Category Archives: Faith & Religion

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.

Friends with Thoughts:

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

Faith, Questions, Walk The Talk

Setting a Spiritual Tone for the Week

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As I begin this new week I am excited to start it with the spiritual push of friends that have assembled together in the Facebook group, Walk The Talk. It’ll be nice to begin with a little help from my friends. I’m also going to pick a question that will guide my study for the week. I’ve really gone away from regular study and I’m journeying back now to that strength.

Here are my thoughts on this week’s talks in Walk The Talk:

Questioning

At first I felt a new question should be posed every day, but upon experimentation it seems that one day doesn’t give me adequate time to think upon and bury the roots of my answer deep within my heart. So, weekly, instead of daily, is the new experiment.

The question that will guide my studies this week will be the one that I already posted on:

Q: Am I an Enemy to God?

Walk The Talk

Good, Better, Best

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Good, Better, Best
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I found Elder Oaks talk directly applicable to me this week. I’ve been in a what may be termed a “spiritual tailspin.” And it’s just so easy, much easier that I ever thought possible, to just keep doing everything the same and little by little lose my faith. Pretty soon the very things that the Lord has provided for me to feel his love (church, scripture study, journaling and prayer) no longer have appeal and I consider them “a thing of naught” and “trample them under my feet.”

Sure, I would may never say it quite like that to those around me, myself, or even my God, however, by my actions, or rather lack thereof, I confirm my disinterest in feeling God’s love. It’s all so very subtle and nearly imperceptible it’s scary. When I don’t hold onto the iron rod I get distracted and wander on over to all the “cool” things and end up “amusing [my]self to death-spiritual death.”

I have struggled nearly my whole life with distraction. It wasn’t until my mission that I learned seriously about planning and prioritizing. Even then I would spend so much time picking everything apart and getting distracted by the details that I would eventually feel that nothing was getting done, stop planning and continue on in the week with a very shaky plan.

When I returned from my mission I took a class on Steven Covey’s book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. It was great class, but distractions still abound to get me off task. Noise and distraction from the BEST things may just be a plague of our generation. There’s so much time that’s filled with sound that we can’t hear the quiet voice of the Spirit.

Elder Oaks said something that I found very pointed and applicable to myself. I’ve made some minor edits so that I don’t miss its meaning for me:

“[Playing on Facebook, Youtube and the internet] is not better than serving the Lord or strengthening the family… [Be careful Ryan, you are] amusing [yourself] to death-spiritual death.”

My good friend Heather talked to me last week about simplifying and said that we almost have to think “What can I plan out of my life?” A good institute teacher and friend, Brother Bassett has also talked to me on a personal level about this same concept. He said the secret is not to learn to juggle everything, but rather it’s to prioritize things and learn to do what’s on top, and drop what’s on the bottom.
Ryan, what can you cut out? How will you decide? You have so many passions, hopes and likes. Trying to accomplish it all leaves you unfulfilled and you may just find that you never fully accomplished any, but rather sit in pile of undone dreams.

I’ve tried for so long to get it right with planning and prioritizing. I think that one key is to always be reviewing your priorities as they are known to change in different seasons of life. Another thing I’ve learned is to seek for the spirit, so that rather than Ryan’s priorities I have God’s priorities to work from.