So you just turned 16 or you have been in the teenage world for a while. Doesn’t it like SOOO totally bother you all of the DRAMA!?! It’s like this crazy storm hit and things start to happen that never happened before. Your best friend is mad at you because you like the same person, you feel bad you didn’t get asked to a dance, or you feel like the teachers are out to get you because they are constantly making things harder to do! I mean, whatever happened to 1+1=2? Since when did it equal Y@2QUA?? Some days you feel like you in some weird battle between, well you and High School.
 |
| My high school defeating sword is even broken! |
Well YOU do not have to be part of
it all. You do not have to go through High School feeling like you are going to
crumble; you just have to have some tools. No swords necessary!
This first tool is the best one I can suggest. It’s a rock.
No, NO, not a rock you throw at people- it is THE ROCK.
“And now my sons (and daughters
too), remember, remember that it is upon THE ROCK of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must
build your foundation; that when the
devil shall send forth his mighty winds yea his shafts in the whirlwind,
yea when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag
you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which
ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they
cannot fall.” (Helaman 5:12; see also Luke 6:48)
Well, ya, I would love for this stuff to have NO POWER over me! So how do I build upon the
Rock? I mean, what does that mean for me
specifically in my time right now? Well
thank goodness for modern revelation.
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin shared about some wolves in the Ukraine that
were fearless and made travel very difficult. (who are your wolves? People who say bad things about you? The like so totally popular kids? The one who ignores you who you wish would pay attention? I know they make your high school experience a little difficult) Well these wolves were not afraid of anyone, but the one thing that did scare them,
was FIRE! So my friends feed the fire. You need to feed the fire of your testimony
in the Savior and his gospel so that the winds and wolves cannot bring you
down. (Spiritual Bonfires of Testimony)
Here are some things you can do to build your fire right now.
1. Pray
- Remembrance of the billion things you studied for your test
- help you have courage to ask so and so out
- Understanding your purpose or feeling your importance
- Softening the heart of someone that is hurting you or mad at you
2.
Read the Scriptures
If you want to build, you have to have the right materials. I think that them pigs who built there houses
out of straw and twigs didn’t really study what would be sturdy. They were anxious to build, and maybe went to
a bad source that told them weak and cheap materials would be sufficient. If you want to have a testimony of the Savior,
you have to read about his life, and teachings.
Do you remember the parable of the talents? Do you remember what the man who received one
talent said?
“Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast
not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent
in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.”
This man did not know the Lord. He
did not understand his nature- perhaps because he did not have a testimony from
the scriptures. Perhaps his
understanding came from how he felt, or words that his friends or family had
said. Don’t rely only on others to know the
Lord and tell you what He wants you to do- get to know Him yourself.
When you do, you just might find that you flourish!! You just might find that you feel the spirit
and have a desire to serve others rather than worrying about Sam or Savanna (you
know, the one you have a crush on?) in your health class.
“Well it’s just when I pray, I ask the Lord to show me what to do because
I am so lost!!!!”
“Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold,
the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” (2 Nephi 32:3)
So
combine scripture reading and prayer to build that fire, and you don’t have to
be afraid of the big bad wolf for you will know all things what you should do.
3. Go to Seminary
“I hope every one of you goes to seminary. I am glad you do. It is good
for you. Go there to learn and become acquainted with the gospel. Someday every
one of you is going to have to defend this Church, to explain it to others. Now
is the time to prepare”
(Gordon B. Hinckley, 'Messages of
Inspiration from President Hinckley', Church News, Aug.
3, 1996, 2).
There you have it- a forecast for a future storm. Be prepared for it. Not only that, but look at the promised
blessings that will surely come!
“We do not hesitate to promise that your knowledge of the gospel will be
increased, your faith will be strengthened, and you will develop wonderful
associations and friendships” (Gordon B. Hinckley, The Miracle Made Possible by
Faith, Ensign, May 1984, 47).
You
don’t have to be LDS to go to seminary and enjoy these blessings- so if you or a friend isn’t a Mormon,
doesn’t matter. You can all still go to
learn about the Lord, and strengthen your faith. I remember some of my most special moments in
Seminary when people bore testimony or I read something in the scriptures, and
I felt like I would do anything for the Savior because I knew that he really
existed, and I recognized how he had blessed my life.
So take your tools, and start building! It will take work, but the ROCK will keep you from falling.
No comments:
Post a Comment