Teaching Choral Concepts

Review

     Keep the Spirit! is a book for making good lives better. Its a life-changing book, one of the best around. Though written especially for recently returned missionaries, its principles apply to every one who is seeking the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. 

Keep the Spirit! is a fun book to read. It's filled with anecdotes that lend meaning to the points the author is presenting. He writes with humor, sharing his experiences as a student and as a professional manufacturer of fireworks. He sometimes paraphrases the scriptures, making them come alive with added meanings. 

Keep the Spirit! focuses on overcoming the habits and attitudes that rob us of spirituality. The author speaks of overcoming the big bad wolf of self doubt and of conquering the three 'lil pigs of self-indulgence: slothfulness, lasciviousness and sarcasm. He teaches how to build a barricade in our mind to keep out improper thoughts. He stresses the need for work and teaches that we need to work hard, work smart and work tough. He teaches us how to prime ourselves to start our days right, using the five golden rings: arising early; searching the scriptures; counseling with the Lord; pondering; planning and evaluating, and making commitments. 

Keep the Spirit! teaches us to come unto Christ and to repent continually, to draw continual guidance from the Book of Mormon, to be clean and to honor the Sabbath. The author emphasizes the importance of attending the two t's: the temple and the 'tute. He teaches that we need to avoid spiritual cruise control. 

Keep the Spirit! shows how to invite Spirit-filled direction into our lives by writing our commitments to things we will and will not do: our Provident Promises. The author shows how to catch the vision of our life's mission by writing a Mission-Vision Statement, and he teaches how to choose and record our personal values by writing our own personal Constitution. 

Keep the Spirit!, then, deals with the essentials of righteous living, encouraging us to perform the basic tasks and make the essential decisions that will allow us to be in tune with divine guidance and live a Spirit-filled life. Its a book that Latter-day Saints and Christians everywhere should read. It can change our lives for good! 

Table of Contents

1. Introduction, 7

2. Defeat Self-Doubt
The Big Bad Wolf, 11

3. Conquer Self-Indulgence
The Three Lil' Pigs, 14

4. Control Your Thoughts
Beyond the Barricades, 17

5. Repent Continually
Come Unto Christ First, 26

6. Search the Book of Mormon
The Keystone of Your Religion, 32

7. Be Clean
Live in the "Real" World, Not the "Reel" World, 37

8. Honor the Sabbath
The Key Day to a Successful Week, 43

9. Attend the Two T's
The Temple and the 'Tute, 48
10. Work Hard, Work Smart, Work Tough
Work Is a Spiritual Necessity, 51

11. Prime Yourself to Start the Day Right
Five Golden Rings, 57

12. Write Your Own White Bible
The Four P's, 62

13. Make Provident Promises
Your Own Declaration of Independence, 66

14. Catch the Vision of Your Mission
Write a Mission-Vision Statement, 75

15. Choose and Record Your Values
Write Your Own Constitution, 96

16. Avoid Spiritual Cruise Control
Conclusion, 103
Endnotes, 113
Index, 121
About the Author, 127

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