Overcome Selfishness through Service

Hello Family:

This week's quotation is from James E. Faust (Ensign, Dec 1999):

"At the heart of the message of the Savior of the world is a single, glorious, wonderful, still largely untried concept. In its simplest terms the message is that we should seek to overcome the selfishness we all seem to be born with, that we should overcome human nature and think of others before self. We should think of God and serve Him, and think of others and serve them."

Thank you all for the many, many ways you have given service to each other, to us as your parents and to so many others. May the Lord bless you for your goodness and charity.

Love,

Dad/Mark

The Holy Ghost - Don't Leave Home without Him

Hello Family!

Today, Eric accompanied a high council representative to speak in the Harmony Park Ward sacrament meeting. Eric recounted experiences from his mission in Mongolia that illustrated how important it was to have the Holy Ghost with us every day. The talk could have been entitled, "The Holy Ghost - Don't Leave Home without Him."

Elder Bednar addressed this topic in his April 2006 general conference address entitled, "That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us":

As we study and ponder the purposes of the Liahona and the principles by which it operated, I testify that we will receive inspiration suited to our individual and family circumstances and needs. We can and will be blessed with ongoing direction from the Holy Ghost.

The Liahona was prepared by the Lord and given to Lehi and his family after they left Jerusalem and were traveling in the wilderness (see Alma 37:38; D&C 17:1). This compass or director pointed the way that Lehi and his caravan should go (see 1 Ne. 16:10), even “a straight course to the promised land” (Alma 37:44). The pointers in the Liahona operated “according to the faith and diligence and heed” (1 Ne. 16:28) of the travelers and failed to work when family members were contentious, rude, slothful, or forgetful (see 1 Ne. 18:12, 21; Alma 37:41, 43).

The compass also provided a means whereby Lehi and his family could obtain greater “understanding concerning the ways of the Lord” (1 Ne. 16:29). Thus, the primary purposes of the Liahona were to provide both direction and instruction during a long and demanding journey. The director was a physical instrument that served as an outward indicator of their inner spiritual standing before God. It worked according to the principles of faith and diligence.

Just as Lehi was blessed in ancient times, each of us in this day has been given a spiritual compass that can direct and instruct us during our mortal journey. The Holy Ghost was conferred upon you and me as we came out of the world and into the Savior’s Church through baptism and confirmation. By the authority of the holy priesthood we were confirmed as members of the Church and admonished to seek for the constant companionship of “the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:17).

As we each press forward along the pathway of life, we receive direction from the Holy Ghost just as Lehi was directed through the Liahona. “For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do” (2 Ne. 32:5).

Just as Lehi and his family took the Liahona with them to guide them through the wilderness to the promised land, the Holy Ghost will guide our families through the wilderness of our mortal lives to our promised land, the Celestial Kingdom. Let's make sure we don't leave home without him.

Love,

Dad/Mark

President Monson on Eternal Families

Hello Family!

Today's Zion Family email paraphrases parts of President Monson's talk to conclude the Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting held last night, as taken from my notes.

Claudia, Eric, Ryan and I attended the broadcast at the Kimball Stake Center. I thought it wonderful that President Monson's first public sermon to the Church would focus on the basic, foundation principles that build eternal families.

The home is the basis of a righteous life

Whatever the makeup of a family, we should follow the guidelines of the gospel and bring the Spirit into our home.

Jesus taught about home building:

• "And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand." (Mark 3:25)
• "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God." (D&C:88:119)

Families must be united in purpose.

Three guidelines for eternal families:

1. Establish a Pattern of Prayer
   
   
   • "Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed." (3 Nephi 18:21)
   
   
2. Establish a Library of Learning
   
   
   • Read deeply from good books. Don't just rely on abridgments and excerpts.
   
   
   • "And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith." (D&C 88:118)
   
   
   • Teach out of the standard works.
   
   
3. Establish a Legacy of Love
   
   
   • Parents must set good examples for their children.
   
   
   • "Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God against you. And because of the strictness of the word of God, which cometh down against you, many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds." (Jacob 2:35)

Make our homes sanctuaries from the world.

I bear my witness that President Monson is a prophet of God. I am grateful that our Heavenly Father loves us enough to provide a living prophet to lead us. I pray that we may follow his righteous teachings and example.

Love,

Dad/Mark

President Hinckley: The Six B's

Hello Family!

We had a great Zion Family home evening yesterday. Today's message provides brief excerpts from President Hinckley's talk about each of the Six B's:

Be Grateful

“Walk with gratitude in your hearts, my dear friends. Be thankful for the wonderful blessings which are yours. Be grateful for the tremendous opportunities that you have. Be thankful to your parents, who care so very much about you and who have worked so very hard to provide for you. Let them know that you are grateful. Say thank you to your mother and your father. Say thank you to your friends. Say thank you to your teachers. Express appreciation to everyone who does you a favor or assists you in any way.
Be Smart

“The Lord wants you to educate your minds and hands, whatever your chosen field. Whether it be repairing refrigerators, or the work of a skilled surgeon, you must train yourselves.

Be Clean

“How truly beautiful is a well-groomed young woman who is clean in body and mind. She is a daughter of God in whom her Eternal Father can take pride. How handsome is a young man who is well groomed. He is a son of God, deemed worthy of holding the holy priesthood of God.

Be True

“Be true to your own convictions. You know what is right, and you know what is wrong. You know when you are doing the proper thing. You know when you are giving strength to the right cause. Be loyal. Be faithful. Be true.”

Be Humble

“I believe the meek and the humble are those who are teachable. They are willing to learn. They are willing to listen to the whisperings of the still, small voice for guidance in their lives. They place the wisdom of the Lord above their own wisdom.”

Be Prayerful

“You need His help, and you know that you need His help. You cannot do it alone. ... Get on your knees and thank Him for His goodness to you and express to Him the righteous desires of your hearts. The miracle of it all is that He hears. He responds. He answers—not always as we might wish He would answer, but there is no question in my mind that He answers.”

Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Prophet’s Counsel: The Six B’s,” Liahona, Jun 2001, 8–9

Love,

Dad/Mark