A Gospel of Becoming

Back in June, I started my freshman year of college at BYU.  In the summer.  Crazy right?  But I am SO grateful life lead me to where I am right now because I have already learned and benefited so much from my one little religion class on the Book of Mormon.  Because summer term is so short, the course is accelerated and we've covered a ton of material, but there seems to be one underlying theme that my professor keeps coming back to almost every class, and it has changed my outlook entirely:

This gospel is a gospel of becoming. 

I think it's easy to look at the gospel of Jesus Christ as a list of do's and dont's.  A strict set of rules that we are required to follow in order to prove by the end of our lives whether the majority of our deeds were good, or bad.  Although there is truth in that, I want to take it a step further.  Heavenly Father didn't give us commandments for them to simply be followed.  His laws and guidelines serve a greater and a deeper purpose.  They are tools designed to help us CHANGE and BECOME something.  We aren't told to serve our neighbor simply because God tells us to; rather, we are asked to serve our neighbor in order to change our hearts and our countenance and to develop greater Christ-like attributes.  We aren't told to love others just because God says it is the right thing to do, but because by doing so, we are slowly becoming more and more like God himself.  We are behaving as He would and becoming more than what we were the day before.  

Sometimes I get so overwhelmed and caught up with my "religion checklist" of things I'm supposed to be doing, that I start to forget the purpose behind why I'm doing those things.  For example, daily scripture study has always been a weakness of mine, especially because I wasn't always seeing it the way I see it now.  For a long time, reading the scriptures everyday was just an item on my religion checklist that I was doing because it's the right thing to do.  True?  Yes.  BUT, I was forgetting the very purpose behind the action.  A daily habit of scripture study is a commandment and tool that helps mold and shape the spirit into reaching a divine potential.  It is a tool to bring us closer to our Heavenly Father and Savior, to help us learn and change our actions, and to become something better than we were before reading.  This is just one example from my life, but this principle pertains to every rule and guideline found in Christ's gospel.  Our daily righteous actions, though some may seem small, always have a purpose and are designed to refine us.  They are not just a set of do's and dont's.  It is important to remember that we do keep God's commandments out of obedience because He has asked us to keep them, but His guidelines become a whole lot more meaningful when we recognize and remember the purpose behind the action.  If we're seeing these guidelines simply as a checklist that will give us more "good marks" in heaven upon completion, then we've missed the point.  What can we become from creating these daily habits?  How can we change by keeping the commandments?  How will doing these things ultimately help us reach our divine potential and bring us back to our Father in Heaven?  When I started viewing the Church of Jesus Christ in this light, everything changed for me.  It makes sense that God wouldn't ask us to do something unless it had the power to help us become all that we have potential to become.  

Dallin H. Oaks gave an amazing talk titled, The Challenge to Become, that helps to explain this topic more in depth.  One of my favorite parts states - 

"Many Bible and modern scriptures speak of a final judgment at which all persons will be rewarded according to their deeds or works or the desires of their hearts. But other scriptures enlarge upon this by referring to our being judged by the condition we have achieved...The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become."

You guys, we have a loving Heavenly Father who expects the very best from us and He doesn't expect us to get there alone.  He has provided a church with guidelines and most importantly, a Savior to assist us on our journey of becoming.  He loves us and sees our potential, and that is why He requires so much of us.  Through Jesus Christ, we CAN become better everyday and it IS possible to return to God with a character more like Christ's.  I hope that when that day comes for me, I can say that the desires of my heart are more aligned with my Father's, and that I have become a little better and come a little closer to who I was designed to be.  

Who You Really Are

Earlier today, I was complaining to my patient mom about some of my own physical imperfections and flaws that I'm currently frustrated about.  It's just been one of those weeks where I've been a little more down about myself and everything seems so much worse than what it actually is, ya know?  Thankfully, I was quickly reminded of a crucially important truth, and I really want to share that with you.

The adversary can be pretty tricky and can get us to believe a lot of things that just aren't true.  Our world these days focuses a great deal on appearance, status, materialism, etc., and Satan wants us to believe that every bit of it determines our worth and purpose as an individual.  He takes great pleasure when we compare ourselves to others who seem so much better off than us, and when we do that, we begin to tread down a dangerous path that will, in time, lead us further and further away from one of the most important truths in our lives.  Satan targets those things which are most precious, and one of those precious things is our divine heritage, where we came from, who we really are, and what that means to us.  

YOU are a son or daughter of the most infinite, divine, grand, and loving being in the universe.  He knows you personally, He knows you by name.  He knows all of the things that make you happy, the things that make you sad.  He is there during your greatest victories and most joyful moments, and He is always there during your times of defeat and greatest sorrow.  He loves your personality, your quirks, your interests and talents that make you unique.  He loves you just the way you are right now - imperfections and all.  As I began writing this, one of my very favorite scriptures came to mind:

But the Lord said unto Samuel, look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. - 1 Samuel 16:7

What a beautiful truth!!  Our Father in Heaven sees so much beyond outward appearance, status, and material things.  He sees us for our hearts, our best efforts, and our good works.  Part of becoming like Jesus Christ is learning this principle ourselves and practicing it with our fellowmen.  I have found it very powerful to view others through the Savior's eyes, and I can promise you that it is one of the most rewarding experiences you can ever have.  When we catch even a glimpse of how our Heavenly Father views His children, it is humbling beyond description and the love you feel for that individual in that moment is indescribable.   

So in the times when you don't feel like you're worth very much, remember who's child you are.  When you feel that you don't serve much of a purpose, remember where you came from.  Because of our divine heritage and the God-given power within each of us, we have the strength and the knowledge to see through Satan's lies and to shut his negativity out of our lives in all that he tries to do.  "Remember, the worth of souls is great in the sight of God." - D&C 18:10

I think one of the greatest manifestations of God's love to us is the mere fact that He was willing to sacrifice His only begotten son for all mankind, that all might be saved and have the chance to return and live with Him forever.  This justifies that He must love and cherish us a great deal!  And our Savior's willingness to suffer every pain, sin, affliction, and temptation has proven His undying love in great magnitude.  I wish I could give everyone a hug who is reading this, I want you to know that you are loved!!!  I came across a quote one day by Rosemary M. Wixom that states, "Because you are God's child, you not only need Him, but He needs you."  I know this is so true.  Our Heavenly Father would do anything to bring us back into His presence.  

We are royal sons and daughters who belong to the kingdom of God.  We each have purpose, we each have work to do and lives to touch here on earth.  It doesn't matter what we look like, how much money we have, or how many likes or followers we get on social media.  YOU are His child, you are equal, and as my dad would say, worth more than diamonds and rubies in His eyes. 

Don't lose sight of who you really are, and you will do great things.  I promise.

Lord, Let Them See You in Me

I was reminded yesterday that prayers are HEARD and not only that, but they're also ANSWERED.  Not always immediately or the way we think, that's for sure, but a loving Father in Heaven does hear us and does answer in his timing, according to our faith and willingness to commit to Him.  

I love watching one event in life lead to the next, and then that event leads to something else, and pretty soon you find yourself in a place or doing something that wasn't even in your realm of thought the day before.  Our Heavenly Father has a very detailed plan for each one of His children and if we align our will with his, He will lead us to great things.  That's what happened to me yesterday while I was having a particularly rough time, and that's why I'm here on this blog writing my thoughts and impressions right now.  Isn't it great that God can bring the good and the beautiful out of every bad, misery, pain, or affliction?  It's so so true you guys, He really can do that.  

I've always grown up a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and for that I've always felt incredibly blessed, truly.  I won't pretend that I've never taken things for granted in this gospel, but the older I've gotten and the more I see myself grow, the more Christ's teachings become so real, so personal, and so sweet to me.  I would say that my real and deep conversion to following Jesus Christ happened my ninth grade year; my first year of seminary.  I had an amazing teacher and I will never forget my first day and what he shared with me.  It was not a physical or tangible gift, it was something better and something lasting.  He shared with me his passion and his love for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I remember his eyes welling up with tears as he shared his heartfelt beliefs and testimony.  You could see how badly he wanted us to feel what he felt.  To experience what he had experienced.  I don't remember most of the details about his lesson, but I do remember him emphasizing how grand God's plan is for each and every one of us, how infinite and perfect God himself is, and what that means for each of us individually.  I left class in awe, completely overcome by the Spirit, and that's when it clicked.  This gospel was more than just something I was born into and grew up believing and practicing.  This was something big.  For me, for you.  For all who have lived, are living, and will ever live.  And after that, I just couldn't get enough.  This is more than just a religion, this is real and pure HAPPINESS.  Truly!  Trust me on this one.    

As I've grown and experienced a little bit more of life, I've found myself slowly, step-by-step, discovering more of my purpose and what I can do for others.  I've been able to discover some of my deepest passions in life, and little by little, I've discovered that one of my greatest loves and joys in this world is making others feel loved, important, and helping them understand that they are not beyond the reach of help or hope.  I crave that incredible feeling you get when you see someone's eyes light up for the first time in a long time, as they realize something about themselves or about Heavenly Father that they may have forgotten or may have never realized before.  It is the greatest thing in the world to me!!!  Seriously, I love it so dang much.  One of my favorite quotes of all time and something I work hard to implement into my character everyday is simply this, "Lord, let them see you in me."  I am no perfect person, that doesn't exist!  But as I do my best each day and strive to better myself through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I've learned that I can be an instrument in the Lord's hands and that through my love, I can help others discover that there is a God who loves them too, more than any of us could ever comprehend in this life.  That is what I want.  As scary and nerve racking as it can be sometimes to openly share your heart and your testimony, I have such a desire to do it, because I want others to partake of the joy that I so freely partake of every single day.  To put it like Nephi, "my soul delighteth in plainness unto my people, that they may learn."  This is my small way of sharing with others the pure joy and the love that I have found through Jesus Christ, so my invitation to you is to find out for yourselves what this happiness is all about and what it can do for you.  I promise you won't regret it. :)  

How are you an instrument in the Lord's hands?  What talents, abilities and interests has He given you that allow you to share this message with others?  I would love to read what you guys have to say in the comments below!