By Alan on May 05 in Blog tagged afraid, challenges, children, choices, courage, courageous, destructive behavior, discipline, Father, fear, Holy Ghost, Jesus Christ, liberty, listen, love, marriage, mother, motherhood, needs, Olive Osmond, parenting, peer pressure, permission, physically, pornography, protect, relationships, restraint, Satan, say no, speak up, spirit, spiritually, take a stand, temptations, time, warning | No Comments

What The World Really Needs . . .

What the world really needs is courageous parenting from mothers and fathers who are not afraid to speak up and take a stand.

 ”MOTHER”

A sacred title referring to a woman who bears or adopts children.

Mothers assist in God’s plan by providing mortal bodies for God’s spirit children.

“Mother” in Scriptures:

           Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living: Gen. 3:20; ( Moses 4:26; )

            Honor thy father and thy mother: Ex. 20:12; ( Eph. 6:1–3; Mosiah 13:20; )

            Forsake not the law of thy mother: Prov. 1:8;

            A foolish man despises his mother: Prov. 15:20; ( Prov. 10:1; )

            Do not despise your mother when she is old: Prov. 23:22;

            Her children and husband rise up and call her blessed and her husband praises her: Prov. 31:28;

            The mother of Jesus stood by the cross: John 19:25–27;

            Two thousand Lamanite warriors had been taught by their mothers: Alma 56:47; ( Alma 57:21; )

                        Our glorious Mother Eve was among the great and mighty whom the Lord instructed in the spirit world: D&C 138:38–39;

EVE – The First Mother:

Latter-day revelation makes clear that the Fall is a blessing and that Adam and Eve should be honored as the first parents of all mankind.

Courageous Parenting

LARRY R. LAWRENCE

I would like to speak today to the parents of teenagers. Your bright and energetic youth are the future, and for that reason they are a prime target of the adversary. Many of you faithful mothers and fathers are praying for answers to help you guide your children through these important years. There are no perfect parents and no easy answers, but there are principles of truth that we can rely on.

From the book of Joshua. It begins, “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid” (Joshua 1:9). This phrase from the scriptures would be a good theme for parents as well. In these last days, what the world really needs is courageous parenting from mothers and fathers who are not afraid to speak up and take a stand.

Imagine for a moment that your daughter was sitting on the railroad tracks and you heard the train whistle blowing. Would you warn her to get off the tracks? Or would you hesitate, worried that she might think you were being overprotective? If she ignored your warning, would you quickly move her to a safe place? Of course you would! Your love for your daughter would override all other considerations. You would value her life more than her temporary goodwill.

Challenges and temptations are coming at our teenagers with the speed and power of a freight train. As we are reminded in the family proclamation, parents are responsible for the protection of their children.  That means spiritually as well as physically.

There was a father named Alma who was counseling his wayward son Corianton. Alma loved him enough to speak very directly to the problem. He expressed his deep disappointment that his son had been immoral and explained to him the serious consequences of sin.  Alma said to his son,  “And now the Spirit of the Lord doth say unto me: Command thy children to do good … ; therefore I command you, my son, in the fear of God, that ye refrain from your iniquities” (Alma 39:12). This early intervention by his father became a turning point for Corianton. He repented and served faithfully thereafter (see Alma 42:31; 43:1–2).

Another father from the scriptures, Eli in the Old Testament. Eli served as the high priest in Israel during the childhood of Samuel the prophet. The scriptures explain that the Lord rebuked him severely “because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not” (1 Samuel 3:13). Eli’s sons never did repent, and all of Israel suffered because of their folly. The story of Eli teaches us that parents who love their children cannot afford to be intimidated by them.

Parenting is not a popularity contest. Sometimes we are afraid of our children—afraid to counsel with them for fear of offending them.

Years ago our 17-year-old son wanted to go on a weekend trip with his friends, who were all good boys. He asked for permission to go. I wanted to say yes, but for some reason I felt uncomfortable about the trip. I shared my feelings with my wife, who was very supportive. “We need to listen to that warning voice,” she said.

Of course, our son was disappointed and asked why we didn’t want him to go. I answered honestly that I didn’t know why. “I just don’t feel good about it,” I explained, “and I love you too much to ignore these feelings inside.” I was quite surprised when he said, “That’s OK, Dad. I understand.”

Young people understand more than we realize because they too have the gift of the Holy Ghost and can discern. They are trying to recognize the Spirit when He speaks, and they are watching our example. From us they learn to pay attention to their promptings—that if they “don’t feel good about something,” it’s best not to pursue it.

It’s so important for husbands and wives to be united when making parenting decisions. If either parent doesn’t feel good about something, then permission should not be granted. If either feels uncomfortable about a movie, a television show, a video game, a party, a dress, a swimsuit, or an Internet activity, have the courage to support each other and say no.

I would like to share with you a letter from a heartbroken mother about her teenage son. She explained: “All throughout my son’s teenage years, I worried and tried to stop him from playing violent video games. I talked to my husband and showed him articles in the newspaper that cautioned about these games. But my husband felt it was OK. He said that our son wasn’t out using drugs and that I should stop worrying. There were times that I would hide the controllers, and my husband would give them back. It began to be easier for me to give in … than to fight it. I really feel that gaming is just as addictive as drugs. I would do anything to prevent other parents from going through this experience.”

If your spouse doesn’t feel good about something, show respect for those feelings. When you take the easy way out by saying and doing nothing, you may be enabling destructive behavior.

Parents can prevent a lot of heartache by teaching their children to postpone romantic relationships until the time comes when they are ready for marriage. Prematurely pairing off with a boyfriend or girlfriend is dangerous. Becoming a “couple” creates emotional intimacy, which too often leads to physical intimacy. Satan knows this sequence and uses it to his advantage. He will do whatever he can to keep our youth from being worthy of having a pure and virtuous lives and worthy of sacred marriages.

It is vital that parents have the courage to speak up and intervene before Satan succeeds. President Boyd K. Packer has taught that “when morality is involved, we have both the right and the obligation to raise a warning voice.”

I have always believed that nothing really good happens late at night and that young people need to know what time they are expected to come home.

There is a great deal of wisdom displayed when parents stay up and wait for their children to return home. Young men and women make far better choices when they know their parents are waiting up to hear about their evening and to kiss them good night.

May I express my personal warning about a practice that is common in many cultures. I am referring to sleepovers, or spending the night at the home of a friend.  I discovered that too many youth violated the the law of chastity for the first time as part of a sleepover. Too often their first exposure to pornography and even their first encounter with the police occurred when they were spending the night away from home.

Peer pressure becomes more powerful when our children are away from our influence and when their defenses are weakened late at night. If you have ever felt uneasy about an overnight activity, don’t be afraid to respond to that warning voice inside. Always be prayerful when it comes to protecting your precious children.

Courageous parenting does not always involve saying no. Parents also need courage to say yes to the counsel of modern-day prophets. Our Church leaders have counseled us to establish righteous patterns in our homes. Consider five fundamental practices that have the power to fortify our youth: family prayer, family scripture study, family home evening, family dinner together, and regular one-on-one interviews with each child.

It takes courage to gather children from whatever they’re doing and kneel together as a family. It takes courage to turn off the television and the computer and to guide your family through the pages of the scriptures every day. It takes courage to turn down other invitations so that you can reserve that evening for your family. It takes courage and willpower to avoid overscheduling so that your family can be home for dinner.

One of the most effective ways we can influence our sons and daughters is to counsel with them in private interviews. By listening closely, we can discover the desires of their hearts, help them set righteous goals, and also share with them the spiritual impressions that we have received about them. Counseling requires courage.

Try to imagine what the rising generation could become if these five righteous patterns were practiced consistently in every home. Our young people could be like Helaman’s army: invincible (see Alma 57:25–26).

Parenting teenagers in these latter days is a very humbling assignment. Satan and his followers are striving to bring this generation down; the Lord is counting on valiant parents to bring them up. Parents, “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid” (Joshua 1:9). I know that God hears and will answer your prayers. I testify that the Lord supports and blesses courageous parents.

Several scriptures back up the role of being good parents and proclaim that worthy husbands and wives who have been properly sealed in marriage in a temple of God may fulfill their role as parents throughout eternity.

            Children, obey your parents:Eph. 6:1–3; ( Col. 3:20; )

            Adam and Eve were our first parents:1 Ne. 5:11;

            The cursing may be upon the heads of your parents:2 Ne. 4:6;

            Teach parents that they must repent and be baptized:Moro. 8:10;

            Parents are commanded to teach the gospel to their children:D&C 68:25;

            All children have claim upon their parents:D&C 83:4;

                        The sins of the parents cannot be answered upon the heads of the children:Moses 6:54;

Olive Davis Osmond

A mother’s influence extends from generation to generation.

We honor our mothers and their ever important responsibility to love and nurture our children.  Perhaps the reason we respond so universally to our mothers’ love is because it typifies the love of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Lord has placed upon parents the primary responsibility for the spiritual nurturing of their children. Sometimes this responsibility falls to a single parent. My own mother was relatively young when my father died, leaving her alone with four children. But she faced her adversity with faith and courage, promising us that if we stayed on the road of truth, the end would be better than the beginning.

As a rule the mothers are the very best women that live in the world, the best that can be found anywhere. … The good influence that a good mother exercises over her children is like leaven cast into the measure of meal, that will leaven the whole lump; and as far as her influence extends, not only to her own children, but to the associates of her children, it is felt, and good is the result accomplished by it.

You do not know how far your influence extends. A mother that is successful in raising a good boy, or girl, to imitate her example and to follow her precepts through life, sows the seeds of virtue, honor and integrity and of righteousness in their hearts that will be felt through all their career in life; and wherever that boy or girl goes, as man or woman, in whatever society they mingle, the good effects of the example of that mother upon them will be felt; and it will never die, because it will extend from them to their children from generation to generation. And especially do we hope for this in the Gospel of Jesus Christ he, who is the Son of God was indeed no other than the Only Begotten of God in the flesh, and that, therefore, no other than God the eternal Father is his Father and the author of his existence in the world.

Great responsibility rests upon the mothers.

Motherhood lies at the foundation of happiness in the home, and of prosperity in the nation. God has laid upon men and women very sacred obligations with respect to motherhood.

Women that have the same conception of wifehood and motherhood are not exclusively intended for just this life. … We live for time and for eternity. Our affections and our desires are found fitted and prepared to endure not only throughout the temporal or mortal life, but through all eternity.

We shall prosper and upon the earth; for this is our mission, and the work of your mothers and daughters. Great responsibility rests upon you. Upon you depend the training and the direction of the thoughts and the inspiration of the hearts of your children, for they drink into the spirit of their mothers, and the influence of the mother over the children is the most enduring impression that can be made. There is nothing so imperishable as the influence of the mother; that is when she is good and has the spirit of Christ in her heart, and she has brought up her children in the way they should go.

Our mothers, and the mothers of our children, whose hearts are filled with solicitude for the welfare of their children, having had conferred upon them the gift of the Holy Spirit, can go to their secret chambers and bow down before God and commune with Him as no other mothers on earth can do, if they will only observe the principles they have embraced and will live up to their privileges. By the influence that they will thus gain over the hearts of their children they will lead them in the path of righteousness and truth, and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, in the love of truth, in obedience to His commands, in such a way as others cannot do who are destitute of these privileges, blessings and endowments, so freely conferred upon our mothers.

There can be no genuine happiness separate and apart from the home, and every effort made to sanctify and preserve its influence is uplifting to those who toil and sacrifice for its establishment. Men and women often seek to substitute some other life for that of the home; they would make themselves believe that the home means restraint; that the highest liberty is the fullest opportunity to move about at will. There is no happiness without service, and there is no service greater than that which converts the home into a divine institution, and which promotes and preserves family life.

… The strongest attachments of childhood are those that cluster about the home, and the dearest memories of old age are those that call up the associations of youth and its happy surroundings.

In the home the mother is the principal disciplinarian in early child life, and her influence and discipline determine in a great measure the ability of her children to assume in manhood and womanhood the larger governments in church and state.

I most sincerely hope that our mothers today will guard very zealously and very carefully the lives of their daughters and of their sons. I would if I had it in my power make it possible for all mothers to have the joy and the unspeakable satisfaction of rearing their sons and their daughters above the reproach of men and above the power of sin.

The love of a true mother comes near to being like the love of God.

No love in all the world can equal the love of a true mother. … I have felt sometimes, how could even the Father love his children more than my mother loved her children? It was life to me; it was strength; it was encouragement; it was love that begat love or liking in myself. I knew she loved me with all her heart. She loved her children with all her soul. She would toil and labor and sacrifice herself day and night, for the temporal comforts and blessings that she could meagerly give, through the results of her own labors, to her children. There was no sacrifice of self—of her own time, of her leisure or pleasure, or opportunities for rest—that was considered for a moment, when it was compared with her duty and her love to her children.

When I was fifteen years of age, and called to go to a foreign country to preach the gospel—or to learn how, and to learn it for myself—the strongest anchor that was fixed in my life, and that helped to hold my ambition and my desire steady, to bring me upon a level and keep me straight, was that love which I knew she had for me who bore me into the world.

Only a little boy, not matured at all in judgment, without the advantage of education, thrown in the midst of the greatest allurements and temptations that it was possible for any boy or any man to be subjected to—and yet, whenever these temptations became most alluring and most tempting to me, the first thought that arose in my soul was this: Remember the love of your mother. Remember how she strove for your welfare. Remember how willing she was to sacrifice her life for your good. Remember what she taught you in your childhood. … This feeling toward my mother became a defense, a barrier between me and temptation, so that I could turn aside from temptation and sin by the help of the Lord and the love begotten in my soul, toward her whom I knew loved me more than anybody else in all the world, and more than any other living being could love me.

… The true mother, the mother who has the fear of God and the love of truth in her soul, would never hide from danger or evil and leave her child exposed to it. But as natural as it is for the sparks to fly upward, as natural as it is to breathe the breath of life, if there were danger coming to her child, she would step between the child and that danger; she would defend her child to the uttermost. Her life would be nothing in the balance, in comparison with the life of her child. That is the love of true motherhood for children. …

I have learned to place a high estimate upon the love of mother. I have often said, and will repeat it, that the love of a true mother comes nearer being like the love of God than any other kind of love.

Perhaps the most perfect ideal in the art of healing is the mother whose tender and gracious love asserts itself in taking away the sting of a deserved or an undeserved punishment. How her love heals every wound! How quick her caresses bind up and soothe! The example of her life is the wisdom which love teaches.

There is nothing between me and the heavens that would compensate for doing something that would grieve or hurt my mother. Why? Because she loved me, she would have died for me over and over again, if such were possible, only to have saved me. Why should I grieve, why should I disappoint her? Why should I take a course contrary to her own life and her life’s teachings to me, for she taught me honor, and virtue, and truth, and integrity to the kingdom of God, and she taught me not only by precept but by example.

I cannot express the joy I feel at the thought of meeting my father, and my precious mother, who gave me birth in the midst of persecution and poverty, who bore me in her arms and was patient, forbearing, tender and true during all my helpless moments in the world. The thought of meeting her, who can express the joy?

God bless the mothers.

God bless the mothers and the sons and daughters; and keep our children from the ways of the world, from transgression and from temptation that will lead them astray. May the power of God be over all the household of faith.

I believe that with the Holy Spirit, every mother has the right to know what to do in her family and in her sphere, over her children, in their guidance and direction; and that mother and every mother possessing that spirit has the gift of revelation, the gift of inspiration and the gift of knowledge, which is the spirit of prophecy, the spirit of discernment, a gift of God to them, to govern their households and lead their children in the path of righteousness and truth.

I feel in my heart to bless you, mothers and sisters, with all my heart and with all the power and right that I possess in the priesthood which is after the order of the Son of God. … I have the right and the authority in the priesthood to bless Israel, and to bless those who are faithful, especially; and I feel in my heart to say I bless you.

Joseph F. Smith

Happy Mothers Day!
From The Family

By Alan on Nov 06 in Blog tagged America, choose, courage, Election day, knowledge, lead our nation, right person, vote, wisdom, worthy | 1 Comment

Let Those Be Chosen That Are Worthy

“There has been a day of calling, but the time has come for a day of choosing; and let those be chosen that are worthy.” D&C 105:35

The Man God Has Prepared To Lead Us

“CHANGE” OR “REAL CHANGE”

“Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? 
and do ye not remember?
Mark 8:18

“And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and 
deliver them out of bondage.” Mosiah 24:13

“Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; 
for without faith there cannot be any hope.”
Moroni 7:42

By Alan on Jun 02 in Blog tagged alcohol, Almighty God, battles, cigarette, courage, David and Goliath, discouragement, doubt, duty, effort, envy, fear, greed, humility, in your life, laziness, love of duty, lust, no less important, prayer, Pride, selfish streak, selfishness, the battle for our souls, the enemy, Thomas S. Monson, unruly tongue, vice | Comments Off

The Battle For Our Souls

Meeting Your Goliath

Of all the battles that have been fought over many centuries in the area of the world known as the Holy Land, no single battle is better remembered than the one which occurred in the Valley of Elah during the year 1063 B.C. Along the mountains on one side, the feared armies of the Philistines were marshaled to march directly to the heart of Judah and the Jordan Valley. On the other side of the valley, King Saul had drawn up his armies in opposition.

Historians tell us that the opposing forces were about evenly matched in number and in skill. However, the Philistines had managed to keep secret their valued knowledge of smelting and fashioning iron into formidable weapons of war. The sound of hammers pounding upon anvils and the sight of smoke rising skyward from many bellows as the smiths went about the task of sharpening weapons and fashioning new ones must have struck fear into the hearts of Saul’s warriors, for even the most novice of soldiers would know the superiority of iron weapons to those of brass.

As often happened when armies faced each other, individual champions challenged others from the opposing forces to single combat. There was considerable precedent for this sort of fighting; and on more than one occasion, notably during the tenure of Samson as judge, battles had been decided by individual combat.

Now, however, the situation was reversed as far as Israel was concerned, and it was a Philistine who dared to challenge all others—a veritable giant of a man called Goliath of Gath. He wore heavy brass armor and a coat of mail. And the staff of his spear would stagger a strong man merely to lift, let alone hurl. His shield was the longest ever seen or heard of, and his sword a fearsome blade.

This champion from the Philistine camp stood and cried unto the armies of Israel: “Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me” (1 Samuel 17:8).

His challenge was that if he were overpowered by an Israelite warrior, then all the Philistines would become servants to the Israelites. On the other hand, if he were victorious, the Israelites would become their slaves. Goliath roared: “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together” (1 Samuel 17:10).

For forty days came the challenge, met only by fear and trembling. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man Goliath, “fled from him, and were sore afraid” (1 Samuel 17:24).

There was one, however, who did not quake with fear nor run in alarm. Rather, he stiffened the spine of Israel’s soldiers by his piercing question of rebuke toward them: “Is there not a cause? … Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:19, 32). David, the shepherd boy, had spoken. But he did not speak just as a shepherd boy. For the hands of the prophet Samuel had rested upon his head and anointed him; and the Spirit of the Lord had come upon him.

Saul said to David: “Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth” (1 Samuel 17:33). But David persevered; and bedecked with the armour of Saul, he prepared to meet the giant. Realizing his helplessness so garbed, David discarded the armor, took instead his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag; and with his sling in hand, he drew near to the Philistine.

All of us remember the shocked exclamation of Goliath: “Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? … Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field” (1 Samuel 17:43–44).

Then David said: “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

“This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand … that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

“And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.

“And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

“And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it and smote the Philistine in the forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

“So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him” (1 Samuel 17:45–50).

The battle had been fought. The victory had been won. David emerged a national hero, his destiny before him.

Some of us remember David as a shepherd boy divinely commissioned by the Lord through the prophet Samuel. Others of us know him as a mighty warrior, for doesn’t the record show the chant of the adoring women following his many victorious battles, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7)? Or perhaps we look upon him as the inspired poet or as one of Israel’s greatest kings. Still others recall that he violated the laws of God and took Bathsheba, she who belonged to another. He even arranged the death of her husband Uriah. I like to think of David as the righteous lad who had the courage and the faith to face insurmountable odds when all others hesitated, and to redeem the name of Israel by facing that giant in his life—Goliath of Gath.

Well might we look carefully into our own lives and judge our courage, our faith. Is there a Goliath in your life? Is there one in mine? Does he stand squarely between you and your desired happiness? Your Goliath may not carry a sword or hurl a verbal challenge of insult that all may hear and force you to decision. He may not be ten feet tall, but he likely will appear equally as formidable, and his silent challenge may shame and embarrass.

One man’s Goliath may be the stranglehold of a cigarette or perhaps an unquenchable thirst for alcohol. To another, her Goliath may be an unruly tongue or a selfish streak which causes her to spurn the poor and the downtrodden. Envy, greed, fear, laziness, doubt, vice, pride, lust, selfishness, discouragement—all spell Goliath.

The giant you face will not diminish in size nor in power or strength by your vain hoping, wishing, or waiting for him to do so. Rather, he increases in power as his hold upon you tightens.

The poet truly describes this truth:

David went to the brook and carefully selected five smooth stones with which he might meet his enemy. He was deliberate in his selection, for there could be no turning back, no second chance—this battle was to be decisive.

Just as David went to the brook, well might we go to our source of supply—the Lord. What polished stones will you select to defeat the Goliath that is robbing you of your happiness by smothering your opportunities? May I offer suggestions.

The stone of COURAGE will be essential to your victory. As we survey the challenges of life, that which is easy is rarely right. In fact, the course that we should properly follow appears at times impossible, impenetrable, hopeless.

Such did the way appear to Laman and Lemuel. When they looked upon their assignment to go unto the house of Laban and seek the records according to God’s command, they murmured, saying it was a hard thing that was required of them. Thus, a lack of courage took from them their opportunity, and it was given to courageous Nephi, who responded, “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them” (1 Nephi 3:7). The stone of courage is needed.

Next, I select the stone of EFFORT—mental effort and physical effort.

The decision to overcome a fault or correct a weakness is an actual step in the process of doing so. “Thrust in thy sickle with thy might” was not spoken of missionary work alone.

Then there must be in our selection the stone of HUMILITY, for haven’t we been told through divine revelation that when we are humble, the Lord, our God, will lead us by the hand and give us answer to our prayers?

And who would go forth to battle his Goliath without the stone of PRAYER, remembering that the recognition of a power higher than oneself is in no way debasing; rather, it exalts.

Finally, let us choose the stone of LOVE OF DUTY. Duty is not merely to do the thing we ought to do, but to do it when we should, whether we like it or not.

Armed with this selection of five polished stones to be propelled by the mighty sling of faith, we need then but take the staff of virtue to steady us, and we are ready to meet the giant Goliath, wherever, and whenever, and however we find him.

For the stone of COURAGE will melt the Goliath of fear. The stone of EFFORT will bring down the Goliath of indecision and procrastination. And the Goliaths of pride, of envy, of lack of self-respect will not stand before the power of the stones of HUMILITY, PRAYER, and DUTY.

Above all else, may we ever remember that we do not go forth alone to battle the Goliaths of our lives. As David declared to Israel, so might we echo the knowledge, “The battle is the Lord’s, and he will give [Goliath] into our hands” (1 Samuel 17:47).

But the battle must be fought. Victory cannot come by default. So it is in the battles of life. Life will never spread itself in an unobstructed view before us. We must anticipate the approaching forks and turnings in the road. We cannot hope to reach our desired journey’s end if we think aimlessly about whether to go east or west. We must make our decisions purposefully. Our most significant opportunities will be found in times of greatest difficulty.

The vast, uncharted expanse of the Atlantic Ocean stood as a Goliath between Christopher Columbus and the New World. The hearts of his comrades became faint, their courage dimmed, hopelessness engulfed them; but Columbus prevailed with his watchword, “Westward, ever Westward, sail on, sail on.” (See Joaquin Miller, “Columbus,” in Ralph Henry and Lucile Pannell, comps., My American Heritage, [1949], 153–54.)

Carthage Jail, an angry mob with painted faces, and certain death faced the Prophet Joseph Smith. But from the wellsprings of his abundant faith he calmly met the Goliath of death. “I am going like a lamb to the slaughter,” he had said over a month earlier, “but I am calm as a summer’s morning. I have a conscience void of offense toward God and toward all men” (History of the Church, 6:555).

Gethsemane, Golgotha, intense pain and suffering beyond the comprehension of mortal man stood between Jesus the Master and victory over the grave. Yet he lovingly assured us, “I go to prepare a place for you … that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2–3).

And what is the significance of these accounts? Had there been no ocean, there would have been no Columbus. No jail, no Joseph. No mob, no martyr. No cross, no Christ!

Should there be a Goliath in our lives, or a giant called by any other name, we need not “flee” or be “sore afraid” as we go up to battle against him. Rather we can find assurance and receive divine help from Him of whom David wrote in his inspired psalm: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. … Yea, though I walk through the valley of shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me” (Psalm 23:1, 4).

Victory will be ours.

I like to think of David as the righteous lad who had the courage and the faith to face insurmountable odds when all others hesitated, and to redeem the name of Israel by facing the giant in his life.

Like David of old, “our cause is just.” We have been placed upon earth not to fail or fall victim to temptation’s snare, but rather to succeed. Our giant, our Goliath, must be conquered.

What polished stones will you select to defeat the Goliath that is robbing you of your happiness by smothering your opportunities?

May I suggest the stones of Courage, Effort, Humility, Prayer, and Duty.

Thomas S. Monson
For The Family 

By Alan on May 23 in Blog tagged Abraham Lincoln, ain't Abe Lincoln, brotherhood, courage, destroying the rich, do for themselves, hatred, help the poor, independence, Obama, The Family, the strong, the weak, wage earner, wage payer | Comments Off

I Know Abe Lincoln!

Obama has made numerous attempts to quote Lincoln
SO WHY DOESN’T OBAMA USE THIS FAMOUS LINCOLN QUOTE:

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence.
You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.

… Abraham Lincoln

“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.”  Rom. 1: 22

Paul Linford
For The Family 

By Alan on Feb 13 in Blog tagged apologize, better care, borrowed, Call a friend, complacency, courage, demands, discourage, don't blow horn, encourage, free of malice, gratitude, I love you, kaugh, kind and thoughtful, lighten up, make a promise, make effort, pay a debt, pesimist, principles, read, reality, resolve problems, share stories, smile, smoke, soft answer, tall, think, understand | Comments Off

Do the things you’ve always wanted to do but couldn’t find the time.

• Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories.
  
• Share a funny story with someone whose spirits are dragging.  A good laugh can be very good medicine.
  
• Vow not to make a promise you don’t think you can keep.
  
• Pay a debt.
• Give a soft answer.
  
• Free yourself of envy and malice.
  
• Encourage some youth to do his or her best.  Share your experience, and offer support.  Young people need role models.
  
• Make a genuine effort to stay in closer touch with family and good friends. 

• Resolve to stop magnifying small problems and shooting from the lip.  Words that you have to eat can be hard to digest.
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• Find the time to be kind and thoughtful. All of us have the same allotment.  24 hours a day.  Give a compliment.  It might give someone a badly needed lift.
  
• Think things through. Forgive an injustice.  Listen more.  Be kind.
  
• Apologize when you realize you are wrong. An apology never diminishes a person.  It elevates him.
  
• Don’t blow your own horn. IF you’ve done something praiseworthy, someone will notice eventually.
  
• Try to understand a point of view that is different from your own.  Few things are 100 percent one way or another.
  
• Examine the demands you make on others.
  
• Lighten up. When you feel like blowing your top, ask yourself.  “Will it matter a week from today?”
  
• Laugh the loudest when the joke is on you.
  
• The sure way to have a friend is to be one. We are all connected by our humanity, and we need each other.
  
• Avoid malcontents and pessimists. They drag you down and contribute nothing.
  
• from trying something risky.  Nothing-ventured means nothing gained.  Be optimistic.  The can-do spirit is the fuel that makes things go.
  
• Go to war against animosity and complacency.
• Express your gratitude. Give credit when it’s due- and even when it isn’t.  It will make you look good.
• Read something uplifting. Deep-six the trash.  You wouldn’t eat garbage – why put it in your head?
  
• Don’t abandon your old-fashioned principles. They never go out of style.
  
• When courage is needed, ask yourself, “If not me, who?  If not now, when?”
  
• Take better care of yourself. Remember, you’re all you’ve got.  Pass up that second helping.  You really don’t need it.  Vow to eat more sensibly.  You’ll feel better and look better, too.
  
• Don’t put up with secondhand smoke. Nobody has the right to pollute your air or give you cancer.  If someone says, “This is a free country,” remind him or her hat the country may be free, but no person is free if he has a habit he can’t control.
  
• Return those books you borrowed. Reschedule that missed dental appointment.  Clean out your closet.  Take those photos out of the drawer and put them in an album.  If you see litter on the sidewalk, pick it up instead of walking over it.
  
• Give yourself a reality check. Phoniness is transparent, and it is tiresome.  Take pleasure in the beauty and the wonders of nature.  A flower is God’s miracle.
  
• Walk tall, and smile more. You’ll look 10 years younger.
  
• Don’t be afraid to say, “I love you.” Say it again.  They are the sweetest words in the world.
• If you have love in your life, consider yourself blessed, and vow to make this the best year ever.

By Alan on Jan 19 in Daily Inspiration tagged courage, sit down and listen, stand up and speak | 1 Comment

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”

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Christlike communications are expressed in tones of love rather than loudness. They are intended to be helpful rather than hurtful. They tend to bind us together rather than to drive us apart. They tend to build rather than to belittle.

Christlike communications are expressions of affection and not anger, truth and not fabrication, compassion and not contention, respect and not ridicule, counsel and not criticism, correction and not condemnation. They are spoken with clarity and not with confusion. They may be tender or they may be tough, but they must always be tempered.

The real challenge that we face in our communications with others is to condition our hearts to have Christlike feelings for all of Heavenly Father’s children. When we develop this concern for the condition of others, we then will communicate with them as the Savior would. We will then warm the hearts of those who may be suffering in silence. As we meet people with special needs along life’s way, we can then make their journey brighter by the things that we say.

Take the time to listen!

Strengthening The Family

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By Alan on Nov 15 in Blog tagged Alan Osmond, an enemy to God, choices, courage, desire to serve others, Faith in Jesus Christ, fulfill my purpose, fulfill prophecy, God's Plan of Life, goodness, joy and thanksgiving, life is good, my eternal companion, natural man, principles, relationships, scriptures, spiritual children having human experiences, Suzanne, The Family, the feelings of my heart, this day, values, wickedness, Zion People | 10 Comments

It is winter and life in the mountains is GOOD!

It is with joy and thanksgiving that I express the feelings of my heart this day after having pondered the scriptures of Isaiah during the early hours of the morning and in giving thanks to our Creator above for all of the things that surround me;  for our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ with all His goodness that fills the desires within me to become as He would want me to become and who prompts my heart with warm feelings of courage after reading His words.  With thankfulness and the desire to serve others, which I know I must do, and in order to fulfilling my purposes and to give back for this life and this world in which I live today, I share these things.

The early morning hour awakened my mind with impressions of gratitude for life with a most wonderful family that loves me unconditionally and partnered by the most sensitive and tenderly beautiful giving woman, Suzanne, my eternal companion.  She causes the man within me to fulfill the best I can become for her and our family and the desire to provide her with the comforts, blessings and true relationship she is most deserving of and should have from me.  She is the one who stands by me daily, takes me in and comforts me and justifies my efforts each day with loving arms and reasoning while mending my wounds and renewing my strength after facing this world’s battles and tests.  What a wonderful wife!

It makes me think about my place and position in this world of God’s great plan of life as I challenge myself to try to become a better person in mind, body, spirit and heart and in reminding myself of the many blessings I have received and oh so many areas and ways of how I can still improve.  As I review the past with the many rivers that I have forged and crossed and the tests of life that have been fought and won only after battling for those choices in which I truly believed, in picking myself up and brushing off the dust when I would fall and bruise my body and ego while trying to make those correct choices, I have peace.  In tasting of the sweet success and achievements and licking the wounds of battles won while standing for truth and those values and principles that my parents taught me which had been instilled within me during my youth, I will never forget that for which I stand.  With courage I covenant to myself and to my Lord to become what God would want me to become and to bless His work and His glory of which I am a part, by my actions and those choices I make.

It is then that my mind remembers the faces of oh so many friends and relationships with experiences I have had with them over time which I cannot forget who have a special place in my heart and who deserve that responsibility that I feel, to give back to so many of them who played such an important role in making me what I have now become.

To those who are reading this, I want to thank you for choosing to be here, for trusting me and my friends, and in looking and searching for the good and the best things of life and for making commitments to be a part of a better way of living by putting God and family first.  We honestly have the desire to do well and make right choices and we will do it together.

Thank you for your faith in Jesus Christ and for being and remaining strong through this troublesome world of wickedness and for standing up for those values and principles of goodness that are offset and even destroyed by evil and conspiring men of our day and the wicked one they follow; for putting off the ‘natural man’ which is an enemy to God and in maintaining a spirit of hope, with our freedoms and faith knowing that just around the corner will be the grandest and greatest days of all when all of the evils of this world will be cast out with Satan, and Jesus shall return once again to dwell with us for a thousand years of peace and happiness.  We will then become a Zion people; the happiest people that ever lived!

It will have been worth the fight in working our hardest and standing up for good, in raising a family in a loving and orderly home with a true and faithful marriage, and in remaining strong and enduring to the end when the going got tough while the trendy world laughs and point their fingers and scoffing at us for our values and righteous desires; for living during the most challenging times ever with the fullness of good and evil while trying to provide for our loved one’s needs. All who do this will be blessed for setting their lives as good examples and in recognizing their mistakes and repenting of them quickly.  Truly, we will surely be rewarded for the fruits of our labors. We will have fulfilled prophecy and have become those who receive from the Lord His bounteous blessings with eternal rewards as promised. The hard times will then seem blurred as battled victories worth celebrating.  Eye hath not seen nor ear heard how great will be the blessings that the Lord will provide!  May we be the recipients.

We at thefamily.com hope that we can help provide for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, wisdom and many truths, helps, warnings of danger and words of caution and prevention during these troubled times ahead as well as the good times with scripture support so that you and your families can be prepared and make your appropriate choices that are in line with the Lord’s will.

We sanctify our Lord and God with all our hearts and always try to be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask us for a reason of the hope that is in us with meekness and fear.  May we always remember who we are, why we are here, and where we are going during this short time we are away from our Heavenly parents and here on earth as their spiritual children having now attained a physical body as well and  having human experiences.

May the Good Lord bless us all and our families with the best this world has to offer is my prayer and wish for you this day!

With love,

Alan Osmond
For The Family

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”  1 Pet. 3: 15

By Alan on Oct 25 in Blog tagged communists, courage, destroy Capitalism, gift, Glenn Beck, He tells us, islamists, it is right, it's coming soon, less words, more action, no fear, one body, one entrepreneur, one family, One Heart, One Mind, one person, one town, Only God, radicals, revolutionaries, save the country, save us, SOCIALISTS, spiritually strong, The Family, the truth, unknown, Western way of life, work together | Comments Off

“Radicals, Communists, Socialists, Revolutionaries, and Islamists, will work together to destroy Capitalism and the Western Way of Life.”

It’s only GOD,

and our STRICT adherence to what

He tells us to do,

That is going to SAVE US!

It will NOT save the collapse of the system,

But it will SAVE US!

Courage is not a virtue . . .

It is the testing point of all other virtues.

I beg you to NOT have FEAR.

It is normal to be afraid.  It is normal to be afraid of the unknown, to be afraid of something devastating, and fear is a gift.  However, paralyzing fear does NOT come from God. You’re going to be asked to do things!  And I know, because I have; to do things that you don’t really understand. . . things that you know aren’t right but, you know when you pray on it that IT IS RIGHT!

Have no FEAR.  Prepare NOW.  Too much TALK and not enough ACTION!

Get yourself IN SHAPE.  Get yourself strong SPIRITUALLY.  Get YOURSELF prepared and YOUR FAMILY prepared because . . . !

LESS WORDS, MORE ACTION!  EXACTLY LIKE THAT!

IT’S COMING SOON!

“THE TRUTH LIVES HERE.”

“ONE MIND

ONE HEART

ONE BODY

SAVING THE COUNTRY

ONE PERSON

ONE FAMILY

ONE ENTREPRENEUR

ONE TOWN

AT A TIME.”

By: Glenn Beck

“O, my beloved brethren, give ear to my words. Remember the greatness of the Holy One of Israel. Do not say that I have spoken hard things against you; for if ye do, ye will revile against the truth; for I have spoken the words of your Maker. I know that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness; but the righteous fear them not, for they love the truth and are not shaken.” 2 Ne. 9: 40

A friend and believer,

Alan Osmond
For The Family

By Alan on Oct 08 in Blog tagged courage, courageous, God, great movie, honesty, motivating, real life, religion, The Family, true | Comments Off

I just saw Courageous tonight with my wife. We have eight sons and want them all to take their wives and kids to see this movie. Men need to be Men! Have the Guts to be their creation! Everywhere in every nation be a family!!! I applaude Pastor Alex Kendrick and the Sherwood Baptist Church for the Courageous venture of their money that is touching many lives for good! God lives and so do father and son relationships if they keep God and Morals in their lives. I give this movie a major thumbs up and encourage all young fathers and mothers to go and see this!!!  Alan Osmond

Definitely for THE FAMILY!

By Alan on Jun 01 in Blog tagged 17 Miracles, belief, courage, faith, film, hope, LDS, Mormon, Mormon Pioneers, strength, T.C. Christiansen, The Family, theFamily, truth, will to live | 1 Comment

A friend of mine, T.C. Christensen, is not only a great friend but a master at film making.  Suzanne and I were invited to see his preview of “17 Miracles” which T.C. wrote and produced which opens tomorrow! We watched with wonderment how these Mormon pioneers made it through some of the hardest trials and trails that could be imagined with a tear in our eyes and a lump in our throats!

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If you and your family want to see real history and stories of faith and determination with the hand of God helping them and standing behind them by providing them with many miracles as they made their way to Utah in handcarts, then this will document some images in your mind that will remind you that Miracles really do happen!  I really think that you will enjoy it.

Here is a trailer showing some of the scenes in this great movie!

We all need to be Latter-day Pioneers as we face these challenging times in this world which we are living today.  We might not have to do it in handcarts as these early pioneers but with similar challenges of our day where we must be strong and stand for the truth in those things which we believe.

This film gives me more courage and desire to stand up for those truths and principles that I know to be true and no matter what happens, I know that I can keep moving forward with the knowledge and help of a loving Father in Heaven by my side helping me with every step that I take.

May we each develop that Pioneer Spirit within us and “Endure To The End” of this life of learning which blessings promise to be beyond our greatest imaginations.  Those mountains that we might have to climb and rivers that we have to cross will give us the experience we need to be what our God wants us to become.

We can become what we want to be, if we be what we want to become!

“For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” Moses 1: 39

Alan Osmond For The Family