Doctrine, Policy, and Prophets

A short while ago I read an article in the Deseret News.  It was something about a movie premiering at Sundance Film Festival.  Somehow one of the members of the band Imagine Dragons was involved in making the movie.  I know nothing about the band or their members but apparently this guy was or is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  None of that is news worthy but I give you that background because one thing that he said in the article is what prompted me to write this blog post.

Apparently the movie is about LGBQT (or whatever that acronym is) people.  The guy from Imagine Dragons said that he hopes the new prophet (Russell M. Nelson) watches the movie.  Implying that if perhaps he watched that movie he might have a more positive view on the LGBQT lifestyle. And thereby change Church policies regarding LGBQT issues.

This really bothered me for several reasons.  First of all, Church policies cannot contradict Church doctrine. And doctrine will never change.

Secondly, this is not the Prophet's church.  This is the Lord's church.  He is at the head and He leads and guides His Church.  So President Nelson's opinion is irrelevant in changing Church doctrine. Not that his opinion would ever go against Church doctrine.

Church doctrine, Gospel doctrine will never change. Jesus Christ has taught the same doctrine from the beginning of time.  It never wavers.  I don't know why this is such a hard concept for people to understand.

Perhaps because they confuse Church doctrine with Church policy.  Yes, policy can change with time depending on the needs of the members and the Church.  For instance, missionary age.  This has fluctuated over time.  It was recently lowered to allow for more missionaries in the mission field.  Another example is temple recommends being valid for two years instead of one.  This eases the burden on local leadership in conducting temple recommend interviews.  These are policy changes.  Not changes in doctrine.  Know the difference.

 The law of chastity is doctrine.  It has never changed and it will never change.  Homosexuality will always be considered sinful.  That has never changed and will never change.  (Same-sex attraction is not a sin, but acting on it -- thereby breaking the law of chastity -- is.)  Marriage is between a man and a woman.  It always has been and always will be.  Granted, the laws of the land may change -- and in fact have changed to allow same-sex marriage -- but God's laws will never change.  Even if homosexual marriage is recognized by the law of the land, it is not recognized by God.  Homosexuality is still a sin in His eyes.  It always will be.

It's very straightforward.  Doctrine doesn't change.  Not hard to understand.

The prophet doesn't create doctrine -- he just teaches it.  The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles don't create doctrine -- they just teach it.  I don't see what's so confusing about that.  This is the Lord's church, it's His doctrine.  If you've got a problem with His doctrine take it up with Him, not with Church leaders.  They don't have power to change doctrine.  They just teach it.

Another thing that bothered me is the implication that our previous Prophet and Church leaders were not loving and not accepting of all people.  And that perhaps the new prophet might be if he saw their movie.  That's absurd.  Prophets and Apostles are full-time servants of the Lord and His Church.  You'd be hard pressed to find more Christlike people on the earth.  President Monson and President Nelson love and accept all people.  This is what Christ taught.  This is what they teach.  Christ loved sinners and so should we.  Obviously we don't condone the sin, but we are to love the sinner.  We are taught to love everyone as our brothers and sisters.  Easier said than done but nonetheless that is doctrine.

On a personal note, I went to medical school in San Francisco.  Many of my professors, clinicians, and patients were LGBQT.  I grew to have a much greater understanding and compassion towards them.  It is possible to love and care for those whose lifestyle choices contradict God's laws.

Everyone is welcome in the Lord's church.  Yes, there are laws, God's laws, that govern His church.  To remain in good standing in the Church we must be striving to live God's laws.  But to imply that doctrine should be changed to allow for sin to be tolerated in the Lord's church is absurd.  Blasphemous even.

Heavenly Father loves all of His children.  Our Savior, Jesus Christ, loves all of His brothers and sisters -- so much so that he atoned for each of us. This is His Church and His Gospel and His Doctrine.  The Prophet, First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are His servants.  They do His will.  Even if the Prophet did watch their silly movie, doctrine wouldn't change.  Nor could it.

That's my two cents.

The Second Coming

The second coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be much different than the first.  The first time Jesus came to earth, He was a helpless baby, born under humble circumstances, who had to be nurtured and learn and grow.  His ministry was meek, yet He managed to teach His gospel and many people followed Him.  Many people also mocked and rejected Him.  At the hands of His fellow men, He was scourged, spit upon and crucified.

Of course, the atonement was a necessary part of our Heavenly Father's plan.  Jesus knew before He came to earth that He would take upon Him the sins of the world and atone for each and every one of us who has ever and will ever come to earth.  This He agreed to in our pre-mortal existence.

Three days after He was laid in the tomb, He arose and was resurrected.  As a resurrected being, He appeared to His disciples in Jerusalem as recorded in the Bible.  Then He also appeared to the people in the Americas as recorded in The Book of Mormon.

We have been taught, as it is well-documented in Scripture, that Christ will come again.  He will again descend from heaven and come to earth.  This is known as the second coming.  But this time, He will come in power and glory.  When He comes again, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is the Christ.

Isaiah 45:23

"... That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear."

The Prophet Joseph F. Smith said:

"... the coming of the Savior to reign upon the earth, when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ." ¹

Doctrine and Covenants 88:104 

"And this shall be the sound of his trump, saying to all people, both in heaven and in earth, and that are under the earth—for every ear shall hear it, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess, while they hear the sound of the trump, saying: Fear God, and give glory to him who sitteth upon the throne, forever and ever; for the hour of his judgment is come."

Speaking of "the hour of his judgment", the following Scripture makes very clear the state of the wicked at the judgment bar of God.

Alma 12:12-15

12 And Amulek hath spoken plainly concerning death, and being raised from this mortality to a state of immortality, and being brought before the bar of God, to be judged according to our works.

13 Then if our hearts have been hardened, yea, if we have hardened our hearts against the word, insomuch that it has not been found in us, then will our state be awful, for then we shall be condemned.

14 For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his presence.

15 But this cannot be; we must come forth and stand before him in his glory, and in his power, and in his might, majesty, and dominion, and acknowledge to our everlasting shame that all his judgments are just; that he is just in all his works, and that he is merciful unto the children of men, and that he has all power to save every man that believeth on his name and bringeth forth fruit meet for repentance.

Clarifying even further concerning the state of the wicked, and more specifically covenant breakers, at the Lord's second coming, President Joseph F. Smith warned:

"I … testify, that unless the Latter-day Saints will live their religion, keep their covenants with God and their brethren, honor the priesthood which they bear, and try faithfully to bring themselves into subjection to the laws of God, they will be the first to fall beneath the judgments of the Almighty, for his judgments will begin at his own house.

"Therefore, those who have made a covenant with the Lord by baptism, and have broken that covenant, who profess to be saints and are not, but are sinners, and covenant-breakers, and partakers of the sins of Babylon, most assuredly will “receive of her plagues,” for it is written that the righteous will barely escape [see Revelation 18:4; D&C 63:34]. This is my testimony in relation to these matters. We rely upon the word of the Lord in these things, and not upon the word of man, for not only have angels, but God Almighty has spoken from the heavens in this our own age of the world, and we know his word is true." ¹

That's a very strong warning from a prophet of God.  I strongly suggest that if you are not doing your best to keep the commandments and have broken covenants with God that you quickly change your ways and repent lest it becomes too late and the wrath of God comes upon you.

For those of you who subscribe to the eat, drink, and be merry philosophy that think you will be saved no matter what you do because a loving God wouldn't punish his children, think again.  Or for those of you who choose not to believe in God altogether, you may want to reconsider.

There certainly are consequences to breaking God's commandments -- whether you believe it or not, the consequences are the same.

Our Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ, are all loving and merciful but they are certainly not pansies.  As evidenced by the following scriptures:

Doctrine and Covenants 63:6, 32-34

6 Wherefore, verily I say, let the wicked take heed, and let the rebellious fear and tremble; and let the unbelieving hold their lips, for the day of wrath shall come upon them as a whirlwind, and all flesh shall know that I am God.

32 I, the Lord, am angry with the wicked; I am holding my Spirit from the inhabitants of the earth.

33 I have sworn in my wrath, and decreed wars upon the face of the earth, and the wicked shall slay the wicked, and fear shall come upon every man;

34 And the saints also shall hardly escape; nevertheless, I, the Lord, am with them, and will come down in heaven from the presence of my Father and consume the wicked with unquenchable fire.

Whatever your philosophies in life are and whatever you choose to believe, it doesn't matter.  Truth is truth.  I'd much rather be on the Lord's side when He comes again, because whether you believe or not it will happen.

The question that all curious minds want to know is, "When will He come again?"  The answer is nobody knows.  Elder Ballard, one of the Lord's ordained apostles, said that he doesn't know and if he doesn't know, as one of the Lord's twelve apostles, then he submits that nobody knows.  So, anyone who claims to know when the second coming will be, is lying. The Scriptures make this very clear.

Doctrine and Covenants 49:7

I, the Lord God, have spoken it; but the hour and the day no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, nor shall they know until he comes.

Matthew 24:36

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 

Granted, there are plenty of signs of the times given in Scripture to give us clues as to when He will come again.  A good analogy is a pregnant woman.  A pregnant woman knows she will give birth, but she doesn't know the exact date.  As her time to be delivered draws nigh, she knows it will be soon, but she still doesn't know exactly when.

As more signs of the times are fulfilled and prophecies come to fruition, we know we are drawing closer to the second coming. We know we are in the 11th hour, even at the very end of the 11th hour. But just like a woman in her ninth month of pregnancy, we don't know the exact time frame, only that it is soon, even imminent.  The second coming could be tomorrow, it could be many years from now.

But, it doesn't really matter.  As long as we are living righteously and doing our best to follow God's commandments and keep our covenants, then we are prepared.  It has been said that "if ye are prepared ye shall not fear." (Doctrine and Covenants 38:30)

If you're not prepared, I issue this warning, "therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end" (Alma 34:33).

Doctrine and Covenants 41:4

And I will be your ruler when I come; and behold, I come quickly, and ye shall see that my law is kept.

Several places in Scripture mention the Lord coming quickly.  This can be interpreted several different ways but either way it's best to be prepared.  Procrastinating your preparation will result in devastating eternal consequences.

Preparing for the Lord's second coming is a continuous process.  Whether you're already preparing by doing your best to keep the Lord's commandments and follow Him or if you need to change course and get back on the right path, we all need to work everyday at preparing to meet our Savior when He comes again.

If you're not on course, I admonish you to turn your life around and get on course. It is imperative that you do so, your eternal destiny is at stake. Time is of the essence, do not procrastinate or it may be too late.

For completeness sake,  I want to go back to the beginning and briefly mention a few of the things that will occur at the Lord's second coming.

1 -- He will come in power and glory and He will cleanse the earth of wickedness.

Speaking of the second coming, the Old Testament prophet Malachi said:

Malachi 4:1

For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

We know that the Lord will cleanse the earth with fire at his second coming.  The wicked will burn as stubble and be destroyed in the flesh and the righteous will be raised up to meet Him.

2 -- Jesus Christ will judge His people.  

We know there will be at least a partial judgment at the Lord's second coming.  The righteous and the wicked will be divided. The righteous will remain with Christ on earth.  The wicked will be destroyed and cleansed from the earth.

Revelation 20:4-5

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. 

3 -- At His second coming, the Lord will usher in the Millennium.

The Millennium is the 1,000 years that the Lord will rule and reign on earth. At His second coming the righteous will be caught up to meet Him. His coming will begin the Millennium.

4 -- He will complete the first resurrection.

At the beginning of the Millennium, the righteous will be resurrected. Those who qualify for celestial glory will be resurrected at the beginning of the Millennium.(The morning of the first resurrection).  Those who qualify for terrestrial glory will be resurrected sometime later during the Millennium.  They will remain on earth with Christ during the Millennium.

"The wicked who are living at the time of the Second Coming of the Lord will be destroyed in the flesh. They, along with the wicked who are already dead, will have to wait until the last resurrection. All of the remaining dead will rise to meet God. They will either inherit the telestial kingdom or be cast into outer darkness with Satan (see D&C 76:32–33, 81–112)." ²

5 -- He will take his rightful place as King of heaven and earth.

"When Jesus comes, He will establish His government on the earth. The Church will become part of that kingdom. He will rule all the people of the earth in peace for 1,000 years." ²

"When Jesus Christ was born, very few people knew that the Savior of the world had come. When he comes again, there'll be no doubt who He is." ²

Make no mistake about it, Christ will come again.  He will come in power and glory.  We must be prepared to meet Him.  Because it is so important, I want to reiterate the best way to prepare to meet our Savior:

"The best way we can prepare for the Savior’s coming is to accept the teachings of the gospel and make them part of our lives. We should live each day the best we can, just as Jesus taught when He was on the earth. We can look to the prophet for guidance and follow his counsel. We can live worthy to have the Holy Ghost guide us. Then we will look forward to the Savior’s coming with happiness and not with fear. The Lord said: “Fear not, little flock, the kingdom is yours until I come. Behold, I come quickly. Even so. Amen” (D&C 35:27)." ²

As I mentioned before, preparation requires daily effort.  Yet it is very simple.  Live each day the best you can and strive to follow the gospel of Jesus Christ.  In doing so, we have no need to fear.

I'm very much looking forward to the second coming of my Savior, Jesus Christ.  The more quickly He comes, the better. But, until then I will live each day of my life trying to follow Him.

It is my hope and prayer that all of you will also live each day preparing to meet the Savior by living His gospel and keeping His Commandments to the best of your ability.

That's my two cents.

References:

1 -- Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith Chapter 44: Preparing for the Second Coming of Christ

2 -- Gospel Principles (2011) 257-62, Chapter 44: The Second Coming of Jesus Christ

I Am a Child of God

Every child blessed to be raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints knows that they are a child of God.  It is a fundamental doctrine taught from the very beginning.

I am very grateful that this is something I have always known. Unfortunately many people have forgotten or don't know this simple fact.

"We live in a world that can cause us to forget who we really are. The more distractions that surround us, the easier it is to treat casually, then ignore, and then forget our connection with God....

"In today’s world, no matter where we live and no matter what our circumstances are, it is essential that our preeminent identity is as a child of God. Knowing that will allow our faith to flourish, will motivate our continual repentance, and will provide the strength to “be steadfast and immovable” throughout our mortal journey."  -- Donald L.Hallstrom, I Am a Child of God, April 2016

Knowing that we are children of a loving Heavenly Father -- children of God -- is core to our existence in mortality.  Without this knowledge my life would be much different.  Knowing that we are children of God brings a level of confidence and security and happiness that cannot be found anywhere else.

No matter what happens in my life, what trials and tragedies I face, I have the sure knowledge that I am a child of God.  This knowledge not only makes life bearable but enjoyable.  I know I can conquer trials and journey through mortality with confidence.  Because I am of Royal birth. I am a literal spirit daughter of God.  I am of infinite worth.

This knowledge is priceless.

Tragically those without the knowledge that they are children of God tend to struggle with self worth.  If you are struggling with your self-esteem, remember who you are.  Remember that you are a child of God and are of infinite worth to Him.  He loves you unconditionally as His child.

I submit to you that the best way to increase your self-esteem and feel good about yourself is to first remember that you are a child of God and second to keep His commandments.

It's a very simple formula yet so many people struggle with self-confidence, anger, and unhappiness simply because they don't know or remember that they are a child of God and they don't keep His commandments.

As Elder Hallstrom said, it is easy to become distracted and forget who we are in today's world.  But if we simply remember our identity as children of God, we will be strengthened in our mortal journey, our self-worth and confidence will increase, and we will be much happier as we navigate through mortality.

That's my two cents.

Limbaugh Quote

I really like this quote by Rush Limbaugh today so I thought I would post it:

"Liberal Democrats demand that they make decisions for people based on their contempt for average, ordinary people. It’s part of the arrogant, condescending attitude that liberal Democrats have. Their utopia, by the way, is predicated on the fact that you have no choice. Their utopia exists only when they tell you what you can and can’t do, and offshoots. 

"See, I believe something differently, folks.... 

"I believe free people, constitutionally free, American definition of free, meaning we have a Constitution that limits the government. The government cannot encroach on our life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, by virtue of our founding documents. I believe free people are, by and large — there are exceptions to everything — virtuous. 

"A free people, a free individual will more often than not do the right thing..." -- Rush Limbaugh, January 18, 2018

I can't help but see the Gospel parallels.  Liberal Democrats subscribe to Satan's philosophy of taking choice and freedom from people.  It's no wonder they are always angry.

People who are free to choose, who retain their God-given agency, are by and large virtuous.  In other words, they tend to do the right thing.  I find it interesting that Rush Limbaugh pointed this out.

By my own observation I've noticed that those who turn from God by their own willful rebellion also tend to become Liberal Democrats.

It's interesting that those who throw their own freedom away want to take everyone else's freedom away from them.  Misery loves company I suppose.

"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all 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."  -- 2 Nephi 2:27  

That's my two cents.

New First Presidency

This morning our new First Presidency was announced.  Of course we all knew that President Russell M. Nelson would be set apart as the new Prophet and President of the Church.  He selected as his counselors, President Dallin H. Oaks as his first counselor and President Henry B. Eyring as his second counselor.

President Oaks, President Nelson, President Eyring

President Uchtdorf resumed his place in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Since President Oaks is now the.President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder M. Russell Ballard (Now President Ballard) will serve as acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles because President Oaks is now in the First Presidency.

Elder D. Todd Christoffersen did a good job of explaining how the hierarchy of the Church works when the prophet dies.  Apparently there are a lot of people who don't understand it.  It's very straightforward and predictable allowing for a smooth transition when the prophet dies.

I'm grateful for these amazing, righteous men who dedicate their lives to serving the Lord and his Church.

That's my two cents.

26 years

26 years ago today I embarked on a wonderful journey.  26 years ago today I entered the Missionary Training Center for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and began my service as a full-time missionary.  Best decision I ever made.

I feel so blessed and privileged to have been able to serve the Lord full-time for 18 months.  It certainly benefited me and my life much more than anything I ever did on my mission to help others.

 A couple pictures from my missionary farewell on January 12, 1992.

I strongly urge anyone who is worthy and able to apply for missionary service.  It is an amazing privilege and blessing.  It is certainly worth any sacrifice necessary to be able to serve full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

That's my two cents.

Daily Message

"The Atonement of Jesus Christ is available to each of us. His Atonement is infinite. It applies to everyone, even you. It can clean, reclaim, and sanctify even you. That is what infinite means—total, complete, all, forever."

—Shayne M. Bowen, "The Atonement Can Clean, Reclaim, and Sanctify Our Lives"

Daily Message

"Once we enter into covenants with God, there is no going back. Giving in, giving up, and giving out are not options. In the kingdom of God, there is a standard of excellence for exaltation. It requires valiant discipleship! There is no room for average or complacent disciples. Average is the enemy of excellence, and average commitment will prevent you from enduring to the end."

—Kevin W. Pearson, "Stay by the Tree"

Daily Message

"In a revelation given to Moses, we are told of our Heavenly Father’s declared intention: “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” According to that statement, the Father’s desire is to give everyone the opportunity to receive a fulness of joy. Latter-day revelations show that our Heavenly Father created a great plan of happiness for all His children, a very special plan so that we can return to live with Him. Understanding this plan of happiness provides us with an eternal perspective and helps us to truly value the commandments, the ordinances, the covenants, and the trials and tribulations."

—Rafael E. Pino, "The Eternal Perspective of the Gospel"

Daily Message

"I wish I could help everyone to understand this one simple fact: we believe in God because of things we know with our heart and mind, not because of things we do not know. Our spiritual experiences are sometimes too sacred to explain in worldly terms, but that doesn’t mean they are not real. Heavenly Father has prepared for His children a spiritual feast, offering every kind of exquisite food imaginable—and yet, instead of enjoying these spiritual gifts, the cynics content themselves with observing from a distance, sipping from their cups of skepticism, doubt, and disrespect."

—Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Be Not Afraid, Only Believe"

Limbaugh Quote On Sinister Democrat Party

Here is a great explanation of why the Democrat Party favors illegal immigration.  Anyone who listens to or reads Rush Limbaugh on a regular basis already knows this.  But for the rest of you it may be eye-opening.

This is a quote from Rush Limbaugh today:

"RUSH: Well, what’s happening is the Democrat Party is seeking future voters. It’s no more complicated than that. It’s no more complicated than the Democrat Party requires, if they are to win and stay in power, they need a permanent underclass. Folks, stop and think about that for just a second.

"Now, I know that some of you in the audience are liberal Democrats and you’re listening here for whatever reasons, and I know when you hear me say that, you think that I’m just trying to draw attention, that I may be saying something I think is a little extreme just to say it. I want to assure you here that I am not exaggerating at all and I’m not trying to be provocative with that. I’m trying — well, I am being honest, and I’m trying to persuade people that that is who or what the Democrat Party is. Just stop and think of it for a moment.

"We have a political party that essentially seeks, desires, needs people essentially in poverty in order to remain in power. Now, how does a party like that that structures its existence that way, that seeks to maintain power that way, how does a party like that create economic growth, how does a party like that stand behind the concepts of individual liberty and freedom? A party that is threatened by self-reliance, a party that’s future and power base is threatened by people being upwardly mobile and no longer needing as much government.

"Stop and think about it. How in the world can that be advisable? How can that be desirable? How can that be helpful? I mean, even if you think that those people are the most compassionate and the most understanding and they’re fair and they don’t discriminate against gays and lesbians and transgenders and whatever else the social justice warriors care about, throw all that stuff out.

"What in the world is it about a party that recommends itself which needs a permanent underclass in order to win elections and stay in power. And, in order to get that underclass, will do what they can to stymie economic growth, like demanding an increase in the minimum wage, which causes job loss. High unemployment is a favorable circumstance for the Democrat Party. People unable to access health insurance and health care is good policy-wise for the Democrat Party.

"A party that is willing to subvert existing law and allow open borders so that the poor of the world can come here unchallenged and be taken care of by Democrats so that they will be assured to register and vote Democrat, what does it mean for the rest of the country if that is the primary objective of the Democrat Party? I know some of you are saying, “Wait a minute, Rush. There’s a lot of rich people in –” Yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s true. And the Democrats take care of their rich.

"They take care of ’em really well. And they make sure that their rich never have to interact with any of these illegal immigrants. Democrat elites don’t live where these people end up living. I think it’s hideous. I think it’s insidious that we have a political party that defines, that needs, for its power and success, a constant group, growing group of people essentially in poverty." -- RushLimbaugh.com, January 10, 2018

This is also why the Democrats have targeted black people and all poor minorities.  They pretend like they are advocating for them when all they are doing is keeping them suppressed and in poverty.  That is their goal.  Unfortunately most of them fall for it.  The Democrats support them by giving them government assistance and they think it's wonderful.  So they support the Democrat party.  The more people dependent on government, the better it is for the Democrat party.  It's all about power to them. They have no regard for people.  It's all a ploy.  It's all about what's in it for the Democrat party.  So they continue to do everything in their power to keep people suppressed and in poverty.  Very sinister and very sad.

That's my two cents.

College Football Picks Bowl Games

1. Rex -14   TB  54
2. Kingston -15 tie breaker 56
3. Juliet -15 Tiebreaker 38
4. Mom -18  TB 35
5. Dad  -19   TB  52
6. Tammy  -21  TB 43
7. Lisa -22  TB 52
8. Mercedes -22  TB DNP

Actual Tie Breaker:  102

Daily Message

"Some truths regarding prayer may help you. The Lord will hear your prayers in time of need. He will invariably answer them. However, His answers will generally not come while you are on your knees praying, even when you may plead for an immediate response. There is a pattern that must be followed. You are asked to look for an answer to your prayers, then confirm that it is correct. Obey His counsel to “study it out in your mind.” Often you will think of a solution. Then seek confirmation that your answer is right." —Richard G. Scott, "The Power of a Strong Testimony"

Sabbath Day Daily Message

For some reason my daily messages have not been coming daily.  They tend to come in clumps of two or three weeks worth.  I just got another mass of messages today.  So you might see a few of them sprinkled on my blog throughout the week.

I actually haven't even finished reading all of them yet but I really like this one, so I decide to post it on my blog right away.

"Now, I know it’s hard, particularly for our young people, to choose to observe the Sabbath day when athletic teams on which they so much want to participate regularly schedule games on Sunday. I too know it seems trivial to many who are in need of just a few items on the Sabbath to quickly stop at a convenience store to make a Sunday purchase. But I also know that remembering to keep the Sabbath day holy is one of the most important commandments we can observe in preparing us to be the recipients of the whisperings of the Spirit."

—H. David Burton, "A Season of Opportunity"

How we treat the Sabbath each week really is one of the best litmus tests of our dedication to the Lord and his Gospel.

As President Nelson taught in General Conference a couple years ago, our conduct and attitude on the Sabbath constitute a sign between us and God.  We all know what the scriptures say regarding keeping the Sabbath day holy and hallowing the Lord's Day.  We don't need lists of do's and don'ts.  We just need to ask ourselves, "what sign do I want to give the Lord?"

It's all of the little things we do every day and every week, the seemingly small decisions we make, that determine our eternal destiny.  Concerning the Sabbath, our attitudes and actions give the Lord a sign as to our level of dedication to Him.

I hope we will all choose to honor the Lord by keeping the Sabbath day holy.

That's my two cents.

RIP President Monson

President Thomas Spencer Monson
1927-2018

Our beloved prophet, seer, and revelator, Thomas S. Monson, died last night at 10:01 PM at his home, surrounded by his family. I'm glad he was able to die at home with family around. He was a giant of a man and has big shoes to fill.  He wore out his life in serving the Lord and serving his fellow man.

I am happy he is now reunited with his wife, Frances. She graduated from mortality a few years ago in May of 2013.  They were married for 64 years.  I'm sure it was a very happy reunion.

President Monson was called as an apostle in 1963.  He was the last living apostle called before I was born.  President Nelson who will be our next prophet and president of the Church was called in 1984.  I actually remember him being called.  He is one of the "new guys".  No more old guys left. Anyone I can remember being called I consider a new guy. I guess that's more reflective of how old I'm getting.

The one thing that stands out to me about President Monson is all of his wonderful personal stories he would share in his talks. He was an excellent storyteller and teacher.

There are many lessons I learned from President Monson but the one that sticks out to me most is that our decisions determine our destiny.  All of our daily choices add up to an eternal destiny.

Another lesson President Monson taught was to always act on promptings of the Holy Ghost.  He told the story of being prompted to go to the hospital to visit one of his ward members who was sick when he was bishop.  Well, he received the prompting while in a meeting and didn't want to interrupt the Stake President's talk.  So right after he finished speaking President Monson bolted out the door to the hospital.  He arrived just after the man died.  From that point on he vowed never to wait but to act right away when receiving a prompting.

Countless lives have been touched by President Monson and his dedicated service to his fellow man, the Church, and the Lord.

I love you President Monson.  Thank you for your shining example and dedication.  May you rest in peace.

That's my two cents.

RIP President Monson!