Come unto Christ

This week, Professor Griffin made me realize something that I had never realized before. I often read Moroni 10 verse 32 as the recipe for sanctification. I always saw that verse as what each member had to do o live the gospel in its fullest. Today in class, I realized that the verse had an important part that I did not realize before. The first part of the verse said " Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness,"  it is interesting how it says come unto Christ and then be perfected in him and not the other way around. Most of the time i seem to forget that detail. I try to be perfect or wait to be perfect before I focus on the Lord. Sometimes I feel like I am not pure enough and have too many things to repent of before I can come unto Christ. With the Scripture I know that I should change direction. I do not have to try to do anything on my own, after all, I can not do anything on my own. The first thing I need to do is rely on Christ and ask him for his help to come to him. And only then will I be able to find happiness and follow his gospel the way he intended me to.

Walk where and how Jesus walks!

This week brother Griffin said something that got me reflex ting the whole week. He was quoting someone and he says that the person say : it's not as important to walk where Jesus walked as to walk where he walks. That immediately helped me reflect back to a story in the ensign that I read a few months ago while on my mission. The person who wrote the story said something similar " it is better to walk how Jesus walks than to walk where he walks" both ideas made me ponder about my discipleship with the Lord. Is Jesus Christ my  everyday example or do I just read about him and admire him? How do love life in a way where I could see the savior in my countenance? I decides that one of those things I could do is view others through the same scope as my Savior Jesus sees them. For that I would have to be more patient with those who don't always treat me how I want to be treated.  Instead of being quick to judge them, I could do as Jesus and forgive them and decide to remember the good in them. In 3 Nephi 12 Jesus states the beatitudes and the blessing of each. Then in verse 16 he said "Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven." I have the light of Christ, I have his spirit as my companion and I know as I try to be like him and follow in his footsteps that I will be a testimony of him and my father in Heaven. Then others can recognize him through my example and believe in him. Walking where and how Jesus walks is my strongest testimony to the world that he lives and wants us to be like him. I know I can start today by making small changes and improve. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and know that he lives. This is my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

The Sacrament: A life changing experience

 This week I learned a lot in class. One of the things that touched me the most is what I learned about the atonement of Jesus Christ. Before, I used to think of the atonement of Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for the whole world, but the more I learn about it the more I understand that it is a personal act. An act of love for me, you, and each one of us individually. In 3 Nephi 18, Jesus institutes the sacrament to his disciples in the Americas. He told them to do this ordinance in remembrance of his atoning sacrifice for each one of them. I found it interesting that Jesus asks us remember of his body in verse 7 as we partake of the bread. Every sunday at church each one of us have our own individual piece of bread that we partake. For each of us, he suffered and as I take my share of the bread on sunday I can remember that Jesus Christ suffered for my personal problems, afflictions, infirmities and because of that he can succor me no matter what I am faced with.  As I partake of that piece of bread, he is succoring me, and only me at that moment, I have his full attention, love, help. After all, we all never partake of our piece of bread at the same time, so he is my personal savior. Inspiration, light and understanding continue to flow as I landed on verse 36 saying : "...He touched with his hands, the disciples whom he had chosen, one by one, even until he had touched them all..."  Another example of how personal my relationship is with Jesus Christ. What I have read have changed my thoughts and attitude about the sacrament. Every week as I partake of the sacrament, I want to try to be there in spirit so that I can feel the cleansing, enabling, and personal power of the atonement on my life. I will chose to be there for the Savior as he is for me in that moment which is our most important moment together. The sacrament is my time with my Savior and I will make sure that I do not miss that appointment with him that is scheduled for me specifically to change my life. I know that Jesus Christ is my personal savior and redeemer. I know that he lives and loves me. I know that he is there for me and that I am his number one priority. This is my testimony, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Spiritual War

I love the war chapters of the Book of Mormon. They are among my favorites because while some might find them long or boring , they speak to me. They give so many advice on how to build a firm foundation in the gospel. One of those chapters that I love so much is Alma 49, during which Moroni build such strong fortifications in the city that the Lamanites could not get in.  The more I read, the more I realize that my life is is so similar to that chapter . Just like Moroni, I can use the gift of the Holy Ghost to discern the plan of the adversary and build fortifications to prepare for when he attacks me. Unlike Moroni, many times my battles will not be physical but rather spiritual. So it is important to use daily prayer and scripture study, weekly partaking of the sacrament, attending the temple, doing service, and following the commandments at all times to build spiritual fortifications to resist the temptations of the devil.  When I fill  my life with light, following the perfect example of my Savior Jesus Christ, I can be better prepared for the daily spiritual battles. The Lord has promised us in exodus 14:14 that he will fight our battles and he showed it to the Nephites in verse 17 that says "Thus the Nephites had all power over their enemies; ...there was not a single soul of the Nephites which was slain."Satan will use our weakness and passions, send fiery darts our way to hurt us, although we will be hurt, bruised, tested, tried but we will not perish. We will remain strong because of the Rock of the gospel which is Christ our savior on which we are built. A rock on which if men are built, they can not fall as Helaman 5:12 says.