Death, Sin, and Mortal Challenges

Piece by piece I'm learning a little more about the Atonement. We learn that it can used to repent of our sins and be forgiven of them. I then learned that the Atonement can also be used to help me forgive others as well. Now I'm learning that it can be used to lift the burdens and pain from the challenges that we face here on Earth.

And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. (Alma 7:11)

Whatever struggle I am struggling with at this very moment, whatever intensity of pain I am feeling, or whatever burden I feel is dragging me down, I can be given the strength to overcome all of it. Any stresses, pain, or burdens I experience have been felt before. My exact trials were His as well. Just like we learn in the Book of Mormon with Nephi, anything is possible when we ask the Lord for help. In Elder Dallin H. Oaks 2015 October General Conference talk Strengthened by the Atonement of Jesus Christ, he says,

What cures us is our Savior and His Atonement...He willingly experienced them all as an essential part of His Atonement. And because of this, His Atonement empowers Him to succor us--to give us strength to bear it all. 

 One of my favorite lines in his talk was where he said that ...even when that behavior has been repented of, the addiction may remain. We can ask for forgiveness, we can be repent and be forgiven, but that's when the guilt should stop for us. Even when we still feel the pull of our sins, we shouldn't let them control us and our worthiness. They don't determine our worthiness, it is the cleansing power of the Atonement that it does.

Because of His atoning experience in mortality, our Savior is able to comfort, heal, and strengthen all men and women everywhere, but I believe He does so only for those who seek Him and ask for His help. The Apostle James taught, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10). We qualify for that blessing when we believe in Him and pray for His help.

 This brings a lot of comfort knowing that even though we have the desire to do what is right but still feel the pull of our sins we wish to forsake, that the Atonement can save us from those sins and give us the strength we need in order to truly let go of them.

Nephi Teaches Forgiveness

In 1 Nephi 7 the brothers Laman and Lemuel become so angry with Nephi that they laid their hands on him, bound his legs and arms and were going to leave him for dead in the wilderness to be eaten by the wild beasts. What really hit me was even though Nephi's brothers wanted to kill him and that was their intent, when they asked to be forgiven of him, Nephi forgave them!

Would any person today forgive a close friend or family member for trying to kill them?? Not only did they try to kill him but Nephi had to speak with the power of the Holy Ghost to rebuke them and call them to repentance. And even after that, the family members of Ishmael had to convince them to not harm Nephi.
And yet, Nephi still forgave them for wanting to kill him even after all that. Talk about some Christ like love!

If Nephi would be so willing and quick to forgive his brother for killing him, how much more should we forgive others for even lesser trespasses?

Duties as a Parent

For sunday school I'm attending the Marriage and Family Relations class offered in our ward.  The first couple of lessons we've discussed The Family: A Proclamation to the World and how we are applying it to our lives.  Today we discussed the duties as a parent on what and how we are to each our children.  In Relief Society we had a lesson on Repentance.  Here are my thoughts during these discussions.

 

• Our children belong to us under our stewardship as we live here on Earth.
• We are to teach them the principles of the Gospel that can bring eternal happiness. We do this by example. 
• We are to Love them, care for them, provide for physical/spiritual needs, teach them, serve them, observe the Commandments and abide the laws of the land.
• These attributes help me see my children as the Lord sees them -- precious spirits who deserve our unconditional love
•  "Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. "
• As I ponder back on this week, I can remember when I've lost my temper a couple times with them.  I hear myself raising my voice, I see my children tearing up, I hear myself disciplining and teaching the correct way to do something.  But as I ponder about what my duties are to them, I see how much the yelling hurts them.  Such tender and innocent feelings don't need to be hurt by unnecessary yelling bc I was too short on patience. 
• Coincidentally, the Relief Society lesson today was on the steps of repentance.  First one being recognize. I recognize that I need to be more patient with my kids.  After all, they are just kids being kids.  Albeit clumsy, selective hearing and curious...I must love them unconditionally like our Heavenly Father loves us. 
• I talked with my daughter about this today.  I told her about the lesson and the different steps of repentance.  We discussed how when we ask for forgiveness and try to forsake the sin, that we cannot always do it by ourselves. That sometimes we need to ask for help.  I told her that I was praying for help from Heavenly Father that I can use a more calming voice and that I also needed her help.  I asked her to help remind me.  She then replied that we needed a new rule: We must use inside voices...except on birthdays! (Her words: Then we can shout for joy).  So we agreed that we would only use inside voices towards each other.
• That is my goal this week -- to improve on my patience and use a more calming voice when I try to discipline my children. A comment in Relief Society helped me better understand what forsaking means.  It means you try to not repeat that sin.  I don't know about you, but NOT ever repeating the same sin (forsaking it completely) just seems impossible. The thought that helped me was this:  We inherently are not perfect so we will make mistakes.  Although if we make the same mistake what matters is how much progress we are making in 100% forsaking the sin.  Perhaps last week I had only 5% patience for my kids, but this week I managed to have 10% patience for them.  Even though I may not be perfect at patience, I am diligently seeking to improve on it.  That made me feel better about myself.   Making small improvements on it until I can conquer patience...now that is possible...a journey to master it.  That seems more realistic. 
• Even though I haven't blogged about my reading the BOM, I am reading it.  And I am seeing it in a whole new light.  It is weird to have this experience every time.  It seems that each time I read it, the words are more and more urgent in their pleadings for us to REMEMBER, to be THANKFUL/GRATEFUL, to REPENT.

My God Hath Been My Support

• In 2 Nephi 4, Nephi talks about his self doubt, temptations, discouragement and anger in regards to his sins.  And then he turns around and says I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support. (4:19-20)  He sees his imperfections, almost drowns in all of it but rises above it bc he knows who is he, what he is worth and who stands behind him.  We are all children of God, He loves every one of us despite our imperfections and His arm is and ever will be outstretched to help us if we but turn towards Him. 
• In vs.26-29 he talks about why or why not to linger on past sins.  We shouldn't dwell upon our past bc it is not healthy nor does it matter if the Lord has forgiven persons of that matter, what matters is if we know if we have been forgiven.  It is up to the Lord to forgive who He will and up to us to forgive all.  Forgive and move forward.
• 2 Nephi 5:32 talks about what we should be writing in our journals -- things pleasing unto God.  I find it interesting that he says if people like the things of God, then they will be pleased with mine engravings.  So my grandkids should be pleased with my journals if they are things pleasing unto God.  I think it is vitally important that we have evidence that not just ancient people had faith through trials and endured to the end, but that people not too distant from us did also.  If I can read about my close relatives holding tight to the iron rod and striving to live righteous lives, I think it would be another testimony that it can be done. Perhaps my words will be what someone needs later on. 
• Tonight we had FHE on what the "Ultimate Treasure" is that Heavenly Father has for us.  I used a great site to help me with the short lesson (for younger kids) HERE.   We talked about how the Lord gave us a map to find our way to this ultimate gift -- scriptures, prophets, parents, etc.  All these things can help point us in the right direction in how to live our lives in such a way that we can obtain this great treasure -- being eternal life and living again with our Heavenly Father.  My daughter really enjoyed it and participated in the discussion (7 yrs old), my son (2 yrs old) roamed the room.  I think he was oblivious to what we were doing but he did pray with us so at least he knows what that is.  He loves to pray.  He does great with folding his arms and he can string 2-3 words at a time if we help him say the prayer.  I think right now I am really enjoying see my children grow in the gospel and make it a natural part of their lives. 

The Road to Carmel & Abigail's Gift

I'm reading this book called The Peacegiver: How Christ Offers to Heal Our Hearts and Homes by James L. Ferrell. My friend, Ann, let me borrow it to read. In this book, the story of these two characters talk about how Abigail (in 1 Samuel Chapter 25) is a Type of Christ. I quote from the book the conversation between Abigail and David (future king of Israel):

"Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be."
"Upon you be what iniquity, woman?"
"Please my lord, I saw not the young men you sent to Nabal, my husband. But see, I have provided. Please accept of my offering, that this hsall be no grief unto thee."

A few things to point out that the characters pointed out.
Abigail --> Type of Christ
Nabal --> 1st Sinner
David & his men --> victims who were sinned against, 2nd sinner by failing to forgive.

When we feel we have been wronged it is important to remember that Christ is at our door wanting to take upon the sins and burdens placed against or on us. He wants to make up for the "burdens those sins are placing upon [us], or at the very least would include the blessing of having those burdens made light."

Jesus took upon him all the sins of the world. When we feel wronged by someone, Jesus is pleading for us to place the sin upon Him instead of the actual sinner and then also asking us to forgive the sin.

Upon me let this iniquity be. Let me deal with it if there is any dealing to be done. But you, my dear son or dear daughter, let it go. Let me take it, as I already have done. Forgive.

So the real question is how does one let go of any hard feelings or enmity and truly forgive?

Turn the Other Cheek

"Not only our eternal salvation depends upon our willingness and capacity to forgive wrongs committed against us. Our joy and satisfaction in this life, and our true freedom, depend upon our doing so. When Christ bade us turn the other cheek, walk the second mile, give our cloak to him who takes our coat, was it to be chiefly out of consideration for the bully, the brute, the thief? Or was it to relieve the one aggrieved of the destructive burden that resentment and anger lay upon us?"

--Marion D. Hanks, "Forgiveness: The Ultimate Form of Love", Ensign, Jan. 1974, 20

"Instead of dwelling on the wickedness and grief of those who have sinned, I rejoice to read how many have abandoned their sinful practices and are now on the road back to righteousness and happiness...let us...rejoice in the spirit of forgiveness, which is the comforting message of the Atonement."

--Theodore M. Burton, "To Forgive Is Divine", Ensign, May 1983, 70