Finding Desire

    I was reading the other day a talk written by Elder Dallin H. Oaks entitled "Desire." I have been wondering lately how we can have the right desires or desire the things that God wants us to desire. The desires we have shape what we do and what we will become. Elder Oaks said, "I hope each of us will search our hearts to determine what we really desire and how we rank our most important desires. Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming."

    As human beings we have physical needs, and strong desires that want to fill those needs. When we are hungry we have a want to fill that need or when we are tired we will do anything to lie down and sleep. Those needs can be overridden for a time though with stronger desires to do other things. "Readjusting our desires to give highest priority to the things of eternity is not easy. We are all tempted to desire that worldly quartet of property, prominence, pride, and power. We might desire these, but we should not fix them as our highest priorities." A desire each of us should have is to come closer to God and His son Jesus Christ and follow their commands. Many of us have that desire but sometimes our priorities get mixed up and we tend to focus on things not as important.

    "How do we develop desires? Few will have the kind of crisis that motivated Aron Ralston,³ but his experience provides a valuable lesson about developing desires. While Ralston was hiking in a remote canyon in southern Utah, an 800-pound (360 kg) rock shifted suddenly and trapped his right arm. For five lonely days he struggled to free himself. When he was about to give up and accept death, he had a vision of a three-year-old boy running toward him and being scooped up with his left arm. Understanding this as a vision of his future son and an assurance that he could still live, Ralston summoned the courage and took drastic action to save his life before his strength ran out. He broke the two bones in his trapped right arm and then used the knife in his multi-tool to cut off that arm. He then summoned the strength to hike five miles (8 km) for help.⁴ What an example of the power of an overwhelming desire! When we have a vision of what we can become, our desire and our power to act increase enormously."

    As a missionary I go out and teach people about the church and invite them to read the Book of Mormon. Then to pray and ask God if it is true. That is a desire that I try to help others grow; really wanting to know the Book of Mormon is true. Wanting to know if the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the lords church. To grow this desire I would say, First, we need to block out every desire we have of sin. Second, pray and ask God for help in gaining this desire. And third, read from the Book of Mormon while the desire grows within us. I know that as we do these steps God will be pleased with our efforts and he will bless us with the knowledge that we need to return to him one day.

What Think Ye of the Book of Mormon?

   "Two ministers of one of the largest and most powerful Protestant denominations came to a Latter-day Saint conference to hear me preach.

   After the meeting I had a private conversation with them, in which I said they could each gain a testimony that Joseph Smith was the prophet through whom the Lord had restored the fulness of the gospel for our day and for our time.

   I told them they should read the Book of Mormon, ponder its great and eternal truths, and pray to the Father in the name of Christ, in faith, and he would reveal the truth of the book to them by the power of the Holy Ghost.

   As every gospel scholar knows, the Book of Mormon proves that Joseph Smith was called of God to minister in the prophetic office and to restore the truths of salvation in plainness and perfection.

   The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible. It contains a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas. It is another testament of Jesus Christ.

It contains the fulness of the gospel, meaning that it is a record of the Lord’s dealings with a people who had the fulness of the gospel, and meaning also that in it is found a summary and a recitation of what all men must believe and do to gain an inheritance in the heavenly kingdom reserved for the Saints.

   As the teachings and testimonies of Moses and Isaiah and Peter find place in the Bible, so the parallel preaching and the same Spirit-guided testimonies of Nephi and Alma and Moroni have come down to us in the Book of Mormon.

   All of this I explained to my two Protestant friends. One of them, a congenial and decent sort of fellow, said somewhat casually that he would read the Book of Mormon. The other minister, manifesting a bitter spirit, said: 'I won’t read it. We have experts who have read the Book of Mormon, and I have read what our experts have to say about it.'

   This account dramatizes one of our problems in presenting the message of the Book of Mormon to the world. There are sincere and devout people everywhere who have heard what other people say about this volume of holy writ, and so they do not read it themselves.

   Instead of drinking from that fountain from whence clear streams of living water flow, they prefer to go downstream and drink from the roily, muddy, poison-filled streams of the world.

   The plain fact is that salvation itself is at stake in this matter. If the Book of Mormon is true—if it is a volume of holy scripture, if it contains the mind and will and voice of the Lord to all men, if it is a divine witness of the prophetic call of Joseph Smith—then to accept it and believe its doctrines is to be saved, and to reject it and walk contrary to its teachings is to be damned."

                 Bruce R. McConkie - What Think Ye of the Book of Mormon?

   I love this story from Bruce R. McConkie! One of the greatest struggles for me is to get others to read this wonderful, uplifting book! I have found much joy from reading from the Book of Mormon, and my desire is to have others feel that same joy. To feel that same direction from God that I have received. But many people turn down my invitation to read and to pray! Its like tasting a pie that is so so so good and then taking it to everyone that you see and asking them to taste it and they won't! I know the Book of Mormon is true. Anyone who reads and then sincerely prays, will receive an answer from God that the book is true. It will change any ones life like it has changed mine.

Easy Street = A DEAD END!

     "Many of us want the simple way—the process that will not require serious work and sacrifice. Well, I once thought I found it. Driving in the back of a verdant valley above the city of Honolulu, I looked up, and there it was—Easy Street! As I was dreaming of the life-changing benefits of my discovery, I took out my camera to record the blissful moment. As I looked through the viewfinder, however, my focus literally and figuratively became clear. A large yellow sign returned me to reality—Easy Street was a dead end!"

           -Elder Donald L. Hallstrom  -  Do It Now!

      How funny, but true, this statement is. It is natural for us to want the easy way to everything, especially if that means making our life easier to live. In this talk, Elder Hallstrom talks of procrastinating our repentance till the end. He speaks of what it does for us to procrastinate and what things we will accomplish. In the most simple of terms we will not accomplish anything.

   "Many of us place ourselves in circumstances far more consequential than embarrassment because of our procrastination to become fully converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We know what is right, but we delay full spiritual involvement because of laziness, fear, rationalization, or lack of faith. We convince ourselves that “someday I’m going to do it.” However, for many “someday” never comes, and even for others who eventually do make a change, there is an irretrievable loss of progress and surely regression."

       Today is that day for us to prepare to meet God! It is hard to not procrastinate but it will be even harder to deal with everything at the last day. Christ invites us all to change and to do it now. To live the way he has asked us to live so that we can be happy during this life. Choose to follow Jesus Christ and do it now! :)

How to Read the Book of Mormon

      I was fortunate enough to grow up with the Book of Mormon in my home my whole life. I have read it through a few times and there have been many things that I have learned from it. It has changed my life as I have studied it more throughly and it has brought me closer to God. The Book of Mormon can and will bring anyone closer to God that puts in the effort to read it.

 

      The Book of Mormon can be a confusing book to those who have been barely introduced to it. It might be hard to understand at first but I promise God will bless anyone with understanding as they put forth that effort. But recently, an Apostle of the Lord wrote an article entitled "How to Study the Book of Mormon."   http://lds.org/ensign/2011/10/how-to-study-the-book-of-mormon?lang=eng&query=conversion+book+mormon

   The more key part I would like to touch on is how he says the Book of Mormon is written for our day. Elder D. Todd Christofferson says:

  "The Book of Mormon authors wrote with future generations in mind, specifically the latter days. In abridging the Nephite records, Mormon said he could not include “even a hundredth part.”  Moroni commented, “I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing” (Mormon 8:35). These two authors and others, acting under inspiration, wrote what would be of greatest benefit to us in these latter days.

We should therefore study with these questions in mind: “Why was this included? How does this apply today and to me?” President Benson observed, for example, that in the Book of Mormon we find a pattern for preparing for the Savior’s Second Coming. We learn how disciples of Christ live in times of war, deal with persecution and apostasy, do missionary work, and respond to the dangers of materialism.² As Nephi did, when we study, we should “liken” the scriptures to ourselves—that is, try to discover how to apply what we find in the Book of Mormon (see 1 Nephi 19:23)."

     Likening every scripture that we read and asking those questions given by Elder Christofferson will help us all understand the Book of Mormon. It will free our minds more so that the Holy Ghost can teach us. Then we will know by the power of the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is a record that God has given us. There will be no doubt in our minds if the record is true or not!

Dare to be a Mormon!

    What a wonderful opportunity to hear from a prophet of the Lord this last weekend! President Monson gave a great example as to how to be couragous and stand up for our beliefs. I hope and pray that we all may follow the example that President Monson gave and "Dare to be a Mormon!" It is not always easy, and we may face opposition at times but the Lord wants us to be part of His church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Dare to be a Mormon;

Dare to stand alone.

Dare to have a purpose firm;

Dare to make it known.

   

 "Navy boot camp was not an easy experience for me, nor for anyone who endured it. For the first three weeks I was convinced my life was in jeopardy. The navy wasn’t trying to train me; it was trying to kill me.

     I shall ever remember when Sunday rolled around after the first week. We received welcome news from the chief petty officer. Standing at attention on the drill ground in a brisk California breeze, we heard his command: “Today everybody goes to church—everybody, that is, except for me. I am going to relax!” Then he shouted, “All of you Catholics, you meet in Camp Decatur—and don’t come back until three o’clock. Forward, march!” A rather sizeable contingent moved out. Then he barked out his next command: “Those of you who are Jewish, you meet in Camp Henry—and don’t come back until three o’clock. Forward, march!” A somewhat smaller contingent marched out. Then he said, “The rest of you Protestants, you meet in the theaters at Camp Farragut—and don’t come back until three o’clock. Forward, march!”

    Instantly there flashed through my mind the thought, “Monson, you are not a Catholic; you are not a Jew; you are not a Protestant. You are a Mormon, so you just stand here!” I can assure you that I felt completely alone. Courageous and determined, yes—but alone.

     And then I heard the sweetest words I ever heard that chief petty officer utter. He looked in my direction and asked, “And just what do you guys call yourselves?” Until that very moment I had not realized that anyone was standing beside me or behind me on the drill ground. Almost in unison, each of us replied, “Mormons!” It is difficult to describe the joy that filled my heart as I turned around and saw a handful of other sailors.

     The chief petty officer scratched his head in an expression of puzzlement but finally said, 'Well, you guys go find somewhere to meet. And don’t come back until three o’clock. Forward, march!'”

(President Thomas Monson)

Come Listen to a Prophets Voice

"As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are blessed to be led by living prophets—inspired men called to speak for the Lord, just as Moses, Isaiah, Peter, Paul, Nephi, Mormon, and other prophets of the scriptures. We sustain the President of the Church as our prophet, seer, and revelator—the only person on the earth who receives revelation to guide the entire Church. We also sustain the counselors in the First Presidency and the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators.

Like the prophets of old, prophets today testify of Jesus Christ and teach His gospel. They make known God’s will and true character. They speak boldly and clearly, denouncing sin and warning of its consequences. At times, they may be inspired to prophesy of future events for our benefit."
(True to the Faith)

This Saturday and Sunday we have a wonderful opportunity to hear from the Lords Prophets and Apostles. Twice a year they speak words of hope, love, and guidance. Our Lord speaks through them to us to warn us of what we need to do better or what we need to watch out for. I promise that something these Prophets and Apostles say will relate to you in your life and the Holy Ghost will enter into your heart telling you that what they are saying is true.

The Story of the Lightbulb

"On a dark December night 36 years ago, a Lockheed 1011 jumbo jet crashed into the Florida Everglades, killing over 100 people. This terrible accident was one of the deadliest crashes in the history of the United States.

A curious thing about this accident is that all vital parts and systems of the airplane were functioning perfectly—the plane could have easily landed safely at its destination in Miami, only 20 miles (32km) away.

During the final approach, however, the crew noticed that one green light had failed to illuminate—a light that indicates whether or not the nose landing gear has extended successfully. The pilots discontinued the approach, set the aircraft into a circling holding pattern over the pitch-black Everglades, and turned their attention toward investigating the problem.

They became so preoccupied with their search that they failed to realize the plane was gradually descending closer and closer toward the dark swamp below. By the time someone noticed what was happening, it was too late to avoid the disaster.

After the accident, investigators tried to determine the cause. The landing gear had indeed lowered properly. The plane was in perfect mechanical condition. Everything was working properly—all except one thing: a single burned-out lightbulb. That tiny bulb—worth about 20 cents—started the chain of events that ultimately led to the tragic death of over 100 people.

Of course, the malfunctioning lightbulb didn’t cause the accident; it happened because the crew placed its focus on something that seemed to matter at the moment while losing sight of what mattered most."

(President Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

This story, in a way, happens in our lives every now and again. Sometimes we lose sight of what matters most, whether to us or to God, and we pay attention to those small things. More specifically, I want to compare this to going to church. Attending church is a great focus and we all know that God wants every single one of us in His church sunday mornings. Proof that God wants us at church comes from the great promised blessings to those who keep the sabbath day holy: the fullness of the Earth will be ours along with a fullness of joy!

Sometimes we wake up Sunday mornings and there is contention in the home or we feel we need to run to the store to buy a couple of items and there is no time to make it to church. Maybe our clothes haven't been ironed and prepared. Whatever the reasons we may have, they are only "worth about 20 cents" and should not keep us from the things that matter most.

If we keep our sight focused on the Lord and what he wants for us we will always be happy. We just need the strength to overcome those small things that might keep us from the greater things.