“Personal pleasure never works as the focus of life and cannot suffice as the purpose of life. This truth underlies the two great commandments: to love God with all one’s heart, soul, and mind; and to love one’s neighbor as one’s self.” —Elder D. Todd Christofferson

1970: America Subject to Water Rationing By 1974 and Food Rationing By 1980

2008: Arctic will Be Ice Free by 2018

2008:  Climate Genius Al Gore Predicts Ice-Free Arctic by 2013

1977: Department of Energy Says Oil will Peak in 1990s

1988: World’s Leading Climate Expert Predicts Lower Manhattan Underwater by 2018

1989: UN Warns That Entire Nations Wiped Off the Face of the Earth by 2000 From Global Warming

2012: Maya Apocalypse

1524: Johannes Stöffler, a respected German mathematician and astrologer, predicted that a great flood would cover the world on February 25, 1524, when all of the known planets would be in alignment under Pisces, a water sign.

1967: Jim Jones the founder of the People’s Temple stated he had visions that a nuclear holocaust was to take place in 1967.

1972: Herbert W. Armstrong, The second of three revised dates for the end of the world after his 1936 and 1943 predictions failed to come true.

1966: From 1966 on, Jehovah’s Witnesses published articles which stated that the fall of 1975 would be 6000 years since man’s creation, and suggested that Armageddon could be finished by then.

1991: The leader of the Nation of Islam Louis Farrakhan declared that the Gulf War would be the “War of Armageddon which is the final war.”

2007: In his 1990 book The New Millennium, Pat Robertson suggests this date as the day of Earth’s destruction.

We are all seconds away from getting lost and are prone to falling, failing, and forgetting. It’s kind of what we do best. This is probably one of the reasons why the scriptures compare us to sheep more than 300 times!

I’ve never raised sheep before, but I have had several friends who have, and apparently, raising them can be a major pain in the rear. Let’s start with the fact that my farming friends tell me that sheep are directionless. Like Jack and all of us, they are wanderers and followers, they easily get lost, and they don’t know how to find their way back home. Or they get distracted and forget that they even have a home. They are both needy and absentminded.

That’s precisely why they are famous for walking off, following anything, and getting lost. I have a friend who lost his whole flock of sheep once because one of them found a hole in the fence and the rest of them just followed her out. Luckily there wasn’t a cliff nearby, because they are dumb enough to follow a fellow sheep off of one of those, too. Bless their cotton-ball hearts.

Sheep are also completely defenseless—such an easy target for predators. They are not very agile, are not quick on their hooves, and wool is not exactly great armor. You don’t have to talk to someone who has raised sheep very long to learn how high-maintenance these fluffy farm animals are! They consistently need protection, direction, healing, feeding, and rest. They are an investment—not only to buy them but also to be in charge of them every day. Constant care is required. 24/7. They just cannot make it on their own. Just like us. “All we like sheep have gone astray,” Isaiah said. “We have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6). Isaiah was right—we are all like sheep. Needy little sheep.

Happily, we are not only needy sheep but also lucky sheep, because we have a shepherd. And not just any shepherd, but the Good Shepherd. The Best Shepherd. This is one of the names of Jesus—a name that shows us how He can and does care for each of the individual wants, needs, hopes, and dreams of us, His sheep. “Wherefore, I am in your midst, and I am the good shepherd” (D&C 50:44). —David Butler

As long as I’m prepared, I always expect to win. — Jack Nicklaus

12 faithless excuses not to pay tithing

1. I can’t afford to pay tithing
2. I am too poor to pay tithing – I’ll pay when I earn more.
3. I am behind on my tithing – it is too late to start.
4. I’m expecting a big inheritance. I’ll catch up then.
5. I have other expenses that I must pay first.
6. I need to save money for the future.
7. I help other people with my money.
8. The return on tithing is too long term for me.
9. Tithing cuts down on the toys I can buy for myself.
10. Tithing does not raise my credit score.
11. I would never ask the church for anything.
12. The Church does not need my tithing.

The Diamond Rule of Service

“If you wouldn’t want it done to you, don’t do it to someone else!”

Jeffrey Gitomer

Our success in life largely depends upon our understanding of our customers – whether they are families or business partners – and being able to deliver on their expectations.

http://www.asq.org/  

Temple Lessons [The power & blessings of being early]

When we arrived for our first sacrament meeting in Nauvoo we were about 15 minutes early. The chapel was already full and the reverence was comforting. We quickly & quietly found a seat and pondered what we were experiencing.

When we arrived for our first training meeting in the San Diego Temple with the other newly called temple volunteers we were about 10 minutes early. Everyone else was already there & the meeting began as soon as we were seated.

We are learning that a mark of conversion is being early & ready. There is a spirit attended to being early that is only experienced by those who get there early enough to witness it.

Two Scriptures:

He that seeketh me early shall find me, and shall not be forsaken.       D&C 88:83

I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.    Proverbs 8:17

One Quote:

Early = Respect for others. Late = Disrespect. You might as well wear a sign on your chest.    -Tom Peters

46 Things I Know for Sure   compiled by Chuck Lucas

1. It is never too late to begin to do what we ought to do. —Richard L. Evans

2.  The Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds.    Richard G. Scott

3.  If friendship is genuine—it is pure gold.

4.  “When love and kindness cease all enjoyment is taken out of life.”     Cicero

5.  “Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or keep one.” Robert E. Lee

6.  Your friendship is a sturdy staff on which others may lean.  Gordon B. Hinckley

7.  Keep trying. Be believing. Be happy. Don’t get discouraged. Things will work out.  Gordon B. Hinckley

8.  When we’re desperate to become the people we were born to be, our vision changes. Wendy Nelson

9.  The Lord will ask you to do difficult things. You can count on it.    -Russell M. Nelson

10. “Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects.” -Eliot A. Butler

11. We form our habits by the secret thoughts of our hearts.   George Q. Morris

12. HARD WORK IS more important than intellect.   James E. Faust

13. The Lord’s work is work, but it is sweet labor.   Neal A. Maxwell

14. Life is limitless. Life is everlasting. Family is forever.

15. “No matter what your past has been, you have a spotless future.”—Hugh B. Brown

16. “There is something incredibly hopeful about a fresh start.”   Dieter F. Uchtdorf

17. Present levels of performance are unacceptable . . . . We must raise the bar.  Kimball & Hinckley

18. Learn from the past, prepare for the future, live in the present.”  Thomas S Monson

19. Faith is always pointed toward the future.   Jeffrey R Holland

20. “We are not going back . . . . the future holds everything for us.”   Patricia Holland

21. The emphasis on enduring well to the end is wise, simply because we are at risk till the end!    Neal A. Maxwell

22. God has given us no requirements, no commandments, that we cannot keep.   Richard L. Evans

23. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.    1 John 4:18

24. Duties knocking at one’s door are like friends come to call not always convenient but usually gladdening in their effect.      Neal A. Maxwell

25. “That which holds our attention determines our action.”     William James

26. Any moment, early or late, can mark the beginning of hope.    Michael Gerson

27. Hope sees things that are just around the corner. -Vaughn J. Featherstone

28. Don’t give up, get up!   Heather O’Brien Walker

29. “Moral sense is more important than intelligence.” Dr. Alexis Carrell

30. “Jesus is real.”   David O. McKay

31. I don’t believe in luck. I believe in planning.    Bronco Mendenhall

32. You can choose to ignore the truth, but you cannot wish it out of existence.

33. I believe enthusiasm is a universal talent everyone can acquire.  L. Tom Perry

34.  Optimism is an indispensable forerunner of progress.    Heber J. Grant

35. He who learns not from the mistakes of the past is doomed to repeat them with their attendant consequences.         Thomas S. Monson

36. The past is ours to cherish, not to live in.    Duane Hiatt

37. Recycling regrets

[doesn’t]

change reality. Pawing through the past is not productive.  Neal A. Maxwell

38. One road leads home & a thousand roads lead into the wilderness.  -C. S. Lewis

39. If you want a new tomorrow then make new choices today. Don’t wish for it; work for it. Al Fox Carraway

40. It is better to learn wisdom late, than never to learn it at all.    Sherlock Holmes

41. Everyone’s life is either a warning or an example.   Tony Robbins

42. We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.     Ronald Reagan

43. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.    African Proverb

44. None of us are as smart as all of us.    Ken Blanchard

45. Often, the best & most effective “preaching” is a good example.    David J. Ridges

46. The price to be paid for advancement is vigorous self-effort.     John A. Widtsoe