Sunday Thoughts

I LOVE that our church is at 11 this year however you would think that would help me be able to get to church on time today but we are making progress on the promptness end of things. I at least made it to work at 2:05 yesterday instead of 2:15.

Back to my Sunday thoughts. I read a GREAT article in the Ensign. It is the first one that caught my eye. When I get the Ensign I always read the First Presidency message first and then I flip through the magazine to every article in it and then I read the ones that catch my interest first and then go back and read the others. The article that caught my attention was called "Make Your A Great Life" by Elder Paul V. Johnson. I think that through your life experiences certain things touch you in different ways at different times. I believe that because of recent family events this article really struck me and made an impact on me. I think it is because the Lord knows what we are going through and gives us things that we need at the time to help us through or to help confirm to us that we are on the right path.

"Your future is not determined by the conditions around you. It is determined by your faith, your choices, and your efforts. Yes, you live in challenging times, but so did Mary, Moroni and Joseph Smith."


"How will you face your challenges? Some people complain and blame circumstances or other people for their problems. They won't let go of bad feelings. They portray themselves as victims and become bitter. They seem to spend so much time and energy justifying themselves and pushing off responsibility to others that there is no energy left to go forward with their lives. Others seem to live in the past and dwell on how things used to be. They are so unwilling to leave the past that they don't turn around to face the future that would be bright if they approached it properly. Some people dream about the future but don't do much to move into it with power. They don't realize that what they do-or don't do-now will profoundly affect their future."


"People who go to work with faith, knowing the Lord will bless them if they do what's right, are the ones with a bright future." 


"Your individual future is either bright or cloudy, depending on you."


"If you live righteously, you will have access to the inspiration and strength you will need to triumph over any challenge you face. You will have the protection of a worthy life; guidance from the Lord through the Holy Ghost and prophets, seers and revelators; and the power of sacred promises that are yours because yo keep your covenants."

I thought it was cool that this was taken from a commencement address given at LDS Business College only because I went to school there and I thought this was a great article. I loved the message this article gave. We  are the ones that make our lives. We chose to either live it happy or sad, in misery or in comfort. We chose. Nobody can chose that path for us.

I love the story of Lot and his wife and it was because of a recent Ensign Article that I really understood it. The Lord commanded Lot to leave Sodom and Gomorrah because it was a wicked city. Lot's wife didn't want to leave but the Lord told her to not look back and guess what happened? She looked back and turned to a pillar of salt. This video made me laugh and made me look at the new year differently.

Enjoy.