It's only one time.

Growing up in life I'm sure we all have heard It's only one time. But in all reality only once can change the rest of your life, for me this is true. One choice I made changed the rest of my life and I can never look back on in. But this choice was a blessing n my life. The Choice to serve the Lord on a mission. I made that choice to leave my family for two years so others could find the truth and be with there families forever. There have been VERY hard times on my mission but the I have never been alone for one second. I have never been alone for the choice of our Savior Jesus Christ made. Just one time He made the choice to drink that bitter cup so that He could be there for me. I am so blessed for that.

In our lives we have the choice everyday to make that once choice yes or no. These choices can be, should I read my scriptures, should I pray today, should I help that person. These choices are not going to effect us right this moment, but in time they will. The Choice to follow Christ is not a one stop choice, everyday we can do His will or not. In the Book of Mormon in Helaman Chpt 5:12 it says “upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation..” It is the little choices everyday, of prayer, scripture study, going to church loving those around us, and so on and so forth. We will never be perfect at it, but all he ask is for us to try our best. But one night of not saying your prayer, and one day of not reading the scriptures could be the start of the rest of your live. But let us be strong in our faith and not even do it once.

Don't look down

While growing up in Utah I was very active in scouting. We did a lot of outdoor things as you would think. One of the things I loved to do was rock climbing. I wasn’t very good but I loved the feeling you would get after a climb. To see a big challenge like a mountain in front of you and to over come it was a thrill I loved. There are two main trips that stick out in my mind. My first time going out and then my last time. They help me see a very important lesson on trusting in the Lord.

As I was sitting on the the edge as a 12 year old boy, I looked over the edge. Trying to get enough strength to get over the edge. I kept telling myself, “Come on you can do it, everyone else is doing it.” I went up five times and five times I came down the other way. For some reason I could climb up but the repelling off part was a whole other story. This was my first trip with out my brother and I was scared for sure. I would try and pass off the blame by saying “If your brother was here then you would do it.” But on the way home the thoughts of the day was replaying in my mind. This thought came to mind, just because someone wasn’t there to push you along doesn't make it there responsibility. That hit me and so I decided from that moment that I would never back down from repelling again. It is your choice to go big or go home. Some years later we went again. And while standing over looking the edge all the same feelings came rushing back. But the memory of my first trip was firmly in my mind. I knew that I would not back down this time. As I got all the stuff on and set up and began to walk to the edge and turn around I the doubts came flooding back more then ever! But I stopped them and said no I must do this. So I just told myself here we go and I made that jump. The freedom that came as I felt the fear and shame melt away as I knew now that I had nothing that held me down anymore. As I did my first trip down that day I then turned to the younger scouts and help them down. And as I say the fear in there eye leave them was so worth it.

This lesson is the same with Christ. We can’t say oh that trial or that challenge is to hard or I’m not feeling that today. We need to accept our challenges in our lives and face them head on. Yes we will always be scared(2 Timothy 1:7), but we can not let that control us. Then when once we go though those trials we nee to turn around and help those around us. Chris is there and he is the one holding the other end of the rope for us. And if we fall he will be there to catch us. We need to take that leap of faith because he will never let us fall. Trust in him, he is there for you.

Bridge Building

HE BRIDGE BUILDER

An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at the evening cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim-
That sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned, when he reached the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim near,
"You are wasting strength in building here.
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way.
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head.
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

 -WILL ALLEN DROMGOOLE

 

As we all have seen at one point in our lives we think that we are having to do this life all on our own. But we need to remember that Christ has already built us the path and the Bridge to help us though any trial or hardship we have. But Christ is there for us all we need to do is to turn to him in prayer and act on the our faith. Always remember that no matter how hard it is or what we are going though, He has been though it all.
He will lift our burdens, It may not always be how we want it, but he does promise that if we do our part He sill lift our burdens. There is nothing to small or too big for him to help help us with. He went though it all for you!! He loves you!! Turn to him. 

 

The Chase of a Life

There it is!! Run!! Jumping over sage brush, Oh there its goes to the left! Look out here it comes to the left of you!!! swing you got it!!!

This is some of the conversations that would happen to me when I was growing up when I would go on bug collecting tips with my dad. I bet when you think of bug catching you think of a little kid or girl skipping though the woods. This is far from what it really is. you’re running jumping, falling and getting cuts.

One of the bugs I loves to collect are day flying moths, called Hemileuca.  The reason I love to collect them is because they are a day flying moth. Which means they have a little more strength and agility then the normal butterfly, so the chase for them is more rewarding intense. These Moths would take me on a course of jumping over sage brush, leaping over ditches and ending up anywhere and everywhere. As I remember these chases it reminds me the chase God puts on us, the chase for a testimony.

This chase is never easy, but is always worth it in the end. As Christ says in Matt 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you;seek, and ye shall find;knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

three things, and all action words. Just as we seek in the 

scriptures and study them it’s never just read once and we’re done. But continually feasting on them, then we shall find. Asking is prayer. It is a scary thing for some people to ask God for something. But as we see in the scripture James 1:5 and in Moroni 10:3-5, we are told time and time again to ask him. Also we must knock. This is where it really turns to action. We must go to church, we must meet with missionaries, we must physically get up and do. We must open the door to Christ. as we see in this picture there is not door handle door handle for Christ, we must open the door for him. We must get up from our lazy boy (the comforts of the world) and go to him. 

I had to do the same things growing up to get my testimony. I couldn’t trust my parent’s testimony anymore. I needed to know for myself. So I did all the same steps, prayer, study the scriptures, and going to church. I did this course for 3-5 months. Finally it hit me as I was mowing a lawn, It’s true and you know it. When that thought came to me a warm peaceful happy feeling came over me. These feelings were the same fruits of the spirit which are talked about in Galatians 5: 22-23.

The road is often times long, the battle is hard. But when you catch that testimony it is always worth it. This testimony can change you for the rest of your life. It brings you closer to God, your relationship with him is more personal and you know he loves you. I am so thankful for this gospel and that Christ is truly at the head of it and gives modern day guidance though a prophet of God. Just like he has always done it in the bible.

The Book of Mormon.

With the Book a Mormon is the media today more then ever, have you ever wondered what the Book of Mormon actually is? This video is my an apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This book is true! I love this gospel. The Book of Mormon, and the Bible are the greatest strength in my life. This is the true and living gospel of God!! I bear my testimony along with this apostle. If you just read it and pray as it says in Moroni 10:3-5 with sincere heart, real intent, having faith in Jesus Christ you will know the truth of this book. Here is a great testimony of the Book of Mormon. If you would like to read this for yourself click here and you can get a free Book of Mormon.
 

Bite and Die

Bite and Die

Growing us I spent a lot of time out doors, camping, hiking, hunting and Fishing. Every summer on most weekends I was gone. But one of my favorite activities was fly fishing. While I was looking back on these memories a lesson I learned caught my eye.  While fly fishing you use something called a fly, flies are used to imitate an insect. The fish will see the fly and eat it. But little does it know it could be its last bit. This is just like us with the temptations of Satan. Satan uses his

Lest's Eat!!

Let’s eat are one of the most inviting words inviting words we can hear when we are around a big layout of food. If we think of Thanksgiving, and other holidays or celebrations where everyone is waiting to eat. Finally when the cook give the okay it is like a mad house of grabbing this and passing that until you plate is heaping full and you can not possible fit any more on it. Then you go for round two and so on and so forth. I love having feast like this, but how often do we have a feast spiritually? How long has it been since we have eaten spiritually? 

Growing up my dad was a bug collector for fun. In the Summer we would go out on the Weekends (Thur-Sat) to some obscure dirt road in Utah and Collect bugs. Many times though in the spring we would collect some caterpillars and we would take them home and raise them, mostly we would raise tiger months. I was put in charge of taking care of them. While looking back on this I see a valuable lesson I learned, if you don’t eat your strength will never come.

When I look at this lesson a scripture comes to mind in the book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 32:3 “ ..Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do..” So as we see the Lord has given us a promise to us. If we feast then we will know what to do, and how to do it. Like wise it was with the caterpillars. When they first came out they were able to crawl and eat. But they still were tender and vulnerable to prey (like we are to Satan). But as they grew they are able to run faster and get away from danger (or sin and temptation for us). Then once they eat enough they eventually turn make a cocoon. They are stronger, but they are still able to be attacked. Now as they continue to do the things they are suppose to do, there is a change that happens inside of them, like wise that is with us. As we come unto God and do as he asks, we too change. The lord give us a great promise in this scripture, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.” So just as the caterpillars would eat and grow, that is just like us. If we eat we will grow our testimony and that testimony will set us free just like the butterfly is able to be freed from the cocoon.

This is the great blessing we can receive when we do as the Lord directs. But there is the other side, If we do not feast and eat on the words then we will die.. We will not have the testimony to help us through life to be an added strength to us. It’s our choice 2 Nephi 2:27, But for me I want to be free with Christ.