Love One Another, As Jesus Loves Us

Today, I decided to do some studying of the teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I started in the beginning in Matthew. I read Chapter 4, and really studied the meaning of this scripture and why it should be important. In this chapter it begins to talk about how Jesus was fasting for 40 days and how he was tempted by the devil. Although Jesus had great power, one can think that he must have started to become weak and hungry. Even then, he was able to withstand the temptations of the devil. He was able to so easily say no to the enticing of the Evil One, remembering the teachings of his Father. How was he so easily able to say no? Everyday we are given the choice to do right, or to do wrong, and how easily we are to do wrong. Jesus Christ is truly the perfect example of who we want to be like and dedicate our life to, and strife to be like him.

Another section I studied was chapter 5 of Matthew. This chapter is also known as the Sermon on the Mount. As I read, I though, "how could Jesus do this?" If someone were to hurt you, give them another oppritunity to do it again? If they steal your coat, give them also your cloak? They say walk a mile, walk even more? Says to love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despite fully use you, and persecute you. The more I read this, I think back to times where people have done these things to me and how I reacted. So many times I was a jerk to them, I hated them, I did not forgive and I did not pray for them. Thinking about all of this gives me a better view of who Jesus was as a person. This man was wrongly persecuted and killed for doing nothing. As he hung on the cross in pain that no one on this Earth could even understand, he asked the Lord to forgive them. Could I have done that? Could you have done that? This shows the love that Jesus has for all of us. I ask that all of strive to be more like Jesus. To love one another. To help those who need help. Stand for those in need of comfort. Do not judge others. we all make our mistakes in this life and no one is perfect. All we can do is help them, and be a support for them to get to where they want to be so that they can return to our Heavenly Father. Love one another, as Jesus loves us.

Give No Place more, For the Enemy of My Soul

Life always throw's something new at you. It can be good, and it can be bad. What I do know is that all of it is for our benefit. As I sat in Sunday school today, I reflected on the life of Nephi in the Book of Mormon. Nephi was a great man and could do no wrong, but even he, one of my hero's in the Book of Mormon felt as if he could never return to Heavenly Father. This is a man who did everything that the Lord Commanded him to do, when he could have said no, he said, "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he comandeth them." (1 Nephi 3:7) He was a diligent servant of the Lord and a great man. Later on though, he begins to talk about how terrible of a person he is. Saying "my hear groaneth because of my sins." This made me really start to think. Even the Prophets of old had their struggles. I'm sure even Moses, Abraham, Joseph Smith, and Thomas S. Monson struggled with sin. But that's the Beauty of the atonement. All men, through Jesus Christ and his gospel can and will return to Heavenly Father. If we trust, and put our faith in him, he will make all things possible to us.

None of us are perfect. None of us will ever be perfect. We all have our faults. But that is why we have knees. We can always pray and as our Heavenly Father for help, even in the darkest of times. Pray for the spirit, pray for the help of Angles to protect you. The Lord would not give us commandments if we were unable to keep them. The worth of ever soul, is great in the eyes of our Lord.

For those who fall short of the glory of God, like myself, Think about and ponder this scripture and I hope you will find hope in it like I have:

 2nd Nephi 4: 26-35

  26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath ^avisited men in so much ^bmercy, ^cwhy should my ^dheart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?

 27 And why should I ^ayield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to ^btemptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my ^cpeace and afflict my soul? Why am I^dangry because of mine enemy?

 28 Awake, my soul! No longer ^adroop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the ^benemy of my soul.

 29 Do not ^aanger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.

 30 Rejoice, O my ^aheart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the ^brock of my salvation.

 31 O Lord, wilt thou ^aredeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of ^bsin?

 32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my ^aheart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may^bwalk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!

 33 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy^arighteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine ^benemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.

 34 O Lord, I have ^atrusted in thee, and I will ^btrust in thee forever. I will not put my ^ctrust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his ^dtrust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.

 35 Yea, I know that God will give ^aliberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ^bask ^cnot amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the ^drockof my ^erighteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.

Sorry it was kinda long but i didn't want to leave anything out. Brothers and Sisters, let us no longer droop in sin. Instead, let us rejoice, and give no place more, for the enemy of our souls.