It is EasterSunday, and I am sitting in my Son and daughter in laws home with their new baby girl. All three snuggled up on the couch together napping after church. I am listening to my favorite song Come thou Fount of every Blessing; pondering what I should blog about. I have so many thoughts running around in my head. I keep coming back to a talk I heard in conference by Robert D. Hales Called Coming to ourselves. I keep thinking what if I had not come to myself, what would my life be like? I shutter to think what my life would be like without he Gospel of Jesus Christ.
A week ago my youngest son called me at work and asked me why I go to church? What a great question I thought to myself. I quickly got my thoughts together, and here is a part what I told him.
Before I was ten my parents were not very active in the church, but I remember going to church and primary and I always felt happy there. I felt something inside that made me happy; almost an indescribable feeling. Because we only went sporadically, sometimes I would go with the neighborhood kids to different churches. I never felt that special feeling there, not that they were not nice people; on the contrary they were very kind. I just did not have that feeling I had when I attended my church. I desired so much to go where I felt that special feeling.
That day came when I was close to ten years old, my Dad and Mom had a special dinner and invited my Grandparents over and to announce that as a family we were going back to church. So life became just what I desired .
Soon after my Brother and I were baptized and then we prepared to go to the Oakland Temple to be sealed to my parents. What an amazing day that was as we knelt across the alter in the house of the Lord as a Family.
I spent my pre teen and teen years living the gospel and it became a part of me, it helped me build a foundation that I will continue to build upon the rest of my life. But even at my best efforts I still was vulnerable and found myself at eighteen starting my family without the gospel. So for a small painful period I found myself feeling like the prodigal son in a way. Walking away from something I knew was a treasure.
I would like to share a part Robert D Hales talk from General conference.
" The Savior told His disciples about a son who left his wealthy father, went to a far country, and wasted his inheritance. When a famine arose, the young man took the lowly job of feeding swine. He was so hungry that he wanted to eat the husks meant for the animals.Away from home, far from the place he wanted to be, and in his destitute condition, something of eternal significance happened in the life of this young man. In the Savior’s words, “he came to himself.”1 He remembered who he was, realized what he had been missing, and began to desire the blessings freely available in his father’s house.Throughout our lives, whether in times of darkness, challenge, sorrow, or sin, we may feel the Holy Ghost reminding us that we are truly sons and daughters of a caring Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we may hunger for the sacred blessings that only He can provide. At these times we should strive to come to ourselves and come back into the light of our Savior’s love..
So a now a young Mother of a four and two year old I found my heart was aching for the joy I knew the gospel promised.
Then a day I will ever be grateful for, a knock came at my door and there stood a CHP officer. At first I was very confused why he would be at my door. We lived out in the country in Yuba City and we did not get a lot of traffic. He said to me" I am not sure why I am supposed to be here but I was driving by and well, I am a Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints and I felt like I needed to stop and tell you that. I knew the Lord had answered my prayers, I needed the gospel in my life I just did not know how to go back. Here stood the bishop of the ward I should be attending. He did not know me, my records were not in that ward. He listened to the spirit and stopped at a strangers house and found a daughter of God who had been praying for help. Well my life changed that day and I never looked back. That was over 23 years ago the day I came to myself and returned to the life I knew I should be leading. I was welcomed with open arms and nurtured by the good word of God.
So when my son asked me that question I was eager to answer, we had a great conversation, and he was able to share with me his feelings of why he chooses to belong to the Church. We talked about the importance of sacrafice and how being a member is work but good work. I am thankful he wanted know, and I hope it added to his own testimony.
Joseph Smith taught that “a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has the power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation.” In the eternal
perspective, the blessings obtained by sacrifice are greater than anything that is given up.
I think of all the many Sons and Daughters of God who look in the mirror one day and say to themselves I want to go home like the prodigal son I hope they know that they two will be received with joy.
Everybody has a story to tell of how they gained their testimony of the Savior I have only touched a small part of my conversion.
I am grateful for parents who helped build my foundation on teachings of Jesus Christ. I am Thankful to my Husband who holds the priesthood of God and loves the Lord. Together we have accomplished many great things; he is my best friend and my Eternal companion. I love my beautiful children and grandchildren they are truly my joy. My Savior stands in the center of the circle of my life and he is the only one who can brings us home.
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