Exemplify the Gift

day 11

"When He comes I so want to be caught living the gospel.  I want to be surprised right in the act of spreading the faith and doing something GOOD if I can.  I want the Savior to say to me, "Jeffrey," (because He knows all of our names), "I recognize you not by your title but by your life.  The way you're trying to live and the standards you're trying to defend.  I see the integrity of your heart.  I know you've tried to make things better, first and foremost by being better yourself, and then by declaring my word and defending my gospel to others in the most compassionate way you could.  I know you weren't always successful (He will certainly say) with all your own sins or with the circumstances of others but I believe you honestly tried.  I believe in your heart you truly love me."

Jeffrey R Holland

 

 

I think to myself, the Savior is watching us now, seeing how we treat people and act in hard circumstances. He knows the temptations we experience. He understands the feelings of inadequacies and failures.

 

He gets it.

He knows us.

 

So my testimony to you today, is about the power of following and exemplifying his example. He was perfect in every way and although we are all far from being perfect, we have all the abilities in the world to try to be more like Him, and be perfected through Him. I know that we can accept our inadequacies and be able to give them over to the Savior, He will take them and make them strengths.

 

Don't ever feel that you are not worthy of help or love because of your past. We all have a future that is as bright as we make it to be.

 

 

 

#sharethegift #sharegoodness

Press towards the gift

day 7

Philippians 3:13-14 

"This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

I found an old talk of mine in my journal and as I was reading it, I came upon this scripture which really took hold on my heart again. 

To forget things that are in the past, reaching forward to the things that are before me. Personally, I have been struggling with doing this. It is hard to let go of all that is behind us and focus on the future and all the potential it holds. 

There is a quote from Elder Holland that says, "Faith is for the future. Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ is the 'high priest of good things to come". 

To be able to trust in God that he understands our circumstances and the things we struggle with in the past, the result will be a more complete understanding of the Lord's will and the Lord's time. 

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, who sees from the beginning to the end, knew very well the road He would travel to Gethsemane and Golgotha. 

The road may be rocky and unsteady at times, but it is the sure path that will lead us back to our Savior again. 

He suffered in the Garden and died on the cross so this could be possible for us to be with Him again. As we press towards the Savior, we will be met with adversities and obstacles that will challenge our mind and body. But if we take advantage of the Atonement in our lives, we can overcome ANYTHING that is placed in our path. 

He is the high priest of good things to come. He is the light at the end of the tunnel, but He is also the light that can light our path RIGHT NOW. He is the mediator of all conflict, the Prince of Peace and the one who can calm any storm. 

I know that when we seek after and press towards the Savior, He will be everything we need to succeed in our lives. 

#sharethegift 

A Crack in the Surface

I was listening to Elder Holland's talk from this past General Conference entitled, "Like a Broken Vessel".
He talks a lot about those with mental disabilities, specifically depression. Now, I have never had depression before, but I have felt depressed at times.

While he was talking, my mind zoomed past thoughts and experiences I have been having this past week and I couldn't help but see the crack that had formed in my heart and mind. I am not broken, but I surely wasn't perfectly put together.

Elder Holland said, "Broken minds can be healed just the way broken bones and broken hearts are healed. While God is at work making those repairs, the rest of us can help by being merciful, nonjudgmental, and kind."

All I really wanted was someone to be there for me, being merciful, nonjudgmental, and kind while I struggled to understand myself. But listening to his talk, I realized that it was still my responsibility to be that kind of person to those around me who are going through similar trials. I can't leave them alone. That is not the type of person that I am. I love people too much to let them hurt.

A Crack in the Surface
Sometimes overlooked, presuming that nothing is wrong
Just fill it in with some glue and it will be as new
But what come from a crack
Pain, anguish and hurt
No one wants to have a crack
In some ways it is worse than being broken
God is working on the cracks
He is making repairs
One day I can be as new
Oh how I want that day to come


Challenge for the week:
What can you do this week that shows someone you care about them and desire for their well being?