The Holy Ghost: A Man's Best Friend

      Those who know me know that I have a great love for animals. My favorite of course, are dogs. For all those who own and are around dogs know of their loyalty and their love. My dog Millie, is an American Pitt Bull who my girlfriend and I rescued from abandonment a year or so ago. She has been the best dog I've ever had! Loyal, friendly, protective, and always right by your side. Truly, a man's best friend.

      This morning while I was studying and reflecting on a few things, I ran through some memories of home. My study topic this morning was The Spirit of God. Upon searching out scriptures I made a parallel from some of the characteristics I found. The Spirit is with us always, granted we live worthy and do not offend it. It is there to protect us, to warn us, and to keep us safe.

      I was drawn to memories of Millie and my five year old brother Gage. Whenever he was outside working on his quad, or riding his bike, playing in the mud etc. . . She was always there. Always right by his side. And wherever he went, so did Millie. We were never too worried about him when he went out on his own adventures, Because we knew Millie was with him and she would stand in the way of any danger.

      The Holy Ghost, is a man's best friend. How blessed we are to have the Holy Ghost with us, to warn us and to protect us. This gift we receive at baptism is so essential in enduring to the end. I pray we can all strive and live worthy to have the Holy Ghost with us at all times and in all places. That we may further escape the hands of Satan and his servants. And to always have the Spirit with us, as a man's best friend.

Why do Mormons build Temples ?

Temples are houses of the Lord, the most sacred structures on the earth.

Anciently, the Lord directed Solomon to build a temple (1 Chronicles 28:1-6). This temple was a place where God could dwell, was a place of prayer, was a place of sacrifice and was a place where the principle and covenant of sacrifice was fundamental to worship.

At the time of the Restoration, the Lord commanded Joseph Smith to once again build temples on the earth. Like ancient temples, today’s temples are also sacred places where God may dwell; they are places of prayer and, although we no longer offer animal sacrifices because that was done away with when Jesus Christ became the Eternal Sacrifice for our sins, the principle and covenant of sacrifice is fundamental to our temple worship.

In temples, Church members participate in ordinances designed to unite their families together forever and help them return to God.

In the temple, members:

• Learn eternal truths.
• Receive sacred ordinances, including those that bind husband and wife together for eternity, as well as join children and parents (Malachi 4:5-6).
• Provide ordinances such as baptism for those who have died without the opportunity to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:29); 1 Peter 4:6)

17 Points Of The True Church: #3

The true church must have a foundation of Apostles and Prophets
          Ephesians 2:19-20
                     19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowctizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
                     20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the Chief corner stone;

  

17 Points of The True Church: Point 2

    The True Church must bear the name of Jesus Christ
 Ephesians 5:23
          "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body."

      Christ was sent here to earth to suffer for our sins and to establish his church. Once lost, that same church was restored by a prophet of God named Joseph Smith. Today we are able to enjoy all the blessings of having Christ's true church back on this earth again, in its perfection and fullness. We call ourselves The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints because this is Christ's church.

17 Points Of The True Church

Point Number 1:
                  Christ organized the Church 
    Ephesians 4: 11-14
   11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
 13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

 14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

The Church of Jesus Christ

“Come unto me.” Those three simple words spoken by Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:28) sum up the central purpose of His Church—to help all people come unto Christ, that they might receive salvation.

In return for following Jesus Christ's way, He promises us many things, two of which are answers to our prayers and rest to our souls. We can all use a little rest. We all struggle with something. To all of us He says: Lay down your burdens. Let me carry your load. Turn away from the darkness and into the light. He also promises peace. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. . . . Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

The roadmap to our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ is outlined in the restored gospel and taught by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It starts with being baptized into Christ’s fold and participating in His sacred ordinances and the fellowship of His Church. The journey continues with a loving congregation whose purpose is to lift and be lifted—and ultimately be saved in the Kingdom of God.

Marriages Made in Heaven

     Most people think of a marriage made in heaven as a rare occurrence in which both parties are deeply in love and highly compatible. We like to think that all our marriages are made in heaven. When a man and woman enters one of our holy temples to be married, they covenant (or promise) they will stay together forever—on earth and in heaven after they die, if they are faithful to each other and their promises to the Lord. A temple marriage doesn’t include phrases like, “Till death do you part” or “So long as you both shall live.” If we keep these promises, our children also become part of this heavenly promise—sealed to us forever.