Church welfare.

I really love to read some of the things the church is doing around the world here is a n article about brining water to remote areas of Africa Africa Water Project Brings Happiness.

Here is an article about the churches presence in Haiti A Year Later, Church Continues to Provide Aid to Haiti.

A video of what local members do even in Brazil.

I love this video that the church helps even in small things.

http://lds.org/service/humanitarian/videos?lang=eng

The church is truly amazing in how it reaches out to people and offers service.

I will conclude with something that happened to my family over Christmas. We are not poor but by no means can we give each other really nice gifts. But this year someone from our ward left us a Kitchen-aid mixer by the front door. We still have no idea who it was and we are so blessed that someone thought about us and our need. The mixer has been a blessing when it comes to making homemade food during this year already. The church is full of wonderful people who know how to serve and help our home is furnished mostly from donated furniture and we are richly blessed that we have had to but Isabelle very few things.

For all those out there who serve so faithfully,

thank you.

The blessings I am surrounded by.

This week my back went out which gave me time to think about many of my blessings.  I have so many of them to be grateful for.  My testimony is strengthened every day by the witness that I have what matters most in this life.  My health is here for which I am grateful.  I have an amazing family.  My wife is talented, fun, smart, hot and the love of my life.  My little girl is so cute and fun she loves to walk and talk I just love her. Like Nephi I was born of goodly parents who worked hard and taught me much.  I have great siblings who love the Lord and I love them.  I have a beautiful home to live in that keeps us warm and allows the spirit to reside here. I have everything someone needs plus more.   I have a job and even if I am looking for a new one I am grateful that I have something to provide for my family while I am looking.  I have goals to reach towards and great friends to help me.  I have freedom and peace.
I also have the Church which helped me to learn and come to know Jesus Christ whom I am most grateful for.  I have a loving Father in heaven who knows me and cares for me in-spite of my rebellious nature.
I am richly blessed by the Lord and I wanted everyone to know that is ow I feel tonight.      

It's a new year!

A new year is a cause of reflection and a chance to improve oneself. The question for most people is how (besides getting in shape). The true litmus test is how each year we are growing closer to the savior and his example. I love my savior so very much and my ultimate goal is to become like him. I hope you try to do the same.

Elder Bednar

Today we had the amazing experience of listening to an apostle of the Lord speak.  David A. Bednar came and spoke here in Ann Arbor.  What an inspired meeting it was.  He taught about the enabling or strengthening power of the atonement which in the scriptures is referred to as grace.  We sang How Firm a Foundation with emphasis placed on this power of the atonement.  This power enables us to do more than we can do by ourselves.  Our capacity is strengthened and our mind enlightened through this power.   He left us with 2 messages. 1. you can do it.  Pray for this strength and press forward and be grateful for a God who asks us to do hard things.
2. Men you can and must be better.  He told a story that he learned in Africa as he listened to this humble women teach about fasting.  Her definition wasn't to just go hungry for a purpose but to put off two meals that when you can eat you choose not to for the lord.  which for this people meant going two days because they ate 1 meal a day if that.  It is choosing the lord when it isn't easy.  Not just obeying but truly sacrificing.

This was powerful meeting and I know that we have a living prophet and a council of twelve apostles living today.  

Testimony of the Book of Mormon

Ever Learning

One of the most wonderful things about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the knowledge of modern revelation.  god did not just speak to men in ancient times he loves men today as he did than.  He has given us a modern Prophet and council of twelve modern apostles to give us a revelation.  

We also have local leaders who can receive revelation for local members.  Most amazing is that you can receive revelation for your self and family.  I know that God has plans for us and he reveals it to us through the power of his Holy Spirit.  This weekend we were able to hear from the local leaders I spoke about earlier and it was amazing.  I felt the love of God and some small promptings came into my mind of things I need to work on.
God loves us and he wants each of us to know his will but only through our worthiness and searching can this truth be revealed unto each of us a small piece at a time.  God does not just at one time give us everything.  He lights our way one step at a time.

Feeling blessed

We often look at trials in our lives as hard and then afterwards realize how much the Lord is blessing us.  I am currently looking for work and really feel at peace with it.  I believe I needed to change myself and my daily pattern and this has allowed me time to re-energize myself every morning.  I wake up at 6:00 am and try to work out for 20 minutes and then I have what I call a morning devotional for a little over 1 hour (we'll discuss this further) and then I spend 30 minutes to 1 hour reading a business book (currently the Truth Shall Make you Rich).  I then make a game plan for the day of what I need to and want to accomplish.  This has been a huge blessing in helping me cope and for me to believe that God has great things in store for this family.

I am also very grateful to be able to spend time with my little girl and allow my wife to take on more work.  It is a blessing to be with her and my wife and to be able to just read more.

Morning Devotional begins with a hymn and then about 10 minutes of meditation followed by prayer.  Than I read an article form the ensign and write my thoughts in a notebook.  I then study the Sunday School or Priesthood lesson for 30 minutes.  Things than end in a song and a prayer.  This has been a great blessing and I am using several sources for my study I have the Old Testament Made Easier by David Ridges and the old testament manual as study guides.  I then write what key learnings I have by verse set in my journal.  I have noticed the peace that daily communion with God can give us.

I also have journal of thoughts while I read a business book.  My goal is to try and figure out some entrepreneurial ventures that I can begin as a side job.  Most of my thoughts have been different ways to utilize my wifes many artistic talents in as many venues as possible.

I am grateful for the many ways the Lord blesses us and gives us challenges to set us on course.  I love the church and am grateful for the truth and light it sheds for to me.