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.

Neither am I Mighty in Writing

   Ever since we started this online proselyting work I have been thinking about how hard it is to express myself through written words.  I have had the chance of teaching some friends online through Facebook, and have been updating this blog site.  As I have done both I have decided that I am better at expressing my thoughts and feelings through my spoken words,  rather than written.  As I read from The Book of Mormon today I read Nephi's words at the end of the book of 2 Nephi.  Nephi seems to have felt the same way I have. So I will use his words from 2 Nephi 33 and insert my name.
   1.  And now I, Elder Goff, cannot write all the things that were taught to me today; neither am I mighty in writing, like unto speaking; for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the children of men. ( I don't feel that I am mighty in speaking either, but I feel like I can speak better than I can write.)
   2.  But behold, there are many that harden their hearts against the Holy Spirit, that it hath no place in them; wherefore, they cast many things away which are written and esteem them as things of naught.
   I hope that something in what I write on my blog will touch the hearts of those who read it.  I do not proclaim to be a writing genius or to have the spirit at all times.  However I do feel like these things I write mean a lot to me, so I hope that they could mean something to others as well.  If only because I know them to be true.  I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am trying so hard to be someone different than who I used to be.  I know it's only through Jesus Christ that that can happen.  I feel that he has helped me change things already.  I'm still constantly trying to improve. There are many areas I need to work on, and I am doing my best.  The past is the past.  I hope it can stay there.  I know where I stand with God and that's what matters.  I hope all who read this can realize that we can always be better than we were yesterday. 
   4.  And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people.  And the words which I have written in weakness will be made strong unto them; for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and presuadeth them to believe in him, and to endure to the end, which is life eternal.
   10.  And now, my beloved bretheren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ.  And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach men that they should do good.
   It is my prayer that as I use this as a means of helping others that Christ will help me to write the words he would have me write.  That he will bless you to feel of the Love and Effort I try to put into these entries.  I love Jesus Christ, I love my Father in Heaven, they love me.  I hope I can help you to all feel of their love for you as well, and that you can grow to love them. And see the happiness that can be found through them.

He invites All men, Everywhere.

     Today during my Personal study I was reading from The Book of Mormon.  I came across some scripture in 2 Nephi 26 that I have read time and time again, but it always hits me different.  Today as I read it I thought about non-members and less actives who believe that if they set foot in a church building it will fall into a heap of flaming rubble on top of them.  Why would God do that?  We all have things that are keeping us from being the "perfect person."  That's why we go to church right?  To better ourselves.  "For he doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation." (2 Nephi 26:24) He died to draw all men unto him.  Not to keep them away.  He desires for all to partake of Salvation.
    "Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price.

     Behold, hath he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I say unto you, Nay.

     Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance.

     Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.

wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is

love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.

     For he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile." (2 Nephi 26:25-28, 30, 33)

   We are all worth just as much as the next person.  God will never esteem one above another.  No one can read these scriptures and say that God will not accept them.  God will accept all who accept Him, and do the best they can to keep His commandments.