Uplifted

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we are privileged to hear from our leaders when they speak to us from church headquarters to uplift and edify us, encouraging us to keep going, keep believing, keep trying to be the kind of examples Christ would want us to be.  It's a great reminder to have and they speak with experience and conviction and a great understanding of the world's current events as well as the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Their testimonies are brilliant and their words shine with the light of Christ.

When you read the news lately, it's disheartening to say the least.  Natural disasters leaving so many in troubled circumstances, thankfully we have a wonderful Church that has an internationally known humanitarian program that aids as quickly as possible to so many and to their utmost capacity.  You see war and rumors of war escalating world wide and forcing the world to take notice and act collectively to resolve it draining all of funds and resources in the process and unfortunately sometimes having no impact.  Disheartening is definitely the right word.

Through it all, however, there is hope.  Possibilities.  Opportunities.  There is always something we can do, always.  Never feel helpless but make sure you assess the situation carefully.  If you choose to donate funding to organizations that can get to these grieving and sometimes destitute individuals make sure you do a company check to see that your money is actually being spent on proper aid and not administration bonuses.  If that's not enough, some organizations will ask for specific items to be sent you could organize through your churches or schools a way to gather the materials needed and donate them to the organization.  Again make sure these items are being administered properly by checking on this company.

Sometimes I can't donate money, or time, or materials.  But I do have a powerful tool that I know works well.  Prayer.  I have seen miracles happen when large groups of people, from many faiths, come together in collective prayer for the greater good.  Hard to imagine it has any effect these days but I assure you, it does.  Having faith that God can conquer all, that He will deal with these matters how he sees fit is a remarkable quality.  One all should desire to have.  He can answer prayers in a big way that's so noticeable it cannot be denied.  But He also works quietly in the hearts of men and women everywhere.  He knows who is honest and forthright.  He knows who is deceitful and manipulative.  It's much easier for Him to sort it out than for us to judge or come to ill fated conclusions.  Prayer works.  I believe in that. Psalms 66:20 "Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me."

During this General Conference, we also  are reminded about our commitments to following the commandments of God and the blessings and rewards that come with that if we obey.  It is too easy sometimes to justify those commandments within ourselves to be exempt from them but I assure you no one is exempt from the eye of God, nor his judgments, nor his laws.  If we repent, proper and true repentance through faith, prayer, and obedience to God's laws we receive His mercy and Jesus Christs' atonement is sufficient for us to be forgiven as long as we are humble, make restitution and forsake the sin.  D&C 24:2 "Nevertheless, thou art not excusable in thy transgressions, nevertheless, go they way and sin no more".  Restitution is vital.  If you have wronged another confession is the first step but you must also find a way or at least offer a way to make it right between you.  You can't just keep it between you and the Lord, He'll know you haven't made an effort to apologize to the offended party, nor have you tried to repair any damage caused.  Awkward and scary sometimes restitution, but important to your understanding and personal growth.

Mostly what I love about General Conference is the knowledge that I can begin again.  It's like a spiritual recharge, a jolt of light.  Although like most things in life, it is what you make it or choose to allow it to be.  The reminder that we are children of a Heavenly Father who loves us, who misses us from His presence.  The reminder that we are all on an equal playing field despite our circumstances in life to receive His counsel and blessings.  That we are capable or incapable of personal knowledge of Jesus Christ based on what we choose.  We all have the choice to follow or not to follow.  To love Him, respect and acknowledge Him and keep his commandments, or not to.  Matthew 6:24 "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."  Mammon is an Aramaic word that means 'riches'.  You cannot serve God and be worldly.  This always makes me think about the tv I watch, the music I listen to, the books I read or if I'm living beyond my means for the sake of 'pretty things' in my home or closet.  Do I have excess?  Do I share that excess with those who are poor or in need when I don't need them?  Am I charitable with my possessions and my time?  Do I live the commandments of God the way He has presented them to the world or do I pick and choose which ones to listen to?  In Exodus in the old testament we read:

 1 And God spake all these words, saying,

 2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of thefathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in itthou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thystranger that is within thy gates:

 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lordblessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

 12 ¶Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be longupon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

 13 Thou shalt not kill.

 14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

 15 Thou shalt not steal.

 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

 17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

He doesn't say these words are suggestions.  He commands them.  Thou shalt is not saying optional.  You either obey them or you don't.  There are consequences either way.  I prefer to do my best to receive good consequences of blessings and knowedge but even I fall short sometimes.  That's where the atonement of Jesus Christ comes in.  I can repent.  I can acknowledge that I have made mistakes and try to fix what I can in them and try my best never to repeat it.  I must be honest with myself on this and not be too harsh on myself if I don't get it right away but I must also show true effort and remain humble.  The blessings will always come.

I have a testimony of these things that they are true.  I have not only studied them throughout my entire life but I have lived them and not lived them and I can testify to you all that living them is remarkably better.  He never said it would be easy, He only said it would be worth it.  God bless.