1 Nephi 2:12
"And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them."
The reason we complain is because we don't understand. We don't understand how the Lord could possibly be giving us this trial for our own good
. Complaining is not a way to receive answers. Prayer is.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
When You Lose Your Temper, You Lose
3 Nephi 12:25 "Agree with thine adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him..."
"When you lose your temper, you lose."
"When you lose your temper, you lose."
Friday, March 18, 2011
How Merciful the Lord had Been in Warning Us
2 Nephi 1:3
"And he also spake unto them concerning the land of promise, which they had obtained—how merciful the Lord had been in warning us that we should flee out of the land of Jerusalem."
We should be grateful for the warnings and advice we receive from the apostles and prophets of our day, and of old. Warnings, oftentimes, are hard to bear. However, we should be grateful for them, and realize that greater things are in store. Lehi's family couldn't imagine the land of promise when they took that leap of faith and left Jerusalem. What leap of faith do we need to take?
If we keep one foot in Jerusalem, it's not likely that we'll be able to arrive in the promised land. We can reach and stretch as far as we want.
2 Nephi 1:4 "I know that Jerusalem is destroyed, and had we remained in Jerusalem we should also have perished."
2 Nephi 1:4 "I know that Jerusalem is destroyed, and had we remained in Jerusalem we should also have perished."
How merciful the Lord has been in warning us that we should flee.
Take the Lord's advice and leave the petty things of the world behind.
And Thus It Is.
1 Nephi 22:31
"Wherefore, ye need not suppose that I and my father are the only ones that have testified, and also taught them. Wherefore, if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the end, ye shall be saved at the last day. And thus it is. Amen.
Obedience, endurance, salvation.
Unchangeable.
And thus it is.
"Wherefore, ye need not suppose that I and my father are the only ones that have testified, and also taught them. Wherefore, if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the end, ye shall be saved at the last day. And thus it is. Amen.
Obedience, endurance, salvation.
Unchangeable.
And thus it is.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
By Their Fruits...
Matthew 7:20
"Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."
“And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good.” (Ether 4:12)
"Intelligence is the ability to use knowledge properly"
- Elder Royden G. Derrick
We make choices every day. We look at the output or results of something, and decide if it's worth it.
We look at a potential apartment, and if there is mold all over the walls, and the carpet smells weird, we don't buy it. If we find a nice, clean apartment with good reviews, we decide to look into it further.
If only we would use this more with our gospel decisions. If we would look at the movies we are watching, realize the effects they could have on our minds, and realize the rampant problem of pornography around us, we might reconsider just fast-forwarding through the "bad parts."
If we found a cockroach baked into a cake, we wouldn't just eat around it, we would probably throw it away.
Look at the results.
Jacob 6:12 " O be wise; what can I say more?"
Karma
Alma 41:15
"For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all."
I believe in karma.
I believe that God controls everything, but karma, basically put, means that if you do good things, good things will happen to you. If you do bad things, "the universe" will punish you.
So it is with the gospel. It's that easy. Do good, obey the commandments; you will be rewarded.
In Their Weakest Fortifications
Alma 48:9
"And in their weakest fortifications he did place the greater number of men; and thus he did fortify and strengthen the land which was possessed by the Nephites."
We know our weaknesses. How much better off would we be if we actively prepared and prayed each morning to face certain temptations throughout the day? If we prayed and planned out our reactions, I believe that a lot of meaningless sin could be avoided. Like having a budget helps to prevent impulse-buying, knowing our weaknesses, and actively fortifying against them would make an enormous impact on our lives.
Endure Joyfully
Mosiah 24:15
"And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord."
Enduring is not enough. We need to "endure joyfully."
Dieter F. Uchtdorf said,
"My dear brothers and sisters, aren’t the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and our membership in His Church great reasons to rejoice?
When I was a young boy, “endure to the end” meant to me mainly that I had to try harder to stay awake until the end of our Church meetings. Later as a teenager I progressed only slightly in my understanding of this scriptural phrase. I linked it with youthful empathy to the efforts of our dear elderly members to hang in there until the end of their lives.
Therefore, enduring to the end is not just a matter of passively tolerating life’s difficult circumstances or “hanging in there.” Ours is an active religion, helping God’s children along the strait and narrow path to develop their full potential during this life and return to Him one day. Viewed from this perspective, enduring to the end is exalting and glorious, not grim and gloomy. This is a joyful religion, one of hope, strength, and deliverance. “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25).
Enduring to the end is a process filling every minute of our life, every hour, every day, from sunrise to sunrise. It is accomplished through personal discipline following the commandments of God.
The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is a way of life. It is not for Sunday only. It is not something we can do only as a habit or a tradition if we expect to harvest all of its promised blessings. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”
Like Dragons Did They Fight
One of my favorite phrases in the Book of Mormon provides a description of how the men fought for their families and their liberty:
“Like dragons did they fight.”
If only men and women fought like dragons today to support their values, and most importantly their families and marriages.
I believe that many marriages fail because people just don't try anymore. Divorce is the easy way out when things get hard. It doesn't require the effort needed to resuscitate a marriage.If we were all to fight like dragons for the things we love and care about, we would be so much more successful in our relationships and our pursuits.
If we really care about something, we should be willing to fight for it. Not ask the enemy kindly to please not oppose us.
Mosiah 20:11 "But they fought for their lives, and for their wives, and for their children; therefore they exerted themselves and like dragons did they fight."
Education is worth it. Virtue is worth it. Marriage is worth it.
Fight for it.
Friday, March 11, 2011
That Which is of No Worth
2 Nephi 9:51
"Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not"
Wasting time is so easy. Wasting money is so easy.
Facebook is distracting. Vending machines are tempting. Overeating is a hard habit to break.
How much better off would we be if we stopped doing things which were of no worth?
We'd wake up a few hours earlier on Saturday; we'd get things done.
We'd stop eating when we weren't hungry; we'd be healthier.
We'd stop spending hours looking at our cousin's-friend's-brother-in-law's-fiancee's engagement bridal photos.
Remember the words, and "feast upon that which perisheth not. "
"Do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy."
Hard work is lasting and meaningful. Facebook is not.
"Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not"
Wasting time is so easy. Wasting money is so easy.
Facebook is distracting. Vending machines are tempting. Overeating is a hard habit to break.
How much better off would we be if we stopped doing things which were of no worth?
We'd wake up a few hours earlier on Saturday; we'd get things done.
We'd stop eating when we weren't hungry; we'd be healthier.
We'd stop spending hours looking at our cousin's-friend's-brother-in-law's-fiancee's engagement bridal photos.
Remember the words, and "feast upon that which perisheth not. "
"Do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy."
Hard work is lasting and meaningful. Facebook is not.
Pyramid Scheme
Pornography is everywhere. It is one of the greatest evils of society.
Most of us avoid it, right? We know our place, and stay away from bad websites and things we know will harm our spirits...or do we?
The other day, a few friends and I were talking about pyramid schemes. And then I had this thought:
"Pornography is a pyramid scheme."
I kept thinking about it, and realized that it's true. If you are immodest, "Pornography is a pyramid scheme, and you have bought into it."
In a pyramid scheme, there is one person at the top, the one making all of the money. In this case, it is Satan.
Under the main man, there are usually two of his best friends. In this case, it's the media. They profit from pornography and objectified women just as much as he does.
After the main people in a pyramid scheme come all those who buy into it. Everyone recruits others to be under them. They all earn a share of the spoils, but pay a certain percentage to those above them.
So it is with pornography.
When we are immodest, we earn the "profit" of worldly esteem. We then have to pay a certain toll to those at the top...in this case, it's just one step farther away from our eternal goal.
When we are immodest, we are the perfect recruiters for this pyramid ss, and see that what we're doing matches the media, and the popularity of the world, and they decide they want in.
In the end, we're all paying money to the top.
The important thing to notice here is that pyramid schemes always fail.
Pornography is a pyramid scheme. Immodesty is the support.
Stop buying into it.
Most of us avoid it, right? We know our place, and stay away from bad websites and things we know will harm our spirits...or do we?
The other day, a few friends and I were talking about pyramid schemes. And then I had this thought:
"Pornography is a pyramid scheme."
I kept thinking about it, and realized that it's true. If you are immodest, "Pornography is a pyramid scheme, and you have bought into it."
In a pyramid scheme, there is one person at the top, the one making all of the money. In this case, it is Satan.
Under the main man, there are usually two of his best friends. In this case, it's the media. They profit from pornography and objectified women just as much as he does.
After the main people in a pyramid scheme come all those who buy into it. Everyone recruits others to be under them. They all earn a share of the spoils, but pay a certain percentage to those above them.
So it is with pornography.
When we are immodest, we earn the "profit" of worldly esteem. We then have to pay a certain toll to those at the top...in this case, it's just one step farther away from our eternal goal.
When we are immodest, we are the perfect recruiters for this pyramid ss, and see that what we're doing matches the media, and the popularity of the world, and they decide they want in.
In the end, we're all paying money to the top.
The important thing to notice here is that pyramid schemes always fail.
Pornography is a pyramid scheme. Immodesty is the support.
Stop buying into it.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
No Excuse for Thee
" Alma was greatly disappointed at the failure of his son Corianton to live the standards of a missionary. Corianton forsook his ministry and went to the land of Siron after the harlot Isabel " (Boyd K. Packer)
He said: “This was no excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldst have tended to the ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted” (Alma 39:4)
I feel like that's the response we're going to get at judgment if we justify our lives now by the lives of others.
On numerous occasions, I've had friends or girls from my ward ask me about things, especially when it comes to dating. I had a girl ask if "going out" was bad before you were sixteen, and another girl ask me if making out was okay. Sometimes, I think my bluntness startles them when I answer, "No, it is not okay."
There is a lot of justification in the world, and church members often indulge in this behavior.
I remember, when I was first dating, I tried to get straight answers from Young Women leaders about the rules of the church when it came to dating. The answer I would always get was that, "It's different for each person. Just know your limits."
Unsatisfied with that answer, I began to look to my friends and peers for advice. Learning from bad examples, I concluded that "going out" or pairing off before 16 was okay as long as it wasn't an official date. I learned that making out was fine, in fact it was encouraged; as long as you didn't cross the line anything was okay. I learned that telling dirty jokes was fine and also encouraged if it was a quote from a favorite T.V. show. All of these things, of course, were very wrong.
We hear the peer-pressure-everybody-else-is-doing-it lecture all the time, and it's started to lose its meaning. We apply it to smoking, drugs, and alcohol, but forget to apply it to other important things.
"I did alright. I didn't obey all of the commandments, but at least I wasn't as bad as some of the kids at my school," probably isn't going to justify salvation.
"This was no excuse for thee."
We listen and take counsel from the prophets, not from our peers.
He said: “This was no excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldst have tended to the ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted” (Alma 39:4)
I feel like that's the response we're going to get at judgment if we justify our lives now by the lives of others.
On numerous occasions, I've had friends or girls from my ward ask me about things, especially when it comes to dating. I had a girl ask if "going out" was bad before you were sixteen, and another girl ask me if making out was okay. Sometimes, I think my bluntness startles them when I answer, "No, it is not okay."
There is a lot of justification in the world, and church members often indulge in this behavior.
I remember, when I was first dating, I tried to get straight answers from Young Women leaders about the rules of the church when it came to dating. The answer I would always get was that, "It's different for each person. Just know your limits."
Unsatisfied with that answer, I began to look to my friends and peers for advice. Learning from bad examples, I concluded that "going out" or pairing off before 16 was okay as long as it wasn't an official date. I learned that making out was fine, in fact it was encouraged; as long as you didn't cross the line anything was okay. I learned that telling dirty jokes was fine and also encouraged if it was a quote from a favorite T.V. show. All of these things, of course, were very wrong.
We hear the peer-pressure-everybody-else-is-doing-it lecture all the time, and it's started to lose its meaning. We apply it to smoking, drugs, and alcohol, but forget to apply it to other important things.
"I did alright. I didn't obey all of the commandments, but at least I wasn't as bad as some of the kids at my school," probably isn't going to justify salvation.
"This was no excuse for thee."
We listen and take counsel from the prophets, not from our peers.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Motives
I just read an article by S. Michael Wilcox. It was about the Abrahamic Covenant. In it, he said,
"There is, however, a chance that an elect, covenant people may allow the world’s cultures, laws, values, and standards to infiltrate their own. They may become like the world rather than blessing the world as the Abrahamic covenant anticipated."
Are we adopting the standards of the world? Do we allow our children to watch PG-13 movies infiltrated with evil, just because the world says it is appropriate for 13-year-olds? Do we look to magazines for tips on fashion and living, or do we look to the scriptures? Who are our role models?
It's a scary world.
1 Nephi 13:9 "And also for the praise of the world do they..."
Consider your motives. Why do you do the things that you do?
For the world, for yourself, or for your Father in Heaven?
Sunday, March 6, 2011
A Nice Thought
Today I was thinking about the ten lepers, and about "nice thoughts."
There are so many "nice thoughts" that come into my head every day. Thoughts about helping others, about saying nice things, about doing the dishes...but most of those thoughts are never translated into actions.
What if that had happened with the ten lepers?
What if that's the reason the nine just walked away? What if they thought, " I should really thank Him," but then reconsidered, figuring that "someone else will do it," and just walked away. What if the one had done that?
We need to be the one that takes that nice thought, and changes it into action. Nice thoughts don't earn salvation. Righteous actions do.
There are so many "nice thoughts" that come into my head every day. Thoughts about helping others, about saying nice things, about doing the dishes...but most of those thoughts are never translated into actions.
What if that had happened with the ten lepers?
What if that's the reason the nine just walked away? What if they thought, " I should really thank Him," but then reconsidered, figuring that "someone else will do it," and just walked away. What if the one had done that?
We need to be the one that takes that nice thought, and changes it into action. Nice thoughts don't earn salvation. Righteous actions do.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
I Did Praise Him All the Day Long
1 Nephi 18:16
"Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions."
Life is great; complaining is stupid and unattractive.
I wish I would've learned that a long time ago.Heavenly Father has spoiled us with this Earth and especially with the country we live in. We should be more grateful.
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