Seeking for higher ground

    I seem to be finding all my ideas from talks I have recently read. That's probably cause Apostles and Prophets say it better than I do. But it is a talk given by Elder Patrick Kearon. It made me think of how I have been in the smog before, lost with no direction. My only way out was to seek for higher ground. Elder Kearon says this,

    "Last Christmas while serving at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, I encountered a local weather condition called an inversion. An inversion is a condition in which the air close to the ground is cooler than the air higher up, the opposite—the inversion—of the usual condition. Inversions are not unique to Salt Lake City, but they are more pronounced in effect because the city is located in a valley bounded by high mountains. This traps the city smog and holds it against the valley floor, covering the city and surrounding area in a thick, dark, freezing cloud. The smog is hazardous to the health of those with breathing difficulties and affects the morale of many others, as the air feels dirty and the sun is obliterated for days, even weeks, at a time.

      A short drive up the mountains, however, reveals that the smog is only a few hundred feet thick. In a few minutes, you can be in bright sunshine, breathing crystal clear air, staring at pristine, snow capped mountains. The contrast with the valley below could not be starker. As you climb farther up the mountains, you look down on the smog you have left behind in the valley, and it appears like a dirty blanket beneath an azure sky.

      There are times in our lives when we figuratively find ourselves stuck down in the valley, under the gloom of the dark, smoggy haze. Because of poor choices we have made, behaviors that offend the Spirit, or simply the painful and stretching decisions and challenges common to mortal life, we feel mired in thick, smothering fog. We can’t see clearly, we feel confused, and we sense that we have moved ourselves away from the light and warmth of our Heavenly Father’s love. We forget that the pure light of the Lord awaits us, beckons us, and is only a few steps of faith away. We must recognize that we have the power and capacity to take ourselves out of the filthy air of the valley and into the bright sunlight of the peace and hope that is found only by coming to the Savior."

    I would like to echo the testimony of Elder Kearon. I have witnessed it myself. Being in smog and darkness and filthiness brings no happiness. The happiest I have ever been was when I applied the Atonement in my life, changed, and through the Savior became whole again. I'm grateful for the Savior and his sacrifice for my sake, allowing me to change and be better. I invite all who are reading to seek the eternal. Seek for higher ground and you too can feel the Saviors love more abundantly in your life.

Look at your life through Heavens eyes

"Look at your life, look at your life, look at your life through Heavens eyes!!!" This line appears in a song on the movie, Prince of Egypt. I was recently listening to the song and it actually dawned on me. Often I find myself singing a song or listening to it and not paying attention to the real meaning. What if we ALL looked at our lives through Heaven's eyes? In the song it also says, "So how can you see what your life is worth or where your value lies? You can never see through the eyes of man. You must look at your life, look at your life through heaven's eyes." None of us can ever truly look through the eye's of man. When we do we become of the world. We look at ourselves as the world sees us. Heaven sees great potential in us all and the choice sons and daughters of The Most High that we are. The song goes on to say, "So how do you measure the worth of a man? in wealth?or strength? or size? in how much he gained? or how much he gave? the answer will come to him who tries, to look at his life through heaven's eyes!!" There is power in the song and pondering on the words can bring you greater perspective in your life. Take the advice of Jethro, take a look at your life through Heaven's eyes!!!!!

The whole armour of God

The text of my address is from Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians:

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day. …

“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

“And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” (Eph. 6:11–18.)

           In a seminary video I watched in High School these scriptures became a reality. It shows 5 or 6 wen in war that decide to take a break. There isn't any enemy around (or so they thought) so just for one short couple three minutes they take off their armour. Its heavy, its hot, they will be just fine if they take it off for just a minute. Well in that minute, the enemy was in the tree's hiding and the second they take off their armour, the enemy attacks. A few of the soldiers were killed, but one stood strong. He watched his fellow soldiers taking off their armour and he stood strong and left his on. He was not harmed by the enemy that took the lives of his fellow soldiers.

          In our lives, how many times do we "take a brake" from our armour. We let our guard down for just a few minutes and in that very moment Satan attacks. In this same video it shows a young group of friends strong and firm in the gospel. They are all invited to a party and all decide it won't be a good party for them to go to, except for one friend. He says "oh come on how bad could it be? I'll just go for a minute." He let his guard down and took of his armour for just a moment. He took a drink of alcohol that night and his life went down hill from there. Read Eph. 6:11–18 one more time and think of the ways you can put and keep on your armour of righteousness. It is my prayer that we will not let our guard down for even a second. When we do the enemy will attack. Be prepared with your armour and when the enemy comes, you will protect yourself with truth and righteousness.
                 

I Love My Mother!!!

So this blog post is inspired by my mother. She is a remarkable woman. At the time she gave me this advice infact, I chuckled. I thought she was a little crazy but now that I'm older and somewhat think about things, its genious. I was listening to a song in the bathroom called Waiting on the world to change. Its by John Mayer and he is excellent. I also really, really like this song. So not thinking of anything about the words or what it was saying, I continued to listen. My mom talked to me about the message of that song, than she wanted to show me a different song. Its by Josh Groban who is also one of my favorites. Its called, Thankful and talks about how its up to us to BE the change. Like I said at the time I thought my mom was falling off her rocker, its just music. But there is so much truth to the song Thankful. Where do you think this world will go if we are all "Waiting on the world to change." There is so much good in the world, but yet so much to be done. None of us can patiently wait. There is action that needs to take place. One step at a time all of us can make a change. It is up to us to BE change. The Savior of the world was that change. His invitation is for all of us is to walk the path that he walked. Striving to become as our Savior was does not consist of, waiting. He lived a sinless life consisting of action taking place, not waiting. Anyone who reads this post please dig deap and ask yourself how YOU are going to BE the change. I promise you blessing upon blessing as The Lords representative if you BE the change the world needs, one step at a time. In closing, Josh Groban ends the song with, "Even though we all can do so much more, there is so much to be thankful for."

Ohana means family, family means no one is left behind.

"Ohana means family, family means no one is left behind." This is probably the truest principle ever said in a Disney movie. Family meaning no one is left behind is both an temporal principle and an eternal principle. Here on earth we should cherish our families. No one should be left behind. Families are ordained of God and should be treated that way. They are the most important social unit we have here on the earth. But most imortantly families are eternal. God didn't just intend for us to be with our families here on earth. We can be with them for eternity but here is only one way, being sealed in the temple of God. When the priesthood way restored through the prophet Joseph Smith that also restored the ability to seal families for time and eternity. Marriages were not meant to be until death do us part. That is a planned divorce. God wants us to be with our husband or wife forever and so should we.

http://lds.about.com/b/a/257357.htm

This link is The Family:A Proclamation to the world  . It is the testimonies of Apostles and Prophets in the latter-days. Explaning why and how we can become eternal families. After you read this take a look at your family and think about how badly you want to be with them forever. If you want it badly enough, you can have it.

While we are sleeping

While we were sleeping. Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and USA. When is what really matters most, going to matter to people? As a world, all together, we are sleeping. Not sleeping physically but spiritually. The Savior of the world is being pushed aside. I wish so much that we could wake up and let him be the biggest part of our lives. Put the Lord first and everything else will fall into place. That's a promise I'm not afraid to make to anyone. Jesus Christ lives and is the Son of the living God. I bear witness that he is the Christ and we need to stop sleeping and pay attention to what is right.