Declaration of Independence

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. - That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Vision


                    Families are strengthened when we as parents teach the rising generation to see themselves as the Savior sees them.  The Savior sees their potential and what they can become.  Because we want our children to have a bright future, we can help prepare them for that future by seeking the Lord's blessings through fasting and prayer.

                    In Proverbs 29:18, we read, "Where there is no vision, the people perish."  In order that we and our posterity can prosper instead of perish, we must see ourselves as our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, see us.

                    When the Savior looked at Peter, Andrew, James, and John, He did not see just fishermen, He saw fishers of men.  He knew that they were good men and had the potential to be great leaders.  As they followed the Savior's teachings and examples, they grew towards their potential.

                    In his conference talk about seeing our potential, Elder O. Vincent Haleck reminds us that the Savior promised to send the Comforter to His followers.  The Savior said, "The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father wills send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14:26).  By following the promptings of the Holy Ghost as well as the teachings of the Savior and His prophets and apostles, we can gain power and motivation to become like the Savior.

                    "As we put into action the teachings of our leaders, we gain a deeper understanding of our Savior's vision for us.  Throughout this conference we have received inspired counsel from prophets and apostles.  Study their teachings and ponder them in your hearts while seeking the Spirit of the Holy Ghost to help you catch a vision of these teachings in your life.  With that vision, exercise your faith in acting upon their counsel.
                    "Search and study the scriptures with a mind to receiving further light and knowledge of their message to you.  Ponder them in your heart and allow them to inspire you.  Then act on your inspiration….
                    "We experience hard things in our lives that can sometimes diminish our vision and faith to do the things we should.  We become so busy that we often feel overwhelmed and unable to do any more.  While each of us is different, I humbly submit that we must focus our vision on the Savior and His teachings…. (Ensign, May 2012, pp. 101-103).

                    The Savior went about teaching and blessing the people. As we follow the Savior's example and do the things that He did, we will see a vision of what we can become.  With the help of the Holy Ghost, we can better see how we can do more good in our own lives and in the lives of other people.

                    When we see ourselves as the Savior sees us and then act upon that vision, we can bring blessings into our lives.  We can help the rising generation to see themselves as the Savior sees them and strengthen them.  Our families can grow stronger as we all move towards our potential as children of God.

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