“Wherefore,
whoso believeth 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 an anchor to
the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast.”
The
Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that people can change. It's
repentance. Isaiah said
2 The people that walked
in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow
of death, upon them hath the light shined.
3 Thou hast multiplied
the nation, and increased the joy – they joy before thee according to the joy
in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For thou hast broken
the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his
oppressor.
The
Yoke of our burden is the price to return to Heavenly Father. We can't be
perfect. We can't make ourselves perfect. Christ has broken the yoke. He has
taken away the rod of sin. He took our punishment. He overcame sin and death.
He introduced us to a many things we never could have thought to attain without
His help – Including Hope and Mercy.
Because
of Christ death has lost its sting. There is hope where there was none. That
hope is that Christ has the power to shoulder our burdens, take away our pain,
and purify us. He can make us clean.
“And it came to pass,
when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus
fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, though canst
make me clean” – Luke 5:12
Do
we believe, as that leper did, that Christ has the power to truly make us
clean? Do we come when He calls us? Our faith is required. We have to come to
Him and be willing to change – but remember that that yoke of perfection isn't
on us anymore, if we give it to Him – He takes it. We have to come to Him, and
when we do we don't say "Lord, if thou wilt, I can make me clean." We
say "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." I think that too
often we expect ourselves to be perfect (or other people) when really all we
have to give is a broken heart, a contrite spirit, our best effort, and a real
desire to change.
My
message today is this – there is hope. No matter how far we feel that we are
from Christ, we have hope because we don't have to go where He is. He comes
where we are. Our progress and desire are significant to Him. Don't give
up.
Also,
this week has been awesome. We've been shown a great deal of love from the
ward, and we are working with several people who have a great desire to find
answers by the spirit. Something that I'm learning is that an answer doesn't
sustain you forever. Sometimes, the Lord can only direct our steps if we are
moving. If you don't work on your testimony, you lose it – but as long as you
seek Christ He has the power to help you.
Love,
Sister Caroline Faulkner
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