Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Signs

Those who build their testimony on signs are easily mislead by false signs and wonders. They also quickly fall away when their faith is tried.


Alma 32:15-19
15 Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed—yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty.

16 Therefore, blessed are they who ahumble themselves without being bcompelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without cstubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe.
17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a asign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.
18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to abelieve, for he knoweth it.
19 And now, how much amore bcursed is he that cknoweth the dwill of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into etransgression?

Matthew 24:24
24 For there shall arise afalse bChrists, and cfalse prophets, and shall shew great dsigns and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall edeceive the very felect.

Mark 13:22

22 For afalse Christs and bfalse prophets shall rise, and shall shew csigns and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.


Prayer

Matthew 5:6
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

My thoughts
{
Do we hunger for answers to our prayers? Do we truly thankful in our prayers? If we have deep sincerity of desire in our prayers and really reach out to God, then we will be filled with the Holy Ghost
}

D. Todd Christofferson, “The Power of Covenants,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2009, 22
 "God will keep His promises to you as you honor your covenants with Him."


“Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.”

Elder Anthony D Perkins of the Seventy, Beware Concerning Yourselves, General Conference October 2012
"Each time Jesus alerts priesthood holders to ‘beware, for Satan desireth to sift [you],’ He prescribes prayer as the temptation-countering action."


Doctrine and Covenants 19:38  38 Pray always, and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing—yea, even more than if you should obtain treasures of earth and corruptibleness to the extent thereof.

President Thomas S Monson, As We Close This Conference, General Conference April 2012 “We live in troubled times. I assure you that our Heavenly Father is mindful of the challenges we face. He loves each of us and desires to bless us and to help us. May we call upon Him in prayer, as He admonished”

Elder Richard G Scott, How to Obtain Revelation and Inspiration for Your Personal Life, April 2012 General Conference Our Heavenly Father did not put us on earth to fail but to succeed gloriously. It may seem paradoxical, but that is why recognizing answers to prayer can sometimes be very difficult.

President Boyd K Packer, How to Survive in Enemy Territory”,Seminary Centennial Broadcast  "Most of the time your prayers will be silent. You can think a prayer....

"You can always have a direct line of communication with your Father in Heaven. Do not allow the adversary to convince you that no one is listening on the other end. Your prayers are always heard. You are never alone!"


Moroni 7:33
 33 And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.

President Deiter F Uchtdorf, Waiting on the Road to Damascus, General Conference April 2011
“Often, the answer to our prayer does not come while we’re on our knees but while we’re on our feet serving the Lord and serving those around us. Selfless acts of service and consecration refine our spirits, remove the scales from our spiritual eyes, and open the windows of heaven. By becoming the answer to someone’s prayer, we often find the answer to our own.”

President Thomas S. Monson, "Heavenly Homes, Forever Families"'Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting: Supporting the Family, February 2006


"We often feel overwhelmed by the task before us. However, help is ever at hand. He who knows each of His children will answer our fervent and heartfelt prayer as we seek help in guiding them. Such prayer will solve more problems, alleviate more suffering, prevent more transgression, and bring about greater peace and contentment in the human soul than any other way."






Elder J Devn Cornish, Of the Seventy, The Privilege of Prayer
We must not only say our prayers; we must also live them.”
...


Prayer is the means by which we approach our Father in Heaven, who loves us”



  8 And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the aSpirit which teacheth a man to bpray ye would know that ye must cpray; for the devil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.





Proverbs 3:6


   6 In all thy ways aacknowledge him, and he shall bdirect thy cpaths.



Matthew 6:18
18 That thou appear not unto men to afast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall breward thee openly.

Alma 5:45-46


 45 And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I aknow of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?
 46 Behold, I say unto you they are made aknown unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have bfasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of crevelation which is in me.


Agency/Free Will

Elder Robert D Hales, “Come, Follow Me” by Practicing Christian Love and Service, October 2016 General Conference
Some parents who have loved and taught their children also weep when their grown children choose not to follow the Lord’s plan. What can parents do? We cannot pray away another’s agency. 

Doctrine and Covenants 37:4
Behold, here is wisdom, and let every man choose for himself until I come. Even so. Amen.

Larry Y Wilson, Only upon the Principles of Righteousness, General Conference April 2012
“This scripture says we must lead by “principles of righteousness.” Such principles apply to all leaders in the Church as well as to all fathers and mothers in their homes. 3 We lose our right to the Lord’s Spirit and to whatever authority we have from God when we exercise control over another person in an unrighteous manner. 4 We may think such methods are for the good of the one being “controlled.” But anytime we try to compel someone to righteousness who can and should be exercising his or her own moral agency, we are acting unrighteously. When setting firm limits for another person is in order, those limits should always be administered with loving patience and in a way that teaches eternal principles.
“We simply cannot force others to do the right thing. “ 

...
Our children are in our homes for a limited time. If we wait until they walk out the door to turn over to them the reins of their moral agency, we have waited too long. They will not suddenly develop the ability to make wise decisions if they have never been free to make any important decisions while in our homes. Such children often either rebel against this compulsion or are crippled by an inability to make any decisions on their own.
Wise parents prepare their children to get along without them. They provide opportunities for growth as children acquire the spiritual maturity to exercise their agency properly. And yes, this means children will sometimes make mistakes and learn from them.”


President Boyd K Packer, “How to Survive in Enemy Territory”,Seminary Centennial Broadcast

“The first gift that Adam and Eve received was agency: ‘Thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee.’ (Genesis 2:17)“ ... “It is natural to resist restraints of any kind.”

Neal A. Maxwell, “According to the Desire of [Our] Hearts,” Ensign, Nov. 1996, 22, 21
“When people are described as ‘having lost their desire for sin,’ it is they, and they only, who deliberately decided to lose those wrong desires by being willing to ‘give away all [their] sins’ in order to know God.”

“Therefore, what we insistently desire, over time, is what we will eventually become and what we will receive in eternity.”

Elder Randall K. Bennett, Of the Seventy, Choose Eternal Life, General Conference October 2011
"My dear brothers and sisters, your eternal destiny will not be the result of chance but of choice. It is never too late to begin to choose eternal life!”

Thomas S. Monson, “Decisions Determine Destiny” (Church Educational System fireside for young adults, Nov. 6, 2005)‘I can’t stress too strongly that decisions determine destiny. You can’t make eternal decisions without eternal consequences.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Happiness

President Thomas S Monson, Obedience Brings Blessings, General Conference April 2013
Throughout the ages, men and women have sought for knowledge and understanding concerning this mortal existence and their place and purpose in it, as well as for the way to peace and happiness. Such a search is undertaken by each of us.

This knowledge and understanding are available to all mankind. They are contained in truths which are eternal.
...
"There are rules and laws to help ensure our physical safety. Likewise, the Lord has provided guidelines and commandments to help ensure our spiritual safety so that we might successfully navigate this often-treacherous mortal existence and return eventually to our Heavenly Father."


Mosiah 2:41 41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

Jose L Alonso of the Seventy, Doing the Right Thing at the Right Time, without Delay, General Conference, October 2011
Some have lost a sense of happiness and joy. The prophets have declared that true happiness is found in following the example and teachings of Christ. He is our Savior, He is our teacher, and He is the perfect example.”

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Caring for the Poor

In Conference Report, Oct. 1936, 3
 “Our primary purpose was to set up … a system under which the curse of idleness would be done away with, the evils of a dole abolished, and independence, industry, thrift and self respect be once more established amongst our people. The aim of the Church is to help the people to help themselves. Work is to be re-enthroned as the ruling principle of the lives of our Church membership”

Doctrine and Covenants 52:40
“Remember in all things the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted, for he that doeth not these things, the same is not my disciple”

Ministering Angels

Gordon B. Hinckley, “Personal Worthiness to Exercise the Priesthood,” Ensign, May 2002, 52
“You cannot afford to do anything that would place a curtain between you and the ministering of angels in your behalf.
“You cannot be immoral in any sense. You cannot be dishonest. You cannot cheat or lie. You cannot take the name of God in vain or use filthy language and still have the right to the ministering of angels.”

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Growing Up

Doctrine and Covenants 109:15

15 And that they may grow up in thee, and receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost, and be organized according to thy laws, and be prepared to obtain every needful thing;

Bishop Keith B. McMullin, Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, The Power of the Aaronic Priesthood, General Conference October 2011

Shun profane and foolish chatter.”


President Boyd K Packer, Counsel to Youth, October 2011 General Conference
“Dress modestly; talk reverently; listen to uplifting music. Avoid all immorality and personally degrading practices. Take hold of your life and order yourself to be valiant.”


1 Corinthians 13:11
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Loud Laughter

Doctrine and Covenants 88:69
 69 Remember the great and last promise which I have made unto you; cast away your idle thoughts and your excess of laughter far from you.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:121
121 Therefore, cease from all your light speeches, from all laughter, from all your lustful desires, from all your pride and light-mindedness, and from all your wicked doings.

President Boyd K Packer, Counsel to Youth, October 2011 General Conference
“Dress modestly; talk reverently; listen to uplifting music. Avoid all immorality and personally degrading practices. Take hold of your life and order yourself to be valiant.”



Elder Richard G Scott, How to Obtain Revelation and Inspiration for Your Personal Life, April 2012 General Conference

There are some practical principles that enhance revelation. First, yielding to emotions such as anger or hurt or defensiveness will drive away the Holy Ghost. Those emotions must be eliminated, or our chance for receiving revelation is slight.
Another principle is to be cautious with humor. Loud, inappropriate laughter will offend the Spirit. A good sense of humor helps revelation; loud laughter does not. A sense of humor is an escape valve for the pressures of life.
Another enemy to revelation comes from exaggeration or loudness in what is stated. Careful, quiet speech will favor the receipt of revelation.”

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Over Population


Jacob 4:13
 13 Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old.

My Commentary: We perceive lots of things in out lives that aren't entirely accurate.  The holy ghost can help us see things are they really are.




President Boyd K Packer, Counsel to Youth
The family is the center of that plan. The family depends on the worthy use of those life-giving powers that are in your body.”