Six Months Latter

Well, it's been six months since I was a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and even longer since my last blog post.  Life has drastically changed for me in these few short months.  I'm back home in Utah and I'm back up at school at Utah State University.  Go Aggies!!!  I've already completed a semester since returning home and I only have 3 more before I graduate with a degree in Business Administration.  I can't believe how quickly time has gone!!  

These last fews days have called me to reflection on what has happened to me in such a short time.  I still feel that love I have for my mission.  The New York Rochester Mission is the greatest place on earth for me!!  It was there in the Sacred grove of the Smith family farm that I learned for myself the truthfulness of the Restored gospel of Jesus Christ!!  I still carry that testimony deep in my heart!  For this reason I've decided to try and continue with this blog.  I've taken a break and I believe it's time for me to return.  For how can a testimony be maintained and grow if you don't share it?  

I know I'm not perfect, but I strive to get better each and every day, through the help of my Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ.  Through this blog, I will try to share how the Gospel of Jesus Christ helps me through the eyes of an ordinary college student trying to make his way in life.  Consider this the next phase of The Standard of Truth blog!!!  I know God lives, He loves us!!  His son Jesus Christ lives and Atoned for all of us so that we may make it back home to our Eternal Father!!  I know Joseph Smith is His Prophet and we are lead by a living Prophet today!

Cradle of the Restoration Part 1 - The Sacred Grove

As a missionary serving in Western New York, those I have the amazing opportunity to teach and serve have something special just around the corner.  Very few people in the world actually get to set foot in the places where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints first began.  The towns of Palmyra, Fayette, and the nearby surround areas are commonly known among Church members as The Cradle of the Restoration.  Amazing stuff happened in these places.  This is where it all began, where the Lord's true Church and Gospel where restored to the earth by living prophets.  Those living and serving in Western New York have such a unique opportunity to actually visit these places and feel how sacred they really are.  I would like to share with you brief descriptions of these places and what happened there.  This is how it all transpired.

The Sacred Grove

The Sacred Grove

While growing up, young Joseph Smith was very concerned about which church he should join.  He had been taught to love God and Jesus Christ all his life by his parents and wanted to do what was right.  But so many different religions where out there, preaching many different things.  Some said they were right, some said others weren't right.  Joseph was very confused at what he should do.  Then he stumbled upon a verse in the Bible that touched him in such a way that he had never felt before.  It read "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, which giveth to all men liberally and upradeith not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5)

The Sacred Grove

So one day in the spring of 1820, Joseph Smith at the age of 14 decided to do just what he felt he should do, go and ask God personally.  So one morning he went into a grove of trees next to his father's farm and his family's cabin to do this.  In Joseph Smith's own words, this is what happened.

After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.

 But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

 My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.

 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”

 He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, “Never mind, all is well—I am well enough off.” I then said to my mother, “I have learned for myself - Joseph Smith History verses 15-20

Picture I took in the Sacred Grove

I've had the special chance to be in the Sacred Grove, on more than one occasion.  I've seen it in the middle of summer, the days of fall, the end of winter, and now the middle of spring.  Each and every time I feel something special and powerful.  I feel the Spirit witnessing to me that what Joseph Smith said happened in these woods is true, that the Father and His Son appeared to a simple fourteen year old farm boy.  I know that this is all true.  I hope everybody gets a chance to come here and feel for themselves how sacred the Sacred Grove really is.

Here's the address for the historical site and phone number:

843 Stafford Road
Palmyra, New York 14522
315-597-4383 (Main)

Schedule:

Summer: 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Winter: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Pray, He can Hear You!

So things don't look so good.  Life's throwing you a curve ball.  It's hard right now.  Whenever I struggle with things I usually go to somebody for help.  That person is usually either one of my parents.  I love my dad and my mom.  They know me better than anybody else.  They have been through things like this before..  They love me more than I can imagine.  When I need help I always try and seek their aid.  But as a missionary right now, I can't always just call them up and tell them what's up.  As missionaries we live by very specific rules and guidelines to help us focus on the work we perform.  And one of those rules is we can't can only call and talk to our families twice a year, Mother's day and Christmas.  But there is somebody always there, someone who always listens, someone who always answers the phone, somebody who always loves you.

In the Bible Dictionary of the LDS version of the King James Bible, it says under the entry for prayer "As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is Our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matt. 7: 7-11).  Many of the so called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship.  Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other." (Bible Dictionary pg 752.)

God is literally our Father, I know this to be true.  Our physical lineage goes back all the way to Adam down many generations, our spiritual lineage only goes back one, and that's to our Heavenly Father.  And just as our earthly parents have that love for us, He loves us even more.  "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matt. 7:11). 

Some people worry and wonder what they should say when they pray.  Remember this, He is your Father, talk to Him like you would your own Father.  If your relationship with your earthly father isn't the greatest, that doesn't mean you can't develop a strong relationship with your Heavenly Father.  Talk to Him, He loves you, pour your heart out to Him.

When you need some help or you need some answers, be humble enough to get on your knees and come before Him in prayer.  I say this all the time to people, there is never such a thing as a bad prayer. 

I wish I could express this these thoughts better in words, but I will give it a try.  I know the power of prayer is real.  It's helped me through the hardest times of my life.  Sometimes, I struggle and I feel so alone.  I have received some of the greatest comfort to my soul by simply telling Him all that I feel.  He never wants you to think that he is tired of listening to you.  He has all the time in the world and would gladly spend all that time with you.  I know He is there, I know His son Jesus Christ lives and is the one who carries my prayers to my Father in Heaven.  I know that He hears and answers our prayers.  Answers may come in a variety of different ways and may take some time to receive, but He does answer.  This I know and of this I so testify.

A Love for the Temple

Logan, Utah Temple

I've always had a special love for the temple, ever since I was a kid the temple has been in my life.  Growing up in Utah, you can't help but see a temple or to in your travels.  I mean I drove from Logan, Utah to Provo, Utah, a three hour drive, and saw eight temples and passed nine.  Soon it's going to be nine or ten.  Either way I've always had the temple in my life and I always knew it was special.  But not until recently did I ever imagine what the temple really means to me.

The temple is amazing!  The Spirit is so strong there I can't even describe it.  While you are within the walls of those sacred buildings, the world goes away.  You don't worry about the troubles of life.  You feel at peace, you feel calm, you feel great!  You learn so much about God and Christ it's breathtaking.  You are on the top of the world.  Before I came out on my mission, my mom and I attended the Jordan River Temple, only about a month before me leaving home.  As we were leaving for home, she and I agreed that you feel different leaving the temple.  You come out happy and joyful, with light filling your body and spirit.  These are feelings that are hard to describe, but they are wonderful.

Celestial Room at the Draper, Utah Temple

The temple though isn't there just to make you feel good.  Special ordinances necessary for salvation are performed in the temple.  Just like baptism is an ordinance (or ceremony) so are the things we do in the temple.  Because of these ordinances, family units can perpetuate beyond the grave.  I have felt that assurance in my life and it came to me one day at the temple.

One of the sacred ordinances we perform in the temple is called the endowment.  After the endowment, you end up in a room that every temple has called the Celestial Room.  These places are among the most magnificent and beautiful places you will ever be in.  They symbolic of the presence of God, so you can image how powerful it is to be there.  It was my first time at the temple back in June of 2011.  I was with my parents, my grandma, my grandparents, and other extended family members.  After the endowment, I walked into the Celestial Room of the Bountiful, Utah Temple.  As I walked in the room, it was real.  It felt like I had walked into God's presence and His love filled every space there.  I turned my head and there were my parents and my family.  I broke down crying it was amazing.  I was back home with my Heavenly Father and I wasn't alone.  I was with my family and we weren't going to be separated.  Even my Grandpa Rasmussen who had passed away a year before this time was there.  I was with my family forever in the kingdom of our Father in Heaven.

Palmyra, New York Temple

That's why temples are so important.  Without they are what allow us to return back to our Father in Heaven.  Not only that, but they allows us to return not alone, but with our families.  I can't describe how amazing the temple is!  I wish to help everybody get there and experience what I've had a chance to experience.  Please make the temple a priority in your life, marvelous blessings await your.

I know this Church is true.  It isn't just another church out there in the mix of things.  It is God's kingdom again restored on the earth with prophets, apostles, and the priesthood authority.  I know Christ is real and that He did suffer for our sins and afflictions.  I know that it is only through Him that we can return back to live with God again.  Oh and by the way, everything in the temple centers on Jesus Christ.

If you want to learn more about the family and the temple, try this link. http://mormon.org/family/

The Plan of Salvation 101



Jesus Christ Statue at Temple Square



The Plan of Salvation in a nutshell is God's plan for our lives.  It explains where we came from, why we are here, and where are we going.  It's so simple yet amazing.  It allows us to learn and gain the things we need to become like our Father in Heaven.  It gives us hope for the future and direction for what we have to do here in our lives.  And my thought about it all is that it actually makes sense. 

God's Purpose:  Our Father in Heaven's purpose  is "...to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." Moses 1:39.  In order to accomplish this, we needed to first gain physical bodies and then experience what it's like to make our own choices and learn from our experiences.

Pre-earth Life:  Before we came to this earth, all of us lived with our Father in Heaven as His spirit children.  He is literally the Father of our Spirits and loves us more than we can comprehend.  So because of His love His purpose for us comes into play.  A plan was made and we chose to accept it.  Jesus Christ is the center of that plan and without Him it wouldn't work.

Earth Life:  Once the plan was accepted Heavenly Father gave His son Jesus Christ to create the earth. Through Jesus Christ the earth was formed.  This provided us with a place where we could gain physical bodies and be tried and tested and gain the experience necessary to obtain eternal life (living forever in God's presence). 

Adam and Eve were the first of God's children to come to earth.  They were placed in the Garden of Eden, still in God's presence and in a state of innocence where they could know no joy because they knew not any opposition.  They were given the ability to choose called agency or free will.  They were given a commandment not to eat of the forbidden fruit or else they would have to leave the Garden and God's presence.  Satan tempted them thinking it would thwart the plan.  They used their agency and chose to partake of the fruit.  As a result they were cast off from God's presence and into the world which we live now.  Because of the Fall Adam and Eve were able to have children and provided us the way where we could gain bodies of our own.

Because of the Fall we are subject to physical and spiritual death.  Physical death comes as a result because our bodies get old and worn out and eventually die.  It's the separation of our spirits from our bodies.  Spiritual death is separation from God's presence due to sin.  We all suffer both of these conditions because our bodies die and we mess up along the way.  Without a mediator or help we are stuck and can't progress any further.

Jesus Christ was chosen to be our Savior in pre-earth life.  He was the First Born of the Father and the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh.  Because of this He was able to suffer for our sins and shortcomings, died, and was resurrected.  Because of Him everybody will be resurrected, regardless of their righteousness.  He also provided a way for us to overcome spiritual death.  This requires effort on our part though.  In order to qualify for His saving grace, we must follow His teachings and obtain the necessary ordinances for salvation.  This is called The Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This is our purpose here on the earth now.  "...this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yeah, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labours." Alma 34:32.  If we follow His teachings and become more like Him, we will be cleansed from our sins and overcome spiritual death.

After this Life:  There will come a time for each of us when we will experience physical death, separation of our spirits from our bodies.  However Christ has overcome that barrier for each and everyone of us and when the times comes we will all be resurrected.  However before the resurrection occurs, our spirits need a place to reside till that time.  This is called the Spirit world.  There are two divisions of the Spirit world, Spirit Paradise and Spirit Prison (sometimes in the scriptures referred to as hell).  Those who were righteous in this life will live in a state of rest in paradise.  While those who were wicked or never had a chance to hear the gospel will be in a place called prison.  However those in paradise can and do teach those in prison so that everyone will have a chance to hear the gospel and have a fair chance to accept or reject this.  It is only a temporary place the Spirit world and it is not the end.

When the time comes we will all be resurrected, each and everyone one of us who has ever lived on the earth.  Once again, we can thank our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for this.  Once we are resurrected we will all be brought before the judgement seat.  There God will judge us and if we qualified for the Savior's grace He will be our advocate with the Father.  We will be judged according to our works in earth life and by the desires of our hearts.  God is fair and will judge fairly.

Three Kingdoms of Glory:  In God's house there are many mansions, each with it's different degrees of glories.  Our placement in part's of God's house are determined by the judgement.  He will judge us and place us where we most qualify for and are most comfortable with.  The first glory is the Celestial Kingdom, symbolized by the glory of the sun.  It is where God resides and where we experience the blessings of exaltation, progression, and eternal life.  The second glory is the Terrestrial Kingdom, symbolized by the glory of the moon.  It is a place where those who lived honorable lives but didn't accept the gospel will be placed.  And the third is the Telestial Kingdom, symbolized by the glory of the stars.  It is the place where those who were wicked and who did not repent of their sins will go. 

So what does this mean for me?:  Well it means a lot really.  This is God's plan for our lives and we are presented with a wonderful opportunity to become like Him.  Our life here on earth is but a minute in comparison with the vastness of eternity.  Because of this plan we know who we are, God's children.  We know what we must do in this life, and that is to look upon our Savior Jesus Christ.  He is the way, and through Him we can be cleansed from our sins and return back to the presence of our Father in Heaven. 

I know this plan is real.  It's a plan of happiness, a plan of mercy, and plan of love.  With it we can experience the greatest level of joy and happiness that a loving Father in Heaven wants us to have.  Please take some time to consider this and ask God if it is true.  With sincere study and pray, He will let you know what you can do to return and live again with Him.

Why Read the Book of Mormon?

So picture this.  You're at home, sitting down watching TV listening about the latest weather pattern that is about to come in.  You hear the doorbell ring and outside your front door are two young men dressed in white shirts and ties.  They proceed to tell you (as quickly as they can before you shut the door) about some new book of scripture.  It's called The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.  They say it's a book about the people in the America's and that Jesus Christ came and visited them.  You're a little bit curious but also skeptical, and you want to see how much these guy's really know.  So you ask a simple question, "Why should I read The Book of Mormon?"

It's a good question, and one that deserves some thought.  I mean, people usually only due things either to gain a reward or avoid a punishment, it's simple psychology.  Fortunately we have the words of modern day prophets to help us out.  President Ezra Taft Benson, former president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, gave an amazing talk in the October 1986 General Conference titled The Book of Mormon - Keystone of Our Religion.  In it he outlined 3 reasons why members of the Church should strive to study the Book of Mormon throughout their life's.  I think that the same three reasons apply to everyone and I think they are worth some thought.  So here they are -

1. The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion:

The Prophet Joseph Smith said that "the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book."  Simply stated a keystone holds an arch together, without it the structure crumbles.  If the Book of Mormon was false, then Joseph Smith wasn't a prophet.  If he wasn't a prophet than the things he said and did weren't true, and the whole Church falls and isn't true.  But with the Book of Mormon we are absolute and unshaken in our faith.  This is one reason why you should read the Book of Mormon, because by gaining a witness that the book is true, you come to know that "Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is his revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the Lord's kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah." (Introduction to the Book of Mormon)

2. The Book of Mormon was written for our day:


Many prophets in the Book of Mormon testified that the words they were writing were for us.  Many of these prophets even saw in vision and in prophesy our day and what we would need to steer us in the right direction towards God.  From the Book of Mormon we learn of the promises and covenants God has made with His children and those in the America's that are still in effect today.  We learn what happens when a civilization centers itself in God and what happens when they choose to disobey God.  We even learn where most of the ancestors of the American Indians came from for crying out loud!  I mean if each of us had a manual for our individual lives, wouldn't we at least glance at it?  The Book of Mormon is just that.  Specific direction and counsel for each and every one of us in this day and age.

3. The Book of Mormon helps us draw nearer to God:

This is something you have to experience more than anything else.  Almost half of the verses contained in the Book of Mormon include Christ in some way or another.  It contains the record of a people who were blessed with the opportunity to feel the prints in His hands and feet and the wound in His side.  It contains His gospel as given to His prophets.  It's overall purpose is to bring everyone closer to God and His Son Jesus Christ.  I can tell anybody enough about how powerful this book is.  You feel the Holy Ghost so strongly through the simple words on it's pages.  This Book is From God!!  The good feelings you get from reading the book are indescribable.  If you want to come closer to God and our Savior, this book will do just that more than anything else.

I want everyone to know that I know the Book of Mormon is true.  For me, my witness didn't come in one night at one particular moment of my life.  For me it came in bits and pieces, like a puzzle.  As I came to read and study its words truth was revealed to me at the rate that was perfect for me.  This continued for years until the thought came to my head "You know it's true, you have always known it is true."  I urge everyone from the bottom of my heart to simply read the book.  It's so simple, pick it up and read it.  Read it to come closer to God, read it for understanding, read it humbly so that the Holy Ghost can tell you if it is true.  I testify the truthfulness of Moroni's promise, God will answer you!!  Just give it a try, see what it can do in your life.

"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." Moroni 10:3-5

My Christmas Blog Post



Temple Square at Christmas

It's the Christmas season so therfore it is required to make a blog post about Christmas.  So in order to prevent myself from becoming a Scrooge or a Grinch, I shall do such.

Living only 20 miles from down town Salt Lake City and having a dad that works in the office tower across the street from the temple have a couple of benefits.  One of which is the opportunity our family has almost every year to go and see the Christmas lights at temple square.





Temple Squre from Above

As you can see there are many attractions on temple square.  One of which is the visitors center which is circled in red.  It's an amazing building with so many pictures of Christ and various displays of Bible and Book of Mormon prophets.  It even has a very large model map of the city Jerusalem back when Christ was on the earth and where everything is.

After walking around with my family, looking at all the lights and all the buildings, our final stop is usually this same visitor center.  Then after looking at all the various cool displays and models do we reach my most favorite part of the building.

Jesus Christ in Visitor Center

In the main circular room stands an amazing statue of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The walls of this room are of the celestial heavens, of stars and the earth and the glories of the night sky.  He stands there pure and magnificent, with open arms waiting to receive those who will come unto Him.  His hands bear the imprint of the nails which peirced His hands as He willingly gave His life for us on the cross.  Every time I enter that amazing place, tears fill my eyes as I look into His eyes and see the love that He has for me and all of us.

This is what Christmas is about, Jesus Christ.  It's as simple as that, it's about the Savior.  It is our the time of year we have to celebrate His magnificent birth.  Without His coming into the world and His suffering we wouldn't be able to return to our Father in Heaven.  May we remember through all the hectic hussle and bussle of the Christmas season that we reflect on that marvelous event. 

"For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all - for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people." - Alma 7:7



Nativity Scene at Temple Square Reflection Pool



It Will Get Better Once it Stops Hurting

That statement always makes me laugh. It's one of my Grandpaisms my Grandpa Hess always likes to say. He always says funny things like "Kill to stones with one bird", or if you fall down "Come over here and I'll help you up". But the saying "It will get better once it stops hurting" really has some truth if you think about it.

Life's tough sometimes. There's nothing really around that fact. Sometimes during life we experience some pretty hard times. Trials and tribulations are to be expected, but that doesn't make them anymore less painful. We face so many different kinds of trials like sickness, death, depression, loneliness, guilt, family issues, finance problems, learning problems, etc, etc, etc. The list goes on and on. At times we seem to be thrown a never ending string of them that doesn't look like it will let up. Each of us individually face our own personal demons that turn life into this gauntlet of pain. Life isn't fair; it's not a cake walk; life is hard. In Matthew 5:45, the Savior says "he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Good things happen to bad and good people, bad things happen to bad and good people. Life is hard. But there is hope.

We have a loving Heavenly Father and we are His children. He loves each and every one of his children. That is why we are here on earth. He wants for us to receive all that He has. His purpose is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." He has provided us this opportunity to learn and progress so we can be more like him. We are here on earth to be tried and tested, and that means sometimes things aren't going to be very pleasant.

Life is a refiners fire. Trials are those hot flames that lick and scourge us. But through those flames we melt off the imperfections we possess. We burn off the portions of our lives that need to be removed. It's not fun, it's not pleasant, and it hurts at times. But the end result is something pure and sweet, beautiful and incorruptible. Orson F. Whitney said "No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility....It is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we came here to acquire." And we aren't suppose to go through them alone.

2nd Corinthians 1:3-5 says "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. Who comforteth us in our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ."

God is there and so is His Son Jesus Christ. Just like any parent or sibling, they want to help their sons and daughters, brothers and sister get through anything that they are struggling with. We can find hope and comfort in our afflictions in our Savior. I know this to be true. Through them we can get through anything.

So what do we need to do to receive this help? First we need to ask for it. Prayer is essential for help during trials. I remember one experience in my life that really helped me out. I was on a scout river kanoing trip in Wyoming. All of our equipment was stored in these five gallon buckets and tied down in the middle of the kanoe. Due to bad planning on my part the sleeping bag I chose wasn't quite the right size for the bucket so the lid didn't close all the way. Despite my most desperate attempts, our kanoe got swamped as our leaders and fellow scouts had fun trying to sink everybody else while going down the river. When we finally got to shore to camp the night I inevitably found my sleeping bag soaked with water. I tried to let it dry out before the sun set but still it was pretty damp by the time night came. A cold Wyoming night in the wilderness in a wet sleeping bag didn't exactly add up to a good nights sleep. I crawled into my bag and immediately the cold sapped the heat from my body. I shivered and shivered and things got colder and colder. I was out of options that night, I had no where else to turn. "I could potentially die tonight" was what I was thinking. I needed help. In my cold, damp sleeping bag I rolled over and offered a silent prayer to my Father in Heaven. I asked Him so desperately that this would seem so insignificant to everything else that was going on in the world but I really needed to be warm so I could sleep. After I ended my prayer immediately warmth ran throughout my body. The shivering stopped and I relaxed. I was able to sleep that night so peacefully and warmly than I ever thought possible. I know God answers prayers. During our times of affliction, I promise that if you call upon God for aide He will answer.

Along with prayer, your scripture study can be such a source of inspiration and strength to you. Christ when he was on the earth was always healing those who were in needed. Any sort of affliction or sickness he healed. He could heal people miles away, just by His words. Christ's words have the power to heal. So why should the scriptures be any different? Scriptures have the power to heal and strengthen us. There are so many good things hidden in the scriptures that will speak just to you for exactly what you might be going through. So when in doubt, scripture it out!!

As I've said before, trials are tough, but they are necessary. The Lord hasn't designed these trials for you to go through alone. Christ gave up His life to give us the greatest gift of the Atonement. He has gone through all our pains, sorrows, afflictions, and sins. He knows what you are going through more than we can imagine. That makes Him the only one who can really comfort us in times like trials. When we need Him most, He will come and bear us up. Push forward through whatever life throws at you. Doctrine and Covenants 122 is so famous for whatever we face in life. Remember whatever we face is for our own good and will give us experience.

I hope that this will help anyone who is going through anything hard in life. Remember prayer and scripture study. By small and simple things are great things come to pass. And remember, it will feel better once it stops hurting.

President Uchtdorf said "Often the deep valleys of our present will be understood only by looking back on them from the mountains of our future experience. Often we can't see the Lord's Hand in our lives until long after trails have passed. Often the most difficult times of our lives are essential building blocks that form the foundation of our character and pave the way to future opportunity, understand, and happiness."

Here are some tips from Elder Wirthlin that will help through trials.

Temple Trip

I finally got a chance to see the Palmyra temple this week. We were up there for a training and while a couple of our companions had to stay for more training I went with a couple of elders to walk around the temple. It was so great to see it and all the grounds. I loved the beautiful stain glass windows and the amazing stone work. I love temples!! I guess that's why I'm out here doing what I do. I want others to experience the joys and blessings I've felt while going to the temple. I have such a love for the temples because of the many great blessings that come as a result of temple work.

Because of the temple I know that my Father in Heaven loves me. I know that I will be together with my family for all time and eternity. I know that someday I will see my Grandpa Rasmussen again and he is always with me. He had such a love for the temple as well. I remember something profound he told me about the temple. The greatest and most insightful study of the scriptures he has ever had occurred while in the temple. I know this to be true, I've experienced it myself.

I know this Church is true and that the temple is really the House of the Lord. I know that God's love and Spirit are always present there, and that we can feel that same love when we go. I know God really does love us and cares about us. He loves our families and through the temple has provided us with the only way we can be together forever with them. I challenge you all to attend the temple as often as you can. I understand this may be difficult. I grew up in an area where 10 to 13 temples were within a 3 hours drive. The closet one to us was only a 15 minute drive. But I know that so many blessings are available if we attend the temple. If you are unable to attend start preparing now so you can become worthy of a recommend. I promise you that will you not regret it. I have never felt bad after going to the temple. I promise you all that by attending the temple, we will have the courage to take on whatever life has to offer. That our testimonies will increase and our love for the Savior will be even greater. I know this Church is true and Jesus Christ is my Savior. I know that my Redeemer Lives!!!