All Dogs Go To Heaven

When I was just a young pup, my dad brought home a little puppy that could fit in the palms of your hands. He was to be known as Bogart, after the actor Humphrey Bogart. Bogart was a yellow lab and was one of the most loving dogs I will ever met. My brothers, sister and I all grew up with this dog beside us. When he was just a puppy we all begged our parents to let him sleep in our beds with us. After weeks of begging, they finally gave in. I can still here my dad saying, "You're gonna regret it."

Bogart grew to be about the size of a small pony. Every night he would stumble into our rooms and hop up on our beds. As you can imagine, he would take up about 3/4 of the bed and the rest was so generously left for us. He  meant well, but just couldn't grasp that this was our bed, not his. Eventually after endless hours of waking up in the middle of the night and shoving him off the bed, we finally decided to get him his own bed to sleep on.

Bogart was my best friend. We hung out all the time. Even if it was just him laying on the floor and me propping my feet up on him while watching TV. We had a lot of personal moments together too. People always said that a dog was mans best friend, but I never understood until we had Bogart. For those of you who knew him, he wasn't exactly a very "active" dog. As a matter of fact, he was one of the laziest dogs ever. You could take him for a walk down the street and he'd already be panting a lung out before we had gotten a hundred yards from the house. We wouldn't let him sleep down stairs because he would get into the trash, so we had to lock him in our rooms with us till the next morning. On many occasions before bed, we found him at the bottom of the stairs, looking up them like they were Mt. Rushmore. We'd have to go down there and give him some, encouragement.

He never really was a quick learner. We always told him not to get into the trash, or get up on the couch, but he did it anyways, like any dog would. Even when we would yell at him or bonk him on the head, he still loved us. He hated being alone too. We could yell at him one minute, and he'd come into the room the next and rub up against our legs. He was a hairy dog too, so his hair went everywhere! We'd yell at him again for having so much hair, but he just licked us and was content My siblings can relate to this very well. At one point in my life, I was convinced we were gonna have another dog out of all the hair he produced. If not for the hair, we probably would've forgot he was there because he was so lazy and didn't do anything but eat, sleep, and poop. Whenever we would arrive home from anywhere, you could here his tail THUMP THUMP THUMPING on the ground inside and when the door would be opened, he'd lunge at us with joy. As time passed, the visits at the door became less and less frequent.

When it came to the later years in Bogart's life, it became apparent to us that he was going to pass away soon. He had really bad hip problems and basically walked sideways. It was also very hard for him to get up the stairs. We had to carry him up the stairs numerous times because he just couldn't do it and would fall down the stairs. One night, Bogart lay on my floor and I got down on the floor and laid with him. He licked my hand and laid his head back down. I still remember his heavy breathing and heart beating.

Bogart died the summer after my freshman year. We knew he was in a lot of pain, so my dad took him to the vet one day and had him put down. My dad said that when they had him on the table, he licked my dads hand and rubbed him with his nose. As he passed, he had a smile on his face and my dad knew he wasn't in anymore pain. We all miss Bogart and know he is in a better place now.

I share these stories about my dog with you because we can relate him with our Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus loved us so much that he came here and died for us. Even though we doubt him and don't follow all of his commandments, he always has his hand stretched out to us and he will always love us no matter what. I know that the Savior loved Bogart and that he is with him now. I know that through the atonement of Jesus Christ, I can see Bogart again and be able to cuddle up with him again and know that everything is gonna be okay. I have a testimony of our Savior and his plan for us. I also have a testimony of this Gospel and the truthfulness of it. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

The Plan of Salvation

I remember the first lesson I received when I moved up into the Priest Quorum. It was on the Plan of Salvation. You know when you think you know something, but that area is a little fuzzy? Like you could kind of tell someone what something was, but not really? That's how I felt about that lesson that day. I knew of the Plan of Salvation and the basic premise of it, but I couldn't put into words what happened and what is to happen. One of the most important reasons we were sent here by Heavenly Father was to gain a body and to obtain as much knowledge as we could. Everything else was just a side note. The only thing you take with you when you die is your knowledge. So don't you think it's important for us to learn about the Plan of Salvation so we know what to expect when that day comes?

In the beginning, we were all intelligences. One day, Heavenly Father appeared to us and he had a physical body, like you and I do now. We were so impressed and in aw of this that we wanted one ourselves. His two sons, Jesus and Lucifer, both came up with a Plan for all of the intelligences. Lucifer's plan was that Heavenly Father give his power to him, we don't get agency, and he get's all the glory. Heavenly Father didn't like that idea, so Satan was cast out.

Jesus' plan was that we all get bodies, have our own agency, and God gets all the glory. Which one of those plans sounds better to you? If you chose B, you are the winner! Everyone that is on the Earth and have been on the Earth chose Jesus' plan to come here and get a body. Sadly though, a whole third of the people we were with at the time chose Satan's plan. When we put into perspective how many people have lived, are living, and will live on the Earth, that's a lot of people that chose to serve Satan. According to a recent study, approximately 107,602,707,791 people have been born. A third of that would be 35,867,569,264. It's sad to think that those people will never get to experience what we have and to be happy like we are.

So after Satan was cast out, we passed through the veil. This is why we don't remember anything that happened before our existence. Heavenly Father wanted us to learn everything on our own and have the agency to do and think what we wanted. While here on the Earth, he expects us to learn as much as possible, believe in Him, and to gain experience. Once we die, our bodies are separated from our spirits and we go to the Spirit World. People who were righteous during their lives will find joy and happiness there. For others who made bad choices, it will be more like a spirit prison. I learned in Seminary a couple of days ago that when we die, we don't automatically become perfect like our Heavenly Father. We have to continually work towards it. In the Spirit World, we will teach people about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

We are there until Jesus visits the Earth again. No one knows when that will happen, so don't delay the day that you repent of your sins! Many prophets and apostles have counseled this to us. Once that happens, we will be judged. That is the great and fearful day of man. It is said that we will know of all our sins and transgressions and we will be judged by Jesus. We cannot lie about our sins and we will be judged fair and justly according to God's will. After we are judged, there are four places we can be sent: Outer Darkness, the Telestial, the Terrestrial, and the Celestial Kingdoms, Celestial being the highest glory and where God lives. In the first three listed, there is no progression. We remain in whatever state of progression we were in on the Earth. If you can imagine outer darkness, there is no happiness, God does not dwell there, and you are in complete darkness. The other three kingdoms can not be described. The prophet, Joseph Smith, told us that there was no description that could accurately describe what any of the three kingdoms are like. We do know that the Celestial Kingdom is the most high, though. It is our goal to live there with our Heavenly Father for eternity.

I have a testimony of the Plan of Salvation and of Jesus Christ's atonement. Without the atonement of Jesus Christ, we could not have eternal life. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church of God and I am grateful for the teachers and leaders that have taught me its truths. I am also thankful for my family and friends that have strengthened my testimony. If you would like to learn more about the Plan of Salvation, look up the scriptures that are provided in the picture below. I know we can live with Jesus Christ and God again if we live righteously and are obedient to the commandments of God and we follow the Holy Ghost's promptings. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Are you worthy to live in God's presence?

The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning

Wouldn't it be wonderful if Jesus Christ were here on the Earth today? How perfect would the world be? Would you act the same or do the same things that you do now? Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World and he loved us so much that he came to this Earth, taught the disciples, and died for our sins and rose again so that we could live with him again.  When we have faith in our Savior, we can conquer any challenge we may face.

In the most recent session of General Conference, our prophet and apostles counseled us about the commandments of the Lord. Although the world may change its standards on what is right and what is wrong, the Lord's standards will never change and we need to stick to his doctrine. A big thing that was taught today at church was about the power of the scriptures. If we stay true to the Gospel and read our scriptures everyday, the Lord can manifest to us the truth of all things. Sometimes it can be hard to remember what the Lord has asked us to do and also to remain faithful to his teachings. Especially in high school, people all around me are doing drugs, drinking alcohol, supporting gay marriage, and using bad language. Sometimes, I get angry and am tempted by the devil to use foul language. Thanks to seminary and the power that it brings me everyday, I have a stronger testimony of the scriptures and of Jesus Christ and that helps me to remember the things which the Lord would have me to do.

In the pre-mortal life, we made the decision to come to the Earth and receive bodies. We agreed that when we came here, we would forget everything and that we would have to rely on faith to return to our Heavenly Father. Coming into this life, for some, is easier than it was for others. Some are blessed with wealth and big families and many other precious things. Others are less fortunate and don't have as many things as maybe they could want. Having faith allows us to forget the things we don't have, and remember the things that we do have and that the Lord has blessed us with so willingly. Sometimes when I am alone, I like to think of what I can do to serve the Lord. Not just for my own salvation, but for other peoples salvation and happiness.

I'm making this week's message shorter so you have time to watch the video below about having faith in Jesus Christ. This video has always been an inspiration to me and has helped me to come closer to my Heavenly Father. I know the Gospel is true and that Jesus is the Christ. When we put our faith in him, all things are possible. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Finding Faith in Christ

Showing Gratitude

In this season of Thanksgiving, we tend to find more things in our lives to be grateful for. The most typical things everyone is thankful for consist of families, food, shelter, and friends. But why does it take a certain time of the year for all of us to realize that we should be grateful for things that we have and are blessed with by our Heavenly Father? If you take the time to sit down and make a list of things your are grateful for, you would be surprised of all the things, big and small, that you are given.

In the past couple of years, we started to have car trouble with our minivan. I live in a household with my mom, dad, and sister. My two older brothers are moved out. At first, the van started having small issues like leaking oil, or squeaking breaks. More recently, our transmission went out and now the spark plugs are being leaked on by oil and anti-freeze. My family doesn't have the money to buy a new car and we need the car to last me until I go on my 2 year mission for the church. Even though its hard to notice, the Lord has had his hand in the blessings of our lives from the beginning. Ever since we've had the van, no one has gotten into any accidents and we were just recently blessed with a missionary in our ward who was a mechanic back home. He is an angel to our family and has fixed our van a countless number of times and it has blessed our lives immensely.

As an Aaronic Priesthood holder in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I had the opportunity today to be called by my bishop as the First Assistant of the Priest Quorum in my ward. This is a big responsibility for a young man of my age. I have the responsibility to lead our weekly meetings, bless the sacrament, and take charge where leadership is needed. In our lesson today, we were given the topic of Gratitude. We went around in a circle and were asked to name one thing, ascending alphabetically, that we were grateful for. Many of the young men suggested things like food, video games, or something of that nature. I really tried to ponder the meaning of this lesson and what sort of message our teacher was trying to get across to us. As it came around the circle to me, I was in charge of providing an answer starting with the letter D. I thought for a minute in silence, then I said, "I am grateful for Dads."

My father has always been there for me. From the first time I took a breath in the hospital to needing help when writing a paper for my English class. He has always been a great example to me an shown his Priesthood authority by giving me a Father's Blessing every year before school. When a friend of ours, Ralph Cordell, was in the hospital, my dad would take me at least twice a week to the hospital to go and see Ralph. I didn't realize it at the time, but later my dad told me the purpose of visiting him. It was to show Ralph that he was still loved. Personally, I have never been in the hospital for any period of time. My dad has had some experience with this. When my dad had to stay in the hospital for three days, he told me it was the loneliest three days of his life and how you feel like no one loves you and everyone just forgot you were there. I then started to notice how every time me and my dad walked into the room, Ralph's face would just light up! He was so excited to see us. His wife later told me that he would get so excited after we left and say things like, "Then haven't forgot me!" We would get him into his wheel chair and walk him around outside, eat meals with him, and just sit and have a good chat. Ralph was one of my Priest Quorum advisers. He was one of the best teachers I ever had. Ralph died shortly after he was released from the hospital of diabetes. At his funeral, me and my dad participated in a men's choir singing "Praise to the Man". I think this was one of the most heart felt moments I ever had with my father. As the song progressed, tears streamed down our faces. I grabbed my dad's hand and we both sang strong and tried to make it to the end of the song. As I would squeeze tight, my dad would squeeze tighter. I'll never forget that day and the look on my dad's face. He also shared with me a scripture that made me think of service in a different way. That scripture was James 1: 27.

I'm grateful for the Priesthood example that my dad shows me everyday and the opportunity I had to visit Ralph while he was in the hospital. Although God took an angel from my life, I'm grateful for the chance I had to know Ralph and the lessons of knowledge and truth he provided me.

When attending school everyday and seeing the work of the devil walk the hallways and hearing the things people are saying to each other, it is hard to remember sometimes where I stand and the role Jesus Christ plays in my life. Sometimes when I have thoughts pop into my head that I shouldn't be thinking of, I like to take a scripture, such as Moses 1: 16 and repeat it in my head. "Get thee hence Satan!" If we are faithful, the Lord will fill our thoughts with peaceful and nourishing ones. In Boyd K. Packers talk in 1973, "Worthy Music, Worthy Thoughts", he talks about our minds being like a stage and we are the director. We control what goes on and off the stage and what is said. Satan uses all his power to send things onto the stage that shouldn't be there. Since we are the directors, we need to use all of our power to get those bad things off the stage and replace them with good things. I know that Boyd K. Packer is an apostle of God and that he was called to testify of the Lord's work and I am grateful for him and all of the other apostles and Quorums of the 70.

As you go about your life for the rest of the week, month, year, whatever it may be, I encourage you to think of not just the little things you are grateful for, but of all the things you have been blessed with. The season of Thanksgiving is not the only time we need to recognize blessings in our lives. Show your gratitude to those around you and do things for others to strengthen their testimonies. I have a testimony of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the leaders of it. I know that Joseph Smith is the founder of this church and Jesus Christ sits at the head. I love my family, friends, and my Savior and am grateful for all the things that I am provided with. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Have I seen His hand in my life?