Oh yeah. I'm a momma's boy!

I will never forget the worst football game of my life. I was a freshman in High School, which seems like a lifetime ago, but I can remember it like it was yesterday. We got to the field and within a few minutes it was pouring rain. The cold, October rain of Idaho. Oh yeah. Freezing. After the pre-soaking, the unforgiving wind drove the bitter cold straight to the bone. The rain turned to sleet, then to snow, then to sleet, then to snow, then to rain, so on so forth. Long story short, we were freezing! And right before death ensued (slight exaggeration there,) the unsung heroes rose to the occasion. A few of the player's moms, mine included, came down to the field to provide slight shelter with their umbrellas. Umbrellas are useless in horizontal rain, mind you. But they still held the pitiful covering in the air, trying to shelter a handful of freezing players. Hardly any spectators remained, beside these few brave and loving moms. I will never forget this experience. It has left a lasting impression on my soul. I don't think it should necessitate a holiday to remember and appreciate the mothers in our lives, personally. My favorite example of the impact of mothers comes from the scriptures. In Alma chapter 56, it talks about a group of young men. Not just any young men, remarkable men of God. Men who gained untold amounts of strengh form their moms. It reads, "And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites. For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the army of Antipus. Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it." These valiant, young, men of God received their faith and strength from their mothers. I have learned many great things from my Ma. I love her to death and I am grateful for everything that she does for me. Mothers, never forget the impact you have on your children. And to everyone else, never forget your moms. I will never forget that day with the umbrella.. I love you all. Stay classy. (I still don't know how they got this picture of me and my companions.)
Elder Hill

the Gospel of Jesus Christ: the coach to the family

As much as I hate Duke, I cannot help but love Coach K. The man can coach! Duke, inevitably, produces an excellent basketball team. And Coach K is the mastermind behind it all. So where in the world is Elder Hill going with this analogy? Stay tuned, my friends.
In today's society, the family is under attack. Divorce is becoming more common than a lasting marriage. And that is sad! I love my family. There I find peace and refuge from the crazy world we live in. They are my support. Besides my Savior, they are the only rock that I have. The message we as missionaries teach is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ blesses families. When all else fails, it is the only thing that can save a family's relationship. This I have a testimony of. When a family is living in accordance to the Gospel, they are powerful.
Coach K has pulled the Blue Devils through some tough times. He is their rock. He holds the team together, and leads them on to victory. He is calm under pressure, and never loses his cool. Jesus Christ's Gospel does the same for the family. It unites us in our path of following Him. Ultimate joy and happiness is the victory. And the Gospel leads the family, our team, past the opposition unfailingly. I have seen this for myself and I will be eternally grateful for it. I love you all. Stay classy.
Elder Hill

Jesus Christ: the power behind God's plan

I, love, cars. I really do. Ever since I was a little kid I have been extremely fascinated with how they work. I took three years of auto mechanics in high school and I just had a passion for engines and what makes them tick. It is no surprise that they have the greatest amount of importance in the anatomy of an automobile. They make the thing go! Some MUCH faster than others, but that is totally irrelavant to the topic. To the question I posed in the title, what do engines have to do with Jesus Christ?
God, our Eternal Father in Heaven, has a plan for each and every one of us. This plan includes: what we need to do in this life, and where we go in the hereafter. This plan has many different names. Such as, "the Plan of Happiness," the "Plan of Salvation," and so on. Whatever the title, it is the plan that, when followed, allows us to return to live with our Father in Heaven again. Let's shift gears (clever analogy) and break it down. There is a scripture in the Book of Mormon that talks specifically about the purpose for this life. It is found in Alma chapter 34, and it is verse 32. It reads, "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors." These labors spoken of here, are the ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Which are first, faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and enduring to the end. These are the things we need to do to in this life to prepare to meet God. So where does Jesus Christ fit in to all of this? Jesus Christ is what enables us to "perform our labors." If it weren't for Him we could not be cleansed of our sins. When He suffered for us, He took upon Him our sins and provided a way for us to be cleansed of them. He was baptized by someone holding the Priesthood authority of God, paving the way for us to be baptized. See the importance of our Savior Jesus Christ? He is what propells His Father's plan. Without Him, it would go nowhere. Christ is everything. He has eternal significance with each and every one of us individually. He lives. This I know! I love Him so much. My friends, never forget how important Jesus Christ is. If you have any questions about this plan, which I hope you do, message me on Facebook and I would love to help. I love you all. Stay classy.
Elder Hill

The same yesterday, today, and forever!

Hello again! The other day my companions and I met this really nice guy and we had quite the conversation with him. He made a comment that really struck me as odd. He doesn't believe in modern-day revelation and he believes that the "heavens are shut." He told us that he felt like after Christ and His apostles, God no longer spoke to His children. Why in the world would a loving Heavenly Father shun thousands of years of His children from hearing the word of God?? The Bible doesn't fill us in with all of the facts, my friends. We must have more! And we do!
In Hebrews 13:8, it reads, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." If this is true, the fact that we have a living Prophet on the earth today to lead and guide the followers of Christ is no strange phenomenon. In the Book of Mormon, a Prophet named Moroni 400 years after the ascension of the Christ to Heaven, says this about the subject, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men? For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens. And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men."
My friends, God still speaks to us. This is more evidence of His love for us. What a great blessing it is to know that the Heavens are not shut. This I have a testimony of! Christ will never change. And neither will His Gospel. He lives! I love you all. Stay classy.
Elder Hill

America! And the visit from the Son of God

The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. The climax in this miraculous record of scripture is when Christ appears to the people here in the Americas, fulfilling the long awaited prophecy of His visit. Many skeptics of the Book of Mormon do not believe that Christ would make such an appearance. This is what I want to talk about in this particular blog.
During Christ's mortal ministry, He, as described in Luke chapter 8 verse 1, "went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God: and the twelve were with Him." That is what Christ did! He was out among the people teaching, healing, and inviting all to come follow Him. He could have sat back and had His apostles go out preaching the Gospel, but He, exhibiting His incomprehensible love for His spirit brothers and sisters, went out Himself. As you read the four Gospels, the characteristics of Christ become more apparent. Preaching the Gospel is what Christ did. So why not do it with the people in the Americas? God is not a partial God or a respecter of persons. He loves all of His children the very same. So why would He keep His children in the western hemisphere from seeing the long awaited coming of the Messiah? You better believe all of God's prophets prophecied of His coming! And they, the saints in the Americas, got to spend a short period of time with Him, thus fulfilling the prophecy. Cool eh?
Does it talk about His visit to the Americas in the Bible? In John chapter ten verse 16, Christ teaches that, "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." There lies the evidence, my friends. There were plenty of scattered sheep in the Americas.
When it all boils down to it, did Christ really need to visit many groups of people across the world after the close of His earthly mission? No. His atonement was infinite and universal. But who of us is worthy of telling Chirst what He can and cannot do? To me, it shows the personal love and awareness the Savior has for us all. I know that He lives and loves us all so much. The Book of Mormon is the Word of God. Christ DID visit the people in the promised land. This testimony I leave with you. Stay classy.
Elder Hill

:The instance of Christ visiting the Americas begins in the 3rd book of Nephi beginning in chapter 11. Read it!!