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1 Peter 3:13-17

Keith Lionel Brown's Conversion Story & Questions and Answers 

Helaman5:12

Who is Keith Lionel Brown?

My full name is Keith Lionel Brown. I am 52 years old and currently reside in Annapolis Maryland. As my Naval career ended here in Annapolis, I decided to stay here and make this my home.

I was born on Friday, 17 October 1958, at 10:17 p.m., in what was then the little town of Salisbury Maryland, in what was at that time known as the Salisbury Hospital. Today Salisbury is a growing city and the old Salisbury Hospital is now known as the Peninsula Regional Medical Center (PRMC).

I was born of two goodly parents. My beloved mother, the late Frances Mae Harmon Brown (24 September 1937 - 12 June 1997), passed away on 12 June 1997 at the age of 59 after a battle with breast cancer, and my father, the late John Wallace Brown (23 January 1935 - 20 November 2006), passed away on 20 November 2006 at the age of 71. I miss both of them dearly.

I come from a family of one older brother, Kenneth, and two younger sisters, Sharon and Patricia. I am also the proud uncle of a 12 year old nephew. My brother Kenneth (Ken) is a year older than I am and is a Computer Analyst by trade. The younger of my two sisters Patricia (Pat) runs her own printing business called the P&E Print Shack. She is also the one who has been blessed with the musical talents in our family. She can play drums, guitar, piano and organ, all by ear. My other sister Sharon is married and has a son (my nephew) and is an Administrative Assistant.

I was honorably discharged from the United States Navy on 31 March 2001 after 20 years of faithful, dedicated service to this great nation of ours. On 27 August 2010 I completed 10 years of inactive Fleet Reserve duty, for a total of 30 years of military service. It was a very interesting journey to say the least, and I am thankful to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to have been able to serve for those many years. I was an Electronics Technician by trade while in the Navy, but as I am more interested in programming computers than fixing them, I decided not to pursue a career in repairing electronic equipment after I retired.

I am a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Before becoming a member I was a Baptist and was actively studying to become a Baptist minister. I was baptized on 10 March 1998 in Reykjavik Iceland . I was serving on active duty in the United States Navy in Keflavic Iceland at the time. I was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood on 22 March 1998 and received my first two callings shortly thereafter. My first two callings were that of Activities Chairman and Single Adults Representative. I enjoyed both callings tremendously, especially Single Adults Representative as it gave me an opportunity to organize the weekly Family Home Evening for the single adults and to teach the lessons from time to time. I was ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood on 31 January 1999 and went to the Washington DC Temple for the first time on 5 June 1999. On 10 September 2000, I was ordained to the office of High Priest and set apart as a member of the Annapolis Maryland Stake High Council where my duties included serving as a Stake Young Men's Representative, the Advisor and Coordinator for the Stake Missionary Preparation Program , an Advisor to the Broadneck Ward, an Advisor to the Relief Society and an Advisor to the Public Affairs Committee.

I am a member of the Annapolis Maryland Ward where I have served as the Sunday School teacher for the 14 to 16 year olds and First Counselor in the Young Men's Presidency. I have also served as both the Second Counselor and the First Counselor  in the Annapolis Ward Bishopric and I am currently serving as the High Priest Group Leader. 

  Please click here to view this video in full screen mode.     Mrs. Olive D. Osmond - Dear Jesus    

Mrs. Olive Davis Osmond, lovingly known to most of the world as "Mother Osmond" was the mother of America's first family of entertainment - Virl, Tom, Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Donny, Marie, and Jimmy. I am also honored to say that she was a very dear and special friend. She wrote and published a monthly newsletter called "M.O.M" (Mother Osmond's Memo) in which she included some of her thoughts, favorite scriptures, recipes, and news about the family that she so dearly loved. Below is the final newsletter that she wrote with an article appropriately titled "Dear Jesus". You can learn more about the Olive Osmond Perpetual Hearing Fund, an organization that was founded in her honor by clicking here .

 

 

 

  Please click here to view this video in full screen mode.     Lessons My Father Taught Me  

My father, the late John Wallace Brown, began working as a short-order cook during his High School years and continued working in that profession up until the time of his death on 20 November 2006, at 71 years of age.  He would be promoted during his career to Kitchen Manager.

 

 

President Ezra Taft Benson once said, "A father's duty is to make his home a place of happiness and joy. He cannot do this when there is bickering, quarrelling, contention, or unrighteous behavior. The powerful effect of righteous fathers in setting an example, disciplining and training, nurturing and loving is vital to the spiritual welfare of his children. . .Remember your sacred calling as a father in Israel-your most important calling in time and eternity-a calling from which you will never be released (Ensign, November 1987, pp. 50-51).

 

I have often found it easier to write about and speak of my beloved mother than my father. It is not because I did not love and respect my father, for I did, but for several years ours was an estranged relationship. It is partly because of that relationship that in March 1981, at the young age of 23 years, I made the decision to leave home and join the military. It would not be until the twilight years of my father's life that I would finally begin to have a more complete understanding of the man he really was.

 

The last time that I visited with my father was the weekend of my 48^th birthday in October 2006. He looked aged, tired, worn out, and troubled about many things. What I saw before me was not the same person that I once knew. Seemingly gone from him was the vibrancy of living. The things that he had once found pleasure in doing had suddenly become uninteresting to him. What I saw was a man who had run his course in life, and was now ready to just sit down and rest awhile.

 

The rest that he so desired came on Monday, 20 November 2006, at the age of 71 years. Though saddened that he was physically gone, there was also an air of relief that he was finally at peace and no longer had to deal with the mundane things of this world. I shall forever be grateful for the life lessons that he taught me. It has been those valuable life lessons that have helped to mode and shape me into the man and the person that I am today.

 

One of those valuable lessons that my father taught me was how to be resourceful. As a young boy growing up my family did not have a lot of money and so we often had to rely on the resources that we had available in order to sustain life. Instead of spending a lot of money at the grocery store for example, my father, for many years, planted his own garden and grew fresh vegetables and other things such as strawberries, watermelon, and cantaloupe to be used as sustenance for his family and himself. He also enjoyed planting beautiful flower gardens for my mother.   

 

We did not have elaborate banquets to feast from, or gourmet meals to eat, but there was always enough to satisfy each hungry appetite with some left over for meals the next day. Very early in life I became acquainted with our good friend Quaker Oats as oatmeal for breakfast was a staple. Meat such as venison and rabbit were often given to my father by friends who hunted and wanted to share their bounty. The chicken that we ate often came from those who raised and bred chickens. My mother was usually the one who had the honors of killing the "bird", cleaning it, and preparing it for the family meal in addition to her delicious homemade dumplings.

 

My father was also resourceful in making fun things for his children to play with such as bows and arrows, and kites made from sticks and newspaper with a piece of cloth tied on the end for a tail. He even used scrap materials from old toy wagons and such to build us go-karts that my siblings and I spent hours of enjoyment playing with.

 

In addition to teaching me about how to be resourceful, my father also taught me how to be thrifty. He taught me that it doesn't take a lot of money to be able to survive in this world; a person just need to know how to manage the money that he has, and realize that he cannot put out more than he takes in. He also taught me that "robbing Peter to pay Paul" is not a sound way of managing finances. Sooner or later you still have to pay Peter what he is owed.

 

When my siblings and I were in school we never owned name brand sneakers, expensive sports jackets, or designer jeans. The only name brand that we were remotely familiar with was the wonderful brand called Fruit of the Loom. Most of the shopping for our school shoes and clothes was done at stores such as Sears, JC Penny, or McCroy's. In our earlier school years, a lot of our clothing was purchased at Mr. Curley's, a local discount clothing store. Our school supplies were purchased at Woolworth, the local dime store or some similar place where supplies could be bought at reasonable prices. We did not have fancy, expensive, designer backpacks to carry our books in; we carried them in our arms. We did have lunch boxes with a thermos inside, but very often we took our lunch in a brown paper lunch bag. We were required to cover our textbooks to help protect and preserve them for future use, and instead of buying fancy book covers we used the brown shopping bags that you get from the grocery store and cut them to fit our textbooks.

 

My father was a frugal man who believed that spending money unnecessarily was utter foolishness. "A penny saved is a penny earned" was his philosophy. That is not to say that he was a penny pinching miser or anything of the sort for he spent money on the necessities of life, but he also strongly believed and taught his four children well that there is a vast difference between what we think we want and what we really need. He would also spend extra money to take us to fun places like Ocean City in the summer or to the fair in Harrington Delaware. He also made sure that we got a gift on our birthday, and at Christmas there were lots of presents under the tree for everyone.

 

 

Perhaps one of the reasons that my father was so careful with his spending was because he came from a humble upbringing and always worked hard all of his life to have the things that he needed and to provide for his family. And so, another important life lesson that my father taught me was the value of hard work. "A little hard work never killed anyone" he would say. Throughout his life he often worked at least two jobs to make ends meet. In the latter years of his life he worked as a Preparatory Cook in a local restaurant during the day, and then would come home and go to work, often until dark, in the lawn care business which he established and became very successful in. He was definitely not a stranger to hard work. When he laid his head on his pillow at night to rest, he could do so knowing that he had put in an honest day of work.

 

Another life lesson that my father taught me was that we can all learn new things if we have an open mind and are willing to be taught. We often defeat ourselves in life because we refuse to be teachable and to adventure out and try new things. For example, my father was very good with his hands and loved to build things. One of the things that he built was a work shed where he could work on his projects. It started out as a small one room work shed, but as time went on, he decided to add an addition to house all of his tools such as shovels, rakes, hoses, lawn mowers, etc. Once his lawn care business started to grow, he decided that he needed to expand even more and built another addition to house his lawn equipment and supplies. I might add that all of this was done by building from the ground up - nothing was prefabricated. He also ran all of the electric himself and installed all of the lighting, light switches, and electrical outlets that were necessary. I might further add that the lawn care business that he maintained was completely established by him, and he worked diligently to obtain his customers and faithfully served them until the time of his death. He did not take any expensive courses in carpentry or electrical installation. He did not major in Business Administration at a major university. He simply used the knowledge that he had obtained by watching others and put that knowledge to practical use. He was able to accomplish many of the things that he did because he was teachable and willing to venture out and used what he had learned in order to have the things that he needed.

 

The acronym that I use to help me remember the life lessons that my father taught me is "Remember The Home Team" (R.T.H.T.) That is, (1) resourceful - learn to use the things that you already have at your disposal, (2) thrifty - learn to separate your wants from your needs and be a wise steward over the funds that you have, (3) hard working - be able to lay your head on your pillow at night and rest knowing that you did not waste the day that the Lord had given you, but that you were a wise steward of time, and you seized the day and did an honest day of work, and (4) teachable - have an open mind and be willing to learn and try new things.

 

The valuable life lessons that my father taught me are not only lessons that I remember, but lessons that I will not soon forget. My father was a great teacher and mentor. I only pray that I was as good a student as I should have been to learn and apply the valuable lessons that he taught me.  

 

Graduation Day    

It is hard to believe that thirty five years ago this month, on the evening of 3 June 1976, I joined 365 classmates at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in Salisbury Maryland to celebrate the culmination of twelve years of hard work, dedication, and devotion in achieving an education. As we gathered together all dressed in our caps and gowns that moment in time signified that each of us had reached another milestone in our lives. With the receiving of our diplomas we had successfully joined the ranks of High School graduates, and like those before us, we each had our dreams of what our tomorrows would hold as we traveled down the road with its many diverging paths that lay just before us. In the years that followed some would choose to take the paths that led to the high roads, some would choose to take the paths that led to the low roads, and still others would choose to take the paths that led to the roads less traveled.

 

Amidst all the joviality; however, there was still an air of melancholy as we came to the realization that this was perhaps the final time that we would be together as one class. This was it, the final scene and the final act of the play. All of the actors had well-rehearsed their parts and were in their proper places on the stage, determined that this final performance would be the best performance of all. As our tassels were turned from the right side to the left side, we would give our final bows of humble appreciation to an audience who had stood by us through it all as we sang the alma mater. After which, the curtains were lowered for the last time, the actors parted their separate ways after saying their final goodbyes, the lights were turned out, and alas the stage was left empty, and a chapter in each of our lives was officially closed.

This life can be thought of as a large school building with its many rooms where life's lessons are taught and learning is achieved. As pupils in this school, we can liken ourselves to actors on a stage. Now is our moment to shine as the world waits in great anticipation to see if we will give a great performance, a mediocre performance, or a poor performance. Regardless of the caliber of our performance, each one is given a grade ranging from outstanding to abject failure. We can so choose to just do the bare minimum and squeak by with our mediocre performances, but one day soon there will be a final curtain call. We will find ourselves in the last scene and final act of the play. It will be "graduation day". It will be time to don our "cap and gown" and walk across the "stage of life" one final time as we receive our "diploma" in recognition of what we have accomplished. If we have not given our best performance while on stage we may find ourselves left with feelings of regret and remorse wishing for a chance to do it all again, but alas it is too late. The curtains have been lowered, the audience has gone, the lights have been turned out, and the stage is silent.

There is a "graduation day" for each of us. Will that day be a day of great rejoicing, or a day full of sorrows and regrets? Will we graduate with honors, or will we graduate with having only accomplished the bare minimums? The choice is individually ours.

Our Moral Compass

A compass can become an extremely important instrument in the hands of a traveler who is endeavoring to find his way. However, the instrument in the traveler's hands will only serve its function in directing if the one seeking direction will follow where the needle points him to go. If the traveler decides that he will not trust the guidance given him by the instrument at his use, then the instrument is rendered useless, and the traveler is left to his own vices to find his way.

And so it is in life. Each of us has within us a moral compass that is designed to guide and direct us in the way that we should go. If we choose to ignore its direction, we will find ourselves traveling down paths that often lead to destruction, misery and woe. However, if we will heed to the direction in which our moral compass points us, we can achieve many great blessings in our lives.

Please take a moment to read Our Moral Compass

The Burdens That We Bear

I am sometimes a little amazed that some people seem to think that because we profess to be a Christian - a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ - that automatically equates to never getting upset, never murmuring, never complaining, never getting angry, never getting frustrated, never having to face heartaches and disappointments, and perhaps, some even think that Christians never shed any tears or have any sleepless nights. The reality of the matter is that nothing could be further from the truth.

Are we not all mortals? Do we not at times feel pain, suffering, frustration, remorse, anger, and the agony of defeats as well as the joy of victories in our lives? Does Christ not know the burdens that we bear and the feelings and emotions that sometimes accompany those burdens? Indeed He does. And He has promised us, just as He did the Apostle Paul in his time of affliction, that His grace is sufficient and that He will never give us any more than we can possibly bear.

 

Please take a moment to read The Burdens That We Bear

 

Give Me This Mountain That I May Rest In the Beautiful Valley Below

Mountains and valleys have always had some sort of significant meaning in my life. I suppose it is because life itself is made up of lofty mountain top experiences as well as down in the valley experiences.

I believe that God, our Heavenly Father, gives us certain mountain top experiences in our lives in response to our faithfulness and obedience, and to keep us ever reaching toward the prize of the high calling. Though we may reach the pinnacle of the mountain, He gently reminds us that we need not become boastful nor proud of our accomplishment, but humbly thank Him in awe and reverence for allowing us to have this experience, and realize that we need to go higher still. Reaching the top of the mountain then is only a beginning, not the end.

Similarly, I believe that God, our Heavenly Father, gives us down in the valley experiences, not to punish us per se, but to teach us humility. It is often when a man is at his lowest point that he tends to look up the most. Knowing this, our Heavenly Father often places us in situations that help us to return our focus upon the One from whence truly comes our help - He who is a very present help in time of trouble. As we look up from the depths of the valley we gain a magnificent glimpse of the splendor of the mountains above, and perhaps just a small glimpse of what being on top of those mountains is like. Being in the bowels of the valley then is not an end to all things, but a beginning of new things that are yet to come.

Please take a moment to read Give Me This Mountain That I May Rest In the Beautiful Valley Below

What's in a name?

William Shakespeare's renowned play "Romeo and Juliet" is a timeless theatrical classic masterpiece. In the play Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet meet and fall in love despite the fact that they are doomed from the start as members of two warring families. In an effort to prove her unfaltering love for Romeo, Juliet comments, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." The point that Juliet was endeavoring to make was that a name is an artificial and meaningless convention. She loved the person who is called "Montague", not the Montague name and not the Montague family. In turn, Romeo, out of his passion for Juliet, rejects his family name and vows, as Juliet asks, to "deny (his) father" and instead be "new baptized" as Juliet's lover.

 

There is a Japanese proverb that states, "Tigers die and leave their skins; people die and leave their names". At the end of the play both Romeo and Juliet are dead, but the names Montague and Capulet live on. It was Logan Pearsall Smith, an American-born essayist and critic, who once said, "Our names are labels, plainly printed on the bottled essence of our past behavior". And so, perhaps after the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, whenever the names Montague and Capulet were mentioned, it was with a sense of melancholy, as the names of these two young lovers were brought to remembrance. Therefore, the question still begs to be asked, "Is a name merely an artificial and meaningless convention as Juliet described, or does the name which we hold have some significant relevance?"

 

Please take a moment to read What's in a name?

 

Different, but Yet the Same

 

 

My name is Keith Brown. My heritage is predominantly Methodist, but I was born and raised as a Baptist. I am 52 years old, a 30-year retired United States Navy veteran, an Office Administrator by trade, an amateur writer, a son, a brother, an uncle, a friend, and I am a Mormon. To be more specific, I am a Black Mormon. I was baptized on Tuesday evening, 10 March 1998, in Reykjavik Iceland while serving on active duty.

The fact that I am Black and a Mormon should not be a major issue; however, there have been a few instances when some family members and friends have asked why I decided to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (errantly called by the media, the Mormon Church). They do not understand why a Black person such as me would want to be associated with a Church that some people view as being prejudice and racist.

Please take a moment to read Different, but Yet the Same

 

 

 

 

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  Learn from yesterday, Live for today, Dream of  tomorrow -  Class of 1976 - Class Motto

  Wicomico Senior High School, Salisbury MD 21801

 

On Friday, 10 May 1963, a baby girl was born to John Wallace and Frances Mae Harmon Brown. The parents named her Sharon Christine Brown. She would be their third child. At the time of her birth I was only four years of age.

From the very beginning there appeared to be a very special bond between Sharon and I. As children we spent many hours playing together. And then the time came when I decided to join the military, and in March 1981 I left home having to say good-bye for a time. Even though the miles separated us physically, we still managed to stay in touch with one another. Before the days of the internet we communicated via letters and the occasional telephone calls home. As the years passed by and the internet became popular, we emailed one another on a regular basis. No matter where I was in the world Sharon would always find a way to stay in contact with me. She even had clocks set at home to the time zone that I might have been in.

Throughout the years we have shared many hours of creating special memories as we shared our hopes, our fears, and our dreams. She has always been there for me and I have always been there for her.

On Monday, 12 April 2010, Sharon was hospitalized after suffering major complications from a "routine" procedure that she was having done. Since then she has been in numerous hospitals and is now in a skilled nursing home, unable to communicate with her family, loved ones, and friends. A year has now come and gone. What follows is a letter that I recently wrote expressing my love for her - she who is not only my sister, but a true and dear friend. 

Sharon,

No brother could be more blessed than I. What have I ever done to deserve a sister as loving and as caring as you? God has truly smiled on me by bringing you into my life. From the very beginning there has always been a special bond between us - a bond that neither distance, time, or circumstances in life has ever been able to sever.

You are the wind beneath my wings. When I am down you lift me up, always the one to turn my frowns into smiles, my tears into laughter, and my sorrows into joy. Whenever I feel that I cannot go on, you are always there encouraging me not to quit, but to push on and go just a little further. In times of distress, you are a welcomed comfort, turning my fears into bright hopes. Whenever I lose confidence in myself, you are always there ensuring me that you believe in me, and helping me to believe in myself. As long as I know that you are there cheering me on, I know that I can make it.

Through the years we have had our differences, but I thank God that we have never allowed those differences to come between us. By the end of the day we always manage to settle our differences and move on. Neither of us know what it is to hold a grudge, but we do know how to forgive one another for any trespasses that either of us may have committed.

You are my heart's song. I cannot imagine what my life would be like without you in it. You are truly a special daughter of our Heavenly Father, and you mean the world to me. While there are many brothers and sisters who literally despise one another, I can honestly say that one of the greatest blessing in my life is having you as my sister.  

One year ago, on Monday, 12 April 2010, you were overtaken by an illness that has left you helpless and laying silent. How I miss our telephone conversations and the sound of your voice. How I miss the fun times that we spent together. How I miss your laughter and your smile. I do not know nor fully understand why this has happened to you, but God knows. You have always been there for me, and I pray that somehow you know that I am here for you now in your hour of need. Sometimes I wish that there were more that I could do to help you, but perhaps just being there, loving you, and praying for you is all that is needed. Only the Lord knows the final outcome of all of this. All I can do is watch and pray and take life one day at a time.

I am indeed honored to say that not only are you my sister, but you have always been, and continue to be, a true and dear friend. I love you very much.

Your brother.

Keith

One Eternal Song Of Praise   How can I not go on in so great a cause?  

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore." - Psalm 121 

Dear Heavenly Father,

I, your willing, humble servant, truly stand amazed at the love that you offer me.

How can I say thanks for the things you have done and continue to do for me? So many of the blessings that you have bounteously bestowed upon me are so undeserving, yet you continually give to prove your unconditional love for me. It is wonderful for me to know that I am your child, and that you are always there walking right beside me, leading me, and guiding me in the way that I should follow. Even at times when I may have veered from the straight and narrow path, you lovingly and patiently, allowed me to endure certain trials, heartaches, and disappointments to help teach me important lessons that were necessary for my continual spiritual growth, and to gently guide my footsteps back onto the road that leads towards home and back into your loving arms. The voices of tens of thousands of angels could never adequately express the gratitude and the love that I have in my heart for you. You are my ALL! You are my EVERYTHING!

How can I arise from my slumbers of the night - sweet rest which only you can give - and not give thanks unto thee  for bringing me to the beginning of a brand new day? You do not have to allow me to arise each morning, fully clothed in my right mind, and with the full use of my faculties, but you do. Therefore, I will rejoice and be glad in each day that thou hast given me. Teach me to humbly number those days that I may continually apply my heart unto wisdom. Let me not spend any hour of any day selfishly, but give me a servant's heart that is filled with love and compassion for others. Gently remind me that because I have been given much, I too must give. For it is because of thy great bounty each day I live and have my being.

How dare I become boastful or proud of the things that I may be able to achieve in this life? May I ever be mindful that every good and perfect gift comes from above, and that it is you who allows me to do the things that I do, and to achieve any success in life. Teach me, dear Father, to let any accolades and praises that I may receive, come from the lips of another and not mine own. Let me not live my life focused on self, but let me live my life pleasing to thee with an eye single to your glory. For you alone are worthy to be praised.

How can I live my life from day to day and not know that I cannot make it on my own? In the morning when I rise, I need thee. In the noon day hour, I need thee. In the quietness of the night, I need thee. When the sun is shining or when the winds of adversity are blowing and the storm winds are raging, I need thee. Whether atop the highest mountain, or down in the lowest of valleys, I need thee. I need thee every hour. How thankful I am that you are always just a prayer away and  you have promised never to leave me nor forsake me. Even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff , they comfort me. Therefore, I am blessed with the calm assurance that I am never alone, no never alone.

There is none like you. My heart is full and rejoices as it sings out, "How great thou art!" You are my Lord, my Savior, my Master, and my King. You are my Daystar and my Song in the night. Within my soul will forever be a song of praise for thee - one eternal song of praise!

With all my love and devotion,

Your son.

Keith

    A Work In Progress   Please click here to view the video in full screen mode.       Zion's Youth in Latter-days   Please click here to view the video in full screen mode. 
 

Mormon Times - Jimmer Fredette

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David Archuleta - Parts ways with Jive Records and management team

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181st Annual General Conference - Highlights on Marriage

Elder Dallin H. Oaks Desire Please click on this link to view in full screen mode.	Elder Richard G. Scott   The Eternal Blessings Of Marriage Please click on this link to view in full screen mode.
President Thomas S. Monson Priesthood Power  Please click on this link to view in full screen mode.	Elder Quentin L. Cook LDS Women Are Incredible  Please click on this link to view in full screen mode.

  Teach Us To Number Our Days       Welcome to Spiritual Mathematics 101. What is Spiritual Mathematics? Simply put, Spiritual Mathematics is the concept of utilizing the basic math principles of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division that we learned during our early school days, and applying those principles to our spiritual growth process. 
  First, let us consider the basic principle of subtraction. Even small children are taught early in their education to understand basic mathematical equations such as two take away two equals zero. Just as this basic principle is learned early in life, the principle of Christ's forgiveness should also be learned early in life. Christ "takes away" the sins of those who repent and believe on Him. We could represent this with the simple mathematical equation: Repentance - Sin = Forgiveness. In 1 John 3:5 we read these words, "And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin."   Please take a moment to read Teach Us To Number Our Days 

What Happened To Tomorrow? (Some Food For Thought)     "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." - Matthew 6:34; 3 Nephi 13:34 Every one of us can be found guilty at one time or another of wanting to put things off until - tomorrow. Some do so because they feel that their proverbial plate is already overflowing with the remnants of tasks left over from yesterday combined with the pressing tasks of today. To add just one more thing to their plate can become both daunting and overwhelming. Still others do so because they feel that the longer they can push a matter into the future, the more time they will have to better prepare themselves to face the reality of situations that they would otherwise prefer to avoid, but know must eventually be addressed. They feel that if they have just a little more time to get their thoughts and action plans together those particular situations will be so much easier to deal with. And then, there are those who hope that with the passing of time, some situations will simply dissappear and never have to be dealt with. And so, for whatever reason, "tomorrow" can become the dearest and best friend of most of us at any given time. And like little orphan Annie, we merrily sing, "Tomorrow, tomorrow! I'll love you tomorrow! You're only a day away." But, have we ever noticed that each day that the Lord awakes us from our slumbers, we arise to a new day day which is called - today? What happened to the tomorrow of which we spoke yesterday? Why is it that we are never awaken to be greeted with, "Good morning and welcome to tomorrow"? Where is this tomorrow that we so frequently and casually speak of in conversation and how do we get there? Has it already come and gone, silently passing as a ship in the night as we lay resting in our beds dreaming of it without ever noticing its presense? If that be the case, where has it gone and why does it seem to run silent as though it were trying not to disturb us or perhaps evade us altogether? Is it quite possible that in all reality tomorrow never comes? Could it be possible that our lives are only filled with the memories of yesterdays and the fleeing moments of todays, and that tomorrows are merely figurative and not actual? The reality of the matter is that tomorrow does come, for it is here, even at this moment in time. Think about that for a moment if you will. This very day is the tomorrow of which we spoke yesterday, and the tomorrow of which we speak today, will in essence become a brand new day, should the Lord allow, which will once again be referred to as - today. What lessons can we learn from all this? We have our many yesterdays upon which we can reflect and glean the harvest of life lessons and blessings from its already ripened fields. We have been given today to plant new seeds which we will water and nurture over time. The "tomorrows" of which we speak become the times of harvest of life lessons and blessings which we reap from our toils and labors of yesterdays and todays. When all is said and done, at the end of the day, as the sun begins to set, we will have indeed tasted of the fruits of tomorrow, for this day in which the Lord has given is in reality yesterday's tomorrow.

 

15 Reasons to Read the Psalms

To find comfort	Read Psalm 23
To meet God intimately	Read Psalm 103
To learn a new prayer	Read Psalm 136
To learn a new song	Read Psalm 92
To learn more about God	Read Psalm 24
To understand you more clearly	Read Psalm 8
To know how to come to God each day	Read Psalm 5
To be forgiven of your sins	Read Psalm 51
To feel worthwhile	Read Psalm 139
To know why you should read the Bible	Read Psalm 119
To give praise to God	Read Psalm 145
To know that God is in control	Read Psalm 146
To give thanks to God	Read Psalm 136
To please God	Read Psalm 15
To know why you should worship God	Read Psalm 104

How Clear Is Your Vision?   "Where there is no vision, the people perish. . . ." - Proverbs 29:18
  In October 2010 I went to the local VA clinic to have a routine physical done. During the course of that physical one of the practitioners noticed that my right eye seemed to be swollen and puffy and that it appeared to be almost closed as compared to my left eye. She asked me a series of questions in regards to any past history of eye problems that I might have had and then referred me to the VA hospital to see an optometrist. 
  The optometrist performed the regular routine eye exam and it was discovered after several additional tests that a large dense cataract had developed on my right eye that was greatly impairing my vision. Because of the size and density of the cataract, I could not see out of my right eye and the optometrist could not see far enough into the eye to actually tell what might be occurring. What he did see was some past inflammation and deposits which concerned him. It was mutually decided that the best thing to do was to remove the cataract first and then see what else may be going on behind the eye that could be causing problems.
  The results of the operation were not as hoped and at the present, even though I can make out some things with just my right eye, the vision is cloudy or hazy at best. Some things are still only shadows of gray, and some things I simply cannot see with my right eye at all, and especially as those objects are moved further away from me. Needless to say, attempting to read an eye chart with my right eye is futile at this point. Also, my peripheral vision is off which inhibits me from doing any late night driving. And so, that is the current status of my physical vision. 
  If I were to ask you the question, "How clear is your vision ?" , how would you answer? Most people would immediately assume that the question is addressing their physical vision and so they would answer the question accordingly. Each of us have our own level of physical vision based on our individual circumstances and health conditions. But, let us move out of the physical realm for a moment, and into the spiritual realm. Now, let me ask you the same question, "How clear is your vision?"   Please take a moment to read How Clear Is Your Vision?

 

A few of my favorite videos. Click on the title of the video to watch it in full screen mode.

Joseph Smith - Prophet of the Restoration	The Restoration and the Book of Mormon
How Rare A Posession - The Book Of Mormon	My Soul Hungered  - Purpose of the Story of Enos
After All You Can Do	The Miracle Of Forgiveness
Called To serve: Taylor's Story	Teens, Trials, Testimonies
Same Jersey	Dayton's Legs

 

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  Osmond Brothers - Shenandoah     Please click here to watch this video in full screen mode.