From President Thomas S Monson's talk on The Holy Temple during the April 2011 General Conference,

"My brothers and sisters, temples are more than stone and mortar. They are filled with faith and fasting. They are built of trials and testimonies. They are sanctified by sacrifice and service."



Why are we here?

Here is a wonderful quote from the April 2012 General Conference by President Thomas S Monson,

"In our times of deepest reflection or greatest need, the soul of man reaches heavenward, seeking a divine response to life’s greatest questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where do we go after we leave this life?"

For answers to these questions, you can find them here.

This is a picture I took in the Kanarraville Creek slot canyon in southern Utah.

How Great Thou Art

Michelle and I just got back from a trip to Las Vegas for a training conference for work.  On our way there we stopped in Kanarraville, Utah to hike the canyon there.  When we were inside the canyon together and standing there in the creek looking up at the beautifully sculpted sandstone, these words came to mind,

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

 

She said "YES!!"

This post is for my sweetheart.  You see, we have been married now for 14 years and in September it will be 15.  We have learned so much together and I am so happy that when I proposed to Michelle in June of 1997 that she said yes.  I tell her, "thank you for saying yes."  On that day she said yes to taking this magnificent journey here on earth and into the eternities with me.  For that I am eternally grateful that she is my companion on this amazing trip.  The picture I post today is of a little bed and breakfast in Midway, Utah.  Michelle and I have celebrated a couple of our anniversaries here over the years.  It works out great because it is such a beautiful setting to take such a beautiful woman.  Our anniversary generally coincides with Swiss Days up there so we are able to go and walk around the booths together to see all the different arts and crafts.  Spending time with my eternal companion and trying to make her happy is the greatest thing that I can do and brings about the greatest happiness for me.  I have changed a lot since getting married and all for the better I believe.  We do stuff together now that I would have never dreamed of doing as a single guy, but I find that it makes Michelle happy and that is what makes me happy.  We now are season ticket holders to Hale Theater and Broadway across America at Capitol Theater.  We watch period piece "chick" flicks together.  I now enjoy the arts and thanks to my wonderful wife's encouragement to do what I like and development my talents I have found a love of photography that I enjoy sharing with others.  I cannot wait for the many adventures that await the both of us as we grow old together knowing that we are sealed together for time and all eternity in the House of the Lord.

I love this quote by Germaine De Stael that states,

"Love is the emblem of eternity, it confounds all notion of time, effaces all memory of a beginning, all fear of an end."

Creation

Genesis chapter 1 verses 9-12 reads,

"9 ¶And God said, Let the ^awaters under the heaven be gathered together unto ^bone place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

10 And God called the dry land ^aEarth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth ^agrass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

12 And the earth ^abrought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his ^bkind: and God saw that it was good."

I am so grateful for such a beautiful earth that our Heavenly Father created for me and for all.  Everywhere you look, you can find the wonder of His creation.

Positive Attitude

I love this quote from President Thomas S Monson's First Presidency message in January 2012 when he said,

"We can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. For maximum happiness, peace, and contentment, may we choose a positive attitude."

This picture I took last year of the Bountiful Tabernacle.  This is one of the oldest LDS church buildings that is still in use today.  A beautiful building right in the heart of Bountiful, Utah.

Impact

In John chapter 15 verse 13 it reads, "Greater ^alove hath no man than this, that a man lay down his ^blife for his ^cfriends."  Daniel Lee Knapp did just that on December 29, 2011.  He gave his life to save another.  He entered dangerous waters to save a stranger and in turn gave up his own life.  He saw this person as a brother in the gospel of Jesus Christ and one who needed help.  He is a true hero in every sense of the word.
He was a special agent in the FBI and recently won a couple of great awards for his hard work and service in Puerto Rico.  Again, he was a hero to his country.

He was also a hero to his family, as he gave his kidney to his brother to save his life.  This band of brothers each standing there at each corner of his casket to carry his body to its final resting place.  A tribute to the fact that they are there for each other in this life and the next.

I only wish I could have known him better than I did because he was the type of person that many people would like to be.  He loved his Heavenly Father and you knew it.  He loved his fellow man and you knew it.  He loved life and you knew it.  He was prepared to return with honor to our Heavenly Father.  I am sure that as he passed through the veil and was able to run as a child runs to their Father and with open arms to embrace in a giant hug that he heard these words whispered in his ear, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."  May we live our life that the same can be said of us and that we too can hear those same words and be reunited again with Danny.

Lying in a manger

From Luke chapter 2,

"10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you ^agood tidings of great ^bjoy, which shall be to all people.

 11 For unto you is ^aborn this day in the city of David a ^bSaviour, which is Christ the ^cLord.

 12 And this shall be a ^asign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

 14 ^aGlory to God in the highest, and on earth ^bpeace, good will toward men."

Beggars

For this post, I am going to take you back to a lesson I had in church this year.  For those of you in the LDS Church, it was from an Elder's Quorum lesson that we had.  The person teaching was discussing Mosiah chapter 4 for our lesson.  The lesson became very vocal with a lot of participation when we began talking about the people who panhandle downtown and especially at Temple Square.  Of course, this can apply to anywhere.  Before this lesson, I would always walk on by tell them no, even if I had money on me.  Now, I know this can and will cause differing feelings amongst many, but I am going to share my experience on how I received this lesson and have applied it.  I will tell you that I have changed what I now do because of it.  The words from these passages of scripture have had a great impact on my life and how I look at these beggars.  I now give whenever I can, whether it is a $1, $5 or $10.  I have found that it is not my position to determine if they are in need or not, I feel that I am blessed for giving and it is up to them on how they use the money as they will be held accountable for their own actions.  Please read the following from Mosiah chapter 4 and see if it will not change the way you look at this issue.  Have a Merry Christmas and enjoy the photo I took the other night at Temple Square.  From Mosiah chapter 4, King Benjamin preaches and it has made me take notice,

14 And ye will not suffer your ^achildren that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye ^bsuffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and ^cquarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the ^devil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness.

15 But ye will ^ateach them to ^bwalk in the ways of truth and ^csoberness; ye will teach them to ^dlove one another, and to serve one another.

16 And also, ye yourselves will ^asuccor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the ^bbeggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.

17 Perhaps thou shalt ^asay: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—

18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.

19 For behold, are we not all ^abeggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

20 And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a ^aremission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his ^bSpirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with ^cjoy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.

21 And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to ^aimpart of the substance that ye have one to another.

22 And if ye ^ajudge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your ^bcondemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life ^cbelongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done.

23 I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are ^arich as pertaining to the things of this world.

24 And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I ^agive not because I ^bhave not, but if I had I would ^cgive.

25 And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless, otherwise ye are ^acondemned; and your condemnation is just for ye covet that which ye have not received.

26 And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you—that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may ^awalk guiltless before God—I would that ye should ^bimpart of your substance to the ^cpoor, every man according to that which he hath, such as ^dfeeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants.

27 And see that all these things are done in wisdom and ^aorder; for it is not requisite that a man should run ^bfaster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.

28 And I would that ye should remember, that whosoever among you ^aborroweth of his neighbor should return the thing that he borroweth, according as he doth agree, or else thou shalt commit sin; and perhaps thou shalt cause thy neighbor to commit sin also.

29 And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them.

30 But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not ^awatch yourselves, and your ^bthoughts, and your ^cwords, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and ^dcontinue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.

Spirit of Christ

Here is a great quote from President Thomas S Monson.  It comes from the December 1986 New Era magazine.  He said,

"If we change but one word in our Christmas question, the outcome is vastly different. “What did you give for Christmas?” prompts stimulating thought, causes tender feelings to well up and memory’s fires to glow ever brighter.

Someone has appropriately said, “We make a living by what we get, but we build a life by what we give.”

Giving, not getting, brings to full bloom the Christmas spirit. Enemies are forgiven, friends remembered, and God obeyed. The spirit of Christmas illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world’s busy life and become more interested in people than things. To catch the real meaning of the spirit of Christmas, we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the spirit of Christ."

This is the photo I took of the Salt Lake Temple a couple of nights ago while viewing the lights with my family.  I hope you enjoy and have a very Merry Christmas!!

What is it that counts here?

This quote is a little long but well worth the read.  It is a quote from President Thomas S Monson in the 2011 Christmas devotional when he in turn quoted from the book The Mansion by Henry Van Dyke.  This book is a great book that will help to bring the Christmas spirit into your life.  Here is the quote and a photo I took last night while at Temple Square.

"One evening John sat in his library in a comfortable chair contemplating his wealth. Before him were spread descriptions and pictures of the Weightman wing of the hospital and the Weightman Chair of Political Jurisprudence, as well as an account of the opening of the Weightman Grammar School. John Weightman felt satisfied. He had built a large fortune, and when he gave, he wanted to be recognized. His philosophy toward giving could be summed up in his own statement: “No pennies in beggars’ hats! … Try to put your gifts where they can be identified.”

He picked up the family Bible which lay on the table, turned to a passage, and read to himself the words:

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19–20).

The book seemed to float away from him. He leaned forward upon the table, his head resting on his folded hands. He slipped into a deep sleep.

As he dreamed, John Weightman was transported to the heavenly city. A guide met him and others whom he had known in life and advised that he would conduct them to their heavenly homes.

A devoted husband of an invalid wife was shown a lovely mansion, as was a mother, early widowed, who reared an outstanding family. A paralyzed young woman who had lain for 30 years upon her bed—“helpless but not hopeless”—received a lovely mansion. She had succeeded “by a miracle of courage in her single aim, never to complain, but always to impart a bit of her joy and peace to everyone who came near her.”

Pausing before a beautiful mansion, the guide said, “This is [the home] for you, [Dr. McLean.] Go in; there is no more [sickness] here, no more death, nor sorrow, nor [pain]; for your old enemies are all conquered. But all the good that you have done for others, all the help that you have given, all the comfort that you have brought, all the strength and love that you bestowed upon the suffering, are here; for we have built them all into this mansion for you.”

One after another the travelers were led to their own mansions and went in gladly; and from within, through the open doorways, came sweet voices of welcome.

By this time, John Weightman was impatient to see what mansion awaited him. As he and the guide walked on, the homes became smaller. At last they reached an open field, bare and lonely looking. In the center of the field was a tiny hut. Said the guide, “This is your mansion, John Weightman.”

Shocked, John Weightman told the guide that he must have confused him with some other John Weightman. With resentment in his voice, he cried, “Is this a suitable mansion for one so well known and devoted? Why is it so pitifully small and mean? Why have you not built it large and fair, like the others?”

Replied the guide, “That is all the material you sent us.”

John Weightman was mortified. “Have you not heard that I have built a school-house; the wing of a hospital; … three … churches.”

“Wait,” the guide cautioned. “… They were not ill done. But they were all marked and used as foundations for the name and mansion of John Weightman in the world. … Verily, you have had your reward for them. Would you be paid twice?”

A sadder but wiser John Weightman posed a sincere question: “What is it that counts here?”

Came the reply: “Only that which is truly given. … Only that good which is done for the love of doing it. Only those plans in which the welfare of others is the master thought. Only those labors in which the sacrifice is greater than the reward. Only those gifts in which the giver forgets himself.”

You Matter

A quote from President Uchtdorf during the October 2011 General Conference,

"My dear brothers and sisters, it may be true that man is nothing in comparison to the greatness of the universe. At times we may even feel insignificant, invisible, alone, or forgotten. But always remember—you matter to Him!"

This photo I took a couple of years ago from the Joseph Smith Memorial Building around Christmas time.  A fresh light snow was dusting the spires of the temple.



Love their Mother

As a father of 4 beautiful children, I found this quote from Elaine Dalton's talk in the October 2011 General Conference that applies to all parents.  I really like this quote from her because we as parents always want what is best for our children and as a father it has been so clearly laid out to us.  The best thing we can do for our kids is not get them the latest fashions or video games.  The greatest thing we can do for them above all else is love their mother.  Here is her quote and a photo I took of the St George Temple.

"Love her mother so much that your marriage is celestial. A temple marriage for time and all eternity is worthy of your greatest efforts and highest priority. It was only after Nephi had completed the temple in the wilderness that he stated, “And … we lived after the manner of happiness.”² The “manner of happiness” is found in the temple. It is covenant keeping. Don’t let any influence come into your life or your home that would cause you to compromise your covenants or your commitment to your wife and family."

Winds of Change

     Having just returned from St George, my family and I were able to take a quick trip to Zion National Park for me to be able to take some pictures and to do some hiking.  You cannot help but recognize the hand of God wherever you go there.  The landscape is truly one of His masterpieces and how blessed I am to be able to share that with my family and to be able to capture it with my camera.  I am simply in awe at how God has carved the landscape into something so amazing and beautiful.  It quite literally will take your breath away.
     I love this quote by President Thomas S Monson in the October 2011 general conference when he said,

"As the winds of change swirl around us and the moral fiber of society continues to disintegrate before our very eyes, may we remember the Lord’s precious promise to those who trust in Him: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”⁹





Salt Lake Temple

The Temple is the House of the Lord.  I am so grateful for the temples that we have on the earth today.  I am so blessed to live so close to both the Salt Lake Temple and the Bountiful Temple and I am so grateful for the blessings that we receive therein.  This quote is from the April 1993 General Conference and is from President Gordon B Hinckley talking about the anniversary of the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple.

"Now let me return to April 6, 1893. A terrible storm arose that day. Rain fell in torrents, and the wind blew with savage fury. It was as if the forces of evil were lashing out in violent protest against this act of consecration.

But all was peace and quiet within the thick granite walls. The aged prophet, then eighty-six, led the way to the beautiful fifth-floor assembly room. The room was filled to capacity in this, the first of forty-one sessions. After appropriate preliminary expressions in music and speech, President Woodruff stepped to the pulpit at the east end of the room and offered the prayer of dedication.

It was a moving and powerful prayer. It was an expression of the hearts of those who love the Lord.

It was followed by a wondrous voicing of the Hosanna Shout by all assembled. The choir then burst forth with Evan Stephens’s setting of those same words of praise to the Almighty: “Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna to God and the Lamb!”

Then the congregation joined in singing, “The Spirit of God like a Fire is burning,” which had first been sung at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple."

Pleadings

Prayer is such an important part of my life.  It is a time in which I get to talk with my Heavenly Father and let him know how I am doing.  Just as I am interest in what my children have done and learned, so to is our Heavenly Father waiting to hear about our days.  He wants to know how we are feeling and what we are thinking.  He waits to bless us if we will but ask.  He wants what is best for us.  This quote is from Elder Russell M Nielson in the April 2011 General Conference when he said,

"If we pray with an eternal perspective, we need not wonder if our most tearful and heartfelt pleadings are heard. This promise from the Lord is recorded in section 98 of the Doctrine and Covenants:

“Your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord … and are recorded with this seal and testament—the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted.

“Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name’s glory, saith the Lord.”⁸

The Lord chose His strongest words to reassure us! Seal! Testament! Sworn! Decreed! Immutable covenant! Brothers and sisters, believe Him! God will heed your sincere and heartfelt prayers, and your faith will be strengthened."

Forget Me Not

President Uchtdorf said it best in the Relief Society session of the October 2011 General Conference when he said,

"The lesson here is that if we spend our days waiting for fabulous roses, we could miss the beauty and wonder of the tiny forget-me-nots that are all around us."





Participate

From the First Presidency Message in the July 2002 Ensign, President James E Faust said,

"Francis Webster, a member of the Martin Company, stated, “Everyone of us came through with the absolute knowledge that God lives for we became acquainted with him in our extremities.”⁷ I hope that this priceless legacy of faith left by the pioneers will inspire all of us to more fully participate in the Lord’s work of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children."

Here is another photo I took at Martins Cove in central Wyoming.  I think of those Saints there in Martins Cove exactly 155 years ago today.  They were in the cove in a blizzard from November 4th to the 9th of 1856. 

Worth of Souls

In life we experience many ups and downs.  The adversary continually works to make sure that we stay down as much as possible.  However, Heavenly Father wants us to experience joy.  I love this quote from Elder Uchtdorf during the October 2011 General Conference when he said,

"But even though man is nothing, it fills me with wonder and awe to think that “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.”⁷

And while we may look at the vast expanse of the universe and say, “What is man in comparison to the glory of creation?” God Himself said we are the reason He created the universe! His work and glory—the purpose for this magnificent universe—is to save and exalt mankind.⁸ In other words, the vast expanse of eternity, the glories and mysteries of infinite space and time are all built for the benefit of ordinary mortals like you and me. Our Heavenly Father created the universe that we might reach our potential as His sons and daughters.

This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God. While against the backdrop of infinite creation we may appear to be nothing, we have a spark of eternal fire burning within our breast. We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation—worlds without end—within our grasp. And it is God’s great desire to help us reach it."



Adversity

Elder Neal A Maxwell said, "...unless we are filled with resolve, what will we say to the heroes and heroines of Martin’s Cove and the Sweetwater? That “we admire you, but we are reluctant to wade through our own rivers of chilling adversity”?"

This is the photo I took at Martins Cove of the statue for the Sweetwater Rescue.  This was for the 3 young men who ended up giving their lives to save the lives of the Martin Company.