How Firm a Foundation

"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~

What is building a foundation in Christ?

-It is simply having faith in Him.

Even a firm foundation will not prevent temptations or hardships, but it will help us overcome and get through them in our lives.

Ways to help build that strong foundation:

1)Pray always and with a fervent heart

2)Search and ponder the scriptures

3)Service

"When you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your God."

Without Christ as the center of your life, your foundation will become weak, and will then crumble and fall when faced with trials in your life.

"How Firm a Foundation" (Hymn #85)

"Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.

I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by my righteous,

...omnipotent hand."

Every single person in this world will face trials and tribulations in their life. This is when our Savior comes in to play. No matter the hardship, great or small, He will be there for us every step of the way. I testify this to be true; for I have witnessed His hand in my life first hand. He is such a strength to me and has brought so much comfort to me in my life.

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ wants us to be happy and live a life with as little pain and hard ache as possible. But first, we need to build that firm foundation so we won't lose that faith and hope in our lives. With that faith, through any struggle we may face, we will come out of it stronger than we were before.

Enos 1:1-17

"Behold, it came to pass that I, Enos, knowing my father that he was a just man—for he taught me in his language, and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord—and blessed be the name of my God for it—

"And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins.

"Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.

"And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.

"And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.

"And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.

"And I said: Lord, how is it done?

"And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole.

"Now, it came to pass that when I had heard these words I began to feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren, the Nephites; wherefore, I did pour out my whole soul unto God for them.

"And while I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind again, saying: I will visit thy brethren according to their diligence in keeping my commandments. I have given unto them this land, and it is a holy land; and I curse it not save it be for the cause of iniquity; wherefore, I will visit thy brethren according as I have said; and their transgressions will I bring down with sorrow upon their own heads.

"And after I, Enos, had heard these words, my faith began to be unshaken in the Lord; and I prayed unto him with many long strugglings for my brethren, the Lamanites.

"And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith.

"And now behold, this was the desire which I desired of him—that if it should so be, that my people, the Nephites, should fall into transgression, and by any means be destroyed, and the Lamanites should not be destroyed, that the Lord God would preserve a record of my people, the Nephites; even if it so be by the power of his holy arm, that it might be brought forth at some future day unto the Lamanites, that, perhaps, they might be brought unto salvation—

"For at the present our strugglings were vain in restoring them to the true faith. And they swore in their wrath that, if it were possible, they would destroy our records and us, and also all the traditions of our fathers.

"Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve our records, I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto me: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.

"And I had faith, and I did cry unto God that he would preserve the records; and he covenanted with me that he would bring them forth unto the Lamanites in his own due time.

"And I, Enos, knew it would be according to the covenant which he had made; wherefore my soul did rest."

“To some it may seem old-fashioned to speak of virtue and chastity, honesty, morality, faith, character, but these are the qualities which have built great men and women and point the way by which one may find happiness. … These are the qualities which are the anchors to our lives”
~President Harold B. Lee

“‘Thou shalt not commit adultery.’ … The violator of this commandment suffers a loss second only to the loss suffered by him who kills. With the loss of the Spirit of the Lord, which always accompanies adultery, comes a diminution of the power to choose between right and wrong. Lying, loss of self-respect, and disloyalty are bosom companions of adultery. If we are seriously interested in being successful in any endeavor, we shall avoid every type of immorality as we would avoid the plague”
~President Marion G. Romney 

Doctrine and Covenants 10: 46-52

"And, behold, all the remainder of this work does contain all those parts of my gospel which my holy prophets, yea, and also my disciples, desired in their prayers should come forth unto this people.

"And I said unto them, that it should be granted unto them according to their faith in their prayers;

"Yea, and this was their faith—that my gospel, which I gave unto them that they might preach in their days, might come unto their brethren the Lamanites, and also all that had become Lamanites because of their dissensions.

"Now, this is not all—their faith in their prayers was that this gospel should be made known also, if it were possible that other nations should possess this land;

"And thus they did leave a blessing upon this land in their prayers, that whosoever should believe in this gospel in this land might have eternal life;

"Yea, that it might be free unto all of whatsoever nation, kindred, tongue, or people they may be.

"And now, behold, according to their faith in their prayers will I bring this part of my gospel to the knowledge of my people. Behold, I do not bring it to destroy that which they have received, but to build it up."

LDS.ORG

Mormon.org

Faith, baptism and more

"Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me."

~Doctrine and Covenants 19:23

How can we strengthen our faith in Christ?

-We need to study the scriptures and learn of Him. By reading the scriptures and praying to our Heavenly Father, we may grow closer to Him and to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

-We need to also listen for the Spirit in our lives which will also help us strengthen our faith in Him.

-Following His teachings will also strengthen our faith and the Heavenly Father will bless us for our actions.

"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

~John 17:3

"And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith."

~Doctrine and Covenants 88:118

"But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, 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

Optimism is a sign of faith

"Remember that without faith you can do nothing; therefore ask in faith. Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you ought not."

~Doctrine and Covenants 8:10 

 Why is it essential to be baptized in the Church?

-It is essential for Salvation

Qualifications for baptism:

-To believe

He leads us to do good.

The Relief Society Lesson Outline from 11-21-2010

The Gift of the Holy Ghost

What is the difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost?

Quote 1:
The Prophet Joseph Smith explained: “There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the Gospel, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized. Had he not taken this … ordinance upon him, the Holy Ghost which convinced him of the truth of God, would have left him.” 5

Bike Analogy:

-Draw picture. The stars above us represent the light of Christ – that helps us to be able to distinguish between right and wrong, truth and error, and one manifestation of it is our conscience. The light of Christ is given to EVERYONE. Then there are lamp-posts along our way that represent the power of the Holy Ghost and how anyone can feel that power at certain times in their lives, such as when they hear the truth being spoken or when praying to know if something is true.  However, there is still much darkness around us. Where my husband served his mission, all the bikes that they rode had lights on them, and the light represents the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is something we can have with us all the time, but we have to be peddling in order for this light to stay bright.

I like this analogy because the Gift of the Holy Ghost is exactly that, a gift that we’ve been given, but once we have it, it doesn’t just stay with us, we have to receive that gift into our lives, and that requires action, by working for it every single day.

Q: So what must we do to receive the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost?
-Faith
-Baptism
-Repentance
-Baptism by immersion
-Worthy (keep thoughts and actions pure)
-Obey the commandments
-Receive the gift - we all have been given gifts in our lives, but if we don’t use them, we lose those gifts or talents. The same thing happens with the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Quote 2:
The gift of the Holy Ghost, which is the right to receive the Holy Ghost as a constant companion, is obtained only upon condition of faith in Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion, and the laying on of hands by authorized servants endowed with the Melchizedek Priesthood. It is a most precious gift available only to worthy members of the Lord’s Church... As with all gifts, this gift must be received and accepted to be enjoyed. When priesthood hands were laid upon your head to confirm you a member of the Church, you heard the words, “Receive the Holy Ghost.” This did not mean that the Holy Ghost unconditionally became your constant companion. Scriptures warn us that the Spirit of the Lord will “not always strive with man.” When we are confirmed, we are given the right to the companionship of the Holy Ghost, but it is a right that we must continue to earn through obedience and worthiness. We cannot take this gift for granted.

What are some things that can make it so the Spirit cannot “strive with man”?
-sin, in any form
-indifference
-busyness (not making time for the Lord)
-ignoring promptings

Question: So what if you’re in a rut? (And I know everyone has felt this -- I sure have!) What if you think you haven’t felt the Spirit in awhile, how do you get out of it? Especially this time of year, in between the general conference highs, when it’s cold outside and you know, some of us may be suffering from the winter blues, how do we get out of that?



Q: How can we recognize the influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives?

It is through the power of the Holy Ghost that visions, dreams, and prophecies usually come. But -it is in a quiet, almost unnoticeable way. That is why we often refer to him as the still small voice. (See 1 Kings 19:11–12.)
-we may have feelings of peace, right, and sureness. It is a warm, good feeling. (warm fuzzy, right)

I want each of you to imagine that someone you’re talking to has never experienced what salt tastes like. How would you describe it to them?

It’s hard! There are some things like the taste of salt, that we can really only recognize by and through our own experiences, by tasting it for ourselves. The same thing goes for the gift of the Holy Ghost. Some may have visions or dreams, whereas some of us it may only come as a fleeting thought. With practice, we can feel confident recognizing his presence.
   
President Thomas S. Monson counseled us: “We watch. We wait. We listen for that still, small voice. When it speaks, wise men and women obey. Promptings of the Spirit are not to be postponed.”

If we want to learn to recognize the spirit, we have to be ready to listen to it.

Quote 3:
The following story of how the Holy Ghost helped Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Council of the Twelve Apostles:
“One of my earliest childhood recollections is of riding a horse through an apple orchard. The horse was tame and well broken, and I felt at home in the saddle.
“But one day something frightened my [horse], and he bolted through the orchard. I was swept from the saddle by the overhanging limbs, and one leg slipped down through the stirrup. I desperately hung to an almost broken leather strap that a cowboy uses to tie a lariat to his saddle. My weight should have broken the strap, but somehow it held for the moment. Another lunge or two of the stampeding horse would have broken the strap or wrenched it from my hands and left me to be dragged to injury or death with my foot entangled in the stirrup.
“Suddenly the horse stopped, and I became aware that someone was holding the bridle tightly and attempting to calm the quivering animal. Almost immediately I was snatched up into the arms of my father.
“What had happened? What had brought my father to my rescue in the split second before I slipped beneath the hoofs of my panic-driven horse?
“My father had been sitting in the house reading the newspaper when the Spirit whispered to him, ‘Run out into the orchard!’
“Without a moment’s hesitation, not waiting to learn why or for what reason, my father ran. Finding himself in the orchard without knowing why he was there, he saw the galloping horse and thought, I must stop this horse.
“He did so and found me. And that is how I was saved from serious injury or possible death” (“Hearken to the Spirit,” Friend, Sept. 1972, p. 10).

Have any of you had experiences where the gift of the Holy Ghost has helped you or someone that you know? It doesn’t have to be something extremely personal, but if anyone has something that they’d like to share with us?


The last thing I want to point out is how precious this gift is!

Quote 4:
In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord calls the gift of the Holy Ghost “the unspeakable gift.” 6 It is the source of testimony and spiritual gifts. It enlightens minds, fills our souls with joy, 7 teaches us all things, and brings forgotten knowledge to our remembrance. 8 The Holy Ghost also “will show unto [us] all things what [we] should do.” 9 President James E. Faust added that the gift of the Holy Ghost “is the greatest guarantor of inward peace in our unstable world.” 10

We literally have a member of the Godhead that ministers to us.

Question: How will you help your children gain a testimony of that gift?

Testimony
The next time you renew your baptismal covenant by taking the
sacrament, listen to the promise: when you always remember your Savior and keep His
commandments, you will always have His Spirit to be with you (see D&C 20:77, 79).

Welcome to Conference

"Welcome to Conference"

by President Thomas S. Monson

"Thank you, my brothers and sisters, for your faith and devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ."

"Once again we call upon the members of the Church to reach out to the new converts or to those making their way back into the Church, to surround them with love and to help them feel at home."

"May the Lord bless you as you strive to follow Him and to obey His commandments."

"It is my prayer that we may be filled with His Spirit as we listen and learn."

Each month I receive an Ensign of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In April, the church had a General Conference which is what they put in the Ensign the following month that included each and every talk that was spoken there. For each talk I highlighted my favorite parts. I will have more General Conference highlights...

General Conference: for those that don't know what this is, it is where the leaders of the church speak to the members of the church about different topics. For some of us, General Conference is a way of guidance, others it may be for comfort. It is also a time of learning

Sunday Relief Society Lesson (for Nov.7, 2010)

We are of a divine nature and children of God. Don't ever forget it! May lesson was from a talk by Sister Barbara Day Lockhart called Our Divinely Based Worth. "The measure of our lives is not in what we buy or how good we look, but in our divine heritage, our possibilities as children of God, and our application of the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives."
Don't base our self worth from things of the world i.e: how "pretty" we are how much money we have how successful we are at our jobs.
Always remember we are the children of God and we are blessed with the knowledge, opportunity, and potential to eventually become like him.

Let Christ help us with our burdens, allow him in our lives and never think we are not worthy of the atonement. That is why it is there, so we may repent and come unto him. That is he wants. He wants us back home with him. To say you are not worthy of the atonement is like saying you are not worthy of medicine when you are sick and only when you are well are you worthy to take that medicine.

She also says "Of all people on the earth, it makes the least sense for a Latter-Day Saint to suffer from a poor self-image. We have been blessed to know the truth, and we have been given the opportunity to take that truth to all the world. How can we be a light to others if we are trapped in mists of insecurity and self-doubt?"

" As we love Christ, have faith in him, desire to be like him, and follow him, he will change us, perfect us, and ultimately bring us home."

D&C 9..and more..

"...you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.

"...you must study it out in your mind..ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that is is right.

"But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought...

"Do this thing which I have commanded you, and you shall prosper. Be faithful, and yield to no temptation.

"Stand fast in the work wherewith I have called you...and you shall be lifted up at the last day."

(v. 7-9, 13-14)

And I just want to share with you some of my favorite scriptures..I might have already done this previously, but that is alright..

Alma 37:35-37

"O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God.

"Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yes, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

"Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day."

Church on Feb., 15, 2009

• When we fast and pray, we tend to receive more answers.
• Ask yourself: "Have I had a meaningful fast?"
• You need to be in the right mind frame when you fast.
• D&C 59:13-14
• Fasting is a sacrifice
• Matthew 6:1-4
• Alma 5:45-46
• Alma 11:37
• 2 Nephi 2:7, 10
• Alma 42:20-27
• Our Heavenly Father has mercy on us and loves us.
• Alma 36:10-12, 13-15, 16-21

__________________________________________________

          (Sunday School)

• D&C 19:23
• How can we strengthen our faith in Christ?
• Study it out,  and learn of Him.
• Hear Him and follow.

• John 17:3
• D&C 88:118
• Alma 32:27
• D&C 19:23
• Optimism is a sign of faith
• D&C 8:10
• D&C 10:46-52
• What is repentance?
• It's a change of heart
• "Change" is to turn away from evil and look to God.

• Based on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

• Look forward, not backwards.
• What are consequences for not repenting?
• The Spirit will no longer dwell with you.
• There will be no blessings.
• Most likely the sins that you are making will increase, unless you go to the Lord.
• Sorrow and sadness :(
• Guilt.

• Why is it difficult for people to forgive themselves?
• People forget the plan of mercy.

• What happens if you don't fully forgive yourself?
• Then you didn't fully repent.

• 2 Nephi 4:19
• Why is it essential to be baptized?
• It is essential for Salvation. Without it, you cannot dwell in the highest Degree of Glory with God.

• Qualifications for baptism:
• You need to believe and have a testimony of the Gospel.

• We should always be repenting.
• He leads us to do good.

(I know some of this is pretty vague and simple, but some times it's good to hear those simple things.)

The Missing Piece

The Weekly Spiritual Thought

 Faith.

Doctrine and Covenants 90:24 "Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another."

James 1:5-6 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and abraideth 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."

The Apostle Paul taught that "faith is the substance [assurance] of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). Alma made a similar statement: "If ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true" (Alma 32:21). Faith is a principle of action and power. Whenever we work toward a worthy goal, we exercise faith. We show our hope for something that we cannot yet see.

(LDS.org )

The "Sunday Message"-Stake Conference

For Stake Conference, we had a "Young Adult" broadcast (for both married and single). This is the website where you can listen to the talks: http://lds.org/broadcast/ces/0,7341,538-1-61-1961,00.html

Here are my notes from it:

Elder Snow

•  We go to the temple to remember our covenants.
• When we take the sacrament, that is also a way to remember our covenants and also Christ.
• Remembering our spiritual experiences gives us courage to keep moving on.
• Alma 5:26 "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?"
• Our testimony needs to be "fed" continually-we need to continually "renew" it.
• Mosiah 27
• Alma 5: 45-46 "And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety? Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me."
•  The Holy Ghost helps us to become pure

Sister Julie B. Beck

• The only thing that will strengthen us is our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
• If our life wasn't so hard, we wouldn't have come so close to the Lord and there wouldn't be any need for the Holy Ghost.
• All you need is faith in the Lord knowing that He will help you.
• Pray always so that we may not enter into temptation.

Jeffrey R. Holland

•  Nurture your own physical strength.
• Pray a little more.
• Study [the scriptures] a little more.
• Search your soul and search your testimony.
• When you have your own faith, then you are ready to bless your family.
• We must have faith in this work...faith in our Father...we will be safe and secure.
• He will pour out blessings to you for your faithfulness.

Boyd K. Packer

• "Pray to the Father always in my name" (Referring to a scripture)
• A Father is someone that you can always call upon and receive an answer from.
• The devil cannot make you do it (or anything for that matter)--you have power over your own self.
• The Adversary has his limits, you can always tell him to depart. He has no power to make you do anything.
• The 6 word sermon: "What if [it] (he/she) was your child?"
• You are in charge of your own life. Go to the Father and tell Him that you want to do it His way--follow what the Lord has in store for you and you will be blessed.
• Faith is the most important thing to have.

The Path of the Peacemaker

Elder Kim B. Clark

President, BYU-Idaho

"This is the great latter-day work of bringing people to Christ. It is the work of peace."

"'Prophets have long known that the Abrahamic covenant was to be fulfilled only 'in the latter days.' That's our day! We are those covenant people!'" (Elder Russell M. Nelson)

"You are the children of the covenant, the children of promise; and you are heirs to all the blessings and all the commitments and responsibilities of Abraham."

"And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers...and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace..."

"A prince of peace (or a princess of peace) is a peacemaker. When you hear the word 'peacemaker,' it is natural, and very important, to think of a mediator, someone who calms troubled waters and helps people resolve conflicts and disputes."

"You may have already discovered that helping others resolve conflict depends on the application of gospel principles like love, kindness, forgiveness, and service. If you are faithful and prayerful in this work, the Holy Ghost will guide and strengthen you in applying these principles, and the Lord will work through you to bless the lives of His children."

"He has prepared for His children a deeper peace, the 'peace of God, which passeth all understanding.'"

"It is peace of conscience and peace of mind-a positive, deep, uplifting sense of well-being. It is a sweet, powerful feeling of total harmony with Heavenly Father, with our true spiritual identity, and with your brothers and sisters."

"Such peace is one of the sweet gifts of the Spirit."

"Heavenly Father wants you to walk in peace. He wants you to establish peace. He wants you to be peacemakers."

"'The consequences of conflict are so devastating that we yearn for guidance--even a way to ensure our success as we seek the path to peace...May I suggest three ideas to prompt our thinking and guide our footsteps:

1. Search inward
2. Reach outward; and
3. Look heavenward

("framework given to us by President Monson")

"The beginning of our study of the path of the peacemaker is our relationship with God the Father and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ."

 

 LOOK HEAVENWARD

D&C 19:23 "Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me"

"Study carefully and to follow what He taught in verse 13 and 15-20 [D&C 19]"

"Wherefore, I command you to repent, and keep the commandments which you have received...lest...your sufferings be sore--how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.

"For behold, I God have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;

"But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;

"Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit--and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink--

"Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.

"Wherefore, I command you again to repent..."

"The path of the peacemaker is the path of faith in Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world. It is the path of sincere repentance and whole-hearted obedience. It is the path of baptism for hte remission of sins, the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and spiritual rebirth."

"Sin and wickedness and all the emotions that flow from them--are like a cancer in our spirit. There is no peace for the soul wounded by sin..the miracle of the Atonement is that we can repent and be healed. We can be completely rid of the cancer of sin, and we can find peace."

 "O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?" (The Savior)

"Through the power of the Atonement of Christ, we can be reborn of the Spirit, '[put] off hte natural man and [become] a saint,' 'humble,...submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering.' This is what it means to 'walk in the meekness of my Spirit.'"

"You shall have peace in me."

"'God wants each of His children to enjoy the transcendent blessing of peace of conscience...It provides a foundation for happiness...Peace of conscience can come only from God through a righteous, obedient life.'" (Elder Richard G. Scott)

SEARCH INWARD

"Peacemakers must also learn to 'search inward' to find peace of mind...Though we may have peace of conscience, those storms may rob us of peace of mind and hurt our ability to be peacemakers. But we can learn to 'search inward' and with the help of the Savior restore peace of mind."

"We keep the commandments and make progress in our journey of peace. But we encounter storms of life that bring uncertainty, anxiety, and stress."

"'These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.'" (The Savior)

"We know that things will happen to disrupt our peace of mind. We live in a fallen world, and things happen to everyone...We have learned that we have to choose to look into the mirror of Christ. It requires an act of both faith in the Lord the Lord jesus Christ and personal determination...We can choose hope and say, 'I am not going to look into the mirror of fear. I am going to fix my eyes on the mirror of Christ, trust the Lord, and act in faith."

"If you choose the mirror of Christ you authorize the Holy Ghost to minister to you. He will 'show unto you all things what ye should do.'"

REACH OUTWARD

"We cannot be at peace ourselves and we cannot be peacemakers unless we 'reach outward' to bring peace to others."

"'For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit to contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stireth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.

"Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another, but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.

"But behold I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you;'" (The Savior)

"I know it is not too hard for the Lord to help you be the Lord's peacemakers in the latter-days--even when the challenge may seem daunting."

"It is Satan who 'stir[s] up the hearts of men with anger,' and it is Christ the Lord whose doctrine it is 'that such things should be done away.'"

"The duty of the peacemaker is clear: do not start the ripple of scorn and ridicule; do not propagate it if you hear it; do not retaliate when people attack; help people resolve their differences and stop the network of contention and anger dead in its tracks. Stop it with acts of kindness and respect. Stop it with gentle humor or sweet reason. Stop it with love and prayer. Stop it with whatever means the Spirit of the Lord directs. But stop it; and then act in faith to help others find the deeper peace of God."

"'May our conversations with others always be marked by the fruits of the Spirit--'love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, [and] temperance" (Galatians 5:22-23) To...all who seek to know how we should respond to our accusers, I replu, we love them. Whatever their race, creed, religion, or political persuasion...we must...help them,...be an example for them...[and]pay the price of discipleship by answering [them] with Christian courage.'" (Elder Robert D. Hales)

"This is our calling. This is what the children of the covenant, the children of Abraham are and what they do: they reach outward to their brothers and sisters to bring peace that goes down deeper and deeper into the soul. There are different levels of peace, and peacemakers work at every level: they calm troubled waters, stop the network of anger and contention, and help their brothers and sister resolve conflicts; they bring love, hope and peace to people in need with kind words, a helping hand, and acts of service that lift and strengthen; and they help their brothers and sister find peace at its deepest level in the Lord Jesus Christ."

"President Monson has set for us a marvelous example of the peacemaker, and he has called us to be peacemakers...'Come back. We reach out to you in the pure love of Christ and express our desire to assist you and to welcome you into full fellowship. To those who are wounded in spirit our who are struggling and fearful, we say, Let us lift you and cheer you and calm your fears.'" (President Monson)

"When we do...we will bring the Spirit of the Lord into the lives we touch. We will help them come unto Christ...the only way to find the deep peace of God is through the Atonement of Christ...you can reach outward and help them find the deep peace of God by sharing with them the plan of salvation and the principles of the gospel. And you can extend that opportunity to people on the other side of the veil when you serve in the temples of the Lord...If they choose to listen and obey, they, too, will find the 'peace of God, which passeth all understanding.' This is the path of the peacemaker."

"This is the path we are called to walk:

• Look Heavenward: Act with faith in Christ to repent and keep His commandments.
• Search Inward: When storms come, look to the future in the mirror of Christ, choose hope and go forward in faith.
• Reach Outward: Stop the network of anger and contention, help people in conflict find common ground, lift and strengthen them with love and service, share the gospel, and help them come unto Christ.

"If you walk this path, you will be the peacemakers the Lord will use to gather scattered Israel, established Zion, and prepare the earth for His return."

"Through your faithfulness you will walk in peace with the Prince of Peace and you will become a peacemaker in His holy hands."

The Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

We are beloved spirit daughters of God, and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction. As a worldwide sisterhood, we are united in our devotion to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Exemplar. We are women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity who:

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Increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ through prayer and scripture study.

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Seek spiritual strength by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

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Dedicate ourselves to strengthening marriages, families, and homes.

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Find nobility in motherhood and joy in womanhood.

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Delight in service and good works.

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Love life and learning.

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Stand for truth and righteousness.

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Sustain the priesthood as the authority of God on earth.

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Rejoice in the blessings of the temple, understand our divine destiny, and strive for exaltation.

How Can I Find Happiness?

Hope Ya Know, We Had a Hard Time

Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple

"Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple"

by Boyd K. Packer

Come to the Temple

• "When we organize families according to the order that the Lord has revealed, we organize them in the temples."
• "Temple marriage, that sealing ordinance, is a crowning blessing that you may claim in the holy temple."
• "'Come to the temple'"
• "The temple transforms the individual and makes abundantly worthwhile any efforts made to get there."
• "Keep your faith and your hope and determine that you will come--that you will be worthy and that you will come to the temple."

These Things Are Sacred

• "We do not discuss the temple ordinances outside the temples."
• "With great effort we urge every soul to qualify and prepare for the temple experience."
• "Someday every living soul and every soul who has ever lived shall have the opportunity to hear the gospel and to accept or reject what the temple offers (If this opportunity is rejected, the rejection must be on the part of the individual)."
• "The ordinances and ceremonies of the temple...are beautiful..are sacred...are kept confidential lest they be given to those who are unprepared."
• "Preparation for the ordinances includes preliminary steps: faith, repentance, baptism, confirmation, worthiness, a maturity and dignity worthy of one who comes invited as a guest into the house of the Lord."
• "We must be prepared before we go to the temple."
• "We must be worthy before we go to the temple."
• "The restrictions and conditions set are established by the Lord and not by man."

To be continued....

"Some people have a journal, I have an older brother"

Visiting Teaching Message, March 2010

Strengthening Faith in God the Father and Jesus Christ through Personal Scripture Study

"When I was a new bride,...I was invited to a lunch for all of the Relief Society sisters in my ward who had read either the Book of Mormon or a short Church history book. I had become casual in my scripture reading, so I qualified to attend the luncheon by reading the short book because it was easier and took less time. As I was eating my lunch, I had a powerful feeling that though the history book was a good one, I should have read the Book of Mormon. The Holy Ghost was prompting me to change my scripture reading habits. That very day I began to read the Book of Mormon, and I have never stopped...Because I started reading the scriptures daily, I have learned about my Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and what I need to do to be like Them...

"...Every woman can be a gospel doctrine instructor in her home, and every sister in the Church needs gospel knowledge as a leader and teacher. If you have not already developed the habit of daily scripture study, start now and keep studying in order to be prepared for your responsibilities in this life and in the eternities."

        -- Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president

"A study of the scriptures will help our testimonies and the testimonies of our family members. Our children today are growing up surrounded by voices urging them to abandon that which is right to pursue, instead, the pleasures of the world. Unless they have a firm foundation in the gospel of Jesus Christ, a testimony of the truth, and a determination to live righteously, they are susceptible to these influences. It is our responsibility to fortify and protect them."

         --President Thomas S. Monson

"We want our sisters to be scholar of the scriptures...You need an acquaintanceship with his eternal truths for your own well being, and for the purposes of teaching your own children and all others who come within your influence.

"We want our homes to be blessed with sister scriptorians--whether you are single or married, young or old, widowed or living in a family...Become scholars of the scriptures--not to put others down, but to lift them up!"

          --President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985)

John 5:39

2 Timothy 3: 14-17

2 Nephi 9:50-51; 31:20; 32:3-5

D&C 138:1-11