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Continuing Revelation

Thursday, January 10, 2019

Stay on the Boat

God Has To Laugh
Every day when I start a new
I think what is there to do.
A list of tasks from A-Z flood my mind.
There is so much to do
and not enough time
at least that’s how I see it.
So I stopped to ask,
Help for priority, help for the Mundane,
help for the little guy
I forgot his name.
Help for the guidance needed.
Not once have I asked for what priority God had
Not listening for the ease of the day
that would cast a ray
On all the things that I need to do and say.
Prayers, yes it’s true is a talk with God.
Part of praying is stopping long enough
for all of the days actions to be understood

Elder Ballard in his 2014 October conference address said “ Given the challenges we all face today, how do we stay on the Old Ship Zion?
Here is how. We need to experience a continuing conversion by increasing our faith in Jesus Christ and our faithfulness to His gospel throughout our lives--not just once but regularly. Alma asked, “And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren [and sisters], if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?”

I would like to address four things that we have to hold on to while the Old ship Zion is pitching in the waters of life.
1)we must follow the living Prophets and Apostles
2)We must have a working knowledge of the Plan of Salvation
3) We must realize that we are apart of an Eternal Family
4) We must learn to find the Holy Sabbath a delight

Who can we follow? That's a hard question. Especially when there are many who are shouting for and biding for our attention. Many give up floundering. Content to just doing their own thing. These people are lost.
The people of Zeniff eager to find the land of their inheritance went out only to run into the Lamanites. They gave up half of all they had eventually loosing all they had to lamenites. They thought their people had perished and became subject to the Lamenites. They were not paying attention to the prophets or their leaders.
There is someone that we can look to, to bring us to safety. That person is the prophet of the Lord.
President Russell M Nelson  has been prepared for our day. Like many that have come before him they were to guide their people through the torrent of worldly wisdom. He speaks for our day and time to bring us to safety.The heavens are not closed.
The Father loves and expects much from us. We need a leader who has a knowledge of and experience with listening to and applying the will of the father. The scriptures have taught that "surely the Lord God will do nothing, save he will reveal his secret to his servants the prophet. (Amos 3:7)" The prophet speaks with the Father.
With that knowledge then... that we have a leader. Someone who is willing to guide us through the storm. We have to then choose to follow him. No one is going to make us choose to follow him.
Just like everything in the gospel of Jesus Christ we are free to choose.
Christ told us that he would take care of us. As long as we are willing to follow him (2nd Nephi 2:27-29). The part of the individual is following the prophet.
When others have wandered from the path and jumped off the old ship Zion it is so important for us to help them back aboard. Give a hand of encouragement. Repentance is possible through the gracious gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Take the opportunity to share your testimony  every chance you can. Invite others to recognize the loftiness and pride of the worldly wisdom that is all around them. Be willing to share your testimony of how the Gospel has changed your life. Be able to offer examples of how your testimony of the prophet and following  his example has led you to come to know more of your Savior, Jesus Christ.
This is truly the work of the master. Bringing others to the knowledge of the Savior. Helping others back when they have fallen short. Ours is not to judge. It is but to be a help in facilitating our Heavenly Father in rescuing some of his children.
2nd  having an understanding of the plan of salvation is a crucial hand old to keeping on the Old Ship Zion.
Everywhere we go there are evidences of our heavenly father. From things so very small, to things huge Jesus Christ is found in it all. We just need to learn to recognize him. It is vital to learn to focus on the things of the spirit. The learning that is needed can be found by asking yourself a series of questions.
Who am I?
Where did I come from?
Where am I going?
Who am I suppose to be through the grace of the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ?
Knowing the answers to these simple questions allows us to answer all the other questions that come during this thing called life.
 What are my goals?
What do I focus on?
How do I view the world?
What really matters to me?
Everything that we do has to in one way or another lead us to the Master. This life is a time for us to prepare to meet God. Alma taught that we are here in a probationary state that we may learn and grow. The Savior taught that we must come unto him. Cast on him our every care and find shelter in within his embrace.
What are your goals?
Everyone should set at least a few spiritual and temporal goals. Having goals creates an atmosphere of learning. Your willing to try new things. Seeking to better yourself and your following the example of Jesus Christ. Your always striving. You are always growing in an effort to attain those goals you have set.
Each person is  different. As such  your goals may not be the same as mine. The important thing is that you have them!
It is so important that you set them high and self inspect often to make certain that you are on the road to attaining yours and the Father’s aspirations for you.
Ask yourself, what do I focus on? What in the world excites me? What is it that gets my attention. Am I easily distracted from what I am doing?If so it is time to recognize it and discipline yourself. Focusing your attention is a huge asset to your family. Easily finding the ability to make the important decisions when it is time to make them!
How you view the world tells alot about what you care about. Recognizing the hand of the father in all things helps to see the greatness all around us. The strength of the oceans to the gentle breeze show us the hand of the father. All good things come from the father. Moroni tells us that all good things lead us to the Savior of the world, even Jesus Christ.
What matters most? Everything hinges on this question. If you are involved in something and you don't want to be you are not going to give one hundred percent. On the other hand if you recognize what you want and attack it you will accomplish so much more. As long as you are doing your best striving to live the gospel to the best of your ability. That is all that is being asked of you !!!

Third hand hold to keep us on the Old Ship Zion comes within the family.  The greatest opportunities for growth in this life are found with the walls of own homes. The family is where so many firsts are experienced. In the family is where sweet special memories are formed and eternal relationships are forged.

A few years ago during  FHE (Family Home Evening) I had been thinking a lot about the Proclamation on the family.

So I had everyone, spell the word family as an acronym

F (fart was the first choice) Forever Families. Families can be together forever. All of us are apart of an                                      eternal family. We are able to learn much from one another as we recognize that relationship with one another.

A Apply or Application We talked about applying what we learn. Internalize the lessons make them apart of our daily lives. study it out,  learn all you can and then put it to action.

M Marriage Recognize where and when it is appropriate to start a family. Marriage between a man and a woman is part of the plan. We are to work together and teach together and raise a family in unity an a desire to all return home.

I  Insurance, we might have stretched this a little. but the idea here is that we do those little things that insure us returning to our father. Reading our scriptures, Praying, FHE, going to church. These things build a safe haven from the outside world.

L Live, Laugh,LOVE memories that is where it is all at. Daily creating a atmosphere that will bring us closer together. I think it is so true that laughing provides for strong bonds. The greatest example of love is the Savior. If as a family we can learn about him and build our lives around him and his example we will come to be able to  love our neighbors that much easier.

Y Youth, You : In the family you are defined. Your character is molded and formed. Your values are created.

The family is the greatest and biggest piece to our fathers plan.

The fourth handhold keeping us on the Old Ship Zion is Sabbath day observance
Elder Ballard taught “All of us are blessed when the Sabbath is filled with love for the Lord at home and at church. When our children are taught in the ways of the Lord, they learn to feel and to respond to His Spirit. We will all desire to attend each Sunday to partake of the sacrament when we feel the Spirit of the Lord. And all, young and old, who are carrying heavy burdens will feel the spiritual uplift and comfort that comes from a Sabbath day of devoted contemplation of our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
When the Sabbath day is observed we are showing our love for the Father and Son. Christ taught us that “If ye Love me keep my commandments.” Just a few verses more he calls us his Friend if ye do whatsoever I have commanded. We make covenants that start us out on this path. Keeping the Commandments allows us to be exalted.
Sabbath day observance is a hard thing for me. Separating out the day from the rest of the week. The church has become apart of  who I am. If I am not at work I am doing something during the day like scripture study, driving kids to mutual activities, visiting someone in the ward. Everyday there is something that keeps Heavenly Father front and center. So, how should one single out the day?
Creating an atmosphere in the home on the Sabbath like one was at the temple could help to make a attitude of reverence and admiration for the Savior. Being in the temple working or worshipping allows for a different perspective. In the temple we are reverent, quiet. The phone is not at arms reach notifying one of the recent news events. The latest sale that Disney had before raising its prices for its new park attractions.  Placing all the cares of the day in the rear view. That can be a monumental task. However, allowing the things of God to be first for one day will change the smallest wave that challenges and heartaches cause. The whole observance requires what may seem as sacrifice at first. But opens a whole new perspective, a new higher view that offers sweet assistance and maybe even more proficient.
Placing the sweet special feeling of the temple within the home offers a blessing of security.

Conclude with testimony

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