"Become as Little Children"

In all that goes on around us, there are many questions. How can God let something happen? Where is God in times of need? In this sense, we are like little children in that we do not understand all that God has for us. We miss the fact that God does not allow bad things to happen; most are the result of human choice. Our task is to because like the child, humble ourselves and allow His hand to lead us through our obstacles. He is waiting and prepared to lead us to the blessings He already has waiting for us. It is then our choice to choose to take His hand, as a child takes the hand of the parent, and allow Him to get us there.

As we become like a little child; submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things, we leave the world behind and we become more like Christ. We become better able to handle situations with thoughts and faith in Christ. I cannot share a better example than that shared by Sister Jean A. Stevens, 1st Counselor in the General Primary Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in her conference address shared in April 2011 about a little boy named Liam:

"...This past year he has battled aggressive brain cancer. After two difficult surgeries, it was decided that radiation would also be necessary. During these radiation treatments, he was required to be all alone and lie absolutely still. Liam did not want to be sedated because he disliked the way it made him feel. He was determined that if he could just hear his dad’s voice over the intercom, he could lie still without the sedative.

During these anxious times, his dad spoke to him with words of encouragement and love. “Liam, although you can’t see me, I am right here. I know you can do it. I love you.” Liam successfully accomplished the 33 required radiation treatments while holding perfectly still, a feat his doctors thought would be impossible without sedation for one so young. Through months of pain and difficulty, Liam’s contagious optimism has been a powerful example of meeting adversity with hope and even happiness. His doctors, nurses, and countless others have been inspired by his courage."

Sister Stevens said, "children are the key to helping us become more like Him." I can't get over how this little boy was able to endure 33 treatments with only the voice of his father for comfort. We can learn a lot from this one example of a child. He shined to those around him of his faith, not only in his earthly father but in his Heavenly Father who is the source of happiness and hope in our loneliest moments.

I know through the heart of a child, we will be led to all that our Father has for us. We will know happiness and hope as we face our lonely times. To choose to be like a child, it to be more like Christ and choose the way of my Father in Heaven. The beauty is that it is completely our choice. We only need to reach up and take His hand.

Walking on the Sea

     In the New Testament, we read of the account of Christ coming to the boat where His apostles were crossing the sea during the night. In the third watch, in the middle of a “boisterous” storm, Christ knows His apostles need Him and walks on water out to where they are. As He approaches, they see Him and are afraid, thinking He was some kind of spirit because human eyes tell that walking on water is not possible. Upon knowing their fears, Christ calls out to them telling them that everything is OK and that He has come to help them. As Peter hears Christ’s voice, he calls out to Christ to help him walk out to Him. When Christ calls to Peter, he immediately leaves the boat to walk on water to Christ. Leaving the safety and security of the boat to do something that is not possible took a large amount of faith on Peter’s part, but as he walks out to Christ, he becomes distracted by the storm around him, his faith turns to fear, and he begins to sink. Sensing he danger he has put himself into, he calls out to Christ to help him. Upon hearing Peter’s cry, Christ “immediately…stretched forth his hand, and caught him.” Upon pulling him out of the water, Christ says to Peter, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst though doubt?”

     In Doctrine and Covenants 88:67, we are taught “if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light,…with light that comprehendeth all things.” As we center our lives on Jesus Christ, we will be able to know Christ and feel Him lift us as we seek His help. That knowledge will sustain us through all things and help us to understand or find meaning in our trials. As Peter walked on water, finding himself surrounded by the raging storm and beginning to sink, he immediately recognized his predicament and who he could call upon for help. He knew that when he asked, Christ would not hesitate for a second to catch him. When we center our lives around Christ, as we come upon our storms, Christ will be there to lift us out of the waters of our fears as we put our faith in Him. The trials each of us face are different but I know that through faith, Christ will be there for us the moment we take one step as long as we stay focused on Him and ask for His help.

Parables

     When Christ was on the earth, He often taught in parables; a parable being a story of comparison to teach some spiritually divine truth. It is a story that teaches us gospel truths. However, understanding the meaning has more to do with where we are spiritually than intellectually. This means that it doesn't matter how much education one has; if we are not humble and pray for personal inspiration, having faith that Heavenly Father will answer our questions, we will never understand the meaning of what is being taught or how it applies to our own life. This is very much like the Pharisees of Christ's time. They knew a lot about the religious law but would not humble themselves to truly know who Christ was and learn from the Master. Christ's disciples understood who He was and were humble enough to ask Christ what He meant when they did not understand (See Matthew 13:10).

     While Christ was on the earth, He talked about our day and the growth the Church is experiencing today. He knew that in the last days, the Church would very much be like a little mustard seed, a smallest of seeds that grows is to a great tree. (See Matthew 13: 33-34)
     He also compared the growth of the Church to leaven, or yeast, used in baking bread. Just as yeast helps bread to rise, the gospel helps us to become better people. (See Matthew 13:47-50) To become more like Christ and be able to return home to our Heavenly Father. As we allow the gospel in enrich and uplift our lives, we can in turn share that with others so they can experience the blessings of the gospel in their own lives.

     Because of the remarkable growth we have seen in the numbers of new members, our Church leaders have requested missionaries to help teach those that are ready to hear the gospel. Many young men, women, and couples have answered and will answer the call to serve at a cost and a sacrifice that many in the world don't understand until they feel the happiness the gospel brings to their lives. It is that happiness we have and feel that so many leave behind their worldly wealth, recognition and other things deemed of worth in the world to obtain and maintain membership in the Church.

     On the other hand, it is the little things that often drive away people from the Church as well. This week in our group, we talked about these little things. It could be someone was offended, on purpose or not. It could be illness that kept them away for a time and they just got out of the habit of coming. It could be sin. In General Conference this past weekend, a general authority shared a story from his family where they left Church after one of their meetings and decided to go on a Sunday drive rather than return for their latter meeting. They did not return to regular attendance for some time after that one drive. Sometimes, it's the little things we neglect to do that keep us from feeling the Spirit and drive us away from the Church. 

     On the flip side of that, it is the "little" things that also keep us active in the gospel. You can probably name them in your sleep but just to name of few, personal prayer and scripture study can give us a solid anchor so that when the winds begin to blow and the storms around us howl, we have our testimony and faith in Christ that can carry us through whatever the world has for us.

     As I think about the sacrifices we make as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I scarcely think of them as sacrifices. My testimony of the truth of the gospel and my faith in Christ and His Atonement mean more to me than any amount of money or successful career could ever bring. We have been taught that as we look for the opportunities to share our time, talents and resources in helping those in need around us, we will be blessed beyond imagination. I know this to be true. Heavenly Father has sent  us what we have needed when we have needed it. I have personally witnessed His hand meet our needs when I didn't know how it was going to be meet and I know it is because our family has chosen to put Him first.

     The gospel is the net that is being cast out into the world. It is gathering in all those that want to hear and feel the happiness it brings into their lives. (See Matthew 13:47) The missionaries and members of the Church are working together to gather in those that are ready and helping to prepare those that need a little more time. If you would like to learn more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, go to mormon.org and take the opportunity to talk to someone who is a member of the Church or a missionary. We are wanting and ready to share what we know about Christ.

"The Beatitudes"

President Harold B. Lee called "The Beatitudes" found in Matthew 5:1-12 as "The Constitution For A Perfect Life." Learning and applying the lessons the Savior taught in his Sermon on the Mount can bring us immeasurable joy in this life and it develops a deeper love for God and our fellow men. It also provides the steps to become more perfect and develop the qualities of an exalted person. While on the earth, we are the "natural man" but the more we true to leave that behind, the closer we will be to becoming more as the Savior is and gain blessings that will be everlasting.

We are taught this week, in our reading, that "to be blessed" means to be higher than happy. It goes on to say that happiness comes from without (meaning something on the outside effects our level happiness) and is dependent on circumstance. Te be blessed is to have "an inward fountain of joy that nothing on the outside can seriously affect." I have always been one to believe that happiness is a choice but as I think back to those times that I truly feel "happy," it was the result of the joy felt from not something tangible but from something that struck a spiritual string within my heart.

"Blessed are those that mourn." In studying this specific beatitude, I have come to discover two directions this could be applied. The first is applied to those that feel sorrow because of loss in their life. To be more specific, the loss of a loved one. Sometimes we will not understand why Heavenly Father removed someone from our lives. But as we come to the understanding that God's way is not always our way, we can come to trust Him and feel the comfort He has promised to send.

The second application is the sorrow we feel when have need to repent. It is that "godly sorrow that worketh repentance." As we allow this sorrow to bring us to repent, we make the changes necessary in our lives that will allow us not to return to those things that cause us to sorrow in the first place. By repenting and applying the Atonement in this way, we receive the comfort promised.

"Blessed are the meek." In the eyes of the world, to be meek is a negative thing. It means that you lack conviction, are weak, and submissive (broken to the will of another). In essence, you will not amount to anything of greatness in this life. In thinking more on this topic, I did a search and found an article in the December 1987 Ensign magazine title "The Beatitudes: Pattern for coming unto Christ." In this article, Elder Robert E. Wells shares an account of being on a ranch where they raised horses. At some point, he asked to see where they "broke" the horses of their wild spirits. The man of the ranch he was with immediately responded that they never "break" the horses. As they work with the horses, they love them and are patient. As a result, these horses still have their spirit and fire but them become obedient and well-trained. In thinking about this experience, Elder Wells finds great spiritual application in being meek. He says, "The Savior...meant that we should be obedient and well trained. We can be strong, enthusiastic, talented, spirited, zealous, and still be 'meek.'" 

I have come to know many people in my life who are truly meek in their obedience to the gospel but are able to share the fire they feel in righteous living, in the talents they possess, and enthusiasm they embody from living a high standard of moral code. They are not "broken" into submissiveness. They have come to know that true joy that comes from living the commandments and the freedom we feel in knowing that we are not bond by the adversary. In the end, someone that is meek "is strong, has complete self-mastery, and has the courage to stand for moral convictions no matter what the crowd does."

"Blessed are the merciful." This is the one I needed the most this week because I need to be more merciful and have more mercy in my heart and thoughts. I am not perfect and it is hard to have mercy. In our manual it states, "our salvation depends on the mercy we show others." As I think back on recent events in my life, I can see where I have lacked mercy. I have allowed selfishness and discomfort get in the way of all that Heavenly Father needs me to be. Because of the love and mercy God has for us, He gave us His Son. Christ then gave us His life. In return, I need to learn to be more merciful to those around me.

There is so much we can learn from studying Christ and His life. Every day is a new lesson and a new application. I know that as I continue to study,  ponder, and apply what I am learning in this class and through my continual study of the scriptures, I can draw closer to Christ and my Heavenly Father. As I become closer to them, it is my desire to help others know of the joy I feel from the blessings of our Savior in my life.