Blogging: From the Voice of the Prophets

Because I was working I missed the Priesthood Session of General Conference, so now I am going back and watching the recording online in my own personal "makeup session." I was very surprised to hear in the very first talk by Elder Russel M. Nelson very specific divine direction to us as Latter-Day Saints in the Blogging Community. I'm not a terribly active or involved member of this community, nevertheless I thought it important that I include such instruction in my humble journal. I probalby included a little more than is actually necessary, but it's all just too good and I highlighted the section I'm referring to:



"Scripture tells us that “there are many yet on the earth … who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it.” Isn’t that your opportunity? You can become their own disciple of discovery!

Now in this day of the Internet, there are new and exciting ways you can do missionary work. You can invite friends and neighbors to visit the new mormon.org Web site. If you have blogs and online social networks, you could link your sites to mormon.org. And there you can create your own personal profile. Each profile includes an expression of belief, an experience, and a testimony. Because this is a new feature, most of these profiles are available in English. Profiles in other languages will follow.

These profiles can have a profound influence for good. Two months ago a young man named Zac—a freshman in college—saw an ad for mormon.org on television in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He connected with the Web site and was intrigued by the profiles of Church members. At our Web site he found the link that informed him where he could attend church. The next Sunday, dressed in a white shirt and tie, he attended church, was introduced to members of the ward, and enjoyed all three hours of meetings. He was invited to a member’s home for dinner, followed by his first missionary lesson. In less than two weeks, he was baptized and confirmed as a member of the Church. Welcome, Zac! (He is listening.)

Each exemplary follower of Jesus Christ can become an effective member missionary. Members and full-time missionaries may walk arm in arm in bringing the blessings of the gospel to cherished friends and neighbors. Many of them are of Israel, now being gathered as promised. This is all part of the preparation for the Second Coming of the Lord. He wants each of us truly to be an example of the believers.

I know that God lives. Jesus is the Christ. This is His Church. The Book of Mormon is true. Joseph Smith is its translator and the prophet of this last dispensation. President Thomas S. Monson is God’s prophet today. I so testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen."

I'm still not very well attuned to the operations of this site, but I think I've linked mormon.org to the title of this post, and I will see if I can make it a more obvious part of my page. I did a little poking around myself on the mormon.org site and checked out the section including member profiles. It's awesome! There are personal experiences, conversion stories, and all kinds of encouraging testimonies and information just sitting there user-friendly with photos attached. I'm going to have to start to put my own profile together and encourage others to do so. There is so much evil out there on the web and I'm glad to find a little of what is holy as well. So to all you bloggers out there: Remember You Are A Missionary!

Justin David

Brambles

"Throughout the world and among the membership of the church, there is great joy and great pain. Both are part of the plan. Without one, we cannot know the other. 'Men are that they might have joy' (2 Nephi 2:25)and 'for it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things' (2 Nephi 2:11) are not contradictory; they are complementary. In describing how he felt when he turned to the Lord, Alma the Younger said, 'My soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain.' (Alma 36:20)." (Elder Donald L. Hallstrom, Turn to the Lord Ensign May 2010)


I ran into this quote during my studies and felt that it eloquently summed the need we have for tribulation in our lives. It is so hard to see when we go through hard times how much those had times contribute to the growth of our character and our abilities.

When I juggle, I would not appreciate the ease with which I catch the balls, or the thrill of initiating a faster or altered clawing sequence if i hadn't been for all the hours I remember of dropping ball after ball watching as they roll mischeviously under chairs, couches, shopping carts, parked cars, and various thorny brambles-- then crawling over, around, and through each obstacle so that I could drop the ball again.

Similarly, when I sit in testimony meeting and cry quietly as a child stands to bear pure testimonty of my Savior Jesus Christ, I would not appreciate the overwhelming sense of peace and joy brought by the Comforter quite as much had I not all the terrible memories of loneliness and perceived despair brought on by sin, confusion, and frustration.

By walking among struggling members of the church and looking back on the stepping stones in my life, I know that the Lord lets us experience adversity for a reason-- if it's not for us to learn a lesson, then it is to give someone else the opportunity to serve. I try my best to be tankful for the trials that I'm given and perhaps more greatful for the ones that I'm not. Bearing testimony of my Savior, His Atonement, and the presence of the Gospel and a living prophet upon the earth I leave this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Institute 1 June 2010...finally!

It feels like ages since our last Institute class, but it's been much longer since I actually recorded a reflection that I wrote about it. Our new teacher is Sister J, a wonderful person, and we are studying "Gospel Principles for a Provident Living."

The first lesson, of course, is an overview of the Plan of Salvation. This one was very cool because of all the fun stories, things, and insights that people contributed to the lesson. First, I have to comment how impressed I was about Sister J' copy of The Family: A Proclamation to the World. It's a large-sized book with glossy pages and the proclamation written as text throughout the book like a story, but the illustrated pictures are all from the life of Sister J and her extended family-- it looks very professional like something you would buy from an LDS bookstore, with a barcode and everything. Apparently it was a gift made by her daughter; needless to say I am very jealous and hope to make or have one made for me in the future. Or when I figure out how, and get together a sufficient photo collection I'll make one for my parents, my children, and my brother. It's a fantastic idea. Anyway, I digress.

I was really glad to be reminded by Jeremy of the Plan of Happiness as it is described in the Book of Mormon: essentially a bridge spelling out the PreMortal, Earth, and Eternal Lives being supported by the three pillars of the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement. Someone else brought up a point about the War in heaven which I like and will have to look up. Actually I think I will do so now...hmm actually I can't seem to find the talk by Alvin R. Dyer (March 1961) they mentioned, I will have to look further elsewhere-- if anyone else finds it online let me know. Anyway, it discusses the council in heaven and the moment when God accepts the plan presented by Jesus and rejects the one presented by Lucifer. Actually, there was only ever one plan, God's Plan, and Satan rejected it and wanted to change it. Christ accepted it and became a part of it. The obedience to God is more yes or no, not either or-- Satan does not have a Plan. I think that's just a nice thing to know.

Another nice thing that touched me was the reminder from Sister J that the entire focus of the Plan of Redemption is on the family: helping and empowering us to establish, raise, and nurture Eternal Families, therefore coming to know eternal happiness. Knowing that can really change my outlook on life-- remembering it changes my life. There is nothing more important than family home evening and "home time" and family comes first before everything. Even President Monson will miss a meeting when his wife is ill. I should say especially President Monson will put family first when push comes to shove. I remember the story from his biography that talks about being a Bishop in a meeting where the Stake President was speaking. He received a prompting to go visit a man in the hospital RIGHT NOW, and so decided to leave as soon as the President finished. The spirit kept saying RIGHT NOW, so as soon as the President finished, he zoomed out of his chair and raced to the hospital where the brother was staying. As he was walking up the steps, a Nurse saw him and asked "Are you Bishop Monson?" When he said he was, the Nurse said that the man had been calling out for him for a while now, but had just passed away moments before. After that experience, President Monson promised always to act on a prompting of the Spirit, no matter the circumstances. There are plenty of things that he will put before a church meeting when prompted.

Okay, just one more since this is getting a little long. Sarah shared a story about her brother that I thought was very special. She talked about how before his mission he was going through some very rough temptations and difficult times, and it involved his entire family. During that time, she wondered that if God did not tempt you more than you were able to bear, why then did he have to wallow in so much adversity? Either he had to be an extremely capable and potentially powerful priesthood holder, or he was exceedingly weak for not being more resistant. At the time, she was seriously considering the latter. Well, that is in the past now and I've known that man and his family for a long time--I don't know all the details of what happened and I don't need to. He has had his life turned around and become an exceptional tool for good with a particularly applicable knowledge of the Gospel, a deep-rooted intellect covering especially the word of the Lord's inspired leaders, and a way of applying personal experiences to teach gospel doctrine that I admire very much. There is hardly a better example of the bettering power of the atonement around and in someway I hope to be like that.


I would like to take this opportunity to bear my testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that he has provided tools and many means by which we can improve ourselves and draw closer to him through the atonement. I invite everyone to look for him and start in the right place by reading the Book of Mormon and gaining a testimony of his words as they come through a living prophet today. His spirit will manifest it to you. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

My Testimony

Nothing that is a part of myself would be complete without including a testimony of my savior Jesus Christ.

I know that I have a loving Father in Heaven who cares for me and watches over me from day to day. I know that I can speak with him through prayer and that he both hears and answers my questions and desires. I know that Jesus Christ once walked upon the Earth as a mortal man and that he suffered fro my sins in the garden, died for me on the cross, and through his atonement all mankind may be saved from both a spiritual and a physical death to be raised again into a perfect life, like he was. I will ever be grateful for his sacrifice and hope that I show it every day. I believe that families can be together forever, and I know that the temple is the key to that happening. I know that His Holy Priesthood is the power of God on Earth to work through man to build His kingdom. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that it was translated by his power that we could have it in these latter-days. I know that God works through a prophet today, as he has in the past, and his name is President Thomas S. Monson. I have faith in the leaders of the church and know that if I follow their council, and the accompaniment of the Spirit, I cannot fall.
This brief testimony I leave to the world, and especially to my many friends and family, in the name of my Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.