Weakness, Strength and Grace

Weakness.  Not "Weaknesses" but "Weakness". 

That's what we read in Ether 12:27. "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

What if each of us were sent here with spiritual gifts that were crucial to our missions and purposes here on earth? And instead of coming to us in full strength, they showed up as weakness at first?
(Kinda like how we were born nearly blind. Our sight developed as we grew.)

Here's an example to get us started.  I am not a world-class gymnast.  I can not add up complex numbers in my head.  And neither of these things bother me in the least. 

 I could not care less that I can't do gymnastics-  and I haven't given it a second thought since 1st grade when I realized I didn't like my feet being over my head OR off the ground. 

 I am not one bit bothered that I need to pull out my calculator to figure out percent-off prices or to calculate which pre-packaged food is the better price per ounce. 

 It's cool. 

Do you know what does bother me about myself?  Being late.  How I hate being late.  Yet I do it over and over again.  

You know what else bothers me?  When I over-commit to things and find myself too busy doing good things and feeling guilty about forgetting them.

I would say those 2 areas of mine are in weakness.  And they bug me.

Isn't it interesting that all things have their opposites?  

Maybe even Strength and Weakness.

What if each quality was on a spectrum?  And we could rate ourselves and even track improvement?

Weak....................Average..................Strong...................Godly

What if I was destined to become a MASTER OF TIME? 

(Don't laugh...it could happen.  And it sounds cooler in my head-trust me. :) 

If it bugs me, it might be ready for change. 

Let's analyze those 2 weakness areas from earlier, shall we?

First off, lets talk about that Over-Committing Thing I mentioned.   I mean, that's not ALL BAD is it? 

Pros:

I love to be involved.

I like to help.

I have lots of interests.

Lots of things appeal to me.  

"How FUN! Let's Do IT!"  a common phrase :)

I like to "Lay hold on every good gift."

Cons:

What if I miss out on something? I Hate to miss out on good stuff.

What if I am NOT Included?

And no one misses me and I'm NEVER invited again?

What if I miss out on relationships and inside jokes and..and...and...?

Oh... wow.  Did you read all of that fear in that analysis?  Yep.  The "Con" side was FULL of Fear.  Hmm.... What do we know about fear?  Who is fear from?  If we are listening to fear, who are we listening to?  This is very interesting... And NOT where I want to be heading.

I decide to take proactive steps.  

Have you ever prayed to be healed from fear?  I decide to do it.

I picture the fear of Missing Out and Not being Included.

I pray to be healed from that fear and to be taken into Strength. 

 I pray until I feel a shift in my heart, a sweetness that my pleadings have been heard and will be answered. 

I write out a few affirmations that remind me of my new perspective.

"I will lay hold on every good gift, in the season thereof."

"I can do all things that are needful for my salvation, through Christ."

I trust that God will take care of me,  and will prompt me to say yes to those things that are Needful Things for My Salvation.  And I practice saying, "I'll get back to you."  And "I need to ponder on that for a bit."

On to the next area of weakness.

Tardiness.

Have you ever been tempted to tell a chronically-late friend to arrive 15 minutes early to things so they'll be there on time?  I was that friend in high school.  

I try to write out Pros for tardiness.  

Nothing comes up.  Why am I chronically participating in something that has no benefits?!?

I am totally breaking up with lateness.

On to the Cons:

Only one comes to mind.

"I'm not ready."

That's what I always say.  I'm always in fear that I'm not ready and am rushing about trying to find that one last item I need to feel calm and prepared for whatever the day may bring.

Like chapstick.  Or the phone I'm talking on.  Or .... 

This is totally and completely FEAR talking.

I realize I fear time.  I fear time like the slave I have been to time.  

I pray to be healed of my fear of time.  I pray that the switch can be flipped and I can become a Master over time. And that I can understand time.

Affirmations:  "Time doth gently sweetly guide...." 

"I have all the time I need to do those things that are needful."

Update::: 2 Weeks later

Guess what?!?

I have had wonderful experiences with TIME.  I let it flow around me.  I'm aware of it and I am understanding what to do to be Ready for whatever comes.  With the FEAR removed, I can think and receive inspiration. (Like the inspiration to use my phone calendar with alerts and drive time included. ) And the inspiration to know which activities to say Yes to... and when to hold off.  I'm mortal, so I still make mistakes as I work on building this new muscle to full-strength.  But I'm patient with myself.  Progress is good. 

I am feeling the flow of Time.  Who knew this would happen?  Or that this could happen?

Want to hear a wonderful and unexpected bonus?  I am not plagued with feelings of stress and guilt about being late, over-committed and of not being ready.  With the absence of stress and guilt, I have more room and time for the Spirit's calming presence. 

He's a pretty big PRO in my life.

Back to Ether 12:27. "And if men come unto me (in prayer? by turning their hearts to desire greater discipleship and greater obedience?) I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; (Listing out weakness, analyzing those areas of weakness, and seeing the FEAR that motivated me was very humbling)  and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; (His Grace is what healed my fear!) for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Amen!!  This is amazing!  I'm so grateful!!)

I'm ready to start again.  I start to ponder on which Weakness is ready to be gracefully turned to Strength.   
THOUGHTS? 

One for You, and You and You...

President George Q. Cannon (1827–1901) First Counselor in the First Presidency:

“If any of us are imperfect, it is our duty to pray for the gift that will make us perfect. … No man ought to say, ‘Oh, I cannot help this; it is my nature.’ He is not justified in it, for the reason that God has promised to give strength to correct these things, and to give gifts that will eradicate them. If a man lack wisdom, it is his duty to ask God for wisdom. The same with everything else. That is the design of God concerning His Church. He wants His Saints to be perfected in the truth. For this purpose He gives these gifts, and bestows them upon those who seek after them, in order that they may be a perfect people upon the face of the earth” (Millennial Star, 23 Apr. 1894, 260).


The big thing that stuck out for me with this quote was this:

It is our Duty to Pray for gifts that will make us perfect.

What?!?

Here I've been thinking that I've been asking for FAVORS by seeking out Spiritual Gifts.  This is a big shift!  Not only is it our Duty to ask for what we need to correct our flaws, He's just waiting for us to ask and will Bestow them upon those who SEEK after them.

Wow!  This is exciting stuff here!

And have you heard this talk by Elder Larry L. Lawrence?  It's called Why Not Ask?
This talk is packed with insight about seeking spiritual gifts!
"Paul encouraged the early Saints to "desire" spiritual gifts and even to "covet earnestly the best gifts" (1 Corinthians 12:31). To me that means that if I notice a brother or sister who magnifies a gift of the Spirit, I am invited to seek that same gift myself. This is the only place in the scriptures where we are actually instructed to "covet." If you have a roommate, a sibling, a mission companion, or a spouse who really seems to understand the scriptures, you can covet that gift yourself and then ask for it. 

I sometimes visualize a large storehouse up in heaven, completely filled with spiritual gifts, available to all Saints who have the faith to ask for them. Unfortunately, not too many are asking, so the storehouse is always overstocked."

Can you picture that warehouse?  Wow. That's quite an image.  Gifts from Heavenly Father, just waiting for us to ask for them, desire them and desire to use them wisely.  


"Would you like the gift of recall or the gift of courage or the gift of dreams? Why not ask? I testify that the Lord won't scold you for asking. Does a member have to be perfect to ask for spiritual gifts? The Lord answered that question in the scriptures. 

He explained that gifts are given for the benefit of "those who love me and keep all my commandments," and then he added, "And him that seeketh so to do" (D&C 46:9). That likely includes all of us here today. 

The Lord's one stipulation is that we don't come seeking gifts for "a sign" or "to consume it upon [our] lusts" (D&C 46:9). In other words, we should not be seeking gifts to build ourselves up in the eyes of others or for personal financial gain. Spiritual gifts are given to help us build the kingdom so "that all may be profited thereby" (D&C 46:12). "

We are to seek out the gifts we need to build the Kingdom, to help us perform our personal missions, to do the things that we were sent here to do and that we promised to do.  
Isn't God good?  

Go Listen or read this entire talk.  Twice if you can.  Or even more.  He lists several spiritual gifts, along with examples of people who possess them.  It might help you to start your own list of spiritual gifts to ask for.  Why Not Ask?

Accepting His Will

Will

I've learned about Will.

It's been a hard journey, because it's not been a physical trek, but an unseen, private struggle.

At first, I prayed, but not knowing what to to ask, I Directed.

(I directed the All Powerful God, the Father of the Universe. Like He needed counsel from me.)

Months of Directing lead to frustration.  (Wasn't He listening?)  (Wasn't I worthy?)

This lead to Pleading.  And to Begging.  (Please, it would be so easy for YOU to do this....I have faith that YOU can do all things, so why not this?)

Neither work well on the Father.

Months passed.

Years passed.

All my directing, pleading and begging lead to self-absorption and to bitterness.
It almost led to anger but I held myself back from actual anger, out of respect -and a little fear.

I took no steps, either physically or spiritually, to remedy the situation.

I mostly relied on thinking prayers.

Now I know better.

Begging, Pleading, Directing- they are all distractions.  They keep you from learning how to pray.

How to pray to LEARN the Father's will.  For you.  About big things or little things.
And then DO something about it. Take a few steps blindly into the dark.

Mainly, I work on Acceptance now.  Accepting (and remembering that acceptance) that my Father in Heaven is wonderfully powerful.  He has a Glorious Plan of Happiness for ALL his children.
(Even me.)

And our mortal minds aren't capable of knowing.
Our ways aren't His ways.  Our thoughts aren't His thoughts.
But He shall direct our paths.
And all things shall be for our experience and our growth.

Bless the Father for His love for His children. And His long-suffering and patience.
And for His glorious plan that he knows beginning to end.
I don't have to know it, I have only to trust in Him and seek to do His will.
(That's actually a relief, when you consider it fully. )

 I am eternally grateful for His plan and for His will.

We'd all be in trouble if my self-absorbed plan or will were in charge.

I'm still learning what to ask for and how to pray.  I'm still learning and submitting my will to my Father's and I'm learning to do it joyfully-as a gift, not as an obligation.

It's the only gift I can ever truly give to Him, as it's the only thing that is truly mine.

Will


****This is was written on the tail-end of a 6 1/2 year struggle to get our 3rd baby.  I felt to share it now and I'm not sure why.  But I seek to obey the Will of the Father, and so trust that it will reach someone where they are and help them on their way.****

Peace and Healing and the Marvelous Atonement of Christ

Everyone has trials and opposition in life.  
Sometimes these come through health problems or the actions of others.  
Sometimes they come through natural causes, like natural disasters.  
Sometimes they come through the actions of ourselves.  

We all have problems in our lives that are too big for us to handle by ourselves.  
That's kind of the point of the trial, right?
  We came to earth to learn and grow and be tested.  
Our tests are to teach US.  
We came here excited to get bodies, to learn and to grow and to experience things that we couldn't do without our bodies and without a separation from our Heavenly Parents. 

Sometimes we get complacent here and without a big trial here and there, we may not get around to pursuing further light and knowledge.  

Mosiah 3:19 "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."

As we are tested, we have a choice. 
 The great gift of agency means that we always have a choice.  
We can choose HAPPINESS, LOVE and JOY.  (Man is that he might have joy!) 
Or we can choose SADNESS, ANGER or FEAR.  
We can choose to walk in faith, our path illuminated only a few steps at a time, 
or we can choose to be frozen in fear, waiting to move until we KNOW, 
or we can choose to walk away from Christ.

I believe that our trials come to us by way of invitation. 
 We are invited to come unto Christ, to cast our burdens on HIM, to learn about the amazing healing power of His atoning sacrifice and the cleansing, comforting power of our Savior's love. 
This is our test and opportunity and our gift, if we choose to act upon it.
I also believe that we don't have to grow only through trials.  We can choose to grow through Joyful Experiences too.  It's a choice.

I have learned some things about the Atonement of Jesus Christ that I want to share with you.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf shares a story in his talk, "Your Potential, Your Privileges" about a man who dreams of going on a cruise.  He is so excited to go on this cruise so he saves up his money for a long time, until he finally has enough.  He books his cruise, using all the money he has.  He brings along canned food and water because he doesn't have any extra money left after paying for his cruise.  He goes on the cruise but doesn't partake of any of the beautiful meals provided, or any of the shows or entertainment.  He feels badly about this.  He enjoys the cruise but spends much of the time in his cabin. On the last night of the cruise he learns from a crew member that all of the beautiful meals and shows were INCLUDED in the price of the cruise.  They were already paid for.  He missed out on so many wonderful parts of his cruise.  Pres. Uchtdorf says many of us  are like this man.  We are living far below our privileges.  

Heavenly Father desires to bless us with all manner of blessings but we need to ASK for them.  Ask and Ye Shall Receive.  Seek and Ye Shall Find.  He desires to relieve us of our heavy burdens but we need to ASK for this relief.  Our burdens, like this man's cruise, have already been paid for.  We don't need to spend this life sitting in our cabins, eating canned food. 
So, how do we go about asking for this relief?  How do we use the healing power of our Savior?  I've been seeking this for a while now.  Here are a few things I've learned.  

In the Book of Mormon, Enos reveals some great keys to actually USING the Atoning Power of Jesus Christ.  The Atonement stands as a marvelous mystery that no one will fully understand in this life, but the power of Christ's Atonement is real and we should use it.
Start with verses 2-8.  (Study the rest of the book later. It's a tiny little gem.)

Enos 1:2 And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins.

3 Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.

We see here that Enos is pondering on the gospel, the good news of Christ.

4 And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.

Here we learn that he had a powerful desire, a HUNGER to know, and he was willing to put in time and effort in MIGHTY prayer.  How powerful.  I love Enos.  

5 And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.

6 And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.

Here we learn about Enos's trust and faith in the words of his father (who taught him the gospel) and his faith and trust in God.  

7 And I said: Lord, how is it done?

8 And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole.

Faith in Christ.  His Faith in Christ made him whole.  Isn't that beautiful?  

Also in the Book of Mormon Alma the Younger teaches powerfully about HOW to find peace and healing through the marvelous atonement of Christ.  He shares his conversion with his son Helaman in Chapter 36.  

17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.

18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.

19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.

20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.

In Dale E. Miller's "Bringing Peace and Healing to Your Soul", we read that "Alma found his soul healed through the knowledge that Jesus would come and take away all his sins. As his soul became healed, he found peace within himself. Alma was so captured by the effects of this conversion experience that he repeated the sensations to Helaman: “Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy” (Alma 36:21; emphasis added). He was teaching a pattern to his son of lasting peace and joy, just as Enos’s father had done. There is a pattern here of fathers teaching children about the Atonement and eternal life. It is a pattern for all fathers in our day.

Several instructive points come to mind about Alma’s conversion:

1. Like Enos, he had a vivid awareness and remorse for past sins that had offended God.
2. Like Enos, he remembered his father’s teachings—the promise of atonement for sin, through Jesus Christ.
3. Like Enos, he personally pleaded in supplication for his soul.
4. Like Enos, he experienced the miracle of the Atonement to the degree that he could neither remember the pains from his sins nor feel guilt. The healing of his soul was complete. It was a cleansing experience both to the mind and the heart. Joy replaced bitterness. He became a new man, born again of the Spirit. And like Enos, he immediately turned his attention to serving the Lord and his fellow beings.

Will the Lord do for us what He did for Enos and Alma?"

 Absolutely!  God is no respecter of persons!  If HE extends His arm of mercy to one of his children, He will extend it to all.  And here we have TWO accounts of God extending his arm of mercy, of offering peace and healing through the marvelous Atonement of Christ.  

Calling on Christ to apply His healing atoning grace is a deeply personal experience.  Enos found a way to call on the powers of Heaven.  Alma experienced the healing of the Atonement and the purification of his heart in a remarkable way.

This is available to ALL who will repent and desire to obey.  Follow the simple pattern Enos showed us.  Pray.  Desire with your whole heart.  Plead.  Ask for your sins to be forgiven.  Ask for your burdens to be done away with.  Ask for your heart to be healed and purified.  He delights in answering the desires of our hearts.  Ask Him for what He most wants to give us.  And then, express all the feelings in your grateful heart.  Share your gratitude for the miracle of the Atonement of Christ and for His love for you.

Here is what I've learned.  First off, find a quiet time- Sacrament Meeting, early morning- whenever.  Next, kneel, if possible.  Fast, if appropriate.  Pray.  The words you need to speak will come to you.  Let your heart be full of desire.  Spend time feeling this desire:  your desire for forgiveness, your desire to be comforted, your desire for healing, your desire for understanding.  

Remember how intensely Enos prayed?  All day and night.  That was desire.  Remember how Alma was in the pangs of bitterness and despair?  He was desperate.  Let your heart fill with desire.  Pray in faith, knowing that He is listening and loving you and so pleased with your actions and efforts and desires.  He is so happy that you are going to call upon His gift that has already been paid for.

Then just ask.  Ask Christ to heal the burdens you have.  Ask Heavenly Father to allow the healing power of the Atonement of your Lord to fill you up,  that the love of Christ will enter your body and soul and the darkness and sadness and untruths will flee, that the marvelous healing power of Christ's atonement will make you more than you can be on your own.  

Bask in the feelings of love.  Don't rush. Stay and feel the love of your Savior.  Feel the peace as your burdens are lightened. Ask Him to help you continue to grow in His love and light.  Thank Him for His amazing gift and love.

For me, this isn't a one-time event.  You can do it anytime.  Daily, weekly,  hmm... during the Sacrament...

These are deep treasures from my heart.  I offer them to you out of love and desire that they will help you find the way that works best for you to connect with our Savior and ask for the healing powers of His atonement to work in your life to bless you and your family.

As we ask and receive and seek and find, we will become more converted and better Disciples of Christ.  In Helaman 3:35 it says, "They did fast and pray often, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the Faith of Christ, unto the filling of their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God."

We all have amazing potential and missions to perform while here on earth. Heavenly Father and Jesus want to help us achieve our potential and overcome things that are holding us back so we can lift and serve others.  

 ****This is a copy of a talk I gave in Sacrament Meeting in August 2015****

Dear Father: A Dialogue between a Daughter and the Father

A fictionalized account of letters from a Daughter,

 seeking the Voice of the Father. 

*******

Dear Father,
I heard today that I could write you a letter like a prayer, close it in the name of Christ, flip the paper over, write Dear Daughter, hold the pen ready to write, and then receive answers from Thee.  Is this true Father?  Could this be?
I am going to experiment on this idea and see.


Dear Daughter,
Experimenting on the Word is good.  The path you are starting on is a good path.  You do well to ask.


*******


Dear Father,
Please forgive me for not listening to Thee today.  I should have obeyed that feeling to reach out to my friend earlier.  Please bless her that my procrastination will not harm her.  Please help her and me to grow in the ways of righteousness.


Dear Daughter,
You are forgiven, as often as you earnestly seek for it.  Listen for promptings and have courage.


*******

Dear Father,
I am grateful for the prompting to listen to a certain conference talk today.  I will do as Thy apostle asks and read every scripture about Christ.  But Father, when will I find time to do this?  How can I do all the good things I desire to do?


Dear Daughter,
You need sleep.  Go to bed each night at 10 pm.  Wake each day at 6 am.  That will give you enough time to study and be with me and enough sleep to care for your body.

*******

Dear Father,
Please bless my family.  My child is struggling and I don't know where to turn.  Please help guide me.  Send those people into our lives that we need.  Help us to help our child.


Dear Daughter,
Your child is my child too.  I love him as I love you.  Trust that he is in the hollow of my hand and that my ways are not your ways.  All will be well with him.  Continue in the ways of righteousness.

*******

Dear Father,
Why am I awake? It's 3:48 am.  I really need to sleep.  I've been laying here for a while now, relaxing, trying to drift off to sleep.  I finally realized it's been a while since I sought Thy council.  Is there a reason I am awake now?


Dear Daughter,
You have learned well.  I need to tell you something.  Here are things for you to do this day and week....
You are awake right now because you have not found time to be still during the daytime in a while.   And you are awake because your spirit has missed spending time with me.


Dear Father,
Please forgive me.  I have not taken time to seek Thy counsel during the day time.  I see that I've been busy doing good things but haven't spent time with Thee in deep prayer.  I have missed Thee. Thank you for loving me.


*******


Dear Father,
As I read the scriptures about Christ that Thou prompted me to read and that a prophet counseled us to read, I read accounts of all of the people who have seen Thy Son while in mortality.  I read of people who are sanctified and purified through the Holy Ghost.  I read of people who saw and walked with Jesus Christ.  I read of incredible faith. I read of visions and great blessings.  A desire is growing in my heart, Father, that I don't dare put into words yet.
I am starting to view the scriptures not as an interesting history of prophets but as instructions for us of blessings we are instructed to seek, to ask for and to receive.  This mindset is hard to explain in words, as all things of the spirit can be.  I find that we don't have words that describe fully the learning we receive by Thy Holy Spirit.


Dear Daughter,
💗💗💗


*******


Dear Father,
 I love Thee.  I'm grateful for the learning and growth I'm having.  I can see how many ways Thou art shaping my life, turning my feet into certain paths, helping me along little by little.

Forgive me for my weakness.  Please make me whole again and let me find rest in Thee.  Forgive me for not going to the temple this week like I felt a desire to do.  I will pick a day next week and put it on my calendar.
What is next?  What does Thou desire of me now?


Dear Daughter,
You do well to repent and turn to me with full purpose of heart.  You haven't asked the questions you mean to ask, because of fear and unbelief.
Trust.  Fear not but believe.  Ask and it shall be given you.


Dear Father,
Forgive me.  I did forget to ask the question I meant to ask.
*What lack I yet?*


Dear Daughter,
That is the right question.
Seek to hear my voice. Often.
Once you hear it, see that you hearken unto it.
Then, you may seek my face.
Then you may ask for further light and knowledge, the thing you desire most.


Dear Father,
I believe. But...will Thou help my unbelief?  And my fear.
We are counseled to fear not.  Please heal all the fear in me.
We are counseled to believe all things. Please heal all the unbelief in me.


Dear Daughter,
Turn to me with all fear.  In the moment that you feel it, ask and I will heal it.
Turn to me with unbelief.  In the moment that you discover it, ask and I will make it into belief for you.
Learn to Hear My Voice.
Seek to Enter into My Presence.
Doubt Not.  Fear Not.  But Believe.
Be Perfected in Christ.

Seek to Enter into the Presence of the Lord and receive the blessings Thou desires.

*******


Further Reading:
Russell M. Nelson's Challenge to Read Every Scripture about Christ is issued here, "Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives."