Monday, July 21, 2025

 


 

 

Doctrine & Covenants 81:5 says:

"Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees."

This verse is a powerful call to serve others, fulfill your responsibilities, and help those who are struggling. Let’s break it down with simple, real-life examples and support it with quotes from prophets, apostles, and a motivational speaker.


πŸ”Ή "Be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you"

Meaning: Be reliable in the role or calling God has given you—whether it's a Church calling, being a parent, a student, an employee, or just a disciple of Christ.

Everyday Example:
A Sunday School teacher consistently prepares lessons, even when only one child shows up.
A dad wakes up early every day to go to work and provide for his family, even when he's tired.

Quote – President Russell M. Nelson:

“The Lord loves effort. He blesses our best efforts.”
(Worldwide Youth Devotional, June 2018)


πŸ”Ή "Succor the weak"

Meaning: Help people who are struggling—physically, emotionally, spiritually, or financially.

Everyday Example:
You notice a friend is overwhelmed with school or work, so you offer to bring them lunch or just listen without judging.
You check on someone who hasn’t been at church in a while and let them know they’re loved.

Quote – Elder Jeffrey R. Holland:

“When we speak of faith, the faith that can move mountains, we are not speaking of faith that can move mountains of rock, but faith that can move mountains of misery, pain, or heartbreak.”
("The First Great Commandment," Oct. 2012)


πŸ”Ή "Lift up the hands which hang down"

Meaning: Encourage people who are discouraged or exhausted.

Everyday Example:
A coworker is having a hard day, so you leave a kind note or give them a genuine compliment.
You see someone who feels like giving up and remind them of their worth and potential.

Quote – President Thomas S. Monson:

“We cannot truly love God if we do not love our fellow travelers on this mortal journey.”
("Charity Never Faileth," Oct. 2010)


πŸ”Ή "Strengthen the feeble knees"

Meaning: Support others to keep going, to walk the hard road with faith.

Everyday Example:
You help a friend going through a faith crisis by inviting them to church activities or just spending time with them so they don’t feel alone.
You help someone struggling financially by sharing a meal or donating quietly.

Motivational Quote – BrenΓ© Brown:

“Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.”


πŸ’‘ Final Thoughts

D&C 81:5 is a blueprint for discipleship in action. It’s not about grand gestures—it’s about small, consistent efforts to lift and love others.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf summed it up beautifully:

“As we lose ourselves in the service of others, we discover our own lives and our own happiness.”
("Happiness, Your Heritage," Oct. 2008)

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Becoming Celestial

 

 



Doctrine and Covenants 78:7 Simplified and Inspiring:

“If ye are not equal in earthly things ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things.”

Simplified Meaning:

This verse teaches us that becoming like God requires us to become more like Him now, especially in how we treat each other. If we want to live in heaven, we must practice heavenly behavior here — like sharing, caring for the poor, and seeing each other as equals.

Heaven isn't just a reward for good behavior. It's a place for people who have become heavenly.


Why We Shouldn’t Just “Do Things” to Get to the Celestial Kingdom:

Some people live the gospel like it’s a checklist: attend church ✔, read scriptures ✔, avoid sin ✔. But the Lord doesn’t just want us to do celestial things — He wants us to become celestial people.

Quote:

“Heaven is not a prize for the perfect but the eternal home of all who are becoming perfected in Christ.”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Think of it like this: You don’t practice kindness, honesty, or love just to earn points. You do them because you're trying to become the kind of person who naturally lives in a kingdom of love, truth, and light.


Real-Life Example:

Imagine a family that wants to adopt a child. They prepare their home with love, care, and sacrifice. The child doesn’t “earn” the home by doing chores — they grow into the family through love and relationship. Similarly, God’s Celestial Kingdom is a family — and He wants us to grow into it.

That’s why becoming equal, humble, and charitable now is so important. These aren’t just good deeds — they are the building blocks of a celestial heart.


Another Inspiring Quote:

“The gospel of Jesus Christ is not a checklist of things to do; it is a way of becoming.”
Bonnie L. Oscarson


Final Thought:

We live the gospel not just to get to heaven, but because we are becoming the kind of people who belong there. We don’t just prepare for heaven — we prepare for who we will be in heaven.

“Let us become, in our hearts and minds, celestial beings — starting now.”
President Russell M. Nelson (paraphrased idea)

 

Monday, July 14, 2025

Faith

 




🌟 What is Faith in the Gospel?

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, faith is not just belief—it is trust in Jesus Christ, His timing, and His power. It's the first principle of the gospel because everything else—repentance, change, and miracles—depends on it.

“Faith is a principle of action and of power.”
Bible Dictionary, Faith

Faith moves us to act even when we don’t see the full picture. It's choosing to move forward with hope, even in uncertainty, knowing that God is in control.


πŸ“– Scriptures That Teach Faith

  • “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
    Hebrews 11:1

  • “...Dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.”
    Ether 12:6

  • “If ye have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.”
    Moroni 7:33


πŸ—£️ Quotes from General Authorities

“Faith in Jesus Christ is the greatest power available to us in this life.”
President Russell M. Nelson

“Faith means trusting God in good times and bad, even if that includes some suffering until we see His arm revealed on our behalf.”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

“When we choose faith over fear, trust over doubt, and hope over despair—we open the door to the Lord’s miracles.”
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf


🧍‍♀️ Real-Life Example

A young woman once prayed for a job to support her family. Days turned into weeks with no answer. She felt discouraged, but she kept fasting and attending the temple. One day, she was offered a job that not only paid better than she expected but also gave her Sundays off. She later said:

“I didn’t know how it would work out, but I trusted that if I put God first, He would take care of the rest.”

Another example: A man battling addiction turned to the Lord, unsure if he could ever change. By acting in faith—attending church, praying daily, and reaching out for help—he eventually broke free.

“It didn’t happen overnight, but every small act of faith added up to a miracle.”


πŸ’‘ Inspiration to Trust the Lord More

If you feel like you’re walking in darkness, remember this:

“The Lord is aware of you. He will not forsake you. Keep moving forward with faith.”
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

When you take a step into the unknown, He is already there. Miracles don’t always come instantly, but they come to those who persist in faith. Faith isn’t pretending everything is fine—it’s trusting God while you’re waiting for the answer

Here’s a simple explanation of the verse from Ether 12:6:

"Dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."


πŸ” What It Means in Basic Terms:

Don’t doubt just because you can’t see the results yet.
God will show you the answer, the blessing, or the confirmation—but only after you’ve shown Him that you trust Him first.


πŸ§’ Think of it like this:

Imagine a little kid jumping into a swimming pool. The parent says, “I’ll catch you, just jump!” The kid might be scared because they can’t see the outcome yet—but when they choose to trust and jump, they find out their parent really was there all along.

That’s how faith works with God. You might not see the blessing yet, but when you take the leap of faith, the witness (or the miracle) comes after the trial.


πŸ“˜ A real-life example:

Let’s say someone is praying to know if the Church is true. They read the Book of Mormon a little, but they don’t feel anything at first and start to doubt. But if they keep reading, keep praying, keep going to church, and stay patient—that’s the trial of faith. And then the witness will come—through peace, confirmation, or a small miracle.


✨ Summary:

  • Don’t give up when you can’t see the answer yet.

  • Keep going— God often waits until we’ve shown faith to give us the witness or result we’re looking for.

  • That’s the “trial of your faith.” And if you pass it, the blessings will follow. Always.

“Faith in Jesus Christ is the greatest power available to us in this life.” — President Russell M. Nelson
ChatGPT said:

Here’s a simple explanation of this quote by President Russell M. Nelson:

“Faith in Jesus Christ is the greatest power available to us in this life.”


🧠 In basic words:

Believing in Jesus Christ and trusting Him gives us more strength than anything else in life.
His power can help us through problems, make us strong when we feel weak, and guide us when we feel lost.


πŸ’‘ Imagine this:

It’s like having a superpower inside you—but instead of flying or being invisible, this power helps you feel peace when you're scared, gives you courage to make hard choices, and helps you keep going when life is hard. That’s what faith in Jesus does.


πŸ“˜ Example:

If someone loses their job and doesn’t know how they’ll pay the bills, they can still feel calm and hopeful if they have faith in Christ. They’ll pray, stay strong, and trust that things will work out. That strength—to not give up and to keep moving forward—that's Christ’s power working through their faith.


✨ In short:

When we believe in Jesus and trust Him, we unlock a power that can help us through anything. That’s why it’s the greatest power we can have.



Here’s a simple guide to help your faith grow, step by step, like a seed turning into a strong tree:


🌱 1. Plant the Seed (Desire to Believe)

You don’t need perfect faith to start—just a desire to believe.

“If ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you…”
Alma 32:27

πŸ“Œ How to do it:

  • Say a prayer: “Heavenly Father, I want to believe. Help my faith grow.”

  • Be honest with your doubts—but keep going.


πŸ’§ 2. Feed It Daily (Scriptures & Prayer)

Just like a plant needs water, your faith needs spiritual nourishment.

“Feast upon the words of Christ…”
2 Nephi 32:3

πŸ“Œ How to do it:

  • Read a little from the Book of Mormon every day—even one verse.

  • Pray morning and night. Speak to God like a trusted friend.


☀️ 3. Let the Light In (Trust God Even When You Don’t See)

Faith grows when we keep moving forward even when we’re unsure.

“Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things.”
Alma 32:21

πŸ“Œ How to do it:

  • Keep going to church, even when you feel tired or unsure.

  • Try to choose trust over fear in hard times: “I don’t know how, but I trust God will help me.”


🌳 4. Act On It (Do Good Things With Faith)

Faith grows when you use it.

“Faith without works is dead.”
James 2:26

πŸ“Œ How to do it:

  • Serve someone. Show kindness.

  • Follow a prompting, even if it’s small—like reaching out to someone or bearing your testimony.


🌸 5. Notice the Small Miracles

God often answers in quiet, gentle ways.

“By small and simple things are great things brought to pass.”
Alma 37:6

πŸ“Œ How to do it:

  • Keep a little “Faith Journal.” Write down small blessings or answered prayers.

  • Review them when you're feeling low to remind yourself He’s working in your life.


πŸ“– Elder Neil L. Andersen said:

“Faith is not only a feeling; it is a decision. Faith means we trust not only in God’s will but also in His timing.”


❤️ Final Reminder:

Faith isn’t about being perfect—it’s about not giving up. Every time you turn to Jesus Christ, even in a small way, your faith gets a little stronger.