1-26-14

One night, as I was praying, trying to ask God about how to work with some challenges, and imploring about where I needed to focus my efforts in order to change and improve, He began to prompt me to study love and charity. I have been working on just that. (Besides, it's one of my favorite study topics.) At about the same time, I decided that I wanted to begin working on reading all of Isaiah. It has been powerful to me to read of the destruction and the wrath of God, while pondering about love, or the love of God. I came to some very touching conclusions. God cares about us so much. He feels everything that we go through (perhaps even more than we do) and understands how we feel. And yet, He knows that we need the trials we get and He knows that we need the hard times and the challenges in order to progress. He loves us so much, that He is willing to overcome His immense empathy for us, in order to put us into the refiners fire. This must be one of the hardest parts about being God... But I know He is with me. And now I have a greater testimony that the trials that we go through, the wrath of God, the destructions and challenges, are amazing signs of God's boundless love for us...

I testify of these things in the name of our Messiah, Jesus Christ, amen.

I love you all. :) God bless you. :)

- Elder Michael Bright Miles

1-20-2014

Today I want to share a thought I had, as inspired by a scripture that was shared during Church yesterday (Mark 13:24-26). As I thought about it, the following formulation of the idea came to my mind:

Don't rely on the sun for light,
rely on the Son for Light.
For the sun cometh and goeth and shall pass away,
but the Son abideth forever.

I thought about how we must put our real trust in God, and stop worrying about worldly things. We need to trust our Lord more than 'mammon'. I testify that the promises that the Lord our God has given us are sure. They are true. They bring hope. The real abiding hope that comes in the faith we exercize in these promises. I testify that our Heavenly Father loves us, and that this Church, the Church of Jesus Christ is the organization of God upon the earth, organized and led by Jesus Christ. I know that everything will be ok. :) We can have hope. We can have joy, as we are intended to. (2 Ne 2:25) Never doubt in the Love of thy God. :) I testify of these things in the sacred Name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I wish you all a wonderful week, and that your hearts may be softened for the workings of the Spirit. :) God be with you. Love you guys.

- Elder Michael Bright Miles

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