Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Imagine a World Where It Is Never Too Late

Imagine a world and life in which you can make mistakes, experience physical, mental, and emotional pain, and make some really poor choices and have the effects (not necessarily the consequences--but the effects of the pain and choices on our bodies and spirits) entirely erased. You would still gain all of the learning and wisdom and experience that come from mistakes and pain and choices...but any negative effects would not be permanent.

That is, in fact, what our Heavenly Father promises if we turn to Him in faith. If we love Him (which means we will strive to keep his commandments (John 14:15).

He tells us that "[. . .] all things work together for good to them that love God [. . .]" (Romans 8:28) Not some things. Not just the good choices we make. All things work together for our good.

This is possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ--through His mortal life, His suffering in Gethsamane, His death on the cross, and His resurrection, 3 days later.

"Jesus was . . . a being of flesh and spirit, but He yielded not to temptation (see Mosiah 15:5). We can turn to Him . . . because He understands. He understands the struggle, and He also understands how to win the struggle. . . . The power of His Atonement can erase the effects of sin in us. When we repent, His atoning grace justifies and cleanses us (see 3 Nephi 27: 16-20). It is as if we had not succumbed, as if we had not yielded to temptation. As we endeavor day by day and week by week to follow the path of Christ, our spirit asserts its preeminence, the battle within subsides, and temptations cease to trouble."

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "That They May Be One in Us"

The more I live and make mistakes, the more grateful I am for my life and the learning experience it is for me--the more I am grateful for the love and mercy of Heavenly Father and His Son--the kind of love that turns darkness into light (or scarlet to white (Isaiah 1:18) and can pull beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3). So if I have anything to say today and hopefully every day, it is this: It is never to late. You and I have never gone too far. God can make all things work together for your and my good. He can "erase the effects of sin" in you and in me.

Last of all, awhile ago, I put together a little picture montage to go with my favorite arrangement (arranged by Rob Gardner) of my favorite hymn. The words to the song are below.


Come, ye disconsolate, where'er ye languish;
Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel.
Here bring your wounded hearts; here tell your anguish.
Earth has no sorrow that heav'n cannot heal.

Joy of the desolate, Light of the straying,
Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure!
Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying,
"Earth has no sorrow that heav'n cannot cure."

Here see the Bread of Life; see waters flowing
Forth from the throne of God, pure from above.
Come to the feast of love; come, ever knowing
Earth has no sorrow but heav'n can remove.

Text: Thomas Moore, 1779-1852. Verse three, Thomas Hastings, 1784-1872

Elin
-who wishes she could sing like the girl in the video and compose music like Rob Gardner....

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