So this is my first blog.  I didn't even know what a blog was until not too long ago even though they have been around for awhile.  A little background on myself.  My name is Blake and I live in the Salt Lake valley. I have grown up in this area since I was a little kid.  Recently I graduated from the University of Utah and am in the process of applying to pharmacy school.  I have been married to my wonderful wife for just over a year.  I enjoy the outdoors (when it isn't winter), video games, and sports.  While my goals and hobbies are important to me, my faith is even more important.  I am a Christian.  I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  My faith in our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ has helped me through out my life and will continue to help me.  I have had the idea of creating a blog for awhile now.   I believe in Jesus Christ and know He is the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind.  I know that because of Him, both death and sin have been conquered.  I know He has born all our burdens and pains and knows how to heal us in any capacity if we will turn to Him and trust Him.  This knowledge has been gained through prayer, scripture study and personal experiences.   I feel it is important to share the message of the gospel to all that will hear it.  The message of the gospel is one of hope and peace.  What comes down to it is that right will prevail and all injustices will be corrected according to God's timing.  It has been especially depressing over the course of the last few weeks to view what has been going on in the world.  With shootings, natural disasters and economic hardships occurring at an increasing pace, I have been a little discouraged as of late.  It is easy to wonder why it seems evil triumphs and why good is oppressed.  It drives me crazy how the law has been twisted to serve the purposes of special interests.  All in all I think if anyone were to dwell on these things too long, they'd be left feeling angry, depressed and hopeless.  I feel there is great comfort in knowing the scriptures.  I know the words received and recorded by God's messengers have created a lasting impact on the world.  I truly believe reading, thinking and applying what is contained in these scriptures will invite peace, hope and love into our lives.  They will give us guidance as we face difficult challenges, situations and decisions.  I know it has happened in my own life.  The intent of this blog is to share scriptures that have made an impact on my life and have helped me with my own struggles.  While I believe the bible to be the word of God, I also believe God has reached out to man again through modern prophets and has given us additional witnesses to the divinity and reality of Jesus Christ and God's plan for man's redemption.  These scriptures include the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price.  These do not diminish the validity or testimony of the bible, but rather aid in being additional testimonies of the Savior.  Any doctrinal questions about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints can be answered by visiting mormon.org.  I hope this blog will help anyone out there that may be looking for answers, or that may need a helping hand.  I want anyone to out there to know that God lives and so does His Son.  We are all God's children and He loves us perfectly.  We have been placed here on earth to gain experience and to develop our spiritual potential.  This however is not permanent.  We all through Jesus Christ can return and live with our Heavenly Father.  That was the plan from the beginning.  God has revealed this vital information through prophets, divinely inspired men, that have been called by God to proclaim God's plan.  More will be said on all of this.  I hope this blog will reach and inspire any who are searching.  I will start with a scripture with my next posting. With much love, I bear testimony of these things in the name of Jesus Christ.