Charity, the Journey of a Lifetime

I don't know how many of you get frustrated with yourself, when you aren't developing Christlike attributes quickly. I am pretty impatient with myself. I expect a lot, in a short amount of time. Recently I have been really trying to have more charity, and while I do well some days, I draw blanks others. This quickly gets frustrating to me, and starts to discourage from my original journey.

I wonder how many people find this point, and start to lose hope.

I am here to give you that hope.

Though I have gotten impatient with myself and lost courage over and over, I have succeeded a couple of times, thanks to the grace of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, sufferred, not just for our sins, sicknesses, and death. He also suffered for our infirmities, our weaknesses. He did this so that he could have mercy on us, and help us. (Alma 7:12)

When we try to take repentance, change all on our shoulders, we fall. We lack the strength to move the mountain ourselves. We need to rely on our Redeemer for that strength and support. Recently, we have been working with a family, where the Grandmother is a wonderful lady, though less-active for years. She had developed a habit that made her ashamed to return to church. She was judged and talked about harshly. She left for several years.

Though many years had passed with a personal apostasy haunting her waking moments, she still knew that the church is true. She asked for a priesthood blessing, and has been able to go just over a week now without even a nicotine patch. This is truly a miracle. She has two grand-daughters who have not been baptised, who now will be. They are going to come to church, and this wonderful family will have the incredible power of the atonement in their lives.

But, she almost wanted to do it herself. When we offered the priesthood blessing, she turned it down. We taught her, and her grand-daughter about who Jesus Christ is, and when she felt the spirit, she felt the strength flood into her. So she asked for the priesthood blessing.

In this she showed great faith. As we work on having miracles of change in our lives, we too need to show great faith, in asking for these blessings from our gracious Heavenly Father.