Saturday, December 11, 2010

My testimony of Christ

I believe in Christ and I believe Him.
I want to testify that I know He lives and plays an active role in my life everyday. I know that I am loved because of His Atonement and because of all the blessings I have had throughout my life. I feel very blessed with the opportunities, experiences, and challenges that have taught me that Christ lives and loves me, and have hopefully changed me to become more like Him. I am grateful for the family, friends, and leaders who have surrounded me despite my selfishness, complaints, and weaknesses. I've been given many examples of unconditional love and selfless service. These examples have testified of Christ to me, and I hope that I am able to live my testimony similarly.
I know that my prayers are answered and I am guided to receive greater blessings than I can imagine.
I know the Atonement is real. I am not perfect and I need the Atonement. I need it to motivate me and remind me that I can keep moving forward despite my weaknesses. I am so grateful that my sins can be forgiven and that I can enjoy eternal life with those I love. It is important to me that people realize they can repent and move on in life towards their own potential. I believe we all have unique purposes, gifts, and talents.
As I said earlier, I am grateful for the challenges I have been given to teach me to have more faith, to take more leaps, and to trust more in Heavenly Father and Christ, and listen more carefully to the promptings of the Spirit. I am grateful for the Gospel that teaches me there is a greater purpose for all the events in my life. Every experience is to be learned from. Each moment in life is a gift that we should learn to cherish. There are always lessons to be learned so we can become like God.
I believe Christ was a perfect example. Lately, I have thought a lot more about how He taught through love and charity. We need to serve. We need to have gratitude. We need to be obedient. We need to honor our covenants. We need to constantly seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost. We need to be accept Christ. We need to remember who are.
I am grateful I have been blessed with the unique education offered at BYU that has helped me to see that the Gospel can be found everywhere. My eyes are still being opened, but I am already amazed - there is evidence everywhere that we have a Divine Creator. I am grateful for the testimonies of my teachers, Church leaders, my parents and siblings, and the prophets.
I am grateful that because of Christ's sacrifice, we can not only try to endure this life but learn to love this life. Life would be too hard without that source of light and hope. Even forcing myself to be optimistic about everything could not get me through all life's challenges. I need the Savior. He is the only way to remove the burdens that weigh us down and give us a joy that is much more full than just a smile on a face or teary-eyes. I believe that through Him, I can be changed and I can continue towards my potential and become a better instrument in the Lord's hands.
I am definitely a selfish person and can be pretty lazy, but every time I have set out goals to stay close to the Spirit, try to increase my desire to serve, and pray for help with my goals, it is amazing that through all the things that fill my time He helps me to reach those goals. I am even blessed when I think I should not receive any mercy for the decisions I have previously made, but He continues to hold out his hand and tell me all is possible through Him as long as my desires are righteous. I hope that I can serve better - I know He needs me to support my spiritual brothers and sisters.
I pray that everyone will realize who they are and that they need Christ. I hope they gain a testimony and turn out from themselves to help and love one another.
When I have opportunities to ponder these things while observing nature, I always think: "Then sings my soul, My Savior, God, to thee, How great thou art, How great thou art!"

I hope this is clear and understandable since I know my thoughts do not always transition smoothly.
I could definitely continue to bear testimony of much more, but maybe, "I believe in Christ" is enough.
I know He lives, and I write these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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