The Gospel Brings Wholeness into our Lives by Erin Evenson

Wholeness and being whole is an idea that we have really seen in the book of Mormon. Wholeness has been an important aspect of my life and has been one thing that has really changed for me over the past couple of years upon discovering the gospel. When I first decided to write about wholeness I decided to find out what the word really means. When I looked it up I found that wholeness means “The quality or state of being whole, entire, or sound; entireness; totality; completeness.” I think this is a pretty good description of someone who has the gospel in their lives. Wholeness not only means being physically whole, but mentally whole. I am so grateful to be physically whole and healthy but am most grateful for the mental wholeness that the gospel blesses us with.

In the definition of wholeness it says it means complete. One of the first things I think about when I’m thinking about wholeness and the gospel is when we feel incomplete. When our lives feel like there is something missing and we feel the need to pray to our Heavenly father. In Ps. 119:145 it says “I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord: I will keep thy statutes.” When we pray we must pray with our whole hearts and submit our whole selves to the will of the Lord. This is one thing that people often struggle with and believe that we will receive answers to our prayers if we pray half-heartedly.

If we find it in ourselves to pray with our whole hearts, we will be fully answered by the Lord. In John 5:11 it says “He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.” When one of Heavenly Father’s children feels incomplete and is willing to come unto him with their whole heart, he will answer by making them whole again. This reminds me of when I was investigating the church and didn’t know if I should get baptized. I knew that I felt happy and safe when I came to church but I didn’t know if that was enough. The first time I prayed about it I was unsure about how do pray and what I was even asking. As I learned more about the gospel I learned you have to pray with your whole heart if you want an answer. I was at first disappointed when I was not answered right away and couldn’t understand why Heavenly Father would ignore me when I was trying to make one of the biggest decisions of my life. Finally I prayed and was able to talk to Heavenly Father like he was my friend and finally understood that he knows me better than anyone and will answer in the way that’s best for me.

I also have found that when many people have faith in the Lord with their whole hearts, the world finds itself at peace. In Isa. 14:7 it says “The whole earth is at arest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.” When we know that we have a Heavenly Father and that Jesus died for our sins, it brings us comfort and peace in our hearts. It also brings us joy to know about the plan of salvation and that we will be able to live with our families forever. When we give ourselves wholly to the gospel we are blessed with eternal happiness. When we know this we have the ability to bring happiness into the lives of others as well. This is when peace and joy are present in the whole world and in the people around us through our service and love for one another.

I listened to an Oprah Winfrey talk once and she said “The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were intended to be.” I think the whole purpose of the gospel is to help us live up to our mental, physical and spiritual potential. Through the gospel and through our faith in the Lord we find completeness. In “How Great the Wisdom and the Love” it says “how great, how glorious, how complete, Redemption’s grand design, where justice, love, and mercy meet, In harmony divine!” The gospel and the Lord bring completeness into our lives! I testify that the gospel has made my life more complete and without it I would have a missing part of me.

Works Cited

The Book of Mormon, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Lds.org

Google.com

Faith in Life by Erin Evenson

I was baptized less then a year ago over Thanksgiving break and have truly enjoyed learning about the scriptures so far in a way that I never imagined possible. This is my first time reading through the entire Book of Mormon and I have been so surprised to see the messages of our Heavenly Father coming to us through the scriptures. Before I was introduced to the church I had been an atheist for 18 years of my life. One of the hardest things to learn when investigation the gospel was to have unconditional faith in the Lord and so I want to write this first blog about faith and how it can bring happiness into our lives and how it has brought happiness and hope to me.

As I read 1 Nephi 2:9-10, I liked what Lehi said to his two sons about what he hoped for them in their lives and about living righteously. He said to Laman “O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!” This is how we should all live our lives, by constantly trying to be righteous and do the right thing. Although Laman and Lemuel struggle with this at times I don’t think they want to be bad people. In our lives I think we all try to live a life of righteousness but sometimes stray from the path. Lehi then said to Lemuel, “O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!” This scripture means so much to me in that we must have faith that is strong enough to withstand the pressures and temptations of the world around us. For members there are constantly the temptations of alcohol, complacency or indecency. Through our strong faith in the gospel and scriptures we can feel confident and happy with our lifestyle.

In 1 Nephi 3:15 Nephi and his brothers fail to get the plates from Laban and Laman and Lemuel become discouraged and doubt that their task that has been given to them by the Lord is even possible. Nephi tells them “As the Lord liveth, and as we live, we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness until we have accomplished that thing which the Lord hath commanded us.” Nephi demonstrates that even though their task seems impossible, he has unwavering faith that the Lord would not ask them to do something if he didn’t give them a way. This scripture reiterates the fact that the Lord wants us to be happy and successful and even though our path may not make sense at the time, we must have faith that Heavenly Father has a plan for us that will make us happy. There are times in my life when I think that it is too hard and there is no way this could be the right path, but I remember to have faith that everything will work out in the end.

1 Nephi 8:9-10 Lehi has a vision and says “after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field. And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.” To me the open field symbolizes the fact that in our lives if we follow a path of faith, a whole world of opportunities will open up to us. The field he describes is a wonderful and inviting place that is full of fruit that brings us happiness. The Lord wants us to have choices and through those choices happiness. When we partake of the fruit we bring happiness into our lives and it gives us the opportunity to share it with others. Later on in verse 12 he expresses his feelings to share the fruit with his family. Through our faith we have the opportunity to share the gifts in our lives with the people around us.

Later on in the vision in verses 20, 23, and 24 Lehi explains the rod of ion and how it is the path we can follow to the Lord. This iron rod represents the strength of our faith in the path that we choose to follow in our lives. But with faith comes lack of faith which is described by Lehi, “And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.” Without faith in our lives we can find ourselves in a similar mist. Before I joined the church I had no idea that I was lost. Having steadfast faith and belief in something brings hope and direction into our lives. Where there was once darkness, light and hope no reign.

Knowing these things and having a testimony of faith gives me confidence in my life and in the church. I know that anything is possible through faith and diligence and that I will be happy by following the messages of the scriptures. 1 Nephi 9:6 states “But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words.” The Lord will give us a way to accomplish our dreams and desires even if we don’t see the path right away. All we need is a little faith.

Works Cited:

The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ

Lds.org/scriptures

www.dictionary.com

A Change of Heart in Our Life

We, even as members of the church, are often lost and sinful. We don’t know where to turn to and we require the influence of others to bring us on the right path. This influence can cause a change of heart if we let it. In Alma 5:7 we read: “Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word.” The Lord will never give up on us even if we are convinced he has. If we continue to open ourselves up to the spirit of the Lord he will bring about a change in us that will put us back on the path of regaining the testimony we have lost.
We do not necessarily need to be sinful to require a change of heart. A change of heart can represent the drastic growth of our testimony from faith to an actual knowledge of God. “And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?” (Alma 5:14) This is a very important part of our spiritual growth. It is what turns a missionary into a messenger of God or what makes a bishop a judge in Israel. Once we carry his image in our countenance we become true disciples of Christ.
Having had this change of heart does not mean that this will suffice for the rest of our lives. “And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?” (Alma 5:26) We must keep the spirit with us at all times. Righteousness is not something that is achieved, but more of a journey. We must always remember that change of heart and live such that we can have that same feeling with us at all times.
As sons and daughters of God in his gospel we have already experienced a certain change of heart. When we came to the knowledge of the truth of God’s plan faith changed our hearts forever. In Mosiah 5:7 we read: “And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.” We are born again through faith when we accept the gospel and are baptized. We gain a testimony and are washed clean of all our sins.
For those of us who are not converts and gained our first testimony from our parents, it was our forefathers that had that change of heart. “And behold, he preached the word unto your fathers, and a mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled themselves and put their trust in the true and living God. And behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore they were saved.” (Alma 5:13) Our fathers and mothers have passed that mighty change of heart, and the faith that came with it, on to us. It is up to us to find our own change of heart and build our own faith on that foundation.
I have a testimony that anybody can obtain a mighty change of heart. With diligence and the will to open up to the light of Christ we can be saved or strengthened by a change of heart in times of need. God is our father in heaven and will always put us back on our feet if we let him.

Despised and Rejected of Men By Samantha Howard

Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior set the example for all mankind to follow. He has done countless wonderful things for the benefit of all mankind because he loves us. And, he suffered for our sins in Gethsemane and then died for us on a cross, a death that was reserved for the lowest of criminals. He was the most perfect being who ever walked the face of the earth, yet he was esteemed so low that he died among thieves. “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” [1] If we want to return and live with him we must follow his example. In order for us to be his disciples we must follow in his footsteps, to be an ambassador of Christ by doing what he would do. At times we too will be despised and rejected for being a disciple of Jesus Christ, but it is a small price to pay since Christ paid the ultimate price of us.

There will be times when our values will conflict with the values of the world, and the church as a whole will be despised of men. The November fourth election brought great changes in this country. Other than a new president which was elected, the other notable change was that California, one of the most liberal states in the union, banned gay marriage. It was a huge success for Christians from all denominations who were trying to preserve marriage as a sacred union between a man and a woman. However, there was and continues to be a backlash from gay activists who support gay marriage. Rallies and Protests against Latter Day Saints’ temples, churches, and businesses have been prominent ever since the election. Church Leaders have been threatened, vandalism has occurred, and boycotts of anything “Mormon” has been done. One business in Los Angeles was bombarded with protesters after word leaked out that the manager’s daughter donated one hundred dollars to the passing of the amendment. These protestors caused serious emotional harm to this girl and have gone so far as to yell obscenities to any of the restaurant’s customers. The media is also portraying the LDS church in a negative light, viewing us as bigots and oppressors of human rights. Even though the church being persecuted for its involvement in banning gay marriage, we will not back down from doing what Christ would have us do, “But behold, the righteous that hearken unto the words of the prophets, and destroy them not, but look forward unto Christ with steadfastness for the signs which are given, notwithstanding all persecution.” [2]
There are numerous stories in the Book of Mormon of great prophets of God who were despised and rejected of men for following the commandments of the Lord. One prophet, Abinadi tried to bring the people of Nephi unto repentance. The people rejected his words and sought to take away his life. Eventually he was brought before the wicked King Noah and his priests for trial. Abinadi faithfully delivered the message that the Lord wanted him to give, even though he knew he would be put to death. Nevertheless, Abinadi was faithful and the King sentenced him to death by fire. [3] Abinadi was rejected and despised, even unto death, for following Christ.
A time will come when we must make a choice to follow Christ and be rejected of the world, or to not follow him and be loved of the world. What the world values and what Christ values will always conflict, and we must choose what we will follow. “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” [4] As Christians, we have decided to follow Christ and observe his teachings. It comes down to which side you want to please, Christ or the World. When I was in high school a very popular girl invited me to a birthday party she was having. I was new to the school and I really wanted to make friends and belong to a crowd. However, I knew that this was not the kind of party where the spirit could dwell. The party was B.Y.O.B. (Bring your own beer), and there would doubtlessly be inappropriate dancing and who knows what else. But surely I could go and still keep my standards by not participating in these things, right? I had to make a decision, if the spirit couldn’t go, I would not go. This girl was, of course, mad at me for not going and I was never welcomed into her crowd. I was despised and rejected by her because I kept my standards. It was all for the best however, shortly after I met some people who had the same standards as me.

At times the saints of God will be rejected of men because we are not of the world. “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” [5] However, at times it will be necessary for us to reject the world to keep the standards of God; in return, we will also be despised and rejected of men. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, who walked perfectly upon the Earth, truly set an example for us to follow. I know that even though we may be rejected of men for our convictions and values, Christ is always pleased when we follow him. I would rather make my Savior happy over my actions then to make the world happy. It is okay with me to be hated of the world, because that means that I am being a disciple of Jesus Christ.

References:

[1] Mosiah 14:3-4
[2] 2 Nephi 26:8
[3] Mosiah 11-17
[4] Luke 16: 13
[5] John 15:19

The Greatest of All by Amy Ellertson

When I think of the world today and the many tragedies that face us, I find myself with feelings of depression, anxiety, despair and anger. These conditions of natural calamities, corruption, starvation and other such horrors are very prevalent and are hard to grasp and keep an optimistic attitude about the worlds population and inhabitants. Despite these misfortunes that surround us, the Lord has commanded us to obtain and maintain three key principles of the gospel in our lives. The known trio of Faith, Hope, and Charity are singularly important for our happiness, but I also feel that they are deeply rooted and intertwined with one another. Stated in Alma 13:29, “Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.” As we strive to gain one, the others will also fall into place.
I would first like to discuss Faith. Hebrews 11:1 gives us the definition of, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is the first principle and ordinance of the gospel and our first step out of despair. We are commanded not only to have faith, but specifically faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. Man’s search in this life has been primarily to find what truth is. Also, we have all heard in one form or another that knowledge is power. God has blessed us with reason to discern truth in order to gain power here on earth. For example I learned very quickly when I was four to wear padding while learning to ride a bike. The knowledge that I gained through reason to wear a helmet and knee pads, gave me the power to prevent injury. Just as we have reason to determine truth, we can also discern truth with an “eye of faith” We must have three things to see with these heavenly eyes, these things are:
- Acknowledge that God is ( or exists)
- Understand his characteristics and understand that those characteristics will never change. Help us understand the commandments and promises he has given us.
- Align your will with God’s will.
I believe that the hardest of these three is aligning out will with God’s will. This requires us to set aside pride and truly become as a little child, trusting that what God has in store for you is much greater then anything you could ever hope for. Elder Packar said of practicing Faith, “You exercise faith by causing or making your mind accept as truth that which it cannot by reason alone prove for certainty.” Here he mentions this accepting of truth not only by reason. I believe that as we come to know God and align our will with his, our faith will increase line upon line until one day he will not be able to conceal himself from our presence.
Hope is the opposite of despair. As I find myself stressing and worrying over certain things, I remind myself that the Lord has commanded me to be optimistic in life. It is hard to decipher between hope and faith, but there is a difference although they go hand in hand. Hope in Christ is a gift of the spirit as well as a commandment from God. It is what gets us out of bed every morning and drives us to be more obedient. Christ is our greatest source of hope. It saves us from a deep despair and raises us to the joy of knowing that we are saved through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. In John 14:26-27 it says of the spirit, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” The spirit can bring peace into our lives and comfort our hearts. Elder Holland spoke of this scripture saying, “ that may be one of the Savior’s commandments that is, even in the hearts of otherwise faithful Latter-day Saints, almost universally disobeyed; and yet I wonder whether our resistance to this invitation could be any more grievous to the Lord’s merciful heart. I can tell you this as a parent: as concerned as I would be if somewhere in their lives one of my children were seriously troubled or unhappy or disobedient, ….I would be infinitely more devastated if I felt that at such a time that child could not trust me to help or thought his or her interest was unimportant or me or unsafe in my care.”
Lastly I would like to discuss charity which is the greatest of all. Charity is the true of love of Christ and the ultimate characteristic that defines him. As a junior in high school we had a seminary lesson on charity which left me with a very overwhelming feeling. How was I to have charity for every person when I couldn’t even get along with my own sister. I also thought of the fact that I had to unconditionally love even those that were horrible to me or others around me. As I pondered this topic I thought of the scripture in 1 Corinthians 13:8 which states “Charity never faileth”. The attribute of Christ-like love for our fellow men can solve any problem, dispute or disagreement. Also God has blessed me to be a woman and bear children. I believe that this is the greatest opportunity God has blessed his children with to develop this essential love. Moroni says of charity in Moroni 7:44 “for if he have not charity he is nothing.” I have found this to be true in my own life and struggles.
I know that as we strive to gain these three essential attributes that we will be blessed for our efforts and in creating peaceful relationships with our fellow men. I believe that faith can open doors for us in our ability to progress in this life and find truth. I believe that hope is just as essential to our progression and keeps up and going every single day. I also believe that there is never enough love in our lives. As we see (through faith) Gods children as they really are and their “real” potential, we will not be able to help developing charity for them. These three principles are ones that I strive everyday to improve and feel the difference in my life.

With Firmness of Mind by Jamie Ashby

In 1 Nephi 2:10, Lehi pleads with his son saying, "O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!" What exactly did Lehi mean when he beckoned his children to be "firm"? The word "firm" can be interpreted in several different ways depending on which translation you look at. In Greek, the translation to the word firm means to be stable, and in Hebrew, it means properly to be erect. Similarly, in the English dictionary, the word firm means not yielding easily under pressure and it continues to give a list of synonyms such as solid, fixed, unchanging, resolute, and constant. Although each language provides us with different interpretations, the underlying meaning for each is the same. Lehi pleaded with his sons that they would keep the commandments of God no matter what. No matter how hard it might be, and no matter how tempting the opposing force might fight, nothing should budge them from the gospel of Jesus Christ.
If Lehi thought it was important to teach his children to be firm, then surely it must be important in our lives as well. But how can we today have a firm mind as Lehi counseled? One way that we can do this is by keeping an eternal perspective. In Jacob 2:18 it says, "but before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God." As our minds are set on spiritual things, it will become easier to simply live in the world rather than be of the world. Another way to help our minds stay untainted by the adversary can be found in Jacob 4:6. "Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope and our faith becometh unshaken." As we listen to the leaders of the church and heed their counsels, we will be taught all things that we need to know in order to keep our minds firm, steadfast, and immovable. In this October’s General Conference Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin gave further insight on how we can keep our minds fixed on the truth. He said, "come what may, and love it!" This means that no matter what happens in our lives, we need to have a positive attitude and keep an eternal perspective. If we can do this, our burdens will seem lighter and we will be able to bare them with happiness.
In D&C 5:22 we are commanded to "be firm in keeping the commandments." But what benefit is it to us to constantly keep our minds firm in the faith? The scriptures show us that we will be blessed both temporally and spiritually for our stability in the gospel. In Jacob 3:1 it says, "look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction." This tells us that as our minds are steadfast and immovable, God will bless us with our every day trials. He will help us to be able to endure our hardships and find joy and love in whatever comes our way. Another blessing we will receive can be found later on in D&C 5:22. Here it says, "if ye do this, behold I grant unto you eternal life."
Within my own life, having a firm mind has been a great blessing to me. I have seen the benefits that come as a result of having a firm mind, and in contrast, I have been able to recognize the setbacks that occur whenever my mind begins to quake. Every day I am given the opportunity, through small adversities, to allow my testimony to be shaken or to stay firm in the faith. For instance, this semester of school has brought a lot of ups and downs for me. The past couple of weeks have been particularly bad. After doing poorly on an extremely important test and having a large pile of work appear out of no where, my stress level was reaching its max. As a result, my scripture study time was being cut short, my prayers were becoming repetitive, I was finding it hard to be happy, and I was seriously lacking the presence of the Spirit. As things got worse, my attitude also became more and more negative. Finally, I realized that if I could keep a positive attitude, maintain an eternal perspective and make the best out of my situation, then the Lord would bless me. When Sunday came around, I prayed for a special blessing that I would be able to feel the Spirit that day and that I would have the strength to be able to keep a positive attitude throughout the week. That day, my prayers were answered. Church was amazing. I felt the Spirit that day for the first time in a couple of weeks and my testimony was strengthened immensely by that experience. Ever since that Sunday, I have tried my absolute hardest to keep my mind set on the eternities so that my testimony wouldn’t be shaken by the things of the world.
I know that the reason why I was suffering was because my mind wasn’t firm in the faith. But I also know that because I chose to make a change, I was blessed with the Spirit and I was able to regain happiness in my life. I am so grateful for the scriptures in my life and I know that the principles that we learn from them are true. I know that with firmness of mind, we will be blessed both temporally and spiritually, and we will be able to enjoy the lives that God has blessed us with.
Work Cited:
Book of Mormon
Webster’s New World College Dictionary Fourth Edition
November Ensign 2008
Doctrine and Covenants

Shalom: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you

In Hebrew, the word for peace, “shalom,” is also used as a greeting and as a farewell.  Thus, when people say goodbye, in essence, they are really saying “go in peace.”  I  really like the idea of using the word “peace” more often in everyday language, in this example, as common as saying “hello” and “goodbye.”   How different would the world be if people more frequently reflected on what this word means, and if people strove to “publish peace?”  We can create and feel peace daily through taking advantage of the atonement, living the gospel, and through being peacemakers in our families.

It is important that we establish peace within our homes.  In Mosiah, we read, “And how blessed are they!  For they did publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the people that the Lord reigneth.”(1)  We will be blessed by the Lord for “publishing peace.”  There are so many ways we can establish peace in our homes.   Peace comes with daily scripture study, prayer, and church attendance.  Peace also comes from the little things we do for our family members, such as keeping your mouth shut when you want to yell at your little brother, or even from simply striving to have a positive attitude.  I have found that staying optimistic and encouraging even when things aren’t going exactly the way we want them too can make a big difference in your family.  It is hard to stay pessimistic for too long when you are around someone who looks on the bright side of things and sees the good in everything.  Matthew 5:9 reads “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”(2)  As children of God, we are expected to establish peace within our homes and communities. 

Living the gospel is essential if we want to have peace.  In John we read, “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”(3)  Through the Holy Ghost, we can experience this peace that John talks about.  The Holy Ghost will envelope us within a blanket of comfort in times of hardship if we are living the gospel.  In Mosiah 4:3 we read, “And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come.”(4)  If we exercise our faith, we will be able to feel comfort in trials and relief from sin. 

We can feel peace even after sin because of the gift of the Atonement.  One day when I was about five, I went shopping with my mom and saw a small toy that I immediately wanted to have.  I asked my mom if we could by the toy, to which she replied no.  So, I decided to steal the toy—after all, I could just hide it from my mom and she would never know.  I proceeded to slip the toy into my pocket, and couldn’t wait to show my friends.  The joy from having this toy however was short lived.  After we returned home, I realized what a big mistake I had made.  I knew that what I had done was wrong, and it bothered me so much that I couldn’t even look at the toy.  Eventually, I ended up telling my mom what I had done.  She took me back to the store where I apologized for taking it.   This is one of the first experiences where I learned the feeling of peace after sin and repentance.  Even though I got in trouble for taking the toy, I felt as if I had had a huge burden lifted off my back—immediately after returning the toy and saying sorry, I was overcome by a huge feeling of peace within myself.  The topic definition of peace from the LDS website says this: “Many people think of peace as the absence of war, But we can feel peace even in times of war, and we can lack peace even when no war is raging.  The mere absence of conflict is not enough to bring peace to our hearts.  Peace comes through the gospel—through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the ministration of the Holy Ghost, and our own righteousness, sincere repentance, and diligent service.”(5)  It is thanks to our beloved Savior, who atoned for our sins, that we are able to feel this sense of peace after we have committed a sin.  If we remember and follow the Savior, we can experience this peace. 

I know that we can feel peace if we have faith in the Lord.  I am so grateful for Christ’s atoning sacrifice in my life, and for the peace that I can feel after I have sinned.  I know that when we establish peace within our homes and communities, we are following His example, and that we will be blessed for it.  I know the Savior lives, and I take great comfort in his words, “Peace be unto you.”(6)  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

 

(1) – Mosiah 27:23

(2) – Matthew 5:9

(3) – John 14:26-27

(4) – Mosiah 4:3

(5) – LDS Website—Topic Definitions—“Peace”

(6) – John 20:19