You know that power-packed scripture in Proverbs 3:5-6? “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.” 

It’s one of the most profound Bible passages that talk about God’s timing. Believing in Him means believing in His schedule for your life. When you look at the incredible stories in the scriptures and hear the testimonies of people who leaned into God’s timing, you see the blessings – they’re undeniable.

But if we let ourselves be honest, there will be days when we feel that the Lord’s timing is taking too long. 

Blessings seem to come slow. 

We have been waiting for a long time. 

It constantly feels like walking in life without winning anything while everyone else around is getting blessed. 

What do you do when you’re down to your last nerve, feeling totally drained, and maybe even questioning if God’s even listening while you’re waiting for His promises to show up?

What God’s Timing Really Means

When God’s time doesn’t coincide with yours, this does not mean God is being slow or forgetting about you. 

Think of it like this: your life is a masterpiece in progress, and God is the ultimate Artist. Remembering that God is in the details of our lives – like a good artist is – every moment, every delay, every unexpected turn becomes part of His divine design. 

When we talk about His timing, it’s not some random delay; it’s a perfect orchestration that goes way beyond what we can see with earthly perspective.

You might be hyper-focused on one little piece of the puzzle, maybe it looks messy or out of place, and you’re thinking, “Seriously, Heavenly Father?” 

But reader, please remember this: our Father in Heaven sees the whole canvas, the breathtaking beauty that’s going to be revealed. His timing isn’t Him saying “no”; it’s Him saying “not yet, because I’ve got something even better in store.” He knows the exact right moment for everything to come together in a way that brings you the deepest joy and helps you grow in ways you can’t even imagine right now.

So, when that clock feels like it’s moving in slow motion, take a moment to think of this: God operates on a whole different level. Trust His wisdom, because His timing is perfect. 

It takes grit and it takes faith that feels stretched thin sometimes. But when blessings come in His time, they’re gonna be richer, deeper, and more meaningful than anything you could have ever planned on your own. 

Here are some things you can remember every time waiting for the Lord feels exhausting. 

#1: Flashback to The Time Trusting The Lord’s Timing Bore Results

Trying to line up your “ASAP” with God’s “when it’s perfect” can be a battle. Here’s how to dig in and trust Him more when you’re feeling the wait:

When doubt starts whispering in your ear, hold on to the times God showed up for you before.

Think about a moment when trusting His timing led to blessings you never saw coming. Replay that in your mind. How did it unfold? How did God prove faithful? Holding onto those past victories will fire up your faith and give you the strength to trust Him right now. It’s like looking at your highlight reel to remember what our God is capable of.

#2: You’re a Child of God – And His Love For You Is Infinite

Never forget who you are in God’s eyes. You’re His beloved child, gifted with unique talents and potential that He’ll unleash in His perfect time. Think about a loving parent nurturing their kid’s abilities when they’re ready to soar, not before. That’s God with you. Knowing your divine identity gives you confidence and the assurance that He’s got your back every step of the way.

#3:Don’t Just Sit and Wait. Choose to Actively Wait.

Waiting on God ain’t about hitting pause on your life. It’s about actively becoming the person He wants you to be during the wait. Use this season to cultivate patience (yeah, it’s tough!), show love, and work hard. Find ways to serve, dive into His Word, and live in a way that honors Him. By actively growing and getting closer to God, you’re positioning yourself to receive those blessings when they’re ready to be poured out.

#4: Be More Aware of the Lord’s Small Blessings

Don’t be too focused on a big win – you might miss the small blessings the Lord has been sending your way.  

Even when the big answer feels delayed, God’s showing His love in the little things every single day. Open your eyes to those small blessings – a moment of peace, a kind word, a feeling of hope. Being grateful for these daily reminders of His presence will fuel your faith and remind you that He’s always working, even when you can’t see the full picture yet.

#5: Be Still and Know Who’s Got This

When anxiety tries to steal your peace, take a deep breath and remember who God is. Look back at the giants of faith – Moses leading a whole nation through the wilderness, David waiting years to take the throne, the Israelites sustained against all odds. These weren’t overnight successes. But God was faithful then, and guess what? He’s the same God today. His plans are rock-solid, and He will, in His perfect timing, deliver on His promises to you.

Child of God: Be True, Be Faithful, God’s Blessings Are On Your Way

When the weight of waiting feels crushing and you’re running on empty, remember you’re not alone in this battle. Reach out in prayer to the One who gives all good things. He knows your heart, your deepest desires, and your struggles. As you keep turning to Him with unwavering faith and trusting in His perfect timing, you’ll find the strength, the peace, and the ultimate fulfillment that only He can provide. Keep the faith, keep moving forward, and know that your breakthrough is coming.

The post God’s Timing: What To Do If It’s Taking Too Long appeared first on morefaith.ph.

Now, the local government units have lifted off the restrictions. A lot of us were excited to go back to face-to-face gathering at church. Unfortunately, some friends had drifted away that they stopped attending or participating in Sunday worship.

If you are one of those who cease to continue church attendance or a newbie wanting to join, here are reasons why you should come and worship with us.

YOU WILL REMEMBER JESUS CHRIST AND BE MORE LIKE HIM.

There are many reasons why you need to go to church. Most importantly, you need to partake of the Sacrament (or Communion). Jesus Christ said, “Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24). The Sacrament is a way of renewing our sacred promises with the Lord and recharging our spirituality.

Your participation during Sunday School class is also essential. It will help you come closer to Jesus Christ. You will recognize that your heart is “knit together in love…”, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ” (Colossians 2:2).

YOU CAN BE STRENGTHENED AND YOUR FAITH WILL INCREASE

In church, you will learn the importance of keeping God’s commandments, how to improve your spirituality and live a better life. You will discover that you are not alone in the struggles you are facing. You will have leaders who can give you comfort and counsel.

As you continue to participate every Sunday, your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will increase. You will feel the Holy Ghost who brings “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, [and] faith” (Galatians 5:22).

YOU GAIN A SENSE OF BELONGING AND SUPPORT

In the church, you will meet different people – young and old. You will feel a sense of belonging as you get to know the people of your respective age group. This helps you build a support network that you can rely on.  

If you feel aloof or shy, the local missionaries will reach out to you. Your age group leaders will be there with you as well. You can ask them if you have questions or concerns.

YOU CAN RECEIVE ANSWERS

Maybe you have doubts, and you need guidance or direction in your life. Or you just want to feel God’s love in your life right now. Come, and worship with us!

As you consistently attend church and study the gospel of Jesus Christ with us, the Holy Ghost will help illuminate your mind with understanding. You will be ready to receive answers to your questions. God wants to communicate with you and the church is a good place to hear His voice.

Whatever challenges along the way, always remember that God will be bless you if you choose to follow His commandments to worship at church. If you feel no one was friendly to you or you feel offended, remember what President Dallin H. Oaks said. “Personal disappointments should never keep us from the doctrine of Christ, who taught us to serve, not to be served.”

Please know that we are imperfect people who are trying to follow the perfect example of Jesus Christ. Just like you, we are also in need of spiritual repair and healing. You can go to church each week with the intent of being active and having a goal of creating a positive difference in your life and other people’s lives.

We welcome all people to worship with us! Church service times vary from each location. If you need help, you can send us a message at philippines@moregoodfoundation.org or PM us on our Facebook page. We’re excited to see you in the church!

The post Why You Should Come And Worship With Us appeared first on morefaith.ph.

You anxiously wait for your prayers to be answered. You thought God would help you through it. But it didn’t happen. You start to feel disappointed. Then, you thought He never listened. You feel He wasn’t there when you needed Him. Then, you begin to doubt if God existed.

Stop right there! Don’t go further away from what you know is true.

God Answers in His Own Time and in His Own Way

God does answer prayers. But you must know that He answers in His own time and in His own way. Sometimes, answers come instantly. Most of the time, you must wait. And yes, it can be painful to know that there will be times that God’s answer is a big fat NO!

It can be very frustrating when you are already expecting that God will grant you all things you desired. You see, it’s not really that God did not answer your prayer. Sometimes He knows better than what we deserved, because He knows us better.

Sometimes, it can be a blessing that your relationship with someone didn’t work out because you were meant to find someone better. You soon will realize that there had been some red flags or unhealthy patterns in the relationship that you had been unwilling to see.

Sometimes, it can be a blessing that you didn’t get your dream job. Multiple interviewers rejected your application even if you have put your best foot forward. And you wonder why you did not qualify even if you have the right credentials or experience. Perhaps taking that dream job could mean a huge chunk of family time to sacrifice. Or perhaps God didn’t want you to experience the kind of environment and culture you will be dealing with in the workplace.

Soon you will thank Him for removing certain people or opportunities from your life because you never knew how toxic they would have been. When you accept the reality and start moving on with your life, you look back to understand that His ways are better than yours.

Elder Richard G. Scott (1928–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “[Our Father in Heaven’s] invitation ‘Ask, and ye shall receive’ (3 Nephi 27:29) does not assure that you will get what you want. It does guarantee that, if worthy, you will get what you need, as judged by a Father that loves you perfectly, who wants your eternal happiness even more than do you.”

No matter what happens, never cease to pray. Remember, He is always listening. He always wants what is best for us even if it doesn’t seem like it.

The post It’s A Blessing God Didn’t Give You What You Prayed For appeared first on morefaith.ph.

We checked several places and asked if we could stay for the night. We were declined multiple times. 

We felt exhausted, hungry, cold, and lost as we checked every place we could find. We were almost in tears but we believed that God would lead us to a place where we could find refuge.

He finally led us to a place where we would be safe from the typhoon we knew so little about. 

However, when we thought we were finally safe, we heard people talking about how we should not have been welcomed to that evacuation shelter since we were not locals. They wanted us out so other locals could stay. 

Tears started running down my face as I hid away from the crowd, asking God what we should do. No one wanted to accept us. No one wanted to let us in. I was in pain and was heartbroken.

And in that moment of pain and loneliness, I felt an overwhelming warmth as I remembered how Joseph and Mary also once experienced this similar dilemma. They too had to knock on multiple doors when Mary was about to give birth to the savior Jesus Christ. 

The Lord Understands Every Pain We Go Through Because He Has Gone Through Them

From birth to death, Jesus didn’t have an extravagant life. He was born in a lowly manger. He grew up in a humble and simple family with nothing much. He was bullied by non-believers. He was called names, chastised, and was not always welcome in the places he went. 

Elder David A. Bednar shared, “You and I in a moment of weakness, may cry out, no one understands, no one knows. No human being perhaps knows. But the son of God perfectly knows and understands for He felt and bore the burdens before we ever did.”

Your pain from being unappreciated, abandoned, losing a loved one, from being alone, being chastised, being ridiculed, insulted, falsely accused, physically hurt, betrayed, and every other pain you feel, He has felt it all. When you think no one understands, or that no one cares, He does. He understands, and He definitely cares. When you think that no one is on your side, remember that the Savior Himself is on your side. 

As I remembered these things while I was hiding away, crying, I was comforted knowing that someone knows exactly how I felt. It was bittersweet knowing that my savior bore these pains way before I ever did. My hunger, exhaustion, loneliness, and pain of rejection, He felt and had gone through it all even more times than I ever did or will in my entire life. 

The Lord will always be with us and can deliver us through our trials by sending us His angels and miracles

Elder Ulisses Soares said, “No matter the obstacles we face in this life we can trust that the Lord will provide a way for us.”

As my thoughts were drawn to the comforting truth that the Lord understands my pain and my situation and was wiping my tears away, my husband found me and listened as I shared how I felt. He assured me that He understood me and that everything would be alright.

I came back to the room where my family was, and I saw their smiles. I learned that a stranger came and offered to help us, out of nowhere. He spoke to the people who wanted us out, and we were given room to stay, and even supplies to help us be more comfortable during our stay. 

It was a teaching experience that the Lord will always provide a way for us, even if it’s not in the way we think or want, and many times sends us miracles along the way. He can turn painful events in our life into miracles. Experiencing that hardship reminded me that God uses painful events to strengthen us and to also help us understand other people better like He understands each of us.

Sometimes, the Lord will also send someone to you, maybe a neighbor, a colleague, a friend, or even a stranger, just to help you and show you that He has not abandoned you. He will send His angels to lift you up, guide you, and help you feel His love. 

Jesus Christ is the light of the world and can light even the darkest times in our lives

I may have experienced pain and felt alone that time, but it was just for a moment. What was left behind was the feeling of love and light.

All this pain comes with a purpose and that may be different for all of us, but ultimately, it is to strengthen us and foster a stronger sense of gratitude. If you feel like you are on a dark and narrow path right now, remember that Christ’s light will always be with you, lighting every step of the way, enough for you to return back to Him.

To learn more about healing through the Savior Jesus Christ, read To My Friends Who Feel Broken: You Can Feel Whole Again.

The post How Can The Lord Understand Or Heal My Pain? appeared first on morefaith.ph.

This still rings in my ears to this day as I recall how we almost lost our daughter after we ignored a simple warning.

It was a sunny day after a week of thunderstorms and gloomy skies. We received the usual warning notification on our phones about the strong winds and big waves, and to avoid going into deep waters. However, contrary to that warning, the seas seemed very calm and inviting.

“Let’s go to the beach today!”, my children excitedly shouted. 

Upon arriving at the beach, we immediately rushed to the peaceful clear blue waters after realizing that there were no other people except the cottage owners. The sun was shining bright but the wind was blowing cold, probably because of the rainy days prior. 

We rented a unicorn floater for my daughter and played with her. There were four adults there with two kids, so we were confident that we could take care of them. We held on to the floaters as they glided through the small waves. We chased them in the shallow waters as they drifted to the side. It was so much fun. Everything was under control. 

Until it was not…

My daughter glided through the waters, just flowing with the waves, as we took turns holding on to her floater, when all of a sudden, the winds blew stronger in a different direction, drifting my little girl towards the deep. We were still calm and still confident that everything was under control. After all, it was my husband’s hometown, he knows the place. He knows the ocean. Swimming comes second nature to him. 

My husband swam towards her, but as he tried to grab her floater, the wind blew stronger and stronger, drifting her farther away. He swam faster and harder until he realized he could no longer breathe properly and was already in a panic. He had to stop chasing her, otherwise, both of them would drown. 

“Daddy! Please save me!” My poor little girl cried as she was looking back at my husband while holding tightly to the floater, drifting farther away. My husband knew he couldn’t save her anymore. He turned to me, now at least 15 meters away, and with his remaining strength, he shouted, “HELP!” 

After we shouted for help, a young man jumped into the water to try to swim towards the floater, but just like my husband, he ran out of air, had cramps, and had to stop. The floater drifted faster and farther away. We could barely hear my daughter’s cry anymore. The wind just took her away. We were almost losing hope. I was losing my precious little girl right before my eyes. I remember praying to God to please hold on to His dear daughter and to save her. 

She was finally saved by another young man who jumped into the water with a boat. He paddled like lightning! As my daughter drifted towards the big rocks, and while she was holding tightly for her life, even after being swayed back and forth by the strong wind, the little boat came to her rescue.

I know had we listened to the warnings and not relied on our own understanding, that accident could’ve been avoided.

The Lord has given us the wisdom to discern what is right and wrong, and also commandments to lead us to ultimate safety and happiness.

Have you also had any experiences when you confidently trusted your mind, wisdom, and experiences, and missed the warnings?

It could be a red flag in a relationship that you ignored, a symptom of a disease we downplayed, not prioritizing our health after several reminders from doctors, or breaking small rules and then bigger ones, until it was almost too late. 

In my case, it was a warning we ignored because of how seemingly beautiful the weather was. We depended on what we could see with our eyes, and because we simply wanted to have fun. 

Because we wanted to have fun, we ignored the warnings from people who could see the real situation of the weather, people who knew better about the waves and the seas. We relied on our own understanding, which led us to an almost tragic accident. 

Having fun is not wrong, but ignoring the warnings is. Not only will it bring harm to us, but it will also drift us away from the presence of the Holy Ghost, who is our constant companion to guide us to safety and eternal happiness.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths.”

With so many voices around us, including ours, it is important to recognize the Lord’s voice. In our time, these warnings and guiding principles are everywhere we go. We have the scriptures to have constant communication with the Lord to direct our daily paths, spiritual leaders, our families, teachers, community leaders, laws set in our communities, and many more! 

There are promised blessings if we listen to these warnings, such as unity in our homes and community, safety, peace of mind, success in our daily endeavors, and a stronger connection with the Holy Ghost—these are all life-changing effects of listening and when we lean not on our own understanding.

The Atonement allows us to repent and redirect our paths back to Him.

In a General Conference talk, Elder Kim B. Clark said, “None of us are perfect. Sometimes we get stuck. We get distracted or discouraged. We stumble. But if we look to Jesus Christ with a repentant heart, He will lift us, cleanse us from sins, forgive us and heal our hearts.”

Although we are to constantly follow Him, the Lord understands that we make mistakes from time to time, that is why He has provided a way for us to redirect our paths back to safety when we have gone off course. 

Even when we sometimes are stubborn to heed the warnings, the Lord still sends us help at the right time, to save us. Just as my husband accepted the fact that the situation was no longer under his control, and cried for help, we too must learn to let God take control of our lives and situations. However, we need to be sensitive to the ways the Lord helps us, and then recognize them quickly because the water will rise quickly too. My dear daughter was saved just in time and was brought back to safety. God sent help just when we needed it most. 

As Dieter F. Uchtdorf lovingly reminded us, “God wants you to find your way back to Him, and the Savior is the way.” He atoned for our sins, bled in Gethsemane, and died on the cross, to make it possible for us to turn away from our sins and weaknesses, and be pure again to enter the kingdom of the Lord.

May we not lose hope when we make mistakes. After all, Jesus Christ, our Savior, and Redeemer died for the ones who sinned, not for the ones who are perfect. He will always accept us with arms wide open when we turn our hearts to Him in repentance. We may sometimes fall down, but He will always be there to catch us and guide us back to safety.

The post Why We Should Lean Not On Our Own Understanding: I Almost Lost My Child appeared first on morefaith.ph.

That’s because sometimes waiting is just hard.

And it becomes even harder when we’re waiting for something that really matters to us—a dream job, a family of our own, healing from sickness and pain, direction when we are lost, peace amidst chaos, or relief from the many trials of life. Sometimes we think we have done everything we could to be worthy of such blessings and yet, frustratingly, heaven seems distant.

But God doesn’t make us wait for no reason. He makes us wait because it is in the waiting that growth happens. It is in the waiting that we learn the value of hard work, consistency, discipline, commitment, and resilience. It is in the waiting that we discover our strengths and talents and use them for our mortal and spiritual progression. It is in the waiting when we slow down that we can see God’s hand in the small details of our lives. It is in the waiting that we learn to hope, love, forgive, and appreciate life and our many blessings. And it is in the waiting that we learn to let go of our timetable and trust His timing.

He makes us wait to help us refine our character and increase our faith in Him. Sometimes He makes us wait to redirect us to new paths of opportunities and happiness. He makes us wait to show us that His promises are certain. He wants us to learn that a delay is not a denial of blessings we earnestly seek.

In the scriptures, we learn many stories of people who needed to wait for blessings. One of which is the story of Zacharias and Elisabeth, the parents of John the Baptist. They were a faithful couple who earnestly prayed for children for so many years, and yet their prayers were not answered in the way that they had hoped. Despite this, they remained faithful and hopeful.

They were eventually blessed with a son, John The Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus Christ and baptized not only the Savior but many who were ready to receive His gospel. How marvelous it must have been when Elisabeth realized that she conceived at a later age so her son could fulfill a divinely appointed calling—to act as a forerunner to Jesus Christ and His ministry.

With the timing of Elisabeth’s pregnancy to Mary’s, I can’t help but think that God also wanted Elisabeth to be at Mary’s side as she prepared for her divine calling to become the mother of the Messiah. In this story, the timing and the circumstances make perfect sense, like pieces of a puzzle all coming together as the story unfolds.

There are more Bible stories of people who waited many years for blessings but the main message of these stories is the same—that delays are not denials, that prayers are heard and answered, sometimes not as we had hoped but in ways that God sees fit for us, and that God is an all-powerful God who can make miracles happen. Staying faithful to His commandments will not only sustain us during our waiting seasons but can also draw us even closer to Him.

Waiting can be hard, especially when you do not know when things will get better. But you can find comfort that the Lord understands perfectly your pain and struggles. He hears your anguished cry for help and relief. To that His answer is, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). As you actively work towards your worthwhile goals and remain faithful to the Lord, He will strengthen you so you can wait upon His blessings with hope and fortitude. And when you receive the blessing that you have prayed hard for, you will recognize His abounding love and that it was Him who made it all possible.

Here’s another article on waiting upon the Lord’s blessings.

The post Why God Makes Us Wait For Blessings appeared first on morefaith.ph.

“He probably wouldn’t want anything to do with someone like me,” she thought. “God loved me, but I’m sure I’ve disappointed him… So what’s the use?” Jane’s not the only person to think they’re no longer worthy of heaven’s love because they made a mistake or even a series of mistakes. 

We all have weaknesses. We all make mistakes. And sometimes it’s hard not to wonder if our weaknesses and mistakes make us worth less as a person or less deserving of love. Often, the persistent thought tugging at the back of our minds is that our mistakes define us. But the truth is, they actually refine us.

Understanding Who We Really Are

One of the many reasons we may drift away from our divine identity is that we simply don’t know it. Knowing our divine nature and our absolute worth can help us understand and overcome even the heaviest challenges we face.

What is divine identity? Divine means of, from, or like God. Since we are children of heavenly parents, this makes us the sons and daughters of The King of all kings. You and I are children of God.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf shared,

Of course, there will be times when we hear voices telling us that we are foolish to believe that we are divine or special, trying to convince us that we are worthless, ugly, good for nothing, talentless, or that we are our mistakes. But may we all remember that our mistakes and weaknesses do not define who we are.

Knowing Who You are Can Help You Overcome Sin and Guilt

The Lord rejoices when we repent and strive to avoid repeating our sins intentionally. Repentance brings us closer to Him since and helps us know Him better and deeper. Sins cause us deep and heavy feelings of burden, so God has given us a way to remove this burden, and that is why repentance is a joyous process. He gave us a way to be cleansed from our sins because He loves us. And we must be cleansed from our sins so we can go back to His presence.

If you have committed mistakes, big or small, Satan tries to make you feel worthless. You may feel that because you have not met your goals or other people’s expectations, that you’re not as good as others around you. You may have compared yourself to others who look like they are doing “better” in life. You may have even felt that God doesn’t love you anymore or has forgotten about you because of the sin you’ve committed. Don’t let these mistakes and weaknesses keep you from coming to Christ, think that you are not good enough for Him, or think that His love is only for those who have not sinned.

Jesus Christ did not die for perfect people; He did not sacrifice His life for those who have it all figured out. He did not come to earth and preach for the ones who knew it all. Because none of us are perfect, have it all figured out, or know it all, no matter what it looks like on the outside. He came here for all of us who’ve sinned, regardless of the gravity of the sin, for all of us who have weaknesses, for all of us who don’t have it figured out or who are struggling. He did all of that because you are of great worth to Him! 

There is the definite truth that your worth does not rely on whether you’ve done great things in life or not. It does not rely on the mistakes or good things you’ve done. In the eyes of our Almighty God, your worth is the same.

If your sins ever feel like heavy burdens, or if you’ve drifted away from God because of the mistakes you’ve made, this does not mean that God loves you less. There will always be hope for you to come to Him and be forgiven. He will always welcome you back with arms wide open, ready to embrace you with warmth and love, because you are His beloved precious child.

The post Do My Mistakes and Weaknesses Determine My Worth? appeared first on morefaith.ph.

But after graduation, and in the midst of adult life, how many of us have accidentally let education slip from our list of priorities? Is education just for the young, or is there more we can do to continue learning, no matter what our age?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints puts so much importance on education. Growing up in the Church gave me the right mindset and has guided me as I have worked to continue to educate myself.

Ancient Prophets Teach of The Value of Education

Proverbs 1:5 emphasizes that those who are wise will seek learning. The scriptures are replete with lessons of how important it is to teach and to learn. The Savior of the world lived on the earth increasing in wisdom (Luke 2:48) and teaching in any way and at every opportunity He could. His example is a light to us all as we strive to improve. It is important to understand how the world works, and that takes a lot of effort. How much more effort is needed to understand how heaven works? No wonder we are taught to elevate ourselves from ignorance by doing all we can to obtain education. There is so much to learn in order to go through life and much more in order to grow through it.

Modern Prophets Exhort Everyone to Acquire Education

Russell M. Nelson, prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said,

“Your mind is precious! It is sacred. Therefore, the education of one’s mind is also sacred. Indeed, education is a religious responsibility.”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by people who foster this sacred and strong desire for learning among its members. “The glory of God is intelligence…” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:36) and Heavenly Father, with all His glory, wants His children to have the quality of life that would bring the greatest joy and happiness. This is His mission, not only in this life but also in the next – “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency of the Church, in the April 2009 New Era magazine, said:

“The Lord and His Church have always encouraged education to increase our ability to serve Him and our Heavenly Father’s children. For each of us, whatever our talents, He has service for us to give. And to do it well always involves learning, not once or for a limited time, but continually.”

As much as we teach each other in Sunday school, we are not limited to spiritual learning alone. President Eyring teaches of the importance of total education,

“That spiritual element, when it is effective, refines and uplifts the aims of our total education. …Remember, you are interested in education, not just for mortal life but for eternal life. When you see that reality clearly, you will put spiritual learning first and yet not slight the secular learning. In fact, you will work harder at your secular learning than you would without that spiritual vision.”

To achieve the “work and glory” of God, President Eyring warned that “education must never stop. If it ends at the door of the classroom on graduation day, we will fail. And we will need the help of heaven to know which of the myriad things we could study we would most wisely learn….

“The real life we’re preparing for is eternal life,“ President Eyring said. “Secular knowledge has for us eternal significance. Our conviction is that God, our Heavenly father, wants us to live the life He does.”

The fundamental principle of education in the Church, then, is based on the eternal goal to become like our Heavenly Father. This is what drives the leaders as well as the members of the Church to pursue all possible means of education – to gain “more knowledge and intelligence in this life through… diligence and obedience…” in order to “have so much the advantage in the world to come.”

Available Church Resources

The heart of the education system of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints started with the School of the Prophets in 1833. Now, the Church operates three large universities in the United States – Brigham Young University (BYU), BYU-Hawaii and BYU-Idaho. It also runs LDS Business College in Utah. The Church also runs an online education program that makes it possible for many more students to get their education from these larger campuses remotely. The PathwayConnect program prepares students for that opportunity. More information about these opportunities can be found at www.besmart.com

The Church also invests in the seminary and institute programs, which are intended to further students’ religious education and give them a gospel-orientated preparation for life. These programs are free to ensure that anyone interested can participate. The following links will help in understanding these programs.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/si/seminary?lang=eng

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/si/institute?lang=eng

Continuing Your Education

Since learning is an eternal principle, that means that education is meant to last far longer than the years of our initial schooling. This entire planet was created as a learning experience for us, to help us grow. Our Heavenly Father’s ultimate goal is to help us be like Him, and He is very, very smart. He knows all there is to know, so our eternal journey is and will continue to be one of higher and higher learning until we reach the level where He is.

Even though we can’t learn everything in this life, we should still try to make continuous learning a part of our everyday lives. So sign up for that class, watch educational videos online, study current events, study and pray to receive more spiritual knowledge, read a book, or try something you’ve never done before.

We can take more responsibility in our lives by continuing to educate ourselves on everything we can. After all, this mortal life is meant to be a time of growth and learning guided by a Heavenly Father who is the greatest teacher there is.

The post Why We Should Continue to Learn appeared first on morefaith.ph.

Why the discrepancy?

When we try to picture godhood, we want to see very nice people wearing white glowing robes and not having any weakness at all. Then we look at ourselves with all of life’s mess and the comparison feels impossible. It seems as though man’s nature is simply vicious and self-destructive. Maybe this is why we often excuse ourselves from our mistakes by saying, “I am only human.”

Or We Can Think Otherwise

While human nature has been overused throughout the ages as a reason for being weak, maybe we should instead try to retrace our steps and ask, “Why, with all these weaknesses, does God trust me to be an agent to myself? Why does He allow me to make mistakes?” Yes, trusting us to retain our agency is one big leap of faith for our Heavenly Father. He places this divine trust in us despite the large chance that we will not be obedient to Him. Doesn’t that make you feel good about yourself? That someone divine knows you can overcome challenges, however big they are? Maybe being human then, is not that bad at all!

Harnessing the Natural Man

Weakness and all, we have the capacity to be honed into something remarkable, if we but humble ourselves and allow God to help us (Ether 12:27). The flaws that we now have are but crude resources that, when overcome, will transform us into better creatures. Consider the natural resources that we use to our advantage. A raging waterfall and a scorching sun are both very damaging if we come into contact with them as they are. But if we make use of our intellect and capacity to work on these crude resources, they can produce something much greater – the electricity to power our cities and homes.

Weakness Into Strength

If we accept our weaknesses and work to overcome them so we can be molded into better versions of ourselves, then we have power within us to bolster a beautiful transformation. Our natural tendencies can either abase us or make us polished individuals. It is all up to us. But wouldn’t it be nice if we considered ourselves diamonds in the rough? Instead of choosing to remain as pieces of coal, let us allow ourselves to be made into precious gems. Being human then, is not a form of weakness but a state of opportunity and a time to understand the raw materials needed for godhood that are already inside of us (2 Nephi 2:21).

For most, it is our goal to rise above our human tendencies, however; it is not always that easy to do. Believing that we are more than what we appear to be right now makes the difference. Our Heavenly Father believes in us. He knows we are innately good, but because we are exposed to a carnal environment, we can be placed in situations when we sometimes forget who we really are. But remember… That is the key. Remember and trust that gut feeling that you are special – that you are divine.

The post Why Human Nature is Not Our Nature appeared first on morefaith.ph.

In the Doctrine & Covenants, we read the account of Martin Harris asking Joseph Smith to inquire of God whether he could take the 116-page Book of Mormon manuscript home so his family could see it. Joseph inquired twice and God did not permit it. But Martin begged Joseph to ask God one more time. This time, He permitted Martin to take the manuscript home, to show only to his wife and certain members of his family. And then the unfortunate happened, Martin lost the manuscript—all 116 pages of it.

So did Joseph and Martin change the will of God? No. God’s will was to hasten the translation of the Book of Mormon, and knowing that many people wanted to get a hold of the manuscript, He did not permit Martin to take it because losing it would mean delaying the translation. But because Joseph and Martin were very insistent, He allowed it. He allowed it so Joseph and Martin could learn, through exercising their own agency, what would bring them happiness or misery.

We cannot change the will of God, but we can be comforted knowing that His will is for us to return to His presence again. He has our welfare at heart and when we receive an answer, we can be sure that He is leading us a little closer to our heavenly home.

While we cannot persuade Him to yield to our desires, He also does not want to override our agency to be able to choose and act for ourselves. Like Martin, there may be times that if we pray hard enough, God will allow us to do as we desire so we can learn from the experience.

Oftentimes, if we allow it, these experiences can help us better understand the will and ways of the Almighty God and allow us to see how aligning our will to His leads to joy and peace. As we do so, we become more sensitive to the whispering of His Spirit—enlightening us with things that will help us reach our potential and warning us to avoid things that will impede our growth.

So the next time we think of trying to change the will of God, let’s ask ourselves if that’s really what we want to happen. Like Martin, God might let us do as we please, but afterwards, we might also feel sorrow, similar to Martin and Joseph’s over losing the manuscript.

Let’s trust God and His will—this is the only way we can successfully navigate this often-treacherous mortal existence, become what He wants us to become, and eventually joyfully return to His presence again someday.

The post If I Pray Hard Enough, Can I Change The Will Of God? appeared first on morefaith.ph.