Happiness

      This morning while I was reading in the Book of Mormon In Alma 50 I came across a few verses that really stuck out to me about happiness and doing what the Lord has asked. In verse 20 it talks about how the Lord is going to bless those people when they are doing what they are supposed to and how He is not going to bless us when we don't keep the commandments. Then I really like what verse 23 said : "But behold there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni, yea, even at this time, in the twenty and first year of the reign of the judges." So we see that when we do what we are supposed to the Lord is going to bless us with all the happiness we can imagine! Lets all strive to be a little better and make those changes in our lives to come closer to Christ!

Helping Others

            This past weekend was Conference and there was a lot of great stuff to learn and take in. But one of the biggest things that stuck out to me would have to be on the saturday morning session of the conference. It was a talk given by Elder Henry B Eyring. If you would like to Listen to the whole talk you can by going to http://lds.org/general-conference/watch/2011/04?lang=eng&vid=880291596001&cid=12 . There was a phrase he used that I liked. He said "The lord has made it possible for anyone who wants to help to do it." There are so many of us who are capable of helping others but either don't take the time to do it or are just to busy sometimes. Other times we just feel like we don't really need to help others. I was also reminded of the covenants or promises that we make with our Father in heaven when we get baptised. We are our brothers keeper, we do need to be looking out for all those that are in need of help. So my thought is that we should all try to take a few minutes out of our busy lives to help someone else that might be in need. Then the Lord is going to bless others through us and He will also bless us for putting forth effort in helping his other children.

Dont Tempt The Lord

   This morning I was reading in Alma in the Book of Mormon. They where explaining there money system and what everything was worth. usually I just skim through it to get by it but I actually read thru it this time and I actually understood the next verses really well when Zeezrom tries to tempt Amulek. He was offering him a lot of money if he would deny God. But Amulek showed his faith and didn't even hesitate. It covers it in Verses 21-23 of chapter 11 in Alma.
           "And this Zeezrom began to question Amulek, saying: Will ye answer me a few questions which I shall ask you? Now Zeezrom was a man who was expert in the devices of the devil, that he might destroy that which was good; therefore, he said unto Amulek: Will ye answer the questions which I shall put unto you?
           And  Amulek said unto him: Yea, if it be according to the Spirit of the Lord, which is in me; for I shall say nothing which is contrary to the Spirit of the Lord. And Zeezrom said unto him: Behold, here are six onties of silver, and all these will I give thee if thou wilt deny the existence of a Supreme Being.
          Now Amulek said: O thou child of hell, why tempt ye me? Knowest thou that the righteous yieldeth to no such temptations"
        Amulek was very wise in how he frazed his response he said that you don't understand that the righteous people wont give in to Satan's temptations. So if we are truly doing what we should be Satan will have no power over us. We will be able to live happy lives and see the joy that comes from doing what it right.

Your Never Alone

When I first saw this picture I was reminded of the Atonement and everything that Christ has done for us. Then as I studied the picture a few other things came to mind. The one that has really stuck with me is the foot prints in the sand poem:

           "One night I had a dream--
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord
and across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints,
one belonged to me and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in my life.
This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you would walk with me all the way,
but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life
there is only one set of footprints.
"I don't understand why in times when I needed you most,
you should leave me."
The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child,
I love you and I would never, never leave you
during your times of trial and suffering.
"When you saw only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you.""

                                                                             -Mary Stevenson

The next thing that stuck out to me is the love that Christ shows to all of us. Even those of us that had turned our back on him. In the picture the one man is holding a hammer I would assume he like most of us have sinned and is going through a rough time and needs Christ in his life to carry him through those rough times. I know that if we will just take a few minutes of every day to say a quick prayer and ask for the help we need that Christ will be there to help us make it through our trials.