The doctrines of Christ

Recently my mission president  issued a challenge to read topics about Jesus Christ in the scriptures, all the from his earthly ministry to his presence in the old testament, or his baptism, and ect.  It's been intresting to read these versus because it gives you a different perspective on his actions and personality.  Why he did things, what was he trying to teach the people?  I've recieved many enlightnings facts about the savior of the world.  I've learned the most about his doctrine and his will for me.  I try to ask myself, "What is he trying to say to me?"  What am I to take out of these versus?  My testimony has grown from this study and my knowledge has increased.  I've read the scripture referneces before, but they've taken on a new meaning, instead of trying to understand the principle first I try to understand the savior and his thoughts, then follows the meaning of the principle.  I feel like i'm getting to know a friend better and it's really refreshing.  I invite anyone and everyone to do the same study.  Look up in the topical guide in an LDS edition of the scriptures and find the name Jesus Christ.  There are 14 pages dealing with the savior and his influences in the worlds history. 

Thanksgiving

Every year Thanksgiving always inspires an atmosphere of gratitude for a season.  This year I would like to give thanks for the most precious and significant gift ever given to man.  The gift of God's son, Jesus Christ.  Christ's atonement is the center of all thing, even our blessings.  He suffered the pains of our sins in Gethsemane and bleed from every pore ( Alma 7:11-12).  he was spit on and mocked and finally slain on the cross (Matthew 27).  After his sufferings He arose triumphant three days later just like He said He would (Luke 24).   I pray that this Thanksgiving season we may remember our savior and his atonment.  Not just for this week, but everyday.  I knoe He lives and cares for us.

Time is short

Today it started to sink in.  I don't have a whole lot of time to be a missionary?  My presidents words still ring in my head, "Use the edges of time."  I'm excited to see mt family and do normal things, but the pain and sorrow that comes from being released as a missionary almost excedes my excitement.  Then I was thinking, don't be like that.  Use the time i have now to burst to the finish line.  Become even better than I am now, teach better, tract better, walk faster, talk more, be more friendly, learn more lessons, be more christlike.  The list goes on.  We cannot waste time on negative things, we must learn to flip them around and be postitive.  It's impossible not to experience these things but we cannot let them keep us from moving forward.

Eternal Families

Today I was thinking about my family and being with them forever.  I found out of an incident in my family, not within my own personal family but extended family.  And it made me very anxious to go home and get sealed to my family.  To be able to have the authority on the earth from God to seal families is the greatest gift for me.  To know that someone called of God has made it so my family will never be seperated, not even by death.  So i'm very anxious to be able to go to the temple with my family and be sealed to them for time and eternity.

The Atonement

Why must we love the Lord? Because as we do so, we become refined, pure, and holy. When we love the Lord, the benefits of the Atonement can wash away our earthly stain. Though our sins be as scarlet, they can become white as snow (see Isaiah 1:18), and we can become new creatures, filled with new life, new thoughts, and a renewed desire to do good continually.

                                      -Joseph B. Wirthlin

Not Ashamed

I was reading in 2Nephi in the Book of Mormon and was reading an Isiah chapter.  It's compared to Isiah 50 and it's verses 6 and 7.  It's talking about christ and how he'll go through a lot of persecution, but he won't turn his face and he'll trust in God.  I thought the same for me, No matter what mat happen to me I will not be ashamed of my testimony of christ and God will always be there me and anyone else.

My Studies

This morning I was reading 1Samuel in the old Testament and was reading about Hannah.  She was very sorrowful because she could not bare her husband a son.  He said,"Am I not better to thee than nine sons?"  How often i find myself doing the same, finding my flaws and morning over them.  So Hannah turned to the Lord and promised if He would provide a son, she would give him back to the Lord.  We to can turn to the Lord and make promises with, but we need to keep up our and end and give back to the Lord and then we will be blessed even more for a small sacrifice.  Hannah was then blessed with three sons and two daughters.