Vanilla Vs. Syrup

Everybody likes a good batch of chocolate chip cookies, it's just a fact.

My brother and I had a craving for them and decided to make a batch. Since my parents were out on their date night we decided to go for it with no supervision.

It went really well! We were working together, having a blast, and then we got to an ingredient: Vanilla.

We didn't have any vanilla.

Stumped we thought about what we could do. Neither of us could drive, and instead of doing the sensible thing and asking the neighbors for some, we substituted it with another ingredient...

Syrup.

They looked the same right? They both tasted pretty darn good.

The dough got EVERYWHERE.

Because of the substituted ingredient the dough was ridiculously sticky.

My parents soon came home and were flabbergasted at what we had done. Who in their right mind would substitute syrup for vanilla????

After scraping the dough off of the counters my mom kindly shared with me that syrup does not substitute for vanilla.

I look back at this experience and find a spiritual parallel.

To my young mind, who was very new at cooking, Syrup and Vanilla looked the same, so it should be okay right?

My mom knew beyond the surface and beyond the looks of the ingredients and knew that it wouldn't work.

As spiritual children we are constantly learning and realizing the Adversaries traps. However some of his attempts are taught by prophets today, so we don't have to learn the hard way.

We are spiritual children who need guidance from our parents. The more we study the words of the modern day prophets and the prophets in the scriptures, the more we'll know to avoid those follies of Satan.

Study the words of your Heavenly Father that he shares through his prophets.

Pray to know that we have a prophet today in whom we are continually given guidance.

Know the difference between Vanilla and Syrup, so when the time comes, you can enjoy some delicious chocolate chip cookies and avoid the scraping of dough off the counters.

I close in the name of Jesus Christ, who makes it possible to escape any dough-scraping experience, Amen.

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Manner of Happiness

I know I've already posted a blog post about happiness, but I found a scripture that really brought out a whole new point that I just couldn't help but share!

"And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness." 2 Nephi 5:27

They were happy! Who likes to be happy? I guess the real question is who doesn't like to be happy??

I absolutely love being happy, pretty much the best thing ever.

Earlier in the chapter it described what the manner of happiness is. It boils down to four steps. I related it to myself and here's how all four steps brought me happiness:

1.Hearken unto his words.
      Before I came on a mission my professor in college challenged us to read the Book of Mormon for 20 minutes every day. I took the challenge and only missed one day the whole semester. It is the reason why I am on a mission. It is the reason I had the strength to leave my family and walk into the MTC on March 13. Without it, I would not have had the faith. It is the reason why I am happy today and every day.

2.Keep the Commandments
      Looking back and going through elementary and high school I always was the happiest when I was obedient to my parents, both on heaven and on earth. Now on my own I have many "darn, mom was right" moments that make me appreciate the lesson's I have learned on the importance of obedience. Always hearken to the counsel from your father above.

3.Work
      Someone told me growing up that a blank mind is a blank stage that the devil can put on any act that he desires. However when we keep the stage full, he has no time to put on his acts. Out here on a mission we fill every single hour of every single day with plans. I learned that the best way to get over something hard, is to work at it! or just simply work!

4.Kept the temple in their sights
      I had the privilege of working in the temple right before I came out on my mission. Once a week I would spend all of my morning working in the temple. I found I had more strength than I ever had to fight against the onslaughts of the evil one. Now on a mission I can't attend as often, but as I do I find my view shift daily to  become more Christlike and to truly feel an enduring conversion to a happier way of living. The temple is sacred and special, as you allow it to change your schedule, it will change your life!

The devil wants us to be miserable, don't allow him to win. When we think of the power he truly has compared to the power our loving Heavenly Father has, he's rather pathetic.

Don't let him deceive you, look towards the light.

Always ask yourself, am I happy?

Because we're meant to be.

In the name of the one who brings everlasting Joy to my life, Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Adversity and Righteousness

In a youth stake meeting, President Mortimer whom is in the stake presidency, said a line that has really stuck with me since,

"Don't let the test deter the decision."

Deciding to go on a mission was a decision I made a long time ago, however the test didn't come until right before I left.

I can look back now and see every test that the adversary threw my way. I have never been tested more in my life then right before I had to walk through those doors into the Missionary Training Center.

Satan knows us very well, and knows what choices we are going to make.

He's been doing this since the beginning of time and then some.

He knows the power that we have and how minute his power is in comparison. He wants to take away our freedom of choice.

When we make a righteous choice, he tries his hardest.

Be conscious of the reality of Satan, and also know and study the reality of Christ who died for us and his grace.

His grace is sufficient for us to get through any test and stay true to the decision we know is right.

Do the program: Read. Pray. Take the Sacrament.

There will be tests, but there are always promised blessings to the righteous. Satan's power is pathetic to the power we are blessed with through God's grace, and his Son's grace.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

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Power of God

"The Priesthood is the power and authority that God gives to man to act in all things necessary for the salvation of God’s children."

The Priesthood is the result of the restoration of the true church of Christ, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, on this earth once again. It makes baptism into our church a key to salvation and allows to have a prophet of God, President Thomas S. Monson, to guide and direct Christ's church on this earth today. 

 God allows us, his children, to hold the priesthood and be able to act "all things necessary for the salvation of God's children."

I recently had the opportunity to do just that!

There is a sister that has decided to get baptized and the only thing in her way is her addiction to smoking. 

Having faith, she asked us to give her a priesthood blessing for strength to be able to overcome this addiction.

Walking in to her house she mentioned that she really had an urge for a cigarette and it was taking all of her will power not to go outside and satisfy the addiction. 

Through the authority of the priesthood we pronounced a blessing upon her.

Immediately following she said in amazement that she had "No desire for a cigarette."

The priesthood is real and truly is the power of God.

There are countless stories of miracles that have been wrought through the power and authority that God blesses his children with that they may serve others.

Seek the power and authority of God, allow it to bless your life, and have the faith to ask for it's power in your life when you feel that desire.

Those who hold the priesthood, always strive to be worthy, always be ready to be God's instrument in his composition of salvation in his children's lives. 

I say all of these things with a testimony of it's truth and power, in the name of he who wrought many miracles with the same divine power, Jesus Christ, Amen. 

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Trusting Completely

Following the promptings of the spirits are eternally important, and he speaks to each of us in a unique way.

We need to heed these followings and follow them immediately.

Recently, we were driving down main street and I saw that a concert was being played at the stage and I felt for some reason we should go.

The music was not going to be approved for missionaries, is it really a good use of our time to go and watch a concert?

It made no sense.

I spoke up and found that my companion felt the same. We parked then walked and sat down with the spectators.

Immediately we were noticed by a ward member who used to be a mission president, if anybody knew we weren't supposed to be here he would!

We found a seat next to one of our investigators. Shortly after we sat down she got up and left us there alone.

It made no sense why we were here.

A man next to me leans over and asks if we were Jehovah Witnesses. We answered no and it turned into a half hour conversation about the church. We were able to share the restoration and a message about the priesthood power that has been restored to this earth! He seemed very interested and gladly agreed to meet with us again.

We were supposed to be there, even though it made no sense at that time.

The Holy Ghost is always whispering in our ear, but are we tuned in?

Are we willing to listen even though it may make no sense?

Now always check a prompting with what you know is true in the scriptures. Always pay attention to how you feel as you carry out the prompting. The Holy Ghost will give assuring nudges as we take the steps towards the direction it brings us in.

The more we heed to the promptings the more the Lord can trust in us and the more the Lord can edify us as we become instruments in his hands.

Heed the promptings and act on His will.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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How do you Listen?

I have felt that I never really had a big Holy Ghost prompting as an answer to my prayers.

I've had a few lego story moments that I can remember, but nothing too major that I really felt was the Holy Ghost speaking and guiding me. 

I learned an important aspect of how the Holy Ghost speaks to all of us by a simple experience, right at the beginning of my mission.

My first day on my mission we stopped at a rest stop on the way to my area, went to the bathroom, and left.

A week later we were coming back once again and I was asleep in the passenger seat. I wake up to my stomach grumbling and I see Buy one, Get one Mcwrap. I smiled as I thought of the wonderful chipotle BBQ heaven wrapped in a tortilla. I pointed it out and guided my companion to stop at that McDonalds. We soon realized it was the same rest stop we stopped at just a week earlier.

Elder Guzik, having a gluten allergy, went to the gas station side and bought a dinner there. The cashier ended up talking to him and shared his story. Elder Guzik taught him the restoration, got his information, and came back to sit at the table with us.

As nosy missionaries we quickly asked what had happened. He related that the cashier, a week earlier, had said a prayer for a sign from God. That day that he prayed, we walked in to the rest stop, and he took it as his sign. However because of our haste he was unable to talk to us. That Sunday he attended a church in his neighborhood.

He was very grateful that we returned so he had a chance to speak to us. 

I quickly recognized how the spirit had spoken to me, to bring us to be in that rest stop at that time.

Buy one, Get one, Mcwrap. 

Was it a, "go into that gas station because there is someone who needs to hear the gospel and is waiting for Elder Guzik to share the gospel with him?" No!

It was a " thought of the wonderful chipotle BBQ heaven wrapped in a tortilla."

The Holy Ghost knew me well enough to know that a great meal like that would get me in there!

Sometimes we wait for those significant promptings, but we forget that God knows us all individually. He knows what will get us when and where we can serve him the best.

Always seek for the promptings from the spirit and never sell yourself short by feeling that he doesn't speak to you.

If you are reading, praying, and attending church, you are promised to feel the power of the Holy Ghost, and if you have entered the water's of baptism, you are promised to have the Holy Ghost guiding you always.

Be humble enough to be an effective instrument in the Lord's hands.

Seek the promptings in every aspect of daily life.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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