The Fruits of the spirit

I missed last week because my companion was sick all weekend but now that he is all better, I can do my blog for the week. While I have been sitting and thinking about what could I share with people that could help them and I thought about what the fruits of the spirit are. Do you know where you could find it in the scriptures? It's in Galatians Chapter 5 verses 22-23 which read:

22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,goodness,faith,

23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

I thought about the Spirit and how I know when I feel the Holy Ghost testifying to me and the best way I can describe it is through these feelings. Not everyone will feel the exact same way it may be different from everyone else, the way that the Holy Ghost could testify to me could be something totally different of how the Holy Ghost will testify to you, but we know once we have felt it that it is the Holy Ghost. This is the way that I know the church to be true because the Holy Ghost has testified to me and I know it to be true.

Line upon line

Often there are times in my life that to me it seems that there are just so many things that I just don't understand. And many times I wonder how do all these peices come together how can I understand what the scriptures are trying to say, these few verses in Isaiah helped me understand and continue to help me understand when I learn new things. These verses is in Isaiah chapter 27 verses 9-10 which says:

9. Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

10. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

While I've been studying there have been times where I just don't understand things in the scripture I just have to break it down to smaller things so I can understand it better as it says line upon line and precept upon precept, so I too must even to just understand what things mean I must take it a little bit at a time. If I don't know what the answer is I know I'll get to better understand it as I'm learning new things every day. As we learn things a step at a time we can then learn and understand the doctrine.

Meditate on the scriptures

This week while I've been studing my scriptures this past week I thought of what else could I say of how important the scriptures are to me and why they are so important for us to read them and then I came accross this great scripture in Joshua that talked about just that. In Joshua Chapter 1 Verse 8 it says:

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

While reading this scripture it made me think about what I learn from the scriptures and how it helps me with the decisions I make in my life. I know that God knows what is best for me that is why he gave us commandments which we should follow not because they are to restrain us but the fact it's there for our protection, he knows if we live by his word which we can read in the scriptures and through his living prophet and apostles. As it says if we observe to do according to all that is written in the scriptures then we can be prosperous and have success. Let us continue to read his words everyday that we may be guided and we can know how to draw closer to him each day, and if were not reading I would like to give the challenge to read his word through the scriptures and see how it can help you.

The First and Second Greatest Commandments

So this week I've been thinking about what I should put up as my blog for the week and the first thought that came into my mind was the first and second greatest commandments. This has been one of my favourite things to talk about because I feel this is important for me to know. In St. Matthew 22:36-40 which says:

36. Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37. Jesus Said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord they God with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind.

38. This is the first and great commandment.

39. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love they neighbour as thyself.

40. On these two commandments hand all the law and the prophets.

What I find to be the command thread between the first and the second greatest commandments is how it talks about love. Love is something so powerful that there isn't enough words that can put it into it's description but it is something that we all know and cherish. The way we show our love for God and for Jesus Christ is by living the commandments so that we can draw closer to them. As we strive to show our love for God by living his commandments we will feel the love that he has for us.

An object lesson that I really like to use with this is with three simple things the scriptures, a ring, and a torch (flash light).  Imagine us as the ring as we focus our lives in the centre of the Gospel (Place the ring in the opened scriptures to Matthew 22: 36-40) can show our love for God as we live and follow his commandments. Each of us have a light of Christ (the torch or flash light) and when we shine that light on us while we are centred in the scriptures we will find that we show our love (or a heart shadow) will form as we centre our lives in the Gospel. Try this little object lesson and share it with others so that they too can feel God's love as we are living his commandments.

Testimony of God

There has been one thing that has always been true to me and I don't know why but I love the way that this verse in Alma chapter 30 verse 44 puts the testimony of God:

44) ...ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.

I really liked this verse because every time I think about all these things that we do have it makes me awe and wonder of all the great and marvelous things that God can do. I love looking up at the sky in a clear night seeing all the many stars and thinking about how the planet works and how everything is just perfect in the way that it was created. The Earth's creation was set just right at the right distance away from the sun tilted at the right angle with a moon that is just the right distance and how both circle around the sun. I can't imagine that the world just so happen to magically appear out of thin air with-out a creator. We also have these wonderful scriptures that testify that there is a God and he is the Father of all of our Spirits and he created everything. I love that we have these things that teach of our Heavenly Father and how we can be with him again. Let us take a look around us and remind ourself that God created everything he is our Supreme Creator and our God. He loves us very much he created everything around us for us.

Our Trials

Something that I have been thinking about recently is why we have to go through trials. I came across this scripture which I thought answered it very well. This scripture is found in Romans Chapter 5 Verses 3-5 which says:

"(3) And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

(4) And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 

(5) And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

(Mormon Channel of no trial is ever wasted)

Whenever we have these trials it's for our own benefit we gain so much from the many experiences we have in our life. I can feel God's love for me through my trials as I rely on the Holy Ghost for comfort and guidance. I know I must be patient and I know that I'm going to go through my own hard times, but I know that I'm being taken care of and God loves me very much and makes that known unto me. I have felt this when my grandfather had passed away, I was very sad and with the Holy Ghost I was able to push forward as I felt God's love for me. The Holy Ghost also comforted me by reminding me that I will see him again after this life. Having this great blessing has helped me much in my life and brings me much hope reading this and I know that even when things are bad, these experiences are for my good to help me grow. 

Can you feel God's love for you, through your experiences in life?

Good Samaritan

I've been reading in the Bible recently in the New Testament, I came across this parable which is very well known and one of my personal favorites. Today I wanted to do a post on the Good Samaritan. Found in St.Luke Chapter 10 verses 30-35

30 And Jesus answering said, a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

I think this parable teaches us that no matter who we are or where we come from, we should treat all of our neighbors our very best. The Samaritan who didn't even know this complete stranger had done his very thing, this "certain man" who fell among thieves would have surly died if the Samaritan had not helped him. The Samaritan had bound the man's wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and took him to a place he knew that the man could recover in. This act from the Samaritan shows the love he has for his neighbors even though he didn't know them. He had given his very best to help him when someone needed his help.
Here is a video link to this parable I really like this video:


http://www.mormonchannel.org/bible-videos?v=1452683665001

How can we like the Good Samaritan help our Neighbors (those around us)? It may not be a life of death situation like in the parable, but there is something that each of us can do for someone else. How will you help your Neighbors?