6/3/2018
The Forgotten example: ShiblonAlma 38 has always been one of my all time favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon. When I need encouragement, comfort, or just a boost to get through the day, Alma 38 is where I turn. To me Shiblon is who I want to be. He is an example to me of secret service, diligence, and a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Compared to his brothers, Helaman and Corianton, Shiblon only gets a small snippet of a speech from his father but in the first five verses we learn so much about who he is. By reading this chapter more carefully and seeking out other sources to help expand my understanding I have learned so much. In this paper I want to focus on four ways that I relate to and want to be like Shiblon. I will talk about how he goes unnoticed, why he serves, the importance of him recognizing his source of strength, and his example of consistency in growth.
Shiblon has two very well known brothers, Helaman and Corianton. Helaman is known for all the good that he does, he is a public figure, everyone knows and adores him. On the other hand, Corianton is called to repentance for falling away and is known for his struggles. But what about Shiblon? His brothers are given lengthy sections dedicated to them and he gets 15 verses for himself. Of these 15 verses, five verses are about who he is and how proud his father is of who is becoming, four verses are his father bearing testimony, and six verses are dedicated to counsel. Now, I do not think that is necessarily a bad thing. It is better to get a good 15 verses than to be chastised. To me Shiblon is like those people in the ward who are assigned the visiting and home teachers who are not as diligent because they are fine on their own. These are the people who are not necessarily recognized for their good works but who are also not worried about because they are not struggling. I would assume that Shiblon might feel like one of those people, as I have, someone who ends up going unnoticed because he is not struggling but also not taking the spotlight. He has served valiantly as a missionary, he has worked hard to keep the commandments, he has diligently endured hardship, but he has also gone relatively unnoticed. Though I understand the importance of focusing on those who are struggling the most, and I know that the spotlight can only fit so many people, it can be hard to feel like the good you are doing is going unnoticed. Elder Ringwood said that “the service that counts most is usually recognized by God alone.” (2015). He is described as being faithful, steady, a commandment keeper, diligent, patient, long-suffering, and someone who trusts in the Lord. He was a good person doing good things, but he was flying under the radar. I think it’s interesting to note that even though Shiblon may have felt that his good acts and persistence were going unnoticed that didn’t stop him from doing them. He wasn’t motivated by a desire to get recognition or because he felt obligation from the fact that he was being watched. Elder Oaks taught that “service with all of our heart and mind is a high challenge for all of us. Such service must be free of selfish ambition. It must be motivated only by the pure love of Christ” (1984). I think that Shiblon is a great example of this. He has gone and taught and served the Zoramites without any great recognition and in Alma 38:4 his father says “I also know that thou wast stoned for the word’s sake; and thou didst bear all these things with patience because the Lord was with thee…”. It was not easy for him. He faced trials just like the rest of us. But while no one but God was watching, he still served diligently. He served because of his love of Christ and desire to be Christlike. Because he understood the atonement and because he had seen it work in his own life, Shiblon was able to see others through Christ’s eyes. His service was out of love, pure Christlike love. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said that “God’s greatest reward goes to those who serve without expectation of reward. It goes to those who serve without fanfar; those who quietly go about seeking ways to help others.” (2017). I would add that it goes to people like Shiblon. And yet, as good as Shiblon is, as diligent, patient, steady, and faithful, as he has become, his father still warns him in verse 11 “see that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea see that ye do not boast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength.” (Alma 38:11). Though Shiblon does not often receive public praise or approval for his actions. Though he is not placed on a pedestal or acknowledged for his efforts. He is still counseled to remember where his wisdom and strength comes from. I think this is a reminder that we all need. Elder Henry B. Eyring said that “we need strength beyond ourselves to keep the commandments in whatever circumstance life brings to us” (2004). I think that is what Alma is getting at when counseling Shiblon. He knows that Shiblon is good, that he is trying to be a better disciple of Christ each day, but he also knows that the source of strength and wisdom that everyone needs comes from the Savior. It is interesting to me that Elder Eyring says “whatever circumstances”, he doesn’t say during hard circumstances, or when your testimony is wavering, he doesn’t say when things are easy, or when everything seems to be going your way. He says in whatever circumstances. Alma knows that Shiblon is a valiant missionary with a strong testimony but nonetheless he still needs the strength of the Lord in whatever circumstances he is in. Another way that I am impressed by Shiblon is in his steadiness. Elder David A. Bednar said “we don’t achieve spiritual progress in large increments all at once...It requires patience and persistence.” (2015). Often in my life I want a big spiritual experience each time I read my scriptures. I hope to open them up and have the spirit rush over me and confirm everything. However, learning from Shiblon, I need to work on consistency and persistency. It makes me think about how when we are young and see a relative we haven’t seen for a while the first thing that they notice and comment on if how much we have grown. We have been consistently growing and often don’t recognize the growth that has been occurring, but to them we have shot straight up and doubled in size. I think it can be the same with spiritual growth. Often we might feel like there is no major growth that is happening. We don’t see the fact that we have doubled in size because it has happened so gradually for us. But, like Shiblon, when we are diligent in constantly doing the small and simple things in order to grow bit by bit, we double in spiritual size over time. Howard W. Hunter said that “if you feel that much of what you do this year or in the years to come does not make you very famous, take heart. Most of the best people who ever lived weren’t very famous either” (1990). To me, Shiblon is one of those people. He is an example of of secret service, diligence, and a true disciple of Jesus Christ. He serves out of love for those around him and not for recognition. He knows where his strength comes from and acknowledges the hand of God in his life. He is diligent in doing the small and simple things in order to become more like the Savior each and everyday. He is an incredible example to me and someone that I want to emulate in my own life. “None of these desirable small and simple things will lift us to great things unless they are practiced consistently and continuously" (Dallin H Oaks)
We all know the basic primary answers the we give when we are faced with a question at church... Pray, Read, Go to church, Repent, Serve others, Go to the temple… But why do these things matter? I was studying all of these things separately trying to figure out what the root reason is that we do them and I found that ultimately, all of these things help us to have the holy ghost with us, to become more like the Savior Jesus Christ, and to build a relationship with our Heavenly Father. These things help us to grow. They help us to come closer to those who love us the most. They equip us to be able to handle life, serve others, and make a difference. They change us. So if they are so good and beneficial then why are they ultimately so hard to do? Why is it so hard to roll out of bed and say your prayers? Or read your scriptures before doing homework? Or go to the temple? I have a silly example so just bear with me for a second…. The other day my roommate and I were watching a romantic comedy and it was way sad! Sooo I am dating this boy who lives in France, long story, but anyways needless to say long distance is hard and watching a movie with two people who are in the same place and happy and in love does not make it easier. So we are watching the movie and I am starting to become increasingly more aware of the fact that I am sitting on a couch in a basement suite in Utah while he is asleep in France because of the eight hour time difference. I know it’s silly but it was hard. So then my brain starts thinking of all these complicated and elaborate ways to remedy the problem. I could just go to the airport and fly to france. I could invent a teleportation device. Literally so many options. And then quietly and calmly the thought comes to my mind, “well have you thought about studying your scriptures?” It almost seems tooo easy. Reading my scriptures isn’t going to teleport him. So I sat in my sadness for a while and then the thought came again. Once I was humble enough to act on it I got up and grabbed my journal and my scriptures and my little PMG which was conveniently open to the page titled “patience” and then I read these words “patience is the ability to do God’s will and accept his timing” the spirit rushed over me. I legit started to cry. Not because I was sad but because of the comfort that that phrase brought me. And then I studied the scriptures that go along with it… and I was filled. There is this idea that I learned in one of my classes. Usually it’s something that teenagers do BUT I am pretty sure that I do it too it’s called self-handicapping. The idea is that we sometimes deliberately do things or don’t do things in order to have an excuse for failure. Interestingly boys usually say it’s because of lack of effort, and girls usually say it’s because of emotions. So how does this tie in to everything? I feel like a lot of the time I know that if I just get on my knees and pray I will feel better. I know that if I read my scriptures in the morning then I will have the spirit with me throughout the day. I know that if I go to the temple then I will be blessed in other parts of my life. I know that those small and simple things that elder oaks talks about are so important. But, then, despite knowing, despite experiencing it over and over and over again I still fail to do it because of how simple it seems to be. Essentially I am self-handicapping myself. The fear of failure is overcoming the faith in God’s plan. But God never ever wanted us to be afraid of failure. That’s what this life is about. He planned for it and when we are doing those small and simple things we are equipped to get back up when failure happens, because it ultimately does. So yes, we need to be doing those small and simple things like praying, reading, and going to church, but don’t forget that another one of those small and simple things is repentance. I think it’s really interesting that in order to physically grow we need physical nourishment. I mean, have you seen how much a teenage boy eats while going through a growth spurt? But on top of this have you seen how clumsy they are when they are growing? They bump into everything. They don’t realize the change that is happening with their bodies because to them it doesn’t feel like the dramatic change that it is. To them it feels like small and consistent change. This life is a spiritual growth spurt. Though it might not feel like we are changing and growing a lot we are. On top of all that, don’t worry, if it makes you feel better I am clumsy too during my spiritual growth spurt. I stub my toes and get bruised and bumped and scrapped but my mom always told me that that is just a sign of growth. So if during a physical growth spurt we need physical nourishment then what do we need during a spiritual one? I’ll give you a hint...it brings us back to those primary answers…. I saw this thing on facebook the other day that said: "Science says we need: water, air, food, and light. Christ is: the living water, the breath of life, the bread of life, and the light of the world." For our spiritual growth spurt we need Christ. We need him always. We need him in all things. We need him consistently and continuously. We need him because he makes all the difference. We need him because He is what changes us. Just like how you can’t give a teenager a peanut butter and jelly sandwich expect them to be good for the whole week we need constant spiritual nourishment for our growth. Sometimes it might seem like we are stubbing our toes a LOT. It might seem like we are barely growing but remember when your great aunt comes to visit after last seeing you when you were 5...she is going to say “oh look how you’ve grown, the last time I saw you you were just a this tall” Elder Oaks said “though each of these practices may seem to be small and simple, over time they result in powerful spiritual uplift and growth” But all of that uplift and growth ultimately comes from our savior Jesus Christ. It comes from those small and simple things that we do every single day in order to be in tune with the spirit. It comes as we stub our toes, get bruises and bumps and scrapes. It comes as we clumsily grow through the spiritual nourishment. Now, I don’t know about you but I feel like I am going through my toddler growth spurt not my teenager one. I am still figuring out how to eat, getting food everywhere, and falling all the time. I am sometimes forgetting the importance of constant nourishment and throwing a tantrum because I don’t really know what I need. So if you are like me and feel the tantrum coming on...remember that you probably just need food, whether that’s physical or spiritual. We are all on this journey together. Bumping into things and falling is a natural part of growing. So, keep growing. Take a nap. Eat a snack. Make sure you are spiritually filled. You've got this.
12/10/2017
Gratitude for GrowthIn a talk by President Monson called “the Divine gift of Gratitude” he said “We have all experienced times when our focus is on what we lack rather than on our blessings” (President Monson, “The divine gift of Gratitude”). I want to link this to a story that we all know fairly well...the story of Lehi and his family. In our story we have two characters who emulate focusing on the what they lack perfectly, Laman and Lemuel. But here is the thing...they just left everything and are in the wilderness, a desert wasteland, I know I would be focused on what I lack. BUT you know who isn’t? Lehi. In 1 Nephi 2:7 it says “And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.” They just left everything, and he builds an altar to thank God.
Now I don’t think that Lehi is building this altar just to say “thank you for the trials” because I think a lot of the time in church we say “I am so grateful for my trials” like it’s the fact that bad things happened that makes us grateful. There was a blog post on lds.org that said “gratitude isn’t a way to ignore our problems or a quick fix for deep sorrow. Gratitude comes from actively remembering God and His goodness.” In the blog post she also said that “grateful for trials is only part of the sentence” I think this is something that I have really come to learn over and over and over again in my life. This is not to say that we have to be super happy while life sucks but I think it’s realizing that even when life sucks we are still being watched over by a God who knows and loves us perfectly, a God who is more concerned about our growth than about our comfort. We still have a Savior who knows us, we still have families and the gospel and temples and a living prophet. Yeah, life sucks, we might be taking on what feels like our own version of traveling through the wilderness but we need the faith to build that altar and finish that sentence. Let me just remind you that sometimes the end of that sentence can take a little while to be finished. After 3 years I am now able to finish the sentence that “I am grateful that I came home early from the MTC because I was able to learn that being a missionary was more than wearing a nametag and teaching the gospel but a way to live and become like the Savior.” Some sentences take more time to complete like “I am grateful that my grandpa died when I was 10 because it gave me a desire to know if the plan of salvation was really real.” And some sentences finish themselves really quickly like “I am grateful that I had a hard day because I learned that I can do hard things with the help of my Saviour.” But I think it’s important to remember that eventually there will be an end to all the sentences, and sometimes it will simply be “because I know that no matter what it will be worth it.” I think a lot of the time when I am going through hard things I look up and think, why me? Why Heavenly Father? I have been doing my best, I have been attending the temple, reading my scriptures, serving those around me. I am trying so hard. But then sometimes, when my heart is not hard, when I am humble enough to let the spirit speak to me, I think “Why not me?” What makes me so special and unique that I would get to skip the trials and hardships and still learn the sweet lessons? Even prophets and apostles and those noble men and women who I admire so much had to, even the Saviour. This was part of the deal, this was part of the plan, this is part of the growth. Now back to the beloved story because, the trials and gratitude didn’t stop after they left everything and went into the wilderness. Let’s skip ahead to 1 Nephi 17. First off, context is super important for this. They have travelled A LOT, they have each other, and the plates, and that is about it. They are eating RAW meat, their wives have babies, and in verse 4 it tells us that they have been in the wilderness for 8 years! And then they get to Bountiful, and it’s beautiful and there is fruit and honey and it’s great. And then verse 7, after many days, only DAYS, the Lord asks Nephi to build a boat. Now I don’t know about you but I think that a couple bad days or even a bad months is hard, let alone 8 years. And then you see the light at the end of the tunnel and things are finally working out and the Lord asks you to do a hard thing. So how did Nephi have the strength to do it? I think it was because through his gratitude he was humble. We need to find the strength to be grateful, to recognize the Lord is there. Because from that gratitude, from relying on the only one who understands when there seems to be nothing else, we find power and humility and love and strength beyond anything we can find while we are living a cushy life in Jerusalem with our riches and friends and comfort. And it’s because of that gratitude and reliance on God that we will have the strength after 8 years in the wilderness to leave paradise after only days to cross the waters. In August of 2014 I was called to the France Lyon mission, I spent 10 days in the MTC and then I had to come home early. I wanted to serve a mission so bad. I felt kind of like Heavenly Father was sending me out to my wilderness. And I came home and I was home for two weeks and then I moved to Vancouver. At that point I REALLY felt like I had left Jerusalem and was in the wilderness. I left my friends and family and job and comfort, it was a wilderness for me. It was hard, and then I saw a glimpse of bountiful. I was dating this boy and I liked him a lot. It was sweet, like honey. Things were going great and then we went to the temple to think more about marriage and I got the clearest no I have ever gotten. Basically Heavenly Father wanted me to build a boat and leave bountiful. He wanted me to go to the promised land. I however was a little bit reluctant to build my boat. I thought Bountiful was the end destination and He was asking me to leave it. But how does gratitude change from saying thank you to moving us to trust in the Lord enough to leave Bountiful? It kind of makes me think of the difference between what being grateful looked like when I was a kid and what it looks like now. When I was younger I am pretty sure the times I said thank you to my parents were directly correlated with the toys, cookies, piggy back rides or money that I got. It was a very egocentric, thank you’s for blessings kind of gratitude. But as I have gotten older and realized more how much my parent’s have helped me become who I am, how much they have taught me and pushed me and counseled with me and how much I have become like them through all of that, more of my “thank you’s” are directed at the growth that my parents have helped me receive. I feel like it is the same with Heavenly Father. At first we might be grateful for blessings but not so much for growth but as we grow and continue being grateful a shift happens and we are grateful for the growth. I think that is why Nephi had the faith and strength, because he was grateful for growth. Because he knew that God was going to help him finish that sentence, that eventually we get to see WHY we should be grateful for the trials. So how do we become grateful for growth? President Monson said that “a prayerful life is the key to gratitude”. Think of it, who was praying more? Nephi or Laman and Lemuel? Definitely Nephi. But why does that matter? Here is the thing, he was asking questions and seeking guidance and thanking God. If you aren’t talking to someone very often you probably aren’t going to remember to thank them. On the other hand, if you talk to someone everyday, or better yet, if you talk to them throughout your day, you are much more likely to remember to thank them for what they have done for you. And thus starts the habit. President Monson goes on to say “Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God’s love”. I love that! I think that when you are recognizing that someone is helping you you are also recognizing that they are loving you and God is always loving us. I am grateful that we have a Heavenly Father that is patient with us no matter what. Whether we are like Laman and Lemuel, or Lehi and Nephi, he knows we are human and he knows we are his children. I know that sometimes it feels hard to finish that sentence, that sometimes it’s hard to be grateful when life is hard. But I am grateful that I always have a way to finish that sentence, that no matter what, I can be grateful during whatever comes my way because I know that my Saviour Jesus Christ is with me every step of the way, he knows exactly what it feels like for me in that moment and he knows what I need to strengthen me.
3/12/2017
RM: Title or Transformation?Coming home early from the MTC is one of the hardest decisions I have ever made in my life. For the longest time I could barely talk about the experience. I wanted to serve but I know without a doubt that I needed to come home. Since returning I am still often unsure if I can call myself a returned missionary. I feel as though I don’t qualify for the title. Something I have come to learn however, is that though it is valuable to serve a mission it is more important to become a missionary. It’s great to dedicate two years to serve the Lord but what about the rest of your life? What is more important, the title, or the transformation? We place heavy significance on the title returned missionary. Some people wear it like a medal. Some feel ashamed that they didn’t gain the medal others have. We have become fixated on the title of RM, we need to realize what we expect from a returned missionary, understand the importance of returning to continue to be a missionary, and learn to shift the focus from the title to the transformation.
My friend was on Tinder the other day and got a message from a guy asking her to make out with him. She turned to me and said “but he said he was an RM, I trusted that” . What do we expect from a returned missionary? We might not expect them to continue going to bed at 10:30 and waking up at 6:30 or to continue dressing in a white shirt and tie or a dress everyday. But when someone says they are a returned missionary we do expect them to have certain qualities. We expect a sharp young man or young women. We think of someone who is dedicated to the gospel. Someone who exudes light. Someone we can trust. When someone says they are a returned missionary we think of someone who is a disciple of Jesus Christ. Now, some of you are probably thinking of a person that you served with or know who isn’t a very active member anymore. I’m not trying to say that it’s a piece of cake coming home from a mission. I know it isn’t. Because cake is handed to you pre frosted, on a plate, and with a fork. It’s easy and effortless. When you come home from your mission continued spiritual progression is not handed to you. It takes effort. It takes a lot of effort. To be a missionary every day takes work, every day. Elder L. Tom Perry said “I call on you returned missionaries to rededicate yourselves, to become reinfused with the desire and spirit of missionary service. I call on you to look the part, to be the part, and to act the part of a servant of our Father in Heaven.” Why don’t I like the term RM? Because it stands for returned missionary. The term denotes that they used to be a missionary. It is something in the past. A title, not a part of who they are, not a transformation. In high school I played clarinet in band. My band went to Europe and played concerts there. It was a great accomplishment, I learned a lot, grew a lot, and experienced a lot there. I became a more confident clarinet player, practiced a lot for the trip and learned techniques to be prepared for the concerts. I played clarinet better then than I have ever before. The key word being played. Since graduating I have played my clarinet a grand total of 4 times. I still look back with fondness on the trip and still value the experiences I had. But if someone were to ask me if I play the clarinet I would say that I used to. I would no longer say I am a clarinet player. I still love music. I still know the basics of playing the clarinet but I don’t invest the time anymore. I don’t practice anymore. What if returned missionaries treated their mission the same way I treated this trip? If shortly afterwards they stopped practicing and investing their time in it? I am not trying to negate the value of serving a mission. Like my trip to Europe with my band, serving a mission is a learning experience and an accelerated growth period. It provides you with practice and application that helps you to become better. It is not serving a mission that I am against, it’s becoming a returned missionary. I wouldn’t be a useful clarinet player in a band right now because I haven’t kept up my skill. Likewise, if we become a returned missionary we won’t be a very helpful current missionary. In the missionary handbook “Preach my Gospel” the missionary purpose is outlined; it says the purpose is to “Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.” This is not exclusive to full time missionaries. Elder Quentin L. Cook said “What we desperately need is for member-missionary work to become a way of life—for the Savior’s mandate to share the gospel to become part of who we are.” We are all called to help other comes closer to Christ. We are all called to become missionaries. My best friend Katie served as a missionary in Thailand. Often times I feel like I don’t measure up to her and her accomplishments. One day we were talking about missions and she told me that her mission had helped her to become a missionary. She then told me that even though I hadn’t served as a full time missionary I had still become a missionary and that is what mattered most. You don’t need to serve a mission to be a missionary, to love the gospel, or to be a dedicated Latter-Day Saint. There are so many dedicated, hard working, charitable, LDS people who have served missions and there are lots who haven’t. So when did we start looking for an RM and not a strong temple worthy, eternally progressing member? To all the readers who haven’t served a mission, for whatever reason, keep your head up, you can still be a missionary. And to all the readers who have served as a missionary, please do not stop serving as one. Life is not a piece of cake for anyone. Being a missionary takes effort for everyone. The transformation of becoming a missionary is not going to come from sitting and waiting for a piece of cake to appear. Just like never practicing or playing the clarinet will not make me a clarinet player, we will not become missionaries if we do not continue pursue missionary work. It is important for us all to look past the title RM toward the transformation of becoming an EM, an eternal missionary. But while we may be quick to look for this transformation in others, let us not forget to look for it within ourselves. ![]() Grace is something that I have always had a hard time understanding. I knew that the Saviour died for my sins but I didn’t understand that He also was there to give me strength and help me to become so much more than I am alone. Often I would pray for the trials to go away and often I still do. But as I began to ask for strength instead of removal, that is when I began to understand a little bit more the enabling power of the Atonement and how the Saviour is there not only for sins but also for weakness. A great example of someone who understood the enabling power of the Atonement was Nephi. When he and his brothers were sent back to Jerusalem to get the daughters of Ishmael his brothers didn’t want to go back into the wilderness. They did not want to listen to him. His brothers tied him up and talked about leaving him to die. While he was tied up he prayed. “...saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound.” (1 Nephi 7:17) Elder Bednar said this about the experience “Nephi did not pray to have his circumstances changed, Rather he prayed for the strength to change his circumstances” “Because of his Atonement, The Saviour has the power to succor--to help--every mortal pain and affliction. Sometimes his power heals and infirmity, but the scriptures and our experiences teach that sometimes He succors or helps by giving us the strength or patience to endure our infirmities” (Dallin H Oaks) In my life I have often found that the relief isn’t always immediate or easy, sometimes the storm keeps raging on but the Saviour has always been there, holding me up when I could no longer stand, placing words of love in my mouth when I knew not what to say, helping me along, and opening my eyes to see my divine potential when I rely on his infinite and all powerful Atonement. There is a quote I love from Elder Bednar that has helped me to see the importance of the enabling power of the atonement and the gravity that it can have in our lives. He said, “I frankly do not think many of us ‘get it’ concerning [the] enabling and strengthening aspect of the Atonement, and I wonder if we mistakenly believe we must make the journey from good to better and become a saint all by ourselves through sheer grit, willpower, and discipline, and with our obviously limited capacities.” Even when I am trying my best, I often feel like I am not really doing my best. But we don’t need to do it alone, just like Nephi we can ask for strength. God doesn’t expect us to become a saint all on our own. When I was in the MTC I met with a counselor and as we were talking one day, he asked me what I expected of myself as a missionary. I spat out all the things that I thought a missionary needed to be, I expected myself to be exactly obedient, to be charitable, to be serving everyone around me, to be turning outward and loving all the people, I basically expected myself to be a practically perfect missionary. That counselor looked at me and lovingly ask, “what does God expect of you?” through tears I said “He expects me to try my best” The counselor then added “wouldn’t it be silly to expect more from ourselves than what God expects” I think something that I have come to realize now is that God knows that I can’t be the person that I am striving to be on my own. He doesn’t expect me to reach my fullest potential alone. There is no way that I can become the person I hope to become without enabling help from the Saviour. In preparation for this talk I was studying an ensign article that talks about the difference between sin and weakness. It talks about how repentance is for sins and the enabling power of the Atonement or grace is for weaknesses. As humans weaknesses are something we are well acquainted with. I don’t know about you but I have plenty to go around, and they are constantly changing, but that’s okay. “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27) Because of those weaknesses I have been able to rely on my Saviour for help. Through relying on him I have come to trust and turn to him more often. When we ask for help he is willing and able to strengthen us. As we recognize his hand we will be more quick to ask for help next time. Just like with a friend as we turn to him we strengthen our relationship with him. He knows how we feel because he has experienced it and so he knows how to perfectly strengthen us. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13) I love how this scripture says I can do ALL things. I often think to myself, “The Saviour can help me conquer mountains” but sometimes I forget that he can also help me cross streets. In the strength of the Lord we can do all things. It’s not always the life changing tempest raging events in which we need the Saviour, though we also need him then but in order to go from good to better, we need the strength that the Atonement offers to continually progress. In the Bible dictionary under Grace it says “… It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts” The enabling power can help us serve more effectively beyond our own desires and capacities. I know of a surety that that is so true. I have seen it over and over and over in my life. There is absolutely no way that I could serve in the callings I have the way that I have without the help that I received from my Saviour. I did not do any of that alone. When I was in Vancouver I had three callings, I was the Family Home Evening Coordinator, a Branch Missionary and a member of the social media committee. There is no way that I could have served in all of those callings without help from my Saviour. The Vancouver YSA is really an amazing group of individuals. There are a whole bunch of people there who are super accomplished. There are also a bunch of people who have had to experience things that I could never imagine. It’s almost a little intimidating to try and serve these people who have gone through trials I couldn’t imagine, have testimonies of giants and have just plainly experienced a lot more than I have. In my efforts to serve in the Vancouver ysa a quote from Carole M stephens rang true to me She said “I don’t completely understand your challenges. But through my personal tests and trials—the ones that have brought me to my knees—I have become well acquainted with the One who does understand, He who was “acquainted with grief,” who experienced all and understands all.” There were so many times where I did not know what to say, or how to help someone but I knew that the Saviour did. There were so many times where I found myself saying things I never would have thought to say on my own. It was through the enabling power of the Atonement that I was able to serve. In Elder Oaks recent general conference address he said “We might even say that having descended beneath it all, He is perfectly positioned to lift us and give us the strength we need to endure our afflictions. We have only to ask.” While I was in Vancouver, during finals season, life was hard. There was one morning where I just didn’t want to get up or go to school to take my final. I was feeling done and unprepared. I was overwhelmed. I prayed. I knew that Heavenly Father couldn’t exactly just cancel my exam. I had to go and take it but I prayed that I would be able to have some sort of boost, something to help me make it through the exam and through the day. I left my house and started walking to the bus stop. It was raining and I was still feeling pretty down. I was looking at my feet as I walked. On the sidewalk I saw a pass along card (one of the cards the missionaries hand out) flipped over on the ground. It was muddy and soaking wet but I picked it up and flipped it over and saw a picture of the Saviour. In that moment I was filled with an overwhelming feeling of love, comfort and strength. I knew that I could do it. I knew that the Saviour was there for me. It was wet so I carried it in my hand the whole ride to school and was constantly reminded that he was by my side. On the back of that card it says "Faith in Christ can help you resolve personal and family challenges." For me that day was a challenge. I know that the Lord really does know how to lift us up. He knew that for me in that moment I needed to be reminded that he was by my side. I know that through the enabling power of the Atonement we can go from good to better to best. I would not be who I am today without the strength and power that I have received through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It is so real to me. |