LDS Prosperity

The story of Joshua is one of my favorites.  Joshua was the one who was able to lead the people into the Promised Land, an opportunity that was denied Moses and his generation as those Hebrews lacked the faith and gratitude to be worthy to enter. 

First of all, the parallels between Joshua and Christ are all over the place.  They share a name (in Hebrew, Jesus is Yeshua, which translated is Joshua).  Also, we see Moses' inability to lead the Hebrews to their final destination, which is a symbol or type of how the Law of Moses cannot lead us to the Highest Glory - only Christ can do that. 

But apart from all of that, Joshua is just a really cool guy.  After getting the Hebrews to the place they wanted to be more than ever, he spent the rest of his life reminding them of how they needed to live.  I would venture to say that those of us living in the Promised Land today can use a little reminding every day about Who is responsible for getting us here. 

In the end of his book, Joshua exhorts his people to "choose ...this day whom [they would] serve" (Joshua 24:15), and closes the verse with "...as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord".  And after that powerful statement, goes on to list all of the things the Lord has done for them, including leading them from bondage, showing them signs, showing them the way to go, driving out their enemies, etc. 

He then makes a covenant with the people and God that they will forsake all other gods and only serve Heavenly Father.  He writes this covenant on a great stone and sets it in a place where all can see it and be reminded of Whom they serve. 

What do we have around our homes that remind us of the covenants we made with Heavenly Father?

We could easily make the same list of things the Lords has done for us such as guiding our forefathers to this place, driving out their enemies, and specifically doing everything good that has guided us all to where we are.  Let us fill our homes with "great stones" that help us remember to be grateful for what we have, and also remind us of the covenants we have made to always serve Him.

Besides, by doing so, we will just find more and more reasons to make that list a lot longer. 

In a Priesthood Leadership Meeting in April of 1986 Ezra Taft Benson discussed the importance of the Scriptures (CLICK HERE). In this talk he mentions how hard the leadership strives to increase sacrament meeting attendance, get more young men to serve missions, improve numbers of those attending and marrying in the temple, and how such striving has a rather simple solution.

He says, "when individual members and families immerse themselves in the scriptures regularly and consistently, these other areas of activity will automatically come" (italics added). By immersing ourselves in the scriptures daily our testimonies grow, and we are more susceptible to personal revelation.

As if those blessings aren't enough, President Benson goes on the mention just some of the most important promises if we study diligently.

Study the scriptures to...:

1) Have Prosperity and Success: quoting Joshua 1:8 "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success" (italics added).

2) Be Healed: from Jacob 2:8 "they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea the word which healeth the wounded soul" (italics added).

3) Recognize the Truth: President Benson mentions how when we are so immersed in the "doctrines of the world" it becomes easy to question the "doctrines of the gospel". The Savior promised "And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived" (JS-M 1:37).

4) Gain Direction: from Psalms 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

5) Pull Free from Sinful Tendencies: Helaman 3:29 "...whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil."

May we all do as Spencer W. Kimball said and "discover the scriptures for ourselves--and not just discover them once, but rediscover them again and again..." (Ensign, Sep. 1976, pp.4-5). By dong so we will recognize the paths that lead us to our own Salvation.

Today missionaries are more effective than they have ever been due to the blessing of having the improved teaching manual "Preach My Gospel". It gives each individual missionary the tools they need to be able to teach from their own testimony and experiences.

Recently I decided I wanted to study the scriptures more like I did when I was a missionary. I remember what a blessing it was to jump out of bed, get ready, and then immerse myself in the scriptures every morning. In order to restore my "super powers" I went to the manual, and studied Chapter 2 (which I highly recommend to everyone by the way!).

The following are the tips I gathered that will make your morning devotional the best vitamins you could ever have.

1) Exercise & shower before study. Being alert is key to effective study.

2) Study at a desk or table (not lying down) where you have access to writing tools.

3) Begin study with a prayer. According to the manual "study is an act of faith requiring the use of personal agency". We must actively hunger and desire for revelation and knowledge, and ask the Holy Ghost to give us the inspiration we need.

4) Keep a scripture study journal or use your regular journal. Spend time reflecting and pondering, and jot down ideas as they come no matter how simple they seem, and never say to yourself, "oh, I'll remember that, I don't need to write it down". Write down tasks and goals as they come, then:

5) Live the revelation you receive. For revelation and inspiration to keep coming you must act upon the information you receive.

I was once taught about the importance of writing down EVERYTHING you are inspired to do while studying by a teacher who basically said, "the Lord will only continue to give you revelation if He knows you will continue to receive it". Carelessly discarding information may cut us off from future personal guidance.

Let us remember that almost every significant revelation Joseph Smith received was preceded by scripture study and reflection upon that study...

I realize I haven't posted for awhile - school and performances have dominated my life for the past month or so. I have gathered a lot of thoughts and look forward to putting them down here soon. Until then, here is a video I thought went right along with the season. Enjoy!

According the the dictionary, grace is "favor or good will". Its origins come from the latin word "grātia" which means favor, kindness, or esteem. When we receive the Grace of God, He directs His favor and good will toward us.

The restored gospel teaches us even more about grace. Elder Faust taught that "the Savior’s grace is activated in our lives through the Atonement, which purifies us and can perfect us". The Atonement is the ultimate symbol of Christ's Grace as it saves all of mankind, and exalts those who choose to live righteously.

Others have stressed grace as an action word. In other words, grace is not something that happened, but is happening to us. Elder Bednar called grace a "strengthening and enabling power". He also said that "the enabling and strengthening aspect of the Atonement helps us to see and to do and to become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity".

If we actively seek out God's grace in our lives He favors us by strengthening us and showing us good favor. He also opens our eyes to new ways of being good. This active seeking of ways to be righteous goes right in the face of those who would have us be only as obedient as "is necessary". Those who get as close to the line as they can without falling over it. We are taught that we can unlock real power if we proactively seek out opportunities to be righteous and obedient.

The Bible Dictionary defines grace as a "divine means of help or strength given through the bounteous mercy of Jesus Christ".

So how do we take part in this good favor and strengthening from the Lord? Besides obedience, according to the Apostle Paul "we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (emphasis added).

What is most interesting to me about what Paul teaches is that in order to receive the active form of grace that we so crave we must have confidence and faith that it is already there. We are blessed for our rejoicing with more of the same, and we also receive the abundance that comes with it.

Certainly every gift we have is a representation of God's Grace. With more gratitude, obedience, hope, and faith the Lord will show us even further evidences of His love, and maybe allow us to be tools of showing His Grace to others.

Just to share - here is a fun video of Il Divo singing "Amazing Grace" CLICK HERE

In searching for scriptures on prosperity I am no longer surprised by how often I find the process of gaining abundance to be a very proactive one on our part. The multitude of blessings the Lord has in store for us are all in our reach, we just have to actively seek them and work for them. Of course, even more wonderful is the fact that the process of working toward them is such a joyful one.

Early on in the restored church I am sure Joseph Smith must have struggled with teaching the Saints to not wait for his instruction but to receive their own revelation and act on it. (Incidentally, the fact that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints teaches its membership to actively seek inspiration from Heavenly Father and act on it shows the trust its leadership has in its members and the power of Spirit. Otherwise who knows which direction we would all be headed!)

In Doctrine and Covenants 58, Joseph hints to this frustration, and also tries to motivate the Saints:

Vs. 26: "For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward."

Not only do we put undue pressure on our leadership, we cut ourselves off if we wait to be told everything.

Vs. 27 & 28: "Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward."

What does it mean to be anxiously engaged? How can we be proactive about bringing to pass much righteousness? If you have any thoughts, please share.

President Monson gave a wonderful talk in which he quoted D&C 58, and then went on to talk about why people decide to partake in the miracles that come from making changes and following the Savior. He says the reason for the changes are:

"First, men have been shown their eternal possibilities and have made the decision to achieve them. They cannot really long rest content with mediocrity once excellence is within their reach.

"Second, other men and women and, yes, young people have followed the admonition of the Savior and have loved their neighbors as themselves and helped to bring their neighbors’ dreams to fulfillment and their ambitions to realization.

"The catalyst in this process has been the principle of love."

In order to be anxiously engaged we must 1) seek a vision of our eternal possibilities, and 2) love our neighbors. I love this idea of bringing our "neighbors' dreams to fulfillment and their ambitions to realization." In other words, when someone you love wants something, want it for them even more then they do.

If we love others and send our focus outward we will be anxiously engaged.

Psalms 1 describes the fate of the ungodly vs. a person whose "delight is in the law (also translated as teaching, direction) of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night" (verse 2).

One of the first principles I was taught on my mission before I left for the field was the idea that we gain real power when we change our focus from how close we can get to the line, to actively finding more ways to be obedient. David teaches us here that to delight in the teachings of the Lord is to consider them day and night, and find ways in which we can celebrate His laws in our lives.

When we do this, the blessing is that "we shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (verse 3).

When searching the scriptures we can all find ways to be more obedient, and be more confident in following Heavenly Father. The payoff for doing so is prosperity in all that we do.

Just a quick thought:

D&C 64:33-34

"Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that is great.

"Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days."

This was a time when the Saints were making preparations to go to Missouri from Ohio, and Joseph was instructing them who was going to be able to enjoy the blessings of Zion. When we give our mind and heart to the Lord, wonderful things happen.

President Monson in a Christmas fireside said:

"As we undertake our personal search for Jesus, aided and guided by the principle of prayer, it is fundamental that we have a clear concept of him whom we seek. The shepherds of old sought Jesus the child. But we seek Jesus the Christ, our Older Brother, our Mediator with the Father, our Redeemer, the Author of our salvation; he who was in the beginning with the Father; he who took upon himself the sins of the world and so willingly died that we might forever live. This is the Jesus whom we seek.

"And when we find him, will we be prepared as were the wise men of old to provide gifts from our many treasures? They presented gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These are not the gifts Jesus asks of us. From the treasure of our hearts Jesus asks that we give of ourselves: “Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind.” (D&C 64:34.)

In this marvelous dispensation of the fulness of times, our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved."

Have a great day and wonderful weekend!

In Section 59 of the Doctrine and Covenants the saints are in Jackson County, Missouri. As they strive to build Zion Joseph Smith gives them a vision for what that special place can become, and how it will become that way.

First, Joseph says that for those who are obedient to the gospel "shall receive for their reward good things of the earth, and it shall bring forth in its strength". And that's not all - "they shall also be crowned with blessings from above, yea, and with commandments not a few, and with revelations in their time" (D&C 59:3-4). Isn't that interesting that from obedience we receive more commandments? In other words, when we follow instructions we get more!

Next, Joseph Smith goes on to give what look a lot like the Ten Commandments, but they are modified just a bit. They are as follows:

1. "Love the Lord thy God with all they heart, with all they might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him" vs. 5
   
2. "Love thy neighbor as thyself" - and lumped together with that one - "thou shalt not steal, neither commit adultery, nor kill, nor do anything like unto it" vs. 6
   
3. "Thank the Lord thy God in all things" vs. 7
   
4. "Offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit" vs. 8
   
5. "Go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day" and "on this, the Lord's day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord" vs. 9,12
   
6. "Thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times" vs. 11
7. "Do these things with thanksgiving, with cheerful hearts and countenances, not with much laughter, for this is sin, but with a glad heart and a cheerful countenance" vs. 15

Remember that this is the Higher Law. These are the commandments that give us so much more than just obeying the original Ten Commandments.

After laying out these requirements, Joseph Smith describes the blessings that are attached, the first embodying all of the rest. In verse 16 he says that "the fulness of the earth is yours". What does that mean? We get:

1. "beasts of the field"
2. "fowls of the air"
3. "that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth"
4. "the herb"
5. "good things which come from the earth"

Then he goes into the many uses of these things - "whether for food or raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards".

Joseph Smith goes on to say that all of the things on this earth have been created by the Lord for our benefit, not just to fulfill our basic needs of clothing and food, but "both to please the eye and to gladden the heart". Not only are the essentials met, but as obedient servants of God we also have our lives enriched.

Let us all strive to create Zion-like homes. The promised blessings are just too good to pass up.

In my institute class this week we talked about the Liahona and all of its many metaphors for us today. As a refresher - the Liahona was a small curiously crafted compass-like device that not only led Lehi and his family through the wilderness, but also gave them specific instructions. However, it only worked when they were righteous and listened to their leaders.

We all have our own Liahona in the Gift of the Holy Ghost. If we are righteous it guides us to follow the prophet, and leads us on course to our own prosperity.

Alma gave counsel using the Liahona as a metaphor. First, he said "counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good". He then goes on to teach when that counsel should take place - "when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God..." (Alma 37:37).

Staying close to the Lord through prayer keeps us in tune with the Holy Spirit, which then guides us in the correct path, just like the Liahona. Later in the chapter he continues with "it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land" (Alma 37:44).

Eternal bliss sounds pretty good to me.

Another verse that caught my attention was verse 43: "for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things that are spiritual" (emphasis added). In other words, the instructions they received from ball were temporal instructions, and at times they paid no heed to them (maybe that is why they floated around the wilderness for over 8 years?).

At times either the prophet, or the spirit, or as is always the case - both, will give us instructions that may seem illogical. However, we are taught here that if we follow those instructions we will prosper. If we can get over ourselves and follow the gifts we have been given, especially when we do not understand them, we will excel in every way.

Jacob Chapter 2 from the Book of Mormon is frequently quoted in General Conference. This is probably because of Jacob's statement in the beginning of he chapter where he declares that he is going to discuss some things that are difficult to hear, but he has to preach to the people in order to not be responsible for their ignorance. He then goes into a very powerful sermon about the Law of Chastity.

In the midst of all of his strict "admonishing" Jacob gives us a few clues that lead us beyond just getting the basics and to the heart of spiritual and temporal prosperity. One of these statements in particular tells us exactly what to do if we want prosperity for ourselves and our families.

First, verse 18 - "But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God". Of course, this is a life-long pursuit which will offer up varying degrees of success for each of us. However, each of us has the opportunity to see this as a set of priorities - put God and His kingdom first. Then a very specific set of instructions and blessings follow:

Verse 19 - "And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good-to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted (emphasis added).

My testimony is that if we seek to do good and put the kingdom of God first, and if we actively seek to do good and give to others, the blessings flow in so rapidly we cannot possibly give them away fast enough. As long as you feel a genuine need to serve others and bless their lives, your life will also be blessed beyond imagination.

In 2nd Nephi chapter 4, Nephi records the final council of his father Lehi just before he dies. The majority of this last council is to Lehi's oldest son Laman and Laman's family, pleading with them to obey, because if they would keep the Lord's commandments they would "prosper in the land".

Shortly after that Lehi dies, and Nephi - now the prophet - goes on to "write the things of [his] soul" on the plates. This section of chapter 4 (starting in verse 15) is worth many ponderous readings. I compare this to chapter 2 or "Nephi's Psalm" in terms of how Nephi pours out his soul to us, the readers the of Book of Mormon.

Nephi feels humble and weak in the eyes of his Heavenly Father, but also amazed by the blessings the Lord has sent him:

Vs 20 - "My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep."

Vs 21 - "He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh."

Vs 24 - "And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angles came down and ministered upon me."

I think it is interesting that he stresses prayer during the day - not just the normal morning & night prayers, but the constant ones that happen all day.

He then goes on to rejoice in further blessings and curse himself for his imperfections. He pleads with the Lord for redemption and deliverance. Then he closes this powerful chapter with a key to prosperity:

Vs. 34 - "O Lord, I have trusted in thee and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm."

And then what we get for following that counsel:

Vs. 35 - "Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss;"

Let us all strive to be righteous, and have confidence that the Lord will answer our prayers by giving liberally to us.

(By the way, the poster above can be found in print at the following website - CLICK HERE. Don't worry - I don't get anything for posting that link, I just want to give credit to the artist - Steve Nethercott)

I love Peter's "First Presidency Letters". They are so inspiring, and full of counsel as to how to recognize prosperity, then expand it. Here is the entire chapter - again, simple yet incredibly profound. Read it slowly and find the keys to abundance:

(remember: red=commandments, blue=blessings)

1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

Endurance always seems to be a big issue when it comes to gaining prosperity. I am sure we all have experience starting new goals with optimism and enthusiasm only to fall short when things start to get a little hard to continue.

In my experience, I fall short because I lose the vision as to why I started.

The scriptures I read today made me think of this process. Paul wrote his letter to the Galatian saints in a time of much persecution, when I am sure it was probably not very popular to be a member of the church. Endurance was a struggle for everyone. To these saints Paul gives the following advice:

"For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." (Gal. 6:8)

Here we are taught that by following the Spirit our focus will lead us to eternal benefits. Paul goes on:

"And let us not be weary in well doing:"

Here is the struggle - the weariness that breaks down our endurance. But then Paul reminds them of what will keep them going:

"...for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." (emphasis added)

At some point we all had to be converted, but to what? If we have an "eye single to the Glory of God" we have a goal - one that can fill us with sustaining hope. If we truly have a vision of what comes from doing good - staying with our families forever, joy with our friends and loved-ones forever, eternal progression, living with our Heavenly Father forever, and on and on... - then we have the strength we need to endure the suddenly little things we have to put up with.

What do we do to remind yourself every day of that goal? What do we see or hear every day in our homes and in our surroundings? Take an inventory of the first things you think about every day and the last things at night - are you focused on what you can potentially harvest from all of your work.

I have a statement that I write at the beginning of each year that I read/recite to myself every morning that keeps me focused. I also created a desktop wallpaper for my computer that combines elements that I want to incorporate into my life (if any of you want to know how to do this let me know, it's really easy.

Let me know if you have any other suggestions for keeping yourself focused on the goal.

(Sorry for being offline for a couple of weeks - moving from Tallahassee to LA has kept me busy. It's good to be back!)

I am constantly amazed by how the meaning of each of Jesus' parables seems to expand each time I reread them. This morning I read John 10:1-18 in which Christ teaches a parable about the difference between those who enter the "sheepfold" by "the door" or by "some other way". Those who enter "not by the door" are called "thieves and robbers".

When the disciples do not understand, Jesus teaches that He is the door, and those who teach another doctrine other than the truth are thieves and robbers. Each is trying to lead the sheep somewhere, but the destinations are very different.

The thieves enter to "steal", "kill", and "destroy". This makes me think of all of the ways we can be enticed away from the true path of happiness. It has become harder to recognize these thieves as they are often disguised with such good ideas as tolerance and acceptance. We take Christ out of everything just to make sure and not offend, not requiring "tolerance" of non-Christians, just of those who believe.

Another way we can be deceived is by many programs built to enhance and improve our lives partially based on truth, yet not centered on the gospel. These resources can be sincerely life-enhancing, but still not complete. They often teach us to focus on our own needs, not on the needs of others.

In a recent talk by Dieter Uchtdorf he address this issue (by the way, I LOVE this talk - for the entire thing CLICK HERE):

"President Lorenzo Snow expressed... 'When you find yourselves a little gloomy, look around you and find somebody that is in a worse plight than yourself; go to him and find out what the trouble is, then try to remove it with the wisdom which the Lord bestows upon you; and the first thing you know, your gloom is gone, you feel light, the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, and everything seems illuminated.'

"In today’s world of pop psychology, junk TV, and feel-good self-help manuals, this advice may seem counter-intuitive. We are sometimes told that the answer to our ills is to look inward, to indulge ourselves, to spend first and pay later, and to satisfy our own desires even at the expense of those around us. While there are times when it is prudent to look first to our own needs, in the long run it doesn’t lead to lasting happiness."

In these verses from John, Christ teaches "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (vs.10), "I am the good shepherd" (vs.14), and "there shall be one fold, and one shepherd" (vs.16). By following the teachings of Jesus we are lead to truly lasting abundance and prosperity.

Just a few thoughts as we all prepare for August's fast....

In Isaiah chapter 58 the Lord counsels us on the true law of the fast. He condemns those who only fast to make themselves seem more righteous and others more uncomfortable. Though it may not be popular in the church to do that anymore, the Lord's other piece of counsel is certainly applicable to everyone.

Isaiah teaches that the fast chosen by Heavenly Father is one that makes our "voice to be heard on high". This makes me wonder how many times my fast consists of simply doing without food.

The other commandment dealing with the fast is that we use it as an opportunity to "deal [our] bread to the hungry", clothe the naked, and help the poor. This we do by donating fast offerings. Let us remember the story of the widow's mite, in which she was blessed because she gave of her living, not just of her abundance.

Fast Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to offer ourselves up to the Lord and communion with Him, and to give ourselves in service. We lose sight of our own needs and take care of others. The ultimate miracle of obeying the true law of the fast is the amount of blessings we (and those we serve) receive, many of which are outlined in this chapter:

-"thy light shall break forth like the morning"
-great health
-righteousness (which of course leads to a whole extra set of blessings)
-glory of the Lord upon us
-our prayers will be answered
-Heavenly guidance
-our souls satisfied in drought
-our "bones made fat"
-we will be like a "watered garden whose waters fail not"

And to those we bless with our fast offerings and prayers:

-they "shall build the old waste places"
-"raise up the foundations"

I take that to mean that together we will raise ourselves and societies up as we all take each others' example and constantly give to on another. (Let me know if your interpretation is different - look at Isaiah 58:12).

I remember how miraculous my fasting was while I served my mission, and looking back I can learn a few lessons from how I fasted. 1) I never fasted for myself - only for those we were teaching or others who needed special blessings, and 2) I knew that my fast would be answered with miracles. That is not to say we should never fast for our own needs, but the more we focus on the needs of others, the more our needs are provided for.

Let's all make this Fast Sunday the first of many in which we seek to really bless the lives of others - miracles happen!

Matthew 6:24-34

The Lord commands us in the Doctrine & Covenants that we are to "prepare every needful thing" - in other words, to focus on the things that matter most in terms of our salvation.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks said:

Jesus taught about priorities when He said, ‘Seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you’ (JST, Matt. 6:38, in Matt. 6:33, footnote a). ‘Seek … first to build up the kingdom of God’ means to assign first priority to God and to His work. The work of God is to bring to pass the eternal life of His children (see Moses 1:39), and all that this entails in the birth, nurturing, teaching, and sealing of our Heavenly Father’s children. Everything else is lower in priority” (“Focus and Priorities,” Liahona, July 2001, 100–101).

Patricia Holland, former first counselor in the Young Women general presidency adds this story:

On a beautifully clear and bright day, I sat overlooking the Sea of Galilee. I opened my Bible and turned to the account in Luke of Martha, a woman like me ‘troubled about many things.’ But instead of the words printed on the page before me, I thought I saw with my mind and heard with my heart these words: ‘Pat, Pat, thou [art] careful and troubled about many things.’ Then the power of pure and personal revelation took hold of me as I read, ‘But one thing, [only one thing] is truly needful.’ (See Luke 10:38–42.) …
Spirit to spirit, our loving Father in heaven seemed to be whispering to me, ‘You don’t have to worry over so many things. The one thing that is needful—the only thing that is truly needful—is to keep your eyes toward my Son.’
‘Learn of me,’ he seemed to say, ‘and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.’ (D&C 19:23.)” (“ ‘But One Thing Is Truly Needful,’ ” Tambuli, Mar. 1988, 35).

By simplifying our lives and focusing on becoming more like the Savior, we put the Lord in a position where He can more than provide for our needs.

In Matthew 6:24 the Lord teaches us that we cannot serve God and mammon "an Aramaic word for riches". By focusing on only building wealth we actually limit our wealth potential.

As the chapter continues Jesus teaches us how Heavenly Father feeds and clothes all of the beasts of the fields, and then says "are ye not much better than they?" All it takes is faith, and to seek "first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

May we all work harder today to make the Lord our focus.

I have decided that whenever I come across a simple or understandable principle in Isaiah I really pay attention, as it is obvious in those sections that he really wants us to get it. So today's thought is just that - simple, yet profound:

Isaiah 1:18 - If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land

One of my favorite passages of scripture, with such simple steps to having all that you need and more:

Proverbs 3

Give to others, and pay your tithing, and you will have more than you know what to do with. Have a great weekend!

In a recent Elder's Quorum lesson the missionaries taught us how Elder Holland taught them to study the scriptures. The have a two-colored pencil (a tip on each side), and search the scriptures for commandments which they mark in one color (red), and the promised blessings for obeying those commandments in another color (blue).

I have marked the above passage according to this system, and we learn the following:

Commandments -

1. fear the Lord
2. delight in the commandments
3. be upright
4. gracious
   
5. full of compassion
6. righteous
7. show favor
8. lend
9. let discretion guide your actions
10. not moved - steadfast
11. remember
12. not afraid of evil tidings or the wicked
13. heart is established (confident in obedience)
14. "disperses" wealth - gives to the poor
15. endure
    

Blessings -

1. children and further progeny will be "mighty", "upright", and "blessed"
2. wealth and riches
3. ability to "endure forever"
4. be a "light in the darkness"
5. the wicked's desires will fail
   

In many cases the commandments and blessings overlap, as one of the blessings to obeying these types of commandments is that it gets easier and easier to endure and continue obeying.

Further evidence - giving and righteousness lead to our own personal prosperity.