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Monday, June 29, 2015

Push Your Handcart through the Pain and Adversity

The entire Rexburg Idaho Temple lit up in the late evening, with the sunset in the background and a view of the grounds and valley.
Push your handcart
towards light.
With all your heart,
mind, and might.

Along the trail
others mock.
Still, all is well.
Keep on.  Walk.

Push your handcart.
Press on. Pray.
True standards chart
the Lord's way.

Show fortitude.
The path's sure!
Have gratitude
and endure.

for·ti·tude (n)
  1. courage in pain or adversity.
    synonyms:couragebraveryenduranceresiliencemettle, moral fiber, strength of mind, strength of character, strong-mindedness, backbonespiritgrit,true grit, steadfastness

Elder Dallin H. Oaks https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/no-other-gods?lang=eng


“There are many political and social pressures for legal and policy changes to establish behaviors contrary to God’s decrees about sexual morality and contrary to the eternal nature and purposes of marriage and childbearing. These pressures have already authorized same-gender marriages in various states and nations. Other pressures would confuse gender or homogenize those differences between men and women that are essential to accomplish God’s great plan of happiness.
“Our understanding of God’s plan and His doctrine gives us an eternal perspective that does not allow us to condone such behaviors or to find justification in the laws that permit them. And, unlike other organizations that can change their policies and even their doctrines, our policies are determined by the truths God has identified as unchangeable.

“In this determination we may be misunderstood, and we may incur accusations of bigotry, suffer discrimination, or have to withstand invasions of our free exercise of religion. If so, I think we should remember our first priority–to serve God–and, like our pioneer predecessors, push our personal handcarts forward with the same fortitude they exhibited.”“Our twelfth article of faith states our belief in being subject to civil authority and ‘in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.’But man’s laws cannot make moral what God has declared immoral. Commitment to our highest priority–to love and serve God–requires that we look to His law for our standard of behavior. For example, we remain under divine command not to commit adultery or fornication even when those acts are no longer crimes under the laws of the states or countries where we reside. Similarly, laws legalizing so-called ‘same-sex marriage’ do not change God’s law of marriage or His commandments and our standards concerning it. We remain under covenant to love God and keep His commandments and to refrain from serving other gods and priorities–even those becoming popular in our particular time and place.

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