The Power of Porter

Last weekend we were staying in Utah at my sister Ellie‘s apartment, and it was so good to be with her, but when we stay there, the living situation is not ideal for my mom. I would say it is not ideal for me, but I’m not the one lifting a wheelchair up and down the steps or transferring a full grown man on and off the couch. She lives in a basement apartment, and that means stairs.  I was sleeping on the couch, which is quite a bit lower than my chair, so my mom was doing some heavy lifting. Every time we would leave the apartment she would bump me up the stairs. Every time we came back to the apartment, she would bump me down the stairs. Every time I transferred on and off the couch, she was doing the work. Without the hoyer lift there, she was also manually transferring me onto my portable poop chair. When it came time to shower, she had to lean my chair back, grab a bucket and a pitcher, and manually wash my hair. Then I had to get dressed on the couch. Nobody who hasn’t experi...

What is so special about the gift of the Holy Ghost??  The Light of Christ “is given to every man, that he may know good from evil,” and everyone has access to the power or influence of the Holy Ghost. Anyone can be led, guided, warned, taught, blessed, and comforted by Him already. So why would anyone need or want to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost? In my studies, I have boiled it down to 3 main reasons: First, the right to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost as we are worthy. After one who holds proper priesthood authority baptizes us, the gift is conferred by the laying on of hands, and we are promised that a member of the Godhead will ALWAYS be with us if we are worthy. This is a very significant distinction. Second, it is by the gift of the Holy Ghost that we are sanctified —made more holy, more complete, more whole, more like God. This does not mean those who have received the gift are morally superior. Many outside our faith live far more Christlike lives th...

The sun rises and the sun sets. There is night and there is day. This fact is real, true, reliable, and consistent forever. If you really think about it, you realize this fact is only true from Earth. The real truth is that the sun does not rise or set. It is always shining bright. There is a truth that The Spirit taught me, which we too often forget and fail to see, due to our limited mortal perspective. People go through something hard, something they think is unfair or shouldn’t happen, and they blame God. They think His love has left for a season. They think the sun has set. They think it’s night. They say things like the following: How could a loving God let so many “bad” things happen?? If God was perfect, He’d answer my prayer and save me. I’ve seen Him do it for others. If He doesn’t, He must not really love me.  If we could take a very large step back and see things the way they truly are, we would clearly see that just as the sun never stops shining, God’s love never ceas...

  "I did it, Dad," the Savior said, tears fell from The Father's eyes. The debt was paid, The Lamb had bled. He walked again, The Crucified. Did Jesus really walk again? Oh yes! And so shall I. He is risen!

he came to earth he didn’t know who he really was a miracle truly one of a kind he learned and progressed but he forgot where he came from loved by his parents, both earthly and heavenly he went unnoticed by many loved people who didn’t always love him back experienced temptation, pain, loneliness, and grief passed through immense trials prayed, and sometimes heaven was silent cried tears and bled felt alone and forgotten but a quiet light still burned inside him he pressed on  loving, learning, becoming and slowly he began to remember the truth written deep in his soul that he is royal he is divine  he has always been more than he knew you know this story you’ve heard it all before you think it’s about Christ but read it again it’s about you ❤️

Where should I go to school? Which major should I choose? What will my career be? Is a mission right for me? Who should I marry? So… you’re worried about the future? Welcome to the club.  Let me start with the question about serving a mission. Whatever your circumstances, there is no greater joy than missionary work. Being a set-apart representative of Jesus Christ is life changing, I believe for eternity. If you’re on the fence about serving, or think there’s anything that could even remotely compare to the growth, joy, and power that comes from missionary service, get your butt off the fence. Satan owns the fence. Fear not. Choose to go serve. You won’t regret it. As for the rest of those big questions… BYU has had speech after speech, devotional after devotional on these topics. Honestly, in all my studying, I still haven’t found a one-size-fits-all answer that makes the fear go away. The unknown is scary. Change is scary. I want more than anything to do God’s will. I’ve literal...

Since the Prophet’s most recent talk, I’ve found myself reflecting deeply on my standing before God. Would I feel peace in His presence? Would I be comfortable if He literally came to visit me? A little while ago, my cousin shared a poem. As you read it, consider your own life. If Jesus Came to Your House  “If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two  If He came unexpectedly, I wonder what you'd do.  Oh, I know you'd give your nicest to such an honored guest And all you food you'd serve to Him would be your very best  And you'd keep assuring Him you're glad to have Him there  That serving Him in your own home is joy beyond compare.  But when you saw Him coming would you meet Him at the door?  With your arms outstretched in welcome to your Heavenly Visitor?  Or would you have to change your clothes before you let Him in?  Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they'd been?  Would you turn off the radio and hope He hadn't hea...

If I have ten pieces of candy and give five away, I’m left with five. Simple math. But there’s something amazing about the gospel: the math is backwards.   If we share love it doesn’t diminish. It multiplies. The more we give, the more we receive. Instead of running out, we overflow. This same paradox applies to obedience and freedom. The world sees God’s commandments as restrictions, like chains that limit our choices. But in reality, obedience is what sets us free. (A bird is only free to fly   if it respects the laws of flight and moves within the truths of reality, like gravity.) True freedom isn’t the ability to do whatever we want. True freedom is the peace that comes from knowing what really matters and living in harmony with God’s will. God’s commandments are not arbitrary but are simply revelations of things as they really are. If we build on a sure foundation, we will stand. If we don’t, we will fall. It’s not God arbitrarily blessing some and punishing others. It’s ...

Why don’t we live up to our full potential? We know the things we should and could be doing, yet we don’t do them. Why? I read about Moses, Alma, Ammon, and Amulek and wonder why I’m not like them. If God is no respecter of persons, then the only thing holding me back is … me. That thought weighs on me. I know we’re meant to repent daily, improving little by little, but it’s hard to feel like I’m progressing when the same sins easily beset me and the spiritual experiences I long for remain out of reach. Can I even become like Jesus? Can I really have the mysteries of God revealed to me? Or will I just never be good enough to merit them?  I often wrestle with these thoughts, wondering if I’ll ever measure up. While preparing a talk for church, I found my answer.  Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, “Now may I speak . . . to those buffeted by false insecurity, who, though laboring devotedly in the Kingdom, have recurring feelings of falling forever short. . . . This feeling of inadequac...