Push a Handcart or Share the Gospel

                                                       

    Today while listening to General Conference, I was intrigued by the words of Dieter F. Uchtdorf when he said "Some members in this church would rather push a handcart hundreds of miles, than talk to their friends about the Gospel."  As I thought about this I laughed a little bit, but the reality is that there are some members who would rather do this.  But why?  We have the "Good news" of the savior!  This Gospel is something that has changed our lives and has the ability to change the life of every individual we know.  What joy would it bring to us, to give each person we knew a $100 Bill.  We would love to see the reaction on their faces, and we would be stunned if they were to turn us down.  We have in our possesion something that is above any earthly amount of money.  So I ask again, Why not share this with everyone we know? 

                                           

     The Savior said  "Lift up your voices unto this people;  speak the thoughts which I shall put into your hearts, and ye shall not be confounded before men" (D&C 100:5)  All the Lord asks is that we talk about the Gospel to our friends and say the things he would have us say.  I know that by doing this and sharing the Gospel, we will feel as Ammon did when he said "My joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God. … I cannot say the smallest part which I feel."(Alma 26: 11, 16)

                                        

     May we all lift up our voices and talk to our friends about this wonderful Gospel that our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ has given us. 

Vallejo Reunion

       Yesterday and today I had to opportunity to go back to one of my old areas.  I went back to Vallejo where I served just over a year ago.   It was great to be back there and see some of the people I remember.  It was great to see that things are still doing great and the people I love are still going strong.

   There was one person in particular who I was especially joyous to see, his name was Marlon Jones.  I first met Marlon in December 2009.  We were walking down the street and we saw Marlon.  We went over and talked to him and he mentioned he just got out of surgery and that it would be best to come by another time.  At that time I had no idea that this encounter would lead to a strong and eternal friendship.    We went over the next night and taught him about the restored gospel and it brought hope and a sense of freedom to him.  We taught him for several months and he was baptized.  His life has been greatly changed ever since he has embraced the gospel.
                                                   


    Today when I saw him again I felt the same way as Alma and the Sons of Mosiah did when they met together again for the first time in several years, Alma said "Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord" (Alma 17:2)   As I saw and talked to Marlon today, he is still my brother in the Lord.  He has such a strong testimony still and a devotion to follow Christ.

     I can't wait for the day that I get to reunite with all those I have met, and to see them still strong in the gospel.  It is what gives me added strength to always be obedient and live faithfully.  As Joseph smith said "there are many of whom I have loved, to them I am determined to prove faithful."

     May we all live faithfully in our testimonies of the gospel, so we can dwell in joy together.

There is sunshine in my soul

                                                     

    The past couple of days have been dark, cloudy, and rainy, here in Santa Rosa, CA.  I feel that when it rains there is a dreariness that comes over us and our moods are changed.  These feelings seem to last until the rays of sunshine fill the air again.

     Likewise we have times in our life where our soul is filled with a dark, cloudy dreary feeling.  These feelings come from the storms of life.  These may be caused from a lack of obedience to Gods commandments, recent hardships in our life, or other things that draw our attention and thoughts away from the Savior.  Many people do not know how to get rid of these feelings.  They don't know how to bring in the rays of sunshine into their souls.

   I Think of a song that we sing in church that goes like this 

There is sunshine in my soul today,

More glorious and bright

Than glows in any earthly sky,

For Jesus is my light.  

Oh, there’s sunshine, blessed sunshine
When the peaceful happy moments roll.
When Jesus shows his smiling face,
There is sunshine in the soul.

Jesus Christ is the light that will illuminate our souls and bring the joyous, peaceful, warming rays of sunshine back into our life.  I know that he lives and that as we turn to him we will be filled with light.  

  

Awake O My soul

  Yesterday we were visiting with a man who just two weeks ago was in the depths of addiction.  He is a recent convert to the church and after he was baptized fell back into his old lifestyle of drugs.  He has been struggling with it for several months now.  When we went by two weeks ago, he was discouraged, depressed, and down. We told him to pray everyday for strength to go forward.

    We went by yesterday, and immediately as we walked in something felt vastly different.  He was happy, he was optimistic.  He was beaming with joy and hope.  As we continued to talk he mentioned that he has received answers to his prayers, and that he had been clean for 2 weeks now.  He mentioned how much better he felt and the hope he had for the future.  It was such a cool thing to see.  And it reminded me of verse from Nephi's Psalm in 2 Nephi 4 in the Book of Mormon "Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul."  (2 Nephi 4:28)


      His soul truly has been awakened!!