Monday, December 6, 2010

Preparation Precedes Power

Here's a few highlights from one of my recent reads :D
Some of it's stuff he said, some of it's stuff I read that I'm pretty sure wasn't there. Some of it's random stories or movies that i made connections to. Any way it comes, enjoy!

Preparations Precedes Power
Brother Randy L. Bott (AKA #1 professor on ratemyprofessor.com)

There was a sister missionary that couldn't pay for her mission, so her grandparents helped her. She wanted to pay her grandparents back in the only way she knew how- to be the very best missionary she could be. Guess what? We're all "borrowing" something from the Lord-- Our lives. Christ has literally paid for us to come to Earth and we must pay Him back the best way we know how- to do the very best we can to be like Him.
We are living on borrowed time. Pay Him back.


Stick to every assigned or decided task, then stick with it until it is finished.

Proof that the Church is true:
Our Church sends out 19 year old boys as our main ambassadors. It is not only sustaining memberships, it's growing.
"Wherefore, I call upon the weak things of the world, those who are unlearned and despised" D & C 35: 13
hahahahahahaha :D

Converting does not happen through charisma.
It's through the Spirit.

Even if you're consentrating so hard on not thinking of "it" (whatever "it" may be- sins, failures) you're still thinking about IT! Satan wins! so stop worrying and stop working!
"don't you realize that if the adversary can get a person to either think about "doing it" or think about "not doing it" they are still thinking about "IT!"

To be a good missionary, you must be at the top of your game: physically, spiritually, emotionally, and socially.

It is never too late to try again.

- I often talk with Latter-day Saints who say, "I don't want to go on a mission, or accept this call, or fulfill this assignment." Yet they steadfastly declare that they are "trying to be like Jesus." If we are really trying to be like Jesus, then our desire to perform an assignment has nothing to do with our willingness to accept and complete the assignment.


The Gospel
1. Atonement
2. Resurrection
3. Judgement
4. Faith in Jesus Christ
5. Repentence
6. Baptism
7. The Gift of the Holy Ghost
8. Endure to the End

God never gives a superior blessings without an equal and opposition temptation (or trial)

Satan doesn't have a veil between him and our pre-earth life- we do. He doesn't. He knows our weaknesses. He cannot control or persuade us unless we give him permission.

It depends on wheter we control our bodies or our bodies control us.

The 4 most wicked dispensations were/are
1. The times of Noah
2. the times of Christ
3. The time just preceding the 2nd coming (now)
4. The time when Satan is loosed for a "little season"

Put on the whole armor of God!!!

 Have your loins girt about with truth.

Interesting: people ask this question a lot- how far can I go? This is the best answer I've ever seen
When you get to that point that you don't want another person doing that particular activity with your future mate, then you have defined the degree of sexual involvement you can be involved in on your dates. It is total hypocrisy to expect a higher degree of chastity from your future mate than you require of yourself.


Only those in the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom will have the power to procreate. Procreation is a power for Gods. It's almost like we're on a trial basis down here. If we abuse it now, we won't have it later.

Having on the breastplate of righteousness


What God says is right is right, what God says is wrong is wrong.


life in general is pretty black and white. It's when we justify, confuse, and overthink things that it turns all shades of grey.


Prophets do us no good unless we are willing to listen to them


Your safety depends on how carefully we listen to and follow the inspired counsel of our leaders.

your feet shod with preparation the gospel of peace


Feet=Goals
Gospel of peace-Christ

Go to Christ!

When thinking "should I do this activity" think "Will this bring me closer to Heavenly Father?" If it does, DO IT! If it doesn't, DON'T!

And take the helmet of salvation


The fastest way to destroy the latterday Saint youth (and adults) is to flood their minds with the humanistic philosophies of the world.
Your "primogenerator" (first father) is GOD not SCUM. YOU can become like your father. who wants to be scum?


the only part that's not protected- the back!
We must face trials head on!
The best defense is to always have the Spirit!


D and C 101:32-34 answers it all :D

If you want a blessing, obey that law

Determine what kind of missionary you want to be, obey the law upon which it is predicated, and you'll be that kind of missionary.
Dont pick and chose

Just cuz you don't get caught don't mean it weren't wrong!

Who controls God- HIM! One of the most Godly attributes one can have is to take responsibilities for themselves.

If a person is controlled by the outside, they are completely out of control. If they control themselves, they are in complete control.

Don't just be obedient, don't just follow the rules, do what you KNOW you should do.
(Golden rule vs platinum rule)

A well served mission literally becomes the foundation for the rest of your life.
If you go expecting an unparalleled challenging experience, you will have the proper mind set.

Take everything day-by-day
Matthew 6:34

If experiencing homesickness or laziness, SERVE OTHERS!

Alma 26:27
DnC3:8
DnC 84:88

How to overcome homesickness


Pray more earnestly
Read the scriptures
repent
let go fo the past
know yourself
have a plan
AVOID ALL NEGATIVE SELF TALK- NO PITY PARTIES
"Nothing was ever so bad that complaining made it better"
count your blessings
get a preisthood blessing
tackle one problem at a time
recognize progress
re read your patriarchal blessing
write a letter to a depressed friend
EXERCISE
listen to good music
keep hanging on
read the Book of Mormon
follow the prophet
if all else fails- get help from the mission president

When you are your best physically, emotionally, and spiritually, you are the best missionary you can be

GET ALONG WITH YOUR COMPANION
if ye are not one ye are not mine

SATAN WINS WHEN COMPANIONS FIGHT

most fights are personal preference, not right and wrong

The Lord seldom answers prayers that haven't been asked

IS IT AN ANSWER? if it motivates action, then mostly likely YES!

you can still change your mind once you've recieved an answer

Don't ask a question and then hang up before you get the answer!

Only the prince of peace can bring you peace neither you or the devil can duplicate that inner peace of mind that passes all understanding


Spirit
If you can't get the Spirit during a discussion, its best to leave and set another time to teach


Don't try to tell people what the spirit feels like


pray always for the spirit.


When you feel the spirit, ask the investigators what they feel. let them know that's how they feel th Spirit.


It is the greatest nonsense in the world to NOT believe that we are daughters and sons of God.


God knew and determined where, when and how long each person would live on earth. "and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation"


It is most important to understand that God knows the end from the beginning. We are not here to prove our willingness to obey God-0 he already knows the end, We are here to prove to ourselves that we can be trusted to obey even when our memory of the spiritual past has been temporarily taken from us.


You don't need to be PERFECT to be saved. That's what the atonement is for.


we were not sent here to fail


The only difference between the old and young dying is, one lives longer in heaven and eternal light and glory than the other, and is freed a little sooner from this miserable wicked world.

Whatever level of law a person chooses to obey will determine what kingdom he or she goes into.

So I've personally been thinking about that one a lot lately. Sure, if you are worthy of a temple recommend, you're worthy to enter into the Celestial kingdom... but you got to get to the HIGHEST degree. so keep the highest laws.

We are given a celestial gift- use it wisely

we are judged on what we have become, not what we have done. we're delt different cards so we can't do the same things

tests don't matter, the end product does.

Christs ministry was 3 years. mine is 18 months. He did all he could, I will too.

When you come home, no one knows the changes you've made. only YOU know how you served. be proud of those changes.

What you will learn on a mission
Respect, the scriptures, love, understanding of people, forgiveness, leadership, humility, knowlege,

EVERY GOOD ACT WILL BE REWARDED. EVERY WRONG WILL HAVE BEEN PAID FOR BY THE ATONEMENT OF CHRIST OR BY THE SUFFERING OF THE SINNER.

Don't play both sides of the net.

Virtually anything that influences a person to be more Christlike, whether member or not, whether interested in being taught or not, whether you'll ever meet them again or not, is missionary work.
Pay it 4ward.org :D


When you give to the Lord, He gives back.

Ultimately, my reasons for going on a mission are selfish. I want to serve Him now, so He will bless me and my family later :D





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