"What if you suddenly found yourself in a faraway, unfamiliar place and you wanted to return home. Where could you find directions? By reading and studying a road map, you could find out where you were and what roads you would travel to find your way home.
While you live on the earth, Heavenly Father has given you divine directions—the scriptures—to guide you back to your heavenly home. Like a road map, they will help you find your way as you read and study them."
By BY LAUREL ROHLFING Friend Magazine August 1989
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Lesson 14: The Word of Wisdom
"Close your eyes and picture a temple. What color is it? How big is it? Does it have any windows? Are there spires? How many?
The temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are unique. The Salt Lake Temple in Utah has gray granite walls and six spires. It looks different from the Cardston Alberta Temple in Canada, which has natural stone walls and no spires. Even though each temple looks different, all are beautiful and are built for the same purpose. They are places where special ordinances take place that are needed for us to return to Heavenly Father. Temples are also places where Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father can come.
You are like the temple. You are different from everyone else, but you, too, are a house for the Spirit of God (the Holy Ghost). The Apostle Paul said: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? … For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” (1 Cor. 3:16–17.) Your body is a temple.
Just as you treat temples with respect, you should treat your own body with respect. You can do this by obeying the Word of Wisdom (see D&C 89), by dressing modestly, and by following the counsel of President Gordon B. Hinckley to “be clean” (see Friend, February 2001, page 25). One way to be clean is to not have tattoos. President Hinckley said, “A tattoo is graffiti on the temple of the body” (Ensign, November 2000, page 52). You should also keep your heart and mind clean by reading, listening to, and watching only “things that are pleasing to Heavenly Father” (see My Gospel Standards).
If you are clean in mind and body, you can receive great blessings because “the Lord hath said he dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell” (Alma 34:36)."
By VICKI F. MATSUMORI May 2002 Friend Magazine
The temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are unique. The Salt Lake Temple in Utah has gray granite walls and six spires. It looks different from the Cardston Alberta Temple in Canada, which has natural stone walls and no spires. Even though each temple looks different, all are beautiful and are built for the same purpose. They are places where special ordinances take place that are needed for us to return to Heavenly Father. Temples are also places where Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father can come.
You are like the temple. You are different from everyone else, but you, too, are a house for the Spirit of God (the Holy Ghost). The Apostle Paul said: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? … For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” (1 Cor. 3:16–17.) Your body is a temple.
Just as you treat temples with respect, you should treat your own body with respect. You can do this by obeying the Word of Wisdom (see D&C 89), by dressing modestly, and by following the counsel of President Gordon B. Hinckley to “be clean” (see Friend, February 2001, page 25). One way to be clean is to not have tattoos. President Hinckley said, “A tattoo is graffiti on the temple of the body” (Ensign, November 2000, page 52). You should also keep your heart and mind clean by reading, listening to, and watching only “things that are pleasing to Heavenly Father” (see My Gospel Standards).
If you are clean in mind and body, you can receive great blessings because “the Lord hath said he dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell” (Alma 34:36)."
By VICKI F. MATSUMORI May 2002 Friend Magazine
Monday, April 4, 2011
Lesson 13: The Baptismal Covenant
"A covenant is a two-way promise between Heavenly Father and his children. The covenants he makes with his children are sacred and holy. When he makes covenants with us, his children, he promises glorious blessings to us. When we make covenants with him, we show our love for him and promise to keep his commandments.
The baptismal covenant is the first gospel-ordinance covenant you make with Heavenly Father. When you make this sacred covenant, you show your love for him. You also promise, or covenant, to take the name of Jesus Christ upon you, to always remember him, to keep his commandments, to bear testimony of him, and to love and serve him by loving and serving others (see Mosiah 18:8–10; D&C 20:37).
After you make your baptismal covenant by being baptized, you are confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and are given the gift of the Holy Ghost. Heavenly Father always blesses you with his Spirit when you keep your baptismal covenant. Each Sunday you can remember and renew this covenant as you partake of the sacrament. "
(KAREN ASHTON May 1997 Friend Magazine) Mosiah 18:8-9
The baptismal covenant is the first gospel-ordinance covenant you make with Heavenly Father. When you make this sacred covenant, you show your love for him. You also promise, or covenant, to take the name of Jesus Christ upon you, to always remember him, to keep his commandments, to bear testimony of him, and to love and serve him by loving and serving others (see Mosiah 18:8–10; D&C 20:37).
After you make your baptismal covenant by being baptized, you are confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and are given the gift of the Holy Ghost. Heavenly Father always blesses you with his Spirit when you keep your baptismal covenant. Each Sunday you can remember and renew this covenant as you partake of the sacrament. "
(KAREN ASHTON May 1997 Friend Magazine) Mosiah 18:8-9
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