2009-04-11T10:13:00.000-07:00

HAPPY EASTER!

General Conference was superb, as always!

2009-04-08T23:29:00.000-07:00

The prophet, President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, President Henry B. Eyring and President Dieter F. Utchdorf, the Twelve apostles and some of the quorum of 70's.
The magnificent LDS Salt Lake City Temple
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Prophet and Apostles, and the quorum of the Seventies!

The Conference Center has trees all over the top of it and gardens...beautiful when the grass is green!

General Conference is a great blessing for Latter-day Saints. Every six months we get the privilege and opportunity to hear the words of God's living prophet and the twelve apostles. It really is unique compared to the rest of society and whats going on around the globe. I had the neat opportunity of going to the conference center in Salt Lake City, Utah and being there at it live. I took all of the above pictures on my weekend visit!

To listen to any of the sermons given by the prophet or apostles please visit http://lds.org You may watch or read them.

Prepare Every Needful Thing!

2009-03-29T19:35:00.000-07:00

WORLDWIDE LATTER-DAY SAINT GENERAL CONFERENCE
Hear the Prophet's Voice!

This coming Saturday and Sunday is General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. God's living prophet, his two counselors, and the Twelve Apostles will speak to the world via satellite broadcast as well as on line. You can watch or listen to these brethren speak on April 04 and 05, 2009. For a complete schedule please visit: http://l ds.org The President and Prophet of the Church: Thomas S. Monson, 1st Counselor: Henry B. Eyring (with glasses) and 2nd Counselor: Dieter F. Utchdorf

D&C 88: 119

119 ^aOrganize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a ^bhouse, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;

The gospel of Jesus Christ is RESTORED in its fullness and is a wonderful blessing to all of those who have discovered its existence and have accepted it! My life has been fully enriched because of the doctrines and principles of Christ's gospel.

In Amos we learn that God will do nothing unless it is through His prophets! 7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, ^abut he ^brevealeth his ^csecret unto his servants the ^dprophets. ~Amos 3:7 This has been a TRUTH from the beginning of time when Heavenly Father spoke with Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses. Each of these Old Testament prophets held the Priesthood of God and received revelations given from God above to be a spokesman (mouthpiece for God) for the children upon the earth.
Each prophet had a different calling and purpose to fulfill while on the earth! It is no different today. God has restored His church and gospel back to the earth for the final time before Christ's Second Coming.The amazing Conference Center which is huge inside as you can see!
Daniel 2:44-45~ Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is revealed to Daniel—The king saw a great image; a stone cut from the mountain without hands destroyed the image; and the stone grew and filled the whole earth—The stone is the latter-day kingdom of God.
44 And in the ^adays of these ^bkings shall the God of heaven ^cset up a ^dkingdom, which shall never be ^edestroyed: and the ^fkingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall ^gbreak in pieces and ^hconsume all these ⁱkingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

1. Adam~ Found in the book of Moses 1: 39-41 39 For behold, this is my ^awork and my ^bglory—to bring to pass the ^cimmortality and ^deterna l ^elife of man.

40 And now, Moses, my son, I will speak unto thee concerning this earth upon which thou standest; and thou shalt ^awrite the things which I shall speak.

41 And in a day when the children of men shall esteem my words as ^anaught and ^btake many of them from the ^cbook which thou shalt write, behold, I will raise up another ^dlike unto thee; and they shall be ^ehad again among the children of men—among as many as shall believe.

2. Noah~ Found in 2 Peter 2:5

5 And spared not the old world, but saved ^aNoah the eighth person, a preacher of ^brighteousness, bringing in the ^cflood upon the world of the ungodly;

3. Abraham~ Found in Galatians 3:8

8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the ^aheathen through faith, preached before the ^bgospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all ^cnations be ^dblessed.

4. Moses ~ Found in Lev. 27:34

Lev. 27: 34

34 These are the commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.

The Lamb of God
5. Jesus Christ ~
John 10:14
14 I am the good ^ashepherd, and ^bknow my ^csheep, and am known of mine.
John 14:6
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the ^away, the ^btruth, and the life: no man ^ccometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 3:16
16 ¶ For ^aGod so ^bloved the ^cworld, that he ^dgave his ^eonly begotten ^fSon, that whosoever ^gbelieveth in him should not perish, but have ^heverlasting ⁱlife.

The Washington D.C. Temple
6. Joseph Smith~

D&C 20: 1-3, 37, 70

1 The ^arise of the ^bChurch of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the ^ccoming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh, it being regularly ^dorganized and established agreeable to the ^elaws of our country, by the will and commandments of God, in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month which is called April—

2 Which commandments were given to Joseph Smith, Jun., who was ^acalled of God, and ^bordained an ^capostle of Jesus Christ, to be the ^dfirst ^eelder of this church;Joseph Smith and the First Vision:

7. President Thomas S. Monson ~ Current Living Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Thomas S. Monson, “Come unto Him in Prayer and Faith,” Liahona, Mar 2009, 2–7

Photograph by David Newman

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”1 So spoke the wise Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel.

Jacob, the brother of Nephi, declared, “Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith.”2

In this dispensation, in a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord said, “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”3

This divinely inspired counsel comes to us today as crystal clear water to a parched earth.

We live in troubled times. Doctors’ offices are filled with individuals who are beset with emotional problems as well as physical distress. Divorce courts are overflowing because people have unsolved problems. Human resource administrators in government and industry work long hours in an effort to assist people with their problems.

One human resource officer assigned to handle petty grievances concluded an unusually hectic day by placing facetiously a little sign on his desk for those with unsolved problems. It read, “Have you tried prayer?” What he may not have realized was that this simple counsel would solve more problems, alleviate more suffering, prevent more transgression, and bring about greater peace and contentment in the human soul than could be obtained in any other way.

A prominent American judge was asked what we as citizens of the countries of the world could do to reduce crime and disobedience to law and to bring peace and contentment into our lives and into our nations. He carefully replied, “I would suggest a return to the old-fashioned practice of family prayer.”

The Blessings of the Temple!

2009-03-23T10:30:00.001-07:00

Drawing on the Powers of Heaven!

2009-03-01T20:52:00.000-08:00

For the month of March I have decided to read a couple of my favorite books that I read during my missionary days in California. These two books are loaded with valuable information on increasing one's faith and testimony in the Savior, Jesus Christ!

In the book of Alma, chapter 32, in The Book of Mormon we are taught about faith as well. Here we learn the following:

Alma 32:21
21 And now as I said concerning faith—^afaith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye ^bhope for things which are ^cnot seen, which are true.

Alma 32:28, 41-43
28 Now, we will compare the word unto a ^aseed. Now, if ye give place, that a ^bseed may be planted in your ^cheart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your ^dunbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to ^eenlighten my ^funderstanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with ^apatience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree ^bspringing up unto everlasting life.

42 And because of your ^adiligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the ^bfruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.

43 Then, my brethren, ye shall ^areap the ^brewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth ^cfruit unto you.

To my understanding faith is an action word and we must act rather than be acted upon. I am grateful for living Prophets and Apostles that are a great example of faith. They are firm and anchored in the faith of Jesus Christ.

This YouTube from President Dieter F. Utchdorf was #62 most watched this past month. It is called CREATE:

A Tribute to Nephi!

2009-02-25T11:10:00.000-08:00

Nephi was a man of honor, faith, integrity, obedience, love, and determination to follow God and keep his commandments. We can learn a great deal from the lessons he's taught us through his example of an extraordinary life.
As a man of great faith and obedience we learn of his gratitude towards his parents, his desire to do as the Lord commands, his example of righteousness and faith, his determination to share his testimony with others, his understanding of his nothingness before God, and many more things that he wrote and testified of in the first two books of The Book of Mormon: 1 Nephi and 2 Nephi.
1 Nephi 1:1
1 I, Nephi, having been ^aborn of ^bgoodly ^cparents, therefore I was ^dtaught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many ^eafflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a ^frecord of my proceedings in my days.

1 Nephi 3:7
7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I ^awill go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no ^bcommandments unto the children of men, save he shall ^cprepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

15 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did strive to keep the ^acommandments of the Lord, and I did ^bexhort my brethren to faithfulness and diligence.

1 Nephi 17:49
49 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto them that they should murmur no more against their father; neither should they withhold their labor from me, for God had commanded me that I should ^abuild a ship.

These are just a few of the many great scriptures that Nephi has given us! His words are a blessing to all who will read, accept, and apply! ~Blessings C.J.P.

Remember WHO you are!

2009-02-12T23:06:00.000-08:00

Here is an early Valentine's dedication to my wife! We went to the Broadway play "Lion King" this past summer in New York City. We both really loved all the music and costumes.
"He" Lives in You...is a song that we have talked about ever since and we discovered its symbolism and deeper meaning during the show.

As children of a loving Heavenly Father we all have access to "Him;" He is standing with open arms to lift us and give us hope in a world of confusion and turmoil!

He lives within each of us! We each are sent here by divine design and have a mission to accomplish. What's your mission in life? Have you discovered it?

You may need to pause my music player to watch the short film from the Lion King. Hopefully this gives your day a new twist and enlightens you to smile more and to go out of your way and lift another! Remember WHO you are!

One Year Anniversary!

2009-02-11T11:10:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of our local temple in Rexburg, Idaho. It is simply beautiful with a magnificent design!

This post is dedicated to the one year anniversary of the dedication of the Rexburg, Idaho temple! It was dedicated by our beloved prophet, Thomas S. Monson on February 10, 2008. It is very beautiful and is the Lord's house. On the front, as with all LDS temples, it states, Holiness to the Lord, The House of the Lord. I am especially grateful for this beautiful edifice that sits upon the hill in Rexburg. It is a light to the world which is symbolic of Jesus Christ himself.

Here are a couple of scriptures: one from the Holy Bible and one from The Book of Mormon:

Matt. 5: 14

14 Ye are the ^alight of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
3 Ne. 12: 14

14 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

Christ's Gospel Restored!

2009-02-09T10:40:00.000-08:00

This is a great testament of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ that occurred in the early 1800's in Palmyra, New York.

Take a look for yourself. This is what happened right before The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was restored back to the earth.

The Three Fold Mission of the Church!

2009-02-01T16:30:00.000-08:00

Three Fold Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

5 ¶ ^aTrust in the Lord with all thine ^bheart; and lean not unto thine ^cown ^dunderstanding.

6 In all thy ways ^aacknowledge him, and he shall ^bdirect thy ^cpaths.

~Proverbs 3:5-6

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is very unique in many ways! If you're a member reading this I encourage you to be an active participant in fulfilling your duties as such. And if you're a non-member of the Church, I invite you to come back, read more, but especially to investigate further by clicking on the Church sponsored websites listed on the right column of my blog! Happy READING!
I am very grateful for the LDS Church and what it stands for! It is a vehicle set up for each of us to come and learn of Christ, to partake in His goodness, and receive His word along with all the saving ordinances of salvation. The Church and its members has a Three Fold Mission as it moves forward to cover the earth.

~DANIEL 2:44-45
44 And in the ^adays of these ^bkings shall the God of heaven ^cset up a ^dkingdom, which shall never be ^edestroyed: and the ^fkingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall ^gbreak in pieces and ^hconsume all these ⁱkingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the ^astone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made ^bknown to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

Here are the 3 MISSIONS:

1. To perfect the Saints~I believe this is to strengthen each member in his/her testimony and to be an active participant in gospel learning/living.

2. To proclaim the gospel to world~Missionaries have been sent two by two since the Restoration of the Church in this dispensation in 1830.

3. To redeem our kindred dead~Beautiful temples are being built throughout the earth to accomplish these purposes for the Lord.This makes for a beautiful whole! Service of the Master in these various works is sure to help keep one steadfast in the faith of Christ and help accomplish HIS divine mission and purposes.

So, again I invite you to ponder these things in your heart and mind and learn of them:

D&C 8: 2

2 Yea, behold, I will ^atell you in your mind and in your ^bheart, by the ^cHoly Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.

Ok there you have it for another beautiful Sabbath Day!
Have a great week!

Death-the gateway to Eternal Life!

2009-01-29T12:25:00.000-08:00

A tribute and dedication to my niece,

Kimberly Mae

Kimberly Mae Tokanang

January 10, 2009 - January 23, 2009

Daddy's little princess, Kimberly Mae Tokanang, died peacefully in the arms of her mother on January 23, 2009 surrounded by family and friends and has returned to the loving embrace of her Heavenly Father.

This innocent, precious little baby who is my niece came to this earth to simply receive her mortal body, inspire and humble those she touched with her sweet spirit, and then returned back home to her Father in Heaven.

As I attended her funeral yesterday the spirit of the Holy Ghost was present and very strong. I cried tears of joy, not even getting a chance to know this special niece. The music was beautiful and the testimonies born were very uplifting. I know the gospel of Jesus Christ is real and has been restored to this earth.

Through this experience my faith has increased, my testimony strengthened. I am grateful for what she taught me in her short mortal sojourn. Though her stay was brief, she brought a new light of hope and reinforcement to the truths I have learned throughout the years. How grateful I am for an understanding of God's eternal plan of happiness and salvation. Families can Be Together Forever and I will get to see her be raised one day.

A vision given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, in the temple at Kirtland, Ohio, January 21, 1836

D&C 137:10

10 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.

Moroni 8:12

12 But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism!

Through Jesus Christ, we can all be redeemed from our fallen state. The fullness of the gospel has been restored with all the saving ordinances to help us gain our eternal salvation. The keys, rights, and authority of the priesthood have also been restored to make it possible to receive these ordinances.

Little Kimberly waited nearly six hours after being taken off life support to receive a name and blessing into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her great-grandfather blessed her with the power and authority of this restored priesthood and within seconds she drifted off to the next phase of life! This is a great testimony builder for me! I love my Heavenly Father and although we don't always understand His will and purposes, it is He who's work we're engaged in as the Father of our spirits.

Moses 1:39

For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

An Apostle in our Midst!

2009-01-28T09:24:00.000-08:00

Elder D. Todd Christofferson- the newest member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints attended BYU-Idaho on Tuesday January 27, 2009.

He was sustained as the newest apostle April 05, 2008.

Yesterday was an awesome experience. To be in the presence of one of the Lord's living apostles is quite a blessing. Elder Christofferson spoke to a student body of over 12,000 students and faculty at the weekly devotional held at the University. I got to go to the stage afterwards and shake he and his wife's hands and say hello. Very uplifting experience every time!

His message was to "Always Remember Him." Elder Christofferson gave three ideas on how to always remember the Savior, Jesus Christ.

1. Seek to do His will in all things.
2. Accept our responsibility and live consciously to consecrating ourselves as
disciples of Christ.
3. Living by faith and without fear.

A scripture he shared with each idea is as follows in correspondence with the number above.

1. 3 Nephi 27:13-15 13
Behold I have given unto you my ^agospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the ^bwill of my Father, because my Father sent me.

14 And my Father sent me that I might be ^alifted up upon the ^bcross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the ^ccross, that I might ^ddraw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be ^ejudged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—

15 And for this cause have I been ^alifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their ^bworks.

2. Alma 12:12-15
12 And Amulek hath spoken plainly concerning ^adeath, and being raised from this mortality to a state of immortality, and being brought before the bar of God, to be ^bjudged according to our works.

13 Then if our hearts have been hardened, yea, if we have hardened our hearts against the word, insomuch that it has not been found in us, then will our state be awful, for then we shall be condemned.

14 For our ^awords will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the ^bmountains to fall upon us to ^chide us from his presence.

15 But this cannot be; we must come forth and stand before him in his glory, and in his power, and in his might, majesty, and dominion, and acknowledge to our everlasting ^ashame that all his ^bjudgments are just; that he is just in all his works, and that he is merciful unto the children of men, and that he has all power to save every man that believeth on his name and bringeth forth fruit meet for repentance.

3. D&C 6:33-37
33 ^aFear not to do ^bgood, my sons, for whatsoever ye ^csow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow ^dgood ye shall also reap good for your ^ereward.

34 Therefore, fear not, little ^aflock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are ^bbuilt upon my rock, they cannot prevail.

35 Behold, I do not condemn you; go your ways and ^asin no more; perform with soberness the work which I have commanded you.

36 ^aLook unto me in every ^bthought; ^cdoubt not, fear not.

37 ^aBehold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the ^bnails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall ^cinherit the ^dkingdom of heaven. Amen.

Beautiful Sabbath Day! Gladys Knight-A Mormon?

2009-01-18T21:54:00.001-08:00

Today at church I was reminded of a lot of simple truths. First of all, in priesthood meeting we discussed the spirit of Elijah...

From the Old Testament we learn:
Malachi 4:5-6
5 ¶ Behold, I will ^asend you ^bElijah the prophet ^cbefore the coming of the ^dgreat and dreadful ^eday of the Lord: 6 And he shall ^aturn the ^bheart of the ^cfathers to the ^dchildren, and the heart of the ^echildren to their fathers, lest I come and ^fsmite the ^gearth with a ^hcurse.

I am very grateful for Family History and genealogy work. This helps us unite and link our families together through sacred temple ordinances forever. I am so grateful for the truths found in Latter-day revelation.

In the Doctrine and Covenants, a book of revelations to the prophet Joseph Smith the following was recorded:

D&C 110: 13-14

13 After this vision had closed, another great and glorious ^avision burst upon us; for ^bElijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said:

14 Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come—

Then in Sunday school we learned about the Atonement.
I was reminded of the importance of applying Christ's atonement in our daily lives. We CAN be forgiven of all our sins, mistakes, weaknesses, and short-comings.

2 Ne. 25: 16

16 And after they have been ^ascattered, and the Lord God hath scourged them by other nations for the space of many generations, yea, even down from generation to generation until they shall be persuaded to ^bbelieve in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement, which is infinite for all mankind—and when that day shall come that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and ^cclean hands, and look not forward any more for ^danother Messiah, then, at that time, the day will come that it must needs be expedient that they should believe these things.

In our last meeting, Sacrament service, we listened to an older couple speak on the topic of conversion and being converted to Christ and His gospel.

"Conversion means 'to turn with.' Conversion is a turning from the ways of the world to, and staying with, the ways of the Lord. Conversion brings a mighty change of heart. Thus, a true convert is 'born again,' walking with a newness of life."
-Elder Russell M. Nelson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Ensign Nov. 2005.

Tonight, to top off the day of spiritual feasting and uplifting of the soul my sister-in-law and I went to a missionary fireside where we learned of our true purpose and identity here on earth. That is to be a disciple of Christ and invite others unto Christ continually!
What a great day it has been!

I found this beautiful arrangement for one of my favorite hymns sung by Gladys Knight and her choir Saints Unified Voices. She and her family have been Latter-day Saints for ten plus years now. She is a great example of faith to all and especially the African communities who love her tunes. Please enjoy this song: "I Am a Child of God." Here is her website for more gospel tunes: http://www.suvchoir.org/multimedia.html

glenn beck

2009-01-15T18:06:00.000-08:00

This is simply worth watching!

ENJOY!

Lehi's Dream!

2009-01-15T10:27:00.000-08:00

Wow! This is an amazing dream found in 1 Nephi 8! The symbolism in this chapter of scripture is very interesting for everyone alive today. When it speaks of a great and spacious building and the mists of darkness I think of the world and the temptations of Satan. And then when it speaks of the tree of life and the rod of iron which leads to it I am reminded of Jesus Christ, eternal life, and the words of Christ that lead us there.

Today, like always there are only two sides, white or black, light or darkness, good and evil. There is no middle ground per say that is safe...no sitting on the fence in idleness. We are either going up or down, but never at a standstill. Each of us must choose to follow the Lord in righteousness or be enshrouded by evil, darkness, and captivity. It's very easy to find ourselves in the gray zone bouncing back and forth between the two or trying to hold one foot to each side.

Lehi's dream illustrates the latter-days that we're living in. I encourage you to go to this web page and read this chapter: http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_ne/8
It is very eye opening!

JOY!

2009-01-11T17:02:00.000-08:00

2 Nephi 2:25 "Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy!"

What a simple phrase with a lot of value and meaning!

I hope everyone is enJOYing January and living a happy productive life with an abundance mentality and attitude for this New Year!

Life is great and meant to be enjoyed!

Hope you've had a blessed Sabbath Day!

2009 Has arrived!

2009-01-04T19:47:00.000-08:00

2009 ---- A time to Rise and Shine

With the new year and everyone setting goals and resolutions I, too, am determined to do this very thing. My goal, however is to do this often throughout the year of 2009. Many will write goals and maybe make it to February or March perhaps, but then give up or get distracted, lose focus and eventually fall back into their bad habits.

It's interesting to me to see how many people use this one day (jan01) or week of the beginning of a new year to set goals, hopes, and dreams to do better. It's like the date has some magic or renewal of energy that gets people thinking and excited. What about the rest of the year? Do we track progress for improvement? Have deadlines? Why can't each new month, week, or day be the beginning of renewed energy?

To me goals are dreams with deadlines! And making a year from now the deadline is very overwhelming...we must take baby steps and track our progress over the course of a day, week, or month. This helps us to see small improvements, reward ourselves, and continue on the path with endurance.

You seldom see anyone wanting to do worse, however than the previous year, but why is it we tend to slip back to mediocrity and bad habits.

I believe its because we are creatures of habit. Each and everyone of us get into the habit of doing the same things over and over, whether good or bad, we find ourselves spinning our wheels and in the ruts of life. When this occurs we can't seem to see into the horizon of light and opportunity of improvement. We become lax and complacent thinking we're doomed to some awful drudgery of life. That all odds are against us. It's not so.

It doesn't have to be this way. Accountability for ones endeavors helps keep a person aligned and on track to accomplish his or her goal. We must create a laser focus often to see if we're still on the tracks (goals) we've set up for ourselves. And because we are creatures of habit this generally involves two parties...someone who cares and that will hold us accountable.

I believe writing down one's goals is an essential step in the process, but action is required to make things happen, and then often review and tracking progress is critical to staying on track.

Many of these ideas and principles I have discovered through reading and study. I have discovered a very insightful web resource: www.stephencovey.com that is free and easy to set up goals and check them daily or weekly.

You will find my goals on there and I hope to challenge a few of you that want to help to hold me accountable this coming month and year.

A few goals that I have set for myself this year are the following:

Spiritual: Read scriptures 30 mins/day with journal notes and attend the temple once/week or 50 times in 2009!
Physical: Exercise 30+mins/day 5 days/week
Mind/Personal Development: Read/listen to audio 30 mins/day or 1 new book/month.

Rise and shine in 2009!

2008-12-31T23:54:00.000-08:00

An excellent year has come and gone. 2008 was great! Now its the beginning of a new dawn, and time to rise and shine in 2009! More to come soon in the next few days!

Merry Christmas!!!

2008-12-24T11:39:00.000-08:00

December is a very busy month with lots of activities to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
I am in deed grateful for this time of year when we reflect upon the year's accomplishments and focus on the Savior's life and ministry here upon the earth. I testify that I know Jesus Christ was sent here to accomplish the tasks that no other could. Being born of Mary in the flesh and of God, the Father, in the spirit, Christ had the power to atone for the sins of the world and die upon the cross for you and me.

I am indebted unto Him for His great sacrifice in my behalf. I know that each of us will one day resurrect to die no more. I also know that through Christ's atonement we may be purged and cleansed of all sin and iniquity.

During this time of year it is my prayer that we will all open the door of our hearts and let the Savior in... to make more room for Him who gave us life... in the coming year of 2009!

Merry Christmas everyone and remember the TRUE meaning of Christmas! May God Bless You all!

Isaiah 7:14
14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a ^asign; ^bBehold, a ^cvirgin shall conceive, and bear a ^dson, and shall call his name ^eImmanuel.
Isaiah 9:6
6 For unto us a ^achild is ^bborn, unto us a ^cson is given: and the ^dgovernment shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, ^eCounsellor, The ^fmighty ^gGod, The ^heverlasting Father, The Prince of ⁱPeace.

A Christmas message from our living Prophet:

Thomas S. Monson, “The Gifts of Christmas,” Ensign, Dec 2003, 2–5

From 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon we read, “Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.” 1

With the birth of the babe in Bethlehem, there emerged a great endowment, a power stronger than weapons, a wealth more lasting than the coins of Caesar. This child was to be the King of kings and Lord of lords, the promised Messiah—even Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

His Beckoning Invitation

Born in a stable, cradled in a manger, He came forth from heaven to live on earth as mortal man and to establish the kingdom of God. During His earthly ministry, He taught men the higher law. His glorious gospel reshaped the thinking of the world. He blessed the sick. He caused the lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear. He even raised the dead to life.

What was the reaction to His message of mercy, His words of wisdom, His lessons of life? There were a precious few who appreciated Him. They bathed His feet. They learned His word. They followed His example.

Down through the generations of time, the message from Jesus has been the same. To Peter by the shores of beautiful Galilee, He said, “Follow me.” 2 To Philip of old came the call, “Follow me.” 3 To the Levite who sat at receipt of customs came the instruction, “Follow me.” 4 And to you and to me, if we but listen, shall come that same beckoning invitation, “Follow me.”

As we follow in His steps today, we too will have an opportunity to bless the lives of others. Jesus invites us to give of ourselves: “Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind.” 5

Our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved. “Go, gladden the lonely, the dreary; Go, comfort the weeping, the weary; Go, scatter kind deeds on your way; Oh, make the world brighter today!” 6

A wise Christian once urged, “May we not spend Christmas, but keep it.” 7 When we keep the spirit of Christmas, we keep the spirit of Christ, for the Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit.