Because I Believe....

I would like to start out this blog entry with a few questions…
Where does misery come from? Where do feelings of worthlessness come from? Where are fear and doubt originated? And who gives Satan power???
Now, where do hope and faith come from? How then do we learn to tune out the despair and fear of the world and put enough hope and faith in our lives so that we don´t feel utterly worthless??? These are questions I have been asking myself all week.
Out to dinner with my friend Hermana G. this evening I was enlightened by a very important principle that I had neglected to realize. When Satan was cast out of Heaven, with his angels it is not as if God gave him “all the power of the world” no, he was cast out…so the question, who then, gives him the power?
The answer is simple, we do. We are constantly reminded that faith and fear cannot exist in at the same time. So it´s the short seconds of fear that Satan chooses to sneak in, he catches us at our most vulnerable times, and we lose a small section of our faith for just a second and Satan takes the punch. Satan literally is powerless, until we give him power! And that´s the exact reason he thrives on our weaknesses, and also can´t stay when we command him to “get thee hence” Each of us are presented with times of “trials of Faith” whether they are trials we can or can´t control they are trials none the less. President Sloan (Mission President, Quito Ecuador) has a very good analogy to explain the principle of “trials of Faith” it is depicted in this drawing…now I know this isn´t a very good one, but I wanted you to all be able to visualize with me, as I explain it.
The period of our “trial” is in between the two barriers, this may include a number of things, for each of our trials are different, because we each have our own lives, and definitely our own agency. Now there are three types of people in this world…Person A, hits their trials head on, never wavering, the path is not easy its full of valleys and canyons and tall steep climbs, but at the end you are able to reach the other side and witness the miracles because you endured your trial of faith. Person B, is a person who recognizes his trials, but gets half way through, and thinks…”you know what…this is WAY too hard, so he turns around REAL fast. Person C, swims around in circles never really experiencing any of the trials, there for never witnessing any of the miracles, there for never putting his faith to practice.
In Ether chapter 12 we read,
“Wherefore, whoso beleiveth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of Faith, maketh and anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God….
“…I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; where fore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.”
We each come to this earth, and we each make decisions. Each decision brings forth consequences whether good or bad. I received an email from my mom this week with a cute and very true message, I thought I would share that with you…it read:
“What´s the secret of your success?” the teacher asked.
“Two Words,” the principal replied.
“And what are they?” asked the teacher.
“Right Decisions”.
“But how do you make right decisions?” the teacher queried.
“One word,” The principal responded.
“And what is that?”
“Experience….”
“ And how do you get experience?” asked the teacher.
“two words,” replied the principal.
“and what are they?”
WRONG DECISIONS!
I´ve recently been brought face to face with some of the many mistakes I have made in my life. One story brought me comfort as I plead unto my Heavenly Father in prayer to save me from this turmult. It is taken from the “Parable of the Princesses” written by the LDS author/singer Jenny Phillips. The story is about three princesses Rose, Ebony, and Hazel.
One day Ebony, finds herself in a helpless situation. She has crossed the line her father put in place for her and wandered into a great palace full of lies, and tricks. She feels locked in with no way out…
“one morning, Ebony felt something cold around her ankle. It was a large iron shackle, and seeing it frightened her. Attached to the shackle was a long chain. In a panic, she looked around and realized that all the inhabitants of the palace were shackled and chained. Most of them seemed unaware of the chains around their legs, though, and continued dancing and laughing, oblivious to the danger.
Ebony desperately wanted to leave the palace and return to her sisters. Struggling with the heavy metal pulling on her leg., Ebony moved toward the palace door, but she couldn´t reach it. The chain held fast, holding her back, preventing her from escaping. Tears welled up inside her eyes as she sank to her knees. She finally recognized the enemy her father had warned her against. But it was too late. She was in his power now, and she knew he was intent upon destroying her. As much as she wanted to escape, she could not. She was not strong enough to break the chains that bound her.
But something inside ebony remembered how strong her father was and how much he loved her. She was so sorry she had ever set one foot across her father´s line…”Father, save me. Please save me,” she implored. With all her heart she cried and prayed. Just as she was about to surrender to despair, she felt strong arms around her, breaking the shackle and the chain and lifting her out of the shining palace.
She could not see the face of the man who carried her away from the palace, but she could feel him. She knew it was her brother, sent by her father to save her. The enemy lashed out at them as they left the palace, trying to prevent their escape…but her brother shielded ebony from the blows with his own body. When they finally made it to freedom ebony knew that her dear brother had suffered horribly to save her that day….” (Pgs 8-9, Parable of the Princesses, Jenny Phillips)
I also found comfort as I opened my Book of Mormon to 3 Nephi. I started reading as Christ came to the Americas. I could almost close my eyes and imagine his glorious decent upon the people. I got chills as I read,
“… and behold they saw a Man descending out of heaven, and he was clothed in a white robe, and he came down and stood in the midst of them…
“I am the light and the life of the world, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end”
“ Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me, as a little child him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God, behold for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again, therefore repent and come unto me ye end of the earth and be saved. “
We all have agency, we all make choices, it´s how we choose to handle those choices that shows who we really are, and who we are becoming. Hermana G. challenged me to be “grateful for my trials” and to express “gratitude” unto my Heavenly Father for the lessons I am learning. I believe as we truly take each trial, challenge, bad decision, good decision, etc.etc. we will learn from them.
I know my Father lives, and loves me. And I know that even though I have made mistakes in my life that my Savior, and older brother just like in the story about Ebony will come and carry me home. I resolve to each day, from now on be the person I know I can be. I strive to be ready for the second coming of Christ. Because when the book of life is opened, I want to look back and know that I did all i was sent to this earth to do.
"and i will tell you the wrestle which i had before God, before i received a remission of my sins...
"Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard or seen...go to, thy faith hath made thee whole...(Enos)
Love, Em