Who Is God?

  We hear and talk about God nearly every single day. We rely on Him and trust in Him for guidance and direction. At some point throughout life, many have asked themselves, "Who or what is God?" I hope to be able to shed more light to those who have asked this great question of the soul.
  God is our loving Heavenly Father and we are literally His children. (Romans 8:16). He has a glorified and perfected body of flesh and bone and we were created in His image. (Genesis 1:27) He is our eternal father who loves us more than we can possibly comprehend (1 John. 4:16). Just as any earthly father, He weeps with us when we suffer and rejoices when we do what is right. What He wants most for His children is for us to be happy!

Hope

   "Hope is the confident expectation of and longing for the promised blessings of righteousness. The scriptures often speak of hope as anticipation of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.

   The word hope is sometimes misunderstood. In our everyday language, the word often has a hint of uncertainty. For example, we may say that we hope for a change in the weather or a visit from a friend. In the language of the gospel, however, the word hope is sure, unwavering, and active. Prophets speak of having a “firm hope” (Alma 34:41) and a “lively hope” (1 Peter 1:3). The prophet Moroni taught, “Whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God” (Ether 12:4).

Patience

  Life seems to be have an unending supply of challenges for everyone. Some are minor and others are of a more serious nature. President Monson said, "Our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions to such challenges, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required."
   Patience is the ability to endure delay, annoyance, misfortune, or pain without complaining, becoming frustrated, losing temper or becoming irritated. Patience is indeed a "heavenly virtue" and one that only a Christ-like individual can possess.

The Bridge

  "There once was this turntable bridge which spanned a large river. During most of the day, the bridge sat parallel with the river, allowing ships to pass freely on both sides. But at certain times each day a train would come along and the bridge would be turned across the river allowing the trains to cross.
A switchman sat in a small shack on one side of the river where he operated the controls to turn the bridge and lock it into place as the train crossed.

One evening, as the switchman was waiting for the last train of the day to come, he looked off into the distance through the dimming twilight and caught sight of the train's light. He stepped to the controls and waited until the train was within a prescribed distance when he was to turn the bridge into position. He turned the bridge, but to his horror, found that the locking control didn't work. If the bridge was not locked into position securely, it would wobble back and forth at the ends when the train comes onto it. This would cause the train to jump the track and go crashing into the river. This train was a passenger train with many people aboard.

The Power Of Living Righteously

   Thirdly, President Monson has promised us safety in our lives as we "live righteously." That is a simple term and can become very cliche if we don't expound on its importance. Elder Richard G. Scott, of the quorum of the twelve apostles, defines what it means to be righteous:

"The Good Shepherd" by Simon Dewey

  "To be righteous is to seek intently to be obedient to the commandments of God." I feel like the key words in that inspired definition are the words "seek intently." President Ezra Taft Benson promises us that "when obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power." With that being said, obedience and righteousness sit parallel with each other.

  Elder Scott goes on to say that righteousness is also "to be clean in thought and act. It is to be honest and just. Righteousness is shown more in acts than in words. A righteous life requires discipline. Discipline is that characteristic which will give you the strength to avoid giving up what you want most in life for something you think you want now. It is a friend, not a harsh taskmaster that makes life miserable. Discipline is easier to acquire when it is rooted in faith in Jesus Christ, when it is nourished by an understanding of His teachings and plan of happiness."

Praying Fervently

  The second safety tool that our prophet has counseled us to use daily is that of  "praying fervently." We are all children of our Heavenly Father. He loves us with an "everlasting love" (Jeremiah. 31:3) and he knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our needs and wants and is anxious to hear from us! When the Lord Jesus Christ was ministering among the people on the American continent, He commanded, “Ye must always pray unto the Father in my name” (3 Nephi 18:19).

Study Diligently

   Our beloved prophet, President Thomas Spencer Monson, has promised us safety through our mortal journey as we heed to his counsel. He has offered three suggestions, when we earnestly apply them to our lives, that will help us through life's storms. They are:

1. Study diligently.

2. Pray fervently.

3. Live righteously.

  As I make my next three blog posts, I plan to write about each suggestion and the importance of them. Today I choose to focus on the counsel to "study diligently."

New Year's: Look Not behind Thee

   The new year is a time for us to set goals, refocus, and rededicate ourselves to our personal tasks and aspirations. It is a time to reflect on how we can be better people, more humble servants, and more devoted followers of Christ. It is vital that we look to the future with eyes of faith and a hopeful heart.
   I feel impressed to share some insight along with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland regarding the new year and making it a point to "look forward." In Luke 17:32, Christ cautions us to "Remember Lot's wife." What exactly was the Savior trying to teach us?