Week 14

I must admit that i did not put the effort I normally do into this weeks lesson. I let life get in the way and did not make the time to study as I normally do. However I was very touched by the spirit and the power He has to make truth known to my heart and mind. This weeks lesson was in regards to the revelations and truths that have been restored to the latter days through the prophet Joseph Smith. There are so many things that I believe we as members take for granted and forget that others aren't taught or don't have the same understanding. For instance, we believe that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are individual beings. Heavenly Father and jesus Christ having resurrected, physical bodies and that the Holy Ghost is a spirit, just like you and i were before being born into this world. Most other churches believe they are all spirits and they are all the same being. We also have the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation- the fact that we came from a world before- that we were created spiritually before physically and that we chose to come to this earth to follow our Heavenly Father's plan and gain a physical body. We chose this path because it was the only way we could become like Him which leads to another piece of knowledge that others don't teach- we believe we are son's and daughters of a Heavenly Father who loves us and knows us and that we have the potential to become like Him. Yes- we believe we can become Gods. What a beautiful concept. To have been created by a parent who loves me and is perfect and to know that I can become like Him. We can never be Him but we can be like Him. We also know that we can return to Him because of the sacrifice of our brother and Savior, Jesus Christ, who atoned for our sins, if we so choose, we can repent and follow His example and in doing so we can be saved from our sins and return to live again with them. We also know that because Jesus Christ gave up his life, willingly, he overcame the bonds of death and in so doing made it possible for each one of us to be resurrected- to be reunited with our physical bodies, made perfect- after we have gone from this earth. We also know that through the restoration of the priesthood we have the opportunity to make covenants with our Heavenly Father that will make it possible to be sealed to our families for eternity. That through these priesthood covenants and ordinances we can live with our Heavenly Father again. It is only through the priesthood that this is made possible and it for this purpose that we have temples on the earth today, to not only save ourselves but also to make it possible for others who have not had the opportunity to have those covenants and ordinances done for them. Because of Joseph Smith we have the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. He is a Prophet of God and because he was humble enough to get on his knees and ask, believing he would recieve he made it possible for the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to be restored. We know that God speaks to us today through apostles and prophets just as he did in times of old. We are so blessed to have this knowledge and it is our responsibility to study it, pray about it and be ready to share it with others who are searching for something more. Every one of us is a son or daughter of our Heavenly Father and our spirits are aware of this knowledge; it is not something new however when the veil was drawn it became necessary for us to need to be reminded of these truths which is why we have a member of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost to witness of these truths. He touches our hearts and minds. Truth is truth whether you want to believe it or not. All you need is a desire to believe and the willingness to "plant the seed" and let it take root. I do understand that in the world today it is not always easy to live the commandments- to not take things into our bodies and minds- to dress so that we respect the bodies we have been given- we want so much to blend in with the world; to not stand out- unless we are wanting to be noticed for the reason of the world but I can testify to you that I know by making ourselves known as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and staying true to those things the prophets have commanded we will be blessed and as we endure it becomes easier to be a "peculiar people" because you will find more strength in the knowledge you have and you will be more confident because you will be doing what you know is right instead of trying to justify those things which you know are not. I love this gospel. I am not perfect but I know that i can become perfect through repentance because of my Savior.