I come to you with a question about eternal memories you are building in your lives. Are they followed by the comment “I wish I had,” or can you say, “I’m glad I did”?
Reaching back into history, if we could select just one principle that would especially contribute to the “I’m glad I did” memories, what would it be? It would be the principle of obedience.1
We all make daily entries in our book of life. Occasionally we examine the entries we are making. What kind of memories will flood your mind as you examine the pages of your personal entries? How many pages will contain “I wish I had” entries?
Fill Your Book of Life by Elder L. Tom Perry
I have put this into practice. I make time at the end of each day to--with my Heavenly Father--look at my day that has passed, and examine with His help, those places where I can proudly and happily say in confidence, "I'm glad I did..." I make lists of things; always writing at least one instance. And then, when in my memory I may come across those things where in any degree I will honestly face myself and say, "I wish I had.." I don't dwell on it or beat myself up; I simply also will write a simple brief plan while listening to the guidance of the Holy Spirit to my heart and mind, as to how I will make sure that when next faced with the same thing that once made my say "I wish I had" when looking back; I'm now ready to turn it into an "I'm glad I did."
This is changing my life in little and therefore powerful ways. I am watching myself only make choices I am proud of; and more importantly, that I know are eternally blessing me and countless others and which are earning me heaven's smiles.
Changes in our natures, and true joy, only come as we look to and connect in real ways, to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ--the only way to healing, enabling power, strength, redemption, forgiveness, resurrection, the reality of eternal families, and of exaltation with our Father in Heaven for all the many eternities yet to come.
This power can exalt us if we will attach ourselves firmly to it, one prayerful plea at a time, is what accesses it as we look courageously to Christ for His enabling and strengthening power.
Try this out and watch the satisfying results in your own life!
My Eternal Father. The most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of my Spirit. It is His prophet's witness along with mine, that He knows you. He loves you with a perfect and individual love. He wants you to know that you matter to Him. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf "You Matter to Him.")
He lives and I testify that He loves you, adores you, and cherishes you--even though you might be thinking, "well, not me. " When the truth and reality of this message sinks deep into your heart, you are drawn back to Him--to His love, to His light, and His arms.
It's amazing how, once we know through trying out personal prayer, that Heavenly Father really adores and cherishes and accepts us individually, all other good things automatically flow. The only thing that blocks our progression in this life, is when we begin to lose full sight of that love, or doubt it.
I testify that one of the most powerful and productive things you can do, is to believe in your Heavenly Father's love for you. Light and change and progression and satisfaction in the beauties of life and steps in the right direction will automatically flow.
Do you know that your Family can be Together Forever?
I testify of this truth, with all my heart. I know that God intended the family to be eternal. If you really desire to know how, you are going to gain the most, by searching it and desiring it from yourself and your own motivation--but I will provide you the link, and my testimony that I know it is true. God has told me so, and it is the greatest truth that encompasses all of the highest joys of life. There is no greater thing you could come to know, than how your Savior has made it possible for those relationships to be perfected and eternal in all the eternities to come. And that you can know these things, with certainty for yourself:
>> Your Family Can be Eternal <<
I also make you a promise about the the powerful gift God has given the world in these the very last days: even the Book of Mormon.
I can make you a promise, that you will run around searching, you will run around hungry and empty and knowing there is something missing in your life until you read the Book of Mormon; doing a real, hungry, serious study of it--this is perhaps the only route I can promise you will bind up all your wounds, heal your soul, answer your needs, answer every problem and question, fix your heart and awaken you to your grand, divine, exciting, joyful purpose in this life. But I do guarantee that you will feel empty and hungry and like something is missing until you do do it. I don't challenge you this for my sake. I challenge you to do this for your own sake--because of the blessings it has brought into my life. I know my Savior personally, because of this Book. I have the joy I have, because of that book.
I know it is the word of God, to heal us and answer every question of the soul.
Only Faith has the power to unlock knowledge of eternal truths. And faith has no power without deliberate actions of some kind--moving toward Christ, linking ourselves to Him in real practical ways, today.
These are indian treats :)
This week, I have been blessed to learn how, when we turn problems over to the Atonement, they come back to us with solutions. But if we don't turn conflicts or dilemmas over to the Atonement, nothing productive happens. I love the Atonement and how there isn't a single aspect of existence that isn't affected by it! It encompasses all!
When someone offends me or hurts me, it has no negative power over me. Not because I'm special, but because the Atonement is special; and not only special but real and usable in practical, daily ways.
I just turn all negative things over to the Atonement, and they come back to me as only blessings and joys and growth. It feels like I am cheating at the game of life or something, but it's power is real and God wants us to come unto Him and learn how to use this greatest of all blessings!
This was a feast we had yesterday with a member at their home. The Dau family. These foods--are not found in America!
I know that exact obedience has made me so productive! It is a joy to watch EXACT obedience make me exactly in line not only with my dear Heavenly Father, but in line and connected to His power--and His daily and undeniable miracles.
Our investigators and new converts are seeing miracles and all their problems are being solved--their red seas that were such a devastating problem last week are clearing. I know that the Lord was right when He told me : trust in Me with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own fear or confusion; in all ways acknowledge Me, and one step at a time you will see work done from both sides of the veil for your people you are serving in my Son's name.
We have sooo many people ready to come to Sacrament meeting. We have 3 Baptismal Dates that are on track--except one is overcoming addictions with our help and the Lord. We are about to watch souls truly come unto Christ.
One miracle was that one of our investigators needs a job so she can support herself and move out of her boyfriend's house to prep for baptism... and last Monday, we saw 9 job openings in just one chain of stores on one road in town--not only that, but they were all "Salesgirl" vacancies! That's the only job she said she will apply for. The Lord is making Himself sooo obvious! She went down and applied for all of them the very next day when we told her about them; and by the time she got down there, there was even another that had another vacancy!
I know that this is the true work of God.
I am holding nothing back--nothing at all from the altar of sacrifice.
Cross the bridge. We can walk away from Satan's lies. We can be pure through Christ. We can know Heavenly Father adores and cherishes us, and that itself will give us the power we need to walk the roads ahead. The journey doesn't lead to rewards only, it is littered with rewards at every smallest step. "Celebrate now", as my mother says :)
I have a relationship that predates my mortal birth. I know that my role did not begin on earth--it began before I was born and continues in the glories and realities of eternity. That is all I am living for.
Live by following this G P S : Gratitude Prayer Smiling
And you won't go wrong ;)
The only living that is soul-satisfying is the living that is sole-focused on the family and the Savior.
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