tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2588589744260509492024-02-18T22:09:45.055-07:00How Firm A FoundationA Testimony of Christ From the Foundation of Faith.Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-10562765493178477562012-06-09T15:35:00.000-06:002012-06-12T14:31:12.075-06:00Cracking Under Pressure? Then Fortify your FoundationIt's a simple known fact. The world is crazy! Now don't get me wrong. I'm not pushing any end of the world or society is in danger prophecies. The point of my message today is that if you just stop and look around you'll see how crazy, busy, hectic, dysfunctional, and overwhelming (or other related words) life can be.<br />
<br />
We are in the midst of social, political, religious, cyber, physical, emotional, and spiritual wars on a daily basis. I don't know about you, but some days but I can't help but feel lost. The arguments and contentions and differing opinions can be a pretty rough storm to pass through. Just when you feel that you've figured everything out life smacks you in the face and tells you you're wrong.<br />
<br />
The sad thing is that smack to the face can make you lose your balance on life and causes you to crack. The harmony of life is lost and you're left searching for something to bring you back. As someone that's been on that search I want to share what that something is that will bring you the peace you need. Its definitely not me and its not the guy down the street that gives you peace. The simple answer is its reconciliation with God...<br />
<br />
Yep, its bringing yourself back in harmony with Heavenly Father. Once you do that He will fix things and show you what you can do. He will give you comfort when life is rough, He will give you direction when you're lost, and when you're affected so badly that you crack under the pressure He will show you what to do to make your foundation stronger.<br />
<br />
This is a scripture from an ancient prophet telling his sons exactly what it is that they build their foundation on:<br />
<span class="verse" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #fefbbf; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 1px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="verse" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 1px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"</span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the</span><sup class="studyNoteMarker" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">a</sup><a class="footnote" href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/hel/5.12?lang=eng#" id="footnote19" rel="/scriptures/chapter/footnote/default.xqy?volumeUri=bofm&bookUri=hel&chapterUri=5&noteID=12a&lang=eng" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #486fae; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rock</a><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"> of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your </span><sup class="studyNoteMarker" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">b</sup><a class="footnote" href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/hel/5.12?lang=eng#" id="footnote20" rel="/scriptures/chapter/footnote/default.xqy?volumeUri=bofm&bookUri=hel&chapterUri=5&noteID=12b&lang=eng" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #486fae; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">foundation</a><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty </span><sup class="studyNoteMarker" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">c</sup><a class="footnote" href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/hel/5.12?lang=eng#" id="footnote21" rel="/scriptures/chapter/footnote/default.xqy?volumeUri=bofm&bookUri=hel&chapterUri=5&noteID=12c&lang=eng" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #486fae; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">storm</a><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"> shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."</span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/hel/5.12?lang=eng#11" target="_blank">Helaman 5:12</a></span><br />
<br />
Its all centered on Christ. Do those things needed to build your foundation pray, read the scriptures, attend church, go to the temple, seek the guidance of the Spirit. As you do these things you'll be made strong to handle the most heavy burdens. I leave this message with you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-43912842871862446082012-05-19T16:31:00.000-06:002012-05-22T17:08:32.452-06:00Always Ready to ServeRecently--not completely sure why--my mind was turned to a talk given close to two years ago given by President Uchtdorf of the First Presidency. His talk entitled <a href="http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/pride-and-the-priesthood?lang=eng&query=pen+%28name%3a%22Dieter+F.+Uchtdorf%22%29" target="_blank">Pride and the Priesthood</a> was mainly focused on the effects of pride and how it can damage our lives and the lives of those around us. He taught how we can avoid pride and look towards the Savior as our perfect example of love and humility, so that we may overcome the pride we may have.<br />
As I sought to understand and apply what he taught I learned that God gives us the opportunity and blessing of being an instrument in His hands to bless His children. I learned just what kind of person He expects us to be so that may serve Him. President Uchtdorf defines the attribute of humility and teaches with a simple "pen" analogy of just it means be <u>Always Ready to Serve</u>.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="">
"Some
suppose that humility is about beating ourselves up. Humility does not
mean convincing ourselves that we are worthless, meaningless, or of
little value. Nor does it mean denying or withholding the talents God
has given us. We don’t discover humility by thinking less <i>of</i> ourselves; we discover humility by thinking less <i>about</i> ourselves. It comes as we go about our work with an attitude of serving God and our fellowman.</div>
<div class="">
Humility
directs our attention and love toward others and to Heavenly Father’s
purposes. Pride does the opposite. Pride draws its energy and strength
from the deep wells of selfishness. The moment we stop obsessing with
ourselves and lose ourselves in service, our pride diminishes and begins
to die.</div>
<div class="">
<br /></div>
<div class="">
"My
dear brethren, there are so many people in need whom we could be
thinking about instead of ourselves. And please don’t ever forget your
own <a class="no-link-style" href="http://lds.org/ensign/2003/05/the-importance-of-the-family?lang=eng">family</a>, your own wife. There are so many ways we could be serving. We have no time to become absorbed in ourselves.</div>
<div class="">
<br /></div>
<div class="">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWtwtEl7CtBK93A0mP1i-Qj31WNBPov8n3NxVACEitvSTCEOBJcI8LU3-HRk990iBOw0_GQTiSi_q8wFwnKpVHoFHQav5EQjQbg8hD9Mi-JwoP-3mCagsUeh04xSseXkr2QCQPBN6644/s1600/FancyPen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWtwtEl7CtBK93A0mP1i-Qj31WNBPov8n3NxVACEitvSTCEOBJcI8LU3-HRk990iBOw0_GQTiSi_q8wFwnKpVHoFHQav5EQjQbg8hD9Mi-JwoP-3mCagsUeh04xSseXkr2QCQPBN6644/s320/FancyPen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
"I
once owned a pen that I loved to use during my career as an airline
captain. By simply turning the shaft, I could choose one of four colors.
The pen did not complain when I wanted to use red ink instead of blue.
It did not say to me, 'I would rather not write after 10:00 p.m., in
heavy fog, or at high altitudes.' The pen did not say, 'Use me only for
important documents, not for the daily mundane tasks.' With greatest
reliability it performed every task I needed, no matter how important or
insignificant. It was always ready to serve.</div>
<div class="">
<br /></div>
<div class="">
"In
a similar way we are tools in the hands of God. When our heart is in
the right place, we do not complain that our assigned task is unworthy
of our abilities. We gladly serve wherever we are asked. When we do
this, the Lord can use us in ways beyond our understanding to accomplish
His work."</div>
</blockquote>
<div class="">
<br /></div>
<div class="">
I know as we strive to live these principles taught that our lives will be blessed, our families will be blessed, and those we have the wonderful opportunity to serve <b>will be blessed</b>. Don't just take my word for it though, try it for yourselves. As we strive together to follow the example of Jesus Christ and serve God's children with all faith, hope, and humility we <b>will</b> see the blessings come and lives <b>will</b> be changed. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.</div>Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-5563976792035281782012-04-27T14:24:00.000-06:002012-04-27T14:24:21.428-06:00What I've Learned: My Love for The Book of MormonThroughout my mission and my life I've had many powerful spiritual experiences in which I was the only one to feel the spirit and receive a divine lesson from God. This may have happened to you as well and it has a name. It is more commonly known throughout the church as personal revelation.<br />
Personal revelation is an experience meant for that single person receiving it. It is typically for guidance in making a decision or teaching to understand what God would have us do or how we need to look at things. However, the Spirit can also impress on our minds a greater appreciation for our blessings. That being said I felt it appropriate to share this experience of receiving a greater witness and testimony of The Book of Mormon.<br />
<br />
Earlier in the week as I was out and about knocking on doors hoping to share our message of the Restoration of the Gospel I looked down at the Book of Mormon I held in my hand. There I was standing in the middle of this empty street, and all of a sudden this completely unexpected feeling came over me. As I looked down at that book I held firmly in my hand the world stopped for just a moment and I was filled with complete gratitude for all my blessings. I wanted to share with everyone this book that had brought so much peace and happiness and understanding into my life. I realized after that just how much I love the Book of Mormon!<br />
<br />
Here's what the Prophet Joseph Smith said about the Book of Mormon in its Introduction page. "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book."<br />
<br />
Precepts are the commandments and teachings given in the Book of Mormon. Living those precepts are how we learn and grow. What I've learned has changed my life!<br />
<br />
This is a short list of some of the things I've learned or in other words.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
What the Book of Mormon has taught me...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li>Christ's Atonement overcomes everything we are faced with (<a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/7.11-13?lang=eng#10" target="_blank">Alma 7:11-13</a>).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Willful sacrifice brings us closer to Christ (basically all of <a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne?lang=eng" target="_blank">1 Nephi</a>). </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The importance of personal blessings and teaching my--future--children (<a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/2?lang=eng" target="_blank">2 Nephi 2</a>, <a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/3?lang=eng" target="_blank">3</a>; <a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/1.2-7?lang=eng#1" target="_blank">Mosiah 1:2-7</a>; <a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma?lang=eng#" target="_blank">Alma 36-42</a>; <a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/moro/9?lang=eng" target="_blank">Moroni 9</a>)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The Spirit can change my heart to only desire to do good (<a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/5.1-2?lang=eng#primary" target="_blank">Mosiah 5:1-2</a>)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>When I only seek to do The Lord's will He will give me power to accomplish all things (<a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/hel/10.4-5?lang=eng#3" target="_blank">Helaman 10:4-5</a>).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The Lord will provide a way to keep His commandments no matter the struggle! (<a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm?lang=eng" target="_blank">...throughout every page</a>)</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON!</div>Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-74909761959197021712012-02-25T15:44:00.000-07:002012-02-25T15:44:05.090-07:00Do Your Own Laundry<div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Yesterday, we had a meeting with the other missionaries in my district. One of the sisters was giving a discussion and shared this scripture from the Book of Mormon: </div></div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> <span class="verse"></span>"I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?</div></div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> <span class="verse"></span>I say unto you, can ye think of being saved when you have yielded yourselves to become subjects to the devil?</div></div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> <span class="verse"></span>I say unto you, ye will know at that day that ye cannot be saved; for there can no man be saved except his garments are washed white; yea, his garments must be purified until they are cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of whom it has been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people from their sins." (<a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/5?lang=eng" target="_blank">Alma 5:19-21</a>)</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxn4Ao8Dt02Ei4FGpxYZR0M8VwREXL2ogWsq7hGEbrMQWJDFhMnN8z7xqSEQwC6f-nOF5jXM-iCNXd5tgcxQmNtO_mW4jEdPGNMGVxgotpMP1V_X6BiKiQOEcDYbyG6_gkgM_1jr4NLUU/s1600/wb01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxn4Ao8Dt02Ei4FGpxYZR0M8VwREXL2ogWsq7hGEbrMQWJDFhMnN8z7xqSEQwC6f-nOF5jXM-iCNXd5tgcxQmNtO_mW4jEdPGNMGVxgotpMP1V_X6BiKiQOEcDYbyG6_gkgM_1jr4NLUU/s200/wb01.jpg" width="200px" /></a>I thought that was interesting what Alma had said, "there can no man be saved except his garments are washed white". I guess that makes doing your laundry even more important! Notice though how clean Alma tells us we have to make our garments. He says, "until they are cleansed from <strong>all </strong>stain." Seems like we're going to need to put some extra effort into our laundry...</div><br />
Luckily, Alma also tells us what kind of laundry detergent we need to use to get out those tough stains. "Through the blood of him (Jesus Christ)...who should come to redeem his people from their sins."<br />
<br />
So, there you have it! The only true way to do your spiritual laundry. There's only one condition though...I'm not washing your clothes...your mom won't be doing...and God's already given you the stain remover. I think this is a job only you can do.<br />
<br />
Besides, it should make anyone a little uncomfortable if someone was going through their laundry. I know it would weird me out.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Let's do a quick review in simple terms of what you should hopefully learn and apply from this post...</div><br />
Repentence isn't complete with just accepting the fact that Christ made it possible to be forgiven of our sins. We have to <strong>use</strong> Christ's Atonement to wash away our sins.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYYgMzxZEF-PfGKWb3kEYRh6GAcUDbQ7w05DlGbpfMkFXkvKK6vIG3Oz8xPe9_NT3_vyzEdnCxlfW86tAnCGv55P4nuXHl1Mm2HuvAt63eOZAWJHVVF0Rgk7QZVv9BwC90-_Ph-s3ZJs/s1600/hand+wash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYYgMzxZEF-PfGKWb3kEYRh6GAcUDbQ7w05DlGbpfMkFXkvKK6vIG3Oz8xPe9_NT3_vyzEdnCxlfW86tAnCGv55P4nuXHl1Mm2HuvAt63eOZAWJHVVF0Rgk7QZVv9BwC90-_Ph-s3ZJs/s200/hand+wash.jpg" width="138px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fine example of applying some of Christ's<br />
stain remover and scrubbing it out.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN19FlSyXiHomn9hZa3M0w6jMkSuycdPYmoyY0tlJdtvaVaSuKhaKds1YxtmAzn8FK88bxQr0lsW0yPaKOkcQem1li6ksIz3mUae7zP3vHPedXdm8YY8VGugbVwCk9tQmMiDvrCAzMUy4/s1600/clear+water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN19FlSyXiHomn9hZa3M0w6jMkSuycdPYmoyY0tlJdtvaVaSuKhaKds1YxtmAzn8FK88bxQr0lsW0yPaKOkcQem1li6ksIz3mUae7zP3vHPedXdm8YY8VGugbVwCk9tQmMiDvrCAzMUy4/s200/clear+water.jpg" width="200px" /></a>Also, using just clean water, or your works and goodness, won't remove our stains. Again, Christ's Atoning sacrifice which provides us His grace and mercy must be used.</div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHVHC34SjWJZhGtbWv3f8wCeiXtm8Rd5TJ7uesobspeuP2Ag0Hi7H1ltUA-Gaz3N0U08wa-Obc3LVL7yjYop5fqBgC_6I3ul49lpwGI2LG9PffwhyphenhyphenYmybH691EKZNVMgtZV_PSYwUNMs/s1600/blood-drive.gif" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHVHC34SjWJZhGtbWv3f8wCeiXtm8Rd5TJ7uesobspeuP2Ag0Hi7H1ltUA-Gaz3N0U08wa-Obc3LVL7yjYop5fqBgC_6I3ul49lpwGI2LG9PffwhyphenhyphenYmybH691EKZNVMgtZV_PSYwUNMs/s1600/blood-drive.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This...is a slogan of truth!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>I hope this was an enlightening and simple blog post for those striving to understand their personal relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Feel free to comment and share with your friends.<br />
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A few great blogs to read on learning more about Christ's Atonement:<br />
<a href="http://stripplingwarrior.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-can-i-relate-atonement-to-myself.html">http://stripplingwarrior.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-can-i-relate-atonement-to-myself.html</a><br />
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<a href="http://astrolldownherbstreet.blogspot.com/">http://astrolldownherbstreet.blogspot.com/</a></div>Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-80804816515848733002012-02-16T12:40:00.000-07:002012-02-16T12:40:11.038-07:00Feelings Through ScriptureEarlier this morning I was studying in The Book of Mormon in the Book of Mosiah and I had a sudden realization of the power of scripture. What our own reactions, thoughts, and feelings can be when reading these stories. Here are a set of verses sharing an account of King Mosiah reading the story of Zeniff and his people as well as Alma and his people.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ey4cUQlYdSpmeRILakX-mSclzujEXKIxqmzQhKz2o3oWXSRPeqBU0Jnz1r-vqkI8fBd0lkmcwLo5NT_-cEp7qi_AFv0nCIQn-P9WCawRgPaex-I8P6XVlxhIfjLWap8SqR50f-X1BAQ/s1600/readbible.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ey4cUQlYdSpmeRILakX-mSclzujEXKIxqmzQhKz2o3oWXSRPeqBU0Jnz1r-vqkI8fBd0lkmcwLo5NT_-cEp7qi_AFv0nCIQn-P9WCawRgPaex-I8P6XVlxhIfjLWap8SqR50f-X1BAQ/s320/readbible.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Mosiah chapter 25:<br />
<a class="bookmark-anchor dontHighlight" href="" name="1"> </a><span class="verse">1 </span>And now king Mosiah caused that all the people should be gathered together.<br />
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<div class=""><a class="bookmark-anchor dontHighlight" href="" name="4"> </a><span class="verse">4 </span>And now all the people of Nephi were assembled together, and also all the people of Zarahemla, and they were gathered together in two bodies.</div><div class=""><br />
</div><div class=""><a class="bookmark-anchor dontHighlight" href="" name="5"> </a><span class="verse">5 </span>And it came to pass that Mosiah did read, and caused to be read, the records of Zeniff to his people; yea, he read the records of the people of Zeniff, from the time they <sup class="studyNoteMarker">a</sup><a class="footnote" href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/25?lang=eng#" id="footnote2" rel="/scriptures/chapter/footnote/default.xqy?volumeUri=bofm&bookUri=mosiah&chapterUri=25&noteID=5a&lang=eng">left</a> the land of Zarahemla until they <sup class="studyNoteMarker">b</sup><a class="footnote" href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/25?lang=eng#" id="footnote3" rel="/scriptures/chapter/footnote/default.xqy?volumeUri=bofm&bookUri=mosiah&chapterUri=25&noteID=5b&lang=eng">returned</a> again.</div><div class=""><br />
</div><div class=""><a class="bookmark-anchor dontHighlight" href="" name="6"> </a><span class="verse">6 </span>And he also read the account of Alma and his brethren, and all their afflictions, from the time they left the land of Zarahemla until the time they returned again.</div><div class=""><br />
</div><div class=""><a class="bookmark-anchor dontHighlight" href="" name="7"> </a><span class="verse">7 </span>And now, when Mosiah had made an end of reading the records, his people who tarried in the land were struck with wonder and amazement.</div><div class=""><br />
</div><div class=""><a class="bookmark-anchor dontHighlight" href="" name="8"> </a><span class="verse">8 </span>For they knew not what to think; for when they beheld those that had been delivered <sup class="studyNoteMarker">a</sup><a class="footnote" href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/25?lang=eng#" id="footnote4" rel="/scriptures/chapter/footnote/default.xqy?volumeUri=bofm&bookUri=mosiah&chapterUri=25&noteID=8a&lang=eng">out</a> of bondage they were filled with exceedingly great joy.</div><div class=""><br />
</div><div class=""><a class="bookmark-anchor dontHighlight" href="" name="9"> </a><span class="verse">9 </span>And again, when they thought of their brethren who had been <sup class="studyNoteMarker">a</sup><a class="footnote" href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/25?lang=eng#" id="footnote5" rel="/scriptures/chapter/footnote/default.xqy?volumeUri=bofm&bookUri=mosiah&chapterUri=25&noteID=9a&lang=eng">slain</a> by the Lamanites they were filled with sorrow, and even shed many tears of sorrow.</div><div class=""><br />
</div><div class=""><span class="verse">10 </span>And again, when they thought of the immediate goodness of God, and his power in delivering Alma and his brethren out of the hands of the Lamanites and of <sup class="studyNoteMarker">a</sup><a class="footnote" href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/25?lang=eng#" id="footnote6" rel="/scriptures/chapter/footnote/default.xqy?volumeUri=bofm&bookUri=mosiah&chapterUri=25&noteID=10a&lang=eng">bondage</a>, they did raise their voices and give thanks to God.</div><br />
After reading these scriptures I realized just how we should feel from learning about these people. I realized that just moments before I was reading those same stories and I didn't have that sense of feeling. I couldn't help but wonder what made me lose that. It wasn't because I didn't appreciate the scriptures or what I was reading, but it was because I didn't make what I was reading connect with my own life. I seemed to have forgotten that these people really did live, that these things really did happen, and the whole reason I knew this was because of the witness of the Holy Spirit.<br />
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It wasn't until after I let the Holy Ghost remind me of truth and make these people my own spiritual brothers and sisters that I began to feel the joy, the sorrow, and the gratitude God wanted me to feel from reading the scriptures.<br />
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I invite any that read this to search, study, ponder, and pray over the scriptures (The Bible, The Book of Mormon, etc.). It is not only a source of knowledge, but something that can change our souls to what God, our Heavenly Father, wants us to be.Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-82090133437490753572012-02-01T12:38:00.000-07:002012-02-01T12:38:13.962-07:00The Temple: No Greater Sacrifice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This video shares a powerful message from President Thomas S. Monson on the great sacrifices made to go to the temple. When families are so important to The Lord that he dedicates his temples to sealing families for time and all eternity you know that any sacrifice made for that purpose is worth the cost.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/73jY8xH_vhc/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/73jY8xH_vhc&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/73jY8xH_vhc&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><br />
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To learn more about families being sealed together follow this link:<br />
<a href="http://mormon.org/church/" target="_blank">http://mormon.org/church/</a><br />
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To watch this and other church related videos you can go to this site:<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73jY8xH_vhc&feature=player_embedded">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73jY8xH_vhc&feature=player_embedded</a><br />
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To watch the video and other messages from the church you can go to this site:<br />
<a href="http://www.lds.org/?lang=eng">http://www.lds.org/?lang=eng</a>Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-84421682830269084932012-01-17T12:17:00.000-07:002012-01-17T12:17:08.548-07:00Story of The Three TreesThis is a story I heard at a stake conference several weeks ago. I felt the story needed to be shared. I know I felt a greater appreciation for Christ and the struggles we go through so our prayers can be answered...<br />
Enjoy!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFlzZDs3iw71Nqm2MwtsjTAUzRnSp_1BOOH0XINO3KvVp_xNJhIKPD3C_DjRq5vT5_kf7JdfGQisWCQ3Oceny4DkGBp0mtt54UbhrzRexVltrKWgYjQqvPyNoN9QiEI5w2VjBgdcbtgg/s1600/three_trees_pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFlzZDs3iw71Nqm2MwtsjTAUzRnSp_1BOOH0XINO3KvVp_xNJhIKPD3C_DjRq5vT5_kf7JdfGQisWCQ3Oceny4DkGBp0mtt54UbhrzRexVltrKWgYjQqvPyNoN9QiEI5w2VjBgdcbtgg/s320/three_trees_pic.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty." Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull." Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me." <br />
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After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" ... and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest. At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship. When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down." <br />
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When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. <br />
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The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time. <br />
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Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat. <br />
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Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it. <br />
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The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.<br />
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Author UnkownElder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-28077826941953076742011-12-30T14:35:00.000-07:002011-12-30T14:35:21.424-07:00My New Year's Resolutions <i>"The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than talking about behavior."</i><br />
--President Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, May 1997, 9<br />
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Christmas is gone and past, but we can still keep the Spirit of Christ burning within us. A new year is coming up along with the usual new year's resolutions. I thought, "What a great time to make some goals!" To me there's no better way to getting what you want than making a goal and a plan and working to you achieve the goal.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikL9FSpjM9afXLIx9JzgznmQ3TJvf-5RxamJPhXL6Hqxgy4QO13q1P-frfK-r4aMjFTtOj95uUWzznbRKzpfFkMERRGaFP208jOIxYbUdR2qyd6Cb-antKnRJuV5QmRccDSzoH-GN9BB4/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikL9FSpjM9afXLIx9JzgznmQ3TJvf-5RxamJPhXL6Hqxgy4QO13q1P-frfK-r4aMjFTtOj95uUWzznbRKzpfFkMERRGaFP208jOIxYbUdR2qyd6Cb-antKnRJuV5QmRccDSzoH-GN9BB4/s200/images.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><br />
Everyone has their own set of goals and things they hope to accomplish, but I thought I would share some of my own. Maybe to share ideas, maybe to hold myself accountable by posting them on a blog, but mostly to help me be the kind of person I want to be.<br />
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I'm going to write my dad a letter every week on my P-Day (Preparation Day)<br />
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I'm going to take time and have my own personal vocal prayer to my Heavenly Father. At least once a week. Praying for specific friends and loved ones and their needs. (Should be interesting seeing that I'm a missionary and private time doesn't happen too often.)<br />
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I'm going to seize opportunities to do something good for someone instead of second guessing myself and not doing anything at all.<br />
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I'm going to remember the example of Jesus Christ, because no matter what happens in life be it good or bad there is always something He did or some way He reacted to life that we can follow and be blessed for it.<br />
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Some of these ideas are easy to tell if you accomplished or not, and others are a little bit more difficult being more focused on the quality of your character. Either way, these are my resolutions and I'm hoping to see them accomplished!<br />
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Now its your turn to make your own resolutions and have a great New Year's Celebration!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaw1sEQCUnHvrUffxGG8ZU_OrF0OHz0h44EdUwPS-GtnfFfxbeZG1rRIw0NFujtyUitcTLDPjUIreuyQwlxkSyMgxvTFGuQxIH8UY6FsnDa3SNPoqd6jv4-tWSIVGGPkqFlJ8MiZP_s1c/s1600/rio-de-janeiro-new-year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaw1sEQCUnHvrUffxGG8ZU_OrF0OHz0h44EdUwPS-GtnfFfxbeZG1rRIw0NFujtyUitcTLDPjUIreuyQwlxkSyMgxvTFGuQxIH8UY6FsnDa3SNPoqd6jv4-tWSIVGGPkqFlJ8MiZP_s1c/s320/rio-de-janeiro-new-year.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BYOF (Bring Your Own Fireworks) Its gonna be a big party!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table>Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-59813419914461132302011-12-13T14:24:00.000-07:002011-12-13T14:24:54.465-07:00Mr Grinch You're a Grouch...but You Do Have a Point!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Just recently I was able to have an exclusive interview with one of Christmas's most notorious Christmas hater, The Grinch. We had a good long conversation and I asked him what his thoughts were on Christmas and what it was all about and this was his reply:<br />
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<b>The Grinch</b>: That's what it's all about, isn't it? That's what it's always been *about*. Gifts, gifts... gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts. You wanna know what happens to your gifts? They all come to me. In your garbage. You see what I'm saying? In your *garbage*. I could hang myself with all the bad Christmas neckties I found at the dump. And the avarice... <br />
[<i class="fine">shouts</i>] <br />
<b>The Grinch</b>: The avarice never ends! "I want golf clubs. I want diamonds. I want a pony so I can ride it twice, get bored and sell it to make glue." Look, I don't wanna make waves, but this *whole* Christmas season is <br />
[<i class="fine">shouts</i>] <br />
<b>The Grinch</b>: stupid, stupid, stupid!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOkTkWUnWnosDz27wsUXYfG8KY7bjO6zbG1v1VBbZICWBxX9R-HJLFYQMCCVFuB5JTYU2PjJjo-8cvvEzpaofJ3JtWdRrXWkIUZDNlXQAt1vnhMk6yC_0SXeJl66dx3ibWvL60Boku4c/s1600/grinch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOkTkWUnWnosDz27wsUXYfG8KY7bjO6zbG1v1VBbZICWBxX9R-HJLFYQMCCVFuB5JTYU2PjJjo-8cvvEzpaofJ3JtWdRrXWkIUZDNlXQAt1vnhMk6yC_0SXeJl66dx3ibWvL60Boku4c/s200/grinch.jpg" width="184px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hmm...Mr. Grinch...you furry green Who...you've got a point. Ever since I was young I remembered that quote around Christmas time and it would always make me feel a little...Grinchy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's so hard around Christmas time <u>not </u>to prove the Grinch's point. We can so easily get distracted by all the gifts, the food, the decorations, the parties, and of course the ugly neckties. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">However, there's a simple solution to our greatest Christmas distractions. Slow down, take a step back, get a view at the bigger picture, and remember the <a href="http://lds.org/topic/christmas/christmas-story.html" target="_blank">Christmas Story</a>. Once that happens you'll have no problem feeling the spirit, but being the only one that gets it can be lonely. So, share it with everyone, and if you don't know how to...be a little Grinchy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know that seems like a crazy idea. I mean after all he was the one that tried to ruin Christmas! Isn't that a spirit we shouldn't have. Well, I'll admit his intentions may have been a little off, but through ruining Christmas he really saved it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is a comment by one member of the town of Whoville:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="color: black;">Lou Lou Who</span></strong>: I'm glad he took our presents. You can't hurt Christmas, Mr. Mayor, beacuse it isn't about the... the gifts or the contest or the fancy lights. That's what Cindy's been trying to tell everyone... and me. I don't need anything more for Christmas than this right here: my family. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here we have the words of one man that says the Grinch's actions helped him better feel the Christmas spirit and better appreciate the gift of his family.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I ask you to reflect on those words and if needed get a little Grinchy and do what it takes to bring the Christmas spirit into your life and the lives of those around you. the "mas" part of Christmas is great, but if you keep that number two on your priorities I promise you'll a much more meaningful and special Christmas.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4g3Rr2vF9UAuBl66sMEDzLdDK62NGDZS8-j543nsvvdHt64tXFwAJI2m9hX8rQcbJ7q4f2K9dh58-rJ175sQg-gzkaIofBoy8yX5eTWUV89BWsCK4cllAQq0yqzK0A5AMHkY2kXuadbc/s1600/mary-joseph-with-baby-jesus-39533-gallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4g3Rr2vF9UAuBl66sMEDzLdDK62NGDZS8-j543nsvvdHt64tXFwAJI2m9hX8rQcbJ7q4f2K9dh58-rJ175sQg-gzkaIofBoy8yX5eTWUV89BWsCK4cllAQq0yqzK0A5AMHkY2kXuadbc/s320/mary-joseph-with-baby-jesus-39533-gallery.jpg" width="258px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrating This...</td></tr>
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</div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGh_DJfHGDKPVaN7VA23a30LJA2W2i5WrZOEPywabOST5AZrw1KTh6K9P0ucCNA70jrAT8qVEDA4vjpKAAmJSrAngyQIh-AfUDAZI6LtP6-2PxUnXEdB6qXZUgdqeAylgW8u9i2nlhLLw/s1600/breaking-news.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212px" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGh_DJfHGDKPVaN7VA23a30LJA2W2i5WrZOEPywabOST5AZrw1KTh6K9P0ucCNA70jrAT8qVEDA4vjpKAAmJSrAngyQIh-AfUDAZI6LtP6-2PxUnXEdB6qXZUgdqeAylgW8u9i2nlhLLw/s320/breaking-news.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...more than that.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-59557365189066996882011-11-02T13:08:00.001-06:002011-11-02T13:11:25.760-06:00"Numberless as the Sand on the Seashore"Over this weekend Elder Foster and I went to a stake conference in Great Falls, and while there we received a lot of nuggets of truth to fill up on. One such truth was shared by Brother Gibbs. He shared a scripture that touched on the magnitude of God's creations and how we are still so important to Him. The scripture says:<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">And he beheld also the inhabitants thereof, and there was not a soul </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">which he beheld not; and he discerned them by the Spirit of God; and their numbers were great, even numberless as the sand upon the sea shore." (<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/pgp/moses/1.28?lang=eng#27" target="_blank">Moses 1:28</a>)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">This was when our Heavenly Father showed Moses every single soul that was ever created, and at first I felt like "wow I was just compared to sand. I sure feel great now..."</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Then, Brother Gibbs shared this about what is seen when you get a real good look at sand. When sand is magnified this is what you would see...</span></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Oygms5m5JoPn6mZNujaAHcwKL2KoZ-DM91I2CkjT_Raq-cEz3sspczFPefltmpWjVtoLP4YbtkZ9bq6EXox2JhPh5T18Ohm0k6LM5u-KpoClxp_gD-W3EluMIC23-wbiJZulLWkewbM/s1600/Cumberland_Island_National_Seashore__Georgia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Oygms5m5JoPn6mZNujaAHcwKL2KoZ-DM91I2CkjT_Raq-cEz3sspczFPefltmpWjVtoLP4YbtkZ9bq6EXox2JhPh5T18Ohm0k6LM5u-KpoClxp_gD-W3EluMIC23-wbiJZulLWkewbM/s320/Cumberland_Island_National_Seashore__Georgia.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before: Here's sand. Bland and <br />
exactly the same as any other grain of sand.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6drlmixTN3KubLbiDiV3A5B_7xc-H3qvX9ZctGIqu2yXqsUeHWokk8vDDbZStwkd2VstO7AGvNx2k8ySuRjQXbbvhNB8p0sVE_ZBmN-V2pTcvUnOlpKPY76hRB5D3SSv833FDMlKkswk/s1600/sand_grains_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6drlmixTN3KubLbiDiV3A5B_7xc-H3qvX9ZctGIqu2yXqsUeHWokk8vDDbZStwkd2VstO7AGvNx2k8ySuRjQXbbvhNB8p0sVE_ZBmN-V2pTcvUnOlpKPY76hRB5D3SSv833FDMlKkswk/s320/sand_grains_11.jpg" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After: When grains of sand are magnified you see these<br />
brilliant images. Completely unique from any other grain<br />
of sand. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span></span><br />
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So often we may see ourselves as "bland" or "common". No more different and unique than a grain of sand. However, when we get up close and look down deep into our souls we see what our Heavenly Father sees.<br />
My message today is that we are all special in God's eyes. Though we are "numberless as the sand on the seashore" our Heavenly Father knows us personally and loves us individually.<br />
<br />
This message I share in the name of Jesus Christ. AmenElder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-38762799927728009782011-10-28T13:17:00.001-06:002011-10-28T13:17:07.242-06:00Hey Check This Out...He's a Mormon, too!<object id="flashObj" width="480" height="270" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=746489801001&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Fmormon.org%2Fme%2F1GTZ&playerID=624969307001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAkVf45-E~,pmvsVwZF3OxbkM0RYkqyMQXbVW5FlKA7&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=746489801001&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Fmormon.org%2Fme%2F1GTZ&playerID=624969307001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAkVf45-E~,pmvsVwZF3OxbkM0RYkqyMQXbVW5FlKA7&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="480" height="270" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object><p></p>Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-26875054486823959142011-10-22T12:17:00.001-06:002011-10-22T12:23:14.360-06:00Some Prescriptions for Your Problems<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnZUaMFBgD-AEZqnESSbEQUDBOyB4W8h-SiqmvN_bpHYXyQ-1s1aq-Q7wsTnZluQeGOpsP1rvnc8JBMRwdQ5gDtYXyk_Bfa-2JtrnzV8d42SHN89GjxsYGb3Ti11drKnE9WJ_Dqq00BWw/s1600/daily_pills.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133px" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnZUaMFBgD-AEZqnESSbEQUDBOyB4W8h-SiqmvN_bpHYXyQ-1s1aq-Q7wsTnZluQeGOpsP1rvnc8JBMRwdQ5gDtYXyk_Bfa-2JtrnzV8d42SHN89GjxsYGb3Ti11drKnE9WJ_Dqq00BWw/s200/daily_pills.jpg" width="200px" /></a>Fall is coming to a close and I'm starting to feel it. For the past several days I've had this really irritating cold. Its just one of those things you have to deal with in life. Everyone gets it eventually. Maybe a sore throat or a stuffy nose or a head that feels like its about to explode! No matter who you are you're going to have to deal with it eventually, and if you're like me you get colds a lot more often than you'd like.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpAKpDYTFa03sSfGTiIMHwlQl7_Otj_pyay7kqgnrSnQFZFmUD6ea48BF88Lx95NnaoAEjJBaBzboFxsvyFsdChd_z0Y2ZjKmMKEgoo5K8GvB_UedAE8lNx-BexceugaM-1KZnDEHipg/s1600/cayenne-pills.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpAKpDYTFa03sSfGTiIMHwlQl7_Otj_pyay7kqgnrSnQFZFmUD6ea48BF88Lx95NnaoAEjJBaBzboFxsvyFsdChd_z0Y2ZjKmMKEgoo5K8GvB_UedAE8lNx-BexceugaM-1KZnDEHipg/s200/cayenne-pills.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cayenne: Those that have tried it<br />
know its power</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Luckily, with all the colds and flu bugs there are also things you can take to help get through the sickness faster and easier. For me its usually Cayenne capsules, Echinacea and Goldenseal capsules, and a pretty heavy dosage of vitamin C tablets. For normal people its probably NyQuil and cough drops.<br />
<br />
The same idea applies in our day to day lives. When you're going through a difficult time there are some simple things you can do to get through it faster and easier. From what I've seen in my life the simplest solution is often the one most forgotten. That is turning to The Lord and asking for helping and guidance through prayer and reading the scriptures. There are so many answers and solutions to problems we face that can be found in the scriptures. Most important though is the feeling of peace and warmth that can be felt as we seek The Lord out for guidance.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnh29pBm2fdm6ATd2Tp07EwRtNYEnmzzG94Xejsm0zTFK31aO8i8EPnvejP0Qr2CqxKfrNyeulRQpztfPZ-IWqnUCCODIzhiC0t0CyOz_1u4Be_RdUeA1xYAtZ97LRoUi6ojLvf0JB_g/s1600/scriptures" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnh29pBm2fdm6ATd2Tp07EwRtNYEnmzzG94Xejsm0zTFK31aO8i8EPnvejP0Qr2CqxKfrNyeulRQpztfPZ-IWqnUCCODIzhiC0t0CyOz_1u4Be_RdUeA1xYAtZ97LRoUi6ojLvf0JB_g/s1600/scriptures" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scriptures: Those that have read them<br />
feel its power</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I know that as we diligently seek for answers to our problems, just as we would with getting over a cold or the flu, then we will get those answers and make it through our difficulties. In the end its better to do something than nothing. I leave this simple yet powerful solution to life's problems in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-20095153313990661722011-10-07T13:39:00.001-06:002011-10-07T13:39:56.255-06:00A Call to Serve<object id="flashObj" width="300" height="225" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=1194817577001&linkBaseURL=https%3A%2F%2Flds.org%2Fyouth%2Fvideo%2Fthe-voice-of-the-spirit%3Flang%3Deng&playerID=901569084001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAA0ZXbIXk~,CUDb-EhKU-08yzcLk4G18BkZR0vh0I19&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=1194817577001&linkBaseURL=https%3A%2F%2Flds.org%2Fyouth%2Fvideo%2Fthe-voice-of-the-spirit%3Flang%3Deng&playerID=901569084001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAA0ZXbIXk~,CUDb-EhKU-08yzcLk4G18BkZR0vh0I19&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="300" height="225" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object><p>Elder Holland addresses the need for young men to prepare themselves to serve missions.</p>Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-51454221117411714872011-09-29T14:25:00.000-06:002011-09-29T14:25:15.617-06:00My Standard to LifeThis is a quote I got last summer from my young men's president back home. Its something that has helped me on the hard days throughout my mission. I hope it helps you as well. (Sorry, no pretty pictures this time)<br />
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"I am part of the fellowship unashamed; the dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line, the decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, or be still.<br />
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"My past is redeemed, my presence makes sense, my future is secure. I am done with low living, small talking, colorless dreams, tamed visions, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, positions, promotions, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer and labor with power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven.<br />
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"My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few. My guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up stored up, and paid up for the cause of Christ.<br />
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"I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me, and when He returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear."<br />
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The greatest thing I take from this is, remember who you are and who you work for. Who are you? A child of God! Who do you work for? Jesus Christ of course.<br />
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I love you all. Keep working through the hard times. <br />
--Elder Aaron George--Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-752998853788220922011-09-20T15:43:00.000-06:002011-09-20T15:43:26.178-06:00Treasure Maps! A Perilous Journey With a Great Reward!Alright, so this blog post was kind of put on the back burner for a few weeks because of the recent transfer. Things got a little crazy, but now I have some time to sit back and reflect on some cool personal experiences in my mission so far. <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A few weeks ago, while Elder Brunson and I were serving together, we had a dinner with a family in Lewistown. As we waited for dinner to be served I grabbed a napkin and started doodling. To get the kids involved I asked "Hmm, what should I draw?" One thought for a moment and replied, "I don't know." Then I with my child-like randomness said "Oh, I know!! Let's draw a treasure map!"</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXgu56wn3iAMdpELSTSHlwHHyGXI6q-RFDhW_2f_NMdxa3WMYkq4toD7YAGpVJu-hLH7XakSdwA68P5EN3rC04Y6ACLh_H_KLKiDZKUWZTg0R1SXcqo2U0oRq4lWcb7qnnrFrH8tHor0/s1600/pirate-treasure-map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXgu56wn3iAMdpELSTSHlwHHyGXI6q-RFDhW_2f_NMdxa3WMYkq4toD7YAGpVJu-hLH7XakSdwA68P5EN3rC04Y6ACLh_H_KLKiDZKUWZTg0R1SXcqo2U0oRq4lWcb7qnnrFrH8tHor0/s200/pirate-treasure-map.jpg" width="148px" /></a>As we drew our treasure maps a thought came to my mind about our Heavenly Father's plan for us and how we are given our own treasure maps. Sometimes we find our map in an old basement or dusty attic, and sometimes a friend may already have found it and asks us to go on a crazy wild adventure with them to find the treasure. In the end though its our choice whether we follow the map or not. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So, where did this map come from anyway. We have this most amazing treasure, which is life in our Heavenly Father's and Jesus Christ's presence, but who mapped it all out for us? Who showed us the way to our treasure?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">...Jesus Christ did</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">He went through this life, full of its dangers and booby traps, just so He could show us the way. Getting to the treasure wasn't easy for Him. He had to deal with betrayal, loss, hunger, pain, hardship and trials of every sort. Why though? Why would anyone choose to live that kind of life and follow that kind of map?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The answer is simple. When it all comes down to it, the hard times were worth it because the treasure is priceless. After you finally dig up the treasure, all those trials and hardships fade away and are swallowed up in pure joy and happiness...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So, next time you face trials and ask "Why me?" remember this. It will all be worth it. The journey may be hard and full of danger, but you have your map and Christ, the one who got that map for you, suffered through it all not to keep the treasure for Himself, but to give it to all those that follow the map, have the courage to take the first step, and make it to the end. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div>Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-40254121219439104792011-09-01T12:16:00.000-06:002011-09-01T12:16:55.843-06:00The Potter's Wheel<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> Last night during my personal prayer before I went to bed I received some inspiration on this blog post. I was on my knees last night trying my hardest not to go through the motions of prayer and actually have a good one on one conversation with God. I was feeling a little anxious and excited because of the responsibility I was about to receive to train a new missionary. As usual I questioned whether I was worthy of that trust and whether or not I was ready for it. This is just one of the thoughts and feelings I received from that prayer...</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkePLQu04ej6HQND1YD_k0wRhGDcIp5t0dKfBkGMQdNzq6cDnpvo14NAdf1eM4SyujUXxL6NI8FLRnq2czxNztRnatwz8kcu5c7CMXt5P7pPyspPTHA1rcXnDwu00u7DEc0ATg6LsQ-9U/s1600/PotteryWheel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkePLQu04ej6HQND1YD_k0wRhGDcIp5t0dKfBkGMQdNzq6cDnpvo14NAdf1eM4SyujUXxL6NI8FLRnq2czxNztRnatwz8kcu5c7CMXt5P7pPyspPTHA1rcXnDwu00u7DEc0ATg6LsQ-9U/s200/PotteryWheel.jpg" width="200px" xaa="true" /></a> In pottery there's a special instrument in making clay pots and that is the potter's wheel. The wheel is a circular platform that spins so clay can be formed with slight effort and movement. The most important part of the process though is the beginning. Your clay has to be right on the center of the wheel, because if its not the clay is going to fly off the wheel or become impossible to work with.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> Our Heavenly Father works with us in the same fashion. We are the clay and He is the potter. He forms us to what he desires and we in turn desire to be shaped the way he wants us to. There is one condition though. For Him to begin forming and shaping us we must be in the center of His wheel. The wheel is the gospel of Jesus Christ...</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBo5QqnGo3TlFYgxeH5XX2p_vMc1n2U_WzMwxlVfr73a1xKvIOcgyk6sACYzfH8K7SbvaKSrDM_ybN9aidoaTH_3y-BFT3sILMRULUc6Qk3Y6OlCGkB-Dp5pqHahUSlVgYMZ5Ko2ntPPg/s1600/potterswheel31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBo5QqnGo3TlFYgxeH5XX2p_vMc1n2U_WzMwxlVfr73a1xKvIOcgyk6sACYzfH8K7SbvaKSrDM_ybN9aidoaTH_3y-BFT3sILMRULUc6Qk3Y6OlCGkB-Dp5pqHahUSlVgYMZ5Ko2ntPPg/s200/potterswheel31.jpg" width="200px" xaa="true" /></a></div>As we continue to center our lives around Christ and His gopel we are able to be built up and be ready for the time when we are put into the fires of trial and struggle to be made into that which we are destined to become. <br />
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"But now, O <span class="deitySmallCaps">Lord</span>, thou <span class="clarityWord">art</span> our <sup class="studyNoteMarker">a</sup><a class="footnote" href="http://lds.org/scriptures/ot/isa/64.8?lang=eng#" id="footnote11" jquery1314900233003="26" rel="/scriptures/chapter/footnote/default.xqy?volumeUri=ot&bookUri=isa&chapterUri=64&noteID=8a&lang=eng"><span style="color: #486fae;">father</span></a>; we <span class="clarityWord">are</span> the clay, and thou our potter; and we all <span class="clarityWord">are</span> the <sup class="studyNoteMarker">b</sup><a class="footnote" href="http://lds.org/scriptures/ot/isa/64.8?lang=eng#" id="footnote12" jquery1314900233003="27" rel="/scriptures/chapter/footnote/default.xqy?volumeUri=ot&bookUri=isa&chapterUri=64&noteID=8b&lang=eng"><span style="color: #486fae;">work</span></a> of thy hand." (Isaiah 64:8)<br />
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The words of Isaiah are true. We are His clay and we are the work of His hand. We must let that work be a good work and center our lives upon the Gospel of Christ. I challenge everyone to bring your lives into allignment with God's will and receive the blessings He has in store for you. I leave this message in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.<br />
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If you have any thoughts, feelings, or opinions about this post please feel free to share.<br />
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</div> Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-78760954801832583362011-08-13T11:09:00.001-06:002011-08-13T11:09:13.639-06:00We Lived with God<object id="flashObj" width="480" height="270" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=1091110561001&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Flds.org%2Fpages%2Fwe-lived-with-god%3Flang%3Deng&playerID=680215106001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAnipXZ6E~,M1TCnNhLxEKd5ft3d6_opUyOzxpih9Jg&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=1091110561001&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Flds.org%2Fpages%2Fwe-lived-with-god%3Flang%3Deng&playerID=680215106001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAnipXZ6E~,M1TCnNhLxEKd5ft3d6_opUyOzxpih9Jg&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="480" height="270" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object><p>A video of a renowned scientist sharing the evidences that God is our Creator.</p>Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-62157349300838482082011-08-09T12:12:00.000-06:002011-08-11T10:32:04.160-06:00What to do When a Dog "Marks its Territory" On Your BackpackHa, with a catchy title like that you can't help but read this post!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJje5rmw6AvWWHlh7Vj9letBU-aDxm1Kx9lXBxPSDSh8Ye0zkkY4OFj3iHIS-QKB46RhX9h1Eh6IqCJGPFv0UMHFlz-IIdeVb6yjZYlqyqdfckuITqLX3a6-yCVsMCrCcWdU61ONQpPdw/s1600/dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJje5rmw6AvWWHlh7Vj9letBU-aDxm1Kx9lXBxPSDSh8Ye0zkkY4OFj3iHIS-QKB46RhX9h1Eh6IqCJGPFv0UMHFlz-IIdeVb6yjZYlqyqdfckuITqLX3a6-yCVsMCrCcWdU61ONQpPdw/s200/dog.jpg" width="181px" /></a></div> One thing to start us off. I want readers to know that this is a true story and it all happened...yesterday. Last night, after finishing off all our Preparation Day chores and taking a much needed nap, Elder Brunson and I went to a family's house to see if they were home and up for a visit. Luckily they were and we were able to catch up with them after a month of not seeing them.<br />
We talked with each other outside enjoying the good summer weather. As we talked topics would change from this to that and their dogs would play fetch and enjoy playing with the new visitors, us. Apparently one of the dogs named Blue had a very "I own you" type of attitude and wanted my backpack for himself. So, he commenced to "marking his territory" on my backpack!<br />
...Geez I get no respect...I mean really? Man's best friend? Sure, until you turn around and while you're not looking he takes everything you have for himself.<br />
Well, from that point a person only has one choice and that finally brings me to my point. When it all comes down to it you're only left with one option in life and that's the choice of your attitude and how you react to whatever comes your way.<br />
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Here's a Scripture to Apply to Life:<br />
In the Old Testament there is a man named Job. In his story there are two messages. First, when everything in life goes its absolute worst you still have the choice to be happy or not. Second, when everything in life fails you remember to love and thank God for all your blessings.<br />
The things that happened in Job's life would make any person feel as though they were hated, but Job knew he was not and so he chose to continue to love and not hate God for the things that happened to him.<br />
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If you really want to know what I'm talking about just read it in Chapter one of the Book of Job.<br />
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Finally, the last thing I want to share to put everything together is this quote from Elder Richard G. Scott<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmOnPSnbGkLPSuFkzc_iU8I8sXj1ubWznRZ85w3iXfdeOPs7WPIUcaq4v80wvZm4AhFevuKJnGoILpqbl2t2ExNRmgW7vXlAOtnjJuW7BOBP2PM9tKsoIjlXfuV7DK8MQ7-jRUF9RmTc/s1600/richard-g-scott-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmOnPSnbGkLPSuFkzc_iU8I8sXj1ubWznRZ85w3iXfdeOPs7WPIUcaq4v80wvZm4AhFevuKJnGoILpqbl2t2ExNRmgW7vXlAOtnjJuW7BOBP2PM9tKsoIjlXfuV7DK8MQ7-jRUF9RmTc/s1600/richard-g-scott-10.jpg" /></a>"When you face adversity, you can be led to ask many questions. Some serve a useful purpose; others do not. To ask, Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I have to suffer this now? What have I done to cause this? Will lead you into blind alleys. It really does no good to ask questions that reflect opposition to the will of God. Rather ask, What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change Whom am I to help? <strong>How can I remember my many blessings in times of trial?</strong>"</div><br />
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When the world crashes down around you and when dogs pee on your backpack laugh it off and continue to smile. Happiness is home grown not bought. Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-35049241001531010142011-08-03T10:59:00.000-06:002011-08-03T10:59:08.917-06:00Ahh Doesn't That Just Tug at Your Heartstrings?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Alright here's a video that just came out on <a href="http://www.lds.org/">http://www.lds.org/</a> and I thought it had a great message to it. Basically, husbands and wives go above and beyond in expressing your love to your spouse. As for the rest of us that are not married. Here's a few tips on what you'll want to be doing and how you'll want to be viewing marriage when its your turn. Enjoy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/hkOnH36S_pY/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hkOnH36S_pY&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hkOnH36S_pY&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-21434190582668127992011-07-30T12:01:00.000-06:002011-07-30T12:01:33.976-06:00Put The Master in Charge...What's in Your Wallet?<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Well everybody its been a while since my last blog post. By a while I mean well over a month. You'll have to forgive me on this one. Its been a mixture of trying to figure out how to blog, having writer's block, and not having the time to be on the computer. </div>Put all this aside though and look at the great new blog post. It has some personal history, a good spiritual lesson, and a little message of hope to brighten your day! Read and Enjoy!<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> Anyone that remembers the good ol' high school days will agree with me that though they may not remember all the math, science, and english courses there were still a few lessons learned. One of the lessons I learned and still keep in the pocket of my wallet was a lesson on trust. What can be trusted, who can be trusted, and why is trust so important?</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div> In high school I did the same thing repeatedly day in and day out. I went to my classes, took notes, and did all those things that prepare you for college and a career. There was one class in the day though that was different. It was a class where you didn't have to take notes and homework wasn't all that important. It was a class where you could just sit and think and ponder what was going on in your life and how you felt. For me that class was Seminary. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mormon.org/jesus-christ/"><img border="0" height="150px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkv-fuVJpHdpwawT6n6YAxWHokN51p_W9s9tlqqT7Ke1BEkTcRYhxel5_UKS1hiOZ-HauyPv99tjejWHXC2gFRdHu2aCbpW7Tv482QIQikiAYdkigxvzWFa0H5YXCOVFrKYsSpHMYVHeY/s200/100_1129.JPG" width="200px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few loads in the washer have faded it<br />
and made it a little hard to read. <br />
Here's what is says: <u>Put The Master in Charge</u><br />
and on the bottom right: <u>Good for Eternity</u></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1656082708"></span></a> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> One day in class Brother Holman, my seminary teacher, gave us a pretty handy credit card. He said it could be used at any time, in any place, for any reason, and it would never expire! That peaked my interest. Then I realized it was just a laminated piece of paper with a picture of Jesus on it. Yet, as I thought more about it I decided I would keep it in my wallet. It was one of the first things of actual worth that I put in there. Now its been a few years--and a few accidental loads in the laundry--and I still have my seminary credit card as a reminder of who should take care of all of my business.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The one key thing I learned from that experience is that when everything and everyone in this world fails us there is one person that will not fail us and that is Jesus Christ. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Twelve Apostles said this as he clarified the message of The Book of Mormon concerning Christ,"Sometimes people fail us, economics fail us, business or government fail us. But one thing in time and eternity does not fail us, the pure love of the Lord Jesus Christ as manifest in His Atoning sacrifice." </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> That is truly the most powerful thing I have learned in my short time on this earth. I have learned that there IS someone I can trust and rely on no matter how small or great the need is. There IS someone that will ease my burdens. There IS someone that will never give up on me. That person in whom I can place my trust is Jesus Christ. He will never fail me.</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5eBv21Ai1rMIqUNHrmDwbHOjrEXwxhpFEZNkii3p5Pvz_MOnTpyt5zSH4zFUcRn1hBz4bDs_2jbu2EeUDzbv0UorpYeZaDsB6EK9rN82H1aAlx6mYcAJ1QnCcY3W8I99zyLawz62S1Q4/s1600/100_1128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5eBv21Ai1rMIqUNHrmDwbHOjrEXwxhpFEZNkii3p5Pvz_MOnTpyt5zSH4zFUcRn1hBz4bDs_2jbu2EeUDzbv0UorpYeZaDsB6EK9rN82H1aAlx6mYcAJ1QnCcY3W8I99zyLawz62S1Q4/s200/100_1128.JPG" width="200px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daily Interest, Unlimited Credit, <br />
Guaranteed Security<br />
Day & Night Teller Security</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Elder Holland's Quote 3rd to last paragraph on the link:</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://cohabitationchronicles.wordpress.com/2011/04/24/mission-of-the-book-of-mormon/">http://cohabitationchronicles.wordpress.com/2011/04/24/mission-of-the-book-of-mormon/</a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">For more Information go to:</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mormon.org/">http://www.mormon.org/</a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.lds.org/">http://www.lds.org/</a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-46889188765985541892011-06-23T12:08:00.000-06:002011-06-23T12:08:55.433-06:00What A Great Father's Day<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> It has been a few days since Father's Day, but I've still been thinking about it. It seems that the time I can't celebrate Father's Day with my dad is when I think about him the most. I guess the old saying, "you don't know what you got 'til its gone" applies here. The longer I am away from home the more excited I am to see him and my family again.</div> I appreciate my father so much more now that I have been gone from home for a while. Nothing could replace all the summer days working together or being out on family trips. I'll always appreciate the counsel and direction he gave me, often times it was without having to even say a word. Just watching him be him was enough to realize I wanted to be just like my dad.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8fnSJCJNFtkbkveHZXsM3a6DwAIHJsFaLF6PwId2QvsVcCQNC1ieE8Bzn6z9BLMMae_WPkn2W6lIDp6cgF_xqoYLR47uQ-UYEH826riyd0k1BV8kJiEQCmLPAH7eLUkZ8tJoq6HqD6Q/s1600/707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8fnSJCJNFtkbkveHZXsM3a6DwAIHJsFaLF6PwId2QvsVcCQNC1ieE8Bzn6z9BLMMae_WPkn2W6lIDp6cgF_xqoYLR47uQ-UYEH826riyd0k1BV8kJiEQCmLPAH7eLUkZ8tJoq6HqD6Q/s200/707.JPG" width="200px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's my mom and dad, <br />
but right now its about the man on the left.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> Its been a fast, but oh so long six months since I last seen the man known as Brett George. What I've come to understand during that time is that without him being my dad to help raise me and teach me what I needed to know I wouldn't be ready for this experience called "life".</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> There's something even more important that I've come to understand! Without my Heavenly Father I wouldn't have been ready for <strong>the</strong> <strong>experience of life</strong>. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It will be two years until I can see my father and personally thank him for all he has done for me.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It will be many more years until I can see my Heavenly Father again and thank him for all He has done for me.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>"O my Father, thou that dwellest In the high and glorious place, When shall I regain thy presence And again behold thy face?"</em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>"may I meet you in your royal courts on high? Then, at length, when I've completed All you sent me forth to do, with your mutual approbation Let me come and dwell with you."</em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em> O My Father hymn # 292</em></div>Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-34795235647119698452011-06-15T14:38:00.000-06:002011-06-15T14:38:29.193-06:00How to Boil a Frog Alright, so has anyone else wondered about boiling frogs? I know it sounds like another one of those weird things that I think about, but trust me there's a point to this.<br />
Anyone that knows cooking would say that whatever you're planning on making involves a pot of water there is a process. You get a pot of water, heat it up until it starts boiling, and then put in whatever you're boiling. Sounds pretty simple right? Well, with boiling a live frog the process is switched around. If you were to throw a frog in boiling water it would jump out as soon as possible because it doesn't feel good being in boiling hot water! Its obvious to the frog that boiling water is no good for his health and he knows if he stays in much longer he's going to be cooked.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> However, when the frog is placed in a pot of water at room temperature over the stove top this is what happens...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBGUzH3mEKAxObxqs1GlAx3kV74CFgwFVt7-WmkvZVIjdEblnJ4-e0pr7MnnWT3pzLWUytAE3y_8HwC5DdS9FWNECb0jRZg3maHdSmPqOy2qd8AZaSms8PaI2FuLQ4kHbXPPoI0lgkmk/s1600/FROG1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBGUzH3mEKAxObxqs1GlAx3kV74CFgwFVt7-WmkvZVIjdEblnJ4-e0pr7MnnWT3pzLWUytAE3y_8HwC5DdS9FWNECb0jRZg3maHdSmPqOy2qd8AZaSms8PaI2FuLQ4kHbXPPoI0lgkmk/s1600/FROG1.jpg" t8="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hmm I'm feeling good right now!<br />
This is pretty nice!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4DK5Q7arOzbHSLyzdY8pFAYM3tIpn__hLVFRN02cGwVijlQW0v5eMrDeflTuSK1Mt53Y6-RCgtnMD95ywp6fAJl_T-NqSVIUbMzkcqw5lwf4z75tTXBgLiqXwNrCo_XcS4Kn0TugY-Os/s1600/Frog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4DK5Q7arOzbHSLyzdY8pFAYM3tIpn__hLVFRN02cGwVijlQW0v5eMrDeflTuSK1Mt53Y6-RCgtnMD95ywp6fAJl_T-NqSVIUbMzkcqw5lwf4z75tTXBgLiqXwNrCo_XcS4Kn0TugY-Os/s1600/Frog2.jpg" t8="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ahh, some extra heat.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2W6wh6i_JHcRptFshZlLqUxYRAnyUZuYgACz-yo57pxo_byoi9D9K1r-Qy0w2xS8mttnwS7mI1ad5f-3cNdpqOkPNwhlc9ChNzTTRd97FyGSyX7V_6kh-k_6SaVFJkmoBzaGVhyTGKk/s1600/Frog3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2W6wh6i_JHcRptFshZlLqUxYRAnyUZuYgACz-yo57pxo_byoi9D9K1r-Qy0w2xS8mttnwS7mI1ad5f-3cNdpqOkPNwhlc9ChNzTTRd97FyGSyX7V_6kh-k_6SaVFJkmoBzaGVhyTGKk/s1600/Frog3.jpg" t8="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ahh that hits spot!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVGT3nvCFhKEoCoZZHF5oI_k-3TucCGLeDqvuurXgmJpT9ILhqrThhWJLoE4hreL1L2kDTZRjBtV5e8Q4jjANN4LbuM8Ob6hyphenhyphencqmp5L-A2ybfLEPQdEeCzQdNRE7OYUifobVaeOXZla0/s1600/Frog4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVGT3nvCFhKEoCoZZHF5oI_k-3TucCGLeDqvuurXgmJpT9ILhqrThhWJLoE4hreL1L2kDTZRjBtV5e8Q4jjANN4LbuM8Ob6hyphenhyphencqmp5L-A2ybfLEPQdEeCzQdNRE7OYUifobVaeOXZla0/s1600/Frog4.jpg" t8="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh geez I'm not feeling so well.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFavIP9C5_Flw30YNrUeNdVwiIiF4zMiFTiWi80-jQM7dWdCtjN-chbpUN3ESJvGhyphenhyphenaxwaBVLT2s0oZMPdClzfhuYDb3C3s6Cw23FaqyxJQEkr_vr9u2eQx7HDkFmwVFlE3tjp2GGf2qM/s1600/Frog5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFavIP9C5_Flw30YNrUeNdVwiIiF4zMiFTiWi80-jQM7dWdCtjN-chbpUN3ESJvGhyphenhyphenaxwaBVLT2s0oZMPdClzfhuYDb3C3s6Cw23FaqyxJQEkr_vr9u2eQx7HDkFmwVFlE3tjp2GGf2qM/s1600/Frog5.jpg" t8="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Aaannd... *Croak*</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong> Ohhh Nooo!! Froggy what happened to you!!??</strong></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> See, what happened to our amphibious amigo is something that can happen to us as well. He was perfectly fine and comfortable as he sat in his nice cool water and as the water slowly got hotter it didn't bother him. It was just slow enough for him to get comfortable with the change and accept it. However, things did get worse and he couldn't handle it anymore...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> Our lives are also like this. Things can get worse for us if we let it. We can let ourselves slip into a sense of "whatever" and let our lives get out of control. That's why the Gospel of Jesus Christ is here in our lives. Its here to help us see if we might be in a pot of water thats ready to boil.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> As King Benjamin says in Mosiah 4:30 of the Book of Mormon, </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">"But this much I can tell you that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not."</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"> The last thing I have to say is this:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;">The gospel can and will bless our lives. On one condition though, we have to live it and do our best. The gospel is the one thing that will bring us true happiness and it is what gives our lives a sense of order and purpose. Once we stop living it things get out of control fast. So the last thing I beg you to do is...please don't be a boiled frog. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigf0PDyBmhYq_IMSEKa8aOeZ90l-mOf4OOaSAfFW1cp34vbvOOF8GC_4KwBLcF1RazrYXZHC3UryIYEdRDhyphenhyphenmDQi4n-_0R5PcWHQGmxoaULqAe9aZtojIrbn_JUZlSM0wHEc8UdPODXfI/s320/Boiling-Frog.jpg" t8="true" width="195px" /></div>Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-27237475441535547472011-05-20T14:21:00.000-06:002011-05-20T14:21:06.867-06:00Skateboarding Recently, with all the beautiful weather and melted snow, I've been thinking of some of my past time hobbies. Now, it may not seem like it with a nametag, glasses, and part in my hair, but I used to skateboard! Ya, I know sounds like I'm just making stuff up, but its true I actually did... There were a lot of things I learned from skateboarding. Such as it takes a lot of time and practice before you actually improve. It took me over a month of constantly trying a kickflip, one of the most basic tricks in skateboarding, before I could even land it. Even then I couldn't just do it on demand. Another thing I learned is that when I finally got to a certain point in my skateboarding ability I could rely on that to be something to keep me going when the world seemed to be falling apart.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_a59v_mOtucjoZpKtMUMMasdXX2Rw6JUYaKBxeFJb_FPtParRbiCe6xJDvBvUv0W25LlXOlPjItR3fP_0gT3T46jjqkbstPjeliuXle0-90oqNaYUiHK49R0Ljd9JFopAUxIiBZ6cbBY/s1600/Rodney_Mullen_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_a59v_mOtucjoZpKtMUMMasdXX2Rw6JUYaKBxeFJb_FPtParRbiCe6xJDvBvUv0W25LlXOlPjItR3fP_0gT3T46jjqkbstPjeliuXle0-90oqNaYUiHK49R0Ljd9JFopAUxIiBZ6cbBY/s320/Rodney_Mullen_4.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Professional Skateboarder <br />
Rodney Mullen<br />
Doing a Darkslide</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> When I felt so stressed and overwhelmed about school, work, my family, or my friends I would just go skate for a bit and all the stress I had would just melt away. It didn't matter what people thought about me or if I wasn't all that "skilled" anyway. It was something that could bring a peaceful calm feeling into my life.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When the gospel of Jesus Christ came into my life I had that same feeling. No matter what people thought or how much I was lacking I could still feel the peace the gospel brought into my life. No matter how hard life got I always had something to rely on and trust in.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It took a lot of time though, and a lot of effort, but the gospel and church became the thing that made me who I am. Just like the effort I put into skateboarding to have it be a part of my life, there is also an effort in living the gospel and receiving the rewards of doing so. Just like how after a lot of time and practice I was able to do some pretty awesome things with my skateboard, there is also a lot of amazing things we can do with the gospel as we continue to work at building our faith and testimonies. </div>Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-74412352332018473112011-05-07T11:30:00.000-06:002011-05-07T11:30:00.180-06:00Happy Mother's Day!!! Well, Mother's Day is tomorrow and I feel like there are quite a few mothers I need to say "Happy Mother's Day!" to. I'm way excited to get to call my family tomorrow and talk to them, but there's a lot of extended families and moms that I adopted that I don't get to tell them how much I love and appreciate them tomorrow. So, here's a little blog post, a tribute to all my loving "mamas".<br />
The Good Lord blessed me with lots of moms looking over me as I grew up because he knew I would need a lot more than just one to keep me in line. "All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother", a quote from Abraham Lincoln that I very much agree with. Without my mom I would be nothing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbl3JTmGKaWrJfwgubUFQa_UvG1zMAT8h27E7kD5Y33e6AELNPZKT423MI85JDo94jQCVN_uEl81Qa_ie8U6Yx_1i1-sMJqZkSd44TeYS7sLGZ34TPEC3g_GnEBbnuTE2T6Y4uOinlCY/s1600/stripling+warriors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbl3JTmGKaWrJfwgubUFQa_UvG1zMAT8h27E7kD5Y33e6AELNPZKT423MI85JDo94jQCVN_uEl81Qa_ie8U6Yx_1i1-sMJqZkSd44TeYS7sLGZ34TPEC3g_GnEBbnuTE2T6Y4uOinlCY/s1600/stripling+warriors.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> One quick thought from the Book of Mormon to go along with our celebration of mothers. So, does anyone remember the Stripling Warriors? I sure do. Just imagine two thousand of these super buff and stalwart young men and ask yourself, "Hmm, how did they become so super buff and stalwart?" Well, there's a scripture in the book of Alma chapter fifty-seven when Helaman, the captain of the Stripling Warriors, reflects on what it is they had told him, "...they said unto me that their mothers had taught them".</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> The stripling warriors of the Book of Mormon owed everything they were to their mothers. They had faith, they trusted in God, they fought bravely, they stood together, and miraculously none of them died from their many battles. Most of all they knew who the credit went to...their mothers. Happy Mother's Day!!!</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div> Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258858974426050949.post-65235570943725886082011-05-03T11:59:00.000-06:002011-05-03T11:59:28.427-06:00My Eternal Family Right now I would like to share something a little personal. It is something that comes deep in my soul. It is one of the desires I have had since I was a young child. It is hard for me to share this because it is so personal, and taking something so close to you and sharing it to the whole world--or at least on my blog--is a really big challenge. However, I've learned that you kind of have to put yourself out there and let yourself be heard and let others do what they will with what you've shared.<br />
What I want to share is not just the truth and reality of eternal families, but my own personal desire for an eternal family. I remember going to church when I was young and singing the primary song <u>Families Can Be Together Forever</u> and just getting this feeling like, "I really want that and I'll do whatever I need to to have that." That feeling has been with me since then. I don't know why, but that has been a major driving force behind all the decisions I've made.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLfdYviLxUt-os1ETCM4bQVzAw3XeiCwwI4CY4zhJOnzecy0ov4_6D_jtME1JAJLodi4NeWiUhEpawcf8LjoqHhwa0V5hW-Jzt330VzZrgMvs9IqUyon0LTnK_9WdrK78lQG451wFL_I/s1600/family+picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLfdYviLxUt-os1ETCM4bQVzAw3XeiCwwI4CY4zhJOnzecy0ov4_6D_jtME1JAJLodi4NeWiUhEpawcf8LjoqHhwa0V5hW-Jzt330VzZrgMvs9IqUyon0LTnK_9WdrK78lQG451wFL_I/s400/family+picture.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
This photo (above) is just a glimpse of the happiness that can be felt in an eternal family. It's a picture of my sister Brooke, the one in the pretty white dress, and her husband Adam, the stud-man right beside her accompanied by the George and Crook families. (In case you were wondering I'm the big tall guy on the left.) This picture is really special because it was taken just hours after the two newlyweds were sealed together in the temple for all time and eternity.<br />
There is a sense of happiness that cannot be described or measured when two people, or better yet two families, that are sealed to one another. It is a happiness that continues from that point on, if we remain faithful. See, in the temple there are a lot of promises, or covenants, that are made with our Heavenly Father and we have to do all we can to keep those promises and remain faithful to them in order to be with our families for all eternity.<br />
That's something we should all want, an eternal family. I hope from reading this that you get that same desire to do all you can to have your own eternal family. Its such a wonderful blessing that should be sought after with all energy and effort to receive that special blessing of a "forever family". <br />
This special message I leave with you in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.Elder Aaron Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01831986179129619852noreply@blogger.com0