Gems from LDSBlogs.com

Today I thought I'd share some snippets from LDSBlogs.com. Not just the ones I've written, but what's been written by other bloggers as well. Some are from the beginning of the article, some from the center. Enjoy.

The Reality of Christ's Second Coming: According to Government statistics, 67% of the world’s population is non-Christian (about 4,421,000,000). The total population of the planet is estimated at 6,602,224,000 as of 2007, and the major religions of the world distribute this way:

1) Christians 2,181,000,000 (33%)
2) Muslims 1,328,000,000 (20%)
3) Hindus 881,000,000 (13%)
4) Buddhists 389,000,000 (6%)
5) Sikhs 25,750,000 (0.4%)
6) Jews 15,190,000 (0.23%)

* Other Religions 833,000,000 (12.6%)
* Non-Religious 794,000,000 (12%)
* Atheists 155,800,000 (2.4%)

Because 2/3rds of the world’s population have not yet realized the divinity of Jesus Christ as Son of God, in the infinite wisdom of the Almighty, Another Testament of Jesus Christ has been given to the world. As prophesied by Ezekiel, the Book of Mormon has become “one in thine hand” (Ezek. 37: 15-20) in bearing witness of the Redeemer of the world. ... (Dr. Matt Moody)

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Joseph Smith, Jr. - Praise to the Man: There is a song called "Praise to the Man," written by William W. Phelps and put to an old Scottish folk song. William W. Phelps was in Carthage jail himself, when Joseph Smith, Jr. and his brother, Hyrum, were assassinated. He suffered greatly as he watched the Prophet and Patriarch fall to the brutal bullets.

What is it we have today because of Joseph Smith, Jr.? A 14-year-old boy went into a grove of trees to follow the admonition of James 1:5: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." ... (Candace E. Salima)

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Heber J. Grant, Comfort in Death: Heber J. Grant, the seventh called prophet in this modern day, spoke most eloquently about death. Having lost a number of family members young in life, including his wife at 34 years of age, it was a topic he was intimately acquainted with.

When President Grant spoke of the sorrow that comes at the death of loved ones, he spoke with empathy born of personal experience. In addition to his son Heber, six other immediate family members preceded him in death. When he was nine days old, he lost his father. In 1893, his wife Lucy passed away at age 34 after a three-year struggle with a difficult illness. The death of 5-year-old Daniel Wells Grant, his only other son, followed two years later. In 1908, shortly after President Grant and his wife Emily completed a mission in Europe, stomach cancer claimed Emily’s ... (Candace E. Salima)

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Attending School Dances as a New LDS Youth: Soon after beginning to investigate the church, I realized members of the church love to dance. There were church dances several times a month and even a large dance festival. I obtained a dance card (a card that allowed me to attend dances and showed I knew and accepted the rules for the dances) and learned the rules for dress and appropriate dancing. The slow dances I had done in the past disappeared from my life.

Then I attended a school dance. I attended with a group of non-LDS friends and when the first slow song started and a friend invited me to dance, I hesitated. Now what? Would he think I was a baby for no longer wanting to do what was then called “Bear Hugging” or would he respect my request for a rather old-fashioned style of dancing? I took a deep breath and explained the new rules. He looked surprised and then pleased, “I love to dance that way, but girls never want to. This will be fun.” ... (Terrie L. Bittner)

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A Modern-Day Army of Helaman: The Army of Helaman is one of my favorite stories from the Book of Mormon. I am inspired by the faith and courage of the two thousand sons who went to battle to defend their families and their homes. They were young men of character and honor. We know that they were young men "who were true at all times in whatsoever they were entrusted."

As I ponder the challenges that face our sons and daughters today I can't help but think of it as a battle. It may not be a battle like the two thousand sons of the people of Ammon fought but it is a battle. This battle that our sons and daughters face today may even be far more dangerous than the one Helaman's army marched against. ... (Moira Tyrell)

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Economic Slowdown to Hit Hard: I just read in a news report that a billionaire investor spoke out, saying that the economic slowdown in the United States is going to hit harder and be far worse than what most people expect at this point.

Whew. Not only did I write one long sentence, but the bad news may stay with us even longer! Yet as Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, this kind of news should not alarm us.

Why? Because our prophets have spoken for years that at some point life will be difficult.

One church leader, Elder Bruce R. McConkie, taught the same message. While he was serving as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder McConkie shared this message: ... (Cindy Bezas)

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Gordon B. Hinckley - Changing Society: "... What can be done? We cannot effect a turnaround in a day or a month or a year. But I am satisfied that with enough effort we can begin a turnaround within a generation and accomplish wonders within two generations. [Emphasis added.] That is not very long in the history of man. There is nothing any of us can do that will have greater longtime benefit than to rekindle wherever possible the spirit of the kind of homes in which goodness can flourish.

"... What, you may ask, can be done? The observance of four simple things on the part of parents would in a generation or two turn our societies around in terms of their moral values. ... (Candace E. Salima)

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Happiness is a Grateful Heart: There's an old story that says an ungrateful man is like a hog under a tree eating apples. He never looks up to see where the apples come from. Do you ever look up?

President Ezra Taft Benson said “I hope we can be happy where we are, be grateful for our blessings—now, here—accept the challenge that is ours and make the most of it, and not be envious of others. … [May] God help us to be grateful for our blessings and never to be guilty of the sin ingratitude. (“All This and the Gospel Too,” New Era, Nov. 1991, pp. 4–7). ... (Ali Cross)

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Please drop by http://ldsblogs.com and browse around. I'm so proud of each of these bloggers. They are doing fantastic jobs. We have topics in the areas of: Beliefs, Children, Families, Genealogy, Gospel, Happiness, Jesus Christ, Leaders, Men, Missionary, New Members, News, Preparedness, Scriptures, Singles, Technology, Teens and Women. We will be adding new topics soon, but the articles posted in these areas are fantastic. And some of these bloggers are from our own little Blogland community.