The lesson in Sunday school this past week really got me thinking about where my heart is, and what I can change in my own personal life. Isn’t that the point of studying the scriptures? To help us see ourselves, and help us improve. So, we were studying in Matthew, Chapter 6, and we were discussing verses 20 and 21, “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” The question was posed, “How … Continue reading →

I have been loving studying the New Testament this year in Sunday School. There is nothing better than reading about Christ’s life. This past week, we talked about some of the miracles He performed while on this earth, and the lessons we can learn by applying the principles from these miracles in our lives. First, we discussed the reasons why Christ performed miracles. There were three reasons: * To build the faith of others * Compassion He felt towards others * To show His power Every miracle in the new testament can be categorized into one of those three reasons. … Continue reading →

In Sunday school this past week, I shared a story that was a little embarrassing, but did pertain to the lesson. The teacher asked if any of us had ever had a time when we wished that we were not who we were, or if there was a time when we didn’t want to make it known that we were LDS. I immediately thought of a story from my teenage years. As a teenager, living in Texas, I was usually very proud of who I was. All of my friends were non-mormon, and frequently asked me questions about my religion. … Continue reading →

When was the last time you memorized a scripture? For me, I know exactly when it was. It was on my mission. I’ve been home for almost 11 years now. In Sunday school this past week, the teacher gave us a challenge. We were talking about Christ being tempted by Satan after he had been fasting 40 days and 40 nights. We were talking about how he was tempted with every type of temptation that we face in this life. The physical temptations, the pride, and the temptation of power. Each of our temptations in this life can be placed … Continue reading →

Have you read the talk by Elder Dennis E. Simmons of the Seventy titled, But if Not? I was prompted to go look it up and read it after our lesson in Gospel Doctrine a couple of Sundays ago. It is a great talk, and I highly recommend reading it. The Old Testament is not my favorite. But, through studying it this year, I’ve learned some valuable lessons from those prophets of old. We talked about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. I was very sleepy during the lesson, and had a hard time listening (I know everyone has those days), but … Continue reading →

I once returned a pair of shoes that were sent to me on accident. I had paid for one pair in the store, and a second pair was sent to my home on accident. So I took the second pair back into the store, and handed them to the store clerk explaining the situation. He held the shoebox in his hand in disbelief and just looked at me. He then thanked me for my honesty and commented that he’d never seen that happen before. I was amazed that such a simple act of honesty was met with such incredulity. Is … Continue reading →

Have you ever seen the old Mormon ad with the backpack loaded with bricks? The point of the ad is that sin weighs you down and that repentance can help you take the burden away so you don’t have to carry all that weight around. I recently attended a youth conference, and the speaker there related sin to weeds in the garden. They’re damaging and you know you have to get them out. But if you just pull the top of the weed out, it will grow back even bigger. But when you pull the whole weed including the root, … Continue reading →

Intimacy between a husband and wife is a beautiful thing. It can bind you together in a way that strengthens you both and solidifies your relationship. It is both an expression of love and the means for the creation of children—both of which are amazing blessings. But intimacy outside of marriage is damaging to both relationships and to individuals emotionally and mentally which is why Latter-day saints place such an emphasis on staying sexually pure. The For the Strength of Youth pamphlet outlines some of the guidelines for Latter-day Saints of all ages. Being sexually pure is required for entering … Continue reading →