Spiritual Dominos

When someone sets up dominos, he sets them up in a way that, once one is put into motion, the rest fall in order to the desired end, also known as a "domino effect." These dominos can be set up in a straight line, a curve, in a given shape, or even in different directions at the same time. All the pieces must be in perfect order to receive the desired outcome, i.e. starting at one end and flawlessly going through the entire arrangement to the end. Our lives are one giant domino effect. Every decision we make causes us to go in a specific direction. We all start in the same place...birth. However, we will not all end in the same place. Our decisions will determine where we end up, whether it be in the Celestial, Terrestrial, or Telestial Kingdom, or in Outer Darkness. I made decisions all throughout my childhood that shaped who I became as an adult. Some of those decisions weren't the best, and caused me to be blind to certain truths I had learned as a child. I chose to quit going to church for a period of time. I chose to hang out with friends who did and encouraged things that were against my personal beliefs and the council of the Church. I chose to not go on a mission even though my parents encouraged it. Then I met my first wife, and chose to straighten up and start going to church again. However, due to multiple reasons, I decided to quit going to church again. I made decisions throughout our marriage that ultimately led to leaving her and ending the marriage. I made the decision to start smoking and drinking and participating in activities contrary to the Church again. I made the decision to live in West Valley near where I lived previously with my ex-wife. All of these decisions led me to meet my current wife and her 3 kids. I decided to move in with her, and after a short time I decided to propose marriage to her. After we were married we both decided (she decided first and I followed) that we needed to start going back to church. We decided to quit smoking and work our way to the temple. These decisions led us to be called as Primary teachers. In receiving this calling, we decided to be more diligent in teaching our kids from the scriptures and in Family Home Evening. All of these decisions have led me where I am today. If any one of these decision had differed, I would be in a completely different situation. God has set out our dominos. They go in all different directions, and we choose which direction we take them. If we took out any one piece of this domino effect, the whole thing would be forced to go in a different direction. God has set the final domino in His Kingdom in Heaven, and He wants us all to end up returning Home to Him. He has given us the scriptures, prayer, parents, and Church leaders to help us find our way to that final domino, I hope and pray that I will make it there, and I know I am the only one who can determine that. I hope and pray that each one of you will make it there as well. There is the straight and narrow path laid out for us through the example of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and there are many off roads, but through baptism, repentance, and continually striving to keep the commandments, the dominos can always lead back to the straight and narrow, and if we remain faithful, we will reach the final domino, even the highest degree of glory, the Celestial Kingdom, to live with Heavenly Father and His Son for eternity.

The Misuse of Sex

Sex is the most widely and successfully advertised product on the earth. The misuse of sex is manufactured and distributed by selfishness, which was founded by the father of all lies, with intent to lead away captive the world. Do not be lead away by it's empty promises of lustful satisfaction, for just as a product that is sold with the knowledge that it will wear out before it's time without warranty, the pleasures associated with the misuse of sex will only last a short while and will leave you in the end with less than you had to begin with.

Does Necessity Create Desire, Or Does Desire Create Necessity?

I work in manufacturing on a production line. One of the responsibilities I often get is palletizing. After the product is put into boxes, it is sent through a tape machine, from which I take the box and stack it on a pallet. I often have other responsibilities along with it, such as folding boxes. I was palletizing the other day, and the boxes weren't being fed through the tape machine very fast, so I wasn't moving very fast. I didn't find it necessary to move any faster than the boxes were coming. I could've moved faster if I wanted to and have more rest in between, but I didn't have the desire. When the boxes started coming faster, I didn't realize it until I was starting to get behind, and then I found it necessary to pick up the pace to stay caught up. I could've continued to go slow if I wanted to and let the boxes continue to get backed up, but I had a desire to keep up with the boxes so I didn't get behind.

Which came first, necessity or desire? When the boxes started coming faster, I first saw the necessity in speeding up, and then I had the desire to speed up, when if I had the desire to go fast in the first place, it wouldn't have been necessary to speed up, because I would have already been going at the pace needed.

I waited for the necessity before I had the desire. If I had the desire before the necessity came, I would've made things a lot easier on myself and my coworkers who got behind because of my falling behind.

Why do we live the Gospel? Do we find it necessary, or do we have the desire? When I was young, I went to Church because it was necessary. My parents told me I needed to go, so I went. I didn't have a desire to go, I was just following the rules. That attitude has changed drastically in recent years. Now that I'm grown and can make decisions for myself, I don't find it necessary to go to Church. Nobody's pointing a finger at me and telling me I have to follow the rules and go to Church. But I go because I desire to. Once my desire changed, necessity changed. What I desired to do determined what I felt was necessary.

So which comes first for you? Necessity, or desire? When it comes to living the Gospel, make sure you're not just doing it out of necessity, or it doesn't do anyone any good. You have to desire it. No matter what the situation, desire must always come before necessity. Necessity does not and cannot create desire. No matter how necessary or important someone else tells you something is, if it's not important to you, you won't have a desire for it. But, if you desire something, if you feel it is important enough to pursue, that desire is necessary to you.

Desire creates necessity.