Jet Mariano

Tag: Faith in Action

  • MIT8 – The Thief of Hope

    Not every battle is visible. But every choice to keep hope alive matters more than we realize.

    EXCERPT

    Hope is not lost in a single moment.
    It is stolen quietly, one small lie at a time.

    INTRO

    Scripture teaches that the adversary does not simply oppose us. He seeks to strip us of joy, confidence, and hope itself. Lehi warned that the devil works tirelessly to rob us of our agency and lead us toward misery. Nephi later added that these efforts are rarely loud or obvious. They are subtle. Gradual. Easy to overlook if we are not watchful.

    That pattern explains why discouragement so often feels heavier than temptation. The enemy’s goal is not only to make us stumble, but to convince us that getting back up is pointless.

    Yet the scriptures also give us a clear pattern for resistance.

    After Moses had seen God and spoken with Him, he found himself suddenly alone and physically weak. In that vulnerable moment, Satan appeared and demanded worship. The timing was no accident. Weakness is when doubt feels loudest.

    But Moses was not confused. He did not argue. He did not panic. He anchored himself in truth.

    He remembered who he was.

    NOTES FROM THE SCRIPTURES

    Moses’ encounter with Satan teaches us that temptation often comes after spiritual strength. When the vision ended, Moses was left exhausted. That is when Satan approached him, trying to blur the line between creator and pretender.

    But Moses did not measure himself by his weakness. He measured himself by his identity.

    He stood on three unshakable principles.

    First, he remembered that he was a son of God.
    Second, he refused to stop resisting when temptation persisted.
    Third, he relied fully on the power of Jesus Christ.

    Each step brought greater strength until Satan’s influence finally broke.

    The pattern is clear.
    Identity anchors us.
    Persistence strengthens us.
    The Savior delivers us.

    PERSPECTIVE (DIRECT QUOTES)

    Scripture

    “I have a work for thee, Moses, my son.”
    Moses 1:6

    “Moses, son of man, worship me.”
    Moses 1:12

    “Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God.”
    Moses 1:13

    “Get thee hence, Satan; deceive me not.”
    Moses 1:16

    “Depart hence, Satan.”
    Moses 1:18

    “In the name of the Only Begotten, depart hence, Satan.”
    Moses 1:21

    “Satan cried with a loud voice, with weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth; and he departed hence.”
    Moses 1:22

    Sister Tamara W. Runia

    “Satan is the thief of hope.”

    “Your Repentance Doesn’t Burden Jesus Christ; It Brightens His Joy,” April 2025 General Conference

    PRACTICE (TODAY, NOT SOMEDAY)

    Today, I will resist temptation by choosing three simple acts of faith.

    I will remember who I am.
    A child of God, not defined by weakness, but by divine heritage.

    I will be persistent.
    I will not give up just because temptation returns. I will stand again, and again, and again.

    I will rely on Jesus Christ.
    Not only in moments of crisis, but in every quiet struggle where hope feels fragile.

    FINAL REFLECTION

    Satan rarely begins by asking us to abandon faith.
    He begins by whispering that faith is not working.

    He steals hope before he steals obedience.
    He drains courage before he attacks conviction.

    But Moses shows us a better way.

    Hope is protected when we know who we are.
    Strength grows when we keep standing.
    Victory comes when we trust in the Savior’s power instead of our own.

    POCKET I’M KEEPING

    Hope is not something I lose.
    It is something I must protect.

    WHAT I HEAR NOW

    “Satan is the thief of hope.”

    But Jesus Christ is the Giver of strength.
    And with Him, hope can never truly be stolen.

    © 2012–2025 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT8 – “I Have a Work for Thee”

    Snow resting on the Oquirrh Mountain Temple this morning, a quiet reminder that even in the coldest seasons, God is still building something holy in us.

    EXCERPT

    God does not just see who we are.
    He sees what we can become — and invites us to help Him get there.

    INTRO

    Most of us want to feel valued, not just noticed, but trusted. We want to know that our lives matter beyond our own circle, that what we do makes a real difference.

    One of the quiet truths of the gospel is that God increases our sense of worth by inviting us to participate in His work. He does not simply affirm who we are. He assigns us something meaningful to do.

    When the Lord spoke to Moses, He first declared, “Thou art my son.” Then He added an invitation that changed everything: “I have a work for thee.” In that moment, identity became purpose.

    The same pattern appears again and again in scripture. Abraham learned that he had been chosen before he was born. Alma taught that many were prepared from the foundation of the world to help others enter God’s rest. These were not random callings. They were expressions of divine confidence.

    Not everyone receives a visible role like Moses or Abraham. Most of us are called in quieter ways. Still, the principle is the same. Whether the work feels large or small, every invitation to serve is God saying, I trust you. I need you. You matter in My plan.

    NOTES FROM THE SCRIPTURES

    Throughout scripture, God affirms worth and then invites action.

    Moses learned he was a son of God before being sent to liberate a nation.
    Abraham learned he was chosen before being entrusted with leadership.
    Alma taught that many were prepared long before they were ever called.

    The pattern is consistent.
    Calling follows confidence.
    Service follows identity.

    Even Amulek, who described himself as being “called many times,” shows us that repeated, simple invitations can be just as sacred as dramatic ones.

    PERSPECTIVE (DIRECT QUOTES)

    Scripture

    “I have a work for thee, Moses, my son.”
    Moses 1:6

    “Thou wast chosen before thou wast born.”
    Abraham 3:23

    “They were called and prepared from the foundation of the world.”
    Alma 13:3

    President Spencer W. Kimball

    God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom. … So often, our acts of service consist of simple encouragement or of giving mundane help with mundane tasks, but what glorious consequences can flow from mundane acts and from small but deliberate deeds!

    “Small Acts of Service,” Ensign, December 1974

    President Thomas S. Monson

    I experienced … as I have many times before, a sense of gratitude that my Heavenly Father had answered another person’s prayer through me.

    “The Priesthood—a Sacred Gift,” April 2007 General Conference

    PRACTICE (TODAY, NOT SOMEDAY)

    Today, I will look for the ways God is calling me to serve.

    Not only in the obvious moments, but in the quiet ones.
    In a kind word.
    In a listening ear.
    In a simple act that no one else may notice.

    I will recognize these invitations for what they truly are.
    Not interruptions.
    Not obligations.
    But expressions of trust.

    Each small call is a reminder that God believes in me.
    That He sees my potential.
    That He trusts my ability to bless others right now.

    FINAL REFLECTION

    Some people are asked to lead nations.
    Others are asked to lift one soul at a time.

    Both are sacred.

    God’s work does not move forward only through grand moments. It advances through countless quiet acts of faith, done by ordinary people who accept divine invitations.

    To be given work in God’s kingdom is not a burden.
    It is a gift.
    A sign of confidence from heaven.

    POCKET I’M KEEPING

    When God gives me something to do, He is not testing me.
    He is trusting me.

    WHAT I HEAR NOW

    “I have a work for thee.”

    Not just for prophets.
    Not just for leaders.
    But for me.
    Today.

    © 2012–2025 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT8 – A New Beginning Every Day

    A quiet morning at the Los Angeles Temple, where light meets stillness and reminds me that every day with Jesus Christ is a new beginning.

    EXCERPT

    A new year does not begin because the calendar changes.
    It begins because Jesus Christ makes change possible, again and again.

    INTRO

    January always feels like a threshold, but this year feels different. I am not stepping into 2026 only with goals, but with a deeper awareness of how much I still need the grace of new beginnings.

    On a personal level, I began something in late December that has already humbled me. I enrolled in boxing training and quickly learned the truth of a saying I once heard, “Everyone can fight, but not everyone can box.” Since December 23, I have trained six days a week, three hours a day, discovering that boxing is not about force, but fundamentals. Footwork. Head movement. Timing. Discipline. Skills, technique, and speed matter more than power.

    Watching the greats only deepened that lesson. Manny Pacquiao, an eight-division world champion, did not become legendary by relying on strength alone, but by mastering movement, adaptability, and relentless discipline. His career is proof that greatness is built on fundamentals refined over time.

    The same principle echoes in Bruce Lee’s timeless words, “Be water, my friend.” To be adaptable. Formless. Fluid. To empty the mind and adjust to whatever shape life requires. Water flows around obstacles, yet can also crash through them when needed. That image has stayed with me in training. Every session feels like learning how to move with life rather than against it.

    Professionally, 2026 brings its own kind of discipline. Major work lies ahead. Domain transitions. Intune migrations. Expanding responsibilities in Azure that will demand precision, patience, and steady endurance. These are not quick victories. They require humility, adaptability, and the willingness to begin again when plans change.

    As I reflected on these personal and professional goals, Elder Patrick Kearon’s message from General Conference settled deeply in my heart. His words felt like the spiritual parallel to everything I was learning in the gym and at work.

    “All of us can have a new beginning through, and because of, Jesus Christ. Even you.”

    In that moment, I saw the connection clearly.
    Boxing teaches me to move with discipline.
    Work teaches me to adapt with patience.
    But the Savior teaches me something far greater.

    No matter how many times I stumble, hesitate, or feel behind, through Jesus Christ I am never out of beginnings. This year is not just about improvement. It is about remembering that in every arena of life, spiritual and temporal, I am allowed to start again.

    NOTES FROM ELDER PATRICK KEARON

    Elder Kearon reminded us that when Jesus walked among the people, He did more than perform miracles. He restored hope. He reached those society avoided. He touched the diseased and comforted the weary. He taught liberating truth and called sinners to repentance.

    To the blind, the lame, the grieving, the ashamed, and the broken in spirit, what the Savior offered was not simply relief from pain. He offered a new beginning.

    Not once.
    Not rarely.
    But as often as needed.

    Elder Kearon taught that baptism is not our only chance to start again. Through weekly sacrament and daily repentance, we are invited into continual renewal. This is not a church of one-time forgiveness. This is the Church of new beginnings.

    PERSPECTIVE (DIRECT QUOTES)

    “All of us can have a new beginning through, and because of, Jesus Christ. Even you.”

    “With baptism by water and the Spirit, we are born again and can walk in newness of life.”

    “These new beginnings can happen every day.”

    “Jesus gives us as many new beginnings as we need.”

    PRACTICE (TODAY, NOT SOMEDAY)

    Today’s practice is choosing renewal over regret.

    It is stepping into the gym again, even when yesterday felt like failure.
    It is opening the laptop again, even when yesterday felt overwhelming.
    It is kneeling in prayer again, even when yesterday felt heavy.

    Faith is not demanding perfect conditions.
    Faith is trusting the Savior who makes imperfect beginnings holy.

    Repentance is not fear.
    It is hope in motion.

    FINAL REFLECTION

    The Savior never gave up on His mission, even when the cost was suffering beyond measure. He endured so that I would never run out of beginnings.

    Not just at baptism.
    Not just at major turning points.
    But every ordinary day when I choose to stand up again.

    That is what faithful endurance looks like.
    Not perfection.
    But persistence with God.

    POCKET I’M KEEPING

    I do not have to wait for a perfect moment to change.
    I only need to choose to begin again, today.

    WHAT I HEAR NOW

    “All of us can have a new beginning through, and because of, Jesus Christ. Even you.”

    “This is the Church of new beginnings.”

    “Jesus gives us as many new beginnings as we need.”

    Link To The Talk

    https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2025/10/31kearon?lang=eng

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    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • “What Have I Done for Someone Today?”

    Captured outside the Mount Timpanogos Temple during peak fall—standing in stillness after a long day, I waited for the sky to open and remind me that light always returns.

    Excerpt

    Autumn reminds me that service is like the seasons—quiet, constant renewal. Even when we’re tired or uncertain, giving of ourselves brings color back to the soul.

    Intro

    This week felt like an uphill climb. Long nights, long thoughts. I could barely rest, yet something inside me refused to quit. I realized once again that when you love what you do—when your work serves a purpose beyond yourself—fatigue fades behind fulfillment.

    Years ago, in another IT assignment, I worked through the night restoring a critical system. No one saw the hours or the quiet prayers between reboots, but the satisfaction came from knowing others could keep working because I did not stop. That same quiet joy has followed me ever since. It’s the joy of standing up, of helping, of serving—whether the task is big or small.

    Notes from President Monson

    “Unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives.”

    “Man’s greatest happiness comes from losing himself for the good of others.”

    “At baptism we covenanted to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light.”

    “How many times has your heart been touched as you have witnessed the need of another? How often have you intended to be the one to help—and yet life’s busyness interfered?”

    Perspective

    President Monson’s words reached deep this week. I saw how easy it is to get lost in endless to-dos, alerts, and deadlines—the “thick of thin things.” Service, however, brings focus. When I choose to help, I find peace. When I act, I feel alive again. The Savior’s example is the ultimate model of losing oneself in love and lifting others quietly, consistently, and completely.

    Practice

    Today, not someday, I can serve—by listening more, forgiving faster, and stepping forward even when tired. True discipleship isn’t about grand gestures; it’s in the small, unseen moments where compassion overrides convenience.

    Final Reflection

    Each time I walk past the temple, I’m reminded: service sanctifies. The light that falls upon its walls is the same light that can fill our hearts when we give of ourselves freely. The world doesn’t need our perfection—it needs our presence.

    Pocket I’m Keeping

    When I help someone quietly, heaven notices loudly.

    What I Hear Now

    “We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives… too often we spend most of our time taking care of the things which do not really matter much at all in the grand scheme of things.”

    Link to the Talk

    What Have I Done for Someone Today — President Thomas S. Monson (October 2009 General Conference)

    © 2012–2025 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • Called To Serve

    Called to serve.” Elder Mariano’s missionary tag resting on well-used scriptures—belief becoming deeds. 📖

    Intro

    I’ve been looping Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s “Called to Serve.” Two voices keep converging: King Benjamin’s charge, “If you believe all these things, see that ye do them” (Mosiah 4:10), and Elder Maxwell’s reminder that **deeds, not words—and becoming, not describing—**define discipleship. Mere assent without application is like hearing a lecture but skipping the lab. The audit is personal: Am I taking the field trip with the Savior, or just acing the lecture?

    Final Reflection

    “One mistake we can make… is to value knowledge apart from the other qualities to be developed in submissive discipleship… Being knowledgeable, by itself… is not enough… It’s like being briefed on a field trip but never taking the field trip.” And then the piercing question: “Are we steadily becoming what gospel doctrines are designed to help us become? Or are we… rich inheritors… but poor investors…?” —Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Called to Serve (BYU, Mar 27, 1994)

    Elder Maxwell won’t let truth stop at the ears. Doctrine is meant to develop us—into merciful, meek, patient disciples. King Benjamin removes the wiggle room: if we believe, we do (Mosiah 4:10). Knowledge informs; obedience transforms. The treasure we’ve inherited only yields a return when we invest it in daily, quiet, consecrated doing.

    Elder Maxwell says our “defining moments” rarely stand alone; they’re preceded by small, subtle preparatory moments and followed by many smaller moments shaped by them. His Okinawa story (age 18) shows how a single spared moment led to a lifetime pledge—and then came years of quiet confirmations: the Lord’s short, crisp promptings (often “more instructions than explanations”), the urgent nudge to “write the letter now,” and the painter’s metaphor—countless brushstrokes that outsiders may not value, but God is “in the details.” Put beside King Benjamin’s charge, the pattern is clear: belief ripens into decisive, timely doing. Knowledge informs; obedience transforms. Defining moments are built, one obedient brushstroke at a time.

    What I hear now

    • My past can shape me, but it will not script me.
    • Charity tells the truth and sets kind boundaries.
    • Don’t just know the gospel—become it.
    • Belief proves itself by doing (Mosiah 4:10).
    • Trade admiration for application—put today’s light on today’s altar.
    • Measure growth by Christlike traits formed, not facts recalled.
    • Keep taking the “field trips” of faith—show up, serve, endure cheerfully.

    © 2012–2025 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

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