Dedicating Yourself

"But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul."
2 Nephi 32:9

As I was reading this scripture yesterday, I was trying to think about how it applies to me, as I usually try to do when I read the scriptures. I believe that this scripture provides a great perspective on one of the reasons we pray, which is to consecrate (or dedicate) ourselves to following God's will.
Many, if not all of us do good things throughout our lives. But why? What is our reason? I do because I believe that it will help me come closer to God by becoming more like Him. I know that when I follow God, he blesses me. Just as I strengthened my obligation to do good as I took upon myself the name of Christ when I was baptized, we can strengthen our will to do good as we pray frequently throughout each day. It gives us a sense of accountability and accomplishment. We can ask for the strength to improve and then report on our improvement. I love it!
I know that whatever we ask for with a righteous heart, it will be given to us. I want to leave a challenge to dedicate yourself more fully to following God as you pray this week, and then share what you learned and/or felt!

Praying for Strength

"But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, 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

Yesterday morning we had a mission-wide conference call for Easter, and we talked about the Atonement and how our lives are changed because of it. During that call, my mission president talked about the story in 1 Nephi 7 in which Nephi is tied up by his brothers. In verse 17 (above) Nephi does something really awesome. He didn't pray that his circumstances would suddenly change and that all of his problems would suddenly go away. Instead, he prays that he can change his own circumstances. I love that. He has faith that God will set him free according to his faith, and he prays to see the fruits of his faith through his work. What do you pray for?

Remembering Christ for Easter

"And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."
Luke 22:42

A while ago, I made a post Who is Christ to You? In this post was the beginnings of a rough draft for an assignment given by my mission president for Easter. Since then, I have been working on adding and revising it so that I could turn it in today, and I thought I should share. This is part of my testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Who is Christ to You?

The question Who is Christ to you? has been running through my mind over and over the past few weeks as I have prayed and studied more in depth of Him and as I have asked the people I teach about their own faith in Christ. There are a lot of common answers to the question of who He is--in His day, he was a great leader, a great teacher, and a great example for how we sould all be living our lives. But that doesn't answer the question; who is Christ to me? Why is it important that I know Him? This question calls for deeper thought and more personal application. I know that He suffered and died for me and my sins and overcame death so that I too could return to my Heavenly Father someday, but how does that knowledge change my life today?

First I am taken to His birth. It was a great and miraculous event; the Savior of the world was born. A new star appears, and the angels on high are singing and rejoicing. Each and every one of us were a part of it. We already knew that He was going to redeem us from the sins we hadn't even started to comprehend yet. We knew that He is central to our Heavenly Father's plan for us. And through the account in 3 Nephi 1, we come to learn that He was a Savior from the moment He was born, not just after His Atoning sacrifice was complete. The signs of His birth saved the faithful physically and the doubting spiritually. Though the signs of His presence don't seem quite as obvious today, they are still there. Each day these very same signs save me. Who is Christ to you? runs through my mind again.

Next, I think about Christ's life and ministry. This is where the many common answers of who He is comes from. From a young age, angels ministered to Him and helped Him to know the will of the Father and His role as the Son of God and Savior of the world. He then taught those same things to all who would hear. He was living a perfect life and strived constantly to serve others. He performed many mighty miracles and set the perfect example of the life we need to live to return to Him. There were many who did not agree with His teachings and persecuted him. They were always trying to catch Him in His words, and in turn He taught us to love our enemies. He chose not to give in to what would be a constant temptation to use His power and lash back, something many of us struggle with, and beckoned us to "come, follow me." Who is Christ to you?

Then my mind directs me to the Garden of Gethsemane. Here I picture the Savior, my Savior, suffering agonizing pain beyond compare. Here it is that He suffers to pay the price for my sins. Here it is that He also willingly suffers for my weaknesses, pains, sicknesses, and sorrows. He already knew exactly what I would go through in my life, but He wanted to be able to know in the flesh how to succor me. This great pain was enough to cause Him to bleed from every pore. So much so that He asks, "...if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done (Luke 22:42)." In this His infinite agony, He pushes on and endures because of His love for His Father and for each and every one of us. For me. Again the words Who is Christ to you? flash in my mind.

After His suffering in Gethsemane, He comes out to His apostles, still drenched in blood and completely exhausted, and finds them sleeping for the third time. At this point, He probably had every right to complain or question His apostles and their loyalty to Him. But instead he responds in love and says, "...sleep now, and take your rest...(Matthew 26:45)." If they had only realized what their beloved Master had just experienced, would they have slept? Who is Christ to you? repeats in my head once more. Immediately after that, still drained of energy and having no time to recover or clean up, He is met by a group of people along with Judas Iscariot, one of His closest friends and beloved apostles, and is betrayed for some pieces of silver. He was then led away, as Bruce R. McConkie states, "...with a rope around His neck, as a common criminal, to be judged (The Purifying Power of Gethsemane, April 1985)." He was then taken to places where He would be beaten, mocked, spit upon, and eventually crucified at Calvary. The very people that He had healed and taught now regarded Him as something for naught and tortured Him. In these truly agonizing moments, did He think of Himself? No. Not even one complaint. Like always, He was thinking of you and I in our moments of trial. Suddenly this great Atonement becomes a lot more personal. The question Who is Christ to you? continues to take over my thoughts.

And finally, my mind takes me to the empty tomb. The glorious day when Christ's resurrection that had been prophesied for centuries finally became an actuality. The bands of death have been broken, and the debt of the world repaid. Those who were once lost because of their imperfections could now become perfected through their belief on His name and their faith in the very one who gave His life as a ransom for their sins. This infinite and everlasting Atonement didn't just those who lived before and during Christ's time--centuries later, you and I can still benefit from the life of our Savior today.

Knowledge of all of these things is wonderful. It helps us to better understand our Redeemer, and helps us to know how to better follow His example. However, even knowing all of this is not enough--it can't be enough. After everything He has gone through, we cannot accept having a simple passive belief and knowledge of Him. It still requires more personal application to our lives. Again the question Who is Christ to you? races through my thoughts.

We all have our own personal struggles and trials in our lives that weigh us down in one way or another. Just as my mind had previously taken me to the Garden of Gethsemane and to the cross of Calvary, it now takes me to my most agonizing moment--the moment I was enduring my own Gethsemane. The moment in which I felt completely and utterly alone. The moment when I myself felt like I had been forsaken and had let dark, destructive thoughts enter my mind. The moment when I really started to wonder if it was all worth it. I knew I didn't have the strength to overcome this moment alone, a realization many of us come to as we face our most difficult moments. My heart was pleading for help as these inner struggles were starting to pull me down into the depths of despair.

In that very same moment, I remembered the things I had been taught for as long as I could remember; I remembered learning about Christ, and that He had suffered all things alone so that I wouldn't have to. Suddenly the darkness in my mind was dispelled as the light took over and I felt the warmth of His loving embrace. I was strengthened and freed from my personal torments and remembered my purpose as a daughter of God. There are not enough words to express the gratitude and relief that I felt.

We are never alone! I know that as the Savior has overcome the bands of sin and death, so can we all as we believe in Him and apply the great gift of the Atonement He has given us. There is no need for us to continue to suffer and carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. We are precious sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father who wants us to be happy and has provided a way for us to do so through His Beloved Son. Through this gift we have the ability to become better people every day and become more perfected in and through Christ. This is why I want to strive to do my best daily to share my knowledge of Him with everyone. There are many who are struggling in the darkness, searching for the light to come and save them. It is up to those of us to know to share that light. I love this gospel and my Savior with all my heart. No longer will I wonder what the answer to this question is for me. Who is Christ to you?

Because of Him

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
Philippians 4:13 

Something really cool is happening in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints right now. Through social media, because Easter is this Sunday, we are doing an initiative to focus more on Christ and what is possible "because of Him."
I am so excited to be a part of this! It is only through Christ that I am who I am today, and we have such a great opportunity to really share it with EVERYONE IN OUR REACH. And our reach is a lot larger--even worldwide through the tools we have been given. For more information, check out easter.mormon.org or #BecauseofHim.
There are many ways we can share our testimonies of the Savior, but my challenge for this week is to specifically share your answers to one question:

What has been made possible to you because of Him?

What Will YOU Do for Christ?

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest."
Joshua 1:9

As I listened to the words of the prophet and apostles during General Conference this weekend, the major message that stuck out to me was about standing strong as a disciple of Christ and the cost of discipleship. Among those mentioned that stood up for their beliefs no matter what the circumstances were the pioneers, ancient prophets, Christ's apostles, and most of all, Christ himself.
Right now, it seems as though we are blessed to not be persecuted as they were. I don't think it will be this way for long. The world is distancing itself farther and farther from the standards that a loving Heavenly Father has given us to be happy. What used to be the good moral standards of everyone is now being mocked and put at naught, as well as the people who live them.
We are already in need of courage every day if we want to continue to live what we believe. There is coming to be a need for more courage, strength, determination, and, most importantly, love. Heed the call to stand strong as a witness and representative of our Savior. Have love for those that persecute you, but do not just let things fly by.
Every day we have the opportunity to ask ourselves what we will do for Christ. As we allow Him to strengthen us and as we stand up for Him, God has promised to be with us wherever we go. What are you willing to do for Him who gave everything for us?

Blessings of the Priesthood

"And now, I ask, what great blessings has he bestowed upon us? Can ye tell?"
Alma 26:2

Okay. First of all, for those of you who don't know and may be confused by the title of this post, I want to explain that the "priesthood" is the power and authority given to man by God to act in His name. MANY great, wonderful things come through the priesthood, most especially the ability to make sacred covenants, or promises, that allow us to return to God's presence again someday.
That being said, there are also many other ways God's children can be blessed through the priesthood. Today I had the opportunity to be a part of one way. Sometimes life can get challenging, discouraging, or just plain confusing. We try to do the best we can to follow what we know to be right or do our best to keep our head up and not let things get to us. We also, despite our best efforts, can't always do it alone. We need an outside source to give us the strength to carry on or a word of comfort to help us remember that we're on the right track. I needed that reminder--a reminder that I'm a precious daughter of my loving Heavenly Father.

"When additional counsel or comfort is needed, or during times of illness, the young man or woman may receive a priesthood blessing from a father, home teacher, bishop, or other priesthood holder. A ...blessing... contains words inspired by God to His sons and daughters, serving as a guide and comfort for a lifetime and even with eternal significance. Think of the wonder of it (Robert D. Hales, Blessings of the Priesthood, October 1995 General Conference)."

I still may not know everything, but I know that the power of the priesthood is real. I felt the power of it today as my Heavenly Father spoke to me in my personal needs through my mission president. I know that this same power was restored by the prophet Joseph Smith, and that we are still enjoying the blessings of that today. I would be lost without it.
What is one way you have received divine guidance in your life?

Feeding His Sheep

"...Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
He saith to him again the second time,... lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
He saith unto him a third time... lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."
John 21:15-17

A while ago, Jeffrey R. Holland gave a talk regarding this scripture. In this account, Christ had already risen from the tomb and had visited his apostles, then left. Peter and some of the other apostles decided to then go out fishing, where eventually the were reunited again with Christ and were feasting him. After having asked Peter 3 times to "feed his sheep", he tells him to continue to be a better disciple of Him. Elder Holland gives his version of this account and says,

"...To which Jesus responded (and here again I acknowledge my nonscriptural elaboration), perhaps saying something like: “Then Peter, why are you here? Why are we back on this same shore, by these same nets, having this same conversation? Wasn’t it obvious then and isn’t it obvious now that if I want fish, I can get fish? What I need, Peter, are disciples—and I need them forever. I need someone to feed my sheep and save my lambs. I need someone to preach my gospel and defend my faith. I need someone who loves me, truly, truly loves me, and loves what our Father in Heaven has commissioned me to do. Ours is not a feeble message. It is not a fleeting task. It is not hapless; it is not hopeless; it is not to be consigned to the ash heap of history. It is the work of Almighty God, and it is to change the world. So, Peter, for the second and presumably the last time, I am asking you to leave all this and to go teach and testify, labor and serve loyally until the day in which they will do to you exactly what they did to me (Jeffrey R. Holland, The First Great Commandment, October 2012 General Conference)

So many of us have come to a great knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and as such have the responsibility to go out and share it with the world. But how often do we, instead, ignore that responsibility and go and "cast our nets"?

I know that if we truly love our Savior, we will do our very best to keep his commandments and feed His sheep by sharing the precious truths within the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What is one way you have "fed His sheep" today?