I feel honored to be a citizen of this great country. It is a land of many opportunities and accomplishments. We have had many setbacks and downfalls, but through it all she still tops the rest. We each have a great responsible to this country we reside in.

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormons).

We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law and the leaders. (Twelfth Article of Faith)

Obeying the law means we will have good intention rooted in our hearts to do our part to make our country a great place. In honoring our country we look upon it as something important to us. We sustain our country when we refrain from saying or doing anything, which will weaken or make our country ineffective.

Have you ever thought about what condition our society would be in if we didn’t have leaders or rules? We would use our free agency to make our own rules, responding at whim to any and all situations as we would choose. However,this would cause our country as a whole to suffer.

We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every.(Doctrine & Covenants 134:5)

Our responsibility as citizens is to strive to make our country strong and worthy of God’s blessings. Working to make our homes strong and good will make good people, good people will make a great nation. It is important that we teach our children to love this country and to respect the leaders in authority. When we make this a part of our lives we will be rewarded for all our efforts.

President Harold B. Lee taught: “When one sets himself up to make his own rules and presumes to know no law but his own, he is but echoing the plan of Satan.”(Conference Report,July 1972)

Our righteous behavior will make all the difference in how great this nation will become and be. Let’s not give Satan any entrance into our lives, and we do this by striving to be good law abiding citizens. This is my prayer.

Mary M

Brigham Young called time “the property which we inherit from our Heavenly Father.” (New Era,Child of Promise, August 1993)

We cannot choose how much time we have; Heavenly Father is the ruler of time. However, we can decide what we will do with our time. We often, say we don’t have time. When actually, we all are allotted

the same amount of time each day. We have 86,400 seconds, 1,440 minutes, or 24 hours a day; 168 hours a week. In reality, we are blessed with more than enough time. We spend time on the things we value. By measuring and observing where we spend our time, we can gain a fairly accurate assessment of what we value in life.

Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:20-21)

We cannot recycle or save the time allotted to us each day. With time, we have only one opportunity for choice,and then it is gone forever.

Jesus taught about time 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.” (Matthew 6:33)

We are to assign first, time to God and to His work; everything else in life is of second priority. If we do not choose the kingdom of God first, it will make little difference in the long run what we have chosen instead.

As regard to material possessions. Jesus taught that “a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Luke 12:15) Consequently, we should not lay up for ourselves “treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.” (Matthew 6:19)

Furthermore, the treasures of our heart should not be what the scriptures call “riches and the vain things of this world”.

The “vain things of the world” can include things such as our property, pride, fame, and power. As to all of these, the scriptures remind us that we cannot carry them with us.

Probation is another important aspect that deals with time. We are here to prove ourselves to see if we will do all that the Lord requires of us. We need to make evidence to ourselves what type of being we are and want to be. When we fall short of the Lord’s expectations we can repent over a period of time, this shows Him, our hearts have truly changed.

Heavenly Father wants us to be good stewards of our lives, which involves time. It pleases Him, when we strive to balance out our time. The purpose of this life is to prepare to meet God. Will you please allow this scripture to leave a lasting imprint on your hearts.

A TIME OF PREPARATION

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

“A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

“A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance . . .

“A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing . . .

“A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

“A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

Mary M

Why is this? It is because we had that feeling in the premortal world. That renewing feeling is truly a natural inheritance of every person born on earth. Because, of this we all are searching and longing for that which embraced us before we came here to earth. This feeling isn’t new to any of us. I myself have experienced the feeling of longing for home. My spirit often misses the tender care and unconditional love of our Heavenly home.

Just as we long for this loving feeling Heavenly Father longs for us to have those loving feelings for Him. We must get to know God with our minds and feel Him in our hearts. I’m sure He must miss having our presence in heaven as much as we miss being there. Heavenly Father loves all of His children,regardless of the way we act or the attitude we have about things. But, when we obey, we are favored of Him. Obeying the Lord tells Him how much we love Him. When it comes to our relationship with the Lord, we all can be His favorite. Isn’t it great to know the Lord can have favor in us?

A good man obtaineth favour of the Lord: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.(Proverbs 12:2)

When I sit and think about what a friend is. It is someone you have a strong connection with. You think of each other and their well being. You look out for each other more. You rejoice upon meeting one another after a brief separation. To share these qualities with the Lord is truly the greatest gift for which we could ask. Our confidence will increase and our love for Him flourishes when we work to feel His love. It simply makes our journey here on earth more enduring; the loneliness we may feel disappears.

Joseph Smith said, ”Nothing short of an actual knowledge of their being the favorites of heaven, and of their having embraced that order of things which God has established for the redemption of man, will enable [the saints] to exercise that confidence in him, necessary for them to overcome the world, and obtain that crown of glory which is laid up for them that fear God. (Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith 6:4)

Our purpose in life should be to find God and establish a lasting connection with Him. Love is the most powerful feeling that will connect us with Him. We can have that sweet relationship with Heavenly Father even though we haven’t seen Him. Let your desire be,to be favored by the Lord.

Mary M

To commit sin is to willfully disobey God’s commandments and fail to act righteously despite knowledge of the truth. However, our elder brother Jesus Christ has made it possible for us to repent and start anew (Alma 42:4).

Jesus was the only one capable of carrying out the Atonement for all mankind. He is the only perfect person whom ever walked the earth. All of us must rely on the love and mercy of Jesus to become cleansed from our sin (D&C 50:28-29). When we sin, we all become enemies to the Lord. If we continue in sin, we experience spiritual death, being separated from Heavenly Father’s presence.

Elder Richard G. Scott tells us, “The painful consequences of sin were purposely put in our plan of happiness by a compassionate Father in Heaven so that you need not follow that tragic path in life.”

Repentance is the way provided for us to become free from our sins and receive forgiveness for them. Sin slows our spiritual progression and can even stop it. Repentance makes it possible for us to grow and develop spiritually again. Repentance requires us to surrender to God and His will in our lives. At some point in our lives we realize Christ is the only hope, and we humble our hearts and seek to do His will with our lives. When we repent of our sins the Lord does not remember them any more. In fact, each of us needs continually to repent and obey so that the gift of the Savior will satisfy the demands of justice for even our small mistakes.

For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and partaken of the tree of life, he would have lived forever, according to the word of God, having no space for repentance; yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated. (Alma 42:5)

There is hope through the power of repentance. In order for the process of repentance to take place there are several necessary steps to take:

1. Recognize Our Sins

We must admit to the wrong we have done. If we do not admit this we can’t repent. The scripture tells us not to justify our sinful practices. “And he said unto them, Ye are they, which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15)

2. Feel Sorrow

We must feel terrible about the wrong we have done and have a sincere desire to change. It will require much tears, sorry and regret.

3. Confession

Confess your shame and guilt to the Lord and then plead for His help. Confessing our sins removes a heavy burden off our back. Covering our sins keeps us from progressing. But, those who confesses and give up their sin shall have mercy.

4. Make Restitution

We should make right any wrong we have done. When we do these things God will not mention our sin to us when we are judged. Restitution shows the Lord that you will do all in your power to repent.

5. Forgive Others

We must forgive those who have hurt us. Our hearts must be free of hate, bitterness, and bad feeling against others in order for forgiveness to work.

6. Keep the Commandments

We must fill our lives with righteous activities. Read and ponder the scriptures. Pray for the Lord’s guidance and strength, fasting during those times of need in our lives.

The prophets have declared that “this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God” (Alma 34:32).

We should begin the day by examining our actions to see whether the Spirit of God is with us. At night before we go to sleep, we should review our acts and words of the day and ask the Lord to show us the things for which we need to repent. By repenting every day and having the Lord forgive our sins, we will experience the daily process of becoming perfect. As with Alma, our happiness and joy can be sweet and exquisite. There is no blessing as sweet as the blessing of repentance. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to repent each day.

Mary M

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. (Psalms 118:8)

When we look at this grand creation that is our world it is a witness of His trustworthiness to each of us. We can always have that reassurance that each day will come forth as it should in perfect order. All because of a trustworthy Father in Heaven.

Trusting God means we know He will do what He says He will. If we do our part, He will do His. However, He will never let us down or forget us.

There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated. (D&C 130:20-21)

You might ask how it is possible to trust God with all that is going on in the world today? You can, Heavenly Father is perfect, unchangeable, steadfast and immovable. He is different from any person you will ever meet. We are an imperfect people prone to sin and a willingness to change our minds on a whim; and yet He loves us and wishes only for us to succeed.

Furthermore, trusting in Heavenly Father is a necessary step to gaining our salvation. When we start to trust Him we will more likely desire to obey Him. Obeying God with a pure heart brings us inner peace in a world where there is no peace.

Job is a great example for each of us to remember. In the midst of all his suffering, he continued to trust in the Lord. He never turned his back on the Lord.

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come between him. (Job 13:15–16)

And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:21)

Job was anxious to obey the Lord in every way because he trusted Him. Job was truly blessed for his obedience and example. I truly believe that we can find that same trust as Job did in our Father in Heaven.

Mary M

And there was a war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon: and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:7-9)

In order for this plan to move forward we needed a Savior to pay for our sins and to teach us the way to get back to Heavenly Father’s presence. Jesus, like our Heavenly Father, wanted us to make our own choices about whether or not we would obey. We needed to choose for ourselves in order to prove worthy of exaltation or eternal salvation.

Jesus said “Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever”. (Moses 4:2)

Lucifer, who became known as Satan, wanted to force us all to do his will. We had no say with Satan’s plan. He would make all the decisions, taking away our freedom of choice. With his alternate plan there was no room for growth, learning and improvement, the entire purpose of our mortal existence.

Satan also came saying, “Behold, here am I send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor. (Moses 4)

In the end, Jesus became our Savior. Satan was not pleased with Heavenly Father decision. He became angry and rebelled, causing a war in heaven. Satan and his followers fought again Jesus and His followers. They were thrown out of heaven and denied the opportunity of having a body or of experiencing earthly existence.

We are here on earth today because we chose to follow Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. Sadly, Satan and his followers are also here on earth as spirits. (Revelations 12:9) They still remember who we are, they are always around us, trying to tempt us to do those things that are not pleasing to Heavenly Father.

Before coming to earth we made the right choices. We must continue to do the right things now. Following Jesus is our only sure guarantee that we will return to our heavenly home and live in the presence of our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ once again. When Jesus became our Savior, He kept His part of the agreement and He did all He said He would. Now, it’s our time to show Him how thankful we are for His effort by striving to become the best that we can become each and every day of our lives.

Mary M

Blessing others must first begin at home. Fathers and mothers have an important responsibility of teaching their children the gospel. Doing these things well is our purpose in life. Marriage between a husband and a wife is essential to Heavenly Father’s plan.

Each of our missions in life includes a family. Having the structure of a family helps refine us. In a family we are forced to choose between right and wrong. Home is a laboratory of great learning experiences; where we can learn to be the person we are meant to be.

Heavenly Father expects us to be kind and considerate to our families. Just as we are to those we work with, go to school with and encounter in other ways.

Heavenly Father understands that it will be a struggle for us to overcome the challenges that we face in our families. But, He is there to help us if we are willing to ask. He loves us and He wants us to succeed at making our families the best.

However, if we take this counsel lightly we will have failed in the most important responsibility of our existence.

David O. McKay said it best; “No other success compensates for failure in the home.”

There are two ways we can fail in our homes. First, we fail when we refrain from having a spiritual environment where children are taught to pray and think on the things of the scriptures. Secondly, we fail when we choose not to live in our family situations as Jesus Christ would.

Margaret S. Lifferth, first counselor in the Primary general presidency, shares some profound truth when she say, “In today‘s world, children will need not only a devoted mother and father, but they will need each of us to protect, teach, and love them. Personal obedience and example in every part of our lives are the ultimate gospel lessons for children. So study, learn, and apply the gospel.” (“The Family Is Central to the Creator’s Plan,” Ensign, Feb 2008, 69)

We are to be diligent in this cause. Jesus never said it would be easy only that it would be worth it. However, we will be blessed for all our efforts in the end.

Mary M