Day 13 - Come Unto Christ

Throughout the scriptures, Christ is referred to by several different names and titles.  Each one reveals something to us about His nature and character.

Here are a few of the names and titles of Christ.  What do these different names/titles tell you about Christ?

Christ
Savior
Redeemer
Prince of Peace
Holy One of Israel
Son of God
Only Begotten of the Father
One with Father
Emmanuel
Deliverer
Alpha and Omega
He that is Holy
King of Kings
Lord of Lords
Beloved
Messiah

These titles and names, along with scriptures that talk about Christ's teachings and life, teach us that Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  He is loving, kind, merciful, and always here for you and for me.

Just as this inspired picture depicts, He is forever by our side; standing at the figurative doorway of our soul... waiting for us to come unto Him, draw near to Him, and let Him into our lives.

How beautiful is His promise to us:

"Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (D&C 88:63)

Christ is always here for us.  But sometimes it can be hard for us to always be there for Him in return.  I know that if we put forth the effort (even if it is just a desire to begin putting forth the effort, Alma 32:27), He has promised us that He will be there for us.

What are some different ways that you can personally come unto Christ and open the door for Him in your life?

Resources

From Conference Talks & BYU Speeches:

Come Unto Christ - Sister Nadauld

Come Unto Christ - Sister Wood

To Look, Reach, and Come Unto Christ - Sister Pingree

Learning with our Hearts - Elder Gonzalez

Coming Unto Christ by Searching the Scriptures - Elder Bateman

We Are Women of God - Sherry Dew

Seek and Attain the Spiritual High Ground in Life - Robert D. Hales

Choose to Be Good - President Henry B. Eyring

Come Unto Me - President Henry B. Eyring

Come Unto Me - Elder Jeffery R. Holland

From the Scriptures:

Moroni 10:32

"Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God."

Omni 1:26
"And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption.  Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved."

Matthew 11:28-30
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Luke 9:23
"And he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take upon his cross daily, and follow me."

2 Nephi 26:33
"For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him..."

Christ invites us all to come unto Him.  What does that mean to you?


How can you come unto Christ throughout your daily life?

How can you come unto Him through your personal prayer?

How can you come unto Him through your scripture study?

How can you come unto Him through your church attendance?

How can you come unto Him through your temple attendance?

  

Helaman 5:12

"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, ye, when all his hail and 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."

What things do you need to change in your life to make sure that Christ, your Redeemer, your Savior, and your friend is your foundation?

INVITATION: 
Write down at least 3 things that you will change in your life in order to more fully develop your relationship with Christ.  If you need help knowing what you can change, pray to Heavenly Father and ask Him to help you find things you can improve upon.  Commit to Him in prayer that you will work on these goals.

Day 12- The Perfect Example

A Good Friend Leads and Encourages by Example

Think about Christ's life.  His love and life are the perfect example and guideline for the way that we should live our lives while here in mortality.   

In chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel it gives us a checklist of the characteristics Christ envelopes in His life and being.  Take a few minutes to ponder how you have followed Christ's example by doing this attribute activity.  What can you improve upon?  What are you doing well? 

Bible Videos of Christ's Life:

All of the bible videos can be found here.

I Have Given You An Example - Richard G. Scott

      One way for us to show Christ that we love Him is to be an example of His light to those around us in our lives.

Ponder:

- Who are some of the greatest examples to you?  In what ways do they inspire you?

Invitation:
Take time today to study a little bit more about Christ's life. In what ways is He an example to you?  

What will you do to strive to follow His example more diligently in your life?

 

Day 11-True Friends Share Things.

THEY SHARE WORK, THEY SHARE TEARS....  

 
Christ can do more than a friend can do. 
Rather than just listening to our sorrow and pain, he experiences them with us. 
We can't overcome them on our own, but His strength is sufficient to carry us through.


The prophet Alma taught us about Christ:

"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people

And he will take upon him death, that he may loos the bands of death which bind his people;and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

Now the Spirit knoweth all things; neertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressiosn according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me."

Alma 7:11-13

One young women wrote the following story:

Last night a great miracle happened for me. About 2:30_AM I woke up with the most intense pain in my knees. It could have just been growing pains but it felt like there was fire underneath my kneecaps. Sleep was impossible. I tried for several minutes to just ignore the pain, but got to the point that if I didn’t do something about it, I was going to go mad. I rolled out of my bed onto my knees to pray. My knees were screaming, but I wanted to ask the Lord’s forgiveness for breaking my fast in order to take a Calcium tablet. (Today was Fast Sunday and I had started my fast before going to bed a few hours earlier)

It was agonizing to walk to the kitchen and even worse to stand by the sideboard, because it hurt so bad to straighten my knees. I guess I was whimpering and making a whole lot more noise than I thought, because Dad came into the kitchen to see what was wrong. He had been out doing the irrigation and was just going to bed when he heard me get up. What a relief it was to see him! I was in so much pain and didn’t know what to do. Immediately, Dad started making me toast while I went to sit down on the couch. The moment after I sat down, all of the blood drained from my head. The cold, prickly sensation of being “asleep” engulfed my whole head and arms, and I felt myself go pale.  It was nerve-wracking because this was the first time I’ve ever been light headed. Plus, my legs wouldn’t stop shaking and I felt like I had lost control of the lower half of my body. Soon Dad brought the toast and waited patiently as I slowly ate it at the kitchen table. He looked so tired and it was a big sacrifice for him to stay up with me that whole time, because he had to get up in a few hours for an early bishopric meeting. I knew he was concerned though and he sincerely tried to figure out the source of the problem. I had been really stressed the past week, and Dad figured that between dehydration and the stress build up, my body was just backfiring.

            After two pieces of toast, two full cups of water, and two ibuprofens, I was ready to limp back into bed. Before we retired, Dad prayed with me that I might be at peace. I felt his love as he thanked Heavenly Father for me and petitioned that I might be blessed. It was exactly what I needed to have the courage to fight the pain for the rest of the night. In tears, I gingerly walked back to bed and tried to get comfortable. Laying there I prayed and prayed, trying to muster all the faith I could. My knees hurt so badly! Thinking about what Dad had said about stress, I tried to release all my burdens and give them to the Lord. The scripture, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you …For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30) came alive to me at that moment. I pictured Christ standing beside me with an oxen yoke around his neck. Because of his atoning sacrifice, we were going through this together. My burden was too heavy for me. In my mind, I very literally pulled each worry one by one from off my shoulders and handed it to my Heavenly Father, who then placed it on the stronger, more able shoulders of Christ.

            “Heavenly Father I am so stressed about my essay. I have so much to do; I can’t handle it. Please take it.”…whether I said it audibly or just in the spiritual world I was in, I will never know…“I’m worried about the Senior Float, too. I don’t know if we’ll have time to finish it and make it good.”…Heavenly Father willingly took that one too…“I’m worried about my assignment to coordinate the chaperons for Homecoming. Please let this work out.” On and on I went, through every thing that was overwhelming me, until my yoke was light and I had poured everything onto my great Companion’s loving, patient back. I literally found rest to my soul! Within a few minutes, I noticed my left knee was quiet; I couldn’t feel any pain there at all. My right knee throbbed a little, but I was finally able to turn over and fall asleep.

I woke again at 5:00am to go to the bathroom and get another drink. It was so remarkable; my knees felt as good as ever! I was sure to get back on my knees and thanked Heavenly Father for this great miracle. I restarted my fast and thoroughly enjoyed my Sunday (it was Mom’s birthday!). Now it is as if it never happened. To me, this experience was just as grand and glorious as any miracle performed by the Savior in the New Testament. He healed me too and commanded the evil spirits to leave my knees. I know it was no coincidence that Dad was awake at that moment to help me. It was he that detected the symptoms of dehydration and stress-overload, and I desperately needed his comfort. That night, I learned the reality of the power of the atonement, even in something as little as blessing me to able to sleep. I know my Heavenly Father loves me and that my Savior is there, yoked to carry the burdens of life with me if I will come unto Him.

• Elder Bednar: The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality https://www.lds.org/liahona/2012/04/the-atonement-and-the-journey-of-mortality?lang=eng&query=enabling+power+of+the+atonement

• The Pearls story http://www.motivateus.com/stories/pearls.htm

• Jesus Christ--Gifts and Expectations Ezra Taft Bensonhttp://speeches.byu.edu/act=viewitem&id=90 

"On one occasion when the Savior was walking among a crowd, a woman who had been long sick touched his garment. He perceived that strength had gone out of him. The strength that was his had strengthened her. So it may be with each of us. Let me urge you to desist from making cutting remarks one to another. Rather, cultivate the art of complimenting, of strengthening, of encouraging. What wonders we can accomplish when others have faith in us. No leader can long succeed in any society without the confidence of the people. It is so with us in our daily associations. Said the Lord to Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he might sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:31–32). Declared Paul, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak.” And then he adds, “and not to please ourselves” (Romans 15:1).

It is a responsibility divinely laid upon us to bear one another’s burdens, to strengthen one another, to encourage one another, to lift one another, to look for the good in one another, and to emphasize that good. There is not a student in this assembly who cannot be depressed on the one hand, or lifted on the other, by the remarks of his associates.

Gordon B Hinckley “Let not your Heart be Troubled” http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1065 

“Consecrate Thy Performance” Neal A. Maxwell 

In striving for ultimate submission, our wills constitute all we really have to give God anyway. The usual gifts and their derivatives we give to Him could be stamped justifiably “Return to Sender,” with a capital S. Even when God receives this one gift in return, the fully faithful will receive “all that [He] hath” (D&C 84:38). What an exchange rate!

Meanwhile, certain realities remain: God has given us our lives, our agency, our talents, and our opportunities; He has given us our possessions; He has given us our appointed mortal spans complete with the needed breaths (see D&C 64:32). Guided by such perspective, we will avoid serious errors of proportion. Some of these are far less amusing than would be hearing a double quartet and mistaking it for the Tabernacle Choir!

No wonder President Hinckley has stressed our being a covenant people, emphasizing the covenants of the sacrament,tithing, and the temple, citing sacrifice as the “very essence of the Atonement” (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 147).

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2002/04/consecrate-thy-performance?lang=eng

THEY ALSO LAUGH TOGETHER AND SHARE JOYS...

What does Christ like about you? What does He like doing with you? 

How/When has He shared his JOY with you? When have you brought him JOY?

                 GOOD JOB! You are more of a great friend to Christ than you sometimes realize. 

                        


“The Abundant Life” Joseph B. Worthlin https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/04/the-abundant-life?lang=eng 

John 10:11...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

D&C 101:35 And all they who suffer persecution for my name, and endure in faith, though they are called to lay down their lives for my sake yet shall they partake of all this glory. 36 Wherefore, fear not even unto death; for in this world your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full.

Mosiah 2:41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

He delights in you! 

Invitation: Think of what you can do to enjoy today with Christ. What is one thing that you could do together that would make both of you feel happy? Go do it.

Day 10- Thy Will Be Done

"Strong faith in the Savior is submissively accepting of His will and timing in our lives - even if the outcome is not what we hoped for or wanted." - David A. Bednar


As we continue on our theme of friendship, think about how friends usually share similar interests. Often friends become friends because they begin enjoying doing the same things. What similar interests do you have with Christ? Jesus Christ's interests in life always dealt with doing the will of His Father. ("Not as I will, but as thou wilt") We too can strive to have this common interest with Christ as we strive to follow the will of the Father as well. Jesus Christ is our ultimate example of making the Lord's will, our own. The more we strive to follow the Lord's will, the more our friendship with Christ will deepen.

"His preparation began in the premortal life as He waited upon His Father, saying, "Thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever." Beginning in that moment and continuing today, He exercises His agency to accept and carry out our Heavenly Father's plan. The scriptures teach us that through His youth, He went "about [His] Father's business" and "waited upon the Lord for the time of his ministry to come." At the age of 30, He suffered sore temptation yet chose to resist, saying, "Get thee behind me, Satan." In Gethsemane, He trusted His Father, declaring, "Nevertheless notmy will, bu thine, be done," and then He exercised His agency to suffer for our sins. Through the humiliation of a public trial and the agony of crucifixion, He waited upon His Father, willing to be "wounded for our transgressions...[and] bruised for our iniquities." Even as He cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" He waited upon His Father - exercising His agency to forgive His enemies, see that His mother was watched over, and endure to the end until His life and mortal mission were finished. - Robert D. Hales


"We cherish our understanding and feel heartfelt appreciation for the Savior's willing atoning sacrifice on our behalf. His acquiescence to the will of His Father won the supernal victory over death and is the transcendent event in the history of mankind." - Quentin L. Cook

As you watch this film below, think about some difficulties or heartaches or insecurities you may be feeling in your life right now, and ponder upon the bigger picture of why Heavenly Father is having you experience what you are going through.

How are we like the currant bush in this story? 

What are the blessings of allowing the Lord to "cut us down"?

How can we become better and not bitter through our trials?

"I would like to speak of one particular attitude and practice we need to adopt if we are to meet our Heavenly Father's high expectations. It is this: willingly to accept and even seek correction. Correction is vital if we would conform our lives "unto a perfect man, [that is,] unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13). Paul said of divine correction or chastening, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth" (Hebrews 12:6). Though it is often difficult to endure, truly we ought to rejoice that God considers us worth the time and trouble to correct." - Todd D. Christofferson

"Let us pray for His love-inspired correction" - Todd D. Christofferson

Although it may be difficult to recognize in the midst of our trials or being corrected (like the currant bush), Heavenly Father is shaping us into who He wants us to become. We need to learn to trust Him and make His will our own. 

Talks to Study: 

"That we might not shrink" - Elder David A. Bednar 

"Waiting Upon the Lord, Thy Will Be Done" - Robert D. Hales

                                 - President Snow Lesson -

President Snow shared the lesson he wanted the young men to learn from his experience: “My young friends, there is an opportunity for you to become great—just as great as you wish to be. In starting out in life you may set your hearts upon things very difficult to attain to, but possibly within your reach. In your first efforts to gratify your desires you may fail, and your continued efforts may not prove what may be termed a success. But inasmuch as your efforts were honest efforts, and inasmuch as your desires were founded in righteousness, the experience you obtain while pursuing your hearts’ desires must necessarily be profitable to you, and even your mistakes, if mistakes you make, will be turned to your advantage.”3

This was a favorite theme of President Snow. He often reminded the Saints of the Lord’s command to be perfect, and he assured them that through their own diligence and with the Lord’s help, they could obey that command. He taught, “We ought to feel in our hearts that God is our Father, and that while we make mistakes and are weak yet if we live as nearly perfect as we can all will be well with us.”When the Latter-day Saints received the gospel in the nations afar, and when the voice of the Almighty to them was, to leave the lands of their fathers, to leave their kindred as Abraham did, so far as they complied with this requirement, so far they were walking in obedience to this law, and they were as perfect as men could be under the circumstances and in the sphere in which they were acting, not that they were perfect in knowledge or power, etc.; but in their feelings, in their integrity, motives and determination. And while they were crossing the great deep, providing they did not murmur nor complain, but obeyed the counsels which were given them and in every way comported themselves in a becoming manner, they were as perfect as God required them to be.

The Lord designs to bring us up into the celestial kingdom. He has made known through direct revelation that we are His offspring, begotten in the eternal worlds, that we have come to this earth for the special purpose of preparing ourselves to receive a fulness of our Father’s glory when we shall return into His presence. Therefore, we must seek the ability to keep this law to sanctify our motives, desires, feelings and affections that they may be pure and holy and our will in all things be subservient to the will of God, and have no will of our own except to do the will of our Father. Such a man in his sphere is perfect, and commands the blessing of God in all that he does and wherever he goes.

But we are subject to folly, to the weakness of the flesh and we are more or less ignorant, thereby liable to err. Yes, but that is no reason why we should not feel desirous to comply with this command of God, especially seeing that he has placed within our reach the means of accomplishing this work. This I understand is the meaning of the word perfection, as expressed by our Saviour and by the Lord to Abraham.

A person may be perfect in regard to some things and not others. A person who obeys the word of wisdom faithfully is perfect as far as that law is concerned. When we repented of our sins and were baptized for the remission of them, we were perfect as far as that matter was concerned.6

• Teachings of the President of the Churc: Lorenzo Snow
• CHAPTER 6: BECOMING PERFECT BEFORE THE LORD: “A LITTLE BETTER DAY BY DAY”

Invitation
RECORD IN YOUR JOURNAL CURRENT TRIALS YOU MAY BE GOING THROUGH OR THINGS IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU MAY BE QUESTIONING "WHY ME?" UNDERNEATH THESE THINGS, LIST THE LESSONS YOU THINK THE LORD MIGHT BE WANTING YOU TO LEARN FROM THEM. HOW WOULD THESE THINGS HELP SHAPE YOU? WHAT CHRIST-LIKE QUALITIES CAN YOU GAIN FROM HANDLING THESE TRIALS WELL? STRIVE EVERY DAY TO FOCUS ON BECOMING BETTER, NOT BITTER, AND ACCEPTING THE LORD'S WILL.

"These mortal challenges allow us and our Heavenly Father to see whether we will exercise our agency to follow His Son. He already knows, and we have the opportunity to learn, that no matter how difficult our circumstances, “all these things shall [be for our] experience, and … [our] good.”¹³

Does this mean we will always understand our challenges? Won’t all of us, sometime, have reason to ask, “O God, where art thou?”¹⁴ Yes! When a spouse dies, a companion will wonder. When financial hardship befalls afamily, a father will ask. When children wander from the path, a mother and father will cry out in sorrow. Yes, “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”¹⁵ Then, in the dawn of our increased faith and understanding, we arise and choose to wait upon the Lord, saying, “Thy will be done.” - Robert D. Hales

Day 9 - A Good Friend Serves

"Along your pathway of life you will observe that you are not the only traveler. There are others who need your help. There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save." - Thomas S. Monson 

How can we be His hands? Are we praying for opportunities to run Christ’s errands? 

“Unsung Hero” video clip http://youtu.be/uaWA2GbcnJU

“It’s service, not status, that counts.” - Neal A Maxwell 

• God does not begin by asking us about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability! 

D&C 81:5 "Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees."

Other scriptures to study: 

• Matthew 25:34-40
• Mosiah 4:15-19
• Mosiah 2:17
• D&C 81:5
• Colossians 3:23-24
• Galatians 5:13

"We must never ignore or pass by the prompting of the spirit to render service to one another." -M. Russell Ballard

Ponder: If we master this skill of acting upon promptings of the spirit to serve someone, think of how much the Lord would trust us to run even more of His errands.

The Savior has taught us to follow His example and serve others:

How can we best serve Christ? 



It is only when we love God and Christ with all of our hearts, souls, and minds that we are able to share this love with our neighbors," says Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. And we demonstrate that love "through acts of kindness and service - the way that the Savior would love and servve all of us if He were among us today."

Ye Have Done it Unto Me

Opportunities to Do Good

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children'ts sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

-Majorie Pay Hinckley

https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/parable-of-the-good-samaritan?lang=eng

Where Shall I Work Today? (Poem President Monson quoted in April 2004)

"Father, where shall I work today?"
And my love flowed warm and free.
Then he pointed out a tiny spot
And said, "Tend that for me."
I answered quickly, "Oh no, not that!
Why, no one would ever see,
No matter how well my work was done.
Not that little place for me."
And the word he spoke, it was not stern;...
"Art thou working for them or for me?
Nazareth was a little place,
And so was Galilee."

Invitation: Take time today to be sensitive to the spirit and notice people around you. Look for someone who may be by themself or looking a bit down. Approach them with a smile and give them your time and ask how they are doing. Ask more things about their life and do your best to be of service to them.

Day 8 - A Good Friend Forgives You

 To forgive is a divine attribute. It is to pardon or excuse someone from blame for an offense or misdeed. The scriptures refer to forgiveness in two ways. The Lord commands us to repent of our sins and seek His forgiveness. He also commands us to forgive those who offend or hurt us (From the Church Website).

Christ will always forgive us. No matter what we did, no matter how many times we did it, no matter how terrible it was, if we properly repent, Christ will forgive.

Just as Christ will forgive us of our wrongdoing, we should forgive the people in our lives who might hurt us or our loved ones.

Matthew 6:14-15 says:

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

In a First Presidency Message President Hinckley said, “A spirit of forgiveness and an attitude of love and compassion toward those who may have wronged us is of the very essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Each of us has need of this spirit. The whole world has need of it. The Lord taught it. He exemplified it as none other has exemplified it. …Each of us is under a divinely spoken obligation to reach out with pardon and mercy.”

Pondering:

·         In what ways does Christ forgive us?

·         How do we use the Atonement in our lives?

·         How can we forgive others the way Christ forgives us?

·         How can we forgive ourselves?

o   Learn to understand the Love our Heavenly Father has for us, and that through the proper repentance process we can forgive ourselves and at last feel peace

Inspiring Examples of Forgiveness:

Forgiveness and the power of Jesus Christ enable a man to survive losing his wife and several children in a car accident—and allow the offending driver to begin rebuilding his own life.

I'm a Mormon:

http://www.mormon.org/kristy

1 Nephi 7:16-21 is another good example of forgiveness:

“16 And it came to pass that when I, Nephi, had spoken these words unto my brethren, they were angry with me. And it came to pass that they did lay their hands upon me, for behold, they were exceedingly wroth, and they did bind me with cords, for they sought to take away my life, that they might leave me in the wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts.

17 But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound.

18 And it came to pass that when I had said these words, behold, the bands were loosed from off my hands and feet, and I stood before my brethren, and I spake unto them again.

19 And it came to pass that they were angry with me again, and sought to lay hands upon me; but behold, one of the daughters of Ishmael, yea, and also her mother, and one of the sons of Ishmael, did plead with my brethren, insomuch that they did soften their hearts; and they did cease striving to take away my life.

20 And it came to pass that they were sorrowful, because of their wickedness, insomuch that they did bow down before me, and did plead with me that I would forgive them of the thing that they had done against me.

21 And it came to pass that I did frankly forgive them all that they had done, and I did exhort them that they would pray unto the Lord their God for forgiveness. And it came to pass that they did so. And after they had done praying unto the Lord we did again travel on our journey towards the tent of our father.”

Videos:

Watch this Bible Video about Christ forgiving.

The story of the Prodigal Son is a primary example of forgiveness.

Invitation:

We invite you to evaluate your relationships with others and yourself. Are there any relationships where you get frustrated easily, lose patience, cannot understand their perspective, or you just feel that you don’t have charity towards them? If there are areas where you are prideful or judgmental, say a prayer to invite Christ to help you forgive others or yourself.

Make this prayer genuine. Try saying it out loud and imagine that Heavenly Father and the Savior are there with you. Truly express all your feelings and lay the burden upon Christ. You may want to ask how you can forgive, and how you can love deeper. Ask to see the eternal potential of yourself and others, and ask how you can be a better friend to yourself, others, and Christ. Then LISTEN for a reply from the Spirit. Then ACT.

Other Resources:

James E. Foust, The Healing Power of Forgiveness

President Uchtdorf, Point of Safe Return

Luke 15 – The Prodigal Son

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