To Run and Not Be Weary.

More success points! Are you ready?

1. You have to run faster, even though you're out of breath.

Back in November, our mission ran a 5K (3 miles). Just so you understand, I am not a runner. I love sprinting, but long distance? It really isn't my favorite thing on the face of the planet. Training and getting ready for this has been one of the hardest things that I have ever done. I worked really hard, and there were some days were I just didn't want to try running anymore. My goal was to finish in 40 minutes. I ran a practice on the Saturday before, and finished at 38 minutes! When the actual run came, I finished again in 38 minutes. I was so proud of myself. I have never done nor thought I ever could do anything like that.

On occasion, we feel tired spiritually. Things don't go our way, or we feel like we can't do the run anymore. If we only prayed to our Heavenly Father when we were in trouble, we would be in trouble. Those moments when we don't feel like going to church, reading our scriptures, or praying are the moments when we need to the most. From the Book of Mormon, we read that,

"And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

-2 Nephi 31: 19-20 (Emphasis added)

Keep pushing forward! As you keep moving, you will find God blessing you with strength to go miles beyond what you first imagined possible.

2. You have to fight when you are already injured, bloody, and sore.

This is basically the same principle as above. When we go through a trial, we feel very battered afterwards. After running both my trial 5k and the actual 5k, I was sore! Hard times can put us through the ringer! However, when we remember that there is something to learn in every hardship, trials become easier. Having an eternal perspective makes all the difference!

The key is remembering that your weak things can become strengths. When we feel weak, the best place to turn is to the Savior. He exhorted,

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."-Matthew 11:28

Christ felt each of your scars before you experienced them. Trust that he knows how you feel. When you are denied multiple times, childhood dreams become harder than you thought, or things aren't working out, remember who felt all that first. Stand tall and push forward. The greatest Being who ever lived has already won your fight!

3. You have to meet deadlines that are unreasonable and deliver results that are unparalleled. 

For this section, I would like to refer you to my post titled "Because of Him". Jesus Christ's atoning sacrifice makes it possible to overcome the greatest obstacles- sin and death. We can do anything, because of Jesus Christ! One of my favorite scriptures comes from the book of Romans, in the Bible. It reads,

"Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

-Romans 8: 34-35, 37-39

Because nothing can separate us from the love of God, nothing can separate us from his ultimate act of love- his atoning sacrifice. When we rely on the ennobling power of the atonement, we will be strengthened. I know quite a few people that I have looked at and thought, "I could never do what you have done, or go through what you have gone through." I am reminded every time I think something similar that everyone's challenges are individual, and because of Jesus Christ's atonement, we can meet deadlines and deliver results beyond reason. All because Christ did it first. I am so grateful for his atonement that makes it possible for each of us to overcome trials and come out on top- every time. Have faith in Christ. Trust in him. Humbly follow the Son of God, and I promise that you will feel his guidance and power in your life!

He Is the Gift.

CHRISTMAS.

What's the first thing you think of? Presents, trees, snow...presents. Hopefully family falls in there somewhere. Christmas is a really busy time- shopping, food, crazy grandchildren. There are so many different things going on that we lose a little of what is really going on.

I learned this lesson so powerfully last year. As a missionary, we don't have a whole lot of stuff. I had the chance to teach people about the importance of Christ during the time we celebrate his birth. He is the Son of God. He was born in a stable in the most humble and lowly of circumstances. Said Jeffery R. Holland,

"I wonder if (Joseph) felt the sting of tears as he hurriedly tried to find the cleanest straw and hold the animals back. I wonder if 
he wondered: “Could there be a more unhealthy, a more disease-ridden, a more despicable circumstance in which a child could be born? Is this a place fit for a king? Should the mother of the Son of God be asked to enter the valley of the shadow of death in such a foul and unfamiliar place as this? Is it wrong to wish her some comfort? Is it right He should be born here?” But I am certain Joseph did not mutter and Mary did not wail. They knew a great deal and did the best they could. Perhaps these parents knew even then that in the beginning of his mortal life, as well as in the end, this baby son born to them would have to descend beneath every human pain and disappointment. He would do so to help those who also felt they had been born without advantage."

(https://www.lds.org/ensign/1977/12/maybe-christmas-doesnt-come-from-a-store?lang=eng)

To help those who also felt they had been born without advantage. What a statement. Jesus Christ was born in such a way as to better understand and identify with you. The Lord of Hosts and King of Kings was born on this earth as a gift to both you and me. A gift is different than a present- gifts require something of you. Jesus Christ was a gift to us. God watched His Only Begotten Son be born in the humblest of places and grow into a man who would always be doing His will, and always be rejected for it. He watched His precious Son preform the atonement, feeling every emotion in the human spectrum. He watched as His Son hung on the cross, blood dripping from both his hands and his crown of thorns. He watched as His Son arose three days later triumphant over the grave, making it possible for all His other children to do the same.

This season, remember Christ. Remember that he is the gift- the ultimate gift. Give more than you get, and then give more. Forgive that person you've been holding a grudge against. Spend time with your family, playing games and telling stories. Read the Bible of the birth of your Savior, both together and individually. Take time to ponder what it means to you, and what you can do to give it even more meaning. When you do, share what you learn with others. Embrace the gift of Christ, and share that gift with all around you in the way that you live and what you say. As you do, I promise you peace. His teachings will improve the quality of your life as you learn and follow him more closely. I know he is the Son of God. I know he lives, and I know that he is the gift!

Turn That Frown Upside Down.

I wanna take a break from some of the pre-written steps of success to write one of my own! Look at me, being all creative...I'll go back to the list next time!

1. You won't get anywhere without the right attitude.

Attitude is everything! If you don't have the right attitude about something, you won't get very far. Think about it. If you were asked to clean your room, and you did it with a grumpy disposition, were you very productive? Probably not. But if you did it with some good music going, happily dancing around...could you see the floor after a few minutes? I know I sure could!

Our mission came up with something called the Loser List. It's a list of attitudes or attributes that we don't want to have. It goes as follows...

The Loser List

Self-justification

Denial

Excuses

Blame

Apathy

Self-pity

Victim

Hiding

Running away

Lying

Covering up

Procrastination

Indecision

Rebellion

Anger

Judging

Gossiping

Complacency

Demanding

Giving up

Withholding forgiveness

Pride

Jesus taught that we should become like him. Are any of those things you can imagine Christ doing? I have a hard time seeing him giving up, or lying. He is the best example of the opposites of all these things. So what are some of those opposites? Lucky for you, I've already made a list!

The Winner List!

Self-justification/Responsible

Denial/Acceptance

Excuses/Accountability

Blame/Accountability

Apathy/Faith in Christ

Self-pity/Service

Victim/Prevail to the end

Hiding/Accountability

Running away/Faith in Christ

Lying/ Integrity

Covering up/Obedience

Procrastination/Diligence

Indecision/Knowledge, Faith in Christ

Rebellion/Humility

Anger/Patience

Judging/Contentment

Gossiping/Virtue

Complacency/Diligence

Demanding/Patience, Humility

Giving up/Hope

Withholding forgiveness/Charity

Pride/Patience, Charity

Doesn't reading all those good things make you feel so much better? Developing the attributes of Christ builds a better character, and that in turn builds a better attitude. If we turn to Christ and change our natures, we will find the best kind of success- the success of becoming who God knows we can be!

Prevail to the End, Part Two!

Per request, I am going to keep going with the 19 Things to Help You Find Success, and how the gospel of Jesus Christ can help you find that! I'll do two or three at a time till all nineteen are on here. The few for today are going to deal mainly with how to handle failure, or what the world would term as failure. So, to start...

1. You have to make mistakes and look like an idiot.

This is one of my favorites, probably because I am so good at it! However, I'm going to change this one a little bit. If I had written this, I would have taken out the part about looking like an idiot. 

We know that everything good comes from God. Satan, on the other hand, wants us to feel bad about ourselves, especially when we make a mistake. So, when you do goof up a little, don't spend time convincing yourself that you are dumb or stupid. Don't let anyone else convince you of that, either. Mistakes are a part of life!

Think of the story of Adam and Eve. From the Book of Mormon, we learn a little about what their life was like in the beginning. As you read this, pay attention to the fruits of Adam and Eve's mistake (see what I did there?).

"...if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end. And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin...Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy."

-2 Nephi 2: 22-23, 25

If Adam had not eaten of the same fruit as Eve, we would not be here! Our Father in Heaven's plan would not have moved forward. Our mistakes, if we learn from them, will help us to progress. If we never did anything wrong, would we know what was right? If we always won every activity we did, would we know the motivation losing sometimes gives us? Would we appreciate what we have? The answer is no. God will make everything for our gain. So the next time you make a mistake, remember to take it as a chance to progress!

2. You have to try, fail, and try again.

Like we just talked about, failure is a part of success. The two always come together. Some people get stuck in the try, fail, and give up cycle. The task they are trying to complete starts to look unconquerable because they haven't made it in the first, or even the second try. Does this sound like something you have felt before?

The easiest way to get out of discouragement is to increase in hope. Hope will lead us to faith, and vice versa. For me, having a hope in Jesus Christ helps give me the desire to pick myself up and keep going. A favorite verse of mine in the Book of Mormon reads that,

"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."

-Ether 12: 4

From that verse, I have come to understand that having hope in Jesus Christ will make me a sure and steadfast person. By being sure and steadfast, I will be lead to doing good things. Even if I don't see right away the results of those good works, I have hope that they are there, and I feel better about trying again. The Lord looks at our hearts. Are our desires in the right place? Any continuous act on a righteous desire can be counted as a success. What you learn in the process of trying, trying, and trying again will be more valuable to you than it would have been if you had completed something perfectly the first time.

3. You have to feel unsure and insecure when playing it safe seems smarter.

This is another really good one. Remember how we talked about growing pains? Lots of people know the phrase that if there is no pain, there is no gain. Think of some of the most rewarding experiences you have had. Did they come as you watched from the sidelines, enjoying a nice warm seat? Was it when you simply

strode on stage and received Participation award? Hopefully not! I would think that many of the rewarding experiences each of us have had come from those moments when we stepped out of the dark shell we call comfort and into the shining light of vulnerability. Nothing easy is ever worth it. The experiences that push us to walk a little straighter and stand a little taller are evidences that God is taking the time to work out our wrinkles. Because our Heavenly Father loves us, He wants us to become our best. In 2011, Elder Dallin H. Oaks said,

"“Look for the way that the Lord will consecrate your affliction for your gain...He loves you. He wants you to have the choicest blessings that God has for you. When we do the things that God has commanded us to do, it causes us to be closer to our Savior. We can hear His voice through the Holy Ghost. We can feel the peace He speaks to our hearts. And we can know that our feet are on the path that leads us to our Heavenly Father and to exaltation.”

-Dallin H. Oaks (https://www.lds.org/prophets-and-apostles/unto-all-the-world/rising-from-the-rubble?lang=eng)

Don't be afraid to step out there! One of my past companions shared a story with me about her mother. Every time she would tell her mom that something scared her, her mother would encourage her to do it so that she could conquer her fear. Now, when she feels scared about something, she remembers the advice and support from her mom. Our Heavenly Father does the same for us. He prompts us to become better, and on occasion, that pushes us somewhere we haven't been before. The only change we need to be afraid of is the change that brings us farther away from Christ. Draw closer to Christ by overcoming your fears and becoming who our Father in Heaven knows we can be!

Prevail to the End

While going through one of my mission binders, I found a paper tucked in the back that I had forgotten about. It is called "19 Things to Help You Find Success". For the life of me, I can't remember where it came from, but as I read them again, I was struck by some of these principles! So many of us want to be successful. We want to achieve, to excel, and to progress. That is what we were sent here on earth to do. The way that we do that is by overcoming obstacles we encounter in our lifetime. I want to talk about two or three of the success points, and how the gospel of Jesus Christ helps us to overcome our challenges so that we can ultimately prevail.

1. You have to be kind to people who have been cruel to you. 

Marvin J. Ashton once said,

"Greatness is best measured by how well an individual responds to the happenings in life that appear to be totally unfair, unreasonable, and undeserved."

https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/to-this-end-was-i-born?lang=eng#gallery=

Not every relationship we have is going to be all sunshine and roses. When we choose to rise above retaliation and spite for wrong actions done to us, we choose to place ourselves on a higher ground. I can think of no better example of this than that of the Savior. He faced the worst kinds of mistreatment. He was spit upon, called names, and mocked on all levels. He heard thousands crying for his crucifiction. However, Christ's love for them overpowered their actions towards him. While on the cross, he plead with the Father on their behalf.

"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

-Luke 23: 34

Now, I am not perfect at this. However, the peace I have found from forgiving is incredible. Forgiving brings an increase of self-confidence that would otherwise hide under anger and frustration. If forgiving is hard, pray and ask God to help you love those that have harmed you. As you do your best to journey towards forgiving others, you will find that God will be your biggest support. The best way to counteract hate is to be filled with the pure love of God!

2. You have to invest in yourself even though no one else is. 

I do want to make a slight correction to this one. If I had been smart enough to write these, I would put that you have to invest in yourself because someone else is. You are a child of God! Could you imagine that, as his child, God would not do His very best to help you make the highest achievements possible? I love the way that Paul explains this concept.

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ...For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

-Romans 8: 16- 18

I love this! All of our hardships on earth don't even compare to the glory inside each of us! Doesn't that just make you feel a little more special? Growing pains are good, because it means that our loving Heavenly Father is taking the time to help us grow. We shouldn't back down from the divine potential bursting out of each of us! Marianne Williamson put it so beautifully when she said,

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

- Marianne Williamson

Don't live your life in fear believing that no one cares about you. Live in faith, believing that God is rooting for you and will help you shine!

3. You have to keep moving forward towards where you want to be no matter what's in front of you.

During this life, we must walk by faith. There are some things that we cannot see nor hear, but can still know with absolute certainty that they are there. Have faith that Heavenly Father has a plan for  you. Read your scriptures, pray, and be in places where you can feel his influence so that you can know what that plan is. Even if things don't seem to be working out, following the direction of the Holy Ghost will lead you to events and circumstances that will make you a better person. Matthew Holland, son of Jeffery R. Holland, explained that,

"Sometimes in response to prayers, the Lord may guide us down what seems to be the wrong road—or at least a road we don’t understand—so, in due time, He can get us firmly and without question on the right road. Of course, He would never lead us down a path of sin, but He might lead us down a road of valuable experience. Sometimes in our journey through life we can get from point A to point C only by taking a short side road to point B."

-Matthew Holland, Wrong Roads and Revelation, July 2005 New Era

I know that my experiences in life haven't all been pleasant, but I also know that each one of them has gotten me exactly where I needed to be and have kept me on the path of where I needed to go. Continue in confidence to follow the teachings of the Savior, even when it may seem that everything is fighting for you to stop. Continue in confidence to be an example of Christ, even if you have to stand as that example alone. I promise that as you keep moving forward in faith, you will find within yourself greater strength to make the best of all that this life will hand you.

Walking By Faith and Not Sight

This morning, I was studying the Book of Mormon and found some interesting life principles. The  Book of Mormon begins in Jerusalem with the prophet Lehi and his family. They have been commanded to leave the city because God is going to destroy it, and the Jews want to take Lehi's life. Nephi and Sam, the younger brothers, go willingly. However, Laman and Lemuel, the older brothers, complain and murmur the whole way.

"And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness. And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him. And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness...And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them."

(1 Nephi 2: 1-3, 12)

I love the faith of Lehi and Nephi. Leaving everything behind must have seemed hard, but they believed that God had something greater in store for them. In fact, a short time after, Nephi is promised some amazing blessings from God about being a ruler, teacher, great nations, and a promised land as inheritance. That alone shows that the Lord is going to bless the faithful with things greater than what they left behind. Like all other blessings, they are based upon faithfulness. Then, Lehi tells Nephi that he needs to go back to retrieve important knowledge about their ancestors, and revelations about Christ's coming. Nephi doesn't say, "Come on! The Lord just told me I am going to have all these great things! He's already promised them to me. I already have them, so why can't I have them now?!" Instead, his reply was full of faith and obedience. He said he would go, because he had a testimony now that God could make anything possible when he asks it of us. Lehi is then relieved, and he knows that Nephi has been blessed with obedience and diligence.

"...Laban hath the record of the Jews and also a genealogy of my forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of brass. Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brothers should go unto the house of Laban, and seek the records, and bring them down hither into the wilderness. And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord... I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them. And it came to pass that when my father had heard these words he was exceedingly glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of the Lord."

(1 Nephi 3: 3-5, 7-8)

Laman and Lemuel, however, aren't feeling the same way as Nephi. They go on this adventure, but they do so begrudgingly. They don't want to, because they don't believe in the promises of God. After a failed first attempt, they want to quit!

Both in missions and in normal lives, we sometimes do the same. We are promised blessings, are asked to do something from God, and we do it. But when we aren't given blessings immediately, we become discouraged. We start to think "I am doing all the right things. I am being obedient and following commandments! Why am I not being blessed for it? Doesn't Heavenly Father see what I'm doing?"

One of the greatest lessons my own dad taught me was that everything is more appreciated and special to us when we work for and earn it ourselves. If Heavenly Father just gave us blessings immediately all the time, would we appreciate them as much? Would we value them as highly as we do if we didn't have to do anything for them? Laman and Lemuel didn't want to work to receive a reward. They wanted it to be easy so that they could go home and complain more. Nephi, however, still had a testimony that God was striving with them. He taught his brother's a little about the principle of faith in adversity, and then continued forward.

Sometimes, God doesn't give us immediately what we want or need because He wants us to be faithful and diligent. The blessings we get will be much sweeter and more rewarding when we have put our whole selves towards them. We may start to feel that if we aren't seeing

results, then we aren't being obedient. That may be the case, but more often than not it is simply because our Father in heaven wants us to learn to trust him and be faithful/diligent to what he has already asked us to do! The Lord is always aware, and will bless us at the perfect moment according to his perfect timing!

The Two Word Sermon

A part of being on this earth is imperfection. As humans, we tend to judge one another based off of those imperfections. This is called bullying, and it comes as a result of pride. President Ezra Taft Benson described perfectly what pride is and how it effects us.

"Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart, or core, is still missing. The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us...We are tempted daily to elevate ourselves above others and diminish them."

(https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1989/04/beware-of-pride?lang=eng)

When we no longer have love or even an inclination of true kindness towards the people around us, we fall to pride. It truly is the stem and root to all other sins. It tells us that we are better than everyone else, therefore we are higher than the people around us. C.S. Lewis once said,

“Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. … It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone.”

- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

God did not create us to be above or even beneath one another. Pride doesn't just come from the top down, but also from the bottom up. From the same talk, President Benson stated that,

"Most of us consider pride to be a sin of those on the top, such as the rich and the learned, looking down at the rest of us. (See 2 Ne. 9:42.) There is, however, a far more common ailment among us—and that is pride from the bottom looking up. It is manifest in so many ways, such as faultfinding, gossiping, backbiting, murmuring, living beyond our means, envying, coveting, withholding gratitude and praise that might lift another, and being unforgiving and jealous."

(https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1989/04/beware-of-pride?lang=eng)

There is no possible way that a person can treat another in such an un-Christlike way and feel good about themselves and even if they do, the effects are temporary. That is because nothing that comes from Satan is permanent. That isn't how it works. The only way to have true, lasting happiness is by following the example of Jesus Christ. Never have I read an account of Christ calling someone names. Never once have I read an account of Christ demeaning another person. Never once have I read an account of Christ complaining, exalting himself, or expressing jealousy of another. All of the accounts of the Savior are of love. In fact, when asked what the greatest commandment was, he responded,

"...Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

(Matthew 22: 37-39)

A good way to measure where we are on the path of following this is by answering a few questions.

1. Do you harbor a grudge against someone else?

2. Do you gossip, even when what you say may be true?

3. Do you exclude, push away, or punish others because of something they have done?

4. Do you secretly envy another?

5. Do you wish to cause harm to someone?

If you are hesitant in answering any of these, may I suggest a two word sermon given by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf-

Stop it.

It is that simple. We are here to act and not be acted upon. We have the ability to overcome the natural man tendencies that tell us it is ok to harm another person, or that it is right. Let us become more like the Savior and strive to develop charity for all those around us. If we have the goal to keep the commandments, we will love God. When we love God, we will see beyond the earthly imperfections of others. We will love them for who they are inherently- brothers and sisters of God right along with us. The best way to overcome pride and the effects of is praying for and developing a character of love. I have felt such a change in my own life as I have learned to love and forgive. I promise that it is possible to see past imperfections and love people for who they can become!

The Further the Vision.

When I was still in the youth program, I remember my dad coming home one day and telling me about an activity that had taken place with the youth in another ward (little bit of vocab time. A "ward" is defined as a "congregation". Contrary to popular belief, we do not attend a physic ward for church on Sunday...). A table had been placed on one end of a big room, and a telescope on the other. You could look in the telescope and see a tiny Hershey's Kiss . On the way to the table, there were a bunch of shiny bags. If you picked up a shiny bag, you got what was in the bag. If you made it to the table, you got the candy there. 

What the kids didn't know was what was in the bags. They were shiny and fluffy...it had to be better than a small Kiss, right? Maybe not. Inside the bags were dirt and fish hooks. Under the table however, was an entire bag of chocolate. The tagline to the activity was this,

The further the vision, the greater the decision.

That phrase has stuck with me ever since and helps me to remember what is important. The society we live in now is very limited on patience. When we want something, we want it right away! We have fast food places that can get us sustenance in under 15 minutes. When an internet page takes more than 10 seconds to load, we refresh the page. There are so many things around us that are instant. However, the most worthwhile things we can ever have in this life take time and effort.

We are worth too much to our Heavenly Father to get distracted by shiny bags. We must keep ourselves focused on the long term. As we do that, we will make better decisions. Elder Randall L. Ridd in the 2014 General Conference stated, 

"My young brothers, if you are not proactive in educating your desires, the world will do it for you. Every day the world seeks to influence your desires...Ultimately, the choice is yours. You have agency. It is the power to not only act on your desires but also to refine, purify, and elevate your desires. Agency is your power to become. Each choice takes you closer to or further from what you are meant to become...Always ask yourself, “Where will this choice lead?” Develop the ability to see beyond the moment."
(https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/the-choice-generation?lang=eng)

So, what do we want? Do we want to give away great, eternal blessings, for a temporary fix? Or do we want to return to live with our Heavenly Father, using the Christ-like attribute of patience as we travel there? We must never deviate from our course in order to fall prey to Satan's shiny bags. Despite how he makes them look, they will never satisfy. Lasting peace and happiness comes only through Jesus Christ! If we aim our vision high and far, the decisions we make will be geared towards the heavens, back to our Father who resides there. 

We can also have this in mind as we look at others. Our physical eyes can only see so much. As the Lord taught Samuel the prophet, 

"...Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."

-1 Samuel 16: 7

We need to see one another for what we can become, not just for what we are right now. Just as we would have a far vision for who we want to be, let us not restrict others to who they are now! The atonement of Christ has the ability to change that. When we further our vision of others, the way we decide to treat others will be different.

I would encourage you to spend some time today thinking about your goals. Where are you now? Where do you want to go? What do you need to do to get there? And, just as importantly, what will you do to help someone have a greater vision of themselves as well? I know that as we make decisions with patience and vision, our decisions in both what we do to ourselves and others will be of greater value to us!

The Cat Came Back...

Episode 224, The Cat Came Back.

One of my favorite things to watch is the old Muppet Show episodes. Talk about clean fun! We would get together and watch episode after episode after episode. There is one in particular that includes a skit about a cat who just won't go away. Little Benny does all that he can to get rid of this cat, but nothing seems to work!

Let's break this down a little and look at the first verse.

"Little Bennie had a cat that they wouldn't let him keep. So he put her up for sale at a price he thought was cheap. He took her to a neighbor to ask him for advice. He said, "Leave the kitty here. She can help me with the mice."

But the cat came back, she wouldn't stay away. She was sitting on the porch the very next day. The cat came back, she didn't want to roam. The very next day it was Home, Sweet Home."

At first, Benny wants to keep this cat, but he gives it away to be obedient to his parents. Way to keep the commandments, Benny! He doesn't try too hard, though. He only goes as far as giving the cat to a neighbor, which is still close by. If Benny really wanted to, he could go over to the neighbor's house and visit the cat anytime. Plus, it wasn't too hard for the cat to find it's way back.

How often do we do that in our own lives? Some of us have our vices- little things that we do even though we know they aren't the best for us. Because we know we need to, we try and put them away, but not too far away. We still want to cheat every once while!

Pretty soon, Benny learns that this "vice" of his isn't too good anymore. He starts to try and send the cat away because of both obedience and his own desire to just get rid of it. The same can be said of us. Eventually, our vices can turn into addictions. Those addictions have the power to take over our lives, and even when we try to get rid of them, they find a way to come back. That is what Benny learns. No matter what he does, the cat always comes back. Benny does everything, from sending the cat out west, to blowing it up, to shooting it through a cannon.

"So Bennie bought a gun from the Human Cannonball. He put the cat inside with Tri-Nitro Toluol. When he pulled the trigger, the cannon made a roar. The neighbors all surrendered 'cause they thought it was a war"

I think the reaction of the neighbors is very interesting. They hear this giant comotion, and quickly surrender. Think about your friends for a minute. When things get hard, do they encourage you to keep going? Or in the face of tough battles or peer pressure, do they surrender because it is easier? Do we ourselves surrender, because it is easier than fighting?

Sadly, this song ends with the cat back on Benny's doorstep. However, that isn't how the song of our lives needs to end. In the midst of trials and tests, it may seem like they never end. Those rough patches just keep coming back, even when we may feel like we are doing all we can to get out of them. The most reassuring comfort we can receive comes from our Savior, Jesus Christ. He himself said,

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

- John 16: 33

Because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, the world has been overcome. The evils that we face daily and the demons in our own lives can be conquered. If we use the atonement in our lives, our addictions, vices, and unrightious desires can be overpowered with strength. Unlink poor Benny, the cat never has to come back again! We cannot do anything alone. As we work with the Savior of mankind, our very natures can change into a nature more like Christ's. The natural man, with all it's natural desires and appetites, can be overcome. We need not fear, because Jesus Christ has already paved the way for us to overcome the world with him. Henry B. Eyring said that,

"...you need to understand is that the escape will almost never be out of the trial; it will almost always be through it. If you pray to have the experience removed all together, you may not find the way prepared for you. Instead, you need to pray to find the way of deliverance through it...Hard as things seem today, they will be better in the next day if you choose to serve the Lord this day with your whole heart. Your circumstances may not be improved in all the ways which you desire. But you will have been given new strength to carry your burdens and new confidence that when your burdens become too heavy, the Lord, whom you have served, will carry what you cannot. He knows how. He prepared long ago. He suffered your infirmities and your sorrows when He was in the flesh so that He would know how to succor you."

- Henry B. Eyring

I testify that that is true. Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, will prepare a way for us to escape and learn from our experiences. As we use the atonement of Jesus Christ, anything that is not right in our lives can be made right!

Taught From On High

San Diego, California. Built in 1993.

When I was living in California, we would drive on the freeway that passed the San Diego temple quite frequently. You would be flying down the road, and there would be the temple! Apparently, it is so stunning to the drivers going by that there have been several accidents. No wonder! People used to ask us all the time if Disneyland was making an extension, because they thought it was another Disney princess castle. In a way, they were right, except that the temple was built for someone greater than a Disney princess! It was made for you and I.

Nauvoo, Illinois. The original was built in the 1840's.

Temples are built as a House of God here on earth. In biblical times as well as modern, God has commanded His children to build a House for Him on earth so that we can recieve all the blessings that He has to offer us through the proper priesthood authority. In the temple, we make covenants with our Heavenly Father. Jeffery R. Holland has explained,

Salt Lake City, Utah. Dedicated in 1893.

"Covenants are binding, supernal, consummate contracts between God and his children. They are the solemn promises of Deity- a God who always keeps his word- that heaven will pour out unmeasured blessings upon all who are faithful and honor the conditions of their pledge. An individual can swear an oath, but only when God reciprocates in kind is a covenant established."

-Jeffery R. Holland

Without the blessings of the temple, we would be unable to reach all the "unmeasured blessings" that our Father in Heaven has for us. Through covenants, we are able to attain the glory that lies in store for us as children of God.

Suva, Fiji. Dedicated in 2000.

In reading the Book of Mormon, we can learn some very important lessons about the temple. In a city called Zerahemla, King Benjamin called his people together to speak to them. They gathered, as families, at the base of the temple they had built.

"And it came to pass that when they came up to the temple, they pitched their tents round about, every man according to his family...And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them..."

-Mosiah 2: 5-6 (Here is the link for the full discourse of King Benjamin. Fantastic read! https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/2?lang=eng)

Bern, Switzerland. Dedicated in 1955 and again in 1992.

I think it is interesting how specific their location is recorded. Every single family that came to listen had their tent facing the temple. Not slightly to the left to keep the sun out of their eyes, or to the side in order to talk to their neighbor about what they hear, but directly facing the temple. It was right there in front of them! As they were being taught by a servant of God, they could be right in the shadow of the House of God. What an amazing reminder of the importance of God in our lives!

That is how it needs to be in our lives today. It needs to be a focus in our lives, despite everything else that is going on around us. The greatest blessings that we can receive here on earth from God are found in the temple. What reason could we find good enough to rationalize not receiving those blessings? Our journey to the temple isn't completed once, but over and over again to continue to learn and grow. 

Quetzaltenango Guatemala. Dedicated in 2011

Rome, Italy. Currently under construction.

Make the time to attend the temple. If you don't make the time, you won't have the time- Satan will make sure of that. If you don't have a recommend, just go out and sit on the grounds. They are just as dedicated as the inside of the building. Bring your scriptures with you! If you can go inside, go inside and do the work for those that have passed on. The blessings of the temple include strength, and I testify that strength will come to those that have often temple attendance. It will help you to feel closer to God and feel more strongly the desire that He has for all His children, including you, to return to live with Him. It will give you strength to overcome the temptations of this world, for in the words of Paul the apostle,

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

-Romans 8: 31 

Dallas, Texas. Dedicated in 1984.

The Art of Becoming

So many people struggle with feelings of inadequicy or self-doubt. Many wonder why we have to go through great personal struggles in this life. We are here on earth to learn, grow, and hone the attributes that we naturally have as children of God. Our Heavenly Father knew that we would need some help along the way to be able to do that, so he gave us an example to follow. That example is Jesus Christ. As we follow his life and teachings, we are able to become more and more like God, because that is who Christ exemplafied.

When we read the scriptures, we are told several times to "be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Mark 5:48). I have known so many people, including myself, who see that as a commandment to be exactly right in everything every single time. After trying to do that, you quickly become discouraged and disapointed in yourself when you make mistakes. Our expectations we've placed on ourselves is unrealistic, because we are looking at the commandment to be perfect the way the world looks at perfection.

In the world, perfection is a constant push. Perfect hair, perfect bodies, perfect language, perfect everything. Nothing out of place. The world tries to say that if everything about us isn't just so, then we aren't good enough. In an article written for the July 2014 Ensign, we read that,

"The word perfection, however, is sometimes misunderstood to mean never making a mistake. Perhaps you or someone you know is trying hard to be perfect in this way. Because such perfection always seems out of reach, even our best efforts can leave us anxious, discouraged, or exhausted. We unsuccessfully try to control our circumstances and the people around us. We fret over weaknesses and mistakes. In fact, the harder we try, the further we may feel from the perfection we seek."

(https://www.lds.org/ensign/2014/07/young-adults/becoming-perfect-in-christ?lang=eng)

This is exactly how Satan, the father of all lies wants us to feel. The more anxious we become about something, the harder it is to listen to the gentle whisperings of the Holy Ghost. We can't listen to the Holy Ghost testify to us of the Savior's love when we allow ourselves to become consumed in our imperfections. Satan wants us to forget our divine potential by reminding us of our shortcomings. Those thoughts and feelings do not come from our Heavenly Father! From the same article, we learn that,

"Fully accepting our Savior’s Atonement can increase our faith and give us courage to let go of constraining expectations that we are somehow required to be or to make things perfect. Black-and-white thinking says everything is either absolutely perfect or hopelessly flawed. But we can gratefully accept, as God’s sons and daughters, that we are His greatest handiwork, even though we are still a work in progress. As we understand our Savior’s freely given atoning love, we cease fearing that He may be a harsh, faultfinding judge. Instead, we feel assurance, “for God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved”. And we understand that time and process are needed for growth"

In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Moroni speaks powerfully of imperfections, and why we have them in this life.

"Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been."

(Mormon 9: 41, pg. 487)

We should not judge or put down others because they aren't "perfect", and we certainly should not do the same thing to ourselves. In this life, we are given weaknesses so that we can learn and become stronger. All these things work for our good in one way or another, when we allow it to. As we sincerly desire in our hearts to follow the Savior, do all we can to show that desire, and measure our success by that desire, we will be freed from the bonds that worldly perfections create within us. We will be happier and healthier as we relieve ourselves of that stress. I testify that God loves you just the way you are, flaws and all. All He asks is that we follow Him to the best of our ability to become a better version of ourselves. Let us all have more patience with ourselves, and learn to "recognize that being busy is not the same as being worthy, and being worthy does not require perfection."

The Universal Answer.

One of my companions used to tell me all the time that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the universal answer to individual problems. As I have been out on a mission, I have seen a lot of problems. So many people with so many worries, and many of them really are troubling concerns. However, I have not found a problem that the Gospel of Jesus Christ cannot answer. All of the things that we struggle with on a daily basis can be answered within the gospel; having faith in Christ, changing through repentance, making covenants through baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, enduring to the end.

Faith- When we have faith in Jesus Christ, we trust him and rely on Him. That trust becomes an anchor for us when we struggle through hard times or unstable situations. He is always constant! We come to know with a surety that he is the Son of God. Like Elder Stanley G. Ellis has said, we too can trust in the fact that,

"Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer, who through the Atonement made it certain we will overcome death and live again and possible for us to be exalted and have eternal life..we are not spiritual orphans! We are not alone."

(https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/thelords-way?lang=eng)

Repentance- As we learn to have greater faith in Jesus Christ, our desire to more like him will grow. Things in our lives must change in order for us to do that. The way that we do that is by repenting, or changing our lives to be more in line with the will or God. The more we change our lives to reflect the example of Christ, the happier we are. In the Book of Mormon, we learn over and over that wickedness is not happiness. By changing our lives to be more in line with God, we receive true personal peace and happiness. No matter what goes on, we know that we are right in God's eyes because we are striving to become who God knows we can be, and we are doing it to the best of our ability.

Baptism- Repenting leaves us with a greater desire to do what the Savior taught by example. There are so many blessings that come to us as we follow Christ! One of those blessings is baptism by the proper authority of God. Baptism is an essencial ordinance. In Matthew, we read,

"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him...And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

(Matthew 3: 13-17)

When we are baptized, we make promises (also known as covenants) with God. God has always required His children to make covenants with Him. We promise to be obediant, and our Heavenly Father promises to bless us. With baptism, we promise God that we will stand as a witness of Christ, and Heavenly Father promises to pour his Spirit out on us!

The gift of the Holy Ghost- Just as we read in Matthew's account, God kept his promise of his Spirit when Christ was baptized. It is no different for us! In order for baptism to be complete, we must recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. When we recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost, he stays with us as long as we remain worthy of it. They Holy Ghost will be there to comfort us and to affirm of God's love for us. He will help us to remember things that we have learned before. One of my favorite verses of scripture from the Bible come from Christ as he dines with his diciples during the Passover.

"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. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

(John 14:26-27)

Having the promise of the Holy Ghost as my constant companion has been such a blessing in my life. No matter what I go through, I know that because of Christ's promise, I will never be alone through anything. I know of a surety that my Heavenly Father has never broken a promise, and I take heart in knowing that I can recieve peace, comfort, and council from a member of the Godhead as I live righteously.

Endure to the end- Armed with all the tools of the gospel of Christ, we have the ability to make it through this life with confidence. We continuely strengthen our faith and trust in Christ, and excersice that by changing our natures through repentance. Because we can only be baptized once, we renew our covenants and are cleaned each week by taking the sacrament. With that, we have the companionship of the Holy Ghost with us as a guide and protector. Lives built upon the gospel of Jesus Christ not only have the ability to endure, but to prevail!

I promise that every trial or problem that we face in this life can be overcome as we rely on the Savior and his teachings. I have learned for myself that going through hard times by myself cannot work. We can't do this without Jesus Christ. Is there anything too hard for the Lord? Applying his teachings to our life will bring you closer to him, and closer to the person that God knows you can be. The gospel truly is the universal answer to individual problems!