As the Curtain Closes.

With Easter yesterday, I was able to think about Jesus Christ and how lucky I am to know of the truthfulness of the gospel. I am so blessed to have the hope and peace that I receive from the Atonement and knowledge that he will always be there for me. Heavenly Father doesn't have office
hours or visiting hours, but has an open door policy. Something we talked about in my religion class this week was maybe praying to Heavenly Father without words, but instead imagining ourselves being in his presence and communing with him. Speak with him. Cry with him. He knows us better than anyone and wants us to come unto him. As he pleads with us to follow him, we must decide to follow him and only him, knowing that through him we can receive true happiness. I'm not sure what I would do without that knowledge. Romans 8 is a chapter full of JOY. When life gets to hard to bear, or you have trials upon your shoulders, or discouragement even with the little things in life, Romans 8 can lift your spirit and fill you with joy and hope. Verse 15 says that we have "received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father". It's such a comfort to think that we've been 'adopted' by our 'father'. A father who knows us better than anyone else. He already knows us. We don't have to wait until he knows us so that he can help us, but he already knows us perfectly. He can come to our aid immediately. Then in verses 28 and 31, it says that "all things work together for good to them that love God" and "if God be for us, who can be against us?". Knowing these things, how can one choose to not love God, or not be on the Lord's side. He's so ready to give us all that we desire through his infinite help. He's ready to lift us in times of need. May we all decide that we cannot do it alone, because we can't, and lay ourselves at his feet in humble prayer. I know that as we do this, he will raise us in all we do.

Thank you for following my blog! I have really loved expressing my feelings on the gospel. It has helped my testimony grow in my Savior and his love for me.

How Strong Are You Really?

Sometimes life is hard. For some people, life is hard all the time. Why is this? Why do we have to struggle through life? Everyone knows the saying that "hard things are worth working through" or something along those lines. I know this to be true. Because of the Savior, we can work through hard things with help. The Atonement provides us that help. Matthew 26:38-39 talks about Jesus Christ's suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane. It says that his "soul [was] exceeding sorrowful, even unto death" and that he "fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt". It's amazing to think that a human literally suffered the most excruciating pain, for everyone of us. Do we even do that for the people we love the most? Many times amidst our own trials, we cry out also asking for 'this cup to pass from us' and miraculously enough, in some way or another, the Savior reaches out and does remove the cup from us. Because of the Atonement, the Savior can save us from our pains as we work towards him. Through the Atonement we are forgiven of our sins. We get carnal pleasure from our sins and we don't even have to suffer (in some sense), yet Christ suffered all for us and gets no carnal pleasure. The cool thing is that we can give him pleasure as we live righteous lives and use the Atonement correctly rather than taking advantage of his suffering. When we feel as if our one trial or weakness might crush us, think of Christ, who took upon all sins at once. When we think we can't bare our one trial, remember Christ and his infinite proportions. If he can take all sins upon him, he can 'put' one burden on us and we can get through with his loving and ever present guide.

Stretch!

While watching General Conference this weekend, a story that I've heard many times before, found a different meaning to me. Luke 8:43-48 is about the adulterous woman touching Christ's robe. She had been sick with "an issue of blood twelve years". She had spent all her money searching for help from many different physicians yet none of them could help her. As Jesus was walking through the town, she "came behind him and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched". Christ felt her touch his clothes and questioned the people. Out of fear the woman admitted that it was her who touched him. She was afraid of what he would do, yet he said "be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace". I find this so great. Usually this woman is looked down upon when thinking of this story, yet the speaker of this Conference talk likened the woman to us. We are all sinners. The woman had enough faith to stretch out and reach for Christ. We too have to have enough faith to stretch out to Christ for help, knowing that he will heal us. When the Savior can feel how badly we need his help, and how far we are stretching, he will lead us by the Holy Ghost. By his power, he will reach for our stretching hand and help us through life's challenges. His power is available to every son and daughter seeking for it. Seek for it in faith, knowing of the help available to us all.