I think I'm just going to talk about what I am feeling right now: I feel like I have distanced myself a little from God. I didn't feel as happy this week, and I didn't feel close to Him. I told God that I wanted to have a mountain to climb. I wanted a mountain, so that I would be able to come back to Him. But what I've realized is that it's not a mountain that I need to climb to come back to Him. "More than anything, He wants me to feel the Spirit and obey it" (Elder Holland).
I think what I really need, and the true question that I am wanting to learn and apply is patience--patience in God's plan, and in His time. It's been a bit frustrating my lack of success with dating and with several other things. I have asked myself--"What is it about me, that is not good enough? What am I doing wrong?"
But, last Friday during the Sperry Symposium, I learned about the faithful example of Hyrum--although very sick, persecuted, and feeling alone, he perservered with patience. Although the wives of all the other men came and visited, and Mary (his wife) did not, nor did she respond to any of his letters, he prayed for his family and trusted in God. After, he learned that Mary was sick to the point of death.
My faith needs to be nurtured by diligence AND patience. As I finished my readings this morning in John, I thought of Jesus Christ: He lost everything important to man in life:
1. His claim as the Son of God was put to test repeatedly at the end of his life. "If thou art the Son of God."
2. He suffered all physical pain
3. He was abandoned by His disciples and friends.
4. Finally, God's presence left Him as He suffered on the cross.
Christ's faith and patience is astounding. I cannot comprehend it. But, I am grateful for the faith and patience that God has blessed me with. And I want to increase it, today.
I know this is not really what you asked, but the struggles that I had during studying--to find a question, to find answers, to seek revelation--all of those things are significant in blessing my life. I understand a little bit better what I have already been given. I am grateful for the answers I have received, and the Spirit I have felt, and the love of God that has been poured out upon me and upon all people. I hope that all people can come to know of those blessings. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. He is the Savior of the world. I know that God is my loving Heavenly Father. He loves all of His children. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Friday, November 4, 2016
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Freedoms
"As we seek to treat others fairly, we must remember the principle of agency (freedom to choose). We must always respect the ability of others to make choices and ask that they extend to us the same courtesy. When talking with others about religious freedom, we must always remember that we can disagree without becoming disagreeable. Please do not shy away from a dialogue regarding these important issues simply because you are worried that it might be difficult or uncomfortable. We can pray for help, and we can expect that the Savior will help us speak and act in a way that is pleasing to Him." - Elder Ronald A. Rasband, "Faith, Freedom, and Religious Freedom"(September 2016 BYU address)
Friday, September 23, 2016
"We need not fear as long as we have in our lives the power that comes from righteously living by the truth which is from God our Eternal Father." - President Gordon B. Hinckley.
There is no need to fear, even in such a turbulent time. Christ is at the door, knocking--pleading to enter into our lives. Will we let Him enter in?
Friday, April 8, 2016
Thursday, February 18, 2016
How sacrifice is a manifestation of love
Elder Melvin J. Ballard:
"I think as I read the story the story of Abraham's sacrifices of his son Isaac that our Father is trying to tell us what it cost Him to give His Son as a gift to the world. . . .
[Abraham and Isaac] ascended the mountain, gathered the stones together, and placed the faggots upon them. Then Isaac was bound, hand and foot, kneeling upon the altar. I presume Abraham, like a true father, must have given his son his farewell kiss, his blessing, his love, and his soul must have been drawn out in that hour of agony toward his son who was to die by the hand of his own father. Every step proceeded until the cold steel was drawn and the hand raised that was to strike the blow to let out the life's blood, when the angel of the Lord said: 'it is enough.'
Our Father in heaven wen through all that and more, for in His case the hand was not stayed. He loved His Son, Jesus Christ, better than Abraham ever loved Isaac, for our Father had with Him His Son, our Redeemer, in the eternal worlds, faithful and true for ages, standing in a place of trust of honor, and the Father loved him so dearly, and yet He allowed this well-beloved Son to descend from His place of glory and honor, where millions did Him homage, down to the earth, a condescension that is not within the power of man to conceive. He came to receive the insult, the abuse, and the crown of thorns. God heard the cry of His Son in that moment of great grief and agony, in the garden when the pores of His body opened and drops of blood stood upon Him, and He cried out: 'Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me.'
I ask you, what father and mother could stand by and listen to the cry of their children in distress, in this world, and not render assistance? I have heard of mothers throwing themselves into raging streams when they could not swim a stroke to save their drowning children, rushing into burning buildings to rescue those whom they loved.
We cannot stand by and listen to those cries without its touching our hearts. The Lord has not given us the power to save our own. He has given us faith, and we submit to the inevitable, but He had the power to save, and He loved His Son, and He could have saved Him. He might have rescued Him when the Son, hanging between two thieves, was mocked with, 'Save thyself, and come down from the cross. He saved others; himself he cannot save.' He listened to all this. He saw that Son condemned; He saw Him drag the cross through the streets of Jerusalem and faint underneath its load. He saw the Son finally upon Calvary; He saw His body stretched out upon the wooden cross; He saw the cruel nails driven through hands and feet, and the blows that broke the skin, tore the flesh, and let out the life's blood of His Son. He looked upon that.
In the case of our Father, the knife was not stayed, but it fell, and the life's blood of His Beloved Son went out. His Father looked on with great grief and agony over His Beloved Son, until there seems to have come a moment when even our Saviour cried out in despair: 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?'
In that hour I think I can see our dear Father behind the veil looking upon these dying struggles until even He could not endure it any longer; and, like the mother who bids farewell to her dying child and has to be taken out of the room so as not to look upon the last struggles, so He bowed His head and hid in some part of His universe, His great heart almost breaking for the love that He had for His Son. Oh, in that moment when He might have save His Son, I thank Him and praise Him that He did not fail us, for He had not only the love of His Son in mind, but He also had love for us. I rejoice that He did not interfere, and that His love for us made it possible for Him to endure to look upon the sufferings of His Son and give Him finally to us, our Saviour and our Redeemer. Without Him, without His sacrifice, we would have remained, and we would never have come glorified into His presence. And so this is what it cost, in part, for our Father in heaven to give the gift of His Son unto men." (Melvin J. Ballard, Crusader for Righteousness, pp. 135-37)
"I think as I read the story the story of Abraham's sacrifices of his son Isaac that our Father is trying to tell us what it cost Him to give His Son as a gift to the world. . . .
[Abraham and Isaac] ascended the mountain, gathered the stones together, and placed the faggots upon them. Then Isaac was bound, hand and foot, kneeling upon the altar. I presume Abraham, like a true father, must have given his son his farewell kiss, his blessing, his love, and his soul must have been drawn out in that hour of agony toward his son who was to die by the hand of his own father. Every step proceeded until the cold steel was drawn and the hand raised that was to strike the blow to let out the life's blood, when the angel of the Lord said: 'it is enough.'
Our Father in heaven wen through all that and more, for in His case the hand was not stayed. He loved His Son, Jesus Christ, better than Abraham ever loved Isaac, for our Father had with Him His Son, our Redeemer, in the eternal worlds, faithful and true for ages, standing in a place of trust of honor, and the Father loved him so dearly, and yet He allowed this well-beloved Son to descend from His place of glory and honor, where millions did Him homage, down to the earth, a condescension that is not within the power of man to conceive. He came to receive the insult, the abuse, and the crown of thorns. God heard the cry of His Son in that moment of great grief and agony, in the garden when the pores of His body opened and drops of blood stood upon Him, and He cried out: 'Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me.'I ask you, what father and mother could stand by and listen to the cry of their children in distress, in this world, and not render assistance? I have heard of mothers throwing themselves into raging streams when they could not swim a stroke to save their drowning children, rushing into burning buildings to rescue those whom they loved.
We cannot stand by and listen to those cries without its touching our hearts. The Lord has not given us the power to save our own. He has given us faith, and we submit to the inevitable, but He had the power to save, and He loved His Son, and He could have saved Him. He might have rescued Him when the Son, hanging between two thieves, was mocked with, 'Save thyself, and come down from the cross. He saved others; himself he cannot save.' He listened to all this. He saw that Son condemned; He saw Him drag the cross through the streets of Jerusalem and faint underneath its load. He saw the Son finally upon Calvary; He saw His body stretched out upon the wooden cross; He saw the cruel nails driven through hands and feet, and the blows that broke the skin, tore the flesh, and let out the life's blood of His Son. He looked upon that.
In the case of our Father, the knife was not stayed, but it fell, and the life's blood of His Beloved Son went out. His Father looked on with great grief and agony over His Beloved Son, until there seems to have come a moment when even our Saviour cried out in despair: 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?'
In that hour I think I can see our dear Father behind the veil looking upon these dying struggles until even He could not endure it any longer; and, like the mother who bids farewell to her dying child and has to be taken out of the room so as not to look upon the last struggles, so He bowed His head and hid in some part of His universe, His great heart almost breaking for the love that He had for His Son. Oh, in that moment when He might have save His Son, I thank Him and praise Him that He did not fail us, for He had not only the love of His Son in mind, but He also had love for us. I rejoice that He did not interfere, and that His love for us made it possible for Him to endure to look upon the sufferings of His Son and give Him finally to us, our Saviour and our Redeemer. Without Him, without His sacrifice, we would have remained, and we would never have come glorified into His presence. And so this is what it cost, in part, for our Father in heaven to give the gift of His Son unto men." (Melvin J. Ballard, Crusader for Righteousness, pp. 135-37)
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