Breaking Destructive Cycles

Recently I have been able to be a cheerleader for someone who was struggling. This friend has been such a blessing in my life and I am thankful for them. Through my many strugglings over the last few months, he has been a wonderful support. On Thursday it was my turn to be his support. 

He had something huge due that he was really struggling with, and then suddenly it was the day before it was due. Panic set in. I also know that feeling all too well. He didn't have a direction with this assignment, or he did but it was vague. He kept spiraling back into, "I have so much to do and it is due tomorrow!" It is that panic that is crippling and doesn't get anything done. I was able to help him focus back onto his assignment and finishing. Every so often I'd send encouraging texts like, "You can do it!!"

This can be compared to our Savior and repentance. Sometimes we become overwhelmed by our trials and sins we feel trapped. Satan tells us that we can't escape. BUT WE CAN. Repentance is possible and very real. It isn't going to be like before. Our sins will not be wiped from our memory. BUT we can be made clean again. We can have our garments washed clean. We do not need to continue to walk around with our sins. We must wake up and stop our destructive cycles. We must begin to repent. I have. I have many many many times. And I am grateful every time.

I bear my testimony to you that repentance is real and possible. Through Christ's Atonement we are able to become clean. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Getting Rid of the Weeds

Yesterday I was gardening with my family. I moved from the garden around the pool, to the "middle garden" (it's a long garden in the middle of our yard with our peach and apple trees, watermelon, melon, pepper, and raspberry plants). I was given charge to weed there because it hadn't been weeded in a while. So I went over ad started to inspect the areas that needed the most love (we had a time limit). I found that within the area where the watermelons are planted, there were lots of weeds that looked suspiciously like the poison sumac I learned about at Young Women's camp. I went and grabbed my gloves and started pulling all of that out first. These weeds didn't have big root systems but trying to pull those out instead of the watermelons was hard because they were growing so close together. 

As I was weeding I thought about how the sacrament and repentance is very much like weeding. We try and not commit the same sins over and over, and the sacrament washes us clean like baptism. However, sometimes we need extra help with weeding. Sometimes we have weeds that have massive root systems and are hard to pull out. Sometimes we have a poisonous plant growing all over our garden. It is then that we need extra help. The poisonous plants could be compared to sins as serious as sexual sins. It's not impossible to take out, but we can't do it ourselves. With the help of our bishops, we are able to gain a better understanding of grace and how to use it.

I bear my testimony to you that I know that by grace we are saved after all we can do. I know that repentance is real and possible. We can overcome sin! It's not impossible! I leave these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.