Are We Remembered?

     Have you ever wondered how big the Universe is? What about how many stars or lights there are in the sky? It is safe to say that the Earth is just one small planet that occupies a very small piece of the Universe. We are extremely insignificant compared to the Universe or existence in general. Have you ever felt like you were of little or even no importance? Is there really anyone that cares about me? As a representative of Jesus Christ, I testify to you that God; the Eternal Father, loves you and cares about you more than we can ever comprehend!

     President Dieter F. Uchtdorf; an outstanding leader for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints taught, "And while we may look at the vast expanse of the universe and say, “What is man in comparison to the glory of creation?” God Himself said we are the reason He created the universe! His work and glory—the purpose for this magnificent universe—is to save and exalt mankind. In other words, the vast expanse of eternity, the glories and mysteries of infinite space and time are all built for the benefit of ordinary mortals like you and me. Our Heavenly Father created the universe that we might reach our potential as His sons and daughters." This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God. While against the backdrop of infinite creation we may appear to be nothing, we have a spark of eternal fire burning within our breast. We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation—worlds without end—within our grasp. And it is God’s great desire to help us reach it."

     When I heard him say this, I felt in my heart that it was true through the Holy Ghost, also known as the Holy Spirit. It may not seem so at times, but we are of such great importance to God and he is always thinking about us. I would like to share an experience with you that may help me support this statement.

     I have always enjoyed playing sports; they make me so happy! I was not too good at any sport I played and compared to others I was unskillful and uncoordinated. I was very discouraged at times because It seemed like I would never be a great athlete. It took a long time for me to understand this concept but I started to grasp the concept that It does not matter how bad I am or how much athleticism I had. All that mattered was that I was trying and being true to myself. Heavenly Father still loved me and it did not matter to him at all if I was an incredible athlete. He would rather me be a good person and a someone that is trying to be obedient to his commandments rather than the Super Bowl MVP!

     I know that we have a Father in Heaven who loves us and it does not matter how rich, pretty, or educated we are, what matters to him is that we are just trying to do our best and follow his son Jesus Christ. He loves us and we really are everything to him!

Coping With Disappointment: Using Charlie Brown and The Great Pumpkin

    
   
       I have always loved the Peanuts gang, an American classic it truly is! Nothing beats the constant misfortune of Charlie Brown, the witty comments from Linus, and the comedic shenanigans of Snoopy and his yellow pal Woodstock. I remember that there was a really good selection of Peanuts comics and books at the South Weber Elementary School Library. One of my favorite Peanut tales is The Great Pumpkin! To those who are not aware of this amazing tale, Linus believes that every Halloween night, the head honcho named, The Great Pumpkin, comes out of the local pumpkin patch and declares glad tiding and good joy to all of the believers. Everyone thinks that Linus is insane and Linus ends up spending all of Halloween night sitting in a pumpkin patch and never to meet the infamous Great Pumpkin.

     Everyone who live or who will ever live the on Earth will go through some sort of disappointment during their stay here similar to young Linus here. I know that I have sometimes asked the question, "Why does disappointment occur when I am not doing anything wrong?" Linus, was a good kid and he never was into any mischief in the neighborhood. He had a strong hope that the Great Pumpkin would appear to him but instead he became a laughing stock to all of his family and friends!

     Disappointment is just going to happen but always know that there is a loving Heavenly Father who is there to comfort us. Disappointment and discouragement in our own life can lead to a stronger relationship with Heavenly Father in the Eternities. If we come to God in broken hearts willing to hear His words, we will gain more love and appreciation for him. A scripture that witnesses to me that God loves everyone is in the Book of Mormon. It states, " For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile." (2 Nephi 26:33).

     Heavenly Father loves us and he understands our disappointments and we can feel his love if we turn unto him and we will be filled with warm peace that will reassure us Heavenly Father is going to make our burden light. So next time we get disappointed; or in other terms, pull a Linus, remember the invitation is there for us to come to Heavenly Father.

The Fam: Eternal Families Make Eternal Joy

     This picture was taken on May 6, 2011 in front of the Salt Lake City Temple. In the picture is my dad (Mike), my sister (Bailee), my brother (Derek), my mom (Jane), and the happy couple (Tanner&April), my brother and sister in-law. It is probably a good thing that I was not there because the picture would go down in value. It is kind of hard to not have been there because this is the very first family portrait that I was not in. I love my family deeply and  have so many memories with each one; except my sister in-law April, but we will chill and get to know each other later. I remember getting baseballs thrown at my head by Tanner when I was first learning to play baseball. I remember all of the social gatherings that I was able to be apart of with Derek and the rest of the Pandit Association. I unfortunately remember being dressed up by Bailee and posing as a jazz dancer. I remember going on drives with my mom and listening to classical jazz. I remember going to the driving range with my dad and spending good time with him!


     I love my family so much and to know that I can be with them again gives me so much serenity and comfort. What gives me the serenity and comfort the most though, is that if I live my life the way God wants me to live it, I can live with them forever. In the last two verses of the entire Old Testament of the Bible, the prophet Malachi writes, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:5-6) This prophecy did occur when Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on April 3, 1836 in Kirtland, Ohio. He gave them the keys to seal what is on earth to heaven creating a way for families to be together eternally. That is a reason for why there are temples on the Earth, it is for a man and woman to promise to live their life in a way to where they can live with each other and their children forever. My brother and sister in-law had the privilege of doing that and anyone who is willing to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ can as well. Whey wouldn't you want to be with your family forever rather than just death do us part?


     I know that Heavenly Father loves us and that we can be able to live with our family forever and the way we do that is by being apart of Jesus Christ's church. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the restored church of Jesus Christ's church a long time ago! You can know for yourself by praying and asking God if that is true. It is a simple way and God wants to make it simple because he does not want any of us to stumble in the dark!


     I hope you have a great day and hope to chat with you later!

Building Strong Spiritual Muscles

    
      Strong man competitions have always intrigued me because it is absolutely incredible to see someone lift up extraordinary amounts of weight just from their own body. It is incredible that they can lift things that are twice and sometimes 3 times the amount of weight that they are. The most incredible concept about competitive lifting though is that these superman like athletes didn't always have huge biceps or bulging necks. They were born with a normal body that was just like another normal human body. The difference though that made their bodies so much stronger than an average human is all the time in the weight room and all of the sacrifices they had to make to be able to endure the physical labor that they endure. They had to pay the price by putting in the time and effort. I believe that with the incredible things these brutes can accomplish, they have paid the price.

     Most of us will probably not be as strong as these select strong men or be able to have the ability to lift tree stumps, but we can be "spiritual strong-men." I think a spiritual strong man is more impressive than a physical strong-man. Having a solid testimony in Jesus Christ and knowing that his purpose in his life was to help us have a resurrected body and give us the chance to gain eternal life is more important than looking like Arnold. The way we gain spiritual strong-man status is by reading the scriptures, serving others, trying to gain Christlike charity, and keeping the commandments. We will have to pay the price but I know that we can one day all be spiritual strong-men and we will even intimidate the physical strong-men!


 
     I know that Jesus Christ lives and that he loves so much! He appeared to young boy named Joseph Smith who brought back the holy priesthood that would bring back Christ's Church on the Earth. Heavenly Father loves us and he cares for us so much! If you would like to learn more about Joseph Smith or Jesus Christ's Church being back on the Earth, contact me on facebook (Elder Sam Stout) or check out www.mormon.org and click on missionary request on the top right corner. Have a blessed day.

Remembering 9/11

    

     I vividly remember being woke up by my dad on a beautiful September morning in the later part of the year 2001. He told me with a sound of sadness and shock in his voice that the World Trade Center has been hit by an airplane. Me being half-asleep, did not really understand what was going on but I followed my father into his bedroom and on the television I saw a lot of smoke foaming around a gigantic skyscraper. I stood there in shock and awe and was thinking to myself how could something like this happen. We later found out for sure that it was a terrorist attack and it was scary to think that people did not think so kindly of us Americans. It was really difficult for an 11 year old such as I was to think that someone would hate someone else so much that they would do something that serious.

     The after effect 9/11 was very damaging and the whole country was in complete sadness and shock. There was so much hardship that effected the families of the victims. I can't imagine all of the pain that they had to go through. There really is only so far we can go on our own when it comes to coping with such a huge loss. The way to fully cope with something is to rely on the Savior and allow him to help you feel his true and unwavering love. This video shows how a 9/11 survivor had the Savior help him through the grief of what happened.

     I know that Jesus Christ lives and that he can help us through our problems even if they do take time! Heavenly Father knows and understands what we are going through and we just need to keep on keeping on!

Football: The Gospel Does Apply Here

    

     I have always been a really big fan of college football and it is life down here in the South! Where I am serving right now, everyone is getting all of their Tennessee Orange out and ready for the first game of the season. It is so funny that there may not be a lot of commonalities that I have with other people down here, but everyone can relate to football! Nothing beats the sweet smell of short grass and guys getting the chocolate knocked out of them by a 300 pound man! I truly believe that football and the Gospel of Jesus Christ relate together and it really helps me know that Heavenly Father has a plan for us and it includes Jesus Christ suffering for our sins!

     
WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF COACHES TO HELP US

     First off, there is a coach for every team who makes the call on what is best for the team on and off the field. He spends countless hours planning strategies on passing routes, blocking assignments, audibles, and where players line up on the field. He leads the team by showing them the way. He has other coaches there to help him help the team in the best way possible. It is up to the players though to carry through with what he taught them to do. They have their agency to listen to the coach or not. They will suffer the consequence for what they choose to do. The Gospel teaches us that our coach is Heavenly Father and he has set out a game plan; Eternal Life,  to follow while we are here on Earth but it is our choice to follow it! He has given us other coaches to help us such as his son Jesus Christ and Prophets that show us the way to follow through with Heavenly Fathers game plan.


WE ALL GO THROUGH TRIALS AND TOUGH TIMES

      Secondly, It is very difficult to see a young men get hurt while he is playing the game. Football Injuries can range from pulled ligaments to broken bones. Some injuries can make a player not play for the rest of the season. It is always sad to have dreams of a great season or career shattered when the player had no intention to get hurt. While we are on the Earth, we will go through trials that make it so sometimes we can't handle the outcome. Heavenly Father gives us these trials because he knows it can help us become better.



WE CAN DO IT

     Finally, the greatest thrill from college football comes when your team wins a game, rivalry, bowl game, or best of all a National Championship. It gives you a good feeling in your heart to know that your team overcame the unpredictable. There are always so many people cheering at you and congratulating you for your heroic feat! Heavenly Father wants us to work hard and make wise decisions in this life so we can return to him again! If we do what is right and follow the Saviors example set for us, we will achieve Eternal Life, which means that we can live with Heavenly Father and our families for us! there are so many people cheering us on and when we make it, just imagine the feeling of VICTORY!!!!!!!!!

     Heavenly Father loves us and he wants us to be the great players that he made us to be. We all are apart of His team and we can do it!

Are Mormons; Latter-Day Saints, Christians?

     As Elder Waltman and myself have been out proselyting and trying to share with people the Book of Mormon, It seems that there are folks who believe that we don't believe in Jesus Christ the way that Christians do. That really shocked my brain because I thought that I was a Christian. A Christian is defined as one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ. This blog entry is to answer the thought provoking question of if Mormons are Christians? I am going to share what The Church of Jesus Christ beliefs are and if they do or do not support if others think we are Christian or not.

• The name of our church has as well as supports Jesus Christ's name. As a missionary, we were black name tags with these words on them because we believe we are representatives of the Savior Jesus Christ.

• On the front of the Book of Mormon, it says is smaller print, another testament of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon testifies that Jesus Christ is the Savior and that his incredible example touched the people living in the American Continents during the same time period that the Bible took place.

• The Mormon belief is that Jesus Christ atoned for our sins by being chosen to be our Redeemer and Advocate. He was sent to Earth to be a sacrifice for sin because all of us sin and make mistakes and no unclean thing can stand to be in the presence of God. The only way we can return to Heavenly Father is through the Savior Jesus Christ.

     I know that Jesus Christ is real because he has been there in my life when I needed him! Without his compassion and love, I would not be on a mission and I don't want to even think where I would be in life. I have been taught about Jesus Christ ever since I was a young lad and I always remember the respect and love that was talked about him whenever someone in church talked about him. It does not matter if someone does not think that I'm a Christian because of my religion. The fact of the matter is is that I know Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World and he has given me opportunities to learn of him. I believe in Christ!

The Reality is... God Loves Us

     I was a little skeptic before watching this video, I just thought it was going to be a video that would just tell us to quit doing bad things and shapen up or bad things are going to happen to you! This video which is entitled Addiction: You Will Be Freed, has been posted for at least a few months and I never even watched it. A few weeks ago, I was dealing with some hardship in my life and for some reason I decided to watch this video for an unknown reason. As Elder M. Russel Ballard; one of Jesus Christ's Apostles on the Earth today, explained that we can be healed from our shortcomings and weaknesses, I felt such a soothing hug of peace that just entangled me. This video reassured me that God loves us so much and he just wants us to turn our life to him.

     His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ died for us and because of that, our dumb mistakes can be forgiven because we have a loving Heavenly Father who loved the World so much that he sent his son, Jesus Christ into the world to die for us.(John 3:16)  I know that God is watching out for us and if we do things such as pray to him for help in a humble manner, Heavenly Father will be there to help and guide us! 

Humor: A way to more happiness

     I am a huge fan of comedy and especially improvisational humor. Nothing beats getting a good chuckle because someone is acting like a complete weirdo. One of my favorite shows as a kid was Whose Line Is It Anyway. It completely blew my mind of how these actors could act out a funny scene without ever practicing before. I always seem to smile when I remember one of the hilarious skits that they have done years before. When we remember a funny incident from the past, it is just natural to start chuckling, or in my case giggling. It seems that we forget the worries of the world and our lives for a few seconds.



     Heavenly Father has given us ways to be happy in this life and clean wholesome humor is one of those ways. It can be from just telling a good joke, watching a really funny movie, or just seeing your good friend fall off their chair. Our attitude and personality change in a more positive way when we are laughing from something funny. I know that when I am going through a hard time, what makes my heart feel better is when I find something funny and I laugh about it. My optimism level is so much higher when I am happy and my life has so much more meaning.

     I know that Heavenly Father gives us ways to be happy on this life. He knows what we are going through and he is willing to help us be happy. I am so grateful for clean humor and it has made me a better person because of the happiness it has brought me. I am grateful for you reading my blog, keep reading my friends, keep reading!

Unusual Circumstances Make Amazing Memories

     Has their ever been sometime in your life when you did something that seemed normal to you but very unusual to someone else. It may be the way we breath, the way we pick up a utensil to eat, or maybe just the way we talk. It does not seem like a big deal until someone points out that it is very strange how we perform that certain task. We may start to question why we do it that certain way and not the way mostly everyone else does it. We can either allow ourselves to be sad because we are not normal or we can have pride in that we are unique and special.

     Ever since I started to walk, I walked on my toes. It was just the way I walked and it seemed like no big deal until I was in Elementary School. All my schoolyard chums started to notice the way I walked and I started to get all sorts of questions. They started to call me names like Twinkle Toes and it really bothered me. I was just walking the way I always walked and it wasn't like I was doing it on purpose. Well, after going to a few physical therapists and a lot of foot and leg exercises, I started to not walk on my toes as much but I still tend to put more pressure on my toes rather than my heals. I have come to the realization that that is who I am and it makes me me! If you see me walking and I'm on my toes, you better know I am grateful to be an awkward walker!

     Heavenly Father makes us all in different ways because we are all unique in his ways. It can be as big as having a physical disability or as small as walking a little funny. Heavenly Father thinks we are special and it does not matter to him what we look like, It only matters that we are trying to live our life the way God wants us too. He loves us and only if we could see into his eyes, then we would start to really realize how special we are! After we die, we will all one day have a perfect body because we will be Resurrected; which means the reuniting of our body and spirit in a perfect form. We will have a perfect body one day where we will not have to worry about our bodies imperfections, but until that day, we can be grateful for what we do have! I have said this a lot but I will say it one more time, we are all spirit sons and daughters of God!

Music: How Sweet It Is

     I have always had a strong love for music and not just one genre but many. I remember when I was about 12, whenever I was in the car with my mom in the evening time, we would listen to jazz music. I just loved the calming and soothing sound it had. All I needed sometimes was to just listen to some amazing Jazz musicians like Miles Davis. I don't know if you would consider Blood Sweat and Tears Jazz, but they also had some great music. When I got a little older I started to listen to more punk rock bands because that is just what punk 14 year old's listen too. It wasn't until high school when I really started getting into Alternative Rock. The sound of that the guitar makes from such bands as Weezer, Foo Fighters, Oasis, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Modest Mouse, The Get Up Kids, and so many other bands that I can't remember right now; that is probably a good thing.


     The reason why I am so into music is because of the sound, but more importantly because of the way it makes me feel. I am not a fan of music that is depressing or degrading because It makes me feel dirty inside and just sad and droopy. Music relates to life, we can be influenced by the media by the things that we listen to, watch, feel, and even say. If we are surrounded by good uplifting things, we will be a little more optimistic on life. If we are surrounded by negative things, we can be a little more negative and feel lonely. I know that media can be an amazing thing to help give us motivation to be happy and media can also be Satan's trap to tell us we are nothing. We are all children of God and we are a threat to the Devil. I believe that if we use the media to inspire us to further God's Word, we can have confidence that we are truly special in the eyes of our Heavenly Father.

     Well, God be with you till we blog again!

My Religion: In Pictures

     I hope that you enjoy this blog! It will go across what my religion is, in pictures!




































Come and check out our church. You can find the closest church to you on www.mormon.org. God loves us and he allowed his Son to create a church where we can belong in today!

The Path to Forgiveness

     "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seventy times seven."- Matthew 18:21-22. I love this scripture and not only the look that must have been on the Apostle Peter's face when he was told to constantly forgive the people that wrong him. Jesus Christ was the perfect example of forgiving others because of the Atonement, which is the process that Jesus Christ went through to cleanse all of our sins.. Down here in the South, everyone can quote John 3:16, which talks about the love that God had and that He sent His Only Begotten in the World to die for us. I can't imagine anyone so willing to suffer for everyone's pains and mistakes as the Savior was. His heart was so full of love and compassion and he shared it in the most unselfish and absolute loving way.

   

     I know that it is really hard to sometimes forgive someone and especially when someone does something completely wrong. I can sometimes get really mad when someone does something to wrong me. the Holy Ghost works in mysterious ways because it lets me soon realize all the dumb things that I have done to others and how they have forgiven me. The feeling that I had when someone had forgiven me was so refreshing and comforting. Just imagine when we truly repent and ask forgiveness for our sins, the Savior will let us feel that refreshing comfort. If the Savior is willing to forgive us for our wrong doings and mistakes, it will be a little easier for us to forgive others for their mistakes as well. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World and he did appear to Joseph Smith who was given the power to establish Christ's church once again on the Earth. Thanks so much for reading this blog and I hope you have a great day!

How Do You Eat An Elephant? One Bite At A Time

     This has to be one of the funniest and corniest quotes that I have ever heard but it is so true! I remember when I was in the 9th grade, I was struggling in school. I remember getting so many homework assignments and getting so stressed out! I never knew how I was going to be able to get good grades and not suffer in my classes. One day my dad just simply told me Elder Stout; he probably said Sam, "How do you Eat an Elephant?" Now I remember my pie eating contest days and remembering that you have to keep taking good consistent bites. You will never be able to eat a whole pie in one bite. It is the same thing in life, we will usually never be able to accomplish the things we want to get accomplished all at once.

     It is hard for me to be patient and wait for something that I most desperately desire. But I think President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints can explain this better than I ever can.

     This video gives me comfort we just need to keep trying to do what is right. We will all slip off and stumble at times but we just need to keep on moving forward and trying to do what is right! Remember, how do you eat an elephant?!

Inside The Missionaries Studio: Elder Sam Stout

     I have written plenty of blogs and the funny thing is that I really have never written one that has described who I am. Well, my name is Elder Sam Stout and I hail from the good old land of Ogden, Utah. My fathers name is Mike and my mothers name is Jane and they have been some of the biggest motivating factors in my life. I have an older sister named Bailee who is married to an awesome guy named Brett and they have 2 little kiddos, Johnathon and Gage. My brother Tanner is a really funny guy who served an LDS mission to Brazil. He just got married to an awesome gal named April of which I have never met before. My other brother Derek is the braniac of the family and always has a witticism ready to be heard. He served an LDS mission in Hawaii and had a great time getting chubby. I come in last and you probably have figured out from my blog that I am the goofy looking one! I love my family so much and they really do mean the world to me!

     I have always tried to walk to my own beat and one thing that you will realize about me that will be extremely noticeable is that the clothes I wear will probably never match. I didn't plan on trying to make a statement, I just think that a brown shirt feels good with bright green and yellow plaid shorts. I really enjoy comedy and am a big fan of improv comedy. It really helps me express who I am and I get to have a lot of fun in the process. I am a mega sports fan and I love to play them as well; especially baseball and softball. One of the greatest moments in my life was seeing Matt Holliday and the Colorado Rockies smoke the LA Dodgers 10-1! When it comes to music, I'm all about alternative and if you mention anything about the Red Hot Chili Peppers; I will be on a long tangent about how they are so amazing!

     To those who do not know, I am serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I serve in the Tennessee and Western Kentucky area and really enjoy associating with the people down here. They are some of the most friendly and loving people that you will ever meet. There are plenty of reasons of why I am out serving a mission. I am following the example of a great dad and brothers who showed me by example how awesome and rewarding a mission is. I have always grown up in the church and from a young age I made up my mind that I was going to serve a mission because it was what I was told to do. One of the main reasons I am out here is because I have been given much and I wanted to help with others relationships with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I have been able to meet some amazing people out here and it truly has been a treat to meet them and see how the Gospel of Jesus Christ has changed their lives. I am no where near perfect and I can be a spaz at times, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary.

     I hope you were able to get to know me better and God be with you till we meet again.


     

Family : It Better Be About Time

     I have been thinking a lot lately upon the importance of family. All families have their ups and their downs. I remember all the boys in my family gaining up on my sister and in turn she would lock us out of the house. I also remember trying to read a book in my room when all of a sudden my brother would come charging in and shoot a soft air bullet into my shin. The times that I remember the most with my family however are the good times. If it was either going ice fishing with my dad or going on a drive just with my mom, I cherished the special times with my family.

     The worlds view of the family is decaying by portraying the family as just a group of people who do all sorts of crazy things. God's view is that the family is one of the most important social-units of time and all eternity. With our family, we can learn about and strengthen our testimony in Christ in the home. The home can be one of the most sacred places on the whole Earth. It can also be one of the worst environments. Satan is doing all that he can to destroy families and the home. We need to protect our families and our home!

     As the Lord said about Abraham, "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgement; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." -Genesis 18:19. We need to be able to allow the Lord to have confidence in our families and that our family will keep the way of the Lord. Our lives will have more meaning, we will be happier, and our relationship with God will be strengthened.

     I know that family is ordained of God and I'm so grateful for my family. My family is no way near perfect but we are striving to do what is right. God is our loving Heavenly Father and he sent his son Jesus Christ into this world to die for us! Joseph Smith was a young boy who did see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and in fact translated the Book of Mormon. God Speed Till We Blog Again!


Let me know what you like and what you think I could improve on.

God is there, and he loves us

     Forrest Gump's mother knew what she was talking about when she told her young simple minded son a simple phrase, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your gonna get." We are having a great time living life one moment and then all of a sudden we are down in the mud! We all at one time or the other have questioned why we have to go through so many tough trials in our lives. A very common question that comes up frequently in our minds is, If God really loved me, wouldn't he help me through my trials? Why is it that we at times feel so alone? Event hough we may not always realize it, God is there and he is intimately aware of what you are going through! He allows us to go through trials and periods of sheer sadness because he knows it will help us grow. Even though he at times will not help us the way we would like, he still helps us so we are not alone. He gives us family, friends, and most importantly, special witnesses of Jesus Christ.

     Elder Joseph B. Worthlin; an Apostle of Jesus Christ, has given four ways of how we can cope through our trials.

                              1.) Learn to Laugh- Even when things seem rough and tough, take time to laugh at the situation and make it a little humorous.

                              2.) Think of the Eternal- Remember all that the Savior has done for us. Jesus Christ came into this world to die for us because he loves us. When you feel that you have nobody to turn to, you will always have the Savior and he will be welcome you in open arms.

                              3.) Learn about Compensation- As long as we are trying to do what Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ has asked of us to do, things that are taken away from us now will be given back to us later in ways we could never imagine.

                              4.) Trust in God- Put your faith in Heavenly Father and have patience in him. He understands what your going through and it you just trust him, he is going to help you out. We may not be helped out in the way we think, but we will be helped out in the way God thinks.

     I testify to you that God does love us. I have felt at times that God has abandoned me but I have realized that through personal experiences, that God does care for us! I have felt His love, His peace, His kindness, and His care. We just need to keep trying to do what God asks of us and everything will be alright.

      "My dear brothers and sisters, don't get discouraged if you stumble at times. Don't feel downcast or dispair if you don't feel worthy to be a disciple of Christ at all times. The first step to walking in righteousness is simply to try. We must try to believe. Try to learn of God: read the scriptures; study the words of his Latter-Day prophets; choose to listen to the Father, and do the things He asks of us. Try to keep on trying until that which seems difficult becomes possible- and that which seems only possible becomes habit and a real part of you." -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Burying Our Own Weapons

    

     One of my favorite stories in the Book of Mormon is when some Lamanites run away from their life of sin and start a new life with Christ. They changed their names to the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. They made a promise with God that they would no longer fight or use their swords because of their horrific past. It states in Alma 24:17- "they took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man's blood, and they did bury them up deep in the earth." I love the picture above depicting this event, because it shows the humility and courage that these people take to follow their God.

     It seems as if every time we make a promise, there is going to be some form of opposition that will want us to break the promise that we make. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies were definately not an exception; but they held strong to their promise even with the high risk that their lives would be taken from them.

      " And it came to pass that their brethren, the Lamanites, made preparations for war, and came up to the land of Nephi for the purpose of destroying the king, and to place another in his stead, and also of destroying the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi out of the land. Now when the people saw that they were coming against them they went out to meet them, and prostrated themselves before them to call on the earth, and began to fall upon them, and began to slay them with the sword. And thus without meeting any resistance, they did slay a thousand and five of them; and we know that they are blessed, for they have gone to dwell with their God. Now when the Lamanites saw that their brethren would not flee from the sword, neither would they turn aside to the right hand or to the left, but that they would lie down and perish, and praised God even in the very act of perishing under the sword. Now when the Lamanites saw this they did forbear from slaying them; and there were many whose hearts had swollen in them for those of their brethren who had fallen under the sword, for they repented of the things which they had done. And it came to pass that they threw down their weapons of war, and they would not take them again, for they were stung for the murders which they had committed; and they came down even as their brethren, relying upon the mercies of those whose arms were lifted to slay them."-Alma 24:20-25.

     It is always tough to throw away our weaknesses and short comings, but always remember the sacrifice that the Anti-Nephi-Lehies made. It may take a lot of courage and a changed heart, but just think of how much of a better person we can be for it. We will still make mistakes and will tumble and fall at times, but because we have a loving Savior, He will always be there for us to help us and to give us strength!

Everyone's Got A Hero

     When I was a little boy, I always remember that I wanted to be a ninja! You can tell that I may not meet the physical requirements of one, but a boy can dream! I always looked up to ninjas because of their extraordinary fighting styles a long with what they stood up for; well, at least the good ones. I remember practicing my round house kicks a long with my kung fu chops! Eventhough my great love for ninja's died down, I still have heroes.

     While some of my heroes are family members a long with really close friends, my biggest hero has to be The Rose of Sharon, The Lion of Judah, The Bishop of Souls, The Savior Jesus Christ. Just look at all that he has done for all of us." I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 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. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."- John 10: 14-18.

     In two Sundays length, we will be able to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He died for us and he did all he could for us because he just simply loved us. Our big brother was looking out for us and knew we couldn't do certain things on our own because we are too weak. Jesus Christ is my hero, and will always be my #1; not because of who he was, but who he is.

     HAVE A HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!!!

The Power of the Priesthood

                                                                                 

                                                       

      Ever since I was a really small boy, I always remembered those Marine recruitment commercials on television. The slogan they say at the end of each commercial has always intrigued me; "The Few, The Proud, The Marines." It is a long and hard process to actually become a Marine because of the intense physical training a long with the responsibilities a Marine has. They are given power to help protect this great country and the countries faith that they will be successful in all that they do.   

     The confidence that the United States has in the men and women that protect it is a little similiar to the confidence that the Savior had in his Twelve Disciples. It is stated in the tenth chapter of Matthew, "And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease."-(Matthew 10:1). It is incredible to think that Christ gave certain men power to help others. This power that Jesus Christ gave to his disciples is called the Priesthood.

     The Priesthood is the ability to act in God's name. In order to have the Priesthood, it needed to have been given to us from Jesus Christ. "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you." (John 15:16). The Disciples were able to do such inspiring works that helped out the fellow man. It was very sad when the people rejected these men given the priesthood by killing and banishing them. After a time, there was nobody who had the Priesthood so that power or authority was taken off the Earth for a time.

                                                          

     It was such a miraculous day in the year 1829 when Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were able to receive the Priesthood; the Aaronic and the Melchezidek. Peter, James, and John from the original twelve, who were given the priesthood by Jesus, came to Earth and gave them the power to act in God's name by receiving the Melchezidek Priesthood.  The Priesthood was restored and since then, the Priesthood has been on the Earth. This power is to help the World in this time of need, to participate in saving ordinances such as baptism by authority, and to feel God's Love even greater! I know that the Priesthood was brought back to the Earth. It is here to help us partake in saving ordinances or special ceremonies, that will allow us to live with God again someday.

My Shepherd Will Supply My Need

     The death of President Gordon Bitner Hinckley was a very sad realiztion for not only the LDS people but for people all around the world. In everything he did, he did it with much love and with a smile. Everytime he was speaking to millions and millions of people, it felt like he was specifically talking to me. What really sticks out to me about President Hinckley is the unwaivering faith and love he had for the Savior Jesus Christ.

     The song My Shepherd Will Supply My Need, is one of my favorite songs because it lets us know that the Savior, Jesus Christ, will always be there to rely on. The song uses very confident words describing our hope and faith in Christ. The way that we will have absolute reliance in the Savior is by trusting him. When we truly trust Jesus, we will feel the importance of trying our best to do what he asks of us. He knows that we will never be perfect and that we are going to roll and tumble on the way, but he loves us enough to stick with us even though we will have weaknesses. " For he that raiseth up a king against me shall perish, for I, the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a light unto them forever, that hear my words."-2nd Nephi 10:14. If we just try harder to listen and to follow the council of the Savior, we will be able to feel the Savior strengthening us as we are going through this training ground called Earth.

     Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World and the Light. He is the Rose of Sharon, the Comforter, the Way, the Truth, the King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, the Prince of Peace, the Rock of Ages, and so many other powerful names depicting him. He really does love us and he cares for us so much! He did appear to an uneducated farm boy and helped him gain confidence in the fact that he was to help restore his Church on the Earth. He gives us the oppurtunity to repent for our sins as well as partake of his sacrament each week. Jesus Christ is the only perfect person to ever walk on this Earth. My Shepherd will supply my every need!

   

We Will Be Who the Savior Wants Us To Be

     Imagine that you were the person that everyone wanted to be. You had the money, the talents, and the crazy good looks that everyone envied for. As you walked down the street, peoplelook as giddy as school girls as they muster up the courage to get you to tilt your head in their direction, recognizing their existence. I know that we all are optimistic that the future will bring good things to us but do we really wnat to have it all? Sure, we probably have all daydreamed that we would be famous and well-known, but are we willing to have so much worldly recognition fill our hearts? There are more and more temptations of Satan saying that this is the way to sucess. I know that through the world and the temptations it brings, we are all given help from on high to humble and help us realize that worldly recognition is not everything. This video portrays a man that had it all but found out that having it all didn't mean to have worldly fame.

     I know that Jesus Christ will come into our lives and help us change our view on ourselves if we allow him to. It is never to late to let him come into our lives and change us for the better. Ether 12:27 reads,"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." Pray to God and ask for him for your weaknesses and he will show them unto you and with the help of the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us, we will be given help from on high to be the Lord's People.

     I know that our Heavenly Father cares for us and that his son Jesus Christ did die for us! Jesus Christ's Church was established again on the Earth and we do have the oppurtunity to be apart of it! Well, we will blog later!

Whose on the Lord's Side Who?

WHOSE TEAM ARE YOU ON

     "Choose you this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will seve the Lord," (Joshua24:15) The prophet Joshua really made it clear that us as human beings, have to make a choice of whom we are going to serve. It is shown to us by the scriptures that we can't worship good as well as evil at the same time. We have to make a choice to either follow our brother Jesus Christ, or the World; which represents the devil. These two sides both list reasons of why you should join their team and how it will make you happy. We are given the wonderful gift of agency to help us make a decision to which side will give us the more happiness. It time for you to decide where you want to go!

      The Savior's Team                                                     
 1.) You will have never ending joy.                                

2.) You will never be led of astray.
                                  

3.) You will always have a sense of belonging.
              
4.) You are forgiven for your past shortcomings.
            
5.) You will usually have to do the tougher things. 
           
6.) You may at times not have a lot of friends.                 

7.) You will be tried by much opposition.                         
         
       The World's Team
1.) Your joy is very limited

2.) Never certain where you'll end up.

3.) Only the popular people are noticed.

4.) You will always be ridiculed for your mistakes.

5.) Everything at first will come easier to you.

6.) You have many friends, but they won't be truly loyal.

7.) You may at times be apart of the opposition.

     I hope that you have made a decision of which side is best for you. I want to bear testimony by saying that if we choose the Lord's side, we will be so much happier in the long run. The savior is always there for us and he wants us to give him a chance if we are not already. He died for us because he loves us. He will not abandon us but we need to first excercize our faith by choosing his side as well as try your best to do what he has asked of us. Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!

Why we are here?

     Well that is a pretty broad question that i just asked! Well, why are we here? What in the Jim Crow is here? It might be there or it my be everywhere! What I mean by here is Earth. Was there supposed to be a reason why we came here or were we just supposed to have some fun with no meaning? I will answer this question with the Book of Mormon; which is another testament of Jesus Christ. Alma 34: 32 states, " For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors."

     Just like a professional baseball player prepares for the big game, we need to prepare to meet the Great Creator. There really is a Great Creator and his name is Heavenly Father, and he loves us more then the human mind can comprehend. I know that the reason why we are here is to live with our Heavenly Father. Just imagine after a long and trialing trip, you are able to get a greeting from the person that loves you the most and he welcomes you with open arms! It can happen and I know it can if only we have faith in Jesus Christ, repent, are baptized, receive the gift of Holy Ghost, and endure to the end!

     If you have any questions, please check my facebook profile!