Freedom--United we Stand!

2 Nephi 1:5, 9-10

5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a ^aland of promise, a land which is ^bchoice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath ^ccovenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath ^dcovenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be ^eled out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.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.

10 But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in ^aunbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lord—having a knowledge of the creation of the earth, and all men, knowing the great and marvelous works of the Lord from the creation of the world; having power given them to do all things by faith; having all the commandments from the beginning, and having been brought by his infinite goodness into this precious land of promise—behold, I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true ^bMessiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of him that is ^cjust shall rest upon them.

America--Stand up and choose FREEDOM! We are free because of being different than other countries.

Life of Learning!

www.mormon.org/freeoffers

Today I was reminded a few times that life is a journey of learning. Why are we here? What's our purpose of this earth life? Where does hope stem from for a better world?
Continuing on from yesterday's thoughts; preparing for the Savior's Second Coming isn't always easy. Life is a process of refining, learning, and growing. We all face adversities that help build us and make us stronger individuals.
As I was working today I pondered one of my favorite scriptures from the Book of Mormon, Alma 34:32-34. These verses bring me a lot of hope and comfort and answer the underlying questions I just posted above.


Alma 34:9, 17-19, 26-27, 32-34,

9 For it is expedient that an ^aatonement should be made; for according to the great ^bplan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are ^cfallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.
17 Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your ^afaith unto repentance, that ye begin to ^bcall upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;

18 Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is ^amighty to save.

19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in ^aprayer unto him.
26 But this is not all; ye must ^apour out your souls in your ^bclosets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.

27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your ^ahearts be ^bfull, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your ^cwelfare, and also for the welfare of ^dthose who are around you.

What is this life for?

32 For behold, this ^alife is the time for men to ^bprepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of ^cthis life is the day for men to perform their ^dlabors.

33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many ^awitnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not ^bprocrastinate the day of your ^crepentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the ^dnight of ^edarkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful ^acrisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth ^bpossess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.

I am very grateful for my understanding of the purpose of this life. It's literally a school for Heavenly Father's children to be tried and tested, to repent, and become better disciples of Christ. I know that Jesus Christ atonement is real and he has suffered for all. He invites all to come follow Him.

I met a family tonight that are of a different faith than myself. We talked about the bible and the similarities of our religions and they asked me various questions about what Latter-day Saints believe this life is for?
Gratefully for the opportunity to share, I shared our basic beliefs of Faith, Repentance, Baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. And then I also was able to share parts of the scripture I was pondering today. This experience helped strengthen my testimony that God lives and is aware of each one of us. I'm thankful for The Book of Mormon and the many plain and simple truths that are taught in it. Each time I read I am strengthened to do better.

If you've never had the chance to read from its pages you may read or listen online at http://www.lds.org/mp3/display/0,18692,5297-41,00.html
or order yourself a free copy at www.mormon.org/freeoffers

Jesus Christ Will Come Again! "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear."

Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world has declared that He will come again. In a recent study of this section of the Doctrine and Covenants I selected a few of my favorite verses to share. I truly believe that if we prepare our hearts and become at-one with Christ by standing in Holy places we shall not be moved.

The world is now full of commotion and men's hearts are failing them. We simply cannot rely on the arm of flesh. Only in and through Christ can we stand firm in truth and be ready for life's storms.

I know that Jesus Christ lives and that He will come to this earth again. I am grateful for my knowledge and witness I have received through the power of the holy ghost. This is also one of my favorite pictures below.
Enjoy the verses!


D&C 45

16 And I will show it plainly as I showed it unto my ^adisciples as I stood before them in the flesh, and spake unto them, saying: As ye have asked of me concerning the ^bsigns of my coming, in the day when I shall come in my ^cglory in the clouds of heaven, to fulfil the promises that I have made unto your fathers,

26 And in ^athat day shall be heard of ^bwars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men’s hearts shall ^cfail them, and they shall say that Christ ^ddelayeth his coming until the end of the earth.
27 And the ^alove of men shall wax cold, and ^biniquity shall abound.

31 And there shall be men standing in that ^ageneration, that shall not pass until they shall see an overflowing ^bscourge; for a desolating ^csickness shall cover the land.

32 But my disciples shall ^astand in holy places, and shall not be moved; but among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices and ^bcurse God and die.

33 And there shall be ^aearthquakes also in divers places, and many desolations; yet men will harden their hearts against me, and they will take up the ^bsword, one against another, and they will kill one another.

35 And I said unto them: Be not ^atroubled, for, when all these things shall come to pass, ye may know that the promises which have been made unto you shall be fulfilled.

63 Ye hear of ^awars in foreign lands; but, behold, I say unto you, they are nigh, even at your ^bdoors, and not many years hence ye shall hear of wars in your own lands.

71 And it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion, singing with ^asongs of everlasting ^bjoy.

VOTE YES ON ALL MARRIAGE PROPS!

Prayer!

I am very grateful for prayer and my understanding of it. It can be tough at times to pray unto our Father in Heaven. Life gets busy and we get tired and forget to pray or get very lax in what we say.
2 Nephi 32:8-9
8 And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the ^aSpirit which teacheth a man to ^bpray ye would know that ye must ^cpray; for the ^devil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.

9 But behold, I say unto you that ye must ^apray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall ^bpray unto the Father in the ^cname of Christ, that he will ^dconsecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the ^ewelfare of thy soul.

Lately I have been thinking a lot about the power of prayer and praying with Faith. Sunday, we learned about praying with greater faith. A talk titled "Ask in Faith" by Elder David A. Bednar Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was our topic of discussion in Elder's Quorum.

Elder Bednar reviewed three examples of asking in faith in meaningful prayer with our Heavenly Father.
They are:
1. Ask in Faith and Act
2. After the Trial of Our Faith
3. Not My Will, but Thine, Be Done

All 3 examples highlight very essential elements to heartfelt prayer. We must ACT and not wait to be acted upon...Faith is an action word. Answers come after we are tested of our faith. And most importantly I believe is seeking to do the will of the Lord rather than our own. Too often we can get caught up in just asking and giving thanks for the same old things day in and day out. I find my prayers most meaningful when I seek to learn the will of the Lord for me. With elections coming up and the race drawing a near this country needs the prayers of her citizens.

May we all pray for the leaders of this free country and beautiful nation!

Our Catholic Friends Supporting the Family

This is a beautiful video that I encourage all to watch before voting on November 04! God ordained marriage between a man and woman which is natural and right. Families are founded upon a husband and wife who love each other. This is the way that God intended families to be established. It is part of His eternal plan for all of His children.

We saw it!

Fireproof-My wife and I went on our date last night and saw the new movie. Although some parts were cheesy and the acting wasn't the best throughout, the moral of the story was very good. I would rate it a must see for all married couples or engaged couples. "Never leave your partner behind" was the motto or tag line in the movie and it's true. When a man and woman get married-they become one-united in life and love. And I believe when a couple wants to accomplish anything in life they can with faith and hard work.


I am challenging myself to "love" my wife more through serving her more often and try to reduce my selfishness. The movie points out a lot of accurate points in general I think for most relationships. We are all selfish in our own ways. "We" and "us" has to be priority over "I'' and "me." www.fireproofthemovie.com

After all!

Aren't goals in life meant to stretch us and give us something to reach towards. A week or two ago as my family gathered for my niece's baptism luncheon I was amused by my two nephews. Before the luncheon began and as soon as they finished their last bite they were at the opposite end of the cultural hall (gymnasium) in our church shooting baskets. My 9 year old nephew was hefting the ball up and hitting the backboard nearly every time, occasionally dropping it through the bucket. My other nephew who is 5 however, was struggling to get the ball up as high as the rim. Every so often he could reach as high as the goal and get one to drop. Through my observation I noticed that despite the challenge of getting the ball to go through the hoop neither of the young boys stopped shooting. Through persistent effort and determination they kept trying and trying and didn't give up until it was time to clean up and leave the building.
The other day I left out for the day determined to reach my goal and get 2 sales on the day. Through hard work and effort I commenced working clear past sunset and into the dark. As I continued cold calling and knocking on doors with outside lights on I kept my head up. Although I had not yet scored the goal for the day I continued trying until it just got too late. As I was walking back to my car, dozens of thoughts raced through my head thinking what did I do wrong? Why not any sales? I decided at that moment that I worked hard and did what I could for the day and now it was my choice to react? I decided to react with a positive attitude. And as I walked thinking this I suddenly saw bursts of fireworks going up in the air ahead of me. (probably the end of a high school football game.) This made me realize that each day is precious and we can decide how to react to the situations we face.
I consider myself an optimist and strive to live each day goal-oriented with a positive attitude. I believe goals=progress and without them we're never really taking shots in life, but rather spinning our wheels in our endeavors.

Fireproof!!!

Family. Isn't it about time? As life progresses for each of us we tend to be distracted by the many things life throws at us. Everything in society seems to be luring our attention. Hollywood's portrayal has led many to believe "it's meant to be this way!" I'm here to say its not.
Most families are under attack and some are being broken up by Satan's great evil design to do such a thing. He doesn't want happy families and strong marriages, but rather to destroy them one by one. What a scary thought! http://www.fireproofmymarriage.com/

In my line of work I have the opportunity to see many people everyday from all walks of life. Its interesting to note how different each family and home is. People are very interesting creatures. Overall, many seem to be leading very happy, prosperous lives which is great. There are, however, also those who are struggling, maybe with a child or spouse.

Although I haven't seen this movie yet I am recommending it before hand. I plan on taking my wife to see it this weekend because of the moral of the story behind it. In an ever-increasing divorce rate world and broken up families in society, it looks as though many marriages could be strengthened by it. Are we up to the fight against the evil one? Husband and wife together? He wants us to be miserable like unto him. More on this topic when I return from the big screen.
http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/

My wife and I are always seeking for ways to strengthen our relationship and marriage. We feel it is fundamental and essential considering FAMILY is the fundamental unit of society. I hope you're enjoying these posts each day. As a reminder, I am keeping this blog to help strengthen my own beliefs and faith and hope to lift and touch others through my postings. Please feel free to comment as you please.

21. Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed. --3 Nephi 18:21--

Jesus Christ Lives!!!

The Holy Ghost has testified and witnessed to me personally time and time again that Jesus Christ lives. The men speaking in this video are His duly ordained apostles and prophet who live on the earth today. They are called of Him. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by Jesus Christ and He has appointed His servants to be especial witnesses of Him to all the world. Through prayer I have learned for myself that these men are His chosen servants in our day. You too, may come to know for yourself! Blessings

FAMILY- One man, One Woman!

Proclamation on the Family

Elder Russell M. Nelson

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

"A decade ago the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, foreseeing this spiritual slide, prepared a proclamation to the world on the family. It is even more relevant today. We proclaim 'that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children. . . .'

"If you will heed that proclamation, brothers and sisters, you will be blessed. God lives and loves us (see 1 Nephi 11:16-17). With His help, we can foster our faith and families. We can qualify for this promise from the Lord: 'If a man marry a wife by my word, . . . and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, . . . [they] shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, . . . powers, [and] dominions' (D&C 132:19)."

Please help preserve and protect marriage between a man and a woman, the way God ordained it. If you live in California, please vote yes on prop 8 and if you're in Arizona please vote YES on 102! Let us be a God-fearing people. The Family: A Proclamation to the World

Blessings to all!

The Restoration of Truth!

www.josephsmith.net

Another Sabbath day has come and is nearing a close. Today at church services I was again reminded of the glorious blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We all have so much to be grateful for.
Personally, I am deeply grateful for the knowledge I have gained of the Prophet Joseph Smith. This man was truly called of God and was dealt a great deal of adversity. We all have trials and challenges in life that we must overcome. It's meant to be this way. http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/122

Joseph Smith was just a young 14 year old boy when he was in search of the truth. Many christian churches were teaching doctrines, however they were teaching differently as to confuse young Joseph.
In his search for truth and to discover which church he should join at the time, he came across a bible verse in James 1:5, which states: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

Joseph Smith then went into a nearby grove of trees near his home in Palmyra, New York and applied this verse of scripture.
He knelt down and prayed and in his own words this is what he said, "I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him"

Through this experience and testimony The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints has grown to a worldwide church with over 13 million members in less than 200 years. I have a testimony of this experience and know for myself that it did occur. Recently my testimony of this was strengthened as my wife and I traveled to the location it took place. You, too can find out the same way I did and many other millions of members have; simply by praying and asking God. Do you lack wisdom? James 1:5 We are all God's children and He wants what's best for us. I know that any individual who wants to know if this did take place can know through sincere, heartfelt prayer. If you've read this far, I challenge you to read of His testimony and from The Book of Mormon and pray about it. I promise you will come to know these things are true as well if you have a desire to.

Heaven's Blessings!

The Book of Mormon

This is one of my favorite versus in the scripture. It helps me realize why I am here, my purpose for existence and to keep a proper perspective of what God wants for each of us...to prepare to meet Him!

32For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.

33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.

I am a big fan of The Book of Mormon. In fact, it is my favorite book and teaches me a great deal about who I am and why I exist.
I believe we are all brothers and sisters of a loving Father in Heaven. He has called prophets throughout the ages to lead and guide His people upon the earth.
Unfortunately, however many reject His prophets. As evidence that these prophets did in fact exist we have sacred records of scripture that were kept and preserved to help each of us gain testimony of Jesus Christ and strengthen our faith in Him.
The Holy Bible and Book of Mormon were recorded during the same time periods.

I found a great resource for learning more about The Book of Mormon: www.bookofmormononline.net This site has a wealth of information on the record. Enjoy

Temple Blessings!

Blessings of the temple are great! Heavenly Father has a divine plan in store for all of His children here on earth. His holy temples are a sanctuary of peace and comfort. These holy edifices are being constructed across the globe to bless the lives of millions of Latter-Day Saints.

I had the privilege of going to the temple today and gain deeper insights and understanding about this life here on earth. The temple is an ensign to the world to help proclaim the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth. As a house of instruction, Latter-day Saints in good standing with the church go here to be uplifted, inspired, to meditate and draw nearer to God and heaven.

Please feel free to watch this short you tube clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7_CRN74Ues

It will be well worth your time.

Worldwide General Conference

Today and tomorrow is the 178th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Our living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson will speak to the world as well as his two counselors--President Henry B. Eyring and President Dieter F. Utchdorf.

We are also privileged to hear from each of the 12 Apostles of the Lord in modern day. This is truly one of my most favorite weekends of the year. These men are all called of God and receive divine revelation to guide the world in righteousness under the direction of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
I am extremely grateful to be a member of the Lord's restored church and to be a witness of these men. They are especial witnesses to the world of Jesus Christ. I know for myself through personal prayer. You too, can come to know for yourself that these are true men called of God.

I am a Latter-Day Saint!

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has blessed my life tremendously throughout the 25 years of my existence upon this earth. As a young boy, I recall going to church and loving Sundays with family. Later as a teenager I recall oft times my mother and father would coax me along to church each week. Although I went through those typical teenage years I always felt better when I went to church and I enjoyed my three hours there each Sunday. Around age 17-18 I obtained my own testimony through much study, prayer, and fasting. My testimony of the Savior's Church continues to be strengthened and tested on a daily basis.

I am very grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who is mindful of me and knows my strengths and weaknesses better than I. Each day I strive to commune with my creator in humble prayer and learn of His ways. I feel fortunate and blessed to have gained knowledge of the Savior of the World, Jesus Christ. I know He lives and died for you and me. I know He has a plan for each and everyone of us. The key is listening, listening with open hearts and minds to the still small voice, which whispers truth and teaches us the correct paths we should take in this earth life.

I know that if we pray and listen, Heavenly Father will guide us in our daily afflictions and challenges. It is my prayer that all who will read my blog now and in the future may feel of my sincerity for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and my love for God and His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. May we all strive to do better and love one another!