90-10-28-24

 Hello Family, It’s the last week of October, and holiday season (and wedding time) are close. That makes mama and I so happy because that means lots of family time spent together is just around the corner. We can’t wait!


Noah, without your permission, I’m adding you to the weekly email that I send to all my kids. You get to choose your spouse, but you don’t get to choose her family, we are just a package deal for good or bad. :) 

This email is just something I started a year ago or so. They are thoughts from my personal study from the week.  I try to always include an invitation of something I’m trying better to implement or focus on personally.

As our family has grown up and our “bigs” began to leave the house, I felt as a father that I was loosing opportunities to bear my testimony, or be a positive influence for my children regarding things that matter most. I felt impressed to  share in email form things that inspire or strengthen my faith, in hopes that they might inspire or strengthen theirs. I recognize everyone is so busy, and that at times these emails may even go unread, but for me each week, it is a place where I feel as a dad I can continue to stay spiritually connected to those I love most! So, with that being said, here is that weekly email. 


I hope you have all had time to go back and study President Nelson’s talk from this past conference. It is a testimony to me of his prophetic mantle, that every one of his messages are so full of love, encouragement, and direction. This talk hit all those marks and then some for me, and I hope for you!


The prophet asks very inspired questions that if we just take time to ponder and consider, these alone will draw us closer to the Savior and bring a sense of humility and gratitude for Him. Here are President Nelson’s recent questions to us:



- After announcing 17 more temples: “My dear brothers and sisters, do you see what is happening right before our eyes? I pray that we will not miss the majesty of this moment! The Lord is indeed hastening His work.”


- Why are we building temples at such an unprecedented pace? Why? Because the Lord has instructed us to do so. The blessings of the temple help to gather Israel on both sides of the veil. These blessings also help to prepare a people who will help prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord!


- Brothers and sisters, now is the time for you and for me to prepare for the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Now is the time for us to make our discipleship our highest priority. In a world filled with dizzying distractions, how can we do this?


- I have learned that the most crucial question we each must answer is this: To whom or to what will I give my life?


Within two very short paragraphs the prophet lists 10 ways temple worship with help us prepare for the Saviors return, and help us make our discipleship our highest priority. 


My invitation to each of us this week is to consider how each one of these ten points applies to our own personal experiences worshiping in the temple. If you feel that they don’t apply, prayerfully ask for help to be given eyes to see how they can. The promise from the prophet is we will find Jesus Christ in the Temple.


The Temple will:

  1. Help us focus on Jesus Christ
  2. Learn of Christ
  3. Make covenants to follow Him
  4. Gain greater access to the Lord’s strengthening power
  5. Receive protection from the buffetings of the world
  6. Experience the pure love of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father in greater abundance
  7. Help us feel peace and spiritual reassurance
  8. Feel the mercy of Jesus Christ in your behalf and in behalf of those you love
  9. Find answers to your most vexing questions
  10. Better comprehend His gospel


Listen to the closing testimony of our dear prophet:


“My dear brothers and sisters, in a coming day, Jesus Christ will return to the earth as the millennial Messiah. So today I call upon you to rededicate your lives to Jesus Christ. I call upon you to help gather scattered Israel and to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord. I call upon you to talk of Christ, testify of Christ, have faith in Christ, and rejoice in Christ!


Come unto Christ and “offer your whole [soul]” to Him. This is the secret to a life of joy!


The best is yet to come, my dear brothers and sisters, because the Savior is coming again! The best is yet to come because the Lord is hastening His work. The best is yet to come as we fully turn our hearts and our lives to Jesus Christ.


I bear my solemn witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I am His disciple. I am honored to be His servant. At His Second Coming, “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” That day will be filled with joy for the righteous!

Through the power of the sacred priesthood keys I hold, I declare this truth to you and to all the world! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”


I love you all so much! Have a wonderful week!


Dad

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

86- 9/30/24

  We can’t wait to all be together this weekend. Mama and I were talking last night about when the next time we might all be together at home again after this weekend and she mentioned it might not be until April Conference time next year. So needless to say we are really looking forward to this weekend. I will keep it short today with a simple invitation. Throughout this week leading up to General Conference and hearing the words of prophets, ask yourself this question: What do you know and have in your life because there is a living prophet on the Earth today?  I think your thoughts will lead you where mine have, and that is to a place of gratitude. No wonder we often sing: We Thank Thee O God, for a Prophet! Love, Dad
Read more

99- 12-30-24

 Hello Family, Happy New Year! It is New Year’s Eve, and we are gathered all together in Ogden, Utah. What a treat to be all together! As Lainey would say, “I love you guys!” This weekend I have watched each of you set time aside to plan and to make New Year’s Resolutions, pondering on things that you would like to add or improve in your life. I love that! A life without purpose is a life of complacency. Goals put us in a place to act, and to do. You each know who you are and what your purpose is, and this brings so much joy to Mama and I. This purpose is innate in each one of us, and as we listen to, and follow the Spirit we will continue to strive to become better. The Hope we have that we can be successful at this improvement comes from our faith in Jesus Christ. Nephi teaches us,“ And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from e...
Read more

45 (12-4-2023) I Need Thee Every Hour

 45 (12-4-2023) I Need Thee Every Hour Dear Family, This scripture has stayed with me over the past couple of weeks, and has helped me several times. The message has gained greater meaning for me as I try to apply it. I thought this week I would share a few examples of its application in my own life,    and invite you to consider ways to apply it in yours. 2 Nephi 9:39    Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal. President Nelson defined thinking Celestial as being spiritually minded. The prophet Jacob defined here the same way, as “life eternal”. This is our greatest hope and desire, to return to our love in Heavenly parents, and to be together as family forever. So here are just a couple of ways striving to be spiritually minded have helped me this past week: As you all know to well, because you know me better then anyone, patience manages to stay one or two steps ahead of me most times. And when I am inpatient, I ...
Read more