Its all about Perspective....

Think about a time when you have taken the advice of a trusted friend or leader.  You were probably in a difficult situation and needed help or support.  There are many examples of how we can overcome our challanges by trusting someone with insight, experience or a better prespective on the situation.



Being able to see clearly has always been an important factor in facing challenges and overcoming opposition.  In war time, Generals sent scouts to gather information and see the movements of troops and enemy forces.  In ancient times, cities would be surrounded by walls and Watchmen would be placed in towers to see approaching threats.  In the great game of American Football, offensive and defensive coordinators sit in booths up above the field to be able to see clearly what is happening and make necessary adjustments. 

Without the proper perspective, or being able to see clearly, trials and opposition are much much more difficult to face.  Would Generals go into battle without scouting reports?  Would a strong city remove its towers and take down the Watchmen?  Would we ever empty the press box of team coordinators during the Super Bowl?  Of couse not.... that would be ridiculous.

Should we be expected to go though life without spiritual Watchmen to guide and protect us?  Of couse not!  That would be ridiculous.  God loves His children so much that there is no way that He would send us into this world without guidance and protection from Parents and inspired leaders.  There are Prophets and Apostles on the earth today that have the authority to teach and lead us.

He has also given us The Gospel of Jesus Christ and knowledge about the plan of Salvation.  Below is a video of three people sharing how these things have changed their lives.

What Matters Most

Here is your "warm and fuzzy" moment for the week.  If you know me very well, you know that I hold my family and friends close to my heart. For a good example, here is a picture of my little brother Noah, I love him Sooooo much!  <3

He is such a stud!  Its amazing to just spent time with him and see how his own little personality works. Sometimes he is like little bits of all my brothers put together. I'm so excited to see him again, its going to be a blast!

This video is what turned my thoughts to my friends and family today. It shares a really amazing message from our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson.  I know that it is from 2009, but it is definitely always worth a minute and a half of your time to hear what he has to say here.

What Matters Most

With the recent holiday we had, I'm grateful that we all had the opportunity to spend some time with our friends and family, people that we care most about.  We all reflected on the wonderful blessing it is to live in this great country and have the freedoms we enjoy.  

In that same spirit, please remember to reach out to those around you and tell them how much they mean to you.  You may think something like this (as I often sometimes do) "Oh, they know." You need to tell them.  When Elder Richard G. Scott recently spoke in general conference, he gave the exact same council to the men and husbands in his audience.  

I will paraphrase what he said to make it applicable to all of us. If you are married I would encourage you to follow the above link and see what else Elder Scott has to say.

We need to express our love and gratitude for others.  Express that love and gratitude often.  They grow and are greatly blessed by the reassurance that you care about them. It will make life far richer and more pleasant and purposeful. Don’t withhold those natural expressions of love. And (as is appropriate to the situation) it works a lot better if you are holding them close while you tell them.

Please remember and focus on what matters most in your life.  If you are not sure, then please make the effort to find out.  Looking right around you at your family and friends is a good place to start.  Don't be afraid or hesitant to say "I love you."

As we grow together and express our love and gratitude for each other, we are filled with a spirit of love and charity, which is the pure love of Christ.  I am so grateful for the people in my life that I have that kind of relationship with.

Here for a moment....

I was thinking about what to write about this week for my blog, and this video caught my attention.  I believe the quote that it uses is from a conference talk given by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf in 2010 titled, "Of things that matter most." The full address can be read here.  His message then, and the message shared in this video are the same.  Moving as quickly as possible in life is difficult and often unnecessary.  We would do well to slow down a little, focus on what is most important and proceed forward at the "optimum speed."

I know that strength doesn't come from rushing through life, but from being centered on a firm foundation. Incomparable peace and happiness can be found when we are centered on Jesus Christ and He is our foundation.

The end my mission is approaching and it has made me start to think a lot about time.  How valuable it is, and how quickly it passes.  Preach my Gospel, the missionary handbook, says that "time is one of the most valuable resources that our Heavenly Father has given us"

I would love to hear your thoughts and insights.  Please comment about how you personally have found ways to focus on the important things in your life.  How can we more fully capture and enjoy the moments that really matter the most?

Moments that Matter Most

The Planking Craze

Sooo I had no idea about planking for the longest time. Let's face it; missionaries tend to be left in the dark with stuff like this... Until now! 



Planking On the Bushes

In this blog I like to take fun things and compare them to the gospel so here we go.  I know the pictures are funny, but please read as well, Ok?  =D  (Note: None of these are doctored, they are all real. You can click on them to see the enlarged views as well)

"The fine art of planking, where people are photographed face down with stiffened arms and legs, has already swept out of Australia and taken the world by storm. Formally called “the laying down game,” it has encouraged people to produce surprising and surreal images that have entertained millions."    (geekosystem.com)

Bicycle Plank

In order to be successful at planking, you must have good balance and a strong core.  Your core muscles are the foundation of a good plank.  It doesn't matter how strong your arms or legs are if you don't have a solid foundation to hold it all together.  I found this out quickly trying to perform some planks.  It requires proper preparation and set up to get an awesome shot.

Being firm and centered in life can be difficult, especially with all the influences around us in the world.  With our needs and challenges constantly changing, how can we be sure that we have a steady and firm foundation?

When I was thinking about this, it reminded me about how the scriptures use the analogy of having a firm foundation for our lives.  One of my favorites is when Christ teaches the parable of the wise man and the foolish man in Matthew 7. If we are built upon the rock, who is Christ, then when the wind and storms of life beat us down, we cannot fall.

This is also very plainly taught in a scripture from the Book of Mormon.  In Helaman 5 we learn how Christ is the foundation that we must build upon in order to not fall.  He is a sure foundation, a foundation where on if we build we cannot fall and the Devil can have no power over us.  I think that is a wonderful promise to have.

The LDS bible dictionary describes Faith this way. Faith is to hope for things which are not seen, but which are true (Heb. 11:1; Alma 32:21), and must be centered in Jesus Christ in order to produce salvation.

The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets concerning Jesus Christ, that he died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it”

I know that if our lives and our faith are firmly centered and founded on Jesus Christ that we can overcome the world.  And if we have a strong core and a good foundation physically we can do some awesome planks too  =)

                                                         

Two Door Plank



I can ride my bike with no handlebars!

[ Aside from the fact that this is slightly dangerous, there is a wonderful lesson to be learned =) ]

I recently started living my boyhood dream of riding my bike with no hands!!! It’s so amazingly fun that I feel like I'm 10 years old again.  Every time we go out now, you can usually see me and Elder Lemmon looking stylish and relaxed on our fancy red and yellow 2 wheeled friends.

It started like any normal day for us, UNTIL.... I asked Elder Lemmon if he could perform this fantastic feat.  He responded that it is super easy and all you had to do was straighten your back, keep your balance and just let go..... then continue to pedal smoothly. It sounded too good to be true.  Have I really been missing out on something like this for so long???  Apparently so. Once you take that small step of faith, and trust yourself, you would be surprised at what is possible. 

It was slightly scary at first, especially since sidewalks and roads aren’t exactly smooth all the time.  There are bumps, holes and cracks: it looks terrifying to a first time no handed rider.  But luckily I trusted the advice of my good friend Elder Lemmon, and this was something that I really wanted to do. 

Life is a lot like riding a bike.  Everyone is on a journey and we constantly are watching for the bumps and cracks, twists and turns in the path. Sometimes it can seem overwhelming or even impossible to do something that is beyond our own understanding.  We face choices and tasks that are much more complex and challenging than riding with no hands.  Sometimes we face things that are terrifying and completely unknown to us.

I am grateful for the advice and guidance of my good friends and family.  I am even more grateful for the guidance and care of a loving Heavenly Father who watches over me.  We learn this same lesson in Proverbs chapter 3: 5-6 which reads, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

I know that when we trust in the Lord that He will watch over us continually and direct our paths. Sometimes it requires us to trust him and let go first, but things will always turn out for the best in His own time and in His own way.

Prayer

Check out my new page that shares a message and a video about Prayer and the role it can play in our lives.  Its from Mormon Messages and I love it.  Enjoy!

Service requires Sacrifice

...Why do we go on Missions?

I was going back through and watching some of my favorite talks from General Conference, and I came across the address from Elder Neil L. Anderson.

When Elders and Sisters go on missions, we are called by a Prophet, ordained and set apart to fulfill our calling.  I've talked with many missionaries who converse about how they can't wait to get back home and enjoy real life.  I'm finding out more and more that being a Missionary is one of the most "Real Life" experiences I'm ever going to have.  I'm very grateful that the Lord continues to bless me and strengthen my faith everyday.

Elder Anderson talks about how whenever we respond to a call, we will leave things behind.  This is as true for missionaries as it is for every person on this earth. 

Missionaries are called to not just do missionary things, but to become Christ-like Missionaries.  As Children of God, we truly are His Sons and Daughters.  He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to be the Savior and Redeemer of all people.  We may not all have the opportunity to serve full-time Missions, but the Lord calls all of us and invites us to learn of Him and follow Him.

The invitation that the Savior extends to each of us to come unto Him is just as tangible and as important as the call to be a missionary.  Serving as a missionary for most of us formally lasts 18 months or 2 years.  Striving to become like Christ is a calling that lasts for our lifetime and beyond.

When I left to fulfill my calling to be a Missionary, there were many things that I had to leave behind. Physically, emotionally and spiritually it was difficult, but I will never regret the decision. 

For every one of us who is trying to become like our Savior, we are invited and called to leave the world behind and follow Him.  We live in the world, but we are not of the world.  There will be many challenges: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually we will be tested and tried all the days of our lives.  However, we will never regret any decision that, no matter how difficult, will strengthen us and bring us closer to Christ.

I know that Jesus is my Savior, the power of His Atonement supports and sustains me everyday.  I've discovered on my mission that having His Spirit with me is the most important aspect of my life.  I know we can receive strength, comfort, peace and guidance through the Holy Ghost as we Follow Christ and strive to be worthy of that Gift.  There is no other joy in this life that can compare to those things.

Preparing the World for the Second Coming

Thoughts for Easter

To understand the meaning of Death, we must understand the Purpose of Life. This Easter season, remember our Savior who suffered and died for us that we might overcome the spiritual death of sin as well as physical death.

He lived for us, He died for us, and He lives again. And because of His sacrifice, we shall all live again.

Feeling like Summer in Orchard Park

So we just had Transfers happen and Elder Lemmon and I are out and about in Orchard Park.  It is beautiful outside, which is nice because we are walking and biking everywhere =)  I'm trying to be better at using this blog and getting it on facebook so we'll see what happens...

The Transforming Power of Faith and Character

Orchard Park!

So... Now I am serving in Orchard Park with my good friends Elder Miller and Elder Hoffman.  Between the 3 of us we can speak English, Spanish and American Sign Language so we should be able to handle just about anything right?  We have our Zone Leader out here on an exchange so our Apartment is kinda busy with 4 Elders in it today.  The snow is starting to melt and everyone is getting excited for springtime. 

We have Elder Richard G. Scott of the quorum of the 12 Apostles coming to visit our mission this weekend, its going to be amazing I'm sure.  I'll post about it next week

This is one of my favorite talks from him, I posted this on my facebook as well, but here is another link for it.

The Transforming power of faith and character

Oh yeah... my blog... about that...

So today is a great day.  Our mission has pretty much everyone on the Internet now, and we all have texting on our phones so we are only roughly 10 years behind the rest of the world  ;-P  It's pretty fantastic.  All of my these missionaries have a gigantic online presence.  The potential to do missionary work through the Internet is HUGE and I'm excited to be a part of it.