Burger House

The name Burger House seems to be an obvious mom and pops, simple but cheap, burger joint. Oh but there is so much more to it than that. Burger House is a restaurant in Miami, AZ, right off the main highway going through town. For many passing through Miami, its easy to go right on by without a second look, but to a few it is a tradition to stop. To the common person Burger House isn't that appealing. But to me its the best of its kind in AZ. Another little known fact is that Burger House isn't known for its burgers, its known for its Mexican food. So the saying "don't judge a book by its cover" rings true for other things in this life.

One of those things is Jesus Christ.  Jesus of Nazareth was what seemed to be a simple man. Oh but there was so much more to him than that. Jesus grew up in Nazareth, just north of Jerusalem. We learn form scripture that Nazareth was not a place known for good things, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" John 1: 46. Jesus had many disciples as he taught, how many were there for him when he was crucified? " And when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.(Isaiah 53:2)" He was not famous, handsome, or wanted by most people. But to some he was who they had waited their whole life for. Jesus didn't win the Nobel Prize, he wasn't wealthy, he was much more than that. He was the greatest man that ever walked the face of the Earth. He has done more for you and I than any other person has, can and will do. He gave his life that we may all live. Today there are many that pass by Jesus Christ unaware of the blessings that come from knowing Him.
Come to know Jesus Christ better by reading the Book of Mormon, and Bible.     

Healthy and Balanced Diet for your Soul

I'm starting to see a pattern with my blogs, most involve food. So what would be a healthy and balanced diet that your spirit will be strong? Well of course the words of Christ! But we can draw spiritual nourishment from many places.

First we have the Bible, its like having a baked potato fully loaded. What about the meat? The Book of Mormon is like having a nice steak cooked to perfection. This is a great meal but we still need our vegetables, a meal is not complete without vegetables(that's for all the moms). The words of a living Prophet, will be our healthy vegetables.

Last of all but not least, dessert! Our own Revelation, prayer is an essential part of this diet, and is absolutely essential for our own personal relationship that exists with God.

Now these foods may not really relate to the gospel, but its important to always remember to feed our spirit with the things it needs. Scripture study, listening to a prophets counsel, and prayer are great ways to help your spirit grow. And don't forget to eat spiritual food, because no one likes to be hungry.

Empty Stomach

An empty stomach is never good. It makes all kinds of noise and well your hungry! Elder Houston and I were talking the other day about a sandwich that was good but it mostly just filled the emptiness. How many times do we eat and end up hungry again later? It happens everyday! That is how our spirit works as well. It gets hungry so we feed it. Sometimes we feed it with mildly good things, maybe bad things, and maybe sometimes not at all. So what is a good diet for your spirit? Lets see what the scriptures say:

"...feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do"(2 Nephi 32:3). Feast on the words of Christ. The words of Christ come in the scriptures, and a prophet. So instead of filling your spirit with stuff that is unhealthy fill it with the words of Christ, "...feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst"(Alma 32:42). Read the words that can fill our spirits and tell us everything that we should do. So go read the scriptures! And don't forget to pray! Stayed tuned for how to have a healthy and balanced diet for your soul.



M&M's

M&M's, one the greatest candies in the world, but there is something about them isn't so good.

Take a close look at these M&M characters, notice anything odd? Probably not, they look like great guys, all happy and friendly. Well at a first glance you wouldn't notice it but they have a candy coating. What does having a candy coating have to do with us? Well let me tell you.

A while back I wrote a blog about Whoppers melting, and I thought about how M&M's dont melt. Then I thought of a scripture in Ether 12:27. It goes like this: "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." So if we humble ourselves we will be made strong. Back to the M&M's now, I thought about how they have that coating on the outside that kinda keeps them from melting or being humble, you could say that the coating is pride. Then what if the M&M's listened to this advice, they would put off the coating (pride), and become humble. When we become humble the Lord has promised to make our weaknesses into our strengths. So that soft chocolately center in those M&M's would be made strong, to withstand the heat of the world. In our own lives sometimes we let our pride keep us from being humble enough to accept our weaknesses, and letting the Lord build and strengthen us.

So what kind of candy would you have if the M&Ms applied this scripture in their life?

Putting All Your Faith in God

Putting all your faith in God is some what of a difficult thing to do. Having total and complete faith in God was hard for even Peter. We know that faith can move mountains, heal the sick and be a shield, but how do we obtain enough faith do these things. Alma teaches that faith can be compared to a seed, that it starts out very small but with proper nourishment and care it can one day become a magnificent tree bearing the most desirable and delicious fruit.

Here are two extreme examples of faith.

 Here we have Peter, who was invited to come to Jesus by walking on water. "And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me" (Matt 14: 29-30).

Then we have the brother of Jared in the Book of Mormon. "For the brother of Jared said unto the mountain Zerin, Remove—and it was removed. And if he had not had faith it would not have moved; wherefore thou workest after men have faith"( Ether 12:30)

What could we do if we had half the faith that these two men had? What could we do? Most cases in my life I haven't needed to remove a mountain, or walk on water. At times we can be like Peter and doubt, but when we do we have to be like Peter and ask the Lord for his help.

 To remove a mountain we would just get a big bulldozer, and a bunch of diesel. But what about the spiritual mountains that block our way? As the brother of Jared we must put our faith in God, its only a mountain, God put it there he knows how to remove it.

"With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." (Matt 19:26) With our faith in God we can do all things, we could move mountains we could walk on water, we could accomplish the impossible.

Watch Your Step

When hiking on a dangerous mountain, you might here someone say "watch your step." If you are crossing a rickety old bridge, you might here someone say "watch your step." Our prophet and apostles warn us in the same way of the worlds dangerous paths.

Sahara Desert

The Sahara Desert. A huge sand box that seems to never end. Imagine being placed in the middle of the Sahara, having never been there in your life, with a limited amount of water. Now if I had my quad I would love it. But in this case we don't have it. Which way is the best to go? How much water can I drink a day to survive the travel to safety? I have no idea. I would need a map, compass, and guide to aid me in my journey. In life we encounter similar journeys that can be spiritually more difficult than the Sahara.

So we need a few things to help us get through the deserts of life.

1. The Map. The scriptures are maps that show us where others have traveled before. They can point out sources of water or spiritual nourishment. They can help us find a route that will lead us to where we want to go.

2. The Compass. A compass is a navigational instrument for determining direction relative to the Earth's magnetic poles. A prophet is Gods chosen servant that is there to help give us direction. The prophet receives revelation from God to give direction to the entire earth.

3. The Guide. The Holy Ghost can be like your own personal guide in this life. To employ the Holy Ghost as your guide you must first have faith, that will lead you to repentance, then follow Jesus Christ into the waters of baptism, now you are prepared to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and have him as your constant companion and guide.

 God has provided us with these tools that we may travel safely through life and the largest deserts that come before us. So next time you decide to go and get lost in the Sahara make sure you have these tools.

Soap in your mouth!

Who has had a bar of soap put in their mouth to wash it out for saying something bad? I have tasted soap before, its not very enjoyable. Although the soap probably didn't actually clean the bad words out of my mouth, I definitely thought twice about saying that word again.

Sometimes we make other mistakes that we don't have soap for. When we lie we might get soap in our mouths again, but how do we clean our hearts and minds that are effected by other mistakes? Let me tell you! With the Atonement of Jesus Christ. With the Atonement we can be cleansed and healed spiritually and emotionally. Soap leaves a bad taste in your mouth but repenting leaves a wonderful feeling of comfort and a sense of cleanliness that no soap can provide. The process of repentance and applying the Atonement in our lives may seem difficult but the end results will be far greater appreciated then the lessons we learned from getting soap in our mouths.

Heavy burdens? Click here.

Fathers Day

A father indeed. My dad is one of the greatest influences in my life, I will never be able to repay him for the guidance, love, care, and correction that he has given me. He has been an amazing example of how to work, how to work hard. I love my dad very much and appreciate all that he is and is becoming. Thanks Dad!

Rain rain go away!

Rain rain go away, come again another day!

Most of us have heard this little nursery rhyme. Today I was thinking about this rhyme because its raining, again. Here in the Kalispell area we are waiting for the rivers to flood, so more rain isn't really what we want. Its actually a little annoying. Thats why I was saying this rhyme, only I was thinking DON'T come again another day!


On the other hand, how often do we pray for rain to come to nurish our crops and to end a drought? Or how often do we pray for patience, and don't like the trial that comes. Some times I am not aware that God is blessing me with what I asked for, its just not in the way I wanted it. Heavenly Father hears our prayers and answers them, maybe not in our time or in our way, but he does. That is one of the greatest blessings that I have been given is knowing that God does listen, and answers. Our Father in Heaven desires to bless each of us with happiness, and has promised that "if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." He will give us our righteous desires, and will give it freely without punishment. So ask away, but be willing to act on what you have asked for, and be grateful as well. And when you ask for rain be ready to receive rain, maybe more than what you thought sometimes.

Whoppers!

Whoppers! About a week ago I bought a carton of Whoppers similar to this one. I like Whoppers. I carry them in our car to snack on through out the day. Whoppers like most chocolate candies have a tendency to melt when exposed to warm temperatures. I wasn't expecting the temperatures here in Lakeside to get warm enough to melt my Whoppers, but like all Montana weather you can never predict what will happen. My Whoppers melted!

So, what do melted Whoppers have to do with anything? Why am I sharing such a random story? Well, the moral of the story is that we need to be like the Whoppers when life gets warm or a little stressful. The interesting thing that happened with my Whoppers was that when the had melted, they stuck together. In each of our lives we face those moments where the heat of the world can break us down and even cause some of us to melt down. In those very moments we need to stick together, and help each other through our individual trials. In the past general priesthood session President Uchtdorf  related a story of a struggle to move a piano. The struggle was resolved when the movers were instructed to "stand close together and lift where you stand."(Lift Where You Stand) As they stood close together and used their combined strength they were able to accomplish the difficult task. As we stand close together and help those around us, "God [will] grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son." (Alma 33:23)

Hey check out Job and some of his trials without friends.

Debra's Story

Recently I added a new friend on Facebook from London. She is currently meeting with the missionaries, and is planning to be baptized this saturday. Here is her story.

"Well Im Debra from London and I like to tell you how I came to the LDS church
I have a friend who lives in Bends, New York he lives there with his family and they have 3 children we got to meet through a penpal web site and we have talked for a while and sent messages and post then he sent me a package with the Book of Mormon I love it because I love to read as I was reading it I then emailed my friend and I asked where would I get to find a church near me and he said on the home page of LDS.org so I went on there and left a message to ask how I would find a church near me and few days later I got a call from an Elder of the church he said he would like to come round and he did bringing another Elder with him and also another member of the church we got to talk about the church and how I came to ask about it after they come to teach me about the Book of Mormon and other things we get on very well together and now Im being baptised in the church near where I live and also attend every sunday I really love the people in the church and I love God and his son Jesus Christ I know one day I will be going back to His Kingdom and be with him once again
so thats how I got to be with the church and I am so happy because it is a wonderful moment in my life to know that the Book of Mormon is true and Jesus Christ is our saviour and redeemer"

When I talked with Debra she told me that she read the Book of Mormon in two days. I was so surprised because I have never read the book in such a short amount of time. As I read this story I found a few important things. First a friend, one that cares enough to share the gospel to all his friends. The principles of salvation are found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that is why its so important for all of us to do all we can to invite our friends and family to hear this wonderful message. Thanks to Debra's friend and Debra's desire to draw closer to God she has found the happiness that is coupled with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for the blessings that have come to me as I have learned and lived the gospel, and I am happy for Debra and hope that she will continue to love God and follow Jesus Christ as she embarks on her journey to live with God once more.





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Cellphone-Cancer Link?

An international panel of experts says cellphones are possibly carcinogenic to humans after reviewing details from dozens of published studies.

The statement was issued in Lyon, France, on Tuesday by the International Agency for Research on Cancer after a weeklong meeting of experts. They reviewed possible links between cancer and the type of electromagnetic radiation found in cellphones, microwaves and radar.

The agency is the cancer arm of the World Health Organization and the assessment now goes to WHO and national health agencies for possible guidance on cellphone use.

The group classified cellphones in category 2B, meaning they are possibly carcinogenic to humans. Other substances in that category include the pesticide DDT and gasoline engine exhaust.

Last year, results of a large study found no clear link between cellphones and cancer. But some advocacy groups contend the study raised serious concerns because it showed a hint of a possible connection between very heavy phone use and glioma, a rare but often deadly form of brain tumor. However, the numbers in that subgroup weren't sufficient to make the case. Fox News

Prophets-Link to God?
Wow, that's not so good. What was thought to be a great form of communication is now proving to be dangerous. Cellphone use has not officially been deemed carcinogenic to humans yet, but tests are being done to make sure that we are not giving ourselves brain tumors. This is a very real problem because almost 75% of the worlds population uses a cellphone, which may be causing cancer.

There are many things in this world that are good, but can turn bad. Take the Internet for example, there are many wonderful tools such as Google, Map quest, News networks, email accounts, and many others. So the Internet is a great place! But what about all those other things on the Internet, the things you would want your mom to see you looking at. I would say that there are more of the latter type of websites on the Internet. Now I'm sure you have heard people talk about dangers, how about a prophet of God? A prophet of God  addresses real problems like these, the problems that we each face in our lives. There is a prophet on the earth today, one that can lead and direct Gods children (you and me). I invite you to read or listen to a prophet today, visit mormon.org or lds.org to hear a prophet now!

Another really good one Click Here.

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

 "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

We have all heard this before, and we believe it, or do we? It states that we are given certain rights, rights that make us the USA. These rights weren't granted to us from a king or president, nor could they. They were given to us from a supreme power, God. Our forefathers fought for the blessing of these rights to be open to each of us. In the Book of Mormon there were similar rights that were battled for. The people of the Book of Mormon, as the founding fathers, raised there own Declaration known as the "title of liberty".

"...In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children..."

Moroni was the leader of these people, they were oppressed, and their rights were attacked by subtle men who used flattering words.

"Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon the face of the land for the righteous’ sake."

The Declaration of Independence warned of governments with the same motives.

"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

The result of each of the documents was unity and peace. Both peoples defended their rights, family, and love of God in war. War isn't the answer, standing up and defending our liberty is. There are many in the world who would seek to destroy our liberty, but this nation is a choice nation, it was founded on correct principles and a belief in God. With the same faith as our forefathers and Moroni, we to can establish liberty and peace, in our nation. "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Glenn Beck Interview

This an interview with Glenn Beck on his conversion story. He talks about where he came from and the difference that being a Mormon has brought to his life. He also talks about a blessing that he received very quickly after being baptized. Its amazing to me to see the change that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can bring into someones life. Glenn Beck is popular in today's media and news, but none of that matters to God, what matters is that his children are happy. Not filled with fleeting happiness such as drugs, or alcohol. Our God is our Father, one that cares for us, one that loves us and one that wants us to be with him in his kingdom. He has provided us the tools and means to be happy, we need only seek after them. Those tools and means are the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The atonement cleanses us from sin to allow us to return to God, and it provides life (in so many ways) after we die. Like Glenn we can all find the happiness that we pursue as Americans.

May 21, 2011 or December 21, 2012 which is it?

May 21, 2011...December 21, 2012...there seems to be some confusion as to when the second coming is supposed to happen. Both are claiming to be right, and they have reliable sources to back them up.

May 21, 2011.
"We are at a time like no other in the earth's history. Most people realize that the world will eventually come to an end.  In particular, Christians believe that Christ will return to gather up (rapture) those who He has saved from hell.  While there have been many false predictions of the world’s end, and current predictions about the year 2012, until recently no one could know when the world will end.  End time predictions are common, and so far they have all been wrong!"Official May 21 2011 website
"The Bible and the Bible alone is the only authority, the only source of truth. The Bible is God's Word, it is from the very lips of God.
"The Bible is its own interpreter, we must compare scripture with scripture to arrive at truth. It is not open to private interpretation.
"The Bible is a spiritual book, and we need God to open our spiritual eyes for truth and understanding."

December 21, 2012
 "Science can neither confirm nor discredit the validity of many religiously or prophetically deemed judgment days of the future, the soonest of which will be arriving December 21, 2012, the final day of the Mayan Calendar. Although the Mayas reached their conclusion astrologically, many religious beliefs and prophets have also independently attached different earth-shattering events to take place during relatively the same neighborhood in time. As the winter solstice of 2012 draws nearer, scientists and skeptics alike are paying close attention to the world's development and potential signs that might support the Mayan calendar's End-Time date or the religious belief of others in a prophesied Judgment Day." Official December 21, 2012 website

So whats the answer, we have a more scientific view, while on the other hand we have a religious view. SO, how do we figure it out, who should we believe? May 21 is just around the corner, this is an important topic.
The answer is found in both, the bible and in facts. Just a few verses that explains the time of the second coming from Matthew chapter 24;
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

36¶But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

So the answer is...no one knows, that may seem disappointing, and the fact of the whole matter is that if we are following Gods commandments, living just lives, and try to be like Jesus, the exact time of the end is of no excitement. The important thing is that we prepare ourselves now, because that is the reason we have been sent here to earth, to prepare to meet God. How do we prepare ourselves? By living the Gospel of Jesus Christ; have faith in Jesus, repent, be baptized by someone holding priesthood, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and endure to the end. To learn more visit mormon.org , May 21, 2011

Another attack on Pakistani Soil.

There is talk in the news of a second raid in Pakistan to take down another target. This is a very touchy subject, the Pakistani Gov. is not happy about our last raid because we didn't inform them of the raid. This makes for a difficult choice on the U.S. part because of the success in the raid. Fox news said; "

Evidence from the scene where bin Laden died -- described as the largest intelligence find ever from a senior terror leader -- could lead the United States to other terrorists on Pakistani soil." This puts another hitch in the whole mess. The U.S. now has evidence that could lead to another terrorist either being captured or eliminated.

On the other side, the Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani  has stated that they are relieved by the death of Bin laden. He also said that the U.S. better not try another raid like the first without informing the government in Islamabad. The Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani continued to say ( as stated by Fox News); "his country would not relent in rooting out terrorists, but warned any 'overt or covert' attack against its assets would be met with a 'matching response.'"

"However, Obama also questioned whether anybody inside the Pakistani government might have known about bin Laden's location all along."

"'We were surprised that he could maintain a compound like that for that long without there being a tip-off,' Obama said. 'We think that there had to be some sort of support network for bin Laden inside of Pakistan. But we don't know who or what that support network was. We don't know whether there might have been some people inside of government, people outside of government, and that's something that we have to investigate and, more importantly, the Pakistani government has to investigate.'" (Fox News; As Pakistan Backlash Mounts, So Does Opportunity for New Terror Targets)

What is the U.S. to do? How would President Obama make the right choice, to protect our country from terrorists, and continue to please Pakistan? This problem has occurred before, maybe not on this scale but the same question as to which choice is the right choice. Many have found the method in how to answer these types of questions. The answer is prayer, that may seem simple and out dated but in whom do we trust? Who can we rely on to lead us in the right direction? The founding fathers of the United States relied on God. I rely on God and so many others rely on God. This country was founded by God fearing men, but also God seeking men. It is God that enlightened, and empowered this great country to become what it is, and it is God who can help us now.

War on Terror, Peace in the Gospel

"...I venture to say something about the war and the gospel we teach.
"The nations of the earth have been divided over the present situation. Feelings have run strong. There have been demonstrations for and against.
"War, of course, is not new. The weapons change. The ability to kill and destroy is constantly refined. But there has been conflict throughout the ages over essentially the same issues." President Gordon B. Hinckley, War and Peace.

President Obama delivered news to the United States of America recently of the death of Osama Bin Laden. Its not news to anyone of this event, nor is it news that we are still in a war. Since Im a missionary I tend to think of everything and its relation with the gospel.

 President Hinckley gave a talk in a General Conference about War and Peace. I think he made a great relation of the war on terror to the war in heaven(Rev. 12). He talked about how the nations of the earth have been divided over the war on terror. In heaven there was great division as well. We see today that there are men in the world that seek to oppress, and murder innocent people for there own selfish causes. I can only imagine or Father in Heavens sadness as he watches His children destroy each other. Our purpose in coming to this earth was not to destroy but to build. We were sent to grow and learn, experience sorrow and joy, all for a greater purpose, to become like God, and live with Him once more as eternal families. It brings gladness to me to see an evil man brought to justice, but sadness in remembering how many have given there lifes to preserve mine from evil men.