Delightfully Diligent

What would life be like without joy? Have you ever felt like you've hit rock bottom and there's no way up? Happiness is what we are all striving for in one way or another, even if we don't realize it. So, how can we be happy? How do we stay happy? What brings true delight in our lives? It is through Christ the we can have true happiness. “And it shall come to pass that the Jews which are scattered also shall begin to believe in Christ; and they shall begin to gather in upon the face of the land; and as many as shall believe in Christ shall also become a delightsome people” (2 Ne. 30:7). In applying this to my own life, I discovered three major ways of gaining this is through obedience, trial, and love.

Joy comes when we are obedient. Heavenly Father has given us commandments to guide us through this life the easiest way possible. “Obedience is the first law of heaven. It is an act of faith. You may sometimes be required to do things you do not completely understand. As you obey, you increase in faith, knowledge, wisdom, testimony, protection, and freedom” (Preach My Gospel, 122). Commandments are not meant to bind us; they are meant to liberate us! Sometimes we must obey before we even understand why. Jesus said, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17). When you aren't sure of a principle, try it out. You'll be surprised how much better you feel. Elder Joseph Wirthlin counsels us to “spend time with Him. Meditate on His words. Take His yoke upon you. Seek to understand and obey, because 'this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.' When we love the Lord, obedience ceases to be a burden. Obedience becomes a delight. When we love the Lord, we seek less for things that benefit us and turn our hearts toward things that will bless and uplift others. As our love for the Lord deepens, our minds and hearts become purified. We experience a 'mighty change in...our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually'” (Wirthlin). Obedience brings us happiness! Only through the Lord's plan can we feel this peace and joy.

Trials bring joy. It sounds weird to say that. When I think of trials I definitely don't automatically think of joy, and it's almost an abstract idea to consider them intertwined. However, some of our lowest lows can bring us some of our greatest happiness. Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, “There are customized trials such as experiencing illness, aloneness, persecution, betrayal, irony, poverty, false witness, unreciprocated love, et cetera. If endured well now, 'all these things' can be for our good and can 'greatly enlarge the soul,' including an enlarged capacity for joy. Meek suffering often does the excavating necessary for that enlarging!” (Maxwell). I love this quote. I've thought about it many times throughout my life. It's such a comfort for me. I think of the most joy I've ever felt and it amazes me that I can feel more than that! :D My institute teacher related it to our spiritual cave. And she put her arms out in front of her in a circular shape to form her own small “cave.” Inside this cave there is a miner than is just chipping away slowly at the walls of our cave. But slowly, our cave gets bigger and bigger, and we our able to have more and more happiness fit inside us. How amazing is that? In a recent general conference talk, Joseph Wirthlin talked about how the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life. He begins his talk by saying, “When I was young I loved playing sports, and I have many fond memories of those days. But not all of them are pleasant. I remember one day after my football team lost a tough game, I came home feeling discouraged. My mother was there. She listened to my sad story. She taught her children to trust in themselves and each other, not blame others for their misfortunes, and give their best effort in everything they attempted. When we fell down, she expected us to pick ourselves up and get going again. So the advice my mother gave to me then wasn’t altogether unexpected. It has stayed with me all my life. 'Joseph,' she said, 'come what may, and love it'” (Wirthlin). Now, this doesn't come without a cost or without some effort on our part amidst these trials. We must choose to be happy. Admittedly, this can seem slightly unrealistic to some of us as we think about the storms that are raging in our own lives, but I testify that it is possible to remain joyful, because sorrow only comes from fear; and with the Lord on our side, we have absolutely no reason to fear.

One of the best ways I know to remain happy amidst storms and even through calm waters is through love. Both the gived and received, both reciprocated and unreciprocated, both small and great. In Jacob it reads, “O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever” (Jacob 3:2). Most times in the scriptures feasting is related to scripture reading, but I like to think of this as the dessert. The sweetest part of the whole meal. Another quote that I got from my institute was said by Audrey Hepburn, “walk with the knowledge you never walk alone.” One of my favorite this to do is picture Christ in my mind. Not only do I see him comforting me with my head on his shoulder and His arms around me; but I see him next to me in class; I see him walking me home from school; I see him laughing and talking with me; I see him giving me a great big hug even when I don't “need” it. I think about how much he loves me and how proud he is of me. I think about how unconditional His love is and how much that love means to me. “Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you and I will stand by you”(D&C 68:6). “And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings there of are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours” (D&C 78:18). Christ is there for us all the time; all we need to do is turn to him. Think about His love! FEAST on it! Never getting discouraged.

Ultimately, we must look unto Christ for happiness. Not only is He the only path to eternal life, but He is also the only path to happiness in this life as well. We must do just as He says, “Look unto me in every thought. Doubt not. Fear not” (D&C 6:36).

The Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1981.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Preach My Gospel. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2004.

The Doctrine and Covenants. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Holy Bible. King James Version ed. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1979.

Maxwell, Elder Neal A. "Apply the Atoning Blood of Christ." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Oct. 1997. 29 Oct. 2008 .

Wirthlin, Elder Joseph B. "Come What May, and Love It." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Oct. 2008. 29 Oct. 2008 .

Believing in Christ by:Katie Bourne

Believing in Christ

by Katie Bourne

One night 4 years ago, I laid in bed contemplating whether i should read my scriptures. i had just gotten home form a 19 hour day, full of school, dance and other rehearsals. It was midnight and my decision was to get cozy and fall asleep. I woke around 3 am with the darkest feeling I have ever experienced. There was a huge pressure on my chest, which made it impossible to speak. I immediately began to call towards my Heavenly Father for help. Since I couldn't physically call out for him I silently prayed, there was nothing else I could do. After some time the pressure and feeling stopped, i turned on the lights and opened my scriptures for comfort. The first verse I read was 1 Nephi 10:6 "Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be saved they should rely on this Redeemer." The footnotes for fallen read: death, spiritual. 2 Nephi 9:12 speaks of spiritual death as hell. A spiritual death; of your testimony, of not being able to feel the spirit, anything that is a spiritual death to you. 

I definently felt a death of the spirit in my heart that night. I realized that I need to rely on my Redeemer in all things. Stephen Robinson put it beautifully, he said, "We often think that having faith in Christ means believing in his identity as the Son of God and the Savior of the world. But believing in Jesus' identity as the Christ is only the first half of it. The other half is believing in his ability, in his power to cleanse and to save - to make unworthy sons and daughters worthy." I know many who think that they have to do it all on their own. They know that Christ can and has done, but they choose to try and do it by themselves. this is not the way to live. Christ died for us, it is our responsibility to use what he has given to us, the atonement.

2 Nephi 9:28 says "...O the vainness and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishenss and it profiteth them not..." Once again, this explains that we are foolish to rely on ourselves. We must rely on our Redeemer, we must believe in Christ. There is no other way.

Stephen Robinson states, "Not only must we believe that he is who he says he is, we must also believe that he can do what he says he can do. We must not only believe in Christ, we must also believe Christ when he says he can clean us up and make us celestial. He says that through his atoning blood, all mankind may be saved - and "all mankind" must logically include you and me. So until we accept the real possibility of our exaltation in the kingdom of God, we do not yet have faith in Christ; we do not yet believe." To me, this means learning to forgive and love ourselves. We don't always see the big picture, who we really can be. I know that i doubt i have potential and doubt i can be something amazing. But the Lord KNOWS all that we are, and all that we can become. That is why we must be like children and have no doubts that the lord knows. We must always be believing Christ.

Before receiving my Patriarchal blessing I felt really lost in the world. I didn't have a clear picture of where i was going. i believed in Christ, but i didn't believe Christ. Many children these days are confused and "finding themselves" in the wrong things, namely drugs and alcohol, etc. Stephen Robinson explains utilizing Christ in the paragraph. "If we believe only in Christ without believing Christ, then we are like people sitting in cold, dark houses surrounded by unused lamps and heaters, people who believe in electricity but who never throw the switch to turn on the power. People like this often pretend to themselves and to others that merely believing in electricity makes them warm and gives them light, but they still shiver in the dark unless they turn on the power. until we accept the power itself, beyond merely believing in the theory of the power, we cannot enjoy the warmth and the light. this is why genuine faith in Christ - active acceptance of his power and not just passive belief in his identity - is and must be the very first principle of the gospel." I challenge all of us to question whether we believe in Christ or simply believe Christ. 

"Believing Christ"

-Stephen Robinson

pages 7-12

1 Nephi 10:6

2 Nephi 9:12

2Nephi 9:28

The Immovable Rock By Vallan Sherrod

If you ask several of the kids in my neighborhood what “The Rock” is, they would know exactly what you were talking about. This “Rock” is actually a group of rocks that my friends and I found a little over a year ago while we were exploring the canyon in which we live. One of these rocks is at least fifty to sixty feet tall on its highest side. These rocks are definitely immovable and firm where they stand. When we first discovered them, we even joked around that maybe Father Escalante (who had explored the area centuries earlier) was maybe the only other person who had ever been to these rocks before. We even named the biggest rock after him. The scriptures make mention of similar, immovable rocks. Christ told the Nephites, “Therefore, whoso heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock” (3 Nephi 14:24). What is this rock which Christ talks about?

In the Old Testament, rock is translated from the Hebrew word, tsûr, which also means “strength.” What is this strength we must build on? In Psalms 18:2, King David says, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” Here David tells us that God is our rock and strength. In fact, in a few places in the Bible, tsr is translated to mean “God.” This means that the rock that Christ talks about is God.

In Matthew 16, Christ gives us more insight in the meaning of the rock on which we must build. Here Jesus asked his disciples who they believed he was, and Peter answered in verse 16, ...Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In verses 17 and 18 Christ replied,

...Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Here I think Christ tells us that faith in him and our Heavenly Father is the rock on which we must build our lives and the church.

How can we obtain this faith? Of course, there are millions of ways that someone’s faith in Christ could be increased; however, I would like to mention one. In one of Nephi’s visions, an angel told him,

For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of they brethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb. And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and my rock and my salvation. (1 Nephi 13: 35-36)

These words are the Book of Mormon, and in them are written his “rock.” Further testimony of this is in the following two scriptures. “Wherefore, he shall bring forth his words unto them, which words shall judge them at the last day, for they shall be given them for the purpose of convincing them of the true Messiah...” (2 Nephi 25:18). And in modern times, Heavenly Father has told us, “Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation” (D&C 18:17). Not only is the rock (faith in Christ) found in studying the Book of Mormon, but it is also found in the other scriptures and the words of the prophets. It is the Holy Ghost that testifies that the words, or “rock,” is good, just as he did to Peter. I know that when I read the scriptures, my faith in Heavenly Father and Christ increases by the “rock” it contains, and it is through the Holy Ghost in which I receive this witness.

It may not always be easy to have faith in God and follow the commandments in order to have this rock as our foundation. Referring back to the rock that my friends and I found, I remember that we all wanted to be able to climb and stand on the top of the rock. However, it was very difficult to climb. One of my friends climbed up with a rope. Once he was at the top, he secured the rope, allowing the rest of us to climb up with each other's encouragement. Like my friend, the Savior has provided a way in which all of us can reach the top of this rock and have the blessings of its firm foundation. Also, others, such as our friends, family, and Priesthood leaders, can encourage us to reach this goal. We in turn, should also encourage others in obtaining this firm foundation.

Once my friends and I where on top of the rock, the view it provided was fantastic! We could see the surrounding area with more clarity. When we put this firm foundation of Christ beneath us, we can also see our purposes and goals in life more clearly. We are also filled with hope. We must remember that Christ is the only “rock” or foundation we can build on that can bring this true happiness and hope. “...there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent” (Mosiah 3:17). I remember a great Sunday School lesson I had on this principle. In this lesson, my class discussed how some people build their foundation on the things of this world. Some examples are riches, popularity, talents, and even self-esteem. However, all of these foundations can be taken from us, and if we base our lives on them, we will fall. Even the rock my friends and I found could fall if there was a big enough earthquake. Christ is the only sure foundation on which we can build. Richard G. Scott said,

I testify that you will remove barriers to happiness and find greater peace as you make your first allegiance your membership in the Church of Jesus Christ, and His teachings the foundation of your life. Where family or national traditions or customs conflict with the teachings of God, set them aside. Where traditions and customs are in harmony with His teachings, they should be cherished and followed to preserve your culture and heritage. There is one heritage that you need never change. It is that heritage that comes from your being a daughter or son of Father in Heaven (“A Sure Foundation”)

It is okay to have other focuses in our lives; however, Christ and his gospel should be our main focus. We should get rid of any other distractions that turn us away from this main focus.

We must all build our foundations on faith in Christ. If we do, we will have power to overcome the trials of this life. I think Helaman says it perfectly when he was counseling his sons, Nephi and Lehi, in Helaman 5:12,

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.

Faith in Christ is the only sure foundation on which we can build. If we do build on it, we will be able to withstand the tempests and storms of life when they come.

Works Cited

“A Sure Foundation.” Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual. 1999. LDS. 10 Oct. 2008.

The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1981.

The Doctrine and Covenants of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1981.

The Holy Bible. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1979.

A few basics to blogging.

This is the screen (In order to see the image better, click it and it will open enlarged in a new tab or window.) that shows up when you log into Blogger with your Google account. The title of the blog shows with links below it. Click New Post to create a new post to the blog. You can also edit existing posts (Edit Posts), settings, or layout form the homepage. Clicking View Blog will take you to the blog site and allow you to view all posts.


The screen that shows up when you create a post. Click Publish Post to post your blog to the website. Include your name in the title. Do not click Save Now if you intend to publish your post. This page also provides several links.


After you click Publish Post, this window shows up. You can view your blog and, if necessary, make changes to your existing post.


On the main blog page, you can comment on others' blogs or edit your own by clicking the pencil icon.

Living the righteousness: Choosing among the good and the evil.

My parents knew the gospel and baptize before I was born, after that I born and 11 months later they married on the temple. I remember having a healthy environment. When I was 8 turning 9 my parents start having problems in their marriage. I suppose to be baptizing at 8 but the situation was not right. Then my parents delay my baptism, but I knew that choosing to be baptized by my self would let them see that I have the desire to do it. So the day I turned 9 was Sunday, I wanted to be baptize and be a member of the church. I make the decision because my parents were busy on their problems that it was my turn to do it by my self. I wanted to do it when turning 8 but it worth it even at 9. I know I choose the right because my life have been fulfilled regardless my parent's decision. The righteousness of the people is made by them self with the help from father in haven.( Alma 7:19) For I perceive that ye are in the paths of righteousness; I perceive that ye are in the path which leads to the kingdom of God; yea, I perceive that ye are making his paths straight.

As children of god we have a commitment, when we decide to come to this world. However, Jesus Christ came to pay for our sins and make the resurrection happen for the salvation of his brothers. Then we have the opportunity to choose between the good and evil. (2 Nephi 2:5) And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever.


Most of the time in the weak world we are living in; it has a lot of temptations. Some times my friends from elementary school, which were not member of the church or did not attend any religion they could do any thing bad o r good in their lives. Any one has the right to do it. However, I have learned that things like alcohol, drugs, or smoking are not good for my health and my body. There are many adolescents that their parents are not a good example for them but we can make a difference by been an example for them and teach them by being it.
Elder M. Russell Ballard said “In the Church, we often state the couplet, ‘Be in the world but not of the world. ‘Be in the world.’ Be involved; be informed. Try to be understanding and tolerant and to appreciate diversity. Make meaningful contributions to society through service and involvement. Second, ‘Be not of the world.’ Do not follow wrong paths or bend to accommodate or accept what is not right” (Ensign, May 1989)

The righteousness has a lot to do with happiness. If we live in righteousness our heavenly father would help us to overcome the adversities of this world. We have always suffer from the adversities that we have in life such as depression, economic problems, lack of spouse, oppression, transgression, abuse and even more. The solution of these problems is to live in righteousness. To live in righteousness means that we are trying to ovey fathers commandment. The results o f this bring us peace and comfort in our lives, if we do this means that we are following the plan of god. (Alma 5:58). For the names of the righteous shall be written in the book of life, and unto them will I grant an inheritance at my right hand. And now, my brethren, what have ye to say against this? I say unto you, if ye speak against it, it matters not, for the word of God must be fulfilled.

If we live righteously as our father in haven advice us to do, we can achieve the eternal life. The righteousness has the power to achieve the happiness and the joy of our lives. It looks like as a simple solution of our problems in life and be in the presence of god. But the reality is that Satan has also the power of mislead in this world and make us unhappy. (D. y C. 52:14). And again, I will give unto you a pattern in all things that ye may not be deceived; for Satan is abroad in the land, and he goeth forth deceiving the nations. If we do the right we will live in peace and love with heavenly father

Elder M. Russell Ballard
Ensign, May 1989
Alma 7:19
(Alma 5:58).
(D. y C. 52:14)
(2 Nephi 2:5)

Wisdom by Chadd Johnson

“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.” (D&C 88:118.) Wisdom is not something that God gives for our own gain. He grants us wisdom to "teach on another words of wisdom." For those of us with "faith" we should seek wisdom to impart it upon others so that they too might have faith. This should be a major goal in life so that we may teach our children better and grow ourselves.

This verse also suggests that wisdom is not just learning, but also talents and such that benefit the church and others. Let me relate a story of my own that illustrates obtaining true wisdom. About a month ago I was called to be a Sunday School teacher. This was my first teaching assignment, and, needless to say, my first lesson did not go smoothly. The class was not involved at all and I felt like I had failed. After that I prayed that I could please learn to be a better teacher. Not knowing where to learn this I had faith and trusted my Heavenly Father to help me out. I was showing the faith mentioned in D&C 88:118. That next week was General Conference. Honestly I almost forgot my prayer until the Sunday afternoon session in which William D. Oswald gave a talk titled "Gospel Teaching- Our Most Important Calling." As soon as he started talking I knew he was talking to me. He had been directed to speak on that in answer to my prayer. I was so grateful and happy, but the Lord wasn't done yet. That next week my ward held a class on becoming a better teacher. Not only had my prayers been answered, they had been answered twice. It was so powerful to me to know that James was right when he said, "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." (James 1:5.) If we want wisdom all we have to do is ask.

D&C 88 also mentioned study. What is it that we should be studying? President Thomas S. Monson said, "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 and 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. To an alarming extent, our children today are being educated by the media, including the Internet. In the United States, it is reported that the average child watches approximately four hours of television daily, much of the programming being filled with violence, alcohol and drug use, and sexual content. Watching movies and playing video games is in addition to the four hours. And the statistics are much the same for other developed countries. The messages portrayed on television, in movies, and in other media are very often in direct opposition to that which we want our children to embrace and hold dear. It is our responsibility not only to teach them to be sound in spirit and doctrine but also to help them stay that way, regardless of the outside forces they may encounter. This will require much time and effort on our part—and in order to help others, we ourselves need the spiritual and moral courage to withstand the evil we see on every side." This is why we must study the scriptures. It acts as an armour against the evils of the world. If we don't study the scriptures we are just asking the adversary to tear us down. Not only should we be studying the scriptures, but President Monson continued, "Beyond our study of spiritual matters, secular learning is also essential. Often the future is unknown; therefore, it behooves us to prepare for uncertainties. Statistics reveal that at some time, because of the illness or death of a husband or because of economic necessity, you may find yourself in the role of financial provider. Some of you already occupy that role. I urge you to pursue your education—if you are not already doing so or have not done so—that you might be prepared to provide if circumstances necessitate such." Study so that we may protect ourselves and serve the Lord better.

The scriptures, however, seem to also be saying that wisdom and learning are bad. “O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish” (2 Nephi 9:28). Jacob says that wisdom is not bad in and of itself, but the problem arises when "they hearken not unto the counsel of God." Wisdom is not bad unless it is used for personal gain and credit is not given to God ( 2 Nephi 9:29.) Russel M. Nelson related the following story,

"Mankind’s unfamiliarity with the scriptures has sometimes brought sorrow to great numbers of people over long periods of time. The suffering that has resulted from such ignorance is truly tragic. May I illustrate with excerpts from history that pertain to the spread of infection.
In the nineteenth century, health officials and others were concerned about pollution of the air, not by visible smoggy hydrocarbons of today, but by an invisible miasma that was blamed for almost any infection. In 1867, for example, Lord Lister indicted bad air as the chief cause of infection. Because of that, in 1869 Simpson from Edinburgh urged that hospitals be taken down and rebuilt every few years. Such an extravagant practice was also advocated by other experts.
Even Florence Nightingale, a living legend following her heroic efforts in the Crimean War, failed to recognize the transmission of infection from one patient to another—this despite her careful notations that wound infection accounted for 40 percent of postoperative mortality. 7

"But others missed the connection, too. For centuries, lives of innumerable mothers and children were claimed by “childbirth fever”—infections unknowingly transmitted among the innocent by unwashed hands of attendants.

"It was only a short century ago that the great work of Koch, Pasteur, and others proved that infection could be caused by bacteria in contaminated body fluids—or infected issues—passed from one individual to another.

"With these highlights of history in mind, may I quote the word of the Lord recorded long ago in Leviticus, chapter fifteen:

" 'The Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying,

" 'Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean.

" 'And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue. …

" 'Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean.

" 'And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water. …

" 'And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water.” (Lev. 15:1–5, 7; emphasis added.)'

"Several verses follow which re-emphasize and illustrate those important principles. Then we read this conclusion:

" 'And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall … wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.” (Lev. 15:13.)'

Thus, our loving Heavenly Father had clearly revealed principles of clean technique in the handling of infected patients more than three thousand years ago! These scriptures are in complete harmony with modern medical guidelines. But during those many millennia, how many mothers needlessly perished? How many children suffered because man’s quest for knowledge had failed to incorporate the word of the Lord?"

Wisdom is so important to our lives. The Lord commands us to seek wisdom to be better teachers. He wants us to have faith and study to right stuff. If we as a people will become more wise and listen to God we will be blessed. He is not going to hold any righteous knowledge back if we will but ask.

Works Cited
D&C 88:118
James 1:5
Thomas S. Monson, “Three Goals to Guide You,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 118–21
2 Nephi 9:28-29
Russell M. Nelson, “Where Is Wisdom?,” Ensign, Nov 1992, 6

Wisdom vs. Knowledge -Michelle Lindsey

“Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living, the other helps you make a life.” [1] - Sandra Carey
In Proverbs we are admonished that “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom.” [2] God tells us here, and in many other places in the scriptures, specifically to seek wisdom. Many people interpret wisdom and knowledge to have identical meanings and use the words interchangeably. However, there are many instances in the scriptures where the words “knowledge” and “wisdom” are used in the same verse, obviously having different meanings. What is the difference between the two? A wise man once answered this inquiry with the statement that “Knowledge is being aware that fire can burn; wisdom is remembering the blister.” [3] Knowledge is memorized facts and figures, while wisdom is found in the ability to apply this knowledge and the lessons learned.
We live in a world where knowledge and institutional learning is highly prized as a measure of a person’s worth. Why then, if knowledge is so valued, why should we seek for wisdom? What makes it so important? Robert Green Ingersoll said of common sense (also known as wisdom) that “It is a thousand times better to have common sense without education than to have education without common sense.” [4] Still, upon what basis does he make this statement? I knew a girl in high school who could memorize any fact or figure that the teacher threw at her. She knew all the right equations, all the correct tables and charts. But when it came to applying her knowledge in an experiment, she was lost. She didn’t have the wisdom necessary to complete the experiment, and thus her knowledge was useless. Life is like that too. Most of life is comprised of situations in which you won’t be able to whip out a scripture, recite it out to your personal demons, and have everything bad go away. We have to have the wisdom to apply our knowledge to the situation.
How then do we gain wisdom? In the Book of Mormon, Jacob shares some insight: “O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.” [5] In this scripture it is implied that the “wisdom” of the world is not wisdom at all. Rather, we must turn away from the world’s understanding and turn to our Father in Heaven for wisdom.
How do we turn to our Father for wisdom? It is taught in the book of Alma that we must “keep the commandment of God,” [6] and that doing so brings wisdom. The Doctrine and Covenants teaches that we must seek “out of the best books words of wisdom…by study and also by faith.” [7] It is my opinion that the best books would include the scriptures, which are God’s words to us. We must study them and have faith in the wisdom we receive. Finally and most importantly, wisdom can also be found by turning to our Father in prayer. It was through prayer that Joseph Smith first learned that none of the churches on the earth at that time were true, and that he must join none of them. The greatest revelations recorded throughout history have been initiated through prayer.
Charles H. Spurgeon said that “Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.” [8] Even if we follow the world’s definition of wisdom and seek only institutional learning, our knowledge will bring us no wisdom in the eyes of the world. But if we humble ourselves and turn to the Father for true wisdom, we will gain wisdom in His sight and the sight of men. That is the principle thing.

Citations:
1) heartquotes.net/wisdom.html
2) Proverbs 4:7
3) thinkexist.com
4) http://www.wow4u.com/wisdom-quotes/index.html
5) 2 Nephi 9:28
6) Alma 37:35
7) D&C 109:7
8) thinkexist.com

Signs of His Love-Alicia Collette

“And he that seeketh signs shall see signs, but not unto salvation”. (1) Signs are events or experiences that demonstrate the power of God. They are often miraculous. They identify and announce great events, such as the Savior’s birth, death, and Second Coming. They remind us of covenants the Lord has made with us. Signs may also bear witness of a divine calling or indicate the Lord’s disapproval. Some people claim that they would believe in God or His work if they were able to receive a sign. But the Lord has said, “Faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that believe” (2). Such signs are given to those who are faithful and obedient in order to strengthen them in their faith. (3) Most importantly, we are given signs to show us Christ’s love towards each and every one of us. Signs of his love include his mercy, patience, latter-day prophets, revelation, scriptures, and atonement, along with many others. The greatest example of God's love for His children is found in the infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ. Through personal revelation we can also come to know of the love that is given to each of us from our brother, Christ. Heavenly father and Jesus Christ love us all individually. They also love us more than we can ever comprehend while here on earth.

Not more than a month ago, last fast Sunday actually, I had the most remarkable spiritual experience. I had just gotten home from the most amazing church block which included a testimony meeting where everyone seemed to be talking about Christ and testifying of his love and a Sunday school class all about third Nephi and Christ’s visit to the Americas. All throughout the block I kept hearing people testify of how Heavenly Father and Christ know and love us all individually and differently. This caused me to reflect on whether or not this was true for me as well and if so, how I know of their love. As I was pondering, I came to the conclusion that what I had been hearing all day was indeed the truth. I had no problem knowing this to be truth in my head but I needed to feel it I my heart as well. I then felt so inclined to pray and plead to know in my heart that the Lord watches over me personally. Upon finishing my humble prayer, I had the strongest urge to read the scriptures, particularly the book of Mormon. I began reading, picking up where I had left of the night before. I read for some time until I came across a scripture in Mosiah that caused me to break down in tears. It was Mosiah chapter three verse four which reads “For the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy righteousness, and hath sent me to declare unto thee that thou mayest rejoice; and that thou mayest declare unto thy people, that they may also be filled with joy”. I couldn’t believe it; it was the most incredible spiritual experience. There was my answer, written in a scripture that I have read many times before and had even marked once upon a time. I know in my heart that I have a father in heaven who loves me for me and an elder brother that sacrificed everything for my salvation and that they are watching over m, trying to help me with each trial I face.

Later that day I came to another conclusion that strengthened my testimony all the more. Had I received an answer through a voice in my head I would have believed that I was merely looking for an answer so intently that I simply “thought” I heard something from above and wouldn’t believe it was a true answer from God. However, with a scripture, my answer came indirectly towards me, customized to fit my personal needs. I testify that God knows of our desires and will help us in any way He can if we turn to him and look for the signs of his love in our lives each day.

1. D&C

2. Doctrine and Covenants 63:9

3. True to the Faith

Oh, That I Were an Angel- Bethany Cox

Oh, That I Were an Angel- Bethany Cox

What (or who) are angels? The Bible definition for angel is “messengers of the Lord”. The Miriam-Webster dictionary has a couple of definitions for ‘angel’ including “A spiritual being superior to humans in power and intelligence”, “an attendant spirit or guardian”, or “messenger”. The dictionary.com website has a definition of angel that I thought was very interesting as “a person whose actions or thoughts are continually virtuous”. Angels have helped bring forth the work of God to those of us on Earth from the beginning of time: all the way from Adam and even so today.

Angels are given many divers tasks and responsibilities to help perpetuate God’s plan. In the Garden of Eden angels with flaming swords were stationed to guard the tree the bore the fruit of life. An angel came to the virgin, Mary and proclaimed “Hail, though that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” The angel then goes on to comfort her trembling and bring her the joyous news of the child she will bear, even Jesus the Christ. In Acts 5:19 it tells of an angel releasing John and Peter from prison, astounding the guards. There are so many other tasks that angels are given, too many to talk about each one of them- the list would go on forever, because angels are forever.

What are some of the characteristics of angels? According, again, to dictionary.com an angel is “a person having qualities generally attributed to angels such as, beauty, purity, and kindliness.” From that definition we can assume that angels are beautiful (which Joseph Smith confirms in his description of Moroni), pure, and kind. There are generally two types of angels: those with flesh and bones who have been resurrected or translated (such as Elijah) and those who have only spirit bodies. Angels have one thing in mind: to serve their God. How many times have we heard of angels singing in multitudes praises to God? Usually where there is a multitude, there is a hymn of praise.

There are also living angels on this Earth who walk among us and talk with us on a day to day basis. These angels are not exalted beings, rather, those who are in tune with the Spirit and with others and who follow received promptings. When these ‘angels’ follow these promptings, the burdens of others are usually lifted and they look upon the “burden-lifter” as an angel from God. We can be everyday angels by starting each morning with a prayer to put others in our paths who need our loving touch, a smile, or a shoulder to lean on. We never know who needs an angel in any given moment, so we need to remain close to the Spirit and always willing to follow promptings we receive. There have been times when I was feeling lowly and weak and some unexpected person crosses my path and changes my day, week, month, or even my life and attitude. I am eternally grateful to those ‘angels’.

I am looking forward to the next life, were I will be able to meet my guardian angels, my ancestors, and those who have been angels to me in this life. I hope that I have been an angel to those in need. I can’t wait to join in the concourses of these supreme beings who sing praises to my Lord. Hopefully the Lord will send me on errands down to earth now and again so I can continue his work and change the lives of others.


Works Cited
Miriam-Websters Dictionary- angel
Dictionary.com- angel
Luke Chapter 2
Genesis Chapter 2
Acts Chapter 5
Joseph Smith- History

Rich in Wisdom and Understanding

(Wisdom and Understanding)
By: Amy Mann


“One of the great challenges facing us today is to develop sufficient wisdom, understanding, and inner strength so that we can live happily and successfully in our complex and difficult world and not be caught up in the mad scramble for the material things and pleasures.”(1) Wisdom and understanding come through the Spirit and grant access to strength, happiness, and aid in making better choices. Without knowledge there can be no wisdom. “In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found…”(2) Separately, these attributes are useless. However, when wisdom and understanding are used together, therein lies power and therein we can become rich!

Wisdom and understanding are gifts of the Spirit. “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord…” (3) Where there is truth, the Spirit is there witnessing to our Spirits the truthfulness of it, that is how we gain understanding. “By the power of the Spirit our eyes were opened and our understandings were enlightened, so as to see and understand the things of God—“(4) For instance, in order to gain a testimony, or in fact, in order to come to an understanding of anything, the Spirit needs to be there to testify. As one strives to gain that understanding, they will have the Spirit to grant them understanding and in turn wisdom.

When we have gained wisdom and understanding through the Spirit, we can then have strength and happiness. “Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.” (5) In gaining understanding, one can gain strength in whatever it is they’re lacking because they will understand how to overcome that weakness and in turn become stronger. For instance, when I was 14 years old I didn’t have a strong testimony of modesty. I didn’t understand it; I didn’t really live by the Prophet’s counsel. Sometime in church, the Spirit testified the truthfulness of it to me and I began to understand why we’re given that counsel. I then had the strength to change my behavior and have dressed very modestly ever since. Also, happiness can come from gaining wisdom because of the peace that is felt and because of the increased ability gained to find the good in life. “Happy is the man who has wisdom and understanding.”(6) Also, “He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.”(7) I know I feel happier when I’m being positive and can find the good in things. Having wisdom and understanding allows me to do so.


The Spirit can help us to apply that understanding in making choices, and that is how we use wisdom. The Spirit of wisdom and understanding “shall make him of quick understanding…and he shall not judge after the sight of his own eyes…but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth…and righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins…”(8) The understanding that we come to helps us make decisions with a wiser mind and with the light of the Spirit that we may begin to This proves that wisdom and understanding truly are Spiritual gifts that can help in making more righteous decisions.

“Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.”(9) As we strive for wisdom and understanding we will be made rich with the Spirit, rich in strength, rich in happiness, in power, and in the ability to make those choices that will in turn make us more rich. I would exhort anyone who is lost, sad, or unsure to seek out wisdom and understanding and they will in turn be found, happy, and sure; rich.

1-Franklin D. Richards, “‘Seek Not for Riches But for Wisdom’,” Ensign, May 1976, 35
2-Proverbs 10:13
3-2Nephi 21:2
4-D&C 76:12
5-Proverbs 8:14
6-Proverbs 3:13
7-Proverbs 19:8
8-2Nephi21:3-5
9-D&C 6:7

Let’s Wear the Robe of Righteousness! – Ashlee Johnson

In 2 Nephi 4:32-33 Nephi says, “O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me… that I may be strict in the plain road! O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies. Wilt thou make my path straight before me!” [1] Nephi truly wants this Robe of Righteousness, to walk on the straight and narrow path of the Lord. We should try to follow the example of the prophet Nephi and also strive to obtain the Lord’s Robe of Righteousness. What is this Robe of Righteousness though, and how do we get it?

By using the Hebrew translation of the word “righteous” I came to some interesting conclusions. The Hebrew word for “righteous” is  or “tsadaq”. [2] Then I researched the Hebrew word “rasha” which is often paired up with “tsadaq” as its antonym. [3] “Rasha” is usually translated as "wicked" but also means, "to depart from the path and become lost". [2] Since “rasha” is the opposite of “tsadaq”, I concluded that this Hebrew word for righteous could mean “one who remains on the path.” Ultimately one who wears the Robe of Righteousness is one who is preparing to walk and remain on the path the Lord has set out for us. Even the word “Melchizedek” is translated as a “king/prince of righteousness”. [2] If we are wearing the Robe of Righteousness, we are endowed or blessed with the priesthood!

Clearly this Robe of Righteousness is extremely valuable, but why should we want to obtain it? How may it bless us? In Doctrine and Covenants 29:12 it reads, “I say unto you… that mine apostles, the Twelve which were with me in my ministry at Jerusalem, shall stand at my right hand at the day of my coming… being clothed with robes of righteousness, with crowns upon their heads, in glory even as I am.” [4] The Lord’s apostles get to stand on the right hand of God, and what are they wearing? Robes of Righteousness! We should try to be like our prophets and apostles of old, and wear the Robe of Righteousness as well. Then we may also stand on the right hand of God, and be favored in His eyes. Even Isaiah wears the Robe of Righteousness. “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.” [5] Everyone who speaks of the Lord and his Robe of Righteousness is rejoicing in Him. Shouldn’t that be something we strive for? We should want the same joy these people feel, and want to be wrapped in the Robe of Righteousness. It is yet another reason to desire the Robe of Righteousness.

By wearing a Robe of Righteousness, we will be led to live with our Heavenly Father once more. This should be a daily goal for everyone. We want to live with God again because of his greatness and mercy, and because it will give us everlasting joy. Throughout all of 2 Nephi 9, Jacob is praising the Lord. “O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! ... O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster [hell]… O how great the plan of our God! For the spirit and the body [will be] restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal… the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness… O the greatness and the justice of our God! ... O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it.” [6] As I read this chapter, I immediately felt grateful and excited to meet my Heavenly Father. He is amazing! We should want nothing more than to be with him again. Even in the lyrics of the song “Beautiful Savior” it is eminent that the Savior is wonderful. “Fair is the sunshine, fair is the moonlight, bright the sparkling stars on high; Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer, than all the angels in the sky.” [7] We should all want to live with Him again someday.

Now how do we get a Robe of Righteousness? What do we need to do? We can start simply by keeping the commandments of the Lord and his prophets. Follow their guidelines, be an example to others, and strive to be more Christ-like. When I was younger, Heavenly Father reminded me to be more Christ-like when I was not doing so. I was being a typical fifth grade girl, and getting too caught up in the things of the world. My friends and I were fighting with other girls constantly and we even started plotting against one of them. We wanted to bring her down so to say! Well that same day, I went to my church for a ward activity with my family. I took a quick break to the bathroom, and soon noticed that someone had left a necklace by the sink. In big letters on the front of the necklace was the word “SMILE” and on the back it listed the scripture 2 Nephi 9:39. Once I read the scripture I immediately felt that the Lord was gently reminding me to stay on the straight and narrow path. The verse says, “O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal.” [8] I know the Lord was telling me to be spiritually minded, not carnally minded! I immediately stopped the bickering going on with my friends, and tried to be a better person and example.

The wonderful thing about that scripture is the “smile” factor. With the last five words, “spiritually-minded is life eternal,” you can take the first letter of each word and spell the word “smile” J. I hope all of us will strive to “smile” and be more spiritually minded, so that we may wear the Robe of Righteousness and be able to live with our Heavenly Father once more. It is definitely worth all the struggles and difficulties of this world to wear the Robe of Righteousness, and I know that I will constantly desire to be wrapped up in it. I bear testimony of this, and say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

WORKS CITED

1. 2 Nephi 4:32-33

2. The Scriptures: CD-ROM Edition 1.1. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2005.

3. http://www.ancient-hebrew.org

4. Doctrine and Covenants 29:12

5. Isaiah 61:10

6. 2 Nephi 9:8-20

7. http://www.lds.org/churchmusic

8. 2 Nephi 9:39

Ask for Wisdom, Understand with the Heart - by Amanda Dinsdale

Quietly and mindfully, I diligently searched paragraph after paragraph for the knowledge and wisdom I so badly wanted to know. Rewind, as a reader you may be confused about what I am doing and what reasoning do I have behind my search. Eight months ago, my best friend and boy friend, Bo, was finally finishing up the preparations for the biggest journey of his life, he was soon to experience. This journey I am referring to is the sacred service to heavenly father through giving two years of his life to serve a mission in Paraguay Asuncion. Before Bo left we sat down and discussed our feeling for each other and what we were going to do for the next two years. Bo and I both were very confused on whether or not I should wait for him and support him throughout his mission. We decided, separately and in privacy we would both read our patriarchal blessings and pray. Continuing to search for my answer, toward the end of my blessing I read in a paragraph the answer I was looking for. With the knowledge I had just found in my blessing I quickly knelt to the ground in excitement to see if the wisdom, I so diligently searched, was indeed the answer I needed to follow. The prayer was one of the hardest and longest I have ever had in conversation with Heavenly Father. Soon answers and knowledge filled my mind and heart with understanding of what I was meant to do. As I continued to pray, thanking my Heavenly Father for the wisdom and understanding he filled my heart with, a slow and steady a feeling of evil washed through my body. I felt as if someone was standing behind me and whispering that I should stop my prayer and that what I had heard was in fact untrue and nothing would work out. In fear I ended my pray with recognition of my brother Jesus Christ and quickly rose to my feet to repeat the words I so many times had heard in stories from the scriptures, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to leave”. All at once the feeling of evil was gone and I was able to understand that the feeling I had just sent away was Satan trying to loosen my faith and wisdom. My emotions overwhelmed me and I cried for a very long time till I finally had the courage to call Bo and tell him of my experience. When Bo answered he was also overwhelmed with emotion when he described the exact experience that he had experienced at the same time I did. To this day I am still waiting and supporting Bo on his mission. I will never forget the wisdom and understanding both Bo and I experienced in that one night. Truly wisdom and understanding is from God, the teachings behind it are ones I wish to convey to you.

First let’s start off with the question, what is wisdom? Wisdom (noun): wise decision: good sense shown in a way of thinking, judgment, or action. Wisdom as described is the knowledge gained through experiences. Many may think that they have all the answers in the world and that they are for sure the wisest in the land. However they have forgotten where they obtained their wisdom. “…for the Lord giveth wisdom,” states Proverbs 2:6. As proven many times in the scriptures wisdom is obtained through God. “Therefore, he that lacketh wisdom, let him ask of me, and I will give him liberally and upbraid him not,” says D&C 42: 68. To obtain the wisdom required of us we must first do our part in asking God. A great example of this principle is Joseph Smith and his faith to perform this very task. Joseph ask in faith which church he should join. The Lord answered his prayers with the wisdom that none of the churches were correct and true, he told joseph that he wanted him to organize The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Without Joseph Smith’s great faith and seeking for wisdom from God we would not have the true knowledge and church we have today. To apply this scripture to my life I always try to make my decisions through asking of Heavenly Father first before I act on any action, that i might have wisdom of what i should do in any and every situation.

Second what is the meaning of understanding? Understanding (noun): ability to grasp meaning: the ability to perceive and explain the meaning or the nature of somebody or something. To understand you are able to truly know what the meaning or concept of something is. To truly understand anything and everything that we desire to know is by far one of the greatest gift that can be obtained. Not only to truly understand within the mind but to truly understnd within your heart. We all have different ways of understanding with our hearts and we all feel differently so that we know that we understand. For me to understand with my heart i can feel warmth with in my body and it is not only within but it continues to shine through me till it radiates off my skin and all can see it. But truly understanding something should never end at just a feeling, “…he that keepeth understanding shall find good” Proverbs 19:8. Once you have obtained understanding do not forget that knowledge! Heavenly Father will not give us understanding of what we desire if we will in turn just live for it that moment and then forget what we have learned. Just as the scripture of Proverbs 19:8 states, you will find good in all things in life if you will but remember and keep the understandings that God has given you.

“But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?” Many times I have asked these questions to myself and to Heavenly Father. Finally I was able to find answers to both of these questions in Proverbs 2:2, “So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understand." What does this scripture mean? To me this scripture tells us that knowledge and wisdom is attained throw listening with the ear either spiritually or literally. To listen with the ear spiritually we can either listen to the Holy Ghost and his promptings or listen to Heavenly Father when we pray. The wisdom we obtain literally through the ear can be that of knowledge learned from experiences of others, through their experience we can learn what to do or what not to do. “…apply thine heart to understand,” shows that to understand the wisdom we just heard we must take it and apply it in our hearts. In applying understanding to our hearts we will truly understand the wisdom that God has given us.

Wisdom and understanding does not come easily if they are separated, the two are only truly effective if wisdom is obtained first and the understanding of wisdom follows. Like in Proverbs 15:21 “Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh upright,” we cannot just have wisdom, the understanding of the knowledge makes the true wisdom. I know that when I first found the words of wisdom within my patriarchal blessing, that I had so diligently looked for, I could not just stop my search at just those words. Questions would have forever haunted me if i had done so; what if the piece of information I had found was meant to guide me in another part of my life rather than the path I desired to take? what if i just took bits and pieces of some important message and only looked at it how i wanted it to sound? In taking the information or words of wisdom to Heavenly Father through prayer I was able to truly understand the intent and purpose that Heavenly Father had for me in the situation of waiting for Bo and supporting him in his mission. I was even able to feel the adversary in proof that the decision I was making was true and of God because if it had not been true and right satan would not have tried to interupt my prayer and scare me away from that wisdom. Without the verification of Heavenly Father I would not be as strong and determined as I am in supporting and waiting for Bo, because only the lord alone knows the true sorrow and heartache it brings me to be away from Bo. To end this blog I want to leave you with a scripture from Proverbs 3:13, I hope that it will truly touch your heart and bear witness to you that all that has said in this blog is inspired, straight from my heart, testified of in the bible and through my testimony of the gospel again proven to you of its truthfullness. “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.”

Work Cited:

1. The Online Scriptures
2. The Book of Proverbs
3. Encarta Online Dictionary

Messenger of the Works - Andrew Allison

At baptism we are given a powerful gift, and one that can not be ignored or denied, it is known as the tongue of angels. This is spoken of in 2 Nephi 31:14 which reads, “then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.”[1] This leads to the question of what an angel is and how are we supposed to act a mouthpiece of them. In Hebrew the word angel is mal’akh, and this is also known as a messenger. The word tongue in Hebrew is l¡shôn which is also translated to be a speaker or a talker. So by being given the gift of the tongue of angels we can be messengers of the words of Christ.

The words of Christ can be also relayed as the works of Christ. This is because Christ taught followers only after example. At the last supper when Christ washed the feet of his disciples He said, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.”[2] Taking this back to the idea of us having the tongue of angels, we should be the messengers of the word by becoming messengers of the works of Christ. We must act in service as Christ has acted in service for us.

Bringing souls unto the knowledge of the church is as I believe the highest form of service. This is very understandable considering the remarks of President David O. Mckay who said, “Every member is a missionary. He or she has the responsibility of bringing somebody: a mother, a father, a neighbor, a fellow worker, an associate, somebody in touch with the messengers of the gospel.”[3] The responsibility that we are given at our baptism of receiving the tongue of angels, becoming the messengers of the works of Christ is to become missionaries and spread the Gospel.

“When ye are in service of fellow beings, ye are in service of God,” Mosiah 27:31[4]. When we become messengers of the works of Christ we act in service of God, and with this come many blessing that are described in countless scriptures. One of such is 2 Nephi 2:3 which reads, “Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God.”[5] Blessing will come to those that their gift of the tongues of angels.

Though there are many blessings and rewards that will come with our fulfillment of our baptismal gift of the tongue of angels, a warning for those that disobey comes in 2 Nephi 31:14 which reads, “Ye… have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me.”[6] If we do not act as a messenger of the works after we have acknowledged that we would do so at baptism it would be better that we not have the knowledge of the Gospel.


[1] 2 Nephi 31:14
[2] John 13:15
[3] Chapter 6: “Every Member a Missionary”, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay
[4] Mosiah 27:31
[5] 2 Nephi 2:3
[6] 2 Nephi 31:14

“Eternal Life, which Gift is the Greatest of all the Gifts of God.” (D&C 14:7) by Marina Bair

When the scriptures the words saved and salvation can have different means according to the context. Salvation could mean being saved from physical death and spiritual death. But salvation could also mean exaltation, “For I give unto thee a promise that this right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee...shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal,” (Abraham 2:11, emphasis added). The last interpretation is the one that I want to focus on. 2 Nephi 31:20 reads, “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the words of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.” I love this scripture because it is like a road map, telling us how to receive salvation. The five things we are told to do in this scripture are to have a “steadfastness in Christ”, faith, “perfect brightness of hope”, hope, “love of God and of all men”, charity, “feasting upon the words of Christ”, scripture study, and “endure to the end.” The main three points I want to talk about from this scripture is faith, hope and charity.

What is faith? Alma 32:21 says, “Faith in not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.” What we learn from Alma is that faith is not a perfect knowledge of things rather faith perfects our knowledge of things. I don't know all the secrets of the Kingdom of God, but the Spirit whispers to me that what I know is true. The Spirit strengths my faith which in turn strengthens my knowledge, or perfects what I know to be true. How can we strengthen our faith? When we exercise our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ our faith increases. We can exercise our faith by praying to our Heavenly Father, studying and pondering our scriptures and by serving those around us. Mosiah 5:15 reads, “Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works that Christ...may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life.” Good works is an excellent way to exercise our faith. My faith increases as I feel the Spirit and I feel the Spirit the most when I am doing service, reading my scriptures and when I am listening and/or singing the beautiful hymns of our church. “Faith is a principle of action and power. Whenever you work toward a worthy goal, you exercise faith. You show your hope for something that you cannot yet see.” [1]

“The word hope is sometimes misunderstood. In our everyday language, the word often has a hint of uncertainty.” But in the gospel, “The word hope is sure, unwavering, and active.” [2] Hope comes after you gain your faith in Christ. As Aaron explained to Lamoni's father, “If thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest.” [3] What should our hope be in? Moroni explains, “Ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal.” [4] I also see hope as perspective. When I read, “a perfect brightness of hope,” I think of having the eternal perspective in our minds and hearts, because the eternal plan for us is so beautiful and happy that it feels like pure light. And knowing that the plan would be void without the Atonement of Christ, fills me with gratitude and hope in my Savior. When we have faith and hope in our Savior it leads us to want to become like Him in all aspects including being able to love as He loves.

“Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever.” [5] Charity is also more than love it is a way of being, “And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all thing.” (Moroni 7:45) President George Albert Smith, a great man, exemplified charity in his life. “Immediately following World War II, the Church had a drive to amass warm clothing to ship to suffering Saints in Europe. Elder Harold B. Lee and Elder Marion G. Romney took President George Albert Smith to Welfare Square in Salt Lake City to view the results. They were impressed by the generous response of the membership of the Church. They watched President Smith observing the workers as they packaged this great volume of donated clothing and shoes. They saw tears running down his face. After a few moments, President George Albert Smith removed his own new overcoat and said, “'Please ship this also.'” The Brethren said to him, “'No, President, no; don’t send that; it’s cold and you need your coat.'” But President Smith would not take it back; and so his coat, with all the others, was sent to Europe, where the nights were long and dark and food and clothing were scarce. Then the shipments arrived. Joy and thanksgiving were expressed aloud, as well as in secret prayer.” [6] That is such a beautiful story. Charity is love, but if you do not share those feelings through your actions what good will that love be? We should all strive to have that kind of love in us and ready to share with others.

In 2 Nephi 31:20 we are instructed to “feast upon the words of Christ.” In 2 Nephi 32:3 says that we need to, “feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” The words that are used in these scriptures are specific. They do not say skim the words of Christ or nibble here and there, they say feast upon the words of Christ! The words of the Lord are so important! The words of the Lord feed our faith and hope, they tells us what we need to do to return to our heavenly home. The final thing that we are instructed to do in the 2 Nephi scripture is to, “endure to the end.” Enduring through all the hardships of this mortality and keeping a steadfast faith in Christ will not be easy, but the Lord never said it would be easy he only said that it would be worth it.

It is through Jesus Christ that we have the opportunity to be saved, or exalted. But we have to do our part. As Nephi says, “for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” [7] I know that if we follow the teachings of the prophets, living and those who have passed on, that we will be blessed with eternal life. And I know that if we will have faith, hope, charity, diligently studying the scriptures, participate in the priesthood ordinances and endure to the end that we will be able to live with our families in the eternities.

Works Cited:

[1] True to the Faith

[2] True to the Faith

[3] Alma 22:16

[4] Moroni 7:41

[5] Moroni 7:47

[6] Thomas S. Monson, “Your Eternal Home,” Ensign, May 2000, 52

[7] 2 Nephi 25:23

The Rock to Build upon and Ask for help. Jeremy David Chugg ~ JDBlogger

What is the Rock in our life we should hold onto and build upon? Bruce R. McConkie said “Christ is the Rock: the Rock of Ages, the Stone of Israel, the Sure Foundation—the Lord is our Rock!” (1) Each of us must build upon this rock “For behold, he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall.” (2) When we build upon anything else it will surely lead to unhappiness. If we build upon Christ then we can be sure of our foundation and know that it will never fall.
What happens if I choose not to build on the Rock? First Let’s look at the words of Helaman “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.” (3) I have bolded the word “when” because It is important. The scriptures don’t say “if” which means you will have hard times or choices in your life that are may be life dependents or spiritually significant. Not building Christ will lead only to unnecessary sadness and grief. Even living correctly will have trials necessary to help us grow; but when we choose not to follow Christ we will have those trials and more. Building not on the rock means living worldly or without gratefulness of what God has done for us. Living in the world never will bring happiness. Alma taught his son the truth that “wickedness never was happiness.”(4) Nevertheless the Rock will always be available for building and you can repent; but only while the work can be performed. Do not procrastinate!
If you are still reading I’m supposing you are choosing to build on the Rock, Jesus Christ and want to know “What can I do build on the Rock Jesus Christ?” There are a lot of things we can do to either start or continue building on the Rock. I’ll name a few: Family activities (learn it together), supporting extended family (visit them), Sing Hymns, Pray, Pondering the Word, attend church, serve others, and reach out to everyone. These are simple answers, so why are some of them so hard for me to do? When Nephi spoke to his brethren he said “I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified.”(5) I guess I’m probably still wicked but this won’t get me to give up. Some of this is probably human nature; nonetheless we still need to change our life into accordance. I would say unto you as we continue building on the rock and changing our lives one thing at a time that it gets easier. It helps me to choose just one thing to work on and go forth. Even still rely on the rock to help you on other things that are good too.
The Rock is available to us even when it is dark out or the way seems unclear! I know I like driving stories (see earlier post), but the Lord our Rock will teach us in different ways and he teaches me through road experiences. I believe that Christ our Rock helped me get to the place I wanted to be. I do not get to hear my Grandfather speak very often and so it was important to hear him speak. I was running a tad late and didn’t get the address from my parents before they had left. I knew where his church meetings were normally held but only vaguely because I had been there only a few times before; so I decided to continue to that location. I had my brother who was with me give a short prayer on the way to help us find the place. I found the chapel and to my dismay it was under renovation. No meetings were being held there today and I knew of no other meeting places around. I decided to continue on in search of another church meeting house. I turned around a few bends and then turned towards the direction of my grandparent’s house when we passed another church. Within the view of the parking lot was my parent’s vehicle. I knew I had gotten to the place. I believe it was Christ our redeemer who led me to the chapel. I had gotten there well within the needed time frame to see my Grandpa speak. Although, I knew neither where to go nor where to turn; I had gotten to the church on time. I cannot justify saying it was merely a coincidence that we found the place for I had never been this meeting house before. Though it was dark and unclear our way was brightened by the Rock even Jesus Christ; even as rocks were brightened and lead the way for Jaredites.
We can conclude that Christ is our Rock that we must build on. That building on a flaky foundation is not a reasonable option and lastly that he can and will help us on our way for righteous causes. Build on this Rock as if your life depended on it. In essence your life really does depend on it. It is so important for each of us to learn this and not build on a sandy turf. Turn unto Christ and try it out. You may not be helped in getting to a specific earthly location; however this Rock is the only Rock to which we can receive eternal life and exaltation! This he can help you to attain. Be willing and trusting to all the Lord gives you and build for the future. I leave my testimony that Christ is the only Rock your can build on to attain happiness!
Jeremy David Chugg ~ JDBlogger
(1) Bruce R. McConkie, “‘Upon This Rock’,” Ensign, May 1981, 75
(2) 2nd Nephi 2:28
(3) Helaman 5:12
(4) Alma 41:10
(5) 1st Nephi 16:2

"Piercing Tongues" by Mallory Manning

"Piercing Tongues"
Mallory Manning

The tongue is the strongest group of muscles in the human body proportional to its size. It is necessary for everything from eating to communicating. In 2 Nephi, Jacob says to his brothers, “But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me” [1]. There are two ways this phrase, “the tongue of angels,” can be interpreted; the first is the meaning that Nephi was implying, being that when we have the Spirit of the Lord with us we can understand the words of the Lord through the Holy Ghost, and can speak with the higher language of the Lord and say the things Heavenly Father would have us say. There is also a more temporal yet still important application; if we use our tongues- or words and language- to serve the Lord and follow His commandments as well as to help others, and do not use our words in ways displeasing to the Lord, we are teaching ourselves to speak with the tongue of angels.
First, we should employ our tongues in spreading the gospel. The word “tongue” in almost any language also means “language.” This has an interesting correlation to missionary work. Many missionaries who go on missions in foreign language-speaking countries are able to learn the language there in a matter of one or two months, and many of them find that after they return from their mission they no longer remember how to speak it fluently. This is because the Spirit helps them to understand the language more easily while they are teaching gospel, so that they might be able to more effectively bring people to the gospel. A similar but more extraordinary example of this occurred in Acts 2 when the apostles were teaching a multitude of people from different nations. The apostles spoke in their own language, but each person in the crowd was able to hear them in their own language: “We do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God” [2]. When we teach others the gospel we are truly speaking in the tongue of angels, because we are saying the words of the Lord. Alma the Younger desired so much to teach everyone the gospel that he cried, “O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!” [3]. Angels are the Lord’s messengers; thus, we can speak with the tongue of angels if we convey the messages of the gospel to those around us.
Our tongues should also be occupied in happy and uplifting words, and in praising and thanking our Heavenly Father. After teaching the gospel and preaching repentance, the most common things we hear angels in the scriptures speaking are praises and thanksgiving to the Lord. We must use our gift of language to pray earnestly and always, and most importantly to thank the Lord for our bountiful blessings. We should also make the world around us a better and more pleasant place through simply smiling, laughing, and saying kind things. Our words should uplift and encourage others, and be filled with love for our neighbors. 1 Corinthians 13:1 says, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” [4]. I have personally experienced the profound effect that kind words can have on many occasions. Very recently, my roommate was listing things that stuck out about the people she knew while I was not in the room; she mentioned people’s nice hair, intelligence, interesting habits, and other such things. She then said that I had an “incredible personality.” It didn’t take much effort for her to say so, but it completely made my day and I probably will never forget it, because it was one of the most sincere compliments I’ve ever received. The words we say can have a profound and lasting effect on others, often beyond what we are able to witness ourselves.
It is also important to remember the things we should not be doing with our tongues. A short list would include saying cruel things to others, swearing, taking the Lord’s name in vain, lying, and sticking our tongues to frozen flagpoles. The LDS church website tells us, “We should always use the names of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost with reverence and respect. Misusing their names is a sin. Profane, vulgar, or crude language or gestures, as well as immoral jokes, are offensive to the Lord and to others. Foul language is both degrading and harmful to the spirit. We should not let others influence us to use foul language. Instead, we should use clean language that uplifts and edifies others, and we should choose friends who use good language. Setting an example will encourage those around us to use clean language. If friends and acquaintances use profanity, we can good-naturedly encourage them to choose other words. If they persist, we can politely walk away or change the subject. Those who have developed the habit of swearing can break it. They must begin by making a decision to change and then pray for help” [5]. Harsh or thoughtless words can hurt people in ways we will most likely never see. The Hebrew word “tongue” can also mean “language,” “whet,” “sharpen,” and “indent.” Words spoken with a sharp tongue can leave an “indent,” or mark upon that person for years to come. Proverbs 12: 18-19 tells us, “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health” [6]. The Lord also tells Jeremiah that, “They bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord” [7]. Fewer things can be more harmful to not only others but also to us than lies. They cause more problems than they solve, and they eat away at us from the inside, gnawing at our conscience and absorbing our every thought.
If we live our lives in a way that makes us worthy to have the Spirit with us, He will help us to speak with the tongue of angels, which includes not only understanding the words of the Lord and promptings of the Spirit, but also simpler things such as sharing the gospel, saying kind things, and thanking our Heavenly Father. Our tongues can be a powerful weapon for either good or evil, far more so than our actions. Our words must always be used for the good of others and to praise and give thanks to our Lord, as the hymn “Raise Your Voices to the Lord” says: “Raise your voices to the Lord,Ye who here have heard his word.As we part, his praise proclaim,Shout thanksgiving to his name” [8].


Works Cited
1. Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 31:14
2. Bible New Testament, Acts 2:11
3. Book of Mormon, Alma 29:1
4. Bible New Testament, 1 Corinthians 13:1
5. True to the Faith (2004), 128-29, {http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=bbb39daac5d98010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=bbd508f54922d010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD}.
6. Bible Old Testament, Proverbs 12:18
7. Bible Old Testament Jeremiah 9:13
8. LDS Hymns 61. "Raise Your Voices to the Lord," Evan Stephens, 1854–1930. {http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Curriculum/music.htm/hymns.htm/restoration.htm/61%20raise%20your%20voices%20to%20the%20lord.htm#JD_Hymns.61}.