How have I applied courage in my life?

Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

this post should take approximately three minutes to read from start to finish. 

I have asked myself "How have I applied courage in my life?" many times throughout my life. It gets me thinking about how many times hat I have applied courage throughout my life. I would like to share some of those examples about how I have applied courage throughout my life. 

~ I have applied courage by sharing the gospel with some of my non-member friends while I was in High School. I knew that I can trust those friends because I am glad that those friends did not judge me for who I am, I am glad that they have always done their best to not swear when I was around them at lunch breaks, I am glad that they did not peer pressure me into swearing and God's name in vain, I am glad that they did not peer pressure me to go to their parties that always involves of drinking alcohol, and several of my friends really wanted to know what I have learned at church on Sunday. 

~ I have applied courage by saying "no" to a few non-member guy friends who have asked me to go on dates with them before I turned sixteen years old. I kept reminding myself that I have always wanted to date after I turned sixteen years old, whenever I felt ready to commit to go on dates, to go on date with guys who are church members of the same religion as me and who has high standards. 

~ I have applied courage to not let myself down for being born and still have bilateral hip dysplasia (in other words both of my hips are out of socket). I know that I have been teased when I was in school because of me having that condition. 

I am aware of having that condition throughout my life thus far has come with several limitations; such as it makes me feel uncomfortable for sitting down and standing up long periods of time, repetitive heavy lifting, and so forth. I always keep myself positive of having that condition because I know that it does not stop me from having children in the future, it does not stop me driving a car, it did not stop me from doing most sports in school, and so forth. 

"Take courage. Have faith. And believe in 
the promises of God." - Evan A Schmulz.

~ I have applied courage by leaving Australia which means leaving my family, my extended relatives, and most of my friends behind to move over here to Texas, United States towards end of July 2019 when I was twenty-three years old. 

Prior to meeting Jacob for the first time online and in person in Utah, I told myself that I did not ever imagine myself to be fully committed and actually move away from my home country to live in a different country.

~ I have applied courage to be fully committed into my marriage. I have learned so much during my marriage so far, and I know that Jacob and I want our marriage to last a very long time. 

I also know that Jacob and I do want to make it through this life together as married couple while we are still alive and throughout eternities. It takes a lot of patience with one another, a lot of understandings, a lot of supporting each other, a lot of caring each other, and so forth. 

Stay Tuned until next time.

"Be Strong and of Good Courage" ~ Part Two

  Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

this post should take approximately five minutes to read from start to finish.

This post focuses on BYU (Brigham Young University) Devotional in June 2008, and it is called "Be Strong and of Good Courage" by Elder Donald L. Staheli. This post is part two, and I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the Devotional.

Elder Staheli has mentioned the following; "... Equally important in our pursuit of happiness and a secure testimony is the daily habit of reading and pondering the scriptures. The busier life becomes, the more difficult it is to stay connected to this important part of our spiritual growth. Yet making the scriptures a part of your daily life is another foundation stone of your testimony.

King Benjamin sternly admonished his people, “If you believe all these things see that ye do them” (Mosiah 4:10). Living to be worthy of the Spirit and then responding to its promptings is an essential ingredient to a strong and vibrant testimony. To be worthy of the Spirit embodies the bottom line of obedient living. To truly accomplish this is the quest of a lifetime.

... The important point is that Nephi had made the decision as to how he was going to respond to the Lord’s commandments. From that point forward he was steadfast. I suspect Satan worked on him, just as he does each of us today, yet the scriptures indicate that Satan was totally unsuccessful in affecting Nephi’s decision to do the Lord’s will. ... Great blessings come to those who follow Nephi’s example.

Understanding and responding to the principle of obedience has singular importance in preparing us for success and eternal happiness. As the Lord promised Joshua, He “will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” as long as you are striving daily to obey His commandments. ... The same is true of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

It gives us agency and ample freedom of choices, but the ultimate success of those choices depends on our diligence in keeping the commandments and covenants we have made with the Lord. As you pursue your educational goals, it is essential that you keep focused on your spiritual commitments. 

The challenge with most of us is the tendency to become casual or to lose focus on those non-negotiable or non-compromising commandments from which promised blessings flow. ... Satan works constantly on this principle of blurring our focus relating to gospel principles. 

He seductively encourages our casualness by helping us feel secure that “this won’t matter” or “that won’t taint my mind.” This is especially true as he casually leads young people down the slippery slope of immorality. I believe Satan has a dominant influence on the media - television, movies, and the Internet. 

Each becomes seductive in its own way. ... It is clear that frequent exposure tends to legitimize that which we see and hear. It dulls our sense of conscience between the acceptable and unacceptable. It is Satan’s way of leading you down the slippery slope toward immoral thoughts and actions.

And those parts of the Internet that move you into pornography serve as the devil’s trump card. It only takes a few viewings of pornography and he has you hooked. Then he begins to work his evil power, because what you have seen and heard becomes paramount in your thought processes. And the more you see, the more addicted you become.

You young people, especially you young men, have become Satan’s target audience. ... Pornography can become one of the most destructive elements of your marriage. We plead with any of you who are in any way involved in pornography to see your bishop so that he can help you find your way out of the cesspool of filth that is designed to destroy you.

Be careful that you don’t let Satan use his influence to control your thoughts and actions, and ultimately your future. When you are able to recognize and overcome any personal irritants you may have toward certain principles of obedience, you will feel God endowing you with the power of the Spirit to resist the inappropriate things of the world that Satan would have you enjoy.

When we are able to declare as the people did to King Benjamin that there has been “a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually” (Mosiah 5:2), then we will be well on the road to success and eternal happiness.

The companionship of the Spirit and the strength of your testimonies will depend on daily nurturing of your faith, praying, studying the scriptures, and obeying the commandments. As you do so, you will be moving toward achieving the spiritual and temporal blessings the Lord has in store for you.

... The Lord wants each of you to find joy and happiness and success in your professional and vocational pursuits. But He wants you to do it in a way that your ambitions for success do not supersede your priority for living gospel principles.

"Decisions are constantly before us, to make
them wisely, COURAGE IS NEEDED."
- Thomas S. Monson.

President Thomas S. Monson painted the picture as follows: “We have been provided divine attributes to guide our journey. We enter mortality not to float with the moving currents of life, but with the power to think, to reason, and to achieve” (“Invitation to Exaltation,” Ensign, June 1993, 5).

These are the years when you must take responsibility for who you now are and what you want to become. Think carefully about where you are. Remember, education is the key to the door of opportunity. The Savior’s parable of the talents is so applicable to you at this stage in your lives. 

Jesus knows there are differences between you intellectually, emotionally, and physically. Therefore He only expects you to magnify and develop whatever talents and abilities you have. But He expects you to be accountable for your actions in so doing. 

He will not measure your progress against others. He does not grade on the curve! Rather He blesses you for what you are doing to magnify whatever gifts and talents you have been given. ... Take control of your actions and prepare to succeed at whatever you are capable of doing.

... This is also a time in your life when counsel from others can help you decide what you should be doing that will move you toward achieving your full potential. ... As you recall, the Lord counseled Joshua to “be strong and of a good courage” as he took on his new responsibilities. That same counsel applies to you as you prepare to pursue careers that will take you to different parts of the world.

Periodically you will be placed in situations that will require you to “be strong and of a good courage” in order to stay true and faithful to gospel principles. ... Worldly standards will always be in a state of flux. The only true and unchanging standards are those set by the Savior and His teachings and principles of the restored gospel.

... Yet, with a few exceptions, once people understood our principles and standards and our desire to stay true to them, they respected us for them. As you have the courage to be true to your beliefs, your exemplary conduct will not go unnoticed. 

While you will be tried and tested, your faithful adherence to the Lord’s standards will be seen as a beacon in the night to those around you. ... President Hinckley is an impeccable example of courageous leadership. He is steadfast and true to principle and courageously forthright in his convictions. 

Yet with unwavering courage he has the ability to express his commitments to gospel principles in clear but acceptable terms to those not of our faith. Hopefully his example will help you to “be strong and of a good courage” when pushed to compromise your standards. You will be respected for your integrity. 

And if occasionally you are not, you need not worry, because that is not the kind of association you will want or need in your future. “As the finest generation in the history of the Church,” much is expected of you (Gordon B. Hinckley, CR, April 1992, 96; or “A Chosen Generation,” Ensign, May 1992, 69). 

And we have confidence you will live up to those expectations. ... As you keep His commandments and follow the counsel of the prophets and your leaders, He will be there to guide you through the challenges that lie ahead. He “will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” ..."

If you would like to read the whole Devotional, here is the link below.

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/donald-l-staheli/strong-good-courage/

Stay Tuned until next time. 

“Be Strong and of Good Courage” ~ Part One

 Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

this post should take three minutes to five minutes to read from start to finish.

This post focuses on BYU (Brigham Young University) Devotional in June 2008, and it is called "Be Strong and of Good Courage" by Elder Donald L. Staheli. This post is part one, and I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the Devotional.

Elder Staheli has mentioned the following; "... The Lord’s hand has truly been in our lives. But with these blessings have come tests and challenges just as most of you periodically experience and will continue to experience in the years ahead.

This is a special time in your life when choices are made and patterns and habits are formed that will have a major impact on who you will become. ... Some of you know exactly what you want to do with your life. Others are still pondering and discovering opportunities for the future. 

In either case, it is essential to your future success and happiness that you keep your minds and your hearts open to the promptings of the Spirit. As you live to be worthy of those spiritual promptings, the Lord has promised that He will be with you.

... As you acknowledge that the Lord “will not fail thee,” as long as you are obedient to His teachings, then I would ask, Are you happy with the present conduct of your life? What changes or course corrections should you make in order to take full advantage of your daily opportunities for learning and personal spiritual growth?

Now is the time to set the course for what you want to be five or 10 years or even 50 years from now. During our few minutes together today, it would be my prayer that something might be said or felt that will help you crystallize your thoughts as to who you are and what you have the potential to become.

It has been said that one of the greatest tragedies of our time is that so many people live so far below their potential. ... President Gordon B. Hinckley continually counsels, “Do your best.” And then he has added: “But I want to emphasize that it be the very best. 

"Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision."
- Winston S. Churchill.

We are too prone to be satisfied with mediocre performance. We are capable of doing so much better” (“Standing Strong and Immovable,” World Leadership Training Meeting, 10 January 2004 [Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2004], 21).

The late Elder Neal A. Maxwell said it another way: “The Lord loves each of us too much to merely let us go on being what we now are, for he knows what we have the possibility to become!” (“In Him All Things Hold Together,” BYU 1990–91 Devotional and Fireside Speeches [Provo: BYU, 1991], 107).

... As you further refine your plans for the future, you will not only find success in a temporal sense but you will be moving toward achieving a relationship with your Father in Heaven and Savior that prepares you for an eternal relationship in the celestial kingdom.

First and foremost in your pursuit is the development and nurturing of a strong personal testimony. 

I assume that each of you has a basic testimony of the gospel. Some periodically struggle. Many are strong as you have returned from missions or have focused on prayer and study that have brought you to an undeniable testimony of the truth. ... Hopefully you feel that your testimony is vibrant and growing stronger each day. 

... I would suspect that many of you are being challenged by the “things of the world” with which you periodically deal. I am referring to the daily bombardment of worldly messages and enticements from the media of TV, movies, and the Internet that tend to tempt or distract you from keeping your testimony strong and staying completely true to gospel principles and covenants. Certain kinds of peer pressures can also be challenging.

... Just claiming to know the gospel is true is not always enough. ... I cannot think of a greater loss to anyone than the loss of the promptings of the Spirit. Our testimonies grow through faith, prayer, scripture study, and obedience to the commandments. The daily exercise and nurturing of these principles is key to a strong and resilient testimony and commitment to gospel principles. Let me comment on each of these principles.

President Gordon B. Hinckley speaks often about our need for faith. ... President Gordon B. Hinckley frequently encourages us to have “the kind of faith that moves one to get on his knees and plead with the Lord and then get on his feet and go to work” (“God Shall Give unto You Knowledge by His Holy Spirit,” Speeches of the Year, 1973 [Provo: BYU, 1974], 109; see also TGBH, 186).

... As we follow his counsel, our testimonies and our commitments to make right choices will grow. When I reflect on my youth and the initial development of my testimony, I realize nothing had a greater impact on its development than the faith of my mother and father and their daily application of that faith in their prayers. 

The Lord responded to their faith and prayers, and as children we witnessed the hand of the Lord in our family. We came to know the meaning of what Moroni meant when he said: “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” (Ether 12:6).

The faith of our family was tried time and again. And, periodically, special spiritual experiences too tender to tell followed. I bear testimony that the Lord does hear and answer prayers - prayers from the hearts of His faithful children. When your lives become crowded with other activities, it is easy to periodically skip a prayer or to use an abbreviated version of your prayers. 

Don’t shortchange the Lord on your prayers. Nothing you will do during any day of your life will be more important to your temporal success or your eternal progress than consistent, humble, sincere prayers offered at least morning and night of every day."

Stay Tuned until next time.