Why do I have a Blog??

So why in the world does a Mormon Missionary have a blog? Or better yet, why do I have a Facebook? And even better (if you've noticed) why do a lot of Missionaries have Blogs and Facebook's!? First maybe it would be best to explain what our purpose is as missionaries. As a missionary, or representative, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we invite all to come unto Christ. We invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored Gospel through faith in Him.  We want all to have faith in Jesus Christ and believe in Him because we know, I know, that so many blessings flow into my life for following Him. What is so amazing, or unique, about our message is that we know there is a prophet once again on the earth. That Christ has once again established His church on the earth; with His authority! It has blessed my life so much to be a part of it, and now I get to share it with others.

     Me being online is simply helping me fulfil my purpose. The Internet is such an amazing tool, It sure can make our lives a lot easier.  Information about anything, instant communication, fun, and many other things. That is why we are on the internet, to use it as a tool for good to help spread our message; to share my testimony of the Divinity of Jesus Christ, our Heavenly Father, and the Holy Ghost. I know that they Live!

The Ultimate Sacrifice

Recently I have had the opportunity to teach a lot about Sacrifice. What it is, why we need to do it. Obviously sacrifice is something that is never easy. When searching for some definitions of Sacrifice i came across this definition: "To sacrifice is to give up something we value for the sake of something of greater worth."(True to the Faith pg, 149). When thinking of sacrifice my mind of course turns towards the greatest of all sacrifices; our Savior Jesus Christ and the ultimate sacrifice of the Atonement. He sacrificed everything for all of us. I thought of our Heavenly Father, His sacrifice of sending His only begotten Son. John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" I Love this story which puts it into another perspective; a perspective of our Heavenly Father. I hope it helps you like it helped me. It's titled, The Bridge, author anonymous:

There once was this turntable bridge which spanned a large river. During most of the day, the bridge sat parallel with the river, allowing ships to pass freely on both sides. But at certain times each day a train would come along and the bridge would be turned across the river allowing the trains to cross.
A switchman sat in a small shack on one side of the river where he operated the controls to turn the bridge and lock it into place as the train crossed.
One evening, as the switchman was waiting for the last train of the day to come, he looked off into the distance through the dimming twilight and caught sight of the train's light. He stepped to the controls and waited until the train was within a prescribed distance when he was to turn the bridge into position. He turned the bridge, but to his horror, found that the locking control didn't work. If the bridge was not locked into position securely, it would wobble back and forth at the ends when the train comes onto it. This would cause the train to jump the track and go crashing into the river. This train was a passenger train with many people aboard.He left the bridge turned across the river, and hurried across the bridge to the other side of the river where there was a lever he could use to operate the lock manually.

He could hear the rumble of the train now. He took hold of the lever and leaned backward to apply pressure to keep the mechanism

 locked. Many lives depended on this man's strength. Then, coming across from the direction of his control shack he heard a sound that made his blood run cold: "Daddy, where are you?" His four-year-old son was crossing the bridge to look for him.
His first impulse was to cry out to the child, "Run, run!" but the train was too close, the tiny legs would never make it across the bridge in time. The man almost lifted the lever to run and snatch up his son, and carry him to safety, but he realized he could not get back to the lever in time. Either the people on the train or his little son must die. He took just a moment to make his decision. The train sped swiftly and safely on it's way, and no one aboard was aware of the tiny, broken body thrown mercilessly into the river by the rushing train. Nor were they aware of the pitiful figure of a sobbing

 man still clinging tightly to the lever long after the train had passed. They didn't see him walking home more slowly than he had ever walked, to tell his wife how he had sacrificed her son.

Christmas Spirit

How would Jesus Christ himself have us celebrate His Birthday? One thing I’m sure he would have us do is do something that he would do. Help out a neighbor or friend, Give a gift you have been neglecting to give, Tell someone hello. Tell someone about Jesus Christ. When we lose track of what Christmas is really about we lose track of Christ. There is nothing wrong with Santa Clause, Christmas lights, or wrapping paper. But when we put them ahead of our savior we fail to remember His birth and life. When we get into the Spirit of Christ, we get into the real spirit of Christmas. Merry Christmas Everyone.

They Gave Up Their Christmas

    I love this Video. When I think about what I could give to Christ during this Season what gift thing then service to others. Jesus Christ has said that when we are in the service of our fellow beings we are only in the service of our God(Mosiah 2:17, Book of Mormon). When we think of how much He has given us, let us give something back in return. What could you give?

We Believe in Christ. We Want Everyone to Come Unto Him

The other day my companion and I were visiting a member of the church. When we were visiting with him a friend came over. We started talking and she actually had some good questions for us. She wanted to know what we talked to people about, what we taught people. We told her briefly about some things we believe. We told her about the uniqueness of our message. However, whenever we started to teach or talk about things such as modern day prophets or the book of Mormon she would stop us. She felt that we did not teach or testify of Jesus Christ enough. When trying to help her understand we would always wind up back on the topic of the book of Mormon. Eventually the conversation came to a close with her telling us that we do not need other things because we have Jesus Christ. And that, to her, that was all that mattered and that is the only thing we should teach and talk about. Reflecting afterwards I found myself thinking, "Well maybe we don’t focus on Christ enough". But soon the answer flowed into my mind. We do focus on Christ. We do belive in Christ. He is everything to us. He is central to our message. What we may have failed to explain is that we are so happy to tell people that we have more. We have another book completely filled with Christ's teachings. We have a prophet on the earth at this time; this very moment! He teaches us what Jesus Christ wants us to hear. We have His priesthood that allows us to perform sacred ordinances in His name. We do not mean to talk about other things or draw attention away from Jesus Christ. In fact, we want the world to know that He lives. That he has restored his church to the earth once again. We want the world to know that the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored, and that there is so much more. Though we love the bible we offer even more revelations from Christ, Even more of His dealings with other people of the world. And we want everyone to know it and cherish it for themselves. That is why I am out here; to invite others to come unto Jesus Christ.

Don't Ever Give Up

The Race 

by D. H. Groberg

"Quit, give up, you're beaten"
They shout at you and plead
"There's just too much against you
This time you can't succeed".

And as I start to hang my head
In front of failures face
My downward fall is broken by
The memory of a race

And hope refills my weakened will
As I recall that scene
Or just the thought of that short race
Rejuvenates my being

Childrens race, young boys
Young men, how I remember well
Excitement sure, but also fear
It wasn't hard to tell

They all lined up so full of hope
Each thought to win that race
Or tie for first, or if not that
At least take second place

The fathers watched from off the side
Each cheering for his son
And each boy hoped to show his dad
That he could be the one

The whistle blew and off they went
Young hearts and hopes afire
To win and be the hero there
Was each young boys desire

And one boy in particular
Whose dad was in the crowd
Was running near the lead and thought
"My dad will be so proud"

But as they speeded down the field
Across a shallow dip
The little boy who thought to win
Lost his step and slipped

Trying hard to catch himself
With hands flew out to brace
And amid the laughter of the crowd
He fell flat on his face

But as he fell his dad stood up
And showed his anxious face
Which to the boy so clearly said
"Get up and win the race"

He quickly rose, no damage done
Behind a bit that's all
And ran with all his night and mind
To make up for the fall

So anxious to restore himself
To catch up and to win
His mind went faster than his legs
He slipped and fell again

He wised then that he had quit before
With only one disgrace
"I'm hopeless as a runner now
I shouldn't try to race"

But in the laughing crowd he searched
And found his fathers face
That steady look which said again
"Get up and win the race"

So up he jumped to try again
Ten yards behind the last
If I'm going to gain those yards he though
I've got to move real fast

Exerting everything he had
He regained eight or ten
But trying hard to catch the lead
He slipped and fell again

Defeat, he lay there silently
A tear dropped from his eye
There's no sense running anymore
Three strikes, I'm out, why try?

The will to rise had disappeared
All hope had fled away
So far behind so error prone
A loser all the way

"I've lost, so what", he thought       

I'll live with my disgrace
But then he thought about his dad
Whom soon he'd have to face

"Get up" the echo sounded low
"Get up" and take your place
You were not meant for failure here
"Get up", and win the race

With borrowed will "Get up" it said
"You haven't lost at all"
For winning is no more than this
To rise each time you fall

So up he rose to run once more
And with a new commit
He resolved, that win or lose
At least he shouldn't quit

So far behind the others now
The most he'd ever been
Still he'd give it all he had
And run as though to win

Three times he'd fallen, stumbling
Three times he'd rose again
Too far behind to hope to win
He still ran to the end

They cheered the winning runner
As he crossed the line first place
Head high and proud and happy
No falling, no disgrace  

                                    
But when the fallen youngster
Crossed the line, last place
The crowd gave him the greater cheer
For finishing the race

And even though he came in last
With head bent low, unproud
You would have thought he'd won the race
To listen to the crowd

And to his dad he sadly said
"I didn't do too well"
"To me you won", his father said
"You rose each time you fell"

   

        Have you ever been afraid or discouraged when a challenge has arisen? Have you felt that this time, this challenge, is far beyond my ability? Have you ever wanted to give up? As Winston Churchill told the down trodden and discouraged people of Great Britain "Never, Never, Never Give up!" You can do it! I can do it! Let us remember that our savior Jesus Christ has been there too, and that he is ALWAYS there to help. It doesn’t matter what place we finish. It only matters that we finished, and that we finished strong.

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I figured I would post one of my favorite Mormon Messages. The first time I watched this I asked myself what would I have said if I was one of these People? What am I thankful for? What would you have said if you were randomly stopped on your way home today and asked the question "what are you thankful for"? I know that I have way too much to be thankful for. I am blessed with so many things. A wonderful family, good friends, 3 meals a day, and a bed to sleep in (I even have memory foam!). I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to be out here on a mission serving Heavenly Father and His children. I am so thankful for Jesus Christ, more than words can describe. I am thankful for the Gospel and the happiness it brings into my life. I am thankful to be alive, to live and learn and grow. I am thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows me personally and who was willing to send his only begotten son to pay the ultimate price.  And I am thankful for all those other little things that I don’t have time to mention. How about you, what are you thankful for?

Forgiveness: My Burden Was Made Light

I love this video. It is so powerful. When I think of myself, if i was ever in that same or similar situation what would I do? What would you do?? I like to think that I would have enough courage, enough faith, to forgive and move on. I think of our savior, and how through our savior, Chris was able to find the strength to forgive. I know that when I fail or err, when I feel the remorse and the regret of a mistake, It is so relieving to feel that burden lifted. Let us be like Chris, or even our savior Jesus Christ who will forgive all. Let us try a little harder to forgive those who may have hurt or wronged us. In doing so the I know the burden and pain will be lifted off us as much as it will be lifted off them.