Save Yourself!

I just heard a story about a man in my ward here who collapsed at Wal Mart. Everyone started freaking out, and called 911. Fortunately there was a man in one of the lines who noticed, ran over and started preforming CPR. When the paramedics arrived, the man who collapsed was ok, and they attributed that to this stranger who had given him CPR... So, when were in danger of physical death, CPR can save our lives... but what about spiritual death?

CPR will save your life, your eternal life! Let me break this down for you. As a missionary, I have been called of God to bring others to Christ and I know of no better way then CPR.

C- Church. First and foremost, making it to church should be our number one goal when in danger of spiritual death. Church is a place where we can feel the Holy Ghost more abundantly, where we can show our commitment to God. I once heard that you can tell which God's he worships by how he spends his Sabbath. It is so important, the Lord gave it to Moses as one of the big ten! For me, church on Sunday is my spiritual recharge, essential for a successful week!

P- Prayer. "As you need the help of your father in Heaven, you must call upon Him through prayer" -Wendell Nix, Stake Patriarch. When brother Nix told me this, it didn't ring very true at the time. I figured I could cruise through life and God would grant me what He would. Let me tell you, I have learned otherwise. It says ask and ye shall receive in one form or another over 100 times in the Bible! That must mean it is pretty important. Much like any relationship on earth, to maintain and improve our relationship with God we have to talk to Him. Any parent knows how wonderful it is when kids call home, and how sad it is when they don't bother. When we pray, we call down blessings from heaven, and the spirit is able to touch our lives. Alma 37:36-37 reads,

"Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day."

How true that scripture is!

R- Read. As we read the scriptures we will feel an increase measure of spirit in our lives. I know as I read the scriptures every morning, the difference could be seen and felt in the day. Nephi says it best in 2 Nephi 32:3 when he says "Feast upon the words of Christ, for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." The scriptures are the words of Christ, and as we read them, our testimony, faith, and desire to serve him increases. 

In conclusion, if you are dying, give yourself CPR! I know that as we do these 3 simple things, our lives become easier, and we have more spirit to guide and direct us where we should go and what we should do. Just as it says in Alma 37:6,

"By small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise." I leave with you my testimony that by doing those 3 simple things, our lives will improve, the Lord will be able to bless us more, and we will feel a closer and deeper relationship with our savior, Jesus Christ.