Yesterday Mr. Right gave this awesome talk in church. He does such a great job from the pulpit. I commented on it as we drove home. He shrugged it off like he normally does and I was insistent he take the compliment. I noted how he paused to help things sink in and how slow he spoke which normally people don't do. Especially teenagers. He told me, "I just try to think of myself as Thomas S. Monson." Awesome!
A few years ago my quorum had a lesson in which everyone had to hold on to a thin string and walk through an obstacle course while we were blind folded. The string represented the light of God. By holding on to it we could move securely through the unseen path. However, as more and more people walked through the path, the path seemed clearer to those watching that haven’t gone through. We learned by watching those in front of us what steps to take. This lesson was very symbolic, to not only the light of God but also how we can help others in following the light. Those around us can grow closer to God because of how we exercise our faith.
There are many challenges in life, most of them are trying to pull us away from our God, but if we stay by his side he will lead us out of the darkness and in to the light.
When Joseph Smith went into the grove to pray he witnessed a pillar of light which seemed to descend from heaven, he saw a figure call him by name and answered his prayer. This was the first time Joseph saw God and the first step in the restoration of the gospel. Like Joseph, we also have challenges in our lives, although we might not be translating the entire book of Mormon for the first time, but we can still follow our Father in Heaven and have amazing affects on those around us, most of the time we bringing others to follow the word of God.
In John Chapter 12 verse 35 Jesus said,”Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.”
When Jesus said this he was explaining that there are only two paths to take one way leads to darkness and the other leads to the light and we need to avoid the darkness in order to follow light.
When Moroni was preaching about the difference between the truth in the words of God and the lies used to deceive men, he compared them to light and darkness making the difference more obvious.
In Moroni Chapter 7 it reads “For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.
For behold, the aSpirit of Christ is given to every bman, that he may cknow good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.”
We have to choose between good and evil and that choosing good will bring you closer to Christ.
In Matthew 5:14-16
”Ye are the alight of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a acandle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your alight so shine before men, that they may see your good bworks, and cglorify your Father which is in heaven.”
This is a quote from Jesus saying we should not hide our faith, instead we need to show others our light if we want them to have light.
This weekend the youth visited the sacred grove; this is where Joseph Smith had the first vision, which was a very important part in the restoration. And it helped me to understand how to follow in the light. Before we went in the Stake President bore his testimony of what happened in the first vision and why, as he spoke I heard the spirit telling me to listen to what he said and think about what his words mean to me.
I have a testimony that I know this church is true, that Joseph Smith did see God and Jesus Christ and that through that vision many people have been brought to the truth about who God is and what He wants us to do. If we do follow the teachings of our Father in Heaven we can be blessed not only in this life but throughout the rest of eternity, if we follow in the light.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
