For today's Miracle Monday, we're re-publishing this story from the early days of the blog, Jan. 17, 2013. It's an out-of-body experience told by Sister Sylvia Curry.

I was in the living room of my home in Simi Valley, California, running the sweeper over the carpet, but my mind was troubled. I was thinking about several people who were going through a particularly difficult time. Their burdens were heavy on my heart because I loved them. I’d offered many times to help, but they’d refused. I cried silently to the Lord, “Father, you know that my heart wants to help, but they are just pushing me away. I’m so frustrated. Please help.”

We live in a society that prizes free, independent choice above almost all other things. This impulse to be in charge of our own lives, to choose what we feel is best for us, to ultimately do what we want ... it's powerful. 

I love to hike. The definition of hiking, according to dictionary.com, means "to walk or march a great distance, especially through rural areas, for pleasure, exercise, military training, or the like."

While visiting with family last weekend, a cousin told me I was crazy for enjoying hiking. She asked me what was the point of hiking since you don't actually go anywhere. A few days after that conversation, I went on a hike by myself. This hike didn't take me to the top of a mountain. Rather, it was an 8-mile loop through a variety of terrain, going down, then back up, then down, and ending with an incline. Because it's still early in the summer, everything is lush and green here, which will not last long. There were wildflowers starting to bloom. It was beautiful!

The difference between then and now:

• In 1939, some moviegoers reportedly ran out of theaters with their hands over their ears after viewing the movie “Gone With the Wind” and hearing the leading man say, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a d***." Today, it would seem laughable to have such a reaction to hearing that word, and we have in fact “advanced” to the point where there are no words that are off limits when it comes to entertainment, regardless of the venue.
• In 1960, people were afraid to take a shower after witnessing the brutal murder of the female star in the movie “Psycho.” Today, that scene is considered extremely tame; on-screen murders are now commonplace and are depicted in increasingly graphic ways.
• In 1997, the TV show “Ellen” ended its fourth season with the lead character coming out as a lesbian. The fifth season’s ratings were so poor that the show was cancelled. Today, it seems that virtually every TV series has a gay character and story line as well as some poor misguided oaf (or religious person) who needs to be straightened out.

Each of the above illustrates how people become desensitized over time. Something that is shocking or draws a strong emotional reaction today becomes less shocking and even commonplace as time passes and as we are exposed to it over and over again.

Have you ever driven behind a garbage truck and caught a whiff of what’s inside? How about on a hot, summer day while your windows are open?! Pretty gross, huh? I have been blessed with a heightened sense of smell. Sometimes, that’s a good thing. And other times, not so much.

If sin had a scent, don’t you think it would be pretty awful? It would be the most horrible, rotting smell imaginable ... like death. A smell that would leave such a lasting impression that we wouldn’t ever want to revisit it.

Today's military-themed Miracle Monday is an account of the late Brother Jim Alessio's experiences during WWII. The following is an edited version of a write-up he did for his grandson, Jared, who used it for a school project. Brother Jim was awarded the Purple Heart and Certificate of Merit for his service.

I was 18 years old when I was drafted in World War II. I was assigned to the medics and had 17 weeks of basic training in Texas where we learned much about administering first aid.

After basic training, I was sent to England where I was assigned to the 82nd airborne division, which consisted of paratroopers and glider infantry. I was assigned to the 325th glider infantry as a medic for an infantry platoon.

We here at the Gospel Blog are still thinking about Independence Day, and Romans 6:22 helps us better understand the concept of spiritual freedom.

In exchange for freedom from sin — and its eternal consequences — we become servants of God. The fruit (or reward) of our service? Holiness through Christ's cleansing blood and everlasting life in heaven.

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life,” Proverbs 4:23. As the treasure box of our soul, we find within our heart all the precious sentiments and beliefs we value and hold dear. Just as with the physical heart, the spiritual heart is vital to our growth and well-being. We must do all we can to keep it “with all diligence,” as spoken by Solomon through his God-given wisdom (1 Kings 3:12, 4:29-31). Yet, this diligence is only preserving if we fully understand God’s intent for how our heart is meant to function.

Jesus says, "For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil...” (Luke 6:44-45).

In Mosiah 11, Zeniff retires as king and names his son, Noah, as the new king. Unfortunately, Noah was nothing like his father:

• He did not keep the commandments of God.
• He had many wives and concubines.
• He was lazy and levied a 20 percent tax on the people to support his lavish lifestyle.
• He fired all the priests of his father and replaced them with men who were like him.

Under the leadership of King Noah, the people also became sinful. It got so bad that God sent a prophet to preach repentance to the king and his people, but the words fell on deaf ears, and they threatened to kill the prophet.

This article is Part 4 of Sister Michelle Watson's series "Dealing With Divine Delays," chronicling the lessons she learned during a time of infertility.

"You owe me an explanation!" Have you ever said this to someone else? I think we use the word "owe" because we feel like the information is somehow payment in exchange for whatever we lost in the scenario, whether we lost time because the other person was late or we lost confidence because the person lied.

I admit that, in the past, I felt like saying, "God, you owe me an explanation."

Today is the first of our military-and-service themed Miracle Mondays, and this one was submitted by California Highway Patrol officer Brother Mark Rabe.

During my typical graveyard shift as a patrolman, I was partnered up with my friend, Scott. It was a somewhat quiet night, and I got a routine call from my dispatch to go check for a road hazard on a rural mountain highway called Ortega Highway. Many Southern Californians know it as a very dangerous and fatal road. In fact, most of the fatal traffic collisions in our jurisdiction usually occur on this highway.

We hope you've enjoyed this past week of GMBA Camp posts! A huge thank you to Sister Linda Scolaro for bringing the spirit of the gathering to the Gospel Blog. 

Today, we leave you with the camp theme scripture, Matthew 18:11-14:

We continue to delve into the GMBA campout theme, "Are You IN?" Our Wednesday seminars focused on the subtopic: "All In." This topic is based on Mosiah 18:8:

"And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light."

We hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July yesterday! Today, we're continuing campiversary with more from GMBA Campout at Cal U of PA.

The topic for Tuesday's camp seminars was "In the Fold." This topic is based on the parable of the lost sheep that were found in Luke 15:4-7. Verse 4 states, "What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?"

Everyone here at the Gospel Blog wishes you a very happy Fourth of July! We hope you have a blessed day celebrating the liberty we enjoy in the U.S.