Thought of the Sunday 40

Today we had a Stake Conference broadcast for the entire state of Arizona.  Elder Christofferson and President Uchtdorf, both Apostles of the Lord, Jesus Christ, spoke to us.  Elder Christofferson spoke about writing the law of God on your heart so that who you are will govern what you do and not the other way around.  He quoted a fabulous talk by President Benson, former President of the Church.

"...we must be careful, as we seek to become more and more godlike, that we do not become discouraged and lose hope. Becoming Christlike is a lifetime pursuit and very often involves growth and change that is slow, almost imperceptible. The scriptures record remarkable accounts of men whose lives changed dramatically, in an instant, as it were: Alma the Younger, Paul on the road to Damascus, Enos praying far into the night, King Lamoni. Such astonishing examples of the power to change even those steeped in sin give confidence that the Atonement can reach even those deepest in despair.

"But we must be cautious as we discuss these remarkable examples. Though they are real and powerful, they are the exception more than the rule. For every Paul, for every Enos, and for every King Lamoni, there are hundreds and thousands of people who find the process of repentance much more subtle, much more imperceptible. Day by day they move closer to the Lord, little realizing they are building a godlike life. They live quiet lives of goodness, service, and commitment.

"...We must not lose hope. Hope is an anchor to the souls of men. Satan would have us cast away that anchor. In this way he can bring discouragement and surrender. But we must not lose hope. The Lord is pleased with every effort, even the tiny, daily ones in which we strive to be more like Him. Though we may see that we have far to go on the road to perfection, we must not give up hope."

I gain strength from this quote to continue to do the little things that make me feel like a disciple of Christ: prayer, scripture study, kindness, service, seeking the Spirit, attending church and the temple.  These little things can make a difference even if we don't think they are.  It is worth every effort on our part to make good changes for improvement.  The Lord sees our every effort and will bless us as we try to become better disciples of Him.  Of course we have a long way to go but every little thing helps and as President Benson says, "we must not give up hope" and I would say that we shouldn't be discouraged.  Life can be hard but I know (and so does Christ) that we can do it!