Looks like it's just mom, dad, me and Riah left doing this each week, but that's ok. Maybe it's just for me so I ponder and think. It's been lonely on here without them the past couple of weeks as they have been travelling.
Sister Stephens makes 3 great points in this talk of how people can use the Atonement to help them over things that they don't have control over. I was thinking a lot about John when I read her 2nd point: "The Master Healer can comfort and strengthen us when we experience pain because of the unrighteous actions of others." I think of mom and dad- they have experienced a great deal of pain and sorry as the result of some of John's actions. Lissa also- because we all know the special relationship she has with him as well- not that the rest of us don't care, but they are closest to him. Anyway- I also feel for John. It's not his fault his own parents didn't love, nurture, and help him as they should have. He was abused in some of the foster homes by people who were supposed to be caring and protecting him. In my mind and heart somewhere I think there is part of the Atonement that will take into account that although John is old enough to know right from wrong, he is also a product of the environment his life began with. I think he would have turned out to be a completely different person if he had been in our family from the beginning...maybe not...but I like to think that he would be. In the end, I hope the Savior's Atonement takes that into consideration and that John is forgiven of what he deserves to be forgiven for. I do love him and my heart breaks for him and the situation he has ended up in, despite mom and dad's efforts. I keep praying that where ever he is and where ever he goes he will recognize the good that is in him and come to understand that he has the power to use the good he has, with Christ's help to make changes.
First thing that jumped out to me was the bedrock of understanding. Noting that we forget to look to HIM. I am reminded of the apostles who were out sailing the seas when a bad storm came in. It wasn't till the storm got really bad that they tried to wake the Savior in desperation, "carest thou not that we perish?" When we really take time place ourselves in the apostles shoes we realize we too are just as much at fault for not looking to the Savior first. Why wait till the storm comes. Doesn't anyone notice me doing all the work. Or struggling along. Won't someone come help me? Perhaps the help may never come in was we want, but it is us who must be willing to admit first that we need Him. He can calm the storms of our life, but we need not wait till the storms come and bottle in our frustrations or assume they will eventually figure it out. The one who clothes the lilies of the field will care for us as we remember to look to Him that he might become our balm in Gilead.
I loved this talk when it was given. Shortly after that we had Sister Stephens come to our stake and she shared more about her determination to follow the Savior. Our Bishop said when he was encouraging sisters to attend her talk said, "I feel this is one of the most important principles we will ever learn in life. That is to look to the Savior. We we look to him we never get discouraged or loose hope." Many of our problems come when we forget to look to the Savior who knows all things from the end to the beginning. We think we can do all things on our own. When that doesn't work out then we ask for the Saviors help. We need to turn that around and ask for his help and then go though out our day knowing he will guide us to the places we need to be, and the things we need to say. When we know we are on his mission then we will never loose hope. He knows us and he knows what we are capable of and he will use us to help others. When we chart our course with him as our leader "we can do all things in Christ who strengthens us".
Looks like it's just mom, dad, me and Riah left doing this each week, but that's ok. Maybe it's just for me so I ponder and think. It's been lonely on here without them the past couple of weeks as they have been travelling.
ReplyDeleteSister Stephens makes 3 great points in this talk of how people can use the Atonement to help them over things that they don't have control over. I was thinking a lot about John when I read her 2nd point: "The Master Healer can comfort and strengthen us when we experience pain because of the unrighteous actions of others." I think of mom and dad- they have experienced a great deal of pain and sorry as the result of some of John's actions. Lissa also- because we all know the special relationship she has with him as well- not that the rest of us don't care, but they are closest to him. Anyway- I also feel for John. It's not his fault his own parents didn't love, nurture, and help him as they should have. He was abused in some of the foster homes by people who were supposed to be caring and protecting him. In my mind and heart somewhere I think there is part of the Atonement that will take into account that although John is old enough to know right from wrong, he is also a product of the environment his life began with. I think he would have turned out to be a completely different person if he had been in our family from the beginning...maybe not...but I like to think that he would be. In the end, I hope the Savior's Atonement takes that into consideration and that John is forgiven of what he deserves to be forgiven for. I do love him and my heart breaks for him and the situation he has ended up in, despite mom and dad's efforts. I keep praying that where ever he is and where ever he goes he will recognize the good that is in him and come to understand that he has the power to use the good he has, with Christ's help to make changes.
First thing that jumped out to me was the bedrock of understanding. Noting that we forget to look to HIM. I am reminded of the apostles who were out sailing the seas when a bad storm came in. It wasn't till the storm got really bad that they tried to wake the Savior in desperation, "carest thou not that we perish?" When we really take time place ourselves in the apostles shoes we realize we too are just as much at fault for not looking to the Savior first. Why wait till the storm comes. Doesn't anyone notice me doing all the work. Or struggling along. Won't someone come help me? Perhaps the help may never come in was we want, but it is us who must be willing to admit first that we need Him. He can calm the storms of our life, but we need not wait till the storms come and bottle in our frustrations or assume they will eventually figure it out. The one who clothes the lilies of the field will care for us as we remember to look to Him that he might become our balm in Gilead.
ReplyDeleteI loved this talk when it was given. Shortly after that we had Sister Stephens come to our stake and she shared more about her determination to follow the Savior. Our Bishop said when he was encouraging sisters to attend her talk said, "I feel this is one of the most important principles we will ever learn in life. That is to look to the Savior. We we look to him we never get discouraged or loose hope." Many of our problems come when we forget to look to the Savior who knows all things from the end to the beginning. We think we can do all things on our own. When that doesn't work out then we ask for the Saviors help. We need to turn that around and ask for his help and then go though out our day knowing he will guide us to the places we need to be, and the things we need to say. When we know we are on his mission then we will never loose hope. He knows us and he knows what we are capable of and he will use us to help others. When we chart our course with him as our leader "we can do all things in Christ who strengthens us".
ReplyDelete