The gospel/Christ

In studying the scriptures and the life, death and ressurection of Christ I have realized that we talk about a lot of good things, but ultimately only one thing matters: Christ. Faith and charity and hope and all other good things are only tools to bring us to salvation and not salvation itself. I realize that salvation is Christ, in every way it is Christ and all these other things just bring us closer to him by helping us to have a relationship with him. Joseph Smith said that all things that are taught in the gospel are only appendages to Christs atonement which lies at the center of it all. I thank God for his greatest gift: his son Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving

I just had to write a few quick thoughts about being with my extended family for Thanksgiving and share a few of te blessings that I have and am thankful for.

I have been so deeply blessed with a family. I understand that there are those who have not been raised in a loving home and this makes me truely sad. My family helps me to feel the love of God for me. If my parents, Aunts, Uncles, Grandmother and Grandfather can love me as much as they do then I think that God's love for us will burn so much brighter even than theirs.

I am thankful for my family. I am thankful that despite my never ending weaknesses and shortsightedness God still has a profound place for me and all his other children in his heart. I realize as Nephi did in the book of Mormon that I don't know the meaning of all things, or anything for that matter, but I do know that God loves his children. When I feel hopeless and lost I remember that I know he loves his children and I can't be as lost or hopeless as I think I am.

God as he really is

It is interesting how we put limits on God. Even by just saying things like, "Oh" this "is how he blesses us." We limite what we think the way he blesses us. I know that I have had multiple times where God's blessing to me has altered the way that I see him. More accurately it has clarified that I just can't get a grasp on his mentality. He knows more and has different goals than I do.

The Science of Religion

Today in my class we talked about some Victorian literature that we read. It was fascinating. We discussed how the english, during the Victorian age really questioned the knowledge of religion. They wanted, just like many do today, evidence that Christianity is true. They tried to use scientific and literary means to discover if there really was a God and what his role is.

I have thought on this a time or two and quite frankly I find it somewhat ridiculous. If there is a God, and I know there is, he would not show himself to anyone trying to find him the way they want to find him, rather than the ways he has shown them to find them.

Spiritual things can only be understood spiritually. You wouldn't use greek to uncover secrets in chemistry. Well, religion and spirituality are their own science. You have to know the tools of sincere desire, faith, prayer, scriptures and good works to have evidences (which will also be different from other sciences) to know that God exists and that he plays not only a role, but the biggest one in our lives.

I know he does and I know that anyone who tries his method can get to know for themselves. Its awesome!

The Blessing of Family

I have been pensive about immediate family recently. I am the oldest of seven and I have had the opportunity to watch my younger brothers and sisters mature and grow. Every time that I spend time with them I realize that our bond is deeper than I can comprehend in many ways. In my religion we believe that only our relationships and knowledge are things that we have in this life that can carry on to the next. I am so grateful that I have been blessed with my family as I have been. They are a source of inspiration and understanding for me. I know that my parents love me deeply and I knowing that helps me to see how much God, our Heavenly Father loves us. His love for us must surely make our earthly love with parents, siblings, spouses and others look like a dim light compared to a super nova. My explanations of God's unblemished love does fills no definition of it and is inadequate in every sense. Still, his love for us is unchanged and I feel it around me. There is no greater blessing.

Transcending Love

Well, I'm not sure anyone will ever read this blog. Sometimes I hope that people don't read this because I actually am going to share some feelings that mean a lot to me. Basically I've decided that God plays too much of a role in my life to not share how much his prescence means to me. I'll make this entry short. I was watching this movie today that was just powerful and had some definately religious overtones. At one point in the movie one of the characters dies and is telling the others as he is fighting through the pain that he sees a light. I know, its somewhat cliche, but it didn't strike me as such at the time. All the other characters in this movie struggled with his death, yet it actually served to strengthen their faith rather than destroy it. I have three friends that just lost loved ones and I know they try to hide it, but they are struggling emensely. What just hit me after this movie is that God takes nothing aways that he will not someday, not long in the future return better than it was before he took it. What deep transcending love he has for us. If only we could see beyond our limited sight and realize that this is all part of the process that makes us worthy of all he gives us. This is magnificent blessing and one that cannot be repaid. I don't understand death really, I just know that God makes everything right that seems wrong and gives so much more than we think he takes.