Let your light so shine

So a few days ago I learned the value of not hidding your talents under a bushel. It was interesting to me, because I was in the midst of writting a song on the piano, when the door opened to the room I was in. I thought it was my teaching partner, when it turned out to be the bishop of our ward. He asked me if I was hidding my talents under a bushel. I told him no, that I've just never had a chance to play this music for anyone. He then asked me, how I learned to play that song. I told him that its not a song that currently exists in the world. That i'd been writting it. He told me that it sounded pretty good, and his wife agreed. I thought it was funny that they should find out my talents like that. But then as I put some real thought into it, I realized. Just as Dieter F. Uchdorf said "We are all children of a glorious being, children of the most high god". It is my testimony, that we as children of God true have gifts and talents that we should all share, as we have been given these things by a heavenly father who loves us, cares about us, and knows us each individually, by name. We deserve to be succesfull, happy, and talented, everyone does. Its the greatest feeling to know that we have such a being who looks out for us. As it says in Moses 1:39 "For behold this is my work and my glory, to bring to pass, the immortality and eternal life of man". God glories when we are happy, and when we are doing what we should. Having talents is just part of living happy, and healthy. As christ said in *(matthew 5:16 & 3 nephi 12:16) "16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." We should all let our "Light so shine" as it is part of the wonderful gifts that our heavenly father has given us.

The Book of mormon & How it relates to the bible.

Often times, on my mission, I find people asking me questions about the Book of Mormon. According to the introduction page of the Book of Mormon, "The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible. It is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and contains the fulness of the everlasting gospel". Its job, along with the bible is to testify of christ. Not to replace the bible, but to add the witness of another nation to christ. Just recently I had a chance to sit down with one of our investigators. On this particular day, we had been having some trouble teaching the doctirines. So we felt a different approach was in order. We were teaching her about the Plan of Salvation, but we thought rather then using the Book of Mormon only, we thought we would use the Bible as our main source of imformation, and then use the Book of Mormon to back it up. As we taught her the doctirines of the Plan of salvation, we showed her how the bible says everything we share as missionaries. Then showed her how the Book of Mormon supported everything we were teaching her from the bible, infact it clarified several of the points that didn't seem to be too clear. It was great watching the Light bulb come on, and seeing her eyes light up as she started grasping the concepts we were teaching her. We then were able to actually transition the lesson back to a previous lesson she had already been taught, but hadn't fully understood. The restoration of Christ' true church. It made a whole lot of sense to her. After we left the meeting, she said "I learned more from this meeting then from anyother meeting". It really made me feel good to know that we had made a difference in her life. The book of mormon, is a passage of holy scripture, it does not say anything more or less then what the bible says, it only restates what the bible says in a different way. Clarifying and exhorting people with all diligence to come unto christ. Its clarifying power comes from the Holy Ghost, who testifies of, witnessess to, and teaches of its truth and divinity. The spirit eminates from every page, because it is america's witness for christ. It is another nations witness of Christ, the bible is the the witness of the ancient inhabitants of palistine. The testimony of these two nations will bring you closer to christ then ever before. Teaching you his true doctirines. It is the love of god that inspired it, not desiring his kids to walk along in darkness, but to walk along in the light, God gave a second witness to his words. A clarifying witness, which gives you convincing evidence of the words found in the bible. I testify with all my heart that the book of Mormon can change your life today, that it can teach you more simply and clearly the doctirines set forth by the bible. That as a second witness of christ, it is the witness that everyone in the christian world needs. As it validates the bibles statement that "By the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established" as it is a second nations witness of christ. It also gives valdility to the vision shown to Ezekiel when he says in 37:15-17 "15 ¶The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, 16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one astick, and bwrite upon it, For cJudah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and dwrite upon it, For eJoseph, the fstick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: 17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become aone in thine hand". Its the stick of Ephraim, as the people refrenced in the Book of Mormon, are expressly from the tribes of Manasah and eprhaim, of the 10 tribes of israel. As a decendant of these people, I give you my unique witness that the book of Mormon is true, and that it can change your life as it has mine.