Seeking the Presence of God

     As I have been traveling for work I have realized the separation from my family is similar to our physical separation from God.  I needed to be physically present in San Francisco in order to fulfill the requirements of the company employing my time.  My physical presence at the company office was useful because meeting and getting to know someone is much easier and has a greater lasting impact when you are in the physical presence of someone.  As I was pondering this I thought about the Holy Ghost helping us feel like we are in the presence of God.  I do not need to see God to feel like I am in His presence through the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  Then I realized that I have seen God.  I lived with Him before coming to this earth and He knows me.  That is why it is easier to feel like I am in His presence when I fell the Spirit because I am in fact remembering the feelings I had in His presence before I was born into this World.  As I chat with my family over Face Time I can see them with my physical eyes and it is much more pleasant than only speaking on the phone, but I long for that physical presence that I am remembering while communicating through audio/visual means.  Isn't this the essence of prayer, is this why we are commanded to pray?As we sincerely communicate with our Father in Heaven don't we feel that joy of communication through the Spirit yet there is a longing to be in His presence, a longing that there is some better form of communication especially if we were to be physically in his presence?
     In general, we as human beings are constantly searching for something better, we are tying to fill our lives with things or experiences that we think will be satisfying and bring us happiness.  Ultimately what we are searching for, whether we realize it or not, is to be back in the presence of God.  What better way to do that than in prayer?  And, just as audio/visual communication through the internet is better than a text message or simple phone conversation, there are higher ways of communicating with our Father such as being in a spirit-filled worship meeting at church or especially in the temple.  Don't we tend to go to the temple when we need to communicate more clearly with the Lord?  The fact remains in all of the communication we have with God the Spirit must be present, the Spirit is our only connection to our Father in Heaven.

My Preface to Blogging

I have decided that I have waited too long for great things to happen. After learning from my, and mostly from others', experiences I realized that I must take action in order for me to see great things happen. And I suppose it is not necessarily important that I personally see great things happen, but that great things happen because I exist and chose to do something good. I have also realized that the great things that I want to accomplish are or will be a culmination of many small things. I intend for this blog to be one of those small things and hope that it is great for someone, if not for myself.

I am calling this my preface and may from time to time edit this entry but there are a few things that I want to mention that have inspired me most to begin this blog:

The greatest good that I know and that which I have chosen to start my blog with is that of my testimony of Jesus Christ. I know that He lives. I know we must "Come unto Him" to realize our greatest potential. Through His atoning sacrifice we are cleansed and He calls all of God's children to partake of that holy gift. I know that I must make Him the center of my life in order for those 'great things' I desire to come to fruition.

Victoria is the ultimate blessing in my lifetime and I love her more than I can express in words. She believes in me and I want to work hard because I don't want to disappoint her. She knows my failings and weaknesses yet she stills see in me something that I find difficult to see. (I intend to dedicate an entire entry to her)

Caleb and Charlotte (and hopefully more to come) are so dear and precious to me. I want to do the best I can for them so that they will have everything they need to become their best selves. I want them to know that I love them and that their mother and I really do try to do what is best for them (even if they don't like it sometimes).

I have been blessed to have had so many friends influence me for good. My friends growing up were the best friends anyone could ever ask for. I never had to worry about them trying to get me to do something wrong (silly or stupid - yes, nothing wrong). I am awed by the greatness of the people I have been able to meet and become friends with. I want to do the same for them.

My hope is that this blog will inspire all to "Come unto Christ" and "be perfected in Him", that my family will know I love them and know what is most important in my life, and that my friends who have influenced me for good will know that I remain true to my testimony. Ultimately, I hope to find ways to "daily brighten the lives of others".