I Believe

Have a seat, relax and read this slowly. I think you'll find some things that you also believe.

I Believe . . .

A Birth Certificate  shows we were born
A Death Certificate shows we  died
Pictures show we lived!

I Believe...
Just because two people argue,
Doesn't mean they don't love each  other.
And just because they don't argue,
Doesn't  mean they do love each other.

I Believe...
We don't have to change friends if 
We understand friends change.

I Believe....
No matter how  good a friend is, they're going to hurt
You every once  in a while and you must forgive them for  that. 

I Believe...
True friendship continues to  grow, even over
The longest distance. Same goes for true  love.

I Believe...
You can do something in an  instant
That will give you heartache for  life. 

I  Believe...
it's taking me a long time
To become the  person I want to be.

I Believe...
You should always leave loved  ones with
Loving words. It may be the last time you see  them. 

I Believe...
You can keep going long after  you think you can't.

I Believe...
We are  responsible for what we do, no matter how we  feel. 

I  Believe...
Either you control your attitude or it  controls you.

I Believe..
Heroes are the people who do  what has to be done
When it needs to be done, regardless  of consequences.

I Believe...
Money is a lousy way of  keeping score..

I Believe...
My best friend and I can do  anything or nothing
And have the best  time. 

I Believe...
Sometimes the people you  expect to kick you
When you're down will be the ones to  help you get back up.

I Believe...
Sometimes when  I'm angry, I have the right to be angry,
But that  doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I Believe...
Maturity  has more to do with what types of experiences you've had 
And what you've  learned from them, and less to do 
With how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I Believe..
It  isn't always enough to be forgiven by  others; 
Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive  yourself..

I Believe...
No matter how bad your heart  is broken,
The  world doesn't stop for your grief.

I Believe... 
Our background and circumstances may have influenced who  we are,
But we are responsible for whom we  become. 

I Believe...
You shouldn't be so eager to  find
Out a secret. It could change your life  forever. 

I Believe....
Two people can look at the  exact same
Thing and see something totally  different..

I Believe...
Your life can be changed in a  matter of
Hours by people who don't even know  you. 

I Believe...
Even when you think you have  no more to give, when
A friend cries out to you - you  will find the strength to help.

I Believe...
Credential's on the wall do  not make you a decent human being.

I Believe... 
The people you care about most in life are taken from  you too soon.

I  Believe......
The happiest of people don't  necessarily have the best of everything;
They just make  the most of  anything.

Visiting the Temple

Dean and I drove to the Las Vegas Temple last night. We sat in the foyer for a little while and it was interesting observing the people that were there.  We observed a couple different sets of missionaries.  Some were showing some investigators around.  Some were with new converts who were there to do baptisms for the dead along with some seasoned members of the church. I enjoyed just sitting and watching. It's wonderful to see the people that go there, in different stages of the conversion process, from investigators to new converts to long time members to members that were born into the church.

We walked around and took more pictures.  I love the temple grounds! Even as warm as it is right now, being on the grounds makes you feel like you are in a paradise. They are taken care of with a lot of care and love and precision. 

These pictures are in the back of the temple.  It makes you forget you are in Las Vegas.  Sometimes I feel like there is a taste of heaven here.

This is a small waterfall. 

There are different benches so  you can sit and relax and enjoy your surroundings.

If you look close there is a missionary in this picture. It's hard to tell but he is looking up.

This is a back view of the Angel Moroni before it started getting dark.



This was more of a front view of the Angel Moroni as the sun was going down.

There is more information about the LDS Temples at http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/. It's wonderful to realize that the Lord's kingdom will go forward no matter what effort Satan puts into destroying it. There are 134 temples in operation, 12 under construction and 15 more have been announced.  I for one want to be part of the Lord's kingdom. What a glorious day it will be when the Savior, Jesus Christ, comes again!

A Special Type of Soldier

A while back I received the following in an email from a friend.  I am so grateful for my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints.  I wonder if we appreciate this enough.

I am also extremely grateful for the men and women that put their lives on the line each day to protect our freedoms and way of life.

This is very touching. It is told by Hugh B. Brown who was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and served as a counselor on several occasions in the First Presidency.


          
At the request of the First Presidency, I had gone to England as coordinator for the LDS servicemen.  One Saturday afternoon in 1944, I  sent a telegram from London to the base chaplain near Liverpool letting   him know that I would be in camp the next morning to conduct Mormon church services at 10:00 a.m.
           
When I arrived at the camp, there were 75 Mormon boys, all in uniform and quite a number in battle dress.  The chaplain to whom I had sent the wire proved to be a Baptist minister fromthe southern U. S.  He, too, was waiting for my arrival.  As these young men ran out to greet me not because it was I, but because of what I represented, and as they literally threw their arms around me, knowing I was representing their parents as well as the Church, the minister said, "Please tell me how you do it."
         
"Do what?"
         
"Why," he said, "I did not get your wire until late this morning.  I made a hurried search.  I found there were 76 Mormon boys in this camp.  I got word to them.  75 of them are here.  The other is in the hospital.  I have more than 600 Baptist in this camp, and if I gave them 6 months notice, I could not get a response like that."
         
And then he repeated, "How do you do it?"
         
I said, "Sir, if you will come inside, perhaps you will see."
           
We went in to the little chapel.  The boys sat down.  I asked, "How many here have been on missions?"  I think a full 50% raised their hands.
           
I said, "Will you and you and you" and I pointed to six of them "please come and administer the sacrament?  And will you and you and you" and I pointed to six others "please come and sit here and be prepared to speak."
           
Then I said, "who can lead the music?" A number of hands were raised. "Will you come and lead the music?  And who can play this portable organ?"  There were several more hands, and one was selected. 

Then I said, "What would you like to sing, fellows?"  With one voice they replied, "Come, Come Ye Saints!" We had no hymnbook.  The boy sounded the chord:  they all arose.  I have heard "Come, Come Ye Saints" sung in many lands and by many choirs and congregations.  Without reflecting adversely on what we usually hear I think I have only heard "Come, Come Ye Saints" sung that once when every heart seemed to be bursting.  They sounded every verse without books.
         
When they came to the last verse, they didn't mute it; they didn't sing it like a dirge but throwing back their shoulders, they sang out until I was fearful the walls would burst.  "And should we die before our journey's through, happy day, all is well"; I looked at my minister friend and found him weeping. 

         
Then one of the boys who had been asked to administer the sacrament knelt at the table, bowed his head, and said, "Oh, God, the Eternal Father."  He paused for what seemed to be a full minute, and then he proceeded with the rest of the blessing on the bread.  At the close of that meeting, I sought that boy out.  I put my arm around his shoulders, and said, "Son, what's the matter? Why was it so difficult for you to ask the blessing on the bread?"
         
He paused for a minute and said, rather apologetically, "Well, Brother Brown, it hasn't been two hours since I was over the continent on a bombing mission.  As we started to return, I discovered that my tail assembly was partly shot away, that one of my engines was out, that three of my crew were wounded,  and that it appeared absolutely impossible that we could reach the shore of England.
         
Brother Brown, up there I remembered Primary and Sunday School and MIA, and home and church, and up there when it seemed all hope was lost, I said, "Oh, God the eternal Father, please support this plane until we reach a landing field."  He did just that, and when we landed, I learned of this meeting and I had to run all the way to get here. I didn't have time to change my battle dress, and when I knelt there and again addressed the Lord, I was reminded that I hadn't stopped to say thanks. Brother Brown, I had to pause a little while to tell God how grateful I was."
         
Well, we went on with the meeting.  We sang.  Prayers were offered, and these young men, with only a moment's notice, each stood and spoke, preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to their comrades, bore their testimonies, and again I say with due respect to the various ones with whom I have associated and labored-they were among the finest sermons I have ever heard.
         
Then the time was up and I said, "Fellows, it's time for chow.  We must dismiss now, or you will miss your dinner."  With almost one voice they cried, "We can eat grub any time. Let's have a testimony meeting!"
         
So we stayed another hour and a half while every man bore witness to the truthfulness of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  Each one in turn, and in his own way, said, "I know that God lives. I know that the gospel is restored.  I know that Joseph was a prophet of God."  Again I looked at my friend, and he was weeping unashamedly.
         
At the close of that meeting, this minister said, "I have been a minister for more than 21 years, and this has been the greatest spiritual experience of my life."