Our group of young single adults cares about our family history. While family history is mostly a family thing, being in a congregation of young single adults gives us the special opportunity to know lots of people who are tech savvy and we can help each other out as we try to find information about our ancestors online.
Ultimately, we do family history so that people who died without the Gospel of Jesus Christ can enjoy the blessings we receive from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In True to the Faith, a book produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it explains: "Many in the spirit world embrace the gospel. However, they cannot receive priesthood ordinances for themselves because they do not have physical bodies. In holy temples, we have the privilege of receiving ordinances in their behalf."
By living the Gospel of Jesus Christ (making and keeping promises with God), I have been able to progress and become better than I used to be. I am filled with hope by knowing what Jesus Christ has done to help me and others overcome sins and become more loving and pure people. I want everybody to have the opportunity to enter into this wonderful gospel path, and doing family history helps us to give this opportunity to those who have passed on. I believe that by following in this path, we can live with our families and with God after this life.
I wish to remain anonymous in this post, not because I mind
if you know who wrote this but because I think that the thoughts that have been
on my mind are common among everyone.
Since I was little I have been fascinated with learning and
human’s potential for growth. Improvement is a very common and encouraging
theme in the church and one that has always helped me to get through trials. On
the other hand, I have had a hard time being patient with myself as I try to be
a better person and to serve others. In serving others I have found the
greatest joy that I have ever known because in that service we have the
incredible blessing to get a glimpse of others the way that God sees them and
to feel at least a portion of how He loves them.
Because I am impatient with myself I have gone through many
ups and downs, as I am sure everyone else does too. I have been hard on myself.
Lately however I have experienced a change in perspective. I can’t quite say
how it happened, but I can attribute it to the Lord’s timing; something that I
had a hard time trusting or understanding before. I have noticed over time that
I have slowly been receiving answers to my questions, particularly the
heart-felt, down-on-my-knees sort of prayers where I just feel like I don’t
have any strength left.
It never ceases to amaze me how completely the Atonement
covers our weaknesses. Jesus Christ not only paid the price of our sins and
made it possible to return to Heavenly Father’s presence but He also made our
progression and growth possible. I don’t think that we would be able to learn
from our mistakes and do better the next time without the Atonement. I suppose
that people before the time of Jesus Christ were able to learn and develop as a
society and as individuals, but I also attribute that to the power and love of
God.
What truly amazes me is that it seems like all of a sudden,
all of these little pieces and answers I have been falling into place and making
sense. There are lots of reasons for that. I made more effort to listen for
those answers from God. I made an effort to start going to the temple
regularly; something that I have found many justifications for not doing until
recently. I found myself praying with more sincerity and trying to be more
honest with myself about how lost I felt and how much I needed Heavenly
Father’s guidance. I am not saying that I had ever gone off on some wild and
crazy path; but even righteous covenant keepers can feel lost sometimes. I know
it happened with me regarding school and the future. So many of us right now
face major cross-roads; many apostles have spoken on the importance of these
choices that we now face.
I just wanted to share my witness that things really do work
out. I still have yet to face a few of those choices, and there is still some
uncertainty in my future; but I no longer feel lost! I hope and pray for each
of you that you may have an eternal perspective and be able to see things as
God sees them. Trust in God. He does care for each of us and knows us
individually. His timing may not be our timing but have faith and keep on
moving forward. He will let you know the way to go if you listen. I know that
He truly wants us to reach our greatest potential and I can add my witness to
the many others. Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God and He has paid the price
for our sins. He has made it possible for us to try again when we make
mistakes, and again, and again. He will never give up on us. God is our
Heavenly Father. He loves us and wants us to return to live with Him in heaven,
and He wants us to be happy. Don’t let trials convince you otherwise. Those
also help us to learn and grow. I also believe and testify that we have
prophets and apostles still on the earth today. They speak on God’s behalf and
were chosen by His will. I also believe in and support the Book of Mormon which
also bears witness of Jesus Christ and His Divine Nature as the Son of God and
in His role in cleansing all mankind from sin if they will come to Him.
Thank you for letting my share my thoughts. I hope they may
strengthen those who are going through similar trials and uplift others who are
doing their very best. Keep up the good work!
Good Sabbath (שבת שלום) everyone! As we prepare to enter the Christmas season the church has released a video that helps us remember the true meaning of the season. Sometimes we get caught up in the presents, the travel, the decorations, and forget what the birth of our Savior meant to the world. I think the video says it better than I ever could but I do know that if we take the time to re-focus our hearts and turn them to our Savior during this time, we will experience a new appreciation for the season!
Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Presidency of the Seventy is a man inspired of God. And his address in the October 2014 General Conference proves it yet again. I'd like to share with you 3 thoughts from his talk.
1) Remember: The fear of God before the fear of man.
2) Courage is the form of every virtue at its testing point.
and my personal favorite,
3) Lowering God's standards to the level of a society's inappropriate behavior is apostasy!
I love this talk and hope you receive as much strength from it as I do. Never lose your resolve to follow Christ!
So some of the people in my family, myself included, enjoy talking to ourselves. When I was little sometimes I'd be by myself and have full conversations until somebody would come near me and I would get embarrassed. Now that I'm not alone as often, I don't talk to myself as often. But I was delighted when a conference Elder Ballard invited us to interview ourselves. Shortly after I went to a spot outdoors and asked myself about my strengths and about what I can improve and I answered myself. Especially being outside in a quiet place I could feel God's love, and seeing the big beautiful mountains and God's creations I felt sure that God is capable of helping me overcome my weaknesses.
If anyone knows me, they know I'm a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings! I remember as a young boy listening to my Dad read the trilogy to me and my brothers as we laid in our beds. Dad would put all his emotions into it as he would get excited with us, laugh with us, be sad with us, and, yes, cry with us. You can imagine our joy when we heard the news that they were making the movies! Needless to say, we loved them as well!
There is one scene in The Two Towers (that wasn’t in the book, but I’ve since forgiven Peter Jackson!) that I have been pondering about a lot lately. In the city Osgiliath, Frodo hits a breaking point when his burden as a ringbearer seems too much to handle and all hope seems lost. He is about to give himself up to temptation and be captured when Samwise the Brave comes to rescue him. Sam then delivers one of the most epic speeches about overcoming adversity and fighting for what’s right.
As I have watched and rewatched this scene, I ask myself, “How many times do I feel like Frodo here?” And I ask you, how often do you feel helpless, alone, and without hope? We often hit similar breaking points where our load seems too heavy to bear. In these “Frodo” moments, we ask ourselves the same questions in Sam’s speech. These moments are the shadows and the darkness he spoke about. Even Joseph Smith had Frodo moments in the Sacred Grove and in Liberty Jail when he cried out, “Oh God, where art thou?” (D&C 121:1.)
To those who feel, or have felt, this way before, I empathize with you. I too have come to up against the wall that seems impossible to get over and move on. I have longed for a “Sam” to come rescue me and tell me everything is going to be alright. I’m here to tell you that God will come! He is our Sam in the story. He reminds us that “even darkness must pass. A new day will come! And when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer!” God reminds us of our purpose and “what [we’re] holding on to.” (See Joseph Smith-History 1:16-17 and D&C 121:7-10 for God’s response to Joseph’s Frodo moments.)
I want to share a story of one my own Frodo moments. A little over a year ago I was going through a really hard time. I had just lost the girl I loved, I was struggling with finding a major at school, work was wearing me down, and it just seemed like anything I desired was always out of reach. I felt helpless, abandoned, and hopeless. I’m sure I wearied my Heavenly Father with my endless prayers of gloom and sadness. My Sam in this story came in the form of a poem that I wrote. It brought peace and hope to my life as I was able to put my thoughts into words. It inspired me to keep going:
In the same place
In the same place night after night,
My corner chair that fits just right,
I examine my considered plight,
Which has become my endless fight.
In the same place I try to see,
While Pandora sings soothingly
To my troubled and longing heart,
The pathway that I now should start.
In the same place when all retire,
I earnestly search for the fire
That drives, that pushes, and inspires,
To achieve heart’s deepest desire.
In the same place night after night,
Past memories dance into my sight.
I muse, I smile, and seldom cry,
But often time think, “why, oh why?”
In the same place through thick and thin,
I overcome the pain within.
Arise, go forth, begin to mend!
Surprises will come around the bend.
As I wrote this, I could feel the Lord’s love surround me. I was not alone, help was given, and hope restored. God is ever aware of lives and what we are passing through in this very moment. He loves us! We may feel like Frodo in our own personal Mt. Doom hanging on for dear life. The Lord, just as Sam did, reaches out to us when we are about to give up and says, “Don’t you let go!” I want you to know that your shadow IS only a passing thing, and surprises do come around the bend! I echo the words that King David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.” (1 Chronicles 28:20.)
The Lord will not give up on you, so you shouldn’t give up on yourself! Look for the “Sams” in your life; I know you’ll find them. God answers our prayers in a variety of ways, often time through other people. May we also strive to be Sam in the lives of others.
-Kevin
I recommend these videos that helped me in times of need. They also touch on this topic:
