Building a personal relationship with our Father and Jesus Christ

Last night I finished reading the book Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary Accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of the Prophet Joseph. I have grown to love the Prophet Joseph Smith so much from this book and learned so much about him and his teachings. This book is journal entries of his discourses from many sources including those called to write Joseph's journal. I have also grained a greater testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ and understand in greater detail what type of a true relationship that we can have if we seek it out. In one of the last discourses Joseph said, "all can cry Abba Father." If you remember in the garden Jesus cried Abba, Abba which means Father, Father. Joseph in this discourse he talked about our ability to become Gods and how many times in scripture the Lord has designated someone as God over others like Moses who was God unto Aaron and Aaron was his spokesman. Joseph was saying that we all can develop ourselves in like manner. We must of course build a similar relationship with our Father in Heaven.

I for one am going to strive starting today to build a much better relationship with my Savior in two ways, first through sincere and mighty prayer and second through obtaining greater knowledge of my Savior. Joseph Smith has said many many times that we are saved through knowledge. I know that if I can know more about my Savior than I will be more able to draw closer to Him in prayer. I challenge everyone that reads this post to make a new determination starting today to improve your relationship with your Savior through study and prayer. I know that all that accept this challenge will have power from on high given to them to gain a special and personal relationship with Jesus Christ and His and our Father so that we too may feel at home saying Abba, Abba.

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.

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.

Knowledge is not by chance

I reflected on my earlier experience where the Lord brought to my remembrance the name of Vaughn J Featherstone. Micha had told me about his scripture memorizing program and I had wanted to learn more about it. When I was home I could not remember his name. The Lord brought his name to my remembrance (John J. Featherstone, which when googled it came up as Vaughn).

I was in the shower thinking about this experience when the Spirit began to teach me. I was taught that all knowledge and experiences are given by either of two sources, either the Lord (righteousness) or the devil (evil). This is applied to agency as well, because either we are enticed by evil and choose evil, or by good and choose good. Our obedience to either, gives greater power to whichever side we yield to, therefore allowing increased enticement. Therefore, all knowledge is given to us and it will be to our benefit or condemnation. Others may assist us as well, like Micha, he was guided to impart that information to me, whether he realizes it or not. We are all instruments of the Lord or the devil at all times.

Jesus is the son of God

I was washing the dishes as Lacie was watching The Testaments (a movie about Christs visit to the Old and New world) when suddenly my understanding was opened and I was taught by the Spirit. I was given an absolute knowledge that Christ lived and that all that has been testified by ancient and modern prophets is verily true. It was though physical matter was added to my mind that contained knowledge of Christ and His ministry, I can hardly explain it. I have known by the Spirit that Christ lived and now lives but it seemed that it was by faith and now I just know because of the pure light given to me.

I have been studying the Joseph Smith, Parley P. Pratt and Lorenzo Snow and have been literally amazed at there absolute knowledge of Christ and have been striving to understand even a portion of what they understand. Now the Lord has answered the prayer of my heart.

I also felt impressed to write this in this blog. I have a Private Blog that I do more of my personal journaling and this is something that normally would go there. I was told that someone needed this testimony of the knowledge of Christ.

"Go to the Temple right now!"

This morning I woke up to go to the bathroom and just before I jump into bed I had a distinct thought come into my mind, "Go to the Temple right now!" In my mind I said, "No, I am too tired. I did not get to bed till 12:30 and I am just too tired." I laid down and laid there thinking that in the Book of Mormon the prophets, like Nephi, were commanded to go up into the mountain. Whether it was a mountain or the temple it matters not, even though I know sometimes it was an actual mountain. I thought that if I can not heed the spirits commands to get in my car and drive a few streets down to the Temple, then there is no way that I would of climbed a high mountain. Also, I was taught by the Spirit that the Lord did not wait until Nephi was awake and excited to make the trip to the top of the mountain but that the commands came in times that would try their obedience and faith. I jumped out of bed and went to the Temple (in my new Temple clothes we bought the other day). It was an outstanding session and I felt good all day.

I called my dad later that day and told him about my experience and he told me that he had prayed for me and also prayed that I would go to the Temple today. Well his prayer was answered. I was in the Temple when my dad was praying.

It is just amazing how the Lord works and is so much a part of our lives.

We create our Spiritual and Physical Reality

I was really thinking and pondering today about life and why it seems that I reach a comfort level and then not long passes and I feel as if I were in limbo and then I realize that my spiritual guard is down. As I thought about this I was given light which enlarged my understanding and that is that we are the ones that are in control of our Spiritual and physical realities. I am reading the Biography of Parley P Pratt and I remember that before he even heard of the Gospel he left his home and began to teach the principles that he felt strongly about that the other sects lacked. I remember thinking how could he do something so rash and not know to what end he was doing it. I realized that he did it because of his love for his Savior and no other reason, is that not the most noble of reasons. Here I have the fullness of the Gospel and yet I still not directly but deep inside think to myself what is in it for me. I must follow Parleys lead and live the Gospel because of my love of my Savior. When life gets easy or I feel that I am just living, I must take action and not wait for the Lord to command but that I must reach out because of the love of my Savior.

Everyday seems to be hard and Kiera and I watched the Joseph Smith movie in Temple Square and I remember thinking how hard his life was. One time while him and Emma were outside and had just suffered the loss of another child, Emma asked Joseph if he ever thought that the Lord asks too much of people and Josephs answer was just amazing. He said, "I do not allow myself." That is it and yet in those five words carries a message that is applicable in our EVERYDAY LIVES. I know that I can use that sentence in my life when life gets hard or easy I can say to myself that I do not allow myself to feel that my life is too hard or that all is well in Zion. We create our realities and we must create a reality with the love of our Savior in the middle and everything builds around that and not the other way around.

Update on Service

Ever since I decided to serve my wife I have been amazed at how good it makes me feel to serve her. One thing that I observed is that normally if i procrastinate on something like cleaning the house I just rationalize to myself why I should just ignore it and then I ignore it but deep down it still eats at me. I realized that if I just do what I know I should do that it actually feels a lot better and I am much happier.

I think that sin has a similar effect. When we rationalize and then obey the evil one it begins to weigh on us heavily. If we would just change and repent, then our burdens will be lifted and we will be happier and feel free.

I am really thankful for this experience. I think another attitude change that has made all the difference is to really TRY to do all that I can to help my wife as opposed to trying to do just the minimum I can get away with. I will continue to keep you updated on my experience with serving my wife, family and Savior.

Removing Unrighteous Stakes

I started to write an update on my situation but just felt to change directions. I love my Savior with all my heart. I have been doing a lot of reading like the Biography of Parley P. Pratt, Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of the Prophet Joseph, and Teachings of the Prophets: Spencer W. Kimball and I have just been impressed about how much we must improve. I would like to just share a few quotes that impressed me greatly.

Joseph Smith Jr. said, "To all those who are disposed to say to set up stakes for the almighty—will come short of the glory of god. To become a joint heir of the heirship of the son he must put away all his traditions" (Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of the Prophet Joseph).

I do not know about you but I do want to become an heir of the heirship. I know that I have traditions that I hang on to and do not want to let go of.

He continues, "Men will set up stakes and say thus far will we go and no farther, did Abraham when called upon to offer his son, did the Saviour... What was the design of the Almighty in making man, it was to exalt him to be as God... heirs of God and joint heirs... with Jesus Christ equal with him possessing all power... The mystery power and glory of the priesthood is so great and glorious that the angels desired to understand it and cannot: why, because of the tradition of them and their fathers in setting up stakes and not coming up to the mark in their probationary state."

This helped to open my eyes to things that I must do in order to change my traditions to those worthy of exaltation.

Spencer W. Kimball said, "Having already obtained our bodies, which become the permanent tabernacle for our spirits through the eternities, now we are to train our bodies, our minds, and our spirits. Pre-eminent, then, is our using this life to perfect ourselves, to subjugate the flesh, subject the body to the spirit, to overcome all weaknesses, to govern self so that one may give leadership to others, and to perform all necessary ordinances" (T of P: Spencer W Kimball).

We must first learn to govern ourselves in righteousness before we will be able to govern others which is exaltation. How can our Father in Heaven expect to give unto us a never ending posterity if we can't even govern ourselves. I challenge all who read this to start today to perfect ourselves and to put off all unrighteous thoughts and actions. I know that we have the power within us and with the help of our Savior to conquer all trials given to us and if in the end we are closer to our Father in Heaven, then it was all worth it.

Service = Eternal Happiness

This last Saturday I went to the Temple and when I got there I realized that I forgot my recommend. I decided to park in the back of the parking lot and pray instead of going home and getting my recommend. Next to the Mt. Tipanogus Temple is an LDS Church and so I parked my car there facing the Temple. I prayed and felt to create a plan to improve and to help me not be so selfish. So I pulled out my iPaq (hand held computer) and started to plan my strategy. Here are some of the things that I decided to work on:

Putting the Lord First
Wife and family

• Change all diapers at home
  
• This was a hard one to decide to do.
  
• Keep kitchen clean / 15 mins in house
  
• I decided to take the kitchen as my baby and keep it clean and take pride in it.
  
• Pray for patience before coming home
  
• I am not a very patient person by nature and so I have to work really hard at being patient.
  
• Eliminate opportunities to be selfish
• No screaming at anyone
  
• I don't really scream but I talk loud sometimes and my girls and wife think I need to work on how I talk.
  

Focus on my Savior

• Read for 30 Mins (Scriptures)
• Read for 15 Mins (Spiritual Book)
• Always Remember Him
  
• Pray continually
• Build my relationship with my Savior
  
• This will require truly communicating on a daily basis and learning about him through books but most importantly divinely.
  
• Pray earnestly morning and night
• Pray specifically for others
• Identify one person to pray for specifically each week
• Write in Journal each day
• Focus on spiritual barometer
  
• Magnify my calling
• 100% Home Teaching
• Get to Know each family and identify at least one thing to do special for each family.
• Be strict on Weight Watchers
• Fast every Sunday with a purpose
• Obey the Spirit
• Forget myself in his service

Well I have been doing these things and it is amazing the added strength and power that is given to me as I strive to truly come unto Him. I have made it my focus to serve my wive with all my energy, because if I can ease her burden than she can be happier. I also am focusing on serving my girls and making an added effort to play with them. Today has been a hard day and yet one of the happiest I have had in a long time. I remember an other occasion when I served Kiera in every way I could possibly think of for an entire week and that was the best week of my life and Kiera's too. I can bear testimony that through service we can be happier and not just happy but eternally happy. Service is the love language of heaven.

Charles Henry Teal (Temple experience)

Next was an experience that I hope I never forget. I looked at my card and read the name and for some reason i debated with myself whether the first name was just Charles or if I needed to say both names, Charles Henry. I decided to say both to make sure, but when it came to say the name I got "Charles" out and then I felt a force stop mine utterance. At first I thought I just forgot the name so quickly but later realized that it was not me that stopped my utterance. I realized that Charles was with me and that he had stopped me. I felt a sudden closeness to him and for the rest of the session he was with me. I knew that he had accepted the Gospel and that he was eagerly awaiting this day. I even talked to him several times and thanked the Lord for giving me this opportunity to do the work for this man. When the prayer circle came I felt a need to be up there but decided not to unless I was needed. Interestingly enough the Lord wanted me there whether I wanted to me or not. There was a boy going through for the first time and he stood up there alone. a couple came and stood next to him with the sister on the wrong side and so they thought he had a sister next to him. There was also a sister stood by her self and so they said we needed on more brother. I was not about to let this opportunity pass me and so I literally jumped out of my seat and got up there. I had a thought that this could possibly be Charles's further wife or Kiera suggested that maybe she was going through for his wife. Either was it was neat to feel like I was a part in Charles's happiness. After the prayer we were about to got through the veil and I saw Charles's welcoming party and asked to be a part of it, but if not I was satisfied that I just had such an opportunity. I was not able to be apart of it but was happy as could be. His full name is Charles Henry Teal and he lived in 1888 in Texas. I am not sure if there is any relation to the Teals we knew in Illinois and so I will send this portion of my journal to Kevin Gladhill to give to the Teals just in case.

I want to prepare myself that I can be of help like this in the future.

The scriptures are pure light, devout prayer is needed

I had another wonderful learning experience in the Mt. Tipinogus Temple tonight. I was needing answers to why I retrogress instead of progress in my life. So I decided to fast and pray today until I had some answers, I had just eaten breakfast when I decided to do this. I prayed all day long with little spiritual learning. I got home from work, made dinner for my family, and then went to the Temple.

Right off the bat in the chapel I felt the Spirit with me. As I was praying, I had the scriptures open, and I decided to close them while I was praying (I was thanking Heavenly Father for them and was just feeling them). As I closed them I felt a wave of darkness, and so I opened them again and it was like turning on a flashlight and the light just poured out. The more they were open the more light that came out. I was taught that there is great power contained in these pages and that if we choose to close the scriptures in our lives then we will have darkness, but if we choose to open them and have them become a part of us then our lives will be filled with light and truth.

Still praying I started to flip through the pages, just basking in the light they radiated when I felt inspired to turn to a particular page and then I started feeling the verses and again my body was being filled with light, I felt to stop and I opened my eyes and read the verse, which is below:

Abraham 2:18-20
18 And then we passed from Jershon through the land unto the place of Sechem; it was situated in the plains of Moreh, and we had already come into the borders of the land of the ^aCanaanites, and I offered ^bsacrifice there in the plains of Moreh, and called on the Lord devoutly, because we had already come into the land of this idolatrous nation.

19 And the Lord ^aappeared unto me in answer to my prayers, and said unto me: Unto thy seed will I give this ^bland.

20 And I, Abraham, arose from the place of the altar which I had built unto the Lord, and removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of ^aBethel, and pitched my tent there, Bethel on the west, and ^bHai on the east; and there I built another ^caltar unto the Lord, and ^dcalled again upon the name of the Lord.

I was very impressed with the fact that Moses built an alter to offer sacrifices and to call upon the Lord. I thought long and hard about actually building an alter and thought that on our next family trip we are going to set up the tent and then build an alter to communicate with Heavenly Father. I think we will appreciate what it took in the ancient times to offer up sacrifices and to call upon the Lord. I think we will gain a great understanding that we too must build an alter brick by brick by spiritually preparing ourselves to "devoutly call upon the Lord." Moses prayed devoutly, and we too can pray and communicate with our Father in Heaven devoutly. Then the Lord appeared to Moses in answer to his prayers and I think we too can prepare ourselves to someday have a similar experience, but right now we can have the Holy Ghost as our constant companion if we will just live our lives in accordance with His will.

I also need to follow Moses's advice and pray continually. He built an alter every time they pitched their tents. If Moses can do that I can pray continually by day and night. I feel that I must improve my communication with my Heavenly Father. This will require a change in the way I think and act.

Another thing is that I felt I needed to redouble my efforts with my talk of the month and actually deliver it (film it) and then post it on my blog. I felt that the Lord is teaching and training me and this is something that I need to do. I felt that I needed to get to where I could prepare a talk quickly and be able to deliver it on the spur of the moment.

Home Teaching Template

I was in the shower today and the thought came to me that I should create a template to send out to my companionship's periodically through out the month to further help them go out and visit their families. Once I complete it I will post a copy of it here for anyone to use if they want.

I want the template to have all their families information as well as their companion, so that they can never say they do not have their list of families or that they lost them because they will get them at least twice to three times a month. I also want to include the message whether it is the full text or just links to them, this will make it easy for them to implement the message and hopefully help them read it prior to the day they go out to visit their families. I thought it would be neat that it will allow to inform me when their appointments are and if their companion will be going with them or if I need to go instead. I also may include my thoughts on the message just for an FYI.

I am so excited for this template and think it can be a great contributor to improving Home Teaching in any ward.

Learning in the Temple

I planned to go to the Temple today after work but when I got home I was so tired. I went in and got undressed and grabbed my shorts to put on and had a thought put into my mind to drop the shorts right now and start getting dressed for the Temple or you will not go. I felt that push and luckily obeyed.

I can not tell you about everything that was taught to me while in the session but so much was running through my mind. I will share a few thoughts. First of all I felt in the smallest degree how the prophet Joseph Smith Jr felt when he said,

"It is my meditation all the day & more than my meat & drink to know how I shall make the saints of God to comprehend the visions that roll like an overflowing surge, before my mind" (WJS, p. 196).

For I felt an overwhelming need to record my thoughts for any and all that read but mostly my family can grow from these teachings, and yet I was stuck in a position that I could not record and knew that many of them will be lost from my memory. I am not by any means comparing myself to this great prophet of the restoration which the words and will of God flowed to and through him. I just had the smallest fraction of what that may of felt like.

My mind was drawn to the experience that I had when I was told, "to drop the shorts." I know that I am guilty of not being willing to do what is needed to grow spiritually. It comes in may forms whether it is just being to tired or lazy we as saints of the most High must improve our commitment to our Father in heaven. My mind was brought to think about the Stake Conference or Regional Conference the Saturday session that I had to paint faces (one of my jobs at the time) and decided not to go. One of the speakers explained how everyone has their own personal barriers that are too great to cross. He used that session to explain that those that choose not to attend this session are missing out on many blessings. This is where they should be and yet for some that commitment was too great or unimportant enough to arrange their lives in order to attend. This struck me to the very core and I knew then that we must not allow our own wills to stop us from doing the will of Him that sent us.

Luke 2:49
49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? ^awist ye not that I must be about my ^bFather’s business?

John 5:30
30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is ^ajust; because I seek not mine own ^bwill, but the ^cwill of the Father which hath sent me.

We also must not strive to do our own will but the will of the Father just like our elder brother, Jesus Christ. I also thought about a Stake President that someone told me once that he said that he does not watch TV or listen to the radio because he can't afford to lose the Spirit. Do we just not care or is that too much to ask of us. What is too much to ask of us. Do we have to be commanded in all things.

D&C 58:26
26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is ^acompelled in all things, the same is a ^bslothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.

I thought to myself what if I were called to be a Stake President tomorrow, what would I change. Then then thought came, why do I have to wait to change. We are told to carry our cross, I see nowhere in scripture where it says to wait until called to carry your cross.

Matthew 10:38
38 And he that taketh not his ^across, and followeth after me, is not ^bworthy of me.

2 Nephi 9:18
18 But, behold, the ^arighteous, the ^bsaints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the ^ccrosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall ^dinherit the ^ekingdom of God, which was prepared for them ^ffrom the foundation of the world, and their ^gjoy shall be full ^hforever.

Jacob 1:8
8 Wherefore, we would to God that we could persuade all men ^anot to rebel against God, to ^bprovoke him to anger, but that all men would believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his ^ccross and bear the shame of the world...

Alma 34:33, 35

33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many ^awitnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not ^bprocrastinate the day of your ^crepentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the ^dnight of ^edarkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

• • •

35 For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become ^asubjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth ^bseal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked.

Begin today with me to carry our cross that we may be called his disciple and numbered among His sheep that hear his voice.

John 10:27
27 My ^asheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they ^bfollow me:

Another thing that I thought about was how on earth Jesus had not a place to lay his head.

Matthew 8:20
20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Now he has not only over a hundred Temples on earth but He now has dominions, palaces, kingdoms, and in short all that the father hath.

John 16:15
15 All ^athings that the ^bFather hath are mine...

Let me just sum it up by saying I cried a lot and feel closer to my Father in Heaven and yet feel to repent and become better. I feel just as Joseph Smith felt when he proclaimed,

Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p47
If you wish to go where God is, you must be like God, or possess the principles which God possesses, for if we are not drawing towards God in principle, we are going from him and drawing towards the devil. Yes, I am standing in the midst of all kinds of people.

Search your hearts, and see if you are like God. I have searched mine, and feel to repent of all my sins.

I absolutely love the Temple and love my Savior.

Written by Craig Conover on 1/8/07.

To print click here.

Do we qualify for salvation?

Mosiah 4:4-8
4 And king Benjamin again opened his mouth and began to speak unto them, saying: My friends and my brethren, my kindred and my people, I would again call your attention, that ye may hear and understand the remainder of my words which I shall speak unto you.

5 For behold, if the knowledge of the goodness of God at this time has awakened you to a sense of your ^anothingness, and your worthless and fallen state—

6 I say unto you, if ye have come to a ^aknowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the ^batonement which has been prepared from the ^cfoundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his ^dtrust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal body—

7 I say, that this is the man who receiveth salvation, through the atonement which was prepared from the foundation of the world for all mankind, which ever were since the ^afall of Adam, or who are, or who ever shall be, even unto the end of the world.

8 And this is the means whereby salvation cometh. And there is ^anone other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the conditions which I have told you.

To begin with King Benjamin started by calling them friends. The Savior also used the word "friend" and it had a powerful impact. Then King Benjamin outlined the path of salvation. As I read this all I could think about is that I have a long way to go. I have these great words as well as all the words of the prophets both ancient and recent that detail that path of salvation. I can tell you that I will be making some changes in my life to qualify me for this salvation that King Benjamin outlined. Do not read the words passively, but rather have them become a part of you. If they are a part of you then can the power of the words flow through your veins and salvation will come and along the way we will be servants of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Great insights from Gordon B Hinckley

Last night I was reading from the Discourses of President Gordon B. Hinkley volume 2, Laie, Hawaii Regional Conference. I was very touched with what he said. The messages were for me and possible for you as well. He shared this story about this lady by the name of Toma. She was converted with her family to the Gospel and shortly after came a war that devastated her island. A few people hid in caves and ate bugs and leaves and this is where she was. Her husband got sick and she prayed that the Lord would just take her and the answer came back, "Do not forsake your husband and your children." This gave her the strength to carry on. After the war, they bought a small home and started a business. Her husband died but not before he found the church meeting house. He was the first Branch President in Naha, Okinawa. He had suggested a location but Hinckley told him that would not work. They walked around town and Hinckley suggested this area but it turned out to be the burial of a Nahan king. Hinckley said to try and get it. They did get it and then the husband died leaving the Toma alone. Their business partner pulled out. She worked from 5 am to 11 pm. Some nights she would come home and say lets just sing hymns tonight. The children knew that they were not getting food those nights. Somehow they survived. Her boys went to BYU Hawaii and then to BYU Provo and did very well and bought Toma a home and everything worked out. Toma's motto was: "Morning will come. Morning will come."

For me this was very tear jerking because how often do we feel that we are at the end of our strings, but if we can say to ourselves "Morning will come. Morning will come" we can get through it and things will work out in the end. Almost never on our time table but the Lord knows best and he will not forsake the faithful.

Thoughts in the Temple

While I was in the Temple today I kept thinking about how in ancient times the oldest son usually if not all the sons were required to learn a sacred language and memorize major portions of scripture. I realized that I too can help my family to gain in the knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by following a similar pattern. As a family we could set goals each year to read certain books and memorize scriptures or quotes, and so forth. I thought it would be fun to tie that in to family vacations as a prerequisite or something. It is just a thought and I will think about it to see if I could come up with a good plan.

Feed my sheep

The other day I told Alexa (who was at the table eating) that I loved her so much and then she said, "then feed me." This hit me hard because the Savior said similar things to Peter:

John 21:14-17
14 This is now the ^athird time that Jesus ^bshewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

15 ¶ So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, ^aFeed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, ^aFeed my ^bsheep.

The Lord's sheep need us to feed them because they can't feed themselves the Gospel. Some are like my daughter who could eat by herself but asked me to help her if I loved her, and we must help those that need extra help to feast upon the words of Christ and to come unto Him. We have the power of God on our side if we will but go forward.

What should our focus be?

Today I met with an individual that we may hire as a company to do some training for us, and found out that he has served as a Mission President, taught at BYU, and is now a Stake President in BYU Idaho area. This interview made me think about several things. I realized that our focus should not be on obtaining a calling or anything of a short term nature but that our focus should be to become sanctified by Him who is mighty to save. Our focus must be on developing ourselves to be worthy to return to Him someday. If we will put our priorities straight, then along the way the Lord can use us as he sees fit.