President Hinckley

I just wanted to say a few things about President Hinckley. Sometimes you get used to someone being there always and you don't always think about how much they mean to you until they pass away. President Hinckley has been a great influence in my life for many years.

I remember going to a devotional that he had for the youth of the church in the Conference Center. I was sitting up in the balcony, so I wasn't that close, but it was a great feeling sitting in that room with everyone else listening to his council. He taught us six "Be's" of things that we should remember. Be Grateful, Be Smart, Be Clean, Be True, Be Humble, and Be Prayerful. Listening to him, I knew he was a prophet of God. I knew that I could trust and love him.

A few years later I had the opportunity to be an usher for General Conference. I was able to be in the conference center for all of the sessions of conference. The thing I remember the most is that every time the prophet would walk in the room, there would be a silence and everyone would stand. You can feel the Spirit very strong as you remember that he is the mouthpiece of our Heavenly Father. I raised my hand with millions to sustain him as a prophet, seer and revelator.

In November of 2002, I recieved a letter from President Hinckley to call me on a mission to Rome Italy. I knew that was a call issued from my Heavenly Father through His prophet. I remember as we were about to leave the MTC, they showed us a video of President Hinckley with a message to missionaries going out. He expressed his love for us. You could see the excitement in his eyes for us. Thinking of President Hinckley throughout my mission helped keep me going. One of the seventy came to talk to us and talked about President Hinckley. He said that as they were in New York visiting the Hill Cumorah, President Hinckley ran up the hill. He had energy to do the work he was called to do and was an inspiration for all those serving our Heavenly Father.



I loved watching "Special Witnesses of Christ" and hearing President Hinckley's testimony with investigators. As I bore testimony that he was a prophet of God, I knew in my heart that it was true. I knew that as I followed his teachings that I would be following the teachings of Jesus Christ.

The summer after I got home from my mission I was a counselor for EFY. On one of the days, they showed a movie of President Hinckley speaking to the youth. Every time I saw this movie it brought me to tears because again I could see the love in his eyes as he expressed his love and hope for us. As he wept, I knew that his heart was completely into the work that he did. I knew that I could understand my Heavenly Father's love more as I saw this man.

President Hinckley will always remain my prophet. He has overseen so many temples to bring them closer to the people. His optimism shone out of him and was enough to light the whole world. He has set the example of integrity and faith in the Gospel. I know that he will continue that work in heaven to bring souls to Christ. I commit myself to follow his example.

We thank thee, O God, for a prophet to guide us in these latter days.

My Family

Hey,

I was scanning in some of my mission pictures the other day and I found these ones that I had of the family and thought that I'd put them up.

This is a picture of all of us kids before Geoff left on his mission. Don't we look great?

This is a picture of all of us while Geoff was on his mission and before I left on mine. It's fun to see that we've had alot more people come into our family and the kids grow up.

These are the nieces and nephews while I was on my mission. I think we can tell where Olivia learned how to pose for pictures. I think I'll start posing like that too.

I always liked this picture of Kaitlyn.

These kids are growing up. This is Ashley at Jason's wedding.

I just wanted to say how much I love my family and how happy I am to have them around. I wish we could all stay young and live in the same house forever, but it is also fun to have neices and nephews. It is great to learn and grow together as a family. Thanks Mom and Dad for all that you've done for us.

Reading the Book of Mormon

Hey everyone,

As a family we have decided to read the Book of Mormon again. I think that this is the perfect time to recommit ourselves to the Book of Mormon since we are studying it in Sunday School.

President Ezra Taft Benson said:

"There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. The scriptures are called 'the words of life'."

I know that this is true because I have seen the influence of the Book of Mormon in my life in these ways. I am so thankful for the things that I learn in the Book of Mormon.

As we read the Book of Mormon as a family we are focusing on three things: The history, application to our lives, and Christ. We are underlining the things that stick out to us relating to these three topics.

One thing that I found that can help us find more things going along with these topics is found on the title page (second paragraph) of the Book of Mormon. Moroni states three purposes for the Book of Mormon. He says:

"Which is to show the remnant of the House of Israel (1) what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and (2) that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever--(3) and also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations."

For the first one, we can look at the history and the stories and see the great things that the Lord has done for our fathers. The scriptures are full of stories about miracles. I know those same things can happen in our day as we exercise our faith in Christ.

Second, the scriptures are full of the covenants that we make with our Heavenly Father. This is a theme that we see all through the scriptures starting in the beginning of the Bible in the book of Genesis. In chapter 13:13-16 we see that Abraham makes a covenant with Heavenly Father that as he obeys the commandments, he recieves the blessing of a promised land, and seed as numerous as the sands of the sea. As members of the church, we become members of Abraham's family and also of that covenant. Many stories in the scriptures show how the Lord led them to Promised lands. Moses and Israel were led to Canaan, their Promised land. The Jaredites were led to a promised land, as was Lehi's family. More close to our time, the early saints of the church were led to their promised land. Sometimes I wonder about where my promised land might be. I know that Heavenly Father has a place prepared for me as I honor this covenant that I have made with him. As we read the Book of Mormon, we can look for keywords that will help us understand these covenants better. Look for works like "land", and "seed" and refer back to the Abrahamic Covenant. For example in 1 Nephi 7:1 we see both of those words in commandments given to Lehi. Also, look for the covenants of baptism and there is so much that we can learn.

Third, we can learn about Christ from the Book of Mormon. In 2 Nephi 11:4, Nephi says:

"Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the comiing of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning for the world, unto man, are they typifying [or symbols] of Him."

So basically, anything that God gives to man is a symbol of Christ. There are tons of things all through the scriptures. To name a couple examples: The Liahona was given to Lehi to be a guide through the wilderness to the promised land. Christ is our guide and example. The Lord gave manna to the Israelites too feed them. Christ is the bread of life. Remember to look for symbols of Christ as you read and it will give you a great perspective on the atonement and what Christ has done for us.

I hope this helps. Thanks for reading it, its probably kind of long. I know the Book of Mormon is true. It is a book that can bring us to Christ and help us change ourselves to be more like him and like our Heavenly Father. I hope that we can talk together about the things that we are learning as we read. I'm excited to hear some of the things that we find.

Love you all,

Adam

I wish it was still summer. I can't believe that it is already January and there is coldness outside and snow.

This last summer I went on a river trip by Jackson Hole and it was a lot of fun. I went down the river four times and by the end I was pretty tired. This was the last trip down it and we were headed for the big rapids. The raft flipped all the way over and all of us were in the water grabbing for the paddles and shoes. Fun times.

So, school for this semester started again. I'm having a hard time getting back into things and getting my homework done. I don't have a lot that is due right away, but there is a lot that I can start on. I'm hoping to be done with school in only three more semesters. I'm still thinking about getting my masters which would add two more onto the end which would make it another year. Time is going by fast so all these decisions are coming quick.

I take a big Engineering Test in the Spring that all the engineers need to take to graduate. It is a comprehensive test that includes everything we have studied so far. I will have to review a lot for it, but it will be nice to pass it and not have to worry about it any more.

So, I know I put up an old picture, I haven't taken any new pictures for a while so I don't have any. I'll have to take some and put them up.