The Art of Becoming

So many people struggle with feelings of inadequicy or self-doubt. Many wonder why we have to go through great personal struggles in this life. We are here on earth to learn, grow, and hone the attributes that we naturally have as children of God. Our Heavenly Father knew that we would need some help along the way to be able to do that, so he gave us an example to follow. That example is Jesus Christ. As we follow his life and teachings, we are able to become more and more like God, because that is who Christ exemplafied.

When we read the scriptures, we are told several times to "be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Mark 5:48). I have known so many people, including myself, who see that as a commandment to be exactly right in everything every single time. After trying to do that, you quickly become discouraged and disapointed in yourself when you make mistakes. Our expectations we've placed on ourselves is unrealistic, because we are looking at the commandment to be perfect the way the world looks at perfection.

In the world, perfection is a constant push. Perfect hair, perfect bodies, perfect language, perfect everything. Nothing out of place. The world tries to say that if everything about us isn't just so, then we aren't good enough. In an article written for the July 2014 Ensign, we read that,

"The word perfection, however, is sometimes misunderstood to mean never making a mistake. Perhaps you or someone you know is trying hard to be perfect in this way. Because such perfection always seems out of reach, even our best efforts can leave us anxious, discouraged, or exhausted. We unsuccessfully try to control our circumstances and the people around us. We fret over weaknesses and mistakes. In fact, the harder we try, the further we may feel from the perfection we seek."

(https://www.lds.org/ensign/2014/07/young-adults/becoming-perfect-in-christ?lang=eng)

This is exactly how Satan, the father of all lies wants us to feel. The more anxious we become about something, the harder it is to listen to the gentle whisperings of the Holy Ghost. We can't listen to the Holy Ghost testify to us of the Savior's love when we allow ourselves to become consumed in our imperfections. Satan wants us to forget our divine potential by reminding us of our shortcomings. Those thoughts and feelings do not come from our Heavenly Father! From the same article, we learn that,

"Fully accepting our Savior’s Atonement can increase our faith and give us courage to let go of constraining expectations that we are somehow required to be or to make things perfect. Black-and-white thinking says everything is either absolutely perfect or hopelessly flawed. But we can gratefully accept, as God’s sons and daughters, that we are His greatest handiwork, even though we are still a work in progress. As we understand our Savior’s freely given atoning love, we cease fearing that He may be a harsh, faultfinding judge. Instead, we feel assurance, “for God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved”. And we understand that time and process are needed for growth"

In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Moroni speaks powerfully of imperfections, and why we have them in this life.

"Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been."

(Mormon 9: 41, pg. 487)

We should not judge or put down others because they aren't "perfect", and we certainly should not do the same thing to ourselves. In this life, we are given weaknesses so that we can learn and become stronger. All these things work for our good in one way or another, when we allow it to. As we sincerly desire in our hearts to follow the Savior, do all we can to show that desire, and measure our success by that desire, we will be freed from the bonds that worldly perfections create within us. We will be happier and healthier as we relieve ourselves of that stress. I testify that God loves you just the way you are, flaws and all. All He asks is that we follow Him to the best of our ability to become a better version of ourselves. Let us all have more patience with ourselves, and learn to "recognize that being busy is not the same as being worthy, and being worthy does not require perfection."

The Universal Answer.

One of my companions used to tell me all the time that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the universal answer to individual problems. As I have been out on a mission, I have seen a lot of problems. So many people with so many worries, and many of them really are troubling concerns. However, I have not found a problem that the Gospel of Jesus Christ cannot answer. All of the things that we struggle with on a daily basis can be answered within the gospel; having faith in Christ, changing through repentance, making covenants through baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, enduring to the end.

Faith- When we have faith in Jesus Christ, we trust him and rely on Him. That trust becomes an anchor for us when we struggle through hard times or unstable situations. He is always constant! We come to know with a surety that he is the Son of God. Like Elder Stanley G. Ellis has said, we too can trust in the fact that,

"Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer, who through the Atonement made it certain we will overcome death and live again and possible for us to be exalted and have eternal life..we are not spiritual orphans! We are not alone."

(https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/thelords-way?lang=eng)

Repentance- As we learn to have greater faith in Jesus Christ, our desire to more like him will grow. Things in our lives must change in order for us to do that. The way that we do that is by repenting, or changing our lives to be more in line with the will or God. The more we change our lives to reflect the example of Christ, the happier we are. In the Book of Mormon, we learn over and over that wickedness is not happiness. By changing our lives to be more in line with God, we receive true personal peace and happiness. No matter what goes on, we know that we are right in God's eyes because we are striving to become who God knows we can be, and we are doing it to the best of our ability.

Baptism- Repenting leaves us with a greater desire to do what the Savior taught by example. There are so many blessings that come to us as we follow Christ! One of those blessings is baptism by the proper authority of God. Baptism is an essencial ordinance. In Matthew, we read,

"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him...And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

(Matthew 3: 13-17)

When we are baptized, we make promises (also known as covenants) with God. God has always required His children to make covenants with Him. We promise to be obediant, and our Heavenly Father promises to bless us. With baptism, we promise God that we will stand as a witness of Christ, and Heavenly Father promises to pour his Spirit out on us!

The gift of the Holy Ghost- Just as we read in Matthew's account, God kept his promise of his Spirit when Christ was baptized. It is no different for us! In order for baptism to be complete, we must recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. When we recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost, he stays with us as long as we remain worthy of it. They Holy Ghost will be there to comfort us and to affirm of God's love for us. He will help us to remember things that we have learned before. One of my favorite verses of scripture from the Bible come from Christ as he dines with his diciples during the Passover.

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

(John 14:26-27)

Having the promise of the Holy Ghost as my constant companion has been such a blessing in my life. No matter what I go through, I know that because of Christ's promise, I will never be alone through anything. I know of a surety that my Heavenly Father has never broken a promise, and I take heart in knowing that I can recieve peace, comfort, and council from a member of the Godhead as I live righteously.

Endure to the end- Armed with all the tools of the gospel of Christ, we have the ability to make it through this life with confidence. We continuely strengthen our faith and trust in Christ, and excersice that by changing our natures through repentance. Because we can only be baptized once, we renew our covenants and are cleaned each week by taking the sacrament. With that, we have the companionship of the Holy Ghost with us as a guide and protector. Lives built upon the gospel of Jesus Christ not only have the ability to endure, but to prevail!

I promise that every trial or problem that we face in this life can be overcome as we rely on the Savior and his teachings. I have learned for myself that going through hard times by myself cannot work. We can't do this without Jesus Christ. Is there anything too hard for the Lord? Applying his teachings to our life will bring you closer to him, and closer to the person that God knows you can be. The gospel truly is the universal answer to individual problems!

Because Of Him!

I love how being on a mission changes the way that you look at everything. Holidays like Easter have never meant as much to me as it does now. I knew before that Easter is about Christ, but now I finally understand why it is so important to me personally. If it were not for Jesus Christ, there would be nothing. I want to share just a few things with you that the coming of Christ has done for you, whether you fully realize them now or not.

You can change. 
Imagine just for a few moments, the kind of person that you are right now. All of your flaws, imperfections, and faults. If it had not been for Jesus Christ, there would be no ability to overcome any of those things. You would not be able to change. I don't know about you, but I would not be content to just stay the same way that I am right now. Because of the atonement of Christ, you have the ability to repent and become better. Because he has already paid the price for our sins, mistakes, and faults, you are able to find merciful forgiveness and divine help to be the person God sees that you can be. He doesn't look at you in terms of now, but in terms of forever. Because of Him, you and I can be better tomorrow than we were today, and continue on the joyful road of progression.

You can conquer death. I echo the modern day prophet, Thomas S. Monson, in saying that, 

"No words in Christendom mean more to me than those spoken by the angel to the weeping Mary Magdalene and the other Mary when, on the first day of the week, they approached the tomb to care for the body of their Lord. Spoke the angel: “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.”  Our Savior lived again. The most glorious, comforting, and reassuring of all events of human history had taken place—the victory over death. The pain and agony of Gethsemane and Calvary had been wiped away. The salvation of mankind had been secured. The Fall of Adam had been reclaimed. The empty tomb that first Easter morning was the answer to Job’s question, “If a man die, shall he live again?” To all within the sound of my voice, I declare, If a man die, he shall live again."

(https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/he-is-risen?lang=eng&query=he+is+not+here)

Not only did Christ pay for your sins, but because He lives, all of us will live again. Death is not the end of anything. He was and is the literal Son of God, and because of the divine attributes he inherited from his Father, he could take his life back up again. He himself declared that,

"Therefore doth my Father  love me, because I lay down my life, that I might  take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."
(John 10: 17-18)

I testify of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the eventual resurrection of all that have and will ever live. Death is not a close, but an opening; it is a step closer to coming back to our true home in heaven. I bear witness that he is the Savior of the world and the Redeemer of mankind. Because of Him, endings are not our destiny. They never were! I have found such peace in knowing that Christ paved the way for each of us to return back to the presence of our Heavenly Father. I know that "in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8: 37)

Please check out this website to see more ways that Jesus Christ has blessed your life!

http://easter.mormon.org/

"...That I Might Heal You..."

I've been feeling lately that I needed to share some of my thoughts on the Atonement of Jesus Christ here on my blog for a week or two now. Hopefully, someone who is feeling overwhelmed by the trials that come with life, be they self-inflicted or not, will find some peace and comfort from knowing about the Savior's mission. I don't know who exactly needs to read this, but I feel very strongly that one of you does. I've just been struggling with how to word how precious and important the atonement is to me, and  for each of us. I have gone through some pretty big struggles in my own life, but I have come to learn that I have never done any of them alone. Never. And neither are you.

In the Book of Mormon, Christ told the people of the America's that,

"Behold I have given unto my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you- that I came into the world to do the will of my Father...and my Father sent me that I might be lifted upon the cross...that I might draw all men unto me..."

(3 Nephi 27: 13-14, pg. 459)

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He came to do what our Heavenly Father wanted Him to do- save us. That was done through the atonement. The atonement started in His agonizing suffering Gethsemane, continued through His tragic journey to the cross, and concluded with His triumph over the captivation of death. Again, from The Book of Mormon, we read,

"And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than a man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish...And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning..."

(Mosiah 3: 7-8, pg. 152)

Doesn't that sound like another verse that has carried it's way into our hearts through the spirit of Christmas?

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

(Isaiah 9: 6)

  

It was through those experiences that Christ, who had been perfect His whole life, felt exactly what we have felt. There is no pain He has not taken, no sickness He has not felt, no unfair act He has not conquered. Why would He do that? Why would this perfect man, who had never done anything in His life to wrong another, or spoken out against any of the wrongs that stood against Him...why would He do that? Gordon B. Hinckley, a prophet of God, has said,

"He has done for us what we could not do for ourselves. He has brought meaning to our mortal existence. He has given us the gift of eternal life. He was and is the Son of God..."

(A Testimony of the Son of God, December 2002 Ensign)

If I had to give a simple, one word response to why Jesus Christ went through what He did for us, I would say love. The love that Christ as our brother has for us was greater than the pains that he went through. If he did not love us, and if God did not love us, than Christ would not have gone through with a plan that would bring him inexpressible suffering. The love that He has for you had to be greater than the pain.

I testify that God loves us. I know because of Jesus Christ and his vicarious act of love in our behalf. God is love, and the atonement proves that over and over again. Because of it, we are able to truly go home. We can be forgiven of the things we do wrong, and the merciful act of forgiveness is one of the single greatest things that we can experience in this life. On the other hand, anything that is unfair in our lives can be made right through the atonement of Christ. If you are doing things now that are distancing you from your Heavenly Father, stop it right now. If you are in any pain of any kind, turn to Christ. Come back to him, and allow Him to be a part of your life. Come back to Him, and let him show you His love and forgiveness. Christ posed the question so well when he said,

"...will ye not return unto me, and repent of your sins and be converted, that I may heal you?"

(3 Nephi 11: 13, pg 425)

He wants to heal us so badly. Will we not allow him to? If we make the choice to come back and find solace in His love, we will be able to conquer literally anything. We will not only endure through this life, but we will prevail. My prayer is that each of us will make the effort to come unto Christ, and partake of the blessings that are ours through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Come Listen To A Prophet's Voice!

In the words of my mother (and a movie that will remain nameless)- "The time has come, the walrus said, to talk of many things! Like [prophets], [conference], and all those other things!"

Every six months, God's living prophets and apostles speak to His church. This has been known as General Conference. In giving a background to the history of church conferences, Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve has said,

"Conferences have always been part of the true Church of Jesus Christ. Adam gathered his posterity and prophesied of things to come. Moses gathered the children of Israel and taught them the commandments he had received. The Savior taught multitudes gathered both in the Holy Land and on the American continent. Peter gathered believers in Jerusalem. The first general conference in these latter days was convened just two months after the Church was organized, and conferences have continued to this very day."

(https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/general-conference-strengthening-faith-and-testimony?lang=eng&query=)

So, what do we talk about that takes us two days, and four sessions? There is a lot that we come to learn! Just as in times of old, these men have been called to be a witness of the glory of Chirst, and to teach us what our Heavenly Father needs us to know at this time. From the same talk, Elder Hales explains how the speakers figure out what to say.

"These conferences are always under the direction of the Lord, guided by His Spirit. We are not assigned specific topics. Over weeks and months, often through sleepless nights, we wait upon the Lord. Through fasting, praying, studying, and pondering, we learn the message that He wants us to give."

Just as in times of old, God directs his people today through revelation.  Through that revelation, we are reminded of the love that our Heavenly Father has for us, what we are doing well in our lives, and what we need to do in order to follow the example Jesus Christ set for us more perfectly. I always come away from General Conference feeling more at peace because the Holy Spirit helps me to know, from what the speakers are directed to say, what I need to do to become who God needs me to be.

Sometimes though, those ideas just stay in our heads unless we do something about it. I heard a fabulous, short parable a few weeks ago that puts this concept into perspective...

The Parable of the Turkeys!

Once upon a time, a turkey who had figured out to fly gathered together all of his friends and family. He was so excited about what he had learned, that he spent the whole day teaching his friends and family how to fly. They spent all day in good fun, soaring over the fence of their coop and then back. As the sun started to set, the turkeys decided that it was time to wrap it up. They all walked home together.

I hope that you found the same good humor in that as I did. They walked home! Just after they had learned this amazing skill...they walked! How often do we do that? Do we learn something incredible, marvel at the genius of it, and then leave it at that?  The things that we learn are no good unless we apply them!

As we approach the time for General Conference, I would encourage each of you to begin to prepare now by thinking of a question that you have. It can be a question about a concern, a life question, or even the question of whether God knows who you are or not. I promise you are not the only one who has wondered that. I did at one point, and it was during General Conference that I got my answer that God truly does know me and my needs. I promise you that as you get ready to receive answers during Conference, and if you listen intently, the Holy Ghost will help you to recognize your answer. I promise you that answers will come if they are sought after with real intent, and are acted upon! I love General Conference. I testify that as you act on what you learn, you will be incredibly blessed with the things that God knows you need. This is not a chance you will want to miss out on! =)

Times and Channels for Conference

Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6, 2014, with general sessions each day at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. mountain daylight time (MDT)

	General Conference Website Video in 19 languages
	LDS General Conference YouTube Channel Video in English, Spanish, and Portuguese
	BYUtv Video and audio in English only
	BYUtv International  Video and audio in Spanish and Portuguese
	Mormon Channel Website Video and audio in English and Spanish
	Mormon Channel Mobile Apps Video and audio in English and Spanish
	Mormon Channel on Roku Video in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and ASL.
	Facebook.com/LDS Video in English only

A God Of Miracles!

In my most recent studies, I have made more of an effort to study the Bible and the Book of Mormon together. It is so amazing! It has strengthened my testimony of the divinity of Christ, and God's love for us.

My family! I see God through them all the time =)

God is our loving Heavenly Father. He is happy with us, and sad with us. He desires nothing but the very best for His children! Because of that desire, He has blessed us to come down to earth to learn and grow. He has a plan for us, and that plan is centered on Jesus Christ. Another major part of that plan was to gain a family. When a family is centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, having the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end), they can be strengthened and unified. A family is the best place to teach and learn the principles of Christ's teachings. It is through prophets that we learn of the plan that God has for us and our families.

Prophets are men called of God, who are given the priesthood (or the authority to act in the name of God for the salvation of His children) to lead and direct His people. In the book of Amos, we read that,

"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants, the prophets."

(Amos 3:7)

The prophets learn the gospel of Christ through revelation, and in turn, teach it to His children. They are witnesses of God & Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer. Through out time, God will call a prophet such as Moses, Abraham, Jeremiah, and Noah to teach His people what they should do. Over time, the people make the choice to reject the prophets and their teachings. This is a state called apostasy. Whenever the choice is made to reject God's prophets, God will withdraw his priesthood authority for a time until the people are ready to listen again. Because God loves us, He will return to us prophets and priesthood so that we can learn how to return to live with Him. This pattern of God calling prophets, prophets being rejected and removed, and God calling another prophet after a time is something we see over and over again as we read the Bible.

All of the prophets taught of Jesus Christ, and bore powerful witness to His divine mission. In the Book of Mormon, a prophet named Jacob stated,

"For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had  hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us."

(Jacob 4:4)

When Christ came to the earth as the Son of God, He came to do the will of his Father in heaven. During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ preformed many miracles such as healing the lame, giving sight to the blind, and raising the dead through priesthood authority. He was also baptized by John the Baptist, in order to show us the way. He taught his gospel, and called twelve apostles. He ordained them, and gave them authority to teach his gospel, preform saving ordinances, and establish His church on the earth. Christ also preformed the atonement, where He took upon himself the sins and pains of the world. After He had done all His Father had required of Him, the people rejected and crucified Christ. 

After Christ's death, His apostles were also persecuted. Many of them were killed. With their death, the priesthood authority of God was again removed from the earth. The world then entered a great apostasy. This time was prophesied by Amos when he said,

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it."

(Amos 8: 11-12)

The apostles had been able to keep the doctrine of Christ pure, but with the absence of priesthood direction, the teachings of Christ began to be changed. Without revelation, people relied on their own wisdom to figure out what the scriptures and other doctrines meant. Many people known as reformers sought greater spiritual guidance, even speaking of a needed restoration. However, known of them claimed to be prophets. These movements opened the way for our Heavenly Father to once again bless his children with the fullness of His gospel. When the time was right, God again called a prophet to lead and guide his children.

In 180, a young boy named Joseph Smith was living in Palmyra, New York. At the time, there were many religious conflicts. His family was very religious, and so they attended many churches. Joseph often wondered which one was correct, because each seemed to look at a passage of scripture very differently. He knew that, in Ephesians, it states that,

 "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism..." 
(Ephesians 4:4-5)

In a quest to find an answer for himself, he turned to the Bible. One day, he was reading the epistle of James, chapter one, verse five. This particular verse encourages all to ask God for wisdom if they need it, and He will give it to them freely. Joseph Smith, from his own account, said,

"Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know...At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to “ask of God,” concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture."

(Joseph Smith History 1:12-13)

On a beautiful spring morning, Joseph went to a grove of trees, and offered up his first vocal prayer in his life. As he prayed, he received an answer as James had promised. As you read his account, pay attention to how if feels to do, and what thoughts you have as you read. In his own words, Joseph says,

I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God...I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me...When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"

(Joseph Smith History 1: 15-17)

God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith. As he posed his question, They told him that none of the churches were completely correct, because they no longer had clear doctrine, or priesthood authority. They told Joseph Smith that, in time, he would be called to be a prophet to bring forth Christ' original church.

Later in his life, other heavenly messengers such as Peter, James, John, and John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith. They conferred upon him the authority they had held on earth to preform all saving ordinances. With that authority given to him, Joseph called twelve apostles and organized Christ's church on the earth once more. That authority has continued since then, with Thomas S. Monson as the living prophet today. 

God knew that the Bible would be changed, so through Joseph Smith He brought forward another volume of scripture known as the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ (see my post called "Ask, and Ye Shall Find"). It is a companion to the Bible, and gives us the fullness of Christ's gospel once again. It is also evidence that Joseph Smith truly was a prophet of God. It contains a record of the people living on the American continent 600 years before the birth of Christ, and 400 years after His death. After Christ was resurrected, He appeared to those living in the Americas. That account can be found in the Book of Mormon.

In order to know the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, one must read, ponder, and sincerely pray about it. The Book of Mormon is a book with a promise. In it, we read that,

 "...when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."        (Moroni 10: 4-5)

I testify that God has again reached out in love to us as His children. The gospel of Jesus Christ has again been restored to the earth! There are living prophets who speak to us today. I have gained my own testimony of this by reading the Book of Mormon, and earnestly asking God if it is true. I cannot deny the feelings of peace and comfort that come to me as I follow Moroni's promise. I extend that same invitation to you. I promise that if you will read and pray with an honest heart, God will answer you!

Do You Trust Him?

This morning as I was studying, I was struck by the simple principle of trust. A story in the Book of Mormon tells us of a time when the people demanded signs and wonders before they could believe in the coming of Christ. Even though they had seen so many wonderful things, they stated that

"...it is not reasonable that such a being as a Christ shall come...But behold, we know that this is a wicked tradition, which has been handed down unto us by our fathers, to cause us that we should believe in some great and marvelous thing which should come to pass...we cannot witness with our own eyes that they are true."

- Helaman 16: 18-20, pg. 406

Note how they say that "cannot" witness. They have been seeing all of these great signs, but because of their lack of faith, they are not truly seeing. How many times do we see something, without truly seeing it? How many times does God bless us with a tender mercy, and because of it's simplicity, we deny that it as divine? The time we spend in mortality requires that we walk by faith rather than by sight. Most of the miracles that happen will not be what we term as "massive", but they will be simple and plain things. If we do not trust God with every fiber of our being, we will be unable to truly see what He does for us. If we do not trust in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we will be unable to understand the love that God has for us. Our inability to recognize God's hand in our life comes from our lack of trust.

Do you trust Him? Not just in the general sense, but do you trust Him with all that you have? Do you trust Him enough to step into the fog, and accept the future that He has planned for you? Even though we may not be able to physically see Him there with us, do you trust Him enough to make choices that would make you worthy to stand in his presence? Do you trust in Him enough to recognize the small tender mercies He blesses you with daily, that lift you closer and closer to the divine potential that you carry within you? The more we trust our Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, the more we will understand that the blessings we receive will come perfectly in the way that we need them, and in the perfect time that we need them.

If we could trust in God the way that He needed us to, we would be amazed by what would otherwise go unnoticed around us. I have come to trust my Father in heaven enough to know that He really is there. He is very aware of us, and knows how to help us in whatever we need. The moment we begin to trust is Him is when we will truly have our eyes open to the truly miraculous blessings that are around us. We will see the true meaning in the plain and simple. I testify that He is there. Christ lives, and as we have faith in Him, we will be more aware of the times where He catches us and places us back on our feet. Like the Israelites of old, look to God, and live!