Mahonri

I finished it individually and also as a family. My that was a long time ago. August 2005? The Lord has truly blessed us... As I think back to 2006, some of the greatest blessings of my life occured that year.

I have nerves on the end of my hands that allow me to feel with them. I know I feel with them. I have nerves in my ear that allow me to hear. I know that I can hear. My optic nerve allows me to see. I know that I can see. I have nerves connected to olfactory receptors that tell my brain that I can smell. I know that I can smell. I have lots of taste buds on my tongue that tell my brain I can tast. I KNOW that I can taste. I have made that rare connection (and so have many, many others) with spirit eyes and spirit ears and spirit understanding to my puny mortal brain that has given me KNOWLEDGE so that I know that there is a spirit world. I've been there, I've seen it. I've heard things there all by the power of the Holy Ghost. It wasn't a dream... I was wide awake. Call it a vision if you will, the connection to my human brain that allows me to know that I can feel and hear and see and smell and tast also has given me pure knowledge, knowledge to the point that as those windows of heaven were opened there wasn't room enough in my puny human brain to receive it all. No assertions there, no statement of belief. I know. Now the most difficult part is that I have to live up to that knowledge. The ONLY way one can have that connection made to a human brain is through the Holy Ghost... and he works differently on all of us... more blessed are those who come to a spiritual understanding and haven't seen and know and yet remain true and faithful. Where much is given, MUCH is expected.

There again, I suppose the answer is, "When you know... YOU KNOW"

Sometimes when a person testifies to others what the Holy Spirit has testified to them, the listener will also feel it.That said, there is most certainly a difference between belief and knowledge. Unfortunately, there are many who say they know, who likely really only believe. Only when one has had their spirit eyes and ears and spiritual understanding opened by the Holy Spirit can they truly say with certainty that they "know". Millions can and truly shall know Brother Joseph again. I do. He is a prophet of God. Gordon B. Hinckley is God's living prophet upon the earth today. I know he is. Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. He is the God of our galaxy. As we come to know who we are, we can come to know Him. God bless.

you know how these e-mails get started. He looks fine to me. I'm praying that we have a 100th birthday party for him.

I was talking with my friend in North Salt Lake this morning. He lives in a Ward with 3 Apostles and the Stake President is Elder Ballard's son-in-law. They had Stake Conference this past Sunday and Elder Ballard, who just had both knees replaced, came and spoke. Among other things, Apostle Ballard said that General Conference this April (2006) may well be our last chance to hear Pres. Hinckley speak. He said that Pres. Hinckley is suffering from a very serious illness and that, much like King Benjamin is gathering his people around to address them one last time, we would do well to listen as intently as the people of that time. It is sad to think that we may lose President Hinckley soon but thought it would be good to know this and treat his testimony even more reverently. _______________________________ The only part of this e-mail that I am certain of is the fact that Elder Ballard just had both knees replaced. Other than that I don't know... Anyone from North Salt Lake here? M

I am child 5 of 7. I have 7 children. Many folks have thought that my wife and I are insane. It's not easy to raise kids anymore. My folks were blessed. All seven have graduated from Universities with advanced degrees. All sons and sons in law served full time missions. All seven sons and sons-in-law have served as Bishop...one is serving for the second time and another is now a stake president. I can't imagine being able to have the blessings that my folks have. I can't tell you how many times folks have given us a bad time for having 7 children. I just tell my wife that they are either jealous because they can't have that many or they think they can't afford them. Our first wasn't born until I was 30 and my wife was 28. It hasn't been easy. We have our share of trials just like everyone else... that's the nature of mortality. I just keep having FHE, reading the scriptures with them, having family prayer. Talk to them about going on missions. etc... All I can do is hope and pray that they will do everything in their power to try and please Our Savior. enough said... Hang in there. You will be blessed. M

I have relatives in NW Houston, Missouri City and Pearland. Grateful that the Lord answered my prayers and that the Hurricane fizzled and moved east. M

As a Latter-day Saint and one who posesses the authority of the priesthood I have cast out evil spirits on a few occasions. I have done it through a priesthood blessing, placing my hands upon the person's head, stating my authority and casting the unclean spirit to come out in the name of Jesus Christ. I also have been warned by the Spirit to stay away from an individual, I raised my arm to the square, stated my authority and cast the spirit out in the name of Jesus Christ. Each time the spirit(s) have departed. With one sister, they continue to come back and it's because of the choices she makes. Everyone is worked upon by evil spirits. We all should want to live righteously so that when we wake up in the morning, the devil and his angels will say, "Oh no, he's awake!". M

We have an extremely generous high councilor who has bought bottomless boxes of Preach My Gospel for the Bishops to hand out in every ward in the stake. Folks are using it for Sunday School, Home Evening, Mission prep, YM/YW... I'm headed to a week of girls camp and I'll be part of a fireside on Friday and the gal in charge asked me to use a section from Preach My Gospel. M

Jenda, Are you a member of The Church? Yes, you must have a recommend from a Bishop to receive a patriarchal blessing. Mahonri

I don't know many Bishops who would give someone a recommend to recieve a patriarchal blessing who was not spiritually ready to receive it. Your friend needs to understand what a PB is and how it can be a great source of comfort in their life. It doesn't sound like she has the right attitude at present. Not a good idea in my opinionl. M

Interesting. It doesn't fly with the revealed word of God as found in the Proclamation on the Family. It's a choice. (period) Are there tendancies? No doubt about it. 3 or 4 older brothers is environment, not genetics. Left handed folks are more creative and creative folks many times find themsleves in an ENVIRONMENT where homosexuality is promoted. It's a choice. There are folks with the gene for Alcoholism but if they never make the choice to take a drink, they won't become alcoholics. It's a choice. Sad that a professor of Biology could be so misinformed and so wrong. M