Sacred Promises

God loves us so much that He has provided temples for us 

 where in these last days, through priesthood authority, 

we are able to make sacred and saving ordinances or promises

with Heavenly Father necessary to return back to His presence.

A couple months back a dear friend of mine and I 

put aside the craziness and stress of a daily schedule 

against the literal winds and storms of life,

we walked up the hill to this beautiful place.

Inside we felt God's love and goodness as we performed 

proxy ordinances of baptism for those who have passed away.

We were reminded of the promise we made to 

"Stand as a witness of God at all times,

in all things, and in all places.

That ye may be redeemed of God...

that ye may have eternal life."

-Mosiah 18:8-10

 

As we stepped outside those doors my soul longed for that 

wonderful Spirit to still linger.

Much to our joy we saw how the winds that we 

had pushed through to make it up the hill had turned into

the last afternoon sunshine being illuminated 

by a rush of storm clouds that had passed over as we were inside.

A sweet and favorite primary song of mine came to mind:
 

I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain
and ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again...

I know when I am baptized my wrongs are washed away

and I can be forgiven and improve myself each day.

I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain

I want to be the best I can and live with God again.

 

Even though we had to step 'back into the world' in a way

with its storms and craziness.

I could look at the storms as a means to be cleansed by the rain.

Through covenants we can be in the world but not of the world. 

God always keeps His end of the promise.

As we fulfill our end and always remember Him.

We can feel of His sustaining power in our lives.

There is no better way to live.

"Sacred covenants are to be revered by us, and 

faithfulness to them is a requirement for happiness." 

-President Thomas S. Monson

This is the Way

Everyday we talk to new people we ask them,

"What is the most important thing to you?"

They answer without hesitation or a second thought "My family."

We nod our heads with a smile on our face.

We sometimes ask "How do you know that God loves you?"

with a grin they often say, "Well I'm alive, aren't I?!"

 

The world was created and the Gospel was restored so that

FAMILIES could be together FOREVER.

 

Our Loving Heavenly Father has said

"For behold, this is MY WORK and MY GLORY to bring to pass the

IMMORTALITY and ETERNAL LIFE of man."

-Moses 1:39

 

It is innate within all of us to have the desire or

 the VISION of being with our families forever.

 

God has provided us a way to achieve this,

like most things it comes through DISCIPLINE

 Challenges and adversities, changes and adventures that are all a part of mortality

are ultimately all part of God's plan.

We can grow and become who God wants us to through

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism for the remission of sins,

 receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and Enduring to the End.

 

When we do these things, we achieve our DESTINY

To live with our families and all those whom we love

in the presence of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ

in a state of never-ending happiness

  

 

That's God plan, He's made it possible.

Make it yours.

"This is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now behold this is the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST, and the only and true doctrine of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost."
-2 Nephi 31:21

God's Light

We live in a crazy world today.

Sometimes we may feel as though our own sins or mistakes or the poor choices of others leave us feeling dark, empty or abandoned.

 

There was a night in history where one man, The Son of God prayed and suffered in Gethsemane for the sins of mankind.

 

He took upon Himself everything, every paper cut and every heartbreak.

All the evil in the world was gathered there and still

ALL WICKEDNESS COULD NOT PENETRATE THAT LIGHT

 

In your individual personal battles today, whatever you may be facing recognize that

It has already been overcome,

Pray for God's strength to help you get through.

You will feel Him there.

 

God's Light overcame everything once, let that same light penetrate and eliminate your fears and concerns.

 

The Saviors words and true and real "I am the Light which shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not." -Doctrine and Covenants 6:21

"God’s light is real. It is available to all! It gives life to all things. It has the power to soften the sting of the deepest wound. It can be a healing balm for the loneliness and sickness of our souls. In the furrows of despair, it can plant the seeds of a brighter hope. It can enlighten the deepest valleys of sorrow. It can illuminate the path before us and lead us through the darkest night into the promise of a new dawn..."

 

 Photo taken near Queenstown, New Zealand

 

"Even though we may feel lost in the midst of our current circumstances, God promises the hope of His light—He promises to illuminate the way before us and show us the way out of darkness."

-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf