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.

Feeling the Love of the Lord

This morning as I prayed over my breakfast, I prayed for some specific things in mind. As I logged in my email to check it over eating breakfast I found that my MIL had just sent this to me not even a minute ago. Reading these words was like listening to a response to my prayer. So...thanks McMom for sending this to me. :-)
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Daily Gems: Ability to Feel the Lord's Love Depends on our Actions
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"As faithful [members] of The Church of Jesus Christ ofLatter-day Saints, we have been blessed with the Holy Ghost. As weinvite the Savior into our lives, the Holy Ghost will bear witness to usofthe love which the Father and His Son, our Savior, have for each of us.Butfeeling Their love is dependent not only on our desire but upon ouractions as well. And the actions we need to take are known to us: genuine prayerthat is specific and humble, followed by quiet listening for the Lord'sanswers; regular scripture study and time to ponder what we read; and,finally, a willingness to be introspective about ourselves and to trustinthe Lord's promise that He will 'make weak things become strongunto [us]' (Ether 12:27)."Topics: Holy Ghost, love,worthiness, prayer
(Kathleen H. Hughes, "Remembering the Lord's Love," Ensign, Nov. 2006,112)

Refiner's Fire

Malachi 3:3 says:

“He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible Study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up.

He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the

Fire where the flames were hottest to burn away all the impurities

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again

About the verse that says: “He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.”

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the

Whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left

A moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. The she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?”

He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that’s easy – when I see my image in it.”

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

"May we all be faithful in doing the day to day ordinary things that prove our worthiness, for they will lead us to and qualify us for great things."

--James E. Faust, "Some Great Thing", Ensign, Nov. 2001, 46