Christmas #1

President David O. McKay said: “True happiness comes only by making others happy—the practical application of the Savior’s doctrine of losing one’s life to gain it. In short, the Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit, that makes our hearts glow in brotherly love and friendship and prompts us tokind deeds of service. It is the spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ, obedience to which will bring ‘peace on earth,’ because it means—good will toward all men.” 

We gain a greater understanding and feeling of the love of Christ at christmastime because as David O. McKay said the Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit. If we are focusing on the spirit of Christ we are of course going to be happy because obviously thinking of Christ will always make you happy.

President Monson said: "Let us in our lives give toour Lord and Savior the gift of gratitude by living His teachings and following in His footsteps. It was said of Him that He “went about doing good.” ⁸  As we do likewise, the Christmas spirit will be ours."  

I have seen this work for me in my life and on my mission.  As i have focused on gratitude I have seen the spirit of Christ come more alive this christmas season than ever before.  As we "Go and Do" we will be blessed.  The blessings of focusing on Christ makes Christmases even better.

President Monson gave us an amazing talk entitled "What is Christmas" I encourage you all to read it.  It will help I loved it he tells two great stories that really touched me .  Click Me

If we all work on seeing and loving the savior this christmas season we will be much happier and our testimonies will increase. 

Always Smile!

I choose the picture at the top because of the amazing lights that surround the Statue of Christ(I cant figure out how to spell Christus,maybe).  Let our lives be always Christ Centered.  

Arise from the dust

2 Nephi 1:23
"Awake, my sons; put on the armor of righteousness.  Shake of the chains wiht which ye are bound. and come forth out of obscurity an arise from the dust."

As i have tried to figure out and decide on a good name for this blog my mind has been drawn back to this scripture so many times.  Lehi is about to die and this is the last words he gives to Laman and Lemuel.  "Arise from the Dust". What great advice.  Advice that has really come to mean a lot to me over the last year.

Lehi ,like Heavenly Father, knew his sons had fallen short and would fall short.  When i think of this scripture I often think of my Savior, Jesus Christ, who did so much and made it possible for us to "Arise from the Dust"

President Uchtdorf in October 2013 General conference said "As long as we are willing to rise up again and continue on the path, … we can learn something from failure and become better and happier."

As long as we are willing to stand up again and do our best we can overcome our trials. 

"Why do we fall bruce?  So we can learn to pick ourselves back up" Batman Begins

We fall so we can grow.  And overcoming trials and Enduring to the end can be the hardest thing we ever can do.  

The atonement of Jesus Christ the moment in time that without which we would have no purpose.  The Atonement is so real.  It is through the atonement that all things are possible.  As Elder Bednar says it is the Enabling Atonement "The enabling power of the Atonement strengthens us to do and be good and to serve beyond our own individual desire and natural capacity."

The Atonement is what enables us to "Arise from the dust"

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and know it is through our Savior that we can change.  He loves me He loves all of us.  I know that and i know that through him we will arise from the dust and be men.

You can do it now-President Uchtdorf