The Power of the Gospel of Christ

I have been thinking a lot this weekend about the economy, politics and the nation in general. I truly love America. I believe it is as Michael Medved says on his radio show, "The greatest nation on God's green earth." I'm grateful to be an American citizen. I'm very concerned about the direction this country is taking. You look at the politicians and the government and it's no wonder the majority of Americans have little trust in their government. I also worry that they are trying to take this country closer and closer to socialism. The more and more this country goes towards socialism, the less and less freedoms the American people have and the more the Constitution of this country becomes irrevelant. That honestly scares me. I'm sorry, I'm getting off on a tangent. This post probably doesn't seem relevant to this blog but bare with me, there is a point to all this political talk.

The purpose for all that political background is help you to understand what I was thinking about this weekend. All this worry about this country and where it is headed brought into my mind a scripture.

"And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God." (Alma 31:5)

Lately I have spend a lot of time talking a lot about politics and really almost obsessed with learning all there was to know about what was going on in the world and making sure I shared my opinion and thoughts with as many people as I could to help them, you could almost say convert him or her to my way of thinking. I think I subconsciously thought that my way of thinking, politically, was the right way. I realized this weekend that although that may be a good thing to do the most important thing I can do is share my beliefs in the gospel of Jesus Christ because as the scripture says, "it had had [a] more powerful effect up the minds of the people" than "anything else." (Alma 31:5)

As a member of "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth" it is crucial that I share this message with as many people as I can. (D&C 1:30) As people understand the principles of the gospel and start to see what it means really love their fellow man and have honesty and integrity the world will change. Ultimately, that is what will happen in the millienium. The people of the earth will love each other and will have "no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually." (Mosiah 5:2) It is the only the gospel of Jesus Christ that can bring this nation back to it's roots, back to the great principles that founded this great country. It is the gospel that will bring this nation back to living according to the values found in the United States Constitution, a truly inspired document.

Priorities

I've been thinking a lot lately about what my priorities are and what they should be.  This last weekend what General Conference.  For me, this conference really put in perspective what I should be doing with my life.  The last 3-4 months my focus has been on politics to the extect that it has almost consumed me.  It has consumed a lot of time at least.  I was so focused on it and felt that it should be a priority in my life that I spent all of the time that I could reading anything and everything I could about what was going on in the world.  I also took as much time as I could listening to talk radio.  I certainly feel more informed but I realize now that I have been neglecting the most important things in my life which are my family and my testimony.   I can now see how it has effected at least my spirit in the home.  All I want to do it talk about politics.  I also bring up politics with anyone and everyone that will talk politics.  My wife was getting tired of it and I think others were as well. 

Anyways, after this conference I have decided that I need to rearrange my priorities just a bit. Those priorities don't really include politics although I know I still need to keep up on what is going on in the world so as is stated in the scriptures: "...if ye are prepared ye shall not fear." (D&C 38:30)  My priorities need to revolve around my family and my God.  I also need to focus more on what is my responsibility at that moment in time and do that to the best of my ability.  If I'm at work, do what is required of me at work, if I'm at home make the time I spend at home quality time and if I'm fulfilling my church callings, magnify those callings to the the best of my ability.

I also need to be prepared for whatever the Lord has in store for me and my family.  I got the impression during conference that our family might end up moving out of state somewhere and when the time is right I will know.  That time is not now but I felt that I is not too far away.

Loss of a Friend

Today, my wife lost a good friend.  The hardest thing about it is that he killed himself.  It might have been easier if it was because of an accident but it was not.  I did not know him but he was a friend of Karli and it hurt to see her hurt because of the loss of someone like that.  He apparently had his share of issues.  He had problems in middle school that develop a weakness in him for same gender attraction.  It was not entirely his fault, I believe, but he acted on those desires and was living with his boyfriend and was planning on going with him to California to get married.  All my wife could say was, "I hope your happy."  It is a very sad thing but we know, through the gospel of Jesus Christ, that this is not the end.  There is life after death.  He will have an opportunity still to repent and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It will be more difficult and more painful but he will have that opportunity.  All we can do is hope that he accepts it and fully repents.  Another thing we also know is that "the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life." (Alma 40:11)  He is now back home with God where the trials, tribulations, pain and miseries of this earth life are gone.  

I am grateful to have the gospel in my life.  I am grateful to know what I know about the plan of salvation.  It truly is a plan of happiness.  It brings me great joy in knowing what I know about the eternal nature of the family, husbands and wives and their role in the plan, and the opportunity we have to participate with God in precreation.  I want to do all I can for my family so they can have a good life here on earth and the opportunity to recieve eternal life here after.  I think without having the gospel it would be so much more difficult to deal with a situation like this.