How Firm a Foundation

Straight Talk - Straight Up

2012-08-12T02:26:00.000-05:00

What are the Similarities and Differences in Mormon Doctrine vs. Other Christians?

Everyone knows the SIMILARITIES between Mormon Doctrine, and Other Christians.(Christian meaning someone who follows Christ and His teachings.)

Jesus Christ is the Son of God.(John 5:19, Luke 1:35)

Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.(1 John 4:14, Job 19:25)

Followers of Christ have been instructed to have Faith in order to be saved.(Matthew 14:31, Mark 9:23)

Followers of Christ have been commanded to Pray.(John 16:26)

It is a Commandment to only have sex with your spouse, who is to be of the opposite gender.(Leviticus 18:22, Ephesians 5, 1 Timothy 3:2)

"Thou shalt not Steal"(Exodus 20:15)

"Thou shalt not Kill"(Deuteronomy 5:17)

The Bible contains the Word of God.

As well as several other points of Doctrine.

So what are the DIFFERENCES between Mormon Doctrine, and Other Christians.

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christian but is neither Catholic nor Protestant. Rather, it is a restoration of the original church established by Jesus Christ."
-- LDS.org

Unlike Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Christianity, Mormonism does not include belief in the Trinity, in which the one God consists of three persons. Instead, Mormons believe that the "Godhead" is made up of three distinct beings who are "one in purpose" but not in being.

Faith is more than Belief. Faith is an Action word. If we have true Faith in Jesus Christ it will lead us to take Action to live His gospel.

"Faith without Works is dead."
-- James 2:26

Faith leads us to Repent. The first fruits of Repentance is Baptism. Baptism also includes Receiving the Holy Ghost by the Laying on of Hands. Only those who hold the Priesthood can perform these ordinances. (If you are still confused about Mormon views on Priesthood Authority, Click HERE)

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, also Believe in an open Canon. Whereas most of the Christian world believes that the Bible, and the Bible alone, contains God's word, Mormons believe the the Book of Mormon is also an ancient text of Scripture. We also believe in a Modern Prophet, just as was had among the Jews from Moses until Christ. They 'added' scripture all the time as the spake Prophecy and gave instruction to those who were alive at the time. These ancient Prophets never taught contrary to their predecessors. We DO NOT add to the Bible, we have separate books of Scripture that give further Light and Knowledge about Christ and His Church.

The statement given in Revelation 22:18-19 pertains only to the Book of Revelation, or the Revelation of Saint John. If one was to claim that these verses spoke of the entire all 'Scripture', being the Bible, as a whole, they would of necessity have to believe that Moses spoke of 'all Scripture' when he said the same thing in Deuteronomy 4:2:

"Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you."

Therefore all scripture should have ended with Deuteronomy 4:2 under this understanding, which is clearly not the way of God.

"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."
-- Amos 3:7
Most Christians believe in Heaven or Hell and that's it. We believe that the common understanding of Heaven and Hell is not accurate.

Mormons believe that the Plan of Salvation answers the questions of Where did I come from, Why am I here, and Where am I going?
So Where DID we come from?

"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."
-- Jeremiah 1:5

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God."

-- John 1:1-2

We lived with God before we were born into mortality. We learned the Gospel and chose to come here to Earth and gain a body so that we might become more like our Heavenly Father. We also understood that we would not remember anything from before when we were born, causing us to live by Faith.

Why are we Here?

"And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself."
-- Luke 10:27

This life is a probationary state. We are to Keep the Commandments of God, which includes having Faith in Jesus Christ, Repenting of our Sins, being Baptized by someone holding the proper Priesthood Authority from God, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End of our life.

"Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true and living God."
-- Mormon 9:28

"For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors."
-- Alma 34:32

Many say that you only need to declare Jesus as your Savior, this however means He doesn't require anything from us be to speak the word once. Why then did He say to 'Keep My Commandments'?

"I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."
-- John 9:4

"And it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings he said unto his disciples: Enter ye in at the strait gate; for strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it; but wide is the gate, and broad the way which leads to death, and many there be that travel therein, until the night cometh, wherein no man can work."
-- 3 Nephi 27:33
Where are we Going?

Most Christians believe that when we die we go to either Heaven or Hell. This is not exactly right.

Mormons believe that when we die our body goes to the grave, but our Spirit goes to what is called the Spirit World. The Spirit world has two divisions, being Spirit Paradise, and Spirit Prison. This Prison could be considered a Hell.

However this perspective explains why Christ told the Thief on the Cross that he would see Him that day in Paradise. It also explains why the Gospel was Preached to those who already had their time on Earth.

"And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."
-- Luke 23:43

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;"

-- 1 Peter 3:18-19

"For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit."
-- 1 Peter 4:6

This is where Catholicism gets the idea of Purgatory. However the idea of praying for those who have passed on is not correct. We here on the Earth cannot simply Pray for those who have died and have their sins be 'purged'.

The Bible does however declare what is to be done about those who have died without the Gospel of Christ.

"Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?"
-- 1 Corinthians 15:29

Mormons also believe that After Resurrection and Judgement, which come after the Spirit world, that there will be several 'Heavens'.

"I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven."
-- 2Corinthians 12:2

"There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory."

-- 1 Corinthians 15:40-41

This is to show that God will have mercy on everyone, but to those who have kept His commandments He will give the greater blessing.

Only those who have a complete knowledge of truth, and then Turn against it and deny the Gospel of Christ will be condemned to Outer Darkness.

"Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men."
-- Matthew 12:31

This picture depicts everything except Outer Darkness.

With an Open Canon and a Modern Prophet, many things which have not been understood in the past have been clarified. Every six months we hear the words of a Prophet, General Conference is the first weekend on April and October.

There are few differences of Doctrine, and those that try to point out flaws in Scripture have not read the Book of Mormon with Honesty in their Heart.

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."
-- Matthew 7:15

Why should we Beware of False Prophets, if there will not be any more True Prophets?

I know for myself, by the Power of God, that Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet on the Earth today. He speaks with God like a friend. He then declares God's word and His will to all people of the Earth.

"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."
-- Amos 3:7

"And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend."
-- Exodus 33:11

Seek ye Truth, and ye shall find that I LIE NOT.
Proverbs 14:5, Galatians 1:20, 2 Corinthians 11:31

How to 'Unlearn, what You have Learned'.

2012-08-08T01:51:00.000-05:00

I want to be a U.S. Marshal. This means I have a very firm mindset. I know exactly what I need to do and then I do it. It leaves very little room for error, and I often tell others what bothers me. In order to do what I want, I must first become who I want to be.

Unlearning a way of thinking is often very difficult, possibly the most difficult thing anyone would ever do. With something that is hard physically, you simply go work out and build up strength until you can accomplish the task. But when your obstacle is Mental you must be able to break it down, and yet not remove the wall.

Black Wall

I have wondered . . . How is it possible to build a Blue wall in the place of a Black wall without removing the Black wall?

Blue Wall

Then a good friend helped me to see that the wall doesn't have to be all one color. Both colors can be part of the wall. So all I have to do is figure out which bricks need replaced from the Black, and then remove it and insert a Blue brick.

"And according to his faith

there was a mighty change wrought in his heart.

Behold I say unto you that this is all true."

-- Alma 5:12

Knowing what to do is only the beginning, the actually doing it takes time and effort to change not only the way you act, but also the way you think. Rethinking things and changing your mind is usually not all that difficult, but having a permanent change in how you see things is often a very hard struggle.

Black Wall with Blue Brick 'upgrades'

"And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren,

if ye have experienced a change of heart,

and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love,

I would ask, can ye feel so now?"

-- Alma 5:26

I have one year left on my Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In that time I hope to assimilate all the Blue bricks I need to in order to make my wall balanced as it should be.

"And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church,

have ye spiritually been born of God?

Have ye received his image in your countenances?

Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?"

-- Alma 5:14

"The bricks are fallen down,

but we will build with hewn stones;

the sycamores are cut down,

but we will change them into cedars."

-- 2 Nephi 19:10

Hercules - Resurrection and Eternal Life

2012-08-04T07:52:00.001-05:00

What happens After we Die?

When we die, our bodies go into the Ground, but our Spirit lives on and goes to the Spirit World.

Meg's body is still outside against a rock, but Hercules comes to the Underworld to retrieve Meg's Spirit from the grasp of Hades.
2 Nephi 2:27
Jesus Christ also came to make the 'Resurrection' possible. He is the 'First Fruits of them that Slept'.
Because of the Resurrection of Christ we shall all be Resurrected.
Alma 12:24-25

Hercules (the Son of Zeus) was willing to give up everything, even his own life, to save Meg.

Christ (the Son of God) was willing to give up everything, even His own life, to save us all.
Alma 7:12, John 15:13
After having reunited Meg's Spirit with her Body, the two of them are 'called up' to mount Olympus.

During the Millennium, After the Second Coming of Christ, the Resurrection will take place, and After the Resurrection we will all be 'called up' to be Judged before God.

This Judgement is the Final Judgement. Our Eternal Destiny will be decided on the Choices we made in Mortality. Alma 12:27

Only when he is with Meg is Hercules Happy.

Even if he had stayed at Olympus, Hercules would not have been a God. Only because of Meg had he learned where he belonged, and it was wherever Meg was.

We often refer to our Spouses as our 'Better Half'. Then why should that 'Better Half' of us be separated from us in the Eternities?

Even Zeus has Hera.

See 1 Corinthians 15 for more information.

Remember Who You Are - The Lion King

2012-07-31T19:52:00.054-05:00

Simba had forgotten who he was. He was the Son of Mufasa, and rightful Heir to the Kingdom of his Father.

"And if children,

then heirs;

heirs of God,

and joint-heirs with Christ;

if so be that we suffer with him,

that we may be also glorified together."

-- Romans 8:17

How then do we "suffer with him"? Do we have to have our own Garden of Gethsemane, or Die on a Cross? No. We must however go through the pains of Spirit, and learn to Feel as He Felt. To have Godly Sorrow for both our Sins, and the trials of those around us.

If you have forgotten who YOU are, YOU have forgotten the FATHER.

"And now, my sons, REMEMBER, REMEMBER that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
-- Helaman 5:12

"Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?"

-- Hebrews 12:9

REMEMBER what we are supposed to be doing.

"Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."

-- John 15:14

Mulan - Reflection

2012-07-28T19:47:00.041-05:00

Who do you see in the Mirror?

When our Reflection shows our Love for the Savior, and our Internal desire for good, then we are true Disciples of Christ.

We dont have to be perfect, but we do need to do our best. I myself will not be a Perfect Son or Husband, but I am sure going to do the best that I can.

Sometimes we feel that we are not 'meant to play this part'. However, God has designed the Universe and EVERYTHING in it. Including us.

As I have a moment of Reflection on my last two years as a missionary, I know that there were days that I didn't feel like I was adequate enough to 'play the part'. I also hate the phrase, 'fake it til you make it'. So I have probably not done the best that I could have, but the best the I felt I was able. Often it takes the view of others to really let us know what we are truly Capable of. I know that I have become a better person from sharing the Restored Gospel these last two years.

Do you ever wonder who it is in the Mirror? Is your Reflection someone you 'Don't know'?

Sometimes we do things that make us feel bad afterwards, and then we get all frustrated inside. This is the Devil tempting us, and saying that we are Worthless. We are not worthless, because we are literally Children of our Heavenly Father.

"Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;"

-- Doctrine and Covenants 18:10

When will our Reflection Show, Who WE ARE Inside?

"And now behold, I ask of you,...,

have ye spiritually been born of God?

Have ye received his image in your countenances?

Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?"

-- Alma 5:14

When we have received His image in our countenance, Our Reflection will show who we are inside. Many people say that 'True beauty is only found in the Heart'.

"But the Lord said unto Samuel,

Look not on his countenance,

or on the height of his stature;

because I have refused him:

for the Lord seeth not as man seeth;

for man looketh on the outward appearance,

but the Lord looketh on the heart."

-- 1 Samuel 16:7

Who is YOUR Best Friend?

2012-07-26T10:58:00.038-05:00

God is the Best Friend I have EVER had.

Genie has lots of abilities. He grants three wishes to every master. However he can't make anyone fall in love. He can't kill anybody, and he either can't or won't bring people back from the dead.

Seems pretty limited to me.

God has no limitations, and He grants more than three wishes, to Everyone.

"For with God nothing shall be impossible."

-- Luke 1:37

We simply have to go to Him in Prayer, and ask in Faith.

"If any of you lack wisdom,

let him ask of God,

that giveth to all men liberally,

and upbraideth not;

and it shall be given him.

But let him ask in faith,

nothing wavering.

For he that wavereth

is like a wave of the sea

driven with the wind

and tossed."

-- James 1:5-6

So make God your Best Friend, and counsel with Him in all that you Do. He might say no sometimes, but it is for your own good. He always does whatever is best for us.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;

and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him,

and he shall direct thy paths."

-- Proverbs 3:5-6

"Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings,

and he will direct thee for good;"

-- Alma 37:37

Beauty and the Beast - Transformation

2012-07-24T11:08:00.059-05:00

Some people see Humility as 'childish', 'weak', or 'Dependent' on others.

True Humility is not exalting yourself above others, and Submitting to God's will.

Beast was Submissive, and not swift to anger.

Even after Bell came back, he only told Gaston to get out, and did not throw him of the ledge.

Throughout the movie Beast is trying to calm his temper and have Bell fall in Love with him. He is concerned that the Flower will lose all of its petals before she does, which would result in him staying in Beast-form forever.

We each have our own Spiritual Flower, which if it runs out of petals before we have received a change of heart, we will be stuck as we are forever. (Alma 5)

We must come back to the Lord as swiftly as we can, before the time of our Probation (this Life) runs out.(the Flower)

Red is the color of Power.

As Beast is being transformed his RED Cloak wraps around him, much as we need the Power of Christ to completely envelope us so that we might have this transformation take place in our hearts.

Transformation = Change

One of the missionaries that I have had a chance to serve with once spoke of the Change wrought upon Cucumbers when they are made into pickles. He stated that we should become 'Celestial Pickles'.

You see when a Cucumber (which is totally gross and nasty by the way), is made into a Pickle (which is AWESOME), it must be completely submerged in a Salt Brine (Also totally gross and nasty).

This is the only time, to the best of my knowledge, that two negatives make a positive outside of math.

The Salt Brine represents Trials we go through in Life. If we choose to only partially go through them we will not become a 'Celestial Pickle'. However, if we Humble ourselves and are Submissive to the Lord's Will, then we will have His help in everything we do, and He will make us into whatever kind of Pickle He knows we need to be.

As we go through this transformation, others will be able to see the Light of Christ shine through us. Much as the Light that comes from Beast's Hands, Feet, and Heart. This is an AWESOME representation of how the Light of Christ not only changes our Heart, but cause our Actions (Hands and Feet) to be changed as well.

It has been said that "the Eyes are the Window to the Soul."

After Beast has been transformed he says, "Bell, it's me." She is a little unsure of him, even having seen the Transformation take place, until she looks into his Deep Blue Eyes.

This is something that she Recognizes, and she immediately says, "It IS you."

How are we going to Recognize the Savior when He comes again? Sure there will be Miracles all around us, and everyone will know it is Jesus Christ. But how shall we KNOW that He is our Savior? I believe we shall know Him if we have BECOME like Him.

Yes, we shall all live 'Happily Ever After', IF we keep the Commandments and Follow the Lord's Prophets.

In the Dark of the Night - The Devil is Waiting for YOU

2012-07-22T11:53:00.081-05:00

What does it take for the Devil to find you??

In the 'Dark of the Night', your guard is lowered and then you DIE!!!

Spiritual Death is much more frightening to me than Physical Death. Spiritual Death includes, but is not limited to, Separation from God, not Feeling the Spirit, and Ignorance of the Gospel.

Satan is probably everyone's worst nightmare. He is not a 'corpse falling to bits', but he is rather creepy. I prefer not to talk about him much, as it is better to focus on our Savior, Jesus Christ, but occasionally we need to address who we fight against.

Rasputin claims that "[he] was once the most mystical man in all Russia", and that "when the Royals betrayed [him] they made a mistake."

However, as Rasputin is the villain, or 'Devils Character', and represents Satan, doesn't that mean he betrayed them?

"For thou hast said in thine heart,

I will ascend into heaven,

I will exalt my throne above the stars of God:"

-- Isaiah 14:13

God's firstborn Son is Christ, who is King of Kings. These may be considered the 'Royals'.

Satan who was a 'Son of the Morning' (Isaiah 14:12) sought to be higher than God. In this he turned against God in open Rebellion. Then he and those who willing chose to follow him were cast out.

His curse has made each of us pay. We must go through mortality which is strewn with uncomfortable things and simply bad happenings. However through Christ we are able to overcome these things. The payment is a Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit. (Psalms 34:18)

Rasputin states that Terror is the 'Least he can Do'. Satan is there to terrify us so that we feel incapable of approaching God and asking for forgiveness. The least he will do is try to make us afraid of what might happen if we do accept the Gospel. However Fear is in direct opposition to Faith, which is taught by Christ.

Through Faith we can know that even if those around us don't approve of our actions and choices, at least God does.

"Here is a Sign, It's the End of the Line"

Can Satan really give 'Signs'? Yes, but through Prayer we may detect those who are Sent from God, and those who are not.

"Beware of false prophets,

which come to you in sheep’s clothing,

but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

-- Matthew 7:15, 3 Nephi 14:15

"Praying always with all prayer

and supplication in the Spirit,

and watching thereunto with all perseverance

and supplication for all saints;"

-- Ephesians 6:18

"Pray always,

that you may come off conqueror;

yea, that you may conquer Satan,

and that you may escape the hands

of the servants of Satan

that do uphold his work."

-- Doctrine and Covenants 10:5

"Pray Always", so that you will not be taken captive by the Devil 'In the Dark of the Night'.

I am in Love - Meg

2012-07-20T12:14:00.058-05:00

Have you ever felt that you just can't do anything right?

Well, Meg felt like she couldn't ever make a right choice too.

However, that is why we have the Atonement of Christ. Even when we make wrong choices, we have the oppurtunity to repent and have our Sins forgiven.

Our subject in question, Meg, has apparently had a bad day with her boyfriend, Hercules, and now she is quite frustrated with men in general. (she is also in service to Hades, and ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24)

Now you see, the Muses(the statues) can see that Hercules is "the Earth and Heaven" and take all their time to convince Meg that she needs to accept him and be with him.

Much as the Prophets have always done. They teach people and tell them that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, and that only through His Atonement can Mankind be Saved. He is 'Earth and Heaven'. (see Mark 2:5-12)

One of Meg's arguments is that it is "Too Cliche". Some people say that they don't believe in the Scriptures because they are just the Cliche old tales of 'good versus evil'. Why would the Gospel not be cliche? The Gospel is unchanging and has been around since before Time began.

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

-- Hebrews 13:8

Some people think that Christians need to "get a grip". However there is no need to "Cry Your Heart Out" when you live the Gospel. Christ has already performed the Atonement, which is a Vicarious Ordinance allowing Him to take upon Himself all of Our Sin, Pain, Sorrow, and Weaknesses.

"And he shall go forth,

suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind;

and this that the word might be fulfilled

which saith he will take upon him the

pains and the sicknesses of his people.

And he will take upon him death,

that he may loose the bands of death

which bind his people;

and he will take upon him their infirmities,

that his bowels may be filled with mercy,

according to the flesh,

that he may know according to the flesh

how to succor his people

according to their infirmities."

-- Alma 7:11-12

Many of those who reject the Gospel have felt the Joy that comes from it, but they don't want to have to 'Keep the Commandments', so they just deny the whole thing.

How can we be "way off base" if the Foundation is Christ? Is He not Big enough, or Strong enough, or Smart enough, to hold all of us the way we should be?

Finally we have those who accept the Gospel, but "At least OUT LOUD, [they] won't say [they're] in love".

If we truly Love the Savior, we should do everything we can to receive Personal Revelation from Him every day. We should also Search for others who we can share the Gospel with.

Hercules - Go the Distance

2012-07-19T12:11:00.063-05:00

Figure out where you belong,

And then go there.

Hercules wanted to feel like he 'belonged' somewhere. His heart told him that he was more than just the son of a farmer. He knew that when he found his place he would be 'great' or 'awesome' or 'radical'. But even having this in his heart he still didn't know what to do about it.

"I will find my way, I can go the distance.

I'll be there some day, if I can be strong.

I know every mile, will be worth my while."

How do we find our way in this Troubled World?

How Far do we really have to go?

Heavenly Father has given us the Prophets, both Ancient and Modern, to guide and direct us in His Ways. We don't have to go very far if we don't want to, we just have to LIVE the Gospel anywhere we are.

We are not perfect at this, but through the Atonement of Christ we will 'be there someday', if we 'can be strong' and LIVE the Commandments. Every mile WILL be worth our while, but if we don't put any effort into it then there will be no reward to look forward to.

Hercules left his parents to find what he needed to do in life. As a Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I have been away from my parents for two years. As much as I have missed them I also have found out much about myself, and about the ways of God. Sometimes we need to leave our surroundings and that which is familiar in order to grow in the Gospel. (Matthew 19:5, Mark 10:29-30)

So what are you going to Do?

Start reading the Bible and Book of Mormon everyday?

Show more Kindness to others?

Volunteer your Time in the Service of others?

"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom;

that ye may learn that

when ye are in the service of your fellow beings

ye are only in the service of your God."

-- Mosiah 2:17

"And the King shall answer and say unto them,

Verily I say unto you,

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren,

ye have done it unto me."

-- Matthew 25:40

Tarzan - Strangers Like Me

2012-07-17T12:17:00.056-05:00

To continue from yesterdays Tarzan, we shall discuss how we are all alike, even when we can seem strange to others.

"there so much to Learn"

There is much to learn about Life, the Universe, and Everything. However the answer is not 42, the answer is 'The Gospel'.

"It's all so Close, and Yet so Far"

Many people believe in Christ, but they all have their own way of expressing that Belief or Faith. But the Bible says, "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism". (Ephesians 4:5) But if there is only 'One Way' to return to live with our Heavenly Father, then why are there so many different Denominations?

It is because of the Great Apostasy, or Falling Away. (2 Thessalonians 2:2-3) So all of these Denominations have come so Close to having the Truth in its Fullness, but they are Far enough away that they don't realize it.

There is something Bigger out there. Do you want to Know? Do you want me to Show you?

"But behold,

if ye will awake and arouse your faculties [make an effort],

even to an experiment upon my words,

and exercise a particle of faith,

yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe,

let this desire work in you,

even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place

for a portion of my words."

-- Alma 32:27

I can tell you more, and I will show you. But first you must have a Willing Heart.

When Clayton becomes frustrated he makes an excellent point about the Gospel. If we spend all our time on what We want, but it is not the pursuit of Truth and increased Knowledge, which is what the Lord wants, then we are putting our spiritual life at risk. As he states, the 'boat' could arrive any day, and we should ask questions Straight Out, or Without Reservation.

Give a Question in the Comments, or go to LDS.org and MORMON.org for a greater understanding of the Gospel.

Son of Man

2012-07-16T12:05:00.085-05:00

Sometimes we don't see our own potential.

But if we do our best to do what the Lord has planned for us, we can do things that have never been done before.

Tarzan was having a bad day. We all have bad days sometimes.

Sometimes I have

But, "The Son of Man hath descended below them all." (Doctrine and Covenants 122:8)

Once Tarzan learns that he is the same on the inside as everyone else, he does everything he can to prove his worth to Kerchak.

Sure he has a few mistakes there in the beginning, but as he grows he learns how to be more efficient and also gains more Strength. Likewise must we start out by acting on Faith, and then grow until we have a Strong Testimony of the Gospel.

"I have fed you with milk,

and not with meat:

for hitherto ye were not able to bear it,

neither yet now are ye able."
-- 1 Corinthians 3:2

A particular set of Lyrics for the clip is, "Son of Man, LOOK TO THE SKY."

Where are we to find the Son of Man? The Lord addresses Ezekiel as 'son of man' (such as Ezekiel 37:16), but this is lower case and designates the mortality of Ezekiel. THE Son of Man has ascended to Heaven, and we shall need to Look to the Sky if we are to find Him. Perhaps the Sky should be herein considered as a Symbol of the Scriptures.

"Which also said, Ye men of Galilee,

why stand ye gazing up into heaven?

this same Jesus,

which is taken up from you into heaven,

shall so come in like manner

as ye have seen him go into heaven."

-- Acts 1:11

Next set of Lyrics to evaluate, "Lift your Spirit, Set it FREE."

We all know, 'Freedom comes with a Price.' What is the Price of Spiritual Freedom? And How do we 'Lift our Spirit?

Much as the laws of the land are there to keep us safe physically, the Laws of God are there only to keep us safe Spiritually. You wouldn't want to be going 112 miles an hour and have an unexpected sharp turn, so the posted speed limit is going to be something like 35-45 miles an hour for your safety. Sometimes this Law, or Commandment, is uncomfortable. However, if we choose not to follow it, the consequence could turn out with us badly hurt.

The same is true Spiritually, if we Choose not to obey one of God's Commandments, then we will have to deal with the consequence of our actions. Doing drugs limits our ability to make other choices. Having Inappropriate Sexual Relations with anyone results in shame, guilt, and diseases. There are many blessings which we do not receive if we do not keep the Sabbath day Holy. (Leviticus 26:1-13)

If we Keep the Commandments of God, we the Serpent comes after us he will not have power to harm us, and we will be able to be a blessing to others around us.

"The purpose of the gospel is to make bad men good and good men better, and to change human nature."

-- David O. McKay

In essence, the Gospel of Christ intends for us to BECOME, more like Christ.

Do what Christ has taught, and

"A [son of] Man in Time You'll BE."

Pocahontas - Is Your Heart Feeling Savage?

2012-07-14T08:48:00.016-05:00

Ask yourself, "Am I 'Savage' towards others?"

Interdenominational differences often cause people to raise aggressive defense against each other. This is not intended to happen if we truly lived the Gospel as taught by Jesus Christ.

"And he gave some, apostles;

and some, prophets;

and some, evangelists;

and some, pastors and teachers;

For the perfecting of the saints,

for the work of the ministry,

for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Till we all come in the unity of the faith,

and of the knowledge of the Son of God,

unto a perfect man,

unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:"

-- Ephesians 4:11-13

All of the offices of the Priesthood listed were given specifically for us to come into a 'Unity of the Faith'. Are we Unified in our faith in the Savior Jesus Christ? Is there only One 'Faith', or 'Church' on the Earth?

Jesus Christ set up His church when He was on the Earth. Jesus Christ is Perfect, therefore anything He does or establishes must needs be perfect. Futhermore, if there are any changes made to that church which He established it would become imperfect, because you simply can't make something 'more than perfect'.

If Christ's Church had the offices of Prophet (Adam, Noah, Moses), Apostles (Peter, James, John), Seventy (Luke 10:1,17), Pastor/Bishop (1 Timothy 3:1), Teachers (1 Corinthians 12:28), Deacons (1 Timothy 3:8), Patriarch/Evangelist (Hebrews 7:4), Elder (James 5:14), Priest and High Priest (Hebrews 5:10, Hebrews 9:6-7).

Christ is the Head of the Church. (Ephesians 5:23, Mosiah 5:8)

So how can we know of ourselves which Church is True to the organization of Christ's Church?

Prayer. That's it. Prayer is the only way to know if any particular Church is right. Don't bother asking some mortal, even myself, because they will tell you as far as their understanding allows. God however cannot lie, and has all the understanding of the Universe. He is also your Heavenly Father and you can Trust Him without any reservation.

When Pocahontas goes to speak to 'Grandmother Willow', she seeks guidance. This represents prayer. The Spirit, like the Spinning Arrow guides us in Truth, and tells us what we should do. Once we know the path we need to have the courage to run the course. Much as Pocahontas could have received her revelation that she should save John Smith, had she not run as fast as she could to save him, or in other words to Live the Gospel, then he would have been killed by her father, and many others would have been killed in war.

Search the Scriptures, for in them ye find direction. Pray to your Heavenly Father and He will give you direction, but you must listen with your Heart.

It is Unfortunate That so Many Seek the Ways of the Devil

2012-07-12T10:39:00.066-05:00

Sometimes things happen that are not so good. This is 'Unfortunate'.

"For the wages of sin is death;
but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord."
-- Romans 6:23

Some decisions we have to make in life can be very hard.

Like when Ariel Finds this guy, and she thinks he is attractive.

She kinda wants to spend time with him. Lots of Time.

So she went to the nearest person who could give her Immediate Gratification.

Ariel Foolishly signed a Contract 'For ALL Eternity'.

Satan (the Sea Witch) puts on a pretty good show, and Ariel got a good set of Legs. However, Satan will not care if you dont know how to swim with legs, and drown before even finding Prince Eric.

Satan will give you everything you want, and he gives it to you right away. However the one thing you Should want the he cannot give you is Eternal Life.

"And thus we see that the devil

will not support his children at the last day,

but doth speedily drag them down to hell."

-- Alma 30:60

Eternal Life is the Greatest gift that God can give us, but we must Patiently Endure to the End, being obedient to His Commandments.

Getting something that we think is good now, isn't what is always best for us in the long term.

God will never ask us to give away our talents as payment for his blessings. He gave us our Talents in the first place, and wants us to share them to bless the lives of others. He gives open reward when we seek to develop and improve our talents.

Ariel's talent was Singing, and 'the devil' took it away.

NEVER GIVE YOUR TALENTS AWAY FOR ANYTHING.

"And so he that had received five talents came

and brought other five talents, saying,

Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents:

behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

His lord said unto him,

Well done, thou good and faithful servant:

thou hast been faithful over a few things,

I will make thee ruler over many things:

enter thou into the joy of thy lord."

-- Matthew 25:20-21

"I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth:

lo, there thou hast that is thine.

His lord answered and said unto him,

Thou wicked and slothful servant,

thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not,

and gather where I have not strawed:

...

Take therefore the talent from him,

and give it unto him which hath ten talents."

-- Matthew 25:25-26,28

Goofy Movie Stand out and Eye to Eye

2012-07-10T12:21:00.001-05:00

Don't be distracted by the world.

We should see everything the same way that God sees things. We should want what He wants.

In A Goofy Movie, Goofy and his son Max go on a fishing trip, which Max didn't actually want to go on. Max was a bit of a trouble maker in school, and somewhat rebellious at home. (much like most teenagers)

Goofy just wanted to spend time with his son, but he didn't take into account what his son wanted to do while spending time together. This meant that Max was simply more rebellious while they were on their trip.

Meanwhile, Max just wants to impress a girl, Roxanne, and get her to think that he is 'cool'.

So Goofy entrusts Max with the map, which Max subsequently alters to take them to the Powerline concert, instead of going Fishing. Most parents would not be very happy with this.

However, after they talk about it some, Goofy and Max both accept that they still love each other and want to help when things don't go the way they wanted it too.

When he needed help, Max spoke with his Father.

"Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other." -- LDS Bible Dictionary When we Pray to our Heavenly Father, we align our will to His. Sometimes we find out that He is ok with what we had planned, but that we just needed to ask Him for help before He would grant those blessings. As seen in the first clip at the beginning of this blog, Goofy and Max did make it on stage with Powerline, and in the end Max did get Roxanne to really like him.

It is when we have an Eye Single to the Glory of God, that we are able to do the most good and achieve the best things in this life.

"And faith, hope, charity and love,

with an eye single to the glory of God,

qualify him for the work."

-- Doctrine and Covenants 4:5

For the Birds ~ Or, For the FOWLS

2012-07-08T12:44:00.032-05:00

This is my Favorite Pixar Short.

My First thought is that of the Law of Chastity. There is no need to be running around without any Feathers(Clothing) to cover our body. We should maintain modest dress standards no matter what the occasion is.

The second point is that we should always show 'Brotherly Kindness' to those around us. Just because someone thinks Different, Acts Different, Believes Different, and is simply DIFFERENT from us, doesn't mean we should whisper rumors back and forth, and we should also probably not peck at their toes.

A third item on the agenda is that we should have Patience. Just because someone or something cause us some level of discomfort now, doesn't mean that making them go away will immediately make everything better. Sometimes God will let us struggle a bit before He sends help. Sometimes we have to figure out how to fix the problem on our own. We have several options with this clip. The little birds could have flown somewhere else and not been bothered by the big bird. They could have sat farther apart from each other in the first place. They could have spread out on one of the other wires. All the other birds could have flown away when they realized that the wire was going to project them into the air. God gives us many options, but we have to make our own choices.

Lastly I wish to point out that all of the birds are blue. I personally believe that the big bird is either the little birds Mom or Grandma. If this was the case, the little teenager birds were well animated. However, just because they think they are so clever as to run away from Mommy and talk amongst themselves, Mommy still knew what they were doing, and Mommy always knows best.

Notice, Mommy didn't lose any feathers.

Only ONE More

2012-07-06T15:54:00.020-05:00

So I only have one more month as a Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I have some mixed feeling about going home, as I have spent Two Years away from everything (no movies, no TV, no Video Games, no College, no Dating, no Job) to teach others about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This next month I will draw from the great power of the Film industry to teach the Gospel by similarities and comparison to those things which most people are already familiar with.

Most of the clips I will be using are musical, and the from Disney movies. I hope you enjoy them and learn at the same time.

Why Should WE Worry?

2012-07-04T12:24:00.059-05:00

So this song is by Dodger, and he is wondering why he should care about anything.

Why should we care? What great need do we have to worry?

Many people believe that they can be 'Saved' and then they are good for the rest of forever. This is not exactly the best line of thinking. We cannot 'Be Saved' in this life. It is possible to 'fall' even after being Baptized, or accepting Christ.

We should take major precations with our choices in life. As today is the Fourth of July, and most Americans will be celebrating the Day of our Independance, which usually includes Fireworks.

As a missionary I am held to particular rules that are for personal safety, which I am not held to outside of the Two Years that I wear a Name Tag. One of those rules is to not handle fireworks. some people think that this is ridiculous, and that being 22 years old 'I should be able to do things like this safely'.

Well I have handled many fireworks before my mission, and I too am pretty sure that I can still do so safely. so "Why Should I Worry, or Care"? The point is that God, through His Prophet, has given His Divine Counsel to avoid doing so.

So if I am able to follow God's counsel for Two Years, I will have His blessings with me.

Even after we accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we still need to give heed to the Commandments that God has given us. We can't just sit back and think that everything will go along just fine. We must continue to repent from sin, and make things right when we do something wrong.

No one can 'Be Saved' until AFTER they are dead, and AFTER ALL of their choices have been finalized.

.

YOU are NOT WORTHLESS

2012-07-02T11:59:00.003-05:00

Sometimes we all have to go through the dark times in order to 'transform' into what the lord whats us to be.

And when we get there we will find that others need our help as well.

When Shang begins training, he doesn't think Mulan (Ping) is really capable of anything. Ping is the worst at all of the training exercises, and even tries to cheat the system.(Mushu's Fault)

However, after he sends her home she feels like she can't do anything, and that she really is worthless. These feeling come from the Devil. When she comes into the shadow of the Tree with the Arrow, she realizes that if she could get to that Arrow she would prove her worth.

God does not ask us to 'Prove' that we are of worth in this world. He simply says that WE ARE.

After everyone wakes up in the Morning and they see that she can "Retrieve the Arrow" (while thinking she is a man) they realize that each of them have their own Talents and Abilities.

Chien-Po is no longer afraid of water, and can do flips to each platform across the river.

Yao can run through blazing arrows, even when they are 10 times as thick as before.

Ling can smash stone with his face without losing any teeth, or hurting himself.

We all have Talents and Abilities, sometimes we just need to figure out what they are before giving up and going home.

Trinity or Godhead ? ?

2012-06-30T11:38:00.000-05:00

So I have had quite a few questions about the 'Trinity'. This post is to help others understand where the Trinity came from and how it was conceived.

"And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me."

-- John 8:16
If I am not alone then there must be another person standing by, and I cannot send myself somewhere, I would just GO there.

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
-- John 14:26

Again being sent is a command from someone else, and if 'he' (the Holy Ghost) shall bring all things which Christ had said unto them, why would He not have said that, 'I shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have already told you'?

"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."

-- Acts 10:38
To anoint is like giving a blessing. The priesthood of God is used to bless and help others, not yourself. Being selfish is against the will of the Lord, and prevents one from exercising the priesthood. When Christ was baptized by this same priesthood authority, 'God was with him'. I cannot be with myself, I simply am myself.

"And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."
-- Luke 3:22
The Holy Ghost has the form of a body all on his own, and if Christ was in the water then how could He be speaking from Heaven. 'Thou' and 'Thee' are pronouns like 'you' and are used when talking with someone else, not yourself.

The notion of the Trinity was conceived by men because after the Death and Resurrection of Christ, His apostles were also killed. In war if you don't like the King you kill all of the Kings servants as well to prevent them from rebelling against your dominion. The Jewish senate known as the Sanhedrin condemned Christ, so also afterward they sought to destroy His apostles. After those apostles were gone there was no one left on the earth with the priesthood authority to speak with God concerning doctrines taught in the scriptures. So several hundred years went by with honest men giving what they thought about the Bible.

These concepts were than taken to be correct because their was very little opportunity to actually read the Bible itself without having someone else who could read Greek, Latin, or Hebrew. It wasn't until about 1500 AD that William Tyndale translated the Bible into English. This even had to be done secretly as the church and national governments did not agree with giving the common folk access to sacred scripture. Tyndale once said to a priest, "If God spare my life ere many years, I will cause the boy that drives the plow to know more of the scriptures than you!" (source)

This was realized about 300 years later when a 14 year-old farmboy in New York was reading the Bible, which was made possible by Tyndale's efforts to translate it into English.

Excerpts from the history of how this farmboy, Joseph Smith, learned more about scripture than an educated priest, is as follows. For the entire record see Joseph Smith History.

"There was in the place where we lived an unusual excitement on the subject of religion.

"During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit....but so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong.

"In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?

"I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

"Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.

"At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to “ask of God,” concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture.

So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally.

"After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God.

"I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

"When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

"My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right and which I should join.

"I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” "

Joseph Smith was called as a Prophet of God, to restore the church that Christ had established during His mortal ministry. Through him we have the Knowledge that God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared in the year 1820, side by side.

In regard to the Godhead the scriptures teach that They are each individual, yet one in purpose. Separate physically, but united spiritually. Even as I and my mortal father are united in our labors when we go out into the field to work, so also was Christ united with the Father while laboring here in His vineyard.

"Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me."

-- John 8:42

I cannot be my own father. That would require being of age before I was born. If God works by natural laws, and is not a God of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), then Jesus Christ could not have also been His own Father.

"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."

-- John 17:20-21

Here Christ prays for His apostles, but not them alone also all who believe on their words. Therefore there must needs be a way for us to be 'one', or 'united', with each other while still in possesion of our own individual bodies.

"Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God."

-- John 20:17

The Father, the Son, and the Spirit are not each other. However they each hold the title of God.

"Thus Ends Mormonism"

2012-06-27T16:37:00.002-05:00

This video tells about what many thought would happen if they could kill the Prophet of the Lord.

What they didn't think about is that the people in the Old Testament Killed the Prophets all the time.

Nevertheless the Work of the Lord is NEVER frustrated . . .

only the work of Man. (Doctrione and Covenants 3:3)

(Acts 5:34-39)

A Book of Mormon Story

2012-06-25T11:27:00.001-05:00

I have a Personal Testimony from the Holy Spirit, that the Book of Mormon is True.

It IS the word of the Almighty Father.

It IS another Testament of Jesus Christ.

I SHOT HIM!!

2012-06-22T06:03:00.004-05:00

So this one time, Rodney found a new toy.

Every now and then we get these ideas that we are 'Invulnerable'. We often forget that we only have the promise of the Lord when we do what He says.

The Spirit is much like the Protective Shield, and He will guard us from temptation as long as we turn to God with all our hearts and seek after Him. We must do our part before the Lord will do His.

When we are serving the Lord we should not intentionally put ourselves in bad situations. We need to do all that we can to protect ourselves first, and then ask the Lord to do thatr which we cannot. In other words, we should not test out the Lords protection by driving twice the posted speed limit, and we should not allow our friends to shoot us, even in the leg.

The Lord has set limitations on our life, and if we are not obedient to His commandments we put ourselves in danger where He cannot help us, for God must keep His word.

Prince of Egypt: Heaven's Eyes

2012-06-20T11:49:00.002-05:00

What is worthy of Honor?

If you ever have trouble seeing your Infinite and Eternal Potential, you might try asking what others see in you. Most of the time your friends know what you are good at and they will tell you.

Then get on your knees, pray to your Father, and ask Him to help you see your life through Heavens eyes.

My Dad is . . . AWESOME!!

2012-06-17T00:01:00.004-05:00

Today I want to brag about my family. Mostly just my dad. Within my family there are contained four women, and two men. That means three sisters, mom and dad, and then me. I usually never got anything I wanted at the store because I was the youngest and the only boy. When we would rent a movie, it was almost guaranteed to be a chick flick, because three older sisters will always out-whine a single younger brother. My dad was usually working late all the time so I didn't get a whole lot of backup either. But that is just fine now, I can quote most of those movies better than my sisters. ;)

However, as the years went by, my dad got a different job. I got myself a job. Then I went to college. Then dad lost his job. Then I came home from college. Then me and my dad were home together all the time. Almost everyday. So we started doing more stuff together. We went golfing. I proceeded to lose somewhere about ten golf balls in the same spot, a water hazard, on a single same hole, which was only about ten feet away, all trying to tee off. (I think it was hole 3.)

Then we decided that golfing would be expensive. So we started doing things we already had at home. I had some video games, and we started playing them together. Dad found a game that he enjoyed, so we started playing. I have a lot more experience in gaming than he does, but I would teach him how to do different things and mix up the strategy he was using so he wouldn't be so predictable. I thought that I was the teacher and he was under me. I was wrong. Not until months later did I realize that he was teaching me to be a good dad. True he had been gone most of when I was growing up trying to make money to support the family. But when he finally had time to spend with me, he found a small interest in something I enjoyed that he could do with me.

Although my dad only ever won about 5% (maybe less) of the games we played, I know that he had fun because he was playing with me, His son. Although he really didn't know what he was doing, and I frequently had to let him win, he was happy being able to spend time with me. I also enjoyed my time with him.

This picture is from snorkeling in New Zealand...I'm the scrawny one, standing by my dad.

I know that the family is there for us to learn from. Not only do we have our best friends within our own family, but the family also contains the best teachers. No one other than my dad will ever be able to teach me about being a dad, and only I could teach him gaming.

So it is with our eternal family. My Father in Heaven is the only one who can truly teach me about Himself. These teachings come from the Spirit, but I have to make time to listen to Him, and learn from Him. This applies to everyone. Old or young, male or female, bond or free, none of these matter. I know from experience, both temporal and spiritual, that we must look to our Father if we want to go anywhere.