Getting The Hang Of It

"And we would ask that Elder Donohue bear his testimony, and we'll proceed from that point."

...


"Wait, what?"

:]

I bear my testimony, those things I believe and know of a spiritual nature, quite a bit as a missionary. Where before it may not have felt natural to just say whats on my mind or my heart, I now can't honestly see myself going a day without even the smallest declaration of the hope that is within me. (1 Peter 3:15)

That being said, doing so on the fly with just a tiny bit of heads up publicly in church is still not one of my strengths.

As I took the few minutes available to try to think about what I wanted to say and how I would say it, I started to psych myself out just a tiny bit... a precursor to being tongue tied. I do that quite a bit. But then a small voice somewhere within me came and said,

"Just be yourself."

Yes! That's the right answer, perfect! Thats what i'll do, i'll just be myself. Just be me...

...
Well, who the heck am I?!?

Thankfully the voice came again,

"You are a child of God."

And that felt like a pretty good place to start a testimony! And so I bore my testimony starting with that and for the most part feel that I said what I wanted to say and it all went peaches and cream.

The more I reflect on that statement, "You are a child of God", the more I sense a deeper understanding with it. It speaks volume of the relationship that we have with our Heavenly Father, it hints at our divine potential, and gives the feeling of peace and comfort knowing that there is someone who loves us and is looking out for us.

Elder L. Tom Perry once said,

"I can think of no greater teaching to our children than that of the power of prayer. We should do it by example, and take our children daily before the Lord and give them the peace and assurance that can come from knowing they are a child of our Father in Heaven."

Awwwwwww :)

I just want to +1 that statement by saying that I know of this truth because of prayer. No spiritual truth can be discovered and understood except through revelation, and the foundational and central truth of our God is always deepened through constant communication through prayer.

And that... is my testimony.

Whenever You Wonder...

It'll Be Okay!

And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

The Son of Man hath descended below them all.

D&C 122:7-8

A Tender Mercy This Day

Some Days Im Out Of Time... Not This Time

What is real? How do you define real? If you're talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.

Im going out on a limb here, but I promise it will come back to the tree trunk eventually...

Perception, basically what we see and experience, in large part determines what we find to be "real". From that, we base our values and opinions and beliefs off of our reality. We all have different and unique viewpoints on many things that are common, and because of this we come to different conclusions with basically the same amount of evidence... different realities of a sort if you will.

So again... What is real?
 

If 100,000 People See Chriss Angel Float Off A Building And Perceive Him To Fly, Is It Still Real?

Maybe what we should really be concerned with is truth. The better question may be, "What is true?" in any given situation. A quick definition of true from the dictionary pulls up things like, "In accordance with fact", and, "Something brought into exact shape, alignment, or position required"... a chasm of difference from what is only "real".

 There is power in knowing truth... the true nature of God, the truths of the gospel, the true capability of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. An understanding of these and other truths can help us react appropriately to struggles in life and act accordingly to the true gospel... to what is true instead of what may just be "real". In John 8:31-32, the verse reads

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

I often bear my testimony. I tell people what I know. I don't know the truth of all things, but I know that God loves His children. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true... That it is, "in accordance with fact" that Jesus Christ Himself established over 2000 years ago, restored to the earth through a modern day prophet. I know that it is, "something brought into exact shape, alignment, or position required" to one day bring us into a fullness of joy with our Father in Heaven. I know the gospel is true, and that living its precepts brings happiness and fulfillment. I know this... and it is true.

Would you like to know if it was true or not too?

Trust Fall

This great story came to my mind the other day and I wanted to share!

A little girl took her father’s lunch to him as he worked deep in a well. Although she could not see her father down in the darkness of the well, when she called to him he answered, so she knew he was there. The father told her to drop the lunch bucket into the hole, and he would catch it. He did so, and in a moment called up to her that he had too much lunch for just one person, and invited her to join him. “Jump,” he said, “and I will catch you. You cannot see me, but I can see you, and I will not let you fall.” She jumped into the dark well and landed safely in her father’s strong arms. Together they had a fun time sharing the lunch.

Great Story, Huh?!

Even though the hole was very deep and likely very scary, the little girl trusted her father after hearing his voice and knowing he was there. She could not see him, but she believed two things about her father: The first was that he COULD catch her, and the second was that he WOULD catch her.

Perhaps not just anyone could have caught her as she fell several feet down the dank well, but as her father was a strong working man, he would have no problem making sure she would be safe. He had the means and capability to make sure everything would be okay.

He also made the promise that he would not let her fall. He had a perspective so that he could see her perfectly silhouetted against the lighted backdrop of day, and he was attentive to her and aware of her as she peered over the edge into the blackness. He called out to her, and promised he would be right there. If she trusted him enough to leap, he would do the rest.

This trust that the father and daughter experienced together is like faith. We too cannot see our Father in Heaven, but He can see us and will make sure that we are okay. He has the power to do so, we have His promise He will follow through. Things wont always be perfect, but He will be there to make sure we end up in His arms as we fall through the darkness.

Ether 12:6 is one of my favorite scriptures on showing faith:

And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trail of your faith.

Human In All Our Ways And All Our Pains

The Doctrine of Jesus Christ is for all mankind, where ever we may be and whatever the background. It includes repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. Without any of these things we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, but first and foremost comes faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement. That belief and trust in him as shown through our actions and desires is the first step for anyone, all other steps coming after and through that person's faith.

One of the greatest stories on this faith came to mind as I was reading through the New Testament this morning and came upon the story where Jesus is walking on the water towards his apostles who are in the boat of a storm tossed sea as found in Matthew 14.

But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Why do I bring this story up in regards to faith? Jesus himself chastised Peter after catching him, saying that he had, "little faith" which we know because he had started to sink even after successfully taking a few steps.

However, I would just like to point out that you didn't read about any of the other Apostles even having the faith to set foot outside of the boat! Only Peter had faith great enough to even take that first step, to believe so wholly upon his Master and Savior that he climbed out of the relative safety of his boat and walked on water towards his rock and his Redeemer.

It was only when Peter took his sight off of Jesus that he began to sink. Only when he let his faith waiver and allowed the world to take his focus off the Lord did it all come undone. We too can be like Peter at times. We need to focus, stay alert, and always keep our mind on the Lord so as to not "sink" in this world we live in.

I know that if we call out unto Christ to be bade to walk out onto the water just as Peter did, the Lord will grant our request and see us safely through all things. I have seen it and I have lived it. Exercise faith unto actions of prayer, reading his word, and going to his holy house and you will find miracles.  As we "Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ", I know we will all find what we are really looking for.