Calm Assurances

Like my dad said, when we face adversities and trials, or in lay man's language - problems - that means one thing - we are humans. It is particularly normal for us human beings to have problems and I don't know what we'll be without them. How can a child learn to read if his parents don't push him to. I remember what one of my companions, Elder Velasquez, taught me, "Pressure makes diamonds."

We all have little, or in some cases, big struggles to face. It may be in any degree or may it be of different circumstance or nature, but the underlying fact that we do face challenges cannot be eluded in our nature as human beings, or rather, as sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. It is part of the "grand design" we call the Plan of Salvation that we learn from our mistakes and from the challenges that we face. It is a matter of behavior and attitude that we learn to respond to these storms of life. Most importantly, having a firm, solid rock foundation will help us be still and calm in times of trouble and despair just as a 30-storey building will stand still and immovable against hard-blowing winds because of its sturdy foundation. I have proven for myself and have gained a testimony that it really is Jesus the Christ who is the rock of our salvation, a firm and "sure foundation whereon if men build, they cannot fall." Familiar scripture verse? One of my favorites. Book of Helaman 5:12 in the Book of Mormon.

Preparing for next Friday's SA class lesson, I studied the reading assignments associated with the lesson. I studied Doctrine and Covenants Sections 6, 8, 9, and 11. They're all about personal revelation and the power by which it is wrought. Recently, I myself struggled with my "inner demons" in a raging battle inside of me. Just as what the 2nd sequel to the legendary Spiderman movie's slogan portrayed, "The greatest battle lies within." I really can attest to that. Your worst enemy is yourself. Yeah, my worst enemy is myself. The only person that stands between you and your goals, may they be of eternal significance or of temporal welfare, is you. It is us who makes the choice. The adversary can only influence by tempting or enticing us. But in the end, it is still us who makes the choice. Most of the time, if we want to live a righteous life, we need to give up our worldly passions. There are choices to be made. Some choices are what we want to make. Some are totally contrary to our wants. That's the kind of battle I am fighting against myself. But as I studied those sections I mentioned above, I was reassured that Heavenly Father does love me. My appreciation for the Atonement of Jesus Christ has greatly increased and my longing for its healing power has dramatically evolved into a daily yearning and constant need that I cannot live without it. It is the power of the Atonement that I hold on to right now and if I let it slip, I know I will be miserable.

Oh how grateful I am for the words of the Lord which really are "quick and powerful". No other words can heal my heart except those of the Lord's may it be from Him directly or by the words of His servants.

I hope, and there really is hope, that each human being will recognize the hands of his or her Maker at work. That we are never alone. That the Man upstairs is and will always be watching.

Sometimes in times of despair I ask the Lord, "Why hast thou left me?" but at the moment I do these words of calm assurance from the Lord tells me,"My son, I never have left you."