Go out and serve a mission.

Being a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is a great deal.  I served my mission when I was 20 years of age.  I went to serve in Houston East Texas.  It was hard at first though over time with the help of the Lord I was able to forget about home and went to work for the Lord. 

I planted lot of seeds throughout my mission.  Some I was able to baptize while others only teaching them the gospel and having someone baptize them.  One person I baptized was a teenager.  He read the whole Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ, got baptized shortly after, was given the priesthood and then a year later went on to serve a mission up in New York, NY.   I am glad that I went to serve for the Lord for two years to my brothers and sisters.

Now that I'm older and am glad to see my younger relatives go on a mission and seeing them spreading the word of God is great.  Down the road when I feel along with my wife, as my companion, to serve another mission by serving the Lord where he needs the both of us to serve our fellow brothers and sisters. 

For those who never served a mission as a young adult should still receive our love and friendship.

Missionaries are those who are sent out to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.  They are young men and women who give up their lives at home to served a full time mission.  Along with that they also give up going to college, pursuing their career, hobbies, vacation, friends, and family.  After serving a mission they are welcomed back home and continue on either finding a career, going to college, or getting married.  The spiritually is improved and have learned a great deal of other ways of learning to live with another person or two 24/7. 

The other side of the coin of this is those who have the opportunity to go out and served the Lord, but for whatever reason they decline the offer and usually shunned for doing so.  They go about their lives as any other young single adult would do.  Continue on their career, hobbies, marriage, etc. to figure out what they want to do. 

I served a mission for 2 years and am forever grateful that I did.  I learned lot from serving my mission and found great missionaries to be my friends for life.  I could have said no I don't want to, but I didn't.  Though along the way I have learned of others who decided not to do for whatever reason.  I would like to say I still love them as a brother or sister of God.  They are still as human as we are.  They will still go to heaven like we will.  They should not be shunned for not going on a mission.  They can't go back in time and decide to serve a mission at a young age.  They still have the opportunity later in their life with a spouse, if they get married, to serve a couple mission.  Yeah its not as good as a young adult mission, but its still serving one.  They will still get the blessings for doing so.  The Lord knows their hearts and desires.  He will not take their agency away just because they decline on not serving a mission. 

Those who don't serve a mission while they were young still deserve our love and respect as neighbors, friends, and as a child of God.  Treat them just as you would treat them as one who did serve a mission. 

The Standard of Truth told from the prophet Joseph Smith

This quote from Joseph Smith which came from a letter written at the request of John Wentworth and George Barstow, Nauvoo, Illinois published in Times and Seasons, March 1, 1842, p. 709

• “The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”

So even if bad people come and try to stop the work of the Lord and his Church it will not stop.  The Lord knows this and that his gospel will spread to every people, nation and tongue.  For this is his gospel and he wants to have all his children the opportunity to hear the gospel. 

Eventually the gospel will be spread to those countries who have closed their doors on religion.  With prayer we can pray that those countries will soften their hearts and open the doors to let the gospel of Jesus Christ in and be taught to the people.  One day the gospel will be spread to the Middle East. 

The Articles of Faith.

When I was a young child in the church I was taught the Articles of Faith, of what we believe in, to learn what they mean about our beliefs and know how to teach them to others.  There are 13 Articles of Faith.  They came out during the time of when Joseph Smith was the prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  They are put on cards now to be given out to anyone who wants to learn more.  They are simple and basic principles about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  

1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
13. 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.

Joseph Smith

If interested in learning more about the beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints contact the missionaries on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.org. 

A bloody war and spiritual war.

A war that started when Abraham Lincoln was president of the USA.  It was fought over slavery rights and freedoms.  The North was free of slaves and the South was where slaves was legal to have.  This caused a war to start and has become the bloodiest war on the America soil to this day.  Brothers fighting against brothers, sons against sons, etc. just because they thought they were thinking there viewpoint was the right choice.   It was also the case that some of the smaller states wanted to leave the rest of the bigger states and form their own union.  Which also didn't make many people happy with. 

If you were to go back in time to the era just before the Civil War started and knew what the result was going to be, would you still have fought in the war, even if your brother, son, father, uncle, etc. was on the opposing side?

There was another type of war that started way long time ago way before any of us came here to Earth.  This was a war that started up in heaven.  There was a plan on who would come down to Earth and live the life they needed to and be able to help us return to heaven.  There were two people that chose to accept the plan.  One was the Lord and the other was Lucifer.  After they gave their reasons on why they should be the one chosen to follow the plan, the Lord was chosen to do so.  Lucifer was angry that he wasn't chosen and he was not alone for their some other of our brothers and sisters that felt the same way as he did and followed Lucifer as their commander.  As a result of this decision there was a war that erupted.  This was was not fought with weapons of guns, knives, tanks, etc. that is used in modern war.  This type of war was fought with words, thoughts and ideas.  The side that won was the Lords side and we cheered for we won and as a result 1/3 of the hosts of heaven went with Lucifer.

To the present day we are on here on Earth living our day to day trying to do what is right.  The side that went with Lucifer has not gone away for there are here on Earth along with us and they are trying so hard to make us not be happy, joyful, but, miserable, awful, sad and despair.   For this type of war is going to be on going and will never leave us.  What we need to do to fight this type of war is to do what is right.  We must be diligent in obey the word of the Lord and following his commandments.

A great prophet of God died as a martyr.

     I am grateful for the prophet Joseph Smith and what he did here on earth. He did see God the Father and Jesus Christ appear to him. He knew that his name would be used in good and evil but, that he did what the Lord commanded him to do knowing that he would be die one day for his belief.

Fathers Day message.

Today is Fathers Day.  A day to remember all those fathers who have lived here and are currently living here.  As for me, I am not a father yet but, one day hopefully I will be to my wonderful children. 

To be a Father you need these great qualities to be one:

• Loving
• Caring
• Providing a house, clothes and food
• Playful
• Understanding
• Helpful
• Kind
• Brave
• Courageous
• Working hard

I hope that fathers have these great qualities in them.  It would be sad if they are mean, demanding, forceful, and controlling.  That is not what the Lord wants and will cause great trouble in the family if the father is that way to his family.  I know that there are no perfect fathers but at least try to do the best that you can in loving your family with kindness and loving.

National Prayer Day observance

This day, Thursday, is considered by the US government a National Day of Prayer.  No matter what religion you follow please take a moment out of your day and say a prayer! This was almost taken away by those who don't want to allow it to happen but, those who wanted to keep it won!  For the Lord gave us this land for a reason.  If we stopped believing and praying to the Lord then our enemies will take us over and use as slaves and torture us. 

Pray for our country, leaders, health, friends, enemies, and anything else you can think of. 

My birthday!

Today is my 36th birthday! I am getting closer to 40! WOW!

Thanks for all the wonderful friendships and relationships I have made over the years.  Thanks for the time to cheer me up when I'm down, for being able to text you on your cell, call you up and talk to you for a while, being able to help you in your life, calling me a brother, for your understanding me even when I can be weird at times, understanding my humor and still being my friend even when others have left me for whatever reason. 

I know that I can't talk to all of you in person or on the phone.  So I want to say thanks for the years you have got to know me so far and that you will continue to be my friend and brother for many years to come! 

I know I have been around for this long so I can help those around me to feel better about themselves and if it weren't for me then they could have been on a different path then they are now.  The Lord knows that I am needed still here on Earth to help my fellow brothers and sisters!

Not your nomal posting.

Its easy to be misunderstood at times wither by email, chat or text.  Cause you see the words but you don't know how its coming across as.  It could be that the person is angry, frustrated, sad, happy, joking, serious, etc.  It hurts when the friendships are destroyed by small amount of words and the attitude they are presented. 

I know that I'm not perfect and I usually take the person of what they say the wrong way.  Which is why I think someone is angry at me when they are not or thought it was out of bad taste.  Which is why I try to play around and joke but then its like I'm told that wasn't very funny or not at all like you.  Then I try to be serious to much and then I'm being told that I need to loosen up and not be serious all the time.  Its hard to find the right balance in life.   I do try my best but, sometimes the friendship just doesn't work out and they are no longer my friend.   Which is why I'm glad for my friends who stick with me, who know me for who I am.  Without friends then life would be hard. 

Then I'm also thankful for the Lord who will always be there for me.  He has been through everything that I have been through.  He knows when its hard to lose a friend, to have someone misunderstand you,  etc.

I know this is not my normal kind of post but I figured I had to let it out.   I don't know how much I will keep this blog running.  I've been told that I'm doing a good job at this, to keep it up, and surprised that I haven't given it up already.  I will keep on going until I run out of ideas to talk about.

Thanks.

Families are important in this life.

I don't no what its like to have children of my own yet but, I'm sure when I do I'll be busy with them. 

For those who do have children of their own are busy with them and dealing with work, school and church duties.  They struggle everything in their life to manage equally.  I know that families come first before friends and social life.  For the friends will come and go and are not living there at the house but, the family will always be there and will always need your attention.

• Getting breakfast, lunch, dinner made.
• Cleaning the bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, living room, etc.
• Taking care of pets.
• Washing windows
• Sweeping and moping floors.
• Taking out the garbage.
• Putting stuff away.
• Helping with school projects, school homework.
• Going to recitals, sports (practices, games, tournaments).
• Reading a book.

Sometimes I forget that they have to do these things, not all of them but, at least several of them.  I have tons of time on my hands and wonder why they don't reply back then I have to realize of what I typed in earlier.  I know that they don't forget about me or want me to feel bad for I will be as busy as they are when that time comes. 

Spend time with your family (spouse, children, siblings, in laws, relatives) for they are only here on the earth for a short time for you never know when it will be their time to leave and head back to the home to where they came from. 

Families are being torn apart and when families are being torn apart the fabric of society falls apart.

• Parents leaving their children in day care centers to long.
• Children and spouse being abused.
• No communication between family members.
• Divorces happening more frequent then in the past.
• Parents going on expensive trips frequently and forgetting their children needs.
• etc.

Families are important to society as a whole and individual.  Parents need to tend to their needs of the children.  Their is greater love, peace, harmony when families are together.  Children are important and they are the future generation of us living as adults as this time. For when we die, they will be left in charge of the society. 

The Lord has trust us as parents to take care of his children while here on earth.  For if we do we will be blessed in ways that we can't imagine and when we don't take care of his children properly, then the wrath of the Lord will not be good and will have to face the judgement bar to report on how we did our duties. 

Love your children be there for them for they are only so young at a short time for then they will be in turn taking care of you. 

Not to be hard on ourselves.

I hope we all had a good 4th of July celebrating our independence.  I sure did. 

How many times are we hard on ourselves? I know that we aren't perfect and that we are supposed to make mistakes in this life.  When we are hard on ourselves, it doesn't do us any good to beat ourselves up.  We are only hurting ourselves even more when we do so.  We are not helping us to progress further into being a better person.  So the next time something happens, take it with a grain of salt and realize hey I made a mistake, I'm not going to be hard on myself.  The Lord would appreciate that and so would yourself.