Hello everyone!
This was an exciting and a happy week, but there really
aren't many stories to tell. Most of the great things that happened came in the
form of lessons learned. Here is one of my favorites I learned from General
Conference.
I learned a lot all throughout conference, but I definitely
learned a lot more afterwards as I stopped and thought about all of the
teachings together. After looking back there is one thing that really stands
out to me and that is the importance of being Christ Centered. They talked
about a lot of different gospel topics and brought up many different ways to
improve. However, if we see all these things as separate and individual points
to be achieved one at a time then we will be probable become overwhelmed by the
vast array of things yet to do. In order to experience the true power of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ, we must learn how all things become one in Christ and
how "in Christ there should come every good thing." Principles such
as the atonement, faith, repentance, and covenants only have power when they
are connected to our savior Jesus Christ. All of our goals and pursuits in life
will only have power to change our hearts when centered on Christ.
The biggest way in which this has helped me is in understanding
Charity. For a very long time I have sought after charity as if it were some
sort of independent entity or power of its own. I was praying and working for
charity as if it were an object that could be just handed to me or obtained
through effort, but this is all wrong and doctrinally incomplete. "Charity
is the pure love of Christ." That love exists in him, because of him, and
through him. We seek this attribute in order that we may love as he loves,
serve as he serves, and see others as he sees them. Most importantly we seek it
that "when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as
he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is
pure."
If we pray and strive to be filled with the pure love of
Christ and to love and serve as Him, we will have a miracle. We will come to a
greater understanding of His perfection, character, attributes, and mission as
our Savior and the Son of God. "And [Jesus Christ] suffereth long, and is
kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not [His] own, is not
easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth
in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things,
endureth all things." We will come to deeply "Know ... the one
true God and Jesus Christ whom [He] hath sent." We will have our hearts
changed and our desires made pure through the love of God. We will grow an
unshakable Faith in Him.
I hope you all have a wonderful week and that you find ways
to center your life and your goals on Christ. Definitely start by reading
Moroni 7 and John 17
Love
Elder Basham
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