Steelers vs Cardinals Game

 For Mackay's birthday we gave him tickets to see the Pittsburgh Steelers play the Arizona Cardinals. 

We flew out right after our ward Christmas party on December 7th

We took a drive down memory lane with Aaron before the game.

Lesson on Luke 2:52

Mackay and Andrew Dolphin’s Lesson

Luke 2:52

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Intro:

This scripture outlines four important fields for us to strive to strengthen:

mental

physical

spiritual

social. 

Wisdom (Mental):

Every one of us has been blessed with the marvelous instrument that sits on top of our shoulders. How we use our heads is up to each of us to determine. 

Quotes:

President Ezra Taft Benson:

We must imitate him in our mental growth as we search for truth. Let us never fear truth, but only its misuse. On the contrary, let us love truth above all else—for God himself is truth.

Scripture:

Proverbs 4:7

“wisdom is the principle thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding”

D&C 6:7

Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.

D&C 130:18-19

Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the  resurrection.

And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.

2 Nephi 9:29

“to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God”

Apply to Us: 

School: 

- Don’t Care about school work.  We know that a C is a passing grade and will get us the same diploma as the A and B students when we graduate. 

We don’t work as hard as we should. 

Don’t Need College...Intellectual pride leads one to think he is self- sufficient in matters of mind and of spirit.

Temptations/ “Touching the Fire”: 

Experimenting with things that have already been proven. YOLO, “Just try it once”, “Everyone is doing it.”

Conclude: President Ezra Taft Benson challenge:

“Advance unafraid! Meet the challenge of a modern world! ...  Yes, be intelligent. Intelligence is wise...Continue to grow mentally—to grow in wisdom—to grow in truth. Desire it! Pray for it! Study it! Practice it!

Physical (Stature):

Jesus increased in stature, he was perfecting his physical body to house his eternal spirit. The physical body is something special to be cared for, watched over, and nourished.

Quotes:

President Ezra Taft Benson:

Your physical well-being is a priceless blessing to yourself. With good health, all other activities of life are greatly enhanced. A clean mind in a healthy body will enable you to render far more effective service to others. It will help you provide more vigorous leadership. It will give your every experience in life more zest and meaning. Good health is a noble and worthwhile attainment.

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are

Apply to Us:

Take care of your body. 

Spiritual (Favor with God):

Quotes:

Ezra Taft Benson:

"We increase in favor with God as we do the will of God. Let us be faithful in the work he gives us, whatever it may be, and whatever our station in life. Let our desires be in harmony with God’s will as it is revealed to us—keeping his work in our hearts conquering selfish desires..."

“Favor with God gives necessary incentive and perspective to life. It gives man real purpose for living and achieving.”

Scripture:

Mark 8:36

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

Matt 6:33

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”

Mosiah 4:9

Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.

Apply to Us:

Learn about Him!

Develop a Relationship with Him! (prayer)

Obedience to His Commandments!!

Conclusion: Ezra Taft Benson

“Be not ashamed to believe and proclaim that God lives; that Jesus is the Christ, the Redeemer of the world; that the resurrection is a reality; he is the Father of our spirits; ... Blessed are you if you have a testimony of these things

Social (Favor with Man):

Quotes:

President Ezra Taft Benson:

"To serve others willingly and unselfishly should be one of our greatest virtues. It is not even a matter of choice. It is an obligation, a sacred command." 

Scripture:

Matt 7:12 (Golden Rule)

“Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them”

Mosiah 6:16-17

I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.

And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

John 13:34

“A new commandment I give unto you,” he said, “That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another”

Apply to Us:

Friends/Quorum/Scout Camp

Jobs

Sports

Conclusion: L Tom Perry:

The challenge I issue to you today is to develop a heart big enough to show real compassion to all of your fellowmen.

Winter Formal with Maegan Eyre

Maegan Eyre asked Mackay to CCHS Winter Formal

Mackay turns 18

Family Party with Josh

Dinner with the family at Cheesecake Factory

Home to open Gifts

Finally Mackay gets to go to a STEELER'S GAME!!!

Mackay turns 18

  Mackay chose Cheesecake Factory for his Birthday Dinner.

Then we opened presents.

We had his requested Ice Cream Cake for the family party.

Sacrament Talk on Friends

Mackay spoke in Sacrament and it happened to be his friend, Cooj (Caden) Johnson's Mission Farewell.

I. Intro:

My name is Mackay Hall and I have been asked to speak about friends.

II. Scripture Story:

Imagine for a second, you’re sitting in church listening to a speaker when all of a sudden you hear loud noises coming from the ceiling. Then the roof opens up. You look up and see the sky. And then you see the faces of four men peering down onto the congregation. 

You start to wonder how they got there.  And WHY they are up there. And then they start lowering a man on a stretcher onto the chapel floor.  

In Luke chapter 5, we learn something similar happened. 

“Men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy and they sought means to bring him in, and lay him before Jesus.” 

But they couldn’t bring their sick friend in the building because the place was packed.  All the doorways were blocked and there was no way to get inside. The friends could have given up and gone home. But they didn’t. I’m guessing their conversation went something like this: 

“What should we do?” says one. 

“I have an idea, Let’s go up on top of the building, make an opening in the roof, and lower him to the floor!” 

I think the sick man, after hearing their plans, thought, “You’re going to do what?”

The story continues:

“They went upon the housetop, and let him down ... with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

“And when He saw their faith, He said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee”.

The scribes and pharisees thought this was blasphemous, so Jesus responded:

“Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?

“But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, ... I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house”.

The story ends:

“And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

“And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day”.

There are a number of ways we can apply this story to our lives.

III. The Sick Man

First, think about those you surround yourself with.  Who do you consider your “friends”?  

We make choices everyday.  Hopefully they are good choices.  But like the sick man in this story, occasionally we are weak—not physically but spiritually.  Maybe there’s a party or a movie or another activity that we know we shouldn’t be at.

At those moments, your choice of friends will be critical.  Are they the kind of friends that will drive you to that party, movie, or activity?  Or 

will they stop the action and take you somewhere else?

I hope we will all have chosen friends who will take us to Christ.

IV. The Friends

Now put yourself in the place of the friends. What kind of friend are you? 

These men loved their friend and wanted to help him. They didn’t give up and go home when things were difficult.  These friends were courageous, persistent, and even creative.  Imagine the joy they must have felt when they looked down through the ceiling and saw their friend pick up his bed and walk. 

  Hopefully we don’t have to hoist a friend on top of a building and cut open a roof. But I know we will have many opportunities to carry a friend away from danger - spiritually.  We will have times when we are stronger in faith and will be able to help our friends make better choices, and bring them closer to Christ.  

I had the opportunity to be part of a group who, in a very small way, were able to bring one of our friends closer to Christ.  He became sick his senior year of high school and wasn’t able to attend young mens or even sacrament meeting on Sundays.  

Each week a few of us would take the bread and water to his home.  I know that it was important to us as a quorum but also important to him.  It allowed him to feel apart of us, as a quorum, and also gave him the opportunity to partake of the sacrament, renew his baptismal covenants, and come closer to Christ.  Although the gesture was small and the goal was to help him, I learned a lot from that experience and am grateful I am part of a qroup who seeks to help our friends physically and spiritually 

I hope we will all strive to be the kind of friend who takes people to Christ.

V. Cooj

Our ward is filled with good people and good friends.  Cooj is one of them. We all know he is a stud on the football field. He has no fear and we know he will make big plays.  But he is also a very good friend. 

He has set an example to many of us as he has prepared to serve a mission.  He’s been given a lot of great opportunities because of the work he put into school and football, yet he didn’t hesitate to put them all on hold, so he could first serve a mission.   I am sure he will be a stud in a different kind of field - the mission field, and by doing so, he will bring many to Christ. 

VI. Testimony

I’d like to leave you with my testimony, that:

I know this church is true. 

I know our Heavenly Father loves us and has a plan for us. 

And Jesus Christ is our Savior.

I say these things in the names of Jesus Christ amen.

School's Out

I had a love-hate relationship with Mackay's junior year.  I'm so glad it is OVER!

FIRST DAY - LAST DAY