Are you a Christian? Living the right way to answer, "yes"

Jesus was quite clear that simply having a belief that something is the case doesn't make it true. Many of the Jewish leaders said, "we are children of Abraham." What they were really saying is, "we're part of God's chosen people." Jesus made the point over and over again that saying you're children of Abraham and believing that was not sufficient. One has to act as Abraham did.

Here's some verses explaining this idea: (John 8)

33 ¶They answered him, We be ^aAbraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever ^acommitteth ^bsin is the ^cservant of sin.

37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were ^aAbraham’s ^bchildren, ye would do the ^cworks of Abraham.

40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

44 Ye are of your father the ^adevil, and the ^blusts of your father ye will do. He was a ^cmurderer from the beginning, and abode not in the ^dtruth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a^elie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a ^fliar, and the father of it.

45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

46 Which of you ^aconvinceth me of ^bsin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

47 ^aHe that is of God ^bheareth God’s words: ye therefore hearthem not, because ye are not of God.

Also, it's not enough to have a brief episode of belief in Christ. It's vital to continue following his word. (John 8:30-32)

30 As he spake these words, many ^abelieved on him.

31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye^acontinue in my word, then are ye my ^bdisciples indeed;

32 And ye shall ^aknow the ^btruth, and the ^ctruth shall make you^dfree.

Continually following Christ and doing the deeds of the Father are critical in receiving the blessings he wants to give us, including being called his seed.

Have a good day.

I believe in being honest and true - Ann Dibb missionary work

Ann Dibb told a great story in the Young Women's General Meeting about influencing people and how God can guide someone into the church. I really enjoyed it.

This is well worth the read:

Several years ago Kristi and Jenn were in the same high school choir class in Hurst, Texas. Although they didn’t know each other well, Jenn overheard Kristi talking with her friends one day about religion, their various beliefs, and favorite Bible stories. Recently, upon reconnecting with Kristi, Jenn shared this story:

“I felt sad that I didn’t know anything about what you and your friends were talking about, and so for Christmas I asked my parents for a Bible. I received the Bible, and I started reading it. This began my religious journey and my search for the true Church. … Twelve years passed. During that time I visited several churches and attended church on a regular basis but still felt that there was something more. One night I fell on my knees and begged to know what to do. That night I had a dream about you, Kristi. I hadn’t seen you since we had graduated from high school. I thought my dream was strange, but I didn’t attribute it to anything. I dreamed about you again for the next three nights. I spent time thinking about the meaning of my dreams. I remembered that you were a Mormon. I checked the Mormon website. The first thing I found was the Word of Wisdom. My mother had passed away from lung cancer two years previously. She had been a smoker, and reading about the Word of Wisdom really hit home with me. Later I was visiting my father’s house. I was sitting in his living room, and I started to pray. I asked to know where to go and what to do. At that moment a commercial for the Church came on television. I wrote down the number and called the same night. The missionaries called me three days later, asking if they could deliver a Book of Mormon to my home. I said, ‘Yes.’ I was baptized three and a half months later. Two years later I met my husband at church. We were married in the Dallas Temple. Now we are the parents of two beautiful little children.

“I wanted to thank you, Kristi. You set such a wonderful example throughout high school. You were kind and virtuous. The missionaries taught me the lessons and invited me to be baptized, but you were my third missionary. You planted a seed through your actions, and you truly have made my life better. I have an eternal family now. My children will grow up knowing the fulness of the gospel. It is the greatest blessing that any of us can be given. You helped bring that into my life.”

When I contacted her, Kristi shared: “Sometimes I think we hear the list of attributes that the thirteenth article of faith outlines, and we feel overwhelmed. However, I know that as we live these standards and strive to follow Christ’s example, we can make a difference. … I feel much like Ammon in Alma 26:3 when he says, ‘And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.’”