OUR POTENTIAL

  Hercules was always one of my favorite movies growing up. I love the story of a boy who has fallen from godhood to become an average Joe, who then realizes his potential; he could become a god. Over the years I've come to realize, and understand that every single one of us our God's children, and we all have the opportunity to become gods, and goddesses.
 One thing that I've often thought long and hard about in relation to Hercules is that throughout all of Hercules' life he works hard doing everything he thought would make him a god. He goes up against all the evils of the world, flaunting his strength, and helping people but in the end its not until he is willing to die for someone he loves that he attains the title of god. 
  All of us are children of Heavenly Father. We too are promised the opportunity to become gods, and goddesses, but its not until we are willing to give up our lives for those we love that we are given that blessing. In John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." We know that Christ is the greatest example to all of us. Its only when we become like him that we can then obtain the promised blessings, in Romans 8: 17, of becoming "joint- heirs with Christ" . If we all start today laying down our lives for our friends by; serving them, showing them we love, and caring for them. Then are we on the path to receiving our inheritance.

THE PATH MORE TRAVELLED

Since I first heard the words of the poem " The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost, I have tried to live a life of roads less traveled.  But it hasn't been until recently that I've begun to see this poem in a new light...

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

When I look at the world today I see many paths that are being made to draw people away from our Savior Jesus Christ. His path is beginning to be more and more the path less traveled. It scares me because Christ is our example. He has come and has prepared a path for all to follow. Sometimes it may seem scary to take a step into the unknown, and fully rely on the Lord, but he's not one to lead us astray. His path is set, and is never changing. The world is full of ever changing paths. You never know what may come of a worldly path, but the path that our Savior has left is one that has one destination... ETERNAL LIFE!  When we choose to follow Jesus' path that doesn't mean it will be easy, after all it wasn't easy for him. We will all have our trials, and hard times but we will have a constant companion helping us all along the way.

Alma 7:9 "...Repent ye, and prepare the way of the Lord, and walk in his paths, which are straight; for behold, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and the Son of God cometh upon the face of the earth."

Let us all check what path we are on, and strive to follow the Lords footsteps to make The path more travelled.

THE STORMS OF LIFE

Alma 26:6 say's "Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them. "



  This Scripture reminds me of the story in Luke 8. When the Savior is sailing with his disciples across the lake when a big storm comes in. His disciples were scared, but they instantly knew who to turn to for help. The Savior.
Sometimes it seems so much easier to turn to other means of comfort such as friends, family, T.V., and other things. If we would all learn to turn to our Savior first our trials, and troubles would be so much easier to bare. I know my Savior lives, and loves me. I know its only through him that we can be saved. I'm so grateful for his atonement. I love him, and I know he loves me.

Heaven on Earth

From President Thomas S. Monsons Oct. Ensign address "Blessings of the Temple."
I  think there is no place in the world where I feel closer to the Lord than in one of His holy temples. To paraphrase a poem:

How far is heaven?
It’s not very far.
In temples of God,
It’s right where we are.

The Lord said:
“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, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” -Matthew 6:19–21


San Diego, California Temple

Temples, to me, are little peices of heaven on earth. I love going to the Temple!!! Nowhere do I feel closer to my Heavenly Father than I do when I walk through the doors of the temple. Temples are the only places completly unspotted from the world. It doesn't matter whats going on in my life at the time, just stepping through those doors brings a peace that can't be found anywhere else.