Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Pure and Holy by Natasha

They are beautiful and tender as the morning sun that shines upon your skin. They patiently come into this large world as carefree and innocent as can be. They have soft, tiny bodies and their skin is without blemish. They gently open their sparkling eyes and everybody that looks upon them is bound to fall in love with them. They have the power to instill love into those whom love was once lost. They have the power to make you smile even at your lowest point. They can bring peace into a life full of storms. What is this great power that I speak of? It is the purity and delightsome, that babies so humbly possess and share.

“For the natural man is an enemy to God…unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.”[1] I have learned, through diligent study of my scriptures, those little children, eight years and below, have a special light illuminating through them. They are so full of purity and they radiate a bright light that shines through them, making them so delightsome and pleasing to look at. This is how we ought to become, even as little children. When I look at my two nieces whom are both 7 years of age, I see perfection through them. I quietly listen to them as they knowingly and gladly speak of our Heavenly Father’s love for them and how Heavenly Father comforts when they are sick or sad. The very fact that these little children are so aware of the existence of our Father in Heaven, gives us all a greater desire to want to be more pure and delightsome. We have a greater tendency to look further than an eye length, because we understand that life does not begin with birth or end with death-we lived before we were born and shall continue to live even after our mortal bodies are laid to the ground.

“Savior may I learn to love Thee, walk the path that Thou has shown, pause to help and lift another, finding strength beyond my own, Savior may I learn to love Thee, Lord I will follow Thee…”[2] Whilst in Primary, I was taught that we can only be like our Savior if we love Him. When we truly learn to love our Savior, Jesus Christ, we would want to follow Him. We would have a greater desire to learn of be more like Him, Him, even our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ whom set a perfect example for us to follow. When the Savior was on the earth, many people viewed Him as evil and a sinner, whilst those eho were able to recognize His Spirit saw Him for whom He really is, a God, full of purity, love and perfection. This is how we should be; people should be able to see the purity that we possess. We must be able to” let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.[3]. Let the light of Christ shine from before your countenance. We should be able to radiate happiness and delightsome and encompass others with our love.

“ And then shall they rejoice; for they shall know that it is a blessing unto them from the hand of God; and their scales of darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a pure and a delightsome people.”[3] This scripture teaches us that the Lamanites, who were on once a wicked and perverse generation would be made “a pure and a delightsome people” if they accepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives and live by His teachings. They were made to become beautiful, not just their outward appearance, but their hearts were turned away from wickedness. Their inward beauty illuminated through them, thereby making their outward appearance all the more appealing. We can apply this principle in our own lives. We have been blessed with the fullness of the Gospel here on the earth today. We have a living prophet and apostles to lead, guide and direct us. We have everything we need in order to return “home as faithful servants.”

“Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. The world has enough women who ae coarse; we need women who are kind. The world has enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.”[4]
Considering the fact that I am a young woman, I tend to place greater emphasis of purity on women. Women play an important role in the plot of life. We need to be more virtuous and lovely. “We are daughters of our Heavenly Father who loves us and we love, we will stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places…”, this young women theme should become curved in our hearts and minds, so that we would always understand our importance and we would always hunger and thirst for the cause righteousness.
“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price ifs far above rubies…Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain: but a women that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her at the gates.”[5] Purity and virtue work hand in hand. You cannot possess one without the other. We should ‘fear’ God in a sense that we respect Him and always have the desire to do those things that He requires of us, as His children, to do. Become even as little children, pure and delightsome!

Zion is who I am!
I am obedient
I am led by the Spirit
I am pure in heart

This is Zion!

Works citied:
[1] Mosiah 3:19
[2] “Lord, I will follow Thee” Hymn #220
[3] 3 Nephi 12:16
[4] Margaret D. Nadauld. “The Joy of Womanhood” -Ensign, Nov. 2000
[5]Proverbs 31:10, 30-31

7 comments:

Amanda S. said...

Good job, Natasha! I liked your introduction and segue into being pure and holy of talking about children. Make sure each paragraph has a main idea--try not to start paragraphs with quotes.

darajf said...

Natasha, I must here and now declare my girl-crush on you! This was truly beautiful, in every aspect. I can see how purity is important to you, for you are purity to the T. Excellent job!

jackie said...

Great blog Natasha! I was very impressed with your beginning paragraph, it grabbed and held my attention.

jessie kay said...

Nice intro Natasha! It really drew me in! BEAUTIFUL! =]

D-Weezy said...

I'm glad you recognize the holiness and straight up peacefulness that dwells inside little children. They are such examples to all of us. Thanks for your insights. Great testimony.

Valerie said...

I just loved your introduction, it really just sucked me in! You did a really nice job. I can feel how much you strive to be pure. What a wonderful thing!

Cynthia Hallen said...

Your post reinforces the joy I feel at the announcement of a new Young Woman's value: VIRTUE, with gold as its symbolic color.