Play the Game!

I'm not sure how many of you know, but I really don't, and can't play the wonderful game of Basketball. But however much I can't, or don't play this game that seems to change when you go on a mission. Every Monday of the week  missionaries have the great opportunity to have what we call Preparation Day or "P-Day" It is a day set apart to do all the tasks around the house such as cleaning, and more cleaning. We also are able to go and enjoy ourselves with activity such as the Museums, Zoos, Basketball, Frisbee, and other sports. It is a time to unwind and relax. However while I was having the great opportunity to play a game of Basketball (being humiliated as I attempted to shoot that ridiculous ball into a net above me) I noticed a key element to how I played the game. While I was enjoying myself and having a good time just playing, and not worrying about what others were thinking I started to enjoy myself and get lost in the game. (This however does not mean that I like Basketball in any way shape or form. Just so you know!) It just means that if we stop worrying about everything going on, and just enjoy the moment things seem lighter, more enjoyable. I have the same feelings when it comes to life. I don't always want to play the game of life, far to often I find myself looking to see what others think and worrying about everything going on around me. Its really shocking that when we take the time to step back from the busy world, and look at what the lord has truly given us things start to look up. We begin to see that we aren't worrying so much on what people think, but what our father in Heaven thinks. We begin to see that there is a much larger picture of why we are here, and what we can do to have more happiness. I know that in my life things started to look up when I start following the rules (Even with Basketball) it goes more smoothly when you follow the rules, and I felt more protected. I learned that the Rules and Commandments of God are there to protect us and give us safety for the soul. I believe that the commandments are like a fence on a mountain side. The fence is only there to protect us and keep us from danger, but most of us only think it is restraining us, and keeping us from doing what we want. I am grateful for the commandments which keep me from falling off the edge, and I know that I get so many blessings from following the Commandments. The Lord even promises us that as we keep his commandments he will prosper us, and bless us (Mosiah 2:22). How grateful I am for the blessings of the commandments, and the opportunity I have to live here on the earth at this time. We are truly blessed to have so many beautiful things that remind us that God lives and he loves us. I am so grateful for our Lord and our Savior and I know that he lives. So stop worrying and start looking! Life is far to short to play a game where your not having fun! God Loves us and he sent us here that we might have joy and not world joy, but eternal Joy! (2 Nephi 2:25) Just Play the Game!

Finding the Light Ahead

Driving cars has always been a fun, and exciting thing for me. Ever since I was little I always wanted to be old enough to drive, but if you ask my parents they would tell you that I have a lead foot, and need to learn to brake, and slow down. Well luckily on a mission we serve God, and not man so our views on the world change. Most learn to be a little cautious because this is the Lords work, and we are driving essentially the Lords car. So imagine this in your mind you get the opportunity to drive Gods car, and then try to not feel a little pressured to drive safe! To make matters more lovely, while we were driving back to Georgia from Jacksonville Florida we hit a small patch of rain. And if you have ever driven in the rainy country its not just rain its RAIN!!! It was like diving through a waterfall, and we could hardly see anything. So excreting all my effort to concentrate I started searching for the car in front of us. I was starting to worry when I saw two flashing red lights ahead of me. What unfolded before me was amazing, I looked around me and realized that everyone had turned on their hazards so that they could see the person in front of them. Thus warning the person behind them. I quickly turned on my Hazards so that I could help the person behind me. I had never experienced anything like this before, and I was very excited to learn something new. So as we continued on our journey in the rain I searched earnestly for the flashing lights in front of me. Every time I saw the lights I could judge how far away they were, and where I was so that I could stay on course. While I was driving through the storm I realized that this reminded me of our journey to the Lord. We are all searching and moving towards the savior, but sometimes it is so hard to see him. Lucky for us we can always see the flashing light of the spirit leading us on. I also realized that everyone around me was driving in the same storm, some were driving faster and some slower. Some were having problems seeing in the rain, while others had abandoned the course and pulled off to the side of the road. It was amazing to see how everyone dealt with the situation differently, here I was a young 20 year old so excited about our situation, and the new trick I learned about driving through a rain storm. While on the other hand there was others that were griping the wheel for dear life. The Lord is always inviting all of us to come unto him and he will recive us. It reads in Matthew 11:28  "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." At first I counldn't see the end of the road while I was driving, but I always new that I was going the right way, and the end was infront of me. When Christ invites us to come unto him we are always progressing towards everlasting life. The storms may be hard, but we are never alone!

No matter how hard it gets Look to the Light!

Seek, and ye shall Find

He is always Calling! Do we come?

There is truly nothing greater then declaring the Gospel of our Lord, and savior Jesus Christ. What greater way is their to find Peace, Happiness, Salvation, Eternal Families, Hope, Faith, and Love. A prophet in the Book of Mormon named King Benjamin stated the following "And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent. (Mosiah 3:17) He has truly done everything for us so that we can return to live with our Father in Heaven, and all we need to do is follow his perfect plan. As I have gone around from place to place while serving in the Florida I have noticed that there are many yet that still haven't found the fullness of the gospel. So many individuals are so very close, but they are missing simple truths (Its like having a puzzle and missing one piece) .  There has always been one puzzle or there has always only been one true Church, the quest we are on is where is the full and complete puzzle (or Church)?

From the beginning of time there was one Puzzle, or one way and a path set that we must follow to come unto Christ. There has always been One God, One Faith, One Baptism (Ephesians 4:5) so we know that the our Father and Heaven made it simple ONE WAY not millions.Now the question is are we on the right path, and does that path we are on have the proper authority from God. We know from the scriptures that one needed to be ordained of God to establish and preach his gospel. You can't just go to school or wake up one morning and say that God called you to be a prophet it doesn't work that way. The same goes with wanting to be a police officer if you weren't called by the state our country you reside in to be an Authorized officer, then you have no power to arrest or take control of any situation. See the following scriptures that speak of receiving proper authoritarian (-I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations, Jer. 1:5 - he ordained twelve, Mark 3:14 -I have chosen you, and ordained you, John 15:16 -fasted and prayed, and laid their hands, Acts 13:3 -ordained them elders in every church, Acts 14:23 -with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, 1 Tim. 4:14) We can see that when Christ was here he established a system of authority and organization. I know that today that same orginization has once again been reestablished on the earth. I know that the truthfulness of the gospel has been restored, and that no person, people, or nation can stop the work of the Lord. The Prophet Joseph Smith stated the Following: “The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; … the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
I know that this work is sweeping the earth, and I implore all to come and find for themselves. Come and hear and see the Gospel (Good news), and when you hear and see it don't blindly believe ask God the Father in the name of Christ; and he will tell you if it true!!!
P.S. Sorry I got all preachy but sometimes you just wake up and want to go on the corner of a street and scream the message to the world. I wouldn't suggest doing that because most people look at you like your crazy, and to be honest you probably are if you are doing that.

Together Forever

       There is nothing better then seeing two individuals make the steps to enter into a covenant with the Lord. I was very honored to have the opportunity to see the marriage of two individuals that are very important to me. It has been so much fun to watch them grow and change to become closer with the Lord. You begin to see everything in their very personality, and outward appearance change. It is as if someone has not only polished them and turned on the all glowing awesomeness of life, but you see the happiness illuminating from them. On the Other hand it is sad to see how the world treats the sanctity of marriage. I have seen the world treats marriage more as an inconvience then anything else, and its easier to be single and living together then married. We know that marriage is fundamental in a relationship between a man and a women. The Lord has told us today through his Prophet, and Apostles that "The First commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We Further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between a man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife." (The Family: A Proclamation to the world) How grateful I am that the Lord has given such incredible advice on the importance of marriage, and the relationship between a man and a woman. I have been given the great privilege to have been raised in a Family where both my Mother and my Father honored, and cherished the covenant that they made with each other. It is because of their great example that I want to raise my children in the same environment. Marriages are not something that is just a requirement, it is a sacred responsibility that is to last for time and all eternity. It is only within the walls of the Lords Holy house that we can receive the sealing powers of Heaven. I love the primary song that says:
"I have a family here on earth. They are so good for me. I want to live my life with them for all eternity. Families can be together forever through heavenly fathers Plan. I always want to be with my own family, and the Lord has shown me how I can. The Lord has shown me how  I can. While I am in my early years, I'll prepare most carefully, So I can marry in God's temple for eternity. Families can be together forever through heavenly fathers Plan. I always want to be with my own family, and the Lord has shown me how I can. The Lord has shown me how  I can." (Families can Be together Forever)

       How awesome is that! Families can be forever I know thats true, and I am going to do everything I can to enter into the Holy Temple so I can be married to my wife (whoever that may be) for time and all Eternity!!! Thank you to my dear friends that were a great example to me to be married so that they can receive the blessings the Lord wants to offer them. Marriage is not supposed to be until death till you part, but its supposed to be for time and all eternity.

-Family Forever-

Prayers Change the World

I have always heard growing up that you can have a better day, and have more joy as you pray to your Father in heaven. I want to add my two cents that this is true statement, and its not about how long you pray, or how detailed your prayers are. All you need to worry about when your praying is why your praying. I sometimes have the problem of making my prayers to my Father in Heaven like a shopping list, and it usually turns out that the shopping carts has more temporal items (Like Donuts, Disney World (Go FLORIDA), and becoming like Batman)  then spiritual items (Like becoming more like Jesus, having a stronger testimony, and all that good heavenly stuff). All it turns into is "Father in Heaven I need the following things please make it happen, your son Elder James Graham P.S and bless the world". Now I'm not sure about you but if I was a Father and my son gave me that letter, and asked for something like that I might turn around and smack that child right back into the other world (Not really I'm not that mean, and Elder Graham wouldn't hurt a fly). On the other hand  I hope that we will remember that there is real power in prayer. We are not just talking to our friend at school, or making chit chat at the mall. We are talking to our Father in heaven, and we don't just call him Father in heaven for no reason. He is the one that created us even before we came to this world. He know us better then we know ourselves. So why in the world would we make a shopping list when instead we can talk to him about our life. We can ask him anything and he will answer as it says in the scriptures " Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." See (Matthew 7:7, and 3 Nephi 14:7) I love the fact that the Lord tells us that we will receive, and I know that he is always going to answer our questions and prayers. 

       I have two favorite prayers that changed the world, the first is the payer that Jesus Christ afford for us in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the second is when a young boy named Joseph Smith went into a Garden of trees and asked what church he should join. Both Prayers are very different and both had profound effects, but they were answered. Our prayers are what allow God to help us, and give us the need encouragement, and strength to over come this world. Payers are how we communicate with our Father at any time, and and in any place. The Lord is listening, and he will answer your prayers! Pray unto the Father with all energy of heart, and I know he will listen.

Are we on the Winning Side

Though the waves of despair and hopelessness descend upon us they will have no effect to bring us down. I can't count the number of times in my life where I wanted to give up, or when it seemed like I couldn't take one more step. While we were as we call it "trackt" or going door to do we meet some interesting individuals, pluse you add the stress of working in the heat you get a small but bad storm. But I know that I have the Lord to back me up. One of my favorite scriptures is Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" How powerful are these words "Not Ashamed, and Power" because of Jesus Christ we can look forward with the up most confidence that the storms will cease, and the winds will subside. We can conquer the storms of the world, and I know this life was not meant to be a piece of cake. It was a time set apart to prove to the Lord that we can weather the storms of life. It is up to us to fight to the End no matter how hard, or disparaging the storm may become.We will press on! There is a hymnal called "Come, Come, Ye Saints" It is a song that encourages us all to move on and continue towards the end. It was written in a time of both Spiritual, and Literal Storms. "Come, come ye saints, No toil nor labor fear, but with joy, wend your way. Though hard to you this journey may appear, grace shall be as your day. Tis better far for us to strive, "Our useless cares from us to drive. Do this and joy, your hearts will swell. All is Well! All is Well!" I am grateful that I can remember and head the counsel form this song, it reminds me that I cant give up, and that even though the storm is coming All will be well. Be not afraid for the Lord God is on your side! (Be of Good Courage Scriptures) Let us all Press on!

To Far to Talk



While on our mission we have the very unique opportunity to talk to our families only twice a year on Mother’s Day, and Christmas. It is a very special time to get caught up on new events that have transpired, and hear how everyone is doing. On the other had it is strange to talk with your family after so long. You realize how close and familiar their voices really are, and how much you remember them. It so happened to be Mother’s Day yesterday and I was able to share a few minutes on the phone with my family. It was so much fun to hear everyone gathered laughing and having a good time. I am grateful that the Lord has given me such an amazing family her on earth (Families can be together forever). But what about our family that is not here on earth? I think we underestimate how much we miss hearing from our Heavenly Family. I am sure that when we go back (Alma 40:11) to our father in Heaven we will be shocked how well we recognize his voice. But we don’t need to wait that long we have the opportunity to call upon God at any time, place, or situation. We don’t have the restriction of only calling them twice a year or only on sever situations we have an amazing ability to call upon him at anytime. I love the Scripture in 3 Nephi 18: 15-21 it talks about  praying to the Father alwasy that we come off conquer. It also tells us that we should pray for our wives and our childern that they are safe. I know that Heavenly Father wants to hear from us, but do we want to hear from him and if so what are we going to do to start. I know my parents taught me to talk to my Heavenly Father from the moment I woke up in the morning to the moment I layed my head back down. We all can talk with him at anytime moment or situation. It was a great oppotunity to talk with my family, but I know it is much more important to talk with our Heavenly father every day! I know he listens and I know he answers our Prayers (Enos 1) all we need to do is go to him. As Christ Says "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.) (Luke 11:9) We might not always get the answer righ away, but i know the Lord always answers, and he always has a clear signal (Skies and Signals).