Easter Resurrection and the Life of Jesus Christ

Easter and the Holy Week preceding it is a particularly sacred time for Christians.   Each scene from the Holy Bible is to be likened unto ourselves now - in our time and place.  Palm Sunday celebrated the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem all those many years ago.  Many people occasioned by waving branches of palm in the air.  Place yourself in that scene and gauge where you would stand.  Would you be skeptical?  Would you be waving the palm?  Would you feel unworthy and stand off?  Its interesting to superimpose yourself into certain scenes, yet that is the inspiration of holy scripture - to connect our spirit with the Spirit of God.  Now that you’ve placed yourself on that Palm Sunday where will you stand at the Lord’s Second Coming?

Another observance during Holy Week is Good Friday.  It is the widely accepted observance of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  The mark when Jesus was scourged, stretched and gave up the ghost.  I bring your attention to this span of time starting here leading up to Easter, or the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior.

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The splendor of the Savior’s life continued during those three days his body lay entombed.  Yet, for Latter-day Saints we feel a particular kinship with this median of time.  1 Peter 4:6 gives us a glimpse of the mercy of God in His judgements of his children.  He placed the capstone on the foundation of true liberty.  He tended to the billions who have departed this life into the interim of spirits as they wait for their appointed resurrection.  This includes the vast numbers who never heard the name Jesus Christ.  With power and authority he organized the great mission effort among the dead to prepare them to receive the gospel message.  This, as they are afforded the liberty to accept or reject those gospel ordinances which can only be done on the earth (1 Corinthians 15:29).  Through that ministry which continues today among the departed, all may be rightly judged through the deeds in the flesh but live according to God in the spirit.

Another scene from the Holy Week is Christ’s condemnation before his countrymen and the empire.  Pilate found no reason to condemn him, yet to succor the people he used a traditional practice to grant amnesty to a prisoner whose place Jesus was to take.  Who is Barrabas?  Who is he really?  Is he not each and every one of us?  Barrabas’ life was spared and paid for through the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.  We know almost nothing of Barrabas after his prison release (Mark 15:7).  Did he flee?  Did he go and fill his belly with worldly sustenance?  Or, did his time in prison quench his spirit just enough for him to stay at the gates and look on at the One who would die in his place?

Each one of us and, yea, even all creation have been spared from, what could’ve been eternal effects, of the Fall by the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  By accepting those baptismal covenants we are purchased by His blood (Acts 20:28).  How do we rate our daily allegiance to Jesus Christ?  Do we consistently flee after worldly desires in the wake of the gift we’ve been given?  Do we stand at the gate, silent, as our Savior is put to an open shame?  Though already striped do we not run to help bear up the burden of the cross which is now upon our shoulders?  Who’s on the Lord’s side, who?

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We read in John 20:7 that the napkin that was about the head of Jesus in the tomb was neatly folded by itself when discovered by Simon Peter.  Why is this so significant to include in the Holy Bible.  Understand the master/servant relationship in the ancient Hebrew culture.  If the master wadded up his napkin prior to leaving the table it was a sign that he was done.  However, if the napkin was seen folded on the table and the master was not present then the servant wouldn’t think to dare to clean the table.  Why?  Because that folded napkin was a sign that the master was coming back.  Make no mistakes brethren and sisters - the Master and Redeemer of the world is coming back.

Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  In a pivotal scene the Master, our Advocate, conquered the sting and chains of death.  He is the first Resurrection.  The first to have his spirit and body reunited never to be separated again.  This was key in the eternal progression of all God’s children for we cannot achieve exaltation without our perfected bodies.  1 John 3:2 states that we will be like him when he returns.  If we are joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17) than our path is to be like unto his.  That is, spiritually born in the presence of the Father.  This precedes born into mortality, with a physical body of flesh and bone after achieving our First Estate.  In Genesis 3:22 it is declared that man has become “as one of us.”

Death is a step that all of us must endure.  The separation of body and spirit, that the spirit may eventually take up their renewed and perfected tabernacle of flesh and bone.  This - in direct credit and reverence to the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  That through him we may not only have the gift of repentance but also the liberty, through our choices, to return to the Father and inherit those eternal blessings.  The mere opportunity afforded us through the Atonement to once again be encompassed with the arms of our Father in Heaven is reason enough to celebrate the living Christ not only on Easter, but at all times of the year.

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The existence of Jesus Christ is one eternal round.  His life and ministry prior to his death is equally as important as the life and ministry after his Resurrection.  Jesus Christ lives, and ongoing communication takes place to the people of the world, that the world may prepare the way for His coming.  Worship the living Christ that you may more fully understand, appreciate and reverence the depth of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

I give you two items gifted to you through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  I want you to ponder them in your heart at this season.  They are:

1. Liberty - Jesus Christ stripped all bands of captivity in relation to salvation.  Through the Atonement we can fully realize the fruits of our good choices in mortality.  The end result cannot be matched - to return unto our Father in Heaven and inherit those mansions we’ve built with the Father.  Liberty is a universal truth through which all life can be magnified to its full measure.
2. Bridge - Man was cut off from the Father as part of the Plan of Salvation.  The Only Begotten of the Father was offered and sacrificed to atone for the sins of the world.  This was also part of the Plan of Salvation.  Through the blood of the Lamb the bridge was built and paved back to the Eternal Father.  Not only can we walk across it if worthy, but through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ we can now walk it with pure and perfected bodies of flesh and bone - never again to be separated from our spirits.

I bear solemn witness and testimony of the Father and the Son.  I know that he lives!  I know that our works here will determine in large part our inheritance hereafter.  Life is about faith and loss.  We are given our trials and tribulations that we may have the liberty to take the initiative of greater faith to overcome.  Through the refiner’s fire we may prove ourselves worthy to kneel with humbled confident before the feet of Jesus Christ and our Eternal Father in Heaven.

Post-Birth Abortion Roe vs Wade and Global Decay

Consider your own life and your relentless pursuit of happiness, charity or even mischievous behavior.  When your breathing slows or you lose your breath you instinctively reflex to gain a deep breath.  How in the world can anyone condone the unthinkable act of post-birth abortion?  My God in heaven!  May the mountains rent our unworthy bodies to pieces!  Roe vs. Wade had crushed the foundation of common sense and the divine inherent compassionate a woman has toward her child.
Post-Birth Abortion
I've been saying it for years.  When you open a wound of compromise it spreads the boundaries of infection and further hinders the healing process.  Give me a break!  I send this out to all women and misguided men.  You have a divinely appointed gift and position that men cannot achieve or even hope to achieve.  You - are co-creators with God.  You have inherent characteristic traits that help tame and focus man.  You provide an unparalleled compassion toward children that raises them into responsibility and selfless service.  This is the groundwork of any civilization.  How in the world can any woman claim this as "unfair" or "unequal?"  In many ways you supersede men - inherently!
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I call it cowardice for any woman to place a doctor responsible for the death of a child that has been, or should have been, discharged from the womb of a mother.  It is cowardice to find a newborn dead in a trash receptacle.  It is cowardice, cowardice - cowardice!  If your conscience is so clear regarding your "rights" on what happens to your body then grow some courage and drive a dagger into the heart of your own child. Why have someone else do the dirty work if you are in the right?  Do it!  Just clasp your hand and fingers around that knife and place it upon the heart of that child.  That child is the extension of you.  Now, push the knife in.....

Abortion should be an all-encompassing topic but we have compromised our values to new levels.  It's one thing to strike a child lifeless in the womb, but to even contemplate a post-birth abortion?  How can we have the mindset to "finish the job" when an abortion goes awry and the child is born alive?  How can we even remotely consider whether or not to rush that child toward medical care that he or she may live and grow to be a good responsible citizen of the human family.
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Get this straight:  When you live your life with a prideful heart and you take an active course of compromising values and principles, you will always reap only black in your heart.  Always....  Eventually you'll be left without direction in dark corridors while calling out God's name for deliverance not knowing how in the world you arrived at that place.

It's not that hard of a dilemma.  Take you for example.  You are there, alive, contemplating the chores of today.  You also relish or despise the events of yesterday.  You have anxiety of our dispute with North Korea and Iran whether you wish for war or not.  You prepare to go to a job that you either absolutely love or reject as a dog would vomit the wretch.  You may strongly desire to have spaghetti tonight or that chocolate bar right now.  All these experiences at heart you wouldn't trade for anything.  You'd rather experience them and feel alive than to consider that your mother could have stripped you of your life while in the womb or a little thereafter.

Get this also straight:  I speak not of situations where the mother's life is truly in danger or when that child cannot survive.  I believe that the Atonement of Jesus Christ has also taken all these situations into account.  Those children are alive in Christ and receive their inheritance.  No, my contention is with blatant murder of a child simply because a mother used misjudgment in the conception process or doesn't feel ready to support a baby.  How many women, billions of women from ages past, have felt inadequate in their new station as a mother?  How many have felt extreme anxiety while the child yet sleeps in the womb?  Add these up and find how many still found the inner strength to take responsibility for their actions and heeded to the innate compassionate relationship a mother has spiritually with the child.
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I vehemently oppose and reject the idea of post-birth abortion.  To even bring it up for public discussion proves the off course we've taken as a people.  It coincides with the massive decay of morality and ill judgments we increasingly seem to make as a nation and world.

Let's not kill off our hope and future for the sake of prideful convenience...

Jim Carrey "Cold Dead Hands" and Pro Second Amendment America

Jim Carrey is a great actor aimed at comedic genre and exaggerated movement.  He has gained a loyal following from the silver screen especially since Mask, Dumb and Dumber and the Ace Ventura duo.  Jim Carrey is uniquely qualified to exhibit in comedy fashion the frustrated simple things in life that we all encounter.  Whether it be scoring a date with the opposite sex, dealing with a dead end job with a butt head for a boss or carrying a self-bloated ego, Jim Carrey successfully exaggerated the situation in a humorous fashion on the movie screen.

However, as with many actors, Jim Carrey in recent years has become over-confident in his standing in the movie industry and has ventured into dangerous realms of political and social issues.  This is especially risky for such a popular actor.  His indulgence into arenas of controversy have poised him in a position of one stretching for more diverse attention that he is neither ready or qualified to handle.  The manner in which he exhibits his talented comedy has also changed.  Once very light-hearted, these days his antics seem strained and borderlines mental instability.

FULL CIRCLE WITH CARREY?

Jim Carrey had his beginnings with rags to riches.  Literally, Carrey started out living out of his automobile before being catapulted into stardom.  He seemed to have managed his mental affairs with class for many years until now.  Without proper check on his talents and place in the movie industry his recent tendencies to test the waters may reign him back to the luxury accommodations of his car.

Jim Carrey has placed himself center stage over the gun control debate of late.  The frenzy in early 2013 of gun control is tied to the excuse of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting tragedy.  Now we've got Barack Obama, President of the United States, pridefully signing legislation of gun control for votes and polling numbers while exploiting mothers standing behind him.  We've got members of the House of Representatives and the Senate actively denying the worth of the Constitution and trivializing the Second Amendment.  We've got constant liberal attacks on the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States under which we are provided the banner of liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Jim Carrey has hopped on board this debate and performed an offensive parody "Cold Dead Hands" against pro-gun Right to Bear Arms Americans and even the deceased Charlton Heston.  Through the flicker of his Hollywood eyes Mr. Carrey disenfranchised millions of Americans, especially simple Midwest Americans and all Americans who reverence the right to protect themselves from tyrants (such as we have now in high places) and those seeking to confiscate their property.  Yet, on the flip side, he does accurately depict the mindset of those pressing for stricter gun control and their sentiments toward pro Second Amendment Americans.

Instead of enforcing current laws, this nation has become passive and apathetic of placing new "band-aid" laws to cure problems that could be quenched by just carrying out the original laws we have.  What Mr. Jim Carrey and most of our legislative branch have become blind to is the fact that a gun did not kill those children by itself.  Someone pulled the trigger!  A young man who was deeply troubled lost all sense of direction and killed those children at Sandy Hook.  The gun is not the problem.  The rapidly degrading mental stability of our young and old is the problem.

Here's a goofy idea: Why not reinvest in mental wellness?  The federal government and most the states have dramatically scaled back funding for these programs over the past few decades.  To cover up that devastating mistake we are now compromising the Constitution and blaming an object with no animation of its own for the deaths of countless throughout the United States.  Bull taco!!!!  Cure the home and you cure the major problems we have in the world.  That's where the problems is.  Yet, that's NOT where the liberal mind wants to look...

The family is the basic unit of society.  It's also the primary focus of God's design.  If the family is at the heart and foundation of a healthy nation then why are we not addressing the home and the mental, emotional and temporal welfare therein?

Shenandoah Iowa Johnson Brothers Mill Building of Historic Value

In Shenandoah, Iowa, rests a historic opportunity.  Will the historic Johnson Brothers Mill building be demolished right alongside the Nishnaland Seed and Radio Shack buildings or will we save and renovate this building?  The decision is only days away!  Over the past few weeks, hashing over this Shenandoah Urban Renewal Plan options 1 & 2, I've come to realize certain truths being manifest in how local citizens feel about the situation.  Much to my surprise it has been overwhelmingly the younger generation, roughly 15-45 years, that have a positive outlook on renovation.  It's the older generation that sees little hope.  I expected it the other way around.

There is much to learn in the spirit and resolve of the younger generation.  The feedback received on the Urban Renewal Project bears that out.  What is it that they see?  What is it that they cling to?  Though I can explain this in Biblical terms we won't go into that.  As we enter the downtown area and see the broken windows and blighted situation of the building it is often difficult to see beyond what our eyes see.  It's difficult to see the potential and value of a sound historic building that is in desperate need of some TLC.  For those of you living as a hermit in the forest that means Tender Loving Care.

The world is in disarray.  It is ripe with war and corruption.  The very government that our young should be looking up to has turned on them over self gratification and veiled hidden designs and agendas.  Our current government regime has even recently sought the ability to attack and kill it's own citizens thus subverting the Constitution of the United States and those precious Bill of Rights.  Yes, many have lost hope and fall away into despair and self destructive activities.  However, there is a quiet revolution taking place and it's taking place in the hearts of those who seek freedom and opportunities of progress.

What is liberty?  Liberty is more often than not used as a cliche instead of an actual and almost tangible inherent intended state of the person.  Beyond associating the word with a flag or particular instance in American history liberty has everything to do with a person's right of choice.  Liberty equally has everything to do with that person's right to expand and grow with opportunities as a result of those choices.  Liberty is the pursuit of happiness based on the ill or favored consequences of the unlimited choices we daily make.

I see the fires of liberty being reborn in our youth.  Though the waves are hedged up against them they want hope.  They want to know what it tastes like.  They feel the hope that is naturally born in the hearts of every American citizen.  Yet, only a few actually listen to it.  It is in them that our trust needs to rest.  It is in them that longs for the accompaniment of the stature of our Founding Fathers.  They want liberty and they want to do what's right.  The question is:  Will we allow those few true patriots to rise to their potential and lead us to a prosperous future?  Will each of us choose to listen to the voice of liberty within?

Now, what does this have to do with the Johnson Brothers Mill building?  Everything!  The younger generation of our community is reaching back toward hope.  They know that the Johnson Brothers Mill is among the last great historic marks on Shenandoah.  It has an inherent connection with each one of us in this community.  PLUS, if renovated would make a huge community impression for any investor wanting to purchase the building for productive purposes.

The hope is in knowing that as long as the building stands and we've chosen to improve the site then there is hope of interested investors.  The lack of hope or the stripping of liberty is in knowing that once the building is torn down, that's it, there is no going back.  There is no hope of a business or investor taking over the building thus putting it back on the tax rolls of the city.  There is no hope of permanently claiming a true historic icon of this city.  There are no "choices" after that.

As I've mentioned to Shenandoah constituents my main factor is in whether or not the building is secure and safe.  I've believed on the words of others that the building is solid.  I took that information at face value until I recently was given a walk through.  Now that I've gone through the Johnson Brothers Mill I know for a surety that the building is solid and will easily stand another century right where it is.  I had no idea just how well built that structure was!  I was also greatly impressed with the size and shapes of the rooms in there.

I have no doubt that if we clean up the Johnson Brothers Mill it won't take long before investors are excited to investigate their portfolio possibilities in the Johnson Mills building.

Take the Urban Renewal poll NOW!

As it stands now I plan to vote for the renovation of Johnson Mills because I like to stay on the side of hope when hope is still alive.  I do it because I see beyond the broken windows and into the heart of a building that still has use and value to the great city of Shenandoah.  I invite Shenandoah residents to attend the City Council meeting on March 12 at 6 p.m. in the Council chambers at City Hall.  Thumbs up or down it is still a part of your history being decided on no matter what your age is.

Shocking US Government Budget Sequester Recipe

As our Commander-in-Chief continues his 2012 Presidential Campaign around the country in 2013, we intercede into your Internet news and information to bring you this stunning and shocking budget sequester recipe.  Now, for the first time and in only a few simple steps you can create your own sequester quagmire.  Behold, all ye ends of the earth!  I give you the recipe to - the Sequester Nut Roll.


1.  Combine with your hands the President of the United States, the State Department and the Federal Reserve.  It shouldn't take long.  The dough will quickly become stiff, useless as dross and immovable.

2.  Divide the concoction into your desired size and then roll them into shapes of cylinders.

3.  Wrap each wicked abomination with plastic wraps of pride and place in the freezing outcasts of Purgatory.  Keep them there for roughly 2 hours or until your desired level of entertainment has diminished.

4.  Melt the Tax Code in the microwave for 3 minutes or until your primal appetites have been succored.  Out of charity rotate the brew every 30 seconds or so.  However, in my opinion just let'em roast!
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5.  Place Congressional Democrat and useless Republican (not all because some are trying to get us in a positive direction) peanuts on a rolled out cadaver gurney.

6.  Out of pity retrieve the abominations out of the Arctic wastelands.  Drowned and completely cover them in the melted Tax Code.  Here, it is important for you not to use your fingers or even look at what you're doing.  It's a technique from Washington that legitimizes "plausible denial" and accountability.

7.  Cover completely with Democrat and useless Republican (not all because some are trying to get us in a positive direction) peanuts the Tax Code covered abominations.

8.  Transfer Democrat and Republican peanut covered abominations onto another prepared bobsled.  Launch the bobsled into the abyss of Perdition.  Normally, you stick them in the refrigerator but since they survived the cold once already we'll try the other extreme.

9.  Your nut rolls should be good for a month or so.  If after a month you find that they are still good then get a stick and push the bobsled further into the fire.

10.  Simply because of symmetry, the Ebola virus, the Second Amendment, Michelle Obama's wardrobe and because we can't leave it at only 9 simple steps we give you the final noble and upstanding action.  If the stew of human suffering that you've creatively casseroled tastes good then take the credit.  If the human suffering becomes not of good taste to those suffering - then blame the next guy (or the guy before) for a faulty recipe.
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We hope that your recipe turns out well and becomes all that you've ever dreamed it would be.  Remember to hold nothing back.  Budget your entire time, talents, resources and nasal waste into your designs - reserving nothing back.  In fact, budget 100 times more than you have or will have.  It's all for the common good of a tasty nut roll.

Chow!

Ad Blocker Against the Imbesile Annoyers

Pop up ads, banners and those floating piles of garbage that are difficult to catch just to click the "x".  Years ago I remember the telephone ringing maybe once or twice a year regarding politics or surveys.  Now, it's commonplace to get 5 to 10 a day.  The same applies to the Internet.  You want to do your business without having someone tugging at your wallet.  Recently, I was made aware that I didn't have to put up with this rubbish.  I installed the free Ad Blocker.  I highly recommend it.

I like my news and when I get home from work I like to play catch up (not ketchup) on the latest doomsday fecal matter that spawns out of Washington.  Like so many out there I despise the biased media and the modern liberal jargon.  However, like an imbesile I keep coming back for more.  As I gag and regurgitate on the day's worldly vomit I tend to desire to do so with a degree of peace.  Ever notice those long 30 second ads preceding your news clip?  Ad Blocker took care of that for me.  Ad Blocker is a simple extension downloaded and installed onto your browser be it Firefox, Chrome or even your Android device.

Speaking of Android devices I recently bought a Google Android Tablet off the Internet.  Yeah, I know, I'm a little late and behind the times.  I do a lot of business work on that little doohickey that I'm still learning to type on.  The manufacturer installed a wicked program filled with deceitful addiction bent to drag me down into the depths of weight gain.  I've become quite fond of the game Angry Birds during my free time.  It's a simple game purposely made for three-year-olds so that adults would be sucked in as well due to deteriorating intellect.  Anyhow, like my news I found my entertainment being hijacked by these annoying small little banner ads at the top of my Android screen in Angry Birds.  Needless to say - I disapprove...
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Come on!  Can't I vent my frustration by shooting birds at pigs in peace!  Leave me alone!  Good grief may angels above protect me.  Calgon - take me away!

As a public service to all humankind and as one who is constantly behind the times I humbly, meekly and with batting eyes endorse the Ad Blocker extension for your browser.

May the force be with you and may your offspring reject Justin Bieberism.

LDS Church Council Bluffs Stake Conference Notes

The following are notes that I’ve taken at the March 2013 Council Bluffs Stake Conference - Saturday sessions.  The bold are direct quotes from the leaders. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormons, has a regional Stake Conference twice a year.  A few weeks later The Church as a whole convenes General Conference which General Authorities address the membership worldwide via satellite broadcast.  Every conference includes several speakers inspired to deliver specific messages to the general membership and their respective local and regional leaders.  The following are notes that I felt impressed to record.  The nature of inspired addresses is designed to be very personal.  According to individual needs one person may gain knowledge and inspiration in one part of an address than the person sitting next to them.  They, in turn, will learn something entirely different according to their needs.  All messages are delivered via the Holy Ghost.  

Most of the notes are not marked with who uttered them.  There are two reasons for this.  First, I don’t write that fast to include names and all words they say.  Two, all truth is gospel regardless of who says it.  For that reason primarily I record these notes.

We, as leaders and as ward and branch families, must make an emotional deposit in our youth.  The same can be said for adults particularly new members and less active members but especially for our youth.  We must heed the call to take souls under our wing in teaching and guiding them.  This may include taking them with you to visit families or just tossing a ball back and forth.

Six months ago the prophet lowered the eligible age for missionaries.  This has already caused a wondrous influx of missionaries in the mission field.  This surge in missionaries worldwide is projected to reach 100,000 in a very short time from now.  These young men and young women are volunteering their time, talents and testimonies to the work of the Lord.  Some missionaries do have a difficult time adjusting to mission life.  Parents have an urgent responsibility to teach independence especially in preparation for missionary service.

The family is under assault.  Morality is in steep and dangerous decline.  Values and principles are being compromised knowingly and willingly.  The first to be attacked is the head of the household - the father.  The role, responsibility and image of the father is almost mute today.  In fact, fathers are largely seen as not necessary to build up healthy children and fostering a wholesome home.  This is damnation and goes completely against the design and order of the family.

Fathers have a deep responsibility to have a positive effect on their sons and also their daughters.  The father/son relationship is often spoken of but the father/daughter relationship is very unique and vital to the emotional and spiritual growth to the daughter.  Fathers make your daughters feel special.  Make them feel important.  Make them feel of worth to the family and the world around them.

It is vitally important to be righteous ambassadors of Jesus Christ and stalwart examples as members of the Church.  We cannot fully measure our impact on those around us.  Our own Stake President is a convert to the Church.  He is a convert because of the good examples of members of the Church.  Because of small and large actions, that most of us see no value in, he was baptized in 1976, sealed for time and all eternity to his wife in the holy temple and his children likewise were sealed to them thus creating an eternal family unit.  That unit has the opportunity to endure forever.

There are no perfect people on the earth.  There never has save only one - Jesus Christ.  All the prophets have fallen short of perfection at various times in their lives.  They have all been corrected and reprimanded at one time or another.  Those who hold callings in the Church are not perfect, however they are still the Lord’s anointed to serve in their respective capacities.  Instead of being frustrated or even offended we are commanded to be patient and instructive.  We are mortal humans and humans do stupid things.  At the same time we must recognize those holding any calling in the Church as being the Lord’s anointed and they should be sustained as such.  

It is so important to establish measurable goals for our ward or branch mission plan.  Expanding charity and the work of God is a scriptural command and must be heeded in order to progress.  If there is no measure there is no increase.

Many in the mission field and even in the general membership have those desires of great success in bringing souls unto Christ.  If their expectations fall short they may feel inadequate or not quite up to par with what a missionary should be.  Great men of old had success in numbers it is true.  Alma and Ammon are but a couple of men who separately spent years in enemy territory preaching the word of God and have eventually found success.  Yet, that was their time.  

Note the danger of this day and age.  There are many who seek but know not where to find truth.  At the same time there are vast multitudes who have no desire or cankered the desire to even search for truth.  They’ve chosen to be tossed to and fro by social changes and easily-swayed winds of doctrine.  These difficult times are foretold in scripture and should come as no surprise.  Know this - that the Lord is pulling out the elect from the world.  Baptisms and conversions may be few but those few are converted for an eternal purpose.  

For this reason we are to heed the counsel provided in Doctrine and Covenants 138:57 -

“I beheld that the faithful elders of this dispensation, when they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the gospel of repentance and redemption, through the sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of God, among those who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin in the great world of the spirits of the dead.”

Note the term “continue.”  It is true that the doctrine of continued learning and spiritual progress on the other side is largely unique to our faith.  It is true that the gospel will reach the ears of even those who have died.  This will take place through the organized forces on the other side from among the righteous spirits.  This organized force is of ancient origin and with Jesus Christ as the architect (1 Peter 3:18-20).  To continue can only take place if we are already doing it here.  The gospel is a positive message.  Don’t take stock in your abilities to grow the number of disciples.  Instead be actively engaged in the cause and “continue” the work.    

Charity is the pure love of Christ.  Charity also has a dual meaning.  It also means dependability.  True charity means that you have that willing heart at all times and can be depended on for your service.  Both the giver and receiver are blessed with charity.  This is provided in Doctrine and Covenants 50:22 -

“Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together.”

To preach is also to provide service in whatever manner is needed.

A desire and obedience are prerequisites for a testimony of the gospel.  We make covenants as part of the testimony process.  Covenants are designed to help us grow and develop.  

We must liken our testimonies unto the Banyan tree.  Prop roots on the side of the tree can grow so large and spread so far that it becomes indistinguishable from the main trunk of the tree.  Through our works and faith let our testimony become that extension thus making it a very part of our being.  A part of our foundation.  

In Ephesians 4:11-13 we are given the end result reason for prophets, apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers.  They are there to perfect the body of Christ, spreading the work of the ministry unto the unity of the faith.  Alma, an ancient convert to the gospel of Jesus Christ, preached that the membership are to carry one another’s burdens that they may be light.  If unity suffers in your wards, branches or home then seek service opportunities.  Few things can compare to fostering unity than being engaged in the common goal of service.  Activities build unity.  Concerning your family it is important to have a weekly Date Night without the kids.  Circle the table with the family at mealtime.  Grow relationships through dialogue at the dinner table.  These simple activities and traditions will build a healthy home.