Baptism
Most Important Dates
Tomorrow and next Sunday are the two most important dates on the calendar. They’re better and more important than Christmas or my birthday.
Tomorrow (4 March 2024) is the 57th anniversary of my baptism. On that day all of my sins were remitted and off the books. On that day I received the gift of the Holy Ghost. My girl friend took me to her house after the baptism where I broke down and sobbed like a baby. I was clean! I was happy! Life was suddenly good and exciting despite the fact that I was to report for active duty in the U.S. Navy just 13 days later.
So Close
I have a friend, a non-member friend, who attends church every Sunday with his wife. He sits there stoically and unsmilingly. I’ve never seen him smile. I don’t know if he can. I suspect that he is there because of a deal that he made with his wife. He doesn’t look happy to be there.
Read MoreBest Thing That’s Happened
I’ve been trying to work through a conundrum. I’m trying to answer a question: What’s the best thing that’s happened to me? What’s the best thing that’s happened to you?
For my part I can’t decide if my answer should be Marjorie, the Book of Mormon, or my baptism.
What If You Didn’t Have the Holy Ghost?
Marjorie wondered today, “What would it be like to not have the gift of the Holy Ghost?”
I answered, “I can tell you. I spent a couple of decades there. It’s dark, scary, depressing, and confusing.”
Spiritual Lay-ups
If you’re a good basketball player, and are tall enough, and can jump high enough, you can do a lay-up. You accomplish a lay-up when you leap three feet into the air and simply dunk the basketball into the 10-foot-high net. The crowd cheers, and you run down the floor with the feeling that you’ve done something great.
Read MoreWalls
Walls are erected as a defense. People build walls to protect themselves from the elements and from others who might harm them. Walls form enclosures which become areas of safety.
Some famous walls in history include the walls of Jericho, the walls of Jerusalem, and the walls of Babylon. All of these were erected as a defense against invaders. All were effective up to a point. That point was reached when the wickedness that the walls were enclosing became such that the people inside were beyond redemption. At that point the Lord penetrated and destroyed what wicked men considered were their impenetrable defenses.
The Holy Ghost in Our Neighborhood
I was excited last week when Thomas asked me to speak at his baptism on the topic of the Holy Ghost. The next evening we read an article in one of my books entitled “Coincidences,” and it occurred to me that perhaps the story might be useful in my talk.
I don’t actually believe in coincidences. I do, however, believe in the Holy Ghost, and that He engineers things to happen in our lives when we most need them, and especially when we ask for them.
Pace’s Baptism
Pace, you are light years ahead of where I was when I was eight years old. I only have one memory from that age, and it is very vivid in my mind. I was out walking in a field by my house, and was having some very deep thoughts for an 8-year-old. My mother had told me about God and Jesus and about prophets and about the Bible. I was pondering upon those things, and I had lots of questions.
Read MoreStrait and Narrow
We speak about walking the strait and narrow. The scriptures say a good deal about the “strait and narrow path.” (2 Ne. 31:18-19). This is an interesting phrase. On the surface it seems redundant since strait, as it’s spelled, means narrow. It’s a phrase used by the Savior when He taught both the people of Jerusalem and also the Nephites. He said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad the way, which leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat;
Read MoreDon’t Sell Yourself for Naught
We live in a unique period of the world’s history. In nearly all former times and cultures people were bought and sold. Slavery and servitude were common practices among nearly all people. I believe that it has only been in recent times that slavery and human trafficking has largely been abolished.
Read MoreMaking and Keeping Sacred Covenants
Covenants are never mentioned in other churches. The covenants have been forgotten. They’re not understood, they’re ignored, and are unimportant in their eyes.
Read MoreBorn Again
As a new member of the Church I had just come from darkness to light, from depression to joy, from ignorance to knowledge,
Read More50 Years
Today is a banner day. Today (4 March 2017) is the 50th anniversary of my baptism. Fifty years ago I was relieved of all my sins,
Read MoreThe Plan of Redemption
Before we ever came to earth, and before the world was even created, a plan was put into place by which every one of God’s children could be brought back into His presence.
Read MoreThree Decisions
Three decisions have been pivotal in my life. The first was my decision to be born. Contrary to what the world will tell you…
Read MoreFor Good and Evil
As I was reading the Book of Mormon I was struck by the uses to which the river Sidon was put. In Alma 2:34 it became the receptacle for the many thousands of Lamanite bodies killed in battle.
Read MoreThe Doctrine of Christ
Every person is born into this world with a charge to find the truth and to return himself to God. On the surface that seems a daunting task given the huge number of religions and philosophies that one must sort through. By human nature most people are lazy, and pick the easiest way through their challenges and through life. Therefore, almost all men choose to either ignore the quest for truth and salvation, or to simply go with the flow and follow what their parents and their societies believe and do.
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