Be of Good Cheer

In Elder Oaks talk, He Heals the Heavy Laden, he references one of my very favorite scriptures:

 “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” 

John 16:33

This is one of the key truths we learn in Article of Faith #3: The Atonement of Christ. We know that if we are obedient to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel, through the Atonement, we can be saved because He did literally overcome the world.

The Lord knew that life would be hard. He tells us we will have “tribulation.” The dictionary defines tribulation as “a cause of great trouble or suffering.” He knows just how great our trouble and suffering are and will be, because He has felt them personally.

He tells us to “be of good cheer.” How is it possible to be of good cheer if we know that we will have great trouble and suffering? This is the amazing thing about the Atonement. Not only has it redeemed us from death and given us a way to be exalted and have eternal life, it has also blessed us with the enabling power of the Atonement.

I have experienced this power while going to school at BYU-Idaho. I work full time, have school, and serve in the temple on Saturdays. I have been blessed, and a witness to miracles, with a literal expansion of time. I have had my abilities increased to learn more quickly and get things done in a shorter amount of time.

Because of the Atonement we have all the reason in the world to be of good cheer.


Have any of you experienced the enabling power of the Atonement?

Becoming More Faithful

A few days ago I posted about deciding I needed to return to my temple assignment just because it was something I had to do, not because I wanted to.

I had an experience this week which helped me realize why I needed to be there. I have been importuning in my prayers that my desires would be brought into alignment with what my Savior wants me to do. This experience made that happen.

I will go back to the temple next weekend. I will still be short on time and energy, but now, I am going back not only because I am supposed to, but because it is something I want to do because I realize how much I need it.

Working to exercise faith really can bring about miracles, changes of heart, and answers to prayer.

Weekly Reflection

I love what Elder Oaks says about our canon being open.

Because of our belief in continuing revelation, we Latter-day Saints maintain that the canon (the authoritative body) of scriptures is open. In fact, the scriptural canon is open in several ways, and continuing revelation is crucial to each of them.[1]

He goes on to say:

Our belief in an open canon also includes private revelations to individual seekers of the meaning of existing scriptures. Such revelations are necessary because, as Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve observed, “Each pronouncement in the holy scriptures … is so written as to reveal little or much, depending on the spiritual capacity of the student” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1985, p. 71).[2]

I feel I have experienced some of that personal revelation during my study this week. Some of the things that I have been impressed about:

Luke 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. This stood out to me because I am going through some challenging circumstances with my family right now. This was a powerful reminder that a God who can cause both a barren woman and a virgin to give birth, can certainly help me find new employment, can help my daughter through this separation and possible divorce, and can rescue my wayward daughter. I just need to do my part and have faith in him.

Christ’s royal birthright was through both fathers. I either didn’t catch it or didn’t remember that he had a royal birthright through the lineage of David and would have been the rightful heir to the civic throne. He was King through all aspects of life.

The faith shown by Peter and Andrew when Jesus asked them to come follow him and they "straightway" left their nets, (Mark 1: 17-18) is a great example to me of the kind of faith I want to develop. That is my focus for my Becoming Project.

I believe that studying the life of Jesus Christ can only have a positive impact on me. I am excited to learn more about his life and to gain a deeper testimony of him.

---

[1] Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Scripture Reading and Revelation, January 1995, lds.org.

[2] ibid

With God, Nothing is Impossible

I started my new class this week. It is a summer block class studying the four gospels.

Instead of reading them in the order of printing, we are reading certain sections that will follow it more chronologically.

Our reading block this week was: Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2, John 1:1-18, 17:1-5, Matt 3-4, Mark 1, Luke 3-4, and John 1:19-4.

One of the principles that I focussed on is:

For with God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37 

This was spoken after an angel told Mary that she will bear the Son of God whilst a virgin and that Elisabeth, who was barren and stricken with age, was 6 months pregnant.

This reminds me of a scripture that I have posted on my monitor:

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Phillipians 4:13

These scriptures bring me great comfort and hope. I can do hard things because with God nothing is impossible. I just have to keep being faithful, following the commandments, and living up to my covenants.

I work full time, do my schoolwork in the evenings, and am an ordinance worker on Saturdays. I have had a lot of health problems lately and have had to take a leave from the temple. I have felt impressed to donate some time to the Circles Program which helps people get out of poverty. This will take up one evening each week.

I am excited to feel well enough to get back to my temple work and know that it is something the Lord still wants me to do. Sometimes I don’t know how I can keep doing it, but I have experienced miracles in relation to my time to do homework. I have been told in blessings that it is because of my temple service. I have literally seen my time expand and have been able to accomplish everything that I need to do.

If we are doing things that follow what God wants us to do, he will make a way for us to do them.