A couple of months...

Well.. I do admit that it has been two months. However, things have not stopped.
As for a spiritual aspect.. I would just like to share a few of the things that I have experienced over the last two months.

Losing my job, finding another one, discovering myself once more in a spiritual sense, has all taken its toll... but that is what we are here for. The plan of our Heavenly Father is a perfect plan, and although all the players inside it are not perfect themselves (including myself, especially), the plan itself, when understood, can give perfect understanding to situations and problems in life. For example... losing my job may seem like one of the worst things that could have ever happened to me. But who's to say that it has not allowed me to further my career with a bigger, better, higher-paying company?

Things happen in our lives that, many times, we have no clue why. As we strive to stay away from the horrible questions, such as "Why me?" or "What did I do wrong?", and focus MORE on the questions such as "What can I learn from this?" and "What is Heavenly Father trying to teach me."

Your answers turn from "Well I just don't know..." to "Ahh! Patience... virtue... integrity... faith."

Don't keep asking yourself questions that do not have answers.

I'll keep you posted.

Nevertheless...

"Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith." -Mosiah 23:21

A strong statement. Made by Mormon, abridging the book of Mosiah. And it is nothing more nor less than the truth.

The Lord needs to know whether or not we will remain faithful, or if we will fold. To know if we will be tried and remain true, or be beaten and dissent. He needs to know if we can be trusted with his authority, with his blessings, with his power, and with his name.

In order to make sure that a man is trustworthy in the work-field, a family might have the man prove himself first by a certain number of tests. If the man were a carpenter, one would be able to judge quite well his work if one were to ask for a few simple things first, before having the man take on the larger challenge.

If the man was able to deliver the desired product in the desired amount of time in a way that pleases you, you know that the man will be hired for the larger job.

If the small job, however, is not to your liking; he took too long, it did not come out has you had asked, and he was rude about the whole ordeal - perhaps even complaining about how difficult it was - you for SURE would not even think to trust him with a larger project.

How many of us complain about the tests and trials in our life? How many of us end up showing the Lord that we cannot be trusted because we do not have in our mind the eternal perspective needed. How many of us have complained to the Lord, saying it is too difficult, and that we will not be able to do it, when in reality, He's waiting to give us so many wonderful blessings and bigger jobs and blessings if we do the smaller ones right.

My testimony is that the Lord works line upon line, precept upon precept. It is through testing and trials of our faith and patience that he teaches us.

Thanks.

Abinadi and Isiah...

Some powerful words cited by Abinadi, from Isiah, speaking of the Saviour Jesus Christ and what would happen to him.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we
are healed.

  Mosiah 14:5

I think it speaks for itself.

Well, I felt the spirit.

McDonalds & Belts

The other day, I sat in a McDonalds in northern Phoenix. My car was in the auto shop next door, receiving a new serpentine accessory belt that had all but broken off completely. The sun was beating through the window, helping my slightly chilled body receive the welcomed warmth. Behind me, a ten foot, plastic tree look-a-like stood, extremely padded in all directions and on all surfaces. A PlayPlace®.

From the tree to the wall, a small wall of mesh was built, to keep children from going behind the daunting structure and getting lost, or hurting themselves, all away from the watchful supervision of parents or grandparents.

On this particular day, three little kids were playing in and around the large tree. Two sisters and an older boy. The boy, it seemed, was the more adventurous of the three - calling out orders and leading the two smaller children to "safety" from the "evil demons" that threatened the tree.

Imagination, huh?

As the children played, the little boy noticed something. Behind the tree, behind the mesh, laid two small balls. "A bouncy ball and one is full of beans!" yelled the child to his grandmother, informing her of what was behind there. The grandmother nodded politely and mentioned how that was all well and good.

Later the boy implored that he go up to the front desk of the restaurant and advise them that the two balls were behind the tree. There must be something they could do to get them out of there, because that's not where they belonged! There must be someone that would be able to get those out. The grandmother assured him that they would get the balls sooner or later, but right now, they were pretty busy.

The boy seemed to accept it.... for a while. A few moments later, one of the employees came over - a person of Mexican decent, that seemed to only know Spanish. As the employee came close to the table in which the boy sat with his grandmother, the boy saw his opportunity. "Hey, there's two balls behind there!"

The employee nodded slightly, not quite seeming to understand, but went on the way, ignoring further comments from the child. The grandmother reaffirmed that they would get them as soon as possible.

Now, don't get me wrong - they probably would get them sooner or later. And in reality, on the priority list of all the employees list of things to do, it would be rare that "retrieving lost balls from behind the big plastic tree" was very high. But there was something inspiring about the insistence of the boy.

Concern. Care.

He was concerned that someone had lost their toys behind the tree. He cared that they were where they should not have been. He wanted to help the restaurant out in the best way he could. And he fully expected someone to do something about it, just as everyone else did when there was a problem seen.

To him, it was a big thing. To him, it needed to be resolved. He couldn't do it, he was just a boy, with no access to the parts behind the tree - for if he did, he would have certainly retrieved the balls from their fallen location.

So, it rested upon the shoulders of the adults. But the adults did not want to listen. They didn't care about simple lost toys.

Innocence... Concern... Care... Dedication...

Simple, yet inspiring.

My car was ready only 3 hours later, due to further broken parts. But I will not likely forget this small, simple experience anytime soon.

Study...

Scripture study...

Something that is so essential to our salvation, so vital to the lives of each and every person that lives today. The scriptures contain the truth, the truth of the gospel. Through the scriptures, we learn of enduring examples, miraculous feats, wonders, and teachings that even most men these days have yet to fully comprehend.

And yet... the scriptures are so neglected. Almost anything becomes a priority above the scriptures and the reading of them. Almost anything seems more important that sitting down, taking a break from life, and diving into the scriptures, studying and dissecting each and every word for the deeper meaning.

There has been, I must admit, few times where I have been able to do the same thing. To delve so deeply into the scriptures that even sleep seems a burden, because of the things one can learn from such wonderful and perfect words! There is something exciting about the stories and words that are shared in the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. The doctrine is real, and it's there, right in front of us. All we have to do is dig deep enough to reach the treasure.

Unfortunately, many people only see the dirt and gunk on top, and do not have the diligence or faith to continue digging deeper to get the real treasure.

I may be one of those.

Choices.

Ammon and Limhi talk of Records

Ammon teaches the people of Limhi. What a wonderful experience!

Limhi shares some of the experiences that his people have had, giving Ammon even some of the plates his people used to record their history. It makes me think... if Zeniff, the grandfather of Limhi, had the sense to keep records of the proceedings of his people, why cannot I, who am not leading an entire army and/or people to a new land, keep a simple record of me and my family, and our proceedings. There is a reason the prophets have taught us to keep a diary and/or journal.

There is another journal mixed up in this chapter as well. Those of pure gold, 24 of them, retrieved from the land north, that was covered in bones and swords and breastplates. These were the records that none of the people at that time could understand, because of the language in which they were written. Limhi asks of Ammon if he knows how to translate, or knows someone. Ammon answers what he knows: that Mosiah, a prophet and king, possess the power of a seer, or that of one that can see the past and the future. Mosiah also had the power given him to interpret languages. That certainly made Limhi and his people glad.

The thing that makes this encounter even better? There are seers today. Men that, according to the will of the Lord, can warn people of future happenings. Prophecies and Prophets are real today. His name is Thomas S. Monson. There are 12 apostles, just as there was in Jesus' time. Never before on the Earth has there been as many members of Christ's church then there is today. It may be also justice to say that there has never been as many enemies to the Gospel than today as well.

The Fruits of the First Vision

I had an opportunity today to read a talk by President Uchtdorf, about the fruits of the First Vision. I must say I enjoyed it thoroughly. Elder Uchtdorf always has a way of tying gospel principles into examples in his life, together with a solemn testimony of the truth. A very powerful speaker.

But we're not here to talk about him. The topics addressed in his talk, however, are some to be pondered over. Like, it is because of a simple prayer made by a 14 year-old boy that brought forth the First Vision, which in turn, brought forth the entirety of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because of one simple, sincere, heart-felt prayer, Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ standing in front of him. God spoke, directly to man, just as in the olden days! What a glorious moment in Earth's history! For the longest time men had thought the heavens closed, boarded up, never to be open again, because of the distortion and apostasy that happened since the death of Christ and the killing of all his apostles.

Those men would have been grateful to live in such an extraordinary time, when the Gospel that Jesus Christ taught while he was here has been restored in its fullness.

One thing I love about Joseph Smith is that he never talked highly of himself. He always focused the people's worship in Christ, lifting them up, inspiring them. And yet, he himself was a man of character, wisdom, intelligence, faith, virtue, and dedication. He was not perfect, but he strived to be in harmony with the Lord.

The only way that someone can know if he was truly a Prophet of God, and really did see those personages in the grove that Spring morning, is by the power of the Holy Ghost. John teaches that it is by the power of the Holy Ghost that all truth will be confirmed, and thus it is by his power that the truth of the First Vision, and all its subsequent fruits, can be confirmed.

Prayer is always an option.