Refocus and Remember

I have unfortunately not been able recently to post last week again due to recent events and some personal ones.  Thankfully, most of the events have been weighted toward good rather than sadness.  But the newsfeeds we are being bombarded by seem to be heavily toward criticism, anger, sadness and the like.  LEOs, we have certainly been tested these past few weeks.  Please don't be downhearted.  As with many of the saints of old, trials are normal.  Hatred of good is always present.  misunderstanding and unrighteous judgement are and will continue to exist.  For those in mourning, realize this life has always been a short one.  Why bring up these less-than-inspiring facts?  Because we don't rely on a worldly understanding of morality, judgement, or plan.  Our plan relies on those who are actually reliable: the Godhead.

I was listening to April's General Conference and came across the talk "Always Remember Him."  While not all of the talk is specific to this post, I really enjoyed a return to basic principles and my testimony was truly strengthened.  There was a story discussing the seemingly unfairness that sometimes accompanies us in this life.  The story discusses a woman who had a desire to to become a journalist but was told she would work in the sewers.  I am not going to spoil it because you MUST read it to fully get the truths and testimony behind it.  Read it.  Seriously.  Back to my point...

This story ended with the following:

"She told me, “I feel I should treat that man better than he treated me—but I do not have that strength.” Sometimes that strength is not within us, but it can be found in remembering the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

When trust is betrayed, dreams shattered, hearts broken and broken again, when we want justice and need mercy, when our fists clench and our tears flow, when we need to know what to hold onto and what to let go of, we can always remember Him. Life is not as cruel as it can sometimes seem. His infinite compassion can help us find our way, truth, and life.

When we remember His words and example, we will not give or take offense."

I was struck by this (especially the middle paragraph).  I have felt this pain.  We all have.  We have all cried for true justice.  We have all cried for mercy.  But life is in fact not as unfair as we perceive.  And though maybe currently we feel our pleas are on deaf ears, sometimes that comfort needs to begin with our own humility and diligence.

I was pondering the temporal bickering recently and coming up with quick jabs of response and possible ways to verbally combat the injustice and hatred.  Now of course, I realize the stupidity of my quest in that airing all the "facts" and "dirty laundry" of others rarely if ever would actually solve anything.  While in my "planning phase," thankfully, the Lord stepped in.  I was caught up thinking of some of the spiritual needs I had neglected.  I prayed and pondered ways to improve my own self.  Of course, it started as a way to gain spiritual fodder to combat the bickering.  Meanwhile, my mind was brought along a long standing question I had.  The Lord helped me find and gain revelation to answer a question I had near 15 years ago.  It was mind-blowing!  I hadn't felt that kind of genuine joy in study/understanding since midway through my mission.  This isn't to say I haven't had great inspiration, but not as many due to my own diligence.

Only after this great experience did I realize this was actually an answer to my real goal of finding joy in the trials.  I had wanted to combat the bickering but really, I needed to find joy in the turmoil often described as life.  The Lord reminded me, much like the General Conference talk, that there is a plan.  It is a Plan of Happiness.  Some days require enduring some (or a lot) of unpleasantness.  But that is not the point of life.  The point of life is to gain a body, be tested to increase ourselves, and return to our Father in Heaven ready to continue our Eternal progression.  We are not here to win a race, indulge in pleasure, or prove we are the best.  It is not to show our power, or prove we are more righteous.  We are all children of God and therefore everyone is a brother or sister to each other.  What good family would let each other be in misery if they could help them out of it?

So let's all take a pause from the "____ DESTROYS ____ and their position with this video" and move toward uplifting each other.  Change the angry subject to something productive.  Reach out and provide service.  Don't give up LEOs.  You are precious in the sight of the Lord.  All His children are.

Godspeed LEOs.

-LDS Sheepdog