Developing Christlike Attributes: Knowledge

The Lord has commanded through modern revelation to "seek learning, even by study and also by faith" (D&C 88:118). He also warned, " It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance" (D&C 131:6).

It is important for us to seek to gain knowledge. Being obedient to the commandments of the Lord is the gateway to gaining knowledge. Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the quorum of the twelve apostles in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stated, "Knowledge encourages obedience, and obedience enhances knowledge."

As you think about how you can apply gospel principles in our lives, and as you study diligently, prayerfully, and with real intent the Holy Ghost will enlighten your mind, teach you, and help you understand the meaning of things.

Looking Toward God




 

I spent a lot of time thinking about what I should call this blog in an effort to make the title simple and meaningful. While I was thinking about it yesterday an experience I had came back to my memory.



Christ appearing to the Lamanites

 in ancient America

 It was early October of last year. I was attending college at Snow College, and I was going through a difficult time, as many of us often do. I had been through rough times before, but this particular stretch seemed to be taking a toll on me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I was in the pit of despair and didn't know how to lift myself out. During this time I had tried diligently to stay close to God. I called on him in prayer every night before I went to bed, and read from the scriptures everyday. Even with all the prayer and scripture study, I still felt an emptiness inside, and I didn't really know if God knew me or knew how I felt. In a final effort, or last gasp of breath, I fell to my knees. I poured the feelings of my soul out to my Father in Heaven. I asked him in desperation to let me know that He is there, that I'm doing what He wants me to do, and that I will be alright. As I was praying an impression or a voice entered my thoughts. It said, "Read Alma 38:2." Honestly, I didn't, without a doubt, know that this was a spiritual prompting. I had read the Book of Mormon all the way through twice in my lifetime, so I knew that I had read that passage of scripture before, but I had no clue, at this time, what it said. I decided to act on the impression and flipped open to page 304 in the Book of Mormon. The verse of scripture I read brought such comfort and peace to my soul that I knew that it was indeed from God. It was something that He wanted me to know at that moment of distress and grief.  From it I knew with all the surety of my heart that Heavenly Father knows me, Jesus Christ knows me, and Christs church has again been restored to the earth today with the Book of Mormon as evidence of that restoration.  The verse I read said, "And now, my son, I trust that I should have great joy in you, because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as you have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord your God, even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his commandments; for blessed is he that endureth to the end."   

I know without a doubt that Jesus Christ lives, and as each of us begin or continue to look toward him he will deliver us from our afflictions. I know that Christ's church is on the earth again today as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and that Jesus Christ is at the head of that church. The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and we can through that book place ourselves closer to God than by any other means. This blog is not for just the active Latter-Day Saint however, but it is for everyone who wants to place their lives in closer harmony with the teachings of Jesus Christ, and anyone who has, or wants to obtain the hope of living with our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ again.

Christ is always there, it's up to us to look toward him

and follow his teachings.