Living Guidence Today.

In a time and world where there are shifting values we need help to remain strong and true. In a book from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Called Preach my gospel. They explain the roles for prophets.

 "Truth is a knowledge of things as they really are, were, and will be. It does not change

with conditions or time. Truth is the same in every age and culture. God is the source of

all truth. We can have faith in Him because we know He will teach us only truth. God

wants all His children to know the truth. Therefore, He reveals the truths necessary for

salvation through prophets and apostles. He reveals truth to us personally through the

scriptures and personal revelation.

A prophet is called and chosen by God and is a righteous man with great faith. The Lord

reveals truth to him through the Holy Ghost. He commands His prophet to teach truth to

all people. Those who believe God’s words as revealed through His prophet are blessed."

In a talk from Elder Dallin H. Oaks in the Oct. 2010, General Conference He gave a great talk explaining the difference and importance of the two types of revelation, Personal revelation and revelation from prophets. Called "Two Lines of Communication"  (http://lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/two-lines-of-communication?lang=eng&query=two+ways+communication)

Why me?

Often times I have found myself thinking why me? Why do I have to go through this trail? Why does this have to happen to me? Have I not been through enough? But this last general conference, (when the leaders (prophets and Apostle of Jesus Christ)  of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Elder D. Todd Christofferson shared a great story that spoke to me. I quote "President Hugh B. Brown, formerly a member of the Twelve and a counselor in the First Presidency, provided a personal experience. He told of purchasing a rundown farm in Canada many years ago. As he went about cleaning up and repairing his property, he came across a currant bush that had grown over six feet (1.8 m) high and was yielding no berries, so he pruned it back drastically, leaving only small stumps. Then he saw a drop like a tear on the top of each of these little stumps, as if the currant bush were crying, and thought he heard it say:

“How could you do this to me? I was making such wonderful growth. … And now you have cut me down. Every plant in the garden will look down on me. … How could you do this to me? I thought you were the gardener here.”

President Brown replied, “Look, little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be. I didn’t intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree. I want you to be a currant bush, and someday, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down.’”

Years later, President Brown was a field officer in the Canadian Army serving in England. When a superior officer became a battle casualty, President Brown was in line to be promoted to general, and he was summoned to London. But even though he was fully qualified for the promotion, it was denied him because he was a Mormon. The commanding general said in essence, “You deserve the appointment, but I cannot give it to you.” What President Brown had spent 10 years hoping, praying, and preparing for slipped through his fingers in that moment because of blatant discrimination. Continuing his story, President Brown remembered:

“I got on the train and started back … with a broken heart, with bitterness in my soul. … When I got to my tent, … I threw my cap on the cot. I clenched my fists, and I shook them at heaven. I said, ‘How could you do this to me, God? I have done everything I could do to measure up. There is nothing that I could have done—that I should have done—that I haven’t done. How could you do this to me?’ I was as bitter as gall.

“And then I heard a voice, and I recognized the tone of this voice. It was my own voice, and the voice said, ‘I am the gardener here. I know what I want you to do.’ The bitterness went out of my soul, and I fell on my knees by the cot to ask forgiveness for my ungratefulness. …

“… And now, almost 50 years later, I look up to [God] and say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for cutting me down, for loving me enough to hurt me.’”   ^{" (http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/as-many-as-i-love-i-rebuke-and-chasten?lang=eng)}

We are shown what we can be as we turn to the Lord and pray for help and understanding. He has been through it all. He has experienced it all and He will never leave you. He will give you strength and he will bless you as you turn to him continually.

Losing ourselves

2 Nephi 26 : 30-31 30. ...wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.
 31. But the Laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish.

This scripture has help me to see that as we lose ourselves in the work of help others come unto Christ we are able to truly find peace and happiness it this life. But also we see that we are able to work and truly love the people we are around we will find our life in the Lord. This has helped me as I have had the trials in my life to not focus on my, but those around us!