No Weekend Visits

 I think we have all heard the term Sunday mormon. Should we be more then a one day a week church goer? The answer to that is simple, no. We are part of a great church. If all we do is go attend church meetings on sunday and then do nothing else, then what is the point of going to church? to improve our self? I believe that no matter what religion you belong to, you should not visit God just on the weekend. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want to have us visit them often. How do we do this? We pray every single day (personal, family, morning, noon, night, over every meal, etc.), studying the scriptures every single day by yourself and as a family. Going to the temple at least once or more a month if possible, serving those around you, actually thinking of our Savior in all that you do, thanking God for all He has given you. There is so many countless ways to visit God daily that there should be no excuse, in my mind, of why we cant visit God daily. Going to church helps us learn more about Heavenly Father and Jesus the things we have forgotten because of the veil that was put over our mind when we came here to earth to be tried and tested and found worthy to live with God in his presence FOREVER. We can only be found worthy if we visit with God each and every single day and not just on the weekends.

Knock and it will be open to you

I actually really love this scripture is Matthew 7:7 because it shows us that Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ will never leave us alone. Yes the door may be open when we get there but I personally believe that most of the time, we must knock, seek, and keep knocking. If we are going to visit a friend or family member are we just going to knock once and if they don't answer right away do we just leave?? Usually not. We might peak around the side of the house to see if we can hear or see them out in the back yard if we know the person well. We might send a text or call them. And if that doesn't work we might try knocking again. Why is it any different when we are trying to talk to God? He wants us to visit Him and to get to know Him as he knows us. How do we do this? By DAILY personal and family prayer and scripture study. With scripture study, I don't just mean the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price. I want to include your patriarchal blessing, the Ensign, New Era, and Friend magazines. Scripture study doesn't have to be reading a set number of chapters a day. Do you really learn what the Lord wants us to learn by reading 1 chapter a day? I don't. I learn the most when I take the time to actually study, not read the scriptures. I would also include any material for Sunday School, Priesthood, and Relief Society as scripture. If the First Presidency wants us to be taught in church about these things, then shouldn't we study it as if it is scripture because in my mind, it truly is scripture.One of my best friends told me that sometimes we need to plead on our knees before we get an answer because we need to show Heavenly Father that we really really want it. As I have thought about this, I have come to the conclusion that its not to show Heavenly Father we really really want it, but to show our self we want it. Heavenly Father knows everything that our heart desires and that is why I say it is for us. My challenge to you is to knock, seek, and keep knocking until you get an answer from Heavenly Father. Dont forget there are three different answers He can give, yes, no, and no reply at all. I had a different friend tell me that this last response from Heavenly Father is Him trusting us enough to make the choice. It could be all the options/choices in front of you are good ones for us and He already knows the choice we will make will be the best one for us, but do we always know that without struggling some?

Tithing

Tithing is a simple thing that can make the biggest difference. Tithing is giving 10% of your income back to the Lord. 10% of your gross or net is up to you, but i have heard someone say something to the effect of, do you want normal blessings, or great blessings? I have a testimony of tithing. Things just ALWAYS have a way of working out when tithing is one of the first things i take out of my check each payday. This year, i haven't been the best at paying my tithing each payday this year and it has been a bit stressful to say the least in trying to pay my bills. Each time i actually do pay my tithing, i am able to pay all my bills and have a little extra for me, but more importantly, i am happy. I know that as we each faithfully pay our tithing, things WILL work out. It may take a tiny bit of time for it to happen since Gods ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9), but it will work out. 

Diamond in the rough

Have you ever wondered where diamonds come from? I have. I remember asking my mom about 15 years ago and her telling me, that it is just a piece of ugly black charcoal that has been put under tremendous stress and pressure that has held it well and is transformed into a beautiful  diamond. As C.S. Lewis said hardships really do prepare us people for extraordinary things. We can look at the prophet Joseph Smith Jr. He has an infection that lasted for several months and ended up settling into his bone marrow that they ended up cutting out of his leg WITHOUT any kind of anesthesia what so ever, he was persecuted from age 14 on when he told people he saw God the Father and the Son in the Sacred Grove. Joseph and Emma lost 4-6 of the their children in infancy for different reasons. He was tarred and feathered several times. He was thrown into jail on false charges several times. He was chastised for asking to lend Martin Harris the 116 pages that ended up getting lost. He was murdered in his late 30's or early 40's (cant remember which) all to bring about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in these the latter days. What Joseph went through has literally brought MILLIONS to a restored knowledge of Jesus Christ and his gospel, but even more importantly, it allowed Joseph to turn to God our Heavenly Father in his trials and struggles. It allowed Joseph to find who he was and what he was willing to give up to help spread the gospel even farther in the world. 

We each go through trials and struggle with different things for many reasons to help us turn to God. It allows us to prepare for eternal life in the presence of God. Yes, life is hard. Yes we ALL struggle. Yes some give up. Yes we need to TRY again and again and again. Jesus Christ gave his life up for us, even if we do not partake of this amazing blessing. How many of us would be willing to die for every single person who has come, is currently on earth, and has yet to come to earth, no matter if they are male or female, no matter if you are white, black, chinese, japanese, indian, mexican, spanish, no matter what sins or crimes you commit in life??  The point of life is to turn to God in all our troubles and trials and to allow them to shape us into a person worthy to life with God for eternity. Dont give up. Dont give in. Turn to God always and he truly will direct your paths back to Him (Proverbs 3:6).