Repentance is real

I remember when I was younger I ended up dropping a rock on my heel (don't ask how I managed that) and I got a pretty good gash on it. We rushed to the hospital to see what would be needed. My mother kept saying that it was likely I would get stitches. I didn't like the idea of getting needle and thread put through my cut and then later having them cut the thread out. When we arrived, they determined to put stitches in. I was worried. The nurse assured me that she would put numbing ointment on it so I wouldn't feel it. I did. It didn't hurt too much I am sure, but at the time, I thought that it hurt a lot! I left with 7 stitches and I was feeling pretty good that it was all over. Then I remembered! I remembered that they would have to cut the stitches out when it had healed! When I vocalized this concern my mother reassured me, "They actually won't have to do that because the cut wasn't very deep! These stitches are dissolve-able!"
"Dissolve-able!" I thought, "That's genius!"

During the following weeks I was careful to not disturb the cut and to keep it safe. The stitches slowly faded and became part of me! I was amazed!

Upon reflecting on this I realize that when we are hurt spiritually, the Savior Jesus Christ can heal us. No matter how deep the cut is, no matter how worried or hurt you are about it, he will make it right. All it takes is us going to get His help. If I had stayed there with the cut and ignored it, it would have gotten infected and to the point that I wouldn't be able to ignore it any longer. Yet, very often that is the case today. We hide our cuts and tell ourselves they will go away. They hurt us and weigh us down but we trudge on...

As Nephi of the Book of Mormon states " Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul."

We cannot be OK with these cuts. They can be healed. The healing power that is used can even become part of us- just as my stitches did. Christ did die for us and it is through him that we are healed.

The Atonement is real.

Examine your life. Are there unresolved cuts? Do you need to be healed? If unsure, ask God in prayer. He will answer you.

Love is found.

Why do you love the people you do? They are just another human being...just another person in the world. What makes us love?

People often look to the world for love. Satan would have us believe the world is where love is found. A friend of mine explained it like this "The world is like living in saltwater, the more you drink- the thirstier you get."

Life is made to be hard. We are here to be tried and tested. Those trials and tests come in many forms. For me, when I feel low, it is usually not from others- but from myself! However, I have still been able to feel love. That love only comes from God.

The love of God is something far reaching. Love breaks down boundaries. It blows away barriers (alliteration is awesome.) It goes far beyond any outward appearance and reaches to the soul. It is key to this life to feel loved.

How can you feel this love?

God, being the ultimate source of love, has given us a way. Through prayer, scripture and applying the teachings (or Gospel ) of Jesus Christ, we can come closer to God and feel that love. We can turn away from the world and change ourselves for the better. We can improve!

"Forgiving ourselves and others is not easy. In fact, for most of us it requires a major change in our attitude and way of thinking—even a change of heart. But there is good news. This “mighty change” of heart is exactly what the gospel of Jesus Christ is designed to bring into our lives." -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

The truth is, when you apply the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you can in turn- share that love.
"There are two kinds of people in the world; those you love and those you don't know yet." -Anonymous

Scripture Power!

"The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh" D&C 1:19

When I read this I read it in a few possible ways:
1) The weak things being us as people breaking mighty people down who trust in themself.
Or
2) The weak things being small actions that lead strong people to become weak.
Or
3) The idea of many people (however weak) breaking down something bigger than themselves.

This is a very small (and very limited) demonstration of the many messages you can get from scriptures. Scriptures are unlike any other book in the world though, because the scriptures speak to our soul. Scriptures speak to us through the Spirit of God. As I have read from scripture, I have felt that spirit lift me and help me know what to do in my life. I have been built up by my diligent study of them and continue to be guided by them.

I know that this can be the case for you as well. It is through the scriptures that you can feel of God's love for you. God knows you and the things you are going through and wants to help. I pray that you will let him- through His scriptures.

Give up, but don't give in.

 I have been pondering on the importance of sacrifice. A lot of us sacrifice time, talents, money and much more for something. It really goes back to what and where our priorities are. When we want something badly enough we will give anything to get to it. That may mean giving up sleep to get that A in class. It may mean shooting 100 freethrows to get a consistent shot. It may even mean cutting off our arm to gain freedom.

This concept of sacrifice and it's importance was brought to me again in my studies today. I was reading in the Book of Mormon in the book of Alma. Chapter 15:16. It says "And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek, Amulek having forsaken all his gold, and silver, and his precious things, which were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word of God, he being rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and his kindred;"

After reading that I was astouded by Amulek's dedication and love for the word of God. He was willing to give up everything for it! He even gave up his family and friends (let alone all his wordly possesions) for the word of God! He knew it was important and he gave everything to it.

Now I ask- What stops us? Why do we continue to hold on to things we know are not of worth? Where are our priorities?

I invite you to find something to give to the Lord as a sacrifice. It will be hard, but it will be worth it.