by byustudent | Mar 23, 2013 | Mormon Reflections
In class the other day, we were reading in 3 Nephi 24, and it talked about the importance of tithing. But Brother Griffin brought up an interesting point. Does the Lord need our money? I mean, what can God, Master of the universe, Creator and owner of all, do with a tiny insignificant piece of green paper? He doesn’t need it. Wouldn’t it just be easier for God to show the prophet where a secret gold mine is? The point isn’t that God needs our money. The point is that we are sacrificing and being obedient to Him, in keeping his commandments. WE need tithing.
Wouldn’t the Lord’s angels be better missionaries? But WE need to be missionaries. We need that experience and spiritual growth. We need to hold callings so we can learn and have responsibility. Everything God commands us to do is for our benefit, not His. Brother Griffiin said a quote that I really liked…”My need to serve God is incalculably greater than His need for my service.” I felt that today when I went to the temple. Yes, as I did so, I was serving the Lord, and my fellow brothers and sisters on the other side of the veil….but I needed the temple today. I left with such a sweet spirit of peace and of love. I love how God loves us so much, that everything He does is for us. He gives us so many chances to learn and to grow, so we can inherit all that He hath someday. I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father! (more…)
by liviw | Mar 22, 2013 | About Mormons
Some health issues in life can easily be understood by those around us. Sometimes, others take more learning and processing.
The Recessive Dystrophic form of Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) is perhaps one of those.
It is a rare skin disease that causes skin to be extremely sensitive, to the point of gaping wounds with even small amounts of movement against the skin. There is no cure for EB currently. But the disease doesn’t stop there. EB patients suffer with maladies everywhere from disfigurement to disability, malnutrition and even premature death.
In the Recessive Dystrophic form of EB the faulty genes are involved in the production of a type of collagen, a strong protein in the fibers that hold the deepest, toughest layer of your skin together. As a result, the fibers are either missing or nonfunctional, according to the Mayo Clinic. It is estimated that only 1.5 people in a million have this form. (more…)
by paulah | Mar 19, 2013 | Mormons in the News
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the Mormon Church, was honored recently with the 2013 American Association of People Disabilities (AAPD) Image Award.
The Church of Jesus Christ was recognized for the representations of members with disabilities in its “I’m a Mormon” campaign profiles on their website Mormon.org.
“AAPD President and CEO Mark Perriello called the profiles ‘powerful,’ and said, ‘They tell the disability experience in a way that is real, no apologies, and it’s absolutely astounding.’”
Ron Wilson, senior manager of Mormon.org, accepted the award at the AAPD annual Leadership Awards Gala in Washington, D.C. and received a standing ovation from the audience.
“Mormons come from all paths of life, geographies, ethnicities, personal challenges, and abilities, but we are bound together by a common belief in Jesus Christ and a desire to follow His teachings,” Wilson said. “The goal of the campaign,” he said, “was to provide a glimpse into the lives of Mormons from all over the world, which naturally included members with disabilities.”
Lorin Nicholson, for instance, is an Australian member of The Church of Jesus Christ. “He is married, has four children, works as a musician and motivational speaker and recently biked across Australia with his brother. He is also blind. When the Church asked if he’d be willing to share a bit of his life in a video profile for the Mormon.org website, he agreed, hoping his perspective would help others.” (more…)
by paulah | Mar 16, 2013 | Mormons in the News
A small-town Utah high school boys’ basketball team is making national news headlines in The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Good Morning America, and NPR, to name a few. What makes them the center of national attention is more than their 26-1 season, their fifth class 5A state championship, and their top ranking in the nation.
The Lone Peak High School Knights basketball team, comprised of “long-armed teenagers who look only slightly more imposing than a chess club,” are from the small communities of Highland and Alpine, Utah—a “region not recognized for basketball prowess.” “Unlike many top high school teams that lure talented players from outside their immediate area,” Lone Peak’s team is pulled from a student body of about 2,300.
“We flunk the eyeball test,” says Coach Quincy Lewis. “We know we’re different whenever we walk into a gym. . . . We know we have something to prove because, honestly, the other teams don’t have a great deal of respect for us.”
“‘There was one team we played that was literally laughing when we were warming up,’ senior center Eric Mika said with a chuckle. ‘And we beat them by 50.’”
Lone Peak’s style is a “fearless, careening brand of basketball, built on 3-pointers, lobs and dunks, seemingly more suited for a playground than the movie ‘Hoosiers.’” (more…)
by byustudent | Mar 14, 2013 | Mormon Reflections
This past week in my Book of Mormon religion class I was struck by the significance and importance of agency. I guess I’ve always assumed that agency is important simply because our Heavenly Father gave it to us and because the war in heaven was fought over it, but I’ve never actually thought about the significance of what this agency means. Agency is the ability to act for ourselves and to choose for ourselves what our actions here on Earth will be. The fact that our Heavenly Father and our Savior presented a plan in heaven that allowed us to choose our own actions shows their deep trust in us. Think about it. Why would a loving Heavenly Father even think of letting us make our own decisions if He doubted our ability to live righteously and make it back to Him? He would never have sent us to Earth knowing that there was no chance of us making it back. He knew we would make mistakes, but He ultimately had trust in us and our ability to choose the right.
Our Savior trusted us enough to suffer and to die for us and by completing the Atonement so that we could use our agency to learn from our mistakes, repent, and then ultimately make it back to live with Him again. On the other hand, Satan doubted our ability to live righteously, and he proposed a plan in heaven that took away our agency and didn’t allow us to make our own decisions. He had no faith in us. And why in the world would anyone want a leader or Savior who has no trust or faith in them? I’ve gained a much deeper respect for my agency and for my Savior and Father in heaven because of the trust that they have and the faith that they have put in me. It makes me infinitely more motivated to live my life in such a way to show that I can use my agency to live righteously. (more…)
