Where Can I Turn For Peace?



The Resurrection: He Lives

 Life can often be chaotic, uneasy, or even uncertain.  However hard our trials may become or unclear our path in front of us may become, I know we can always turn to the Savior for comfort, peace, and guidance.  As long as we know that Jesus Christ lives, and most importantly, that he loves us, we can always remember the promise he leaves us, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you...Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).  I echo the words of a familiar hymn, "I know that my Redeemer lives. What comfort this sweet sentence gives!" (I Know That My Redeemer Lives - LDS Hymn # 136).

Never Alone...

Through my life I have wondered at times if anyone knew what pain I was going through.  Of course I had freinds, like most do, who are willing and ready to come to the rescue and help us.  But what about the times when the pain we go through, our friends have not experienced?  Their words bring momentary comfort, their affection brings a small sense of security, but pain creeps back in once they have left.  

I have come to rely on, and find solace in the selfless act the Savior provided or us.  There is a pain that we cannot understand, but we can know that he did it for us, that "he may know...how to succor his people" (Alma 7:11-12).  I have felt devastating holes of disappointment and discouragement filled through the power of His atonement.  I have felt the hopeless pains and ever lonely sorrows of life experience lifted from my life and an abiding peace and heavenly assurance fill holes I thought would never heal.  One recently has said, "The Savior is not a silent observer. He Himself knows personally and infinitely the pain we face" (The Atonement Covers All Pain).  Let us always remember, especially through our pains, we are never alone, nor will we ever be.  "Come unto me...and ye shall find rest to your souls" (Matthew 11:28-30).

The Island Chill

Bula Vinaka! (Hello in the Islands of Fiji).  Just the other day, I was serving with my good friend and Fijian warrior, Elder Volavola.  As we were going through our day, we shared experiences on how the Gospel has brought peace to our lives and shaped us into who we are today.  We talked about some of the attributes the Savior has and has perfected; purity being one that our focus fell on.  There is an attraction and a joy that comes from being pure and seeing purity in others.  After all this, of course we found ourselves talking about Fiji water, which is the best and most pure water!

There is an island in Fiji that is surrounded by tropical forests.  Upon such, sits a waterfall that flows from the mountains, whose environment remains uninhabited by people.  This environment that is created has allowed for these waters to flow purely and remain perfectly untainted by unnatural and other unclean things.  Because of this, we get one of the best tasting waters in the world!  (If you don't believe us, try it.)  Just like the water that flows so freely and unaltered by man's hand, so too must our lives remain free from the tainted hands of the world.  We must keep our hearts and minds pure, so that the love of God can flow as freely and purely from us, as these waters do from the falls in Fiji. As we seek to become pure, even as the Savior, we will feel our lives drawing closer to His, (Moroni 7:47-48).

Power to Heal

Let The Children Come

Elder Bohnet and I just got done teaching one of our friends about the gospel of Jesus Christ.  As we have reflected upon what that consists of; faith, repentance, baptism by immersion, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and enduring to the end, we thought of why we love talking about this so much.  We both decided it is because of Jesus Christ, and how he makes us feel!  

As I have come to know my Savior and older Brother, Jesus Christ, one thing I always marvel at is the power that he has to heal us.  I think of the mistakes that overwhelm our past, the worries that cloud our future, and the burdening guilt that once weighed down our hearts.  I think of that only for a moment.  I have come to accept, apply, and appreciate the Atonement of Jesus Christ in my life.  I have felt the power he has to lift burdens and heavy hearts, diminish worries, and replace doubts with a bright hope.  He has all power to heal us physically, but there is a healing that takes a perfect love and patience, and that healing is spiritual healing.  I think of a scripture in the Book of Mormon, when the Savior appears to the people and tells them, "come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal [you]..."(3 Nephi 18:32).

I know that the Lord will heal all who come unto Him, with full purpose of heart.  I know that is because he has an unconditional and an everlasting love for us.  He can heal us. He can make us whole.

What Do We Give To God?

Thursday we had a baptism! It was a great day, and a great time to feel of the spirit.  Baptism is an essential step that we all must take to return to the presence of God.  In the time leading up to the baptism, I have been thinking a lot about the changes that this young man has made to bring his life in line with the will of God.  I have thought about who he has become, and who he can eventually become.  I encourage you to think about who you want to become and what you should do to become the person the Lord would have you be. 

A Book of Mormon prophet, King Benjamin, taught, "For the natual man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth of the natrual man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord..." (Mosiah 3:19).  Another righteous group of people spoken of in the Book of Mormon, "did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God. (Helaman 3:35).

Through Jesus Christ, we can change and become more like him.  We must put aside our own passions and appetites and be subject to the will of God.  We must choose to be humble and teachable.  It may be hard, but the Savior will help us.  If we are willing to obey, we will "become saints through the atonement of Christ."

"Come What May and Love It"

This month has been a month of trial, for me, for friends, and for those that are close to me.  I have found the words of an Apostle of the Lord, Joseph B. Wirthlin, bringing my soul comfort and peace. "Come What May, and Love It", was a beautiful talk given just a few years ago, and it brought my family through a difficult time.  I often return to this talk as a reminder that even though we may go through trials and struggles, we have a choice of how we react. 

Life will be what it is regardless of what we know or what we believe.  But I have found that the gospel of Jesus Christ has brought me hope and helped me persevere through these hard times.  The gospel is here to help us have that vision, not to take away our struggles.  I am so grateful for the hope and peace that the Savior's sacrifice and the gospel's perspective has given my life.  May we all remember that in times of struggle that we have a responsibility to act, and not to merely be acted upon (2 Nephi 2:14).
Watch his video at: Mormon Message: Come What May, and Love It

Always Remember Him

I have been thinking back on my childhood life and all of the fun that it was.  I also reflected upon the times where there was mistakes and mishaps, particularly when I have walked away scarred from injury.  I have these little reminders, one on my forehead, one on my hand, and another on my foot.  All of these scars help me to explain a story.  As I look at them, I am reminded of how they came to be there.  My mind plays back the most vivid and remarkable scenes of just how these scars came about, they have become, so to speak, my little marks of remembrance. 

As a young boy, I seemed to love to flaunt these scars and tell everyone I knew how I got them.  It made my story better when I told them how bad it hurt, or how I didn't even cry when I got stitches.  They were to me and to everyone I told, evidence that these events had actually happened. 

Those events and that thought, pull me back to the Savior.  To those whom He appeared, the prints in His hands and feet bore witness that he truly is the Son of God.  D & C 6:36-37 tell us of a promise as we remember Him.  In remembering the pains that brought our scars, let us also remember Him, who willingly accepted these scars, that mark Him our Savior and Redeemer.  Let us remember to believe in Him and to follow Him.  To his scars, it is not just a story, but it is quite literally His life and glory.  I know that He lives and loves us and we are blessed as we believe in Him, John 20:26-29.