Reclaimed

This past week I have thought a lot about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I've pondered how I use it in my life. I've thought about how I should be using it and begun to do so. Learning about the Atonement is one of my very favorite things. It's simple enough for a child to understand the basics of it, yet at the same time something we can all continue to learn about. Which is what happened this past week.

I watched a Mormon Message entitled, "Reclaimed." We are taught in this video that when the Lord forgives us of our sins we do not need to go back, and indeed should not return to dig up the past. As we repent the Lord polishes us into something more beautiful. In the video Elder Bowen tells of a beautiful park that used to be a landfill. He gives an explanation that is wonderful and I invite you to watch it. However, what I learned is that Jesus Christ makes my mistakes and sins into something beautiful and useful. If I continually beat myself up about the past then I am not allowing Him and the power of his atonement to take affect in my life. When Christ says he has forgiven me I need to believe him. I must let him mold me into something beautiful.

Record Keeping

Have you ever wondered or given thought as to why we feel the need to write things down? Why do we record our day to day happenings? Why is it such a joy to find old records and learn about someone who has passed on? There are multiple reasons why. The reason may be different for every person. It could be we write because we don't want to forget. We may write because it's a way to work through things in our lives. Or perhaps we write because we feel we can give something to who ever will read it. As for searching for older records, maybe we want to learn from the past. Or it could be we search for evidence we are not the only ones going through certain experiences. For whatever reason recording our experiences is something most of us do.

According to prophets there is great reason to record our life experiences. First off, many prophets declare they do not understand why they feel the spirit prompting them to keep a record. Never mind a second record in addition to their historical record. I can think of various instances also where prophets explain they write in order that their children may know Christ. That they may know their ancestors believed in Christ and hoped their children would also be led to believe in him. Reflecting upon this has caused me for some weeks now to reconsider why I keep a journal.

When I write who am I writing for? Why do I write down what happened during my day? Is what I write going to be profitable for someone at some point? By my writings does the reader know I believe in Christ? From what I write are they able to come to know me and feel what I feel? If I'm not writing for the purpose of one day profiting someone than why do I write at all?

So, next time you go to write something, I would invite you to think what you hope your future reader will gain from it.

Success!

This morning I ran a 5k. Which is kind of amazing since I only started running a month and a half ago. Growing up I was not very athletic. Exercising was not my thing. I did not enjoy getting all sweaty and being out of breath. Hiking or canoeing was the extent of my exercise. Yet I've always had a dream to run a marathon. How would I ever do that if running even a quarter mile made me out of breath. A few months ago I expressed to some friends how I wanted to be better about exercising regularly. At that point it meant going on a mile walk. Gradually it increased. Then somehow my roommate found out I have a dream to run a marathon. With a lot of encouragement and goading she convinced me to sign up for a 5K. I still recall the day I ran my first mile. It was an awesome feeling! I thought my legs would give out and I'd pass out from breathing so heavily. My friend was so good about pushing me and keeping me going and then celebrating with me when I made it. Once I made it once it became almost addicting. I wanted to see if I could do more. If I could run up some hills. If I could run faster and/or longer. Then this morning came and I ran that 5k! The whole time I imagined my friend by my side encouraging me and telling me, "Okay let's run to the stop sign. Alright great job! Now let's run to the red truck. Awesome! Now that light post. You're doing amazing!"And at the finish line I ran faster than I ever have to make a good time and give it my all. I feel so empowered! I am on the road to success! Well, I succeeded this morning. I am stronger than I thought. I can do things I always wanted to do but never thought I would be able to do. Or even find the drive to do so. Now that marathon seems just a bit closer. And a little more attainable. I think we are more successful than we realize or give ourselves credit for. We are more like Christ than we know and perfection is closer than we realize and can see.

Obedience and Personal Revelation

At the beginning of the year I promised the Lord I would attend all my church meetings, including family home evening, institute, other activities and attending the temple regularly. That may not seem like a big deal but when I felt stressed by the amount of homework I have to do and working full time every minute becomes precious. But I knew, and felt, God would bless me for striving to do what he has asked. For a month it was not a problem. As the homework load increased it became increasingly difficult to still attend all the above mentioned activities. This week was particularly hard to attend institute. Due to other things coming up I lost a day of doing homework. So when institute came around I was sorely tempted not to attend but work on the large pile of homework I knew was before me. However, I knew that id I did not attend I would miss out on something. Or even showing up late I would miss out. So I went. And I am so grateful I did! Within the first five minutes of the lesson I gained some very specific, and much needed, personal revelation. Throughout the entire lesson I continually gained more and more inspiration. I would have missed out on that had I stayed home to do homework. I do believe though that I would have gained that revelation at some point in the future but I feel that it would not have come so clearly or powerfully then. And to top it off when I did finally make it home I was more focused on my homework and I think I did better on the assignments. I was able to get them done in a more timely manner. I was blessed for keeping my commitment. I am so grateful for the blessings of the Lord. I love revelation!

Knowledge

Have you ever thought about how knowledge sets you free? The more you know the more free you are. In 2 Nephi 15:13 it reads, "Therefore, my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge." When we have a knowledge of truths, especially gospel truths, we are able to make better decisions. And by so doing we are free.

I was discussing this with a friend and he related it to Proverbs 29:18. "Where there is no vision, the people perish."  Knowledge helps us grow. We flourish when we are learning. Applying what we learn brings an even added measure of developing into great men and women.

Although we do find a caution in 2 Nephi 9:29. "But to be learned is good if they harken unto the counsels of God." Heavenly Father wants us to gain knowledge. He wants us to be educated as we make decisions. However, he wants us to remember we receive everything from Him. He is the source of all knowledge.

So the conclusion is, gain as much knowledge as you can and retain in remembrance it comes from God.

Promises

Have you ever noticed how often in the scriptures it says of the Lord, "He is the same, yesterday. today and forever"? Or it says God does not change? In fact he can not change or he would cease to be god. This alone has brought me great comfort. Recently I have come to understand more fully what this means. At least what it means for me and how I can apply this truth in my life.


Because God does not change this means he will continue to keep his promises. From various books of scripture we see God keeps his promises of blessings his people as they obey, as well as curse them if they forget him and wander away. For thousands of years he has done so. Why should he cease to do so now? And why especially should he be any different with me? He isn't, he wouldn't, in fact he could not be different.

So, because he is the same I can trust that what he has promised me, if I am faithful, I will receive. He has promised me as I repent I am forgiven. He has promised as I am obedient to his commandments I will be made strong. As I continue on my journey to becoming like Christ I am assured I will, one day, become perfected in Christ and inherit eternal life. The blessings of the temple are mine as I do my part. God's promises are sure. I trust in him and I look forward to inheriting eternal life! Oh what joy fills my heart at that promise!!

Begin Again

I have begun to study the Book of Mormon again. I do not know how many times I have studied this book. Many, many times. Yet, each time I study I learn something. I read the same chapters and verses again and again and my testimony grows. The stories have become very familiar to me. And I still learn something from them.

For example, as I studied the first couple chapters of 1 Nephi I thought of what Lehi  must have been thinking and feeling. Was he worried about how he would provide for his family as they journeyed in the wilderness? Did he hope this would help his sons, Laman and Lemuel, seek after the Lord and become strong priesthood holders? Was it difficult to leave his home and Jerusalem? Did he wish he could remain and continue preaching in the hopes some soul would repent and come unto Christ?

I do not know the answers to these questions. But I do know Lehi obeyed the command of the Lord. He had many afflictions on his journey. But he continued on and received a great reward. He received visions and lived to see his family to the promised land. All this adds to my determination to follow the inspiration I receive. I do not know all the blessings the Lord wants to bless me with. I can not imagine. Nor, I expect, could Lehi envision how blessed he would be. However, moving forward, trusting in the Lord will bring happiness. It will also bring growth and greater understanding. I will move forward and trust the Lord.