A Spiritual Kick in the Pants

Hello World, I'm glad I'm able to write to you again on this frigid Monday.  

First off I need to clarify a number in my last post.  While there are 1117 instances of the phrase "And it came to pass" in the Book of Mormon, if we remove the 'and' and allow for the use of other words like 'therefore' and 'behold' the number of instances jumps up to 1351.  Just a sidenote as I was playing around the the search function in the Book of Mormon PDF.  

Back to today's blog post:

We have often heard that the Spirit will gently guide us down the path we should walk, helping us avoid the pitfalls of life.  The Spirit is that still, small voice of perfect mildness that whispers to us what we should do.  This week I didn't so much hear a whisper from the Spirit as I heard him shout through a megaphone.  And I wasn't nudged along the path I should walk rather I was grabbed by the shoulders and shoved in the direction.  Or at least that's how it seemed to me.  

I woke up Friday morning dead.  Or at least I felt that way.  Regardless of what illness I had I wasn't exactly fit for missionary work.  My mind was running at half speed and I was generally feeling pretty terrible.  But I begrudgingly got out of bed and got ready for the day.  I proceeded to do my personal and companion studies, and then I was faced with the choice of whether I was going to leave the apartment or not.  This to me was a struggle.  We had lessons to be taught and people to visit, but I felt like if I left the house I would end up being too sick to be useful.  

Trying to be as humble as I could I decided to get on my knees and simply ask "What should I do?"  I trusted that my Father in Heaven would answer my prayers if I simply asked him.  After my short prayer I sat in my chair for a few moments pondering on what should be done.  I received the impression that I should flip open my Book of Mormon.  No page number or scripture entered my mind, simply the thought of opening it.  So although I was a tad skeptical and wondering why the Lord couldn't just put the answer right in my head, I opened the book to a random page towards the middle of the book.  

It just so happened that the page I opened to was page 303, right in the middle of some council Alma the Younger is giving to his son Helaman.  As I glanced at the page a small section grabbed my attention which happened to be Alma 37:33-36.  I began to read and as I did my answer became clear.  The selection of verses is as follows:

33 Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

 34 Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meekand lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls.

 35 O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God.

 36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea,let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

The first verse probably would have sufficed me if I hadn't been sick.  But at this time I needed the additional 3 verses to really get the shove in the right direction.  I not only needed to know what I should do, which was answered with verse 33, but I also needed to know what to do if I faltered while out of the apartment, which answer is contained in verse 36.  

The Spirit prompted me to open the scriptures, and as I showed faith and followed the prompting I was given my answer an some additional advice on how I was going to accomplish the task at hand.  Because I followed this prompting and the advice from the scriptures I found strength throughout the day so that I could accomplish all the things I had planned.  And as soon as I returned home and finished planning, I fell asleep exhausted.  The Lord knows our needs, and will provide if we are faithful, diligent, and humble.  

I know that the Lord answers prayers.  He has often answered them through simple feelings or impressions.  Other times he uses his scriptures to really get the point across in writing.  I know that as you pray for guidance and assistance, and follow the promptings you receive from the Holy Ghost, you will gain the blessings that will come from diligence and faith.  

I love you all, and hope you have a great week.  

Elder Gailey

"And it Came to Pass"

Hello Everyone, this week I wanted to talk about an experience that I had during a meal appointment.

After finishing the meal my companion and I proceeded to share a short lesson with those who had so kindly fed us.  After sharing our message one of the members posed an odd questions to us:

"What is the most common lesson you learn in the Book of Mormon?"

Immediately thoughts of love, Christ's atonement, hope, charity, diligence, and repentance entered into my mind.  Not knowing what this member was driving at, I figured I would ask bluntly what it was.  The answer that I received was unexpected and one that I would never have thought of.  I was told that the most common lesson learned in the Book of Mormon is contained in the phrase that we read all too commonly, which is:

 "And it came to pass"

I was initially a little dumbfounded at that answer, but the member went on to explain that though we go through sorrow, pain, and affliction, it will all come to pass us eventually. 

Now this phrase had never had meaning beyond me replacing "and it came to pass" with a phrase that is more commonly heard today; "long story short".  I had always brushed off this seemingly unimportant phrase.  But looking at it in a different light really helped me understand mortality a bit better.  All things in this mortal life will come to an end, except those with a spiritual nature.

I was curious as to how true this member's answer was, so I turned to technology to help me understand the answer by way of numbers.  Doing a quick search through the Book of Mormon I found that there are 1117 instances of the exact phrase, "and it came to pass". 

Now I know that numbers aren't everything and whether this phrase was used deliberately to mean what this member proposed or not my decision, but I take it as a welcomed assurance that all of the afflictions we go though will come to an end.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel that we can surely hope for.  

There are many reasons to discuss the gospel with family and friends.  But one of my favorite reasons is so that I can see the scriptures and the doctrine from a separate point of view.  The scriptures may have the same words, but the application and understanding of scriptures is different from person to person.  


My wish for each of you is to try and look at the scriptures a little differently to gain new insights and revelation, and then talk with someone about the passage or point of doctrine and see what their take on it is.  I promise you that as you do, you will begin to see the scriptures in their true power and beauty and that the Holy Ghost will bring even more truths to you because you sought after them.  

I hope that you all have a wonderful week!

Love, Elder Gailey

Fear and Faith

Hello Everyone, hope all is well wherever you are, and I sincerely hope it's warmer there than it is here.  

This week I'd like to talk about two things that we all feel: Fear and Faith.  

We all have fears, and at this chaotic time in the World's history, there are many things to be afraid of.  The Savior knew that there would be many things for us to fear.  In Luke 21:26 the Lord tells us that "Men’s hearts [Will fail] them for fear".  I have a short message because I feel that Russell M. Nelson perfectly describes how faith cancels out fear.  My invitation to you this week is to watch the video below and think of a fear that you have.  It can be physical or spiritual, fear manifests itself in many forms.  After watching the video, think of a way that you can gain faith sufficient to conquer the fears that could creep into your lives.  

Faith cancels out fear.  And since I'm running short on time this week, I leave the rest of my message to this great apostle.  

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=1289877050001

I love you all, take care and stay faithful, not fearful.  

Love, Elder Gailey

I Can Feel it in My Heart

Happy New Year Everyone!!  

I hope you all had a great time wherever you were and whoever you were with.  I don't have much to write on this week, other than a specific challenges for everyone who reads this.  I'm going to list off something that you can do to kick off 2015 that will uplift you and bring the light and love of Christ into your hearts in a greater measure.  

My challenge is to: Read the Book of Mormon (or Bible) all the way through with a question in mind.  The scriptures take on their full meaning and beauty when they are applied into our lives.  Nephi encourages us in 1 Nephi 19:23 to "liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning."  

Read these scriptures with a question that you have or a concern or trial you are working through right now.  Write that question/concern/trial down, and as you read in the scriptures you will begin to see answers and applications for that specific question.  The scriptures may tell the same story and convey similar messages of Christ to everybody, but when you read them as if they were written to you, then you will gain the full blessings of the scriptures.  

Be sure to take note of those scriptures that answer that question or apply to your circumstances so that you don't forget them.  Because what worth is it to find an answer if you don't remember it?

I promise that as you prayerfully read in the scriptures with this question in mind, it will be answered and you will be uplifted and grow closer to your Savior.  

This year will bring many great things, I can feel it in my heart.  Take advantage of every good opportunity that comes in your path.  

Much love from Elder Gailey

"I CAN FIX THAT!"

Hi there Family and Friends, I hope you all had a Merry Christmas!  I had a great Christmas, but it was more of the Christmas Season, rather than the day, that impacted my mind. 

Now if you'll bear with me for a moment, I want to talk about the movie Holes.

In the movie Holes, and I will only talk about the movie and not the book because I never bothered to read it, there is a flashback in which we see the quaint town of Greenlake.  This whole flashback focuses on Kate Barlow, but I would like to focus my attention on Sam, the onion farmer.  At various points in the flashback Kate has a series of problems, and when she brings them up to Sam he simply replies, "I can fix that".  Now this short reply shows a great capacity in Sam to serve without any thought for himself.

Now a short story from this Christmas Season (this will all make sense at the end, just wait).  Elder Ayre and I were off to try and teach a lesson to a great young man, unfortunately he was sleeping.  Sure it was 2:30 in the afternoon, but we've all slept in like that before.  We managed to meet with his lovely mother for a while.  I had noticed when we walked in their house that her front door was broken and wasn't working properly.  After sharing a short message and agreeing to come back in a couple days I informed her that I could fix her door for her if she wanted.  She asked if I was sure that I was willing to do that.  I told her that I was more than happy to do so, I felt that fixing her door would be a great Christmas present to her.  After a few days we swung by her house again and I brought a nice new lock set.  I proceeded to dismantle her lock and inspect the damage.  There wasn't much wrong with it and it was a quick fix.  After 30 minutes of tinkering with the door (because I had to adjust the openings on the door MacGyver style), she had a brand new lock and a door handle that actually worked.  Unfortunately we had to run to another appointment, but before we left she informed me that her door had been in that condition for months now, and nobody had offered to fix it until I came along. 

Fixing a door is a small thing for me, I've done it plenty of times.  But that skill that I had gained previously came in handy on my mission.  Never would I have thought that I would fix a door and a lock set on my mission.  But this small gesture seemed to help this wonderfully sweet woman in this Christmas Season. 

Although it was a small gesture a talk by Neil A. Maxwell in the 1998 October General Conference brought to light how these small acts of service are sometimes all that is needed of us, and are able to bring greater blessings in the future.

"We may not be able to fix the whole world, but we can strive to fix what may be amiss in our own families."

Immediately after this quote Neil A. Maxwell shows his great taste in literature by citing J.R.R. Tolkien's book The Return of the King:
"It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to rule"

This woman isn't a member of my earthly family, but we are all God's Children.  And as both Elder Maxwell and Tolkien expressed the importance of fixing what we can, where we are.  We can't always fix everything, but we can do our best to fix what we can because doing our best is always an option.  I'm not able to fix all of this lady's problems, nor will I ever be able to.  But I was able to fix what I could with the time I had.  

This Christmas, and probably for the first time in my life, I had that serving attitude throughout the entire season.  I was filled with joy and love for this lady as I finished fixing her door and left with a smile on my face.  And I've been filled with joy by telling people that, in regards to our sins and sorrows, the Savior is always standing by telling us "I can fix that". 

Let us all do what we can, where we are, to serve those around us.  And for those things that we can't fix, help them turn to the Savior.

I love you all, take care and have a happy New Year. 

--Elder Gailey

Christmas Card Fun

My first attempt to make and mail Christmas cards from Utica New York mission!

Not bad for a youngster!

Life of a Tree - Merry Christmas

Hello Everyone, I hope you had a great week.  I know I did, but my week's happenings aren't the purpose of this post.  This week I'd like to talk about the life of a tree for a while.  

I was inspired this week in my Book of Mormon studies to bring up the oft told story in Alma 32 of likening our faith unto a seed.  I've read this passage many times, but something within me says I need to share my insights and feelings on this great parable.  I've taken time to split the life of a tree into 5 parts.  As you read, look inward and see where you land in the life of a tree.  

Part 1: A Seed is Planted 

Lets ponder on what seeds do.  By themselves they do nothing.  Given no water, soil, or sunshine a seed will not grow but will lay dormant.  These seeds will lay dormant until given soil to lay in.  Alma tells us that our hearts are the soil for faith, like true soil is for a seed.  Once you plant the seed, then miraculous changes can happen.  But these miracles of faith won't happen by themselves, just as a seed won't grow to it's full potential just by being placed in dirt and left alone.  

Our faith, like a seed, must be nurtured diligently.  A seed requires regular water and good soil to begin to grow.  Faith requires spiritual nourishment.  By reading from the scriptures and praying to our father in heaven we give the seed of faith what it needs to grow.  

The key to growth in a seed and in faith is diligence.  Watering a seed once when you first plant it will not ensure it's success, just as reading in the scriptures once will not set you for salvation.  It takes daily nourishment for a seed to grow.  And if your faith is like a dormant seed, those consistent acts of spiritual nourishment will serve as the foundation for the great things that are to come.  Take care with this seed of faith, a seed that has not sprouted is vulnerable and has no root, you must actively strengthen it.  

Having planted a seed once I know that they are notorious for growing at their own pace, and no amount of sternly staring at a bit of dirt will make that seed grow any faster.  A seed will take it's time to grow and become strong.  Do not be disheartened if your faith hasn't grown or if you don't see the blessings yet.  As with planting a seed, the blessings come later, after diligent work has been put in.  

Part 2: The Seed Sprouts

As you nourish your faith like you would nourish a seed, you will come to notice that "the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow." (Alma 32:30)

If a seed is good it will begin to grow.  A sprouted seed has finally surfaced and has taken a little root. But this doesn't mean that your job of caring for the seed is over, a sprout, like a seed, is still vulnerable and great care must be taken.

"But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away".(Alma 32:38)

Do not neglect your faith.  When your faith grows, you will notice the comfort and peace that come from Christ and his teachings.  But now that you can see the seed growing, you know the seed is good.  With that assurance that the seed is good, you can now move forward in faith and have your sprouting faith grow in strength.  

Part 3: A Sapling Comes Forth

Sweet, now your seed has turned into a little sapling.  The sapling has taken greater root and grown in strength, and now isn't as vulnerable to strong winds, summer heat, or clumsy hikers that run into it.  

If your faith is like a sapling, you have seen some of the benefits that come from this gospel, you know that this is good, but you have not yet come to see all the blessings that come from living in line with Christ's teachings.

Just as in the previous parts of a seeds life, that constant nourishment is what is going to result in a full grown tree or an unshakable faith in Christ.  Now you can see that this tree has great potential.  When it was a seed or a sprout it didn't appear to have any characteristics of strength or power, but now as a sapling you can look forward to greater blessings if continued care is taken.  

"But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root;and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life." (Alma 32:41)

Part 4: A Tree Takes Root

And now the moment you've been waiting and working so diligently for.  Your sapling of faith has grown under your care and nourishment and now it is time to harvest the fruits of your work.  A full tree is steadfast and unshakable.  It has that complex, strong, and fortified root system to bear the weight of the world.  Your tree of faith has reached maturity, and now it is ready to bring forth the fruit of your tree.  And when "ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which ismost precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet".  Now that you have been diligent in your faith and consistent in nourishing what started out as a simple seed, you can now see the true potential of the tree you planted long ago.  

Alma promises us at the end of the chapter that "ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you."  All of the blessings of Heavenly Father and Christ are available to those who diligently act in faith.  

Part 5: Tree Care

Now this is the end of Alma's teaching and the beginning of my advice.  

Your tree is now fully grown, but your work is not done, not by a long shot.  No farmer I have ever met has harvested once from a vine or a tree and then stopped caring for it.  The tree has so much more to give than just one harvest.  Likewise the blessings of a solid faith in Christ aren't noticed or given at one time.  

We must all constantly care for our tree, whether it is fully grown or a seedling.  Take care to prune your faith of any doubts, prideful habits, or stumbling blocks.  What kills a grown tree won't be a  bump from an animal or a gust of wind, but a more subtle disease.  Take care to look inward regularly and check yourself to see if you are honestly in line with all of the Saviors teachings.  If you aren't, do not be discouraged, this is the point of repentance and the Atonement.  I exhort you to rid yourself of all ungodliness, even if it is a only slight problem.  Careful pruning and maintenance of faith will guarantee many harvests in this life and in the eternities.  

There is another bit of advice I would give to anyone who believes themselves to have a solid tree of faith.  Spread the gospel.  Just as a tree grows to maturity and spreads it's seeds around, so must we spread this gospel.  Spread the gospel by planting those seeds of faith, no matter how small, and by nourishing others as they grow.  A tree does not grow old so it can be strong by itself.  A tree grows old so that it can create a forest around it.  

In summation: 

To those of you with a seed of faith: Nurture it consistently and carefully, you will see it grow as you do.  The blessings and knowledge will come.  Maybe not today, or next week, but I promise you with every fiber of my being that they will come.  

To those of you with a mighty tree of faith and a sure foundation: Continue nurturing and pruning your faith, and do not fear to spread the seeds of the gospel.  None of us are perfect, and we all can use extra faith and joy in our lives.  This message was to be shared to the whole world.   

I understand this blog post isn't easily related to Christmas, unless your tree of faith is a pine tree.  But it's my goal to strengthen someone through my weekly posts, and having been prompted the whole week on this subject there must be someone out there who needs it.  I pray that it finds you.  

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Love, Elder Gailey