Measurements of Success

Have you ever been stuck in a car for 14 hours?, with nothing around except flat lands and rolling hills. You have no clue how truly far you are or when you are going to make it to your destination.

Life can be like this:

I remember talking to this man in Hamilton, Montana he didn't really believe in God ,and didn't really have any hope or knowledge of the purpose of life. He showed me this book that talked about measuring success, by something that is tangible.

For Example, if you want to go to  Placerville CA, you are close but if you are headed in the direction of Ocean City, MD you are miles away!

So how do we measure our spiritual success?

 We also have signs marking our way, it is given to us by the Holy Spirit, we can ask God ' Am I on the right path?'

Instead of seeing a sign that says you are this far away, God speaks to us through our feelings, our heart, and mind. The key is we can't be stubborn about asking for directions when we are lost or about to get lost!

How do you know that when you embark on a journey from your home to your desired destination that it is actually there?

We don't but that is why we walk by Faith, not by sight. (2 Cor. 5:7 )

There was a young man who wanted to know his state and standing before God, instead of receiving a 'you are doing good, or keep going', he was given a great work and responsibility. This young man was Joseph Smith, I am grateful he kept James's invitation alive ( James 1:5)

 I know that I can ask my Heavenly Father and he will teach and comfort me by the Holy Spirit.

If you want to know and have a personal relationship with your Heavenly Father, ask him he will answer.

 " When you do good you feel good, when you do bad you feel bad"

God and Jesus Christ, are closer than we think, know us better than we know and love us more than we can imagine.

If we need correcting, let us be Humble enough for that correction, and in all things you do Find Joy in the Journey.

The Mist of Darkness

Striving to become a disciple of Jesus Christ, I have felt that I, myself have went through the Refiner's fire. After I have gotten through it, i notice even more clearly the bad in the world.

As i was talking to a guy yesterday, he said that it is a good attempt to bring good into the world and what we are doing is honorable.

I realized it starts with one follower of Jesus Christ.

Why is unbelief so popular today?  I pondered on this very thought, with some of my friends in mind, I prayed and asked God to ' help me understand'. Then i read this talk ... " Finding ourselves in Lehi's Dream" http://lds.org/liahona/2010/08/finding-ourselves-in-lehis-dream?lang=eng&query=finding+ourselves+Lehis+dream

Who is Lehi and why is he so important?  He was a man of God, he was called to be a prophet. 

He had a dream, just as we have dreams. 

What was so important about his dream for us today?

 Read it carefully and find out!

I will give you some insight.  Lehi had a man come to him and told him to follow him, as he did he was led into darkness, where he traveled for many hours, he prayed to God to deliver him out of the Darkness.

 He came to a large and spacious field. In that field there was a  bright and glorious tree with fruit, the fruit was white and pure Lehi knew he wanted the fruit, he knew it would bring him happiness. As he ate the fruit,it filled him with that happiness, he wanted the rest of his family to come and eat it as well.

Two of his sons and his wife ate the fruit, but his two other sons, who were more rebellious didn't.

Lehi sees a rod of iron that leads to the tree .

• Tree and Fruit( Love of God)
• A Great and spacious building ( the world)
• Iron Rod ( the word of God)
• A river of water that separates the tree from the building
• A mist of Darkness ( Anything and Everything that will tempt us or pull us away from Jesus Christ)

 Lehi sees a lot of people holding on to this straight rod that leads them to the tree. As these people are holding to to the rod, a mist of Darkness comes along...

they lost their way, wandered off and were lost.

Others held to the rod, pressed forward through the mist of Darkness, clinging to the rod and even ate the fruit of the tree of life.

Sadly they were ashamed, the reason they were ashamed was because of the people laughed and mocked those who held on to the Rod of Iron and ate the fruit.

Then there were those who continually held on to the rod, and fell in humility at the base of the tree, and ate the fruit. These were those who ignored the unbelievers that mocked them and tried to pull them away.

 I pray that this will be a strong motivation for all of us to stay on the path that our Savior Jesus Christ has led!
There is a simple plan that our loving Heavenly Father created for us to find true Happiness and the way to return to him.          This is Jesus Christ, his example, his love and His Teachings!