The Outward Appearance

We've all heard the saying "Don't judge a book by it's cover." But we're all guilty of doing that sometimes, well at least if you're like me. I'm nowhere near perfect at that. But, I try not to, of course.

This video really made me think twice about judging people by how they look. Appearance isn't everything.A lot of times our appearance reflects hardships we've faced or are currently facing. For me, that would be my back brace, amidst others. I know I wouldn't want anyone to think badly of me just because I have a brace. Or because the can't see the actual brace (It's under my clothes.) think that I look funny. Other people have scars from traumatic accidents, surgeries, illnesses, etc. But that doesn't reflect the person inside.

Here is a video of just that. The judges and everyone in the audience judged this boy before he had even said anything, unfortunately myself included.  But then, we were all in for a big surprise.

(If you have trouble viewing it from here, click right here.)

There is more to every person than you can see just by looking at them. Everyone has a story. Everyone is fighting a hard battle, but you can't see that from the outside. And everyone has inner beauty and awesomeness! But most importantly, God can see the strength and royalty in everyone. He doesn't judge people based on the way they look. 

"But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord ^aseeth not as ^bman seeth; for man looketh on the outward ^cappearance, but the ^dLord looketh on the ^eheart."

 

Everyone has inner awesomeness. And I've decided today that I'm going to strive harder to find it in everyone.

What Guys Want Girls to Know

This is a video I found by a group called Blimey Cow. They are not Mormons, but they are Christians. I really love this video. It's so great to know that some guys still care about decency, modesty, and chivalry.  He speaks the truth! And it's also good to know that LDS people aren't the only ones who care about this stuff!

What Guys Want Girls to Know

What do you think of this video?  Comment or share! (Oh, and BTW, I've added a facebook comment feature at the bottom of my blog if you would like to comment there.) :D

Gratitude Tuesdays

Every Tuesday I will post about something I'm thankful for.  And, I'm going to try to think of things to be grateful for that I've never thought of before.  In the Doctrine and Covenants (for those who don't know, the Doctrine and Cvenants is a book of scripture that is filled with revelations recieved by Joseph Smith from God.) chapter 78, verse 19 it says:

19  And he who receiveth all things with ^athankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an ^bhundred fold, yea, more.

 This is such a great promise.  It says that if we are grateful for the things that we are given, we will be made glorious, and we will recieve many blessings.  

This week I'm grateful for my body.  We know that God created our bodies in His image.  In Genesis 1: 27 it says:

27  So God created man in his own ^aimage, in the image of God created he him; male and ^bfemale created he them.

I have recently started doing yoga, and it is really amazing what our bodies can do.  They are so perfectoy crafted that it is impossible to think that we could be a coincidence.  Our bodies can heal themselves, they can eat, process food, be active, and so much more.  We can gradually build physical endurance in the activities we do.  It is all so perfect.  Only a perfect being could create such masterpieces.

Some may argue that our bodies can't be from God because they can get sick, or have disabilities, and can die.  But, our Heavenly Father lets us temporarily be imperfect for a reason.  We have these trials to gain experience.  It stinks.  I know.  But, I also know that God is perfect, and He knows everything.  He will not give us a trial that we cannot handle.  In the Book of Mormon, 1st Nephi 3:7 says:

7And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I ^awill go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no ^bcommandments unto the children of men, save he shall ^cprepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

I once heard a story about a woman.  She had heard an analogy that compared people to precious metal.  Intrigued, she went to a silversmith to learn more about his work.  So, the man showed her how he worked with metals to turn them into pure silver.   The process was long, she learned.  The man had to heat the metal to extremly high temperatures.  He then would let it cool.  Then heat it again, and so on.  After a while, the woman asked the silversmith how he knew the metal was done.  He replied  "This precious metal is done when I can see my reflection in it."
Jesus is like the silversmith, and we are like the metal.  All of our trials, aches, pains, and sorrows, and tribulations are our refining fire.  In the end, if we can withstand the refining, which melts away our impurities, God will be able to see His light in our countenances. 

I know that our bodies are sacred gifts from God.  They are temples, and we need to treat them as such.

I say these thing sin the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.