The Lord will open our eyes if we are willing to see.
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Last night I took my wife on a small date. It really wasn’t much, but it lead us to a great conversation and an interesting thought.
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How open are our eyes? Do we have faith enough in our current circumstances to see that the Lord is giving us an idea of what eternal life could look like?
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At the end of March, the First Presidency closed the doors to the Temple. Were you ready for that? Were you spiritually prepared for what was going to happen? Was your lamp full?
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How many times have you said, “I sure miss the temple and wish I could attend.”
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The thought processed through my mind as I talked to my wife. It went something like this…
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There are three kingdoms of glory: the celestial kingdom, the terrestrial kingdom, and the telestial kingdom.
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The glory we inherit will depend on the depth of our conversion, expressed by our obedience to the Lord’s commandments.
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Our goal is to inherit the highest degree of Glory—the celestial kingdom.
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Here on earth we have temples and inside those temples exist the celestial, terrestrial, and telestial rooms.
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Our goal during this life is to be obedient to the Lord’s commandments and to be temple worthy, holding a temple recommend.
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It’s been painful and challenging for many of us. Not being able to enter the temples of the Lord during this pandemic has opened my eyes.
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The Lord has personally reminded me of what it may look like in Heaven if I don’t live up to my covenants I made with Him.
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I don’t want to be left out. I don’t want to inherit a kingdom of glory and wish I had done better to inherit the highest degree of glory.
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The Lord has personally given me this reminder. I want to go to the temple and hear Him. I also have a stronger and more burning desire to do my best in this life.
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I don’t like being told I can’t go to the temple and I know I won’t like being told I can’t enter the celestial kingdom. This has been a great reminder and an opportunity to open my eyes.

The Savior is for everyone!
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Do you realize what a Savior means? Think about it for a moment. The literal Son of God, the Only Begotten by the Father.
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Something is begotten when it’s been generated by procreation — in other words, it’s been fathered. Wow!!
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Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The Savior of the world. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son” John 3:18.
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I mean think of this—How do so many believe in an individual without ever seeing Him? Imagine the impact He had on the people during His earthy ministry.
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His impact was so incredible that His ministry continues to influence billions of people!
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Two questions for us to consider in our minds and hearts.
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How is this so if He wasn’t the Son of God?
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What convinces and testifies to us that He is the Savior and Redeemer of the world?
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To answer these questions, let’s ponder a scripture in Matthew 11:27, “All ​​​things​ are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither ​​​knoweth​ any man the Father, save the Son, ​​​and​ ​he​ to whomsoever the Son will ​​​reveal​ ​him.”
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So, how do we come to know God the Father and how do we know Jesus Christ was the Son of God? What convinces and testifies to us that He is the Savior and Redeemer of the world and the Son of God?
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John 17:3, “No man can know that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost”
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There we have it. The Holy Ghost! This is how and why—Thousands of years later, after the death of Christ, billions of us still celebrate His birth.
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The spirit of the Lord, the Holy Ghost, has penetrated the hearts of mankind since the very beginning.
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The Savior is for everyone! He will lead us home to His Father—our Father! He only asks us to hear Him, and He will guide the way.
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Art by Yongsung Kim

Be about the Father’s business.
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There is so much contention in the world. When such contention arises, we often want to retaliate or fire back with our own words—proving others wrong.
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Who cares? Let it be. Leave it alone and be about our Father in Heaven’s work.
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There is no need to do anything. Success comes when we conduct our business with conviction. We can even do so in a professional and calming manner.
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How? Well, practice. Study the prophets and apostles. Study the life of Christ and emulate them—do as they would.
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One of my favorite scriptures teaches us what happens when we conduct ourselves in a Christlike manner.
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“And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul.” Hel. 5:30.
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We can all do this, it’s not always human nature, but we can do it. I promise, if I can tame my tongue, you can do the same. I’m very outspoken and have strong opinions. Over the years, I’ve become a little more gentle to my approach; however, it’s a daily practice—perfect practice makes perfect.
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“There never has been a time when it is more important for us as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to take a stand, remain firm in our convictions, and conduct ourselves wisely under all circumstances. We must not be manipulated or enraged by those who subtly foster contention over issues of the day.” Marvin J. Ashton.
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One last scripture I’ll leave for our reminder.
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“For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.
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“Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.” (3 Ne. 11:29, 30.)
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How are we doing as members of the church or those of you from other faiths? Are we setting this example? How are we doing as followers of Christ?
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Hear Him!

Ride the Storm.
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There are many times when I don’t even want to open my eyes and see what’s before me or what’s next.
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Often, it can feel like we are right in the center of the storm, and we are never getting out. Have you ever felt like that or do you currently see yourself in that position?
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After completing a day of teaching, Jesus Christ and His Apostles boarded a ship. They began their stretch across the Sea of Galilee to teach the people on the other side. While Christ was asleep a storm came upon them.
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As we know, the Apostles began to fear the storm and they were tossed by the winds and water entered their boat. They awoke Jesus, crying, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38).
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What we know next is this, Christ arose and calmed the winds and waves, saying, “Peace, be still” (Mark 4:39).
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He turned to His Apostles and asked, “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25). Christ reminded then to not be fearful and to remember that He can calm the tossing seas during a storm.
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This same principle applies today. Where is our faith during these trying times? Are we turning our thoughts and prayers to the Lord? Do we have the faith He has asked of us?
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Hear Him and your storms will begin to calm.
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Art Unknown

Hold up the light.
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As we see many posts to ’Light the World,’ let’s keep one person in mind—Jesus Christ. I know it sounds simple, but we tend to forget the meaning of things.
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Ask yourself, what light are you being asked to hold up?
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3 Nephi 18:25—”Therefore, hold up your ​​​light​ that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the ​​​light​ which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed.”
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He is the light we need to hold up—our Savior and Redeemer. Christmas reminds us of our duties to light the world with His good news. What is His good news?
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His good news is life eternal.
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Today, I desire to hold up this light by testifying of Jesus Christ, according to what I know, things I have seen, felt and heard in my life.
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The testimony I give involves MY reason and MY experience; however, you’re only going to see a first graders’ art project. It’s an impossible task to describe to you and testify to you what I’ve seen, felt, and heard in my life.
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Christ is my best friend. When I am in desperate need to talk to someone, He is always there. He is my advocate with our Father. He has never left my side. I have ignored Him, and I haven’t always done what He has asked me to do to hear Him.
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My mistakes are my own, but He takes them from me and says, go do better, Mike. He doesn’t argue with me, He just listens. When I’m ready, He gives me the advice I need. He opens doors for me that I didn’t know we’re able to be opened.
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He is there for me during my darkness. He lights my world and asks me to do the same for His world.
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He lives, and I testify to you that He does. He is watching and has carefully planned our beginning, middle, and end. There is nothing we can do that we can’t turn to Him.
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“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11: 28-30).
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Hold up the light and Hear Him!
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Art by Yongsung Kim

Partake of the Fruit from Tree of Life.
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I never really thought of the Tree of Life this way, but after listening to a talk this morning and during my studies, it was one of those ”no-brainer” moments for me.
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Before I get into what I learned, let’s ask ourselves a few questions.
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Why did Lehi want his family to eat the fruit of the tree of life?
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What does Heavenly Father want for all his children?
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What do the symbols in Lehi’s dream mean?
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These are some good questions to ponder and study. I’m not going to go over the answers here, but will leave it up to you.
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What I want to emphasize is the Fruit from the Tree of Life.
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Jack R. Christianson explains this so well.
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He begins with Lehi’s dream and helps you visualize the tree that Lehi saw. The tree symbolizes the love of God.
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He then asks, who is the love of God—Well, Jesus Christ.
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As we take a look at the fruit’s purpose, we know it’s purpose is to ”make one happy.”
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How does fruit hang from a tree? By the stem.
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In Isaiah 11, what is a stem referred to as being? Jesus Christ. Also in D&C 113.
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In the Book “Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon” Elder Jeffery R. Holland says the Savior literally hung from a tree.
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So, who would the fruit of The Tree of Life be? It is Jesus Christ and His atonement.
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When we partake of the fruit, what happens to us? Well, Brother Christianson concludes and says, “It makes us Happy.”
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I have a clearer perspective of the Tree of Life in Lehi’s dream. It no longer appears as a tree with beautifully blossoming white fruit. No, it’s the Savior Jesus Christ and the atonement.
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He was literally nailed to a tree—and just like the Fruit that hangs from a stem, He hung from His tree—the cross. He bore the sins of the world, so we can partake of eternal life. The delicious fruit hangs from the Tree of Life to be eaten and enjoyed.
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May we enjoy the fruit from the Tree of Life and find joy through the atonement of Jesus Christ. After all, “men are, that they might have joy.” 2 Nephi 2:25.
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Hear Him!
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Art by Annie Henrie @altusfineart

It’s okay to be a follower.
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I listened to a talk today by Jack R. Christians today.—In fact, I listened to it three and a half times during my road trip.
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In the talk, he mentions being a leader and a follower. He talks about how It’s great to lead, but a great leader is also a great follower.
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I’ve never thought of it the way he eloquently phrased it. I always wanted to be the leader, and I felt it was a personal weakness to be the follower.
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However, we repeatedly hear the Savior ask His disciples, ”Come, follow me.” Are we not disciples of Christ? If so, then we are asked to follow Him. As we are great followers of Christ, we become true leaders of His Gospel.
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I also learned today, and it provides such soothing balm for troubled times in our lives—God doesn’t have to take anything from us. Everything we have, we should desire to give it to him freely.
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Many of us have struggled with death, job loss, home foreclosure, and many other things. We ask, “Why did you take these things from us, Lord?”
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When we learn to be faithful followers of Christ, we will understand that everything is His. Each loved one we have; when they die, we give them to the Lord—knowing, He is the Father, and He will make it right. He ALWAYS has a good reason for doing things.
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Luke 18:22—”…sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.”
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Again, nothing is ours. Sell it and follow Him! He clearly states what will happen—We shall have treasure in Heaven when we do.
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Brothers and Sisters, God loves you all. He wants us to know everything is going to be okay. He gave us life; He gave us mom’s and dad’s; He gave us siblings; He gave us friends and neighbors; He gave us His Son!
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Everything belongs to Him. Through His Son Jesus Christ, we can give Him everything we have and follow Him. He has provided a way to return back to Him.
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As we are true and faithful to our covenants, we will have ALL the things He has given us once again. During this Christmas season, let’s choose to be faithful followers.
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Hear Him!
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Art By, Justin Kunz

Take care of yourself.
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One of my favorite things to be part of is my temple recommend interview. The questions I’m asked remind me to drive to become a better person. The interview process is a commitment I made with the Lord when I made covenants in His Holy Temple.
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It’s the time I can stand before His authorized servants and reconfirm that I stand firm in my convictions, my testimony, and to let Him know I honor the sacred covenants I made—for no one else, but for me only. It was my decision, and therefore I hold myself accountable to the Lord.
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All that is unfair in life can be made right through the atonement of Jesus Christ.
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That’s what I love about the temple and miss about the opportunity to be able to attend. When I walk into the Holy Temple, I realize everything that is unfair in my life is going to be made right through the atonement of Jesus Christ.
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As a police officer, I see a lot of unfair things. I meet many people who have received what I would consider ”the raw end of the deal.” I wonder at times how a loving Heavenly Father can let things like that happen. Then I remember…
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He let His own Son, Jesus Christ, atone for our sins.
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They made Him carry His own cross, then they laid Him on it, nailed His hands and His feet to the cross, and lifted it up. There He hung, and His Father in Heaven allowed this to happen.
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Why? Well, here is why.
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Prior to this mortal probation, Heavenly Father called a meeting for all his spirit children. At this meeting he explained his plan for us to become like him. Heavenly Father needed someone to be the Savior, to suffer for our sins, and to die for us so that we could be resurrected.
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Because he loved us, Jesus volunteered to be our Savior. He wanted to follow Heavenly Father’s plan and give the glory to Him.
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We have all committed to things in the pre-existence. It’s not me to determine if things are unfair. As a human, I may see them as unfair—through the eyes of my Heavenly Father, I see a more generous plan— a perfect plan of happiness.
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As we take care of ourselves, attend our meetings, serve in our callings, and attend the temple, we will understand the Lords plan for ourselves and others.

If you’re fake, it will stand out.
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When it comes to our stance on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we always represent Jesus Christ.
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We should never be affected by someone who doesn’t understand what we believe. We are unique because we have the fullness of the Gospel. It’s unfamiliar for those who may not understand that—that is fine. Be the example.
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How do you let your friends and family know your standards?
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They know by what you do. They know because of your older brothers, sisters, parents, and people you associate with.
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Never be fake or dishonest. People can read right through you.
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If you are not true to yourself, you’re going to stick out like a sore thumb; you’re going to feel uncomfortable around other members; you’re going to start making excuses as to why others are judgmental of you. When in fact, it’s really you, trying to lie to yourself and hide who you really are.
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Someone will always be blamed for anothers misconduct. It’s never the fault of the transgressor. These people, well, they never take ownership. They will live the rest of their days trying to prove what’s right, wrong.
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If I could give some words of encouragement, I would say the following.
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Don’t ever start arguing with these people. You have to stand up for the Church, but don’t get into an argument.
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Don’t get into far-out subjects.
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Don’t make yourself seem superior to others just because you don’t do the things they do. You’re to be an example, not a higher rank.
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Be normal!
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Don’t be afraid to take it slowly—just the thought of talking to missionaries can sometimes be intimidating. It can make people nervous.
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So, be normal and just talk to them about the Church—be a good friend. They will recognize your honest intent.
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And love everyone. It’s not always easy, but it’s a commandment—even those who try to bring the church down. They feel mislead because they failed to do their own individual research, study, and prayer.
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God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Not long ago, those members who fell away from the church prayed to Him, and they received a conviction from His Holy Spirit of the church’s truthfulness.
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Those truths don’t change.
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@eva_timothy

Listen to the children.
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My wife and I have noticed a rather unusual reoccurring topic in our home. It’s the topic of the second coming of Jesus Christ.
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We have discussed the second coming with our children but nothing to the extreme.
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All of us have been encouraged to find ways to Hear Him. This applies to all of us and it does include our little ones; however, how much effort do we as adults need to put into this effort than our children do?
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I personally feel and I know that my children are much closer to parting the veil that separates us from Heaven and Earth. I also know they are more tuned in with their spiritual senses than I am.
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Again, we have taught them of the second coming, but not to the level that they speak of it frequently and it’s always unprovoked—It’s unexplainable.
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My kids hear Him—they hear the spirit of the Lord; they are concerned; they are giving a welcoming warning to us all. Do you hear your kids? Listen to what they are trying to teach you. The second coming is near, and I know they sense it.
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If we can sense a change in physical and spiritual matters and see the signs of the second coming, how in tune do you think our children are? They feel it and they see it.
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As you listen to a child you develop a personal relationship and it teaches them to have the same courtesy. Just listening can give you tons of information into their little minds and what they are thinking about.
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Wise parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, neighbors, etc… will listen and read between the lines. As you hear the children, you’ll hear their sighs, heartthrobs, and unspoken words—most importantly, you will hear Him!
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“May the laughter of children gladden our hearts. May the faith of children soothe our souls. May the love of children prompt our deeds.” President Thomas S. Monson.
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As we teach our children to walk in the light, they will teach us and lead us to do the same.
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Hear Him!
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Art by Del Parson

Have nothing but Integrity.
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How nice would it be if we honored what was written in the Deseret News back in 1882?
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“Let us be pure, let us be virtuous, let us be honorable, let us maintain our integrity, let us do good to all men, and tell the truth always, and treat everybody right.”
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Why is it so challenging to treat everyone right?
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A tribute was once written about the prophet John Taylor. It was written by George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith. Here is what was said about the prophet.
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“He met every issue squarely, boldly and in a way to call forth the admiration of all who saw and heard him. Undaunted courage, unyielding firmness were among his most prominent characteristics. … He was a man whom all could trust.”
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How many people can you trust? Is there anyone in your life that has those same qualities? I can name several.
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We need to live by principles of truth and righteousness. We can honor our society by being men and women of integrity.
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Are you a deceitful person? Do you lie to your family and friends? Are you really the person you claim to be? If so, how long will you keep up the act? Until you meet your maker?
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He knows ALL!! You can’t hide from him, and you can’t fool him. He knows what kind of integrity you will have displayed during your probation on earth.
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Be honest in your purpose. That’s one thing we can control. It’s the most important thing you can do. If you’re not, you have lost everything. Everything about you will be a lie, and you will be miserable not only here but in the afterlife. There is no place for corruption in Kingdom of God. The absence of integrity is a dishonor to your spiritual character.
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“We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”
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Cast out the evil, have integrity, and Hear Him!
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Art By Carl Bloch

There is no unknown in Christ.
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How do we calm our troubled minds? I understand this may seem easier said than done, but it’s really pretty simple. The following scripture from the Lord teaches us how.
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“Draw near unto me, & I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently, & ye shall find me; ask, & ye shall receive; knock, & it shall be opened unto you.” D&C 88:63.
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As we serve Jesus Christ, He comes to us— It’s that simple.
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So, you’ve had a terrible day, & things haven’t worked out the way you expected them to work out. What’s your plan of action? I can tell you this, pouting & idleness isn’t going to help you draw nearer to the Lord. You’re going to need a new approach.
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As I think back to President Nelson & his challenge the week before Thanksgiving, I reflect back on all the social media posts prior to it. I read a lot of ”pouting” from grown adults—a lot of idleness, too. Everyone was pouting about our current situation instead of thinking outside of the box to make things better.
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Then, a wise man named Russell M. Nelson, the Prophet of the World, asked us to stop. The mouthpiece of the Lord told us, grown adults, to change. He thought outside of the box. He was directed by the Lord for drawing near unto Him.
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These destructive arguments & disagreements between each other are nonsense.
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The Prophet of God taught us how to change the world. The world as a whole saw social media change for seven days—members & members of other faiths.
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We listened, & we acted; in other words, we drew nearer to Him, & He drew nearer to us.
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How did this make you feel? It made me feel better about opening my social media. I was curious about what different people were grateful for & anticipated the next day to see what they again were grateful for.
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Through US & through OUR posts, we were able to feel the Lord.
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He said this to us last week, “I have spoken unto thee because of thy desires; therefore treasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful & diligent in keeping the commandments of God, & I will encircle thee in the arms of my love.” D&C 6:20.
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He loves you & wants you to know; there is no unknown in Him. Hear Him!
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Art By Mark Missman

Serve a mission.
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What a random day—My mission has been on my mind a lot recently, probably more so than it has in a very long time.
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I felt prompted to write about my mission today, and as I sat down to write, I was able to connect with a member of my mission. I will never forget my first Thanksgiving at the Castillo home. I’m forever grateful to them and all the wonderful people.
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We are often asked to do difficult things that take us away from home, uncomfortable and terrifying things. These are the times we grow and strengthen our character.
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My mission taught me I could do anything. It taught me that if I want to make things happen, I must have the drive and will power. Nothing comes easy, and I don’t think anything should come easy.
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When I say “Serve a mission,” I’m saying it not only to members of the church but to everyone. A mission doesn’t literally mean you need or have a desire to serve a mission for the Church.
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My dad never served a mission for the church; however, my dad served a mission in many other ways. He served the Lord and he served his family. He had three boys serve missions and a daughter who received a full-ride scholarship for track.
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His example of determination, hard work, and faith in the Lord was his mission.
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Do something! Go become someone and achieve great things. The sky is the limit!
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I left on my mission 15 years ago. I came home and joined Law Enforcement five months later. I was married a year after I returned home. I purchased our first home and moved in the same day we returned home from our honeymoon. We have five kids, and everything we need.
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I have been blessed every step of the way. The Lord has given me more than I could expect. He has guided me through trials and stumbling blocks. All of it because I decided to serve Him and continue to serve Him.
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Every day is an opportunity to serve a mission. If you’re thinking you missed your opportunity, you’re wrong. Start today! Serve the Lord and choose Him.
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As we serve our earthly mission, we will receive what we put into it. I would suggest you pour your entire heart and soul into everything you do.
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Look to D&C 4:1-4, and Hear Him!
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PC: @kennyjames85

Death is not the end.
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I think the word ”death” is a terrible terminology. We put the fear in our minds. The word itself can sound terrifying. It can mean extinction, destruction, and the end of life.
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Why wouldn’t that sound terrible and sad? The word itself just sounds awful.
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So, what happens after death? Where do we go, and what are our loved ones doing?
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First, we need to understand what Death means. Death separates “the spirit and the body, which are the soul of man.” D&C 88:15.
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We are all going to go through a mourning process. How we individually do that is different.
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President Nelson said, “The only length of life that seems to satisfy the longings of the human heart is life everlasting…. Moreover, we can’t fully appreciate joyful reunions later without tearful separations now. The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life.”
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The Prophet Joseph Smith spoke at a friend’s funeral and stated this: “When we lose a near and dear friend, upon whom we have set our hearts, it should be a caution unto us. … Our affections should be placed upon God and His work, more intensely than upon our fellow beings.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 216.).
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I know some may think death is the end, and that’s why the word is scary.
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It’s not scary or terrifying if you know about eternal life. We continue to live and enjoy the goodness and mercy of God and His Son, Jesus Christ.
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President Nelson again teaches us: “Life does not begin with birth, nor does it end with death. Prior to our birth, we dwelled as spirit children with our Father in Heaven.
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Returning from earth to life in our heavenly home requires passage through—and not around—the doors of death. We were born to die, and we die to live. (See 2 Cor. 6:9.) As seedlings of God, we barely blossom on earth; we fully flower in heaven.”
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That’s why our message is so special. We believe in a wonderful plan. This is called the Plan of Salvation. We can return to our loved ones, and we will live, hug, hold, and kiss them again.
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Death is not to be feared. Hear Him, and you will find peace in the term “death.”
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~Dedicated to ’Mama’ Tina. I love & will miss you. (Mission Mom)

How is it done?
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Enos asks the question we have all wondered and thought upon. Even being taught of the Lord by his father, he still had an incomplete knowledge of how his sins could be forgiven.
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Many of us have been raised in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have gone to church, attended primary, sang hymns, or at least heard the hymns sung. We have partaken of the sacrament and have participated in scripture study. We may have been baptized by priesthood authority and received the gift of the Holy Ghost.
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We may be like Enos, and our hearts and mind go back to what our parents have taught us. We may find ourselves hearing their words “concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints” sink deep into our hearts, as well. (Enos, 1:3).
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How many of our soul’s hunger with the burning desire to return to the Lord and repent of our sins?
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Until you walk with Christ and return to truth and righteousness, you will always have that nagging feeling. You will never feel complete. You will only feel complete with the Gospel prevailing in your life.
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If you continue to fight against the truth, you will be destroyed, “for ​​​wo​ unto them that fight against God and the people of his ​​​church.” 2 Ne 25:14.
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If you’ve fallen away from the church, I invite you to come back, but I warn you to stop fighting to disprove that which is your unbelief—Unbelief does not hinder God.
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If you’re wondering, How is it done? You’ve been lost for so long and you’re far from the path of righteousness. How can you be forgiven, how can you return?
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Well, that voice you keep hearing “concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints.” That is faith inside of you. That’s the spirit of God. That’s your conscience. That’s common sense. It’s everything your parents taught you. It’s peace, joy, happiness, and love.
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All of those things are exactly what completes the sentence, ”How is it done?” Christ said, “Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen.” (Enos, 1:7)
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Come back to the fold of Christ.
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Your soul is hungry and the only way to feed and drink is to kneel down and cry mightily unto him! He will hear you.
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Hear Him!
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Art shared by @a_hansen113

Pray and Listen.
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We take the time to talk to our Father in Heaven, so why don’t we give Him some time to speak to us?
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I understand we are in a rushed environment, and it can be hard to make time for things, but we must make time for our Heavenly Father’s response.
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James 1:5 — 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.
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Have ye inquired of the Lord? Have you waited for His reply?
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My entire life, I’ve been asked and taught to be respectful. If I value that principle, how rude would it be for me to kneel, pray, and then to get up and continue on my day—without me giving God His turn to speak?
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How can we expect our Father in Heaven give us anything if we can’t take the time to listen to what He needs or has to give us?
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Let’s be better at this. Let’s take time to hear Him when we pray and not be so quick to move on.
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“The Lord has a way of pouring pure intelligence into our minds to prompt us, to guide us, to teach us, to warn us. You can know the things you need to know instantly! Learn to receive inspiration.” Elder Packer.
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As we take the time to listen, we will learn so much quicker how to receive inspiration.
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I’ve learned over the course of my life that spiritual things cannot be forced.
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There have been times where I’ve struggled with a problem and could not get an answer. Was there something wrong with me? Nope, not at all. I wasn’t doing anything wrong.
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Over the years I’ve learned I just wasn’t doing the right things long enough and I was forcing spiritual things.
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It was just a matter of me being confused because I simply wouldn’t take no for an answer.
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It’s okay to take no for an answer. Joseph Smith didn’t take no for an answer, and He ended up losing 116 pages of the manuscript.
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If we are prompted with ’no’ for an answer, take some time to understand why you’re receiving that prompting.
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Pray and Listen! Hear Him!
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Art by Doc Christensen @altusfineart

Families are eternal!
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To close up a great week, it’s my honor, my blessing, and as the patriarch of my family, I give thanks to an eternal family. How grateful I am to know of the Plan of Salvation.
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Did you know there is life after death? It’s our Eternal Father in Heaven’s plan of happiness. It’s the message we share with the world as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—Families are eternal!
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You may have lost a loved one and thought that was the end. I’m here to tell you; it’s not. You’re going to see them again.
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When we marry, we go to temples and with the authority of the priesthood, we are sealed.
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What makes it different than any other marriage? Well, we don’t say, ”till death do us part.” No, with this authority, we are sealed for time and all eternity.
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How did this authority come to?
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“Elijah came to restore to the earth, by conferring on mortal prophets duly commissioned of the Lord, the fulness of the power of Priesthood.
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This Priesthood holds the keys of binding and sealing on earth and in heaven of all the ordinances and principles pertaining to the salvation of man, that they may thus become valid in the celestial kingdom of God.
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It is by virtue of this authority that ordinances are performed in the temples for both the living and the dead. It is the power which unites for eternity husbands and wives when they enter into marriage according to the eternal plan.
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It is the authority by which parents obtain the claim of parenthood concerning their children through all eternity and not only for time, which makes eternal the family in the Kingdom of God.” Doc of Sal, 2:117.
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From the proclamation we read, “In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life.”
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Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.”
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Hear Him!
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PC: @kenibphotography

What would we do without written records?
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I know for me, I enjoy writing, and it is a way to ease my mind. We all have something to take the stress away for some time, and writing is one of those for me.
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I give thanks to those who write and who document, especially our ancestors. I give thanks to our prophets & apostles in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I am grateful for Joseph Smith and his time spent writing down revelation from God.
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Because we can write, we can “give thanks” and fulfill the prophet’s prescribed medicine to heal social media for seven days. It’s working from my end; how about your feed?
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It’s been great to read what everyone is thankful for and see the negativity disperse. We are again lighting the darkness! So, keep it up!
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Where would we be today if we didn’t have the written word?
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How would we know of the past without journals?
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Who would teach us about Jesus Christ if it wasn’t documented by oral transmission or as Job declared.
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“Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!” Job 19:23-24.
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“From latter-day revelation we learn that writing sacred records and the recording of genealogy began with Adam and his immediate family. Adam and the early patriarchs had a perfect language that was both spoken and written.” Bible Dictionary.
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“And a ​​​book​ of ​​​remembrance​ was kept, in the which was recorded, in the ​​​language​ of Adam, for it was given unto as many as called upon God to write by the spirit of ​​​inspiration​.” Moses 6:5.
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So today, I give thanks to the ability to write and document my thoughts. I give thanks to those who have inspired me and have allowed me an opportunity to learn of Jesus Christ and His restored Gospel.
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Read the writings of those who testified and testify of Jesus Christ. They have allowed us to Hear Him!

Our attitude decides.
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I was never grateful for individuals in my life who told me I needed to have a better attitude. I always felt like my attitude was great; however, I’m now eternally grateful to those who told me I needed to change my attitude.
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I couldn’t see my attitude was cancerous at times, and I needed to correct it. If I hadn’t been told by family members, co-workers, friends, etc, I wouldn’t have known.
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My recommendation, don’t be the silent person. Having hard conversations will usually bring respect between you and the person who has a bad attitude. It may not happen immediately, but years down the road, it may.
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I still lose my temper at times, and I have a lot of work ahead of me. My attitude decided a lot of things growing up and through my 20’s. Even in my 30’s and I suppose my 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, and so on.
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I am very opinionated, and I haven’t always enjoyed my opinion being challenged. I wanted to always be right and I enjoyed verbal confrontation—I still do in many circumstances (bad attitude).
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My attitude was not always the right way of approach—I could have been better and I still can be better.
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The older I get, the softer my attitude about things is becoming.
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Elder Holland gave me guidance and I’ll always remember this, “The voice that bears profound testimony, utters fervent prayer, and sings the hymns of Zion can be the same voice that berates and criticizes, embarrasses and demeans, inflicts pain and destroys the spirit of oneself and of others in the process.”
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This is the attitude we need to act on. We need to remember how painful the lashing of our tongue can be.
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Elder Holland again grounds my attitude.
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“Negative speaking so often flows from negative thinking, including negative thinking about ourselves. We see our own faults, we speak—or at least think—critically of ourselves, and before long that is how we see everyone and everything. No sunshine, no roses, no promise of hope or happiness. Before long we and everybody around us are miserable.”
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Have a good attitude and please correct me when my attitude is out of line.
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Hear him!

PC: Walter Rane @altusfineart

Never short yourself an opportunity.
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Opportunities are probably the most significant things I am grateful for. If you aren’t looking at each day, each setback, or each new challenge as a window of opportunity, you’re missing the point of life.
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I want to share a few paragraphs from a motivational speaker I admire to the highest degree.
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“How do I deal with setbacks, failures, delays, defeats, or other disasters? I actually have a fairly simple way of dealing with these situations, summed up in one word—“Good.”
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Didn’t get promoted? Good… More time to get better.
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Didn’t get funded? Good… We own more of the company.
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Didn’t get the job you wanted? Good… Go out, gain more experience, and build a better resume.
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Got injured? Good… Needed a break from training.
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Unexpected problems? Good… We have to figure out a solutions.
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When things are going bad: Don’t get all bummed out, don’t get frustrated. No. Just look at the issue and say: “Good.” —Jocko.
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Now, I want to say the same thing about the Gospel. You transgressed? Good… You get to talk to your Heavenly Father.
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You sinned? Good… You get to talk to your Heavenly Father.
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You failed to pay your tithing? Good… You get to talk to your Heavenly Father.
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These are ALL opportunities to talk to your Heavenly Father, and let Him help you.
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These are opportunities to become a better person and grow closer to the Lord.
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You’re not a failure because you messed up. You’re only a failure if you don’t seize the moment and see it as an opportunity to become someone better.
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Hear Him!
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PC: Larry Winborg

Agency is what I am grateful for.
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The Gospel is full of beautiful things; however, none of it would exist without agency.
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In the Gospel topics, we learn what the agency is.
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“Agency is the ability and privilege God gives us to choose and to act for ourselves. Agency is essential in the plan of salvation. Without agency, we would not be able to learn or progress or follow the Savior.
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With it, we are “free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil” (2 Nephi 2:27).
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Agency is everything—we can’t give thanks or receive thanks without it.
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President Nelson gave us a seven-day challenge, and we are given the agency to experiment with the challenge or not. It’s not being forced on anyone.
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I like to use my agency to follow directions. We may not understand the direction at the time, but I know our prophet wouldn’t give us guidance or a ”prescription” unless he was inspired to do so.
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With agency, we can choose to do good, or we can choose to do mischievous acts.
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We can choose when we want to be happy, or we can choose how long we want to be sad.
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We have the agency to do anything we want—nothing is holding us back.
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With agency comes consequences. You can still do anything you want, but you’re always going to have a consequence follow.
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Now, that sounds contradictory—We can do anything we want, but there is a consequence? Let me explain.
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We have the agency to choose our consequence. We have the agency to follow Jesus Christ and His example, or we can use our agency to follow Satan and his followers.
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The consequence comes by our action. We have agency to choose our actions and most of the time, we have agency to plan ahead.
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I give thanks to my Savior today and being willing to be our Redeemer. He accepted our Heavenly Father’s Plan. A plan to allow agency. Through His atonement, we can make mistakes. He has given us a safe way home—through him.
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Sometimes we will use our agency and make mistakes and sin; however, Christ provided a secure way to be forgiven. He has given us an option to use our agency and repent.
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Hear Him!

‘We’ need thee every hour.
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I am grateful for prayer. Sure, there are times I feel like I’m alone during my frequent ”calls home.” It’s these times I need to sit and ponder—what would my Father in Heaven do?
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When you can ask yourself that question, you allow Him to teach you what He would do. Many times, it’s not the answer you’re expecting or wanting; however, it’s Him telling you what He would do.
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I want to give you an example from my life.
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When my sister-in-law was taken home to Heavenly Father, she left her two beautiful girls to remain on earth. There was a decision to make between my wife and I. It was the only decision and best decision—we would adopt the girls.
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Before we decided anything, there was a small possibility to separate the two. This was not an ideal option in my mind, and we didn’t want to traumatize them more than they already were.
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My wife and I had a home of our own, and the choice to keep it or sell it and moving in with my inlaws to keep the girls together were our options.
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I remember praying and asking Him what He would do. The only answer that came to me was He would move in for some time if He were in my shoes.
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Was this ideal? For that time and those circumstances, it was. It kept the two girls together, and it allowed the oldest to decide to live with us voluntarily. She was able to see well beyond her age that she wanted a mom and a dad. She wanted the same opportunity her little sister was going to have.
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When we STOP thinking about ourselves and what WE want, when we pray, we will hear Him. When making small, medium, or big decisions, ask Him, ”Lord, what would you do?”
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Be prepared to get an answer you don’t want to hear. I promise you; you’re going to know it’s the right answer because you won’t want to do it, but you know it’s the right thing to do.
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It’s at those times, you will hear Him.

Spiritual and Physical Shape.
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I have experienced both. There have been times when I’ve been in phenomenal physical shape and spiritual shape. There are also times when I’ve been in terrible physical shape and spiritual shape.
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I recognize the difference when I’m either-or.
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There are many things about sports that I love. It’s the physical conditioning, self-discipline, and the spirit of team camaraderie.
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These things have taught me I have to be in good spiritual shape and good physical shape. If I’m not well balanced in both, I’m never going to accomplish my stewardship.
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I have a family, and I have many responsibilities. The stronger I become physically and spiritually is going to dictate how I manage everything I’ve been called to do.
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I want to be righteous. I want to be physically conditioned. The two have to go hand in hand for me.
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I want to be among the righteous followers of Christ.
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I want to become numbered among the elect who gain the assurance of exaltation.
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This is my calling and election. It began when I chose to be part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I joined the camaraderie of the Gospel. When I did this, I made a covenant with the Lord to be a Gospel steward in my family.
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I will do the following: “press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end” (2 Ne. 31:19–20).
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The scriptures call this process making our calling and election sure (2 Pet. 1:4–11; D&C 131:5–6).
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I hold the spirit of God in my physical body we call a temple. I want my spirit to have a healthy place to reside—a place of confidence and accountability.
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As I stay in shape, I remained disciplined. I train my mind and body to allow the spirit to speak clearly. Spiritual and physical shape is what has always enabled me to hear Him!
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PC: Larry Winborg

You’re doing fine, but we can improve.
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I am grateful for conversations with my grandparents. Today, I had a chance to talk to my grandma. We talked a little about hope and current events.
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She has always encouraged my writing and reads everything I write. Usually, she takes the time to respond to my thoughts.
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My grandma said this about my writing.
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“It’s been an amazing outlet for you, and I don’t know about others, but some of what you share really gets me pondering different areas of my life and mistakes I’ve made.”
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This was my reply to her.
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“I want people to ponder and know that things will be okay, and there is still time to make significant life changes.
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Our life experiences, some good and some bad make us the unique sons and daughters of God that He wanted.
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We are all different, and we are all on earth to help each other with the mistakes and successes we have made.
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It’s inevitable—we will make a mistake. He wants us to grow from those mistakes and help others who may go through the same mistakes or help others avoid our same mistakes.”
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That was a small portion of our conversation. I share this with you because it’s okay to be different. It is okay for us to take ”the road less traveled.”
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Being disciples of Jesus Christ is hard. “The road more often traveled” is the easy way, more stable way, but “the road less traveled” the road Jesus Christ wants us to take; that’s the road which will yield fruitful results.
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Free yourself from the conformity of others. Jesus Christ invites us, also—“follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,” “they straightway left their nets,” “forsook all, and followed him” (Matthew 4:19, 20; Luke 5:11; see also Mark 1:17–18).
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You’re doing fine, but as you leave your nets and everything else to follow Christ, you will improve your life more than you can comprehend.
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Hear Him!

We believe in one true Church, and that is the Church of Jesus Christ.
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We are not taking away the truths of all other churches. There are truths to each of them, but they do not have the keys or authority to act in the name of Jesus Christ.
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They have the form of godliness and are doing many wonderful things, but they do not have the Gospel’s fullness.
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How do we know this?
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Joseph Smith taught us—”I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all ​​​wrong​; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those ​​​professors​ were all ​​​corrupt​; that: “they ​​​draw near​ to me with their lips, but their ​​​hearts​ are far from me, they teach for doctrines the ​​​commandments​ of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the ​​​power​ thereof.” JSH 1:19.
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What then is our position and what stance do we take?
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“The position that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church upon the face of the earth is fundamental.
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Perhaps it would be more convenient and palatable and popular if we were to avoid it; nevertheless, we are under a sacred obligation and a sacred trust to hold to it.
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It is not merely an admission; it is a positive declaration. It is so fundamental that we cannot yield on this point…
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The gospel might be likened to the keyboard of a piano—a full keyboard with a selection of keys on which one who is trained can play a variety without limits; a ballad to express love, a march to rally, a melody to soothe, and a hymn to inspire; an endless variety to suit every mood and satisfy every need.
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How shortsighted it is, then, to choose a single key and endlessly tap out the monotony of a single note, or even two or three notes, when the full keyboard of limitless harmony can be played.
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How disappointing when the fullness of the gospel, the whole keyboard, is here upon the earth, that many churches tap on a single key. The note they stress may be essential to a complete harmony of religious experience, but it is, nonetheless, not all there is. It isn’t the fullness.” —Elder Packer.

Is living the Gospel hard?
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Yeah, it can be.
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Becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ requires a lot of work and many times it requires a lot of sacrifice.
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Sometimes it’s challenging to find the motivation to live the commandments and make those sacrifices.
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Some days I want to fulfill my calling and wonder why others struggle to do the same. Then in the same breath, I want to be released and do nothing.
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We are all human. We have a roller coaster of emotions. We have good days, and other days, not so much.
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There are leaders in the church that I wish I were more like. They just seem to excel at everything they do; however, they are no different than you and me. They probably look at us and wish they were more like us.
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Everyone is good at something. That’s the critical thing to understand. We all need each other’s example.
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We often make the Gospel harder than it needs to be.
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It doesn’t matter who you are or what stage of life you’re at in life. You have the choice to find your own motivation. You have to cultivate your faith in the Savior. His gospel is up to you.
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He isn’t going to force-feed it to you. Whatever effort you put into it, you’ll yield the results of your actions.
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“Answers to our sincere questions come when we earnestly seek and when we live the commandments. Our faith can reach beyond the limits of current reason.”Rosemary Wixom
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“As you continue to be obedient, … you will be given the knowledge and understanding you seek.” President Nelson.
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If the Gospel seems hard, follow the above two quotes. Then, hear Him!

How will you welcome Him?
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I’ve always thought about this question—How will I welcome the Savior?
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A poem that has always had a significant impact on me is ”Footprints in the Sand.”
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I’ve tried to live my life in a way that I include Him in everything I do. I don’t want to be caught off guard when he comes. I want to welcome Him like I’ve had Him by my side the entire time. I don’t want it to be a surprise when He shows up.
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It shouldn’t be a surprise. We know He will be here soon. So, how are you going to welcome him?
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Here is the poem:
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One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
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After the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
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I noticed that at many times along the path of my life, especially at the very lowest and saddest times, there was only one set of footprints. This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
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“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you, You’d walk with me all the way.
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But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”
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He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
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When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you.”

A Voice Speaks from the Dust.
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I love the Book of Mormon. I also love the Bible. The Bible taught us many revelations about a special gift the world would receive. The gift I am talking about is the Book of Mormon.
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If you haven’t read the Book of Mormon, I challenge you to do so—member or non-member friends. I promise you will draw closer to God as you read it. I can get you a copy or connect you with a copy of your own.
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Isaiah spoke: And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.
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I want to share a paragraph out of the book The Millennial Messiah: a chapter on the Book of Mormon and the Second Coming—By Bruce R McConkie.
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Behold, what wonders God hath wrought! Truth springs out of the earth; the gold plates are translated by the gift and power of God; and the voice we here is one that whispers from the dust.
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It is the voice of all the Nephis, of Alma and Amulek and Abinadi, of Ether and Mormon, and Moroni—of all the Nephite and Jaredite prophets. It is the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, who ministered among the Nephites, inviting them to feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet and to thrust their hands into his riven side.
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It is the voice of doctrine and testimony and miracles. It is the voice of God speaking to men through the Book of Mormon.
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The Book of Mormon is another testament from another fold of ”sheep.”
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Christ said it himself, ”And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”
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The people of the Book of Mormon are among those other sheep he visited with his Gospel. They, too, wrote of Christ and preached Christ—Just like the Prophets and Apostles in the Bible did.
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You can hear Him as you study and pray about both. He Lives!
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Christ’s Gospel is not just for one specific Continent; it’s for the entire world. He visited not just the people in Jerusalem after his resurrection, he visited his other sheep, too.
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@art.outthere

Start taking your Priesthood seriously—Rise Up!
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Never before in my life have I felt the need and the importance of the priesthood in the world.
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The need for each and every one of us to honor our priesthood, is crucial right now. We need to magnify our callings, and contribute wherever we can to advance of the cause of truth and righteousness.
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Until we take our priesthood seriously, there won’t be peace throughout the world.
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Sisters, we need your help. You can’t sit back and hope your priesthood brethren will take action. You need to hold us accountable and make sure we are doing what we are responsible for doing.
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The priesthood is a great responsibility and privilege. We’ve been trusted to have it come back to us during our dispensation. The dispensation of the fullness of times!
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“No men outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have this priesthood or the authority to speak or act in the name of the Lord.
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I tremble and fear as I stand before you and think what this body is and represents—tremble because of the great responsibility placed upon the priesthood, and fear because we are not doing all the Lord would have us do.” President N. Elton Tanner.
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Think of that and let it sink in.
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***No men outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have this priesthood OR the authority to speak or act in the name of the Lord!***
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Rise up, O men of God! Have done with lesser things. Give heart and soul and mind and strength To serve the King of Kings.
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Rise up, O men of God, In one united throng. Bring in the day of brotherhood and end the night of wrong.
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Rise up, O men of God! Tread where his feet have trod. As brothers of the Son of Man, Rise up, O men of God!
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Hear Him!

Love what is right.
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“And again, verily I say unto you, blessed is my servant Hyrum Smith; for I, the Lord, love him because of the ​​​integrity​ of his heart, and because he loveth that which is right before me, saith the Lord.” D&C 124:15.
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I was reading an older Ensign article the other day, and it’s fitting how we continue to go through the same trials.
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Do we seem to be getting any better or only worse?
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Are we the same and not really getting better or any worse?
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Is there even a chance our society can even heal at this point?
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What do you all think?
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As you read that opening scripture, what caused Hyrum to be the way he was?
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What a blessing it is to be one who loves that which is right.
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One of the important messages I have been pondering on includes the following by Marvin J. Ashton.
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“There seems to be a tendency among many of us in our society today to live by compromise, rationalization, comparison, and self-justification.
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Love of right has been replaced by love of acceptance and convenience.
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Some mistakenly think the pathway of safety is somewhere between the path of righteousness and the road to destruction.
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Others seem to have convinced themselves that the way to perfection is reached by traveling the highway of compromise.”
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When will you reaffirm the great truth that God’s paths are straight?
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What are you waiting for? The invitation has been given.
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These things not only provide safety, but they also lead to happiness and eternal progression.
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Hear Him—What a blessing it is to be one who loves that which is right!

God’s Kingdom is Order.
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I think, as adults, we have a different perspective on what order is and what freedom is.
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When we were kids, freedom to do whatever is what was enjoyable. That’s how I remember it. I didn’t want to be told what to do or how to do things. I wanted to be free!
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As I’ve grown older, I appreciate order and the reason behind it. This thing we label as ‘order’ gives me freedom.
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“There is nothing so important in the kingdom of God as order; yet the tendency today is to resist law and order, which must be maintained in the kingdom of God if we are to be pleasing in the sight of the Lord “Be one,” the Lord said, “and if you are not one you are not mine.” The only way we can be one is by following the leadership of the Church as the Lord has directed.” Harold B Lee.
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I honestly don’t know how much clearer it gets than that?
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If we can’t keep the laws of the land, what makes us think we can maintain the laws of God when we return to His kingdom?
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It’s not even about wanting to be a good citizen and obeying the laws of the land. It’s about the desire—the desire to become like God.
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If we want to become like God, we need to do our best on this earth to be like Him. We need to have a strong desire to maintain law and order. He doesn’t want this worldly chaos in His kingdom.
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So, we have to fix our actions and align them with His will. How would He act and what kind of citizen does He want you to be?
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Law-abiding! That’s the kind of citizen He wants you to be.
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Did you know that every problem people have can be solved by talking to Jesus Christ? Every problem!
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Every problem that afflicts us, our world, and our country, they can be solved if we will only talk to the Lord and then, just important, listen when the Lord answers.
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Hear Him!
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Art: Guatave Dore

Today is Veterans Day—My Grandma also passed today.
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The older we get, I think the bigger picture begins to enlighten our minds. There is a much broader understanding of God’s plan for us—at least for me, that’s the case.
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I want to thank all of our wonderful Veteran’s for the sacrifices they’ve made so I can live in “The Land of The Brave. Home of The Free.”
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I’m sure, as you enjoy today, you’ll have floods of memories come back to you—some good and some not so good. The important part, you’ve blessed us with your service.
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Today, I reflect on the memories of my Grandma. She married my grandpa—a Naval Veteran. When my grandpa passed away, she re-married. Her next husband was a proud U.S. Naval Veteran of World War II serving as Crew Captain of over one-hundred confirmed PBY plane rescue missions in the South Pacific.
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My Grandma outlived them both and took charge of her own “family army.” She was strong and had a powerful testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She wasn’t afraid to share her testimony of the restored church. She lead her own army of God here on earth and helped drive forward the work of the Lord.
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Today is a great reunion in Heaven. She has been welcomed home by many loved ones; most importantly, her husband, her son, who passed away as a baby, her parents, and so many friends.
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It’s also a sad day for all who mourn her passing. She can now tend to her Heavenly garden, which we all know will be beautiful when we see her again.
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To all of you military Veterans, the Savior said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).
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Many of us carry heavy burdens. Some have lost a loved one to death, and some have lost many to death. To you I say, Hear Him!
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Grandma Nae, you share a special day with so many Veterans. I love you and I’ll see you soon—Mikey.

Mental Health
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How old are you, and what were you doing in your early twenties, or what do you expect to be doing in your early twenties?
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What if everything came crashing down on you around that time?
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What if you had severe mental health and had exhausted every resource in the community?
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What if at the age of twenty, no service provider was willing to work with you, and no rehabilitation center was willing to accept you into their program?
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What if you were too ’high risk’ to work with?
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What if you had no other option—No accepting insurance provider, no housing, no means to pay, or maintain medical assistance?
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What if this was you, or maybe this is you?
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What if you had so many encounters with Law Enforcement that the only thing they could do was take you to jail because medical facilities would release you quicker than jail?
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Brothers and sisters, there is a severe mental health crisis in our Nation and our individual communities.
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We often overlook individuals who are torn apart on the inside yet, look so normal on the outside.
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What are we to do, and how do we fix the way we currently see this problem?
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How does the Savior see them, and how would he want us to fix it?
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I don’t have the answers, but I do know a tunnel in a mountain doesn’t magically appear. It is going to take all of us to make it happen.
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There are not enough resources. The water barrel is dry, and people are suffering. Many times, there is no physical place to turn.
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“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.
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Never give up! God loves you so much, and if you’re ready to change your life, there is a way! God is the way. Let Him prevail!
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Art: David Bowman

Laughter will always win.
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In this world of darkness, anger, and frustration—we live.
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I’ve experienced many days of my own personal darkness, as I’m sure you all have.
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We don’t have to remain in that state and I refuse to live in a world of darkness. Just because it’s dark, doesn’t mean I can’t be my own source of light. I only succumb to darkness if I allow it to prevail over me.
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I enjoy laughter. I enjoy having fun and doing enjoyable things. I am always pulling some sort of joke.
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”Mike, are you being serious right now?”
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That’s my favorite question. Everyone knows my sense of humor, and no one knows when to take me seriously.
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I understand how difficult things in life can be, but I also realize there is a lot of laughter to partake in.
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Have you ever tried laughing at a certain situation? I’m extremely cynical (part of the job title I work in, I guess) and I have to make light of certain situations.
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A few weeks ago, we were in-route to a protest that was getting out of hand. We armored up and my subordinate looked over at me. I could tell he was a little worried about the unknown, and he asked me a question.
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”Sarge, have you ever had to do anything like this in your career?”
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Instead of lying and saying, ”I sure have, let me tell you my war stories.” I said, ”Oh no, first time!”
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He looked at me in disbelief and we both busted up laughing to tears. He came to his supervisor for moral support and guidance; however, he got the truth, and his fears were eased away, thanks to laughter.
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I’ve learned over the years, if we can laugh at things, we can usually live with It. Humor can help us improve our perspectives, and often, it may just lighten our load.
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“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” (Prov. 17:22).
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Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught, “Jesus found special joy and happiness in children and said all of us should be more like them—guileless and pure, quick to laugh.”
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Like my story, we are all going to find ourselves in situations we have not anticipated and we may not be sure how to handle it. I promise, If we can laugh, we may find that at least some of the handling takes care of itself.
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Art: @gregolsenart

Do what Christ would do.
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My personal opinion—We are too wrapped up in doing what we personally feel is right, not necessarily what Christ expects us to do.
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It can feel good to voice our opinions and argue our cause; Especially, when people begin to cheer for what we say. There is a time and a place to do such things.
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Driving forth the mission of God, the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, is the message we should be sharing.
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Hate, discontent, unhealthy disagreements, violent protests (physical or verbal), and anything else is not of Jesus Christ.
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The Lord warns us, and we better start paying attention. Read Isaiah 45:8-9
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“Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker!”
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Every action, every deed, every thought, and everything else must be aligned with Jesus Christ. We can’t treat this lightly. I don’t know about you, but I will answer to Him SOON, and I want to say I treated people the way He would have.
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So, take a look at where you are at this very moment. Are you sharing dividing messages on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter? Are you sharing dividing messages to your communities?
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Or… Are you spreading messages of Love, Hope, and Joy? Do you pray for your enemies and seek ways to help them? Are your gatherings for hate or love? Is your message to the world the message of Jesus Christ and His second coming?
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What kind of message are you sharing right now in your life?
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Here is my message today.
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I love you—I want peace and harmony. I pray we can find ways to work together and stop dividing each other from the message of eternal truths. We need to lift each other.
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I know Christ lives, and He loves perfectly. He cares about our situation, and when He comes, we must be ready.
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Will you recognize Him in your clouds of chaos?
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Hear Him!
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Art: English School

Husbands, you have a huge responsibility.
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Sure, it can be extremely challenging. Challenge is something my wife and I have gone through our entire marriage.
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It probably would be a lot easier if I were more cooperative and not so stubborn. I admit to being the donkey of our relationship—she knows that, too.
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As hard as it can be, has been, and probably will still be, I don’t want to live without my eternal companion.
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How are you and your eternal companion preparing each other? One day, one of you will pass through the veil before the other. Have you taken measures to prepare for that? Do you communicate and plan well for that time? It’s inevitable, so think about it.
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When we keep our temple covenants, then, come what may! Why should you worry? If not, and you are off track, you should probably remember the covenants you made with your wife and what you promised her.
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To all of you wonderful wives—those who may be struggling from a husband who decided to lie to you and the Lord. Learn from Elder Faust.
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Elder James E. Faust taught, your husband “must bear the responsibility for the train of consequences which inevitably follow if these covenants are not honored.”
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We need to recognize the sacred role the Savior himself put on womanhood. A woman is a nurturer by the way they are created. A husband should find specific things his wife is doing and gently reinforce her sacred role as a woman.
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Now, read this carefully, brothers and sisters.
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Elder Richard G. Scott spoke during an interview with Sheri Dew.
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”I don’t believe that the temple ordinance guarantees that we will be together forever. There will be a time, before that holy spirit of promise makes it eternal, where we will be in the presence of the Savior, as individuals, and there will be a choice.
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Whether we continue with the sealing or not, and I want to do everything in my power to qualify so that she will choose for that sealing to be eternal.”
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I pray I can do the same here during my mortal probation. I pray I will do things to convince my wife to choose for our eternal sealing to be eternal.
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Hear Him!

We pierced through the darkness.
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I need you to think about this.
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The Gospel of Jesus Christ was REJECTED.
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The Son of God was killed.
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Why?
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Because the world was SO WICKED!!
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What happened next? They killed the Apostles and prophets, and we entered into a spiritual dark age. (2 Thes. 2:2–7).
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“For over seventeen hundred years on the eastern hemisphere, and for more than fourteen centuries on the western, there appears to have been silence between the heavens and the earth.” Talmage.
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If the world was wicked enough to reject Christ, His Apostles, and prophets, how evil do you think it got over the course of Seventeen Hundred years?
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Scripture ended, apostasy spread, and the church that Christ established during His earthly ministry ceased to exist. ( 2 Ne. 27:4–5).
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How powerful is God? Powerful enough to re-establish His Gospel.
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He restored His Gospel as evil prevailed, and darkness swept the world for centuries.
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“Wickedness is rapidly expanding in every segment of our society. It is more highly organized, more cleverly disguised, and more powerfully promoted than ever before. Secret combinations lusting for power, gain, and glory are flourishing.
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A secret combination that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries is increasing its evil influence and control over America and the entire world (Ether 8:18–25).
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As the issues become clearer and more obvious, all mankind will eventually be required to align themselves either for the kingdom of God or for the kingdom of the devil.
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As these conflicts rage, either secretly or openly, the righteous will be tested. God’s wrath will soon shake the nations of the earth and will be poured out on the wicked without measure (See JS—H 1:45; D&C 1:9).
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But God will provide strength for the righteous and the means of escape; and eventually and finally, truth will triumph.” EZT.
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Hear Him!!
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Art @reflectionsofchrist

God Will Prevail!
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It’s as straightforward as that if we are in-tune with the spirit, immersed in scripture study, and earnestly seeking out our Heavenly Father in prayer.
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Joseph Smith taught us one of the most powerful lessons.
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I know I’m not alone when it comes to political matters and trying to figure out what is true and what is false.
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Joseph Smith felt a similar way with religion when he was a young boy. His example gives me hope and it should give you the same hope.
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Are you like the young prophet who is in desperate need of a loving God to ease the pain?
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“In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?” JSH 1:10.
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If you find yourself asking that same question, this is what we learned from Joseph Smith.
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“While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: 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.”
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Joseph Smith was able to receive an answer. We, too, will be able to receive a response.
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God loves us and He is here for us.
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He will prevail!! Let God Prevail!! Hear Him!!
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Art by @kalenewalker @artoutthere

Have you feasted upon the scriptures?
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President Nelson spoke in General Conference about his time spent feasting upon every related scripture related to the Gathering of Israel.
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This is a powerful message and a strong example for us to follow.
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We may have our own “feast” we are trying to consume. Whatever it is, are you doing it with all your heart, mind, and soul?
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President Nelson shared a personal study with us. A study that has captured his mind for more than 36 years.
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“I have studied the gathering, prayed about it, feasted upon every related scripture, and asked the Lord to increase my understanding.” President Nelson
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How about you? Have you done everything to receive new revelation and understanding of what captures your mind?
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Amazingly, we can always learn more. We can also be delighted when we find a new insight. Never stop and never give up. Continue learning about the things that capture your mind.
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I was asked a personal question last night by one of you wonderful followers. I want to share my response with everyone.
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The question: Have you ever been in a situation where you had a hard time making a decision/choice? What did you do? Or what had helped you to make the decision?
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My response: You’re Not Messing Up God’s Plan for You.
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That’s about the best answer I have for you or myself. God doesn’t measure us against any decision we make or don’t make.
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He wants us to talk to Him about the decisions we have to make, and He wants us to ask Him ”help me make the decision that is going to best further my mortal progression.” (I would add Eternally, as well).
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Once we’ve included Him in the decision process, we need to make a decision and trust the Lord will steer us in the direction of His will.
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As we include Him, feast, study, and pray, we will make decisions which will help us learn and progress (right or wrong). We will hear Him, and new insight will come.
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@eva_timothy @altusfineart

What has the Gospel taught you?
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If there is one thing the Gospel of Jesus Christ has taught me, it’s never to give up. It’s to keep pursuing my goals and dreams. It’s to turn the other cheek and ignore the negative influences.
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The Gospel has given me a sturdy platform to work from. Most of all, it has given me peace of mind. I don’t care what transpires during this lifetime. Of course, I want things to go my way, and I like to see my desires come to pass; however, it’s okay if none of it goes that way.
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Why?
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Well, because I know none of it is my will. The only thing that matters is the will of the Lord and if my goals are aligned with His. Otherwise, It’s doesn’t matter.
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Do you think the Lord cares who wins the Presidental election, the Governor of your State, or who wins in the NCAA and NFL?
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I care, but He doesn’t. Sure, those things will make me happy here in this life—That’s it!
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What He does care about is you and I. He cares how we treat each other. He cares about our scripture study and personal prayer. He cares about our mental health and spiritual wellbeing.
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God has always made it clear that it is our choice whether or not to obey. He knows our heart and He wants us to return to Him, and so as we seek His guidance, He shows us how to do just that. He is always trying to give us what we really, truly want. But it is always our choice.
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If we seek His guidance, we will understand all the things I mentioned don’t matter to Him. His Gospel is what matters to Him. He wants us to study it and take His Son’s name upon us.
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He wants us to hear Him. As we hear Jesus Christ, we will know that everything will be okay, and we can make it. He loves each of us. He wants us to get along and find Him together in all we do.
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Don’t get wrapped up in the world. Embrace the Gospel and receive the fruit it bears.
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The Gospel has taught me everything I need to know at this point in my life and it will only continue to teach me as the days go on.
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Hear Him!

PC: Brent Borup @altusfineart

Your mouth hasn’t been shut, so preach the Gospel.
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Do you have a “Mormon” son in your home? A boy who is 10 and preparing to receive the Aaronic Priesthood in the year they turn 12?
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When I heard that announcement nearly two years ago, my thoughts went to Mormon. He was considered a trustworthy boy. Ammaron came to him and laid out his course for the next 14 years.
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When he was 15 years old, the Lord took away His disciples, work of miracles, and healing. There were also no more gifts from the Lord. The Holy Ghost ceased to come to anyone. (Mormon Chapter 1).
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Can you imagine being Mormon? He was a 15-year-old kid who was given a massive assignment at the age of 10. Imagine having the task of going to a specific location in 14 years, obtaining a record for future generations (plates of Nephi), and scribing everything you have learned concerning the people.
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Then imagine this, you turn 15, and all the miracles, healing, gifts, and Lord’s disciples are gone. Then you’re visited by the Lord, and He gives you a taste of His goodness.
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What’s your first reaction after that visit? Probably the same as Mormon’s—Endeavor to preach the gospel to the people.
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However, you’re unable to, and your mouth has been shut—being forbidden to preach to your people.
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Take some time and think about that for a few minutes.
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The Lord trusts our Youth. He has always put His confidence in the youth. We need to do the same. We need to look at our young children, like Ammaron looked at Mormon—Sober child, quick to observe, trustworthy.
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If we can’t do that, we need to pray to have our minds opened to understanding from the Lord. He looks at them like that, and He has trusted them to hold the Aaronic Priesthood at that age.
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Now, your mouth hasn’t been shut, so preach the Gospel!
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We have full advantage of doing what Mormon could not. Our mouths are not forbidden. We have miracles; we have the priesthood; we have gifts of the Lord; we have disciples; we have a Prophet of God to guide us!!
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Take advantage of this time in history! We are a blessed people.
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Hear Him and preach His gospel!

• 
  The Dark Side.
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  Today is Halloween, and with that comes the ”spooky, haunted, evil, and devilish” components.
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  Halloween is a fun day—so let’s not take what I’m about to write out of context. This is just my attempt to make a ”Halloween” post. Celebrate the holiday and enjoy your time spent with friends and family. Light your bonfires, wear your costumes and have fun warding off the ghosts.
  .
  What I want to express is something that comes as a reminder to all of us, especially to our youth. There really is a dark side, and it’s not something we should entice.
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  Elder Packer said the following.
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  “A warning: there is a dark side to spiritual things. In a moment of curiosity or reckless bravado some teenagers have been tempted to toy with Satan worship. Don’t you ever do that! Don’t associate with those who do! You have no idea of the danger! Leave it alone! And there are other foolish games and activities that are on that dark side. Leave them alone!”
  .
  A few posts ago, I wrote about making the right decision and worrying about yourself and not what others think of you. Now, here is what Elder Packer encourages.
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  “It is the courage to run away from unworthy things when you will be mocked for doing so. That courage is laced with wisdom. We had to gain it from experience; you need it now.
  .
  You have an alarm system built into both body and spirit. In your body it is pain; in your spirit it is guilt—or spiritual pain. While neither pain nor guilt is pleasant, and an excess of either can be destructive, both are a protection, for they sound the alarm “Don’t do that again!”
  .
  We need to recognize these alarms. We sometimes make mistakes and as humans, we feel we are doomed and our mistakes are everlasting. Satan wants you to believe that. It’s not true. He wants you to be miserable, just like he is miserable. Just like his evil hosts are miserable.
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  Every stain will come out. Christ’s blood has secured that promise. He asks you to come unto Him and follow His teachings.
  .
  Have a happy Halloween!
  .
  Hear Him!

”Even when we think we cannot rise up, there is still hope.”

Elder Uchtdorf continued, “And sometimes we just need someone to look us in the eyes, take our hand, and say, “You can do it now!”
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Here is my attempt to the world and all of you who follow my account—Rise up and do it now!
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Even if you are at your lowest of lows, you can rise up, and you can do it now!
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“As long as we are willing to rise up again and continue on the path, … we can learn something from failure and become better and happier.” Uchtdorf.
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We have a lot to be grateful for. Having the chance to even ”Rise Up” and be forgiven of our sins is one of the greatest gifts we could have ever been given! The atonement of Christ is to be utilized and not pushed away.
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Why would we not jump at that chance?
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I feel it’s a lack of knowledge. If the world understood the atonement, there would be more peace and happiness. People would be rising up and continuing on the path.
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What path? The path to exaltation and eternal happiness. Christ paved the way for us! We have a God telling us to Rise Up and move forward. He is giving us opportunity after opportunity to become healed through his atoning blood.
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My goodness!! You screwed up. Who doesn’t? Oh, you screwed up 10-1000 times? Yeah, that means you’re trying!! It doesn’t mean you give up—it means you RISE UP!! You do it again and again. Stop getting discouraged and Rise up!!
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Get over the quitter personality and mindset. Is that what you are? Is that what you want to be known as? I sure don’t.
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Do you think God gave life to ”quitter” children? I mean, think about that for a few seconds. Did the God of this world and other worlds breathe life into quitter children? We. Are. His. Children!! I know he doesn’t he want quitters.
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We can rise up, and we can do it now. We can do it together, and we do it by hearing Him!!
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PC: Doc Christensen @altusfineart

”Your dad is my hero.”
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I have grown up in a law enforcement family. My dad served thirty years as a police officer. I am going into my thirteenth year, and my older brother completed his tenth year.
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My entire life, I’ve heard great stories about my dad. Never once have I listened to a negative one. My dad and I sometimes joke about his career, and I tell him, “if you weren’t such a kind guy, you would have promoted higher than you did.”
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To each their own—the stories I receive prove on a far grander scale, he was a more impactful leader without all the heavy brass.
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I was sitting in a training class today, and a well-seasoned officer approached me. He asked me if my dad was “Steve”(to protect his name), and I confirmed he was indeed my dad.
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He said, ”I want you to know your dad is my hero. He changed my life and the course of my career over fifteen years ago.”
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I didn’t know how to reply besides saying my dad is my hero, as well. I asked him what it was my dad did to make such an impact on his life.
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He swallowed hard, and with tears in his eyes, he said, ”I was going through a hard time in my career, and administration was coming down on me. Your dad told me something I’ve used over and over in my life and my career. He said, ”Well, prove them wrong.”
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He didn’t expect me to understand how powerful the statement was to him, but he wanted to let me know that my dad was his hero.
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Life is interesting.
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Life is short.
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Life is precious.
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I have been told countless stories about my dad over the years. The kind acts and deeds he went about doing. There is a reason he is my dad.
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There is a reason you are you, too! Whether you’re a dad, mom, brother, sister, uncle, or aunt—it doesn’t matter. You are somebody and somebody needs you. You may never know who you help along the way. You may never know what impact you had during your journey. You have a purpose!
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How do you want to be remembered?
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Are you looking for recognition?
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Do you seek your own interests and put yourself before others?
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What kind of person do you want to present to the Lord when he comes?
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For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
(John 13:15)