Good Ramblings

I want the world to know that there are a few magazines I currently read. In no particular order they are:

Friend Magazine
Ensign Magazine
Family Fun Magazine
Scouting Magazine
BYU McKay School of Education Magazine
BYU Alumni Magazine
BYU-I Alumni magazine

All but Family Fun, get read while using the treadmill. Our treadmill though, was broken and under a drop cloth for many months this year, then the weather was just too nice, so it didn't get used much. I am happy to report that lately, besides using my treadmill to get a killer bod, I have been diligently catching up on my magazine reading.

Anyway, the whole point of this post was to write my feelings about a fantastic article from the July 2008 Ensign. It was the article by Elder Ballard, "Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet". It went a bit with some of the things President Packer talked about at our last stake conference, and the great impact media has had on the church. He says, "This is the world of the future, with inventions undreamed of that will come in your lifetime as they have in mine. How will you use these marvelous inventions? More to the point, how will you use them to further the work of the Lord?"

One of the things Elder Ballard encourages us to do is to explain in simple and clear terms the message of the gospel on our blogs. We are to speak as a member (obviously not for the whole church), who can testify of the truths we have come to know. We are to talk honestly and sincerely about the impact the gospel has had on our lives and how it has helped us overcome weaknesses or challenges. Also how it has helped define our values.

As I read that I really felt like I needed to do a bit more of this in my blog. I spend a considerable amount of time reading blogs, and updating mine. So, along with sharing my fantastic writing ability, my great sense of humor, and journaling about my perfect children, I am also going to share my feelings, at times, about the wonderful thing in my life, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I have been feeling really strongly lately about the need to FOLLOW THE LEADERS OF THE CHURCH. Obviously this is a principle that is often taught, and has always been easy for me to do. With the elections coming up and with so much available to read and digest about the moral issues of the day I have been thinking about this principle again. I really believe that hard things are being asked of us, and will be continually asked of us as a way to determine our faithfulness. It is a hard thing for many members to vote yes on Prop 8. I have read a bunch of blogs and articles from LDS folk who cannot reconcile the church's position with their own. It has been interesting to me (and intriguing) to read their feelings that the church is wrong about just this one thing (and that one other thing) etc. You know what I have been thinking about it? "Follow the leaders of the church." What they ask me to do, I'm going to do. This has been coming to me again and again to me over the last 2 weeks.

"Follow the leaders of the church, be on their side, because it is My side."

There is nothing I want more than to be with my loving Heavenly Father and His son and with my loved ones after this life. I know I'll be more able to have that as I stay on the Lord's side by following his Prophet and Apostles. It may be hard at times, but I can do it, and will.