"Lift Where You Stand"

With General Conference coming up in a couple of days, I thought in these next couple of days that I would share fragments of my my favorite Conference talks in the last few years. Here are a couple of stories from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf from his talk in the October 2008 Conference: "Lift Where You Stand" To read his talk in its entirety, click on this link.
http://lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/lift-where-you-stand?lang=eng&query=lift+stand

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of John Rowe Moyle. John was a convert to the Church who left his home in England and traveled to the Salt Lake Valley as part of a handcart company. He built a home for his family in a small town a valley away from Salt Lake City. John was an accomplished stonecutter and, because of this skill, was asked to work on the Salt Lake Temple.

Every Monday John left home at two o’clock in the morning and walked six hours in order to be at his post on time. On Friday he would leave his work at five o’clock in the evening and walk almost until midnight before arriving home. He did this year after year.

One day, while he was doing his chores at home, a cow kicked him in the leg, causing a compound fracture. With limited medical resources, the only option was to amputate the broken leg. So John’s family and friends strapped him onto a door and, with a bucksaw, cut off his leg a few inches from the knee.

In spite of the crude surgery, the leg started to heal. Once John could sit up in bed, he began carving a wooden leg with an ingenious joint that served as an ankle to an artificial foot. Walking on this device was extremely painful, but John did not give up, building up his endurance until he could make the 22-mile (35-km) journey to the Salt Lake Temple each week, where he continued his work.

His hands carved the words “Holiness to the Lord” that stand today as a golden marker to all who visit the Salt Lake Temple. ⁵

John did not do this for the praise of man. Neither did he shirk his duty, even though he had every reason to do so. He knew what the Lord expected him to do.

Years later, John’s grandson Henry D. Moyle was called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve and, eventually, served in the First Presidency of the Church. President Moyle’s service in these callings was honorable, but his grandfather John’s service, though somewhat less public, is just as pleasing to the Lord. John’s character, his legacy of sacrifice, serves as a banner of faithfulness and an ensign of duty to his family and to the Church. John Rowe Moyle understood the meaning of “lift where you stand.”

The Example of Helaman’s 2,000 Warriors

Individual recognition is rarely an indication of the value of our service. We do not know the names, for example, of any of the 2,000 sons of Helaman. As individuals, they are unnamed. As a group, however, their name will always be remembered for honesty, courage, and the willingness to serve. They accomplished together what none of them could have accomplished alone.

That is a lesson for us, brethren of the priesthood. When we stand close together and lift where we stand, when we care more for the glory of the kingdom of God than for our own prestige or pleasure, we can accomplish so much more.

I love Conference. I can't wait til Saturday to hear the words of a living prophet. I hope that you will take the time to listen and apply what they say, because they are the servants of God.

One of my most powerful testimony building moments!

So, yesterday I was editing the facebook account that I used before my mission when I saw a post from a friend of mine. It was a post celebrating the two year mark of one of the best experiences of my life, and I feel inspired to tell you all about it. At the end of my sophomore year of high school, I auditioned and was accepted into the Chamber Singers at my high school. The Chamber Singers is the most advanced choir in the school. I was super excited and really nervous about the responsibility and the challenge that was going to be mine. Before the school year ended, we had a meeting where they measured us for our concert attire and talked about the upcoming year. At the end of the meeting, my choir teacher asked all the Chamber Singers and their parents to stay behind. In this meeting, he told us of an exciting possibility that might possibly be ours if the school board approved it. We had been invited to sing as part of a national choir in Carnegie Hall in New York City! My excitement went from pretty excited to SUPER STOKED! NYC! I had never been so far away from my home before! We were told not to talk about it until it was final.

Well, the possibility became a reality. The school board approved it. We were going to NYC! We also applied and were accepted to be the featured choir at our concert! This meant that besides performing as part of the national choir, we would get 15 minutes to perform our own music. Nothing this big had ever happened in the history of my high school! This was the big stage! We worked so hard throughout the year on the pieces we were to perform and finally the time came. We enjoyed a couple days of touring and sightseeing NYC and rehearsals, and the night came. I had never been so nervous in my life. Really from the time that we had gotten on the plane, I knew that I was going to be nervous wreck. I was more than a nervous wreck. I was panicked! Here I was, in one of the most famous concert halls in the world, in front of thousands of people, and our rehearsals that day didn't go very well...I was a scared little puppy dog.

Now...at this point some of you are wondering what this has to do with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Where on earth is Elder Sowards going with this? Well before we performed, I took some time by myself to pray. We had been praying all day as a choir that the performance would go well and we would be calm, but it wasn't working. So I prayed...no...I pleaded with my Heavenly Father for His help. I don't cry very much but this is a time when tears flowed. I don't know how long I prayed, but afterwards I felt better but still nervous.

However, and this is when it becomes one of my most powerful testimony building moments, when we walked on that stage, my fear completely disappeared. It was the best performance of the year. I know that was because God was with us. He answered my prayer and the prayers of my fellow choir members. A scripture in the Book of Mormon really reminded me of this experience:"But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul." (2 Ne. 32:9)

I'm grateful that our Heavenly Father is kind and loving enough to answer our prayers when we need Him the most. I know He will hear your prayer in your hour of need. He loves you. Go to Him when your burden is heavy and He will give you rest. I know that to be true beyond a doubt.

*This post was not intended to be this long, but in order for y'all to get the whole story, I went into detail a little bit. Hope you enjoy!!!*

We are Different!

There are a lot of people on this earth.  Each of them has unique characteristics and stories. This is the story of a man, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who helps kids whose parents are in prison. I know that God knows us each individually and knows that we all have a lot that we can offer Him and His children. I know that He loves us. He will always be there for us.

I have a deep love for the scriptures. The Bible has the writings of ancient prophets that testify of Jesus Christ many years before His coming. It also contains the account of His life and ministry among the people at Jerusalem and the writings of His Apostles after His death. Little known to many people, however, is that there is another book of scripture. It testifies of Christ just like the Bible. It has the writings of ancient prophets that lived on the American continent. It contains the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ just like the Bible. That book is the Book of Mormon. God has promised all who read it and ask Him with a sincere heart, with real intent to know for yourself that it's true, and if you ask in faith, He will reveal the truth by the power of the Holy Ghost. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I have read it, prayed about it, and the Holy Ghost has born witness to me that it is true. I encourage all to read the Book of Mormon and find out for yourself just as I found out for myself.

Cool Experience

For my post today I want to share an experience about how cool of a day it's been today. This week, we've had a pretty rough go finding and teaching people about this wonderful message of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. A couple of days ago, I talked about prayer and how I know that God answers prayers. Realizing that, last night I decided to go to our Father in Heaven and talk to Him about what was going on. I pleaded with Him for help. I knew that I couldn't be successful on His errand without His help. I went to bed with a good feeling about what was going to happen the next day(today). It's been an awesome day. We've taught just as many lessons today as we did throughout the whole week. We found of couple of people who show some interest in the message. I repeat, as I did a couple of days ago, that God does answer our prayers. He loves us. He is our Father. He wants to hear from us. As we go to Him in prayer, I know that He will help us as we do all we can do. We just got out of a baptism of a man we've been teaching. It's such an amazing feeling to see somebody follow the example of our Savior by being baptized. It's been such a great day!!!

Joseph Smith, the Prophet

In the year 1820, a young boy named Joseph Smith had a question. There was a lot of religious excitement and contention in the town where he was living. He attended many churches, but struggled to find which one was true. As he read the Bible, he came across a passage of scripture in the New Testament that would change not only his life, but the lives of millions across the world: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."(James 1:5) With faith that God would answer him, he went one morning to a grove of trees and offered a humble prayer. God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him in answer to his prayer. This video celebrates the man and prophet that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints revere. Seeing God and Jesus Christ is a pretty bold claim to make, but I know that it happened. You can know it as well if you do what Joseph did; ask God in sincere prayer.

Prayer

I have a huge testimony of the power of prayer. I know that there is a God in Heaven who loves us and listens to us when we pray. But what do we pray about? I love the Book of Mormon Prophet Amulek who describes it so beautifully: "Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you; Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save. Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him. Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks. Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening. Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies. Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness. Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them. Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase. But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness. Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you." (Book of Mormon, Alma 34:17-27 http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/34?lang=eng) In a nutshell, we're supposed to pray about everything. I know that God listens when we pray with sincerety. I know that He will help us with our problems as we take them to Him. I know that He will answer our questions. Take the time to talk with your Father, and you will be amazed how much closer you will feel to Him.

The Rock!

"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm 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." (Book of Mormon, Helaman 5:12)
This is one of my favorite all-time scriptures. It's a constant reminder to me of who I can turn to in hard times. Trials and temptations will come into our lives. This is part of God's plan. The scriptures teach us that there "MUST needs be, that there is an opposition in all things"(Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 2:11 emphasis added) That doesn't mean that bad things might happen or that there's a chance that they might happen, but it's inevitable that they come. Without the bad things in life, we can't truly appreciate the good, for we wouldn't know the difference. When the bad times do come, who can we turn to? Our Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the Rock! He will never leave us and if we put our trust in Him, the devil can not overpower us. I'm so grateful for my Savior! My purpose as a missionary is to invite all to have faith in Him, repent, be baptized, receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and endure to the very end. I love being a missionary. It's such a blessing. I love this Gospel, for it truly makes us happy. It's the best and I want all of God's children to have all the blessings He wants to give them.

Cool experiences with the Holy Ghost

I've been thinking a lot lately about the Holy Ghost and how it works in our lives. As a missionary, I am so blessed to be able to feel the influence of the Holy Ghost on a regular basis. I have had a few really cool experiences with the Holy Ghost and I'd like to share one with you. A few weeks ago, I went with a member of the Church to go and see a less active member while my companions went and taught a lady we have been teaching. The lesson they had with her was really powerful. The Spirit was strong, and there wasn't a dry eye in the place. During the lesson, this lady agreed to be baptized a member of the Church. Meanwhile, I'm 15-20 miles away visiting this less active member, when a powerful wave of emotion came over me and I knew everything that had just happened in the other lesson. The Holy Ghost had made it known unto me. It was just such an amazing feeling! Happiness and Joy is just the best way to describe it but it was more than just that. It was really cool. I know that the Holy Ghost can and will bless our lives, but we need to be listening to it. If we do listen to the "still, small, voice"(1 Kings 19:12) we will know what we should do.   

Obedience

When I think of obedience, I think of the Book of Mormon prophet Nephi when he boldly stated: "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." President James E. Faust (1920-2007) gave an excellent talk on obedience. The link below will take you to it. Obedience to God's commandments will bring happiness and peace in our lives. King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon said: "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it." I know that if we just make the decision to obey God, we will be amazed at the blessings that will come.  May we all strive to be a little bit more obedient in our daily lives.

http://lds.org/general-conference/1999/04/obedience-the-path-to-freedom?lang=eng&query=obedience

The Madness of March

The month of March is always a very exciting time for me. The weather starts to warm back up again. The trees start to bloom. Everything starts waking back up after a long winter sleep. My favorite thing about March is the craziness of the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament. I love filling out my bracket on who's going to win it all and then plop down and soak in two weeks worth of intense action. I have many wonderful memories associated with the tournament. This year however, and also the next, I will not be watching a single minute of it. Why? I'm a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The things I'm doing as a missionary right now are so much more important than watching the upsets, Cinderella stories, and the usual " What?!?! Did that really just happen??? My bracket is ruined!!!" that comes with the tournament. Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those that really want peace in their lives means so much more. I love being a missionary! The tournament will still be there when my missionary experience is over. I'll have plenty of time to enjoy the "Big Dance" another year. However, I won't get back the chance I have right now to serve God's children here in Tennessee. I am so grateful for the Gospel!    

What matters most?

Sometimes in our busy lives, we put things that are less important in front of those we care about the most. I love this short little clip from President Thomas S. Monson, the prophet of the Lord Jesus Christ. He counsels us to put those we love and what truly matters in front of everything else.

Where can I turn for Peace?

One of my favorite hymns is called "Where Can I Turn for Peace?" The words go like this:
"Where can I turn for peace? Where is my solace when other sources cease to make me whole? When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice, I draw myself apart, searching my soul?
Where, when my aching grows, where, when I languish, where, in my need to know, where can I run? Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish? Who, who can understand? He, only one.
He answers privately, reaches my reaching, in my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend. Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching. Constant he is and kind, love without end" (Hymns # 129)
In the troubling times that we live in, it's hard to find peace. It's hard to find comfort when terror and chaos are all around. Our Savior Jesus Christ offers us lasting peace. In talking to his disciples, he said "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27) I know the Savior loves us and wants us to be happy. If we have faith and come to him, we will have peace.

Are Mormons Christians?

As a missionary, I talk to a lot of people everyday. There have been a few times that I've been asked whether or not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are even Christian. Elder Gary J. Coleman, one of the leaders of the Church, talks about his conversion to the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and explains how Mormons are indeed Christians. I further testify that we are Christian. Jesus Christ is the very Son of God and the "chief cornerstone" of all the Church does. (Ephesians 2:20) He provided the way for us to return back to live with our Heavenly Father again. He loves us all so much and is always there when we need Him. To learn more about the Church and what Mormons believe, please visit http://www.lds.org/ or http://www.mormon.org/.

God's Words Never Cease

One of the key doctrines in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that God continues to reveal his word to us today. A modern day Apostle bears his testimony of the importance of continuing revelation in the trying times of today.

Temples

Perhaps you've seen a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before. There are 134 temples around the world and more are being planned and built. Have you ever wondered why Mormons build temples? This neat video has quotes from the leaders of the Church and other religious professors about the biblical history of building temples and why Mormons see the importance of temples today. I have a deep love for the temple and the peace, hope, and relief from the challenges of the world it provides. It truly is the house of the Lord. 

Why so many "rules"?

You may have wondered why there are so many "rules" in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These rules are actually commandments from our Heavenly Father. The commandments are seen by many as restrictions. They think that obeying them limits our freedom and limits our fun. In this video based on a talk given by President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles, it shows how the commandments are not fence posts, but guardrails. Keeping commandments such as the Word of Wisdom (avoiding alcohol, drugs, tobacco, tea, and coffee), the Law of Chastity (keeping ourselves sexually clean before marriage and being loyal to our spouse after marriage), and all others provide protection and safety from the horrible consequences that may not immediately be seen. Satan is very cunning, and has these spiritual crocodiles hiding everywhere, just waiting to snatch us when we make a mistake. When we make mistakes, and we will because we're imperfect human beings, let us repent and turn it over to the Savior. His arms are outstretched, just waiting for us to come to Him. I testify that the Savior will heal us as we use the Atonement and repent. I know that these spiritual crocodiles are out there and if we stay behind the fence by keeping the commandments, we will be safe. I know that keeping the commandments bring true joy.

The Atonement

"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities. Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me." (Alma 7:11-13) The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the most important event to ever take place in the history of mankind. Without the Atonement, none of us could return to our Heavenly Father. Sin makes us unclean, and the scriptures tell us repeatedly that no unclean thing can enter the presense of God. However, a loving God provided a way to be forgiven and cleansed. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:16-17) I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ and for the marvelous gift of the Atonement. I testify that the Atonement really did happen, and that the Savior took upon himself the sins of everybody. I encourage all to take full advantage of our Savior's selfless sacrifice.

An Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ bears his firm testimony of the Book of Mormon. I too add my witness that it is true and that you can come to know that for yourself as you read, ponder, and pray about it.