Studying the gospel is like- Catching a double rainbow; Each drop of wisdom reflects light- Hinting there is more to see and know!
As a neuroscience researcher, I'm fascinated by the power of words. An inspirational quote can make us feel better about ourselves, while a derogatory comment can depress an adult and even damage a child's brain, leading to lifelong issues with self-esteem. And if you can attribute - even falsely - a great comment to a famous individual, more people will believe it is true. Nearly 50% of all quotes reported on Facebook are made up! As Abraham Lincoln once wrote, "The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they are genuine."
Elder F Enzio Busche Unleashing the Dormant Spirit
"But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you." (Alma 32:27) And in Doctrine and Covenants 6:8: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me so it shall be unto you.” In The Problem of Pain (p. 66), C. S. Lewis gave us an interesting insight about this same question when he quoted William Law: If you will here stop, and ask yourselves, why you are not as pious as the primitive Christians were, your own heart will tell you, that it is neither through ignorance nor inability, but purely because you never thoroughly intended it. [William Law, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life (London: J. M. Dent; New York: E. P. Dutton, 1920), p. 13] Desires are working in us. All of our life’s actions are the result of our desires. When we want to honor the great gift of the Spirit, which God has given us, we have to become aware of whether we are under its influence or not. When we are not satisfied with the world of our own feelings—when we are grouchy and unhappy or we are slothful or sloppy—we must know that we are not under the influence of the Holy Spirit. People who sin are not under his influence. They have not put on the armor of God. They are not in a state of, awakening.
The Spirit of Christ teaches us that we must pray, that we must ask for the things that we seek. As we read in 2 Nephi 32:8: “For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit . . . ye would know that ye must pray.” But before we can do this with focus, we have to become aware of a multitude of defined or undefined, conscious or subconscious desires. We have to learn to bring them to our awareness, to analyze them, to categorize them, and to bring them into order according to priorities.http://kevinhinckley.com/userfiles/files/busche_fenzio_1996_05.pdf
We need free agency
So we are free to find
Who we fully can be
Through our covenants in mind
"Our exercise of agency to keep the commandments enables us to fully understand who we are." |
"It’s human nature to stumble, fail, and sometimes want to drop out of the race. But as disciples of Jesus Christ, we have committed not only to begin the race but also to finish it—and finish it with our torch still burning brightly. The Savior promised His disciples, “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13).-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sometimes after stumbling, failing, or even giving up, we get discouraged and believe our light has gone out and our race is lost. But I testify that the Light of Christ cannot be extinguished. It shines in the darkest night and will relight our hearts if only we incline our hearts to Him (see 1 Kings 8:58)."
The gift of grace,
Was made free for all.
His love, embrace!
You're saved from the fall!
"If grace is a gift of God, why then is obedience to God’s commandments so important? Why bother with God’s commandments—or repentance, for that matter? Why not just admit we’re sinful and let God save us? Brothers and sisters, we obey the commandments of God–out of love for Him!" |
"Life rarely goes exactly according to plan for anyone…it is still important to understand and teach the Lord’s pattern."
"Life may get hard, confusing, painful, and discouraging. I bear you my witness that through the companionship of the Holy Ghost, the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ will cut through the confusion, the pain, and the darkness. "
Through best and worst
The Lord said the following to Joseph Smith:“Know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. ...“Therefore, hold on thy way … , for God shall be with you forever and ever” [D&C 122:7, 9; emphasis added].The trials of this earth—including illness and death—are a part of the plan of salvation and are inevitable experiences. It is necessary for us to “hold on thy way” and accept our trials with faith.However, the purpose of our lives is not merely to endure trials. Heavenly Father sent His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior and Redeemer so we could overcome the trials we face on this earth; in other words,
He makes our weak things become strong,
He atones for our sins and our imperfections,
and He makes it possible for us to obtain immortality and eternal life. …" Elder Koichi Aoyagi
… These men have had a sustained season of tutoring by the Lord, whom they represent, serve, and love. They have learned to understand the divine language of the Holy Spirit and the Lord’s patterns for receiving revelation. These ordinary men have undergone a most extraordinary developmental process that has sharpened their vision, informed their insight, engendered love for people from all nations and circumstances, and affirmed the reality of the Restoration. …
“Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (D&C 1:38).
"What does matter is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, suffered “pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind” so “that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people” [Alma 7:11, 12]. … That is what really matters and what should give all of us renewed hope and a determination to try one more time, because He has not forgotten us. …" Elder Allen D. Haynie
Marriage and family-centered priorities cut across and supersede any political, economic, or religious differences. When it comes to the love of spouse and hopes, worries, and dreams for children, we are all the same.
