Saturday, April 25, 2009

While Mom's Away, The Boys Play

My wife went away with baby b for the weekend to spend some time with her mom and sisters. The boys and I decided to camp out in the backyard and have some fun ourselves.

We had fun and plenty of room in our relatively new 3-room tent. There was even room enough for mommy and baby b if they were here. That would have been fun too.

In the morning, I called-in our burn permit and we had a little campfire. We're slowly getting our pile of branches burned down and taking recreational advantage of it when we can. We did have a fire extinguisher nearby per permit rules. (Just in case the Fire Chief reads this. :-) )

We also cooked up some bacon and pancakes on the camp stove. We heated water for Hot Chocolate over the fire. Later we did S'mores.


What did you think about the camp out? C: Good. Fun. And Cool. Amazing. And I don't know why it's amazing. And it was....'wicked cooool'.

What was your favorite part of the camp out? K: Uh...the S'mores and the stuff that we did today.


What did you think of the camp out? Eddie Banana Hands: I Loved it!

What's the most memorable part of the camp out for you? S:

What did you like about the camp out? J: It was fun. We should do it more often.

We had a lot of fun hanging together...just us boys.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

What's So Important About Jesus Christ?

Many people celebrate Easter in difference ways. Easter, like many other holidays, has origins in the belief of Jesus Christ. Why are there so many holidays and religions founded on the belief of this one individual who lived for a little more than 30 years, 2000 years ago? Were there not other mighty characters of history deserving of such great attention? What is so important about Jesus Christ?

To understand the significance of Jesus Christ, we first must recognize our own eternal potential: --to experience the fullness of joy (referred to as exaltation or eternal life). The fullness of joy is experienced when (1) we have a perfect physical body inseparable from our spirit (or soul), and (2) we continue to progress through eternity in the presence of our Heavenly Father (God). To live in the presence of our Heavenly Father, we must live by His laws...since He knows what must be done in order to receive the fullness of Joy.

The problem we face here on earth is that it is impossible to achieve the fullness of Joy by ourselves for two reasons. (1) We have imperfect, mortal bodies in which our bodies will separate from our spirit (soul) at death. (2) Our behavior is not perfect--we break the laws of God that allow us to achieve the fullness of joy (called sin). No unclean thing can dwell with God.

Heavenly Father's plan for our salvation required a Savior to help us overcome death and sin. Jesus was appointed to be that Savior and executor of the Plan of Salvation from before the earth was created through to the end.

As the only begotten son of our Heavenly Father (Jesus was born with Mary as His mother and God as His father), Jesus had power over death. Jesus also obeyed all of the laws/commandments of God. His behavior was perfect for he committed no sin.

Justice requires punishment for any who break the eternal laws of God--including never being able to live with God and experience the fullness of Joy. Jesus Christ, a perfect man requiring no punishment, took upon himself the punishment for all sins committed by the human family past, present and future. His only ability to live through the physical, emotional, and spiritual pain caused by this atonement was his power to not die.

Immediately after drinking the 'bitter cup' of the atonement in the Garden of Gethsemane, he was betrayed by a friend, physically tortured, and condemned to death by the Roman technique of crucifixion. He was nailed to the cross and while there suffered the final solitary moments to complete the atonement. When Jesus Christ knew his work at this stage was finished he let his spirit leave his body--he finally chose to die.

Three days later, Jesus Christ reunited his body--now 100% immortal and perfect--with his spirit never to be separated again in all eternity. Being the first to rise from the dead, he set in place the resurrection of all humankind. Anyone who is born on the earth, past, present and future will now be resurrected with a perfect, immortal body, never again to be separated from his/her spirit by death. All of us will receive glorious bodies for the rest of eternity. Christ's gift of the resurrection is given to all.

Through the atonement and resurrection, Jesus Christ became our mediator with our Heavenly Father. We are still required to obey the laws of God if we are to experience the fullness of joy, but Jesus Christ is able to fill-in the gaps of our imperfections and inabilities as we honestly strive to live up to the knowledge we have of those laws of God. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, becomes our merciful judge and is willing to apply his atonement on our behalf. All He asks is that we choose for ourselves to exercise faith in Him ( He has the understanding and ability to help us physically, emotionally, and spiritually with all that we need and want); repent when we come short of what we know we should do; get baptized by those whom He has authorized to perform such ordinances; receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit); and to keep His commandments which will bring us happiness and comfort in this life and throughout eternity.

I am convinced that our loving Heavenly Father does everything in his power to help us come back to Him without taking away our freedom to choose for ourselves. Not only did God provide a Savior to overcome death and sin for us, but as an added help He provided the Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit).

The Holy Ghost, among other things, confirms truth, provides comfort and cleansing, and provides guidance to help us follow the path that our Savior laid out for us to return to live with Heavenly Father in the fullness of joy. It is by the power of the Holy Ghost that we can know in our heart and mind that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. The Holy Ghost communicates to us in such a personal way that we know for ourselves that truth is truth. When the Holy Ghost confirms truth to us we simply act on those feelings to follow the Savior and keep His commandments.

So what is so important about Jesus Christ? Perhaps the unmistakable, good feelings from the Holy Ghost provided that answer to you as you read and thought about our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ lives! Because He lives, we all can be resurrected and forgiven of our imperfections so we can live with Heavenly Father again in the fullness of joy! All we have to do is choose to act on the increasing knowledge we gain of His gospel until little by little we find ourselves full beneficiaries of the atonement of Jesus Christ and experience the fullness of joy with our Father in Heaven. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Happy Easter!

May the hope and gratitude of the atonement and resurrection of a loving Savior, Jesus Christ, lift you through all of your good times and challenging times no matter what the circumstances may be. The most hopeful phrase for us now and in all eternity: He Lives!



Happy Easter!