Wishing you a very happy July 4 from all of us here at the Gospel Blog!

We're posting today's Good Word, Alma 46:12, in anticipation of a wonderful holiday weekend celebrating the freedom we enjoy in this country.

Here's something to think about, though — will we always enjoy this level of religious freedom in the future? Can you think of ways in which religious freedoms are coming — or have come — under attack in the U.S.? Let's pray that God moves His hand so that we can continue enjoying our liberties — and maintain godly standards of righteousness in our nation.

When I was young, a big priority in the United States was the quest to explore outer space. I am old enough to remember when men first walked on the moon. At the time, there was talk about eventually putting together an expedition to travel to Mars and perhaps even other planets at some point.

Around this time, I heard someone suggest that we should organize a trip to the sun. "How ridiculous," we said. You couldn't possibly come anywhere near the sun without burning up. But wait, this person had it all figured out — we can go there at night!

Today's Blogger's Choice is from Brother Rich Nath. He chose "Straight and Narrow — But Not Always Flat," originally published on June 6, 2012.

He says, "I chose this article because the vision of the straight and narrow is one of my favorite stories in scripture. Plus, it reminds me of how I got to one of, if not the worst, times of my life and how God brought me up and over the mountain. Life is full of hills and valleys, but no matter what, Jesus Christ is always there to guide me along the way."

I've heard the story of the straight and narrow path many times (1 Nephi 8), whether it be during sermons, classes, seminars, or reading the chapter myself. Lehi describes a dream where he saw the Tree of Life and a straight and narrow path leading to it. A rod of iron was seen next to the path, acting as a guide to those walking along.

Lehi said that when a mist of darkness came over the path, only those clinging to the rod of iron were able to press forward and make it to the Tree of Life. The others, who did not hold on to the rod, wandered off the path and were lost.

You may notice we say "brother and sister" 'round here
It's because we're a family and these folks are so near
When one has a heart ache, we all shed a tear
And rejoice in each victory in this family so dear

I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God
I've been washed in the fountain cleansed by his blood
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod
For I'm part of a family — the family of God!

Today, we're wrapping up the month with two beautiful anointing-related testimonies.

Submitted by Sister Rosanne Champine

In 2011, I discovered — and my doctor confirmed — a large tumor in my body. I was facing further tests, which caused me great concern. On a Sunday morning, I went before the ministry of the branch to be anointed. That day, a sister shared the following vision:

Do you feel convicted by today's Good Word? Society is constantly calling us to compromise our integrity, to choose what's easy and convenient over what's right. Stand firm in God's word! Send us your favorite scripture, and we'll turn it into a share-worthy graphic like this one.

One of the hardest things I discovered about parenting is that saying "No" to your child is no small, easy task, especially as they get older.

I guess one of the inevitabilities of parenthood is that, at some point, your children begin uttering phrases like "It's not fair," "I never get to have any fun," and "You never let me..."

A parent's reasons for saying no can range from "You're too young" to "It's not appropriate for you." It may be an act of discipline, not the right "season" in the child's life, or a simple lesson in patience — that a child must wait for or earn a desired thing.

Today's Blogger's Choice is from Sister Stefanie. She chose "Casting Out Demons," originally published on July 31, 2013.

She says, "It's my favorite because it was the most powerful experience I've ever had. I had been struggling with it for weeks, and I had asked to be anointed because I wasn't feeling well, not for the issue — and God knew what I needed even when I didn't think to ask."

"...the voice of the Lord came unto me, saying: Arise, and get thee into the mountain. And it came to pass that I arose and went up into the mountain, and cried unto the Lord." (1 Nephi 17:7)

"Nephi, get up and go up." That was the Lord's command after eight-plus years into his wilderness journey. No doubt, God had some big news to share. We read of His great plan for Nephi to build a ship, that curious workmanship which would inevitably carry him and his family across the depths of the untamed sea to the promise land. Notwithstanding how pivotal that moment was, God had never called Nephi up the mountain before. God required something more, and this encounter helps us learn an important lesson — how our relationship with God must grow.

Consider Nephi's journey up to this point. His entire expedition had been one continual cycle of faith building. It was a daily "wash, rinse, repeat" of facing trials, enduring persecution, and receiving God's deliverance. Through it all, God communed with Nephi.

Today, we're bringing you two Miracle Monday experiences that display the power of anointing. Enjoy!

Submitted by Brother Fred Bartuccio

As a young boy of about 8 or 9 years old, I used to get tonsillitis very often, so much so that I was scheduled for surgery. The surgery date had been set and canceled a few times because every time it was set, my tonsils would become infected, and they couldn't proceed.

Can today's Good Word be any more encouraging? We hope it brings you joy that carries you through the weekend. Send us your favorite scripture, and we'll turn it into a sharable graphic that you can like, tweet, pin, or post.

Calling all brainy brothers and smarty-pants sisters. Test your memory with another fun game of Guess Who. Look for answers in the Bible and the Book of Mormon.

1. I didn't have a good reputation among my peers because people who worked in my profession were looked at as the lowest of the low. But one day, the Master saw something different in me. He said, "Follow me." That's all I needed to hear, and I left the old life behind for my new life with Him.

Today's Blogger's Choice article is from Sister Vicki Ali. She chose "Little Goalie," originally published on May 21, 2013, although "Heat of Battle" from Nov. 6, 2013 came in a close second.

She says, "I liked the 'Little Goalie' article because I always see so many spiritual lessons in sports and coaching."

I recently discovered that with my Amazon Prime account I can watch SpongeBob for free. This came at a time when I was very stressed at the end of my college semester because, not only did I have to prepare for all of my finals, but, as part of my job, I needed to ensure that several other students also passed their finals.

The coincidence of these events led me to develop a strange daily routine where I spent any moment of free time watching SpongeBob SquarePants.