When I started this venture of writing it was only supposed to be for an hour-long fireside, filled with music to sing as a congregation, small groups, or solos. As well as scriptures and personal testimonies by several people. Soon I began writing my thoughts, impressions, and personal stories.
This became more of a book rather than a fireside. This book has become more like my journal on this earth filled with my testimony, personal experiences, and even “Ah ha” moments and marvels that have blessed my life.
I have always loved music and wanted to share my thoughts on spiritual music with others. I love to write and feel I have a lot to share and say on different topics. The things on these pages may not be overly impressive to most but that’s okay. I didn’t do this to impress anyone. I only started this for myself, and maybe those I love, about what I have learned and studied as it pertains to my greatest example and elder brother, Jesus Christ. I’m hoping to remind others, and myself, to ponder these things and help each of us as we try to get through our earthly lives together. As I share my thoughts and learning I pray you will also do the same. Write questions. Writes thoughts, impressions, and feelings of these things you read.
I love my Savior and am constantly thinking about Him, His attributes, and the blessing He offers every one of us. I hope you will give much thought for yourself as you read and study these things.
I have come to an understanding throughout this process. Today, December 24, 2022, I have been reminded of what the purpose of this book is, if for no one else, at least for me. This has been a reminder of how I should live my life and how I should share my knowledge and talents with anyone and everyone I can. I am standing up for those things I have been taught from an earlier age than I have been on earth. I know that I am, and we all are, a child of God. We learned at his feet before we came to earth. We were taught the full truth but unfortunately, we have forgotten. I keep getting glimpses throughout my life and I am at a place where I need to be strong and stand for myself, my family and my GOD.
This scripture came to my mind once again last night and it is the purpose of these things I share in this book of mine. It’s for me. It’s for my family and it is for my Father in Heaven and it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks of me and all I share.
ROMANS 1:16 (King James version)
For I am NOT ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;…..
This is what I cannot deny and never will. My beliefs and the gospel I know to be true has always been different because of its truth. People have a hard time accepting things that contradict what they have believed for a long time or what they have been taught. It’s hard to admit that what we believe and have been taught is wrong or partially untrue. I know I’ve had those experiences where something I’ve always believe to be true isn’t but I know that I have to stand up for the truth. These things I share in this book IS true but it is not going to be accepted by everyone, at least not right now. That is ok because I just want you to know that I believe and I love what God has taught me. I want you to believe and understand these things too but you must come to it in your own time. God is patient and loving and will help you when you’re ready and when the time is right for you.
This hymn is one that strengthens me and confirms my testimony. All things I know are based on a firm and strong foundation. The foundation God started for me and for all of us. I hope you will contemplate on the words and corresponding scriptures. This is the beginning of my journey here on earth.
How Firm a Foundation (all verses)1
How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said,
Who unto the Savior, who unto the Savior,
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?
In ev’ry condition in sickness, in health,
In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth,
At home or abroad, on the land or the sea
As thy days may demand, as thy days may demand,
As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.
Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’er flow,
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee, and sanctify to thee,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, thy dross to consume,
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.
E’en down to old age, all my people shall prove
My sov’reign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And then, when gray hair shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs shall they still, like lambs shall they still,
Like lambs shall they still in my bosom be borne.
The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, I’ll never, no never,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!
Isaiah 41:10
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Isaiah 43:2-5
“When thou passest through the alters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned;
Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;”
Helaman 5:12
“An now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.”
This is the foundation for my life. It’s firm, strong and undeniable. All the scriptures in this book come from the scriptures of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We believe in the King James version of the Old and New Testament so when referring to bible verses they come from the original King James version, which is the most correct “as far as it is translated correctly.”
Articles of Faith #8: “We believe the bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.”2
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