I’ve been meaning to write about this for some time, it was a special day for our family… Sunday evening (18th May 2008), our Elena was Baptised by myself, here both of us dressed in white with Andria (mum), symbolic of the purity of Baptism. It was a very special day for Elena.
Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (sometimes incorrectly called the “Mormon Church”) is very important to our family, our faith sustains us, much of what we do revolves around our faith.
We know that baptism by immersion is part of the vital process of following Jesus Christ and entering into a covenant relationship with Him. We’ve taught each of our children about their decision to follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ.
We’re taught that baptism must be performed by one who has proper authority from God for this sacred ordinance. Naturally, there are many other views and many questions that people ask about our beliefs in this regard.
I realise that some groups claim that baptism is not essential, assuming that faith alone is the requirement for salvation. The broad issue of the relationship between faith, grace, works, and salvation I’ll not get into here, my friend Jeff Lindsay wrote an excellent summary of those issues on his faith and works page.
So why did Elena get baptised at age 8 and why by me? By what Authority?
The Bible teaches the importance and even necessity of baptism, we also have 13 Articles of Faith, the fourth stating:
We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Let us first consider the example of Christ, who showed us how to live and how to follow Him. As he began His ministry, He sought out the prophet and messenger of the Messiah, John the Baptist. John was teaching men to repent of their sins and to be baptized by immersion (that’s what the Greek word means) in “water unto repentance” (Matt. 3: 2,11), or, in the words of Mark, John preached “the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Mark 1:4). Though Christ was the Son of God, pure, holy, and without sin, He came to John and asked to be baptized (see Matt. 3: 13-17). John refused, knowing who Christ was, but Christ explained that it was necessary “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3: 15). Then John baptized Christ in the river Jordan - apparently by immersion, for then Christ “went up straightway out of the water.” It was at this moment where the Holy Ghost descended in the form of a dove and the voice of God the Father spoke from above saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
This is the same manner in which our Elena was baptised by myself, by immersion.
Infant Baptism
In mainstream religions - Baptising a baby is often viewed as very special event in the lives of young parents. Grandparents come to witness the special occasion. A white baptismal dress is purchased for the baby. Photographs are taken. The little child, often crying and unaware of what is happening, is sprinkled with water by a robed priest or clergyman at the church house. Parents hug. Grandparents smile with pride. The little baptismal dress is stored away as a memento. Some of you who are reading this article may have been baptised as a baby. It is a very common practice. The term “christened” often refers to infant baptism. Why are babies baptised and what do the Scriptures teach about such things?
Actually, there are two different reasons why some believe babies ought to be baptised:
The Catholic view is based upon the idea that babies are born in sin. Pope Clement IV declared in 1267, that infants who die without baptism die in their original sins and are excluded from the vision of God. The doctrine of “Limbo,” the intermediate state between the suffering in hell and the glory of heaven, was developed to satisfy grieving mothers whose children died without baptism. For Catholics, infant baptism is a matter of salvation. There are some non-Catholic groups that practice infant baptism for this same reason. They have accepted the idea of inherited sin and this is a natural conclusion that comes from believing that.
The Protestant view differs from the Catholic view. To most Protestants, infant baptism is not seen as a matter of salvation. Generally, Protestants believe in salvation by faith only and would not accept baptism as necessary for salvation. Yet many of them will baptize their babies. Instead of baptising the baby for the remission of sins, as the Catholics do, Protestant’s baptise babies as a promise that the parents will raise the child in a godly home and bring the child to church services. Infant baptism is viewed as a sign or a pledge made by the parents to the child.
Latter-Day Saint view - I ought to point out that some other faiths not just us ‘Mormons’ such as most Baptists, and the Seventh-day Adventist do not practice infant baptism either. We feel the Scriptures are quite clear on this matter.
Moroni 8: 9-15
9. And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto me; wherefore, my beloved son, I know that it is solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children.
10. Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye teach—repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little children, and they shall all be saved with their little children.
11. And their little children need no repentance, neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the remission of sins.
12. But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism!
13. Wherefore, if little children could not be saved without baptism, these must have gone to an endless hell.
14. Behold I say unto you, that he that supposeth that little children need baptism is in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; for he hath neither faith, hope, nor charity; wherefore, should he be cut off while in the thought, he must go down to hell.
15. For awful is the wickedness to suppose that God saveth one child because of baptism, and the other must perish because he hath no baptism.
Let’s be clear - Babies are not sinners! They are incapable of sin. They cannot be held accountable.
Moroni 8: 9-15
19. Little achildren cannot repent; wherefore, it is awful wickedness to deny the pure mercies of God unto them, for they are all alive in him because of his mercy.
20. And he that saith that little children need baptism denieth the mercies of Christ, and setteth at naught the atonement of him and the power of his redemption.
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we baptise children not before the age of 8 years old, this being when a child can be held accountable since they are capable of knowing right from wrong by this age. In the New Testament, the only indication of this age of accountablility is recorded in 1 Peter 3: 18-21. These few verses describe following Christ’s crucifixtion on the cross his body now lay for three days in the Tomb, but his spirit went and preached to those spirits who had been waiting since the days of Noah. I find it interesting how the scripture references to those who were saved from the Great Flood in the Ark - “eight souls were saved by water”, these being Noah, his wife and their three sons and wives.
More improtantly the following sentence, which says…. referencing the age or number 8… “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us.”
19. By which also he went and preached unto the bspirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us.
So that’s my rant on Infant Baptism! I don’t mean to offend anyone, but looking at our six childen I know that little children are pure before God and for me saying a baby or child who dies without baptism is going to ‘Hell’ really doesn’t make sense!
I’m grateful for the knowledge and restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Here the testimony of others who have been baptised into this Gospel and what motivates us to share it.
Revealed for the First Time:
How True MLM Millionaires are Created!
If you are currently struggling in Network Marketing, or have failed in the past, it may surprise you to learn that it wasn’t necessarily your fault. The program you work with and when you join it have a significant effect on both your earnings potential, and how successful you can become. Even people who have been in the business for decades often don’t understand how important these factors are to their success.
The MLM Grinders…
Because they don’t understand what we just discussed, many people become “MLM Grinders.” These are the people who have to constantly replace their distributors because they drop out. They have to make all the presentations themselves, handle all the meetings, and pretty much do everything. If they slow down for one minute, things start to unravel in their group. They’re always grinding, but the recognition, big bonus commissions, and free cars and trips always seem just a little out of reach.
Remember the parable about the emperor with no clothes?
Grinders are in a similar situation. They sell lifestyle and talk about residual income, but the sad truth is they don’t really have either. They work night and day because they’re afraid to let up. If they were to stop grinding for even a month or two, their income would shrivel up and die.
The MLM Rock Stars…
Fortunately there is a better way. This is the life of the “MLM Rock Stars,” the select group of people in the business who actually are living their dreams. This group of leaders has developed Rock Star lifestyles that includes millions in earnings, luxury homes, exotic cars, travel to glamorous locales, and the freedom to spend their days however they desire.
Even people who have been in the business for decades often don’t realize they are trapped in a grinder cycle with no hope for escape. They keep grinding away, thinking that their big break is around the corner.
What they don’t realise is that the situation they’re in will never change…
They keep wasting money on ineffective marketing tools, squander effort going to “rah-rah” meetings, and fritter away the rest of their time trying to resurrect dead distributors. They talk about duplication all the time, but the only thing duplicating is their credit card debt!
If all this sounds familiar, this website can change your life forever. Now is your chance to learn the shocking truth about what separates the MLM grinders from the Rock Stars, and how you can break through to the level of success you have been yearning for.
If you have tried MLM but failed…
If you’re in the business, but can’t seem to get any traction…
If you sponsor lots of people, but they don’t duplicate…
If you’re not earning what you know you’re really worth…
It may not be your fault!
Network Marketing legend Randy Gage has created more MLM millionaires and multi-millionaires than anyone on earth. Now for the first time ever, he reveals exactly how it is done. In the audio below, you’ll find out precisely how to bust out of the MLM grind and develop true duplication and the Rock Star lifestyle that comes with it!
What you are about to hear was originally done as a closed-door session for Randy’s own team. Fortunately the sound technician recorded it live, as it took place. Now, like a fly on the wall, you can listen in to the complete unedited training session Randy did for his leaders. Pay close attention, because you’ll discover the true formula for creating wealth and financial independence in Network Marketing
Click THE play BUTTON to listen to Randy Gage on the true formula for success in network marketing.
As Randy explained in the training session, true wealth is created in Network Marketing only when a certain set of factors are all in place. You must join the right opportunity at the right time if you want to create a Rock Star lifestyle. It’s critical that you are in place when exponential growth (also sometimes called momentum) is about to take effect.
Now of course everyone thinks that his or her program is poised for momentum. But a study of the industry and the different categories of opportunities reveals that this is not true. Here is a review of the five categories Randy used as case studies in the training session and the important information to know about each.
Category 1 - “The Bottle Rockets”
Now these opportunities actually often do experience the exponential growth curve. But of course their downward trajectory is even more dramatic, once they experience the regulator scrutiny that is inevitable for schemes like these.
It’s important to understand that the opportunities in this category are NOT Network Marketing programs, even though they often claim otherwise. These would include chain letters, recipe clubs, the airplane game, the magic gas pill, and other schemes that are just excuses for people to move money to the top of the structure. They are illegal and they hurt people.
Category 2 - “The Old Guard”
Now these are the companies that hit and actually sustained momentum for a significant period of time. They are now billion-dollar-plus companies and have already created legacy incomes for people who got in early and became a reason for their growth. These are fine companies offering stability and the chance for a steady income.
But most industry experts would agree with Randy that your chances of creating significant wealth with them have expired. They have reached a level of maturity that prevents someone from starting with them today and creating large bonus checks or exponential growth.
Category 3 - “The Flat-liners”
These companies are the bridesmaids that never got to be the bride. They have been around for a long period of time, but never hit that exponential growth curve. The only growth they have, if any, is incremental growth, usually coming from opening new markets. In the markets they have been operating in for long times, these companies have failed to capture the imagination of the public.
There are many reasons these companies did not reach momentum. Often it is because their products are not viable, their compensation plan does not promote the correct behavior, or inexperienced or poor management.
Of course these companies often tout their longevity and suggest that momentum is imminent. But history has shown that the companies that reach momentum today do so in the early years. It’s virtually impossible to create substantial wealth with a flat-line company, unless you are willing to hang around for decades.
Category 4 - “The Peddlers”
These programs probably create more misunderstanding and broken dreams in the business than any other. Because most people are not aware of the distinction between the small business model (primarily retailing products) and the big business model (developing duplication and creating a large team of distributors that produces large group volumes).
These programs include the numerous party plan companies, phone and utility services, legal plans, discount cards, air and water purifiers, insurance, and other plans that are geared for salespeople. The big problem with these scenarios is that they completely miss the formula for creating wealth in Network Marketing:
“Get a large group of people – to do a few
simple actions– over a consistent period of time.”
The reality is about 10 percent of any population could be classified as sales types. They have developed selling skills, have no fear of rejection, and they are constantly on the lookout for new prospects. They drive around in their car all day listening to motivational recordings and say things like, “I LOVE to hear a ‘no,’ because I know after another eight ‘no’s’ I’m going to get to a ‘yes!’”
That means 90 percent of any population would have to be classified as non-sales types. They don’t know how to sell, they hate the very idea of it, and they’re deathly afraid of rejection. They don’t want to wear buttons with corny slogans on their clothes, make cold calls, and chase after strangers at the shopping mall. They will use the products themselves and they feel comfortable referring them to a select group of friends. But they don’t feel at ease in a sales role or “playing store.”
As a result of this, these 90 percent do not do well in the peddler companies. They may join initially after a good product experience, but they soon are out of their comfort zone and usually drop out, or remain customers but do not actively build the business.
Naturally if we want to follow the first part of the formula – get a large group of people to do a few simple actions – it makes sense that we would tailor our approach to the 90 percent, not the 10 percent. That is the fatal flaw in the peddler companies, in that their approach is geared to the ten percent of sales types.
A strong salesperson can produce a large income in one of these situations. But it will be dependent on constant activity to replace the “churn”–the large number of people that drop out each month. Of course this means that they don’t have any true passive income, making them destined to be grinders for as long as they work the program.
Category 5 - “The Holy Grail”
Our final category is where true wealth is created in Network Marketing. This is an emerging company that possesses what it takes to hit and sustain momentum, and become the next billion-dollar success story. This is where legacy incomes and substantial wealth are created.
Now of course every new company believes they are the next “chosen one.” And the distributors that prospect you aren’t intentionally telling you an untruth. They honestly believe what they’re saying. Unfortunately most do not have enough experience, knowledge and perspective to really understand what’s required for a company to go into momentum.
As you know by now, if you listened to the audio link above Randy Gage, Eric Worre, Randy Schroeder, Rob and Nicky Horkings, Ata Mamadov, Dr. Tim Berry, Julie Mirr and many other experienced industry leaders believe Agel Enterprises has all the necessary factors to become the next category five company. It’s important to understand that these people are all leaders with combined experience of over a century, have made millions of dollars in the business, and helped thousands of distributors reach higher levels of success. They’re not easily swayed and they have the knowledge and perspective of how momentum is really created.
Randy Schroeder sums his thoughts up well here:
The average person has to be able to understand your products in a 30-second elevator speech. If you need 10 lab reports or five hours of doctor recordings for people to “get” your products, it doesn’t meet the formula for creating wealth. This is the reason many of the flat-line companies do not hit exponential growth.
History has shown that non-consumable products like water filters and air purifiers don’t sustain themselves long-term. Likewise history has shown companies with products like these can create some initial excitement through front-end loading or hype, but they don’t pan out in the long haul.
One of the other shocking truths is that one-product companies don’t hold their own over the long term. Like the non-consumables, they can create some initial excitement. But there simply is not enough volume produced to sustain the compensation plan and reward top leaders. At some point they recognise that distributors in other companies with the same size organisation make substantially more money than they do. So even if they love their product and their company, they ultimately make a business decision and choose to build a business elsewhere. This has been demonstrated countless times in the last decade with the dozens of magic berry juice companies.
The Agel product line is the first fresh new product idea in almost 15 years in the industry. People “get” the idea of suspension gel technology instantly, and the gel paks themselves are probably the sexiest product samples in the business. Moreover, the four distinct product lines provide infinite possibilities for line extension – ensuring lucrative incomes.
2) Proper Capitalisation.
This one is pretty simple, yet it’s shocking how many start-up ventures don’t have enough money to survive the inevitable bumps in the road. The Agel founders knew from the very start that they would be embarking on an expansion plan that is unprecedented in our industry until now. And they recognized that to do it right required millions of dollars.
They were able to partner with a venture capital firm started by a billionaire and began with all the money needed to launch Agel into the world-wide phenomenon it has become.
3) Management Depth.
Agel was the vision of CEO Glen Jensen. Glen is a passionate entrepreneur, and he is personally responsible for the success of tens of thousands of people in Network Marketing around the world.
Early in his career, Glen was a Customer Service Supervisor for Nu Skin, International, overseeing agents in the Korean, Japanese, Canadian, and Spanish-speaking departments. Later he created a licensee of Enrich International that built sales to $5 million a month in a two-year period. He also served as the International Director for Neways, Inc., opening markets in Russia and Japan, and leading the company to record sales.
Most recently he founded and served as president of Synergy WorldWide, guiding the company to being listed on the INC. Magazine list of fastest growing companies. So his track record for network marketing success is unparalleled.
When he had the vision for Agel, the first phone call that Glen made was to a very highly respected executive in the industry, and long-time friend, Craig Bradley.
Craig has an impressive list of credentials of his own. He served three years as vice president of North American Sales for USANA. He also served an eight-year stint as vice president of sales for Melaleuca. His extraordinary career also includes a stint as co-founder and president of ViaViente.
Craig’s passion is in creating opportunities that cultivate people’s abilities to succeed. And he’s very good at doing that. He finds great rewards in working side by side with those who are committed to making a difference in their own lives and in the lives of everyone they meet. Craig’s title is company president, but his real job description includes being a life coach, teacher, and friend to people who want to live their dreams. So when the call came in, Craig was ultimately prepared to implement the sum of his knowledge helping to create the phenomenon called Agel.
Together, Glen and Craig went to work to build the foundation of company support that offers you the best chance to reach your goals. They assembled an all-star team of professionals to take Agel to the top echelon of the industry.
4) A Compensation Plan that Provokes the Correct Behavior.
Since the Network Marketing industry began in the late 1950s, compensation plans have evolved to keep pace with the changing market conditions. Plans that worked great in the 1970s didn’t necessarily perform well in the 1980s. And plans that served well in the 1990s often don’t pass the market demands of today.
Recognising this reality, the founders of Agel started from ground zero, to create an innovative new breakthrough in compensation plans: the Quadra-Plan.
The Quadra-Plan incorporates the very best elements of the four old-style compensation plans, but leave out the limiting characteristics of each. People never break away from you, your volume is not “washed” weekly, and it keeps a larger portion of your group within your pay range. It is the most lucrative plan ever developed.
So if you are looking for a company to build a strong, solid, and ongoing income, then Agel should be at the top of your list. The company is offering up to eight different ways to earn. Most of them are of the residual variety, and they have pioneered the Leveraged Matching bonus, the most important innovation in compensation of the last 15 or 20 years.
Most importantly, the plan is designed to reward people for taking the correct behavior! Instead of the break-away plans that reward people for sponsoring 40 wide and ignoring their team, the Quadra-Plan rewards you for working in-depth and developing new leaders.
The Agel Quadra-Plan offers you the potential for high earnings at each stage of your business: Fast start money when you begin, transitional income as you grow the network, and residual security once your group is built. There has never been a compensation plan so expertly crafted to reward you what you are really worth!
That brings us to the fifth element – the one that may be the most important…
5) Field Leadership.
The truth is, no company can put itself in momentum. This has to be created by the field leadership –the people who are actually in the trenches, recruiting, training, and supporting the team. As you read above, Agel has attracted a large number of some of the most successful multi-million-dollar producers in the industry. They have built the support structure that can help you build your dreams with Agel Enterprises. There are three components that make up this support, and they are what allows you to escape the grinder mentality and become a true MLM Rock Star:
* The System
There is a step-by-step system for you to follow. No matter what your education level, experience, or age, you’ll follow a proven road map to building a successful network. These leaders know the best ways to build a network and created a system utilising all that, so everyone has the same opportunity for success. The system prevents it from being all about you, which is the sure path to being a grinder–and instead provides a framework anyone can follow. * The Infrastructure
An important element of the system is having the proper infrastructure in place to apply it. You’ll find powerful recruiting materials such as this magazine, DVDs, audios, websites and many other marketing materials in place. These resources allow you to get started fast, even if you have never been in the business before. * The Training
Another critical element is the training on how you use the system and the infrastructure–and we’ve got that covered! You have the benefit of weekly Leadership Training Calls, webcasts, local, regional, and international training events. Our annual events such as Agel World and the Leadership Retreat offer you high-level training on how to build your team and create a residual income money machine with Agel.
So the next move is yours
If you have tried MLM but failed…
If you’re in the business, but can’t seem to get any traction…
If you sponsor lots of people, but they don’t duplicate…
If you’re not earning what you know you’re really worth…
Our son Antony, bottom far left on front row of picture! His first overnight hike and open air camp out!
Firstly, I love camping; I’m all for being in the wild outdoors, looking up at the stars and being mesmerised by the glow from the embers of a camp fire, especially when roasting marsh mellows.
Last weekend, with our son Antony being twelve, it was ‘his time - the right of passage’ to endure an overnight hike with his peers in the Young Men’s group from church. This was a small expedition of no ordinary means. Now I might start sounding ‘wimpy’ at this point in my recollection, that’s because I realise I’m not the fittest ‘bloke’ on the planet, not even with all the AGEL gel packs I consume regularly (which I love). My problem lies with my lack of physical exercise, I pretty much sit around most days, working behind my laptop screen (sad I know), indeed this might be me in a few years….
Back to topic…I knew this overnight hike would test my endurance and stamina, I also happened to be the oldest ‘bloke’ on this outing, so I played that sympathy card as much as I could, especially when I was trailing the pack from time to time, my excuse was I was holding up the rear and ensuring we didn’t leave anyone behind!
We hiked from 8pm till just gone midnight, which in itself is not bad going. However what initially became an amusing story of ‘becoming lost in the forest’, walking though the mud and tripping without little night sky light (no moon that night) and only small torches to hand, quickly became frustrating as we realised we were literally going round in circles – lost! As we tramped over the same paths we recognised again, I got out my trusty compass just after midnight and said – “head east boys!” We eventually found a clearing and were grateful to lay out the plastic sheet on the ground so that all the boys could lay out their sleeping bags and sleep under the stars, praying for no rain that night!
This image was the morning after and my Antony waking up in the blue sleeping bag - what a man!
Now this is where I show my ‘true colours’ having done this thing a few times… I came prepared and that’s my Blacks - 2 man pop up tent to the right of the others! I offered my one and only son the spare place next to me in my nice warm tent, but he didn’t want the shame, he wanted to be with the ‘men’ and sleep under the stars.
It’s interesting what a good night’s sleep feels like in a tent, as I emerged, seeing how cold everyone else was and the dew of the morning all over their now wet sleeping bags, I was grateful for my little luxury. We gathered our things and hiked off for a breakfast meet, some great planning by our young men, they were having breakfast brought to us, but we’d have to hike for it.
This next stage of our hike was another test of sifting the ‘men from the boys’, an early morning crossing of a local ‘ford’ (a place where water runs through it). Having done this before, I knew only too well how freezing this water can be in the early morning, so I elected to take the bridge crossing. My Antony’s first experience of our local ‘ford’ crossing, he screamed the entire way across. It feels like daggers on the feet!
If you don’t believe me, here’s the video proof…
Another image looking down at the ford crossing…
It was now the home stretch, but like a marathon when athletes hit that ‘mental and physical wall’, our bodies (especially mine) was beginning to give up… We’d been up at just after 6am, so I’d been fortunate to have a comfortable 5 hours plus sleep, whilst others had very little. What I found challenging were my boots, they weren’t the best ‘worn in’ for the task and later I were to find I’d gained some rather nasty blisters and even a week later as I’m writing this up for my blog my feet are still recovering! My left big toe is still ‘black and blue’ from the bruises of walking in those boots, thankfully my blisters have pretty much healed up!
The home stretch, those last few miles I had little physical strength left, showing my age, all of 42 years! However I kept going, willing my legs to move, pacing myself to get to our end goal, where a car ride home and a soak in a hot bath awaited.
Out of all of this, what impressed me and I’m glad to say some others too, is that our son Antony became a man in the eyes of others, not literally of course being 12, but in his enthusiasm and joy of participation with his peers. He was often seen running ahead of the group, excited to see beyond the next bend in the road or just eagerly excited to be hiking with his friends, it was all a grand avdventure for him.
Antony’s first experience open air camping and some serious hiking was now a new joy and experience for me. It amazes me sometimes how the young can have such stamina and fitness, heck I was young once like Antony and somehow albeit I enjoyed those similar experiences that I see him relish I somehow feel he has a greater appreciation than I did of those activities. He’s asked me about five times since last weekend “when can we do another hike?” I keep explaining “when my feet recover!”
Final video of Antony and “the boy’s” hanging out and singing acapella style as they go along the road on the final stretch home!
The Hubble Space Telescope recently celebrated its 18th anniversary. Since its launch on April 24 1990, this Earth-orbiting stargazer has beamed back some spectacular sights: images that are awesome in the truest meaning of the word. I love looking up at the stars with my telescope. Abraham once compared the sands upon the seashore with the countless numbers of stars in the heavens and marvelled.
My Son Antony and I recently went on an overnight Hike and outdoor camp (more on that another time), although I was a wimp and slept in our two man pop-up tent by myself, he slept with the rest of the young men in our church youth group under the stars and although it wasn’t that clear a sky, you know how beautiful the night sky can be.
Anyway, back to the Hubble…. To commemorate Hubble’s 18th birthday, space scientists have released a collection of astounding pictures, each showing close encounters between distant galaxies. As these vast galaxies approach each other, they morph into beautiful new shapes, with collisions sometimes giving rise to grand mergers and sites of brand new star births.
Galaxy bridge
This galaxy pair, located in the constellation Virgo, are visibly interacting via a dim bridge of stars.
Two spirals collide
A remarkable collision between two spiral galaxies taking place in the Hercules Galaxy Cluster, located in the constellation of Hercules. The two spirals are now linked by their spindly arms.
Galactic hug
Markarian 848 consists of two galaxies locked in a cosmic hug. Two long, curved arms of gas and stars link the galaxies together.
Overlapping galaxies
The highly symmetric galaxy in the foreground of this image is seen nearly face-on and is partly lit by the background galaxy it overlaps. It is also 350 million light-years from Earth, located in a constellation named Dorado, the Swordfish.
Butterfly
NGC 6240, some 400 million light-years from Earth, is a butterfly-shaped galaxy formed from two smaller merging galaxies. X-ray observations have discovered two giant black holes within the structure - these will drift towards each other and eventually join together.
When I see the beauty of the skies, I will ponder Life’s biggest questions and have peace in the reassurance that I know where I came from and I know why I’m here and most importantly I know the opportunity that is afforded to all mankind - to where we might go, our final destiny.
Having a faith in God, a Supreme and Divine Being, a Creator, it may seem a confusing task, so greater is the need for divine relevation and direction from above. Check these figures out below:
Judaism 14 million
Bahá’í and Babi Faiths 7 million
Jainism 4.2 million
Shinto 4 million
Here is what I’ve found….
God is your Father in Heaven (Matthew 6:9). We call God Heavenly Father because He is the Father of our spirits and we are created in His image ( Genesis 1:27).
From the beginning, Heavenly Father has called prophets? to testify, record His word, and provide His plan for His children on the earth. The teachings of prophets are found in sacred? books called scriptures? (Amos 3:7).
In the scriptures God’s plan is called the plan of salvation, the plan of redemption, the plan of happiness. The plan is centered on the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Throughout time, people have often pondered questions such as “Where did I come from?” “What is my purpose in life?” and “Where will I go after this life?” God has a plan for the happiness of His children: the plan of salvation, which is centered on the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
![Catagory 4 - \](http://www.johndeighton.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/cat_the_peddlers.jpg "Catagory 4 - \")
