Sharing.

I would like you to imagine something here. Say someone just found this really amazing recipe for the most amazing food in the world. This person loves it and thinks of it as the greatest thing to come in contact with mankind. But this person keeps it all to themself. And when they die it goes with them. The rest of mankind missed out because of someone lack of sharing, how sad! This is how we should never treat the Gospel of Jesus Christ! It is the above all else what will help mankind the most, here and in the hereafter. That is why I share what I do because I have found something so truly amazing that I cannot keep it myself. I am not perfect at it and I am trying to be better. Sometimes I have to kick myself in the butt because I forget just how important it is. I want to thank all of those who share. There are many that are “kept from the truth because they know not where to find it” (D&C 123:12), but you do! Let them know the important truths that you cherish like: Forever Families, We are Children of God, He loves us, Life after Death, The Restoration of The Gospel, Faith, Repentance, The Gift of the Holy Ghost, The Plan of Salvation, and much, much more! “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”(Matt. 5:16)

Reach Out and Share!

Conversion? Yes!

                My name is Elder Kofoed (right now, some day it will be Brother or John Kofoed). I was born in the church and was baptized and confirmed a member at the age of eight. I did it then mostly because that is what we did. It was more the culture of my family and most of my hometown, for that matter, than anything else. As I got a little older something happened that would change my life forever, I came to the realization that not everybody in the world was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. That rocked my world! I can’t really remember a time that I didn’t believe the church was true, there were times of slight uncertainty but that would quickly leave as I would continue to live the commandments. I am sure that I started out leaning on the testimony of my parents but I was gradually weaned off and building my own just as slowly. In August of 2005 President Gordon B. Hinckley challenged everyone to read The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ Before the end of the year.

My family was a little slow to act and was a little hit or miss but we did our best, and I am not sure if we beat the end of the year but I know that we did finish. During this time of reading together we had frustrations and sometimes low desire from me and my little brother. I also had some very moving experiences as I read about the following stories:  the people with Alma-the-older in bondage and leaning on faith for relief, people being burned and stoned after being converted by Alma-the-younger and his companion Amulek, the converted Lamanites burying their weapons of war and suffering themselves to be killed rather than slay their brethren for their own protection, Samuel the Laminate standing on a wall teaching the, now wicked, Nephites and not being touched by all the things thrown, slung, or shot at him, the resurrected Lord healing teaching and blessing the ancient people of the Americas, the sad destruction of the people after they forgot the Lord. By the end of this challenge I had a testimony (however small it may have been) but didn’t realize it. It grew slowly and even began to slip especially as I hit high school and chose to do some things that I knew I shouldn’t have done. But as I repented and changed back to the person that I wanted to be it grew more.

Today it stands as the one thing I can count as a constant, as long as I nourish it. I know that the church is true, I know that Joseph Smith was a man called by God to Restore the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness, I know that the priesthood was restored and gives us opportunity to do the Lords work, I know that Jesus is the Savior and Redeemer of the world, I know that through Him the pains and trials of this life can be overcome so that we can bear them, I know that He lives today and that He loves us, I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father, I know that he wants every opportunity for us to grow and become the best we can be, I know that He has a plan for us to be happy in this life and in the Eternities to come, I know that the power of prayer is real, I know that we are led today by a prophet whose name is Thomas S. Monson, I know that the Book of Mormon is true and I love it with all my heart. And you can too, by reading the Book of Mormon, praying about it, and applying it your life. Just be sincere and intend to act on the answer you receive and have faith, and you will know through the Holy Ghost that this is all true (see Moroni 10:4-5, Book of Mormon). It works, I know because I did it.

164 years celebrating a legacy of faith!

     The 24th of July marks 164 years since the pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley. They have left behind a great heritage and are an inspiration to all of us. They have showed us what those who have desires to follow Christ would be willing to do. There are lots of stories that show their faith, but I will share one that really inspires me. It’s about the rescue party sent out to find the Martin and Willie handcart companies. They were stuck near Devil's Gate Wyoming in blistering cold winter weather. Their food was all but depleted and they had suffered many deaths already. Brigham young had sent a crew from Salt Lake to help.

     "Rescue party leader Captain George D. Grant described the scene to President Young in a letter sent by courier on the morning of 3 November 1856: 'You can imagine between five and six hundred men, women and children, worn down by drawing carts through mud and snow, fainting by the wayside, children crying with cold, their limbs stiffened, their feet bleeding, and some of them bare to the frost. The sight is too much for the stoutest of us, but we go on doing our duty, not doubting, nor despairing. Our party is too small to be of much of a help. … We have prayed without ceasing, and the blessings of the Lord have been with us' (as quoted in Improvement Era, Jan. 1914, 209).

     "Solomon F. Kimball continues: 'Those of the handcart people who were unable to walk were crowded into the overloaded wagons, and a start was made; the balance of the company hobbling along behind with their carts as best they could.

     'When [they] came to the first crossing of the Sweetwater west of Devil’s Gate, they found the stream full of floating ice, making it dangerous to cross, on account of the strong current. However, the teams went over in safety. … When the people who were drawing carts came to the brink of this treacherous stream, they refused to go any further … , as the water in places was almost waist deep, and the river more than a hundred feet wide. … [They] remembered that nearly one-sixth of their number had already perished from the effects of crossing North Platte, eighteen days before. … They … cried mightily unto the Lord for help.

     'After … every apparent avenue of escape seemed closed, three eighteen-year-old boys belonging to the relief party came to the rescue, and to the astonishment of all who saw, carried nearly every member of that ill-fated handcart company across the snowbound stream. The strain was so terrible, and the exposure so great, that in later years all the boys died from the effects of it. When President Brigham Young heard of this heroic act, he wept like a child, and later declared publicly, ‘that act alone will ensure C. Allen Huntington, George W. Grant and David P. Kimball an everlasting salvation in the Celestial Kingdom of God, worlds without end’' (They Came by Handcart)."

This story really shows how these young men cared for those around them and followed the savior teaching to love one another (John 13:34). Those 3 really loved they risked their lives for their brothers and sisters. Which the Lord describes as the greatest example of love (John 15:13).there are still men and women who do this today. Some are the only members in their family, some are the only members in their school, community, etc. they have hardships and struggles just as the people in the 1800's. The Mormon Tabernacle choir will be celebrating this by broadcasting a concert on July 23, 2011, at 7:00 p.m. MDT in several languages. this year they will be "paying tribute to those pioneers who left their homes and families to settle the West” and "will also focus on men and women who have served in the military" (Learn More).

The Pure Love of Christ

     Something that has really been on my mind lately is charity, the pure love of Christ. This is something that I need to work on. It should be our motivation for how we treat the people around us. It will drive us to be more like Christ than anything else would. The prophet Mormon, in the Book of Mormon put it best:

 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

 "But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen. (Moroni 7:46-48)

I love this scripture because it teaches us how to gain this charity. I would recommend reading the entire chapter it is awesome. Christ showed us charity when he performed the atonement and "went about doing good". Lets all seek to follow the lords own counsel when he said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35).

The Grand Opening

     I have begun this blog as a way to share my thoughts and feelings of the savior and his teachings. As a missionary my purpose is to "Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." I will be spending two years of my time and money to do this, away from my family and my home in Idaho. I do this because I love Jesus Christ and know that it is through him and his teachings (the Gospel) that we can find true happiness in this life. I know that he has called a prophet to lead and guide his children today. I know that his authority, The Priesthood, was restored to the earth by three of Christ’s original apostles. I know that I am a child of God and he loves me (and you). I know that families can be together forever. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God along with the bible.  I know that prayer works and if we pray we will receive answers to them.