Work and Self-Reliance

I give unto them a commandment, thus: Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known.
Doctrine and Covenants Section 60:13

I was reading this scripture the other day in my studies and i was think hard about it. Their seem to be a lot of people that i know who are idling there time in today's world. To often i see the youth of today playing video games and bragging about there tasks they have beaten. Slowly I can see there IQ level drop. We as youth spend so much time playing video games and watching the television. If we spent 1/2 the time studying I bet we all could be doctors or lawyers or such. I don't want to sound like a hypocrite because I use to spend my far share of face book games. I can thank one of my friends for helping me realized the time I was wasting away. She made a joke about how pathetic my life was when I was asking her to harvest my computer crops as my real crops withered away out side. Her comment gave me the reality check I need to under stand that I was being suckered in to one of Satan traps. Even though it seemed harmless to me and the people around me it still provided a good point. To often we are putting a side choirs and school work even scripture studying time to be easily entertained by these device.
We as youth today need to learn good work ethics to help better the future. We can't learn how to take care of ourselves if we are busy shooting zombies and cutting up fruit like a ninja. We need to start are good work ethic in the home. Helping our families with taking care of the house and yard are always a good start. We need to also learn how to manage are money so we can become self reliable. Setting high goals for our self will make these things easier. Setting goals to live on a budget and setting working goals will get us ready for life after high school and college. Setting these goals will help us to become more self reliance.  When you are self-reliant you are using the blessings and abilities to take care of yourself and your family and to find answer for all your own problems. Becoming self reliance does not mean that you must be able to do all things on your own. To be truly self reliant, you must learn how to work with others and be able to learn how to ask the lord for strenght and knowledge.

The Sheep-Herders Lament

I have summered in the tropics,
With the yellow fever chill;
I have been down with the scurvy;
I've had every ache and ill.

I have wintered in the Arctic,
Frost-bitten to the bone;
I've been in a Chinese dungeon,
Where I spent a year alone.
I've been shanghaied on a whaler;
And was stranded on the deep,
But I never knew was misery was,
Till I started herding sheep.
The camp boss now is two weeks late
The burro dead three days.
The dogs are all sore footed, but
The sheep have got to graze.
They won't bed down till after dark,
And they're off before the dawn;
With their baaing and their blatting
They are scattered and they're gone.
I smell their wooly stink all day
And I hear them in my sleep;
Oh, I never knew what misery was,
Till I started herding sheep.
My feet are sore, my boots worn out;
I'm afraid I'll never mend;
I've got to where a horny-toad
Looks like a long lost friend.
The Spanish Inquisition might
Have been a whole lot worse,
If instead of crucifixion, they
Had had some sheep to nurse.
Old Job had lots of patience, but
He got off pretty cheap--
He never knew what misery was,
For he never herded sheep.
It's nice enough to tell the kids,
Of the big, old, stout ram,
The gentle soft-eyed mother ewe,
And the wooly little lamb.
It's nice to have your mutton chops,
And your woolen clothes to wear,
But you never stop to give a though
To the man that put them there.
The blind and deaf are blessed,
The cripples, too, that creep;
They'll never know what misery is,
For they never will herd sheep.

by:Duke LaRance

Every time i read this poem i think of jesus parable in luke chapter 15: 3-7 if you would like to read this parable here is a link
http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/luke/15?lang=eng

If i put my feet in jesus shoes i undersatnd how hard it would be to keep the fold in line and all together. we always have some of the sheep leave the fold and its hard for us to get them to come back. when we do get them to come back we rejoice. i know from experiense how great this joy is and i hope for all to feel it. so reach out to the lost people and bring them back.

Take my Son.....

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art..
When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.
About a month later, just before Christmas,
There was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands..
He said, 'Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly... He often talked about you, and your love for art.' The young man held out this package. 'I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.'
The father
Opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.. 'Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift.'
The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.
The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.
On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. 'We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?'
There was silence...
Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, 'We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.'
But the auctioneer persisted. 'Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?'
Another voice angrily. 'We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandts. Get on with the Real bids!'
But still the auctioneer continued. 'The son! The son! Who'll take the son?'
Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. 'I'll give $10 for the painting...' Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.
'We have $10, who will bid $20?'
'Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters.'
The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son.
They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.
The auctioneer pounded the gavel.. 'Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!'
A man sitting on the second row shouted, 'Now let's get on with the collection!'
The auctioneer laid down his gavel. 'I'm sorry, the auction is over.'
'What about the paintings?'
'I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will... I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings.
The man who took the son gets everything!'
God gave His son over 2,000 years ago to die on the Cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: 'The Son, the Son, who'll take the Son?'
Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything!
FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE...THAT'S LOVE

LET IT REALLY SINK IN - THEN CHOOSE.

John is the kind of guy you love to hate.   He is always in a good mood
and always has something positive to say.  When someone would ask him how
he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

  He was a natural motivator.

  If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee
how to look on the positive side of the situation.

  Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked
him, "I don't get it!"

  "You can't be a positive person all of the time.  How do you do it?"

  He replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two
choices today.  You can choose to be in a good mood or...you can choose to
 be in a bad mood

  I choose to be in a good mood."

  Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I can
choose to learn from it.  I choose to learn from it.

  Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their
complaining or...I can point out the positive side of life.  I choose the
positive side of life.

  "Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.

  "Yes, it is," he said.  "Life is all about choices.  When you cut away
all the junk, every situation is a choice.  You choose how you react to
situations.  You choose how people affect your mood.

  You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood.  The bottom line: It's your
choice how you live your life."

  I reflected on what he said.  Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry
to start my own business.  We lost touch, but I often thought about him
when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

   Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious
accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.
  After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released
from the hospital with rods placed in his back.

  I saw him about six months after the accident.

  When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be
twins....Wanna see my scars?"

  I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his
 mind as the accident took place.

  "The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my
soon-to-be born daughter," he replied.  "Then, as I lay on the ground, I
remembered that I had two choices:  I could choose to live or...I could
choose to die.  I chose to live."

  "Weren't you scared?  Did you lose consciousness?"  I asked.

  He continued, "...the paramedics were great.


  They kept telling me I was going to be fine.  But when they wheeled me
into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and
nurses, I got really scared.  In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I
knew I needed to take action."

  "What did you do?" I asked.

  "Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said John.
"She asked if I was allergic to anything 'Yes, I replied.'  The doctors
and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply.  I took a deep
breath and yelled, 'Gravity'".

  Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live.  Operate on me
as if I am alive, not dead."

  He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his
amazing attitude...I learned from him that every day we have the choice to
 live fully.

  Attitude, after all, is everything.

  
I got this as a email from one of my dearest friends and i wanted to share it with everyone that follows the Walch street journal. I hope this help you have a better attitude about things around you and the people around you. If you have a great attitude it will spread, They are very contagious like smiling.

We were driving into eureka on a Tuesday night

The snow was coming down it was a miserable sight

It took us 2 hours to go 60 miles

But my companion and I still wore a great big smile

I thought to myself, why is this so?

Why are we smiling and happy when it was so bitter cold

I thought well it could have been that dinner we just ate

All that Italian food on those fancy plates

Or was it because our training meeting was done

 And we knew that we could enjoy some fun

Or was it because in my studies

I could answer a question for my buddy

Then I thought back to Sunday what a way to start the week

It was nice to go to church and strengthen my testimony when it was so weak

Or was I happy to teach some people and by away from home

Living and spreading the gospel in Montana, being able to roam

Maybe it was because I worked out so early

Even if you add up all the min I workout they equal thirty

Then I ponder on all the tuff rules I have to obey

Getting up at 6:30 and studying most of the day

Then spending time talking to people who think I am crazy

Because I am not indoors watching tv and being lazy.

 They ask me what has gotten into you, why do you like to boast?

 I simply answer, I’m inviting you to listen to the Holy Ghost.

Then a light bulb flickered on inside my simple brain

I know why we were happy and glad we weren’t going insane.

 Obedience to the gospel we live it all the time.

 The lord blesses our family’s and that is what eased our minds.

I reminisced about all the letter I got from my kin

To here they were doing great it brought joy from with in

I knew if we were righteous in this Zion land

God would help us prosper with his loving hand

It was a promise he gave to a prophet’s way back in the day

He even gave his beloved son to pave us a righteous way

So all we have to do is follow his loving rules

And heavenly father will give us all the tools.

 I challenge all who ready this to live up to their best

Heavenly father won’t give us rules if we can’t follow them like the rest.

Remembering the Blessings.

The cowboy was out on a cold winter day, checking the lines

Thinking to himself he is a dying bread, the last of his kind

All the long days out gathering the steer

It would drive any city man to tears

So he stopped his old buckskin to take a quick rest

As he was reminiscing about the days he remember the best

One of the days happened to be a warm afternoon

Somewhere in the month of June

He was riding along

Whistling A good old country song 

And out of the corner of his eye

He saw a red streak fly by

He wondered what it could be

For He knew it was just him and the trees

So he jerked on the horses reins

racking what it could be through his brain

He looked over his shoulder

And by a great big boulder

There stood a big bull with no brand on his side

He thought to himself it was a perfect hide.

One he figured would look good with all his cattle

So he threw a rope and tied it to his saddle

All of a sudden that bull took after him

It was a drastic situation one where he had to act fast

Or he and his horse would be in the past

They galloped down the mountain a mile

As he screamed like a small child

Wondering if the bull was going to stop

He slowed his horse down tell he heard a branch pop

He spun around and heard a great sound

It was the bull running non stop

The bull hit them broad side

And threw him off his horses hide

As he fell a pound the ground

He was wondering how he was going to get back into town.

His truck was pretty far away

But at least he was feeling ok

As he was walking back

He started to think of the past

The thought came to his mind this

Must be another sign

He was thinking of his childhood

When all must have been good.

He was wondering where he went wrong 

Then he thought of a song

The song was subtle but sweet

And he knew it complete

The words were:” I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me
I tremble to know that for me he was crucified
That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died
Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me
Oh, it is wonderful Wonderful to me.”

The words kept running over and over in his brain

So he kept walking tell there was no pain.

He knew that this must have been his sign

He was feet away from the truck so he was almost out of time.

He was remembering the price Christ had to pay

So we all could repent and live happy this day

It didn’t matter what commandment he broke

It was up to him to fix it with all the folks

He said out loud; o lord I going to quit my sinful ways

I swear old lord I will work hard for the rest of my days

I will try my hardest to repent

I will treat my friends and family descent

I’m grateful for this day

Even if I had to walk most of the way

I know your son paid the debt

But I’m not ready to meet you yet.

I have many more days out on the line

I just hope one day I will remember this great time.

Don’t Be Afraid To Get Down On Your Knees

Don’t Be Afraid To Get Down On Your Knees

The radio was blasting, kicking out a good old country tune.
We were singing along with George on that hot day in June.
We were barreling across a dry valley; living that sweet dream…
Talking about girls, school, and hunting… even our favorite football team.
Life was going good until we heard that dreaded blow.
I just sat there in my driver seat and sank extremely low…
I looked towards my 2 best friends and said, “Boy! Doesn’t that put us in a tough spot?
This here truck we have been driving just threw us into a boiling pot!”
Jason smirked and then commented “That’s the third tire! It must be a blasted sign…
We are just going to have to sit here and wait our dreaded time.”
I looked upward and saw that big, hot sun beating very high,
And if we were to sit there much longer… we could surely die.
It was a drastic situation! One I want never to repeat.
I was wishing I was at home with a pretty lady messaging my feet.
Then a thought popped into my mind, “Get down are your knees.
Pray like your mom has taught you since you were two or three.”
Well… I offered up a quick prayer, right then and there…
I asked for strength and knowledge and God’s loving care.
I did what my thoughts told me. I know it was the Holy Ghost.
He has helped me out of a number of binds, and I don’t mean to boast.
We started walking toward home with that sun blazing high…
When all of the sudden my friend, Clayton, started singing a lullaby.
We sang all the songs that we knew, until we saw a trail of dust…
We knew our prayers had been answered; it was someone we could trust.   
I’m just glad God listens to us all, from are very birth.
While we journey through our time here on this place called “Mother Earth”.
Whenever I am in a tough bind,
I can always look to that Lord of mine.
I challenge all that read this story,
To remember the Lord and all His great glory.
A prayer to our Heavenly Father is all we need…
So don’t be afraid to get down upon your knees