Reflecting the Greatness of God

Dear Family:

Yesterday, a friend of mine from Canada shared a blog post on Facebook entitled “Reflecting the Greatness of God”, speaking of Solomon building the Temple in Jerusalem.  He referred to 2 Chronicles 2:5, which reads, in his translation of the bible:

“The temple I am going to build will be great, because our God is greater than all other gods.”

The King James version reads:

“And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.”

My friend’s comments include:

“Solomon’s perspective of God drives what he does, and how he does it, to reflect the magnificence and greatness of his God. He brings together the best skills and resources to make it happen, first for the temple and then for his palace. …

“God deserves my very best. My life should reflect His greatness. Does it?

“Everything I do should be done with excellence. That means I should focus on those things for which I am gifted, working with others in their giftings. And I need to give those things the time it takes to do the work well.”

That is great advice for us all.  May all we do reflect the magnificence and greatness of our God.  May we strive to live our lives in harmony with Him.

Love,

Dad/Mark

Choose the Way of Eternal Life

Dear Family:

In our scripture study this morning, we read this wonderful verse:

Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.

2 Nephi 10:23

What a wonderful thing it is to have the freedom to choose!  I pray that we may all exercise that agency to choose the way of eternal life – together, as an eternal family.

Love,

Dad/Mark

Illuminated by the Light

Dear Family:

A scripture that gives me hope each time I read it:

Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word …

Alma 5:7

May we all be filled with the light that emanates from the only one true source of light and truth, the Savior of the world.

Love,

Dad/Mark

The Lighthouse of the Lord

Dear family:

During my early morning walk, I was impressed with these words from President Monson:

… look to the lighthouse of the Lord. There is no fog so dense, no night so dark, no gale so strong, no mariner so lost but what its beacon light can rescue.

Thomas S. Monson, A World at Closing, April 2010 General Conference

May we all look to the Lighthouse of the Lord as we meet the challenges of our everyday lives.

Love,

Dad/Mark

Be Strong. Cleave to the Lord. Choose Him.

Dear Family:

Three passages of scripture that inspired me during Gospel Doctrine class this afternoon:

… Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.  (Joshua 1:9)

… cleave unto the Lord your God (Joshua 23:8)

… choose you this day whom ye will serve; … as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)

Love,

Dad/Mark