Gordon B. Hinckley said this in one of his talks:
“Don’t be gloomy. Do not dwell on unkind things. Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. Even if you are not happy, put a smile on your face. ‘Accentuate the positive.’ Look a little deeper for the good. Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, with great and strong purpose in your heart. Love life.” –Gordon B. Hinckley
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Dear Bishop,
I wrote this note, a while ago...
Dear Bishop,
The other night, I listened to "Come Thou Fount" late one night, as I went to bed. I was filled with goodness and hope when I heard that song but when I went to the temple today, I didn't feel that peace. I no more have the desire to do evil but to do good continually. This weekend, I will be fasting for the courage to not give up.
I was searching for answers in the scriptures and was reading in Mosiah 28:4 (1-4) and I would prefer that I can be like an Ammon or an Alma Jr ... I have had glimpses of warmth and goodness come back into my life but I still have that same concern as did the sons of Mosiah. It reads: Chapter 28 1 Now it came to pass that after the sons of Mosiah had done all these things, they took a small number with them and returned to their father, the king, and desired of him that he would grant unto them that they might, with these whom they had selected, go up to the land of Nephi that they might preach the things which they had heard, and that they might impart the word of God to their brethren, the Lamanites— 2 That perhaps they might bring them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and convince them of the iniquity of their fathers; and that perhaps they might cure them of their hatred towards the Nephites, that they might also be brought to rejoice in the Lord their God, that they might become friendly to one another, and that there should be no more contentions in all the land which the Lord their God had given them. 3 Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble. 4 And thus did the Spirit of the Lord work upon them, for they were the very vilest of sinners. And the Lord saw fit in his infinite mercy to spare them; nevertheless they suffered much anguish of soul because of their iniquities, suffering much and fearing that they should be cast off forever.
I know my Dad prays for me as did Alma & King Mosiah did for his boys but with me, he sees a good boy and knows nothing about what I have battled in silence and in secret. He prays more for my younger brother to return to grace than he thinks he has to do for me.
I don't want to let either of my father's down in the end. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to feel good again even if it means starting completely over. I'm possibly a cross between Corianton and Shiblon. I am Shiblon but I did not heed Alma the Younger as I ought. I see the potential in me that you see but I can't unlock it by myself. If the Lord is giving me a wake up call and I have stopped hitting snooze.
If I prove faithful and successful in my return back to grace, with God as my witness, you have my word that I will do ALL in my power to keep people from ever straying so far. Please keep me in your prayers and that God allots me enough time to sort through it all and once again have peace and then I will get back to work. This sin sick world needs to know that there is hope once I have established that I can. I won't give up and I won't give in and I won't back down.
Love, Brother Nelson
His Reply:
You are a good man and I am full of hope for your future. We will meet soon
RSR
Dear Bishop,
The other night, I listened to "Come Thou Fount" late one night, as I went to bed. I was filled with goodness and hope when I heard that song but when I went to the temple today, I didn't feel that peace. I no more have the desire to do evil but to do good continually. This weekend, I will be fasting for the courage to not give up.
I was searching for answers in the scriptures and was reading in Mosiah 28:4 (1-4) and I would prefer that I can be like an Ammon or an Alma Jr ... I have had glimpses of warmth and goodness come back into my life but I still have that same concern as did the sons of Mosiah. It reads: Chapter 28 1 Now it came to pass that after the sons of Mosiah had done all these things, they took a small number with them and returned to their father, the king, and desired of him that he would grant unto them that they might, with these whom they had selected, go up to the land of Nephi that they might preach the things which they had heard, and that they might impart the word of God to their brethren, the Lamanites— 2 That perhaps they might bring them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and convince them of the iniquity of their fathers; and that perhaps they might cure them of their hatred towards the Nephites, that they might also be brought to rejoice in the Lord their God, that they might become friendly to one another, and that there should be no more contentions in all the land which the Lord their God had given them. 3 Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble. 4 And thus did the Spirit of the Lord work upon them, for they were the very vilest of sinners. And the Lord saw fit in his infinite mercy to spare them; nevertheless they suffered much anguish of soul because of their iniquities, suffering much and fearing that they should be cast off forever.
I know my Dad prays for me as did Alma & King Mosiah did for his boys but with me, he sees a good boy and knows nothing about what I have battled in silence and in secret. He prays more for my younger brother to return to grace than he thinks he has to do for me.
I don't want to let either of my father's down in the end. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to feel good again even if it means starting completely over. I'm possibly a cross between Corianton and Shiblon. I am Shiblon but I did not heed Alma the Younger as I ought. I see the potential in me that you see but I can't unlock it by myself. If the Lord is giving me a wake up call and I have stopped hitting snooze.
If I prove faithful and successful in my return back to grace, with God as my witness, you have my word that I will do ALL in my power to keep people from ever straying so far. Please keep me in your prayers and that God allots me enough time to sort through it all and once again have peace and then I will get back to work. This sin sick world needs to know that there is hope once I have established that I can. I won't give up and I won't give in and I won't back down.
Love, Brother Nelson
His Reply:
You are a good man and I am full of hope for your future. We will meet soon
RSR
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
There is peace in...
There is peace in...
...in being able to surf the web and not have to find ways to erase that internet history or surf the net discretely.
...in being able to use the computer out in the open and it doesn't matter who passes by because there is nothing that needs to be hidden.
...in being able to surf the web and not have to find ways to erase that internet history or surf the net discretely.
...in being able to use the computer out in the open and it doesn't matter who passes by because there is nothing that needs to be hidden.
Tempt NOT the Lord thy God!
I have read this phrase time and time again but had always associated it with the Lord's being tempted and didn't apply it properly to myself.
"Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God" was given to the Devil by the Lord during his 40 days of fasting and journeying into the wilderness. Matt 4:7 ... if he did NOT do that, then so ought we NOT to do such, as well!
Oh how I wish I had obeyed that wise counsel and not tempted fate in my own life. Endowed member of the church and I spent time in places that I ought not to have been... and the devil laughed as it were and as if he should have also been saying, "You were so easy to sway..."
It is a long hard road back. I chose the ambulance down at the bottom of the cliff than to heed the fence at the top. I can only hope that with God's help, that I can make a full recovery, in my life... and that it is not everlastingly too late. I have been correcting all of my behavior and all of my wrongs. I feel the spirit coming back into my life in tiny spells of warmth but nothing like the constant companionship of the HG. My wife and I have talked many things through and I have wept bitter tears while in her arms asking her, "Would you recommend me to God?" after all that I have done. My sweet wife has and I think will forgive me eventually for the pain that I have caused her. My bishopric has asked me to serve her and to love her as I have never done so before. With this, I can only hope that my days may be long upon the land and that I too may be found worthy or found clean from the blood and sins of this generation.
We live in a sin sick world. I urge you to never never never never EVER tempt fate. Never flirt with disaster. Never see yourselves in unholy places. Never spend time in pubs or in gentlemen's clubs or adult themed toy stores or anything of the like... not even if another couple convinces you that it is okay, to go as a couple, or in ANY other undesirable locations. Never give the evil one ONE inch, or one wrap around the wrist with his flaxen chord... never ever EVER do it! Only pain and a difficult, bitter repentance awaits the one who crosses over that line. His whisperings will cause one to lie at work to keep his their job. Will cause them to commit sins that you would never want to confess in a million years... confessing them to a judge in Israel, that you don't know, is hard enough. Confessing with the help of a bishop you DO know is double hard. Behold, today during the noon day is the time to prepare to meet God and not consume our time upon our curiosities that turn into much much more. Beware your thoughts and your words and your deeds!!!
May you be wise, and do as Jacob says, by closing his recorded word, in the Book of Mormon.
This I testify to you, and that this record is true and I lie not, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
"Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God" was given to the Devil by the Lord during his 40 days of fasting and journeying into the wilderness. Matt 4:7 ... if he did NOT do that, then so ought we NOT to do such, as well!
Oh how I wish I had obeyed that wise counsel and not tempted fate in my own life. Endowed member of the church and I spent time in places that I ought not to have been... and the devil laughed as it were and as if he should have also been saying, "You were so easy to sway..."
It is a long hard road back. I chose the ambulance down at the bottom of the cliff than to heed the fence at the top. I can only hope that with God's help, that I can make a full recovery, in my life... and that it is not everlastingly too late. I have been correcting all of my behavior and all of my wrongs. I feel the spirit coming back into my life in tiny spells of warmth but nothing like the constant companionship of the HG. My wife and I have talked many things through and I have wept bitter tears while in her arms asking her, "Would you recommend me to God?" after all that I have done. My sweet wife has and I think will forgive me eventually for the pain that I have caused her. My bishopric has asked me to serve her and to love her as I have never done so before. With this, I can only hope that my days may be long upon the land and that I too may be found worthy or found clean from the blood and sins of this generation.
We live in a sin sick world. I urge you to never never never never EVER tempt fate. Never flirt with disaster. Never see yourselves in unholy places. Never spend time in pubs or in gentlemen's clubs or adult themed toy stores or anything of the like... not even if another couple convinces you that it is okay, to go as a couple, or in ANY other undesirable locations. Never give the evil one ONE inch, or one wrap around the wrist with his flaxen chord... never ever EVER do it! Only pain and a difficult, bitter repentance awaits the one who crosses over that line. His whisperings will cause one to lie at work to keep his their job. Will cause them to commit sins that you would never want to confess in a million years... confessing them to a judge in Israel, that you don't know, is hard enough. Confessing with the help of a bishop you DO know is double hard. Behold, today during the noon day is the time to prepare to meet God and not consume our time upon our curiosities that turn into much much more. Beware your thoughts and your words and your deeds!!!
May you be wise, and do as Jacob says, by closing his recorded word, in the Book of Mormon.
This I testify to you, and that this record is true and I lie not, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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