My Plans vs. God's Plans

Recently, with the help of my parents, I got myself signed back up at a community college in Sacramento for this upcoming Fall 2012 semester.  Before I left on my mission, I pretty much had every class in mind that I wanted to take and made detailed notes on them.  I brought out those plans over the last couple months and boy, have they sure changed... well, only slightly I suppose.

The biggest concern I had from the beginning was the challenge presented by my enrollment date.  Since I have been absent from the school system for two years, I was way down the line in getting priority picking rights.  Those with priority one registration began April 30th - my date wasn't until May 15th!  My worry only increased as I kept track of the classes and saw them fill up and close out.

Don't Cry This Easter, Christ Has Risen!

 

As I look forward to celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ this Easter weekend, I found this picture of my cousin Ian from one a few years ago.  I can't recall exactly what was upsetting him that Sunday morning, but I think I can narrow it down to two things, either he didn't want his picture taken or someone other then him had just found the last Easter egg.  I think we'll go with the latter one!  

I hope I don't embarrass him too much with this (I sure love and miss that kid) -  but as we go about hunting for Easter eggs and enjoying our jelly beans and Reese's eggs (mmm!), we ought to remember that what we are ought to be searching for and rejoicing in is Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Here are a few scriptures that have helped me remember the hope that Christ has given to the whole world:

What If I Give Everything?

At some time or another, everyone looks back into their past and asks themselves a "What if..." question.  We don't like making mistakes and being in the wrong. Some mistakes are very blatant while others aren't so obvious.  When they happen, we love to replay the past in our mind and pinpoint just what we could have done differently.  Its quite easy to look back on what we should have done in the past while holding our present information.

I've had too many of these "What if" scenarios in my life yet I added another to my life while out knocking doors. 

Dusting for God's Fingerprints

A Western Montana Landscape and Commentary

I've been at a loss lately for something to write about.  I figured I needed to do something about it though so for this post, I decided to do some searching around through my notes and journals to find something I could share.

A few weeks after first arriving in Montana back in August of 2010, I attended a missionary conference that was held out on a farm in the Moiese Valley near Charlo, MT, about 60 miles from Missoula.  These conferences are normally conducted inside church buildings, so it was quite a blessing to have spent this spiritually uplifting experience outdoors in God's country.

The theme of the conference was "dusting for God's fingerprints".  About midway through our time out there, we each were instructed to go and find a quiet spot on this ranch.  Once there, we were given about 20 minutes or so to write down our observations and thoughts of how God had a hand in everything we were viewing before us.

Pay Your 10% Testimony Tithe to God.

Get Lost (In Montana) Doing God's Work

I took this picture last Sunday while traveling out into the Helena valley for an appointment.  While driving, the colors were so rich and vibrant that I couldn't help but stop and pull over to get a snapshot of it.  It was wonderful for Heavenly Father to close the day on such a beautiful scene. 

I was able to share my testimony (the things that I believe and know to be true) at Church earlier that day about how exciting and rewarding it is to get lost in God's work. 

MT Stories: Go to Church, Clean Out Unwanted Ash From Your Soul

Like ashes in your pellet stove, your soul needs a weekly cleaning, too.  Another good idea is to change out of your white shirt and tie before you clean that stove!

Give the 44¢ Gift this Holiday Season

Write a friend, help the US Postal Service

Mail mail mail...  its a thing I love to see at the end of each day out here in Montana.  Waking up at 6:30 am, reading scriptures and studying, and heading out the door by 10 am to teach the Gospel until 9 pm makes for a long day.  There's a lot that runs through your mind as you give your all to help people find their faith in Jesus Christ.  To ease the stress, there's nothing like opening up a letter from a family member or friend encouraging you in the work and showing interest in what your doing.  Those letters do mean a lot to me, especially since you can hold them in your hand and read the personal handwritten messages over and over again.  While email's are great and I send one every week to my family back home, nothing can beat that of a letter received in the mail.

History Lessons: The Lesson from Pearl Harbor?

Don't ever let your guard down.

Today, December 7, 2011, marks 70 years since the attack on Pearl Harbor.  As we look back on it, the main reason it was so devastating was because all the warning signs had been ignored.  There was no lacking in the military's ability or firepower to face the impending threat, they simply did not have enough eyes and ears on the lookout to heed the warnings.  And the warnings were there, alright.  Its just that no one paid any attention paid to them.

Applying the Prophet Joseph Smith to Our Lives

What I discovered from Joseph's life is a model, a basic outline if you will, to find and follow Jesus Christ in any circumstance, trial, or situation.

On my first Sunday here in Helena, I was assigned to speak to one of the congregations.  The topic given to me was this, "How can we use (apply) Joseph Smith in our lives".  There is a lot to be said about this man's life and prophetic calling.  For some, many might say,  "I admire your church very much. I think I could accept everything about it—except Joseph Smith." Gordon B. Hinckley, 15th  President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, gave a response saying that "that statement is a contradiction. If you accept the revelation, you must accept the revelator."  Joseph Smith's claim to have seen God and Jesus Christ was the beginning of what created the Church as it stands today and was, from the onset, a matter of harsh persecution for its members.  As for Joseph, the opposition never ceased up until his martyrdom by an armed mob on June 27th, 1844.

Doing Missionary Work in Montana's Capital - Hello Helena!

After spending ten months over in Eastern Montana, covering the towns of Glasgow and Sidney, I have now made my way back West, to where the mountains are.  I had been in Helena twice before, once when I was serving in Missoula and the other when I was making my way to Glasgow from Great Falls.  I remember during that drive from Missoula to Helena saying to myself, "You know, I could serve here.  I'd be alright with that".  And so it is.  Just over a year since that day and now I'm serving the people of Helena.  I didn't need much persuasion to accept the call to come here, I had always thought it would be a neat place to teach the Restoration of the Gospel. 

Helena - the capitol of Montana and a city of about 30,000 people - a big leap from where I have just come from but not as big as Missoula nor even close to Sacramento.  It has most of your modern day needs - the Walmart, the Costco, Safeway, etc.  It also has a lot more traffic and stop lights.  I seemingly had grown accustomed to Sidney's 10 or so traffic lights.  For most towns along Hwy 2 and in Eastern Montana, you might only find one or two traffic lights.  I don't think it will take long though for me to remember my California roots though, so bring it on Helena!

Seeing Helena's mountains gave me great excitement and hope.  I didn't grow up with them too close but I have found them to be a great comfort and place of resort.  They gradually became bigger and bigger as we approached them from Billings and it feels invigorating to have them now so close to my view.  Mountains to me carry a sense of power and majesty, something also that the Lord has always been very keen to point out to have us remember.

The Lord, speaking to the Prophet Joseph Smith a month before the organization of the Church in March of 1830, gives these words to his servants:

"I am Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord ...

Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.

Thou shalt declare glad tidings, yea, publish it upon the mountains, and upon every high place, and among every people that thou shalt be permitted to see.

And of tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost. (D&C 19:1, 23, 29, 31)

For any who have read the Book of the Mormon will find that its nothing too different from the Bible.  That conclusion would make sense because we believe the God is the same yesterday, today, and forever and that His eternal teachings never change. 

The Book of Mormon's message, from cover to cover, consists entirely of placing your faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, repenting, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.  That is the Gospel, always has, is, and always will be. 

The Book of Mormon declares glad tidings unto all and gives the reader a promise of hope and peace that none can take away.  I'm glad to be able to be publishing it from the mountains here in Helena!