The Lord often has you make hard decisions. Oftentimes he has you experience hardship and misery. Sometimes he even puts you at risk. This must be done, for without misery, there could be no joy. Without trial, there can be no strength. Without hardship, there could be no endurance, - lasting endurance, for as the Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered for the world, so would he have been put in such extreme danger if He were to break the commandments.

Go forth, have exceeding faith, and press forward.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

(God always gives us our free agency.)

Because the Lord has granted my petition, made my weakness into strength, delivered me continually, continues to deliver me from everlasting damnation and the pains of Hell, and has given, and continues to give me much, I too must give and serve the Lord continually, for what a sin it would be to turn my back on God after so much blessing has been poured out upon me. 

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

This will sound strange but I felt prompted to share it.

I was listening to my institute instructor teach about certain hymns, and he began to relate a story where he was singing in a choir, and in that choir was a woman who was of the members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with an exceptional voice. While singing this woman began to break down in tears and was so emotional that she hardly could keep her own composure. Someone then implied that she had a spiritual thought, prompting, or experience, and then continued to ask if she was willing to share it. She agreed to do so after she had gotten her composure back together.

When she was finally ready to speak, she told the choir that she had received revelation while singing that she was one of the members of the Heavenly Choir before this life began.

I thought this was fascinating, and it reminded me of an idea I was once prompted with.

It was the idea that we existed for who-knows how long before we were born on this earth, and after existing for SO LONG, we were finally born.

That begs the question; How different are we REALLY?

I was pondering the question when something else came crashing into my mind: (Paraphrased)

"You have been given the spontaneous and uncanny ability to write and play music with wonderful proficiency. Who does that make YOU in the premortal existence?"

I froze up.

It's really interesting how the Lord uses the experiences of others to show you who you really are.

After pondering the question and running into a dead end I simply thought; "Who was I?"

"You wrote music for them." Was the immediate response. 

"Them" means "Heavenly Choir" in this context.

I sat in chills, took a deep breath and asked the Lord whether or not he just told me that I wrote music for the Heavenly Choir.

"Yes! You did!" I heard back as if spoken with enthusiasm.

...

We in this generation are considered the "Great and Notable Ones."

We are not "Great and Notable" merely by title.

We are great and notable because we were faithful in the premortal life, developed talents, obeyed Gods commands, and received fore-ordinations to serve in the callings wherewith we are to be called.

It is my belief that we dream of taking action and doing great good not merely for our entertainment, but because we are being CALLED to action.

With great power comes great responsibility, and YOU have been given great power to do good, I promise you. Otherwise you would not be a member of this generation. Pray about it.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Ever skill and ability I have is a literal gift from the Lord, and all the motivation and excitement I get for the same labors and ideas, are also gifts from God to better complete the work or to better perform, better practice, begin, or excel at. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I had another ridiculously interesting experience. I think "eye-opening" would be better verbage. I was sitting up after waking up to my morning alarm. I felt suuuper weary, and was contemplating going back to bed for a little bit. I sat for who knows how long, when I eventually just layed back down, mostly knowing I really shouldn't, but being too tired to think or rationalize what I was doing any more than I wanted to. So I laid there after falling asleep almost instantly, for maybe 5, 10, 15 minutes. The next thing I remember is me propping up, but I wasn't propping myself up, I was just getting propped up and getting abruptly woken in the process. I don't remember using a muscle in my body for the purpose of sitting up, other than my arms semi-flailing about as if to keep my balance, because it honestly wasn't my intention to go in the direction I was going. I was just moving.

I then sat there straight up on my bed, now wide awake, and realized that the Lord didn't particularly want me sleeping at that time. So I went ahead and said my morning prayers, said a prayer of gratitude for what I had just experienced, and got ready for the day. It was as if my legs just floated up and on the ground while my torso just kinda followed and propped itself up. It could've been as if I jerked my legs and rotated myself up, but I wasn't actually doing anything, just watching as I sat up on the bed, or as I was sat up on the bed. I mean I was asleep, and bam! I'm suddenly sitting on the edge of my bed, and I hadn't even fully gotten a hold of my waking senses yet.

I'm very grateful for these experiences!!!!!!!!!!! Amen.

For those of you who don't know me personally, I need to preface this entry by explaining a bit about myself;

I've grown up with very amazing abilities. I've been an artist my whole life, I LOVE to write music, I can dance, I invent, and I do parkour, and most people tell me that I am exceptional at all but 2 of those fields.

Along with all of that, I am a very curious person, like to philosophize, study people, and learn more about how the universe works. I love to teach and explain my ideas to people, and there's a lot I know that I would love for the world to know, so I teach things when I can.

In simple terms, I am not bragging, only stating this so this entry makes sense; many people consider me to be very smart and talented.

Again, not bragging, just making sense of this entry. It's just another thing I need to be VERY grateful for. 

Anyway...

I was pondering the knowledge given to me in surplus, thinking over how crazy it is for me to know, or seem to know, so much about certain subjects, wondering if the knowledge given to me is just the philosophy of an isolated, out of touch kid with a big ego, or actual knowledge of an inspired kid. I read the scriptures spontaneously landing in Daniel chapter 1.

I read about how Daniel refused the kings meat, and him and his 3 friends were given knowledge and understanding above all others. I then realized, my knowledge is mostly a result of the fact I have both given so much attention to TRYING to follow the commandments, and being healthy. 

Why would eating or being healthy just grant you knowledge? We're promised in Doctrine and Covenants section 89 that those who follow the Lords law of health, if not, try to be healthy throughout there lives, will find "great treasures of knowledge." This is easily overlooked!

"18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

 19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

 20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

 21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen."

                         - Doctrine and Covenants 89: 18-21

A while ago I came REALLY close to slipping back into unhealthy habits, but continued to avoid such decisions and actually felt prompted that such decisions would grant me knowledge. I realize the promptings have totally come true. All these things are gifts from the Lord, and I'm EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THEM!!!

I talk the most in Sunday School, am one of the most talkative in institute classes, (I have my quiet days) have been given AMAZING knowledge concerning socialization and interpersonal dynamics, an abounding surplus of ideas, AMAZING IDEAS, and talents. 

I HAVE SO MUCH TO BE GRATEFUL FOR.

 26 "And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.

 27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself."

                - 2 Nephi 2: 26,27

I was just finishing up scripture study and wondering if there was anything else the Lord wanted me to go over before I finished. I consequently had a number of conflicting thoughts as to whether or not I should spend more time studying. (I had spent about 30-45 minutes already.) I felt prompted to look into my gospel principles manual, which I then would know what to do. So i opened up the manual and opened up to the "Work, Recreation, and Rest" chapter, which I then realized I was YET to get started looking for a job, and it was 4:45pm, SOOOO I guess I then knew I had a certain need to get working right away.

That which persuadeth to do good, and believe in God, is of God, but that which persuadeth to do evil, and believe not in God, nor in Jesus Christ, is of the Devil. So may you, with this intelligene, discern between light and darkness. 

- This passage is meant as an extension of the previous passage. They mix well. (They were actually meant to be the same passage.)

Concerning knowing the will of God in every instance and every small little thing where you think you need to inquire of him or be prompted by the Holy Ghost:

You not only have been given an intelligent mind with which to discern these things, but the Spirit of Christ, with which you may find you already know an adequate solution to these matters, and the Lord would prefer, in most cases, that you simply act on the best solution that comes to mind, and press forward, than to inquire of Him or wait for a divine prompting from the Holy Ghost.

If we are doing something wrong, he will correct us unless it is His intent to let us learn something. Either way, It'd be His will for us to act, and not wait to be acted upon.

Have faith, press forward, don't waste time.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." 

- 1 John 2: 16, 17

As someone who is not self-reliant, you can barely serve yourself, but if you WERE self-reliant, you would have so much more capacity to serve others not only in your family, but outside your family as well.

 - The Lord to me.

You need sleep not just for yourself, but because you need to perform well at work or be able to find work. You do a ridiculously poor job on low sleep and you easily become very cranky and mean.

When you are physically weak, you also become mentally, emotionally, and morally weak, so BE CAREFUL!!!

When you don't sleep, a lot of burden you could have taken care of gets shifted to others as well, and when you take these burdens upon yourself DESPITE low sleep, you can tend to do a very poor job. 

Ultimately, your family NEEDS you to sleep, so do.

- The Lord to me.

Other than the Power of God and the Holy Ghost, love is the most powerful weapon I have ever used or seen used. It's destroyed arguments, persuaded men to do things they otherwise never would have done, and caused others to consider, coupled by the Power of the Holy Ghost, things they NEVER would have otherwise considered. It's completely persuasive, and it is the tool I want to use as a parent. Not to do my will, but the will of my Father in Heaven. Amen.

I made a commitment with God that I would do ALL his will and then committed my life to his service. 

Sounds about right!!

I was saying my morning prayers, and was being pushed along or hasted by the spirit. So being unsure if I was being hasted by the Spirit or some other false spirit, I asked the Lord who it was, knowing that although my morning and bedtime prayers usually lasted a couple hours, I was taught in the scriptures that the spirit that teaches a man not to pray is of the devil. (Hence the reason I prayed for such long amounts of time.) 

I was then taught:

Prayer exists for the benefit of man, not man for the benefit of prayer. We pray for the day, theday does not exist wholly for prayer. Though at times, a day of prayer is appropriate, God wants us to LIVE and LEARN!!!

My supreme motivation and go-get-em attitude in regards to parenting is a gift given to me that I may all the more strive & achieve such things. This is, for example, obviously applicable to my huge motivation to be the BEST DAD I CAN BE!!! It is a gift. I should use it. I will use it, (in time) and I am wholly grateful for it!!! I thank the Lord for such things!!!
The Lord has given me supreme motivation to be an amazing father. I look forward to the day, and will build and better myself for the day, both now and forever.

I wanna be a great father. I want to be an amazing father. I need to learn certain things before I am a father, while I still have time anyway.

Spiritual Hope is like unto the desire to be redeemed, or the desire for faith, or the desire of the existence of the Kingdom of God. 

"I hope for the Kingdom of God."

I was just reading a conference address, and the impression came to my mind that I need to allow myself to better emulate the Savior & those role models I see that live more righteous lives than I do. I always see people who lead greater examples than I ever was, and it usually overwhelms me. 

I think: "Wow, I need to do THAT?" But that's okay. I need to be willing to do EVERYTHING the Lord wants me to do.

I need to be willing to lose my life in service. I don't mean I need to serve until I die of starvation or malnourishment or something, I mean I need to be willing to commit (and do) my whole life to the Lord's will, no matter how easy or hard it may be, and do so no matter the consequences, even until death.

I MUST SERVE!!!!!