Since a very young age I have had the opportunity to grow and learn spiritually; slowly increasing my testimony. Throughout my very limited years here on earth I have come to the knowledge of many simple, but life-changing truths. For now, I hope to focus on just three of these that rotate around our Heavenly Father. First, I know that He loves me. Second, I know that because God loves me, He established families on this earth. Third, I know of the divinity of our Heavenly Father and the plan that he has for me.
Elder Richard G Scott said, “Find a retreat of peace and quiet where periodically you can ponder and let the Lord establish the direction of your life.”[1] As we do this, we realize that our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us individually, and cares for the direction we take in life. Deuteronomy 7:8 says, “Because the Lord loved you…[he] hath…brought you out with a mighty hand.” I know this to be true as I feel I have been directed by my Heavenly Father just in order to get this far in life! Without the Lord’s care for me I would not be as rooted in the gospel as I am today. In fact, I most likely would not be at this wonderful institution had it not been for the Lord’s direction and love set aside especially for me.
Because of God’s love for me, I was blessed with a family. Preach My Gospel states that “God has established families to bring happiness to His children, allow them to learn correct principles in a loving atmosphere, and prepare them for eternal life. The home is the best place to teach, learn, and apply principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”[2] Our Heavenly Father said, in Moses 3:18, “It [is] not good that the man should be alone.” This shows that God’s intention is for us to have eternal families, not to be alone forever. As I mature and move into the world I am continuously learning of the importance of my family and the role they play in my life. D&C 130:2 shows that “that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory.” I am eternally grateful for the situation I was born in to, for my parents, and for each family member around me. I consistently find myself thanking the Lord for these amazing blessings and the strength that I have received from them. Each time I ponder the great blessing of families, it only helps to grow my learning and testimony of the great plan of my Heavenly Father.
Learning of the divinity of the Lord and His plan is one thing that I have consciously tried to do. In D&C 130:18 we learn that “whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.” As I have studied scriptures and pondered their meanings, the Lord’s plan for us is readily made manifest. We know by Titus 1:2 that there is “eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world begun.” If we attain Celestial Glory in the highest kingdom then we will be Gods ourselves! It is crucial that we advance our learning in the gospel in order to perform those requirements necessary to get to the Celestial Kingdom. The prophet Joseph Smith gave great counsel when he said; “You have got to learn to be Gods yourselves, and to be Kings and Priests to God.”[4] I know that the Lord is divine and has and equally divine plan in store for us.
Elder Russel M Nelson said that “the earth and life upon it are of origin… It is God who made us, and not we ourselves… Grand as it is, planet earth is part of something even grander--the great plan of God. Simply summarized, the earth was created that families might be.”[3] I know this to be the case as I continuously discover pieces of it through the slow learning and development of my testimony.
WORKS CITED
[1] Elder Richard G Scott, Ensign, May 2001, pg 9
[2] Preach My Gospel, pg 32
[3] Elder Richard G Scott, Ensign, May 2004, pg 84
[4] Joseph Smith, Teachings, pgs 346-347
8 comments:
Really succinct and great formatting; this was really smooth to read. I liked the summary of the few things that you have learned. Perhaps this piece could benefit from a lengthier personal conclusion that synthesizes the rest of your words.
I like the way that you begin with three important keys of learning and then follow up on those throughout the piece. The topic sentences of the paragraphs could more clearly remind us of those three ideas. You have a great focus and a clear style. Carry on.
This was a great post, Spencer. I really liked how you mentioned that gaining a testimony is a slow, step-by-step process. Knowing that God loves us is a great starting point to build from.
You're essay was amazing!! Not only was it structured well and flowed smoothly, but it really displayed the strong testimony that you have. I can tell by reading this essay just how much your family and the gospel means to you. Thanks for your comments!!
I love your mention of families. My family, as you said, are such an important part of my life and I sometimes overlook them as a blessing in my life.
You had a very effective structure in writing this essay. It really helped your point flow seamlessly from the text to me. I really enjoyed it.
when ur in a quiet place u can really feel Gods love for us. your essay was well done and easily understood. good job.
Its great how you explain that a testimony will not come overnight. It takes a lot of different steps and processes and it takes a long time. Solid work. Thanks bra.
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