How Strong Is Your Patronus?

So I'm pretty sure that everyone reading this loves Harry Potter, and one night as I was eating dinner with one of my favorite families here in Whitefish, Mt and we were talking about Harry Potter this came to me.

In the third book/movie, the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry is introduced to an intense new enemy, Dementors. After his initial meeting with them Harry wanted to be able to defend himself against their insidious attacks. He turned to Professor Lupin who then taught him the famous Patronus charm.

However casting a patronus charm is pretty tricky. You first have to think of an extremely happy memory or idea, and then say the incantation: "Expecto Patronum". Because of this, negative emotions or influences can compromise a wizard or witch's ability to cast a Patronus; such as the difficulty Harry had casting their Patronus when under the negative influence of Salazar Slytherin's Locket, one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes

So the Patronus charm  "is a kind of positive force, and for the wizard who can conjure one, it works something like a shield, with the Dementor feeding on it, rather than him" (Harry Potter Wiki). Another use for the Patronus charm was developed by none other than Albus Dumbledore, who invented a way of using the Patronus to deliver messages.

So what about our Patronus? What kind of protection do we have from the dementors of life? What can protect us from the forces of Satan who like the dementors "seeks to make all miserable like unto himself" (2 Nephi 2:27)? God has given us a powerful source of protection and communication, and that is prayer.

 He councils us: "Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work." Prayer allows us to focus on the redeeming power of Christ that then shields us form the forces of Satan trying to break us down.

So next time you encounter a dementor along your path, Pray! You'll quickly find how much strength you have when you tap into the power God will give you to overcome temptation and adversity.  

God's Commandments...Are you playing hooky?

So have you ever wondered why the Mormons have so many rules? Or have you ever wondered why God has given us so many commandments? Well once again a timeless spongebob episode has the answer.

 In the episode "Hooky" SpongeBob learns of a "carnival" that has come to town and Patrick insists that he go with him. When they arrive SpongeBob remembers the warning of Mr. Krabs had given him to stay away from the dangerous hooks.

Placed by the fishermen above, the hooks with alluring baits seem fun and inviting offering harmless fun to those that want to take a ride. "I sense no danger here," says Patrick, "You just jump off before you get too high. " All of Mr. Krabs warnings were just rules meant to restrict their fun. It wasn't so bad. Patrick was doing it and he was safe. Why couldn't Mr Krabs just lighten up a bit and let them have some fun.

Today there are so many hooks in our water trying to catch us with their alluring baits and illusory pleasures. And those who are caught by those awful hooks are reeled away from the freedom and safety they had on the sea floor. God's commandments help us recognize and avoid Satan's hooks that try to ensnare us. When you know what can hurt you, you can easily avoid the pain. that's why God asks us to keep his commandments. He loves us enough to warn us of the terrible dangers in the waters of life, and how to swim safely through Satan's hooks.

Well unfortunately for Patrick at the end of the episode he couldn't let go of the hook in time and wound up vacuum sealed in a tuna can. So don't be a Patrick. Listen to God's commandments. Playing "hooky" may be fun at first, but you'll soon find yourself trapped in a vacuum sealed can of tuna