Catholic Roots, Mormon Harvest Signed & Personalized by Eric Shuster $15.00 + S&H Please enter your personalized message and name in the field provided below, then click "Add to Cart" to complete your purchase via PayPal.
	Biblical Roots of Mormonism Signed & Personalized by Eric Shuster $15.00 + S&H Please enter your personalized message and name in the field provided below, then click "Add to Cart" to complete your purchase via PayPal.

	The new year before us in 2012 can be whatever kind of year you want it to be. Are you looking for riches? Then focus yourself on making money. Are you looking for better health? Then focus yourself on eating right and exercise. If you are looking for a closer relationship with your Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ, then you are looking for something that will bring you both riches and health in ways that you cannot even imagine at this present time – not to mention a host of other blessings that will come along with it such as joy, happiness, stability, etc. No, reading the scriptures will not take any weight off your body, but it will give you the encouragement and strength you need to exercise, while taking the weight of the world off your shoulders. Praying will not necessarily put money in your bank account, but it will richly bless your soul and help you store up treasures in heaven, while guiding you in your everyday work. The question is never either-or when it comes to temporal or spiritual things in the new year – they are both important and necessary. Jesus Christ told us to “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). Simply translated, if you prioritize spiritual things first in your life, the Lord will help you take care of everything else. That is a promise, and the Lord doesn’t break promises. He doesn’t say it will be easy, but he does guarantee it will be worth it.

December 16, 2011

Christmas is swirling all around us once again – but what does it really mean? For some it is about the presents, for others it is about emotional survival. Still, for others it is about the season of magic and/or the season for heightened celebrations of the Savior’s birth (which we should celebrate everyday). Christmas means a lot of things to a lot of different people. In 135 AD the holiday tradition of Christmas was started by the bishop of Rome (Telesphorus) as a means of celebrating the birthday of Jesus Christ. Over 1,600 years later, In 1773, came the tradition of Santa Claus and the beginning of a commercial bonanza. In the middle of our yard each year is a nativity scene, with Santa and Rudolph on one side with the caption “Jesus is the true gift of Christmas,” and a large scroll on the other side with the inscription from Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” On the mantel inside of our home is a large selection of Santa Claus’ my wife has been collecting for years, and in the middle of those magical St. Nicks is a statue of Mary and Joseph holding the baby Jesus. I think you get the picture. Christ is at the center of Christmas and our hearts and displays should reflect that, and more importantly our actions should demonstrate that. We can incorporate the magic of Christmas into our festivities with the carols of season, but let us make sure that we are examples of the believers by focusing our celebration on Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. Doing as he did by giving to others, being a little kinder, and spreading the good news of his love and mercy. It is by doing so we will have joy.  

December 2, 2011

Among the most sacred and important of all ordinances are those administered in the temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These include washing and anointing, the endowment, and the sealing of families for eternity. The endowment, which literally means “gift,” includes making covenants associated with sacrifice, consecration, and love and loyalty to spouse. These ordinances can be performed for the living, or can also be performed vicariously for the dead. In the case of the dead, the ordinances have no efficacy unless and until they are freely accepted by the deceased person in the spirit world. No ordinance is forced on anyone, living or dead. Some of these temple ordinances were introduced in the Bible; all were brought forth in full bloom during the restoration. The crowning temple ordinance of the sealing of families comes through the power of the priesthood to bind on earth and in heaven as given by Christ to Peter and his successors (Matthew 16:19). This last Saturday, November 26th, our newly adopted son Azriel (biologically our grandson born to our daughter Danielle) was sealed to our family for all time and eternity. It was absolutely phenomenal – I am unable to describe the experience adequately in earthly words. How grateful we are for the power to seal our children to us so as to be together forever in the eternities.  

November 18, 2011

The Book of Mormon, like the Bible, is the word of God and that makes it special. However, when one really studies the Book of Mormon they come to realize how applicable it is for these latter days. The Book of Mormon provides compelling stories and insights that we can immediately apply to our day. For example, the Book of Mormon discusses how a government can begin in righteousness and with great intentions and then evolve into a corrupt institution, even robbing the people and breaking the laws without judicial consequences. The Book of Mormon discusses the various forms of government, the virtues of each, and how one is superior over the other. It is quite enthralling to read. We can take these lessons from the Book of Mormon and then consider what is happening in the US government today. What started out as an inspired government has now evolved into a corrupt institution that feeds on the people’s taxes and is driven by power and greed. Peter Schweizer’s new book, Throw Them All Out, provides a glimpse into the insider trading of US government officials and how they have made such corruption legal for them and illegal for the rest of us. From out of control spending to lining their pockets, Michelle Malkin calls it a Culture of Corruption. To learn more about this just pick up the Book of Mormon and read what prophets warned us about over 2,000 years ago. 

© 2009 Eric Shuster. All Rights Reserved.