Our Family Fast

I hope by the time you get this note you also got words of our family fast regarding the latest news on Joel and Meilani’s baby having Spina-bifida. It is such a serious condition that it will require much prayer on behalf of Joe and Meilani to be guided in their decision as what is best for the baby and the family. The Church of course will not tell us what to do in this situation, however they will always encourage us that it must be a prayerful decision that parents should make with consultation of the medical profession. You can see the wisdom of this counsel that after all we can do we must take it to the LORD in fasting and prayer and by the power of the Holy Ghost we will be guided in our decisions.

Today our Sunday School lesson was on Alma Chapter 30-33. WE learned the different between the Zoromites' prayer and Alma’s prayer. As you noticed the Zoromites were apostate members of the church and they have been lead away from the true order of prayer by setting up a rote-memory prayer that each person must recite as they communicate with God. They have completely forgotten to listen the prompting of the Spirit to direct them in their prayers. Perhaps because they have fallen away the Spirit has also departed from them that they have become past feeling. Some time I find myself in this mode as I pray because I often say the same phrase every time and I wonder if they were the prompting of the Spirit. The bottom line is in corresponding with Deity we must with all energy of heart listen to prompting that comes to our heart as we strive to harmonize our will with the will of the father.

The bible dictionary taught us that as soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matt. 7: 7-11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship.

Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings.

May we remember this teaching as we approach our Father in Heaven on behalf of Joel and Meilani that His will be done and that we can asked according to His will. Listen to the Spirit as we pray so that we are not as the Zoromites and use vain repetition and flowery words but we can ask God in the Spirit of humility and seek for blessing he is already willing to give us and is just waiting for us to say so.

Mark in the Gospel recorded that in some cases it takes prayer and fast in chapter 9: 27-29 “But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.”

We commend you all for turning to a loving Heavenly Father for direction, protections and counsel. This is a righteous tradition we wish all our family to pass on to the next generation and be steadfast and immovable as we face our Gethsemane and Golgotha on our life.

With Deepest affections to you all. (Tu'a 'ofa lahi atu)

Mom and Dad

I KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE

My Most Priceless Possession

 

As I contemplate on what is the most priceless possession I have that I could leave with all my children and my grandchildren and the rest of y posterity, money I have not, neither do I have any material wealth worthy of inheritance. Nevertheless, I do have something very special, sacred, and dear to me. Something money cannot buy, not even all the gold and silver of the world could purchase this priceless treasure that I would like to share with you all my beloved.

I feel like Moroni as he concluded the abridgement of his father Mormon, and in reference to some future generation said, "Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing." (Mormon 8:35) and again in Mormon 9:30, he said, "Behold, I speak unto you as though I speak from the dead; for I know that ye shall have my words." Yes indeed my words of testimony are my most priceless gift to you. In a way it is not like all the worldly gifts you have received for Christmas, and birthdays because it is not for you to keep, but to share. I hope this gift will spark within you a desire to develop your very own testimony that will sustain you in your sojourn in this confused and frustrated world.

I have not seen angels nor have I experienced mighty miracles. My testimony is not built on angels or miracles, but rather on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the influence of the Holy Spirit upon my mind and especially in my heart. I found that by responding to the call of duty in the kingdom of God, and learning line upon line and precept upon precept, I have gained greater knowledge and greater understanding of my relationship to my Heavenly Father and my Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, my true friend and comforter.

Let me assure you that Heavenly Father lives and yes, He is the most loving understanding and merciful individual. He has a plan for all his children. We are not left here alone to wander in this world of confusion without any assistance. Because of His great love for us, he has provided The Plan of Salvation, making Jesus Christ, His only Begotten Son, the central figure in this plan. We were doomed to die forever, both physically and spiritually. This was our legacy. How fortunate we are that we kept our first estate and were promised a Savior and a Redeemer. None else could qualify to perform the ultimate sacrifice of all in order that we may be loosed from the bondage of death (Moses 1:39).

I shall always be indebted and forever grateful to Jesus Christ for his atoning sacrifice, providing the way for perfection, His way is the most perfect and the only way. There is no other way but by Him and through Him that all mankind will be saved. Jesus is my hero, my friend and mentor. I love Jesus with all of my heart, might, mind and strength. I will do anything He requires of me to do. No amount of work could I ever do that will compensate for His great love for us all. He came because He wanted so much to obey His Father, and He died on the cross because He loved us immensely. He has risen, He has risen and so will we, because He has unlocked the gates of death, never to be closed again. He has bought us with his life and in return He wants us to do what He did, just follow Him. Remember the atonement of Christ is only good for those who follow and do as He does. It is not enough just to believe, we must do as He did.

There is no other book on the face of the earth that bares witness and reveals so much about the mission of Jesus Christ and His central role in Heavenly Father's plan that the companion book to the Bible – The Book of Mormon, Another Witness of Jesus Christ. I know the Book of Mormon to be the most true and correct volume of scripture ever revealed to us today. The Spirit has borne witness to me on several occasions that this is so. It is awesome to think that what we have is but one hundredth of the original record that Mormon abridged. We are promised that we will receive greater knowledge if we but read, study, and ponder the words of this book, authored by Christ Himself. The sealed portion of this volume of scripture will yet be revealed when we are faithful in keeping the teachings found therein. I cherish the teachings in this book, so clear, so simple, and so easy to comprehend. No one who denies the Book of Mormon will be worthy to stand in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and taste of his matchless love.

The instrument that God has chosen and appointed to usher in this marvelous work and wonder is none else than the lad prophet, Joseph Smith, Jr. The most important event that ever happened in this last dispensation was the visit of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ to young Joseph in the spring of 1820. He was just an unlearned lad, earnestly seeking the truth promised in the scriptures (James 1:5) He was tutored by angels like Moroni, Elias, Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, and Peter, James and John. Indeed the Holy Ghost was his constant companion. It was through Joseph that all the keys and ordinances for the salvation of men were restored. The Priesthood, the Kingdom of God, (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) is once again restored in its fullness and power never again to be taken away. Yes, it has been said of Joseph, that no man has ever done more for the salvation of men except Jesus Christ. Joseph sealed his testimony with his own blood, praised to the man who communed with Jehovah. I love you, Joseph.

I also know that our family can be forever. It is meant to be everlasting for it is of God. This principle is exhilarating and exciting to me, to be with my sweetheart Ruthy and my beloved Liana, Robert, Joel, and Jacob, for time and for all eternity. I can't see my love to your mother, my sweetheart ever ending because we died, neither is my love for you. Love has no bounds. What a romantic idea, so rewarding, so fulfilling and complete. I hope that our homes and yours will always be a place of learning, loving and worshipping. Our homes are the laboratory to life's adventure. It is here we build the prototype of our celestial abode.

I know these things to be true, just as I know that you are my children and that your children are my grandchildren and so on. I love you all so very much and I pray that the Comforter, the Testifier, the Purifier and the Sanctifier will always be our most intimate friend to teach us, to remind us to endure well to the end in Jesus Christ until we meet again in the loving arms of our Savior embracing Him and bask in His life giving light forever. This I testify to you humbly yet boldly in the name of Him who paid in ransom for all our sins, Jesus the Christ, the only Begotten Son of the Father, Amen.

 

~ 'Isileli Tupou Kongaika

obedient

My mind has been occupied with this principle of obedient today. perhaps it because I have learned that the only sure way to be firm and steadfast and never fall away and follow the adversary is simply obeying His commandments as well as those that His servants the prophets, Seers and Revelators on earth are reminding us. the more I think about it and study His words the more I understand that it is by obedient that we have more light and truth which grow and grow until our whole body is filled with the light that illuminates from the Son. It is light and truth that forsake the evil one because there is no room for darkness when we are occupied by the Light. This is so simple a principle to understand but so difficult to keep because the evil one knows that if we do it he will never get us out of line. In the mission field we so many rules to obey and I was once told it is to keep us above temptation.

I have noticed that from time to time I received a prompting to do something and than I find myself justifying why should I do it and usually ended up not responding to the prompting. This is a form of disobedient that I have noticed I need to make some changes otherwise I will soon be past feeling and eventually not feel the light that the holy ghost is trying so hard to fill me with. Last night I had such a prompting to obey the prophets in strengthening our family by holding family Home Evening on Monday evening. Well, I justified it by saying there is only the two of us and we do not have any of our children at home so we do not need to to strengthen our family. Well I woke up this morning feeling so dark that I had not been obedient to the Spirit. I immediately approach my sweetheart Ruth and asked her how she feel if we were to hold weekly family home evening and she said we should and suggested that we can take this time to study our up coming Sunday school lesson and Priesthood and Relief Society lesson. I though that was brilliant so we are taking time this week before Sunday to begin this ritual to bind us together and to strengthen our marriage. I am sure that we will grow to be more Loving and understanding of each other and of those around us because we have decided to obey.

I also learned today that we can be strengthen and become one if we do more good stuff together and perhaps not be afraid of doing challenging and difficult things. Ruth have been looking all over the house for copies of our Patriarchal Blessing and she was getting so frustrated but she would not give up. It was difficult and challenging because physically we had to look under the beds, in closets and in boxes that were stored in far reaching places. I decided to finish cooking and help her with this search. After a couple of hours we still could not find it but we were able to bind ourselves to a united cause. In the process we clean up and threw out so much chunk that we were actually feel we have accomplished some thing together. So don't be afraid to do what your heart is telling you to do and do a lot of good stuff together and finally take some challenge and not be satisfied with the easy little menial things that will pore you to death. Be happy!

Gratitude

I want ot begin my blog experience with expression of gratitude. First and foremost to my Heavenly Father for his great love for all His children to permit His only begotten son Jesus Crist to come and save us from our sins and give us the opportunity to return and be with our Heavely family again. Second for our Savior for his willingness to sacrifice his life and be resurected allowing us all to be immortal and live forever. Third for the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all its saving ordinances and associate covenants and for the privilege of being lead by a living prophet on earth today. To my best friend and eternal companion Ruth for her untiring support in rasing and nurturing our family and for loving me notwithstanding my shortcomings. To Liana and Siope, to Robert James and Abi, to Joel and Meilani and to Jacob and Mandy and all 11 grandkids and one more on the way by December for the teaching us to be worthy parents. To my siblings and their spouses and to Ruth sibilings and spouses for understanding and acepting us with all our weakness as families always do. Finally, I am grateful for the opportunity to be employed by Brigham Young University--Hawaii and fulfill all my patriachael blessing. To all our friends and associates every where for your kindness and for helping us resolve the challenges of life. Please be of good cheers!!