He Suffered For Me

Jesus Christ suffered the pains, afflictions and sins so that he could come to our aid and we could return to live with God again if we so chose to follow Him.<-True that.

That's a lot of sin! That's a lot of pain! That's a lot of love!<-True that.

Focusing on me (because that's what I do best), Christ suffered in the Garden so that He could help my mom put up with my stubbornness. Christ suffered in the Garden so that my mom could put up with my laziness. Christ suffered in the Garden to help my mom laugh at those times I would crash both her and my car (not at the same time... I'm not that talented). Christ suffered in the Garden so that He could help my mom have strength to stay up with me all those nights I procrastinated homework, not to bring up all the times I just needed someone to talk to.  Christ suffered in the Garden to help my mom find love for me even when I would spout off mean things to her. Christ suffered in the Garden because he knew all the patience my mom was going to need raising me. 

Christ suffered in the Garden so that my sister could make it through my mean big brother phase, all the mean things I would call her, not thinking of how much I could potentially damage her. Christ suffered in the Garden so that my sister would have the heart to forgive me and find love for me, so that we could be best of friends. Christ suffered in the Garden so that after all those years of constantly fighting with my brother,after the broken lights, broken humidifier, broken TV,  and so on he would somehow find good in me and become one of my biggest idols. Christ suffered in the Garden so that my friends would still find love for me after all the pain I put them through, most of the time because I was selfish (I can be pretty good at that). Christ suffered in the Garden to help my teachers, co-workers, employers, family, friends, enemies... all put up with me.

Christ suffered in the Garden to make up for everything I lack. Christ suffered in the Garden to help me through the loss of friends, loved ones and so on. Christ suffered in the Garden so that I can get back to my Heavenly Father. Christ suffered in the Garden so that I can wash myself of my sins and move on. Christ suffered in the Garden because I don't have what it takes to do it myself. Christ suffered in the Garden because He loved me and was worried about my salvation. So in the end Christ suffered in the Garden for me.

I'm glad that I have some knowledge of my Savior. I'm glad I can share this message with everyone. I hope everyone comes to realize just a portion of what Christ has done for them. Christ suffered in the Garden and died on the cross for us, let's LIVE our appreciation.

The Paycheck Of Humility

Many people in today's world view humility as a sign of weakness, timidity and fear. As I started to ponder on that statement I couldn't help but think about the Savior's life. Jesus Christ led the most courageous life, not any one of us would ever have the strength and will power to do what He did. Jesus Christ is the perfect example of humility, while showing the most courage, strength and enduring will power. His life was so successful and everlasting because He knew where His strength lied, He knew who knew best, He relied on His Father's will and everything He had been blessed with to fulfill His calling.

Reflecting on my life and the times I was more humble and the times where I was more prideful than humble, I asked myself how it paid off. As I've pondered on this battle of pride and humility, I have recognized one of my greatest blessings from humility.

In my life I have realized that when I am prideful I find myself aggravated. I find myself comparing myself to others. I find myself full of contention. When I am prideful I find myself saying, "Well why did they get that job position, I am better than them, I've worked harder then them, I'm more qualified than them." These thoughts too often escalate to a negative attitude and a person who not too many people desire to be around.

When I am prideful I find myself focusing on negative thoughts and I have come to realize that at those times I am so full of hate that I stop applying as much effort and talents to the situation I am currently in. Why try, no one recognizes anyway. At times I even find myself trying to belittle them and put forth all my effort in showing I'm better than them, which in end, I end up belittling myself. but at least I've proved my point. Right?

On the other hand, again in my life, when I am the more humble I find myself patiently waiting and having faith that when Heavenly Father feels necessary to put me where he sees best, that it will benefit me the most. I find myself exhorting my greater efforts to the position I am currently in, instead of using effort toward envious feelings. I am less stressed, more happy and am better able to fulfill my duties. I also can focus on learning from those above me and applying beneficial techniques. Then when the time comes, when I am needed, I am thankful, I feel qualified and I rely, once again, on the Lord to magnify my talents and abilities. Also, people who I am in stewardship over are more attentive and respect me more because I am focused on serving them and magnifying my specific duties.

I am positive there are many other ways humility pays off. Test it out and see how it improves your life to be humble compared to prideful. I know that just like the Savior our life will be of more impact and it will in turn lead us to greater happiness.

A Simple Testimony for a Remarkable Sacrifice

Reflecting on Easter, and all that it means, I was trying to think of something I could do that would pay gratitude to our Savior and be somewhat personal. After thinking on the topic I decided that a simple personal testimony of Jesus Christ and all that I am grateful for in my life might suffice for what I wish to accomplish. I hope that through this you may feel of my personal witness that I know that Jesus Christ lives and is the Savior and Redeemer of the world.

I haven't had a Heavenly visitation of angels or of Christ himself, I haven't traveled and walked the roads the Savior walked during His earthly ministry, I haven't seen the amazing visions that the prophets and apostles have seen, but I don't feel I need any of that to know the man who lived, suffered, and died for me. I don't need to see the risen Christ in order for me to believe that through him I have the opportunity and privilege to be forgiven of my sins. I don't feel I need to meet him because I have felt his divine love for me, I have felt hope and peace when I had so much of my past weighing me down, I have felt the burden of sin along with the sweet feeling of being made clean in the eyes of my maker. I feel that I have felt the Savior's touch when I have repented of my trespasses with my fellow man and my God. I am Grateful for all that Christ did and continues to do for me, for someone who didn't live during his ministry, someone who will never do for Him what he desires to do for me, someone who doesn't have the slightest clue, in comparison, of all that He did for all mankind, even those that did and would continue to mock and scorn Him.

I love all that Easter represents, the fact that because of Christ's Resurrection I have the great blessing of rising and living beyond this life, along with the blessing and opportunity to dwell with my Father in Heaven after this life. I wish to spend my life showing my gratitude toward all that went into the Plan of Salvation and the sacrifices that were made that I may experience happiness and eternal life.

I am also grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who never loses hope in all his children here on earth. I am grateful for the Restoration of Christ's Church on the earth, I am thankful for the Book of Mormon and all the revealed truth that sacred set of scriptures brought with it. I know that we indeed are benefited abundantly from the prophet and apostles that have been called and chosen as worthy representatives and mouthpieces for God in this dispensation. I know that the message that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints carries and wishes to share is true and can bless the lives of all that wish to know so. This is just a small portion of my Testimony of the Savior. I hope that all will increase their testimony this Easter time, and give an added measure of devotion to sharing what they know and believe about Christ. I bear my witness in Christ's name, Amen.

Reaching Our Quintessential Potential

One of the things that I struggled with throughout my teenage years, or my "young adult-hood" (I guess that's what some would call it... probably arguable by others) was figuring out who I was. This quest went way deeper with questions of what my strengths/weaknesses are, what kind of activities or hobbies I liked/was good at and what I wanted with my life overall. It still is a question that I have, I guess everyone always has those questions, maybe that's what life is for. Anyway, before my mission and being reactivated in the church I still didn't know. Well, maybe I thought I knew but then when the missionaries came over and I started to rededicate myself to the gospel it seemed like everything I "knew" was being questioned.
So I started to follow down this new but somewhat familiar path, which in turn ended up with me being on a mission. I wanted to come on a mission so that I could tell people that life is better with the knowledge/faith I have of Jesus Christ through the restored Gospel and its teachings. In my attempts to do this I find a great deal of people who are in the similar shoes as I was in, trying to find themselves in attempts to try different life styles. I remember when I was in middle and high school I was always trying to find out what "genre" of people I molded with the best. One year it was preppy people then maybe the next it was more of your trouble maker kids, my clothing style always changed along with music, language, attitude, desire, thoughts, and mostly the way I acted. It has led me to think about how much my life would be different if I would have continued to follow the Savior throughout my childhood.
I feel that my life now has direction with who I want to be and where I want to take my life. I find myself realizing strengths and weaknesses and knowing my limits on life. Its not like it just hit me one day but looking back at the last 2 years of my life has been a remarkable experience. I'm not saying that people wouldn't be able to find who they are if they didn't have the gospel, they probably won't reach the happiest point they can obtain in this life, I know I wouldn't have known as much and wouldn't have been as comfortable with who I am otherwise.

As I was reflecting recently I was thinking about how much different my life is now compared to then. I tried to think of what attributed to the peace and comfort that I have in my life. I'm still the same sarcastic person that people usually end up misunderstanding my humor but my life somehow seems to fit and make sense. As I was reflecting I thought about Christ and His life. From before the beginning of the world Christ has always tried to glorify and serve God. Our salvation depends on Christ and what he did from the beginning up to what he continues to do now, but I find it interesting that Christ all throughout his life just wanted to do His Father's will. He would never take credit for himself and just wanted people to obey God and live life in a way that leads them back to Him. Through this, Christ truly reached his full potential on earth, He was purely sinless and one of the most well know people still today, not to mention the most important person... thousands of years later.
Lawrence E. Corbridge expressess my desired point clearly when he said, "The United States Army says 'Be all that you can be.' But neither the Army nor you know all that you can be. The Lord says: 'Let me make of you all that you can be.' As measured by men's standards Army Rangers are impressive, but when compared with what the Lord can make of you, compared to the realization of your divine potential they truly are nothing. The realization of your amazing, astounding, and true potential happens only in the hands of the Lord." I know that it's only through the power of our Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ that we can become all we can be, and I pray that we may follow in our Savior's footsteps to attain that full satisfaction in this life as well as in the life to come.