Miscellaneous

There are a lot of problems in the world today. And, while we don’t always understand things as they unfold, we should be remember that things happen for a reason.

“For my thoughts are not your thought, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher that the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9

We tend to think that we know the answers, but in the grand scheme of the big prize, we really don’t. We may be able to make certain observations during a time of crisis, but we cannot fully comprehend the lasting and eternal effects of the choices we make.

“Believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.” – Mosiah 4:9

It’s really hard to try to wrap your head around the idea that sickness and death can be good things. We can’t always see things the way the Lord does. His perspective is eternal.

So, as we look at some of the problems in the world today, we must remember that we don’t always know what the Lord has planned.

Why would someone be willing to lay down their life for another? Love. Then answer this: To what are you willing to put yourself through to express your love? What Christ would endure had been foretold in Mosiah 3:7 where it reads:

“And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.”

Are you kidding me? Would you go through all of that for one person?

Christ did. And, he did it for you.

He did it to know what pains you are going though feel like. He did it to know what it would be like to be tempted. He knows what it feels like to fast, and he even knows what it’s like to feel tired. He bore all of that, bleeding from every pore of his body, for you. And for what again?

You.

Christ gave it all for you. What are you willing to give him?

Imagine a world where nobody knows its history, or a world without the scriptures. This very thought came to me when I was reading Mosiah 1:3 saying:

“My sons, I would that ye should remember that were it not for these plates, which contain these records and these commandments, we must have suffered in ignorance, even at this present time, no knowing the mysteries of God.”

It is the ‘records’ and ‘commandments’ that are found upon the ‘plates’ that make up the holy scriptures. A world where we would not know these things, and we would be ‘suffered in ignorance.’

I lived in ignorance for such a long time. I didn’t want to know ‘the mysteries of God.’ I didn’t even what to know of the things found in the scriptures.

However, it was a mystery that brought me to seek and know God. A lot of people ponder on the idea of why God would allow people to suffer, or go through pain or even loss. For me, it was watching my mother suffer from breast cancer that eventually took her life.

So, instead of closing my ‘ears that [I] may hear’, and my ‘heart that [I] may understand’, and my ‘mind that they mysteries of god may be unfolded’, I opened each of them. (Mosiah 2:9)

For me, it was one question. That question introduced me to my Father in Heaven. I lived for so long without the scriptures, and I can’t imagine my world without them. I not only need them in my life, I want them in my life.

Society today, for the most part, says that it’s okay to be promiscuous. Some people are under the impression that one doesn’t even need to get married.

This is not our Heavenly Father’s plan.

I get really bothered seeing these ‘grosser crimes’ carried out. It’s not only harmful to society as a whole, but when you consider the people impacted by the choice to commit these crimes, your heart begins to feel weighted.

The ‘grosser crime’ weighed fairly heavy on Jacob. The language in Jacob 2:22-35 is plain and simple, yet speaks volumes in modern times. Remember when the Lord handed down the ten commandments to Moses, and one of them was ‘Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant.’ (Exodus 20:17)

These are synonymous. While the punishment wasn’t fully revealed at the time to Moses, Jacob is able to open eyes ‘because of the strictness of the word of God, which cometh down against you.’ (v.35)

This is a serious matter, and one that should not be taken lightly. Even when you pause and look at modern day revelation like The Family: A Proclamation to the World, you see that central to God’s plan is simple: FAMILY. Nothing extra. You stay within the confines of marriage. The hearts and souls of those afflicted – spouses, sons, daughters, and anyone else caught within Satan’s web of deceit – are at stake.

Why risk eternal exaltation for a little happiness right now?

The Doctrine of Christ found in 2 Nephi 31 is plain and simple: have faith, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. It’s pretty easy to remember too. But, in it’s simplicity lies its challenges. And for this, this is what made an impact on me.

I have faith. I have a testimony. Are those things challenged? Yes, but that’s all part of enduring to the end. And the same goes for receiving the Holy Ghost. Endurance to the end.

Elder David A. Bednar said:

“Following our baptism, each of us had hands placed upon our head by those with priesthood authority and was confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Holy Ghost was conferred upon us (see D&C 49:14). The statement “receive the Holy Ghost” in our confirmation was a directive to strive for the baptism of the Spirit.” – 2006 General Conference, That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us

This tells me that we still have a work to do in order to be baptized by the Holy Ghost; or more commonly referred to as baptism by fire. That fire is purifying. It has the ability to burn away any impurities. This is a fact proven by nature and in the science lab when scientists will sometimes use a flame to clean an instrument.

It is not enough for us to just be baptized by water only to have the gift of the Holy Ghost. There is a major difference in having the gift of the Holy Ghost versus receiving the Holy Ghost. One is a constant companion that we may have with us, while the other is a purifying gift from our Father in Heaven that if we are enduring to the end we may have eternal life.

For us to ‘receive the Holy Ghost’ is for us to endure to the end. We make mistakes each day that passes. We are not perfect, however, we can be perfected through these doctrines of Christ.

There is a big difference in spending time versus investing your time.

Spending time is a lot like spending money.

Think back to when you were younger and you went to the mall with your friends. You just got paid, and you cashed your paycheck so you could go out. Every place you stopped, you got something. You got a cookie because they were advertised as fresh. You stopped by the ice cream stand and got a strawberry shake because everyone else was getting one. By the end of the day, you spent all of your hard earned money and you’ve got nothing to show for it. It’s a lot like spending your time.

Funny thing, you can’t get time back. We are all equal in the amount of time we get in a day.

That’s why we must be very careful what we do with our time, and invest instead of spend.

When we invest our time, we are knowingly conducting ourselves in such a manner that we are growing as individuals. And, most of the time, while we are investing our time, we are investing in those around us. Maybe I can only speak for myself, but when I’m investing my time in and with others, I find that the reward is much greater than if I would have spent my time doing something by myself.

Remember time like this: Time is money, spend it and it will cost you, but if you invest it correctly you can watch it work for you.

September is National Preparedness Month, and this is part of our “Being Prepared” series.

The idea of being prepared immediately turns people away. You get labeled as one of thosewacko preppers who eats grass and lives in the trees. Okay, it might not be that bad, but you will get funny looks. And that’s okay, because if something was to ever happen, you’ll be the first one they come to.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a natural disaster or a political disaster, you’re going to want to be prepared. Just think about the types of issues that could come up in your community. Could your community take to the streets and riot like we saw in Ferguson, MO? What if members of the Islamic State come to your town? Would you know what to do or where to go?

Click to read more

September is National Preparedness Month, and this is part of our “Being Prepared” series.

There are so many things to take into account when you are trying to be prepared. Everything from a bug out bag, food and water storage, to what to do when disaster strikes. It takes preparation. But what good is any of that if you can’t communicate with anyone?

Click here to read how to communicate during disaster

September is National Preparedness Month, and this is part of our “Being Prepared” series.

Disaster can strike anytime and anywhere. So why would you not want to be prepared? Because, when disaster does strike, you’ll probably find yourself alone looking for help. You don’t want to be that guy, so get yourself in gear and get prepared for disaster.

Click to read how to plan for disaster