Here nestled in Southwest Iowa sprawls out a small community of around 5,000 people. We have about 21 different denominations of Christian sects in this town. In a nutshell we have a lot of Catholics, Protestants and a handful of Mormons. In particular though, the Mormons and the Catholics have enjoyed a great relationship over the past several years. I am grateful for their invitation to attend their Mardi Gras 2014 celebration. The food was great, the door prizes intriguing and the company brotherly.
It is a busy time of year for the Catholic faith. After Mardi Gras they will soon begin their Lenten season on Ash Wednesday. Eventually the Shenandoah Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and St. Mary's Catholic Church will soon have another memorable joint activity in 2014. Fond memories still linger of our time together during our Feast and Song as I'll name it back in 2010. We also had a warm holiday together for song and food for Christmas in 2011. Even amidst the efforts to bring our people together it is paramount to remember that we are all striving for the same hope - the full embrace of our Father in Heaven and the celestial accompaniment of friends and family.
Before I close this brief remark I would like to add something regarding the Catholic Lent practice of fasting and abstinence. This one practice that Mormons and Catholics share may be among the most precious among the children of men. I believe it to be vital to bringing the spirit - to the Spirit of God, that we may further assure our very being unto His will and not ours.
Though practiced in varied ways, denying the body of specific pleasures for a time is not only cleansing but a journey of the soul. It serves as a reminder of the dependence or desire you really had for that which you've willingly abstained from. It serves as a reminder that through Jesus the Christ who was stripped of even dignity we can overcome the body and magnify the spirit. True devotion to this practice also enhances compassion. We are to love the Lord with all our heart and to love our neighbor. Fasting and abstinence allows us to see with spiritual eyes. They allow us to forget ourselves in the service of our fellow man. Without these practices man would forever have been cut off from the presence of the Father.
If we all look past the superficial dogma and stereotyping of other faiths that have culminated over the ages we will see one another as we truly are - children of God in all shapes, sizes and colors. We Latter-day Saints look forward to mingling once again with our Catholic neighbors and friends of St. Mary's. With the assault on Christianity churches are falling one-by-one to the ills of the world and the demands of political pressure. Those who are devout and steadfast must find the humility and power to stand side-by-side with other devout Christians in defending the institution of marriage and the divine design of the family. I don't say this passively. If we fail in this endeavor then we fail altogether and have frustrated the spiritual progress of man.
It is a busy time of year for the Catholic faith. After Mardi Gras they will soon begin their Lenten season on Ash Wednesday. Eventually the Shenandoah Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and St. Mary's Catholic Church will soon have another memorable joint activity in 2014. Fond memories still linger of our time together during our Feast and Song as I'll name it back in 2010. We also had a warm holiday together for song and food for Christmas in 2011. Even amidst the efforts to bring our people together it is paramount to remember that we are all striving for the same hope - the full embrace of our Father in Heaven and the celestial accompaniment of friends and family.
Before I close this brief remark I would like to add something regarding the Catholic Lent practice of fasting and abstinence. This one practice that Mormons and Catholics share may be among the most precious among the children of men. I believe it to be vital to bringing the spirit - to the Spirit of God, that we may further assure our very being unto His will and not ours.
Though practiced in varied ways, denying the body of specific pleasures for a time is not only cleansing but a journey of the soul. It serves as a reminder of the dependence or desire you really had for that which you've willingly abstained from. It serves as a reminder that through Jesus the Christ who was stripped of even dignity we can overcome the body and magnify the spirit. True devotion to this practice also enhances compassion. We are to love the Lord with all our heart and to love our neighbor. Fasting and abstinence allows us to see with spiritual eyes. They allow us to forget ourselves in the service of our fellow man. Without these practices man would forever have been cut off from the presence of the Father.
If we all look past the superficial dogma and stereotyping of other faiths that have culminated over the ages we will see one another as we truly are - children of God in all shapes, sizes and colors. We Latter-day Saints look forward to mingling once again with our Catholic neighbors and friends of St. Mary's. With the assault on Christianity churches are falling one-by-one to the ills of the world and the demands of political pressure. Those who are devout and steadfast must find the humility and power to stand side-by-side with other devout Christians in defending the institution of marriage and the divine design of the family. I don't say this passively. If we fail in this endeavor then we fail altogether and have frustrated the spiritual progress of man.
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