RECEIVING THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST - THE KEY TO NOT FALLING

I have talked about this extensively - and have received it.  This is the First Comforter - an Elias of sorts, sent to prepare the way for the real prize in this life: the Second Comforter.

Maybe one day - over time - this will become a reality.  You have to want something with all your heart in order to be blessed with it.  In order to want something with all your heart - it has to consume you.  My wife and I recently had our early married vids put to DVD, which included our wedding day video.  I can truly say that I wanted to be married to my wife with all my being.  You can see my excitement - it was beyond palpable.  We both had waited so long for that perfect moment.

So should it be - for this gift we all should be seeking.  It is a marriage - of sorts.  But a much more important marriage.

Hope you enjoy this as much as I did:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yeb3ta9iwscw0uz/Podcast%20008.pdf?dl=0

There is text there, as well as a podcast for those who like to listen while they drive. Here is the podcast - and I had to open it on Firefox - Interrednet Exploded did not work for me; as usual....:

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/mstroud/episodes/2016-03-23T12_22_29-07_00

He has an analytical mind and basically goes to the root cause of why the membership of the Church is failing - people are not becoming converted.  The Gospel and it's dissemination is much like ato  fishing expedition for tuna - you cast the net and pull all sorts of stuff out of the ocean.  Much of it comes up in the net - but little of it is what you were seeking.  The true fish - so to speak.  I have experienced this in my own family clan.  Some who came from highly dysfunctional situations - but liked the structure and safety that the gospel provided - maybe fueled by the nice music, but did not have the spiritual stamina or constitution necessary to plod on, so they fell by the wayside.  Some were choked out by the weeds of sin or the cares of the world early on.  Some simply have a stony heart (and the seed fell on stony ground) and did not even take to begin with.  Some just need care and watering and are in a drought.  When the rains come, their withered stalks will receive nourishment and will bud and blossom out.  I still hold out hope for some.  For others, I hold little hope.  It is interesting to watch from a distance.

The secret here is to never give up - never.  Just keep plodding and desiring in faith, until you arrive at that point.