FAITH? WORKS?

So today I was pondering about the word Faith? What is it? Why do we need it? Then I was also pondering about the word Works? What is it? Why do we need it?

There is a lot of commotion about Faith and Works. Some of us might have Faith but be lacking in the works. Some of us might have the Works but lacking in the Faith. Why are these two words so important to returning to be with our Heavenly Father.

First I would like to explain what each word means and its importants then I will tie it into on how we need both Faith and Works to return to be with our Father in Heaven.

So Faith as states in Alma 32:21, "And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true," Faith is something you believe that is true but you cannot see. Just like our Savior Jesus Christ. We have all not seen Him but we know he truly is the Son of God, that He died for us and through Him we can return to be with our Heavenly Father.

Without Faith nothing is possible. We cannot receive anything. Faith is a daily task that we always need to continue to increase. You can never have to much Faith. As it states in the Matthew 17: 20; "Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." As we gain Faith we can do so much. It is so important to have Faith in our lives.

Next Works? Works, something so good to have in our lives. But something so simply to forget about. The definition of the word Works is, "The effort or activity directed toward the production or accomplishment of something." The Lord has asked us, "If ye love me, keep my Commandments" (John 14:15). Those are works, that we need to accomplish. As we show our Love for Him by keeping his commandments we are blessed with, increased Faith, (hum, there is the word I was was looking for) and also increased support and protection from our Heavenly Father.

 It is something that we need to do on a day to day basis. Not just today and take a couple days off and then get back on it. We need to strive to work everyday and every hour. Just like our Faith we need to strive to increase our Faith everyday. 

These two words; Faith and Works are so key and important to have in our Lives. We might have one but not the other. If that is the case we cannot progress. We are stuck. Its kinda like a rowboat. Usually you have two ore's that you use so you can go straight and get to your destination. Well if you forget one of those ore's and only use one then you will just go in circles. You would not continue on to your destination. With two they work together and then you will have a straight shot to your destination.

That is why our Heavenly Father has counciled us on exercising both; Faith and Works. As We read in James 2:14,17-18 & 26 it says; "14What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

We all need both of them to reach the potential our Heavenly Father wants for us. I can testify as we strive to live our lives with The Faith and Do the works we can and will return to be with our Heavenly Father and we can receive the blessings that He has in store for us. Always remember John 14:15; "If ye love me keep my commandments." This is what He asked us to do. We need Faith and Works in this commandment.

"The Way"

Last Thursday Elder Roerdanz and myself were driving home to Great Falls Montana from Chinook Montana. We came across something that happens all the time in Montana during the Spring time. We hit Construction. The joke up this way is that there are two seasons; Winter and Construction. So we ran into some road construction and I had no idea that running into something that most people hate running into while traveling on vacation or going home would open my eyes to something amazing pertaining to The Gospel of Jesus Christ.

As we came into visual of the Construction there was a flag lady to warn us to stop. As we came to a stop the lady came up to our window and said, "Just have to wait for a "Pilot Car". As Elder Roerdanz and myself sat there, we began talking about why in the world do we need a pilot car. As we looked ahead and saw a bit of the construction, we felt like it wasn't looking to bad as far as heavy equipment or anything like that. We thought we could make it safely around all the work and have no problems. And plus even get through a lot faster then having to wait and follow behind a "Pilot Car".

What we did not know but later came to find out, as we traveled farther into the Road Construction, there began to be more and more heavy equipment and a lot of machines tearing up the road. We then realized how important it was for us to wait for that "Pilot Car". That Pilot Car knew what was going on, how long the Construction was and what was on the path of our travel. If we would have not listened to the lady at the very first who said, "Just have to wait for a "Pilot Car", then the consequences could have been bad. We could have been seriously hurt by the machinery or even lost on the un-paved road.

As we continued on in the Construction zone, thoughts started rushing in about our Savior Jesus Christ. How He is "The Pilot Car". As it states in John 14:6; "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." He is the one that leads us, guides us, and helps us every step of the way.

As we go through life we might feel like we know what to choose, what we want and what to do. We might try to do it without our Savior Jesus Christs' help and then we catch ourselves in trouble, or in a rut that we cannot get out of, but we always have the "Pilot Car" or our Savior Jesus Christ that helps us through the way. We do not have to go into things blinded. As we look upon Him, He will provide, and show us the way to return to our ultimate Goal, to be with our Heavenly Father.

As that Road Construction opened my eyes, I now see how important that "Pilot Car" was for us to get through the construction safely. I know that just as that Pilot Car helped us out, we have our Savior Jesus Christ to help us out, to protect us and lead us through this life. He truly is "THE WAY".
                                              

This is the "Pilot Car" that led us through
the construction.

This is the equipment that we could see
at the beginning of the construction



 

This is the kind of equipment that we could
not see deeper into the construction



   

To the Mother's of the World

This Sunday we get to celebrate Mother's Day. What a honor it is to reflect on all my mother has done for me. To all you mother's out there, Thank you and may you have a joyous day on this special day.

My mom is very close to me, she has comforted me when I needed it, She has taught me everything that I need to know in my life. She is a great example to me. She teaches me the best things in my life. She is truely a Great Mother.

As I reflect on my life and how much she has done for me, I cannot put it all into words. But this I do know, that I am proud to say that I am her son. If you all have not noticed I like poems to sum up what I feel and this poem says everything about my mother.



Each day I think about my Father in Heaven and His plan for me. I know that God placed me in my family for a special reason, He gave me the right mom for me and with that I am forever Greatful.

To you mom, I love you. I thank you for everything you have raised me up to be. You taught me well, and for that I will always be greatful. I cannot say enough about you with words but Just know that I LOVE YOU!!!

also to the rest of you mother's out there, thank you for your love and support. May the Lord Bless you all for everything you do for us. YOUR THE BEST!!!!

"Becoming Stonger"

As I reflect on my life, I continue to ask myself, "How much can I take?" Our Heavenly Father is mindful of each and everyone one of us. He knows what we go through, what we face and how much we can handle. Each time we are faced with challenges and trials, it makes us stronger and stronger. It makes me think of a great poem that has great meaning as we go through life facing those things that we do not think we can bare till after the fact. It is called "The Oak Tree".

The Oak Tree

by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr.

  

A mighty wind blew night and day.

It stole the Oak Tree's leaves away.

Then snapped its boughs

and pulled its bark

until the Oak was tired and stark.

But still the Oak Tree held its ground

while other trees fell all around.

The weary wind gave up and spoke,

"How can you still be standing Oak?"

The Oak Tree said, I know that you

can break each branch of mine in two,

carry every leaf away,

shake my limbs and make me sway.

But I have roots stretched in the earth,

growing stronger since my birth.

You'll never touch them, for you see

they are the deepest part of me.

Until today, I wasn't sure

of just how much I could endure.

But now I've found with thanks to you,

I'm stronger than I ever knew.

The things that we all face in life, show us how strong we truly can Become. Just like this Oak Tree, I never knew what I could endure but with the trials I faced, the trust and faith I put in the Lord I always knew that I would come out on top and "Become Stronger".

 I know that as we put our lives into the Lord's hand and remember that we will never face anything in our lives that we cannot overcome. The Lord will help out and He will provide to make us "Stonger".

"What Lack I Yet?"

Today I have been pondering over something that everyone thinks about. What do I need to do to receive Eternal Life? Pretty big question to be asking huh? There was a story that came to mind, it is found in The New Testament in the first book, Matthew 19: 16-22;

16And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

 17And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

 18He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

 19Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

 20The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

 21Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

 22But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

"What lack I yet?" We all might be good with the commandments, or other things, but we all have something that we need to work on. This life is a time to progress, live our best lives, and Follow Him. We need to continue to ask ourselves daily and ask ourselves, "What lack I yet?" What do I need to give up, change or do. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is full of things that we need in our lives. We have to take the time, stop and think about those things. We might have all the worldly things that we want but do we have the spiritual things that we need. Our Heavenly Father has given these great things for our reach, we just have to grasp a hold of them and Follow Him. That is truly the things that we need to do in this life to receive Eternal Life. Like Christ said to this man in these Scriptures, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven". how many of us could do that, I challenge all of us to ask ourselves "What lack I yet" and see what we need to do in this life to receive Gods greatest Gift, Eternal Life.

"Come Listen to A Prophets Voice"

Oh how grateful I am for a living Prophet that leads and Guides us today. We all have the opportunity to listen and hear from a living Prophet Today and tomorrow. I just want all of you to know that God still calls prophets today. Just like it stats in Amos 3:7; "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." God has done that in the Past and will always do that. He never changes His word. He is the "Same yesterday, today and forever". I know that we have a living Prophet, and as you open your heart as you listen to him and the Apostles your heart will be touched and you will truly feel the truthfulness of the things they say. They hold the truth and they share the truth for our lives today.

"He was There"

One thing that has been on my mind lately is Trials. We all face trials in our lives, some more of a serious note. As for me I think of all my trials that I am face with, it gets me down at times, as we all do. I have always been a big fan of the poem, "Footprints in the Sand", especially with trials that I face. I love this poem because, when we are faced with trials in life, we tend to forget about our Lord, and ask "Where are You". This poem shares with all of us that He is there, He will always be there. Sometimes we just don't notice him. As you read this poem, think of all the hard times in your life that you have only noticed one of the footprints and then think "Who was there", was it just me walking by myself or was it Him. I can testify to you all that "He was There", He will always be there to lift us up when we are down. I will be eternally Grateful for that.

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?”

The Lord replied,
“The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand,
is when I carried you.”