Be Strong

“Don’t you dare just go blend into the amoral, telestial, hard-scrabble world of today,” Elder Holland challenged graduates at BYU—Hawaii, located in the Laie, Hawaii, during a commencement address.
“Don't go to your first job or first neighborhood or first staff meeting and just begin to act like everybody else.  Be strong.  Be true. …Teach—rather than being taught.  You can't control everyone's morals, but you can control your own. You can't control everyone's language, but you can control your own.  You can't control everyone's personal standards, but you can control yours.  And thus the light of the gospel—the figurative lighthouse of Laie—can shine in all the world to which you go. Don't give up and don’t give in.  Be strong if you are the only Latter-day Saint for a hundred miles in any direction.  Stand straight and true and firm.”

“It is incumbent upon us as students, as Latter-day Saints, and as children of God to see the divine potential in ourselves, to believe in ourselves, and to know that with God’s help there is quite literally nothing in righteousness that we cannot become,” Elder Holland said. “That is the parable of this school’s history and it ought to be the parable of your history.”

Wise Men Still Seek Him

we all still seek Christ in our lives. Yet he speaks to us everyday through the spirit, seek him and you shall draw close unto him, keep his commandments and he shall draw close unto you.

We Can Live with God Again

ALMA 40:
11 Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.

12 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.

ALMA 40:

23 The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.

CHRISTMAS

Many more people have the spirit of Christmas in them, or better said the spirit of Christ in them this time of the year. We all start to think about others more and we look for ways and opportunities to serve each other. Some start thinking of ways that they are going to improve, or what they could do the next year to come closer to Christ. I have heard during this time, those who have chosen to serve missions, and can't wait until next year when they can go. Also many who are going home from their missions that they will be able to be with their families, which is one of the greatest gifts that one could have during Christmas. some people who sing all the time or never sing ha, gain the courage to go door to door and brighten people's lives by singing carols to them on their door steps. Cookies and treats are made by many and given by the love of their heart. Many sacrifice time and money to make sure that people are able to get to places they need to go by giving them rides, while others supply dinners to those who have little in their possession. Charity is the pure love of Christ, and the pure love of Christ can be had by everyone. Let us all try to keep the spirit of CHRISTmas and charity throughout the whole year.

                       

                                                      MERRY CHRISTMAS

What Think Ye of the Book of Mormon? - Bruce R. McConkie - October 1983 ...

"In speaking of these wondrous things I shall use my own words, though you may think they are the words of scripture, words spoken by other Apostles and prophets.
True it is they were first proclaimed by others, but they are now mine, for the Holy Spirit of God has borne witness to me that they are true, and it is now as though the Lord had revealed them to me in the first instance. I have thereby heard his voice and know his word."

  -- Bruce R. McConkie

"Come All Ye Faithful"

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb.
If I were a Wise Man
I would do my part,
Yet what can I give Him?
Give my heart.
(Christina Georgina Rossetti)

"O Holy Night"

2011 LDS First Presidency Christmas Devotional

DEAR ELDER

Our Savior, Jesus Christ

In the October 2011 general conference, Elder Dallin H. Oaks began his address by quoting a profoundly important question the Savior asked long ago: “What think ye of Christ?” (Matthew 22:42).
Elder Oaks then declared, “With those same words I ask my fellow Latter-day Saints and other Christians what you really believe about Jesus Christ and what you are doing because of that belief.”
This Christmas season, take time to consider what you believe about Jesus Christ and how that belief shapes your life.

I beleive we can all be better than we already are, for we are all striving for perfection. So instead of waiting until new years to start your new you, consider one thing that you can do starting now that you can do better because of our belief in Jesus Christ. What is one way that we can become more like him. If we all strive to be more Christlike now, the greater the miracles that will happen to us in our lives, for we are all blessed of God when we seek to live as he has commanded. What better gift can we give than to strive to be more like Christ.