10 Things I Believe In

I think it's important every once in a while to remind yourself and others of what you stand for. Lately I've noticed that so many people, myself included, get complacent and lazy, and wait for life to bring them good things. Standing for what I know to be right brings me peace of mind and confidence in who I am.

So without further ado:

1) I believe in Christ. I believe that he is the Son of a Living God. I believe that He came to earth and died that we might all live again. I believe that following Him is the only way we can return to live with our Father in Heaven again.

2) I believe in absolute truth. With the things that matter, I believe that there is one right way, and our quest in life is finding the right ways. I believe that the way to eternal life is through Jesus Christ and His atonement. I believe that there are many things that are true, and there is no disputing the truth, no matter how inconvenient or unpopular it is. I think that many times today, Satan masks sin with a veil of tolerance, and calls it truth. He says that anything can be true, as long as your happy. This, to me, is a lie and a deception. The way to true happiness is by following absolute truth.

3) I believe that anything is possible. The power of your mind is incredible. So many times we forget that we are strong and intelligent beings that can control our actions and make rational decisions. We need not leave anything to chance. We are in control, and we can do anything when we put our mind to it. Finding the confidence to do those things is the hardest part.

4) I believe that we are all children of God and that He loves us. We all face trials in life. Sometimes I am astounded at what I have seen others go through. But I know that God does not put us through trials because He does not love us. He does love us, and he allows things to happen to us because he wants us to be strong and to be prepared. If He sheltered us from every inconvenience and hardship, what would we ever learn? We would return to Him at the end of our days as fragile, innocent, and void of knowledge as we were when we came. We can take these opportunities to build ourselves and to learn things that may someday help us to help other people. We never know the purposes of our trials until we can see with hindsight the people we have been able to help.

5) I believe that marriage between a man and woman is ordained of God. The institution of marriage is not something that should be entered into for selfish, monetary, or political reasons. Families are a building block of our world. They are the foundation of a strong society, a foundation which is presently crumbling. I believe that the defamation and decline of families, marriage, and strong familial values will bring many problems and catastrophes to our communities, nations, and world. Strong and immovable families are an asset that cannot be measured in our GDP, but which will provide us more wealth, more happiness, and more security than any bill, law, or movement.

6) I believe that children have a right to be raised in a loving home. Children are precious. Leave their innocence in tact for as long as possible. Allow them to dream, imagine, play, sing, and be happy. Don't squelch the joys of youth, because soon the world will do that for you. Let kids be kids. There is plenty of time for being an adult later.

7) I believe that your outer appearance is an expression of what is inside. It isn't important to be the most beautiful, the best dressed, or a size zero. It is important to be well groomed, tastefully dressed, and clean. I don't believe it when people say that someone can be good on the inside and look dark and unhappy on the outside. (I'm sorry if you think this is too judgemental) If you are really so good and so clean inside, you will want to reflect that outside. It's like having a beautiful diamond ring, and dirtying it with sludge all the time. If you have something beautiful, show it. I believe that everyone is beautiful inside, and that we should share our inner beauty with everyone else. It's selfish to keep it for yourself.
I don't mean to say that you have to wear pioneer clothing all over the place. I'm simply talking of dressing to look pleasant and feeling comfortable and like yourself in the things you wear. There is no need to be dark, sad, or dirty all of the time. Look your best. You are a child of God. Act that way.

8) I believe in being responsible. This may be a bit repetetive, but that's how important I think it is. You are in control of your life. No other person can control what you do, or the decisions you make. If you are blaming others for taking away your agency, then stop right now. No person, not even God can take away your right to choose. However, you are not free to choose your consequences. Luckily, we have all been given brains that allow us to think and reason, and in most situations we can weigh out the consequences before we make a choice. Take the time to evaluate the consequences of your words and actions. Many times, they will have longer lasting effects, for good or bad, than you thought. Make responsible choices that will be for the betterment of you and your fellow men. Don't try to put people down. None of us need to be pushed farther down than we are. Instead, lift yourself up and in doing so, bring others with you.

9) I believe in the power of music. Music has such a strong influence on my emotions, and I can imagine that it is similar for many others. With this understanding, choose music wisely. Use it to your advantage to induce the kinds of emotions you want to feel. If you are having a bad day, listen to happy music. If you need some time to think, listen to something introspective and peaceful. Music can be such a great tool, and it brings me peace when I am lacking.

10) I believe that education is important. I don't think that everyone needs to go to college, but I do believe that everyone should be educated in some kind of trade or skill at the very least. Make yourself a useful part of society by taking the time to educate yourself and apply the many talents that you individually have. There is a reason that we are all created differently, and it's so that we can benefit one another. I know nothing of cars, so I am grateful that someone took the time to learn how to fix them so that I can get my car to work again when it breaks. Don't put off an education because of money. Use student loans and grants to make your way through, because if you don't do it now, you might never get another chance. Most importantly, just make yourself a useful part of society. Don't rely on the generosity of others to get by. Earn your way, accept gratefully the help that others give you, but always strive to be self sufficient and independant.

I hope you enjoy learning a little more about what I believe! I think it's important to stand for something- anything that you honestly believe to be good and right. I hope you can all take the time out to share with someone or many others what you believe. Blog, email, or just talk about it. I think that the remedy to so many problems of today is people who stand for something, who are convicted to their causes. Feel free to leave something you believe in in the comments, or if you blog about it, leave a link so that the rest of us can share it with you!