It All Starts With Us

As children of our Heavenly Father, we have certain expectations of us that are very important for us to accomplish. Our Armor of God can help us with that, but even before we put on our Armor of God to defend ourselves, it all starts with us: who we are, what we're about, and what our values are (both when we're around others and alone). The Armor of God can do nothing if we ourselves are not worthy to be wearing it.

A Little Insight Into Judgement Day

All of us, whether we realize it now or later, will be judged according to two things: the actions we have done in this life, and the desires of our hearts. I love how this video portrays the same guy as all of the characters because I think, in a sense, that our own actions and our own desires will be our judge. This is where mercy will be very important. As long as we repent of the things which our actions and our desires have caused, those bad things will be "blotted out", or in other words, we won't be judged for them because they have been erased. I invite all who read this to repent, so that we can fully feel the weight of guilt and shame disappear.

HAPPY DADDY'S DAY!!!

Father’s Day is usually celebrated one day every June, but there can be other father’s days too. Fathers never stop being fathers, even when the holiday is over. To show that you remember your fathers on the other 364 days of the year, some ways to make them happy should be lasting things. Few things please a father more than having a son or daughter who is unselfish, helpful, pleasant, hard working, hard playing, and kind and loving to everyone. When a father’s family is happy, it helps him to become a better kind of person.

My dad is the kind of person who likes to get things done his own way. He likes to see things done right, and I think he's the perfect person to do it. My dad has taught me this way of working, which has helped me on my mission. As I have gone throughout my mission, I have been able to work in many different people's lives. As I have used these work ethics taught to me by my father, the lives with which I am working in seem to change a lot faster. My dad has been a great example to me.

This is not all that my father has done for me. Let me name off just a few events: showing up at music recitals, bringing his work truck home, helping with pinewood derby cars for years, providing me the way to go on a mission (as well as being the big provider in general), playing board games with me late into the night, going on motorcycle rides to get an ice cream at Dairy Queen, Coldstone, or Baskin Robbins, showing forth example after example of how to treat other people, allowing me to work next to him with whatever he's doing (and knowing that he trusts me to do so), along with many, many, many other things that I could talk for days about. He has done more for me than I will ever know.

If you show that you remember your fathers’ enduring love for you by the way you live (which is my big Father's Day gift this year), every day can truly be a Fathers' Day.

Dad, I. S. U. M. H. <3 I love you SO much. I'll see you soon!!!

The Whole Armor of God: Part 2

This is a good illustration of what will happen when you let your guard down. The Armor of God is one of those things that you should never take off. It should always be firmly attached to you. It will stay attached to you based on the decisions you make throughout the day. When those troubling times get in your way, or when difficult decisions cross your path, keep on the Armor of God.

Heavenly Father's Plan, Made Easy

I bear my testimony that Heavenly Father does have a plan already laid out for us. This "Plan of Salvation" is a wonderful way for us to utilize the Atonement of Jesus Christ, help us improve who we are, and help others along the way so that we all can make it back to live with Heavenly Father again.

War Of Temptations

There are many who will be reading this that have the problems of giving in to temptations. I want to preface this by saying that we have all been subject to temptations. Even Jesus Christ was put through some temptations. I feel I must say that without these temptations, there would've been very little point to coming to this earth to learn, because without temptations, it can be very hard for us to learn. There must be opposition to all things, from the yearnings of the Lord to do righteous works, to the temptations that so easily beset us from Satan. I take some of my sayings from prophets and apostles of the past and present, and hope that something I say will help put into perspective the way we all feel about these things and about how we can overcome them. I also don't say these things as a hypocrite, but as someone who has been through many temptations of all kinds, and have given in to some of them myself. I understand much about what is said below, which is why I feel so inclined to write these things.

My Best Friend, Jesus

When Christ was resurrected, He came over to the Americas and visited, comforted, healed, and taught the people there. Put yourself in this movie. How will you react when you see your Savior, your Redeemer, your friend?



Jesus Christ is my best friend. I have come to know that He is full of joy and love that no other friend can give. Jesus has done more for the salvation of men, than any other man that has or will ever live in it. But despite all of that, I know that even if only one soul was going to be saved, Jesus, because of His never ending love for each of us, would have died just to save that one. Live in such a way as to make Him your friend, and when we all see Him again, He will say with the most love in His heart, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter thou into my joy."

Cloud 9

Like many of the questions we have as people here on earth (like why are we here, where did we come from, where are we going, etc.) I ask you, how do we get to a "Cloud 9" state of happiness? This is every person's search in life. How do we get there? Well, that's what this blog is for. This blog teaches us how to be happy. Keeping our Whole Armor Of God on ourselves is a big part of how to be happy. Let me give you a few examples.

I Love My Mommy!!!

Perhaps the reason we respond so universally to our mothers’ love is because it typifies the love of our Savior.


Amen. I would also like to bear my testimony that if it wasn't for my wonderful mother, who in my opinion knows the Savior, I would not be on my mission today, I would not be who I am as a person, and I would not love others like she has taught me through her example that emanates from her every single day. I love you, Mom.

Lasting Marriages #2

My mom told me recently that a happy marriage requires patience and tolerance. Like this "TV couple," if we are having these kinds of problems, we need to fall in love again. You got married because of love before, and you can fall in love with each other again.

In the recent general conference, President Thomas S. Monson spoke of a couple who was having some serious issues. He told his story in saying,

Listen With Love

There are challenges about family and friend that are hard to face because of problems involving listening. Our own pride can cause this, thinking, "I am right and there is no other solution than my own!"  Whether it's parents talking with kids, a husband talking to his wife, or just friend to friend, listening is a huge part of communication. Think of it in this way: You are on the phone calling someone and as soon as they say, "Hello! How are you?" you hang up the phone. If you're not willing to listen, nothing will go right. In solving these problems, we can then offer guidance that will bring about a close relationship. If we listen with love, we won’t need to wonder what to say. It will be given to us by the Spirit. I know this principle is true because I have recently experienced it with a friend that I am teaching. As I listened to his concerns, I wondered what to say, but immediately after I wondered, I started to say things that weren't from me. I was saying things that I knew very little about, but after I had said it, I knew what I said was right. I don't even remember what I said. All I know is that it wasn't me saying those things. The same can apply to you. I know that if you listen with love, you will know what to say, how to say it, and say it with love.

The Gospel: REJECTED

Long ago, prophets, the spokesmen of God, were called to warn the people of dangers that would come upon them if they did not change their ways. There would be some that would listen, but over time, most would not. The prophet would then be killed, the city of people would be destroyed and/or would suffer in unusual ways. This pattern was set from the beginning of the world. God would call a prophet, the people wouldn't listen after a while, and they would reject the words of the prophet. This rejecting of the words of God is called an Apostasy.

During Jesus Christ's ministry, He told His apostles about the signs that would happen from that time, until end of the world. He said, "Then shall they deliver you up" (the apostles) "to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many" (Matthew 24:9-11). This took place not too long after He said this. Jesus Christ was rejected and put on trial on false charges, then crucified and killed. The apostles from Peter on down the line to Paul were killed in many different and gruesome ways: upside-down crucifixion, beheaded, stoned, lanced, burned, hanged, etc. The apostles couldn't pass on their authority quick enough because of heavy persecution. The Great Apostasy begun.

It's called the Great Apostasy because it was the greatest period of time when the gospel wasn't on the earth. The some of the apostles had talked about his when they wrote their epistles. Concerning the second coming of Jesus Christ, Paul said, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come, a falling away first" (2 Thessalonians 2:3). That "falling away," or apostasy, did happen. It is no coincidence that this time in our world's history is known as the Dark Ages. There was no light of the Gospel to bring people closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

"For [Christ] is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him" (1 Nephi 10:18).

Just as prophets were called by the Lord in time's past, he has again called another prophet to the earth. He has again brought back the authority to say, "Thus saith the Lord..." because he speaks with Him. I know that a restoration (not a reformation) had to happen in order to come closer to Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. We have the authority again, we have continuing revelation again, we have the truth again.

Following Jesus' Life On Twitter (Or What It Would've Been Like)

There is a lot of buzz (or fluttering) about Twitter and all the information that gets passed around the world in blazing fast speeds. This "Twitter Episode" of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is a good way to get some of the feelings that were portrayed by those around Jesus, in a short period of time. I know that Jesus is our Savior. I know that He lived a perfect life, but through the ignorance of those around Him, He suffered, was beaten, and was crucified. I also know that because He was divine, He had power over death, and He rose from the tomb, which is still empty today. I love this Gospel. It turns people who are unhappy and who don't know about their purpose in life, into people who have hope and who have joy that doesn't ebb and flow with the patterns of life around us.

But DAD...!!!

I remember doing the same thing to my dad about his awesome muffins. I'm sure I wasn't as hyper as this child, but I was excited, nonetheless. I love this video because it reminds me of how we should keep the promises we make. This father made the promise to go get his son some pancakes. I can only imagine the anticipation that child had, waiting all night for the fulfillment of his dad's promise to him (and I would feel the same way; pancakes are my favorite food!). That is how we should be to our Heavenly Father. Though the promises made to us shouldn't be our prime motivator, we should wait for the blessings awaiting us as we keep the commandments. Also, the scriptures tell us that we should be as perfect as we can. Jesus Christ, who is our example of a perfect person, always kept, and always will keep, His promises. If He is our example, shouldn't we keep our promises too, both to mankind, and to Him?

Lasting Marriages

Because I am in a companionship with another person 24/7, there are some portions to marriage that I can understand and relate to. There are going to be hard times. Anybody that tells you otherwise is foolish. Like the end of that video clip stated, "Patience - use it before you lose it." It is an answer that you never, ever, EVER, want to hear, but it's better than suffering. Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated, "I strongly urge you and those who advise you to face up to the reality that for most marriage problems, the remedy is not divorce but repentance. Often the cause is not incompatibility but selfishness. The first step is not separation but reformation. Divorce is not an all-purpose solution, and it often creates long-term heartache." (See His Talk Here) I have a strong testimony that is only growing stronger on the need for patience in any and all relationships. I know these values are needed in our society because without them, misery is inevitable, and anger will triumph over joy.

Giant Problems

Many of the trials that come in our lives are able to be solved by thinking, planning, and enduring, so that we can come out the other side with just a few scratches. Sometimes, though, we face giant problems which slow down our progress: divorce, debt, death, family anxieties, etc. (Just in case you don't know what this picture could be depicting,) A David and Goliath situation is what I call these giant problems. We have all had them, and there is no way to avoid having them in your life. As we get plopped into the world of depressing thoughts and little motivation (or as keeping with the theme of this blog, you might say you have a nick in your armor), we need to know how to get out of it. Think of David's situation mentioned above. He, a young man at the time with no armor and equipped with only a sling, was faced with a nine foot giant who was equipped with a lot of armor and a rather large spear. He was able to kill the Goliath with only a sling and a stone. He had a giant problem, literally, but he overcame his, just as we can overcome ours.

Family - Isn't It About Time? #2

Every once in a long while, when I was in elementary school, I would get the opportunity to have my dad drive me to school. I lived only a few minutes away from the school, so it was a big disappointment we didn't have more time to talk and have fun in the car. I look at this movie and it reminds me of how much I miss that "car talk" with my family. I know that as we try to get close with our family, our lives, as a general whole, will not only improve the quality of your family relationships, but it will also improve the overall quality of your life. I know this to be true.

Family, Isn't It About - Time?

I love this video because it shows that no matter what situation we're in, whether it be serious, or even fun, we should always be there for our family. It really is all about time. There have been many people who have said that time moves too fast. Take the opportunity to tell a family member you love them. In the words of Shakespeare,"They do not love that do not show their love." It is my testimony that more family time will increase the happiness in your home. I know this because it's been proven in my own home as well as in broken homes that have been fixed. I know this is true.

How To Receive Blessings: 101

Occasionally, people will ask me how to receive the blessings of the Lord, and how we know about the blessings that are there. I answered as plain and simple as I could, hoping that it would answer their questions. Well, in a recent Zone Conference we had, Sister Gardner, our Mission President's wife, told us a story/poem that will hopefully get the message through clearer. It goes something like this:

Reverse Thinking

Even the most unlikely people can change...


I really love this video because it shows us that people really can change, that they really can find that light that they are looking for in this life. I couldn't imagine to know where I would be without the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. I know I wouldn't be as happy as I am. I know that I would have no hope in this life, or the life hereafter. I can only pray that those who have the ideals in the first part of this video will come to an understanding that there is more to life than hopeless dreams, bigger scenes, and pointless things, and that they will come to a knowledge, not just a belief, that Jesus Christ is very real, and that He is there for us whenever and wherever we need Him. I know that what I say is true. I know that we are here in this earth for a specific reason, not just by happenstance. I know that we are the children of our Father who is in heaven. I know that this Gospel with which I live by is true and correct.

The Football Field

Football is one of America's favorite sports, so for all you sports fans, this one is for you. I want to answer the question of why we sometimes don't receive answers to prayer. There are times in our lives when we feel as though we really need Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in our lives, more than usual. This happens to everyone at some point. When we ask for those things that we think we need, and then don't get an answer, we get discouraged. Hopefully, this will help answer and resolve that concern.

Imagine you are on a football field in the middle of a stadium. There is nobody in the stands and no distractions or loud noises. You are in one end-zone and Heavenly Father is in the other end-zone. When you shout to Him the concern or question you have, He answers in a still small voice (1 Kings 19:11-12). Since you are on the other side of the field, you can't hear Him, and from the distance, it looks like He's not doing anything. As you continue to shout at Him these questions, you still can't hear anything, which causes you to get upset. This is really bothering you. You deserve an answer about these things. The only answer to this dilemma, is to get closer to Him, so you can hear what He has to say.

In order to get closer to Heavenly Father, we have to start living as He would want us to live. Here are a few examples: if we aren't reading our scriptures, read; if we aren't saying our prayers as faithfully as we know we should, pray; if we are angry at something or someone, forgive; etc. We have to start living Christlike lives. Here are some Christlike attributes that we need to live so we can get closer to Heavenly Father, here on this football field of life: have faith in Jesus Christ and in having your prayers answered, have hope that this will all come out fine in the end, have charity and love for your fellow man and for God, be virtuous in all your thoughts and deeds, study out your answer and gain knowledge you need, be patient, be humble enough to receive any answer, even if it's not the answer you may want, be diligent in asking and in doing all these things, and last, but not least, be obedient to Heavenly Father's commandments (He has more than just ten of them). As you do these things, it will get you closer and closer to Heavenly Father, so that when He does speak in that still small voice, you can hear Him more clearly than you have ever heard Him before.

Unfortunately, there are always going to be other influences around us, who are going to try to confuse us. At the beginning of this parable, I mentioned that you were alone in this stadium. That was to demonstrate what we need to focus on. Now that we have our focus, let's fill in those empty seats. This represents every influence around us. There are people in the crowd who are going to cheer for you, telling you to move forward and to not give up, and there are people in the crowd who are going to be jeering at you, making you feel like there is no hope, telling you that you will never make it to the other side of the field. Never fall into that trap.

I want to make you this promise: as you start living a more Christlike life, you will start to be guided by the Holy Ghost and will be more sensitive to His promptings. As you do good, your want to do good will multiply, and it won't matter how many times people jeer at you, you will have a straight and sure course, straight into Heavenly Father and your answer.

The Jaws Of Life

I would like to share with you a parable that was told to me (by Bro. Ron Gordy) when I was in Billings. I have modified it slightly and called it The Parable Of The Jaws Of Life. This parable has been in both my life and in every person who has ever lived, including Jesus Christ. We'll get to more about that later.

The Jaws of Life are a powerful tool that firefighters use to help people get out of their vehicles when they're trapped inside. They can be extremely useful because, when in an accident, firefighters want you to move as little as possible, in case you have serious injuries. With the Jaws of Life, it allows those firefighters to get you out of the car, with as little movement from you as possible. This is quite the handy tool. How the Jaws of Life is so effective is those two big forks in the front. When those are brought together, you can fit them into some small cracks or seams in the car. The hydraulic system allows those forks to separate, moving anything that's around it out of the way. The Jaws Of Life won't work that well if there are no seams in the car.

In the same way, our life, who we are spiritually, is like a car. We always have our "bumps in the road" and those things which sometimes really make us mad (traffic, low mileage, no gas, oil leaks, flat tires, squeaky fan belt, etc.). As we drive through this life, we come across spiritual dangers that can make us vulnerable to attacks from all sides. There will be other cars (people) that try to influence us to put sand in our gas tank (drugs, alcohol, etc.). There will be cars that drive us to the destruction derby to look at all of the beat up cars (pornography), and there will be other cars that lead you to the junk yard. This is a tough world to live in, and there is one tougher enemy that will want to get inside your car, Satan. He has his own plans to turn you into those "other cars," the cars who try to influence you to do bad. The way Satan is going to do that is with his Jaws of Life. Even Jesus Christ was tempted to do things that, from the outside, looked like it would have helped Him. Satan tried to find and get into Christ's cracks and seams, but Christ didn't have any. Jesus Christ is our example.

Satan's Jaws of Life are powerful, but luckily for you, you have a very strong frame (continuing with the car analogy). You have a powerful engine that can let you go anywhere and do anything, and tires that can take you off-roading anywhere you need to go. However, when we develop the attitude of, "I have a perfect frame!", Nothing can hurt this car!" etc., that's when Satan's Jaws of Life will start digging into that crack you've just made. He wants to get inside you to do even more damage to you. Remember, all he needs is a small crack, not a large one, to do his work.

As we start to feel his influence in our life, and as we start to feel as though we're not the ones "taking the wheel," we need to go to the ultimate repair man, Jesus Christ. He can fix our cracks, seal our seams, give us a realignment, and even pop out our dents that could cause problems later. As we go to our Savior, He will repair our souls, and even change us, turning us from:

this    -    to this.

Does God Exist?

Albert Einstein even knew from such a young age that God did and does exist. Not only did he point out that our Heavenly Father exists, but that he loves us as well. I, like Einstein, bear witness that God DOES exist. I know that (not just believe it, but know it) because I have received guidance and direction from him multiple times, and I have felt him as he has protected me in multiple ways since I've been out on my mission. I know he is there and that he loves each and every one of us.

The Song Of The Righteous...

I would like to dedicate this post to my favorite church songs, both in the main Hymn Book we use, and in the Children's Songbook. In the Doctrine and Covenants 25:12 it says, "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads." There are several songs/hymns that I wanted to go over because of the power in their messages. Hopefully, I can catch some of the full meaning that some of these songs/hymns have.

Why 1820?

There are several people that come across our path who ask us, "If a restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was necessary, why did the Lord wait until the year 1820 to do it?" I’d like to build a historical case for why I believe why 1820 was the only time the Gospel of Jesus Christ could have been restored and survive on the earth. This is going to be a little quick, but it will be accurate nonetheless. I want to first preface this by referencing John 6:66-69. It says, "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." There was an apostasy, or rejecting of the truth. "Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?" That's a very pointed question. I think Peter, the chief apostle, was a little shocked by this question. "Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." We learn from this that the apostles were not going to abandon Jesus, but that everybody else did because there was heavy persecution going on at this time.

I got this from a man named Hyrum W. Smith. You may never see a time line like this again:

Is There More Truth?

As keeping with what I've been focusing on with The Armor of God, I wanted to talk about what our Helmet of Salvation can do for us with revelation. One of the thirteen Articles of Faith that define what we believe in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says, "We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God." This is very important because this means that we can still receive revelation from our Heavenly Father concerning the important matters of our day. I know and have a testimony that the Bible and the Book of Mormon have the basics of what we need to get through this life successfully, but there are always going to be concerns that come up that the scriptures don't answer. As time moves on, and as our people become more advanced in technology and knowledge about their surroundings, there needs to be more said about the things that could potentially destroy our lives.

The Whole Armor Of God

The Armor of God is a compilation of many attributes that we need to have in order to bring true and lasting happiness in our lives. I wanted to go into detail about what each part does, and how it can help us in our lives today. Let's start at the top.

The Helmet of Salvation is extremely important to have on for several reasons. Thoughts take place before actions do. Because thoughts are that important, it's necessary to have our minds free from things that would compromise who we are. Someone once said, “Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” Also, many words we speak, people will remember. That is important because if we say something bad, we can't take it back. The scriptures tell us in James 3:10-12, "Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh." What we eat and drink can also make a difference as well. We know that alcohol is not good because of what it can do to us. We know that coffee and tea aren't good because of the tannic acid that it contains. We know that smoking, of course, isn't good for us. We know that any illegal drugs are bad because of the damage it can do to our health. And we know that too much food can cause obesity. The Helmet of Salvation can remind us of these things, and in turn, help bring us closer to Heavenly Father because this will make our purpose, His purpose.

Next is the breastplate of righteousness. This breastplate will help us do several things. Not only will it help us to be righteous, but it will also help us to think righteous thoughts. This is very important because our thoughts become our desires, which becomes our actions, which becomes who we are. So if we think righteously, we're going to be doing righteous things. It helps us to break off of the sins that keep us held down. Breastplates in ancient times were used to protect the vital organs. The breastplate of righteousness does just that as well. It protects our hearts from temptation and allows our lungs to breathe in the cleanliness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The breastplates were also once used to intimidate your enemies and to scare them off. If you have on the breastplate of righteousness, even Satan will find it hard to tempt you because he will not know how to get inside your heart, to persuade you to do evil. It will be hard for him to find your weak spot because of your firm faith, and because of your righteousness.

"Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth..." In John 3:21 it says, "But he that doeth truth cometh to the light..." We know that the light is Jesus Christ. We also know that "the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). So why do we have to girt our loins about with truth? In Doctrine and Covenants 123:12-13 it says, "For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it. Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven." We have to girt about our loins with truth because we need to know the truth for ourselves, and because we have missionary work to do with helping others find the truth we know as well. This is also an important piece of armor to have on because it also helps us with chastity.

Now we need to equip our feet with armor. This armor is The Gospel of Peace. The Gospel of Peace is what we need to be following. Following someone requires walking in their path. We are always trying to emulate the teachings of Jesus Christ in our lives. There may be some that have on, what I call, the Sandals Of Laziness, which leave our feet exposed to the different paths that this world has in store for us, but when we have The Gospel of Peace on our feat, there is only one path we want to follow, and that one straight and narrow path will lead us down the road to Jesus Christ, and, one day, to Eternal Life with our Heavenly Father. Having your feet "shod with the Gospel of Peace" is a very important part of the Armor of God for that reason alone.

The Shield of Faith is a very important part of our armor. Armor can take a lot of abuse and damage, but a shield is built especially for that purpose and can take much more damage while still being able to protect you well. When we use a shield, we can't see beyond it until we lower it back down. As we're holding it up, we're protecting ourselves from the fiery darts of Satan who is always trying to weaken our armor. Luckily, our Shields Of Faith were made special to defend against these darts. While these darts are flying, our faith is being tried, and when our trial is over, and we lower our shield, we will be able to see what has happened when we exercised our faith. In Ether 12:6 it reads, "And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." Never put down your shield.

The last thing we need is something to attack our adversary with. All of what we've seen so far is a defense so that we can take anything that is thrown at us. What we need is an attack method of our own. This is where The Sword of the Spirit comes in. The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Where we can find the Word of God is in the scriptures. The scriptures provide us with the knowledge of where to go and what to do. When opposition comes up and tells you that what you are doing is false or stupid, or when accusations start flying, you can be sure to use The Sword of the Spirit to "thrash the nations" by using the Word of God. Diligent study of the scriptures will help us know who is right and who is wrong. It will help us identify that God is our strenght and our help, as well as give you the guidence on how to recieve His help when we need it. I know that by using The Sword of the Spirit, we can overcome any trial that is set before us, by attacking it head on, without any fear. 

I know that while using The Armor of God, you can be assured that you have the Lord behind you. I know that the Armor is flawless in its design and that, by using it correctly, there is nothing that can penetrate it. I thank Heavenly Father for providing us with the protection and use of His Armor. Remember the promise of the Lord in Doctrine and Covenants 35:14, "And their arm shall be my arm, and I will be their shield and their buckler; and I will gird up their loins, and they shall fight manfully for me; and their enemies shall be under their feet; and I will let fall the sword in their behalf, and by the fire of mine indignation will I preserve them." I pray that we might all use it each and every day of our lives.

The Stresses of Life

There are a lot of things that stress us out in life: war, money, work, time, etc. There are many things that can put us under these huge loads of burden. How do we escape these burdens? How do we free ourselves and stop the insanity. Sure, you can try to cover it up using drugs or alcohol, but that won't make the problem go away, it will only make it worse. There are several solutions that could help.

Why Commandments???

Some may wonder why Mormons do the things we do, or in some cases, don't do the things we don't do. These are called commandments. Any commandment we read out of the scriptures are from the Lord himself. In the Book of Mormon, we learn that Nephi said, "...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." So basically, the Lord won't give us any commandments that he knows we can't follow. That's comforting to know because that means the commandments we have are not impossible.

Many people outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that membership in this church requires strict adherence to many "rules" that don't allow us to do much of anything. Many think we are forced to obey these rules. I am here to testify that there's more than meets the eye when it comes to obeying and keeping the commandments that we follow.

Mirrors

Did you ever go up to the funhouse to play

and look in the mirrors there?

They bend up your face and widen your waist

and alter the shape of your hair.

In one place you're as big as a hot air balloon

in another as thin as a stick.

First you're slim as a telephone pole

and everywhere else you are thick!

                                                

Some people are mirrors reflecting to us

an image we really are not.

If we listen to all that these people will say

we've been blinded to all that we've got.

Some might say that you're ornery, stupid or weird

or say that you're stuck up or fat,

but in others you'll view a reflection of you

that doesn't have any of that.

You've also got teachers and parents and friends

whose reflections are true and correct.

When peers say you're homely, you're haughty, you're dumb,

God says, "You're my child, you're elect."

So take out some paper and pick up a pen

and write down what others may say.

Then turn the page over and fill it with things

The Lord and the Prophets convey.
In one place you'll have all that others have said,
Some true, some are hard to conceive.
Then turn to God's side and ask of yourself,
"Which side am I going to believe?"

-John Bytheway



There have been many people I have come in contact with that don't feel they have any self worth. They have been told all their life that they are nothing, or stupid, or wrong in every thing they do. They have been told they are worthless, that they were an accident, or that their family had wished they were dead. I have even met someone that was told by their brother that if they wanted to commit suicide, he would help out with it.

If you are one of these people, or have been told anything you know isn't true, I am here to tell you that you are looking in the wrong mirrors. True mirrors are those people who reflect who you really are. You are a child of a loving Heavenly Father. He loves you with an infinite love. He wants the best for you. This knowledge changes everything. If only we understood who we are, and what is in store for us, our hearts would overflow with such gratitude and happiness, that would enlighten even the darkest souls with the light and love of God. I plead with you to look into the True Mirror and see your true reflection. It is my testimony that when you look at your reflection, you will be able to see beyond imperfections and self doubts, and recognize who you truly are, glorious sons and daughters of Heavenly Father.

Look Not Behind Thee

When I first saw this video, I was reminded of another important lesson I've learned. There are always going to be those situations that put us through a rough time, but how you react to what has been put in front of you is your choice. If, for instance, someone insults you, you can either get upset, which won't do anything but hurt yourself, or you can just walk away and forgive them. In the case of this video, she could've either followed the Lord's counsel and not look back, or she could've looked forward to something better. She chose her reaction, we can choose ours as well.

Look To The Light