The Fab Four

So, let's be real right now, I absolutely love the Beatles. I am actually quite obsessed with all of the music they have made. I could never describe the way I feel when I hear one of their songs come on the radio- my heart skips a beat! Each of their albums holds a different memory and place in my heart from different times and phases of my life. I could go on forever about my love for them but there's something that I love more- more than the Beatles you ask? Yes, and it is the gospel of Jesus Christ! The gospel is something that has completely changed my life. Follow along with me as I compare the two...

The Beatles were made up of 4 extremely talented and magical individuals:
-George Harrison

-Paul McCartney

-John Lennon
-Ringo Starr

Now, the Beatles had an incredible run of amazing music, movies and tours but after a good amount of time they ended up splitting up, went their different ways and did some wonderful things on their own. Although Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey and Imagine are incredible songs, I think most Beatles fans would agree that none of their solo projects could compare to the music that they made when they worked together.  It is the same with the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is made up of 4 main principles and we need ALL of them!

What exactly is the gospel of Jesus Christ?

"The gospel of Jesus Christ is our Heavenly Father’s plan for the happiness and salvation of His children." To me, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the way back to our Heavenly Father. The gospel is composed of all of the things we must understand, live and do to receive the gift of eternal life.

 

The 4 main principles in the gospel of Jesus Christ are:

-Faith

-Repentance

-Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost

-Enduring to the End

Let's go over each principle to better understand the need for each one, shall we?

When you hear the word faith, what does it mean to you?

In the Book of Mormon we read:

 

 "Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen." Ether 12:6

"And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true."Alma 32:21

 

So faith is something that we hope for and cannot see BUT know is true. Faith in Jesus Christ, to me, is having a perfect hope and knowledge that He is my Savior even though I cannot physically see Him at this time. This faith has been a product of studying the scriptures, praying and living according to this belief. 

 



 

Repentance is a product of our faith in Jesus Christ.

So what exactly is repentance?

"To repent we need to recognize and feel sorry for what we’ve done wrong, do whatever is possible to repair the damage it may have caused, and to leave our sinful behavior behind. Repentance can be difficult and requires a lot of honesty, but the joy and freedom we feel when we turn away from our sins are well worth the effort. Because Christ suffered for our sins, we can be forgiven when we repent."*

 

I want to testify that repentance is one of the greatest blessings that God could ever give us. Through repentance I have been freed from my guilt and sorrows and have been able to put my past behind me and leave it there. Repentance has allowed me to start over new, everyday, and become a better person. Repentance is the key to allowing Christ to change our hearts and our lives.

 

Faith leads to repentance which then leads to baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. I have put these two together because one is not complete without the other!

 

"Baptism is a promise or covenant we make to follow Jesus Christ throughout our lives. When we develop faith in Him and repent of our sins, a person who has God’s authority to baptize immerses us in water and raises us back up.

Jesus was baptized when He was on earth. He has asked us to follow His example and to be baptized (see 2 Nephi 31:12). He has promised that if we follow His example and keep the promises we make when we’re baptized, we will have His Spirit to guide us through this life."*

 

Baptism is the first gate that we enter onto the straight and narrow path back to God. It shows Heavenly Father that we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and we promise Him that we will do all that we can to keep the commandments and live in harmony with His teachings.

 

After we are baptized we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

 

"After we are "born of water," or baptized, we can be "born […] of the Spirit" by receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. A person with God's authority puts his hands on our heads and gives us the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:17). The Holy Ghost is a Spirit. He is the third member of the Godhead, along with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. When we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and walk humbly before God, He can always be with us. We call it a gift because the Holy Ghost is given to us from God to guide us as we face difficult decisions, comfort us when we are sad, influence our minds and feelings, and help us recognize when something is true."*

 

 The gift of the Holy Ghost is something that I am forever grateful for. I know that it is a gift that God wants for each and every one of His children because it brings us peace, guidance, comfort and His influence into our lives.

 

 

When one has developed faith in Jesus Christ, repented, was baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost, have they reached the end of their path to God? No! They must endure to the end!
The gospel of Jesus Christ is a life long pursuit.

 

In the Book of Mormon, the ancient prophet Nephi expounds on this:

 "And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

 

 

 

I want to testify that we cannot live by one or two of these principles, we need to live by all of them! John, George, Ringo and Paul needed each other to make incredible music as the Beatles, and we need each of these principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ to return to God and live with Him forever. I can promise that living by these principles will bring you true and everlasting happiness and peace!

*Click Here To Learn More 

I Can Go The Distance

As much as I have been trying not to think about it, the sad reality is that I am nearing the end of my mission. I'm at a point where I am near the end but I also still have some time left to do a lot of good. I have been thinking a bit about the finish line and how I can keep persevring and enduring until "the end."


So what exactly does it mean to persevere? In the April 2014 Ensign, a magazine from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Claudio D. Zivic shares this definition of the word:


“To persevere means to maintain the ability to endure, to carry on, to continue in the same state without weakening or perishing. It is being able to go on in the face of pain, oppression, discouragement or suffering without being defeated.”


When I think of this definition, I can't help but think of one of my Disney heroes- Hercules! Pretty much everyone alive on this planet has seen this movie and knows the story:

Hercules is the son of the god Zeus. Hades, a really bad guy, is threatened by Hercules and conspires to have him killed but things didn't go as he planned and baby Hercules didn't end up dying, but being found by a sweet humble mortal couple who raises him. Hercules spends his childhood being the town klutz because he has too much physical strengh for his own good! Well, when the time is right, his real father Zeus lets him know what's up and he begins his quest to become the hero that he was destined to be. His father gives him a trainer, Phil, and a flying horse, Pegasus, to help him along the way. Hercules faces a lot of trials and temptations, but he uses all of those experiences to push forward and be all he can be when everything depends on him and how he uses his strength. He ends up becoming the hero he was destined to be despite his weaknesses and set backs and makes it back into the arms of his loving father Zeus once again.

I often think of that moment when he returns to his father and how much joy they must have both felt through Hercule's perseverance. When it all come down to it, that's what life is all about. We lived with our Heavenly Father before this life, and we are here to learn and to grow, to gain experiences, and to endure through the hard things so we can become stronger and learn how to use our strengths. It's all about doing whatever we can in this life to return to our Father. There is nothing more that He wants than to see our faces once again and to have us in His arms. There is nothing more that we should want as well.

The gospel of Jesus Christ, restored through the prophet Joseph Smith, is the path back to our Heavenly Father. Through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, and the ordinances of baptism and confirmation, we are given the tools necessary to keep on keeping on! Once we get on this path, it's all about continuing in our faith, reading our scriptures and praying everyday, partaking of the sacrament and staying worthy to enter into the Lord's temple. Just like Hercules had help, Jesus Christ will always help us stay on that straight and narrow path.

Now, with that being said, no Hercules post would be complete without including the lyrics to it's epic theme song. This song has always helped me remember what this life is all about....


I have often dreamed of a far off place

Where a great warm welcome will be waiting for me
Where the crowds will cheer when they see my face
And a voice keeps saying this is where I'm meant to be

I will find my way I can go the distance
I'll be there someday if I can be strong
I know every mile will be worth my while
I would go most anywhere to feel like I belong
I am on my way I can go the distance
I don't care how far somehow I'll be strong
I know every mile will be worth my while
I would go most everywhere to find where I belong

Down an unknown road to embrace my fate
Though that road may wander it will lead me to you
And a thousand years would be worth the wait
It might take a lifetime but somehow I'll see it through

And I won't look back I can go the distance
And I'll stay on track, no I won't accept defeat
It's an uphill slope but I won't lose hope
Till I go the distance and my journey is complete

But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part
For a hero's strength is measured by his heart

Like a shooting star I will go the distance
I will search the world I will face its harms
I don't care how far I can go the distance
Till I find my hero's welcome
Waiting in your arms...

I often think of that glorious day when I can look into my Heavenly Father's eyes and tell Him that I did all that I could to return to Him. When we focus on the end and where we want to be again, nothing can hold us back from presevering and moving forward to our hero's welcome. Nothing can keep us from returning to the arms of our Heavenly Father.