Taking joy in someone's misfortune.

I have been reading in the newspaper and listening to the news on TV about a number of people whose mistakes are reported in depth. Their sins and missteps are detailed in the extreme and the accusers wear their disclosures as a badge of honor. 

It reminds me of how far we have come from the teachings of the Savior. We figuratively cast our stones at those individuals and cluck our tongues at what we perceive to be the weakness and frailty of men and women. We fail to take into account that the natural man is an enemy to God and will be until he yields to the enticing of the Spirit and puts off the natural man and becomes a Saint. This can only come through obedience to the commandments of God. 

Christ admonished us to let the Lord do the judging and let the Lord reward those according to their works. 

When Christ was posed with a situation where he was asked to condemn a woman his response was to let the person who was without sin be the first to cast the stone to cause her death. She was already dead spiritually. Christ offered her spiritual as well as well as physical life by telling her that he did not condemn her and to go her way and sin no more. 

It was not his role at that time to be a judge. His role at that time was to bring salvation to all through bringing the fullness of the gospel and preaching repentance and then provide the saving ordinances for all who would accept. 

The question that pops into my mind is; where was the man? They did not bring him to be stoned. 

Now my grandchildren be slow to judge and let the Lord do it, for with which judgment you judge, you may also be judged.  Try to save people and bring them to Christ and our Father. You will find that more satisfying in the end.

Love,

Grandpa

The power of a good marriage

The power of a good marriage 

The other day I heard that phrase and it struck me and started me to thinking about my own marriage and how true it was in my life. 

We do not often think of a good marriage being powerful. Yet when we contemplate on the words of the ceremony we should not be at all surprised that a good marriage provides us with an extreme amount of power. 

If we cultivate a good marriage we can reap the benefits that are reserved for that effort. We have to realize that energy or power is required for all good results. 

I have observed a good many marriages in my life. Those that are cultivated and carefully nourished seem to stand out and have a certain brilliance as if they were illuminated from within. 

The marriage that is good and strong has power to overcome the storms of life that descend upon each marriage. Satan has it in his design to break apart and destroy every couple and particularly those married in the new and everlasting covenant. We do not often think about that as we go blissfully along in our daily lives. The covenant gives us power to overcome all the fiery darts of the adversary if we are not lulled into a false sense of security. 

Satan can never be married or have an intimate relationship. Therefore he doesn't want you to have one either. 

We, in a marriage, have the power of procreation. Properly exercised the power of procreation can bring us an untold amount of joy. Of course children bring us challenges, but with the power of a good marriage these challenges can bring us growth that is otherwise not possible. 

We develop the power to love unconditionally. At first our spouse and then our family and then all our neighbors as ourselves. 

A good marriage gives us power to overcome all things and to eventually enter into the presence of God to become like him. 

A good marriage gives us power to have and raise children in an uncertain world. 

I can assuredly say that ours has been a good marriage that has helped us raise eight exceptional children. 

It required working together and did not come without effort. 

Now my grandchildren, do not loose the opportunity to avail yourself of this blessing in your life. 

Love,

Grandpa

What good would it do?

What good would it do?

Years ago when I was serving as the stake president I had some one come to me to confess a previous transgression. It happened before the individual was married and they asked me if they should tell their spouse. I did not know what to tell them, so I called the church office and asked to speak to a general authority. They put me through to Elder Boyd K. Packer. I explained the situation to him and his response was,"What good would it do?"

That response has been stuck in my mind ever since. 

We sometimes forget the teachings of the scriptures and rely on our own wisdom or seek opinions from other people. 

Elder Packer did not explain the reason for his reply, but the spirit gave me the answer as I was reading the scriptures. 

Once we have repented and the Lord has forgiven us we do not need to involve any other person other than the person/s involved. As President Spencer Kimball explained in "The Miracle of Forgiveness" the bandage only needs to be big enough to cover the wound. 

We do not need to post all our feelings on social media for all our friends and those who are privy to our accounts to see. "What good will it do?" Does it bring any one closer to Christ or build up anyone?

There is so much negativity in the world that we who are in possession of the truth need to be a light shining in the darkness. 

It is said of Christ that he went about doing good. Can we not follow his example and lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees? 

Another quote that I like is from the movie "Bridge of Spies". The Russian spy says on a couple of occasions, "Would it help?"  

We are to be a light unto the world. If we cannot be helpful to others and lighten their burdens and show them the way to eternal life, what good is our earthly existence? Will we help?

Now my beloved grandchildren, before you post all your thoughts, tweets and troubles on social media think of what you can do to be of service to someone. Seek out someone to lift. It will help you to feel better about yourself. 

"For inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these thy brethren, ye have done it unto me(Christ)"

 

Love,

 

Grandpa