Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 11-15-09

Alma 11:20

  20 Now, it was for the sole purpose to get ^again, because they received their wages according to their ^bemploy, therefore, they did ^cstir up the people to ^driotings, and all manner of disturbances and wickedness, that they might have more employ, that they might ^eget ^fmoney according to the suits which were brought before them; therefore they did stir up the people against Alma and Amulek.

Mosiah 2:17

  17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn ^awisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the ^bservice of your ^cfellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

Alma 7:23

  23 And now I would that ye should be ^ahumble, and be ^bsubmissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.

Matthew 5:14
 14 Ye are the ^alight of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Matthew 25:35-40
  35 For I was an ^ahungred, and ye ^bgave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a ^cstranger, and ye took me in:

  36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye ^avisited me: I was in ^bprison, and ye came unto me.

  37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

  38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

  39 Or when saw we thee ^asick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

  40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have ^adone it unto one of the ^bleast of these my ^cbrethren, ye have done it unto me.

Gratitude

From the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet section on Gratitude

" 'He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious' (D&C 78:19).

The Lord wants you to have a spirit of gratitude in all you do and say. Live with a spirit of thanksgiving and you will have greater happiness and satisfaction in life. Even in your most difficult times, you can find much to be grateful for. Doing so will strengthen and bless you.

In your prayers, before you ask for blessings, pour out your heart to God in thanks for the blessings you have already received. Thank Him for your family, for friends and loved ones, for leaders and teachers, for the gospel, and for His Son, Jesus Christ.

You can also express gratitude to the Lord by the way you live. When you keep His commandments and serve others, you show that you love Him and are grateful to Him. Express appreciation to everyone who helps you in any way.

Luke 17:12–19"

Taking notes before and after prayer. Take notes of things to thank for and ask for.  Some have expressed that they have known people that put dates and times on when what they asked for was fulfilled.  Let's note that being fulfilled is not necessarily getting what you asked for or getting what you asked for in the way you wanted it.

A missionary that recently returned from Norway spoke.

Why is it, at times, difficult to follow the spirit?

"I am convinced that there is no simple formula or technique that would immediately allow you to master the ability to be guided by the voice of the Spirit. Our Father expects you to learn how to obtain that divine help by exercising faith in Him and His Holy Son, Jesus Christ. Were you to receive inspired guidance just for the asking, you would become weak and ever more dependent on Them. They know that essential personal growth will come as you struggle to learn how to be led by the Spirit." (Elder Richard G. Scott, 

To Acquire Spiritual Guidance, October 2009 General Conference)

Moroni 7:13-17

  13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do ^agood continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and ^benticeth to do ^cgood, and to love God, and to serve him, is ^dinspired of God.

  14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is ^aevil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.

  15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to ^ajudge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.

  16 For behold, the ^aSpirit of Christ is given to every ^bman, that he may ^cknow good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

  17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do ^aevil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.

Proverbs 29:18

    18 Where there is no ^avision, the people ^bperish: but he that ^ckeepeth the ^dlaw, ^ehappy is he.

Sunday Morning Session of General Conference October 4, 2009

Elder Dalin H. Oaks - 

Love and Law

"Some seem to value God’s love because of their hope that His love is so great and so unconditional that it will mercifully excuse them from obeying His laws. In contrast, those who understand God’s plan for His children know that God’s laws are invariable, which is another great evidence of His love for His children. Mercy cannot rob justice,² and those who obtain mercy are “they who have kept the covenant and observed the commandment” (D&C 54:6).

"We read again and again in the Bible and in modern scriptures of God’s anger with the wicked³ and of His acting in His wrath⁴ against those who violate His laws."

"The love of God is so universal that His perfect plan bestows many gifts on all of His children, even those who disobey His laws. Mortality is one such gift, bestowed on all who qualified in the War in Heaven.⁶ Another unconditional gift is the universal resurrection: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). Many other mortal gifts are not tied to our personal obedience to law. As Jesus taught, our Heavenly Father “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).

"If a person understands the teachings of Jesus, he or she cannot reasonably conclude that our loving Heavenly Father or His divine Son believes that Their love supersedes Their commandments. Consider these examples.

When Jesus began His ministry, His first message was repentance.¹⁰

"When He exercised loving mercy by not condemning the woman taken in adultery, He nevertheless told her, 'Go, and sin no more' (John 8:11).

"Jesus taught, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21)."

Elder Robert D. Hales - 

Seeking to Know God, Our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ

"From their testimonies, recorded in holy scripture, we know that '[God] created man, male and female, after his own image and in his own likeness.'³ Some people may be surprised to learn that we look like God. One prominent religious scholar has even taught that imagining God in the form of man is creating a graven image and is idolatrous and blasphemous.⁴ But God Himself said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.'⁵

"The use of the words us and our in this scripture also teaches us about the relationship between the Father and the Son. God further taught, 'By mine Only Begotten [Son] I created these things.'⁶ The Father and the Son are separate and distinct individuals—as any father and son always are. This may be one reason the name of God in Hebrew, Elohim, is not singular but plural."

Elder Jorge F. Zeballos - 

Attempting the Impossible

"God will not require more than the best we can give because that would not be just, but neither can He accept less than that because that would not be just either."

Elder Tad R. Callister - 

Joseph Smith—Prophet of the Restoration

"Suppose for a moment someone told you these three facts about a New Testament personality and nothing more: first, the Savior said of this man, “O thou of little faith” (Matthew 14:31); second, this man, in a moment of anger, cut off an ear of the high priest’s servant; and third, this man denied knowing who the Savior was on three occasions, even though he had walked with Him daily. If that is all you knew or focused upon, you might have thought this man a scoundrel or a no-good, but in the process you would have failed to come to know one of the greatest men who ever walked the earth: Peter the Apostle."

"First, does God love us as much today as He loved the people to whom He spoke in New Testament times? Second, does God have the same power today as He did then? And third, do we need Him as much today as they needed Him anciently? If the answers to those questions are yes and if God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, as the scriptures so declare (see Mormon 9:9), then there is little doubt: God does speak to man today exactly as Joseph Smith testified."

"Many teach that there is one heaven and one hell. Joseph Smith restored the truth that there are multiple heavens. Paul spoke of a man who was caught up into the third heaven (see 2 Corinthians 12:2). Could there be a third heaven if there was no second heaven or first heaven?"

"If someone turns from these restored doctrines, where will he go to learn the true nature of God as taught in the grove of trees? Where will he go to find the doctrines of the premortal existence, baptism for the dead, and eternal marriage? And where will he go to find the sealing powers that can bind husbands and wives and children beyond the grave?"

Elder Kent D. Watson - 

Being Temperate in All Things

"Tempered glass, like tempered steel, undergoes a well-controlled heating process which increases strength. Thus, when tempered glass is under stress, it will not easily break into jagged shards that can injure.

Likewise, a temperate soul—one who is humble and full of love—is also a person of increased spiritual strength. With increased spiritual strength, we are able to develop self-mastery and to live with moderation. We learn to control, or temper, our anger, vanity, and pride. With increased spiritual strength, we can protect ourselves from the dangerous excesses and destructive addictions of today’s world."

"Likewise, a temperate soul—one who is humble and full of love—is also a person of increased spiritual strength. With increased spiritual strength, we are able to develop self-mastery and to live with moderation. We learn to control, or temper, our anger, vanity, and pride. With increased spiritual strength, we can protect ourselves from the dangerous excesses and destructive addictions of today’s world.

"We all seek peace of mind, and we all desire security and happiness for our families. If we look for silver linings in this past year’s economic downturn, perhaps the trials some have faced have taught us that peace of mind, security, and happiness do not come from buying a home or accumulating possessions for which the debt incurred is larger than our savings or income can afford."

We should have patience.  this includes patience for comforts we would buy.

Elder Neil L. Anderson - 

“Repent . . . That I May Heal You”

"When we sin, we turn away from God. When we repent, we turn back toward God."

"For most, repentance is more a journey than a one-time event. It is not easy. To change is difficult. It requires running into the wind, swimming upstream. Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.”¹⁸ Repentance is turning away from some things, such as dishonesty, pride, anger, and impure thoughts, and turning toward other things, such as kindness, unselfishness, patience, and spirituality. It is “re-turning” toward God."

President Boyd K. Packer - 

Prayer and Promptings

"The Prophet Joseph Smith promised that 'all beings who have bodies have power over those who have not.'^9"

Sunday Morning Session

Elder Henry B. Eyring - 

Our Perfect Example

"That is the ideal of a loving family. In many of our homes, there are the words “Our Family Can Be Together Forever.” There is a gravestone near my home of a mother and grandmother. She and her husband were sealed in the temple of God to each other and to their posterity for time and all eternity. The inscription on the gravestone reads, “Please, no empty chairs.” She asked for that inscription because she knew that whether the family will be together depends on the choices each family member makes. The word “please” is there because neither God nor she can compel another to choose happiness. And there is Satan, who wants misery, not happiness, in families in this life and in the next.

"My hope today is to suggest some choices which may seem difficult but that would assure you that you have qualified for there to be no empty chairs in your family in the world to come."

Elder L. Tom Perry - 

The Past Way of Facing the Future

"There is something about reviewing the lessons of the past to prepare us to face the challenges of the future."

Bishop H. David Burton - 

Let Virtue Garnish Your Thoughts

“We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things” (Articles of Faith 1:13).

"We need only look around us to see what is taking place in our communities to realize that personal traits of virtue are in a steep decline. Reflect on the behavior of drivers on crowded highways; road rage happens all too often. Civility is all but absent in our political discourse. As countries around the world face financial and economic challenges, fidelity and honesty seem to have been replaced with greed and graft. A visit to a high school will often subject you to crude language and immodest dress. Some athletes display poor sportsmanship and seldom show humility unless publicly exposed for legal or moral infidelities. A large segment of our population feel little personal responsibility for their own temporal well-being. Some in financial distress blame bankers and lenders for loaning sums to satisfy insatiable wants rather than affordable needs. On occasion our generosity in support of good causes wanes as our appetite to acquire more than we need prevails."

Ann M. Dibb - 

Hold On

She talked of workers that were killed working on a bridge because they did not use the safety equipment that hey had.  We have been given safety equipment ( prayer, scriptures, church, and so forth).  We often choose not to use them and try to work in dangerous places alone.

Elder Russel M. Nelson - 

Ask, Seek, Knock

"Even more amazing than modern technology is our opportunity to access information directly from heaven, without hardware, software, or monthly service fees."

Doctrine and Covenants 76:5-7
  5 For thus saith the Lord—I, the Lord, am ^amerciful and gracious unto those who ^bfear me, and delight to honor those who ^cserve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end.

  6 Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their ^aglory.

  7 And to them will I ^areveal all ^bmysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom.

President Thomas S. Monson - 

What Have I Done for Someone Today?

Father asked his children each night at supper who they had helped today.

"A few years ago I read an article written by Jack McConnell, MD. He grew up in the hills of southwest Virginia in the United States as one of seven children of a Methodist minister and a stay-at-home mother. Their circumstances were very humble. He recounted that during his childhood, every day as the family sat around the dinner table, his father would ask each one in turn, “And what did you do for someone today?”^1"

"My brothers and sisters, may we ask ourselves the question which greeted Dr. Jack McConnell and his brothers and sisters each evening at dinnertime: “What have I done for someone today?” May the words of a familiar hymn penetrate our very souls and find lodgment in our hearts:

Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone’s burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?^13"

Saturday Afternoon Session of General Conference October 3, 2009

Elder Dalin H. Oaks - 

Love and Law

"Some seem to value God’s love because of their hope that His love is so great and so unconditional that it will mercifully excuse them from obeying His laws. In contrast, those who understand God’s plan for His children know that God’s laws are invariable, which is another great evidence of His love for His children. Mercy cannot rob justice,² and those who obtain mercy are “they who have kept the covenant and observed the commandment” (D&C 54:6).

"We read again and again in the Bible and in modern scriptures of God’s anger with the wicked³ and of His acting in His wrath⁴ against those who violate His laws."

"The love of God is so universal that His perfect plan bestows many gifts on all of His children, even those who disobey His laws. Mortality is one such gift, bestowed on all who qualified in the War in Heaven.⁶ Another unconditional gift is the universal resurrection: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). Many other mortal gifts are not tied to our personal obedience to law. As Jesus taught, our Heavenly Father “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).

"If a person understands the teachings of Jesus, he or she cannot reasonably conclude that our loving Heavenly Father or His divine Son believes that Their love supersedes Their commandments. Consider these examples.

When Jesus began His ministry, His first message was repentance.¹⁰

"When He exercised loving mercy by not condemning the woman taken in adultery, He nevertheless told her, 'Go, and sin no more' (John 8:11).

"Jesus taught, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21)."

Elder Robert D. Hales - 

Seeking to Know God, Our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ

"From their testimonies, recorded in holy scripture, we know that '[God] created man, male and female, after his own image and in his own likeness.'³ Some people may be surprised to learn that we look like God. One prominent religious scholar has even taught that imagining God in the form of man is creating a graven image and is idolatrous and blasphemous.⁴ But God Himself said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.'⁵

"The use of the words us and our in this scripture also teaches us about the relationship between the Father and the Son. God further taught, 'By mine Only Begotten [Son] I created these things.'⁶ The Father and the Son are separate and distinct individuals—as any father and son always are. This may be one reason the name of God in Hebrew, Elohim, is not singular but plural."

Elder Jorge F. Zeballos - 

Attempting the Impossible

"God will not require more than the best we can give because that would not be just, but neither can He accept less than that because that would not be just either."

Elder Tad R. Callister - 

Joseph Smith—Prophet of the Restoration

"Suppose for a moment someone told you these three facts about a New Testament personality and nothing more: first, the Savior said of this man, “O thou of little faith” (Matthew 14:31); second, this man, in a moment of anger, cut off an ear of the high priest’s servant; and third, this man denied knowing who the Savior was on three occasions, even though he had walked with Him daily. If that is all you knew or focused upon, you might have thought this man a scoundrel or a no-good, but in the process you would have failed to come to know one of the greatest men who ever walked the earth: Peter the Apostle."

"First, does God love us as much today as He loved the people to whom He spoke in New Testament times? Second, does God have the same power today as He did then? And third, do we need Him as much today as they needed Him anciently? If the answers to those questions are yes and if God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, as the scriptures so declare (see Mormon 9:9), then there is little doubt: God does speak to man today exactly as Joseph Smith testified."

"Many teach that there is one heaven and one hell. Joseph Smith restored the truth that there are multiple heavens. Paul spoke of a man who was caught up into the third heaven (see 2 Corinthians 12:2). Could there be a third heaven if there was no second heaven or first heaven?"

"If someone turns from these restored doctrines, where will he go to learn the true nature of God as taught in the grove of trees? Where will he go to find the doctrines of the premortal existence, baptism for the dead, and eternal marriage? And where will he go to find the sealing powers that can bind husbands and wives and children beyond the grave?"

Elder Kent D. Watson - 

Being Temperate in All Things

"Tempered glass, like tempered steel, undergoes a well-controlled heating process which increases strength. Thus, when tempered glass is under stress, it will not easily break into jagged shards that can injure.

Likewise, a temperate soul—one who is humble and full of love—is also a person of increased spiritual strength. With increased spiritual strength, we are able to develop self-mastery and to live with moderation. We learn to control, or temper, our anger, vanity, and pride. With increased spiritual strength, we can protect ourselves from the dangerous excesses and destructive addictions of today’s world."

"Likewise, a temperate soul—one who is humble and full of love—is also a person of increased spiritual strength. With increased spiritual strength, we are able to develop self-mastery and to live with moderation. We learn to control, or temper, our anger, vanity, and pride. With increased spiritual strength, we can protect ourselves from the dangerous excesses and destructive addictions of today’s world.

"We all seek peace of mind, and we all desire security and happiness for our families. If we look for silver linings in this past year’s economic downturn, perhaps the trials some have faced have taught us that peace of mind, security, and happiness do not come from buying a home or accumulating possessions for which the debt incurred is larger than our savings or income can afford."

Elder Neil L. Anderson - 

“Repent . . . That I May Heal You”

"When we sin, we turn away from God. When we repent, we turn back toward God."

"For most, repentance is more a journey than a one-time event. It is not easy. To change is difficult. It requires running into the wind, swimming upstream. Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.”¹⁸ Repentance is turning away from some things, such as dishonesty, pride, anger, and impure thoughts, and turning toward other things, such as kindness, unselfishness, patience, and spirituality. It is “re-turning” toward God."

President Boyd K. Packer - 

Prayer and Promptings

"The Prophet Joseph Smith promised that 'all beings who have bodies have power over those who have not.'^9"

Saturday Morning Session of General Conference October 3, 2009

Saturday Morning Session of General Conference

President Thomas S. Monson - 

Welcome to Conference

"83 percent of our members live within 200 miles (320 km) of a temple. That percentage will continue to increase as we construct new temples around the world. Currently there are 130 temples in operation, with 16 announced or under construction. This morning I am pleased to announce 5 additional temples for which sites are being acquired and which, in coming months and years, will be built in the following locations: Brigham City, Utah; Concepción, Chile; Fortaleza, Brazil; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and Sapporo, Japan."

Elder Richard G Scott - 

To Acquire Spiritual Guidance

"Spirituality yields two fruits. The first is inspiration to know what to do. The second is power, or the capacity to do it. These two capacities come together. That’s why Nephi could say, 'I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded.'(1 Nephi 3:7) He knew the spiritual laws upon which inspiration and power are based. Yes, God answers prayer and gives us spiritual direction when we live obediently and exercise the required faith in Him."

"I believe that you can leave the most precious, personal direction of the Spirit unheard because you do not respond to, record, and apply the first promptings that come to you."

"The inspiring influence of the Holy Spirit can be overcome or masked by strong emotions, such as anger, hate, passion, fear, or pride. When such influences are present, it is like trying to savor the delicate flavor of a grape while eating a jalapeño pepper. Both flavors are present, but one completely overpowers the other. In like manner, strong emotions overcome the delicate promptings of the Holy Spirit."

Vicki F. Matsumori - 

Helping Others Recognize the Whisperings of the Spirit

"Because the Spirit is often described as a still, small voice,(See 1 Kings 19:12; 1 Nephi 17:45; D&C 85:6) it is also important to have a time of quiet in our lives as well. The Lord has counseled us to “be still, and know that I am God.”(Psalm 46:10; see also D&C 101:16). If we provide a still and quiet time each day when we are not bombarded by television, computer, video games, or personal electronic devices, we allow that still, small voice an opportunity to provide personal revelation and to whisper sweet guidance, reassurance, and comfort to us."

Elder L. Whitney Clayton - 

That Your Burdens May Be Light

"In a general sense, our burdens come from three sources. Some burdens are the natural product of the conditions of the world in which we live. Illness, physical disability, hurricanes, and earthquakes come from time to time through no fault of our own. We can prepare for these risks and sometimes we can predict them, but in the natural pattern of life we will all confront some of these challenges.

"Other burdens are imposed on us by the misconduct of others. Abuse and addictions can make home anything but a heaven on earth for innocent family members. Sin, incorrect traditions, repression, and crime scatter burdened victims along the pathways of life. Even less-serious misdeeds such as gossip and unkindness can cause others genuine suffering.

"Our own mistakes and shortcomings produce many of our problems and can place heavy burdens on our own shoulders. The most onerous burden we impose upon ourselves is the burden of sin. We have all known the remorse and pain which inevitably follow our failure to keep the commandments."

"Burdens provide opportunities to practice virtues that contribute to eventual perfection. They invite us to yield 'to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and [put] off the natural man and [become] a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and [become] as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [us], even as a child doth submit to his father.'(Mosiah 3:19.) Thus burdens become blessings, though often such blessings are well disguised and may require time, effort, and faith to accept and understand."

Russell T. Osguthorpe - 

Teaching Helps Save Lives

"Our son saves lives by sharing his knowledge of medicine; missionaries and teachers in the Church help save lives by sharing their knowledge of the gospel."

Elder David A. Bednar - 

More Diligent and Concerned at Home

"I want to suggest three ways each of us can become more diligent and concerned in our homes."

"Suggestion Number One: Express Love—and Show It"

"Sometimes in a sacrament meeting talk or testimony, we hear a statement like this: 'I know I do not tell my spouse often enough how much I love her. Today I want her, my children, and all of you to know that I love her.'

"...spouse and children should not be hearing this apparently rare and private communication in public at church!"

“If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15)

"Suggestion Number Two: Bear Testimony—and Live It"

"Brethren and sisters, when was the last time you bore testimony to your eternal companion? Parents, when was the last time you declared your witness to your children about the things you know to be true? And children, when was the last time you shared your testimony with your parents and family?"

"We should remember that bearing a heartfelt testimony is only a beginning. We need to bear testimony, we need to mean it, and most importantly we need consistently to live it. We need to both declare and live our testimonies."

"Suggestion Number Three: Be Consistent"

 "Today if you could ask our adult sons what they remember about family prayer, scripture study, and family home evening, I believe I know how they would answer. They likely would not identify a particular prayer or a specific instance of scripture study or an especially meaningful family home evening lesson as the defining moment in their spiritual development. What they would say they remember is that as a family we were consistent."

“Do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not” (Matthew 23:3)

"...children often are the most alert and sensitive when it comes to recognizing hypocrisy."

"The commandment 'Thou shalt not bear false witness' (Exodus 20:16) applies most pointedly to the hypocrite in each of us. We need to be and become more consistent. 'But be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity' (1 Timothy 4:12)."

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf - 

The Love of God

"...those who receive Christ Jesus walk with Him. (See Colossians 2:6)

"But this may present a problem for some because there are so many 'shoulds' and 'should nots' that merely keeping track of them can be a challenge. Sometimes, well-meaning amplifications of divine principles—many coming from uninspired sources—complicate matters further, diluting the purity of divine truth with man-made addenda. One person’s good idea—something that may work for him or her—takes root and becomes an expectation. And gradually, eternal principles can get lost within the labyrinth of 'good ideas.'"

"Love should be our walk and our talk."

"What we think and do determines who we are—and who we will become."

"The first step to walking in righteousness is simply to try." 

"Love is the measure of our faith, the inspiration for our obedience, and the true altitude of our discipleship."

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 9-27-09

Alma 26:22

 22 Yea, he that ^arepenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good ^bworks, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the ^cmysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be ^dgiven to ^ereveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance.

Three reasons we do service - Fear, Duty, Charity 

Unselfish Service, Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Fear focuses on you.

Duty focuses beyond you yo God.

Charity focuses on love.  You do it because you are like God to some degree.

Sunday School

The symbolism of building the Salt Lake Temple is like our life.  They buried the foundation of the temple to protect it from what they fear the army would do to it.  They found when they redug the foundation that the stones they had used were not holding.  They had to redo it with stronger stone.

Do we learn about our foundations as we go through trials in our lives and have to rebuild them with stronger materials?  Do our testimonies get buried at times and we have to spend time digging them out.

Elder Oaks quoted, "You can’t be a life saver if you look like all the other swimmers on the beach." (Ardeth Greene Kapp, I Walk by Faith (1987), 97)

From the Bulletin:

"Remember, a good attitude produces good results, a fair attitude fair result, a poor attitude poor results. We each shape our own life, and shape of it is determined largely by our attitude." (Elder M. Russell Ballard)

Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best — better than does God. Or at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His. We can grow in faith only if we are willing to wait patiently for God's purposes and patterns to unfold in our lives, on His timetable." (Elder Neal A. Maxwell)

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 9-20-09

I was sick and not at church today, so this is all I was able to gather:

From the Bulletin:

"I testify to you that our promised blessings are beyond measure. Though the storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of the gospel and our love of our Heavenly Father and of our Savior will comfort and sustain us and bring joy to our hearts as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments. There will be nothing in this world that can defeat us.

My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith." President Thomas S. Monson, "Be of Good Cheer", Ensign, May 2009, 80 — 92.

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 9-13-09

Share with our wives the challenges we are having to give them the opportunity to fill their role as our help meet and support. Allow her to share the same with you that you may also fulfill your role. Listen to her. Listening while driving, reading a book, watching TV, or working on the internet do not always count as having listened. Often you must look directly in her eyes engaging her so she feels you have taken in what she has said and not just heard it. Trying to fix what she is sharing should be only as prompted by the spirit or by her.

• Honor the Priesthood and Use It Well - Richard G. Scott, Ensign, November 2008
• Nurturing Marriage - Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, May 2006
• Daughter of God - Yoshihiko Kikuchi, Ensign, May 1988
• Marriage and Divorce - David B. Haight, Ensign, May 1984
• Thou Shalt Love Thy Wife with All Thy Heart - Henry D. Taylor, Ensign, January 1974
• Daughters of God - M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, May 2008

From Elder Ballards's talk:

"What more can a husband do to support his wife, the mother of their children?

"First, show extra appreciation and give more validation for what your wife does every day. Notice things and say thank you—often. Schedule some evenings together, just the two of you.

"Second, have a regular time to talk with your wife about each child’s needs and what you can do to help.

"Third, give your wife a “day away” now and then. Just take over the household and give your wife a break from her daily responsibilities. Taking over for a while will greatly enhance your appreciation of what your wife does. You may do a lot of lifting, twisting, and bending!

"Fourth, come home from work and take an active role with your family. Don’t put work, friends, or sports ahead of listening to, playing with, and teaching your children."


One of the wives in the ward shared these pieces of advice to be shared with us in the lesson:


• Listen, and empathize, don't try to fix
• Strenghten her with your testimony
• Counsel with her
• Be a patriarch
• Do the dishes (or whatever housework she hates most!)
• Give her a break
• Express confidence in her as a mother and wife
• Notice what she does and say "Thank You"
• Offer a proper perspective, "reality check"
• Walk through trials together, hand in hand, with the Lord
• Send her love notes (text, email, phone calls, voice mail)

Our mortal lives are a journey to the promised land and all other treks to a promised land are in similitude of that journey.

People led to a promised land

• Israelites
• Jaredites
• Lehi and his family
• The pioneers
• The pilgrims

DnC 136:19

19 And if any man shall seek to build up himself, and seeketh not my ^acounsel, he shall have no power, and his ^bfolly shall be made manifest.

Our selfishness take our power, even if we are not striving for office or power over a large group.

DnC 136:27

27 Thou shalt be ^adiligent in ^bpreserving what thou hast, that thou mayest be a wise ^csteward; for it is the free gift of the Lord thy God, and thou art his steward.

Second witness of this is Pres Hinckley, “Our pioneer forebears lived by the adage, ‘Fix it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without’ ” (“I Believe,” Ensign, Aug. 1992, 6)

“I believe one of the gravest dangers plaguing modern American culture is fiscal irresponsibility. Never before have so many had so much stuff and so little freedom. Debt is forcing us to work more and more, stealing from us our precious time as well as our happiness. Money problems are breaking our marriages, our homes and health, and are a prime motivating factor for crime and domestic abuse. Even the destruction of our environment can be linked to our over consumption. For millions debt is turning the American dream into a nightmare.” - The 5 Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me - Preface

Doctrine and Covenants 104:78

78 And again, verily I say unto you, concerning your debts—behold it is my will that you shall ^apay all your ^bdebts.

From the Bulletin:

"We welcome you to the Sabbath Day. Today, we take time to ponder what we are doing, thinking, saying, and feeling. Among other things, we renew our promises with God to live our lives better this coming week. Let us celebrate our victories and build on them. Let us be honest with ourselves and make simple course corrections so that the Lord may abundantly shower us with blessings.

"This earth life is the time for us to prepare to meet God. Let's not procrastinate. Let us focus on the basics so that our lives may be anchored and not tossed around by every challenge that comes our way. Please seek a personal connection to God and Jesus daily. Please study his scriptures. Pray earnestly, honestly, openly. Fast.

"The Lord has said, 'If ye are prepared ye shall not fear' (D&C 38:30).

"Foolishness is doing the same wrong things over and over again expecting different results. To experience true happiness, we must learn and follow correct principles.

We are children and apprentices of a Heavenly heritage. As we follow THEIR ways, we will experience THEIR success. There is no other way."

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 9-6-09

Doctrine and Covenants 20

46 The ^apriest’s duty is to preach, ^bteach, expound, exhort, and baptize, and administer the sacrament,

47 And visit the house of each member, and exhort them to ^apray ^bvocally and in secret and attend to all ^cfamily duties.

The duties of a priest are also the duties in every priesthood office beyond priest, thus they all have the duty stated in DnC 20 46-47.

Good, Better, Best - Elder Dalin H. Oaks October 2007 General Conference talk.

We should not let our hobbies or internet get in the way of our Church or family duties. We should not let our hobbies or internet get in the way of our employment. If we are pursuing hobbies on company time it can jeopardize our employment or cause us to have to work longer hours to make up for the time we used on other things. Those longer hours then get in the way of us doing our family and Church responsibilities.

“No man of himself can lead this church. It is the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ; he is at the head. …

“He chooses men and calls them to be instruments in his hands to accomplish his purposes, and he guides and directs them in their labors. But men are only instruments in the Lord’s hands, and the honor and glory for all that his servants accomplish is and should be ascribed unto him forever.

“If this were the work of man, it would fail, but it is the work of the Lord, and he does not fail” (President Joseph Fielding Smith, in Conference Report, Apr. 1970, 113; orImprovement Era, June 1970, 26).

Doctrine and Covenants 107

22 Of the ^aMelchizedek Priesthood, three ^bPresiding High Priests, chosen by the body, appointed and ordained to that office, and ^cupheldby the confidence, faith, and prayer of the church, form a quorum of the Presidency of the Church.

23 The ^atwelve traveling councilors are called to be the Twelve ^bApostles, or special ^cwitnesses of the name of Christ in all the world—thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling.

24 And they form a quorum, ^aequal in authority and power to the three presidents previously mentioned.

Every decision the 12 make as a body is unanimous. Think of how hard it is to get 12 men to agree on anything. Most other bodies only require a majority of one type or another for the vote to be "won".

Things look more clear when looking through the glasses of the gospel.

"Someone once said, 'The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot.' Please let's invest our time usage among chief priorities and let things that are not eternally significant find room on dusty shelves of 'interesting but not important.' We have covenanted with God to be dutiful, valiant and faithful. He is anxious to bless us. Elder Maxwell, former member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, said this about our faith (paraphrasing), 'To wonder if our faith is strong enough is natural. The father of Elder Bruce R. McConkie, in a situation of stress years ago, prayed for adequacy — the capacity and abilities of Enoch.

The answer to his prayer was Enoch's faith came through personal righteousness. We are reminded in D&C 121 that we cannot CONTROL the powers of heaven except upon the principles of righteousness.'

Elder Maxwell ends with, 'If you and I want to be more effective, we must be more righteous. If we want to have more faith we must be more righteous, and we might just as well face that reality.' (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, "Insights from My Life," 26 October 1886. The Inexhaustible Gospel.)

As we invest our time learning and applying truth, repenting, seeking to be more righteous and devoted each day, our lives will become centered, peaceful, confident, and fulfilled even in the face of great stress. I bear witness that this is so.

What can you (I) do today to take 'nice words' and turn them to action?"