He is there to succor us

"That he may know...how to succor his people, according to their infirmities"
Alma 7:12

Honestly, I'm still learning this one. I'd like to insert a really amazing testimony here and say how much I trust in my Savior and know He is always there for us. And I know that He is. And I know that He runs to succor us and understanding everything we go through. But I'm still learning to trust that, and the guidance and comfort and peace that comes with it. So, the best I can think of to share, is this quote:

"The door to him is always open, but the door to you can be closed and stay closed--if you choose to close it. If one great constant in the universe is the unfailing love of the Savior, the other great constant is his unfailing respect of human agency. He will not override your will, even for your own good. He will not compel you to accept his help. He will not force your own good. He will not compel you to accept his help. He will not force you to accept his companionship. He leaves you free to choose. I beg you to open the door and let him out of that room. Give him your whole heart, all the piece, and let him heal you." (Cheiko N. Okazaki, Lighten up!, pp 175-176). 

With this quote, I hear the word succor to be defined as this:

Open the door and let him in. Give him your whole heart and let him help. Lay all your burdens, worries, cares, heartaches, confusion, worries, and tears at his feet. They may come back, they will continue throughout this mortal life, and you may feel broken and lost and like there is no aid or hope--but He promises to be right there, by your side, understanding every thought and scare and doubt and worry whether put on by yourself or others. Let your Savior in. Open the door, pour our your heart, and choose His will. He succors you, surrounds you in His arms, and that peace that comes is sometimes the only answer you need. "The gospel was given to heal our pain, not prevent it." So, "from the ends of the earth I will cry to you. When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I" (Psalms 61:2). 

This isn't exactly the Easter message you're used to, but it's what I've learned this weekend. That there is no burden we need to bear alone. Make the Savior your daily companion and call upon His strength through hard times.

The Lord's Timing

"Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted;

yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything gives thanks;

waiting patiently on the Lord, 

for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth,

and are recorded with this seal and testament--

the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted...

And all things wherewith you have been afflicted 

shall work together for your good, and to my name's glory, said the Lord."

D&C 98:1-3

This scripture really comforted me this week, so I just had to share. Reflecting on why it comforted me, I was reminded that one way the Lord manages to teach me life-long lessons and try my faith is definitely by testing my trust in Him and reminding me that things happen in His time. In class this week, the professor mentioned a certain quote from Elder Neal A. Maxwell and I went home and looked it up (Neal A. Maxwell, "Patience"). I realized that it's not my role to give the Lord counsel regarding time and what I think would be good or how I think things could/should go...it hit me that, as Elder Maxwell says, we were wristwatches, and the Lord sees eternities. As His children, we belong to those eternities. We can trust that He knows what is best for us -- sometimes we'll be given opportunities and we won't realize in the moment how amazing they are and how happy they will make us, as the Lord continues to shape us with experiences and possibilities for greater happiness and continual peace and comfort. Of course, that whole in-between time where we take big steps forward based on just faith, trust, and hope are difficult, but when we have an eternal perspective in mind and are patient with the Lord, we have the promise that all will work out:

"For behold, thus said the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more." (2 Nephi 28:30)

As we have the Spirit with us and look to the Lord's counsel and guidance, he will help us step by step to soon receive the blessings he has in store for us. Sometimes the Lord tell us to do something or take a chance or follow an opportunity that we don't understand at first or know where exactly it will take us--sometimes we'll keep putting if off, but we have to listen to the Spirit's promptings right away and know that it will lead us down the best path. When we lay all we have at the feet of the Lord and follow Him and trust in His timing and plan for us, our lives will move forward like we never could imagine. In this decade of decisions, we must take our love for the Lord and our faith and trust in Him, and move forward with hope and happiness. Not only does our Heavenly Father want us to have joy in life eternal, but also happiness, peace, and comfort now. And the best way? To listen to him and move forward with His Spirit guiding and comforting our lives line by line, precept by precept, here a little and there a little. The Lord knows what He is doing, and as I take a look around in my life, I realize what blessings I have and how grateful I am to have them--and how, instead of worrying or wondering the timing of things, my role is to be enjoy the good of every moment and continue to be a disciple of Christ. 

"Lovest Thou Me?" then be a Light unto this People

"Ye are my disciples; and ye are a light unto this people"

3 Nephi 15:12

This week in class, we touched upon John 21, when the resurrected Christ returns to visit the apostles as they are out fishing. When they return to the shore to sit and eat with Christ again, Jesus turns to Peter and asks "Peter, lovest thou me?" He asks His apostle three times, and to each Peter responds, "thou knowest that  I love thee," to which Christ responds at last, "Feed my sheep" (John 21:15-17). 

This reminded me of a conference talk Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave a few years ago. I loved the way he described this scenario and lesson, so I just have to share. Elder Holland speaks out of context as to what he imagines the conversation/situation was like:

"What I need, Peter, are disciples--and I need them forever.

I need someone to feed my sheep and save my lambs.
I need someone to preach my gospel and defend my faith.

I need someone who loves me, truly, truly loves me, 

and loves what our Father in Heaven has commissioned me to do.

Ours is not a feeble message. It is not a fleeting task. 

It is not hapless; it is not hopeless;

it is not to be consigned to the ash heap of history.

It is the work of Almighty God, and it is to change the world.

So, Peter, for the second and presumably the last time,

 I am asking you to leave all of this and go teach and testify, labor and serve loyally

 until the day in which they do to you exactly what they did to me."

I loved this! What amazing principles we can relate to ourselves here in this life as we strive to be disciples of Christ. We are to be a light unto this people, to labor and serve, to declare His word and live accordingly.

What will you say, when asked, "Lovest thou me?" by your Redeemer? I expect that I will fall at his feet, with tears full of love, gratitude, and loyalty that I have never physically felt before.

"And if at such a moment we can stammer out, 'Yea Lord, thou knowest that I love thee,' then He may remind us that the crowning characteristic of love is always loyalty." - Elder Holland

With such sources of scripture--through conference, apostles, examples, leaders, scriptures, personal revelation, temples--we can do our duty as disciples of Christ, letting our light shine, declaring His word, and sharing the hope of everlasting life (3 Nephi 5:13).