He's Been There Before by Elder Whittle

The alarm bell rings at 6:30, I stumble to my feet
I grab my companion's bedding and pull off his sheets

A groan fills the room, is it already time to arise?
It seems like just a second ago, I was able to shut my eyes
The morning activities follow- study, prayer and such
When it's time to leave the apartment, you feel you haven't accomplished much

"We have a super day planned,"
My comp. says with a grin
I lowly utter a faithless breath,
"Yeah, if anyone lets us in."

With the word of God and my faithful Schwinn, we ride off in the street prepared to
Face another day of humidity and heat
It's 9:30 in the evening, the day is almost through
My champion and I are riding home not accomplishing what we thought to do

We ride up to the mailbox, hoping to receive a lot
Only to look inside and hear my echo reverberate "air Box"
We go up to our apartment, the day is now complete
The only thing to show for our work is a case of blistery feet

It's past 10:30 p.m. My companion is fast asleep,
Silence engulfs me all about and I begin to weep
In the midst of sadness, I kneel down to pray
I need to talk to father, but I'm not sure what to say

"Oh, Father" I begin, "What happened to us today?
I thought we'd teach somebody, but everyone was away
My hands, my aching hands- worn, hurt and beat;
If our area was any smaller, we'd have knocked every street"

"Why on missions are the days so much alike?
The only difference about today was the flat tire on my bike
Will you send some cooler weather? The heat is killing me
I sweat so bad, it gets in my eyes, it's very hard to see"

"Why do I have to wear a helmet, isn't your protection enough?
People always laugh at me, and call me stupid stuff
Please send us investigators so I may give them what they lack
I want to give them Books of Mormon, the weight of them hurts my back"

"And what about my family: They don't have much to say
I'm sick of not hearing from home day after day after day
Oh Father, Why am I here am I just wasting time?
Sometimes I just want to go home, I'm sorry but that's on my mind"

"My companion, Heavenly Father, what are you giving me?"
The way he rides his bicycle, I don't think he can see
Now you have it, I can't go on, I don't know what to do
That, my Father in Heaven, is the prayer I have for you"

My prayer now finished, I stand up, then jump right into bed
I need my rest for tomorrow, we have another long day ahead
Sleep start to overtake me, I seem to drift away
Then it seems a vision takes me to another time in another day

I'm standing alone on the hill. The view is very nice
A man walks to wards me and says, "My name is Jesus Christ"
Tears of joy well up inside, I fall down to His feet
"Arise," He states, "Follow me to the shade. You and I need to speak"

My attention's towards my Savior, total and complete
He says, "Your mission is similar of what happened to me
I understand how you feel, I know what you're going through
In fact, it would be fair to say I've felt the same as you"

"I even know how you felt when no one listened to you
At times I felt not quite sure what else I could do
I know you don't like to ride a bicycle, for you a car would be sweet
Just remember the donkey I rode wasn't equipped with 21 speeds"

"I understand you don't like sweating, in fact it's something you hate
I remember when I sweat blood from ev’ry pore, oh the agony was great!
I see you don't like your companion- you'd rather have someone else-
I once had a companion named Judas who sold my life for wealth"

"It's hard to wear a helmet and have people make fun of you
I remember when they put thorns on my head and called me King of the Jews
So you feel burdened down by the weight of your pack
I recall how heavy the cross was when they slammed it on my back"

"Your hands hurt from tracting and knocking on doors all day
I guess when they pounded nails into mine, I ached in a similar way
It's hard not to hear from home when your family's not there to see
I lost communication on the cross and cried, "Father, why hast Thou forsaken me?"

"We have a lot in common, but there's a difference between us you see
I endured to the end and finished my mission, so follow and do like me"
He embraced me with His arms and His light filled me with His love
With tears in my eyes I watched as He went back to the Father above

I stood with awe and wonder when a beep rang in my head
I listened and heard the alarm, then realized I was in my bed
My companion let out a groan, "6:30 already, no way!"
I sat up and said, "Come on, I'll even carry your scriptures today!"

No matter what we go through,
When we feel we can't take more
Just stop and think about Jesus Christ,
He's been there before!

By Elder Troy Whittle
Texas Houston Mission

Isn't this the best poem?  Some missionaries suggested I put it on my blog.  Of course, they're on bikes.

I've Found a Message of Hope

Dear Fellow codependents,
I know you are at a loss
You seek your independence
But, your poor waif you can't toss

I've found a message of hope
That I would like to share
There is a way to cope
There is someone who cares

Our Father offers mercy
As He extends His grace
To those who are thirsty
There's knowledge to embrace

We can help one another
To choose more of what's right
Habits changed for another
Make burdens become light

As we respect agency
And allow consequence
Our poor waif is then set free
To search for new guidance

This process may take a while
For a full recovery
As sins make quite a pile
And they need uncovering

With loving understanding
We'll let our poor waif fall
While we step back still standing
As to them we will call

"Dear waif, we can't fix problems
Nor do we have advice
We do have ears that listen
In a program that's nice"

"There are others just like you
And together we can cry
You will learn of hope too
The offer's there to try"

The 12th step is to serve others
and be a light...

I Hungered, In the Past

I hungered, in the past
And nothing satisfied
Each fulfillment didn't last
Now, I'm fed and dignified

Through prayer and meditation
I can seek to know the Lord's will
To achieve my destination
There's power to help me fulfill

My hearts desire is for love
Which I feel when I pray
May I give thanks to God above
For all that has come my way

In the morning, the Lord comes first
I'll start the day with gratitude
And, too I'll quench my thirst
Through study and solitude

For, in my mind and in my heart
Thoughts and feelings come to me
With strong impressions, I can start
To become the very best me.

And when this does not seem enough
I'll fast so faith will increase
For, the seas of life can be rough
And, I want to feel His sweet peace

We Can All Benefit- By Looking Deep Inside

For the entire membership of the Church
General Conference is an inspiring time of the year
As we're instructed and edified
We learn how to act upon the laws we hold dear

Great things are happening in God's kingdom
We are moving forward as never before
The great mountain will fill the whole earth
And if we are righteous, we'll see so much more


We can all benefit by looking deep inside
During reverent moments of worship
To be proved true, there's nothing we will hide
As we journey in our membership

Each Sunday's a spiritual checkup
That helps navigate life's highways and byways
During sacrament meetings while we sup
We can get our bearings and see the right ways

To stay on the narrow path of faith
With the Bishop, we've worthiness interviews
Have we pursued what's foolish or vain?
It's easy to get diverted from what is true

Truth provides virtues unto our lives
Steadfast, loyal, honest, and just are but a few
In our career paths, as one strives
We must not serve two masters, but always be true

With full faith in their every footstep
The pioneers forged and tempered their souls
Without the Lord, they would be inept
May we too be true, in all of our roles

Elder Wirthlin - General Conference April 1997

D&C 59: 23
23 But learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.

The More I Repent, The More I Know

The more I repent, the more I know
That to become clean is a gift
As blessings from the Lord soon show
And help me that I not drift

Every day and every hour
Is not too high a price to pay
For the devil would to me devour
As he tempts me into harms way

Thoughts from Bruce R. McConkie's
quote pg. 61 in
Addiction Recovery Program

I'll Be Daily Accountable

I'll be daily accountable
And take a personal inventory
For it would be regrettable
To let my growth become history

When I do something that is wrong
I'll quickly admit it and step back
I will evaluate and become strong
To maintain, I must fill in each crack

I will not let temptation take hold
Denial and complacency are no more
My feelings and thoughts must be told
My change of heart must build and store

I will stay myself and wonder
Am I patient, long suff'ring, and gentle?
That when I perchance make a blunder
Can I be temperate and humble?

I will watch for pride in all of its forms
I will promptly seek for release
I will humbly petition the Lord
That my strength through him might increase

Alma 7: 23
23 And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.
Mosiah 4: 30
30 But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.

Is There Restitution?

Is there restitution
That I might make?
With a resolution
I'll wrong sins and awake

I'll seek for a gift
It's called charity
And others I'll lift
Without variety

With Christ's perfect love
I'll cast off my fears
Make prayers to above
And right the past years

Who Have I Hurt?

Who have I hurt?
How can I confess?
When I was curt
While I was obsessed

Did they speak to me?
Did I even hear?
I was wrecked in a sea
With waves hard to clear

Those dependant
On me for their care
Weren't they important?
Did my neglect give them scare?

The messy house
So disorganized
Whose needs did I douse?
Have I apologized?

Who do I now avoid
For any reason?
Whatevers been destroyed
I'll pray o'er in due season

Without Any Other Motivation- But a Desire to Be One in Heart

Without any other motivation
But, a desire to be of one in heart
We let go of manipulation
So that healing within can then start

With total humility
And nothing held back
While searching for dignity
By not covering another's slack

We then pray for His grace
To help maintain our new life
Without shame there's much we can face
And it's easier to strive

And at the foremost is patience
As we press forward in Christ
We give much to show obedience
To learn more of His sacrifice

Our soul can fill with joy
That far exceeds the pain
There is so much to enjoy
There is so much to gain

Through total dependence
Without reservation
We allow consequence
Of our Lord's expectations

We believe more in God
And with faith, pray to Him
We hold to His rod
And sing praises in hymns

When we put, but God first
All else falls into place
What makes us our worst
Will drop out, now replaced!

The demands of our time
The interests we pursue
Ask we prioritize
And make changes for new

Having a remission of sins
Yields a sweet peace of conscience
Our joy in the Lord brims
And we treasure the experience

The Great Commandment—Love the Lord
Ezra Taft Benson
Our love of the Lord will govern the claims for our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities.
Gospel Library > Magazines > Ensign > May 1988

Oh, How I Want a Change of Heart

Oh, how I want a change of heart
And, to give up my character flaws
I know now is the best time to start
As my past still threatens with claws

To all outward appearances I've changed
But, I don't like how I react and cope
Although with my past I've estranged
I still carry around a long rope

And, tied to the rope, I'll admit
Is worry and fretful living
And Oh how I wish that would quit
So, more from my heart I'd be giving

For I'll not avoid those who have needs
Out of fear that I will enable
To be like the Savior, one feeds
Compassion does not disable

For we all are in need of fellowship
There Christ dwells more in our hearts
As we enhance our membership
And, together the spirit imparts

I've help to put off the natural man
And become a Saint through the atonement
With the Lord's help, I know who I am
And, with a new heart, I've contentment

D&C 50:40-42
40 Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot bear all things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth.
41 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;
42 And none of them that my Father hath given me shall be lost.

I Fully Admit

I fully admit
As now I can see
I've ignored God's promptings
And, I've been deceived

And I have uncovered
For one last recounting
Why all my thoughts hovered
When my problems were mounting

Simply put, I was stuck
In the same thoughts each day
Then, this thought struck
That I forgot to pray

My life was centered
On a false God
Now as I venture
I hold to the rod

There, in His word
He speaks to me
And now that I've heard
Those stuck thoughts flee

With a Written Inventory

With a written inventory
All the havoc adds up
Every lie and sad story
Has overfilled my cup

This is about me
And why I rescue
When others would flee
I help all askew

Each time I relapse
It's embarrassing
But, I'll not collapse
Or give in to harassing

I will hold my head up
With celestial self esteem
And with the Lord I will sup
For I've joined on His team

I Have Decided

I have decided
To turn over my will
With God, I am guided
And, I've His peace to be still

In the past, I trusted
And, then I took it back
Now, I'm forward thrusted
With God's will, for alone I lack

When my poor waif calls
And asks for charity
I'll surrender to prayer's halls
And ask for clarity

I'll put on fresh glasses
And see with new eyes
And when my waif passes
I'll see through old lies

I'll trust and obey
And be consistent
It's not my job to save
I can be insistent

I Want to Have Faith- Hope

I want to have faith
That restores sanity
But, what of my waif
For whom I feel pity?

I feel so anxious
And, also guilty
Could it be callous
To change loyalty?

In chaos, where's hope?
I know I must pray
To loosen this rope
Till it then goes away

I'll pray and endure
And surrender my aid
For this is my cure
As to my Lord, my waif is now laid

waif- a homeless child especially one forsaken or orphaned

Some How I've Lost Control

Some how I've lost control
And I live in drama
With fear, I've vowed my role
To an addicts dogma

I'm afraid of conflict
And accept all the lies
But, oh how they constrict
As, my pocket book buys

If I were more honest
I would fight for my worth
But, I am powerless
And, my faith is in dearth

Dearth-an insufficient quantity or number
noun: an acute insufficiency

The Word of Wisdom

The word of wisdom is a law of health
It is greater than any kind of wealth
As when it's obeyed there is peace and rest
And when it's not- addictions contest

No tea or coffee or alcohol, too
Or drugs if a doctor would not approve
These are harmful, as well as tobacco.
These are the things to which we must say, "No!"

The Lord declares that some things are good
Eat vegetables and fruits with prudence, we should
The beasts and the fowls we should try to spare
As for our bodies, grains give the best care

These words of wisdom come with promise
There's treasures of knowledge when we're not amiss
We're not weary to run nor are we faint
Destroying angels pass by those known as a Saint

Yet, there is a law, that of opposition
That causes many to face a temptation
Some form habits to a controlling substance
But, through the Lord's grace there lies resistance

To resist temptation you must beware
The path to freedom requires much meek prayer
Heavenly Father wants for you to be so blessed
He will give you more strength- of this we attest

Thoughts from reading "True to the Faith"
A Gospel Reference

My Words Never Cease

Those who choose to do so can inquire
And know that God's words never cease
His holy words- Oh, how through desire
They inspire our hearts to increase

For through revelation's mandate
Inspired scriptures must unveil
If God's words did not update
The growth of mankind would soon fail

The plagues of Revelations
States we cannot add upon that book
Through well known investigations
We can prove the path those words took

The belief in closed canon
Would eliminate Jude
The three Epistles of John
And His Gospel, it too would exclude!

None were to corrrect this one volume
Where John wrote this last passage
With God we are not left to assume
For He's given us a Latter-Day vantage

Gone the contest of opinions
Man is not left to wander
And when we need to make decisions
Man knows he can read, pray, and ponder

There's a light upon us that shines
And we know that God does exist
He is living, vibrant, and divine
He's restored the gospel and does assist

He is the final authority
He gives constant flowing reminders
And we must pray to Him with humility
As it's only our lack of faith that hinders

May we continually sup
Through prophets with whom He now speaks
There's a well of water that's springing up
So we can drink deeply from words that never cease

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
April 6, 2008 Conference
"My Words... Never Cease"

Revelation 22:18
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

Moses 1: 4
4 And, behold, thou art my son; wherefore look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands; but not all, for my works are without end, and also my words, for they never cease.

I Know What I Feel

I know what I feel
I’ve a light inside me
And I know that it’s real
For it helps me to see

Where did it come from?
Can I keep it also?
The Holy Ghost’s won
When we seek what to know

When I’m baptized new
And doing as I should
It is received through
The holy priesthood

I've this extra light
To warn me of sin
My guide that's bright
Warms me from within

What of my loved ones?
Can they search for this too?
A warm feeling comes
When I ask what to do


Elder Robert D. Hales
Out of Darkness Into His Marvelous Light

Poems Based on Talks by Todd D. Christofferson

Who Will Abide a Celestial Glory?

Who will abide a celestial glory
And dwell in the presence of God?
One with an enduring testimony
Living the highest expectations of all

Jesus proposes to make us holy
Bearing the ability to transform
He can prepare us- perfectly- He only
Offering His help in many forms

He will see that we each receive
All the comfort and support that we need
Chastening us when the Spirit, we grieve
Raising us to a higher place in deed

Accept the rebuke

As a gift of love

A divine gift of love

"As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten"
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Ensign, May 2011,

The Final Outcome

The final outcome
And purpose of life
Is to become
Like Jesus Christ

Our measure of stature
Must be in fulness
The changing of nature
Is ever a process

Awakened
Rebuked
Chastened
Refined

We struggle in labor
For strength to survive
Then through our deliverer
We are sanctified

The burden once heavy
Becomes light to bear
The experience heavenly
Through faith, made aware

“As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten”
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Ensign, May 2011

“Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.

“Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people” (Mosiah 23:21–22).

It's Not Too Late

For forgiveness 

It's not too late

Through repentance 

Christ's gifts await

The gift of forgiveness 

The gift of sanctification

President Christofferson offers this promise in this message:

https://youtube.com/shorts/LUJbYVZsFto?si=U_0X50Td148zUQYv

Sanctification and Justification

Central to our Father's plan of salvation
Is justification and sanctification
The two serve as the essence of our witness
That we may live in God's presence through divine process

The infinite virtue of Christ atoning
Deepens the roots of laws foundation in all things
Though hard we try to achieve full righteousness
We're in need of His mercy and grace for happiness

The divine law governs all the universe
As we make choices cause and effect must rehearse
When we sin against laws of obedience
Our misery and punishment is the consequence

If we lacked actors to be acted upon
How could the heaven and earth a new day dawn?
Forces in randomness, chaos- we'd soon find
That without law there'd be no God, no earth or mankind

Just as laws apply to the earth and heaven
There are laws to which mankind has been given
Is there a way to escape condemnation?
The laws of justice can be answered by redemption

Who without sin can go before God and be tried?
And take our sins upon Him, till we're justified?
Through Jesus, there is remission of each sin
We are pardoned and placed, with conditions, unto Him

In Christ's name, we repent to become baptized
Through grace and the atonement, we are sanctified
Which means we become holy and without spot.
From grace which comes from God, as a gift which Christ bought

There's another help to keep these covenants close
It can speak unto our hearts, it's the Holy Ghost
So we'll stay justified and sanctified within
One removes the punishment, and one removes the sin



We Look to the Apostles

We look to the Apostles,
For a witness of Christ.
Then we stand as disciples
And we too testify.
At all times, things and places,
We show our commitment.
And faith shines on our faces
With love and contentment.

Today, what is sufficient?
What can we rejoice in?
Though we've disappointment
and trials of death and sin?
We know what source to look to,
For our eternal rest.
As we testify anew,
Warmth grows within our breast.

Now, as we anticipate
The coming of our Lord.
We can prepare for that date.
With words angels record
All testimonies- they hear!
And, too, rejoice o'er us.
What we hold in us is dear.
There's light in our witness.

But, what of those who've died?
And, not made ordinance?
What to them can be applied?
Who've not received a chance?
We have a holy temple
Where their work we can do.
There, we set an example,
Our light is for them too!

The Prophet Joseph Smith

The Prophet Joseph Smith
Is our special witness
Of the resurrected Christ
Whom he had seen in light

As one called, he restored the gospel
Through the priesthood this was possible
And through modern day revelation
We've the Book of Mormon translation

He built temples, the veil was parted
Then, with his own blood, as a martyr
He died as a personal witness
Of the work we are left to finish

"With a Spirit-derived assurance in place, you can go forward in the Lord's work and continue deepening your relationship with your Heavenly Father while pursuing or awaiting answers. If you determine to sit still, paralyzed until every question is answered and every whisper of doubt resolved, you will never move because in this life there will always be some issue pending, things yet unexplained."

Elder Christofferson said that "Joseph Smith's prophetic calling is key to our religion." Yet even with his large contributions, he is not its foundation — Jesus Christ is the foundation, and it is His Crucifixion and Resurrection that every other element of God's plan for the salvation of His children is built upon.
Elder Christofferson shared three ways the Prophet Joseph Smith is the great latter-day revelator of Jesus Christ — his personal witness of the Savor's Resurrection, his translation and publication of the Book of Mormon and through sealing his testimony with his own blood.
"Among mortals, the Lord Jesus Christ has had no surer witness, no more committed disciple, no more loyal advocate than Joseph Smith, His prophet, seer and revelator. By his personal witness of the resurrected Savior, ... [he] has laid before the world the preeminent revelation of Jesus Christ for our time."

The Prophet Joseph 

the great 'latter-day revelator'

Learning from the teachings of leader guides people to Christ

By Marianne Holman

Published: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013 Rexberg Idaho

The Glimpse of Vastness

I was standing in my office

Having prayed for Christ's sweet peace

When I came to know His purpose:

To overcome, that evil cease

I thought I saw before me

A covered immense pit

One corner lifted slightly

For a dark brief instant

The depth of evil, the vastness

Caused me to fall back, overcome

I collapsed, quite shocked and breathless

And cried silently to the Son

How can we ever come to hope?

Or survive such vast darkness?

While injustices are shown...

Ought they, forever, to harm us?

Then, these words came to my mind

"Be of good cheer, I have overcome"

For God, the world, and  mankind!

Jesus has marked the path and won!

Juxtaposed from evil

I felt peace rise, to judge well

With a love for all people...

There is a way out of hell

I felt deeper appreciation

For the intensity of suffering

Of the Lord, for our salvation...

And, was overwhelmed by this offering!

I felt peace in His power

To repair, reclaim, and cleanse

To save us in that hour

Good WILL triumph in the end!

I was standing in front of a chair in my office pleading with the Lord to help me understand how such evil could have been perpetrated. I did not see but rather sensed an immense pit with a covering over it. One corner of the covering was lifted slightly for just an instant, and I perceived within the pit the depth and vastness of the evil that exists in this world. It was greater than I could really comprehend. I was overcome. I collapsed into the chair behind me. The experience seemed to take my breath away. I cried silently, “How can we ever hope to overcome such evil? How can we survive something so dark and overwhelming?”

In that moment there came to my mind this phrase: “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Seldom have I felt such peace juxtaposed with the reality of evil. I felt a deeper appreciation for the intensity of the Savior’s suffering and had a better, even frightening, appreciation for the depth of what He had to overcome. I felt peace for the man who was before us for judgment, knowing he had a Redeemer, whose grace was sufficient to cleanse him and also repair the injustices he had suffered. I knew better that good will triumph because of Jesus Christ, whereas without Him we would have no chance. I felt peace, and it was very sweet.

http://www.lds.org/ensign/2013/03/you-are-free?lang=eng 

A Sense of the Sacred

I sense what is sacred
While in God's holy house
With quiet shoes, I tread
Wearing hose, skirt and blouse

Not to seem of stature
But, clothed to revere God-
I'm His, it's my nature
To groom without facade

Holiness to the Lord
It reads on the temple
I'll avoid what's abhorred
His home, I'll not trample

I'll not be immodest,
Sloppy or casual
I want to be impressed
With what is spiritual

And, on His holy day
I'll wear my Sunday best
In a way it does say
I'm thankful, and I'm blessed

I want to look the part
As a Latter-Day Saint
His spirit feels my heart
And, it cannot be restrained

Some things deserve respect
As well as some events
I've reverence for our Prophet
As, our Lord, he represents

I've also reverence for
The scriptures, they're God's word
I use them, they're not ignored
When He speaks, He should be heard

The day I was baptized
Everyone dressed with care
And the day was more apprised
From this reverence they did share

As I became washed clean
As the newest member
As a new Saint I am seen
And I dress to remember

I choose to walk with grace
In our Savior's footsteps
As I long to see His face
I'll abide in His precepts

And as I practice reverence...
Some things are so sacred
Words... in a trust that is immense
...In my heart they're kept instead

With all the alternatives to choose among
We've moral agency for the right or wrong
With freedom of choice and accountability
We've knowledge to increase our sensibility

While God preserves us from day to day
There's laws to obey or disobey
And though many opinions and preferences numb
We can't change the consequences or a fixed outcome

While Satan promotes conduct that narrows our station
Our God does not intend that we yield to temptation
He's given us a Savior, and redemption is possible
If we come to Him, to be like Him, and be responsible

The glory of God is intelligence
With wisdom learned through obedience
When we receive truth it is full of light
Till line upon line we are made bright

Knowing these things is only the start
The test comes as we experience the dark
That we can become independently strong
To yield to the right and flee from the wrong

And that we might know true liberty
While we are here in mortality
We've been given God's resources in full
That we might pass moral agency school

Moral agency

Our gift from God

Use it wisely

Choose the right not the wrong

Be accountable

And repent oft

D. Todd Christofferson
BYU Devotional
31 January 2006
click on the title
to link to the talk

D&C 101: 78
That every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
A Sense of the Sacred
CES November 7, 2004

[Verse 1] An angel of God spoke to a King. Declaring great joy and glad tidings. For on a day not too far distant. The Lord as a child would make His descent. Tabernacled in clay, He shall serve. All manner of diseases, His to cure. [Pre-Chorus] And evil spirits, will be cast out— Though He'll be falsely accused, by those in doubt. Even more than man can suffer, He'll know temptations, thirst and hunger. [Chorus] That salvation might come unto men Through the remission of all their sins. Through faith and repentance on His name. We can be atoned for and found without blame. (Found without blame) Come unto peace Come unto peace [Verse 2] Meanwhile all who were there Did not see the angel or hear They thought their king was no more Because, in fact, he couldn't move Then, changed within he awoke And oh the message he spoke No one doubted, they felt too That of all he said... was true! [Pre-Chorus] Forgiven of sin of murderous thought For changes to begin they wanted to be taught To lay down their weapons and fight no more They sought a new life with their living Lord [Chorus] That salvation might come unto men Through the remission of all their sins. Through faith and repentance on His name. We can be atoned for and found without blame. (Found without blame) Come unto peace Come unto peace [Bridge] Their covenant was binding, they'd do no harm They prostrated themselves none raised an arm When their angry nation came to stir them back They'd rather die than to, even one, attack Some were killed, but what beauty of love! The whole nation was touched to look up Murderous thoughts had no place in their hearts Love was more powerful Look what an angel can start! [Final Chorus] That salvation might come unto men Through the remission of all their sins. Through faith and repentance on His name. We can be atoned for and found without blame. (Found without blame) Pray for the angels, pray for peace Pray for love towards one another increase Come to know the Savior. Come unto peace

Oct 2024 general conference

Burying Our Weapons of Rebellion

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/21christofferson?lang=eng

The Prayer Doesn't End at Amen

Pour out your whole heart, 

Fully, in prayer to God

Asking His answer to impart

Give Him all you've got

When you say, "Amen."

Prayers are not done

Yes, in the right time

Answers will come

You can't tell God 

How and when

Keep praying 

Yes, often

Always be ready

It will wash over you

And flood you with love

For strength. You know anew

Feeling His Spirit 

Is a bright gift from Him

You pray.  He hears it

And sends love from Heaven

I don't know why, but I love to see the shape of poems.  This one is beautiful!

https://youtube.com/shorts/5FRk70e-xsY?si=DkHvRqAqTlv8-Kno

Elder D. Todd Christofferson speaks about praying in the Sacred Grove and waiting for an answer. It wasn't until later that his prayer was answered. He says he learned to always be ready for an answer to a prayer. I love that he said it flooded over him. Feeling the Spirit is Heaven's gift to us. It is so filled with love!  ❤️ 

Our Happiness will NOT Fade

Our happiness will not fade
To lights, music, or the crowd
If consecrations are inner laid
Purely, to God, as one endowed

A man's joy will not spoil
If He knows God and life's purpose
Being honest, He must toil
While loving all through kind service

Each life on earth is but a gift
Of time and daily choices
O'er which we've stewardship
As it's with God that one rejoices

Then, to cultivate a listening ear
Towards the whisperings of the Spirit
As to God's laws one adheres
Striving to heed as well as hear it

Let us each be as fruit filled trees
Come up through soil rich with faith's good seed
Continually nourished by a pure stream
Where the love of God, we honor, each day to seek

D. Todd Christofferson
Reflections on a Consecrated Life
Ensign, November 2010

Overwhelmed

Overwhelmed with all life brings
Growing in biblical proportions
I strive to break it down to manageable things
And take smaller bites in daily portions

Day by day I can work on goals
That lead to a brighter future
While seeking to define my roles
And letting the Spirit nurture

Sometimes, it is all I can do
To barely hang on through prayer
Finding His Son strengthens me anew
Through His Spirit so ready to share

This offering, like manna, today
Daily, I find is just as real
As it was in that old day
In the wilderness for Israel

Elder Christofferson speaks on ‘daily bread’ | Universe.byu.edu

Daily Bread: Experience

Our faith in God above
Is the fruit of experience
Daily we need His love
As He blesses obedience

The Greatest Good We Can Do

The greatest good we can do
In helping others become
Is to free them unto
The living Savior, the Son

The greatest good framed in law
Is when it allows each man
To pursue God, here, below
And witness His guiding hand

We should seek for divine guidance
Before passing any kind of bill
So that in each and every instance
Man is free to reach his potential

thoughts from
Law Allows Us to Reach Our Potential, Says Elder Christofferson
click on the above post title to go directly to lds.org

Daily Bread: Change

The bread of eternal life
The substance to sanctify
Is in the person of Jesus Christ
Who changes us over time

Daily Bread: Pattern

Sometimes I am so hungry
But I don't know what I need
Something in me is empty
Perhaps there is more to feed!

I Pushed Everything Aside

I pushed everything aside
To be swept of pride
Then I invited in the Lord
That His Spirit be my guide

Then... slowly, one by one
I called back just some
Of the old things I had done
That held Light unto the Son

And feeling richly blessed
Through abandonings sins- confessed
I felt such peace and rest
Words cannot be expressed

To Always Remember Him
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Ensign, April 2011, 49

"You and I can put Christ at the center of our lives and become one with Him as He is one with the Father. We can begin by stripping everything out of our lives and then puttting it back together in priority order with the Savior at the center."

Recognizing God's Hand In our Daily Blessings

We Have Been Invited

Jesus has invited us

To receive daily bread

For help and sustenance 

Like Manna.... to be fed

Quite literally, the Lord's bread

Can sustain us each new day

Through faith on the word's said

He is The Truth, The Light, The Way

Unto our Heavenly Father's hand

And the hope of things to come

That we might better understand

What we are to become

Facing financial ruin

Facing financial ruin

In tears, I prayed a lot

I felt comfort within

While huge bills I fought

I knew things would work out

That the Lord would prepare a way

That a change would come about

Thus, I continued to pray

Perhaps a thought would come to mind

Or some resource would appear

Until then, continually I did find

Feelings of assurance, near

Though I suffered then

I am grateful now

I was not stricken

But, with faith endowed

I learned to pray

With true intent

To listen with faith

As one fully present

The Appeal

We can appeal to God

For the help we need today

Believe and you will receive

In faith and deed always

Resolve

Resolving to do better

For a wise and holy purpose

I committed to the letter

To apply this growth to service

Opening Our Homes to God's Care

Remember to do the small things

Like scripture reading and daily prayer

Having Family Home Evening

That in the home, there's more love to share

Becoming More Christ-like

Becoming more Christ-like

Is a daily pursuit

Always lean to the Light

And live in gratitude

Growth and Change

As a person, growth is slow

It requires that we prep

Through pondering we grow

Inside and add more depth

pondering:

Recognizing God's Hand

In OUR DAILY BLESSINGS

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Ensign, Jan 2012, 17

A Plan of Freedom

The gospel is a plan of freedom

Where appetites are in check

Our behavior becomes wholesome

As we let Christ's light direct

You Are Free

The gospel, said President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008), “is a plan of freedom that gives discipline to appetite and direction to behavior.”¹ This plan puts us on a path of increasing knowledge and capacity, increasing grace and light. It is the freedom to become what you can and ought to be. But for your freedom to be complete, you must be willing to give away all your sins (see Alma 22:18), your willfulness, your cherished but unsound habits, perhaps even some good things that interfere with what God sees is essential for you.

—D. Todd Christofferson, "You Are Free"
Topics: Agency, Obedience

The Lord Measures Society

The Lord measures society
By the way charity is meted
When with holiness and sobriety
The poor and the needy are well treated

The earth is filled with abundance
Ever there is enough and to spare
Each with their varied circumstance
Has a stewardship over what is theirs

As we pursue the cause of Zion
We must beware of idolatry
For that is the path of Babylon
When it's righteous devotion we seek

We might ask ourselves what we worship
And take care to not be covetous
Of materialism let us be stripped
That lust and pride is not found within us

Let us dispense of our means and resources
With generosity, to alleviate suffering
That when nature and calamity courses
Our humanitarian efforts are there offering

D. Todd Christofferson
Come to Zion
Ensign, Nov 2008, 37

In our families and in our stakes and districts, let us seek to build up Zion through unity, godliness, and charity.

We All Possess the Gift

We all possess the gift
Of agency...to choose
To draw nigh to or darkly drift
From our Lord and His good news

For our each and every action
There's light to be responsible
And we ever have an obligation
To accept and be held accountable

Through consistent practice
Our standards can be set high
Unto greatness, with Christ-like service
Rejecting the self-absorbent life

Thus developing the character
Of one morally disciplined
Thereby following the exemplar
As His ideals are envisioned

Some turn from the laws of the Savior
Creating their own God unto disorder
There is naught to restrain their behavior
But, external controls put in order

Yet, can police and laws replace
Customs, traditions, and values
Can one civilize the human race
When it has fallen unto abuse

As the right hand steals from the left
And puts forth more regulations
There is but circumvention and debt
As each judges the other's education...

Such societies will struggle in vain
Until sin is denounced as sin
That moral discipline might rein
As a pantheon of civic virtues are brought in
-----
Moral discipline is taught in the home
Where our teachings come of our faith
That the commandments of God might be known
As a desire for truth becomes framed...

All of us experience temptations
As did the Savior, who gave them no heed
As we stay principled with dedication
From sin's exploration... we are freed!

Always and ever we must exercise discipline
Repenting oft, believing in Christ's atoning grace
It is our to inspire others if they will listen
To find help to deal with all that they face

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Moral Discipline
Ensign, November 2009, 105 

A Moral Force of Women

A moral force of women
Works as an influence for good.
To help the work of Heaven,
And exemplify womanhood.

What is it women can possess
That sets them apart from men?
The intuitive way they impress
The need for goodness within.

A virtuous woman's strength
Is greatly needed today;
To instill courage and faith
That our covenants we obey.

As trends and forces more combine
And the conscience of many dims;
Satan works hard to undermine
Society's definitions for sins.

So more than ever we need
Women who will help the rising youth;
By example to then lead
Them to high places to never move.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
The Moral Force of Women
Ensign, November 2013

Life's Story

God's life story meant for you
Is bigger than you can ever tell
Give to Him your will and do
What He places in your heart to swell

Thoughts from a professor quoted in This Is Your Life by Elder D. Todd Christofferson

It is easier to find yourself
When you put selfishness behind
And look to be a source of help
As there is more of you to find

Measure success with your hand and heart
Achieve well for a higher end
Life's problems lighten. Lessons impart
As blessings from on high descend

A fresh perspective will grow and bloom
In the light of love you'll feel
The miracle of service opens room
To know that love from God is real

I am reading Finding Your Life by Elder D. Todd Christofferson in the March Ensign 2016

He talks about being in tune with and savoring the things of God taking up one's cross and losing one's life as the way to finding an abundant and eternal life.

"He that findeth

his life shall lose it: and he that loseth it for my sake shall find it." Matthew 10:39

I Am Not A Puppet

I am not a puppet
Unable to make a choice
I follow the prophet
To feel God's love and rejoice

pondering Free Forever, To Act for Themselves
Elder D. Todd Christofferson

But God intends that His children should act according to the moral agency He has given them, “that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment.”² It is His plan and His will that we have the principal decision-making role in our own life’s drama. God will not live our lives for us nor control us as if we were His puppets, as Lucifer once proposed to do. Nor will His prophets accept the role of “puppet master” in God’s place. Brigham Young stated: “I do not wish any Latter Day Saint in this world, nor in heaven, to be satisfied with anything I do, unless the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ,—the spirit of revelation, makes them satisfied. I wish them to know for themselves and understand for themselves.”³

>

Remembering the Savior

What shall we always remember?
When, each Sabbath, we come to covenant anew?
What does it mean to be a member?
When we take the sacrament, what do we do?

If we ever seek to know the Lord's will
As He too sought the will of the Father
We'll have strength for His works to fulfill
Knowing whom we love, we obey, and we honor

We answer to Christ, as we daily strive
And experience thoughts, words, and actions
We'll ever have to answer to Him for our lives
As He's ransomed each debt and obligation

All that justice could demand of us for our sins
Jesus Christ has paid by His suffering and death
He offers the gift of forgiveness, with conditions...
When we are repentant, only then, does He pay the debt

We can look to the Savior for help. We need not fear
And as we look to Him, He Lights every thought, every deed
As His Atonement covers all the things we do here
He has the power to protect us and minister to each need


D. Todd Christofferson
Remembering the Savior
BYU Idaho Address
January 27, 2009

A Massive Earthquake

A massive earthquake
All but destroyed the town
But, faith did not shake
Though each house tumbled down

For that which was left
Was love and family
And they could rebuild
Together happily

Their smiles looked out of place
Amidst all the rubble
And hope gleamed on each face
For they were but humble

In that profound hour
They had said a prayer
And to them did shower
Assurance of God's care

We need such Christians
For crucial days ahead
They're our illustrations
Of how faith is bred

As long as we've a temple
We've a place of peace
Though hardships assemble
Our faith (there) can increase

The Power of Covenants
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Ensign, May 2009, 19

We Are Ever Free to Choose

We have the right to choose
To morally act
This we will never lose
If we keep to laws exact

As such we can predict
Each eventual outcome
For there's habits which constrict
That when we quit, we blossom

There was a war in heaven
To defend and preserve agency
Now, I still must fight Satan
Or he'll be the master of me

The father of all lies
Seeks to deceive and blind men
But no matter how hard he tries
In bondage, we get sick of him

For there's but one destination
When he makes all the rules
And that's called domination
As of those dependent on him, he fools

And thus we each can see
Choices have opposites
In the war of agency
Each must decide where one sits

Today, at every turn, much does confuse
And it seems traps are set everywhere
But, if of God's laws we don't abuse
Then we can find safety in His care

As members, we are so blessed
With soul saving gospel light
And of this we do oft attest
With confirmations of what is right

Oh, how great the goodness of our God
He has prepared a way for our escape
That though sin and death is our lot
It's in and through redemption that we're saved

For as it is easy to detour
We need a path that's chosen well
Even in deed an exemplar
Who's good works do perfectly tell

Good choices rise as does a ladder
With added rungs each time we learn
That we're happier and not sadder
When to our potential we turn

Just think of the potential
Of seeing higher and farther
And, too, being introspective
While listening to our Father

Such that we bask in lofty freedom
Amidst the mighty sky and wind
Which does not fade in the darkened season
For we're confident of a new rung in the end

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Moral Agency
Ensign, June 2009, 46

THE SECOND BOOK OF NEPHI
CHAPTER 2
Redemption cometh through the Holy Messiah—Freedom of choice (agency) is essential to existence and progression—Adam fell that men might be—Men are free to choose liberty and eternal life. Between 588 and 570 B.C.
1 And now, Jacob, I speak unto you: Thou art my first-born in the days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren.
2 Nevertheless, Jacob, my first-born in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain.
3 Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God. Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men.
4 And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou art blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free.
5 And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever.
6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.
7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.
8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.
9 Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.
10 And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement—
11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.
12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God.
13 And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.
14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.
15 And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.
16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not bat for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.
17 And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must needs suppose that an angel of God, according to that which is written, had fallen from heaven; wherefore, he became a devil, having sought that which was evil before God.
18 And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind. Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, who is the father of all lies, wherefore he said: Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.
19 And after Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit they were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth.
20 And they have brought forth children; yea, even the family of all the earth.
21 And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents.
22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.
23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.
24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.
25 Adam fell that men might be; and men care, that they might have joy.
26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the Law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.
27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and call things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.
28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;
29 And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.
30 I have spoken these few words unto you all, my sons, in the last days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part, according to the words of the prophet. And I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls. Amen.

Born Again

All that I have and am on earth
I commit to God and His Son
I have been taught unto rebirth
As a new creature, I have sprung

I must press on, proving steadfast in Christ
Who, through His merits, is mighty to save
I've entered the path to eternal life
Which, through His atoning grace, He did pave

In His name, I can weekly partake
That the Spirit might in me take root
He can cleanse me of the sins I make
So I might taste of the sweetest of fruits

Old temptations lose their appeal
As I renew covenants to obey
I humbly pray to know of God's will
For, he gives me strength and makes a way

With all of my might, mind, and heart
May I be devoted without reserve
And of those who've helped me from the start
May I honor them as I serve

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Born Again
Ensign, May 2008, 76

With Increasing Need

With increasing need
That is crucial indeed
We seek out our Father
And His profound power

It is our commission
To be strong Christians
*Who, through tragedy, have hope
And can help others to cope

*Who overcome temptations
As with covenants they station
*Who are defenders of truth
And, who's faith will not uproot

What is the source of this power?
That sustains us when trials tower
It's our law abiding commitment
To keep all our Father's commandments

We then find through the covenants we enter
That Jesus Christ is at the center
Offering us hope that's everlasting
As to Him we keep our eyes casting

Such that continual blessings flow
And grant us with resources to act
As a steady supply of gifts show
As well as hidden treasure of fact

And along the path we find
That charity never fails
As we're nourished more in kind
With Christ-like attributes that swell

As our faith is made perfect in weakness
We face life with hope and equanimity
Strengthened through the power of Godliness
And the ordinances in which we're participating

The Power of Covenants
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Ensign, May 2009, 19

What is the Destiny of the Billions

What is the destiny of the billions
Who have lived and died without Christ?
They in the temple can be redeemed
As we proxy for the dead and are baptized


Our God is merciful and just
And has laid out a perfect plan
If we're obedient and trust
We can aid in the salvation of man

Jesus prophesied He would teach
Those in the spirit world when He died
There to organize the righteous to preach
Those in darkness and in need of His light

Like unto the living, the dead can increase in faith
Repent, be cleansed, and burn with the Holy Ghost within
It is their's to await vicarious work of the Saints
For the highest blessings of heaven to begin

With each husband and wife restored together
They are then sealed forever to their children
Till more and more family names do gather
Into an eternally welded link for heaven

Supplying labor for every time to embrace
Who will serve as an officiator?
And vicariously act in the Savior's place
Thus, to provide a way back to our creator

As an expression of our witness
Of the truthfulness of the gospel
We desire all to be humble in meekness
And accept the Atonement and be God's people

We are baptized for the dead
Because we know they will arise
Restored even to each hair on the head
As in Christ shall all be made alive

Our work is theirs to decide
As we've all free agency
In death or in life
Truth is for our accepting

Completing His mission of divine commitment
We benefit from the infinite reach of our Savior
Due to His perfect life and absolute Atonement
He is the sole source of our salvation and favor

And except a man be born
Of water and of the Spirit
His soul can not be reborn
And of judgment he will fear it

For straight is the way
And narrow is the gate
And those who'll know His grace
Will have been baptized in His name

Repent everyone
In the name of Jesus Christ
And follow Him, the very Son
With the Gift of the Holiness for light

Let the dead be freed from prison
To be judged according to the flesh
That the gospel may be preached for one reason
For the great Day when of God's hand we'll all confess

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Why Do We Baptize for the Dead?
New Era, Mar 2009, 2–5

Placed in a Position of Power

Placed in a position of power
What shall ye do from hour to hour
But, stand upon a rock of honesty
For to step down...what's found is slippery

One lie will lead to another
As pride effects like no other
To admit blame will not get you a pass
For there's the matter of resolving the morass

So...find safety on that rock
A place to firmly walk
And make a lasting impression
Known for your honest manner of expression

'Stand on the rock of honesty,'
Elder D. Todd Christofferson tells students at Duke University School of Law
Published: Tuesday, March 23, 2010
LDS Church News
click on title to go directly to article

'Asked by Dean Levi to offer advice to Duke Law graduates on leading "a moral life" in the law, Elder Christofferson returned to his lasting impressions of the Watergate era.

"As I listened to those hours and hours of the White House tapes and the conversations as they went around and around about how to resolve the morass created by one bad decision after another, I concluded that … the only thing that really is your safety is to stand on the rock of honesty. … If you ever once make an exception, you're unprotected. That's why I'm for being firm on that rock."'


morass
noun: a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot

On October 16th- In the Year 1536

On October 16th
In the year 1536
A pitiful figure was led
To his lone sentence of death

Having been in a damp dark dungeon
For a year and a half with no sun
He was brought forth out of the castle
And hoisted to a post along the wall

Then, given a moment...he uttered aloud
A prayer that the bible, in English, be allowed
He having been blessed to know many languages
Had translated it from Greek and Roman pages

As a religious man, he was a devoted student
Who against clergy, dared to declare an argument
Ignorance... he'd stated was completely pervasive
So, he vowed to make the scriptures purely persuasive

That... each might turn to and read God's word often
As even a farmer could search and possess them
He, inspired with courage and determined faith,
Felt his calling to put man in control of his fate

This was perceived as a threat to the church of his time
As they were adamant he'd be casting pearls before swine
With hope that God above would open up the kings eyes
He was strangled and burned...doubly sure...and as a martyr he died

William Tyndale we thank you
And fully express our gratitude
May we, known as the common man
Take the scriptures unto our hands

And like the farmer of the plough field who searched much and prayed
May our questions and prayers to God, all the more, daily be raised
May we each feel the scriptures are our greatest treasure
A blessing to hold we cannot even begin to measure

The Blessing of Scripture
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Ensign, May 2010, 32

The Bibles were smuggled into England, where they were in great demand and much prized by those who could get them. They were shared widely but in secret. The authorities burned all the copies they could find. Nevertheless, within three years of Tyndale’s death, God did indeed open King Henry VIII’s eyes, and with publication of what was called the “Great Bible,” the scriptures in English began to be publicly available. Tyndale’s work became the foundation for almost all future English translations of the Bible, most notably the King James Version.1

William Tyndale was not the first, nor the last, of those who in many countries and languages have sacrificed, even to the point of death, to bring the word of God out of obscurity. We owe them all a great debt of gratitude. We owe perhaps an even greater debt to those who faithfully recorded and preserved the word through the ages, often with painstaking labor and sacrifice—Moses, Isaiah, Abraham, John, Paul, Nephi, Mormon, Joseph Smith, and many others. What did they know about the importance of scriptures that we also need to know? What did people in 16th-century England, who paid enormous sums and ran grave personal risks for access to a Bible, understand that we should also understand?

We each have a horse to tame.
Perhaps no two are the same.
Let us bring it to the Master.
He can save us from disaster!

The Lord is there for support.
Let's seek His love and comfort.
He knows the shoes we walk in
and how hard it is to tame sin.

There is always hope to find.
With each other, let's be kind.
Let's be patient and faithful,
as this is the Lord's gospel.

Pondering Elder Christofferson's
introduction to
http://mormonsandgays.org/
It doesn't cover the endless topics surrounding same gender attraction.  It is meant to be a place for love and understanding where you can listen to members tell their story of hope surrounding the issue and what they have felt and learned.

The greatest good we can do

In helping others become

Is to free them unto

The living Savior, the Son

The greatest good framed in law

Is when it allows each man

To pursue God, here, below

And witness His guiding hand

We should seek for divine guidance

Before passing any kind of bill

So that in each and every instance

Man is free to reach his potential

thoughts from
Law Allows Us to Reach Our Potential, Says Elder Christofferson
click on the above post title to go directly to lds.org

Pray for daily bread.

For guiding steps to take. 

In faith, to be fed.

In Spirit to awake

Elder Christofferson has conversations with youth at the Goshen Jerusalem set! He spoke of a time in financial crisis where he learned a miracle wasn't going to ease his burden and to seek "daily bread". 

Imagine living ten times longer

How you would become set in your ways!

...to live for or against God, stronger

The arguments would go on for days

And God's people would seek a new place!

The natural man is an enemy to God....

Oft times to reach a day of reckoning

To realize all the wasted days, gone

And to the family comes an awakening

But with a slower clock, waste is so less frightening....

The opposition would be tough!

Attacking laws they deem unjust!

This was true in the days of Enoch 

So he built a city for the righteous 

Daily, here, How there was peace and LOVE

And they were translated to God, above!

Thoughts from.President Christofferson's words while speaking from the filming set in Goshen. 

Imagine sitting at the feet

Of a living Apostle

In a Jerusalem setting

Today! This is possible!

The invitation forever stands

To walk with Jesus along the covenant path

To accept His call and trust His plans

He will work with you to grow from where you're at

He will shepherd you and carry you to safety 

And nourish you with His words and His love

He will heal your soul ever gently

And prepare you for His mansions above

Thoughts from President Christofferson 's thoughts about Enoch accepting his invitation even though he felt inadequate. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTqaGMnkhM9/?igsh=eWR0b251NnQyeTk0

The misstep was obvious 

The shoes were covered in mud

When we sin this is like us

We repent and clean our lives up

The Savior would to remind

To remember this sin no more

You can leave the filth behind

That's what the atonement is for

President Christofferson explains Elder Richard G Scott's Mud Repentance Analogy. . Carrying the dirt around that you already cleaned off- makes no sense!

https://youtube.com/shorts/CUgbNvo4e6o?si=ORPoWlgibAY4EcTs

No matter who we have been before
We can become whole and even holy!
Through the sanctifying power of our Lord
His atonement reconciles, compensates  and transforms

We are all within His grace, His love His reach
No matter the sin, mistake or transgression
No matter the pit of Hell, vile, with stench
He awaits to cleanse, to heal, and to teach 

President Christofferson inspiring assurance on the Savior's atonement :

https://youtube.com/shorts/A8vV-0n5Qco?si=xhRGMrGlXJL-2BU2

Jesus Can

Jesus can fix and heal YOU

Of ALL the wrongs you have done

AND heal those you have harmed, too

That WE may be as one!

We had stake conference today. President Vance, a retired physician, spoke words that inspired this poem. Then, I came home and this youtube notification/ message by President Christofferson was on my phone:

https://youtu.be/IO9bUTFA-P0?si=RavfrKd6Ot4ZZGTD

Just what I need!

"President Carl D. Vance and Sister Emily Vance, who have been presiding over the Nevada Las Vegas Mission since July 2023, are being reassigned to the new Nevada Henderson Mission, where they will serve until July 2026."

A Wall of Faith

Backed up to the wall of faith

We each must take a stand

With fire in our hearts to face

What trials come  at hand

Keep your eyes turned to the temple

With your ears tuned to the Word

That your heart stay warmed with faith

To be a light unto the world

Thoughts from President Christofferson's words.

https://youtube.com/shorts/VYxXokcjQ4k?si=jlpVgcNP12i3vwvT

Condescension From a Pre-Mortal Estate

Being enclosed with the physical

Having left our pre-mortal estate above

Our condesecension was uncomfortable

As we'd have to learn to rely on God's love

Knowing we'd forget God and everything 

In exchange for the family we would gain

Still we knew that until we became mortal

We'd not fully understand joy and pain

Thoughts from President Christofferson's message:

https://youtube.com/shorts/LJ1bXYGUSxo?si=GXySIHBVX7n5192i

Walk with HIm

Walk with Him, each, near and far

One step at a time, for all your days

He will meet you where you are

He is our path to Heaven, always

https://youtube.com/shorts/yxrKAiNSIbM?si=JnpOSDbIt6L07sku

Watch this inspiring video based on words from President Christofferson. 

Transcendent

Beyond the limits 

That we see or feel!

Prophets have visions!

They are the real deal!

In my mind, I keep hearing that the experience 

of forming the first Presidency and the president of 

Quorum of the 12 was transcendent.  It must have 

been incredible!

https://www.thechurchnews.com › leaders › 2025/10/25Video: ‘Transcendent experience’ of a new prophet – Church News

Oct 25, 2025 · In this Church News video, titled “Transcendent Experience,” President D. Todd Christofferson of the First Presidency and President Jeffrey R. Holland, president of the...

"Dignitas Infinita,” - Infinite Dignity

A very fitting message to give in Rome, where "all road lead to..."

Elder Christofferson was one of the invited speakers, focusing his remarks on the Catholic Church’s  2024 publication, “Dignitas Infinita,” or Infinite Dignity.

“This concept of infinite dignity instills in each human person a responsibility to treat every other person with love and respect, said Elder Christofferson. “This duty is not abstract; it is rooted in the teachings and example of Jesus Christ."  https://youtube.com/shorts/5dVPz9dqPjs?si=TErloJRyd0YR941p

Love and respect all

Friends and strangers alike

We're brothers and sisters.

And we should be Christlike!

Tackle a topic
With selfless motives.
Then, with gained perspectives
Respect what this gives!

❤

The Lord asked, "Peter, Lovest thou me?"
Three times in the end
One for each time he'd denied Him
We all forget our friend.

Love the Lord. Don't deny Him
If you do... NOW! Repent!
You know naught what did try Him
For you, to what extent