Church Videos

I discovered that the church website has videos available to watch. These include some cartoon type stores of the scriptures. Here is the link to the church videos. The cartoons ones are listed under "scripture stories". You can also watch conference talks through this same link. These would be a good alternative to watching television on Sunday. :)

Mormon Messages: In Sickness and in Health

Oakland Temple Visitor Center at Christmas

Last night I went with the youth to the Oakland temple grounds to see the Christmas lights. As always, the grounds look beautiful. We also spent some time in the visitor center, including watching a video there. I hope that those of you who live in the Bay area will take the time to visit the Oakland temple this holiday season. Every night there are free musical perfomances. This weekend, Dec. 4,5, there will be a free dance presentation, "Behold the Light". Event schedules are available at the visitor center.
What I loved most about visiting the grounds and visitor center was that it helped bring Christ back in to Christmas for me. The spirit felt on the grounds is wonderful, and I know that you will be glad you went. Please take some time to see one of the videos in the visitor center. One of them is "Luke Chapter 2", a 6 minute video. This is a great family outing, and a great way to start off the Christmas season!



























These are images from inside the visitor center. The Christus statue is visible from outside through the large windows of the center. Copies of the Book of Mormon in many different languages are on display inside.

Inside an LDS Temple: Part 2

Inside a Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

On the outside of every LDS temple are inscribed the words, "House of the Lord. Holiness to the Lord." For us, the temple is the most sacred building of worship. We believe it is the house of the Lord, where the Lord can come to dwell if He desires. We strive to keep ourselves worthy to enter so that no unclean thing detracts from the spirit that is present in the temple. This video shows some footage of an LDS temple, taken before it was dedicated. You will note the baptismal fonts wherein we perform baptisms for the dead.

Reflections of Christ Project by Mark Mabry

What I Would Like My Athiest Friends to Know

I have several athiest friends that I have talked to about religion over the years. Most of them rely on science to explain every phenomena. In their mind, every religious feeling can be explained away by science. But there are some things I would like them to keep in mind before making a final decision about God. And by the way, most of them say there is no God, but then add, "If I saw God, or a miracle, then maybe I would believe." So I don't think they are so much athiests, as unconverted Christians. So I would like to speak directly to them.

First I would like you to know that I, and many of my friends, have had direct answers to prayer. I have prayed to find an item, and been shown in my mind where to look. And it wasn't in a convenient location, where anyone could see, it was pushed through the crack of the back of a drawer, so that it wasn't visible from the inside of the drawer. But I was shown that to find it, I needed to take the drawer out of the nightstand. I don't say these things to boast, but to show that unless you are willing to believe I am psychic, the only other explanation is God. Just this past Sunday, another friend spoke of a time that he prayed to find something he had been searching for in the lawn. A voice told him to look in his pocket, and that is where he found the item. You might say he was lying, but if the same thing happened to you, (and with faith it could,) you would have to accept that there is no point in lying. Lying doesn't help your own faith grow.

I have had feelings to prompt me to help others who were in need. I didn't know they were in need, but kept feeling they needed my help, so I stopped by. I have a friend who had this same feeling, only to find that the person was contemplating suicide. If this only hapened to me once in my life, I might could explain it away, but it has happened many times.

I have had the experience of being prompted to study or think about a certain subject, only to find that the lesson being taught in church was the same. Again, if this only happened once, I would think it coincidence. But as I have seen it happen again and again, coupled with a feeling from the spirit, I have no doubt that these thoughts came from God.

Most importantly, I have prayed for forgiveness, and have felt the sweet grace of God distilling upon my mind and heart, taking away my guilt, and helping me to change. I know God lives because I have felt Him. My faith has increased through these experiences. If I had seen God, my faith would not be as strong. Even miracles can be explained away. But when you develop a relationship of faith, your belief transcends physical proof.

While the unknown is uncomfortable, and not having proof or data for every thing we see is uncomfortable for some, surely everyone can admit that science isn't perfect. I think if we were shown in vision how the world was created, we would see that science can't even begin to explain it all. The same goes for spiritual experiences.

While I respect your right to disbelieve, I hope that you will think twice before discounting God all together. Just because there is no physical proof, doesn't mean He doesn't exist. And when you die, and find that your spirit still lives, and that God is real, I hope that you will turn to Him, and believe.