"For Such a Time as This"

I found this talk today given by Ezra Taft Benson and I wanted to share some of it.

For nearly six thousand years, God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the Second Coming of the Lord. Every previous gospel dispensation has drifted into apostasy, but ours will not. True, there will be some individuals who will fall away; but the kingdom of God will remain intact to welcome the return of its head—even Jesus Christ. While our generation will be comparable in wickedness to the days of Noah, when the Lord cleansed the earth by flood, there is a major difference this time. It is that God has saved for the final inning some of his strongest children, who will help bear off the Kingdom triumphantly. And that is where you come in, for you are the generation that must be prepared to meet your God.

All through the ages the prophets have looked down through the corridors of time to our day. Billions of the deceased and those yet to be born have their eyes on us. Make no mistake about it—you are a marked generation. There has never been more expected of the faithful in such a short period of time as there is of us. Never before on the face of this earth have the forces of evil and the forces of good been as well organized. Now is the great day of the devil’s power, with the greatest mass murderers of all time living among us. But now is also the great day of the Lord’s power, with the greatest number ever of priesthood holders on the earth. And the showdown is fast approaching.

Each day the forces of evil and the forces of good pick up new recruits. Each day we personally make many decisions that show where our support will go. The final outcome is certain—the forces of righteousness will finally win. What remains to be seen is where each of us personally, now and in the future, will stand in this fight—and how tall we will stand. Will we be true to our last-days, foreordained mission?

I love this, because we are destined for greatness! The Lord has saved us for this time for a specific purpose. You did not come here by accident. Your life has meaning, purpose, and direction. As you seek after Him and seek to do His will, you will discover in greater detail what that is. You are meant to succeed! That has always been the case.

Just something for y'all to think about...

-Sister Reid 

Smile on. Serve on.

"...men ^care, that they might have ^djoy." (2 Nephi 2:25)

Happiness is a choice, plain and simple. But, the real question is how can we be happy? Well, there are countless ways, but what brings true happiness involves other people and what brings lasting happiness involves the Lord. (Both of which are not disconnected.) It involves forgetting ourselves and serving others. 

"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn ^awisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the ^bservice of your ^cfellowbeings ye are only in the service of your God."

(Mosiah 2:17)

We can make a great difference in our lives and in the lives of others as we serve our fellow men. We will be happier and so will the ones that we are helping. Plus, as we serve, we will develop a love for others and for the Lord. 

So, how can you serve? Well, you tell me. Serving can be a creative challenge, but at the same time, it doesn't have to be. You can serve in many capacities, but start off by showing your strength. Share your talents, whether that be singing, dancing, drawing, painting, listening, talking, etc. Beyond that you can do chores, rake/mow someone's yard, bake cookies, help set up for an event, volunteer, the list can go on and on. One simple thing that everyone can do, though, is to smile. It will cheer you up and chances are that it will be reciprocated. So, here's the challenge: be happy. And serve in whatever form you can. You will be happier and healthier. Guaranteed.

Smile.

Serve.

Love.

Just something for y'all to think about...

-Sister Reid

"We believe"

1 We ^abelieve in ^bGod, the Eternal Father, and in His ^cSon, Jesus Christ, and in the ^dHoly Ghost.

 2 We believe that men will be ^apunished for their ^bown sins, and not for ^cAdam’s transgression.

 3 We believe that through the ^aAtonement of Christ, all ^bmankindmay be ^csaved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

 4 We believe that the first principles and ^aordinances of the Gospel are: first, ^bFaith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second,^cRepentance; third, ^dBaptism by ^eimmersion for the ^fremission of sins; fourth, Laying on of ^ghands for the ^hgift of the Holy Ghost.

 5 We believe that a man must be ^acalled of God, by ^bprophecy, and by the laying on of ^chands by those who are in ^dauthority, to^epreach the Gospel and administer in the ^fordinances thereof.

 6 We believe in the same ^aorganization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, ^bprophets, ^cpastors, ^dteachers,^eevangelists, and so forth.

 7 We believe in the ^agift of ^btongues, ^cprophecy, ^drevelation,^evisions, ^fhealing, ^ginterpretation of tongues, and so forth.

 8 We believe the ^aBible to be the ^bword of God as far as it is translated ^ccorrectly; we also believe the ^dBook of Mormon to be the word of God.

 9 We believe all that God has ^arevealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet ^breveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

 10 We believe in the literal ^agathering of Israel and in the restoration of the ^bTen Tribes; that ^cZion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will ^dreignpersonally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be ^erenewedand receive its ^fparadisiacal ^gglory.

 11 We claim the ^aprivilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the ^bdictates of our own ^cconscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them ^dworship how, where, or what they may.

 12 We believe in being ^asubject to ^bkings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in ^cobeying, honoring, and sustaining the ^dlaw.

 13 ^aWe believe in being ^bhonest, true, ^cchaste, ^dbenevolent, virtuous, and in doing ^egood to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we ^fhopeall things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to^gendure all things. If there is anything ^hvirtuous, ⁱlovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

I would like to add that I believe these things. I know them to be true. I know that God is our Eternal Heavenly Father and that Jesus Christ is His Only Begotten Son and that They communicate the truth to us through the Holy Ghost.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

-Sister Reid