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Uchtdorf - The Hope of God's Light - April 2013

7/31/2016

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President Uchtdorf speaks about the Light of Christ.  He shares his knowledge that many of us are in darkness and need to be brought into the light.  He shares that there is hope as we make the difficult move from the dark state we are in to pleading for Christ to enter into our lives.
  • It is part of our condition as mortal beings to sometimes feel as though we are surrounded by darkness. We might have lost a loved one; a child might have strayed; we might have received a troubling medical diagnosis; we might have employment challenges and be burdened by doubts or fears; or we might feel alone or unloved. But even though we may feel lost in the midst of our current circumstances, God promises the hope of His light—He promises to illuminate the way before us and show us the way out of darkness.
  • There may be some among you who feel darkness encroaching upon you. You may feel burdened by worry, fear, or doubt. To you and to all of us, I repeat a wonderful and certain truth: God’s light is real. It is available to all! It gives life to all things. It has the power to soften the sting of the deepest wound. It can be a healing balm for the loneliness and sickness of our souls. In the furrows of despair, it can plant the seeds of a brighter hope. It can enlighten the deepest valleys of sorrow. It can illuminate the path before us and lead us through the darkest night into the promise of a new dawn.
  • This is “the Spirit of Jesus Christ,” which gives “light to every man that cometh into the world.” Nevertheless, spiritual light rarely comes to those who merely sit in darkness waiting for someone to flip a switch. It takes an act of faith to open our eyes to the Light of Christ. Spiritual light cannot be discerned by carnal eyes. Jesus Christ Himself taught, “I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.” For “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

President Uchtdorf gives us 3 ways that we can open our lives to the hope of God’s light.

First, start where you are.
  • Isn’t it wonderful to know that we don’t have to be perfect to experience the blessings and gifts of our Heavenly Father? We don’t have to wait to cross the finish line to receive God’s blessings. In fact, the heavens begin to part and the blessings of heaven begin to distill upon us with the very first steps we take toward the light. The perfect place to begin is exactly where you are right now. It doesn’t matter how unqualified you may think you are or how far behind others you may feel. The very moment you begin to seek your Heavenly Father, in that moment, the hope of His light will begin to awaken, enliven, and ennoble your soul. The darkness may not dissipate all at once, but as surely as night always gives way to dawn, the light will come.

Second, turn your heart toward the Lord.
  • Lift up your soul in prayer and explain to your Heavenly Father what you are feeling. Acknowledge your shortcomings. Pour out your heart and express your gratitude. Let Him know of the trials you are facing. Plead with Him in Christ’s name for strength and support. Ask that your ears may be opened, that you may hear His voice. Ask that your eyes may be opened, that you may see His light.

Third, walk in the light.
  • Your Heavenly Father knows that you will make mistakes. He knows that you will stumble —perhaps many times. This saddens Him, but He loves you. He does not wish to break your spirit. On the contrary, He desires that you rise up and become the person you were designed to be.

He makes it clear that God doesn't expect us to be perfect in order to have the light of Christ in our lives.
  • Yes, we will make mistakes. Yes, we will falter. But as we seek to increase our love for God and strive to love our neighbor, the light of the gospel will surround and uplift us. The darkness will surely fade, because it cannot exist in the presence of light.

The Light of Christ is real.  He provides to us a hope that we can turn our lives into something more than they are today.  As we make the slightest move to come to Him, He will show a light of hope into our lives.  If we will have the faith to follow that glimmer of light, we will find our lives will become brighter and brighter each day into the future.  It is my hope that we will find the Light of Christ and put our lives on the track to following the Savior and the light He provides.
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Waddell - A Pattern for Peace - April 2016

7/30/2016

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Bishop Waddell speaks to the church about finding peace in our lives.  He is aware of the many things in the world that distract us and make it hard to find true peace.  But he shares a great way for us to find peace as described by the Savior.
  • “The Lord in His wisdom does not shield anyone from grief or sadness.” However, our ability to travel this road in peace is, in large part, dependent on whether or not we too have a hard time thinking about Jesus.
  • In our search for peace amidst the daily challenges of life, we’ve been given a simple pattern to keep our thoughts focused on the Savior, who said: “Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me. I am Jesus Christ.” Learn, listen, and walk—three steps with a promise.

First Step "Learn of Me"
The temple is the place we can find true peace in this life.  Attending the temple will allow us to find peace and give us a clear understanding of how to keep it in our lives.
  • Each time we attend the temple—in all that we hear, do, and say; in every ordinance in which we participate; and in every covenant that we make—we are pointed to Jesus Christ. We feel peace as we hear His words and learn from His example. President Gordon B. Hinckley taught, “Go to the house of the Lord and there feel of His Spirit and commune with Him and you will know a peace that you will find nowhere else.”

Second Step: "Listen to My Words"
A key factor in finding peace is understanding God's plan for us.  Prophets and Apostles clarify the way for us and make it easier for us to know how to apply the teachings of God in our lives.
  • Those who choose to listen and give heed to the words of the Lord, as delivered through His prophets, will find safety and peace.

We need to be careful to not accept the messages of the world when we are looking for peace as there are lots of counterfeits out there.
  • The adversary offers counterfeit solutions that may appear to provide answers but take us even further from the peace we seek. He offers a mirage that has the appearance of legitimacy and safety but ultimately, like the great and spacious building, will collapse, destroying all who seek peace within its walls. Truth is found in the simplicity of a Primary song: “Words of a prophet: Keep the commandments. In this there is safety and peace.”

Third Step: "Walk in the Meekness of My Spirit"
  • We have all felt, at some time in our lives, the pain and heartache associated with sin and transgression, for “if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” However, “though [our] sins be as scarlet,” as we apply the Atonement of Jesus Christ and walk with Him through sincere repentance, “they shall be as white as snow.” Though we have been weighed down with guilt, we shall obtain peace.

He uses Alma as an example of someone that was not following Christ but after his awakening, was able to find peace through the Atonement.
  • Like Alma, we too will find peace to our souls as we walk with Jesus Christ, repent of our sins, and apply His healing power in our lives.

He concludes with a summary of his message.
  • The peace we all seek requires more than a desire. It requires us to act—by learning of Him, by listening to His words, and by walking with Him. We may not have the ability to control all that happens around us, but we can control how we apply the pattern for peace that the Lord has provided—a pattern that makes it easy to think often about Jesus.

We can find peace in our lives as we attend the temple, listen and apply the words of the prophets in our lives, and repent of our sins and follow Christ.  As we do this, peace will be something that will be found in our hearts and minds and will be found in our souls.  Christ is the true deliverer of peace and it is through Him that we find it and keep it.
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Uchtdorf - Your Wonderful Journey Home - April 2013

7/29/2016

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President Uchtdorf talks about journeys in our lives.  These could be phsycial journeys fleeing a country as he had to do in East Germany, or emotional journeys with others in our lives.
  • I can now look back on my life and recognize a number of such “journeys” I have taken over time. Not all of them involved crossing mountain ranges or political boundaries; some had more to do with overcoming trials or growing in spirituality. But they were all journeys. I believe that every life is a collection of individual “journey stories.”

He reflects on the ultimate journey we took of choosing our Heavenly Father's plan in our pre-mortal life and coming to earth to receive our physical body.
  • He didn’t send you on this journey only to wander aimlessly on your own. He wants you to come home to Him. He has given you loving parents and faithful Church leaders, along with a map that describes the terrain and identifies the dangers; the map shows you where peace and happiness can be found and will help you plot your course back home.
  • Now, where do you find this map?
    • In the sacred scriptures.
    • In the words of prophets and apostles.
    • And through personal revelation from the Holy Ghost.
  • This map is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news, and the joyful way of a disciple of Christ. It is the commandments and example given to us by our Advocate and Mentor, who knows the way because He is the way.

He encourage us to listen to the Holy Ghost as He will guide us along our journey.  He also gives us three things we can know that will help make our journey back to our Heavenly Father successful.
  • Open your heart to the Holy Ghost so that He can direct you along your journey through life. Your map is full of encouraging and instructive messages from your Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Today I would like to share with you three of those messages that will help you to have a successful journey back to your heavenly home.

The first message: “Do not fear, for I the Lord am with you.”
  • You are not alone on this journey. Your Heavenly Father knows you. Even when no one else hears you, He hears you. When you rejoice in righteousness, He rejoices with you. When you are beset with trial, He grieves with you.
  • Every person you see—no matter the race, religion, political beliefs, body type, or appearance—is family. The young woman you look at has the same Heavenly Father as you, and she left His loving presence just as you did, eager to come to this earth and live so that she could one day return to Him. However, she might feel alone, just as you sometimes do. She may even occasionally forget the purpose of her journey. Please remind her through your words and your actions that she is not alone. We are here to help each other.

We are all children of God.  Our role is to live our lives so others can see the light of Christ through us.
  • It is not your responsibility to convert anyone. That is the work of the Holy Ghost. Your task is to share your beliefs and to not be afraid. Be a friend to all, but never compromise your standards. Stand true to your convictions and faith. Stand tall, because you are a daughter of God, and He stands with you!

The second message: “Love one another, as I have loved you.”
  • The love of Christ is not a pretend love. It is not a greeting-card love. It is not the kind of love that is praised in popular music and movies. This love brings about real change of character. It can penetrate hatred and dissolve envy. It can heal resentment and quench the fires of bitterness. It can work miracles.

He speaks of the universal language of Christ's love and how we all need a desire and to align our actions with those desires to be like Christ in all our relationships.
  • When your primary thoughts are focused on how things will benefit you, your motivations may be selfish and shallow. That is not the language you want to learn. But when your primary thoughts and behaviors are focused on serving God and others—when you truly desire to bless and lift up those around you—then the power of the pure love of Christ can work in your heart and life. That is the language you want to learn. As you become fluent in this language and use it in your interactions with others, they will recognize something in you that may awaken in them a long-hidden feeling to search for the right way on the journey back to their heavenly home. After all, the language of love is their true native language too.

He encourages us to:
  • Learn to use the universal language of Christ’s love.

And the third message: “Be of good cheer.”
  • There will always be things to complain about—things that don’t seem to go quite right. You can spend your days feeling sad, alone, misunderstood, or unwanted. But that isn’t the journey you had hoped for, and it’s not the journey Heavenly Father sent you to take. Remember, you are truly a daughter of God! With this in mind, I invite you to walk confidently and joyfully. Yes, the road has bumps and detours and even some hazards. But don’t focus on them. Look for the happiness your Father in Heaven has prepared for you in every step of your journey. Happiness is the destination, but it’s also the path. “Peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come” is what He promises. That is why He commands us to “be of good cheer.”

As we live the gospel, our Heavenly Father will give us blessings that make our journey more successful.  He will strengthen our desires to good, He will lessen the temptations that easily cause us to fall, and He will help us rise to our true potential as His children.
  • As you joyfully use the map your loving Father has provided for your journey, it will lead you to holy places and you will rise to your supernal potential. You will grow into the daughter of God you hoped you would become.

We each have journeys in our lives.  How we handle them, how we react to them, and how we come through them, is part of the journey experience.  We need to keep in mind that we rejoiced at the journey ideas in the premortal world.  We knew it would not be easy but we knew that it would be possible.  We each have an obligation to help others along the path that will eventually lead all of us back to God.  I hope we can catch a small glimpse of the potential we have and work each day to live to be the type of person, God sees us as.
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