What is taking so long?

I love the feeling of a job well done after a hard days work.  I recently felt this when I helped dig out a tree stump about a week ago.

The stump must have been two and a half feet in diameter.  The roots were deep, and the more we dug, the more could see more root.  I seemed like that stump was never going to come out.

After a while we noticed that one reason the once strong foundation was so immovable was because the ground was frozen.  I thought that after ten or fifteen hits with a 8 pound hammer, the frozen earth might break loose.  This gave us some relief, but the job was still incomplete.

Soon talk of leaving the project came into play while one of us took turns whacking away any soil that we could.  Every attempt yielded only little dirt removal.  After all, we had worked on the task for more than 3 hours, and we were loosing daylight.  What could been done?

In the last minutes available the stump broke away from the ground's grip and our goal was fulfilled!!

I remember the sense of accomplishment as we drove home that night, knowing we had done all we could to get that stubborn stump out of the ground.

From that lesson, I learned to never give up on your goals.  It took patience, hard work, and diligence.  The blessing of having the stump out of the ground didn't come immediately.  It took effort.  It took time we didn't want to give. 

When I think of that experience, I see how the Gospel of Jesus Christ is much like this stump removal.  Many times in my life, I wanted to give in, feeling somewhat embarressed for my unseen accomplishment.   In the agony, there were moments that it seemed my situation would never get better.  After a while I discovered something; that is our Heavenly Father ALWAYS reaches out to us when we reach out to Him.  Our desired blessings don't come immediately or not at all when it isn't His will.  He will however, help us in a time when we will learn the most from our experience, and at a time it will bless us the most.  I have waited for years for some things, and seconds for others.  Reguardless of time, Heavenly Father's help always comes. 

This movie is similar to my own experience  I feel it is appropriate.

Can you see God's hand in your life?

The Family

On September 23, 1995, President Gordon B. Hinckley, the 15th President of the Church, read the following proclamation in a general Relief Society meeting. This inspired proclamation, titled “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” has become the Church’s definitive statement on the family:

“We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.

“All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

“In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.

“The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.
“We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.

“Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. ‘Children are an heritage of the Lord’ (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

“The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.

“We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.

“We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society” (Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102).

What can I expect from a missionary visit?

Many people see Latter-Day Saint missionaries, but may hesitate to talk to them.  After all not everyone walks around in suits these days. 

Some people see us walking around talking to people.  Do you know why that is?

From the beginning, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has been a missionary church. Missionaries have one main purpose, which is:

To invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the Restored Gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.

Missionaries teach 4 lessons on Jesus Christ.  They invite, and love to teach a sincere seeker of truth.  The messages, if applied, will improve the quality of your life, answer deep questions, make you want to live a better life, and will help you understand who Jesus Christ is.  In other words, missionaries will be guides for you to enjoy these blessings. 

Joseph seeing God and Christ



A missionary's initial message is about what we call The Restoration.   In this lesson missionaries teach who God is, why He is important in our lives, and how He has always reached out to us as His children through prophets.  The person being taught learns of a prophet who had an extremely significant role.  In a sense, this prophet was called of God to restore many truths that had been misunderstood for centuries.  Missionaries will invite all who are present to discover for themselves the message they teach is true. 



Jesus Christ created the Earth



The second message is called The Plan of Happiness.  This lesson helps us to understand where we came from, why we are here, and where we will be going.  It outlines a plan that God has created, and of which, we are all a part of.  Our divine potential for who we are, and what we can look forward to after we die.  This lesson explains the ultimate purpose for life, and how we can be even happier in this life and the life to come.



Jesus Christ



The third message outlines a pattern of living Jesus Christ wants for us.  It is called The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Apart of this message is how we can be free of feelings of unhappiness, guilt, and shame.  How Jesus Christ can "lift us up" to be more than we can be on our own.  We learn how to be more like our Savior Jesus Christ.  We learn how to develop attributes He taught.

The final lesson explains a few things we can do to receive blessings from God.  These blessings always come after we keep The Commandments.  Commandments are things God asks us to do, which if obeyed will make us happy.  I have found these commandments help me see, feel, and know God's hand in my life.

After meeting with missionaries, I have heard people say something like, "They filled a hole in my heart I didn't know was there."  Other's have said, "I found answers to questions I didn't even know I had."

 
As a missionary I have witnessed the power these messages bring.  I have seen mountains of doubt, unhappiness, and ultimate despair become happiness.  I live these messages for myself and I can tell you they work.  I know Jesus Christ is the ultimate healer of our souls.  I know who I am and it has made all the difference.

If you would like more information please email me at mark.lewis@myldsmail.net or follow me on facebook.