Uchtdorf - You Matter to Him - October 2011

President Uchtdorf speaks of his knowledge that we matter to our loving Heavenly Father.  He talks about the immensity of the universe that God has created and yet, the single person on Earth is of such great value to Him.

• The vast expanse of eternity, the glories and mysteries of infinite space and time are all built for the benefit of ordinary mortals like you and me. Our Heavenly Father created the universe that we might reach our potential as His sons and daughters.

We each have divine elements with us that give us the potential to be more than we currently are.  It is God's mission to help us reach that potential we all have.

• While against the backdrop of infinite creation we may appear to be nothing, we have a spark of eternal fire burning within our breast. We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation—worlds without end—within our grasp. And it is God’s great desire to help us reach it.

We have a short period of time on earth and our focus needs to be on the things of God and not of man.  All the rewards of the world will get us nothing in God's eyes.  The rewards of Heaven are based on living the principles of the gospel.  That is what matters most in this life.

• Disciples of Jesus Christ understand that compared to eternity, our existence in this mortal sphere is only “a small moment” in space and time. They know that a person’s true value has little to do with what the world holds in high esteem. They know you could pile up the accumulated currency of the entire world and it could not buy a loaf of bread in the economy of heaven.

It doesn't matter what background we come from, it just matters that we come until Christ with all our hearts.

• The Lord doesn’t care at all if we spend our days working in marble halls or stable stalls. He knows where we are, no matter how humble our circumstances. He will use—in His own way and for His holy purposes—those who incline their hearts to Him. God knows that some of the greatest souls who have ever lived are those who will never appear in the chronicles of history. They are the blessed, humble souls who emulate the Savior’s example and spend the days of their lives doing good.

President Uchtdorf gives us four divine principles that will bring us comfort joy and will help us know that we matter to God.

• At times we may even feel insignificant, invisible, alone, or forgotten. But always remember—you matter to Him! If you ever doubt that, consider these four divine principles:
  
  • First, God loves the humble and meek, for they are “greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
    
  • Second, the Lord entrusts “the fulness of [His] gospel [to] be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world.” He has chosen “the weak things of the world [to] come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones” and to put to shame “the things which are mighty.”
    
  • Third, no matter where you live, no matter how humble your circumstances, how meager your employment, how limited your abilities, how ordinary your appearance, or how little your calling in the Church may appear to you, you are not invisible to your Heavenly Father. He loves you. He knows your humble heart and your acts of love and kindness. Together, they form a lasting testimony of your fidelity and faith.
    
  • Fourth and finally, please understand that what you see and experience now is not what forever will be. You will not feel loneliness, sorrow, pain, or discouragement forever. We have the faithful promise of God that He will neither forget nor forsake those who incline their hearts to Him. Have hope and faith in that promise. Learn to love your Heavenly Father and become His disciple in word and in deed.

He concludes with these inspiring words.

• The most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of your spirit. He knows you. He loves you with a perfect love. God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season—He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become. He wants you to know that you matter to Him.

One of the greatest spiritual experiences of my life happened to me when I was growing my own testimony of the gospel.  I had a huge desire to know for myself that God knew who I was and that he loved me personally.  I spent time on my knees, humbly asking for a confirmation that I was His son, that he knew who I was, and that he had a plan for my life.  Over time, that answer came and continues to come as I spend my life trying to lead and guide my family in righteousness.  I know He know me, I know He knows my family, and I know He knows all of His children.  We all matter to Him and it is His mission to bring us back to live with Him someday.