The Master in Gethsemane

I am glad you choose to read this, I have been able to gain a greater appreciation of the atonement this week as I studied His suffering in Gethsemane. We learn to be grateful for the things that people do or have done for us, when we realize at a portion to what they went through to do it. Think of the last time you helped somebody, knowing what you went through to help no matter how big the sacrifice.. Then, when you had somebody help you, you can understand what they went through for you and you can appreciate it beyond a surface level of gratitude. I have noticed during my study, key words that the Savior suffered during His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane. I have felt these things in a much smaller magnification than He suffered, but because I know it, it makes me grateful to know that He suffered these things for us. Because He suffered this, He knows what we go through, can help us in those times to get out of suffering, and can also help us prevent suffering in the future through repentance. It astonishes me to think that He so willingly suffered unjustly so that I can be made just before the Father. I have included those words that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered that I took out from the scriptures I read, they are listed just below.

Sorrowful, very heavy, exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Betrayed. (Sore amazed-Greek translation:. Awestruck, astonished.)
Agony, Sweat as it were great drops of blood. Blood cometh from every pore.  Temptations, temptations of every kind. pain of body, pains and afflictions. Take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
hunger, thirst, fatigue, anguish. Death, Infirmities.

Imagine going through all the suffering for the sins of mankind, to lay down you're very life knowing that even after suffering the most pain anyone could ever suffer, that the very people you are suffering might still not believe in you or use your gift. These are some quotes to help us further understand what He went through.

But what was it that caused the Savior’s intense agony?

“Jesus had to take away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. . . . And as He in His own person bore the sins of all, and atoned for them by the sacrifice of Himself, so there came upon Him the weight and agony of ages and generations, the indescribable agony consequent upon this great sacrificial atonement wherein He bore the sins of the world, and suffered in His own person the consequences of an eternal law of God broken by men. Hence His profound grief, His indescribable anguish, His overpowering torture, all experienced in the submission to the eternal fiat of Jehovah and the requirements of an inexorable law.

“The suffering of the Son of God was not simply the suffering of personal death; for in assuming the position that He did in making an atonement for the sins of the world He bore the weight, the responsibility, and the burden of the sins of all men, which, to us, is incomprehensible. . . .

“Groaning beneath this concentrated load, this intense, incomprehensible pressure, this terrible exaction of Divine Justice, from which feeble humanity shrank, and through the agony thus experienced sweating great drops of blood, He was led to exclaim, ‘Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.’ He had wrestled with the superincumbent load in the wilderness, He had struggled against the powers of darkness that had been let loose upon him there; placed below all things, His mind surcharged with agony and pain, lonely and apparently helpless and forsaken, in his agony the blood oozed from His pores.” (Taylor, The Mediation and Atonement, pp. 149–50.)

“Christ’s agony in the garden is unfathomable by the finite mind, both as to intensity and cause. The thought that He suffered through fear of death is untenable. Death to Him was preliminary to resurrection and triumphal return to the Father from whom He had come, and to a state of glory even beyond what He had before possessed; and, moreover, it is within His power to lay down His life voluntarily. He struggled and groaned under a burden such as no other being who has lived on earth might even conceive as possible. It was not physical pain, nor mental anguish alone, that caused Him to suffer such torture as to produce an extrusion of blood from every pore; but a spiritual agony of soul such as only God was capable of experiencing. No other man, however great his powers of physical or mental endurance, could have suffered so; for his human organism would have succumbed, and syncope would have produced unconsciousness and welcome oblivion. In that hour of anguish Christ met and overcame all the horrors that Satan, ‘the prince of this world’ could inflict. The frightful struggle incident to the temptations immediately following the Lord’s baptism was surpassed and overshadowed by this supreme contest with the powers of evil.

“In some manner, actual and terribly real though to man incomprehensible, the Savior took upon Himself the burden of the sins of mankind from Adam to the end of the world.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 613.)

I am grateful for the Savior for what He did for all of us. A humble Son of God submitting to the will of the Father, not seeing any other way out of it. I know in those times when I have felt trapped and didn't see an easy way out, that He helped me through it. I love Him for what He did, and continues to do for me in my life. I invite you to gain a greater testimony of the atonement. You will never feel closer to God than in those moments that you are on your knees praying earnestly for your will to harmonize with the Lord's will. Then when that power comes to you to overcome, you will feel the Love of the Lord that He has for you. For that is why He suffered it. 

A Time To Prepare

Mark 13:33: Take ye heed, watch and pray: For ye know not when the time is. 37- And what I say unto you I say unto all, watch.

Whenever I think of the second coming of Christ, I can't help but wonder about what is going on in the world today that will lead to it. Many of us have heard of the signs to look for, which is vital and important to know, but what can we be doing now to prepare for that time? What shouldn't we be doing to prepare for that time?

D&C 87:8 Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold it cometh quickly, saith the Lord, amen.

Our environment influences us in so many ways. It is remarkable to see how much change a person can have based on their outside influences. A story in the Book of Mormon about the Jaredites: To stage the history, this comes right after the confounding of the languages at the Tower of Babel. The Jaredites were a righteous people, but after the languages were confounded, the people around them were terrible. The Lord commanded them to leave, He promised if they did that He would lead them to a promised land (America). The Lord knew well enough that the influence of wicked people could lead them astray. Sometimes we must do the same. If we are surrounded by bad influences, peers, even buildings; we may have to change our environment or friends in order to find a new "Promised land" in our lives. Sometimes a fresh start is what we need, because changing before we placed in a situation is much easier than changing while you are in the middle of it. So stand in holy places, that your influences may guide you to happier and better paths.

Finally, we must be giving all that we can give unto the Lord. We are all imperfect people, but it doesn't mean we can't do our best.  2 Nephi 25:23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.
The Lord wants us to succeed, He wants to help in any way that He can. But He can't do everything for us, we must be willing to give all that we can give, which is far less than perfect, and then He can lift us the rest of the way and help us do much more than we could have done on our own. We can change, because of the Savior, we are able to overcome our weaknesses and become whole physically and spiritually. We can become much greater with God than we ever could without Him.


I do not know when Christ will come, but I do know what I can be doing. The world will get tougher and more wicked; we can make ourselves stronger to take it on. I know that when He comes, I want to be able to be in His presence, knowing that I did all that I could to follow Him, and have it be acceptable before Him. We can use today as A Time To Prepare. And when the time comes, it won't matter, because we are made strong with God.

Becometh As Little Children

When you first think of the title, it may make you laugh. Sometimes when we view children, we see the reliant personalities they own, with some misunderstanding on the purpose in life. I don't think that is what the Savior was referring to. Take the time to read in the New Testament: Matthew 17: 1-14. I love these passages, in here we are taught by the Lord all of the things that we can learn from children.

Children may be young and inexperienced, but there are a lot of things that we can lose from that stage in our life that we need. Many children have an ability to make friends and are open about almost everything. As we get older, we tend to get personal and may shelter ourselves from society until we have to do it. Children can be very honest. I had a kid tell me once that I had really big feet. It was funny, but I appreciated his honesty and asked him what size he thought they were... "Like a hundred billion!" It was super funny. Now we should be honest with all that we do, and graceful when we can be so that we don't offend. Children are very forgiving, they like to share, they can be entertained with nothing but a bar of soap and a toothbrush. Sometimes we lose touch with some of these wonderful qualities that children have, but it's not too late. We can gain them back, or work on preserving them. This is where the Savior comes in.

"If thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire." This is a reference to repentance. The imagery to me allows a great explanation to the process of removing sin from our lives. A sin being like your hand: When we are sinning, we feel like it would be hard to live without it. I imagine losing a hand would not be pleasant, but the process of repentance can sometimes be painful. Nevertheless, it is better for us to remove it from ourselves, and be in our own minds, maimed. We have to decide to repent, it is a choice on our part. No one else can make us change. Once we've decided to make that commitment, we allow the blessings of the atonement into our lives.

"For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost."
When we are lost, we have the Perfect Rescuer to come to our aid. He wants to help us, He wants us to come unto Him. I know that the repentance process works and it is a manifestation of the love of our Savior Jesus Christ. He made it all possible, it may not be easy but we can find our way to Him no matter how lost we are. I am grateful for the atonement and how I have been blessed from it. Big and small, I have felt the change in my heart. Mosiah 9:13 tells us how we can become like little children, I encourage you to read it. May we all become like little children, for they are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

The Parable of The Pearl of Great Price

The Savior taught in parables. In the Bible Dictionary found as a reference in the LDS King James version of the Bible. We learn that a parable is a story and spiritual connection that run side by side. Intended to enrich those with spiritual eyes and ears, allowing them to capture the true meaning of the gospel doctine being taught. While those that aren't spiritually tuned just hear a story. In the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price, we get a spiritual connection to the commitment that we should have with our Savior.

The story goes of a merchant that searched for pearls, when he found the right one, he sold all that he had to have it. Matt 13:45-46 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it."

This teaches a very important principle in the gospel. First, we must be seeking for goodly pearls. Pearls aren't just going to land in your lap everyday. This merchant was making an effort to find goodly pearls, an exercise of faith and hope, not settling for the pearls he already had. Second, he sacrificed all that he had. He let go of all of the worldly things so that he could obtain such a precious gift. Finally, he understood that what the pearl was worth it, after selling everything he still knew it was worth it. He was grateful for the gift he was given after all he went through to get it.

This is a powerful teaching tool with many applications. A principle is a general statement that has many applications. What are we willing to sacrifice for the Lord? Do we have faith that we will receive it one day? What are we willing to sacrifice in order to have the most precious gifts of them all? Sometimes when we know we should repent, we hesitate because letting go seems tough. But if we are willing to follow the Lord, and His will, we can know that the richest blessings will come.

"Blessed are..."

This one comes from the Sermon On The Mount in Matthew 5-7, more focused on Ch. 5. In this passage we have an incredible teaching from the Savior, He uses the phrase "Blessed are..." quite often. In the footnotes we learn that the latin beatus is the basis of the English 'beatitude,' meaning 'to be fortunate,' 'to be happy,' or 'to be blessed'. We have a different perspective if we read those passages with those new phrases. The Savior is teaching us how to be happy. I picked 3 from the scriptures that I will expound on. I encourage you to read them and find out how you can apply them, who doesn't want to be happy?

Blessed Are the Pure in Heart

“If you would see God, you must be pure. There is in Jewish writings the story of a man who saw an object in the distance, an object that he thought was a beast. As it drew nearer he could perceive it was a man and as it came still closer he saw it was his friend. You can see only that which you have eyes to see. Some of the associates of Jesus saw him only as a son of Joseph the carpenter. Others thought him to be a wine-bibber or a drunkard because of his words. Still others thought he was possessed of devils. Only the righteous saw him as the Son of God. Only if you are the pure in heart will you see God, and also in a lesser degree will you be able to see the ‘God’ or good in man and love him because of the goodness you see in him. Mark well that person who criticizes and maligns the man of God or the Lord’s anointed leaders in his Church. Such a one speaks from an impure heart.”

I feel that this has to do with our personal righteousness and our goals. The more we come to understand the atonement, the more we will want to repent and be obedient to the Lord. As a parent wants the best for their child, our Heavenly Father wants the best for us. This is why we are given commandments. A perfect Heavenly Parent gave them to us in wisdom, because they will make us happy. We can show our love to Him in word and in action. It is more difficult to show love through our decisions and actions, but it shows our respect to the One who gives us all we have.

Blessed Are the Merciful

“Our salvation rests upon the mercy we show to others. Unkind and cruel words, or wanton acts of cruelty toward man or beast, even though in seeming retaliation, disqualify the perpetrator in his claims for mercy when he has need of mercy in the day of judgment before earthly or heavenly tribunals. Is there one who has never been wounded by the slander of another whom he thought to be his friend? Do you remember the struggle you had to refrain from retribution? Blessed are all you who are merciful for you shall obtain mercy!”

All of us have felt what it is like to be wrongfully accused or blamed. Many of us have been in the position when we were at the mercy of someone else. We know that Christ suffered all so that he may know how to succor (nurture) us, because he has suffered it also. Christ was wrongfully blamed, accused for many things He never did. A perfect Son of God never deserved the cruel judgments upon Him, yet He suffered it and conquered. Since He knows how to be at peace with this, we can turn to Him when we feel distorted from happiness and come at rest. The atonement makes everything that is unfair become fair, we just need to turn to the Lord.

Blessed Are the Peacemakers

“Peacemakers shall be called the children of God. The troublemaker, the striker against law and order, the leader of the mob, the law-breaker are prompted by motives of evil and unless they desist will be known as the children of Satan rather than God. Withhold yourselves from him who would cause disquieting doubts by making light of sacred things for he seeks not for peace but to spread confusion. That one who is quarrelsome or contentious, and whose arguments are for other purposes than to resolve the truth, is violating a fundamental principle laid down by the Master as an essential in the building of a full rich life. ‘Peace and goodwill to men on earth’ was the angel song that heralded the birth of the Prince of Peace.”

Contentions arise in the world, if you are thrown into a pile of mud and are asked to stay clean, it will be difficult to avoid the things in your environment. This is why we stand in holy places, however, sometimes we will not be able to avoid such an ordeal. The next agent that alters what you do is how you react. Reacting in a harsh way allows you to be joined with the world. Peacemakers are of God, and although the world is a dark place, you will full of light. The Savior is a peacemaker, the giver of peace. If we chose to follow Him in moments when our reaction to contention could be wrong, and we chose Him. "Happy" are we and our reward will be priceless compared to a wild and angry explosion that doesn't solve anything.

Conclusion: I love these passages. These scriptures outline a guide to happiness and perfection. May we apply the scriptures taught, they make us happy. Joy is hard to find sometimes, but God knows all and will help us find it.

A love of God is deeper than just words.

          When I was young, I was somewhat ignorant of the rules my parents set for me. When they asked me to be home at 9, 8:45 starts coming around with an evening out with friends. It felt like they were trying to torture me, surely a few more minutes wouldn't open opportunities for trouble. Coming home anyway taught me a lesson, not at the time, but much later in life. As I began to love my parents deeper, obeying changed from a torturous thought, to coming home on time so that I wouldn't offend them; for they have supported me and blessed me in many ways, why hurt them? Now as time has passed, I have been put in there shoes in some ways and can see why they asked me to follow rules. It was to protect me, and help me prevent the snares of the devil in the world. After walking where they have walked, I finally understand why they loved me enough to ask me to obey, even though I was offended and didn't understand consequences fully, I became a better person for it.

So what does it mean to know God? Also, what does it mean to love God? Here is a little recipe for knowing these things.
1 John 1:6-9 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

This passage gives some principles that we can follow to know God. For all good cometh from God, and all evil cometh from the devil. In essence, all things that bring everlasting happiness comes from an everlasting God; while those things that bring temporary satisfaction, and/or cause you to defy God, comes from satan. For he desires for us to be miserable like unto himself. We must study the word of God, learn of things that bring to pass of eternal love and goodness, and live a life that God would have us live. The scripture mentions walking in the light, sometimes we may even have to change our environment to fulfill this. This could be acquiring new friends that influence you for good, staying away from places that entice sin, and walk in holy places where the Spirit of the Lord will not be hindered. We may not always understand why God asks us to do these things, it may even be a time where no foreseeable problems will come if we push our limits; but as we are exactly obedient, we will come to know one day that God gives us commandments to protect us. We will come to know God, because we see Him in us.
           Which leads to the second question, How can we come to love God? One of the major battles we will fight in our lives, will be loving God more than the world. This can seem silly to some, but whenever our priorities are centered on things of the world, with the things God would have us do be in second place or further, we are loving the world more than Him. The world shouts for your attention with obvious and subtle enticement to follow temporary happiness. God on the other hand, speaks with a still small voice; and if we are not listening intently, we may miss it in the loudness of the world. Decisions to follow the world can be disguised as being an easier lifestyle, so the initial decision to follow righteousness or wickedness can be tough. But is it easier? How much easier is it to fight a constant addiction? Or to correct a mistake that was at the cost of many loved ones? Or to be separated from those you love for behavior, and left with a crowd that may not be very supportive to help you come back? So now I'll ask, how can you know God and walk in darkness? Would it be worth it to you follow commandments, that seem so tough to follow, if you don't know what blessings come for that sacrifice? How will we know God if we never learn by our own experience why He asks us to obey? How can we love God and do things that offends Him? 1 John 2:5-6 "But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."

To know God is to follow the commandments, this brings perspective to ourselves of who God really is. We will know who He is, because we will see ourselves in Him. To love God, is to follow the commandments exactly and willingly. That we may never offend Him, and trust in His words spoken with love. We will want to repent, for the sacrifice has already been paid, and we will understand that as we repent we allow ourselves to be closer to God. Love will be more than words spoken, but in our thoughts and actions. 1 John 3:18 "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

We are privileged to have trials. 1 Peter 1-4

Scripture Study: 1 Peter 1:1-9.     2:12, 15, 20-25.    3:11-16     4:12-19
Thanks for reading. I wanted to start off with a realization that I have had very recently in my life. We have reasons for influence in our character, and in our decisions.
1) Character if affected by our virtues
               We all will have personalities that allow us to have diversity in life. However, when it comes to life, the virtues we lack, or improve will change our character. For example, if we lack faith, it will shape our character into a doubtful person with our dealings in life. On the other hand, if we have charity, we will love others and help them in any possible way. So if there is a character flaw we have, it can be fixed by improving the corresponding virtue associated with it to give strength unto all things in life.
2) Choices and decisions
Our decisions go further than virtues, because they are a reflection of our thoughts. If we allow bad thoughts do be entertained in our minds, we allow darkness into our souls. Then it becomes our character to be evil doers instead of righteous. If we follow God and allow light to abide in our souls, we will make decisions for good. A bad deed is never done in an instant, but is premeditated no matter how brief or thought out. Even our reflexes show the training we give to them to react in certain situations.

God wants our virtues and character to reflect who He is. God is perfect and knows what pure and true everlasting happiness is; the rest of us are still learning. We suffer trials that we may learn how to perfect our virtues and make decisions that lead us back to our Father in heaven; where everlasting happiness resides. It is a symbol of His love unto us, because on an eternal perspective, if we endure in faith and exact obedience, we will find true happiness. It is never easy to watch something you love suffer, but God in His infinite wisdom  endures that pain because He realizes our potential. Therefore, it is a privilege to suffer trials, because then we know that God is giving us an opportunity to becoming more like He is and enjoy the blessings that He has. On our part, our attitude can highly affect how much we really need to suffer in these trials. God pours out His blessings upon the patient and the faithful. When we complain, we allow doubt to fight faith and become stubborn to the counsel of God. Why suffer longer than necessary? Or more than we have to? But endure it well, and the armies of heaven will give us strength to press forward.

Christ has made it possible to overcome our trials, and give us strength to endure them. During the great act of the atonement, Christ suffered all. Christ endured pains such as hunger, thirst, disease, betrayal, and any type of suffering we can and ever will feel in our lives. He has already paid the ransom on our sins, so if we repent and follow His teachings, we will not have to pay the penalty of justice, and enjoy the blessings of our good deeds. Since Christ suffered these things, He has compassion on us for our sufferings, because He has felt it; for He has descended below them all. His hand is stretched forth always, to lift us up when we are down. He understands our pains, and knows how to perfectly nurture us to allow us to be healed. So let's use this gift for our benefit, for the price is already paid.

We have so much to be grateful for, so much has been given to us through the divine love of God the Father, His son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. Ingratitude comes from a focus on oneself. Remembering everything that happens to you that is bad, and forgetting all that has been given from the Lord. I am so grateful for everything Heavenly Father has given me. Even every breath I take is a blessing from Him. I am grateful for the Lord Jesus Christ, His sacrifice was an act of pure love, and has infinitely blessed me in my life. I am grateful for my family always being there for me. Friends that support me and give encouragement. And for all things I see as a blessing, and even the blessings I don't always recognize. We can always feel content in our trials, let us use all of the blessings given us, and be grateful in all circumstances. Happy Thanksgiving everybody! Thanks for reading.

Questions answered in Hebrews 13

I love finding answers to questions in the scriptures. And I have found that this chapter contains some amazing answers to life in a short 25 versus. I invite you to read this chapter and follow along to the references as we go through these questions.

How should we treat strangers in those "bonds"?
(Verses 1-3) So what are the bonds? Everybody in life goes through specific, or unique experiences that teaches valuable general principles of how we should live. Or in other words, we are all learning to become more like God, so that we can stand blameless at the judgment bar, after receiving perfect recollection, and enter into His rest. It is when we start comparing our lives to others when we get envy, jealousy, or pride; but if done so with love, it can bring humility. The truth is, life is tough; we are all in the bonds of temptation and a corrupt world around us. But, we never know how a simple act of kindness can help someone, even if we never know it. "For thereby some have entertained angels unawares." We all need a helping hand sometimes, and God's hand is always stretched forth all the day long for us. May we return the favor, and stretch out our hand for others.

How is marriage looked upon?
(Verse 4)- "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." There are so many sacred things God has entrusted unto His children. Imagine, somebody borrowing an item that is precious to you. This may be a car, a watch, money, or maybe your child when he or she is going on a date. Then you find out, that they have history of treating this item poorly, or not using it for it's purpose, or giving respect. How would you feel if then, they did that to your gift? We are children of God, your spouse, if not married, your date, is one of them. God cherishes His children, if we are to live, or associate with one of His children, we should treat it how He would want us to.

What warnings are given about covetousness?
(Verse 5) Being content with the things we have can be very difficult. Especially if we compare our things with others. We live in a world of technology. Everything is being upgraded! Ipod, Ipad, Iphone, Iwho knows! There will always be someone that has more, in worldly comparisons, than you do. But what matters most, is your relationship with Heavenly Father and your progression back to His presence. If we gained the whole world and lost our own soul, would we be content? In an eternal perspective, knowing we could have done better will prevail over temporal possessions.

What is the same yesterday, today, and forever?
(Verse 8) "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." God will never change or deviate. His paths are always straight and He is one eternal round. We must be cautious of certain things that only bring temporary happiness. Such things may disguise themselves as bringing happiness, but only for a short while before leaving you by yourself with the same problems, if not more added problems. If we focus on eternal happiness such as, family, friends, helping others, love unfeigned, learning, service for the Lord in all it's forms, we will see a change in us that is everlasting. The Spirit will bring joy into our souls in times of hardships and help us feel content. Because Jesus Christ is eternal, and He can bring joy and happiness in any time of our lives if we seek Him.

How are we sanctified?
(Verse 12) "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate." Don't you find it interesting, that in our own bodies, the blood is what heals? A cut, blood heals it. Tight muscles, circulating blood relieves it. If they are sanctified, or clean, they may just get worse. So many comparisons can be made, and so when we read that through the blood of Christ we are sanctified, is there not a type in this? Christ suffered all things: pain, sickness, disease, thirst, hunger, and all things for our sins and many more. There is not a type of suffering He hasn't felt, a feeling of guilt, that he doesn't understand. Holding in unnecessary guilt or pain only poisons ourselves. We can turn to Him because He knows how we feel, and how to get out of it. His blood will heal our pains, our physical and spiritual wounds.

How do we respond to those who rule over us?
(Verse 7) Faithful leaders have been chosen by God, to be servers of Christ unto us. Taking offense is a choice and highly depends on our attitude. Blame is at the root of being offended, making our need for correction someone else's fault. I am saying this, knowing that correction can be given gracefully also, on our part and for others. It doesn't have to be ridiculing, so when giving advise, be graceful. When taking advice, whether ridiculing or graceful, be understanding. For we all have something to work on until we are perfected, and if we change now, we will have the advantage in the long run.

Who did Paul ask the people to pray for?
(Verse 18) "Pray for us..." We are to pray for the Prophet and leaders of God. President Monson, the prophet of the LDS church, has dedicated His life to serve Christ, just like many of us have. His lifestyle is most likely different though, everyday of his life he is being directed by God for Christ's church. He prays for all of us, and is doing all within his power to serve us. Let us do the same.

Finding Solutions To All of Life's Challenges Through Scriptures.

Problem #1
Many people complain and argue over petty things in Church meetings or throughout the week.
Phillipians 2:1-8, 14-15 I suggest reading these passages on your own time.
In these scriptures, Paul is writing to the Phillipians about having unity in Christ. Christ said, "Come follow me." An invitation to walk with Him through life, to learn from the experiences as you walk, and become more like He is as you learn of His ways. Any disputation comes from the lack of knowledge, and vainglory. I say lack of knowledge, because in an argument, you usually don't see it from the other perspective; but ultimately, if all people saw God's perspective on the matter, disputations would be done away. As for vainglory, pride is the focus on one's self. No one else. In verse 15, Paul talks about being blameless, what I feel to be the exact opposite. When you are blameless, you don't point your finger at others. You except responsibility for your actions no matter what you do. We ought to be blameless before God, to learn His ways, that disputation can be done away.
Problem #2
Many people rely on the testimony of their parents, and feel it might be good enough for their own Salvation.
Phillipians 2: 12-15
I feel the greatest phrase in these scriptures are: Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling. Work: Our efforts alone will not give us salvation, but through Christ and repentance, we can become like He is and accomplish the Lord's work relying on Him, and doing your best. With fear and trembling, when these two elements are in your life, comfort is a rare thing. As we get to comfortable in the gospel, we usually aren't using our God given time to be efficient in our learning of experiences. It is hard to be anxiously engaged, when repetition is involved, and stay motivated. But we must always fight against complacency, and accelerate in the gospel. Then your testimony is your own, and not founded upon a foundation that holds it up based on your parents; but Christ's foundation, which will never fall or crumble.
Problem #3
Many investigators want to join the church, but are afraid of their family not accepting them.
Joseph Smith Jr. said, "A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things, never has power sufficient enough to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation." The Lord requires a full sacrifice, even all we have, for Him. And then when we do, we inherit All that the Father hath in heaven after giving up everything from the world. Phillipians 4:13 I can do all things in Christ which strengtheneth me. Phillipians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of a high calling in Christ Jesus. Christ will be our support even if our family might not be, but if we sacrifice for the Lord for the testimony He blessed us with, then we will blessed forever for our sacrifice of Earthly things. Our families will know the truth, all hidden things will be revealed. But what we do with our knowledge from God now, will determine our blessings now and through eternity.
Brett Jones

How to have a happy family

Colossians 3:15-21
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.


The adversary works so hard on the family, because with one family member that is affected, the whole family is affected by it. There are so many things in the world competing for the drifting away of the family. So many things that call for personal involvement, instead of things that bring unity in the family. Fortunately, we have answers to what we can do to have a happy family. The answer, building a family relationship on the gospel. Here in the epistle to the Colossians, Paul writes some important values that should be applied within the home. He knew how important families are to our Father in heaven, and the Father is fully aware of how tough it is to live in a dysfunctional family. Here are some of the things I found that was mentioned in these passages.
1) Peace of God rule in your hearts, and be thankful.
2) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing each other. (Family home evening and prayer)
3) Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. (Sing together the words of God.)
4) Give thanks to God in all of our doings.
5) Each individual and member of the family fulfilling their responsibility. Doing their very best to do their part, for everyone pulling their own weight helps them everybody deal with their burdens.

If we can do all we can to implement these plans of God, then we know we will be blessed. It isn't always easy to read scriptures together or sing as a family. Or many of the things listed, but we can be sure it will make us happy. The Supreme Creator of the world has given us a plan to help us know we can be happy if we follow it. With all of the wisdom He possesses, we can know that the gospel contains general application to all circumstances that will work. I have seen these blessings in my life. It was not easy reading scriptures and praying with my family with busy schedules that conflict and attitudes that constantly change. But I know and can see the blessings of the Lord in my life. His hand is there and has lifted me through all of my challenges. And these things will bless you if you are willing to follow the Words of God and rely on Him for supplication.

2 Corinthians 2:3

2 Corinthians 2:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in flesshy tables of the heart.

It is not enough to read the word of God, you will have to etch it into your heart and live it to gain a testimony from the Spirit.

What does it mean to cry? Why do we do it? In the Book of Mormon, Alma uses the word CRY in chapter 34 numerous times, he is explaining how we should pray. Cry unto the Lord, have you heard this before? I don't think the God intends for us to be crying our eyes out every time we pray. Now sometimes, we will when the emotions are high, but if you are in a cheerful mood, we don't have to discourage ourselves to cry. I feel that crying is more of an emotion, it comes from the heart. Whenever I have cried, after I was a baby, I cried for things that I put my heart into. I simply love this scripture, because Paul is explaining to the Corinthians about the true application of the words of God. We are not intended to just read them, maybe complement their beauty or reasoning. We are to engrave them upon our hearts, making ourselves a living scripture book in principle and in character. To put forth as much effort into our commitments, much like Alma was teaching about what we should do with our prayers. We must be even more than listeners of the word, but doers in faith. 

Brett Jones

1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 "For ye are bought with a price."

1 Corinthians 6: 19-20- What? Know ye not that you body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

How much do we take for granted? Have you ever tried listing all of the blessings we receive in life? Every breath of air is a blessing, the greenhouse effect that makes all temperatures 30 degrees warmer, industrialization for greater demand, how beautiful nature is, a shelter to call home, a transportation device whether it's a vehicle or our own legs work. Many of these things are used everyday without the thought of how precious these gifts are, and they are from God. Now, lets shift to the remarkable body. When you get a cut, bruise, sicknesses, and any infirmities of any kind; your body has the ability to heal itself. Granted medical attention may be needed in some cases, but those medical aids could do nothing if your body didn't heal itself after they were put in place. What an incredible, complex, gift that we enjoy everyday of our lives. But are they our own?
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth, and all things that are dwelling therein. God created man in the image of God. Therefore we look like Him, and on top of that, we are His children. Given blessings from on high with that divine heritage. As part of the plan, we are to receive a body, a physical body, that we may endure to the end and prepare to meet God. This preparation was only possible, if we could receive a body in the process. Then, God granted unto His children to come to Earth and receive a body, all of which are possible through the creation of the heavens and the Earth from God the father, through Jesus Christ. Which makes our bodies, essentially belong to God.
Have you ever given a gift to somebody to just have them disrespect it? If I were to give you a watch, of great value, just to watch you take the watch and throw it on the ground, how do you think I would feel? Would I be willing to give you other gifts that I could give you? Our bodies are a gift from God, that enables our spirit and His Spirit to dwell within. If we were to disrespect it, disobey, or defile our bodies, how do you think God would feel with such a gift of great value.
I know that our bodies are divine, we are created in the image of God, vessels of His spirit and ours to enable us to return to the presence of the Father.

1 Corinthians 1: 5-6

1 Corinthians 1: 5-6- That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:

 

If you are worthy to have the same Spirit that delivers your testimony, then you can be enriched by Him with divine teaching and knowledge.

I don't think we realize the divine help we receive from God in its entirety. I have to remember to count my blessings in times of doubt and trial. But even when I do, I imagine there are countless times that God blessed me when I didn't even realize it. Elder David Bednar from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles once said, "How often do we ask God to allow us to make it to our destination safely, and then never thank Him for it." This was a huge reality check for me, because I couldn't remember the last time that I had told him thanks for something like that. However, it is true. Even the very air we breath is a blessing from God in every breathe. 

In this passage of scripture, we learn from the epistle that Paul wrote to the Corinthians that in every thing we are enriched by God. Every skill, learning, and blessing comes from the supreme God that created us, but this does not necessarily mean that we don't abuse them. Some gifted people that sing may use their talent to draw people away from the Being who gave him or her that talent. Surely, God only asks us to bless His kingdom and recognize Him for the blessing allocated. I love my Heavenly Father for the blessings, talents, and hidden blessings that He has given me. I am grateful for the leaders in my life that have helped me change on the path of discipleship. I know these things are true by the Holy Spirit of God. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Acts 9 The conversion of Paul

This is one of my favorite stories in the scriptures. I find it fascinating to see the amazing potential that are in each of Heavenly Father's children. So Saul, his former name, was a man that used to fight against the church of God. In our day, if we saw a man that fought against God it would be difficult to overcome the bad first impression that we had on him.
There have been studies from psychologists on impressions that people make and how it is branded into the mind of a person. The sad part of the research from a bad first impression, is that the person usually has to move if they are to have people accept them again.
Then as Saul was on his way to Damascus, suddenly a light shined about him from heaven, and fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Now, sometimes we desire a conversion like this. Surely I would join the church too if Christ spoke unto me. But it isn't the visitation of Christ that caused the conversion, we are able to see this in his response to the Lord.
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? (He knew that it was the Lord) And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
 What wilt thou have me to do, Saul was willing to do anything the Lord asked him to do. That is how our conversion must be. If we are to be converted to the Lord, we must have this same attitude. When we pray to know if the scriptures are true, are we willing to follow the commandments they teach? If we desire to know what to do with our life with a specific plan, are we willing to pay the price?
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
A simple test of faith from the Lord, and we know that he did it. Then came the next test, he was confronted by the apostles and desired to tarry with them.
But they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, adn declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and what he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
There are a lot of things to learn from these passages, but a lesson that I find to be important to learn, is about judgment. Saul was a wicked man, enough to be feared by the apostles. But God knew his potential, even above them, and saw passed the persecution and saw an amazing missionary and servant. We must also be like the Lord. We must be wable to see passed the wicked in people, for all of God's children have divine potential. Because we are all children of a perfect Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ has made it possible to become like Them.

Acts 3: 1-9,16

I am starting this new blog as an opportunity to share my thoughts, and some of the thoughts of you as you comment. I am taking a religion class at Brigham Young University-Idaho with a focused study of The New Testament in the bible. For this blog, I am going to focus on The Acts chapter 3: 1-9,16. Please feel free to comment on this post. It can be a comment of agreement, or disagreement. All that matters is that we get our thoughts out there and work on being in one accord with Christ.
Read Acts3: 1-9, 16, the whole chapter if you get a chance.
In this scriptural passage, you have Peter and John heading to the temple to do service for the Lord. There was a man that was lame, that begged for alms from these men. Not lame as we use it today, but it is a condition where the person is crippled or disabled, especially in the legs making it difficult to walk or move. When he begged for coin, Peter said in verse 6: Silver and gold have I none; bu such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Then Peter took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
Now it is interesting to note that this lame man did not ask them to be healed. He asked them for alms or donations. But this is how the Lord answers our prayers. Sometimes we ask for things that we feel we need, it is a want on our part that we think we need at that moment or in the future. But God can see the whole picture, and will bless us with what we need. These alms that Peter and John would give him would only be temporary. He would need money or donations again, because he was a cripple and could not provide for himself. But now with him being healed through faith on the Savior Jesus Christ, he can start his life anew and provide for himself and anyone else. He could carry on the work of the Lord from what he saw happen in his life. He could be a productive son of God and accomplish more than he could have before. It would take hard work to make money again, learning new skills after not working for however long he was crippled, but now he knew that with faith, all things are possible through Christ.
I hope this could be as much help to you as it was for me. I know that through faith, all things are possible. And that Jesus Christ made it possible through the atonement and grace that was made possible through His sacrifice. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.