Good News = Gospel

When was the last time I shared with someone how I felt about the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

I went HT with Dave McMullin this morning. We visited Katie and she shared with us some of her banana muffins (one of the few things she cooks). She has recently stopped coming to church. After my roommate Dave shared his lesson, I jumped in and bore my testimony of Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith. It was short and sweet and I felt happy for doing so. Sharing feelings isn't the easiest thing to do in the world. It's just a small sacrifice that we can make to help others feel the spirit and learn of the gospel.

Elder M. Russell Ballard said, "True conversion comes through the power of the Spirit. When the Spirit touches the heart, hearts are changed. When individuals, both members and investigators, feel the Spirit working with them, or when they see the evidence of the Lord’s love and mercy in their lives, they are edified and strengthened spiritually and their faith in Him increases. These experiences with the Spirit follow naturally when a person is willing to experiment upon the word. This is how we come to feel the gospel is true."

Jesus Christ made the biggest sacrifice for us. It is wonderful to think that he can succor us because He knows us and He has taken upon Him all of our infirmities and sins. He knows best. His promptings give superb direction. The gospel is the best news in the world!

A Simple Invite

My new hobby is caving. I just want to go caving... BUT, in Utah, most of the caves are protected by lock and key and the only way to get in is to jump through hoops by joining the Timpanogos Grotto system, National Speleological Society, and pulling off a good impression with the leaders to give you a key. Not to mention, you have to fill out applications AND if the cave is considered dangerous or technical, you have to find someone that has already been in it to lead your group.
Luckily, I avoided all of that because my new friend Jeff invited me on his latest caving trip. I left a post on his caving blog and we've been corresponding by email since then planning a trip. Green Eyed Monster is what we did last weekend!

I am confident that everyone, at least once in their life, was happy that someone invited them to do something. It just makes the world a happier place when people are inviting. At times, we have so much power in social settings and a simple invite can make somebody else's day.


My camera battery died shortly after we entered the cave. Thanks to Chantelle, I have this picture.

Have you ever hitch hiked?

Last weekend was one of the funnest weekends ever! Ammon, Leslie, Scott (Ammon's friend), Sam Hartman, Artia (Sam's friend), and I went to Zion National Park to scramble down some of the best canyons. Namely, Pine Creek, Keyhole, and Spry. We also hiked up Angel's Landing; then it snowed on us at the top!
After doing Pine Creek on Thursday we needed a ride back. I hitched a ride from Kit. She was visiting from Chicago. Nice lady. Early on in our conversation, I felt, share the gospel! So we did some small talk and then i asked, "Have you ever heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?" She said, "Ooo yes i have. I'm not religious" Apparently, many dental students fixed her teeth in Chicago.

What a nice lady to give me a ride. It wasn't far but if I had to walk it would be impossible. No pedestrians in the Mt. Carmel Tunnel.

Hey look! KSL does shows good news and good news it is.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5986570

Idaho man defying the odds 8 years after rare surgery

March 27th, 2009 @ 10:07pm

By Ed Yeates

SALT LAKE CITY -- Surgeons in Pittsburgh are scratching their heads over the survival of an Idaho man who is still alive today, eight years after a rare surgery to transplant five organs.

We met Michael Pollard at his home in Burley, Idaho, almost nine years ago. A rare disease was destroying his digestive system.

There was a long shot, a monumental surgery in Pittsburgh where surgeons would transplant multiple organs at one time. They did just that, replacing his stomach, duodenum, small intestine, pancreas and liver.

"It was a prayer and a hope that I would get through the first year," Pollard said.

He weighs only 116 pounds. He's on oxygen most of the time, but he's alive, active and drives to survive.

Looking back to a trip to Disneyland with his wife and family in 2000, Pollard said, "You know, I thought that was going to be the last event I would have with my family."

In 2007, the end was near, or at least it appeared that way. Critically ill with pneumonia, Pollard was flown by AirMed to University Hospital in Salt Lake. He was at death's door.

Pollard said, "To make a decision to take me off life support, thinking I was going to go home and die at home, and then to turn around and come right out that …" Remarkable? Amazing? You fill in the blank. For his family, it was another close call for Pollard.

"If anybody is prepared for my passing, they are. We've done it enough now, or tried to do it enough," he smiled.

Pollard is a grandfather now. He'd like to see two more of his kids get married. "You have to have faith. You've got to have faith," he said. "You know, when you have five kids and the youngest one is two and your oldest was fifteen at the time, [it] makes you want to live to see a lot of things happen."

Happen they may, as he continues savoring each day. At the time Michael had his surgery there had been only 80 multiple-organ transplants like his in the world!

I read this add on Craigslist

THANK YOU! - Emergency Move! Need A Couple of Hands (Provo)

---

Reply to: sale-994933550@craigslist.org ^[?]
Date: 2009-01-16, 6:15AM MST


I cannot express how amazed I am at the response I received from the abundance of folks in Provo when I posted this ad needing a few hands to help me move... I received roughly 100 responses to my ad and tons of folks showing up to help move me and my baby. ~ and I must say ~ The folks that arrived to help me were simply fantactic... ~ I would not have been able to accomplish this without ya'll... Blessings to you... I will for sure / pay it forward in your honor!

My Original Ad

I am a single mom with a 10 month old who just moved to Provo a few days ago - and - due to safety issues in the apartment we just move into, I am having to be moved to another apartment as quickly as possible... I have a truck but no hands to help me load and unload. I don't have a lot but its more than I can move on my own... Is there anyone out there that can spare an hours time to help me make this move....

There is good in the World

On the way back to Utah from Reno, Jamon Stacy and I stopped at Arby's for lunch. I didn't want to spend a lot of money so i bought a $0.99 hamburger. A young couple in the back of the store turned one of the advertisements inside out and wrote "hungry! :(". I noticed it and judged them immediately.
"oh they are probably just wanting free food...they ran away from home... punk kids...wait, they could be telling the truth. either way I need to be nice. if i was hungry, i sure hope some one would help me."
I decided that I would buy them some food. Then a person from the other side of the restaurant brought them some food. What a nice guy. I don't know what religion he was, or if he even worshiped a Supreme Being. I immediately appreciated his act of service. The kid woke up and started eating immediately.

I was traveling back from Southern CA after visiting Ammon with Adam Frenza. I was cruising, about 90 mph when a semi cut me off right when i was going to pass him. I slowed down and got upset that he would do that. after 15 seconds i noticed that there was a cop on the side of the road that i couldn't see. The Semi driver knew that i would get a ticket if he didn't slow me down. That was really thoughtful.

I was traveling east on I-80 when a big rig, traveling west, flashed his lights at me. I quickly thought of all the reasons why he would flash me. my brights weren't on...I slowed down immediately and saw a cop hiding behind some trees. The Big Rig saved me.

I learned a few things from these experiences. One, there are good people in the world. Two, i shouldn't judge so quickly. That semi saved me a ticket. Three, there are good people that really want to help.