First Principles and Ordinances

“…faith is waking up each day striving to follow the example of the Savior and repentance is kneeling down each night, seeking forgiveness for where you have fallen short in your strivings.”

Last week we discussed the Third Article of Faith, which focuses on our belief that all mankind may be saved if they are obedient to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
This week, we’ll move onto the Fourth Article of Faith:

....Read the rest of the post "First Principles and Ordinances" on Sieverkropp.com today.



Starting the first of the year, I will be writing exclusively on Sieverkropp.com

Sunday Afternoon Session

Speakers

Elder Robert D. Hales - Quorum of the Twelve (Mormons are Christian)
Elder Richard G. Scott - Quorum of the Twelve (Work for the dead)
Brother Russell T. Osguthorpe - Sunday School President (Teaching the Gospel)
Elder Marcus B. Nash - Quorum of the Seventy (Faith)
Elder Daniel L. Johnson - Quorum of the Seveny (Being a disciple)
Elder Don R. Clarke - Quorum of the Seventy (Sacrament)
Elder David A. Bednar - Quorum of the Twelve (Testimony and Conversion)

Talk that you MUST watch

Elder Hales' talk was amazing.  He's not usually one who gives a talk that sticks out to me, but this one did!  His discussion about Mormon's being Christian is a question that is asked often.  I appreciate his suggestion that if we say that we are Christians, we dang well better make sure that we are acting as such!

Favorite Quote

"What kind of Christians are we? In other words, how are we doing in our quest to follow Christ?" Elder Robert D. Hales 

General Thoughts About the Session

This session seemed to speak a lot more about the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel.  Faith. Testimony. Being a disciple.  The Sacrament.  Basic stuff.  It's easy to get caught up in so much stuff and activity in the Church that we forget the very, very basic aspects of the Gospel.  And these foundational principles are so essential to our spiritual lives! 

Click here to view video of individual talks and entire sessions.  This link will also have transcripts of the talks within the week.

Thanks so much for following me throughout this Conference weekend!  Please continue to follow my blog in the coming weeks and months!  Every weekend I answer questions about Mormons that people ask.  If you want to submit a question to be answered, please visit the Ask a Mormon page of this blog and submit it in the comment section! 

During the week I blog about leadership and business topics.  Also please follow me on Twitter @Skropp2, I'd love to get to know you better!

In the words of MoTab, "God be with you 'till we meet again!"

Sunday Morning Session

Speakers

President Henry B. Eyring - First Presidency
Elder Boyd K. Packer - President, Quorum of the Twelve ( Those who are lost)
Sister Linda K. Burton - Relief Society General President (First observe, then serve)
Elder Walter F. Gonzalez - Presidency of the Seventy
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland - Quorum of the Twelve (Do you love me?)
President Thomas S. Monson - President (Service)

Talk that you MUST watch

Elder Holland's talk was fantastic, as his always are.  The visual of Father in Heaven asking us at the end of our lives what He asked Peter, is motivating.  "Do you love me?" Elder Holland's recounting of this conversation between the Savior and Peter is a great one.  I highly recommend it.

Favorite Quote

"Your Father in Heaven expects your loyalty and your love at every stage in your life."  Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

General Thoughts About the Session

Another fantastic session.  Service seems to be a continual theme, and one that bears repeating.  It is so important for us as members to follow the example of our Savior, Jesus Christ and serve our neighbors, families, etc.  As we do so, we will be able to answer to the Father at the end of our lives that we truly kept the two great commandments, To love God, and to love our fellow man. 

Follow me on twitter @Skropp2 for real time impressions from the final session of conference at 2pm MST today. 

Click here to watch video of individual conference talks or entire sessions.

Priesthood Session

Speakers

Elder D. Todd Christofferson - Quorum of the Twelve (Be men/quorums)
Bishop Gary E. Stevenson - Presiding Bishop (Young Men)
Elder Anthony D. Perkins - Quorum of the Seventy (Spiritual Guideposts)
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf - First Presidency (Priesthood Service)
President Henry B. Eyring - First Presidency (Leading the Youth)
President Thomas S. Monson - President (Testimony)

Talk that you MUST watch

Elder Christofferson's talk was awesome.  He spoke heavily on being men.  He discussed how society and culture today has emasculated and humiliated men.  Men are portrayed as selfish, good for nothing, rude and many other undesirable qualities.  He talks about how imperitive it is for us to rise up and be the type of men that our spouses, children, and God need us to be! 

Favorite Quote

"We cannot save a man on Sunday if during the week we're complacent witnesses to the crucifixion of his soul" - Elder D. Todd Christofferson

 

General Thoughts About the Session

This was a great session.  As it often is, it seemed that the over-arching message was that we as men, and especially as priesthood holders, need and can do better.  We need to be more spiritual.  We need to be more caring and considerate.  We need to be more engaged in our families.  We need to serve more faithfully. 
It isn't that we are doing bad, we're not.  But there is much work to be done, and there are countless lives that are in need of our service.  We've gotta step it up.  We've gotta bring our A game.  We can't be passive and expect that our children will grow up with solid testimonies.  We can't be complacent and expect that our wives will take sole responsibility for family prayers, scripture study and family home evening.  We can't be laxed in priesthood duty and expect that home teaching families will return to activity or feel the love of the quorum.  We must be anxiously engaged!

Click here to watch these talks individually or the session in its entirety.

As always, follow me on twitter @Skropp2 for my real time thoughts on conference.  Also follow the hash tag #ldsconf to see what others are thinking!

Saturday Afternoon Session

Speakers

Elder L. Tom Perry - Quorum of the Twelve (Being "goodly parents")
Elder M. Russell Ballard - Quorum of the Twelve (The parable of the honey bee/Service)
Elder Larry Echo Hawk - Quorum of the Seventy (Book of Mormon)
Elder Robert C. Gay - Quorum of the Seventy (Anxiously Engaged)
Elder Scott D. Whiting - Quorum of the Seventy (Temples/Ye are the temples of God)
Elder Neil L. Andersen - Quorum of the Twelve (Faith)
Elder Dallin H. Oaks - Quorum of the Twelve (Protecting children)

Talk that you MUST watch

Elder Dallin H. Oaks' talk about protecting children is very timely in our country at this time.  He called for an end to abortion, straight up calling it evil.  He called for parents to think of children before divorcing.  He called for all those of religious faith and with similar value systems to unite together to do better for the children of our world.  Powerful.

Favorite Quote

 "May our lives of service always affirm that God forsakes no one." Elder Robert C. Gay

General Thoughts About the Session

It seems that a reoccuring theme of the Conference thus far has been to stand up, declare what you believe and be proud and unapologetic in doing so.  What a great call for all people of faith.  If we can all do this, what a great place this world can be.  We cannot be silent and keep to ourselves any longer, we must stand for what is right.  There is no neutral ground. 

Click here to view these talks individually or to watch the session in its entirety.

Also follow me on Twitter @Skropp2 to get my conference thoughts real time! As well as the hash tag #ldsconf

Your Mission, If You Choose to Accept It...

Hello!  Welcome to another edition of Ask a Mormon!  This week we have a question from my good friend, Lily:

"Can you explain missions?  Does everyone have to do it? How does it work?"
 

Well Lily, if my wife had known the question you'd ask, she'd roll her eyes.  Asking a RM (returned missionary) about their mission requires you to have roughly 3-4 days to listen! But I'd be glad to explain how missions work in our Church. 

Elder Lane and I on our mission...alot of walking!

 

The Basics

When we mention a mission in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, most often, we are talking of the time that the young men and women of the Church set aside personal, educational and career ambitions to serve as missionaries full-time away from home. 

Young men typically begin their service at age 19 and serve for 2 years.  Young women begin their service at 21 and serve for 18 months.  This is unpaid service, and as a matter of fact, it costs about $10,000 to serve a mission.  This money is paid by the missionary, their family, and, if help is needed, the local congregation.  This money pays for transportation, food, lodging, and all other expenses for the two years.   

When you go on a mission you fill out mission papers (basic info, medical info, etc), have interviews with your local church leaders to to determine your worthiness (you don't want people out teaching and representing the Church who are not living what they are teaching...) and then your papers are sent to the Church headquarter in Salt Lake City.  A member of the First Presidency or Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, through the spirit of revelation, determine where Heavenly Father would have you serve your mission. 

There are over 300 individual missions throughout the world.  A mission is a geographical area where a missionary will spend the entire duration of his mission.  I served in the Utica New York Mission.  It is presided over, or led, by a mission president and his wife, who are, themselves, called by the Church leadership to serve a mission.  Their mission is to lead, direct, and guide the mission. 

Me with my mission president and his wife

President and Sister Mullen

 

Mission Presidents and their wives serve for three years, also at their own expense.  Those who have children bring them along on the mission.  A mission president and his wife become an example, mentor and counselor to the missionaries they preside over.  President and Sister Mullen certainly were those things to me!

 

What do you do?

Elder and Sisters (what missionaries are called) spend their time finding and teaching people to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with people in the areas they serve.  Their calling is to offer to share and testify of the message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the prophet Joseph Smith.  Those who pray and find this message to be true are invited to be baptized members of the Church. 

 

A family I taught and baptized on my mission.

 

Regardless of whether people are interested in hearing the message they share or not, missionaries seek to love and serve people as the Savior would do.  Missionaries spend a couple hours a week performing regular service in the communities where they live.  On my mission in various areas we did service at a Boys and Girls Club, The Red Cross, a soup kitchen, and several other places.  Missionaries also do "unplanned" service.  These are oppurtunities to serve individuals include raking leaves, painting, shoveling snow, helping people move, and any other times people are in need of help. 

 

Unplanned service on my mission, clearing brush away from a bridge after a flood.

 

 

If you ever need help doing anything around your house, don't hesitate to grab the guys with the white shirts and ties!  Even if you aren't interested in learning more about our Church, they will be more than happy to help! 

 

 

Is it a requirement to serve a mission?

 

All men ages 12 and older in our Church are holders of the Priesthood.  This is authority given by God to man to lead the Church and administer the ordinances of the gospel (Sacrament, baptism, blessings, etc).  Another of these priesthood duties is to serve a mission.  So every worthy and able young man is expected to serve a mission.  The Prophet and President of the Church today, President Thomas S. Monson said recently:

 

"Every worthy, able young man should prepare to serve a mission. Such service is a priesthood duty—an obligation the Lord expects of us who have been given so very much."
 

With that being said, it is not forced.  Young men are encouraged to go, and are taught that this is a priesthood duty that they have.  However, if they choose to not go there are no negative consequences, you simply miss out on the opportunity to serve the Lord and your fellow man and the blessings that follow.    

Young women are not under the same obligation to serve, but are welcomed into missionary service if they so choose.  President Monson continued:

"Sisters, while you do not have the same priesthood responsibility as do the young men to serve as full-time missionaries, you also make a valuable contribution as missionaries, and we welcome your service."
 

In addition

In addition to young men and women, Senior missionary couples serve missions for 6, 12, and 18 months.  They serve proselyting missions, as well as service missions.  Service missions range from working to provide water, sanitation, and other necessities to villages in developing countries to teaching english and other skills.  They also can include working at Church visitor centers, historical sites, and temples and helping others with geneological research.  There are also opportunities to serve missions from your home for those who may have physical or other limitations that make serving a full-time mission difficult.  These may include family history work, service in church employment offices or other duties locally.

What does a mission do for the missionary?

Serving a mission provides untold blessings to those the missionaries teach and encounter, but the blessings to the missionary are miraculous as well.  I can honestly say I would not be the man I am today without the experience of serving a mission.  It solidifies a testimony of the Gospel in the young man or womans heart.  It teaches them that service to the Lord should always be a top priority in life.  It teaches your to rely on your Heavenly Father for guidance, counsel, etc. 

I knew that Christ was my Savior before my mission, but as a missionary I came to know Christ.  I spent two full years studying the Gospel over two hours a day and teaching it for over 8 hours a day.  I watched Spirit teach and change people's lives and change my life.  Missionary work is a choice, but I tell every young man in my local church that it is the absolute best decision they could make for their lives and their family's life. 

I tell my four year old daughter that when she decides to get married (in like 40 years, haha) she should choose to marry a man who chose to serve a mission.  I say this because serving a mission shows that that man can put all his ambitions and wants on hold to serve the Lord.  If he can do that, he will be able to put her interest ahead of his wants in their marriage.  He will have a foundation of honoring God, and THAT is a necessity in a successful marriage!

One of my favorite missionary companions, Elder Busath and I



To Conclude

In short, missions to a Mormon are a very sacred and important part of life.  I am grateful I served a mission, and I hope next time you see two elders or sisters walking down the street or riding bicycles you will have a better understanding of what they are doing and the type of men and women they are becoming.  Please be kind to them.  They are a long ways away from home and doing their best to serve their God and their fellow man.


Question: How does serving God affect your and your family?



If you are enjoying these posts please share them with your friends and family.  And, as always, please submit any questions you have about Mormons in the comment section of the Ask a Mormon page of this blog. 

Twitter: @Skropp2





Do You Worship Joseph Smith?

Do You Worship Joseph Smith?

I can't tell you how many times I've been asked that question.

Short Answer: No, we do not.

Because of my sarcastic nature, my usual response is something along the lines of:

I don't know, do you worship Moses, Abraham or Isaiah?



Photo copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc. 

I respond that way because to us, as Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith was the same as Moses, Abraham, Isaiah and every other Biblical prophet. He was a man, chosen by God to lead His Church. He received inspiration and revelation. But he was a man. He made mistakes, he was mortal, and he is certainly NOT someone to worship.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints explained it well when he said:  

"We do not worship Joseph Smith. We do not baptize in his name. We do not pray to Joseph Smith. We do not administer the Sacrament in his name. To even SAY that carries the deep offense of such a suggestion. Our faith is in Christ. And salvation is in Him only. There IS no other name given under Heaven whereby a man can be saved." (New Mission Presidents Seminar, 2004.  Provo Missionary Training Center)

We revere Joseph Smith as a prophet, but only a prophet.

The Real Question

It seems to mean that when people ask me if I worship Joseph Smith, the real question they are asking me is: Do you worship Jesus Christ?

For Mormons, as with all Christians, there is only one one man that came to earth, lived a perfect life and atoned for the sins of all mankind, and that is Jesus Christ.

Here is what Peter said about how we are saved:

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."  (Acts 4:12)
 

King Benjamin, a ruler and prophet in ancient America said this of Christ over 100 years before His birth:

"And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent." (Mosiah 3:17)
 

The Prophet Joseph Smith himself said:

"The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it." (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, Chpt. 3)
 

Thomas S. Monson, Prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today has said:

 "With all my heart and the fervency of my soul, I lift up my voice in testimony as a special witness and declare that God does live. Jesus is His Son, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. He is our Redeemer; He is our Mediator with the Father. He it was who died on the cross to atone for our sins. He became the firstfruits of the Resurrection. Because He died, all shall live again. “Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: ‘I know that my Redeemer lives!’” May the whole world know it and live by that knowledge" (General Conference, April 2007)
 

I hope this post, as well as the quotes from the scriptures and modern day prophets will serve to explain that not only do we not worship Joseph Smith, but we very clearly worship Jesus Christ.  I know that my salvation is in and through Jesus Christ as no one else!  I am eternally grateful for His atoning sacrifice that allows me the opportunity to be forgiven of my sins and return to live with my Father in Heaven after this life with my family!





Question: Which church leaders, ministers, saints, prophets, etc do you revere for their dedication to the cause of the Gospel?



Thanks for taking the time to understand my faith and how it influences me daily. Please share these posts with others.

Also, please visit the Ask a Mormon page on this blog and submit any questions you have about Mormons. I'd love to answer them!

Twitter: @Skropp2

Mormon Misconceptions

Well, its that time of the week again.  Thanks for reading another Ask a Mormon weekend post! As always, I invite you to visit the Ask a Mormon page and submit a question you have about Mormon doctrine, practices, and/or culture in the comments section and I'll do my best to answer it in an upcoming post!

Chris submitted this question that we'll answer this week:

How do you feel about shows like "Big Love" and how they make Mormons look? Also, what is your feelings about the recent I'm a Mormon commercials?

 Great Question Chris.  There are several shows that are less than flattering towards the LDS Church. How do I feel about them?  Quite frankly, I don't think about them much.  As a Mormon, it kind of comes with the territory that you will come across alot of misconceptions and that there are people who will look to capitalize on those misconceptions for financial gain and ratings.  Shows like Big Love allow the misconception to be perpetuated that Mormons practice polygamy, which is not true. It was practiced in the early days of the Church, but has not been practiced since 1890 and since that time any person that practiced polygamy has not been associated with the Church. 

What is sad to me is that shows like Big Love, Sister Wives, as well as movies, television reports, news stories etc often will not clarify that polygamy is against the teachings of the LDS Church and those individuals practicing polygamy (ie Warren Jeffs, etc) are NOT members of the Church but are offshoots of the Church and not associated in anyway. 

The bottom line is that, you and I, as people of faith, will always come across those that paint us in a less that favorable light. 

The question is, when we are faced with such attacks, lies, deceptions, etc, what will we do? 

Will we do as the Savior would do, and turn the other cheek? 

Remember, it was Christ that said,

"...Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven..." (Matt. 5:44-45)

I'm a Mormon

Now, how do I feel about the recent I'm a Mormon commercials?

Short answer: I love them. 

The I'm a Mormon commercials are part of a marketing campaign by the Church.  The idea was to cut through a lot of the misconceptions that people have about Mormons because of how we are portrayed on TV, movies, etc. 

So as part of that, the Church has asked each member to visit the Church's site, www.mormon.org and create a profile.  This profile gives some background of a member of the Church, their interests, hobbies, etc.  It also gives you a list of frequently asked questions that they have answered. So when you click on a question, instead of just getting the Church's official response, you also get the real life answers of Mormons who are just like you.  You can check out my mormon.org profile here.

In conjunction with these profiles, the Church did video profiles of hundreds of members.  These videos make up the commercials that you see on television.  You can watch several of these in the "Our People" Section of mormon.org. Some of these people are regular people, some are professional athletes, entertainers etc.  Check out this video of Brandon Flowers, lead singer of the band The Killers.

 
I think its a totally innovative way to showcase what the Church and its beliefs mean to the members and how it affects their lives.  There are some AMAZING stories of faith in these videos.  I watch them just to strengthen my own faith!  I'd recommend them to you as well. 

Another great one is Stephanie Nielson's story.  If this one doesn't tug at your heart, I dont know what will!

The Point

The point is, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we may have some different beliefs than you do.  We may seem kinda weird, or peculiar.  But we are just like you. 

We are parents, spouses, siblings, neighbors, Christians.

And we seek the same joys you seek and we experience the same struggles and challenges that you do. 

We are all children of a Heavenly Father!

We all want to return and live with Him once more.  



Question: How do you deal with misconceptions people have about YOUR beliefs?


I am grateful to you for reading this post.  I hope you have found it beneficial.  Please share it with those you know! 


I'd love to hear what you think of these posts.  Please comment below, get ahold of me on twitter, @Skropp2 and as always, please leave a question on the Ask a Mormon page of the blog for me to answer!

The material in this blog post are my own opinions and not the official stance of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Do You Have 20 Minutes?

Do You Have 20 Minutes?

As many of you probably have heard, Dr. Stephen R. Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and world renowned leadership expert passed away July 16, age 79.

Photo courtesy of www.StephenCovey.com

Dr. Covey has meant a lot to me. As a young missionary, my mission president fed us a steady diet of Dr. Covey's teachings. When I returned home one of the first things I did was purchase "The Seven Habits" and read it. It has profoundly changed my life. Not only have I grown as a person, husband, father, friend by applying its principles, but it started me on a journey of self improvement that continues today. My insatiable appetite for growing and improving as a person is a result of Dr. Covey.

As I read Dr. Covey's obituary I was in awe of the man portrayed. Certainly he was a household name, and had trained hundreds of thousands of people, some very well known, but he was a man that was content to be a father, husband, friend and Christian. These areas are where, I believe, he gauged his success or failure as a person.

I want to share a quote from Dr. Covey that his children say he would often repeat to them:

"If you will spend twenty minutes each day with the Savior of the world in private worship, you will spend eternity in his presence." Stephen R. Covey

The obituary said his daily routine was to get up early, find a quiet spot and spend time in reflection, prayer and scripture study.

Think about that quote.

Think about the type and character of the man who said it.

Then answer this:

Question: Do You Have 20 minutes a day? How do/will you spend those 20 minutes?

I know that Christ lives and is the Savior of the World! I know that it is only through His sacrifice that we have hope of redemption.

If you enjoy these posts, please pass them along to those you associate with!

Twitter: @Skropp2

3 Benefits of Worrying...

“Nothing comes so naturally to a human being as anxiety and worry.”
― Brian Richardson
 

Photo courtesy of Alex E. Proimos, Some Rights Reserved



Ok, all those who have never worried about anything, raise your hand...
Yup, that's what I thought. We have all worried, are worried now, and, assuredly, will have opportunity to worry in the future.
Since we all worry, let's take a look at some of the benefits of worrying.

Here are 3 benefits for you to consider:

1. ?????


Ok, I'll be honest, I cannot think of ONE benefit of worrying, let alone 3!

The only thing you gain from worrying is an increase of things to worry about!!

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”
― Corrie Ten Boom
 

Worrying wears you out. Worrying zaps you of your strength. Worrying chases away happiness. Worrying feeds your worst assumptions and starves your hope for the future.

“Worry divides the mind.”
― Max Lucado

Try thinking when you're worried. Try to plan your week when you're worried about that doctor's appointment next Thursday. Try writing a blog post while your spouse is two hours late getting home. You just can't. Worrying consumes your mind and makes it impossible to think of anything else.

“I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them have never happened.”
― Mark Twain

Our minds are amazing at projecting what the future may look like. The problem lies in the fact that all it has to work with is the information we feed it. If we feed it worried thoughts, our minds will go down that road of negative outcomes a thousand miles and show us the "scenery" along the way.  The downfall to this is, most of it will never happen. These are simply the worst case scenarios. Don't waste energy on that which probably won't happen.

“Drag your thoughts away from your troubles...
by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it.”
― Mark Twain

Be proactive about what goes into your mind. Don't form the habit (and break it if you have it) of feeding your mind only the bad information. Choose to think of the best possible scenarios.

“If the problem can be solved why worry? If the problem cannot be solved worrying will do you no good.”
― Śāntideva

Worrying robs you of your God-given ability to choose. You surrender control of the situation to a made-up outcome that may or may not happen. By worrying you also greatly increase the likelihood that you'll experience a less desirable outcome than if you had chosen not to worry!

Please Don't Misunderstand

Don't mistake worry for concern. There are many situations where concern is warranted, totally acceptable, and expected. If a loved one is in the Emergency Room. If you get laid off. If your child is lost. These are situations where one would be expected to show great concern. 

Here's where I believe the line is:
Worrying: You are consumed with the "worst that could happen". You are focused on things that are beyond your control. You are paralyzed with fear and unable to think clearly.

Concern: You understand the gravity of the situation, but you're focused on doing those things that are within your control. You don't allow your thoughts to be overrun by your worst fears.


As you reduce the amount of time and energy you expend on worrying, I am confident to will experience more energy, a greater sense of control and increased joy and happiness.




Q: What do you do to keep from needlessly worrying in your life?

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Twitter: @Skropp2

Everyday Grace: Faith

Last week we talked about Grace.  I shared with you a challenge Elder Gene R. Cook gave to go through your scriptures and substitute "enabling power" for "grace" everytime the word appears.  Elder Cook promises us that,

"You will then understand some doctrines about grace which you have never understood before."

Try it.  It really does help you understand alot about grace that you probably hadn't understood prior. 

This week I wanted to talk about Everyday Grace. You know, how we can access and use the grace of God daily in our lives.

Elder Cook states,

"...we must realize that this great concept of the enabling power of Jesus Christ is what gets us through our everyday problems...It's how the Lord Jesus Christ and his Father are involved with us on a daily basis.  This grace can see us through our problems if we can tap the power."

In the same talk by Elder Cook, he lists several ways in which we can access grace every day.  The ways that he suggests are:

Access Grace....

...Through Faith

...by Doing All in Your Part

...Through Repentance and Good Works

...Through Keeping the Commandments

...Access Grace through Humility

I want to dive into each of them a bit, and it may take a few posts to do it...but we'll get there!

Ok, first, Accesing Grace Through Faith

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherin we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."  

Romans 5:1-2

 In my opinion, faith is the greatest power on the earth and throughout the eternities.  Hebrews 11 tells us all that faith has accomplished, including framing the worlds (vs. 3), Enoch translated (vs. 5), seas parted (vs. 29), and city walls destroyed (vs. 30). 

If faith can do such amazing things, is it that hard to believe that by faith we can access grace in our daily lives? 

Paul, in his epistle to the Church in Ephesus stated,

 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."

Ephesians 2:8

 Like Paul says, we're saved by grace through faith.  So while we are saved by Christ's enabling power, we still must offer what we can, and that is our faith.  We are asked to give our all, and when our all has been expended, Christ picks us up and carries us the rest of the way. 

In our daily lives how does this happen? 

How about when you are doing all you can to get all you need to get done and it just doesnt seem like you'll be able to do it.  And then somehow you find some extra time, or one task takes less time than you expected.  Is this not grace?  After you have put all you could into your tasks, you had faith and the Lord made the difference.

Or when you've done all you can to raise, teach, encourage a child and that child decides, still, to make poor decisions.  But you exercise faith and sooner or later that child comes to their senses, straightens up and gets back on track.  Did you not do all you could?  Did you not encourage and counsel, pray and plead, love and exercise patience?  And the grace of Christ made the difference. 

Another important point about accessing grace through faith is remember that faith and doubt cannot co-exist.  So for us to use faith to access grace, we must do all we can to eliminate the doubts that frequently enter our minds when we are stressed or worried. 

My friend, Chris LoCurto tweeted an awesome quote about faith today,

 "Faith means belief in something concerning which doubt is theoretically possible."

 What this means to me is that if we are in a situation where faith is necessary (and that is pretty much all the time...) doubt probably wont be too far behind trying to sneak into our minds...so be proactive in having faith, and therefore, experiencing grace more fully in your life!

I want to end with another quote from Elder Cook (I know, I'm quoting him a lot...its a GREAT talk!),

"Thus it doesn't matter whether you're in the first hour or the eleventh hour according to Jesus' parable.  The requirement is to put in all you can.  Wherever you are in your station in life, the Lord will put in the rest.  The grace of the Father and the Son truly is sufficient to cover us all. 

How have you seen that you have found access to grace through your faith? 

If you appreciate these posts, please share them with your family, friends, and even that kinda weird guy you see at Wal-marts that you can never remember his name.... ;)