You are never alone

One night I had a dream--
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord
and across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints,
one belonged to me and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in my life.
This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you would walk with me all the way,
but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life
there is only one set of footprints.
"I don't understand why in times when I needed you most,
you should leave me."
The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child,
I love you and I would never, never leave you
during your times of trial and suffering.
"When you saw only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."

...Mary Stevenson

This is my favorite poem. It describes the Savior and His love for all of us. At times we may think that we are alone. But we're truly wrong. Maybe we just don't recognize that He is with us. Ways that we may know that He is is through prayer and learning of His ways in the scriptures. I know that he is the good shepherd that knows each of us by name. He knows if we're prone to wander from the fold. He feels our pains, goes through our trials and tribulations. He is a beautiful savior.

“Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path—the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends” (Jeffrey R. Holland).

Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us

It seems in these days of craziness, people are never satisfied. I find myself being part of this unsatisfaction. For example, my first ipod. I loved it so much. Listened to it 24 hours a day (literally). It couldn't have been a month later that the ipod videos came out. Suddenly mine just wasn't good enough to do. I find it to be out dated. This is just the way we work.
Being on my mission, it still exists. Everyday we teach about Christ, how his church has been restored, and the Book of Mormon.
Moroni, the last prophet in the Book of Mormon gives a promise:

4And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

 5And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

It's by the Holy Ghost that we recieve answers and truth. How does the Holy Ghost feel?

In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul speaks of how it feels:

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Many people who find their answer act on it. Eventually coming to know the love of God and his commandments. On the other hand there are those who recieve the answer and are not satisfied. They want more! Seemingly they always want more evidence. Whether it's to see the plates, for God to show them a sign. But even signs are most time not enough.

In D&C 62:8-10, the Lord speaks about signs and who recieves them:

 8Verily, I say unto you, there are those among you who seek signs, and there have been such even from the beginning;

 9But, behold, faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that believe.

 10Yea, signs come by faith, not by the will of men, nor as they please, but by the will of God.

It all starts with the small things. Trusting in Gods answers and believing those feelings are real, and are from Him.

Phillip, the Lords apostle exclaimed,"Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us". Let us not ask for signs but let us be satisfied and trust in the smaller answers that our Father in heaven gives us. Then will we have a better knowledge and understanding of God.

The Great Apostasy

When Jesus Christ was on the earth, He set up a church.  In Matthew 16:16 Jesus explains to Peter how he will build His church upon the rock of revelation.

18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

In Ephesians 2:20, Paul explains how the church is set up.

 19Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

 20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

This is how the basics of the church is set up. Overtime the Jews became angry with Christ. They rejected Him and His teachings. They would crucify Him. Later they would come after His apostles. Eventually leading to no priesthood authority on the earth. Leading to what would later be known as the dark ages.

325 A.D. Emperor Constantine, ruler of Rome at the time saw these people arguing of what Christ taught. Debating of who God really is, how ordinances such as baptism should be performed. He set up a group of men who voted for these different doctrines. To be known as the Nicene Creed. In years to come, other creeds would be created.

Things became very corrupt. Many people changed the church for their own benefit.

Paul speaks of this in 2 Timothy 4:3-4.

3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

People saw that these things were wrong, such as Martin Luther. He nailed 95 theses to the door of the church explaining what was corrupt. Such theses included paying money for forgiveness of sins. William Tyndale translating the Bible in english so that the common man could read it.

Many other people, inspired by God, reformed the church as best as they could. These men would be paving a path that would bring the Church of Jesus Christ back onto the earth again.

http://lds.org/liahona/2005/03/what-had-to-happen?lang=eng&query=Martin+Luther

The Sacrament

Matthew 26:26-28: And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Every week we have the opportunity to partake of this sacred ordinance which Jesus performed when on the earth. Symbolic of His death. We remember Him and the things He has done for us. His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, and dying on the cross. Such wonderful love he has for us.

Now what does he expect of us?

In Moroni 4:3, Moroni gives the prayer for the sacrament. He prays:

O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them.

So he lists things we should do.

1. Willing to take the name of Jesus upon themselves

2. Remember Jesus and the things that he's done for us

3. Keep the commandments

If we do these things we will always have His spirit to be with us. I know the sacrament to be a very important part of church and why we actually go to church. As we do the things above our lives can be filled with joy. True joy and happiness. Not as the world gives but as God does. In the name of our savior Jesus Christ Amen.