Finding Hope - 10th Anniversary of 9/11

With 9/11 approaching I wanted to share a few things with everyone. First, this video about a 9/11 survivor. I suggest everyone watch it. It is such a touching video and really makes you thankful for the things we have.

I would also like to share this article my sister-in-law shared with me by Thomas S. Monson. It is a wonderful article...

www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/911-destruction-allowed-us-to-spiritually-rebuild/2011/09/08/gIQAbkjKCK_blog.html

We should always remember the people that died and survived that day and always be thankful for what we have.

I Stand All Amazed....

This song is a song that no matter how many times I hear, brings tears to my eyes.

There was a talk by Jeffrey R. Holland in the 1986 issue of the Ensign called, "I Stand All Amazed"
It is a wonderful article and I highly recommend everyone take a moment to read through it.
www.lds.org/ensign/1986/08/i-stand-all-amazed?lang=eng

I truly do stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. Listening to this song, reading that talk, it all makes me think that we really are spirit children of God and that we should be truly acting that way every single day. We need to be constantly bringing ourselves closer to our Heavenly Father. Not only do we need to be reading our scriptures, saying our prayers, and going to church, but we need to be doing more. We need to be always looking for missionary opportunities. We need to be faithful in all things.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf said:

"To follow Christ is to become more like Him. It is to learn from His character. As spirit children of our Heavenly Father, we do have the potential to incorporate Christlike attributes into our life and character. The Savior invites us to learn His gospel by living His teachings. To follow Him is to apply correct principles and then witness for ourselves the blessings that follow. This process is very complex and very simple at the same time. Ancient and modern prophets described it with three words: “Keep the commandments”—nothing more, nothing less.

Developing Christlike attributes in our lives is not an easy task, especially when we move away from generalities and abstractions and begin to deal with real life. The test comes in practicing what we proclaim. The reality check comes when Christlike attributes need to become visible in our lives—as husband or wife, as father or mother, as son or daughter, in our friendships, in our employment, in our business, and in our recreation. We can recognize our growth, as can those around us, as we gradually increase our capacity to “act in all holiness before [Him]” (D&C 43:9).

The scriptures describe a number of Christlike attributes we need to develop during the course of our lives. They include knowledge and humility, charity and love, obedience and diligence, faith and hope. These personal character qualities stand independent of the organizational status of our Church unit, our economic circumstances, our family situation, culture, race, or language. Christlike attributes are gifts from God. They cannot be developed without His help. The one help we all need is given to us freely through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Having faith in Jesus Christ and in His Atonement means relying completely on Him—trusting in His infinite power, intelligence, and love. Christlike attributes come into our lives as we exercise our agency righteously. Faith in Jesus Christ leads to action. When we have faith in Christ, we trust the Lord enough to follow His commandments—even when we do not completely understand the reasons for them. In seeking to become more like the Savior, we need to reevaluate our lives regularly and rely, through the path of true repentance, upon the merits of Jesus Christ and the blessings of His Atonement.

Developing Christlike attributes can be a painful process. We need to be ready to accept direction and correction from the Lord and His servants. This worldwide conference with its music and spoken word offers spiritual power, direction, and blessings “from on high” (D&C 43:16). It is a time when the voice of personal inspiration and revelation will bring peace to our souls and will teach us how to become more Christlike. This voice will be as sweet as the voice of a dear friend, and it will fill our souls when our hearts are sufficiently contrite.

By becoming more like the Savior, we will grow in our ability to “abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 15:13). We will “lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better” (D&C 25:10)."

I am no where near perfect and never will be, but I do seek each and every day to be more Christ-like, as I hope we all do. I will always stand all amazed that "for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled, and died for me." I feel truly blessed having the gospel in my life.