"Faith in Christ, The First Principle of the Gospel" by Vallan Sherrod

Faith is listed in the Fourth Article of Faith as one of the first ordinances and principles of the Gospel. Yet, what exactly is faith? One of the more famous scriptures answering this question is Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” What are we to hope for? In Hebrew, the words faithful and truth share the same root. This suggests that we have faith in the truth. In John 14:6, we find that the truth is Christ when he said, “. . . I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” The truth is the Savior, Jesus Christ. Enos 1:8, where the Lord answered Enos' prayer in the Book of Mormon, is a great scripture that emphasizes this point, “And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole.” We must root our faith in the Savior and his Atonement.

When we exercise faith, there are many blessings promised in the scriptures. One blessing is that God will answer our prayers when we exercise faith in him. Enos remarked on this principle in Enos 1:15, “... Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.” Enos is not the only one who has remarked on this great principle. If we ask in faith and what we ask is right, God will always answer our prayers. He has done this numerous times for me. One such experience was when I was on a staff at a Scout camp. On Wednesday of the week-long camp out, all those on staff were asked to present a spiritual or inspirational thought to the participants that evening on what was called the Vesper Trail. When I am put on the spot, I usually forget everything I can share. Thus, when it was only a half hour or so before we had to share our thoughts, I still hadn't come up with anything to say. I decided to say a quick prayer asking Heavenly Father what I should say, and it was amazing! Immediately after I opened up my eyes, a thought came to my mind of an experience I had earlier that week, and I knew that experience was what I should tell the participants of the camp. I knew God was there to answer my prayer. This is just one of the many experiences that have taught me the power and truthfulness of praying in faith.

These answers to our prayers come through the Holy Ghost. In Jarom 1:4, it reads, “And there are many among us who have many revelations, for they are not all stiffnecked. And as many as are not stiffnecked and have faith, have communion with the Holy Spirit, which maketh manifest unto the children of men, according to their faith.” When we have faith, the Holy Ghost is with us, and through him, God can answer our prayers.

The greatest blessing of having faith in Christ is found in Mosiah 3:12, “. . . [S]alvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.” This is why faith is such an important principle. Only through faith in Christ can we be saved. I have seen this principle countless times as I have been reading the Book of Mormon this semester. Actually, it seems right that we would have to have faith in Christ in order to be saved by him. If we don't have faith, then we will not act on that faith by following his commandments. If we don't follow the commandments, then we cannot be saved.

How do we obtain this faith? In Jacob 4:6, Jacob gives us an answer, “Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.” We can obtain faith by searching the words of the prophets in the scriptures and the words of today's prophets. The spirit will testify of their truthfulness. We also obtain faith from our experiences when the Spirit witnesses to us of the truthfulness of our faith. Another great way to obtain faith is given by Alma in Alma 32:28-29,

Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me. Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge.

When we are wondering whether a principle is true or not, we practice it, and if it is good, the Spirit will let us know of its truth.

Once we have obtained our faith, it will constantly be tried by adversity. Everyone is tried for there faith, “Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith” (Mosiah 23:21). It doesn't matter how bad or good we are; our faith will always be tested through trial. A great example of this is Job. He was living the best he could, and his faith was still tried through tremendous adversity. How can we strengthen our faith so we can get through these hard times like Job did? One way is to continue to exercise our faith and pray for help. “But behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in heart. Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction” (Jacob 3:1). If we continue to exercise our faith, then God will help lighten our burden. However, it does not mean that everything will instantly become better. When Alma's people were in bondage to the Lamanites in the Land of Helam, they had to exercise patience in their afflictions. “And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage” (Mosiah 24:16). We too must exercise patience in bearing our trials. Another strength to help us in our trials is our past experiences. A member of my Bishopric called these “defining moments.” These are moments in our lives that we have come to a surety of a truth. Jacob had such moments to strengthen him when Sherem tried to “shake” Jacob from his faith,

And he had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many revelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken. (Jacob 7:5)

When our faith is tried, we should look back to those moments when we knew of a surety that our faith was true. These moments will give us strength in our current trials.

Finally, I would like to note Alma 7:24 which remarks on the importance of faith. “And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works.” When we exercise faith with hope and charity, we will always be following God's commandments, so we can become more like him. I know that when we pray in faith that God will answer our prayers. He will also help us through our trials. Things will always work out in the end, even if they seem nearly impossible. We just need to keep exercising our faith.

Works Cited

The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ. 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.

The Pearl of Great Price. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1981.

Breaking a Heart To Change It. By Rubie Huber

One of the Great conversion stories of the Book of Mormon is found in Mosiah with the conversion of all of King Benjamin's people.  These people were all converted when they heard the testimony of their king and prophet.  The experienced a change in their hearts that made it so they had no more desire to sin.  As they said  as one in Mosiah 5:2 "...the Lord Omnipotent, which has wroght a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually."  They were changed by knowledge of "the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of the Spirit," (Mosiah 5:3)  I couldn't think of a better way to be converted unto the Lord and have your heart changed by him.  

Unfortunately though, sometimes Heavenly Father needs to resort to other means to change our hearts.  Once in Relief society , the lesson was on having a broken heart and contrite spirit.  In trying to explain a part of the lesson, sister Macintosh held up a tiny metal ball.  She said "this ball represents our hearts.  Sometimes we harden them so much that the only way Heavenly Father can get into them is to break them, he will never force his way in."  The object lesson made me think of my own experiences I had dealt with the previous year.  My senior year of high school I had been applying to different colleges and deciding where I wanted to go.  My mom threw out the idea of going to BYU, but I had been born and raised a Utah fan and couldn't ever see myself going there.  I planned on the University of Utah instead, which would mean that I would still live at home because it was only fifteen minutes away and it would be a waste of money to move up there.  Throughout the year I had many tough experiences.  Drama sprung up with my friends that I had never experienced before or anticipated.  It got so bad that I wouldn't eat lunch at school anymore but instead went home by myself.  A few friends in particular would not leave me alone but instead were a constant source of misery.  Different events happened and all trust was lost, and in the end all I was left with was a broken heart.  I didn't understand why I had to be put through so much misery, I didn't despair but trusted that there must have been some reason for the torture.  As I reviewed my choices for college I had been accepted to BYU and as I stacked it up against the University of Utah, the hour distance stuck out to me like a beacon of light, a way out of my terrible friend situation.  I swallowed my pride, and told my parents and family that I wanted to go to BYU.  I was still a little unsure if I would like it there, but just had to get out of my city so much that I was willing to go.  Now at BYU I realize that I was led here by the Lord.  I knew early on that he wanted me to go to the Y but was too stubborn to admit it, I had hardened my heart against his will, and so he had to break it in order to get in.   Now having been at BYU almost a full semester I have grown in ways that I know I couldn't have at any other school, I love it now for more than just the distance, I love it because it's what God wants for me. 

We all must go through trials, some are meant to make us stronger, and I believe some are meant to break our hearts.  It is sad when we are compelled to be humble ins such ways by our Heavenly Father, but we are imperfect, and when we harden our hearts to his will it is his only way of getting in.  As Alma explains to the poor Zoramites in Alma 32, it is better to be humble because of the word, but even if we are compelled it can be a blessing and is usually preparation for growth.  (Alma 32; 12-14)  

My sister who recently entered into the mission field, spoke of her conversion to the Lord's will during her Farewell talk.  She had been given the option of having her heart be changed by the word, or by being compelled to be humble, and like so many of us, chose the latter, involving herself in misery and pain.  She knew she should serve a mission just after hearing a talk by Elder Bednar, but pushed the thought out of her mind until over a year later.  Through that year she was faced with challenge after challenge and heart ache after heart ache.  It wasn't until that she was at her lowest of points and felt like she hadn't heard from Heavenly Father for a long time, that he gave her the revelation again to go on a mission.  She was so hungry for a manifestation of him by then, that she knew right away that she must obey the prompting that she finished her papers in a week and had her call to Milan Italy in another week.  Her heart was hardened and had to be broken.  Yet again Heavenly Father knew exactly what was needed to help her come to his will.  

That is one comfort that helps with the prospect of a Heavenly Father breaking your heart.  That we know through the scriptures and through prophetic revelation, that Heavenly Father loves us and only does what will help us most.  It is a comfort to know that we can avoid broken hearts if we try, by simply being obedient and humble from the beginning.  We know that just as we will never be tempted above what we can bear, we also will never be tried more than we can bear or more than we need.  In a fireside I went recently Elder Christopherson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke and testified to the truthfullness of this principle.  He stated that he took great comfort in the fact that every trial he has ever gone through or ever will go through, was tailor made just for him to produce the most growth, and the most happiness.  

I know that as mortal men and women we are in a fallen state, and must experience a change of heart in order to be happy.  We must reconcile ourselves to the will of God by changing our hearts to be centered around his son Jesus Christ.  I know that God loves us and only will ever do things that bring us the most joy and most happiness in the end.  I know that if we humble ourselves then we are better off than having to be compelled to be humbled.  I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true church and will always teach us only things that will lead us to our Father in Heaven.  I say all these things in the name of his son and my savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.  

Final Judgement vs. Intermediate Judgment - Andrew Allison

Often one is told not to judge one another for that shall be the deed of the eternal god which is in heaven on our judgment day. This judgment is described in Alma 11:44 which reads, “Now, this restoration shall come to all… and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.” [1] This often creates confusion in why then is there a need to have laws in our mortal world. This query was explained in a talk by Dallin H. Oaks in 1998, where he breaks down judgment into two sections, final judgments and intermediate judgments.
The final judgment is the one spoken of in Alma 11. This judgment is reserved to Godhead and no mortal is given the right to condemn another. This is the judgment that is referred to in Mormon 8:20 which reads, “Behold what the scripture says—man shall not smite, neither shall he judge; for judgment is mine, saith the Lord, and vengeance is mine also, and I will repay.” [2] We cannot tell how they will be judged because that is not within our power.
The Atonement gave Christ the right to judge us because of our iniquities. In Hebrew the word judge is shephat. This word has multiple meanings, one of which is avenger. Unless we are to repent and ask forgiveness for the wrongdoings that we have committed, Christ is given the right to avenge the wrongdoings against him. That might seem like an eye for an eye philosophy but for us not to repent for our sins, especially after having knowledge of the gospel seems very disrespectful.
The second type of judgment which President Oaks refers to as intermediate judgment is something that he describes as being, “essential to the personal exercise of personal moral agency.” [3] This is the type of judgment that is described and used in Mosiah 29:11 which reads, “let us appoint judges, to judge this people according to our law; and we will newly arrange the affairs of this people, for we will appoint wise men to be judges, that will judge this people according to the commandments of God.” [4] This is the type of judgment that is necessary for people to be able to live with full use of their agency.
Though intermediate judgment is deemed necessary and approved by the Lord those that look to judge must be wary to follow the lord’s commandments in judging others. For later in the chapter of Mosiah in verse 28 a warning is given,” And now if ye have judges, and they do not judge you according to the law which has been given, ye can cause that they may be judged of a higher judge.” [5] Although this may be taken slightly out of context, the higher judge could be shown as the Lord in the final judgment. If we commit unnecessary harshness in the judging of others we will be judged on it.
The main point to get out of this is that some judgment is necessary, while other is reserved for our eternal God. In order for us to without fault we must judge correctly and with Christ in mind.

[1] Alma 11:44

[2] Mormon 8:20

[3] President Dallin H. Oaks “‘Judge Not’ and Judging,” Ensign, Aug 1999

[4] Mosiah 29:11

[5] Mosiah 29:28

Communicating Peace by Jill Ashby

“Peace [is] 'harmony within one’s self, and with God and man'” (1). I really like that description. “Harmony” makes me think of a choir, and how balanced the singers have to be in order to have good harmony. In True to the Faith it reads, “Many people think of peace as the absence of war. But we can feel peace even in times of war, and we can lack peace even when no war is raging. The mere absence of conflict is not enough to bring peace to our hearts” (2). We are all striving for peace. First we must take a look at ourselves spiritually, and then look heavenward. Once we've attained that peace of mind, then is the time to proclaim it.

The very first thing we need to do to acquire peace is to look inwardly. Self-evaluation can be a difficult task, but it is essential for spiritual growth. President Ezra Taft Benson counseled, "The price of peace is righteousness. Men and nations may loudly proclaim, ‘Peace, peace,’ but there shall be no peace until individuals nurture in their souls those principles of personal purity, integrity, and character which foster the development of peace. Peace cannot be imposed. It must come from the lives and hearts of men. There is no other way" (3). We cannot expect to have peace unless we're willing to work for it. In Doctrine and Covenants, it reads “But learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come” (4). A more specific way to acquire peace in our hearts is through hope. Faust tells a story of a women who exemplified this hope. He explains, “Peace comes through hope” and she expresses how she had never experienced any kind of peace like it and felt closer to Heavenly Father than ever before. (5) These acts of looking inward and striving to become a better and a more righteous people is the first step to fully finding peace.

The other way we can receive this feeling of peace is through Christ. He is the ultimate source of peace. Christ teaches, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you” (6) and “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace” (7). Christ is our only hope for peace. Without Him we would forever be in confusion and pain. Jenny Jordan Frogley sings a song called Peacegiver. The following is a selection of some of the lyrics:

Days that have been,
Days that will come
Seem like a blur,
In the heat of the sun.
And I find when the strain
Is too much to bare
I can't find peace. No!
In anyone anywhere.
The spirit is broken
I'm down on my knees
I seek the One who can offer relief.
Peacegiver (8)

He literally gives us peace. It is His gift to us as long as we are continually striving in righteousness. Because it is Christ that brings peace, we can look to our Father in Heaven to find this peace. President Thomas S. Monson said, “The passport to peace is the practice of prayer. The feelings of the heart, humbly expressed rather than a mere recitation of words, provide the peace we seek. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the wicked King Claudius kneels and tries to pray, but he rises and says, 'My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: /Words without thoughts never to heaven go'” (9). Prayer is absolutely essential to this feeling of inner peace. Even when everything around you is crumbling down, it is still possible to get down on your knees and feel that peace once again.

Once we have felt this peace, how would it be if we didn't share it? In class we discussed Abinadi's preachings to the wicked priests in the Land of Nephi. Isaiah said, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” (10). The priests were confused and Abinadi goes on to explain it to them. “And these are they (meaning the prophets) who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth!” (11). This concept of “publishing peace” really spurred something deep inside of me. It reminded me of an experience I had recently involving Proposition 8. I'm from California, and many of my friends back home very strongly disagree with me on this issue. One friend in particular approached me about it on Facebook. She expressed to me the pain that certain members of her family were experiencing, and very politely, yet strongly, let me know how much she disagreed. At first I had no idea what to say. I took so long that before I knew it another one of my friends had already posted something calling her intolerant. I knew that in order to keep some sense of peace, I needed to respond quickly. After much thought and careful wording I finally responded letting her know that I did not think she was being intolerant, that I hated all the pain it is causing , and then gave my own simple reasoning for being in favor of the proposition. The response I received back was more than I could have imagined. She told me that my response was the nicest she'd received from anyone. We are seriously better friends now, than we ever were to begin with. I share this story because of the excitement I felt to be a “publisher of peace.” I would also like to point out that we do not just “publish” peace, we speak it, “proclaim [it]” (12), write it, blog it, facebook it, or even text it. There are ways for us to spread peace all around us; not even just in word, but in action. True to the Faith reads, “In addition to feeling peace yourself, you can be an influence for peace in your family, your community, and the world. You work for peace when you keep the commandments, give service, care for family members and neighbors, and share the gospel. You work for peace whenever you help relieve the suffering of another” (13). Although there will always be times when we need to fight, peace must come first. Otherwise, we'll never solve anything in this world.

It's interesting to discuss peace rather than happiness and delight. Although peace is implied with joy and delight, it is not always the focus. I have gained a greater appreciation for the peace I have in my heart. I know that it is because if Christ that I feel this peace. I know that I can feel peaceful anytime I want to as long as I get on my knees and pray. I know that he is watching over me and protecting me. Without faith ...there is no peace, only fear. I know that as long as we believe in him, he can take away all our fears. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.


1.Romney, Marion G. Tambuli, Feb. 1984, 1–8; or Ensign, Oct. 1983, 3–7
2.True to the Faith. (2004), 113–14
3.Benson, President Ezra Taft. “Purposeful Living,” Listen, A Journal of Better Living, Jan.–Mar. 1955, 19.
4.D&C 59:23
5.Faust, James E. “Hope, an Anchor of the Soul,” Ensign. Nov 1999, 59
6.John 14:27
7.John 16:33
8.Peacegiver by Jenny Jordan Frogley
9.Monson, President Thomas S. “Gifts,” Ensign. May 1993, 59
10.Isaiah 52:7
11.Mosiah 15:14
12.D&C 98:16
13.True to the Faith

"Do you feel the Lord's love in your life? “-Bonnie D. Parkin by Marina Bair

Mormon explains that through our faith in Christ we can have hope. He also says that, “Ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.”(1) And then he goes on to say, “Behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart. If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.” (2) According to Mormon faith and hope are the foundations of charity. Now that we have the foundation I want to go into more detail about what charity is.

Charity is mostly described as the pure love of Christ, which it is, however I wanted to look more into what else it is. 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 things. (Moroni 7:45) In this scripture Mormon list several characteristics of charity including it being the “pure love of Christ” (Moroni 7:46). There is another scripture that is similar to this one, it is found in Mosiah 3:19, it reads, “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” Through this scripture one can see that a child has characteristics of charity. Children are submissive which means more then being obedient. Submissive means to be, “Inclined or ready to submit; acknowledging one's inferiority,” (3) or being humble. And they are “willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him,”(4) or another word would be long suffering. There is a story that Pres. Monson shares about a child that shows the love and complete trust that is mentioned in Mosiah. He said, “Last summer I received a letter from a woman who has emerged from a long period of Church inactivity. She is ever so anxious for her husband, who as yet is not a member of the Church, to share the joy she now feels. She wrote of a trip which she, her husband, and their three sons made from the family home to Grandmother’s home in Idaho. While driving through Salt Lake City, they were attracted by the message which appeared on a billboard. The message invited them to visit Temple Square. Bob, the nonmember husband, made the suggestion that a visit would be pleasant. The family entered the visitors’ center, and Father took two sons up a ramp that one called “'the ramp to heaven.'” Mother and three-year-old Tyler were a bit behind the others, they having paused to appreciate the beautiful paintings which adorned the walls. As they walked toward the magnificent sculpture of Thorvaldsen’s Christus, tiny Tyler bolted from his mother and ran to the base of the Christus, while exclaiming, “'It’s Jesus! It’s Jesus!'” As Mother attempted to restrain her son, Tyler looked back toward her and his father and said, “'Don’t worry. He likes children.'” After departing the center and again making their way along the freeway toward Grandmother’s, Tyler moved to the front seat next to his father. Dad asked him what he liked best about their adventure on Temple Square. Tyler smiled up at him and said, “'Jesus.'”

“'How do you know that Jesus likes you, Tyler?'” Tyler, with a most serious expression on his face, looked up at his father’s eyes and answered, “'Dad, didn’t you see his face?'” Nothing else needed to be said.”(5) Children are so innocent and their souls are so radiant that you almost feel their trust in the Lord.

What we need to ask ourselves now is, “How do we gain these characteristics?” The characteristics that I want to focus on are long suffering, beareth all things, meekness, patience, and love. Alma 1:25 reads, “Now this was a great trial to those that did stand fast in the faith; nevertheless, they were steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God, and they bore with patience the persecution which was heaped upon them.” This is long suffering. They suffered, but they bore it and kept their trust in the Lord. Mormon said that beareth all things is a quality of charity. Whenever I read that scripture I thought that it meant patience, however after looking at several meaning of the word bearing I have found it to have a greater meaning. Bearing means, “to hold or remain firm under, to sustain, to bear witness or testimony, to possess as a quality or characteristic, to have as an identification.”(6) With these definitions bearing means to be steadfast, sustain our leaders, and bear our testimonies. But what I thought was interesting was that when we live the gospel we show characteristics of Jesus Christ and that every Sunday we take his name upon us. Or in other words we are identified by his name. So when Mormon said to beareth all things, that phrase encompasses many things. The story that comes to mind is that of Joseph Smith and the night that he was tarred and feathered. That night he was in a lot of physical pain, but also emotional, because of the loss of one of his children. The next day when he was preaching, he saw the men who caused that pain and instead of standing up and accusing them for what they did, he bear his testimony of the gospel them. He exemplified long suffering and beareth all things. A more recent example would be those who live in California. We are undergoing persecution and resentment, because we stood up for proposition 8. But we will not back down from what we know is right and true. Will we not fight back with harsh words or defacing of property, will stand with the law and put our trust in the Lord. King Benjamin said that, “If ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life.” (Mosiah 4:6 emphasis added)

The next virtue of charity I want to speak on is on being meek. Meekness is one virtue that I don't think many people know what it is. In German the word for meekness is “sanftmut” which means “soft courage”. Meekness, I believe, is a combination of humility and patience. When you have humility and patience and people are persecuting you, you will not contend with them you will be patient, but will not back down from what you believe it true. The patience I am speaking of here is not simply keeping your mouth closed and weathering arguments, but that you are loving and patient. It is important that your attitude is in the right place otherwise it is just a heated silence on your part and not the loving patience that the Lord has for all of us. The last quality that I wanted to talk about is love. The love of God is the most powerful thing that I have ever felt. And I feel it the most when I am learning about the plan of happiness and when I am around little children. Those are the times I feel the Lord's love for all of his children and I want to share it with others. I love the hymn, “Our Savior's Love” because it illustrates how strong and powerful the love of God is. The first verse says, “Our Savior's love, shines like the sun in perfect light, as from above it breaks thru clouds of strife. Lighting our way, it leads us back into his sight, where we may stay to share eternal life.” (7)

Charity like most things in the gospel is a life long pursuit. We may feel charity very strongly at times, but without constant effort and the help of the Lord we can lose it. Mormon said that we should, “Pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love.” (8) To gain these qualities, to gain charity, is hard and takes time, but if we call upon the Lord and do our part, he will help us become as little children. And as the hymn says the love of God breaks clouds of strife and shows us the way back to him. And in Mosiah 2:4 it says that if we keep the commandments will we, “be filled with love towards God and all men.” May we feel his love and share it with others is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Works Cited:

1. Moroni 7:41

2. Moroni 7:43-44 (cross reference of Alma 7:24)

3. Dictionary.com

4. Mosiah 3:19

5. Thomas S. Monson, “' A Little Child Shall Lead Them'”, Ensign, May 1990, 53

6. Dictionary.com

7. Hymn # 113

8. Moroni 7:48

The Restoration of All Things by Elizabeth Gillen

The Restoration of All Things

In my life I have experienced much joy and much sorrow. I know that is not unique to me; I have heard of many experiencing sorrow beyond what I believe I could handle. My best friend’s father is dying of cancer and she is currently trying to repair a broken relationship and to learn to love him before he passes on. She does not want to talk about it and I hope she knows that I will be there to listen to her when she is ready.

It is human nature to wonder why one person experiences great sorrow and great pain. It is human nature to question who we are and where we came from. It is human nature to try and have faith in something. The prophet Enos had an experience that I know many can relate to. He records: “I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins…My soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens. And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enoe, thy sins are forgiven thee…And I said, Lord, how is it done? And he said unto me…thy faith hath made thee whole” (Enos 1:2,4,5,7). Do you feel whole? Hath thy faith made thee whole?

I was introduced to the church more than 2 years ago before my senior year of high school. During high school, I experienced much trouble and had a difficult time being happy. I had a friend Braden who I became close with as we trudged through Chemistry our junior year. I did not know that he was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but I did know that he was always positive and was genuinely happy. As we moved into our senior year, I discovered he was Mormon. I didn’t know very much about the church, but I was intrigued. When I was a little girl living near Washington DC, my sister and I would beg my mom to drive by the Mormon “castle” so we could see it. I remember seeing commercials about The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ when we lived in Atlanta. When we moved to Pennsylvania, we lived near a Mormon church building. Having been exposed to the church but knowing nothing about it, I began to grill Braden about the church. I tried to figure out why he was so positive and why he seemed like a whole person rather than some teenager trying to figure out life.

The day I had my opportunity to ask him questions was a day for which I will forever be grateful. We were working on a French project and I began to ask him every question I could think of about the church. Why did the Mormon Church need to exist? What do you think about non-mormons? Why do you practice the Word of Wisdom? How does the Priesthood work? He offered me The Book of Mormon but I declined. What I was feeling scared me. Following that discussion, I continually visited Mormon.org and I felt the stirrings of a testimony in me. Three weeks later, I decided I wanted The Book of Mormon. For a week, I would go to speak to Braden to ask for the book, but I would be scared and not ask for it. One day, I went to go ask and then I started to say to myself I wouldn’t do it but a voice in my heart said, “Liz, you must go ask for the book. Your salvation depends on it.” I listened to that voice and asked.

I was surprised at how happy Braden seemed that I asked for the book. He checked his bag to see if he had one. He didn’t but brought one in it with his simple testimony written in the front cover. I reread it now and realize it wasn’t complicated nor was the language poetic. The spirit, however, made his words seem the most profound things anybody could ever say to me. The Lord said unto Enos: “Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it” (Enos 1:15). He encouraged me to read Moroni 10:3-5 before I read the rest of the book. I wanted to know the truth and I wanted to know if I could be made whole. I sought the Lord and I sought direction with all of my heart.

That night, after reading all of 1 Nephi on my way to a cross-country meet more than an hour away, I was made whole. I realize now that it was the beginning of the process of being made whole but the Spirit of the Lord entered my heart and enabled me to feel what I had never felt before. My whole soul did hunger, and my whole soul was fed. Psalm 4:1 says “Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou has enlarged me when I was in distress.” My heart was enlarged as I began to seek for the truth. Through the Restored Gospel, I learned that as I followed Him “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3).

I know that all things will be restored. All sorrow will be made to joy. I know that the atonement of Jesus Christ is the way we can be healed and made whole. My whole soul has been healed; the knowledge of the gospel has been restored to me. I know by witness of the Holy Ghost that Jesus Christ is the son of God, that He is the Savior of the World, and Redeemer of Mankind. I know that Gospel was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know that The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and that through it we can become closer to the Savior Jesus Christ. In His name. Amen.

--The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.
--The Holy Bible

<-- Liz and Braden on the day of her confirmation 2/2007

Un cambio en nuestros corazones siempre trae gozo y felicidad by Diana Zarrabal

Como hijos de dios cada uno de nosotros tenemos dones que hemos recibido y otro mas con los que se nos bendecirá. Fuimos creados a su imagen y semejanza. Pero también nos dio la oportunidad de venir a la tierra y tomar un cuerpo, también el libre albedrío que es el poder de escoger entre lo bueno y lo malo y vino por medio de la expiación de Jesucristo que vino a la tierra y pago por nuestros pecados por medio del cual pudimos ser limpiados. También la oportunidad de poder arrepentirnos de nuestros pecados y no volver a cometerlos más. El arrepentimiento es uno de los primeros principios del evangelio y es esencial para nuestra felicidad temporal y eterna. “Te digo, por tanto: Ve; y al que transgrediere contra mí, lo juzgarás de acuerdo con los pecados que haya cometido; y si confiesa sus pecados ante ti y mí, y se arrepiente con sinceridad de corazón, a éste has de perdonar, y yo lo perdonaré también”. Mosiah 26:29

Cuando una persona a cometido un pecado ya sea mayor o menos tiene la oportunidad de cambiar su corazón por medio del arrepentimiento. Una persona que tiene el deseo de cambiar de corazón puede llegar a alcanzar la felicidad. Al recibir el evangelio de Jesucristo y al aceptarlo hicimos una conversión de obediencia hacia nuestro padre celestial. Aceptamos el evangelio con el propósito de hacer un cambio en nuestros corazones por medio de la fe que desarrollamos y la esperanza de que algún día estaremos en su presencia. “Y todos clamaron a una voz, diciendo: Sí, creemos todas las palabras que nos has hablado; y además, sabemos de su certeza y verdad por el Espíritu del Señor Omnipotente, el cual ha efectuado un potente cambio en nosotros, o sea, en nuestros corazones, por lo que ya no tenemos más disposición a obrar mal, sino a hacer lo bueno continuamente”. Mosiah 5:2

Durante el transcurso de mi vida como miembro muchas veces he sentido la necesidad de hacer un cambio en mi vida. Se que como hija de Dios debo de tratar de cumplir los mandamientos para lograr la perfección con el motivo de llegar a la presencia de mi padre y ser como el. Y ya casada y sellada alcanzar la felicidad y la plenitud del evangelio y durante este trance perfeccionarme para estar en su presencia. Hace unos meses pase por una prueba muy fuerte en mi vida que hizo que recordara que el cumplir con las cosas que nuestro padre celestial nos mando hacer aquí en esta tierra no es solo el ir a la capilla y escuchar a los discursantes y maestros y darle el tiempo hasta que nos desocupemos de nuestros deberes diarios, si no recordarlo cada día al orar por la mañana, durante el día con una oración en nuestro corazón y por la noche para poder descansar y amanecer con un nuevo día. También escudriñar las escrituras, escuchar la voz de los profetas, visitar la casa del señor pero sobretodo obedecer los mandamientos. A veces nuestro padre celestial nos manda pruebas fuertes pero que sabe que podremos soportar para que podamos crecer espiritualmente y poder hacer ese cambio en nuestras vidas de algo que tal vez no estamos haciendo correctamente. “Y mi alma tuvo hambre; y me arrodillé ante mi Hacedor, y clamé a él con potente oración y súplica por mi propia alma; y clamé a él todo el día; sí, y cuando anocheció, aún elevaba mi voz en alto hasta que llegó a los cielos”. Enos 1:4

Muchas veces pensamos que el señor se a molestado con nosotros cuando sentimos que las pruebas por las que estamos pasando no las podemos superar fácilmente, pero el señor lo hace por que nos quiere y desea que alcancemos la felicidad por medio de pruebas que a la larga nos hacen ser mas fuertes y poder superarlas mas fácilmente. El señor nunca nos desamparara si nosotros lo buscamos continuamente. Al arrepentirnos de corazón nuestras cargas pueden ser aligeradas por que no volveremos a cometer el error nunca más. “Y además, creed que debéis arrepentiros de vuestros pecados, y abandonarlos, y humillaros ante Dios, y pedid con sinceridad de corazón que él os perdone; y ahora bien, si creéis todas estas cosas, mirad que las hagáis”. Mosiah 4:10


Los antiguos profetas pasaron por pruebas muy fuertes entre ellas la oposición de los del pueblo hacia lo que ellos creían. Sus conocimientos del padre llegaron por medio de la fe y búsqueda de la verdad. El padre escogió a estos profetas para esparcir el evangelio. También el que ellos pudieran declarar la futura venida del mesías. Ellos también tuvieron que arrepentirse de sus pecados y regresar al padre celestial nueva mente. Muchas veces sus hijos se revelaban contra ellos y el señor los reprendía a tal grado que les hacia sentir pesar a causa de sus pecados. Muchos de ellos hacían ese cambio en su corazón de manera que creían en el y continuaban lo que sus padres habían comenzado. En las escrituras nosotros podemos ver que el pueblo de Nefi pasó por mucho pesar. Eran desobedientes hasta que el señor les hacia sentir que debían recordarlo siempre. Pasaban por la esclavitud, hambre, infelicidad o falta de conocimiento. De alguna manera nosotros estamos pasando por lo mismo y debemos seguir adelante y agarrarnos de la barra de hierro. Y si sentimos que nuestro padre nos a abandonado es por que el espíritu ya no esta con nosotros. Cuando el espíritu nos abandona es más difícil regresar al camino pero siempre tenemos la oportunidad de cambiar y estar a tiempo de alimentar al espíritu que se encuentra con hambre de amor y conocimiento. Ese cambio de corazón que cada unos de nosotros necesita es esencial para poder seguir incrementando nuestra fe y poder tener la esperanza de llegar a nuestro padre celestial. “Porque es preciso que haya una oposición en todas las cosas…….De modo que todas las cosas necesariamente serían un solo conjunto; por tanto, si fuese un solo cuerpo, habría de permanecer como muerto, no teniendo ni vida ni muerte, ni corrupción ni incorrupción, ni felicidad ni miseria, ni sensibilidad ni insensibilidad”. 2 Nefi 2:11

Se que esta es la iglesia verdadera que los libros canónicos son la palabra de dios escritas por los profetas. Que el profeta José Smith es un profeta vidente y revelador que fue inspirado por dios. Que el señor mando a su hijo a dar su vida por nosotros y pagar por nuestros pecados. Se que las familias pueden ser eternas y que no hay prueba mas grande que no podamos superar. El señor siempre estará ahí con nosotros apoyándonos, el nunca nos da mas de lo que podamos soportar. Se también que si tenemos el deseo de arrepentirnos de corazón el nos escuchara y nos ayudara a hacer ese cambio para ser mejores cada día y poder llegar a su presencia. Se estas cosas que las comparto con todos ustedes en el nombre de nuestros señor Jesucristo amen.


Mosiah 26:29
Mosiah 5:2
Mosiah 4:10
2 Nefi 2:11
Enos 1:4

There is No Remedy for Love but to Love More. By Amanda Dinsdale

When you think of love many things come to mind... family, spouse/boyfriend, friends, but do you remember God? With all that we do within our life span how many of us show our love for God in all that we do? To say we love God and to not show it through our day to day actions and words is one of the greatest sorrows of our heavenly father. Together we can learn three ways that we can best show remember love, its strength and how to show it: always show love to God through our actions and words, remember God sees no sin to great and through repentance he can show his love for you, and finally showing love for one another shows one of the greatest loves for God.

First strive to always show God our love for him in our actions and words. In Deuteronomy 11:1 it says "Therefore thou shalt love the lord thy God, and keep his charge and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, always." This scripture clearly states that to love God we keep his charges, his statutes, his judgments and his commandments ALWAYS. To define always would be, "at all times; within all events," according to the OneLook online dictionary search. At all times and in every event includes how we show our love to God in our actions and words. To love God is to be an example for others that look to you for guidance. Through your own actions and words you can become closest to God by being Christ like. Your actions will bring all those people who are close to you, closest to God. Mothers are a prime example of this very blessing; refer back to the stripling warriors and their mothers. The mothers first showed their love for Christ and practiced the teachings of their love in their everyday choirs and doings; the sons saw their mothers love and peace through their examples and they too came unto God by showing their love through their faith and in keeping his commandments. Just like the mothers of the stripling warriors we too can be so filled with God's love if we will show him our trust and faith in keeping his commandments. In Mosiah 2:4 it says "... keep the commandments of God, that ye might rejoice and be filled with love towards God and all men." I truly testify of the greatness of example of those you look up to; if my parents were not obedient to God and were not great examples to me in all their actions I would not be the daughter of God that I am today.

Second we must remember that in no way are we perfect like Christ. We strive for perfection in our lives to achieve the greatest gift of God which is eternal life but along the way we all make mistakes. Our mistakes may be big or small according to the challenges we face and our faithfulness in Christ and Heavenly Father. But whether our mistakes are big or small we can find peace, love and forgiveness through God’s greatest sacrifice of giving his son Jesus Christ and through Christ’s atonement for us. One of my favorite scriptures for repentance is Alma 5: 26-28 which reads, “26. And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now? 27. Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins? 28. Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not eternal life.” Are you ready to repent of your own sins and to come unto Christ? Are you ready to receive his love and be washed clean through the blood of Christ? Repentance is not easy to do especially the greater the sin is but if you are ready to answer both those questions with a firm yes then you are ready to receive the love of God and once again be clean.

The picture I wanted you to see at the beginning of my blog is no ordinary picture. You may have thought that I put it there just because it is cute and I liked it but more than both of those two things I put it as the picture for this blog because it represents great significance in repentance. Like a watermelon we all have a shell or exterior that protects us from injury to our inner organs that are vital to our existence. In a spiritual sense our physical shell or body protects our spirits as we journey through mortal life. Within the watermelon is the juicy sweet or stale interior which represents our spirits and hearts. If the interior of our watermelon is stale then our hearts are hardened and our spirits are dirty but if our interior is soft, sweet and juicy our hearts are pure and ready for knowledge and to the experiences that which can make us strong. Finally deep within every watermelon, imbedded in the interior, are the seeds black, shiny, bigger or smaller. The seeds are a representation of the sins that paint our spirits with dirtiness. But that is the greatest significance of all; in order for the watermelon to grow and become as big as its full potential it must start with a seed and continue to grow. We as human beings all make mistakes and within our souls seeds grow; we can either choose to let the seeds be and Satan can turn our interior old and stale or we can let Christ remove the seeds and make us sweet again. In choosing Christ it is not as easy as just letting the sins rest within us but it is the most rewarding. In order to let Christ remove our seeds or sins we must first open our hearts, cut open our exterior, to reveal our most humble and soft state. Slowly and surely as we continue to come unto Christ our sins will taken out and we will be left with a pure spirit and filled with God’s love. Once we have been washed clean of sin we will be pointed back in the right direction of the path to eternal life. Through repentance I have personally felt the love of Christ and Heavenly Father. A couple of years ago I went through a time in my life when I wouldn’t take council from anyone but instead I wanted to learn for myself. For a time I stayed strong and immovable till the greatest weakness was found within my soul and Satan used it to tempt me. Trying to be strong I continued to fight the temptation and find ways around it till finally I broke and for the moment the sin felt right but when the moment was over I realized that it was very wrong. Being young and naïve whoever I continued to keep the sin a secret till the guilt built so strongly within me I me and my biggest change of heart came forward. To repent of my sins I too had to open my heart and humble myself so that Christ could remove my sin and pour his love upon me. Truly repentance is the strongest gift that can be felt within a lifetime for when your sins are made clean and you and Heavenly Father both forget them; your spirit can be at peace!

Finally to truly show your love for God you can serve others and let other serve you. One of the greatest scriptures and truths of the Gospel is found in Mosiah 2:17 which states, “… when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” Service to others is not hard in anyway and can be shown in little actions alone; a simple smile, giving a dollar to a homeless person, shoveling a widows driveway or even washing the dishes for your mom. When you perform these acts in a humble and giving state you will immediately be filled with the love of God. That love alone can heal any sorrows and troubles that you might have and it also teaches you to love those that you serve, or that serve you. In learning to serve others and in doing so our example is once again exhibited for others to follow. Mosiah 4:15 says, “… ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.” Through your example you will prove that very scripture truthful in teaching others to love and serve one another. Service to others can in turn help you when you are in need and others do service for you.

In ending my blog I want to share one more scripture with you, in Jacob 3:2 we are taught that if we are pure in heart, we can receive the word of God and feast upon his love but only if our minds are firm forever. I bear witness to you that if you will do all that God has asked through keeping his commandments, remembering him in all that we do, serving and loving others, and finding his love through becoming pure of heart we will be truly happy and return to him. Through our examples we are the greatest tool for God in bringing others souls to him and the truth. We as saints of this true Gospel can feel God’s love and show our love to him and others in everything we do. It is our choice to return to Heavenly Father and Christ and receive eternal life and with love on our sides we are unstoppable. I say these things with all my heart and bear witness that they are true in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Work Cited

1. The book of Deuteronomy

2. The book of Mosiah

3. The book of Alma

4. The book of Jacob

5. OneLook Dictionary Search (www.onelook.com)

6. LDS Online Scriptures

Is your path firm? by Sean Bennion

Firmness is one of the most elementary of Gospel Principles, even if it is not one of the most commonly thought of or even recognized. Firmness is described in the Miriam-Webster Dictionary as “securely or solidly fixed in place; not weak or uncertain. Also, not subject to change or revision, steady, not easily moved or disturbed, steadfast, well-founded, indicating firmness or resolution.” That’s a lot to take in, but in short, firmness is a sure foundation. A synonym is stout and strong, while an antonym is uncertain or weak. How does this relate to Gospel Principles though? It has to do with the concept of Enduring to the end.

In Jacob 3: 1-2 we read, “But behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in heart. Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction. 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.” This passage is referring to people who are finding it hard to stay on the Lord’s path due to persecution, temptations, or other such causes. The Lord is encouraging us to pray and ask for help. Firmness of Mind seems to be synonymous with faith in this case. It seems that one has to be firm in mind in the knowledge that their Redeemer will help them through a difficult time. In the next chapter, however, we are told that we need firmness in another area to make this one possible: firmness with the Holy Ghost. Jacob 4:18 speaks of “Firmness of the Spirit.” The Spirit is the means by which the Lord comforts and guides us, and to receive those blessings we need to be one with the Spirit.

I have been blessed many times in my life due to firmness of the Spirit, but there is a certain time I would like to share. I was hanging out with some friends, and one of my friend’s sisters came out and told us she had a certain product in her room she needed to hide quickly before her parents went through her room. We were just leaving in my friend’s truck, and she wanted us to stash it in the back just for a couple of hours. Honestly, what would that hurt? It’s not like we would use it. But I knew it would be unneeded and unnecessary temptation, and it’s wrong to lie to someone’s parents, no matter how indirectly. I like to be nice, though, and it is hard to say no. Besides, what if my friends made fun of me and told me I was just being a goody-good and make fun of me? But with a quick prayer I was able to tell her no, and my friends immediately agreed. There is a scripture that came to my mind: it’s Mosiah 15:5, and it is telling how Christ “Suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people.” It always helps to know that Christ has been there, and knows how we feel. Fortunately, though, my friends didn’t disown me.

King Benjamin, in his final address to his people, further testified of firmness. His entire speech was focused on the Savior’s Atonement, and begging his people to take advantage of it. The end of his speech, in the final synopsis of all he had been saying, was a plea with his people to be steadfast. He said, in Mosiah 5:15, “I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen.” Steadfast is another synonym with firmness: they both mean immovable. This verse is powerful: it tells us that through being firm, or steadfast, we are brought into Heaven to live with our Father again. King Benjamin obviously felt strongly that this was important: it was the last thing he said to his people.

Being firm is key to our salvation. Firmness in your beliefs is the most powerful thing you can have: the Lamanites, because of their firmness, would rather be killed then commit sin: Alma 29:14 tells us that “When these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin.” The question we need to ask ourselves is: how firm am I in my faith? What would I, or what wouldn’t I do, to keep my standards? Firmness is the key to Exaltation.

"...not as the world giveth, give I unto you..." By: Katrina Walker

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes peace as a “freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions.”[1] I believe that this definition fully encompasses the essence of peace. We can receive the peace of God when we are in the full company of God. “…may the peace of God rest upon you…according to your faith and good works…” [2] According to our diligence, faith in God and our good works, we can receive peace from everything around us. Meaning, that we can find peace in everything that we do, we will find God in every aspect of our lives if we are in the full company of God. The peace of God is not like the peace of the world, it is heavenly and wonderful. “…that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another.” [3] Along with having faith and doing good works we need to be grateful to God and rejoice for our blessings in order to have the full peace of God.

When we are repentant and feel the Godly sorrow for what we have done when we have sinned we will feel the heavenly peace afterwards. When we full abstain from the sins that we have committed we will feel God in our lives. “…having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience…” [4] All over the scriptures the prophets and people will repent and feel the grace and peace of God in their lives, as long as they abstain from pride and the sins of the world. As long as we allow Christ come into our lives we will feel the peace of the Lord.

As we feel the peace of the Lord we will want to share it with anyone we come across. The missionaries are out there doing exactly that. “And these are they who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth!” [5] Missionaries take the Gospel of Christ around the world to “publish” the peace, and bring good tidings of great joy. They tell those who the meet of the peace of God and that they can be saved through Christ, which will always give them peace.

The scripture that has always been my favorite is John 14:27. [6] “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” This scripture is Christ talking to the apostles before he goes to perform the atonement. This shows me that when we need Christ at our darkest hours that he will give us the Godly peace that we need to get through this life. This tells me that even those closest to Christ still needed peace in their lives to be able to get through the trials that come their way. “…not as the world giveth, give I unto you…” This is the title of my blog because it shows the essence of Christ, it shows that the world cannot give us the peace that we truly need in this life. Also, Christ tells the apostles to not let their hearts be troubled or afraid. When we have Christ’s peace in our life we don’t have room for our hearts to be troubled or afraid. When I went through a hard and dark time of my life the only way I was able to get through it was by praying for peace. I needed to fulfill the requirements of humility, faith and good works before I could actually fully receive it, but it was worth the wait. I never was truly happy until I “got over” my depression. Truly looking and searching for the peace of God was the most fulfilling and happy time of my life because I learned to truly serve and to be grateful for what I have been given in this life.

I know that God lives and that He loves me. I know that this is the true Church of Jesus Christ in these Latter Days. I know that when we truly search and understand the peace of God we will receive every ounce of it. I know that the Lord’s peace is the only comforting peace and that the world could never give this to us. I am so grateful for this knowledge and for the trials that I have had, this has truly shaped me into who I am today. I’m grateful for the atonement and I know that it is real. If Christ hadn’t performed the atonement I know that we wouldn’t be fully able to feel His peace. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Works Cited:

[1] Merriam-Webster Dictionary, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peace

[2] Alma 7:27

[3] Mosiah 2:20

[4] Mosiah 4:3

[5] Mosiah 15:14

[6] John 14:27

Picture:

http://www.stvartan.ca/Jesus%20knocking%20at%20our%20door.jpg

Do the Hokey Pokey by Eric Davis

My senior year of high school was the most spiritually consistent time of my life.  My seminary teacher and seminary class built me up to withstand the trials and temptations of the world.  On the very first day of class my teacher told the class we were going to do the Hokey Pokey.  We all stood up, confused and tired, unsure of where he was going with it.  We went through each limb, taking the chance to put our right arm in, our left arm in, and each leg in turn. At last we came to putting out whole selves in.  As we did this each member of the class came to understand the demonstration without needing clarification.  In this class we had to put our whole selves in in order to get get our whole selves out.  If we are to become whole first we must be willing to give of our whole selves.  As said in Matthew Chapter 10, "He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.  If we will give our lives to the Lord he will make us truly whole.  

There are many ways to put our whole selves in, but sometimes they are hard to recognize.  Alma wrote of the sheep of the good shepherd in chapter 5 saying, "if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd... ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd."  This section also cross-references to Matthew 6:24 which states, "No man can serve two masters... Ye cannot serve God and mammon."  As a part of giving our whole selves to God we must remove the actions that serve Satan.  As long as a part of us disobeys the word of the good shepherd or listens to the servants of Satan we cannot give our whole selves to God.  

One of the best ways for us to give ourselves to God is to serve His children.  King Benjamin taught that "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."  If we will give up our time and effort for others we show God our willingness to put our whole selves into His work.  We should take every opportunity to serve and bless those around us as a part of giving our whole selves to the will of God.  

Sometimes we run our of ideas for how to give our whole selves to God.  But when in doubt there is nothing better to do than pray.  Enos wrote of how he prayed to know how to put his whole self in: "I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul... and there came a voice unto me saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed."  If we are ever unsure of our standing with God, whether we need to turn from Satan, or who we should serve, we can always go to Him in prayer and trust that he will answer and assist us.  In relating prayer to turning our whole selves to God and serving others Elder Bednar said in the last General Conference, "Prayer becomes more meaningful as we counsel with the Lord in all of our doings, as we express heartfelt gratitude, and as we pray for others."  If we will ask God how to put our whole selves in and how we can better serve others He will bless us.  

The wholeness that God can bless us with when we lose our lives for his sake and find them again is very difficult to describe.  I believe the wholeness we receive is much like the emotions felt by the people of King Benjamin when they said, "the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent... has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually."  God grants us the desire to do only His will as we turn to Him.  I believe our wholeness is referred to later in the same chapter when King Benjamin says, "I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his."   To have Christ seal us to him must be a wholeness we cannot possible feel any other way.  Christ being our perfect Redeemer is our greatest example and to be sealed to Him in this sense must mean that we are inseparably connected with Him.  We would be with Him forever, enjoying eternal happiness and everlasting exaltation.   I know that God wants us to give our whole selves to him so that He can make us whole and I know that He will do that if we will do the Hokey Pokey and put our whole selves in.  

Works Cited

Matthew 10:39

Alma 5:38

Matthew 6:24

Mosiah 2:17

Enos 1:4-5

November 2008 Ensign page 41

Mosiah 5:2, 15

Grown in Faith By Sheridan Murray

Grown in Faith
Abinadi demonstrated great faith in Christ during his time here on the earth. He was alone in his beliefs and was hated in his righteousness. He went before the city and preached what the Lord commanded him and he was persecuted for it. In his prophesying he told the people that if they did not repent then the Lord would visit them his anger. In Mosiah 11:21 it says, “Except they repent and turn to the Lord their God, behold, I will deliver them into the hand of their enemies.” And again in verse 24, ”Yea, and it shall come to pass that when they shall cry unto me I will be slow to hear their cries; yea, and I will suffer them that they be smitten by their enemies.” As I read these passages of scripture I thought of how much I rely on the Lord for protection on a daily basis. These people are so hard in their hearts that they can not see how easy it would be to have the Lord’s protection. He is not asking their lives, just their lifestyle. They have their “favorite sins” that they want to hold on to.

Thinking about it this way makes me wonder if I am choosing to keep my favorite sins. We often do not see that many of the things we do are disdainful in the sight of the Lord. In many cases these are probably not even “big” sins, but can be as small as playing video games too often, or a failure to keep the Sabbath day holy because of a special once in a lifetime television program. It could be something as simple as teasing a younger sibling. I Jacob 4:7 we are told “Nevertheless, the Lord God showed us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.” We are told in verse 6 of the same chapter 4 that through finding these weaknesses and working to overcome them, “we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.”

At the time that I was reading these verses in Jacob for class I was wanting to date a very nice young man, one that I was very luck to meet and I knew that he liked me back. At this same time as things were going so well for me I was not looking for ways to improve myself in my life and that worried me a bit because if you aren’t progressing spiritually you are regressing, there is no static spot to stay in spirituality. I had been praying to know what I needed to be working on to better myself. While I was reading this verse I was thinking heavily about what to do about my situation with this young man. When I read that verse I knew immediately what I needed to do. He has not served his mission yet and a girlfriend was not what he needed, at that moment I decided to make sure that I was not a distraction for him, that I would help him to unattached himself from me and get out and meet knew people. I am so grateful that I was reading this scripture, it could not have come at a better time.

Through faith we become willing to make changes in our lives. Abinadi knew what the Lord wanted and what would happen when the people continued to be wicked. The people had such hard hearts inept of faith and took the truth to be hard. It is apparent to me that Abinadi was on the Lord’s errand as numerous times he is delivered from the hands of his enemies so that he can continue to do the Lord’s work. If Abinadi had hardened his heart or given up in his errand he would have surely been destroyed for the Lord would not suffer him from the hands of his enemies. In Mosiah 13: 3 and 4 Abinadi commands, “Touch me not, for God shall smite you if ye lay your hands upon me, for I have not delivered the message which the Lord sent me to deliver; neither have I told you that which ye requested that I should tell; therefore, God will not suffer that I shall be destroyed at this time. But I must fulfil the commandments wherewith God has commanded me.” Abinadi’s faith was not in vain he kept prophesying until Alma heard him and the work was passed on at his death.

In German, the word faith is das Vertrauen. Other words associated are assurance, belief, confidence, trust, dependence, and reliance. It is interesting that there is one word in German that can mean so many different words in the English language. My favorite is assurance, because as we live with faith we are assured that the Lord will stand by us and keep us safe as we strive to have the spirit as our constant companion.

Believing with our Whole Souls - Ashlee Johnson

Although the word “believe” may seem like a small and simple word, it is easier said than done if you ask me, and I’m sure many would agree. I grew up believing in God, believing in the LDS church, and never really considered any alternative. However, as I grew older, I realized I had not discovered truly for myself if I believed in God. I mean really believe. In 2 Nephi 25:29 it says, “I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not… wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out.” [1] I said I believed, but there were random doubts in my mind that I could not seem to settle. I did not believe and trust in Him with my whole soul yet, and I’m sure many have found themselves in my same position.

            Is there a reason to believe in God with our whole souls? It is interesting to look at the Hebrew translation of the word “soul”. In Hebrew, “soul” is translated as “ne'fesh” or “ne'shama”.  This word is derived from the word root “hey” in Hebrew, which interestingly enough has to do with “star shine”. [2] In further research of this, I discovered that the ancient writing of this root is a picture of a man raising his arms and looking up at a great sight (most likely something shining or bright). [3] From all of this it seems that our souls have a natural inclination toward our Heavenly Father, or toward his brightness. This was extremely comforting for me. It shows that I am capable of believing with my whole soul, I just have to find the right direction to face. Believing with our whole souls will face us toward Him, and make us stronger and wiser in everything we do.

Being able to face toward Him and let Him help us in our daily lives is just one of many reasons to devote our whole souls to him. Other reasons can be to live with Him again, to be saved, and to feel protected. But how can we believe in Him with our whole souls? One way is to serve Him with all our might, mind, and strength. We can do this through fast and prayer. Omni says, “Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.” [4] Other manners of service for our Lord is to go to our church meetings, fulfill our callings, and continue to build up the kingdom of God. We can also be grateful toward Him. King Benjamin preaches in Mosiah, “I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you… I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.” [5] By serving our Heavenly Father, it will bring us closer to believing in him with our whole souls.

When we truly believe in Him, we can have a perfect knowledge of Him. Once I had realized I did not yet have this perfect knowledge, I began to fast and pray, and serve him with my whole soul as often as I could. After two months of praying for a stronger testimony and belief, I went to the LDS Girl’s Camp “Oakcrest” for the first time. There, we did an activity in which we were all blindfolded and we had to follow a very small string with our hands. It was a long hike, and some of the counselors were acting as the “enemy” and tried to guide us away. Eventually I reached the end, and although I was exhausted and a little frustrated, the minute I took off my blindfold I was filled with nothing but happiness. Right in front of me was a giant picture of Christ, (as displayed in this blog) blown up to be about twenty feet high and ten feet wide. I was literally absorbed in His light! Right next to the picture, there was also a group of counselors singing the camp’s theme song for that year. The song was based on Mosiah 4:9, where it says, “Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth.” [6] I sat down in front of the picture with the other girls, listening to the beautiful song and waiting for some of my closest friends to come up. Once they reached the end however and took off their blindfolds, they hardly glimpsed at the glorious image in front of them. It was as if they hardly cared! I knew they were not very devoted to the church, but it was so incredulous to me that they were not feeling what I was feeling. I could not take my eyes off of the picture! Right then I realized that this was exactly what I wanted. I desired nothing more than to be with Christ again, and I definitely did not want to be one of those who hardly cared for Him. It was a brutal awakening to see my friends like that, but it strengthened my testimony and made me believe in Him with my whole soul so that I would not be like those girls.

With this experience and my determination to begin serving the Lord with my whole soul, I gained a perfect knowledge of Him. I felt exactly as King Benjamin says in Mosiah 4, “That as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love… I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God… and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true.” [7] I know that if we serve the Lord with all our might, mind, and strength, and turn our whole souls to Him, we may gain a perfect knowledge of Him and believe in Him with our whole souls. I know God lives, and He is there for me every day. Believing in Him is definitely worthwhile. I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

 

Works Cited

1. 2 Nephi 25:29

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

3. www.ancient-hebrew.org

4. Omni 1:26

5. Mosiah 2:20-21

6. Mosiah 4:9

7. Mosiah 4:11-12