The Simplicity of Gods Plan: Its Your Choice

Not By Bread Alone Give Me Your Wounded Heart. A Cry for Mercy. Life Lessons from the Monastery: Praying Scripture for a Change. He Speaks to You. The Rule of Saint Benedict. The Pathway to Spirituality.

Obedience through Our Faithfulness - By Elder L. Tom Perry

Mary Magdalene and the Divine Feminine. Worshiping with the Church Fathers.

God For Us Reader's Edition. Rule of the SSJE. Society of Saint John the Evangelist. The Prayer We Offer.

The Simplicity Of Gods Plan Its Your Choice

Praying with the Church. The Eucharist and the Rosary. The Prayer of Mary. In the Midst of Noise. The Essential Lenten Handbook. A Redemptorist Pastoral Publication. Homilies of Thomas Keating. Yeshua the Cosmic Mystic. Praying the Holy Scriptures.

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The Everything Gnostic Gospels Book. The Book of Common Prayer. Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. One day I asked my grandfather how I would know if I was always doing the right thing, given that life presents so many choices.

April 2014 General Conference

As my grandfather usually did, he answered me with an experience from farm life. He taught me about breaking in a team of horses so that they would work together. He explained that a team of horses must always know who is in charge. One of the keys to asserting control and directing a horse is a harness and bit.

If a member of the team ever believes that it does not need to obey the will of the driver, the team will never pull and work together to maximize their ability. Who is the driver of the team of horses? My grandfather believed it is the Lord. He is the one who has a purpose and a plan. He is also the trainer and builder of the team of horses and, in turn, each individual horse. What was my grandfather likening to a harness and bit? I believed then, as I believe now, that my grandfather was teaching me to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

An obedient horse which is part of a well-trained team of horses needs little more than a gentle tug from the driver to do exactly what he wants it to do. This gentle tug is equivalent to the still, small voice with which the Lord speaks to us. Out of respect for our agency, it is never a strong, forceful tug. Men and women who ignore the gentle promptings of the Spirit will often learn, as the prodigal son learned, through the natural consequences of disobedience and riotous living.

So the lesson my grandfather taught me was always to be ready to receive the gentle tug of the Spirit. He taught me that I would always receive such a prompting if I ever veered off course. And I would never be guilty of more serious wrongdoings if I allowed the Spirit to guide me in my decisions. We must be sensitive to our spiritual bits. Even with the slightest tug from the Master, we must be willing to completely alter our course.

If we heed the gentle promptings of the Holy Ghost, it can unite our spirits and bodies in a purpose that will guide us back to our eternal home to live with our eternal Father in Heaven. Our third article of faith teaches us about the importance of obedience: The kind of obedience my grandfather described in his example of a team of horses also requires a special trust—that is, an absolute faith in the driver of the team.

The lesson my grandfather taught me, therefore, also alluded to the first principle of the gospel—faith in Jesus Christ. He dwelled on the story of Abraham, for Abraham is the father of the faithful:.

Is the Gospel Working for You?

Perhaps I can imagine him faithfully packing up to leave early one morning, but how did he take all those steps alongside his son Isaac over the three-day journey to the base of Mount Moriah? How did they carry the wood for the fire up the mountain?

How did he build the altar? Not long ago I saw a quote that made me stop and think. It went like this: After a recent medical procedure, my very capable doctors explained what I needed to do to heal properly. But first I had to relearn something about myself I should have known for a long time: Consequently I decided to expedite the healing process by undertaking my own Internet search.

I suppose I expected to discover truth of which my doctors were unaware or had tried to keep from me.

It took me a little while before I realized the irony of what I was doing. Of course, researching things for ourselves is not a bad idea. But I was disregarding truth I could rely on and instead found myself being drawn to the often-outlandish claims of Internet lore. Sometimes, the truth may just seem too straightforward, too plain, and too simple for us to fully appreciate its great value. So we set aside what we have experienced and know to be true in pursuit of more mysterious or complicated information.

Hopefully we will learn that when we chase after shadows, we are pursuing matters that have little substance and value. When it comes to spiritual truth, how can we know that we are on the right path? One way is by asking the right questions—the kind that help us ponder our progress and evaluate how things are working for us. Profound questions regarding the purpose of life have led many individuals and families throughout the world to search for truth.

I wonder if we as Church members might also benefit from asking ourselves from time to time: Is it bringing me closer to Christ? Is it blessing me and my family with peace and joy as promised in the gospel?

Unisciti a Kobo e inizia a leggere oggi stesso

Alma posed similar questions to Church members in Zarahemla when he asked: Many members will answer with great warmth that their experience as a member of the Church is working exceptionally well for them. They will testify that whether during times of poverty or prosperity, whether things are pleasant or painful, they find great meaning, peace, and joy because of their commitment to the Lord and their dedicated service in the Church.

Every day I meet Church members who are filled with a radiant joy and who demonstrate in word and deed that their lives are immeasurably enriched by the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I know for myself how the fruits of the gospel of Jesus Christ can transform lives from the ordinary and dreary to the extraordinary and sublime.

But why does it seem to work better for some than for others? What is the difference between those whose experience in the Church fills their souls with songs of redeeming love 2 and those who feel that something is lacking?

As I have pondered these questions, a flood of thoughts came to mind. This beautiful gospel is so simple a child can grasp it, yet so profound and complex that it will take a lifetime—even an eternity—of study and discovery to fully understand it. Each one, by itself, might be helpful and appropriate for a certain time and circumstance, but when they are laid on top of each other, they can create a mountain of sediment that becomes so thick and heavy that we risk losing sight of that precious flower we once loved so dearly.

Therefore, as leaders we must strictly protect the Church and the gospel in its purity and plainness and avoid putting unnecessary burdens on our members. And all of us, as members of the Church, we need to make a conscientious effort to devote our energy and time to the things that truly matter, while uplifting our fellowmen and building the kingdom of God.

One sister, a Relief Society instructor, was known for preparing flawless lessons. One time she decided to create a beautiful quilt that would serve as the perfect backdrop to the theme of her lesson.