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Like The Savior, We Will All Have Our Gethsemane.

Every generation since the world began has had its peculiar temptations, with Satan as their author. Today we have ours in abundance.

There are those who scoff at the idea that there is a Supreme Being. They declare and teach that God is dead.

Others ridicule the belief that there is a life after this. They contend that death is the end, that there will be no time of judgment, no accounting for our actions here in mortality, so why not live and be merry, for tomorrow we die?

There are those who would have us believe that the use of liquor, tobacco, and drugs is not harmful or injurious to the body; that illicit sex is acceptable, and dishonesty is justified if it helps to achieve an end.

It is a temptation to become so involved in the things of the world that we lose sight of more important values, the things of the spirit.

Not only the young people have trials and temptations, but each of us does. Like the Savior, we will all have our Gethsemane. If we will not be dissuaded by the mocking voices of the world or lose our way and fall into the river or wander in strange roads, we will pass the challenging test of life that Abraham foresaw.

All the effort and struggle and sorrow will be well worth it, for we will earn the greatest of all gifts, the gift of eternal life.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Each year God himself has set aside for our special observance 52 days each, not as holidays but as holy days. The relative importance of this great day that would call the Sabbath might be indicated to us by the frequency of its recurrence. That is, we have one day to certain national leaders, one day for nation's birthday, one day for other historical events.  And then our Father in Heaven in His great wisdom set aside one-seventh of all the days to honor God. This day is also set aside particularly for our benefit, for when we honor God we tend to become more like Him.

The importance of this day was also emphasized to the world 34 centuries ago went out of the fires of Sinai God said, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." (Known as one of the Ten Commandments, not Ten Suggestions!) We sometimes desecrate the Sabbath by putting our minds in contact with the things that lead us away from God and eternal life. We make this special day a holiday instead of a holy day.

What a thrilling idea that one day of each week is especially set apart for us to put our minds in contact, and our lives in harmony with him in whose image we were created.

Problems & Solutions.

An occasional complaining session may be unavoidable, but no one wants to hear how bad things are all the time. If you feel the need to complain, identify what’s going right. 

Another approach is to couple your problem-identifying skills with good problem solving.

Identifying the problem is the first step. Developing solutions is the second. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem!

History Hangs In The Balance.

I grew up on a small farm (10 acres) in rural Idaho and like many Americans, I grew up thinking free people and free markets went hand in hand—that capitalism and democracy were inseparably linked, and together represented the best hope for humanity. But that belief isn’t universally shared. Democracy is being threatened around the world, and Chinese leaders—who have a couple of amazing economic decades to show for their efforts—are on a campaign to convince developing nations that they have found a better answer to capitalism. The absolute breakdown of Washington’s ability to do, well, almost anything has supported their argument. This is no small debate. History hangs in the balance. Your thoughts?

As you practice your religion, you are exercising your faith.

"Many put other priorities ahead of God. Some challenge the relevance of religion in modern life. As in every age, so today there are those who mock or decry the free exercise of religion. Some even blame religion for any number of the world’s ills. Admittedly, there have been times when atrocities have been committed in the name of religion. But living the Lord’s pure religion, which means striving to become a true disciple of Jesus Christ, is a way of life and a daily commitment that will provide divine guidance. As you practice your religion, you are exercising your faith."

—Russell M. Nelson

Ask yourself if you have plugged in to the most important source...

"As important as it is to leave home every day with a full charge on your cell phone, it is far more important to be fully charged spiritually. Every time you plug in your phone, use it as a reminder to ask yourself if you have plugged in to the most important source of spiritual power—prayer and scripture study, which will charge you with inspiration through the Holy Ghost."

—Randall L. Ridd