Other Pictures for Semester Restoration Project (Prepare for long post - but it's a good one!)

Back in February, I posted about a project that I was doing for religious Foundations of the Restoration class. For the project, I wanted to express what the Restoration means to me by taking various pictures. I have included two of those ten below in other dates; the rest are included here. Enjoy!

When I started the project a few weeks ago, I did not have an overall theme for the pictures. However, as time went on and I continued to take pictures, I noticed that I took a lot of them that involved some sort of aspect of light. When I noticed that, I decided to include light in the other pictures, especially of the natural light of the sun.

Individual Love

Picture 3: For me, when I have a question that I would like to ponder and think about, I like to escape to the mountains. There I seem to feel closer to God, and in the quiet and the peace, I usually have powerful, individual experiences. I think there is something unique about going out among God's other creations, and realizing that among all the surrounding beauty, that I am one of His most cherished creations. We were created to be like Him. He loves us as His creations and as His children, and because of that we can seek Him. 

I think that is something that the Restoration has helped me to realize: that God really does know and love me individually. Through restored scripture, I come to know better His nature and how to establish a relationship with Him. 

I know He loves me through the light that He continually shows me and especially through the gift of having the Gospel in my life.

Guidance

Picture 4: Along with that, I am grateful for the Restoration, that all began with a simple boy's prayer offered in faith. Joseph Smith wanted to know what God would have Him do, and he went right to the source. His life would never be the same afterwards. 

Similarly, I believe we all must have those moments where we need to know what God would have us do. When we are lost and have no idea where to go, He is there. We can express our souls and the options we are considering. We can ask Him about our doubts, and in combination with study and faith, they can be cleared up. 

I feel like often for me, if I have a question about some sort of doctrine that I do not understand, it troubles me at first. However, because I have learned how to access the true source of knowledge, I can pray and either I am taught what I need to hear or I am simply blessed with peace. Even if they have not been completely resolved, I have learned to trust patiently in God and the simple, beautiful peace that He provides. 

Grow Towards the Light

Picture 5: The other day as I was walking outside, I saw these beautiful little flowers growing up close to a sidewalk that is probably only trafficked by BYU students returning home after a long day. They may not be noticed, but I am glad I had the opportunity to observe them. I knelt down to snap a closer picture, but I noticed that these small undesired flowers seemed to possess an unspoken strength about them. 

First, I think that strength comes from the fact that they are growing in the direction towards the light. They are all bent forward, waiting for the gentle touch from the sun's rays that provides necessary nourishment. We can have a similar quiet strength as we seek to rely on our source of light, Jesus Christ. 

Second, other strength comes from the fact that they are found in a group. One of these flowers found alone would have still been beautiful, but the fact that they grow together makes a bigger statement about the importance of good support systems. 

I believe that the Restoration helps us develop both of these kinds of strengths. Through learning to rely on Christ and on others, we are able to triumph. 

Love has no Bounds

Picture 6: I think one of the most beautiful concepts that came through Joseph Smith as part of the Restoration was the knowledge of eternal marriage and eternal families. Death has no sting, knowing that life continues beyond the grave, and that through our good works, we have the opportunity to live forever with those we love. Love is not confined by fear of future loss, but rather is expanded knowing the immeasurable expanse of life after death will be filled with the company of those that mean the most. 

I think knowing that a marriage is for eternity can help a marriage stay strong. A husband and a wife sealed in temples are on the paths to eternal progression together. In all the happenings of eternity, one can know they have the companionship of their partner. I think that strengthens and enlivens love.

I especially look forward to finding the people that I met on my mission that I might not see again in this earth life.

Ensign and Light to the World

Picture 7: Guided by the light, we can stand for truth in a world that so desperately needs it. The restored gospel has helped me to learn how I can by true to myself as I stand bravely (and sometimes alone) for my beliefs. The commandments unique to the Restoration are some of the ones that most protect us from physical or spiritual harm, and standing for them when all the world opposes only brings joy. 

Indeed, when we make our first promise with God through baptism, we promise to, "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God..." (Mosiah 18:9). 

Happiness

Picture 8: This is Christine, and she is one of the happiest people that I know. I mean, look at that smile! She just glows with happiness and light. I think that is a natural effect that comes through the restored gospel. 

My second mission president would always say, "If you aren't doing missionary work cheerfully, you are doing it wrong."

Doctrine & Covenants 123:17: "Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."

I think back to the times that I have felt the happiest in my life (like we are talking pure, uplifting, fulfilling joy), and all of those experiences go back to something involving the gospel.

Perseverance 

Picture 9: I remember reading this quote during my mission, and it has been a concept that has stuck with me ever since. I just spent twenty minutes trying to find the exact quote, but I had no such luck - darn! I will try to summarize it, though it probably will not compare: Life is like trying to swim uphill against the current, and although sometimes we would like to stop for a second to rest, we have to keep going.

For me, one of the biggest blessings and perspectives that the Restoration has brought to my life is the unique view that it gives me of trials. Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration, was well-acquainted with trials; however, a verse while he was in jail still brings comfort to God's children who are righteous even in the midst of hard trials. It says, "...and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."

Knowing that God has a plan for me and that the hard times as well as the good are molding me helps me to embrace challenges much better.

I would not be me without the gospel.

Picture 10: All this might seem like a lot, and maybe even a little disjointed, but I hope that no matter how flawed my writing may seem, that y'all can understand how much I love the restored gospel. I do not understand everything, but I understand enough to know that it is true.

The Restoration has brought light to my life. Just as it began with "light brighter than the noonday sun", I can feel that same light in my life. I feel purpose, happiness, and duty.

Sometimes I wonder to myself what I would be like if I had not been blessed to have the gospel in my life, and it is hard to imagine. I know my personality is naturally one that likes to be obedient, but how much different would I be if I did not know of these truths? If I did not understand where I came from, or why I am here, or where I am going someday? If I did not feel the love of God in my life often? Where would I be in life?It helps me remember how blessed I am, because fortunately, I will never have to know what it is like to not have the gospel in my life. I have been molded by the teachings and by God, and I look forward to the future years to see how my witness of the Restoration grows and increases.

I hope y'all do not mind my blabbering; I just hope you know how much this means to me. I cannot even state the magnitude of how important it is to me. I love the gospel and I love each of you!

*A big thank you to those who let me take their picture for this project!*

The Recipe that Cures All Doubt

Hey y'all! I thought I would share with you one of my favorite recipes that I learned in Kentucky and that I still use now. It most often was used when I was discouraged or down after a long day, and it was a great pick-me-up! Hopefully you enjoy it as much as I do ;)

This recipe calls for a few ingredients:

• Good dose of faith
• Time to dedicate to prayer
• Desperation (I talked about this in my blog post a couple of weeks ago)
• Humility 
• A loving, ever-patient Heavenly Father

The Steps: 

1. Gather up the first four ingredients (faith, time, desperation, humility) before kneeling down. 
2. Begin an earnest prayer to Heavenly Father. Talk with Him about how the day went. Tell Him the good things as well as the hard things.
3. Hold nothing back. Be vulnerable to Him. Let Him in. 
4. Key to Cure Doubt: At this point, ask Him His opinion on how you did today. 
5. After this, be prepared to listen. He will answer.
6. Accept this answer and be satisfied. 

This was probably one of the biggest lessons that I learned on my mission. Trying to analyze my own day was often discouraging; I would be hard on myself and then depressing thoughts would come. However, I always knew that if I ended my day by asking God how He thought I did, I was always greeted with love and satisfaction. He knew I had given my all. I was then able to go to bed and sleep soundly, knowing that the One with the most important opinion was happy with me and my work. 

Sometimes when I would ask this, there were things that would come to my mind that I knew I could try better on the next day. That did not mean that I failed, but rather that I could have hope through Christ and repentance that I could change to become better. 

I think the best thing (and here is where the recipe comes in) is that when I received an answer from Heavenly Father like this, I never doubted. I knew I had done good and no one else could tell me otherwise because the most powerful Being had already helped me. 

One of my favorite times of doing this during the mission was after I received news that I was going to be transferred from the area where I had served for 5 transfers, or 8 months. It was a hard area, but it was the area where I grew the most. My companion had already gone to bed, but I was still on my knees, pondering what effect I had had in that area. As I prayed and asked God if I had done what I needed to there, I was filled with peace. Then memories of specific people and lessons and contacts began to fill my mind. Those thoughts did not seem to be my own, but it seemed like Heavenly Father was giving me the blessing of seeing all the times I had fulfilled His purposes. It was amazing and is still precious to this day. 

The other day here at BYU, I had a similar experience. I was at a forum centered on depression for current and returned missionaries. One of the speakers was talking about how some returned missionaries doubted the effect they had had on their missions. At that moment, I thought back to my own mission, but I only felt happiness. There was not a trace of guilt or doubt. I knew because of all the combinations of my prayers and the confirmations that I received that I did what Heavenly Father needed me to on during those 18 months. 

I do not pray and ask Heavenly Father's opinion nearly as much as I did on the mission; but it is something I want to begin to do again. Too often I find that I base my self-worth on my mistakes rather than on my accomplishments. I think in those moments, I need to go to Heavenly Father for what He thinks about it all. He will not lie or deceive, and I doubt that He will ever fill us with anything other than love, even if we did make a mistake.

God loves us as we are His children. He wants to answer us, guide us, help us. When we turn to Him, He is waiting with empty open arms. Let us learn to turn to Him in our moments of despair and doubt!

I love this picture - Christ accepts us exactly how we are. "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God." (Moroni 10:32)

His Part and Our Part

Hey y'all! You know how sometimes you just have those weeks you just have something weighing on you constantly? That was me the past couple of days. It seemed to consume my thoughts. Here's the lesson that I learned though: "...for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." (2 Nephi 25:23, Book of Mormon)

We begin to make an effort towards fixing a problem, and once we have done all we can in our power, Christ can take over. Brad Wilcox states it this way, “Jesus doesn’t make up the difference. Jesus makes all the difference. Grace is not about filling gaps. It is about filling us.” P.S. Read the rest of his talk - it has changed my life. Find it here. 

Just as I had to realize this week, we need to do our part and then turn to Christ in those moments. Why should we carry around that burden when He has already paid the debt for us? He is literally waiting for us to show faith in him so that He can then remove the burden. Now that I think about it, I do not remember an exact moment when the guilt and weight left me, but as I try to recall it, it is absolutely and completing gone. I cannot find it anywhere in my soul, because Christ has completely removed it.

Sometimes trials will not be removed immediately. In this, we can reference verses from Joseph Smith's experience in Liberty Jail, a time of great affliction for him. Section 122, verses 7-9 say, "And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he? Therefore, hold on thy way..."

Even if our trials take years to be removed, it does not compare to the weight felt by Christ. The weight of each individual sin of each person that has ever lived in the world. The weight of the cross He had to carry, the same cross where He would again suffer before finding His death. The weight of the nails hammered through His hands and feet. The weight of watching us suffer. In those moments, we can come unto Christ because He understands weight. He understands pain. And He does that so we do not have to face it alone.

To end, I want to go back to discussing our part. Not only are we asked to do our part before Christ can take over, but we can repay Christ for His mercy afterwards do by continuing to do our part. This is a quote I heard on my mission that has stuck with me since:

I had a missionary ask me once if I would give my life for the Church. I said, “Elder, I am giving my life for the Church.” I know what he meant. What he meant was, “Would you die for it?” Well, that’s the easy part. That’s a snap! On some days it looks really appealing. That’s the easy part, to die for it. Well, what God needs is people who will live for it, people who will go the distance, people who are in this race we’re talking about that will go all the way to the tape. And some may die along the way and that’s wonderful, but He needs people who will finish the work. He needs people who will wrap this up, and that’s the pledge I make to you, and that’s the pledge He asked. We’re in this together. (Jeffrey R. Holland, Miracle of a Mission. Full talk can be found here.) 

Have a great week, y'all! :)