What Is Happening?

                There is an old saying that some people make things happen, other people watch things happen, and still others wonder what happened.  Our nation is being fundamentally transformed right in front of us, but how many of us know what is happening?  Many Americans were alarmed at the idea of a national health care program, and TEA parties sprung up all over our nation in protest.  Many of us understood that the bill of approximately 2700 pages could not have been written in a two month period of time; we realized that it had been written sometime before the election of Barack Obama and kept in a drawer somewhere until it could be rammed through Congress.  I have not actually taken part in tea party events, but I became active in trying to understand what was happening and sharing what I learned with my readers. 

                Now the spotlight is on gun control, and we must understand that this is not a coincidence.  I believe that a bill for gun control was written long ago, and its supporters were simply waiting for the right environment to make it law.  I recognize that there are many people who will not consider the idea that the government of the United States has been taken over by enemies of the people.  I do not want to believe it either, but the actions of the federal government – particularly the Obama Administration - has convinced me that evil people are now in control of our nation.  I strongly believe that there are secret combinations working behind the scenes to destroy the American way of life and to bring everyone under their control.  I believe it is time that we all open our eyes and see the problems that are coming, but I realize that there will still be millions of people who will be wondering what happened. 

                I believe that the current uproar about gun violence is about more than guns, and I am not the only person with this belief.  Doug Hagmann wrote an article about this subject, “It’s about more than guns.”  “The warning signs of a tyrannical takeover of our Constitutional Republic have been flashing red for some time now and are now reaching a fever pitch.  Despite the flashing signs, the clamor of the alarms and the cries of the watchmen, most Americans of this era remain in denial or have been rendered intellectually catatonic by busily chasing immediate gratification in the form of the newest version of the iPhone, iPad, or whatever “I” device will satisfy their ADHD addled intellect.

                “Others have simply chosen to adhere to a normalcy bias that is continuously fed by the familiar faces and voices of political pundits who remain dedicated to the lie of the right-left, Republican-Democrat paradigm of American politics, unwilling or unable to look at the larger picture for fear of being shamed by accusations of being part of a conspiracy fringe.  Instead, these pundits would rather ignore the lie and squander their ability to make a difference, to educate and inform others of the dangers of the lie they know exists.

                “We must realize that we are not witnessing the fundamental change of America as represented by the mindless mantra of the Obama campaign, but something much deeper, much more nefarious, and something that will not be rectified through the ballot box.  As uncomfortable as it is, what we face cannot and will not wait for the next general election.

                “Actions have consequences, but so does inaction.

                “We are living in a time in history where some will rise to be held in high esteem as heroes in history books that have yet to be written, and victims who never saw their unfortunate status coming or were fooled into believing that things are not as bad as some make them out to be.  The former will suffer greatly by selfless acts performed to save what previous generations have fought to preserve, while the latter will remain complicit by their cluelessness and catatonic ignorance that will be anything but blissful.

                “The fuse that will ignite one of the most turbulent times in American and global history has been lit and now burns with incredible speed.  Its ignition is neither an accident nor does it originate from good intent, but a deliberate act by a `deluded elite’ advancing an agenda that is so breathtakingly evil that it defies all rationality.”

                Many Americans were shocked at what appeared to be incompetence in our current President, but we are recognizing the truth more each day.  I no longer believe he is incompetent but fulfilling an agenda that has been in the making for most of the past century.  Hagmann stated the same belief.  He believes that the “coup” began with the “monetary takeover through the creation of the Federal Reserve” and the “consolidation of power through the IRS.  We were slowly being led into a system of global governance by the same international banking cabal that exists today.  Yet, too few understand the larger picture.”

                More than fifty years ago people were warning Americans about our nation being infiltrated by communists.  President Ezra Taft Benson, former Secretary of Agriculture and late President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, gave many talks and speeches about the dangers of communism.  Many of his words were printed in a book entitled An Enemy Hath Done This [1969].

                Hagmann reminded us that Senator Joe McCarthy tried to warn Americans that communists were infiltrating our government and was vilified for his efforts.  Americans did not listen, and communists continued their infiltration.  “History books have not only been unkind, but incorrect, as we are bearing witness today to the very threat of which he warned.  In fact, documents and testimony related to his findings were found to have been inexplicably removed from the national archives.  Not in the 1950s, but as late as the 1990s.  The timing of such removal is no accident.”

                Our nation has been weakened by more than the communist infiltration.  We also have the problem of Islamists trying to force Sharia laws on us through the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood as well as the great divide caused by other forces, such as open borders, lax immigration enforcement and other policies coming from both major political parties.   “We are on the verge of a civil war, exactly as warned by my source inside the DHS last spring.

                “This civil war is designed to divide America, to soften us and ultimately destroy us from within.  United, our Republic poses an insurmountable impediment of the implementation of a global society rooted in communism and disguised as social progressivism….

                “Today, we find ourselves at the precipice of a tyrannical takeover and the complete destruction of our Republic, best illustrated by the talk of disarming the American populace.”

                Neither Hagmann nor I believe that children’s safety is the true reason for the clamor about gun control.   Those who are pushing so strongly for gun control are simply advancing their political agenda to disarm Americans in order to destroy our “liberty, sovereignty, and the rights bestowed on our Republic by God as enumerated by our Constitution.  Notice how there is a war not only against gun owners, but a parallel war against the very Judeo-Christian principles on which this country was founded.”

                Our President said that guns must be controlled even if only “one life” would be saved.   If we are interested in saving “one life,” we should ban many other things such as cars, gravity, and peanuts.  Our Vice President warned us that the “President is going to do something” such as write Executive Orders in order to control guns.  The President issued twenty-three executive orders on January 16, but not one of them would have stopped the murders at Sandy Hook.  They simply treat law-abiding gun owners as criminals.

                If we are really interested in saving the lives of our children, we would place armed police officers in every school.  Recently a young man brought a BB gun resembling a Glock to Dimond High School in Anchorage.  The police officer in the high school kept the young man under control until other officers arrived – about fifteen officers arriving within one minute!  This is just one example of how guns in the hands of good people can save lives.  Gun control is not about safety; it is about control!

                Mike Adams wrote an interesting article entitled “Prominent rifle manufacturer killed in mysterious car crash days after posting psych drug link to school shooters.”  In his article, he listed many killers and the medications they were on at the time of their killing sprees.  I hope you will read this article to the end, not only to gain information about what is happening but also to possibly save your life and/or the lives of your family members by knowing the dangers of certain medications.

                I strongly believe that we are facing very difficult times.  I write this blog in an effort to wake others up to what is happening in our nation.  I hope that my time and efforts will help more people to see that liberty is at stake and make preparations to defend themselves and their families.  “The war we face is not just about guns.  It’s about our survival as a nation [and the] fate of our children [and] grandchildren.  Which side of history will you be on?”

Roe v. Wade

                Forty years ago on January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court made their infamous decision to make abortion on demand legal.  For the past forty years, pro-lifers have gathered in the Capitol of our nation to memorialize that decision and to protest the devastating results of it.  The very first March drew 25,000 attendees, and the annual March has grown exponentially.  Hundreds of thousands of participants, including young people, support the March.  It is an inspiring sight to all who attend.

                No one knows – except God – how many people are involved.  Besides the hundreds of thousands who actually attend the March for Life, there are many hundreds of thousands of other concerned Americans who are unable to attend the annual March.  Anyone can join  the marchers in spirit by gathering in houses of worship, fast and pray for the unborn children.

                The 2013 March for Life will be particularly significant for several reasons.  The first reason is that it will be the 40^th anniversary since the Supreme Court legalized abortion-on-demand.  The second reason, we have the most pro-abortion President in history sitting in the White House.  His first four years as President have shown clearly his real agenda:  he gives the abortion lobby free reign of the White House and our taxpayer dollars.  Now he has the guarantee of four more years to continue his abortion-on-demand agenda.  He has made it clear that he will do everything in his power to advance abortion even further.  He wants to protect children by controlling guns, but he allows many more children to be killed by abortion.  Since we were unable to stop the re-election of this pro-abortion President, we must make sure that our political representatives know that our eyes are on them.  We must make sure that they know that we will not tolerate any move to support the President’s abortion agenda.

                The 2013 Right to Life March will be held on Friday, January 25, on the Mall in Washington, D.C.  Pro-life leaders will be collecting signatures for their petitions to add support for the Life at Conception Act.  A Life at Conception Act would legislatively overturn Roe v. Wade and ultimately put an end to abortion-on-demand.  All pro-lifers – those of us who believe that life begins at conception – must put serious pressure on our representatives in Congress.  We must keep them from caving to the demands of Obama and the abortion lobby.

                Anyone who agonized over the killing of sweet little children by a mentally-ill man in Connecticut should also recognize that  Americans kill millions of babies through abortion each year!  In the forty years since Roe v. Wade became the law, there have been approximately 50 million legal abortions performed in the United States.  That is 50 million babies killed by Americans!  According to the Guttmacher Institute, there were 1.21 million abortions performed in the United States in 2008 – approximately 3,322 abortions per day.  This is the most recent data available.  Where are the protesters against the babies being killed!  Why is the media not calling out the abortion businesses like they call out the gun owners and businesses?  Why do Americans allow their babies to be killed?

                Abortion-on-demand became legal on January 22, 1973, when the “United States Supreme Court, in a 7-2 decision, handed down two rulings legalizing abortion in America.  Prior to these rulings abortion was prohibited in most of the 50 states.  In the states where abortion was permitted, such as New York and California, various restrictions had been placed on the reasons for abortion.  These restrictions were removed by the 1973 rulings.

                “The Court based its decisions on the `right to privacy,’ which it claimed was guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, but which it could not specifically find anywhere.  The Court concluded that it was implied in either the Fourteenth Amendment or the `penumbra’ of the Bill of Rights.

                “The principle decision, Roe v. Wade, repealed all state laws prohibiting abortion.  The companion case, Doe v. Bolton, extended the right to abortion to the entire nine months of pregnancy.  The Court divided the term of pregnancy into trimesters (not a medical term prior to that time), and ruled that there could be no restrictions on abortions performed during the first trimester, or first three months of pregnancy.       

    
                “During the second trimester (months 4-6), the court allowed states to pass certain regulations regarding abortion, but only to insure a woman’s safety.  There could be no restrictions on a woman’s right to choose abortion.

                The two Justices who wrote dissenting opinions in the cases – Justice William Rehnquist and Justice Byron White – argued that the “Court had overextended its reach and exercised what Justice White called `raw judicial power.’  In 1983, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor said that Roe v. Wade was `on a collision course with itself.’  Many legal scholars from across the political spectrum have likewise criticized the Roe and Doe decisions.

                “As advances in medical technology continue to make the personhood of the fetus increasingly obvious, a woman’s `right to privacy’ is being more forcibly challenged by the unborn child’s right to life.”

                What happened to the two women whose cases were originally brought to the Supreme Court?  They were “used” by the abortion industry and/or lawyers to promote the cause.  Neither of them had an abortion, and both joined the pro-life movement.  Norma McCorvey (Roe) andSandra Cano (Doe) “testified to their opposition to abortion at a Pro-Life Action League conference in Chicago on April 20, 1996.”  

                Abortion is murder, the killing of unborn, innocent babies.  Abortion is murder just as much as the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, was murder.  The murderer in Newtown was medically ill.  What is the excuse for the people who condone abortion?

Roger Sherman

                Roger Sherman, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Sherman one of our Founding Father, was also a businessman and an attorney who was very active in political affairs.  He was the very first mayor of New Haven, Connecticut; he was on the Committee of Five responsible for drafting the Declaration of Independence.  He was the only person to sign all four of the great papers of the United States of America; he signed the Continental Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution.  After the Constitution was ratified he served as both a Representative and a Senator in Congress.  Thomas Jefferson said of him:  “That is Mr. Sherman, of Connecticut, a man who never said a foolish thing in his life.”

                The boy named Roger Sherman was born on April 19, 1721, in Newton, Massachusetts, which is located near Boston; however, his family moved to Stoughton, located 17 miles south of Boston, when he was two years old.  His old stomping grounds in Stoughton became part of Canton in 1797.  He was educated in his father’s library and grammar school and spent his early years as a maker of shoes.  Because “he was gifted with an aptitude for learning,” he was able to take advantage of his father’s “good library” and the aid of Rev. Samuel Dunbar, a Harvard-educated Parish minister.

                Mr. Sherman passed away in 1743, and Sherman, along with his mother and siblings, walked to New Milford, Connecticut, carrying their belongings.  There Sherman, in partnership with his brother, opened the first store in the town.  He quickly became involved in the civil and religious affairs of his new town; he became one of the leading citizens of the town, eventually becoming the town clerk.  He had good mathematical skills and used them as county surveyor of New Haven County in 1745; in 1788 he started providing astronomical calculations for almanacs.

                Even though he was not formally trained in law, a local lawyer urged Sherman to take the bar exam; he was admitted to the Bar of Litchfield, Connecticut in 1754.  While studying for the exam, he wrote Caveat Against Injustice.  He represented New Milford in the Connecticut House of Representatives (1755-1758 and 1760-1761) and was on the Governor’s Council of the Connecticut General Assembly (1766-1785). 

                Sherman was also appointed justice of the peace (1762), judge of the court of common pleas (1765), and justice of the Superior Court of Connecticut (1766-1789).  He resigned the latter position in order to become a member of the United States Congress.  This very busy man also served as treasurer of Yale College where he was awarded an honorary Master of Arts degree.  As a professor of religion for many years, he corresponded with “some of the greatest theologians of the time.”

                Along with Richard Law, Sherman was successful in his 1790 appointment to “massively revise the confused and archaic Connecticut statutes.”  He was elected Mayor of New Haven in 1784 and held that office until his death.  He has the distinction of being the only person who signed the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Association, the Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution – considered the “four great papers of the United States.”   Robert Morris has the distinction of being the only other person to sign at least three of the documents; he did not sign the Articles of Association.  When John Trumbull painted his famous painting of the Committee of Five presenting its work to the Congress, he put Sherman literally in the front and center of the group.

                Sherman was active in the Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1787 to amend the Articles of Confederation.  Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth offered the Great Compromise or Connecticut Compromise; Sherman and James Wilson created the Three-Fifths Compromise.  The plan known as the Great Compromise was designed to unify the convention in their debate about representation.  In this plan, the people would be represented proportionally in the House of Representatives while the states would be represented equally in the Senate. 

Sherman is remembered for taking a stance against paper money and for writing Article I, Section 10 of the Constitution of the United States.  “Mr. Wilson & Mr. Sherman moved to insert after the word `coin money’ the words `nor emit bills of credit, nor make anything but gold & silver coin a tender in payment of debts’ making the prohibitions absolute, instead of making the measures allowable (as in the XIII art:) with the consent of the Legislature of the U.S. … Mr. Sherman thought this a favorable crisis for crushing paper money.  If the consent of the Legislature could authorize emissions of it, the friends of paper money would make every exertion to get into the Legislature in order to license it.”

Roger Sherman married twice, once to Elizabeth Hartwell and once to Rebecca Minot Prescott.  Several of his children and descendants achieved prominence:  1) His son, Roger Sherman, Jr. (1768-1856) graduated from Yale College (1787) and served in the Connecticut General Assembly (1810-1811).  2) His daughter, Rebecca Sherman, married Simeon Baldwin, who served in the U.S. Congress (1803-1806), as an Associate Judge of the Connecticut Superior Curt (1806-1817), and as Mayor of New Haven, Connecticut (1826).  3) A second daughter, Elizabeth Sherman Burr, married Baldwin after the death of Rebecca.  4) Another daughter, Sarah Sherman, married Samuel Hoar, a member of the Massachusetts state legislature and the U.S. Congress.  5) Another daughter, Martha Sherman, married Jeremiah Day, President of Yale University (1817-1846).  6) Three grandsons (Roger Sherman Baldwin, George F. Hoar, and William M. Evarts) served in the U.S. Senate.  Baldwin was Governor of Connecticut; Evarts was a U.S. Attorney General and was followed in that office by his first cousin, Ebenezer R. Hoar, a brother of George F. Hoar.

                Sherman died in his sleep on July 23, 1793, in New Haven, Connecticut, at age 72.  He had been sick for two months with what was diagnosed as typhoid fever; however, a newspaper reported an alternate diagnosis, “He was taken ill about the middle of May last, and from that time declined till his death.  His physician supposed his disorder to be seated in his liver” (The Gazette of the United States, Philadelphia, PA, August 17, 1793, p. 508).  He was interred in New Haven Green; when that cemetery was relocated in 1821, his remains were moved to the Grove Street Cemetery where his grave is the center of the city’s Independence Day celebrations.

                Roger Sherman has the distinction of having many places and things named in his honor.  1) Sherman Avenue in New Haven and Sherman Avenue in neighboring Hamden; 2) the town of Sherman, Connecticut; 3) Sherman Street in Canton, Massachusetts; 4) Sherman Avenue in central Madison, Wisconsin where most of the main streets carry the names of signers of the United States Constitution; 5) the policy debate team at Western Connecticut State University is official named the “Roger Sherman Debate Society.”  6) Roger Sherman Elementary School of Fairfield, Connecticut; 7) Roger Sherman Inn of New Canaan, Connecticut; 8) Roger Sherman House on Howe Street in New Haven; 9) the Town and Village of Sherman, New York; 10) Sherman House, residence hall on University of Connecticut Storrs campus; 11) Roger Sherman Street in the Orange Park, Florida, Heritage Hills neighborhood.  In addition, statues of Roger Sherman are located at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; the National Statuary Hall Collection in the U.S. Capitol (one of two allowed to the state of Connecticut in the collection), and the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford.

               

Power to Adjourn

                The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday comes from Article II, Section 3:  “… in Case of Disagreement between [the Senate and the House], with Respect to the Time of Adjournment [the President] may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper….”  In case of a dispute between the Senate and the House of Representatives over the time of adjournment, this provision in the United States Constitution gives authority to the President to fix the time of adjournment.

                “It has never been necessary for the President to exercise this provision.  The very existence of this power in the President has been sufficient to induce the House and the Senate to reach an adjournment agreement even during periods of intense disputation.

                “One of the most serious weaknesses of the British Constitution was the power of the king to call and dissolve Parliaments at will.  To prevent similar difficulties arising in the United States, the Founders decided that Congress shall assemble at least once a year; that neither House shall adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other; that they shall not meet in any place other than that where the two houses are sitting; and if they cannot agree upon adjournment, the President may adjourn them.”  (See W. Cleon Skousen, The Making of America – The Substance and Meaning of the Constitution, pp. 560-561.)

                Even more important [than the authority of convening Congress] to the Framers was limiting the power of the executive to dissolve the legislature.  They understood that that power was among the quickest routes to tyranny.  Under the Constitution, therefore, `the President can only adjourn the national Legislature in the single case of disagreement about the time of adjournment.’  The Federalist No. 69 (Alexander Hamilton).  It is only an administrative power, one that the President has never had to exercise.”  (See David F. Forte, The Heritage Guide to the Constitution, p. 220.)

Holy Ghost Helps Us Learn

                The Savior promised his followers that He would send the Holy Ghost to them after He ascended to heaven.  The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead.  He can teach us all things and bring all things to our remembrance (see John 14:26).  Part of our responsibility as gospel learners is to seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost to inspire us as we study the gospel whether we are studying individually or as a group.  Learning by the Spirit involves praying for His influence and then listening for promptings to enlighten our understanding as the prophet Alma taught in the following scripture. 

“Now, we will compare the word unto a seed.  Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves – It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me” (Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Alma 32:28). 

The Holy Ghost fills a variety of roles as explained in the following scriptures.

                The Holy Ghost will guide us to the truth:  “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:  for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak:  and he will shew you things to come” (John 16:13).

                The things of God are understood only by the Holy Ghost:  “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

                “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit:  for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

                “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?  Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

                “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

                “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

                “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:  for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:9-14).

                The Holy Ghost will reveal the mysteries of God if we diligently seek them.  “For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round” (Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 10:19).

                Through the Holy Ghost we can know the truth for ourselves:  “And this is not all.  Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself?  Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true.  And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?

                “Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God.  Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself.  And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me” (Book of Mormon, Alma 5:45-46).

                We can know the truth of all things and gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon through the Holy Ghost:  “Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

                “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

                “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Book of Mormon, Moroni 10:3-5): 

                The Holy Spirit enlightens our minds:  “And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good – yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit.

                “Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;

                “And then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive” (Doctrine and Covenants 11:12-14).

                As we can see from these scriptures, we must seek the influence of the Holy Spirit while we are studying the gospel of Jesus Christ; otherwise, we will not understand and know the truth.  I know this from personal experience.  If I fail to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost as I study the gospel, I merely read the scriptures; however, I discover the truths of the scriptures with the power the Holy Ghost.

                Elder A. Roger Merrill suggested three things that we must do in order to learn by the Spirit.  “As I have become more aware of this principle, I find that the scriptures are replete with the doctrine of receiving.  As President Boy K. Packer has said, `No message appears in scripture more times, in more ways than, `Ask, and ye shall receive’” (“Reverence Invites Revelation,” Ensign, Nov. 1991, 21).

                “At the very core of our mortal probation is the choice to receive Jesus as the Christ.  The Apostle John taught:  `He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God’ (John 1:11-12).

                “One cannot help but wonder how many gifts and blessings surround us that we do not receive.  The Lord has said:  `For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift?  Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift’ (D&C 88:33).

                “In our Church meetings, in our personal and family scripture study, and even this day as we listen to the Lord’s prophets and apostles, some of us will receive more than others.  Why?  I am learning that those who truly receive do at least three things that others may not do.

                “First, they seek.  We live in an entertainment world, a spectator world. Without realizing it, we can find ourselves coming to conference or going to church with the attitude, `Here I am; now inspire me.’  We become spiritually passive.

                “When we focus instead on seeking and receiving the Spirit, we become less concerned about a teacher or speaker holding our attention and more concerned about giving our attention to the Spirit.  Remember, receive is a verb.  It is a principle of action.  It is a fundamental expression of faith.

                “Second, those who receive, feel.  While revelation comes to the mind and heart, it is most often felt.  Until we learn to pay attention to these spiritual feelings, we usually do not even recognize the Spirit.

                “In a recent conversation I had with one of our daughters-in-law, she suggested that we can help even young children become aware of these feelings of the Spirit.  We can ask them questions such as `How do you feel as we read this scripture together?  What do you feel the Spirit is prompting you to do?’  These are good questions for us all.  They demonstrate the desire to receive. 

                “Third, those who receive by the Spirit intend to act.  As the prophet Moroni instructed, to receive a witness of the Book of Mormon, we must ask `with real intent’ (Moroni 10:4).  The Spirit teaches when we honestly intend to do something about what we learn.”  (See Elder A. Roger Merrill, Sunday School General President, “Receiving by the Spirit,” Ensign, Nov. 2006, 92-94.)

                I am learning the same things as Elder Merrill listed.  In order to learn through the power of the Holy Ghost, we must seek His influence, we must feel His presence, and we must act on what He tells us.   I know that we can learn more and receive blessings as we study the word of God with the influence of the Holy Ghost.

 “Your gospel study is most effective when you are taught by the Holy Ghost.  Always begin your gospel

study by praying for the Holy Ghost to help you learn.  He will bring knowledge and conviction that will bless your life and allow you to bless the lives of others.  Your faith in Jesus Christ will increase.  Your desire to repent and improve will grow.

                “This kind of study prepares you for service, offers solace, resolves problems, and gives you the strength to endure to the end.  Successful gospel study requires desire and action.  “For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old” (1 Nephi 10:19).  Like Enos, as you hunger to know the words of eternal life and as you allow these words to `[sink] deep into [your] heart’ (Enos 1:3), the Holy Ghost will open your mind and heart to greater light and understanding.

                “Learning the gospel is also a process of receiving revelation (see Jacob 4:8).  To Oliver Cowdery the Lord said:  `Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.  But behold, I say unto you that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right’ (D&C 9:7-8).  As you study, pay careful attention to ideas that come to your mind and feelings that come to your heart, particularly regarding the people you are teaching.”  (See Preach My Gospel, p 18.)

                I know the value of acting on the impressions that come from the Holy Ghost.  I have been blessed on many occasions by His promptings and intend to continue to seek His influence in my life.  I know that we can know the truth of all things through the power of the Holy Ghost!

Rules fore Happiness

Families are strengthened when individuals are happy.  Most of us can be happier and enjoy life to a much fuller extent that we currently do.  With few exceptions, we can determine our own happiness when we take responsibility for making ourselves happy.  We each are responsible to control our own thoughts, words, and actions, and we can determine whether they are happy and positive or sad and negative.  It is generally up to the individual to make the decision and take the actions. 

                I recently saw a list published by Alaskan Physicians and Surgeons containing “25 awesome tips for a beautiful life.”  Since the name of the author contains the word Alaska, I assume the author knows about life in Alaska with all its problems caused by cold and darkness.   I found the suggested tips very interesting and believe that anyone could be happier by following them; therefore, I am sharing them with my readers with a few additional comments.

1)       “Take a 10-30 minute walk every day – and smile while you walk.  It is the ultimate antidepressant.”  Simply being outside – even in cold weather – gives us an opportunity to see our beautiful world and recognize the work of God in our lives.  The simple act of smiling brings positive feelings to me.

2)       “Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.”  Silence gives us an opportunity to think and ponder; it also gives God an opportunity to influence our thoughts and inspire us.

3)       “When you wake up in the morning, Pray to ask God’s guidance for your purpose, today.”  Morning prayer is like putting on battle armor.  If we do not take the time to pray, it is as though we are facing the world unprotected from our enemies.

4)       “Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.”  Fruits, grains, and vegetables are the most healthy food we can eat; the fresher they are, the better they are for us generally.

5)       “Drink … plenty of water.”  Water is a necessary ingredient for our bodies; dehydration leads to many problems.  “Eat blueberries, broccoli, and almonds.”  Good nutrition is important for good health.  In addition to blueberries, broccoli, and almonds, other suggested foods for longer and healthier lives include apples, bananas, beans, beets, spinach, sweet potatoes, and wheat germ.

6)       “Try to make at least three people smile each day.”  Reaching out to other people in an effort to help them and make them happy will in turn add to our own happiness.  Giving service to other people reminds us that we have many blessings to count.

7)       “Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control.  Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.”  Negative people and thoughts drain our energy and drag us down.  Thinking, speaking and acting positively brings happiness to others and to us.

8)       “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.”  In other words, breakfast should be our largest meal of the day and dinner should be our smallest meal.  We need more food in the morning to fuel our bodies for the day; we need less food in our stomachs when our bodies are resting.

9)       “Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.”  Amen!

10)   “Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.  Forgive everybody and free yourself from carrying the heavy load of trying to get even with them.  Forgiving others and ourselves frees us to be happy.

11)   “Don’t take yourself so seriously.  No one else does.”  This is so true!

12)   “You don’t have to win every argument.  Agree to disagree.”  This is important to happiness.

13)   “Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.”  We cannot change what happened in the past and simply have to accept it.  We can determine our present and our future; we must concentrate on the here and now as well as prepare for our future.  In this way, we can do all we can to make sure that we have no regrets in the future.

14)   “Don’t compare your life to others.  You have no idea what their journey is all about.”  Comparisons are not good because we see others at their “best” and ourselves at our “worst.”  We cannot judge others because we do not walk in their shoes.

15)   “No one is in charge of your happiness except you.”  This is so true!

16)   “Frame every so-called disaster with these words:  `In five years, will this matter?’”  This is an excellent suggestion; it will relieve a lot of tension if we can remember it.

17)   “Help the needy.  Be generous!  Be a `Giver’ not a `Taker’.”  We all have something to give, even if it is only a smile and a kind word.

18)   “What other people think of you is none of your business.”  True!

19)   “Time heals everything.”  Time is a marvelous healer.  Time heals our bodies and our minds; it can also heal relationships.

20)   “However good or bad a situation is, it will change.”  The only things certain about life are taxes, death, and change.

21)   “Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick.  Our friends [and/or family] will.  Stay in touch.”  Enough said.

22)   “Envy is a waste of time.  You already have all your need.”  An attitude of gratitude brings good feelings and happiness.

23)   “Each night before you go to bed, Pray to God and Be thankful for what you’ll accomplish, today!”  An evening prayer is an excellent time to report to God about what happened during the day as well as to express gratitude and to plan for tomorrow.

24)   “Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.”  Life itself is a great blessing; additional great blessings include family, friends, purpose for life, good health, freedom, fresh air, fresh water, sufficient food, and shelter.  Anyone who has these basics is truly blessed!

25)   “Share this to everyone on your list to help them lead a happier life!!!”

These are “awesome tips for a beautiful life!”  I hope you will consider instituting at least some of the ideas into your life and make yourself a little – or a lot - happier.  We all deserve happiness because we are children of a loving Heavenly Father who desires happiness and joy for all His children.  Happy individuals strengthen their families, communities, and nations because they share light and joy with others.