The Gift Of The Gospel

I absolutely love Seminary! It has taught me so much, and continues to broaden my perspective and strengthen my testimony of the truths of the Gospel!

These are some things I enjoyed from Seminary today. 

"While some information has merit, as members of the Church we have access to the source of pure truth, even God Himself. We would do well to search out answers to our problems and questions by investigating what the Lord has revealed through His prophets. With that same technology today, we have at our fingertips access to the words of the prophets on nearly any subject. 

...What has [God] taught us about personal happiness and fulfillment through His prophets?" ~Kevin R. Duncan

A story shared from the Friend:

Mike and his younger brothers, Eric and Tom, liked to go hiking with their dad. Dad always said he knew the mountains like the back of his own hand. He had grown up walking the same paths with his own dad, who was a sheepherder. 

One summer day [the boys] were excited to reach the top of the trail—a high meadow filled with fresh green grass and flowers of just about every color. And so they took off running through the trees at top speed, even though they were tired from their morning’s hike. They wanted to burst onto that meadow like jackrabbits.

'Stop when you get to the meadow,’ Dad called after them. ‘I’ll meet you there.’ They ran ahead, each trying to get in front of the others. [They forgot] Dad’s instruction. They ran in circles through the deep grass, jumping and dodging, whooping and hollering and tagging each other. Then Eric had an idea. ‘Let’s race all the way across the meadow!’ 

Tom hesitated. They couldn’t see the far side of the clearing because a grassy hill obscured their view. But Mike wasn’t worried. ‘I think this is the same meadow we came to last summer,’ he assured his brothers. They gathered back at the trees. ‘Ready!’ Eric shouted. ‘Set! GO!’ The wind felt fresh and cool on Mike’s cheeks and in his hair, and the faster he ran, the more wind he got. Soon he was leading the race. He felt like he could run forever. 

‘STOP!’ a voice bellowed like thunder behind them. All three boys stopped immediately. They turned and saw Dad running toward them from the edge of the meadow. ‘Come back here beside me,’ Dad called, more gently this time. The boys obeyed. [Then] they walked together across the meadow. As they topped the little hill, Dad suddenly stopped. Just a few paces ahead of them, a sheer cliff dropped down at least 20 or 30 feet. If they had been running, there was no way they could have seen it in time to stop. 

‘We could have died,’ Mike said softly. 

‘Well, maybe. I’m sure glad you stopped running even though I didn’t have time to explain. Sometimes we have to obey first and ask questions later!’ 

‘Especially when someone else knows what’s coming, and you don’t,’ Mike said.” (Ana Nelson Shaw, “Stop!” Friend, June 2005).

What we truly are in our heart will inevitably be revealed in our thoughts, words, and behaviors. The real truth about a man cannot be kept secret. ~Seminary

What a gift the gospel is in my life! I am so grateful for the opportunities I have to learn and grow from Seminary and other spiritual lessons.

Keep smiling,

~JS