Thursday, January 15, 2015

He is the answer




When going through hard times in our lives, the answer is so simple that it is often so overlooked.

The only place where we can find everlasting peace and joy is through Christ. He is the living water and can fill our souls with peace and love and comfort.
My first few months at college have been a roller coaster for me. I have made some of my greatest memories here, but I have experienced the lowest of times as well. It's part of life and it has made me spiritually stronger, though. These past couple weeks especially have been hard on me. The beginning of a new semester is always crazy, trying to figure out your new schedule, plus a new work schedule and a heavier class load. On my way returning to Provo, I made a trip to Pocatello with my family to see my great-grandma who was slowly passing away to say goodbye. Emotionally, I was drained, but grateful to see her. She is still here, but I constantly think of her throughout my day. I've also been having some cheer withdrawls, ending up with me crying to my roommate, re-living my cheer career. On top of that, I received the news this past Sunday that my great-grandpa had passed away. This news wasn't a surprise, because we knew it was coming, but to hear about it and not have family around me was hard. I wanted so badly to be home to be with my family at that time but I knew that wasn't possible so I had to figure out what to do on my own. I know it was a good thing because he was in so much pain here, and he is now reunited with my Grammy Faith, but it's still sad. And not being able to have my family's loving arms around me wasn't making it any easier. I knew I couldn't take any more and that the only way to get through this was turning to Christ. I knelt down to pray and poured out my heart to Him. I knew that these things wouldn't be taken away from me, but I would be given the strength to get through it. I am so grateful to always have that source of peace and comfort in my life and I know that He cares about us.
"When life gets too hard to stand, kneel." Turning to Christ in our times of trouble, not only shows our humility in accepting that we need His help, but it shows our love and devotion for Him. He is anxiously awaiting to help us and He always is, we just have to notice it and communicate with Him.
I understand that in some people's lives, they believe it is easier to turn away from Christ instead of turning to Him. I promise that is never easier. Christ is the answer. He is the way. I personally have experienced of His love and the miracles He can perform in our lives.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

"I Have Overcome the World"

"O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions.." (Alma 31:31)
I read this tonight in my Book of Mormon reading and I paused and read it again and again. "...wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ"... This scripture has a cross reference to John 16:33 saying "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." This message is beautiful! Christ lived a hard life suffering more pain, sorrow, sadness, hardships than any of us could imagine. And yet, He instills hope in us by saying 'I have overcome the world'.
This world is full of things to bring us down and we will experience these dark times in our lives, but He has provided a way to find the joy in life and that is that if we live righteously, we will be able to feel His peace and eventually return to live with Him again. Just like Christ, we are going to experience tribulation, but also, just like Christ, we will be able to overcome this world.
He provides us strength when we need it. The past couple of weeks I have been praying a lot to receive that strength from Him to keep moving on and I promise He follows through. I have been lifted up by Him and carried throughout some hard times and I know it's because of Him. I know that I could not go through these times without the knowledge that I have from this gospel. I simply wouldn't be able to do it.
I testify that Christ lives and loves each and every one of us and He is anxiously awaiting to bless us in our lives. He is in everything and if we take the time to find Him, we will see that everything is because of Him. Throughout the darkest of times in my life is when I have been closest with Him and have felt His love literally wrapped around me. I know that He died for us all to be able to live again and to be able to say 'I have overcome the world'.