Study Shows the Way

Recently, as I was reading the scriptures, I was pondering the power that the scriptures have. I have seen in my life that as I read the scriptures, I am able to receive guidance, or direction from my Heavenly Father. He is able to teach and to instruct me, and allow me to become better. That, truly, is His purpose for us in this life; He wants us to be able to repent, or change, and become more like His Son, Jesus Christ. Because none of us is perfect, we all have things of which we need to repent. When we repent, our Heavenly Father is able to bless us, and free us from the guilt and shame that we feel because of our mistakes. He wants that for us. And so as we study the scriptures and receive divine guidance, it is more often than not an invitation for us to repent of something, and receive the blessings our Heavenly Father already wants to give us.

The Word of God, however, is able to make this invitation with power. That is why prophets have always written their words, so that we can reflect on them. That is why often Biblical prophets use the words of other prophets in order to teach, and call others unto repentance. One prophet attempted to teach a wicked group of people the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Of that experience, a later prophet said, "And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just-yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them-therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God" (Alma 31:5).

Repentance is a doorway to freedom. It is the way that we are able to truly have joy and happiness in this life. We are able to leave the past behind us, and move forward with a new life, dedicated to following the Savior, Jesus Christ. We are able to feel more fully the love of God, and enjoy the feeling of the Holy Ghost. As we study the scriptures daily, we are aided in our efforts to repent daily, and activate the power of the Savior's sacrifice in our lives. I know that as we study, we learn the ways that we can improve and become more Christlike. It may not be in the written words, but the Holy Ghost will be able to communicate to our minds and to our hearts the things that we need to know.

The Shield of Faith

I was thinking this morning about some of the imagery used in the Bible to describe the "Armor of God." More particularly, my attention was drawn to the "shield of faith" (Ephesians 6:16). I was pondering why, of all of the Christlike attributes that there are, was faith chosen to describe the shield. I thought, "in what way does faith act as a shield?" As I considered, the answer came.

Faith is an abiding trust in God. A belief that through the Atonement of Christ, we can find forgiveness of our sins, and quite literally be changed as we live the Gospel, or teachings of Jesus Christ. In my opinion, faith is being able to trust God enough to obey His commandments, even when it might not make perfect sense to us why we should. We trust that we will receive His promised blessings if we do so. And I know from personal experience that when we choose to keep the commandments of God, especially during those times when it is most difficult to do so, our character is changed for the better, we receive the blessings of God, and we are given spiritual strength and courage to continue to face the world. I know that through trusting in God and having faith in Him and in His Son, Jesus Christ, we can be changed.

Now, how does that form a shield? Well, I think that when we trust in God, we are able to deal with our fears and doubts more effectively. By that, I mean, that when thoughts of doubt, fear, or disbelief come, we are able to trust in what we have felt and experienced as a result of trusting in God and living His commandments. As we remember those feelings and impressions, we are able to quickly dispel those thoughts of temptation and doubt. And by striving to consistently obey God, we are able to have more experiences that give us those confirmations that we are doing what's right. That gives us more experiences to draw on during hardship. And so, I think, when we have the faith to trust in and obey God, we have a "shield" that protects us from the "fiery darts of the adversary," or in other words, the thoughts of doubt, fear and temptation that he throws at us.

I know that faith acts as a shield. It protects us from the misery and grief that always result when we disobey God's commandments. His plan is for us to be happy and successful. Hardships will come, but it is that opposition that allows us to grow, progress, and experience the full joy that the Gospel has to offer. I know that the Savior lives, and that it is only through His atoning sacrifice that we have the hope of changing and becoming like our Heavenly Father!

A Little Miracle

When we hear the word "miracle," a lot of times we think of some of the incredible miracles that the Savior performed during His earthly ministry. Those truly were incredible, and confirmed the faith of those that believed. But I think that sometimes we forget about all the little miracles that surround us on a day-to-day basis.

Recently, I had an experience where I was definitely blessed with one of those "smaller" miracles. For the majority of my time as a missionary in Arizona, I have been speaking Spanish, and working with Spanish-speaking individuals and families. Through my time, I have grown to love the language and the culture (and the FOOD!). Recently, however, my assignment changed and I am now working with a congregation that only speaks English. So needless to say I have not been able to use my Spanish as much. Recently, however, we received word that a woman wanted us to come and visit her. So we went to her home, and when we got there, we realized that her entire family spoke Spanish. It was so much fun to be able to use my Spanish again. The family was so nice, and it just made me so happy to be able to talk with them.

And so, that wasn't a huge thing, but it certainly gave me some joy. I know that our Heavenly Father cares, even about little things like that. He loves us enough to bless us with those tiny miracles that have the power to make our day. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father! I know that He lives and that He has a plan for each and every one of us!