A Game of Telephone

Have you ever played the game of telephone? 

I remember once we were on a choir trip and we all sat in a big circle, and someone started at the other end, with some short phrase. It went from person to person until it had finally made it's way to me. It came back as something crazy like, "peacocks live on the roof". I remember we all laughed hardily as the starting line was revealed. "I love chocolate ice cream". 'How does something so simple get twisted so fast?' I thought to myself. Then I thought, if one person stood in the middle our telephone circle and said, "I love chocolate ice cream", do you think we would have changed it so dramatically? Most likely not.

This is the principle of having a living prophet. 

I have noticed in my lifetime that the bible is like the game of telephone. The pure word of God always starts out as pure truth, but what happens as it's interpreted, and then reinterpreted? Our bowl of ice cream, turns into a peacock. But, this is not the pattern of God. Our loving Heavenly Father does not leave us to wander down dark paths, trying to govern ourselves by the precepts of men, he calls prophets; Moses, Abraham, Noah, etc. This is His pattern. 

I testify that God has called a prophet on the earth today. He will not suffer us to play telephone on the earth any longer. President Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today, and he holds all the keys of the priesthood of God. I know the keys of the priesthood have been restored, and I echo the words of the Apostle, Elder Jeffery R. Holland, "I bear witness of that gospel and that Church, with a particular witness of restored priesthood keys which unlock the power and efficacy of saving ordinances. I am more certain that those keys have been restored and that those ordinances are once again available through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than I am certain I stand before you at this pulpit and you sit before me in this conference."

You can know it for yourself. I invite all of you to listen to our beloved prophet, ponder his words (which are the words of God) and then "ask God the Eternal Father...if these things are not true" (Moroni 10:4). I testify that they are true, and that our loving Heavenly Father will answer your prayer of faith. 

Listen to Prophet Thomas S. Monson

It matters what path you take

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

-Robert Frost

Each of us is on a path. Whether or not it's a good path I cannot say, only you and God can determine that. I can say this though, everyone of us comes into this world beautiful, clean, and full of the light of Christ. We may be born poor or rich, black or white, or maybe even with some medical issues that prevent us from normal daily living, but regardless, we are all born with a spirit designed and created by God. That spirit was created in a life before this one, in Heaven with our Father. He taught us His plan, and we chose to follow, that's why we are here. But what do we do once we get here? Where do we go from day 1? The answer it simple, where do you want to go?

L-O-V-E

"L- is for the way I look at you.
 O- is for the Only Begotten One.
 V- is victory, over Satan's awful grasp,
 E- is Eternal Life, the greatest gift to all mankind,
And Love is all that I can give to you. Love is more than hearts and flowers too. Two and Love can make it, take My hand I'll lead you home. And love is My eternal plan!"
-Heavenly Father

Let us remember the greatest example of Love this Valentines Day, the Love of our Heavenly Father. May each of us show that love this beautiful day. 

Happy Valentines Day!

The Other Wise Man (Part One)

There once was a young boy who worked in a very large house. The house was grand, and beautiful, and people from all over came to admire the home in which the 3 wise kings lived. Diligo, the servant boy, knew little of the kings, other than that they were always in the tower working very hard, searching the sky for something. Diligo was often the watchman at night, he would fetch water, and food at the request of the wise men late into the evening, and often early into the morning. Working at this time of day was exhausting for Diligo, who was just reaching the tender age of 11, but he knew that the wise men needed him, so he pressed on, often peeling his eyes open at the earliest hours of the morning to grant a certain request.

Days, weeks and months passed slowly it seemed as Diligo stayed up night after night serving the kings as they searched, until one night, the oldest kings came and sat beside him.
"Dear boy," he began, "you work so hard, and you never complain, you must be so tired."
Diligo looked up in confusion,'why is he talking with me in such a way?' he thought.
King Sanctimonia spoke again, "would you like to know what we do at this time of evening?" Diligo quickly smiled and nodded his head, so the king took him up the stairs to the tower where the other two kings sat, charting the stars. Diligo marveled at the maps, and the tools that were strewn across the room. There were fine glass figurines that graced the tables, and crystals that reached taller than he could reach on his tip toes. Never had a servant been allowed in this room til now, and Diligo wondered, 'why would the king bring me here?'