{Light the World}

Christmas is a beautiful, special, uplifting time of year. I know we can do so much to strengthen and bless those around us as the Savior would. In turn, we will also be blessed.

It's important to remember this time of year and always that Jesus Christ is a living, breathing, immortal and glorified man, the Son of God. His life is not just a story. The miracles truly happened, and Jesus will do miracles in the lives of all of us today as well. He lives. He is real. He loves us, is aware of our every need, knows our hearts, and wants to help us live with Him and God our loving Heavenly Father again. He suffered and died for us and rose from the dead forevermore.  I know this is true. Many others alive today and in the scriptures have testified of the same:

"And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!
For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father-
That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God." (Doctrine and Covenants 76:22-24)

"And also my soul delighteth in the covenants of the Lord which he hath made unto our fathers; yea, my soul delighteth in his grace, and in his justice, and power, and mercy in the great and eternal plan of deliverance from death.
And my soul delighteth in proving unto my people that save Christ should come all men must perish.
For if there be no Christ there be no God; and if there be no God we are not, for there could have been no creation. But there is a God, and he is Christ, and he cometh in the fulness of his own time." (2 Nephi 11:4-6)

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12)

Christ Himself promised, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

Because He lives, because He was born in Bethlehem and fulfilled all that the Father asked of Him, there in nothing we can't overcome. He lived for us and died for us. Christmas and Easter are beautiful reminders of that triumph, that permanent helping hand and hope extended to every person on earth if we will but come unto Christ and repent of our sins. Elder Holland, a modern day apostle of Christ taught, "So today we celebrate the gift of victory over every fall we have ever experienced, every sorrow we have ever known, every discouragement we have ever had, every fear we have ever faced-to say nothing of resurrection from death and forgiveness for our sins.....that first Easter sequence of Atonement and Resurrection constitutes the most consequential moment, the most generous gift, the most excruciating pain, and the most majestic manifestation of pure love ever to be demonstrated in the history of this world." (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "Where Justice Love and Mercy Meet", April 2015)

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

Because Christ was born, died, and rose again, we can become free from death. This life will not be the end for anyone. "As in Adam all men die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (1Corinthians 15:22) We can repent: leave behind the shame and guilt of our wrong doings and become whole because of the Savior. He suffered those things already for us. We can be strengthened every day of our lives to do good and be better. We can be good, and then better, and even holy because of His power. We can return to the presence of God someday to be judged free of sin and confident that we are clean. We can be with those we love forever. Our every loss here on earth will be made up.

Why? Because God is merciful. He loves me and He loves you!! I know I have felt peace and forgiveness. I have felt help when I was tired, comfort when I was sad, and more strength when I needed a boost. You are a child of God and He will help you also. Ask for that help.

So today, and every day until Christmas and hopefully every day after, go and find someone to help. Find someone to bless and uplift.  For specific daily ideas, visit mormon.org. Take the gratitude you feel for Jesus and Heavenly Father and share it with someone else. If you feel you don't know much about them, learn more. Read the scriptures. Pray, even if you feel guilty for your past or if it's been a while. They love you. Your prayers will be heard. After telling a story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37), an example of selfless service to others even if they are different than you, Jesus admonished, "Go, and do thou likewise."

{CTR Always, ETTE}

Merry Christmas!

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{Blessings of Family}

Hello again! I apologize for the long hiatus. I just got married and we just got back from our honeymoon....

"God gave us families to help us become what He wants us to be. This is how He shares His love. For the family is of God." ("The Family is of God")

I love hearing the children at church. They sing their lungs out during this song, so happy and excited. I love the peace and Spirit I feel when I think about God's plan, and how He wants us to love, serve, and grow. The best environment to help us build a more Christlike character is in our families. As Latter Day Saints, we also believe that God intends for our families to be eternal-meaning that till death do us part won't have to separate us. Because of His love and power, (the power He gave to apostles and prophets of old and today-the priesthood) we can make promises with Him in holy temples that enable us to be together forever. If we do our best to rely on our Savior Jesus Christ by repenting daily and striving continually to keep the commandments, we will return to God cleansed and sanctified. Then we can live with those we love most-our families-in heaven for eternity. 

This is one of the most dear things to me personally and I believe to many people who share my faith. 

On November 18th, I went to a temple with my sweetheart Kyle. We were married for time and eternity there. (the picture on the left is sealing room in a LDS temple, where couples are married and families are sealed) I will always remember the love of God I felt in those moments. Our family surrounded us with love also. We made promises with God and each other. Because of Jesus Christ, because of mercy and forgiveness and grace if we are faithful to our covenants Kyle and I will be together forever. Marriage is a wonderful blessing. I am amazed by the mercy and love of our Heavenly Father most evident in His plan for each of us. And the other astounding truth: our Heavenly Father wants all His children to have eternal families, sealed together and living with Him for eternity in joy. These blessings are available to everyone if we do what is required to attain them.  https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/temples)  

If they function in the way God intended, families help us in so many ways. My family isn't perfect, none are, but I was very blessed in that regard. I wanted to list some of the ways:

My family helps me be strong-if I have questions about faith they strengthen me. They help me find answers and trust in the Lord for the answers that take more time. If I am going through a challenging time, they give me the support and encouragement I need to soldier on.

My family serves me-they are sensitive to my needs and try to fill them. My parents worked hard to provide for my siblings and I growing up and give us opportunities

My family makes me laugh-I am blessed to have funny people in my life who can look at the grim with shining optimism. Kyle especially is good at this.

My family loves me unconditionally-I know this because I've felt it, even when they were disappointed. 

My family members are my truest friends-I know they will always be there to lend a hand when I'm in need.

I know that not everyone comes from a good family background. Some are dysfunctional, abusive, and damaging. But if that's you, you have the power to move forward, to change a generations long destructive cycle into a healthy functioning one. About twenty years ago, God inspired the prophets and apostles today to speak out about how this is possible in a document titled "The Family: A Proclamation to the World." Every one, regardless of marital status or family background will be blessed as they apply the principles there in. I've included it in this post and recommend its reading. 

In April of 2015, Elder L Tom Perry, an apostle, gave a powerful talk called "Why Marriage and Family Matter Everywhere in the World" 

He taught, "What the restored gospel brings to the discussion on marriage and family is so large and so relevant that it cannot be overstated: we make the subject eternal! We take the commitment and the sanctity of marriage to a greater level because of our belief and understanding that families go back to before this earth was and that they can go forward into eternity. The entire theology of our restored gospel centers on families and on the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe in a premortal life where we all lived as literal spirit children of God our Heavenly Father. We believe that we were, and still are, members of His family.

We believe that marriage and family ties can continue beyond the grave--that marriages performed by those who have the proper authority in His temples will continue to be valid in the world to come. Our marriage ceremonies eliminate the words “till death do us part” and instead say, “for time and for all eternity.”

We also believe that strong traditional families are not only the basic units of a stable society, a stable economy, and a stable culture of values--but that they are also the basic units of eternity and of the kingdom and government of God.

We believe that the organization and government of heaven will be built around families and extended families......

Let me close by bearing witness (and my nine decades on this earth fully qualify me to say this) that the older I get, the more I realize that family is the center of life and is the key to eternal happiness.

I give thanks for my wife, for my children, for my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren, and for all of the cousins and in-laws and extended family who make my own life so rich and, yes, even eternal. Of this eternal truth I bear my strongest and most sacred witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen." 

This was Elder Perry's last talk before he passed away. But what a blessing it is to have such a powerful testimony of families and our Heavenly Father's plan.

I know God lives. And I know that He loves us. We lived with Him before we came to earth. He sacrificed His Son so that we can repent. Salvation and then exaltation with our families is His work and glory.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

{CTR Always, ETTE}

This is the Family Proclamation referenced above.

This is the music for "The Family is of God"

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