To My Mom!

     Being the day before mothers day I thought it would only be appropriate to write a blog on mothers. In honor of my own mom. Who for the first nineteen years of my life put up with all of my weird habits and just me.
            My mom taught us as children to love and trust the lord. She did so by her example.
     I think of a few other mothers who taught their sons to trust in the lord as well. In Alma chapter 56 the 2000 stripling warriors rehearsed to Helaman. "...we do not doubt our mothers knew it." (Alma 56: 45-48)
     Because of what my mom taught me and gave me the standards that I try to live by, there were many times where I was kept from possible hurt or danger because I knew what would disappoint my mom. President Monson said in his talk "Behold Thy Mother", "Men turn form evil and yield to their better natures when mother is remembered." President Joseph F. Smith said, "The love of a true mother comes nearer (to) being like the love of God than any other kind of love."
     I know that my mom loves me very much. I feel sorry for all the times that I may have cause grief and worry. Many nights it would be close to midnight and when I would arrive at home there would be a lone light on in the front room. Sometimes watching tv, just others reading, but mom was always there awake waiting for me to come home. I knew I could talk to my mom and what I told her was safe. She always had an answer, sometimes I didn't like it but it was always the one that made things right. Mom always sacrificed for us kids. I don't know how many times she went with out so us kids didn't have to do so. I am grateful for her and the life she has given me. I will never be able to repay the love that she has given to me. Thank you mom!

Tresures of Heaven

The other morning I was reading in the Doctrine and Covenants. I came across a scripture that I thought would be good to blog about. So first off the scripture comes from D&C 6:20 it says, "Therefore treasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love."

As I read, I thought of treasures. There are many things in life that we can lay hold upon for treasures. Some it might be money, cars, trucks, bigger homes or a job. For others it might be family, church, prayer, or a relationship with Heavenly Father. There are two kinds of treasures, worldly treasures and there are Heavenly treasures. Worldly treasures are great they bring us some satisfaction and joy. Many times maybe bringing our family together for a weekend trip or a time of fun. But do they bring us together for eternity?

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal; But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (3 Nephi 13:19)

"As we are faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God..", he will bless us and help us to become closer as a family and grow to love one another even more. As great as the things here on this life are we can have greater joy with those things that our loving Heavenly Father wants us to have.

I got his video from my new companion. It has touched everyone that I have been with when they watched it. Even though Easter was this last weekend the real meaning of Easter has been on my mind ever since. I love my Savior for all that he did for me. I know that he lives.

Dont get stuck in the cattle gaurd.

So the other morning we were driving down the road. It was a nice cool crisp morning. The sun was shining, the animals were starting to move. As we drove past one ranchers herd of cattle. I noticed one of the young new born calves was standing looking across the cattle guard and right out into the highway. The thought came to me, of a cow and calf that my grandpa had gotten on the ranch. I remember a few years back when my grandpa had gotten a call from the neighbor wanting to know if he wanted a calf. He told him it came with its mother. Well the mother had stepped into a cattle guard and broken her front leg. coming from a range herd she would not have survived more than a week. He told my grandpa that if he wanted he could possibly nurse the cow long enough to continue to feed the calf or slaughter the mom and bottle feed the calf until it is big enough to take care of its self.
So the next thing you know we were fixing up one of the old corals to accommodate the new cow and calf. Over the next few weeks the cow started to regain some strength and learned how to walk with three legs instead of all four. over the next year she raised an amazing steer. Both of which provided meat for our family. Even though the cow had stepped into the trap of the cattle guard and broke her leg she was able to still go on. Thing were just complicated. She was confined into a small coral. She was not able to go out on the free open range.
There are many times when we can be doing what we normally do and maybe by happen chance or because of our own actions we fall into a "cattle guard". We might even make it out okay and be able to go on with life but the majority of the time we are left with something broken and holding us back. There is only one way we can be made whole once again. That is though Jesus Christ. 


"O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world." (Helaman 5:9)


Those who will exercise their faith in Christ and follow him by keeping his commandments. 
We can find happiness in life. things will go smoothly, the Lord will bless us for doing what is right. 

Be Grateful

This past week we had the opportunity to go with some people on a hike/ride up to a smaller mountain. Back home we call them hills. but all the same we had a fantastic time. There on the mountain side I had some time to think. As I now look back on this hike as well as a few others I have been on. I just love the fact that God has given us so many things that sometimes we take for granted. I don't know how many times that I have been on the side of some mountain hiking around, riding my four wheeler or just sitting there watching the deer, the elk, maybe even some crazy hunters, or some fish in the lake. You know, most of these times I was doing something that I love. With people that I love to be around. One thing has come to me out of all of these times. Often times my thoughts have turned to God. It is during these times that I don't worry about what I am going to do later on. It is these times when I pray to Heavenly Father and ask for help. But lately when I do some of the activities my thoughts turn to gratitude.

Gratitude is expressing thankfulness for something or someone. President Monson said, " A grateful heart... comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives."

You know I have found that times we take things for granted until we don't have them anymore. As we stay humble and do what god wants us to do he continues to bless us. It is just our job to thank him for the things we receive.

I know that God does love us and wants to bless us we just need to let him so we can find the answers to our questions, the solution to our problems, and the peace in times of conflict. I testify that God lives. I know that through Jesus Christ we can be made whole.