Filled with divinity

by

Sheri Dew

We cannot underestimate the purpose of our mortal existence.

Emily Freeman

This life was designed to be a test, a test to determine if we want

to be part of the kingdom of God more than we want anything else.

We don’t really know what we believe in or care about until

what we believe in or care about is threatened, challenged or measured.

While we have been assigned to take the test of mortality during the most spiritually

rigorous and demanding time in the world’s history, we have not been left alone.

The Lord will carry our burdens, but not our baggage.

Burdens have the potential to exalt us, but baggage just weighs us down and wears us out.

Behavior that injures our brothers and sister, even when it feels justified, loads us down with trip around the world size baggage, baggage we can’t carry without wrecking our spiritual joints.

Turning to the Savior during these moments allows

Him to shelter us from the full pain we might experience from these mortal trials.

Emily Freeman

Charity is the pure love of Christ, and not only will it endure forever but its power

to change and heal and transform us is limitless and eternal.

Charity is not an emotion or an action.  It is not something we feel or do.  Charity is who the Savior is.  It is His most defining and dominant attribute.  It is what enabled Him to endure the Garden and the cross for you and me.  It is one of the things that makes Him God.  Thus, when we plead for the gift of charity, we aren’t asking for lovely feeling toward someone who bugs us or someone who has injured or wounded us.  We are actually pleading for our very natures to be changed, for our character and disposition to become more and more like the Savior’s, so that we literally feel as He would feel and thus do what He would do…..

Truly, if life were easy, it wouldn’t be hard.  However, it may be that many of us are making life for more difficult than it needs or is supposed to be.  As the handcart pioneer discovered, he was not expected to make his grueling journey alone.  He learned firsthand that there was help, there was power available for him from beyond the veil. The same is true for us.  We are not alone, at least, we’re alone only if we choose to be alone.  We’re alone only if we choose to go through life relying solely on our own strength rather than learning to draw upon the power of  God…..

Unfortunately, perhaps too many of us are content to simply move through our days and weeks, attempting to keep the distractions of the world at bay, even working hard to serve the Lord and fulfill our various obligations.  But we don’t act as if we believe in the Lord’s promises regarding our spiritual privileges. We don’t really believe He will tutor us personally regarding the hidden doctrines of the kingdom…..

While life is meant to test and challenge and strengthen us,

if we are attempting to negotiate the twists and turns and ups and downs of mortality alone,

we’re doing it all wrong.

He has given each of us our own unique set of qualities and talents,

our own spark of greatness that will allow us to reach our full potential.

Emily Freeman

Life is designed to be challenging precisely so that we will turn to our Father,

learn about Him and His Son commit above all else to follow Jesus Christ.

He never intended us to attempt this phase of our eternal existence alone,

separated from Him, yes, but never alone.

If we choose to live a life where we recognize every

good thing, we have chosen  a life of abundance.

Emily Freeman

God is our Father, We were created in His image, and thus our DNA is filled with divinity.  Our Father bestows all heavenly and eternal gifts, the gift of charity, the gift of His fullness, the gift of inheriting all that He has and becoming exactly like He is, the gift of perfection, and ultimately the gift of eternal life.

May we do as the disciples did and gather or recognize

those tender mercies from the Lord that none be lost.

Emily Freeman