Washed Clean

When teaching about the gospel of Jesus Christ, I sometimes use a metaphor I heard while I was still a high school seminary student:

When we're born, we are given a white jumpsuit to wear. As we move through life, we often slip and fall. Sometimes we even fall headfirst in the mud. Our white jumpsuits invariably get soiled.

At the end of our lives, we will arrive at our Father's house. It is a large, white mansnion. Everything on the outside is white and immaculate. The inside is white as well.

The walls are white.

The furniture is white.

There is nothing but the purest white to be seen.

Everyone is wearing white clothing, perfectly clean.

How will we feel, as we approach this heavenly home, soiled with dirt and grime and filthiness?
We would be more comfortable to stay out, in a dirtier place.

But the gospel, the "good news", is that there is a detergent available to everyone that can cleanse any stain and remove any spot.

Leah's Conversion

This is a continuation of "The Reason I Came".
Last week, I received this poem from the younger of the two Heffelfinger girls, Leah. It's difficult to describe what this poem represents to me. I still remember the first time I sat on the couch in the living room and got to meet her and the rest of the family. I remember the eagerness to learn, and the awkwardness in having a Mormon missionary in the home for the first time. I can hardly believe the progression I have seen. She started with a yearning for hope. That desire grew into faith, and as she learned more and more about the truth of the gospel, that faith has yielded joy in the midst of incredible turmoil. She was baptized, and she committed her life to Christ earlier this year. Her seminary teacher asked her to write her feelings about the prophet Joseph Smith. Here is a poem that has inspired me, written from a young woman who has not yet belonged to the true church for even a year:

Look to the Light

I found this on youtube. What an inspiring video.

The Reason I Came

One year ago, I was serving as a missionary in Townsend, Montana. Townsend is a small town, about thirty-five minutes south of Helena, the state capitol. I loved Townsend. When I think about my mission, and what it has meant to me, Townsend always comes to mind.
I will never forget one Tuesday afternoon. My companion, Elder Roerdanz, and I were in Helena for meetings. We were finishing up, and preparing to drive home. We were headed down the State Highway 12, still in town, nearing East Helena. I had the strongest impression: "Go find the Heffelfingers,"

The Way

This is my favorite talk of all time. It just speaks to me. I've read it so many times. It's not a great idea blog-wise to just copy/paste someone else's work, but this talk expresses so well the way that I feel. It's not very long, but it has changed my life already. I would recommend taking ten minutes to watch his talk. The link: http://lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/the-way?lang=eng. Select "Watch" on the right side.

Lawrence E. Corbridge

Of the Seventy

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There is only one way to happiness and fulfillment. Jesus Christ is the Way.

Jesus Christ, Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. …

“In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”

He said, “I am Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord; yea, even I am he, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of the world.”

He said, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

He said, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

He said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

He said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

“And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”

He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”