Watch...And Learn

Many people are visual learners, meaning they learn by seeing.  I believe to a degree we all learn visually.  We can "watch and learn" from the people around us.  It's interesting to me how by just watching someone we can learn things.  We can learn things from them, and we can learn things about them. 
In the last week I have been able to work closely with some great people who I love and adore.  People who I have associated with for my entire mission, but have never been able to be around for long periods of time.  I have learned so much about them and from them, just by simply watching, listening and trying to duplicate their actions to become a better person.

We do that with the life of Jesus Christ all the time right?  We visualize his life and his mission.  We can see his perfect example for exactly what it is; Perfect.  We want to be able to help others, and we of course would like to become more like him as well.  So we do out best to follow his teachings.  To become better.  As Christmas day approaches much quicker than I had anticipated and I'm sure many of you feel the same, I pray that we will be able to learn from our Great Master, even Jesus Chirst.  He has truely carried our griefs and sorrow.  We are forever indebted to him.  We have much to be thankful for this Chirstmas season.  Be joyful and know that God is with you and he listens.  Learn from him, learn from those around you..BECOME.  Watch and Learn.

My Dream two Nights Ago

Two nights ago I had dream that I can't seem to get out of my mind.  I had been in some sort of an accident, and had been hospitalized.  Something had happened to my head, and I needed surgery right away.  I was not conscious, but I was watching everything happen from above.  I heard a voice and was told that through this procedure I would lose part of my memory.  I had the choice of what I would get to remember.  The decision I would make would effect me the rest of my life.  I was asked to choose between the two things I love more than anything else in this life.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ, or my Family.  I can still feel the confusion, sadness and pure distaste for the idea of forgetting one of them.  Then I would have to start over, with my family, or with my testimony of this gospel.  As I looked down from above as different nurses and doctors worked to begin surgery.  I contemplated the seriousness of the decision I needed to make.  I thought of my amazing family, the blessing and help they have been to me; known and unknown.  I also thought of the time and effort I have put into gaining a strong testimony of the things I have come to believe so deeply.  Through all of this thinking and contemplating my decision, I could not make one.  I was not trying to be defiant to the voice that asked me to make that decision, but I merely could not come up with an answer to give. 
As I woke up without a decision made I still have thought over and over again the decision I would make.  I cannot make the choice.  I would rather have one mightier then I make that decision.  I love this Gospel, I love who I have become and continue to become because of it.  I love my family.  They have helped me to gain this testimony.  They have helped me to become who I am.  I believe that Family and the Gospel of Jesus Christ are inseparably connected.  The family is the basic social unit of time and all eternity.  I do believe that if I did "forget my testimony"  my family would be at my side helping me to gain it once again.  I believe that if I forgot my family the Gospel of Jesus Christ would lead me to them.  I hope I will never have to make that decision, but I am glad that God has given me this time to think more deeply about what those two things mean to me.  How truly important they are to me.  I hope that we all can notice the way we REALLY feel about our families and the Gospel.  Just a little food for thought.  Hope you enjoy.

Everything Denotes That There is a God

There is a story in the Book of Mormon that I love.  I'd like to share it with anyone who take the time to read my blog.  This story takes place many years before the coming of Christ.  The story is about a man named Korihor.  Korihor was an anti-Christ, which means he did not believe in Jesus Christ, or of the coming of Jesus Christ.  He went about the land of Zerehemla teaching his false doctrine to the people of the church of God. He taught things like people could not truly believe in something they had never seen.  He would preach that there would be no Christ. He said, "Oh ye that are bound down under a foolish and a vain hope, why do ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things? Why do ye look for a Christ? For no man can know of anything which is to come.

  Behold, these things which ye call prophecies, which ye say are handed down by holy prophets, behold, they are foolish traditions of your fathers.
   How do ye know of their surety? Behold, ye can not know of things which ye do not see; therefore ye cannot know that there shall be a Christ.

   Ye look forward and say that ye see a remission of your sins. But behold, it is the effect of a frenzied mind; and this derangement of your minds comes because of the traditions of your fathers, which lead you away into a belief of things which are not so."

He also taught that the leaders of the church would teach people these things to gain favor and wealth.
  Because of the things that Korihor taught he led away the hearts of many.  Korihor was brought before the High Priest Alma.  Alma tells Korihor that Korihor knows that he and the other leaders of the church labored with their ownto support themselves and their families.  That he never abused his leadershipe postion.  Then Alma asks Korihor a couple of great questions. "Believest thou that there is a God?"  Korihor said, "nay".  Then Alma asks, "What evidence do ye have that there is no God, or that Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your word only.
   But, behold, I have all things which are a testimony unto you that they are true."
   Korihor tell Alma that if God showed him a sign he would believe.  To which Alma replies, "Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all the holy prophets?  The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote that there is a God; yea, even the Earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and it's motion, yea, and also all the planets which do move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator."
   I like Alma know that there is a God.  I do believe that Jesus Christ came and that he was the Son of God.  He took upon himself the mistakes, pains, sicknesses and all other things.  So that we can return to live with God.  For no unclean things can dwell in the presence of God.  There had to be a way for us to become clean.  That can only be done through Jesus Christ.  Gaining Faith in Jesus Christ can be done in many ways.  My faith in Jesus Christ was first gained through the Book of Mormon.  That's how I came to know that he was not only a man, but my savior, my redeemer, my way to live with God and my family forever.  I hope this touches your hearts and helps you to know that there is a God, who knows your situation and Loves and truly cares about you.  He is waiting for you to doubt not, but to be believing.  In the Sacred named on Jesus Christ, Amen.

 
 

Baptism, My Purpose.

  My Purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the Restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ, and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy ghost and enduring to the end. 
   I feel like I need to do more to fulfill that purpose online.  So as I read from the scriptures this morning I decided to try to find something to write about and I found my topic; Baptism.  Baptism is essential to our salvation. In John 3:5 in the New Testament is says, "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."  Being born of the water means to be baptized, and of the spirit means to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  This Scripture I quoted has a story behind it.  Christ is talking to a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews named Nicodemus.  Now Nicodemus comes to Christ in the night and says, " Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him."  Then Jesus says what I quoted earlier.  So he tells Nicodemus that he needs to be Born of Water and of the Spirit or he wont be able to live with God.  And Nicodemus asks a classic question, "How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?"  He thinks logically and says, "how in the world can I be born again, I can't enter my mothers womb again!"  To which Jesus responds, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."
The answer of course is Baptism.  Christ set the PERFECT example.  It is always amazing to me people who believe that baptism is not necessary.  Of course it is necessary, Jesus Christ was perfect, and he was baptized...hmm sounds like we should be baptized, as imperfect as we are.  In the Book of Mormon it says, "And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!"  Christ was baptized.  "And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them.  And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?  And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son."
Follow the perfect example, Jesus Christ.  Find the path for you and be baptized.  Baptism is the gate by which ye should enter.  Then stay on the straight and narrow path which leads to eternal life.  If you have questions please look me up of facebook by searching, "Elder Austin Goff".  Ask any questions you may have.

I second the voice of Alma to the people of Nephi when he says,
"And now I say unto you that this is the order after which I am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved brethren, yea, and every one that dwelleth in the land; yea, to preach unto all, both old and young, both bond and free; yea, I say unto you the aged, and also the middle aged, and the rising generation; yea, to cry unto them that they must repent and be born again.

  Yea, thus saith the Spirit: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand; yea, the Son of God cometh in his glory, in his might, majesty, power, and dominion. Yea, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, that the Spirit saith: Behold the glory of the King of all the earth; and also the King of heaven shall very soon shine forth among all the children of men.

  And also the Spirit saith unto me, yea, crieth unto me with a mighty voice, saying: Go forth and say unto this people—Repent, for except ye repent ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of heaven."

Christ being baptized by John