The Prince of Peace

 Ever since the accident I've made a habit of receiving priesthood blessings. On Thursday, I received a blessing with some pretty direct instruction; start praying consistently with full power of heart for the pure love of Christ. To be honest, I wasn't sure how capable I was going to be considering the majority of my prayers recently had been "Heavenly Father, just help me."  But, it was very clear and very direct, so I took it upon myself and tried it. 

On Friday, the most amazing thing happened! I gained an entirely new perspective on life! It was incredibly POWERFUL and SO AMAZING! Every terrible trial that I go through yes, does anguish the Lord, but he allows them to happen because He can see the whole picture. I can't always see the good out of some things even in hindsight, but He knows how it shapes me to be more prepared, more resilient for what's ahead. I am put through the refiners fire in a way I've never understood before. To be pure and clean in His sight, I must be tried in every possible way. I've learned that it's more than just trusting or relying on the Lord (although definitely those two as well) it's a concept I've never understood - let Him direct you in all things; live in the world, but not of the world, You can be informed of what's going on, but do not let your mind dwell on it. 

How the heck can you do that though? How can you bare the most difficult challenges and struggles? Jesus Christ. He is the Answer. He is ALWAYS the answer, He is the ONLY answer. But how can you redirect your anxious mind? A lot of deep, sincere pleadings and focusing on the bigger picture. Try to remember that what you are going through will soon pass and you will come back brighter, with a more sure testimony, and a stronger, mightier warrior for Christ in these last days! How grateful we must be to be able to stand and fight for Him! He is Christ! The Great King Emmanuel, the Lord of ALL the Heaven and Earth. I know this to be true, His love is God's love. With it, mountains can move, minds can be fixed and most importantly, hearts can be healed. When we are fully overcome by His love, the pain ceases. The memories do not, but the pain does. When we allow His love to envelop us, the chaos in the world no longer matters. He is hope. He is light, He is truth, He is the way, He is our advocate with the Father and He is the Prince of Peace. 

Temple of Christ

  One of the goals that I have had since I was almost 12 years old, was to go to a new LDS temple every year on my birthday. The exploration of a new temple has spread far beyond once a year, as I take every opportunity to visit each new temple I can.
While many people have a goal to visit all 50 states, or 100 etc, my goal is far different. Yes, it's great to say that I've been all over the world visiting all these temples, but that is absolutely not the motivation behind it. As I walked into the Cedar City temple this year, I was overcome with the beautiful spirit that only comes from the temple of the Lord.
I love my Savior, Jesus Christ beyond words. I have a testimony of His reality, His divinity, His purpose and His mission. I know Him as my brother, my Savior and my friend. He is my lifeline. He is my strength and my courage when everything else is failing. He is the light in the darkness. He takes my hand and guides me along this treacherous path that I have been given to bear. But because of Him, I do not have to bear it alone. Although yeah, despite those who love me, I cannot share the yoke with any other human being. It is only through Christ that I can feel relief, and only through Christ that I can be made whole.
I feel His strength in the holy temple. I love visiting so many different temples because I feel the intense rush of the spirit through my soul even more so in a new temple. Visiting the temple strengthens my conviction. Through grief and pain, His voice is heard, "ye shall obtain!" I believe in Christ, so come what may! This is one of the hardest things to say at times, but when I put my whole faith and trust in the Lord, I know He will get me through and take care of me every step of the way.