The greatest gift!

                                 We are each given gifts. 

                                           Each gift is:

                                              different size,

                                              different color,

                                              different weight,

                                              different bow,

                                              different wrapping

                                              paper. 

 There are several gifts we can recieve and give in life.  But as you probably have figured out, I am not talking about physical gifts.  But gifts that are given by our loving Heavenly Father.  Read through the list below, pick out 4 gifts that you would want in this life.

The gift of:

Love

A family forever

Sports

Religion

Scriptures
Prayer

Scrapbooking

A testimony
The Atonement
Sewing
Swimming
Reading
Knowledge
Memory
Cooking
Health

Popularity

The Holy Ghost

Atheletic

Now ponder in your minds those gifts that you picked out while you read this scripture.

Moroni 10:18 "And I would exhort you, my beloved brothren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ." 

Now, out of those gifts that you picked, which ones are eternal gifts?  Which of those gifts that you have selected are things that we are going to be able to continue to enjoy in the next life? 

We have to remember to always select good gifts.  Just a little bit later in Moroni 10 verse 30, we are reminded to "...lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing."  Now I am not saying that some of these gifts are evil, for we are told to develop our gifts and talents we are given in this life.  But, to remember those gifts that we have been given are good, but the better and best gifts are those that are spiritual.  We have to remember to give our spiritual gifts as much attention and detication as we do our physical, or temporal gifts.  If we strived everyday to grow and develop those spiritual gifts as much as we do our temporal gifts, we would be able to come closer to God and be strengthened by him. 

With all the gifts we can recieve, there is one gift that tops them all. 

Doctrine and Covenants 6:13

"If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God; for there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation."

Prepare yourself each and everyday to be able to recieve this gift.  Study the scriptures, go to church, obey the prophets, pray, develop all the spiritual gifts our Father has given to you at this time.  I know that if we do these things, we will be able to recieve this great gift of salvation!

What are some spiritual as well as temporal gifts that you have been blessed with?

What the Book of Mormon means to us!

The Book of Mormon was translated by a prophet of God.  Joseph Smith, a called prophet in these latter-days was called by God to translate ancient records to bring back the fullness of the Gospel.  Here is a challenge the Book of Mormon gives to the world. 

 

1. Write a history of an ancient people convering a period from 2200 B.C. to 400 A.D.

2. Include the history of two distinct, separate nations along with histories of different conntemporary nations or groups of people. 

3. Describe their religious, economic, social, and political cultures and institutions.

4. Weave into their history the story of Jesus Christ and the pattern of Christian religion.
5. Consider yourself 23 years of age and without formal school education.
6. Write this record on about 520 pages, with 500 words to each page.
7. You must never make any absurd, impossible or contradictory statements.
8. You must finish this record within 90 days and make no changes in the text.  The first edition must last forever.
9. You must proclaim that this narrative is not fiction but true sacred history.
10. You must invite the ablest scholars and experts to examine the text with care, to expose any flaws in it.

11. You must write this history of the basis of what you know now.

12. You must publish it in every nation to every kindred, tongue and people declaring it to be the word of God.

13. You must include within the record a marvelous and unique promise, a way to prove the truthfulness of the book. (Moroni 10:4)

14. This record must fulfill Bible prophecies, even to the exact manner in which it shall come forth.  To whom it shall be given and its purpose and accomplishments.
15. Your descriptions of the cultures of these peoples are not known when you bring forth the record.
16. Many of the facts, ideas and statements given as true in your record must be entirely inconsistent and in direct opposition to the prevailing beliefs of the world.

17. Thorough investigation, scientific evedience and archelolgical discoveries for the next 125 years must verify its claims and prove its truthfulness even to the minutest detail.

18.  After 125 years of extensive analysis, no claim or statement in the book is disproven, but all are vindicated.  All theories and ideas opposing its origin rise only to fall., leaving your own claim as the only possible or plausible one.

19. Internal and exterrnal evidences and prophecies must be confirmed and fulfilled in the next 125 years.

20. Fair, honest and credible witnesses must testfy to the whole world that an angel from heaven appeared to them and showed them the records.  That they handled the records and felt the engravings there on.

21. You must cause the voice of the Redeemer to call out from Heaven to declare to these men that the record is true and for them to declare its truthfulnesss and message to the world, and cause these witnesses to do it.

22. They must bear this testimony, not for personal gain, but at great personal sacrifice and throught persecution, even to death.

23. Thousands of great scholars and intellectuals must subscribe discipleship to this record and its movements even to the point of laying down their lives.

24. Many other thousands must bear testimony that it is true because they have put the promise (Moroni 10:4) to the test and recieved a testimony of its truthfulness.

25. After 20 years of revilement and persecution, you must then be ready to give your own life as a testimony that the record is divine and true, and that its message of truth is from God.

The Book of Mormon is an amazing book!  It can answer all the questions we have, especially those of the soul.  This book has brought many of God's truth to the world again through a very humble man named Joseph Smith.  Joseph Smith was able to translate it through the power of God.  This book was meant for each of us to read, ponder, and pray to better our relationship with our families and our loving Heavenly Father!

What has the Book of Mormon meant to you?  What are some simple truths you have recieved by studying the Book of Mormon?

Follow this post on http://www.ldselison.blogspot.com/ for the section of this blog!

What Heaven sees in You!

I have been listening to this song a lot lately called "What heaven sees in You" by Doug and Sherry Walker.  My favorite section states:

"And the Father looked down

And the angels surrounded that place

They knew the truth, all that you could do

And you will, too, if you have eyes to see

What heaven sees in you"

This Chorus has been running through my mind a lot lately.  Why is it so hard to sometimes see what Heaven can see in us.  We start to feel like the ugly duckling and think that we are not good enough.  But when we open our eyes and see what we are in God's eyes, We can rise to our potential and become the gorgeous swan that we were meant to be.  The Ugly Duckling thought he was suppose to be a duck and he quickly realized he was different.  But excepting that he was different than the others and could never become anything was a choice that brought him down.  When he saw who he could be and became a swan, he was the best swan on the lake!  A lot of times I feel like the ugly duckling!  But when we see ourselves through Heavens eyes, we have no need to. 





 Watch this video and contemplate what our Heavenly Father sees in each of us. 

 

 

 

We are Sons and Daughters of a Heavenly Father.  We are precious and loved deeply.  Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that he trusted us to come to this earth so that we could progess and then return and live with Him.  He wants us back.  He sees goodness, talents, gifts, love, loyalty, knowledge, and a worthy person to help all of God's other children on this earth!  You were sent to earth at this time, for a special reason.  Never believe that you are not worth EVERYTHING our Heavenly Father gives you.  You are worth it!  He believes in you.  Believe in Yourself!

 

Sister Powell