3 Nephi 12:10-12

My Story: Audia

It all started when I did my research on the Mormons and I went to Mormon.org. I wanted to leave my old church and get a new church, a new faith, which will help me change for the better. On Mormon.org I met some ladies and they gave me a number for the bishop and his wife then his wife gave me a number for 2 missionaries. So I called and that following Wednesday I met them and that Sunday I went to my first day of Mormon Church and since then I’ve stuck to it.

I decided to be baptized to be an official member of the church because I knew in my heart that it was my new church where I belong. To me, baptism means getting a new life and getting rid of the old and becoming a new person; which is why my testimony is my new life is my LDS faith and it's true and no one can tell me different. It helped me change my life and me I felt a change since coming to this church and I’m sticking to it.  No one can make me leave. I'm happy where I am and I enjoy it. I have friends who I love dearly, who I care about and they care about me.

My favorite scripture is Mosiah 5:7 because it's who I became:

My four year-old cat Socks

"And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters."

Also Psalm 37:5, because the Lord will take care of the people who picked on me and harassed me in due time and I shouldn't be worried: "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."

I'm excited for when I'm ready to be baptized in the upcoming months.



-by Audia

Keep Christmas Going

.Several weeks ago, my mother sent me a reminder of a story that we'd read at home for Christmas.  I've been thinking about it more after Christmas though than I did before.  I can't remember the story, so if anyone can find it, I'd be very grateful.  I give the details I can remember, and hopefully I'll be able to fill in the rest eventually.
Christmas eve, a miserly banker (think of Ebeneezer Scrooge) was tidying up his bank for the holiday after his clerks and tellers had gone home.  He locked the front door, and made a sweep of the whole bank.  Last of all, he stepped into the heart of his bank, the massive steel vault.  Soon after stepping over the threshold of the vault, he heard the heavy door swing and clank behind him.  Startled, he turned around to find the door had closed and locked.
Since the bank would not open the next day, no one would come and open the vault to continue business.  Neither would friends or family come looking for him, for he didn't have any.  He spent Christmas, lonely and miserable locked in his own vault, because he had not personally reached out to the world.  When one of his clerks opened the vault on the day after Christmas, the banker was a changed man.  He'd had a day and half alone to ponder over his choices, and the value of relationships he'd previously disregarded.

This year, I spent Christmas surrounded by friends and fellow missionaries.  I also called home and talked with my family, which was quite a highlight.  I spent the season inviting people to follow Jesus Christ, experience his love and to share it with others.
Without those relationships with friends and family, Christmas wouldn't be as special.  It's hard to think of Christ's love, without the love of others immediately at hand.  Those relationships and the love that's there aren't built up in a day.  They come from extending Christ-like love to others, all through the year and building those relationships.  This is why my mother keeps one Christmas ornament over the kitchen sink up all year long.  It reminds our whole family to keep the holiday Christ-like spirit with us all year and not just when Target is selling decorations.

Christmas Well Wishes

Merry Christmas! - Vesel božič!

I wish the merriest of Christmases to everyone following my blog.  I hope that something in my blog has brightened your season and brought you closer to Christ.  I’d love to hear what it was, and hope that as you are spending this wonderful day with family and friends.  Please be sure to click the button to the left for a Christmas card to you.   May your thoughts be centered on the hope that is in Jesus Christ.

Želim najbolj vesel božič vsem ki berejo moj blog.  Upam da nekaj v tem blogu vam je osrečil božič in vas pripeljal Kristusu bliže.  Jaz bi rad slišal to kar je bil.  Prosim da tiskate gumb na levici za božično kartico vam.  Naj bo vam misel osredotočena na Jezusa Kristusa. 

Don't Forget What We're Celebrating

Tonight I will be reading Luke chapter 2 in the New Testament with the other missionaries I serve with.  I've this account from Mary's perspective many times this month, and many times in years before and love it.  I know that as we read it, our thoughts will be drawn to Jesus Christ and we will feel the Spirit.  Will you gather a group around and read it tonight as well?

Understanding Christ's Birth

Knowest Though the Condescension of God?: Birth and Childhood

This is a great video I've had the opportunity to watch today as further personal study into the events surrounding Christ's birth.  In this video, Brigham Young University scholars of ancient scripture discuss 

A wonderful thing about this video is how they compare the information we have from the multiple accounts in Biblical sources and other sources available through modern revelation, like the Book of Mormon.

They also discuss external historical information that makes it easier to follow some of those events.  Beyond that, I enjoyed seeing many of the historical sites that were involved in Christ's birth and childhood.

Jesus Once of Humble Birth.

Every year, my family carefully unwraps several porcelain figurines which combine to display the crowd of shepherds and animals gathered around to see the newly born Jesus with his mother mother Mary, and adoptive father Joseph.  Yesterday evening, Elder Meza unwrapped the second of a set that his friends at home sent him.
This morning I was pondering the humble circumstances surrounding Christ's birth.  In the past several Christmases I've seen many beautiful nativity scenes which capture the details of the event rather simply and accurately.  Other's become much more distracted by commercialism, or hopefully are just drawing Christ's glory into the physical portrayal of the event, and display a comfortable royal splendor which was very unlikely present at when Jesus Christ was born.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. [Luke 2:7]

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat (foods of the poor), that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. [Isaiah 7:14-15]

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.  And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. [Luke 2:15-16]

The Savior of the world was born amid the lowly setting of a manger, or stall of a barn.  Despite his royal lineage, he was raised by are carpenter.

Many may not consider this to be among the typical Christmas songs, however it is rather fitting for the focus we're trying to capture for our Christmas season.  Christ's birth and glory give a striking contrast which we should be slow to forget.

1. Jesus, once of humble birth,

Now in glory comes to earth.

Once he suffered grief and pain;

Now he comes on earth to reign.

Now he comes on earth to reign.

2. Once a meek and lowly Lamb,

Now the Lord, the great I Am.

Once upon the cross he bowed;

Now his chariot is the cloud.

Now his chariot is the cloud.

3. Once he groaned in blood and tears;

Now in glory he appears.

Once rejected by his own,

Now their King he shall be known.

Now their King he shall be known.

4. Once forsaken, left alone,

Now exalted to a throne.

Once all things he meekly bore,

But he now will bear no more.

But he now will bear no more.

Hymn #196 in Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Text: Parley P. Pratt, 18071857
Music: Giacomo Meyerbeer, 17911864, adapted

Christ's Birthday

On Mormon.org chat, I now regularly get asked, "Don't you Mormon's know Jesus probably wasn't even born in December?!"  I'm quite pleased in being able to answer, "Of course we know that, in fact, we know he was born on April 6."

Image: The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles

President Harold B Lee, the 11th modern prophet, said, “This is the annual conference of the Church. April 6, 1973, is a particularly significant date because it commemorates not only the anniversary of the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in this dispensation, but also the anniversary of the birth of the Savior, our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. [Quoted D&C 20:1]” ( CR, Apr. 1973, p. 4.)  Even Mormon scriptures and prophets make it clear that Jesus wasn't born in December.

Source: Sister 72, Flickr

This of course doesn't get in the way of celebrating Christ's birth in what would otherwise be a dreary season.  The darkest months of the year are a time when we certainly need some light.  There is no better way to light up a dreary season, than to remember Jesus Christ, for "Christ shall give thee light." [Eph 5:14]

As President Lee demonstrated, we don't fail to commemorate Christ's actual birthday either.  Who deserves two birthday parties a year more than the Savior of the world?

Online On Christmas

Referral Center Mission at Bishop Allen's

Wednesday evening my mission went all went to the home of Bishop Allen.  He's the son of one of the leaders over our mission.  As a bishop, he volunteers to oversee a congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Part of that includes overseeing the young men and women in the Church by strengthening them spiritually and personally, and by helping them reach out to other young men and women.  This outreach helps strengthen their faith and help them share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with their friends.  I know that the ways I helped my friends learn about Jesus Christ and his modern prophets, and built my faith in him, when I saw the changes that took place in my friends' lives.  To help build the young men and women's faith in Christ and to share it with others, Bishop Allen held a fireside in his home, in which we presented how we do missionary work online, and suggested ways others could get involved in sharing the Gospel online.  One of the main ways we covered was sharing it with status updates on Facebook and such.  Our faith is so dear to us, that many of us forget as we hold it sacred to let it show in our daily lives, especially as we show our daily lives on the internet with friends and family across the world.  How often do we post an update to show how our families are remembering Christ?



Elder Spencer, showed me this video, that shows what Mary and Joseph's status updates would have looked like, as they might have shared some of the most sacred events of all time.

Service in Several Languages

This morning we Matthew 25:34-40, was read in three of the different languages spoken among the missionaries I serve with.  Elder Meza, one of the missionaries I serve alongside, brought up the discussion with the version from his Spanish scriptures.  Not many of us understood.

Spanish

34 Entonces el Rey dirá a los que estén a su derecha: Venid, benditos de mi Padre, heredad el reino preparado para vosotros desde la fundación del mundo.  35 Porque tuve hambre, y me disteis de comer; tuve sed, y me disteis de beber; fui forastero, y me recogisteis;  36 estuve desnudo, y me cubristeis; enfermo, y me visitasteis; estuve en la cárcel, y vinisteis a mí.  37 Entonces los justos le responderán, diciendo: Señor, ¿cuándo te vimos hambriento y te sustentamos?, ¿o sediento y te dimos de beber?  38 ¿Y cuándo te vimos forastero y te recogimos?, ¿o desnudo y te cubrimos?  39 ¿O cuándo te vimos enfermo o en la cárcel, y fuimos a verte?  40 Y respondiendo el Rey, les dirá: De cierto os digo que en cuanto lo hicisteis a uno de éstos, mis hermanos más pequeños, a mí lo hicisteis.

Slovenian

››34Tedaj bo kralj rekel tistim, ki bodo na desnici: ›Pridite, blagoslovljeni mojega Očeta! Prejmite v posest kraljestvo, ki vam je pripravljeno od začetka sveta! 35 Kajti lačen sem bil in ste mi dali jesti, žejen sem bil in ste mi dali piti, tujec sem bil in ste me sprejeli, 36 nag sem bil in ste me oblekli, bolan sem bil in ste me obiskali, v ječi sem bil in ste prišli k meni.‹ 37 Tedaj mu bodo pravični odgovorili: ›Gospod, kdaj smo te videli lačnega in te nasitili ali žejnega in ti dali piti? 38 Kdaj smo te videli tujca in te sprejeli ali nagega in te oblekli? 39 Kdaj smo te videli bolnega ali v ječi in smo prišli k tebi?‹ 40 Kralj jim bo odgovoril: ›Resnično, povem vam: Kar koli ste storili enemu od teh mojih najmanjših bratov, ste meni storili.‹‹ © 1996, 2003 Društvo Svetopisemska družba Slovenije 

English

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:  36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.  37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?  39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?  40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Even reading these in a language besides my own, when I don't fully understand the words, I can seen the beautiful imagery of these  expressions of service.  The principle is the same in any language, that when we serve others, we are serving our heavenly King, Jesus Christ.  That's just what he wants of us, to serve others.

The Other Wise Man

One of those books that comes out of my family's storage for Christmas is the Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke.  It traces the fictitious life of Artiban, who was a middle eastern wise man or magi, like the wise men who visited Jesus Christ as a child.  It teaches a wonderful lesson that a lifetime of service is the best gift we can offer Christ, and is far more valuable for us and to him than gold or jewels.

Elder Sabin, one of the leaders over our small band of missionaries, surprised us by spending a district meeting reading the story of the Other Wise Man.  It brought back great memories from Christmases at home and ways we'd try to serve others, especially around Christmas.

I also enjoyed watching the movie, the Fourth Wise Man, which is based on the classic story.  I hope you'll read or watch it and think of ways that you can more passionately serve as Artiban did, as the Spirit prompted him throughout the story to swerve as Christ would.  If you need some practical ideas to get started, you can find them at: http://mormon.org/humanitarian-aid/.

Christmas Before Christmas

As Christmas approaches, I began to ponder and compare this short time before Christmas, to the thousands of years before the first and true Christmas nativity.  Since Christmas being such an important time of year in most of our lives, I wondered how the spirit of Christmas might have been experienced before the actual advent.

From the scriptures, like the Holy Bible and the Book of Mormon, I was able to gather some of details Before Christ's birth in early April at the turn of the era, at least some of God's righteous children, had access to many of the details of the events of the nativity that we share with our families now.

This coloring page, which I did color myself, shows a sight seen by prophets long before it took place.
As you read these verses, which were each originally written almost 600 years or more before Christ's birth, compare what you know about Christ's birth, to these details here.

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

And it came to pass also that a new star did appear, according to the word. 3 Nephi 1:21

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

 And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms. 1 Nephi 11:20.

And after the Messiah shall come there shall be signs given unto my people of his birth, and also of his death and resurrection... 2 Nephi 26:3

BCC Zeitcast 4.3: The Cyber Elders

Serving online, I've had the opportunity to meet a wild variety of many wonderful members of the church.  Many of them are engaged in their faith through the online community.  Following the suggestion of some of my missionary leadership (not breaking any mission rules),  I was searching members blogs for ideas for my own, and ways to reach out in the online community.  One of the blogs I stumbled on was By Common Consent.  The most recent post touched on a topic I had recently shared my perspective on here on How Beautiful are the Feet....  It created quite a stir when I commented on the topic, and made no attempt to hide my identity as a full-time missionary.  Mormon missionaries usually aren't on the internet except to email home.  After some mutual misunderstandings of what was going on, that were a result of the inconspicuous nature of our mission, Scott B, one of the authors of the blog did some more research into my background and online missionaries.  Scott conducted an interview with Elder Meza, my companion, and I on Skype and posted it on By Common Consent.  The interview is an hour long, and focuses more on Elder Meza's and my experiences as online missionaries, than the actual logistics of the mission, but word is spreading.
BCC Zeitcast 4.3: The Cyber Elders

Source for Christmas Fun

Christ: The Real Gift of Christmas

A recent search brought me to this site which I hadn't seen yet.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints launched it last year.  I hadn't seen it yet, since I was in Slovenia and wasn't on a computer much.  The site is awesome.  It has videos, stories, music, and activities for families to do on Christmas.  There's also a place to post Christmas traditions and read what others are doing.  I got my Christmas countdown badge from it, however I was a little disappointed that it's still counting down past last year's Christmas.  There's a few other things that are out of date too, like the link for a free Joy to the World DVD doesn't work anymore.  That's okay though, if you didn't get it last year, you can watch it online on YouTube.  With more traffic to the site those problems are more likely to be taken care of.  Best of all, is the link to the live chat with a missionary like me.  It's a great way for those who aren't members of the church to learn more about why we're celebrating or how to get involved.  Share it with your friends.  :D

Pulling out the Christmas Decorations

This time of the year (maybe even a bit earlier than this) my family at home is pulling out all of the boxes of Christmas stuff.  One of the closets in our basement at home is entirely filled with decorations, games, books, and other items that mark the season.
Many times before, my mom has gone through with us those things, and has asked us how they relate to what we're celebrating.  Many of the stories teach things that strengthen our family, and many of the ornaments on our tree focus on events in our lives or other things that represent us and are meaningful to us.  Of all the things represented by those things we pull out at Christmas, nothing is represented more often than our Savior Jesus Christ.
My mother personally taught me that Christmas is all about our Savior.  From our mother's special efforts and care, we could sincerely say along with the young men in the Book of Mormon "we do not doubt our mothers knew it." [Alma 56:48]  I know that my mother knows the true meaning of Christmas.

"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." [2 Nephi 25:26]

"To catch the real meaning of the spirit of Christmas, we need only to drop the last syllable and it becomes the spirit of Christ."  -President Thomas S Monson, Christ's living prophet.

A Virtuous Woman

Proverbs 31 from the scriptures of Elder Moxley

Just What are They Doing!?

Many people recognize the Mormon missionaries on the street and feel confused about their purpose. Sometimes even members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or the missionaries themselves lose focus of the important purpose of the missionaries. They stand as representatives of Jesus Christ and besides wearing his name on their nametags, they strive to work as he would. The missionary handbook Preach My Gospel outlines these goals for a successful missionary.

Loves people and desires their Salvation

Do You See Him As He Is?

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. [1 John 3:2]

When I teach about our Heavenly Father, one of the first things I always ask to get people thinking is about how they picture him in their minds.  Watching this, I also thought about how we picture Jesus Christ in our minds.  What they physically look like in our minds isn't as important as the characteristics we relate with them.
As a missionary, we emphasize the attributes of faith, hope, charity, love, virtue, knowledge, patience, humility, diligence, obedience.  This are the qualities of Jesus Christ that we work to develop in ourselves.  As we picture Jesus Christ, do we think of him displaying these qualities?  Many of the artists in these portrayals of Christ captured these and other qualities.  As the celebration of Jesus Christ's birth approaches, let's focus our attention on Jesus Christ.  Through the holiday, we'll see many depictions of him.  Let's stop and think about the Christ-like attributes we see in the depiction, and behold more than just the scene.  As you see those attributes, think of ways that you can develop them in yourself, so that when you see him, you will be like him and see him as he is.

From at the Door to on the Screen

After breaking my foot while serving in Slovenia, a small country in Eastern Europe, I was no longer able to go door to door, as most Mormon missionaries do.  Complications arose and it became clear that it would be months to years before I'd be able to spend a great deal of time on my feet.  Heartbroken, I packed my bags and prepared for my return home.
Amid my disappointment about leaving Slovenia, which I had expected to stay in for more than a year, I turned to my Heavenly Father, and increased in prayer.  I also studied in the Doctrine and Covenants more vigorously, and some verses stuck out to me.

 Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot bear all things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth.

  Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me; [D&C 50:40-41]

Two days before my flight, I received a call from my mission president.  There was a special assignment I could serve in as a missionary in the Missionary Training Center.  He didn't know hardly anything about it, what I'd be doing, or how what would be expected of me there.  I bravely accepted it as an invitation to put faith in the Lord and continue serving.
When I arrived at the Missionary Training Center, and began working with the other missionaries, it was an eye opener.  The missionaries there reached out and shared the gospel.  They had no physical boundaries either.  Nearly any one in any part of the world, with access to a computer could have the blessing of restored truth from one of Jesus Christ's representatives.  I had no idea that there had been full-time missionaries serving the Lord in that unusual capacity for more than a year.

Before my mission, I was a novice on the computer, especially when it came to online communications.  The Lord really did have plans for me to grow, and to bear more through his strength.  When I've come in contact online with someone who has a friend who is ready for answers, I've been able to contact them within minutes.  No need at all to travel and wait for the spark to cool.

Bible Beats Satan!

When you carry the Bible, Satan gets a headache. When you open it, he collapses.  When he sees you reading it, he faints. When he sees you are living what you read, he flees!! And when you are about to re-post this message, he will try and discourage you. I defeated him!

Order a free copy of the Bible at Mormon.org

Who do I pray to?

When I was a young man in DeMolay (a masonic group for boys), we would start every meeting, activity, and meal together with a prayer.  This was much like the practice that we carried on in my home of regular prayer as a family.  Many young men in the group, did not have a tradition of prayer in their homes, were not as familiar with it, and were far from a relationship with our Father in heaven.
When the time came to ask for God's blessing on our activity, sometimes one of those young men had never prayed before.  I loved the first question that would often arise when we talked about prayer.  "Who do I pray to?"

How Many Mormons Does it Take to Change a Light-bulb

None, Mormons don't use electricity!

Oh, c'mon, I'm blogging.

Four.

One to say opening prayer.
One to switch the bulbs.
One to say closing prayer.
One to serve refreshments.

Read more: How many Mormons does it take to change a lightbulb? | Answerbag http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/9344#ixzz15hGg5vxS


In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, even changing a light-bulb, can be a group effort.  To some, this may seem extreme, and it probably is, but we really do try to involve others in what we do.  It's strengthened my family so much, when everything from changing a light-bulb, to raking up all the leaves in our yard becomes a group effort.  At Church and in our homes, we try to include everyone so that nobody is left out when they need help.  I remember dozens of times when I went with my dad and brothers and I went to help other people move.  Didn't matter if they were Mormons or not.  True to form there would always be refreshments too, so that everyone got a treat for helping out.
The most important part, we say a prayer and ask for our Heavenly Father's help. It's not a good group, if you haven't asked for the most loving helper for his support.

What are some ways you've involved others in your project, or better yet, turned someone else's need into a project that supported everyone?

Need No Baptism!

I've heard many Mormons, and non-Mormons argue that since Mormons believe that little children do not need to repent or be baptized, that means that they also have no need for the atonement.  This is simply untrue.

Little children's exemption from accountability for sins not their own (which we also have), repentance, and baptism is a result of Jesus Christ's atonement and mercy, not an exemption from that as well.

"And he that saith that little children need baptism denieth the mercies of Christ, and setteth at naught the atonement of him and the power of his redemption."  [Moroni 8:20]

The atonement is the very reason and power by which have hope that little children are saved from death and sin.

While children may not yet be accountable for their sins, and not yet ready to repent and be baptized in Christ's name, the day will soon come.  Parents should lovingly and diligently show their children the means by which we are saved.

"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." [2 Nephi 25:26 emphasis added]

Elder M. Russell Ballard - Follow the Doctrine and Gospel of Christ

As much as I love fly fishing, I've never been good at it. Thus, I probably wouldn't be good at the Devil's job either. What really matters is the job we've got head of us as we try to avoid the devil's lures....

Another Gospel

Well of Janez Nepomuk in Kranj, Slovenia

Galatians 1

  6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

  7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

  8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

  9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

And what is the gospel that Jesus Christ preached?

Gospel means good news, and the gospel of Jesus Christ is his good news of what he's done.   That he lived, suffered and died for our sins, and rose from the dead never to die again.

The Galatians fell way from those simple truths, and much of the world had been led away as they had.  Paul was right to marvel at this, because it's always distressing to watch anyone drift away from the blessings that come from Christ's doctrine at work in a life.  It is certainly a curse to be without that sacred knowledge or to live without the hope that comes from Jesus Christ.

An Understanding Heart.

When Elder David A Bednar spoke at the Missionary Training Center two days ago,  he explained about the importance of understanding in your heart, rather than just in your mind.  Elder Bednar shared Abinidi's experience confronting wicked priests in the Book of Mormon.  "Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye have not been wise. Therefore, what teach ye this people?" [Mosiah 12:27]

Blue Heart Statue at Washington State University

Mighty Men of Valour

1 Chonicles 2

   9 The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai.

  10 And Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah;

  11 And Nahshon begat Salma, and Salma begat Boaz,

  12 And Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse,

  13 ¶ And Jesse begat his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimma the third,

  14 Nethaneel the fourth, Raddai the fifth,

  15 Ozem the sixth, David the seventh: and so on...

The Right Equipment

I love going on adventures with my friends.   As a teenager in high school, my friends introduced me to "spelunking" in Smith's Crack.  One afternoon, they had the idea of going to this cave that someone's cousin had shown him.   Just outside of Mountain Home, Idaho, Smith's Crack is a fissure out in the desert.  From the surface, it's just a few rocks sticking up out of the ground.  It's really a really deep and winding crack, which through a small opening, leads several hundred feet below the ground.

Hi, I'm Elder Moxley on Mormon.org

http://mormon.org/me/1KCF-eng/ElderMoxley

My profile is finally available on Mormon.org.  Take a look to learn more about me and what my faith in Jesus Christ means to me.   If you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints you can make a profile to and link it to your blog and Facebook page.  To get started or see other profiles go to http://mormon.org/create/eng/

From the Fridge at Home

Ljubi Sin, [Dear Son]

Cleaning up things that were so important they stay on the fridge, I ran across this.  I thought I’d pass it along to you – Maybe it will help with a blog.  I hope when my children are reminiscing they remember that their mother always did her share and more.  I truly feel that work must be important.  Can’t help myself.  I always get it done and could never leave it for another to do.  Your dad’s dedication to work has blessed our family beyond measure.  Our security and financial Our security and financial well being is the result of his sacrifice and work.

Zmaj Mati [Dragon Mom]

The kitchen at home

How I Live My Faith

As a teenager in the church, I was eager and ready to follow the example of our savior and serving others.  I did this through my involvement in Boy Scouts, a young men's service organization.  My troop was sponsored by my local ward.  After I moved away from home, I was asked to teach a class for 18-30 year old men.  I was nervous about my first opportunity to serve as an adult, but faith is about being willing to act when you're unsure, and going forward to trust in blessings to come.  While teaching this class, I invited my friends to come to church, and see what I was teaching, which brought the gospel more into their lives.  After seeing the impact that I had sharing message of Jesus Christ, and his restored church with my friends in high school and college, I wanted to sign up to do it full time.  I became a full time missionary, and voluntarily took an assignment to teach about Jesus Christ and His Church in Eastern Europe where I learned to speak Slovene, and served the people there.  After eight months there, I started sharing the good news as an online missionary back in the United States.

A Cry to a Missionary!

Elder Oakes receiving a text

 A friend of mine from home, (who is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) put this letter together with her friends to send to me as a reminder of what I as a missionary am here to offer and of those who are looking for it. Many of her friends, like many of mine recently joined the church and agreed that bits and pieces of this parallel things they felt and questions on their minds.

You Don't Have the Priesthood

A middle-aged man dragged his wife to one of the leaders of the church at the church office building. He demanded that the elder there tell his wife that she has to what he says because he holds the priesthood. The general authority told him, "You don't have the priesthood,"
The man was shocked. "What do you mean I don't have the priesthood! I was ordained by my bishop on 20 years ago!  It's on my ordinance record."
The general authority responded, "Doesn't matter, you don't have the priesthood" and he showed the belligerent man this verse from the doctrine and covenants:

That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man. (D&C 121: 37)

He then explained to that husband, that since he wanted to use the priesthood to have unrighteous dominion over his wife, that he didn't have the power of the priesthood anymore. "AMEN to the priesthood or the authority of that man!" as it says.
To the now white husband, the leader also showed him this verse:

No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned. (D&C 121: 41)

The leader explained that if he wanted to have any influence and real power with the priesthood, he need to exercise the Christ-like attributes in this verse.
Any man that would act degradingly to his wife or any woman, does not have these virtues, or any priesthood authority.

Another Brainwashed Mormon

This video reminded me of so many things my parents and the Church has taught me that I had to share it.

"How can i get a closer relationship with God?"

God is our Father heaven and he is more than willing to come closer to us, when we reach out to him.

As we often hear quoted "use it or lose it." Increasing our faith has also been described this way: "Faith is like the muscle of your arm. If you exercise it, it grows strong. If you put it in a sling and leave it there, it becomes weak." -True to the Faith

It doesn't take much faith to get more faith. The Book of Mormon teaches that if you will exercise even a particle of faith it will grow in you to become massive within you [Alma 32]. Concerning the Book of Mormon, the prophet Joseph Smith said, "a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." The Book of Mormon teaches that the commandments Christ gave in his ministry give us an avenue for building that trust. When we keep the commandments that Christ gave we will receive the blessings in our lives he promised in return.

"But if ye keep the commandments of God, ...God is powerful to the fulfilling of all his words. For he will fulfill all his promises which he shall make unto you, for he has fulfilled his promises which he has made unto our fathers." (Alma 37:16)

As time passes, we can see that if he can keep those promises, that he can keep his other promises. That promise is that his grace is sufficient to erase our shortcomings in the eyes of our Eternal Father and allow us to return to live with him.

Some of the first things we can do to exercise our faith are to start praying and opening communication between us and our Father in heaven. As in any relationship, our trust increases when we have to rely on him.

Mighty Prayer

There are 8 occurrences of "mighty prayer" in the Text of the Scriptures.
The powerful phrase only occurs in modernly revealed sources of God's word.

Our Example Jesus Christ

"Do what I say, not what I do." 

We can all be guilty of this sort of hypocrisy at times when we expect more from others than from ourselves.   Instead we should be an example in all that we do.

Our Savior Jesus Christ was an amazing example to us.

Dirty Laundry

"I live every day like it's my last.  That's why I don't have any clean socks. 'Cause c'mon, who really wants to do laundry on the last day of their life?"

Like Dynamite!

President Boyd K Packer reiterated our some of our beliefs regarding the blessings that come from traditional marriage, and the need to resist and influence that would draw us away from those blessings at the October 2010 LDS General Conference almost two weeks ago.  His talk received a lot of attention, and many took his words to be something every different than he really said.  I'd encourage anyone who wants to understand our view, and not just take for granted what the media says about it, to watch his sermon personally.

My dad taught me that that sexual relations are like dynamite just as his father taught him.  Dynamite, like the activities my dad compared it to, has great power to chance lives.   Both are a very useful tool for accomplishing great things.
You can do incredibly constructive things with dynamite.  With dynamite, easy paths of travel between the eastern and western United States was possible.  Dynamite can also maim and destroy lives.  It can impact many more than just those who are trusted with using it.

Spider-man's uncle taught him a similar principle with the credo "With great power comes great responsibility."  We should recognize that our actions have a greater impact than we could ever see.

Vital Steps,

Elder Meza, who I serve alongside a missionary, and I were explaining repentance to someone we met earlier last week.  She had recognized some changes she needed to make in her life, to reflect the faith she now had in Jesus Christ and his example.  We taught her about repentance, and then wanted something for her to watch later to review what we shared.  I couldn't find anything engaging that listed the basic steps of repentance.  (If you find something, I'd still love to put it on my blog.)  So that we have something to share now, I made a Prezi all about repentance.

Repentance on Prezi

All of us find ourselves in that situation, when we start having more faith in Christ and grow to love him.  In that situation, we find we need to cast off the natural man, or change the part of us that would make us feel uncomfortable in God's presence.  When we talk about repentance, we mean that process by which we change ourselves to become the kind of people who have nothing to worry about in God's presence, who know they've done the best we can.
Elder Meza, who has been to far too many doctors for a 20 year-old, talked about just how vital repentance is on his blog. Let's chat: Too many doctors!!!  He talked about how we all need to repent just as much as some on sick needs a doctor.   Jesus Christ is our physician, and if we will accept his help through the steps he's given us, we can be healed.

Our Canoe

http://www.mormon.org/videos/
I watched this video this morning and thought of my family's canoe.  When I was little, my mom surprised my dad with a new canoe that was big enough to hold the six of our family.  We stored it in the top of our barn.  Getting it down from up high in the rafters was a project that took most of my family, and was still a tough job that fell heavily on my dad.  Every time we would go camping, we would bring our canoe on top of our minivan.  As little kids, we did our best to help with carrying the paddles, picnic baskets, life vests, and other things we need to help our parents.  We had some awesome times in the canoe together.

Missionary Media.

Gideon Burton, an English professor at BYU, who has been acting as a mentor to missionaries who work online, inspired me to create a new blog for posting media created by full-time missionaries and member missionaries working to share the message.  

On Tuesday, August 10, 2010 Brother Burton posted O, That I Were an Angel!: Publishing Media as a Missionary.  He challenged missionaries to use and create personal media for their teaching. Since then missionaries serving online has responded by creating a variety of videos and presentations for explaining our beliefs in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Missionary Media is now a great place to find homemade and official media about the Church and a starting place for sharing it with friends.

Keeping a Friend

Many people who don’t understand our beliefs, feel that our emphasis on doing all we can to keep the commandments, means we believe we are saved by our works.  Elder Bednar corrected this by stating one of the real reasons for keeping commandments.  We keep the commandments to invite the Holy Ghost into our lives.  All of the outward ordinances and other efforts to follow the commandments invite the spirit if we do it for the right reasons.  “Thus everything the Savior’s gospel teaches us to do and become is intended to bless us with the companionship of the Holy Ghost”.  

Really a Plan of Happiness

Last November while I was serving as a missionary Slovenia, my mission president called me to let me know that my grandmother had died the night before.

"If the bible is the word of god, why wasnt it given to man the minute he was created, if god knew all things?" (sic)

Because since the beginning, God has revealed things little by little as the world at large is willing to listen to more of what he has to say. It is known historically, that the Bible was not given to us by God in one lump sum. Instead, starting with Adam, each prophet wrote things down, and they were compiled together by prophets and leaders that came later.

All About Mormons

This is an awesome series for getting the basics down or some review about what we believe.  I just put it together as a playlist on youtube, so it's easier to watch straight through.  My thanks for AllAboutMormons.com for making these.

Why do we die?

My dad explained it something like this once. God has an absolutely flawless immortal, and powerful body. As our Father in heaven he wants us to have one like that too someday. Let's say his body is like a sports car. Like a good Father, God isn't going to give his children the responsibility that goes with driving a sports car, until they've had some practice driving a "beater wagon" (much less valuable car that breaks down a lot). A good example of a beater wagon is in the photo to the right.  The body we have now is that beater wagon. God's given it to us to practice with it during for a short period of time and when that time is over we have to die. That's the only way that we can get out from behind the wheel of the beater wagon and be ready to step into a sports car.