I gave you the link at the end. This is just bits and pieces of the article that I wanted to share.
Good night dear friends!
Living a Life of Peace, Joy and Purpose
This world is in
serious trouble. The fundamental values of the United States and other Western
nations are being undermined. There is a continual crumbling of principle,
virtue, integrity, and religious values—the foundation stones of civilization
and definitive ingredients of peace and happiness. I will share with you as
simply and as clearly as I am able a pattern for success and happiness in life
despite these conditions.
God has given you the
capacity to exercise faith so that you may find peace, joy, and purpose in
life. However, to employ its power, that faith must be rooted in something
secure. There is no more solid foundation than faith in the love Heavenly
Father has for you, faith in His plan of happiness, and faith in the
willingness and power of Jesus Christ to fulfill all His
promises.
Some of the principles
upon which faith is based include:
…Trust in God and in
His desire to provide help when needed, no matter how challenging the
circumstance.
…Obedience to His
commandments and a life that demonstrates that He can trust you.
…Sensitivity to the
quiet promptings of the Spirit and courageous implementation of the resulting
impressions.
…Patience and understanding
when God lets you struggle to grow and when answers come a piece at a time over
an extended period.
It will be helpful to
you to understand and use the power of the interaction of faith and character.
God uses your faith to mold your character. Character is woven patiently from
threads of doctrine, principle, and obedience. Character is the manifestation
of what you are becoming. Your character will be the yardstick that God will
use to determine how well you have used your mortal life. Strong moral
character results from consistent correct choices in the trials and testing of
life. Such choices are made with trust in things that are believed and, when
acted upon, will be confirmed as true.
Worthy Character
As you walk to the
boundary of your understanding into the twilight of uncertainty while
exercising faith, you will be led to find solutions to the challenges of life
you would not obtain otherwise. The bedrock of character is integrity.
Making Decisions Based on Eternal Truths
There are two patterns
for making decisions in life: (1) decisions based upon circumstance and (2)
decisions based upon eternal truth. Satan encourages choices to be made
according to the circumstances: What are others doing? What seems to be
socially or politically acceptable? What will bring the quickest, most
satisfying response? That pattern gives Lucifer the broadest opportunity to
tempt an individual to make decisions that will be harmful and destructive even
though they may appear most appealing when a decision is made.
With this approach
there is no underlying set of values or standards to consistently guide
decisions. Each decision is made for what appears to be the most attractive
choice at the moment. One who chooses this path cannot expect the help of the
Lord but is left to his or her own strength and that of others who want to
help. Sadly, most of God’s children make decisions this way. That is why the
world is in such turmoil.
The pattern of the
Lord is for His children to make decisions based upon eternal truth. This
requires that your life continue to be centered in the commandments of God.
Thus, decisions are made in accordance with unchanging truths aided by prayer
and the guidance of the Holy Ghost. In
addition to your own strength and capacity, you will enjoy divine inspiration
and power when needed. Your actions will be predictable and bless the lives of
all in the circle of your influence. You will have a meaningful life of
purpose, peace, and happiness.
Keeping Your Resolve
How can you keep your
resolve to live worthily? How can you be sure that determination in your heart
will not be eroded by the pressures around you? If you are blessed to be
married, rejoice in that companionship with your spouse and your children. Let
there be absolutely no secrets kept from each other. That will provide powerful
insurance for continuing righteousness and happiness. Decide issues together.
Keep the gospel light
burning brightly in your home through scripture study, prayer, and the other
things you know how to do. Drink deeply from the fountain of the revealed word
of God. Hold fast to His word. Keep the Sabbath day holy.
There is an urgent
need for more men and women like you who will stand for principles against the
growing pressures to compromise those very principles. Men and women are needed
who will act nobly and courageously for what the Lord has defined as right—not
for what is politically correct or socially acceptable. We need individuals who
have the spiritual, righteous influence that will motivate others to live
honorably. We need statesmen with integrity, businessmen who are honest and
morally clean, attorneys who defend justice and the legal system, and
government officials who preserve principle because it is right. Above all, we
need mothers and fathers who will preserve the sanctity and safety of the home
and the integrity of the family in which faith in God
and obedience to His commandments are taught as the foundation of a productive
life.
Success in Following the Plan
Establish a set of principles by which you
will guide every aspect of your life—in your home, in your Church service, in
your profession, in your community. Many people try to
compartmentalize their life and have a standard for Church and another standard
for what they do in business and in other aspects of their life.
Second, don’t make exceptions to your
standards. Never compromise them.
One of the ways the Lord protects us is to give us guidance in life. One of the
ways Satan tries to destroy us is to subtly lead us away from what we know is
centrally important in our life.
Third, be loyal. Be loyal to your
parents and your loved ones. Above all, be loyal to Jesus Christ, the Savior.
Success comes when your actions are consistent with the teachings of the Lord.
When you seek work, find something that challenges you, that raises you to
higher levels of performance. It may be harder, but you will grow, develop
better, and contribute more good. You really have no idea yet who you are and
what you can accomplish in life. You have great potential far beyond what you
can imagine today.
Fourth, live so that the Lord can guide you to
where He wants you to be and to serve. He can do that if you
live His commandments worthily and strive in every way to be obedient to His
teachings.
Fifth, serve others. Sharing what you know
with others will bring you happiness and bless their lives.
Sixth, smile. I don’t mean that you
need to be cracking jokes every day, but a good joke now and then is an escape
valve. Life is not all that bad. You will soon learn that everybody has
problems and nobody wants to hear about yours. Put those things aside and
smile. Have a good sense of humor
Seventh, don’t complain. Life isn’t always
fair. That’s a fact. But it’s always charged with marvelous opportunities if
you know how to find them..
Tenth, use the Savior Jesus Christ as your
example for life. Use His teachings as your handbook for life. Never make
exceptions to them.
Resolve that each
moment of your life will reflect your determination to humbly be an example of
righteousness, integrity, and conviction. With such a life you will surely
succeed in the purpose for which you came to earth.
You can read the whole article by Richard G. Scott Here:
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