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!

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.  

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.

The Gospel

A while back the question was raised, "what do Mormons believe?"  Joseph Smith responded to this question with 12 statements or formally known as the articles of faith.  The forth article of faith states: "We believe the first ordinance and principles of the Gospel are first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, second repentance, third baptism for the remission of sins, and forth the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands."

It was fascinating to me to study the book of James along with the story of the restoration of the Gospel through the prophet Joseph Smith.  James counseled the Israel that "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

It was here that Joseph gained an idea of how to find truth: pray and ask.  It brought faith that there was a God and He answered prayers.  It was from this faith that sprung the First Vision and he's faith was made sure.

He then upon knowing of God sought to know if his course in life was in line with God.  Moroni appeared to the boy and latter revealed the Book of Mormon, a book dedicated to the Atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance.

Through the Book of Mormon Joseph was taught about baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost, upon separately learning of these two and each question being sought with prayer.  Joseph was given the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost.

What is the significance of these events?  In each case Joseph came to the Lord in prayer with a question.  The pattern of James was followed all throughout the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The patter was lack of knowledge then prayer then answer. These came significantly in the order of Faith -> Repentance -> Baptism -> Gift of the Holy Ghost.  All in all this is the same pattern that we must follow.  When we lack knowledge pray, ask God, and then follow what is revealed.  Our idea will lead us to experiment with will increase our faith, the answer will increase our faith to act and change and in turn we will draw closer to God.

The Gospel is beautiful and consistent.

Final: How is a Tongue like a Horse

A.

 3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

Final: A Few Principles && Doctrines

1. Grace

- Grace is the strengthening enabling power of Jesus Chris.

- The Grace of Christ strengthens us and assists us in doing good works and moving forward.  It also is the enabling power that allows us to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after our own best efforts.

- Because Grace comes through Christ it is first requisite that one have Faith in Christ.

- Ephesians 2:8-9 : For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

-Elder Bednar: In the strength of the Lord and through His grace, I know that you and I can be blessed to accomplish all things.

2. Faith

Final: The Godhead

Dear Friend,

All throughout time God always made Himself known to man.  He parts the veil and reveals Himself to His prophet and then that prophet testifies to the world that God lives and that He loves us.  The greatest news that we share is that God still follows this pattern even in our generation.  The major reason that we believe that that the Trinity is not the whole truth is because the veil has been parted and God has revealed himself again to man in our generation.

Joseph Smith was the first prophet in our day to whom the veil was parted and the nature of the Godhead was made perfectly known.  Consider Joseph’s own words: