Pray to repent

We do not have to be perfect to pray.  We do not have to be "worthy" to pray.  A lot of times we need the strength that comes through prayer to overcome sin or temptations. 
Alma 34:22-23
"Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.  Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is the enemy to all righteousness."
Doctrine and Covenants 10:5
" Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work."

It doesn't say once you have to overcome, then you can pray.  It tells us to pray TO conquer. 

An example is Alma the Younger.  He was a man that was going around destroying the church and everything surrounding it.  He was not a righteous person at all.  He was telling his son about his conversion and he stated
"...not of any worthiness of myself." Alma 36:5

That God loved him so much that even though he was doing bad things, that Alma was visited by an angel and was given guidance on how to repent and to change.  He goes on to tell his son "...teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, WITH their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ." Alma 37:33  We are not expected to overcome sin and temptation on our own.  We will only be able to overcome all of those things WITH our faith, relying on our Savior through prayer. 

We have to remember at all times that NOTHING "shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 8:39

There is nothing that is in our power to make God love us less.  He loves us eternally and infinitely and he will love us to the end and ALWAYS beckon us to return to him, no matter what we have done, what we have said, and what we have felt.  He LOVES us! 

If we ever get to a point and feel that we are not worthy to pray or shouldn't pray- remember this scripture
"Hearken unto the spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth NOT a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray."  2 Nephi 32:8

If you feel that you can't pray for what ever reason.  PUSH THAT THOUGHT OUT!  That is the devil trying to get you to feel bad.  That is not what God would have you do.  He wants you to pray and feel of his love and to repent so that you can have all guilt removed.

Pray for thanks and blessings

We should always thank God for all of our blessings.

Doctrine and Covenants 59:7
"Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things."

Doctrine and Covenants 46:7
"  But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth liberally...doing all things with prayer and thanksgiving." 

We pray for things we are grateful for.  We pray for things that we are striving to develop.  Doctrine and Covenants 4 "things of god must be sought after."  We can seek after Christlike attributes through prayer.  The prayer of faith we can have divine help to develop these traits.

Also, we can ask for priesthood blessings which is a prayer for us from someone holding the Priesthood .
James 5:14
"Is an sick among you?  let him call for the Elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick..."

We can pray for things we need help with.  Things we are struggling with and we can always have access to the priesthood for an added measure of prayer.

The missing piece!

I remember reading this story to the kids that I worked with back in Utah.  We usually discussed how different people are.  But I saw this on a friends facebook page and watched it with a whole new look on the story. 

Now, I don't know how many of you people who are converts to the church felt this way as you were trying to figure out which church was right for you.  We try to mold into other churches, sometimes to make us right for them, or them right for us.  But The church that allows you to grow to your full potential and excepts you for who God made you to be, is the church that will bring you the greatest joy, happiness, love, and sense of belonging. 

If you would like to learn more of how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helps you to grow into who God wants you to be,

check out mormon.org and click to meet with the missionaries! 

This church has felt like home to all those that come in, so come "home". 

We are now on to Article of Faith #4.

"4 We believe that the

first principles and ordinances

of the Gospel are:

first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ;

second, Repentance;

third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins;

fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost."

This article of faith starts out with 2 different words. Principle and Ordinance

A Principle is something that we believe in.  Something on which we can build on.

Faith and Repentance

An Ordinance is the act in which we make a promise.  When we excercise the principles, we desire to make those promises with God and we do that through the ordinances.

Baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost



2 Nephi 31:10-12

" And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me...

And the Father said:

Repent ye, repent ye,

and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son. 

And also, the voice of the Son came unto me saying:

 He that is baptized in my name,

to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost,

Like unto me;

wherefore, follow me,

and do the things which ye have seen me do."

These are the things that we do to find peace and joy in our lives.  God has told us that this is the way that will help us find Joy in this life and in the next life as well.  We develop the principles of Faith and Repentance. We work on those and then that brings the desires to be baptized, forgiven of ALL sins, and recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost as our constant guide. 

Got FHE?

When you think of the place that you have learned the most lessons in life, where would that be?

For me, it would be in this home.

I was born and raised in this home.  I took my first steps, rode my first bike, cried my first tears, laughed my first laugh all in this home surrounded in a loving family.  The church has given us a program to help us grow closer together and more united.  This is Family Home Evening (FHE).  It is were you take one night out of the week and spend it with family. What do you do?  ---->

 "Families were to take time to

 pray and sing together,

read the scriptures,

teach the gospel to one another,

 and participate in other activites

that would build family unity." 

Joseph F. Smith

The scriptures even emphasize how important it is that the parents are teaching their children how to follow God!

Dueteronomy 6:7

"And thou shalt teach them

 diligently unto thy children,

and shalt talk of them when

thou sittest in thine house,

and when thou walkest by the way,

and when thou liest down,

and when thou risest up."

It is the duty of parents to teach their children what is right and what is wrong. 

"The home is the most important

place for gospel learning. 

No other organization can

take the place of the family."

We need to make our homes a safe haven from the world and strenthen the families within.  I know that I am the person I am today because of the home I had the privelage to live in. 



For YOUR benefit

God is a God of love.  He loves each one of us and trust us to do the right thing in this life.  But what happens when we recognize that we have done something against God's commandments?  God still loves us.  God still wants us to turn to Him and repent and come unto Christ.  As we begin doing this, we will experience blessings again in our life.  We will begin to feel the love of God come more fully into our life.  We should never have to question why do I deserve God's blessing?  We do!  We do because he is a God of love.  When we do the things that He asks us to do, even when we have messed up, He blesses us because He loves us.

"There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated-And when we obtain ANY BLESSING from God, it is by OBEDIENCE to that law upon which it is predicated."  D&C 130:20-21

When we are willing to do the things that God asks us to do, He has to bless us.  He willing pours out those blessings that have been set with that commandment that you followed.

God wants to help us and He allows things to happen that will benefit us.  As I read this scripture, I tried to liken this scripture to me.

"He doeth not anything save it be for the BENEFIT of the World [ME]; for he LOVETH the world [ME], even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men [ME] unto him.  Wherefore he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation."  2 Nephi 26:24

God loves each and every one of us.  He wants us to succeed and He is doing everything in His power to help us be successful.  Everyday is a new day.  Strive to be a  little taller, a little smarter, and a little more righteous and God WILL pour out the blessings upon you!

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