Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Arrayed in Whit Robes

Have you ever heard the saying that if it's not hard it is not worth it?  Well when your going through it, it's not the saying you really want to hear!  However, there is something empowering and enabling about it.  For it give me courage to takel hard things, instead of trying to avoid them.  It is because i know that the hard things are tied to the greater blessings.


"Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty... I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led diffcult lives and led them well."
-- Theodore Roosevelt



Take the hard rough and the high road and learn from the experience!  This is something that rings so true!  "And i said unto him, Sir, thou knowest.  And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:14).  This is the answer to the question, "What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they" (13)?  These are they that sit in the kingdom of God and receive all by His hand.

The scriptures continue to say, "Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that siteth o the throne shall swell among them" (15).  From these scriptures it is clear that their is always something required of us.  If it wasn't hard it would be worth it.  There is nothing in life that is worth it that isn't hard.  These are they that have come through great tribulation--life was not easy!

However, because these came through life by the blood of the lamb and endured the hard road, they are promise: "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.  For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes" (16-17).  The hardest road has the richest blessings!

Stand tall, lean on the Lord, follow Him, Trust Him, His is the Hard road, but His has the Greatest blessing and the most help!



Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Love your Brother

Have you ever seen an angry driver who, when someone else makes a mistake, reacts as though that person has insulted his honor, his family, his dog, and his ancestors all the way back to Adam? Or have you had an encounter with an overhanging cupboard door left open at the wrong place and the wrong time which has been cursed, condemned, and avenged by a sore-headed victim?

While Elder Wirthlin was not necessarily talking directly about loving ones brother but the principle of learning to laugh, his main idea inherently is the same. This idea is that we should not become angry or contentious with our fellow man, or with the cupboard door.  Instead the idea is to find a way to seek to become more like the Lord, to show charity, kindness, and love.

These thoughts are also reinforced by the teaching of John: "He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.  But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes" (2:10-11).  

It is interesting to note that those who are angry with the brother are considered to walking in darkness.  Have you ever been angry with someone?  How did you feel? What were you able to accomplish while you were angry?  What were you able to think about while you were angry?  These feelings of hatred roar in side us until like the all-encompassing storm they block out all light and leave us stumbling on our way.

However, have you ever just laughed at an insult and turned love on its way.  There is a peace a light and a focus that comes.  We learn more about Christ and how He must feel towards us and everything in our lives somehow seems to be enriched.  

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Final Report

S-Specific ~ What was your project? Be specific. Report any changes you made in your project here.

My project over the course of the semester began as a more intense version of my semester long project last semester. My project was to go out of my way to get to know and meet new people. As I met this requirement I would write about the people that I met on blog. This would create a way to both share my experiences as well as create a way to measure my success.