The Miracle of Forgiveness

Because our Heavenly Father loves us, He sent His son Jesus Christ to provide a way for us to become clean and live with Him again. A way has been provided for us to overcome our weaknesses and to get rid of the guilt, pain, and remorse that accompanies sin; that way is called Repentance.

No matter where we are at in life, no matter what we have done or what we have been through, we can always repent and come unto Christ. We learn in the Book of Mormon that "...as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me." (Mosiah 26:30) But why does He offer that? Why will He always forgive us and why does He want to forgive us? Because He loves us. He wants us to feel joy and peace and that can only come by the power of repentance. I testify that He stands with open arms waiting to receive us. If we will get on our knees and plead with Him, He will be there to comfort us and to fill us with peace, happiness, and love. This is the Miracle of Forgiveness.

Flecks of Gold

Do we really receive blessings from our Father in Heaven? Watch this video to see how we can recognize these blessings and look for the answers to our prayers.  

Just like the man in this video, it is easy to get caught up in the chaos that is going on around us. Without concentrating or focusing on the little 'flecks' in our lives, we can easily go day after day feeling hopeless and ignored. Our Father in Heaven works in mysterious ways and gives to us "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little" (2Nephi 28:30). By taking time out of our busy lives to communicate through prayer, to study the scriptures, and go to church, I testify that our lives will be filled with blessings and joy beyond our comprehension. Just as the old prospect had a hefty pouch from daily collecting those little flecks, we too can have fulfilling lives from filling our lives daily with acts of God.

You Are A Child of God

Each one of us is a beloved spirit son or daughter of our Heavenly Father. This truth burns deep in our souls and we feel of its truth every day of our lives. We see His love manifest for each of us through the blessings that he bestows upon us each day. Watch and see how these people know they are children of God.
 

Just as we have earthly parents who love and care for us. We have Heavenly parents who do the same. Just as God knew Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 1:5) He knows each and every one of us and prepared opportunities for each of us during our time on earth. He sent us here to the earth to learn, grow, and progress and wants more than anything for us to return to live with Him again. Throughout this journey on earth He is always watching and always listening. I testify that He is there, and that He loves each one of us deeper than we can comprehend. Trust in Him and talk to Him as the loving parent that He is, and when times get hard always remember that you are a child of God. 

A Rock Hard Answer

So the other day my companion and I were at Seneca Lake skipping stones on our preparation day. I had just realized that I had lost my name tag and had no clue where it could have fallen off along our hike next to the lake. I said a prayer to my Father in Heaven asking Him if He would please help me find my tag because I had already lost so many. Shortly after I felt a sharp thud on the side of my head and sat up to see that my companion had just accidentally skipped a rock right into my head, which was quite a feat considering I wasn't out in the water. I was pretty annoyed that I had just been hit with a rock so I walked down the shore about twenty yards and reached into the water to begin skipping stones again. Right next to the rock I went to pick up was an odd black rock that was skinny and had my name on it, my tag!!

Now a lot of people might say, what does getting hit in the head with a rock have anything to do with prayers? But, in fact, I learned a great lesson from this experience. It is clearly identified in both the Book of Mormon and the Bible, that if we will but ask with faith, we shall receive. "Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it."(Enos 1:15) "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." (Matt. 21:22) How blessed are we to have a loving Father in Heaven who hears our prayers and is willing to answer them? Sure, sometimes He doesn't answer in ways that we want. I certainly didn't want to get hit in the head with a rock, but I asked for help in finding my tag and He guided me as a result. I testify that if we will all go to our loving Father above that He will answer our prayers. He will freely give us wisdom to the problems and trials we face today. (James 1:5) Whenever you need Him, don't forget to pray.