Here is the first edition of stories about how angels blessed our lives. I only have one today, but please if you have a story, email me it at john.woodworth@myldsmail.net. All will remain anonymous. I think that everyone has a story to tell and they can bless us with the truth they entail. Here is the first:
"Six years ago at the start of 8th grade I got very sick. I was unable to attend school for the first 2 months. It was the start of a new school year, groups and cliques had formed by the time I was capable of making it to school. Because of this, it was hard fore me to make friends. I was becoming depressed and felt like an outcast.
"My older, (and only) brother had recently entered the mission field. He had known I was sick, but had no knowledge of the difficulties I was experiencing at school. Despite this he wrote me a letter that changed my life. We were not very close friends prior to him leaving on his mission. The letter told me about how happy he was that we were brothers I looked up to him and wanted to be like him. Hearing this from someone so important, at such a rough time gave me the self confidence to be courageous in my search for friends.
"Since his return, my brother and I have been the best of friends. He changed my life at one of the most critical periods in a teenagers life. He has been an example to me and helped me become the person I am today. Had he not sent that letter, I don't know what would have happened. But I do know I would not where I am today.
"I am eternally indebted and grateful for what my brother has done, and continues to do for me."
(Author, Anonymous).
Monday, November 29, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Thanksgiving!
Happy Turkey Day to all! I love this time of year, just wish football could be a part of it. Being Thanksgiving time, these are the days when we look at what we are grateful for. President Thomas S. Monson gave a talk this last October about gratitude from which I will quote:
"We have all experienced times when our focus is on what we lack rather than on our blessings. Said the Greek philosopher Epictetus, 'He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.'5
Gratitude is a divine principle. The Lord declared through a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith:
'Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things. . . .
'And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things.'6
"In the Book of Mormon we are told to 'live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which [God] doth bestow upon you.'7
"Regardless of our circumstances, each of us has much for which to be grateful if we will but pause and contemplate our blessings.
"This is a wonderful time to be on earth. While there is much that is wrong in the world today, there are many things that are right and good. There are marriages that make it, parents who love their children and sacrifice for them, friends who care about us and help us, teachers who teach. Our lives are blessed in countless ways.
"We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Someone has said that 'gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.'8
'How can we cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude? President Joseph F. Smith, sixth President of the Church, provided an answer. Said he: 'The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life.' He continued: 'Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man!'9
"President Smith is telling us that a prayerful life is the key to possessing gratitude.
"Do material possessions make us happy and grateful? Perhaps momentarily. However, those things which provide deep and lasting happiness and gratitude are the things which money cannot buy: our families, the gospel, good friends, our health, our abilities, the love we receive from those around us."
-(The Divine Gift
of Gratitude, President Thomas S. Monson)
Let us all remember what blessings we've been given, and express our gratitude to those who have touched our lives. And let always remember to thank our God who has provided everything that is needful.
I'm grateful for a family that loves me even for how neglegant I can be and will support through life. And for friends who have been there in times of need and accept me for who I am, regardless of how reckless I truly am. Please now if you would comment on what your greatful for.
"We have all experienced times when our focus is on what we lack rather than on our blessings. Said the Greek philosopher Epictetus, 'He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.'5
Gratitude is a divine principle. The Lord declared through a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith:
'Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things. . . .
'And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things.'6
"In the Book of Mormon we are told to 'live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which [God] doth bestow upon you.'7
"Regardless of our circumstances, each of us has much for which to be grateful if we will but pause and contemplate our blessings.
"This is a wonderful time to be on earth. While there is much that is wrong in the world today, there are many things that are right and good. There are marriages that make it, parents who love their children and sacrifice for them, friends who care about us and help us, teachers who teach. Our lives are blessed in countless ways.
"We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Someone has said that 'gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.'8
'How can we cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude? President Joseph F. Smith, sixth President of the Church, provided an answer. Said he: 'The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life.' He continued: 'Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man!'9
"President Smith is telling us that a prayerful life is the key to possessing gratitude.
"Do material possessions make us happy and grateful? Perhaps momentarily. However, those things which provide deep and lasting happiness and gratitude are the things which money cannot buy: our families, the gospel, good friends, our health, our abilities, the love we receive from those around us."
-(The Divine Gift
of Gratitude, President Thomas S. Monson)
Let us all remember what blessings we've been given, and express our gratitude to those who have touched our lives. And let always remember to thank our God who has provided everything that is needful.
I'm grateful for a family that loves me even for how neglegant I can be and will support through life. And for friends who have been there in times of need and accept me for who I am, regardless of how reckless I truly am. Please now if you would comment on what your greatful for.
Friday, November 05, 2010
Goal
Alright everyone, I'm going to do something a little bit different. I have a goal, or a vision of what I want to see this blog page turn into. My goal is to involve others through it and incite discussion, like bringing your ideas to pages of the blog instead of just me ranting on. I have a whole list a awesome ideas I want to bring to the table but I need you help and input. Firstly, if you have any friends who could use the gospel message, please ask them to check out the blog. Also don't be afraid to comment or email ideas of what you want to see on the pages. Its still a work in progress but I need your help.
OK for my first theme I have a particular idea. I would like any and all to participate in this. Before I continue here is a snippet from a talk given by Elder Holland.
I have spoken here of heavenly help, of angels dispatched to bless us in time of need. But when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods. Some of them gave birth to us, and in my case, one of them consented to marry me. Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind. (The Ministry of Angels, October 2008 General Conference.)
I believe we've all seen or met angels in our lives, even for how corny it sounds. I'm asking you if you would email me a story of when an "angel" so to speak has blessed your life, and please if you would provide a picture, we're all friends here, or if you would like to remain anonymous that will do as well. I'm not asking for super personal experiences, note. My email is: john.woodworth@myldsmail.net. I'll also be sending a shout out to all those on my email list. So I can't say please enough, PLEASE!!!
Thank You
OK for my first theme I have a particular idea. I would like any and all to participate in this. Before I continue here is a snippet from a talk given by Elder Holland.
I have spoken here of heavenly help, of angels dispatched to bless us in time of need. But when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods. Some of them gave birth to us, and in my case, one of them consented to marry me. Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind. (The Ministry of Angels, October 2008 General Conference.)
I believe we've all seen or met angels in our lives, even for how corny it sounds. I'm asking you if you would email me a story of when an "angel" so to speak has blessed your life, and please if you would provide a picture, we're all friends here, or if you would like to remain anonymous that will do as well. I'm not asking for super personal experiences, note. My email is: john.woodworth@myldsmail.net. I'll also be sending a shout out to all those on my email list. So I can't say please enough, PLEASE!!!
Thank You
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Trying Not Enough
We've all seen that classic Star Wars film, The Empire Strikes Back. And we all remember that corny yet profound line give us by master Yoda, "Do or do not, there is no try." Too often we get caught up in life giving only a partial effort instead of giving it all we got. This relates to the gospel and gospel living. Striving to be more Christ-like requires more than a simple try, but all our might and strength. There is a short story I want to share about just doing it:
"An army officer called a soldier to him and ordered him to take a message to another officer. The soldier saluted and said, 'I'll try, sir! I'll try!' To this the officer responded: 'I don't want you to try, I want you to deliver this message.' The soldier, somewhat embarrassed, now replied: 'I'll do the best I can sir.' At this the officer, now disgusted rejoined with some vigor: 'I don't want you to try and I don't want you to do the best you can. I want you to deliver this message.' Now the young soldier, straightening to his full height, approached the matter magnificently, as he thought, when he saluted again and said: 'I'll do it or die sir.' To this the irate officer responded: 'I don't want you to die, I don't want you to merely do the best you can, and I don't want you to try. Now the request is a reasonable one; the message is important; the distance is not far; you are able-bodied; you can do what I have ordered. Now get out of here and accomplish your mission.' " (Spencer W. Kimball. The Miracle of Forgiveness.)
The Lord is the same way, he expects us to do. We may fail and fall from time to time, but that is part of the test, to get back on you feet and keep fighting.
Diligence: industrious, not idle of negligent
In what ways can we be mor diligent and not simply try but do? Please feel free to respond.
The Lord is the same way, he expects us to do. We may fail and fall from time to time, but that is part of the test, to get back on you feet and keep fighting.
Diligence: industrious, not idle of negligent
In what ways can we be mor diligent and not simply try but do? Please feel free to respond.
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