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GOSPEL PRINCIPLES

LOVE: "If the world is to be improved, the process of love must make a change in the hearts of humans. It can do so when we look beyond self to give our love to God and others, and do so with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds." ~Gordon B. Hinckley - "Stand For Something"

The Savior was asked which is the first and greatest commandment. His reply was to love God; the second was to love our neighbor as ourselves. Our Savior is our greatest example as the giver of love, for His love is unconditional.

CHARITY: Christ said, "If ye have done it unto the least of these, ye have done it unto me."

I'm trying to be like Jesus, I'm following in His ways.
I'm trying to love as He did in all that I do and say.
At times I'm tempted to make a wrong choice,
But I try to listen as the still small voice whispers,
"Love one another as Jesus loves you;
Try to show kindness in all that you do;
Be gentile and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are the things Jesus taught."

CHILDREN are an heritage of the Lord. They are precious to Him:

"And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying unto the Father, he arose; but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome. And it came to pass that Jesus spake unto them, and bade them arise. And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full. And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them. And when he had done this he wept again; And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones. And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them." - 3 Nephi 17

FATHER & MOTHER: A parent is to a child as sheep is to a lamb. A divine trust is placed in parents. Therefore God has a special interest in guiding them as is shown in this poem by C. C. Miller, "The Echo":

"Twas a sheep, not a lamb, that strayed away in the parable Jesus told,
A grown up sheep that strayed away from the ninety and nine in the fold.
And why for the sheep should we seek, and earnestly hope and pray?
Because there is danger when the sheep go wrong; they lead the lambs astray.
Lambs will follow the sheep, you know, where ever the sheep may stray.
When sheep go wrong, it won't take long til the lambs are as wrong as they.
And so for the sheep we earnestly plead for the sake of the lambs today,
For when the sheep are lost, what a terrible cost the lambs will have to pay."

The little ones are special gifts to us, and to give a little one a home is an amazing way of inviting God into our lives. May God bless those who have adopted a little one, and especially a special needs child!

JUSTICE, MERCY, a MEDIATOR: Justice is an eternal principle that cannot be compromised. Mercy is an act of love and kindness, but it cannot rob justice. A Mediator brings Justice and Mercy into harmony. Jesus Christ is our eternal mediator.

FORGIVENESS: Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side-by-side, sharing machinery and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference and finally, it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence. One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox. "I 'm looking for a few days' work," he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with? Could I help you?" "Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor. In fact, it's my younger brother! Last week there was a meadow between us. He recently took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll do him one better. See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence an 8-foot fence -- so I won't need to see his place or his face anymore." The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you." The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day -- measuring, sawing and nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge - a bridge that stretched from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all! And the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming toward them, his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done." The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in middle, taking each other's hand. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox onto his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother. "I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but I have many more bridges to build." God won't ask what kind of car you drove, but He'll ask how many people you helped get where they needed to go. God won't ask the square footage of your house, but He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home. God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, but He'll ask how many you helped to clothe. God won't ask how many friends you had, but He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend. God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, but He'll ask how you treated your neighbors. God won't ask about the color of your skin, but He'll ask about the content of your character. God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation, but He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in Heaven, and not to the gates of hell. The Savior's admonition to forgive can be one of the hardest principles of the Gospel to apply. Yet it is a key to spiritual growth for everyone involved. Watch the story of one of the most difficult matters anyone could be asked to forgive:

OBEDIENCE: A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.

So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sunup to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might!

Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary mind: (He will do it every time)!

You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't moved." Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.

Satan said, "Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough."

That's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

"Lord," he said, "I have labored long and hard in Your Service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done.

Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed.

But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back shiny and brown; your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard.

Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. True, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. That you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock."

At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is just simple obedience and faith in Him.

By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God Who moves the mountains.
When everything seems to go wrong ---- Just P.U.S.H.
When the job gets you down ---- Just P.U.S.H.
When people don't do as you think they should ---- Just P.U.S.H.
When your money is "gone" and the bills are due ---- Just P.U.S.H.
When people just don't understand you ---- Just P.U.S.H.

P = Pray
U = Until
S = Something
H = Happens

"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending."

Friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

JESUS CHRIST IS MY SAVIOR: The true story of one man's conversion to Christianity. The God of Abraham is Jesus Christ.

THE BEST POEM IN THE WORLD:

I was shocked, confused, bewildered
As I entered Heaven’s door,
Not by the beauty of it all
Nor the lights, or it’s décor.

But it was the folks in Heaven
That made me sputter and gasp –
The thieves, the liars, the sinners,
The alcoholics, and the trash.

There stood the kid from seventh grade
Who swiped my lunch money twice,
Next to him was an old neighbor
Who never had said anything nice.

Bob, who I always thought
Was rotting away in hell,
Was sitting pretty on Cloud Nine
Looking incredibly well.

I nudged Jesus, “What’s the deal?
I would love to hear your take.
How’d all these sinners get up here?
God must’ve made a mistake!”

“And why is everyone so quiet,
So somber, give me a clue!”
“Hush, child,” He said. “they’re in shock!
No one thought they’d be seeing you.”

Remember, just going to to church doesn’t make you a Christian
any more than standing in your garage makes you a car.

JUDGE NOT! - THAT'S GOD'S JOB