Can you feel the love tonight?

  The Lion King is one of the greatest movies of all time. I love it's story, I love it's songs, and I want to be just like Rafiki when I grow up (but that's a blog for another time). The songs are what this blog is about, one song in particular...

Can you feel the love tonight?

The peace the evening brings

The world, for once, in perfect harmony

With all its living things

Can you feel the love tonight?

You needn't look too far

Stealing through the night's uncertainties

Love is where they are 

It's such a good song, and it poses an interesting question. Can you feel the love tonight? Is it where you are?    There have been times where I definitely did not feel the love. But why is that a big deal? 

  "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." (John 13:34-35) The Savior said it best. He has commanded us to love each other, that should be the thing that defines us as Christians. Love is the center of all the we believe, and love should be where we are.

Where love is, there is no disputation. Where love is, there is no contention. Where love is, there God will be also. -Thomas S. Monson

The Atonement

  Atonement. The word describes the setting “at one” of those who have been estranged, and denotes the reconciliation of man to God. Sin is the cause of the estrangement, and therefore the purpose of atonement is to correct or overcome the consequences of sin.

 Sin is a natural side effect of life, there are no perfect people nor could their be. As we learn and grow in this life we will make mistakes, and we will learn from them. Only Christ lived perfectly, and he died perfectly, and in doing so He prepared the way for us. He did everything our Father in Heaven asked him to do, and he paid for all the mistakes we will ever make.

 Jesus suffered for you. He suffered for everyone. The prophet Alma wrote of Christ: "And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."*

  Jesus Christ understands you completely, he felt all the pain you will ever feel so that he can have compassion on you. He can help you through any problem in your life because He has already been there. As we rely on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, He can help us endure our trials, sicknesses, and pain. We can be filled with joy, peace, and consolation. All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. In paying the penalty for our sins, Jesus did not, however, eliminate our personal responsibility. We must show that we accept Him and that we will follow His commandments. Only through the gift of the Atonement can we return to live with God.

  We all depend on the Savior; none of us can be saved without Him. Christ’s Atonement is infinite and eternal. Forgiveness for our sins comes with conditions. We must repent, and we must be willing to forgive others. Jesus taught: “Forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not … [stands] condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin” and “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

  I know that is is only through the atonement that my sins can be forgiven. But the atonement isn't just for the times when you feel guilty, or the times when you think you've messed up. The atonement is always there, it is always available, and it is always ready to help you. The atonement is there to be used, and all it takes is a sincere desire to follow the example of your Savior. Have faith in Jesus Christ, do your best to live like he did, repent when you mess up, and you will feel the atonement work in your life. I promise you.


*Alma 7:11-12

I pity the fool that doesn't love Mother's Day!

"We are living in a great season for all women in the Church. Sisters, you are an essential part of our Heavenly Father’s plan for eternal happiness; you are endowed with a divine birthright. You are the real builders of nations wherever you live, because strong homes of love and peace will bring security to any nation. I hope you understand that, and I hope the men of the Church understand it too."
 -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

The scriptures* have a lot to say about mothers and how amazing they are:

She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also,and he praiseth her.
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

Mothers are the most powerful force for good on this planet. They have the patience and long suffering of Job, the strength of Samson, the Wisdom of Solomon, and the courage of David. Your mom shapes your life, from the second your born, and makes you what you are today. And don't you forget it!

Motherhood is the most sacred calling of them all. To be trusted with bringing souls into this life is something beautiful and amazing, and more than that, to raise that soul in a loving environment where it can be nurtured and grow. It must be hard, it certainly looks hard, but I know it must be worth it. I hope that everyone can remember their moms this Mothers Day, and make it a special one for her.  Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a mother that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

I love my mom so much, she's the best. She put up with me for my whole life, and this is no small feat, and not only did that but did it with a smile. There's only one way to express my love for her, and that is by Mr. T's Mothers Day Rap:

Mother

There is no other

Like Mother

So treat her right

Mother

I always love her

My mother

So treat her right, treat her right

M is for the moan, and the miserable groan

from the pain that she felt when I was born

O is for the oven with it’s burnin’ heat

where she stood makin’ sure I had something to eat

T is for the time that she stayed up at night

and took my temperature when I wasn’t feelin’ right

H is for the hard earned money she spent

to keep clothes on my back and try to pay da’ rent

E is every wrinkle I put on her face

and every worry that I caused when I stayed out late

The last letter R is that she taught me respect

and for the room up in heaven that I know she’ll get

She’s a Queen

Second to none

Take care of Mother

You only get one*

*Proverbs 31:17,20,25,26,28,30

*Mr. T's Mothers Day Rap

The Hope of the Universe

"I am the hope of the Universe. I am the answer to all living things that cry out for peace. I am protector of the innocent. I am the Light to the Darkness. I am truth. Ally to good! Nightmare to you!" - Son Goku

  That is one of my favorite quotes, its powerful and positive and gets me pumped to go and do some good! It makes me want to help someone, save someone in distress, make a difference. It comes from a character in a show called Dragon Ball Z named Goku who has a pure heart and fights for people who can't defend themselves. Goku is always doing the right thing even when its hard, he stands up to villains who are much stronger than he is and never gives up.

  When I felt like giving up that quote from Goku has always motivated me, but I realized the other day that my favorite quote had a deeper meaning too. I noticed that the beginning of every sentence began with "I am", and that was the name that Jesus Christ told Moses when Israel asked what the name of God was.

Exodus 3:14
And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.

  If Christ is the Great I Am then the quote has a whole new meaning. If we replace I am with Jesus Christ it becomes:

  Jesus Christ is the hope of the Universe. Jesus Christ is the answer to all living things that cry out for peace. Jesus Christ is protector of the innocent. Jesus Christ is the Light to the Darkness. Christ is truth. Ally to good! Nightmare to you!

  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6) Jesus Christ is our everything. He fought for us when we could not defend ourselves, He suffered all the pains and sorrow of the world so that we can be saved. He is the hope of the universe, the ally of good and the nightmare of evil. There is nothing we cannot overcome with the help of Christ. I know this is true, I know that through our Savior and Redeemer we can do anything, and I testify of these things in the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen.