We are the SUM of our THOUGHTS

About a week and a half ago I was preparing my lesson in the car on the way to work and came across this story:

A patriarchal blessing is of little value to a person unless he lives a life worthy of the blessings of the Lord. George Albert Smith was well aware of this, and he began in his youth to prepare for the responsibility he was later to carry. The following is from that period:

Said President Smith, “As a child thirteen years of age, I went to school at the Brigham Young Academy. It was fortunate that part of my instruction came under Dr. Karl G. Maeser, that outstanding educator who was the first builder of our great Church schools. … I cannot remember much of what was said during the year that I was there, but there is one thing that I will probably never forget. … Dr. Maeser one day stood up and said:

“ ‘Not only will you be held accountable for the things that you do, but you will be held responsible for the very thoughts that you think.’

“Being a boy, not in the habit of controlling my thoughts very much, it was quite a puzzle to me what I was to do, and it worried me. In fact, it stuck to me just like a burr. About a week or ten days after that it suddenly came to me what he meant. I could see the philosophy of it then. All at once there came to me this interpretation of what he had said: Why, of course, you will be held accountable for your thoughts because when your life is complete in mortality, it will be the sum of your thoughts. That one suggestion has been a great blessing to me all my life, and it has enabled me upon many occasions to avoid thinking improperly because I realize that I will be, when my life’s labor is complete, the product of my thoughts” (“Pres. Smith’s Leadership Address,” Deseret News [Church section], 16 Feb. 1946, p. 1).

All day as I was knocking I realized the true impact that our thoughts really have on us and how important it is for us to put them into check. I also realized that this spreads beyond thinking unrighteous thoughts and into every aspect of our lives. I realized that if I had negative and unproductive thoughts pertaining to work than I did not do very good but if I put those thoughts into check and changed them to positivity than my day went much better. I have experimented with this over the last week and it has blessed every part of my life whether at work, as a dad, a husband, or spiritually. The Spirit has taught me over the week that truly our lives success depends on our thoughts. Peter taught:

21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not ^aright in the sight of God.

22 Repent therefore of this thy ^awickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the ^bthought of thine ^cheart may be forgiven thee. (Acts 8:21-22)

Mosiah taught his people:

30 But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not ^awatch yourselves, and your ^bthoughts, and your ^cwords, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and ^dcontinue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not. (Mosiah 4:30)

Finally the Lord has commanded us in D&C 88:67-69

67 And if your eye be ^asingle to my ^bglory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light ^ccomprehendeth all things.

68 Therefore, ^asanctify yourselves that your ^bminds become ^csingle to God, and the days will come that you shall ^dsee him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.

69 Remember the great and last promise which I have made unto you; cast away your ^aidle thoughts and your ^bexcess of ^claughter far from you.

I know that this is an area that I can improve upon and pray that I may have power from on high to sanctify all my thoughts that they may be worthy of salvation.

Qualify for the Lord's Help

Thanks to my job I have been taught so many things. One of the things I learned is how to improve in sales, life or anything we do. There are two ways, and the first is to develop ones skills and work hard. The second is not to eliminate the first but adds to it and that is to qualify for the Lords help. When we qualify ourselves for the Lords help than our best is transformed into something much greater than that of our own capabilities. And when we do not qualify for the help of the Lord we are left to our own strength.

D&C 3:4
4 For although a man may have many ^arevelations, and have ^bpower to do many mighty works, yet if he ^cboasts in his own ^dstrength, and sets at naught the ^ecounsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and ^fcarnal desires, he must fall and incur the ^gvengeance of a ^hjust God upon him.

Helaman 4:13
13 And because of this their great wickedness, and their ^aboastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and smitten, and driven before the Lamanites, until they had lost possession of almost all their lands.

I also learned that this job and really life is like the great war fought in the book of Alma.

Alma 62:41
41 But behold, because of the exceedingly great length of the war between the Nephites and the Lamanites many had become hardened, because of the exceedingly great length of the war; and many were softened because of their ^aafflictions, insomuch that they did humble themselves before God, even in the depth of humility.

The exact same experiences had such opposite effects on people. I realized that we are in a war everyday and it is a long lasting war and we can choose whether it will harden our hearts and push us away from the Lord or if it will soften our hearts and bring us closer to the Lord our God.

I Hit 100 Sales

Help from on high

I must express my gratitude for my Savior is blessing my life in such abundance. Every day the Lord prepares the way for me to succeed. He will inspire my mind as to which houses to knock at what times, prepares people to listen to me, or gives me the words to say and when to say them. There are example after example and many can say it is just luck or say that I am just a good salesman, but I know that the Lord blesses those who serve him with all their hearts. Just the other day one of sales said, "I never answer the door and I don't even know why I listened to you, because I never listen to any type of telemarketer or salesman." Another one almost broke down and started to cry because she had felt so blessed that I knocked on her door at the time that I did and that the Lord sent me. I told her that I had felt impressed to cross the street and knock on her door out of my normal order and that several times I would have left but that I was told to stay. She gave me a hug as I left. I feel blessed and feel to express my gratitude to a loving Father in Heaven who loves little old me and looks out for me everyday.

The fouth of July was an absoluyte blast. After work (which we got off at about 5:30) we had a company party with a slip and slide. After that

Two days ago I gave a blessing to Konnor and he was very thankful for the blessing. It is just amazing how the Lord cares for each of us so individually and is so mindful of us. I am so grateful for the power of the priesthood in my life, it was changed so many lives and brought many to greater knowledge of our dear Savior.

Had a great day

I was able to get three installs today and that was a great day. The coolest part of it is that I was able to tell Tim (another sales rep) how I was able to get so many. I told him about my had day last week and how Kiera and I had prayed and felt that there was a reason why I was going through such a rough time. That morning I was Kiera and I were taught the formula to success in not just this job but in life. I was supposed to do three things:

1. Have greater faith that the Lord will provide
2. Work hard and give 100% everyday
3. Pray harder for help

Because of that I turned my last week into a good week and now this week is turning out to be a great week. I told Tim that what I had told him was not what he probably wanted to hear. He said that it had hit a soft spot for him and was exactly what he needed to hear.

I am so thankful to the Lord for all he does for me.

Letting off Fireworks for the first time

After work Kiera had a surprise for us and so she had the girls stay up. She had bought some fireworks for us to let off. We went out in the parking lot of our apartment building which is on a large hill. The first one we let off just blew up on the ground. So we tried another one of the same kind. I lite it and ran back as Kiera yelled, a car is coming up the hill. It blew up all over the windshield of the car. Then we realized that its lights were flashing and we realized that it was an undercover cop car. Come to find out that fireworks are illegal in the county that we were in, but that the next county over they are legal. He was nice and we got in the car and drove to the next county. We found a secluded street and let off the two big ones and they were so cool. They were like regular big fireworks. It was a little nerve racking because in Arizona they are illegal and so I still in that mindset. I will enjoy them a lot more next July 4th if we are somewhere that they are legal.

Wonderful 4th of July

I hit my goal for the day for installs which I was very thankful to the Lord for helping me to hit my goal. We got to get off early and we had a barbecue as an office. It was a blast but the food took forever to be ready and so we were starving by the time we ate. They had a slip and slide set up that my girls had a blast on. After the barbecue we went as a family to the Riverfront fireworks. These fireworks are rated as the third best in the country. I have to admit that they were absolutely awesome. The best I have ever seen. I got some pictures and videos I will post once I get them downloaded. The finale literally lite up the sky for about 30 seconds to a full minute.

Talking to a blind man

At one of the doors I knocked there was a blind person that answered the door. I found it interesting and funny that as I talked to him I used my hands and facial expressions just like I normally do. I kept laughing to myself about it as I talked to him. I was amazed at how well he got about. He even had a voice recorded that I left my name and number with him on.

My install today

The install that I had today was an elderly lady whose daughter died from a heart attack about a month ago. She showed me all the gifts that her friends gave her. At the end when I was about to leave she opened up a little to me. We started talking about religion and dealing with death. I told her that I was LDS. She said, I am not sure if you believe in this, and then shared a spiritual experience that she had with her daughter at the moment that she had died. I told her that I did believe in that and told her to record her experience in her journal so that she can always have it with her. I just wanted to testify to her about the Gospel which brings such great joy in time of death. I still may write her a letter and mail it or deliver it to her with my testimony in it.

Missed fireworks with my family

Today was a sad day, because my family went to watch fireworks at Nashville Shores while I was still at work. I was very sad and kept imaging funny things that my girls did last time we watched fireworks together. I guess that is what happens when I work so many hours during the summer, but my girls and I are looking forward to me spending lots of time with them after the summer is over.

Staying in the game mentally

This job has got to me the most mentally demanding job that I have ever had not even mentioning physically demanding. I have realized that I rely the most on the Lord in this job than any other I have had as well. It is good though, because the Lord is teaching me a lot as well. I have to also say that Kiera has helped me so much everyday. She keeps me on track and always has advice that helps me get through the day.

Challenge for the youth

In my class I challenged the youth to read at least one page in the scriptures each day, write in their journals each day and lastly to clean their room or to do one act of service. To those that do this, they will receive treats next Sunday. So I have to make sure that I do these things as well. I have no problems with reading but the writing part is difficult.