Our Path Is As Straight As We Make It!!!

To go along with yesterday's entry about agency, I was reading in Alma 7 today, which is an amazing chapter about the Atonement and the healing that can come as we choose to partake of it in our own lives. In verses 11 and 12, he says: "And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." No matter what sins or hardships we go through in this life, HE CAN HEAL US! This is because he suffered for us and died and rose again that we might live again with our Heavenly Father. Because Christ did this for us, he does not judge us. There is a quote by an apostle, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, that says it perfectly: "We see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today; Heavenly Father see us in terms of forever." He doesn't judge us by our mistakes, but holds out the hand of redemption for us to grasp. But it is all up to us! He will not force us to hold on to Him, but we must choose to do so. Alma, in talking about the people, said, "For I perceive that ye are in the paths of righteousness; I perceive that ye are in the path which leads to the kingdom of God; yea, I perceive that ye are making his paths straight." We make the path straight by following him and keeping his commandments. My prayer is that we as his children recognize the path to eternal life through Jesus Christ and allow Him to heal us. May we always make his paths straight.

Choose Ye This Day Whom you will serve

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Gospel of choice. All choices stem from the biggest choice, the choice to follow God or to follow Satan. I recall mighty Joshua, a prophet in Israel, and his prophetic words in Joshua 24:15, which read: "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." I recall the words of Lehi, a loving father to his son Jacob, in 2 Nephi 2:27, which say: "Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." Today in my personal study I read another scripture that exemplifies this concept in Alma 3:27, which reads: "For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey, and this according to the words of the spirit of prophecy; therefore let it be according to the truth." I add my testimony with that of these great prophets that I do know that as we turn to our Savior we choose life and as we turn to our own knowledge we choose death and captivity. This Gospel is God's WAY! It is my prayer that you choose this day whom you will serve.

Trials and Tribulations

With a knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we recognize that God gives us trials and tribulations to strengthen us. Just recently I have gone through trials on my mission where I needed to get an emergency surgery which put my down for recovery. This is really hard for me because I love to do missionary work and to share what I know about the restored Gospel with the people of this great mission.

The other day  I read a story about a prophet who saw tribulation much more than I can handle. This prophet, the Prophet Joseph Smith, saw his family bruised and beaten, his friends tarred and feathered and the Saints pushed off their God-given land.
He said this in a prayer to his Father who knows him as he knows you:
"O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? How long shall thy hand be stayed, and thine eye, yea thy pure eye, behold from the eternal heavens the wrongs of thy people and of thy servants, and thine ear be penetrated with their cries? Yea, O Lord, how long shall they suffer these wrongs and unlawful oppressions, before thine heart shall be softened toward them, and thy bowels be moved with compassion toward them? O Lord God Almighty, maker of heaven, earth, and seas, and of all things that in them are, and who controllest and subjectest the devil, and the dark and benighted dominion of Sheol—stretch forth thy hand; let thine eye pierce; let thy pavilion be taken up; let thy hiding place no longer be covered; let thine ear be inclined; let thine heart be softened, and thy bowels moved with compassion toward us. Let thine anger be kindled against our enemies; and, in the fury of thine heart, with thy sword avenge us of our wrongs. Remember thy suffering saints, O our God; and thy servants will rejoice in thy name forever."

Here is the Lord's Response, which is amazing:
"Remember thy suffering saints, O our God; and thy servants will rejoice in thy name forever. My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes."

The Lord is in control. I want all to know that I know that! He knows us perfectly. He knows what we can handle better than we can.

Elder Kuck