The Tree of Life and How We Can Get Back on Track

I just love reading the Book of Mormon so much. I always feel so much better and peaceful after I have read. It is such a marvelous book. I know it is from God, and like the iron rod described in 1 Nephi chapter 8, will lead us to the tree of life or in other words, the love of God, even Jesus Christ. And He is the way, the Truth and the Light.

I love this symbolism because we must press forward, clinging to the rod of iron, which we know to be the word of God. It's a journey/process. Many people are getting on and off the path. Many who make it to the end, leave.

So how did those people who made it, do it?

They prayed, clung to the rod of iron (read the scriptures), pressed forward even in the mists of darkness (couldn’t really see where they were going maybe) and came forth and fell upon the ground at the base of the Tree. And perhaps most importantly, did not give any heed to those other people who were pointing fingers and mocking them from the great and spacious building. They knew what was right and it did not matter what the perceived crowds or media was saying.

There is only one path to return and live with God and be ultimately happy for eternity and that is through the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The crazy thing is that even many of us who have it and cherish it still let it go and leave the path in pursuit of some fleeting thing or temptation, only to find that we have traded our birthright for a mess of potage or in other words, the spiritual and eternal blessings for instant carnal gratification.

However, all is not lost. There is still hope in Israel. And that hope is Jesus Christ and His infinite atonement.

No matter how far off the path we may have strayed, we can always admit the fact we have wondered and turn back. The path never moves, only we do. Thankfully there is no point at which we can not turn back as described in the wonderful talk "Point of Safe Return," by the apostle President Uchtdorf.

I know that the second we even start to turn back to the things that lead us back to Christ, He and angles are there to help. Just as the father of the prodigal son did not wait for his wayward son to walk all the back to him, but rather, when he saw his son a long way off, went and ran to him.

So it is with us. As we come back, the Good Shepard comes running to scoop us up in His arms of eternal love, placing us back in the safety of His fold, where we can find eternal pasture.

Remembering that God is the Gardener

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” –Proverbs 3:5-6

We learn in Mosiah 3:19 that we must put off the natural man for he is an enemy to God and will be until we yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and become as a saint full of Christ Like virtues. We need to become even as a little child, totally trusting and willing to submit entirely to the will of his father. Even as it is with the child, so should it be with us—supreme and unequivocal faith in our Heavenly father and in His plan for us. 

We pray all the time that the “Lord’s will be done” and not ours. So why is it that we get all bent out of shape when “our plan” or our wills don't work out?

I think it may be because we forget that God is the Gardener. He knows of our eternal potential and as we submit our wills to Him, He will help us become who He knows we can and should be. He can see the end from the beginning. 

The whole purpose of this life is to be tested, have experiences and revive a physical body. Just because things don't turn out the way we plan doesn't mean things will never work out.

It is my belief that many times even great things don't work out at certain times in our lives so that the best things can at the right times. 

It all comes down to remembering to trust our best and truest friend—Jesus Christ. 

May we never forget what He suffered in a garden more than 2,000 years ago, so that He might perfectly know how to help us grow now. 

Of Burdens and Blessings (Mosiah 23-24)

I love reading Mosiah chapters 23-24 in the Book of Mormon because they help me remember how good the Lord is and that just when we think He is disinterested or doesn’t care about us or what happens in our lives, if we can push through and remain faithful we can and will be blessed beyond anything we can imagine. 

We need to trust Him most when it is hardest. We can’t let go of His hand just as the mists of darkness arise and swirl threatening around us. 

That is particularly the moment when we must walk by faith and not by sight. Its as we push through to the other side, the Lord helps us gain a greater vision of who He is and who He wants us to become. The people in this story were blessed because of this burden and trail. The Lord strengthen them which, in turn made their burdens light, the blessing being, after the burden or trail had past, what remains was a stronger, more deeply committed individual.

In Mosiah Chapter 24 it states:

13) "And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

14) And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

 15) And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord."