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October, 2011

  1. I Believe In Things I Cannot See

    October 30, 2011 by Jessica

    New Author Jessica Tanner

    We learn about gravity pretty early on in our lives. When we first try learning to walk we stumble and fall down many times. We don’t see what it is that makes us fall, we just feel the result of falling. As we get older we learn that there are things we can do to avoid falling and we usually take necessary precautions, as most of us don’t enjoy falling. When we get into school we get introduced to a name that explains the reason why we fall down instead of falling up. It is called gravity. Gravity is not something we can hold on to.

    We cannot taste it,hear it or see it. But we know it exists. We have felt it, we have seen the effects of gravity and we continue to see evidence of it all around us, daily. It manifests itself in the rain that falls from the sky and the tears that fall down our cheeks. Gravity affects the young and the old, the sick and the well, the rich and the poor. We can choose to say “I do not believe in gravity” but it will not change its existence.

    I believe in things I cannot see. I may not see God but I believe He exists and I see evidence of Him all around me daily. I see His creations, I see His interventions on the behalf of mankind and I see His hand in my life guiding, helping, protecting, lifting, teaching. One may choose to say “I do not believe in God” but that will not make Him any less real. I would say that in this life we experience both a physical gravity and a spiritual gravity.

    The physical one, the gravitational pull that keeps us on the earth, is not one we overcome. But the spiritual falls we experience from the weight of the world pulling us down can be overcome. It is God’s gift to us—the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ as he wrought the Atonement—that allows us to overcome the downward pull of this other type of gravity that causes spiritually falling. Through the Atonement we can rise up and become like our Savior and He will make our burdens light.

    Alma 32:21

    “And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for thingswhich are not seen, which are true.”


  2. Opportunities To Do Good…

    October 16, 2011 by Ben Tanner

    From a talk given by President Henry B. Eyring…


  3. God Understands Us Completely

    October 9, 2011 by Ben Tanner

    15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

    There is a big difference between academic knowledge and applied knowledge.  You can learn about and thing by someone telling you about it.  But to experience that thing is a very different kind of knowledge.  I can tell you about my home town Kanab, Utah.  But if you never visit it, you never see it’s red rocks and beautiful views, you will never really “know” what it’s like.

    In the same way, we all have what the scriptures call “infirmities” or weaknesses and we all experience this mortal life in a way that could not just be taught in a classroom.  I has to be experienced.  We are taught both by Paul in the New Testament (see the quote from Hebrews above), and  more fully by Alma in the Book of Mormon that Jesus Christ did not only come to save us from our sins, but also to help our weaknesses.

    Jesus really took upon himself all the weaknesses of mortality.  He experienced these weaknesses first hand.  He  even was “in all points tempted like as we are.”  But He did not give into temptation.  Beyond our sins, his atonement atoned for our infirmities says Alma:

    Alma 7:12

    12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

    He did this so he could completely know what each of us are going through.  He doesn’t just know in an academic way, but He really does “know” in an applied way.  He know’s exactly how you feel.  His doesn’t just have sympathy for you, but empathy.  He loves you.  His grace is sufficient for you, and your weaknesses.  All you have to do is have faith in Him (Hebrews 11:6) , repent when you falter (revelation 2:5), make and keep covenants to keep his commandments (Romans 6:4), receive the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:17),  and endure to the end.  (Hebrews 3:14)

    In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.