Opposition and the Atonement

     Why do I have to experience bad days? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why can't life be easy? How come life is so unfair? Why cant I ever get a break? These are all questions I have asked myself along with many others. The answer I might suggest is opposition, and the solution is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Now let me explain using two scriptures, in the Book of Mormon, that have helped me to understand this principle.
     The first states, "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one;" (2 Nephi 2:11.) If every day was happy and perfect then that would be "normal." There would be no pleasure behind happiness because there is no reason for there to be. It would just be what we expect, with nothing special about it. How lame would that be! In order to really have a good day, sometimes we are going to have bad days. In order to really appreciate our health we need to experience sickness. There must be opposition so we can understand the difference.
     The second states, "And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind... He will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people... He will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7:11-12.) The word "succor" more or less means to run to the aid. So, this scripture is telling us that Christ not only suffered to redeem us from our sins, but He suffered so that He could be there for us as we go through the hard times in life. He did it so that He could run to our aid when we are struggling. He did it because He loves us and wants us to find happiness in life.
     I know that my Father in Heaven knows and loves me and will not let me go through anything that I can't handle, at least not on my own. In a time of need my Savior is there waiting and ready to help me along as I feel I can't go any further. So, when you are going through a hard time, just remember, someone has been there before and is ready to help you through it. "All that seems unfair in life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ..." (The Plan of Salvation.) I testify of this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

New Year (Don't Live in the Past)

     It's a new year and with that come the chance for a brand new start. Everyone and their dog sets new years resolutions, which are great! The only problem is that we keep them for about a week or 2 and then they seem to disappear. I have been on the search to find the cure to this for a little while now and I can't seem to find it. Let me suggest an idea I have that can maybe replace these failing new years resolutions. Take a look back on this past year (2012) and think of all the many wonderful things you have done for people (family, friends, coworkers, etc.) as well as many of the wonderful things people have done for you. Now think about some things you wish you would have done differently. Maybe it is spend more time with family, or maybe it is give more of your time to God, or it may have even been that you wish you would have let yourself enjoy life more. Whatever the case may be, there is at least one thing in this past year of your life that you wish you could make better, and for some reason it is always so hard to accept that we cannot change the past. Let me repeat that. YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOUR PAST, however, we can make some changes to our lives so that we will be happy with our future.
     Now here is my challenge. Look back on this past year, not to be back there again or to try to change it, but to make this next year even better. Find one thing that you would like to be better at and do it. When you fail, do it again. Don't give up because you missed one day of being home with your family, or because you forgot to say a prayer one night before bed. Keep working at it till this change becomes you, then find something else and work on that. I know that if we look back on our life, not with the desire to be back there or to change it, but to learn then we will be much happier in our life. Just remember, live in the present.

Happy New Year!!!

"Waiting on the Road to Damascus"

     The next talk I want to share with you is titled, "Waiting on the Road to Damascus."Dieter F. Uchtdorf begins by talking about Saul and the road to Damascus. His experience is rather spectacular and changed his life forever. Christ appeared to him and asked him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" (Acts 9:3-6.) He also briefly describes the experience Joseph Smith has in seeing God, The Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ. He says, "Nevertheless, there are some who feel that unless they have an experience similar to Saul’s or Joseph Smith’s, they cannot believe...They spend their days waiting on the road to Damascus." The truth is, that it is those who diligently seek to learn of Christ that will eventually come to know Him. That means we need to do our part to gain that witness, we can't just sit and wait.
     He gives us three simple principles; Hearken and Heed, Serve, and Share. Hearken means to listen with the intent to obey. We need to live to be among those whom the Lord can rely on to hear His whispering and respond, as Saul did on his road to Damascus, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” We need to serve those around us. President Spencer W. Kimball taught this concept when he said: “God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other.” We need to share the gospel to all those around us. He goes on to say, "[The Lord] entrusts a testimony of the truth to those who will share it with others."
     We need to not wait on the road to Damascus, but rather move forward in Faith, Hope, Charity, and Love and be blessed in being able to see the light of Christ in our lives.

     What can you do to get off the Road to Damascus and become a disciple of Christ?

Learn to Laugh

     Sometimes in life stuff happens. There have been many times in my life where I would love to just go back in time 5 minutes or so to redo something, or even times when I just want to wish my problems away. Obviously that doesn't usually happen so I just have to do something else. I really enjoy this talk about how to handle these bad situations whenever they arive. I will share with you a part that I really enjoy.
     "The first thing we can do is learn to laugh. Have you ever seen an angry driver who, when someone else makes a mistake, reacts as though that person has insulted his honor, his family, his dog, and his ancestors all the way back to Adam? Or have you had an encounter with an overhanging cupboard door left open at the wrong place and the wrong time which has been cursed, condemned, and avenged by a sore-headed victim?
     There is an antidote for times such as these: learn to laugh." -Joseph B. Wirthlin (Nov. 2008 Ensign, Come What May, and Love It.)
     I know that if we can just look for the positive in all aspects of life we will be able to make it through without too many cuts and bruises. I know that God loves us all and wants us to be happy so "Learn to Laugh!"

Hope

     The next Christlike Attribute is Hope. Hope is an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance. It is believing and expecting that something will occur. When you have hope, you work through trials and difficulties with the confidence and assurance that all things will work together for your good. Hope helps you conquer discouragement or despair.

     The adversary uses despair to bind hearts and minds in suffocating darkness. Despair drains from us all that is vibrant and joyful and leaves behind the empty remnants of what life was meant to be. Despair kills ambition, advances sickness, pollutes the soul, and deadens the heart. Despair can seem like a staircase that leads only and forever downward. 

     Hope, on the other hand, is like the beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances. It pierces the darkness with a brilliant dawn. It encourages and inspires us to place our trust in the loving care of an eternal Heavenly Father, who has prepared a way for those who seek for eternal truth in a world of relativism, confusion, and of fear.

     There are many times in my life where I have felt that all is lost. In these times of need, I often turn to my Father in Heaven in prayer and ask for that comforting guidance and reassurance that all will be well. I was once told that everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, then it's not the end. When I think of those few simple words I always seem to get the boost I need to get me to the end.

Faith

     The first Christlike Attribute is Faith in Jesus Christ. Now a lot of times you will hear that you have blind faith if you believe in things that other people tell you or if there is no proof to back it up. Well, I guess that brings us to the question: What is faith? Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true. I guess that would mean that all faith is blind. 

     Now back to the specifics of Faith in Christ. When you have faith in Christ, you believe in Him as the Son of God, you accept Him as your Savior and Redeemer, you believe that your sins can be forgiven through His Atonement, and you follow His teachings. Faith in Him means that you trust Him and are confident that He loves you. Faith leads to action, including repentance, obedience,and dedicated service. When you have faith in Jesus Christ, you trust the Lord enough to follow His commandments, even when you do not completely understand the reasons for them. Faith is a principle of power. God works by power, but His power is usually exercised in response to faith. He works according to the faith of His children.Your faith in Jesus Christ grows as you become better acquainted with Him and His teachings. Through faith you receive answers to your prayers and personal inspiration to guide you in the Lord’s work. 

     As I study my scriptures each and every morning I have seen my faith in Jesus Christ grow immensely. Even though there are many days us missionaries experience in which people feel that they are too good to hear the humble words we have to share, there is always that shining moment in your day when you realize that Christ did the same thing as you and his trials were way worse. Relating myself to Christ has helped me immensely to understand Him and develop an undying love for Him. My faith in Him increases as well as my desire to be like Him.