Strength of the Spirit

 Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

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

The post focuses on April 1974 General Conference talk, and it is called "Strength of the Spirit" by Elder Joseph Anderson. I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the talk, and I hope that you would be able to learn something new while reading through this post. 

Elder Anderson has mentioned the following; "... It would seem of the utmost importance that thinking people everywhere should conscientiously reflect upon their spiritual assets. Man is a dual being, spiritual and physical. Whether it be an individual or a nation, he or it cannot achieve permanent success or happiness without spirituality. 

Paul said: “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:6.) There is a constant battle between the things of the flesh and the things of God the desire for peace and the attractions of the flesh. It is also a well-known fact that in times of prosperity man is often tempted to forget God, but in days of trial and sorrow he prays unto the Lord that his countenance may smile upon him and that the Lord will remember him in the days of his affliction. 

... We need to return to a faith in God and a determination to serve him. ... We are living in an important time in the history of mankind and in the history of the Church. People are confused. There was a time when they were willing to accept the word of their ministers and religious advisers, but that time is changing. 

... We are living in a time of unrest, or fear, in many respects. Men with money are in doubt as to how they should invest it so that it may be safe. Parents of children are concerned as to where their children are and what they are thinking and doing. 

Men and women of religious faith are seeking a church, a doctrine that will satisfy their longing and their desire to find a religion that will satisfy their yearning. ... We cannot expect permanent peace, nor will it come until such time as the hearts of men are turned to peace, and men will not have peace in their hearts until they no longer permit selfishness to be their ruling power. 

... Man must love God and his neighbor as himself. Man the world o’er must recognize that we are all the children of God, truly brothers and sisters, before peace in the true sense will prevail upon the earth. The following is an excerpt from President McKay’s remarks at the Christmas program in the Church Office Building, December 22, 1961: 

“Jesus taught that God-like character is not a thing of favor or chance, it is a natural result of continued effort and right thinking, the effect of long cherished association with God-like thoughts. … That man is not at peace who is untrue to the whisperings of Christ and the promptings of his conscience. 

He cannot be at peace when he is untrue to his better self, when he transgresses the law of righteousness in any way, either in dealing with himself or indulging his passions, his appetites, yielding in any way to the temptations of the flesh, or whether he is untrue to a trust imposed upon him, transgressing the law of righteousness in dealing with his fellowmen. 

... Peace is to the individual that he may be at peace with his God, perfect harmony existing between himself and law, the righteous laws to which he is subject and from which he can never escape. … Life is a struggle, really a struggle to gain mastery over these tendencies, ...”

"being deeply loved gives you STRENGTH;
loving deeply gives you COURAGE." - Lao Tzu 

No one can have complete peace in his heart who shuts out of his heart and soul, by harboring immoral thoughts or indulging in improper conduct, those thoughts and actions that pertain to a godlike life. 

... The commandments which have been given by the Lord to his prophets in this dispensation pertain to eternal truth and set forth the mind and will of the Lord to his people in this day and age, which is the dispensation of the fulness of times, preparing a people to be worthy to meet the Lord when he shall come again in power and in glory. 

There are those who would desire to destroy this great nation and its liberties for which our forefathers struggled and fought and bled, ... They seriously question God’s revealed word and seem to have no desire for or interest in matters pertaining to the Spirit, which are of an eternal nature.

The Lord has revealed to us in our time a life-shaping purpose in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It is given to us to bless mankind. It is our responsibility to carry its message, the message of salvation and exaltation, the message of freedom and happiness, to all mankind, that none may be left without excuse. 

... While it is only natural and proper that we should desire and seek those things of a temporal nature that tend to make mortal life wholesome and pleasurable, it is of the utmost importance that we keep in mind the great purpose of life, which is to prepare us for eternal life - the salvation and exaltation of the souls of God’s children.

... There is no greater service in which we can be engaged than that of helping our fellowmen and ourselves to attain the glorious salvation which is dependent upon obedience to the principles of righteousness which he has revealed.

... Our lives consist of this act and that act, this experience and that, one accomplishment after another. But if we are to accomplish the great purpose of our earth life, we must have power to resist the forces of the evil one; we must overcome the weaknesses of the flesh; we must distinguish between the physical desires and the spiritual strength, which latter provides the cement that makes possible the accomplishment of life’s purposes and goal.

And what is that life-giving purpose, that goal toward which we should all be striving? ... It is, of course, necessary that we have the physical necessities of life. It is natural that we should want the things that make life, physical life, desirable and pleasurable. 

But if in obtaining such things we neglect those things that are of eternal worth, the spiritual part of life, ... We have failed to recognize the eternal purpose of our existence. We have neglected the cement which is necessary if we are to build a life that will make our calling and election sure—yes, eternal life in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

Again may I say it is of the utmost importance that people everywhere reflect upon their spiritual assets and spiritual strength, thus preparing themselves for eternal life in the kingdom of our Heavenly Father. ..."

If you would like to read the whole talk either now or in your own time, here is the link below.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1974/04/strength-of-the-spirit

Stay Tuned until next time.

Developing Inner Strength

 Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

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

This post focuses on April 2002 General Conference talk, and it is called "Developing Inner Strength" by Sister Ellen W. Smoot. I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the talk, and I hope that you would able to learn something new. 

Sister Smoot has mentioned the following; " ... In the blessing President Gordon B. Hinckley gave me when I was set apart, he spoke of the service the Relief Society can render. He said, “This is a tremendous organization, perhaps the largest and oldest of its kind in all the world. 

Its mission is to do good and to help those in distress and need, to bring about the processes of education, good homemaking, and other skills, into the lives of women throughout the world.” We have as our guides the Relief Society declaration; home, family, and personal enrichment meetings; and the visiting teaching program.

These tools have been carefully evaluated and are now in place to help sisters expand their inner strength through service and unity. ... How do you and I become so converted to the truth, so full of faith, so dependent on God that we are able to meet trials and even be strengthened by them?

It does not take much living to find out that life almost never turns out the way you planned it. Adversity and affliction come to everyone. Do you know anyone who would not like to change something about themselves or their circumstances? 

And yet I am sure you know many who go forward with faith. You are drawn to those people, inspired by them, and even strengthened by their examples. ... The declaration reminds us of who we really are and why we do the things we do. The more we live by its precepts, the more inner strength we will have. 

... Fasting, prayer, and scripture study impact our relationship with the Savior. I would like to highlight two more ways we can develop inner strength:

"Your inner strength is your outer
foundation." - Alan Rufus.

Service

When we are truly converted, our focus shifts from self to others. We can find inner strength through service. Nothing would please the adversary more than for us to be distracted by selfish concerns and appetites. But we know better. Service will help us to stay on course.

... Sisters, take a close look at the suggested topics for home, family, and personal enrichment meeting and find ways to build spiritual strength, develop personal skills, strengthen the home and family, and provide gospel service. By so doing, we will become less preoccupied with our problems and more dependent on God.

Unity

Another way we can develop inner strength is by striving for unity in our families, stakes, wards, and presidencies. The Lord Himself taught, “If ye are not one ye are not mine.” Unity of purpose, thought, and feeling are exalting qualities. 

When we can put aside our differences and value each others’ strengths, great things happen. The Prophet Joseph Smith admonished, “Don’t be limited in your views with regard to your neighbor’s virtue. … ” Such generosity of spirit invites greater unity. I have visited stakes and wards that are united. 

The auxiliary presidencies are supporting each other and coordinating their efforts; they are sustaining their priesthood leaders and together striving to bring families to Christ. As the kingdom of God rolls forth, we must unite our efforts in saving souls. As a Relief Society general presidency we are grateful for the new emphasis in visiting teaching. 

The new messages invite sisters to read from their scriptures and from the teachings of the First Presidency and other General Authorities about a principle of the gospel. Sisters are then encouraged to share insights and experiences about how living the principle has blessed their lives.

Sisters, if you will follow this format, you will feel more unity with your companion and with those you teach. You will be strengthened spiritually. No matter our circumstances, who of us can afford to waste our life in front of the mirrors of self-pity and discouragement? 

Yes, as the Apostle Paul admonished, we all need to “examine ourselves” from time to time. We all need to repent, to recognize weaknesses, and more fully come unto Christ. ... But as we do, we will discover God-given strengths that we may not have otherwise known.

President Joseph F. Smith spoke with great feeling of the inner strength of pioneer women. He said: “Death was nothing to them. Hardship was nothing. Cold or rain, or heat, was nothing to them. ... the truth that the Lord had given to them.” ... I am here today to witness to you that such women are all around the world in the Relief Societies of the Church. 

I am grateful beyond measure for the opportunity that is mine to see these women in our time who have “waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth.” With all my heart, I know that the Lord can “make weak things become strong.”... I know that each of us can mirror the Savior by the way we choose to live our lives."

If you would like to read the whole talk either now or in your own time, here is the link below.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2002/04/developing-inner-strength

Stay Tuned until next time.

A Season for Strength

  Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

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

This post focuses on October 1983 General Conference talk, and it is called "A Season for Strength" by Sister Barbara B. Smith. I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the talk.

Sister Smith has mentioned the following; 

"... Although our ages, and stages in life, and circumstances create different challenges, the scriptural words of the beautiful hymn the choir has just sung should be the statement for all of us young and older “The Lord is the strength of my life.” (Ps. 27:1.)

I hope that through this message we will have manifested and affirmed in our hearts the reality that the principles of the gospel are timeless and timely and that eternal truths supply precise answers for our present need. Such needs are notable in their diversity and demanding in their urgency, but in groping for answers we sometimes overlook the evident. 

... When the Lord restored the gospel to the earth in its fulness and purity, he also organized the Church as a means to turn precepts into living principles, to help believers become Saints. And become Saints they did when, as converts, they were drawn by their compelling faith to put precept to the test; and in the strength of the Lord they saw goals achieved, hopes realized, and their own strength grow. 

... While the demands made upon women in pioneer days may seem to be of more heroic proportions than those commonly faced by women today, in a sense we share the whole range of problems - disease, divorce, drugs, death, immorality, economic insecurity, abuse, loneliness, depression, single parenthood and on and on problems with which women have always struggled and with which they must now contend.

We are in a time when the swift changes of our social structure are thrusting enormous challenges upon us. We must remember that the work of women is important and still must be done. The spirit children of God must have the experience of mortality, and that means babies must be wanted, nurtured, loved, and cared for. The Lord has given women a primary responsibility in the establishment of good homes and well-cared-for families. No matter what the challenges are, we must find ways to accomplish this life-giving and eternal work. “Good family life is never an accident; it is always an achievement.”

"With the new day comes NEW STRENGTH and
new thoughts." - Eleanor Roosevelt.

... Our lives require discipline, coping without compromise, conversion of precepts into living principles that will make us saintly. We can see examples about us today. ... Even as the Lord organized the Church, we who have the gospel need to organize our lives to do what has to be done, to become “doers of the word” (James 1:22), and in the doing to come to know strength in the Lord. 

That strength comes when we prepare for his blessings, recognize them, and use his gifts to make his ways our ways. ... By looking closely, we can find in that single incident in Church history some of the gifts God has given to strengthen Latter-day Saint women: revealed truth, priesthood leadership, individual talents, and opportunities for service. 

These are available to every woman and can give us the power to triumph over the most difficult circumstances and move forward in strength. ... In a very real sense, when Joseph Smith knelt in the Sacred Grove and asked his question, it was for each of us. The answer he received provides a sure foundation of fundamental truths upon which we should structure our lives. He also demonstrated that through personal prayer eternal truths answer individual needs. 

Heavenly power can help us understand and relate the timeless to our immediate concerns. Whatever your circumstances, this can be your season of strength, because one of the most compelling concepts in the gospel is that the Savior will come again. ... We must live with constant anticipation of his coming. 

Being ready to receive him is the position of our greatest strength. ... Let it cause us to read the Savior’s words, to search our hearts, and to try to live every principle of righteousness he taught. This will require us to love as he loves. Then, we are told, when he comes we shall know him, for we shall be like him. (See 1 Jn. 3:2.) ..."

If you would like to read the whole talk either now or in your own time, here is the link below.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1983/10/a-season-for-strength

Stay Tuned until next time.

Faith Still Precedes the Miracle ~ Part Two

 Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

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

This post focuses on BYU (Brigham Young University) Devotional in October 2019, and it is called "Faith Still Precedes the Miracle" by Brother Mark Pace. This post is part two, and I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the Devotional. 

Brother Pace has mentioned the following; "Pattern Number 1: Following the Lord’s Living Prophet

... Brother Walker was born in England in 1832. ... On Sunday, October 19, 1862, at the end of Sabbath meetings, Charles heard his name read among a list of 250 others who had been called to help settle the “Cotton Country” in southwestern Utah.

Brother Walker wrote in his journal that evening: Obedience [is] a great principle in heaven and on earth. Well, here I have worked for the last 7 years through heat and cold, hunger and adverse circumstances, and at last have got me a home, a lot with fruit trees just beginning to bear [that] look pretty. 

Well, I must leave it and go and do the will of my Father in Heaven, who overrules all for the good of them that love and fear him, and I pray God to give me strength to accomplish that which is required of me in an acceptable manner before him. 

On November 13, only twenty-five days after having received his call, Charles Walker and his wife left Salt Lake City and began their journey to what we now know as St. George. 

In his journal he wrote: This was the hardest trial I ever had, and had it not been for the gospel and those that were placed over me, I should never [have] moved a foot to go on such a trip, but then I came here not to do my will but the will of those that are over me, and I know it will all be right if I do right.

... Charles Walker put his trust in God, and he was blessed. He remained faithful to his call from the prophet all his days. ...The faithfulness of Charles Walker preceded the miracle of a righteous posterity. Your faith in following the living prophet throughout your lives will have the same result. The faith to follow the living prophet still precedes the miracle.

Pattern Number 2: Attending Our Sunday Meetings

To illustrate this pattern of faith, I would like to share the story of the Merchan family from the Barcelona Spain Stake. ... Contemplate the price Brother and Sister Merchan were willing to pay to establish faith and conversion in their lives and in the lives of their children. They exercised their faith and left the miracle in the hands of the Lord.

So what miracles were made possible through their faith?

... Brother and Sister Merchan have remained firm and steadfast in their testimonies of the Lord Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. They hold current temple recommends. Bryan, their son, served a full-time mission. He attends the ward in Granollers and has a calling in the Church and a current temple recommend.

Carol, their daughter, was married in the Madrid temple. She also lives in Granollers and attends the ward there. She also has a current temple recommend. Now it is not likely that you and I will be required to make an eleven-hour sacrifice to attend our Sunday meetings. 

But we might ask ourselves what price we are willing to pay for the conversion of ourselves and our posterity. That blessing will come as we exercise the faith to ­partake of the sacrament weekly. The faith to attend our Sunday meetings still ­precedes the miracle.

"My dear friends, examples of faith are not confined solely
to the scriptures. Great faith was also demonstrated by Saints
early in this dispensation. And it is clearly evident in our fellow
Saints with whom we live day to day."

Pattern Number 3: Participating in Home-Centered Gospel Learning

At the beginning of the October 2018 general conference, President Russell M. Nelson said: The adversary is increasing his attacks on faith and upon us and our families at an exponential rate. To survive spiritually, we need counter strategies and proactive plans.

Then, approximately twenty-nine hours later, on Sunday afternoon, he closed the conference with this promise: As you diligently work to remodel your home into a ­center of gospel learning, . . . the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease.

How can the attacks of the adversary be increasing exponentially while at the same time the influence of the adversary is actually decreasing? That is the promise and the blessing from the Lord’s living prophet. The Come, Follow Me resource is the Lord’s counter strategy and proactive plan. 

As President Nelson taught, “The new home-centered, Church-supported integrated curriculum has the potential to unleash the power of families.” However, it does and will require our best efforts. We need to follow “through conscientiously and carefully to transform [our] home into a sanctuary of faith.”

In the April 2019 general conference, Elder David A. Bednar said: Making our homes sanctuaries wherein we can “stand in holy places” is essential in these latter days. And as important as home-centered and Church-supported learning is for our spiritual strength and protection today, it will be even more vital in the future.

Studying the scriptures with the Come, Follow Me resource as our guide ... Our act of faith in studying the scriptures daily protects us and our families from the influence of the adversary. The faith to study the gospel in our home still ­precedes the miracle.

Pattern Number 4: Paying Tithes and Offerings

... Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

... We pay our tithing because we have faith, not because we have money. Like all acts of faith, paying tithing leads to miracles. ... The day will come, if it hasn’t come already, when your faith regarding tithing will be tested. Perhaps you will have some financial challenges, and you might wonder if you can pay your tithing and also meet your other financial commitments. 

The adversary will tempt you to put off the payment of tithing. That will be the moment when you show the Lord, and yourself, who you really are. ... The blessings promised by Malachi in the Old Testament are still received today. We can show our faith by always being current in the payment of our tithes and offerings. 

The faith to pay our tithes and offerings still precedes the miracle.

Pattern Number 5: Attending the Temple

During the same general conference in which he warned of the exponential increase in the assaults of the adversary, President Russell M. Nelson shared an additional counter strategy and proactive plan to protect us: spending more time in the temple: Our time in the temple is crucial to our salvation and exaltation and to that of our families.

... Each one of us needs the ongoing spiritual strengthening and tutoring that is possible only in the house of the Lord. ... Our need to be in the temple on a regular basis has never been greater. I plead with you to take a prayerful look at how you spend your time. Invest time in your future and in that of your family. 

If you have reasonable access to a temple, I urge you to find a way to make an appointment regularly with the Lord to be in His holy house then keep that appointment with exactness and joy. I promise you that the Lord will bring the miracles He knows you need as you make sacrifices to serve and worship in His temples.

... Now I am not suggesting that the Lord expects you to attend the temple every week, nor am I saying that doing so will mean you will be blessed with more children. What I am saying is that miracles come only after we exercise faith. I am saying that a love for the temple and sensitivity to the Spirit there comes from being in the temple.

These blessings do not come by reading about the temple or thinking about the temple. They come from being in the temple. As you exercise your faith to, in President Nelson’s words, “make an appointment regularly with the Lord to be in His holy house then keep that appointment with exactness and joy,” you will discover similar miracles in your lives. The faith to attend the temple still precedes the miracle.

A Great Strength to the Lord’s Work

My dear brothers and sisters, I commend you for the goodness of your lives and your devotion to the Savior and His gospel. How noble you are and how valuable is your contribution. You are and will continue to be a great strength to the Lord’s work.

I encourage you to establish now these patterns of faith that will bring miracles and blessings to you and your posterity:

1. Following the Lord’s living prophet 2. Attending our Sunday meetings

3. Participating in home-centered gospel learning

4. Paying tithes and offerings

5. Attending the temple

I pray the Lord’s blessings upon you. May you establish patterns of faith now that will precede the miracles you need in your life, because faith still precedes the miracle."

If you would like to read the whole Devotional either now or in your own time, here is the link below.

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/mark-l-pace/faith-still-precedes-miracle/

Stay tuned until next time.

Faith Still Precedes the Miracle ~ 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 October 2019, and it is called "Faith Still Precedes the Miracle" by Brother Mark Pace. This post is part one, and I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the Devotional. 

Brother Pace has mentioned the following; "... So I share with you that request from the prophet of God and thank you for your personal efforts this year in reading the New Testament. You may not realize this, but by accepting and acting on the prophet’s invitation, you are strengthening the Church. How? 

As you study the scriptures throughout the week, you welcome the Holy Ghost into your life. This increased influence of the Holy Ghost builds your faith in the Savior Jesus Christ and deepens your conversion. The collective strength of the conversion of each member is, in a very real way, the strength of the Church. ... The promptings of the Spirit have led me to talk of the importance of acting in faith and to remind you that faith still precedes the miracle.

Inspiring Discourses on Faith

In the Book of Mormon there is an absolute jewel in Ether 12. ... We learn from Moroni’s abridged record how the Jaredites were brought to the American continent and became a great civilization, with periods of righteousness and prosperity as well as periods of wickedness, war, and apostasy.

In Ether 12, Moroni recorded the continued slide of the Jaredites. They rejected the prophets, and the blessings of heaven were withdrawn. One prophet in particular, Ether, prophesied “great and marvelous things unto the people, which they did not believe, because they saw them not.”

And with that phrase “they did not believe, because they saw them not” - Moroni suddenly paused his historical narrative and launched into an inspiring discourse on faith. It was as if Moroni had just realized that faith could have been the antidote to the wickedness that led to the destruction of the Jaredite nation. 

If only they had been able to believe before seeing, maybe they would have repented and been spared. Of course Moroni knew that it was too late for the Jaredites, but he wasn’t writing to the Jaredites. He was writing to each of us, and it is not too late for us. Moroni wanted us to know that faith is the antidote to the wickedness of the world in which we live. 

"FAITH requires work." - Marcos A. Aidukaitis.

So Moroni took the opportunity to teach us that “by faith all things are fulfilled.” “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.” 

“if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them.” “neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith.” In other words, Moroni taught that faith precedes the miracle. He gave multiple examples in support of this truth. 

When Alma and Amulek were in prison and the walls tumbled to the earth, that miracle was preceded by their faith. When Ammon and Nephi and Lehi converted thousands of Lamanites, those miracles were preceded by faith. Even the appearance of Christ among the people could not have happened “until after they had faith in him.”

To Moroni’s list we could add another example. In Mosiah 24 we read of the great faith of the people of Alma, who were, at that time, in bondage to the Lamanites. The Lamanites persecuted them, forced them into hard labor, “and put task-masters over them.”

... And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage. Note again that the Lord did not say how He would deliver them, just that it would happen “on the morrow.” 

But that was enough for Alma and his people. They spent all night gathering “their flocks together,” preparing for their promised deliverance. And in the morning the Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon the Lamanites, yea, and all their task-masters were in a profound sleep. And Alma and his people departed into the wilderness.

It was a miracle, and it came after the people of Alma had submitted cheerfully and with patience, preparing all night long without knowing how the miracle would happen, only that God had promised that it would. You see, they didn’t need to see the miracle before they would believe it. That is faith, and faith still precedes the miracle.

Patterns of Faith

My dear friends, examples of faith are not confined solely to the scriptures. Great faith was also demonstrated by Saints early in this dispensation. And it is clearly evident among our fellow Saints with whom we live day to day. Your lives are full of such faith and devotion. I wish I could talk to each of you and hear about the patterns of faith that have brought you to this point in your life. Even though that isn’t possible, you can rest assured that your Father in Heaven knows of your faith and is blessing you accordingly.

I would like to suggest five patterns of faith that you can make a part of your day-to-day lives to demonstrate your faith in Jesus Christ and qualify you for the miracles that God has prepared for you:

1. Following the Lord’s living prophet 2. Attending our Sunday meetings

3. Participating in home-centered gospel learning

4. Paying tithes and offerings

5. Attending the temple"

Stay Tuned until next time.

How Can God Grant Us Faith?

Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

this post should take four minutes to seven minutes to read from start to finish. 

What are some ways that you can think of that God has grant us faith? What does "Faith" means to you? 

What does "Faith" means to a immediate relative? What does "Faith" means to a friend?

I know that Heavenly Father has shown me some ways of how he has grant me faith. I have been able to learn about what is faith, and how to apply faith in life. I can think of some great ways of how Heavenly Father grant me faith and those ways are the following;

Applying faith to believe in Heavenly Father, applying faith to trust in Heavenly Father, applying faith to trust in Heavenly Father's timing, applying faith for having trust into everything will work out even when some things does not work out straight away but continue to have faith for those things to work out eventually, and so forth. 

Anyways, this post focuses on a October 1983 General Conference talk, and it is called "God Grant Us Faith" by Elder Gordon B. Hinckley. I hope you would be able to learn something new while reading this post. 

Elder Hinckley has mentioned the following; 

"... I see the fruits of your faith, and I am grateful. I thank you for the energy you put into this work. I know that at times it feels burdensome. Some of it may appear unnecessary. But out of effort and labor comes strength, and out of service comes gladness. I thank you for your faith in the payment of your tithes and offerings. 

You are making possible the growth and strengthening of this work across the world. But you do not need thanks. Every man and woman who pays his or her honest tithing has a testimony of the blessings that come therefrom. He or she can bear witness that the Lord opens the windows of heaven and pours out blessings as he has promised. (See Mal. 3:10.)

I give you the assurance, my brothers and sisters, that the work is moving forward. Wherever it is established in more than eighty nations, it is growing in strength. The faith of the people is increasing, as reflected in their increased activity. The missionary work continues to flourish.

Our young men and women continue to leave their homes to go into the world to bear witness of the Savior and of the restoration of his eternal gospel in this the dispensation of the fulness of times. (See D&C 124:41.) The work of salvation for the dead, through the vast genealogical program of the Church and the selfless labor of love that goes on in the temples, is moving at a pace never previously known.

Our people are more faithful in attendance at their meetings, and since our last conference a very substantial number of them have had opportunity to demonstrate their love for neighbor as well as for God. ... Despite the increased needs to meet such disasters, as well as aggravated problems incident to the present economy, fast offering contributions have kept pace. Thank you for this marvelous expression of faith as you have gone without meals yourselves to help those in distress.

... In August we were in Samoa and Tonga for temple dedications. Again our hearts were lifted by the outpouring of the Christlike love we experienced and witnessed among the wonderful Saints of Polynesia. Through ancient prophets the Lord promised that in the latter days he would remember his people upon the isles of the sea. 

We have witnessed a marvelous fulfillment of these promises where today, among these loving and gracious people, we have scores of congregations, strong and flourishing schools to bless them with the benefits of education, and now beautiful temples of the Lord in which they may receive blessings to be found nowhere else.

... For those of us favored to attend these dedicatory services, there has come a great refreshing of our faith and an increased affection for our brethren and sisters who love the Lord and walk with loyalty to him and his commandments.

... The history of this Church is a history of the expression of such faith. It began with a farm boy in the year 1820 when he read that great promise set forth in the Epistle of James: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

"FAITH is a real power not just an
expression of belief." 
- Boyd K. Packer.

“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” (James 1:5–6.) It was faith, the simple faith of a fourteen-year-old boy, that took him into the woods that spring morning. It was faith that took him to his knees in pleading for understanding. 

The marvelous fruit of that faith was a vision glorious and beautiful, of which this great work is but the extended shadow. It was by faith that he kept himself worthy of the remarkable manifestations which followed in bringing to the earth the keys, the authority, the power to reestablish the Church of Jesus Christ in these latter days. 

It was by faith that this marvelous record of ancient peoples, this testament which we call the Book of Mormon, was brought forth by the gift and power of God “to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ.” 

It was by faith that a small band of early converts, notwithstanding the very powers of hell brought against them, strengthened and sustained one another, left home and family to spread the word, ... in their search for peace and freedom to worship God according to the dictates of conscience.

... With the conviction that faith without works is dead, they drained that swampland, they plotted a city, they built substantial homes and houses for worship and education and, crowning all, a magnificent temple, then the finest building in all of Illinois.

Again came persecution, with profane and murderous mobs. Their prophet was killed. Their dreams were shattered. Again it was by faith that they pulled themselves together under the pattern he had previously drawn and organized themselves for another exodus.

... It was by faith that Brigham Young looked over this valley, then hot and barren, and declared, “This is the place.” Again by faith, four days later, he touched his cane to the ground a few hundred feet east of where I stand and said, “Here will be the temple of our God.” 

The magnificent and sacred house of the Lord to the east of this Tabernacle is a testimony of faith, not only of the faith of those who built it but of the faith of those who now use it in a great selfless labor of love. Wrote Paul to the Hebrews, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1.) 

All of the great accomplishments of which I have spoken were once only “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” But with vision, with labor, and with confidence in the power of God working through them, they brought their faith to reality. Behind us is a glorious history. 

... It is the product of faith. Before us is a great future. It begins today. We cannot pause. We cannot slow down. We cannot slacken our pace or shorten our stride. ... Said they: “Our motives are not selfish; our purposes not petty and earth-bound; we contemplate the human race past, present, and yet to come as immortal beings, for whose salvation it is our mission to labor; and to this work, broad as eternity and deep as the love of God, we devote ourselves, now, and forever.” (The First Presidency, 26 March 1907.)

With faith we must go forward toward the fulfillment of that commitment. We must ever keep before us the big picture, while not neglecting the details. That large picture is a portrayal of the whole broad mission of the Church; but it is painted one brush stroke at a time through the lives of all members, the composite of whose activities becomes the Church at work.

Each of us, therefore, is important. Each is a brush stroke, as it were, on the mural of this vast panorama of the kingdom of God. If there are blanks, if there are distortions, if there are off-color areas, then the picture is defective to all who look upon it. Shall any of us say that with faith we cannot do better than we are now doing?

There is no obstacle too great, no challenge too difficult, that we cannot meet with faith. We live in a world where the standards of the gospel are challenged, where they are ridiculed, where sacred things are mocked. Shall we compromise? ...

In a more troubled day, the Lord said to Thomas B. Marsh: “Be patient in afflictions, revile not against those that revile. Govern your house in meekness, and be steadfast. … “Go your way whithersoever I will, and it shall be given you by the Comforter what you shall do and whither you shall go. …

“Be faithful unto the end, and lo, I am with you. These words are not of man nor of men, but of me, even Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, by the will of the Father.” (D&C 31:9, 11, 13.) Said the Savior to his disciples, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matt. 5:48.)

This is the commandment which is before us. Regrettably we have not reached perfection. We have a great distance to go. We must cultivate the faith to reform our lives, commencing where we are weak and moving on from there in our work of self-correction, thus gradually and consistently growing in strength to live more nearly as we should.

With faith we can rise above those negative elements in our lives which constantly pull us down. With effort we can develop the capacity to subdue those impulses which lead to degrading and evil actions. With faith we can school our appetites. We can reach out to those whose faith has grown cold and warm them by our own faith.

Let us never forget, my brethren and sisters, that each of us is a part of the whole and that what we do mars or beautifies the magnificent panorama of the kingdom of God. As our fathers labored in faith with a moving vision of the destiny of this work, even so can we. There is so much to be done, so much improvement to be made, but we can do it, walking in faith. ..."

If you would like to read the whole talk either now or in your own time, here is the link below.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1983/10/god-grant-us-faith

Stay Tuned until next time.

Choosing to Eat Wisely

Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

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

“What does it mean to you for eating wisely? What does it mean to a immediate relative for eating wisely? 

What does it mean to a friend for eating wisely? 

I am sure that all of us LOVES eating food, well who doesn’t love eating food? Food is so good but food can also be so harmful. Most people experience limitations of what they can actually eat without getting them sick because they have either food allergies or dietary needs or both of food allergies and dietary needs, or they’re expecting. 

For an example; I know that I have noticed a lot that I had several major symptoms of celiac disease as growing up. I did not say anything to my parents because I thought it was just a part of growing up and thought it was normal. 

I felt those celiac disease symptoms after eating my lunches at school when I went to school, and I always needing to go to go public toilets after eating fast foods. I have experienced bloating, very tired, headaches, abdominal pains, I did not grow tall in the height that I wanted to reach - I hate being short on some days, I did not gain much weight - I was weighing underweight when I was living in Australia, and so forth. 

By the time when I moved to a friend’s house, she cooked some dinner meals that was gluten free. She loves making dinner for me, herself and her Mom. I remembered on Sunday afternoons, she would always make my lunches and dinner. 

"EAT RIGHT. FEEL AMAZING."

Sometimes she would make my dinners while I was employed and busy with working, so I always came home with dinner that was already made for me. Whenever I have consumed the meals that my friend has made for me, my body didn’t felt like it was going to experience celiac disease. 

It helped me to make a decision to become partial celiac disease after moving away from her house. It helped me to get some ideas of what to make for lunch and dinner. I remembered whenever I came and visit my family for dinner, my body was feeling celiac symptoms again. 

It felt so bad. Eventually; I have moved away from Australia to United States, I have made the decision to become fully gluten free to ease my symptoms at all times as possible. I do not feel any symptoms of celiac disease symptoms at all, I do feel celiac disease symptoms whenever I consume any foods that are gluten over here.

I definitely do not see myself back to reality of having gluten foods again because I know my body would get celiac disease symptoms all over again. I don’t want to face that. I am glad that I have listened to my body eventually when I did because I feel so much healthier and better. 

Sometimes some people just make a decision one day to become vegetarian, it takes some commitment to get used to being vegetarian for days that turns into months that turns into years, and haven’t ever changed back to the life that they used to have before becoming a vegetarian. They still find some great ways of getting protein intake.

Sometimes we just make a decision that we should listen to our bodies more for what it needs. Sometimes we have some cravings because maybe our bodies is trying to tell us that we’re lacking of certain foods or vitamins to consume into our daily calories. 

We shouldn’t be needing to force anyone into our diets. Just because a diet works for you, doesn’t always work as effectively or well enough for someone else. You do what is best for YOU. 

Stay Tuned until next time.

Choosing Employment Wisely

  Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

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

Some jobs has area managers, regional managers, store managers, other managers, and employees. They all have expectations to meet to work as a team, and some jobs requires to be able to work independently. Whenever we have decided that we would want to get employment, we would look into any required prior similar job experiences, prior education, having a current drivers license, skills that we may have, and so forth. 

We also would look into if the job has a casual position or part time position or a full time position. Sometimes it doesn’t say what’s the position it is, just tells you of how many hours a week does the job requires. We also look into if our availability meets with the required some jobs are required days. 

Sometimes employers wants to have potential employees to be available to work during busy seasonal periods (such as Christmas Holidays), or/and on the weekends (including Sundays not only just Saturdays). Some jobs faces good customers and bad customers. 

I remembered when I was hired as a Delivery Expert/Delivery Driver at all Domino's stores that I was employed at, I needed to fulfill the following requirements. I needed to have a current driver's license in the same state as where the job was at. I would need to have a great understanding for what was my responsibilities are in the store and on the road, and the following is my responsibilities that I had to fulfill during all of my shifts. 

Assisting with customer service in store, Assisting with food preparation, and General cleaning duties while I was in store in between delivery to the next delivery. Delivering pizzas and other products to customers, Providing quality customer service at the door, Dealing with customer concerns, and Driving safely at all times for on the road. 

My dream job is to become a Professional Photographer and work full-time of running my own photography business in the future.  I always wanted to do photography. I remembered using my family’s camera to selfies and photos of other things. Eventually my parents decided to get me a first digital camera for Christmas. 

I already have taken some big steps in the past to help me to get started. I studied a Digital Photography degree and I graduated from the course when I was nineteen years old. 

I have current equipment for Photography. I had two years worth of photography experience by using Canon 600D for my first DSLR camera, then I upgraded to Canon 7D which has given me three years experience worth of photography experience for my second DSLR, and then I finally upgraded Canon 5D Mark IV for my third DSLR. I currently have my Canon 7D as a backup camera and I mostly use my Canon 5D Mark IV. 

I currently have been using two editing programs softwares on my laptop. I edit all photos on Lightroom and sometimes I use Photoshop for touch ups. I have a current several platforms for public access to see some of 

the photos that I have taken in the past. 

My website is www.meggygphotography.com My Instagram account is @meggyg_photography

My Facebook is Meggy G Photography -  www.Facebook.com/Meggygphotography

"There is no substitute for hard work." - Thomas Edison.

For becoming a photographer; 

- You would need to have some knowledge about Photography. Some photographers chooses to pay and study a course to be qualified as a Photographer (those courses can be Certificate IV of Digital Photography and Photo Imaging, Diploma of Digital Photography and Photo Imagining, Bachelor of Arts, and so forth) and some photographers chooses to study by themselves and watch some photography tutorials on Youtube. 

- You would need a reliable DSLR camera of your choice (Canon, Nikon, Sony, etc) with portrait lenses, and appropriate lenses (zoom lenses, low light settings, and so forth). I know it is expensive to purchase a brand new DSLR camera but you can always get second hand DSLR camera as long as it has reasonable remaining of the shutter life. 

- You would need a reliable laptop or a reliable desktop computer that you would be able to download the photography editing programs. Those programs are Lightroom and Photoshop from Adobe. It must be downloaded from Adobe website. Along with a laptop or desktop, I would recommend to purchase a 3TB or higher portable hard drive - storing all edited and unedited photos adds up and it would be big files, and you would not want to have a 16GB USB/Flash Drive when you do photography.  

- I would suggest that you would need to have a current driver's license and a car if you do have to plan to drive where for the location of where the sessions are. Even if you flew from one state to another state of your country for the session, I would suggest to have a car rental - it would be so much easier than relying on public transportation (sometimes public transportation may experience delays of getting to the locations). 

-  I would suggest for you to have a current passport if you have plan to fly to where for the location of where the sessions are. You would also need to plan to have travel insurance. 

- I would suggest to have a bank account, it is good to keep separate from your personal savings to from what you would earn from photography. I would suggest to set aside for emergency funds for any back up. 

- Have a understanding and act upon with how to legalize your photography business in your state and your country. It is always different wherever you go, but you do not want to get in trouble for not knowing how to do it. You do not want anyone to steal your business' name, you would want to earn any taxes after submitting taxes that you held from most sessions. 

Stay Tuned until next time.

Choosing Wisely with Friends

Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

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

Throughout our lives; I know that sometimes we may feel overwhelmed or uncomfortable when we meet and make new friends. We may feel so excited when we meet and make new friends. Sometimes we do not remind ourselves about what would be some of the risks that can happen when it comes with for being someone's friend. 

"No matter where you live in the world; choose your friends wisely, and don't choose friends who are likely to judge your circumstances." I strongly know that our friends should have no time to judge and criticize our circumstances no matter what we are currently going through, and we were going through in the past. 

We should be the same way. We should not have no time to judge and criticize our friends' circumstances no matter what they are currently going through, and what they were going through in the past. It is okay to be worried about friends' choices, but we should not allow their choices to impact our choices in our lives. 

"CHOOSE your friends WISELY."

Loving Instead of Judging; 

I know that I feel judged by some former friends in the past. I know those friends just assume a lot even when they do not have all information. 

We should not make any assumptions before knowing all the information. For an example; I know that I was not expecting to be diagnosed of having left side ovarian cyst to be size of 2.5cm within the first six months into my marriage. I have felt the judgement by others because they assumed for multiple reasons why I have been gaining some weight so quickly for the first six months into my marriage. 

They have assumed that I have gained some weight so quickly because 

1. I seemed to be feeling a lot happier ever since I gotten married to Jacob, therefore the causes would be because I AM MARRIED, 2. The foods and the drinks has more ingredients, and the foods over here is very unhealthy no matter what I eat, and 3. I looked like if I was more than three months pregnant, and asked me bunch of times if I was pregnant. 

We should not judge other people by their appearances or looks. For an example; I know that I got judged by others of the way that I look. I know that I do look differently, and I also know that I do walk differently than most people. I have bilateral hip dysplasia in other words, I have both hips that are out of socket. 

Some people do laugh at me, some people just do not ask what medical condition that I have for me to caused walking differently, and some people has assumed that I have scoliosis in the past. Both bilateral dysplasia and scoliosis are two different medical conditions. 

We should be communicating with kind and uplifting words.

For an example; it is always a good idea to communicate with kind and uplifting words. We all should know by now that if we do not say anything nice to say, then do not say it at all. We should not be hurting others' feelings by saying mean words.

I would like to share a portion of the "Friends" section from For The Strength of Youth pamphlet, and it states the following; "Everyone needs good and true friends. They will be a great strength and blessing to you. They will influence how you think and act, and even help determine the person you will become.

... Choose friends who share your values so you can strengthen and encourage each other in living high standards.

To have good friends, be a good friend. Show genuine interest in others; smile and let them know you care about them. Treat everyone with kindness and respect, and refrain from judging and criticizing those around you. 

Do not participate in any form of bullying. ... If your friends urge you to do things that are wrong, be the one to stand for the right, even if you stand alone. You may need to find other friends who will support you in keeping the commandments. ..." - Here is the link if you would like to read the whole section of "Friends" from For The Strength of Youth pamphlet online either now or in your own time. 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/for-the-strength-of-youth/friends

Stay Tuned until next time.

Pure Love ~ Part Two

Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

this post should take four minutes to seven minutes to read from start to finish.

This post focuses on a BYU (Brigham Young University) Devotional in March 1999, and it is called "Pure Love" by Brother Eugene H. Bramhall. This post is part two, and I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the Devotional. 

Brother Bramall has mentioned the following; 

"... It seems to me, however, that these accounts and one or two others demonstrate the essential point that our obligation to love ourselves and our neighbors is second only to our obligation to love God and that learning to love each other, to care for each other, is a learning process - the outcome of which is that we learn better to love God.

It seems to me that, in its ideal form, true love represents a perfecting process by which we learn to love well and truly and we develop the virtues of humility, charity, patience, judgment, selflessness, and a hundred other virtues that are recognized, polished, merged, and developed into a character able to withstand the refiner’s fire.

We start this process by loving God and then develop that love through service, sacrifice, gratitude, and giving. ...

Thus it seems to me that our Father in Heaven has given us the first and great commandment to love him with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength, and then he told us how to do that: by learning to love one another.

I will close these remarks with two more simple examples, one contemporary and the other drawn from an experience of about 50 years ago.

One morning as I met with the bishops of the BYU 13th Stake, over which I presided as president at the time, I was moved to talk of the lost sheep as described in the teachings of the Savior. I reminded this group of bishops that Jesus had spoken often of sheep as a metaphor for all of his children. 

At various times the Savior had told his apostles that “my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27), and he enjoined his apostles always to “feed my sheep” (John 21:16, 17; D&C 112:14). I told these men that in the Savior’s wonderful and moving sermon about the good Samaritan, he made it absolutely clear that we are all his sheep, even those who are despised and disregarded by others. 

I told them that in the Old Testament we are instructed in the clearest way possible that we are in fact our brother’s keeper, and I reminded them that Peter, following the Savior’s death and resurrection, had perceived “that God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34).

Thus I think the reference to “foreigners” in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is particularly important. In any event, on that particular Sunday morning, these bishops accepted my challenge to seek out those within their wards who needed special help and encouragement to find, in effect, the lost sheep among them.

Later that day, Christopher Germann, one of the younger bishops in the 13th Stake, was sitting in a regional conference next to a young woman who was sitting alone and who appeared unusually quiet and pensive. She looked just like you in your quiet moments. But there was something about her that drew his attention. 

She was not in his ward, and as he described the event to me later, he had hesitated to speak to her. He felt that he might be intruding on a particularly private moment. But the Spirit was powerful, and I still remember exactly his question to her: “How has your day been?”

She was surprised, but he introduced himself as a bishop, and she gratefully thanked him for asking, pouring her heart out to him in a way that reinforced the teachings of that morning. Now I will ask you whether you have someone to whom you might address the same question: “How has your day been?” 

And if someone asks you that question, are you ready to respond and to be moved by their spirit to another place in your life? I will tell you that right now there are many here who feel alone, frightened, and inadequate and who need the love and support that one or more of you can and should give. 

They need that special, careful, driven-by-the-Spirit attention that will bless both you as the giver and your new friend as well. Please reflect upon the experience of Bishop Germann as you remember this hour.

Finally, I will close by telling you of another young man whom I knew well, one whose spiritual life may well have been saved by three college students just like you. At the time they were strangers, but because they were willing to extend themselves, they became critical to the spiritual life of this young student. 

"PURE LOVE"

Here is the story: A young LDS student attended a large university in the western part of the United States. It was not his choice to do so, and he was very lonesome and very far from home, friends, and lifelong associations. Indeed, he did not know a soul, either at his university or, for that matter, in the entire state. Miserable, lonesome, and feeling lost, he invested himself in his schoolwork, ignoring his mother’s constant requests that he attend a local student ward.

Weeks went by, and then even a couple of months without any effort on his part at contacting the local LDS student group. His misery deepened, but he was no more inclined to attend church than he had been on that first Sunday. He was not doing anything wrong; it’s just that he was not doing anything really right, either. 

Today, if asked, he would tell you that his actions were unexplainable, though at the time they seemed absolutely natural. He was slowly dissolving in self-pity, and he would not let anyone or any influence change his life. And so it was late one Friday afternoon that Leo, Dean, and Skip knocked on his apartment door. 

Each was attending the same university, and each was involved in the local ward. They had come to invite this young miserable student to a ward outing. In the face of their unrelenting encouragement and remembering the gentle proddings of his mother, this young student finally consented to attend the ward outing, where, to his surprise, he had a good time in spite of himself.

He continued his activity in the ward, met the girl he would later marry, quickly found his spiritual roots again, formed lifetime friendships with Leo, Dean, and Skip, and went on to a lifetime of service in the Church.

The year was 1950, the university was the University of California at Berkeley, and I was the miserable freshman student. The girl I met, who then had very pretty blonde hair, became my wife. The debt I owe her and others can never be sufficiently repaid. 

The spirit of love and caring that I felt at that initial meeting with my dear friends has been the spirit that has carried me from that day to this. I cannot deny it, nor should you. It is the spirit that makes all of us one, the spirit that brings us all together not as strangers, not as foreigners, but as brothers and sisters in this ever-broadening kingdom of God.

In closing, perhaps I should apologize for this very personal anecdote. However, I have recited it here because I believe it illustrates, as much as anything, the importance and timeless relevance of our Savior’s teachings. Whatever the circumstances, remember always his admonition: “If ye are not one ye are not mine” (D&C 38:27). ..."

If you would like to read whole Devotional either now or in your own time, here is the link below. 

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/eugene-h-bramhall/pure-love/

Stay Tuned until next time. 

Pure Love ~ Part One

Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

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

What does "Pure Love" means to you? What does "Pure Love" means to a immediate relative? 
What does "Pure Love" means to a friend? 

This post focuses on a BYU (Brigham Young University) Devotional in March 1999, and it is called "Pure Love" by Brother Eugene H. Bramhall. This post is part one, and I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the Devotional. 

Brother Bramall has mentioned the following; "... I will speak of love of God and love of man. I hope to illustrate that we can love God only as we learn to love ourselves and each other, and then I will draw two or three examples from history to demonstrate the importance of developing the capacity of true, unselfish love that reflects the best of who we are and what Heavenly Father would have us be.

In this process, I pray that I can offer an idea or two that will meet a need, satisfy a question, or offer hope. It is my prayer that I will be able to meet your expectations, and I invite your faith and prayers.

... Only two weeks ago Elder Holland, in his first devotional address here since being called as a General Authority in 1989, bore his testimony this way: I bear witness of the God of Glory, of the redeeming Son of God, of light and hope and a bright future. I promise you that God lives and loves you, each one of you, and that he has set bounds and limits to the opposing powers of darkness. 

I testify that Jesus is the Christ, the victor over death and hell and the fallen one who schemes there. The gospel of Jesus Christ is true, and it has been restored, just as we have sung and testified this morning. [Jeffrey R. Holland, “Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence,” BYU devotional, 2 March 1999, pp. 6–7]

The power of that fundamental and basic truth has never been more clear to me than now. I bear my own witness as I begin these remarks that we stand in the midst of giants who by their lives, words, and works carry the Savior’s message throughout the world. 

We call them apostles and prophets, just as they were called in the days of Jesus and Paul. ... President Hinckley has remarked that you are a royal generation. ... I believe that you and we have been preserved for this day and time to do much in the world that is good and important.

But I also know that each of us stands on the sturdy and steady shoulders of those who have gone before. ... Jeffrey Holland, as president of BYU, once addressed this subject. Speaking of those who have preceded us here, he said: We owe them something. We who are the beneficiaries of their sacrifice and their faith we owe them the best effort we can put forward in obtaining a truly edifying and liberating and spirit-soaring education. 

... Take this university forward in the same way your ancestors took it forward often with nothing more tangible to sustain them than their dreams and their traditions. [Jeffrey R. Holland, “Who We Are and What God Expects Us to Do,” Brigham Young University 1987–88 Devotional and Fireside Speeches (Provo: BYU, 1988), p. 20; emphasis in original] 

I am convinced that in order for us to know where we are going and to appreciate what we have, it is important for us to know where we, collectively, have been and to appreciate the sacrifices that have been made for us. ... In one way or another, all of us who have attended this university, who have walked its halls, who have taught here, or who have maintained its grounds or cooked its meals have had the same vision.

"Moroni 7:37 CHARITY is the PURE LOVE of
Christ."

King Benjamin says something of this in a different context. Speaking of our youth, he said: And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God. ... But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another. [Mosiah 4:14–15]

King Benjamin also said, “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17). The point is that pure love—the love for one another—can and should be a moving, powerful force for good. 

It is scriptural at its roots, and when it matures it can change us so that we become worthy to enter again into our Father’s presence. If we accept the first and second commandments at face value, it is likely that we will not be worthy to enter into our Father’s presence a second time until we have learned to love one another and to forgive one another—only then will we have also learned to love God.

Paul taught us that there are no strangers among us. ... Implied in this is the duty of all of us to love, forgive, and care for those who are less fortunate and more dependent than we are. ... 1852 by the First Presidency of the Church (consisting of Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and Willard Richards), who enjoined us in part that we should seek after knowledge, all knowledge, and especially that which is from above . . . , and if you find any thing that God does not know, you need not learn that thing; but strive to know what God knows, and use that knowledge as God uses it, and then you will be like him; [you] will . . . have charity, love one another, and do each other good continually, and forever. 

[In James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965–75), 2:86]"

Stay Tuned until next time.

Happy 25th Birthday to Me

 Good Morning, or Good Afternoon, or Good Evening, 

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

Happy 25th Birthday to me, and I can not believe that I have turned twenty-five years old today.

Twenty-five years has been full of constantly learning something new - such as learning lessons to help me to get through life. Twenty-five years has been full of great memories with spending a lot of times with my immediate relatives. 

Twenty-five years has been full of great memories with spending some times with my extended relatives. 

Twenty-five years has been full of great memories with spending some time with my friends. 

Twenty-five years has been full of laughter moments, full of some fun experiences, and full of happy moments. 

Twenty-five years has been full of some sad moments, full of some letting go to past friends, and so forth. 

"219165 HOURS, 9131 Days, 25 YEARS,
A QUARTER OF A CENTURY! Happy
Birthday."

I still remembered what I have done on my 15th Birthday; 

I was able to celebrate my Birthday with some great close high school friends, and I seemed to still keep in touch time to time with a few of them these days. They have respected that I am religious, and they made sure that they would not swear around me. 

I still remembered what I have done on my 20th Birthday; 

I have attended a baptistry session with my Mum at Brisbane Latter-Day Saint Temple, and I attended Institute in Toowoomba with my sister Emma. 

After Institute, the class of Institute has celebrated my Birthday at a Restaurant. I remembered having churros and a candle on top of one of the churros for me to blow out and make a wish. 

I still remembered what I have done on my 21st Birthday; I have received my endowments at Brisbane Latter-Day Saints Temple at 10am, and I had to work in the evening of my Birthday. I still remembered employees has wished me a Happy Birthday. 

I still remembered what I have done on my 22nd Birthday; Jacob was with me to celebrate my Birthday. We both went to Denny's early morning hours (sometime just after midnight towards the day when it was my Birthday), Jacob has dropped by to my friend's house with a surprise breakfast and that was bacon, eggs, and waffles with syrup from a fast food restaurant to eat for breakfast. 

Followed by he took us to Oquirrh Mountain Latter-Day Saint Temple to attend a initiatory session, and eventually we gotten some photos together outside of the Temple. Followed by eventually we went to Salt Lake City Latter-Day Saint Temple to attend a sealing session together, followed by Jacob and I went to The Roof (Restaurant in Salt Lake City) to eat dinner and dessert, and followed by eventually Jacob surprised me with giving to me roses.

Sometime after that, he dropped me off back to my friend's house. It was sure a long day on my Birthday but it was so much fun to spend some time with Jacob. 

I still remembered what I have done on my 23rd Birthday; Jacob was with me to celebrate my Birthday. We got our engagement photos taken. We are so proud and well pleased how great our engagement photos has turned out. 

Jacob and I didn't do too much on my 24th Birthday because Jacob was working, and today, Jacob is working again on my Birthday. 

Stay Tuned until next time.

The Price of Love ~ Part Two

 Good Morning, or Good Afternoon, Good Evening, 

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

This post focuses on a BYU (Brigham Young University) Devotional in July 1982, and it is called "The Price of Love" by H. Hal Visick. This post is part two and I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the Devotional. 

Brother Visick has mentioned the following; "Our Modern World 

... I want to look at something of our modern world, where we’re going, to see if we can find our way a little bit. It ought to be obvious that a young man who pretends to love in an effort to seduce cannot really love because, if he truly did, he would sacrifice what he wants for the good of the person beloved.

It follows that when we take an infant as, for example, I first took Jennifer, our oldest, helpless, unable to feed herself, clothe herself, clean herself, and work and spend all of our time for this child, moving her up from infancy, clothing her, working for her, with her, striving through a thousand different individual, family, and Church meetings, it follows that we will love her. 

It has to be so. And it turns out often that the most difficult child in the family is the most loved because the family has made the greater sacrifice for that child. Of course, the child has to learn to love, too. And when he doesn’t pay the price, doesn’t serve, he doesn’t learn to love. 

It seems that when we make an investment in something, we value it, we care for it. ... The first time I knew how my father felt about me was when I took my baby Jennifer in my arms, and I said to myself, “Dad held me like this. Dad felt the feelings I feel.” Then I thought, “Why, why didn’t I know this? Why didn’t I tell him how much it meant to me?”

... What do we know about a retarded child’s quality of life unless we can be that child? Many retarded children are happier and more loving than the so-called “normal child.” ... Thoreau said that every deed goes into the great sea of cause and effect and remains there throughout eternity. Who knows what effect that one death has on the quality of life of all the people in this generation and those to come?

... There comes a time when you must pay the price, the sacrifice of love. ... I was looking at an article in the Wall Street Journal about something called “values clarification” that’s been taught in our schools for about ten years. I don’t mean in Provo schools, but in schools throughout the country. Values clarification says that there really is not any right or wrong or good or bad. 

Values are what we say they are. And, therefore, we should not be imposing on children our moral standards and beliefs. They ought to invent their own moral standards and beliefs. ... They are saying that society should not tell you ... whether you ought to use drugs. 

You make up your mind after you have examined it for yourself. And so some thirteen-, fourteen-, fifteen-year-old child, not having the benefit of the experience of older and, hopefully, wiser heads, is making up a set of values and acting on those values. 

Whenever their parents say, “What you’re doing is wrong,” he or she will say, “You can’t tell me that. That’s your value judgment, not mine.” ... Without sacrifice of desires and appetites for a higher good, what will our society consist of? What character or quality can result from self-indulgence and sloth?

... I would like to encourage us to see the joy of love and sacrifice, to find in the things that come to hand—the work that must be done—the things that apparently the Lord assigns us whether we want them or not—situations where we can create love.

"We often think of CHARITY AS AN 
ACTION, But I think of Charity as a 
STATE OF THE HEART." - Elaine Dalton.

“Vaunteth Not Itself”

True love is not what the world calls love. The word has been cheapened and destroyed along with many other once-beautiful words. When the world talks of love, it means living together without benefit of marriage or ... something equal far from the love born of sacrifice. That’s not what the Lord means by love. 

Maybe that’s why the word charity was selected by the translators of the King James Version in the book of Corinthians. Remember what it says about love - charity, the perfect love of Christ - the love Christ has for us: “Charity suffereth long and is kind. . . .” (in other words, doesn’t advertise itself). Charity “is not puffed up” (1 Corinthians 13:4).

(Charity isn’t pride because pride is a love of self, not of others!) All these qualities of love come through paying the price, through service, through sacrifice. ... If we would just pay those prices, we would learn to love BYU and we would make something of ourselves. 

... Sacrifice of pride will inevitably create character. “Charity vaunteth not itself.’ I don’t want to leave the impression, however, that I think life ought to be a dismal surrender of every good thing to the Lord. The Lord doesn’t need our things. He doesn’t need even our service. In fact, he told the Jews on one occasion, when they were boasting about being children of Abraham, that he could make children of Abraham out of the rocks on the ground. 

He doesn’t need what we give. We need to give. ... Do you know what “sacrifice” means? ... I pray the Lord of heaven will give us the opportunity to profit in that way and through our sacrifices learn to love as he does. ..."

If you would like to read the whole Devotional either now or in your own time, here is the link below.

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/h-hal-visick/price-love/

Stay Tuned until next time.