What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Don't look on the person. Look upon the soul: it's eternal, it's delicate, it's godly, it's homesick for heaven, it's love and needing of love. In this we are alike. All connected, all longing for home, not belonging in this one. We all live different lives, yet we live them together – serving and inspiring and reassuring and rescuing each other while we're away from our Father.

Had FHE with our investigator Gabe. At the MTC, we got an online chat from someone stating that religions are meant to keep us separated. While there is much diversity among mankind, including religion, it helps us learn how to love and accept all of God's children. Nevertheless, God also desires that we're unified – not stagnate in confusion and disagreements. Therefore, He has give us the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as taught by His Son and as restored by His prophet.

Another messaged us claiming the Book of Mormon was full of lies and deceit. When we asked her if she had read it before, she had not but had read articles. Wanting to know where proof of the golden plates were, our Father in Heaven has provided 11 witnesses to testify of its reality. These golden plates can be read, pondered, and handled by everyone as tangible evidence of God's love in a book called the Book of Mormon. Read words written by God, not by man, to search for truth.

Holy smokies! The Mount Timpanogos Temple has adjusted to opening the baptistry at 4:30 am to accommodate all the youth that come before school. In one day, 364 baptisms were performed before 6 am! 

I thought I'd try an idea I'd heard to hold a small picture of Jesus for a day. Sometimes it felt awkward, and sometimes it felt inconvenient. Three times I set Him down. I was sad when I let go of Him, forgetting to keep Him in my hand. How many times throughout the day do we forget to keep Christ in our hearts? Every time I saw Him, I felt peace. Yet, even when we don't see Him, He's still there. When others saw me, they saw Christ. Is Christ engraven upon our countenances? Am I loving Christ more than anything else in my life?

"Our deepest fear is not that we're inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we're powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that others won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. We were born to manifest the glory of God within us. It's not just in some of us, but in everyone. As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." «« Marianne Williamson