Category Archives: Faith

Faith, Walk The Talk

After All We Can Do

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After All We Can Do
by Elder Claudio D. Zivic

I heard a friend ask this last week, “how long must I continue trying so hard?” and quickly thought, well, that’s easy to answer; we should do all that we can do for the WHOLE of our mortal lives. That’s what life is all about, learning!

I didn’t validate my friend’s feelings with that thought and it’s been so easy for me lately to toss out advice and miss how I’m not applying it at the same time.

Yesterday night however, after a friend of mine who was visiting from Logan UT talked to me about wanting to be better, I started to feel my passion for excellence come back. I do love that feeling. It’s exciting. It’s motivating and it’s necessary to push me forward in the cause of right. It’s the desire that the scriptures talk about and it’s the vital prerequisite for action and for accessing the full potential of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Elder Zivic spoke of several gospel components that allow us to “be someone out of the ordinary.” My desire is to become just such a person. Who am I not to be?

  1. Sincere repentance allows us remove the burdens, or chains, of our fallen nature. Once this weight is removed, we can have the hope that lifts us up to be extraordinary people.
  2. Looking for and developing the opportunities that the gospel affords us is a key.
  3. Sharing the gospel, as I realized on my cruise, is a powerful tool to in feeling and knowing the Spirit.

I’d just like to end with a quote that I’ve always liked. It speaks of who we really are:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light , not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of god. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to make and manifest the glory of god that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Authors Details: Marianne Williamson
“Our greatest fear” from her book ‘A return to love ‘

You were never meant to be ordinary!

Faith, Walk The Talk

Claim the Exceeding Great and Precious Promises

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Claim the Exceeding Great and Precious Promises
by Elder Spencer J. Condie

“And God remembered Rachel.” After being with my dear friend Rachel last week for the blessing of her lovely Thomas, I realized that my Father in Heaven DOES love his children. His love was evident in the blessing. His love was evident in Rachel’s eyes as she looked upon her son with other people. His love was evident in her careful attention to capturing everything that was going on this important day so that Thomas could one day look back and know how important it was to his mother.

The scriptures are laden with promises so powerful that one need only find a few and grasp onto them. Such a person would never cease to have hope in this life if these promises were always remembered… Hmm, kinda sounds like the rod of iron.

I appreciated this promise that Elder Condie brought out: The Holy Ghost can be our constant companion when we garnish our thoughts with virtue.

The Holy Ghost isn’t just a nice thing to have I’m learning, but rather, it’s a NECESSARY piece of Heavenly Father’s plan for me. Without the Holy Ghost, I cannot know truth with any depth of significance. It’s also with the Holy Ghost that I will become purified as Christ is purified and thus be ready to enter into his rest once my earthly toils are through.

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Faith, Walk The Talk

O Remember, Remember

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O Remember, Remember
by President Henry B. Eyring

I’ve read over President Eyring’s talk before and it has really touched me. Again, I’ve gotten out of the habit of sitting down at the end of the day and writing how I’ve seen the Lord’s hand in my life that day. However, I know that when I HAVE done that I feel connected to God and my I am more able to live consciously.

I challenged Jenny from Ogden this last week too and … lost, looks like I owe her some ice cream!

I recommit to journal daily.

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Faith, Walk The Talk

A Royal Priesthood & A Baby Blessing

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A Royal Priesthood

President Thomas S. Monson

“Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” ~ 1 Peter 2:9

Such an appropriate talk for “a would be king” that I took extra care to capture how it applies to me. I have been called out of darkness to shine his light to the world. I must stand in holy places where light is present and to do that I strive to have the marks of he who bears the royal priesthood.

  • vision: I choose to act consciously. I set goals with the Spirit.
  • effort: I choose righteousness. I act in accordance with my goals.
  • faith: I have moments of testing and in those moments I hold to the rod.
  • virtue: “the way to avoid sin is to keep our thinking pure.” I watch my thoughts.
  • prayer: He strengthens me through my faith in prayer.

Blessing Baby Thomas

Today I was honored to stand in the circle of elders that blessed my dear friend Rachel’s baby. She is such a genuine person and the love that shines in her eyes for everyone will bless sweet Thomas’ life.

In moments like today I recommit inside to bear the marks of one who holds the Holy Priesthood of God. Truly the priesthood blesses all, the bearer and those whom he blesses. I am so very thankful for chances like these to remind me to stand a little taller and to serve a little more sincerely.

Thank you Rachel. Thank you Thomas!

FRIENDS THOUGHTS

Faith, Government

Original Intent of the Founding Fathers

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Just before the cruise I went on at the end of January I was at a little gathering at our bishop’s house. He has run as a congressman in his district in Lindon, UT. He talked to us about the original intent of the Founding Fathers and how much it was that we’d rule ourselves by living close to God. We watched a video by a minister of another faith. Very down to earth and VERY well documented.

I received this email just over a week ago and I goes along with what I’m learning about the intent of the Founding Fathers. I need to post it here.

AGREE OR DELETE

Andy Rooney

DID YOU KNOW?

As you walk up the steps to the building which houses the U.S Supreme Court you can see near the top of the building a row of the world’s law givers and each one is facing one in the middle who is facing forward with a full frontal view .. it is Moses and he is holding the Ten Commandments!

DID YOU KNOW?

As you enter the Supreme Court courtroom, the two huge oak doors have the Ten Commandments engraved on each lower portion of each door.

DID YOU KNOW?

As you sit inside the courtroom, you can see the wall, right above where the Supreme Court judges sit,
a display of the Ten Commandments!

DID YOU KNOW?

There are Bible verses etched in stone all over the Federal Buildings and Monuments in Washington, D.C.

DID YOU KNOW?

James Madison, the fourth president, known as “The Father of Our Constitution” made the following statement: “We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Patrick Henry, that patriot and Founding Father of our country said: “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ”.

DID YOU KNOW?

Every session of Congress begins with a prayer by a paid preacher, whose salary has been paid by the taxpayer since 1777.

DID YOU KNOW?

Fifty-two of the 55 founders of the Constitution were members of the established orthodox churches in the colonies.

DID YOU KNOW?

Thomas Jefferson worried that the Courts would overstep their authority and instead of interpreting the law would begin making law an oligarchy the rule of few over many.

DID YOU KNOW?

The very first Supreme Court Justice, John Jay, said:”Americans should select and prefer Christians as their rulers.”

How, then, have we gotten to the point that everything we have done for 220 years in this country is now suddenly wrong and unconstitutional?

Lets put it around the world and let the world see and remember what this great country was built on.

Chamber, US House of Representatives

I was asked to send this on if I agreed or delete if I didn’t. Now it is your turn…

It is said that 86% of Americans believe in God. Therefore, it is very hard to understand why there is such a mess about having the Ten Commandments on display or “In God We Trust” on our money and having God in the Pledge of Allegiance. Why don’t we just tell the other 14% to Sit Down and SHUT UP!!!

This happens because Christians do nothing. I for one will do something. I will voice my opinion. How about a little help to our leaders and not just to each other!!!!

If you agree, pass this on