We each are here on earth for the purpose of growing and progressing.However, through it all we will make mistakes. We will need to repent because,of our wrong choices. Sin can come about out of igronance, our weakness or pure disobedience. We all are imperfect people so,we will fall short occasionally. Heavenly Father knew we would sin.

To commit sin is to willfully disobey God's commandments and fail to act righteously despite knowledge of the truth. However, our elder brother Jesus Christ has made it possible for us to repent and start anew (Alma 42:4).

Jesus was the only one capable of carrying out the Atonement for all mankind. He is the only perfect person whom ever walked the earth. All of us must rely on the love and mercy of Jesus to become cleansed from our sin (D&C 50:28-29). When we sin, we all become enemies to the Lord. If we continue in sin, we experience spiritual death, being separated from Heavenly Father’s presence.

Elder Richard G. Scott tells us, “The painful consequences of sin were purposely put in our plan of happiness by a compassionate Father in Heaven so that you need not follow that tragic path in life."

Repentance is the way provided for us to become free from our sins and receive forgiveness for them. Sin slows our spiritual progression and can even stop it. Repentance makes it possible for us to grow and develop spiritually again. Repentance requires us to surrender to God and His will in our lives. At some point in our lives we realize Christ is the only hope, and we humble our hearts and seek to do His will with our lives. When we repent of our sins the Lord does not remember them any more. In fact, each of us needs continually to repent and obey so that the gift of the Savior will satisfy the demands of justice for even our small mistakes.

For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and partaken of the tree of life, he would have lived forever, according to the word of God, having no space for repentance; yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated. (Alma 42:5)

There is hope through the power of repentance. In order for the process of repentance to take place there are several necessary steps to take:

1. Recognize Our Sins

We must admit to the wrong we have done. If we do not admit this we can’t repent. The scripture tells us not to justify our sinful practices. "And he said unto them, Ye are they, which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." (Luke 16:15)

2. Feel Sorrow

We must feel terrible about the wrong we have done and have a sincere desire to change. It will require much tears, sorry and regret.

3. Confession

Confess your shame and guilt to the Lord and then plead for His help. Confessing our sins removes a heavy burden off our back. Covering our sins keeps us from progressing. But, those who confesses and give up their sin shall have mercy.

4. Make Restitution

We should make right any wrong we have done. When we do these things God will not mention our sin to us when we are judged. Restitution shows the Lord that you will do all in your power to repent.

5. Forgive Others

We must forgive those who have hurt us. Our hearts must be free of hate, bitterness, and bad feeling against others in order for forgiveness to work.

6. Keep the Commandments

We must fill our lives with righteous activities. Read and ponder the scriptures. Pray for the Lord's guidance and strength, fasting during those times of need in our lives.

The prophets have declared that “this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God” (Alma 34:32).

We should begin the day by examining our actions to see whether the Spirit of God is with us. At night before we go to sleep, we should review our acts and words of the day and ask the Lord to show us the things for which we need to repent. By repenting every day and having the Lord forgive our sins, we will experience the daily process of becoming perfect. As with Alma, our happiness and joy can be sweet and exquisite. There is no blessing as sweet as the blessing of repentance. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to repent each day.

Let's face it, there's been a lot of talk lately about Mormon women. Perhaps these sentiments are true for some. They are not true for me! Never in all the time that I've been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (and that's all of my life) have I ever felt inferior or second-rate because I happen to be female. I've never felt as if I am somehow less important in the eyes of the Lord and in the Church because I'm a woman. I've never once been envious that I do not hold the Priesthood, that I can never be a Bishop (spiritual leader of the local Church unit). Why should I be envious when I already have the most wondrous of gifts - Womanhood?

Consider the following quotes:

"Women are the real architects of society." (Harriet Beecher Stowe, abolitionist and novelist)

"Womanhood: the highest place of honor."(President James E. Faust, Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church until his death in 2007)

"Woman is God’s supreme creation. Only after the earth had been formed, after the day had been separated from the night, after the waters had been divided from the land, after vegetation and animal life had been created, and after man had been placed on the earth, was woman created; and only then was the work pronounced complete and good.

Of all the creations of the Almighty, there is none more beautiful, none more inspiring than a lovely daughter of God who walks in virtue with an understanding of why she should do so, who honors and respects her body as a thing sacred and divine, who cultivates her mind and constantly enlarges the horizon of her understanding, who nurtures her spirit with everlasting truth." (President Gordon B. Hinckley, 15th called Prophet and President of the Church who passed away early this year)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints honors and respects women. The men of the Church, the priesthood holders, are taught to honor the sanctity of womanhood. The Relief Society is the Church's organization for women. This inspired program brings women of the Church together in the spirit of a sisterhood in Christ. Relief Society meetings on Sundays gives women of the Church the opportunity to learn about the Savior and to learn from each other. We share and celebrate our lives and experiences as women, as daughters and sisters, and as mothers.

Every year a Women's Conference is held at Brigham Young University. This year, the Women's Conference will be held on May 1-2. Women's Conference provides a spiritual lift for Latter-day Saint women from all walks of life. Many women attend this Conferene with their daughters making it a special annual event just for them. Those of us who live outside of Utah can also participate via BYU Television. BYU Broadcasting tapes the Conference every year and rebroadcasts them all over the world on BYU Television. You can access it on their web site. You can also view videos of previous Conferences on their site. Their archives go back to 1997.

Some Stakes (group of congregations or wards, generally about three thousand to five thousand members in five to ten congregations) around the country also hold their own Women's Conference. Our Women's Conference for our Stake is going to be held on March 8. It is open to both women of the Church and to any other woman who wishes to come and learn with us. We've been looking forward to this Conference for a while for it promises to be a day of fun and inspiration.

Sisters, womanhood is sacred in the eyes of God. When I reflect on the faith and long lasting influence of women from the Scriptures and from my own life, I find that I have no desire to be anything but the best woman (and all the roles that come with this wondrous title) I can be.

Not everyone is born into a "happy family." Although, some are and it is a joyous thing. Those families not only seem to function well, they actually do function well. When I asked my seminary students this week about joyous families, they described them in these terms: They're happy. They're righteous.

When I asked them to define a "righteous" family, they then started becoming more precise. "A righteous family is one who starts the day praying together ... every day." Another student mentioned, "They consistently have Family Home Evening - every week." Another student said, "They read scriptures together every day, and pray together before they go to bed."

This reminded me of what Elder Jeffrey Holland recently stated in a worldwide broadcast for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The theme for the meeting was Building Up a Righteous Posterity. Elder Holland spoke in a discourse entitled, "Ongoing Emphasis on the Family." He gave an excellent analogy about the patterns within families, especially as pertaining to righteousness.

He spoke of his service-minded mother. Elder Holland's family could not afford store-bought clothing. His mother would attempt to replicate the shirts in the stores. She did her best, but trying to invent a shirt without a true pattern made the final outcome quite unpredictable, let alone the additional shirts she made copying her first try. Here is Elder Holland's additional comments as he paid tribute to his mother's sincere efforts and what he learned:

I think you can see my point and hers. We are bound to be in trouble if a shirt is made from a shirt that was made from a shirt. A mistake or two in the first product—inevitable without a pattern—gets repeated and exaggerated, intensified, more awkward, the more repetitions we make, until finally this thing I’m to wear to school just doesn’t fit. One sleeve’s too long. The other’s too short. One shoulder seam runs down my chest. The other runs down my back. And the front collar button fastens behind my neck. I can tell you right now that such a look is not going to go over well in the seventh grade (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "Ongoing Emphasis on the Family," World Wide Leadership Meeting).

Elder Holland went on to compare his experience with these homemade shirts from his youth to attempting to build a successful family without God's laws. We might get a "shirt" from the experience, but life continues to feel further and further from where we'd like it. Yet when we base our families off the teachings of Jesus Christ, we are using a "true pattern" to create the end desire - a family that is happy. Some of those seams within the true pattern or gospel of Jesus Christ are:

Morning prayer as a family - every morning
Daily scripture study as a family - every day
Evening prayer as a family - every evening
Weekly Family Home Evening - consistently every Monday night
Church attendance - every Sunday

This simple practices over time will help break cycles of abuse. I've seen it happen. These simple practices, when consistently built into a family's life will help bring family members to happier and happier paths. I've seen it happen and know it is true. To read more about Elder Holland's talk, click on Ongoing Emphasis on the Family. To learn more about Jesus Christ, visit the new site focused on the Savior.

Here are a few recently-appearing news stories that involve The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (otherwise known as "the Mormons"), or members of the Church:

Flowery Branch, Georgia: Ground was broken for a new LDS meetinghouse in the Flowery Branch, Georgia area. It will be the fourth LDS chapel in the county, and is expected to serve a congregation of approximately 300 people when it is completed in January 2009.

While the construction of new meetinghouses is usually exciting for the local congregations, such events don't usually get mentioned in Church-wide news because this happens around the world on a regular basis. However, this particular construction project did get a nice write-up in their local newspaper. That kind of recognition is exciting for everyone who reads it.

For more information on Mormon meetinghouses and their functions, read my blog post entitled "Differences Between Mormon Temples and Chapels."

Tri-City Herald: LDS teen Will Casper of Basin City, Washington, performed admirably on the most recent "Teen Tournament" on the popular TV game show Jeopardy! He finished in the semifinal round with $10,000. He plans to use the money to study electrical engineering at Brigham Young University and to serve a mission for the Church. (The fact that many youth his age would choose to spend the money frivolously makes Will's story that much more inspiring.)

Salt Lake City, Utah: The Utah State House of Representatives passed a resolution on February 26, giving special honor and recognition to President Gordon B. Hinckley. President Hinckley was the fifteenth prophet of the Church and passed away just this past January.

"President Hinckley had a tremendous influence, not only on the church, but in Salt Lake City, Utah, the United States and the world," Representative Mike Morley of Spanish Fork said, as reported by the Deseret Morning News. "President Hinckley certainly was the consummate builder, always building those around him and making them better - building the world to be a better place."

Several members of President Hinckley's family were present, and received a standing ovation as they left.

That the state of Utah would want to honor a prophet of the Church may not be too surprising, given the large LDS population there and the presence of Church headquarters in Salt Lake City. But there are also many residents who are not Latter-day Saints. That he could be seen as a friend to all, and not just those of his church, is truly a great tribute to this man.

There are things we do because we have to, things we do because we are expected to, and things we do because we want to. Where does service fall in this continuum? Sometimes, I think, it happens because of all three.

When we are facing difficult challenges in our lives, or are in desperate need of a blessing from God it is appropriate to reach out to others. We give a piece of ourselves away, because we are asking the Lord to fill an even larger void. It may be a “have to” for us. We may give up the bonus check we’d been counting on so that a child can get braces to help them feel better about themselves. There are plenty of reasons service can occasionally be a “have to”.

Sometimes service comes from an expectation. Our friend calls with a need and we help, not necessarily because we have the time or feel a significant inner pull to do so, but because someone is counting on us.

In the best instances, we do it because we want to. We do it out of love.

Often, our motivations can change mid-stream. Beginning may have purely selfish motives, but the service softens and transforms our heart. No matter how it starts, service can be some of the sweetest experiences we will have on this earth. Those are the times we should seek out. When service comes from our very souls and we begin to understand the unconditional love of the Savior. We become more like Him.

So, the question becomes: how can we strive for this type of service more often? How do we draw closer to Him by reaching out to our fellow man?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is an organization made up of volunteers, so there are a lot of opportunities to serve others within the church. Though this is not the only place we choose to volunteer, it generally offers ample and frequent opportunities to forget ourselves and serve the Lord. When we are asked by our leaders to fulfill some responsibility within the church it is generally referred to as receiving a calling, or in other words God is extending a call for us to serve Him.

Sometimes it’s something that seems small and easy for us to accomplish. Other times it seems to be something far beyond our capabilities. In any case, the most crucial part of accepting a call is confirming with the Lord, why He has chosen you to serve. The reasons behind our service can run the gamut of intentions, just like any other act of kindness. But, it’s always best if we turn ourselves over to the Lord, place ourselves in His hands and ask Him to help us do what He has asked.

No matter the task, when we invite the Lord into our heart and soul it will always end up being a service of love that draws us closer to the Savior. No matter the opportunity, place the Lord and the other person above yourself. Find out from Him how best to be His instrument. Then tune your spirit to listen for His guidance. The Savior’s love will flow through your soul and touch the heart of another. You’ll both grow in His love. And that’s what discipleship is all about.

According to a BYU news release, researchers there analyzed rings in the original wood used to build the Salt Lake Tabernacle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or "Mormons") during its recent renovation. By studying the width of the rings they could determine the rainfall in the area for a given year. One conclusion they reached, said BYU professor Matthew Bekker, was that "The 1840s were drier than any other decade in this tree-ring history, which spans the years 1702 to 1863." In fact, 1846 - the year before the first Mormon pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley - was the sixth driest year in the study, and those that followed weren't much better. "It was a really rough time to establish a settlement based on irrigated agriculture," said Bekker.

Researchers also discovered that the Mormon pioneers must have used trees that had already died in their construction. Out of the 28 trees in the study, 5 of them had died or were cut earlier than 1847.

"In this desert environment, the settlers would not overlook the dead trees," Bekker said. "In fact there may be advantages to using post-mortem timber because you don't have to take bark or twigs off and it's already dried so it's not going to warp anymore after you cut it."

The Mormons came to Utah beginning in 1847 in order to escape persecution that had followed them from their beginnings in 1830 in upstate New York. Most recently they had built the beautiful city of Nauvoo on the banks of the Mississippi River in Illinois, only to be driven out by mob violence. The mobs had assassinated their prophet and leader Joseph Smith in 1844, but under the direction of his successor, Brigham Young, the Mormons made the arduous journey to the Salt Lake Valley - a previously unsettled desert land that nobody else wanted.

But, it offered the Mormons the protection they needed to establish themselves as a people. As their settlements spread throughout the west and they cultivated the land, people of other faiths settled the area as well.

Following is a description from a journal kept by a man who arrived in the Salt Lake Valley just two years after the first Mormon pioneers did:

There were more people (except emigrants and Indians) 200 to 1 than I had seen since I left the Missouri River. Where did they come from? How did they get here? I pinched myself to make sure that I was not dreaming. I have seen tables set for probably 100 or more, but here were tables for thousands. But the greatest marvel is how they could, in so short a time, produce in a desert, the variety of food stuffs with which the tables were spread. Men do not gather vegetables from sage brushes or cereals from cactus. The seeds, the tubers, the roots, the fouls, the pigs, the sheep, the cows, everything from which this abundance was produced had to all be transported a thousand miles or more over such roads as we have traveled. Even then, how could they in so short a time with so small a beginning, have produced so much. It seems incredible. I take off my hat to those who planned and executed it" (Diary of John H. Benson, May-Sept. 1849, typescript, Family and Church History Department Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 48-51)

.

Today, Salt Lake City is a thriving metropolis, with plenty of green grass and trees all around. The city hosted the 2002 Winter Olympic Games and is home to many other events and amenities one might expect to see in a major city.

But when the Mormon pioneers arrived there, beginning in 1847, it was an unsettled desert. Making it into a place where people could live and thrive was a huge task, but they succeeded. Today a visitor to the city might never guess how difficult the area was to settle. But the individuals who settled it worked on tirelessly, building the foundations of a city that at that time they could only dream of.

For more information on the Mormon pioneers who settled Utah, visit www.lds.org/churchhistory/history.

Yesterday's news reports about a teacher caught on tape verbally abusing her students angered and shocked many around the country. It's always disturbing when someone in a position of trust betrays that trust. When such incidents come to light, we can't help but wonder if they really are isolated incidents or if they happen more often than we realize. We become a little less trusting, a little less willing to accept things at face value.

I happen to believe that such incidents really are the exception, not the rule. I know that the majority of our teachers are decent and trustworthy. They work hard and deserve our thanks and support. Our educational system may need a little work, but there is no doubt in my mind that our teachers are among the best in the world.

Still, when it comes to education, it is nice to have options. Private school and boarding school are a couple of different options. Homeschooling is another option that most people are familiar with. Technology has facilitated the rise of yet another option in education.

Online schooling has been around for some time now, at least for a college level education. Thousands have taken advantage of this technology. Working adults and many others are finding that a college degree is within their reach with online classes. Technology has enabled learning on their terms when it comes to time and place.

Today, this choice in education is becoming increasingly available to students in Kindergarten to 12th grade. A number of virtual charter schools are now operational in several states including Florida, Wisconsin, Illinois, Kansas, Colorado, California, and Pennsylvania. Virtual charter schools have to meet the same legal requirements as a brick and mortar public school. This includes having certified teachers and a curriculum that meets or exceeds State approved standards. The Department of Education in each State approves and monitors virtual charter schools for compliance just as they do for traditional public schools. The biggest difference between this and a traditional public school is the classroom and mode of delivery. Students who attend a virtual charter school take classes on the computer right from home.

Our family recently made the choice to embark on this new adventure. We came to this decision after a lot of thought and prayer. If you've read some of my other posts, then you know that we are a military family. Moving and starting over in a new place is a fact of life for us. Unfortunately, such a lifestyle isn't always easy on the kids. After one semester in their new schools, we knew that we had to do something. So, after the Christmas break, we discontinued their enrollment in the traditional public schools they were attending, and enrolled them in a virtual charter school.

We are very happy with the choice we made. It is the right educational choice for us at this time. Our children are happier and this has made a huge difference academically.

Virtual charter schools will not replace and should not replace traditional public schools. However, it is an excellent option if traditional schools are just not meeting the needs of our children. Technology has given us the tools to make such a choice in education possible and I (for one) am very grateful. If you want to find out if virtual charter schools are available in your state, I suggest you contact your State's Department of Education.

My son tells me that when he grows up he wants to be just like his dad. I smile, knowing that if he did, he would be a remarkable man. My smile grows wider. I tell my son that when I grow up, I want to be just like him. He looks at me, quite surprised.

The scriptures tell us to “become as a little child.” The Savior pointed to a child when He was teaching a lesson on entering the kingdom of heaven. Our children can teach us much if we are ready. What are the great lessons we are supposed to learn?

I have found that my children teach me in two ways. First, they teach me by example. Second, they give me an environment and opportunity to learn. If our eyes are open to it, we will recognize the natural gifts of our children. We will see that we are in the presence of greatness.

They Teach By Example

When Jesus Christ was asked who was the greatest in the kingdom of God, He taught:

“And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:2-4

Humility is a natural gift of children. In the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin taught his people about this and other gifts of children:

For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father. (Mosiah 3:19)

Humilty, meekness, submissiveness, patience and a heart full of love are all childlike qualities. Our children are great examples of a learning mind and heart. They are open to what we teach them as we should be open to what our Father in Heaven has in mind for us to learn. Children willingly repent and forgive quickly, also setting a good example for what we should do when we, and others, make mistakes. The word repent is from a Greek word that means to have a change of mind, or obtain a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world (BD). Our children happily do this every day.

Children also have very strong faith in simple gospel principles and an innate sense of right and wrong. They believe that God exists and know He answers prayers. If you ask a child what Jesus would do in a situation, they can tell you easily, as though they had known Him all their lives.

They Give Us Opportunity to Learn

Our children give us daily opportunities to learn these same characteristics. They give us an environment where we must learn them to survive, grow and hopefully excel at parenting!

We become more patient as we watch the three-year-old struggle with his shoes, even when we have to get somewhere on time. We develop meekness as we set aside our own to-do list and help our child with challenging homework. We wonder how to stop family arguments and humble ourselves in prayer to find answers. We become submissive to the will of our Father in Heaven as we strive to care for these precious children in the way that would be pleasing to Him.

Yesterday, as the story goes, our family had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Disobedience and chaos were rampant. Voices were loud and I was not a mother feeling calm, or patient, or full of love. We work hard as a family to keep those days rare, but it was also a day of great learning. It was a day to remember that force does not motivate, but love does. It was a reminder that the Holy Ghost cannot be present where contention exists. It was a day to learn the characteristics of humility, meekness, submissiveness, patience and love because I had to. I learned more about what didn’t work, searched the scriptures for what did, and prayed to know how I could do better. I learned more about these characteristics because of our family experience, not in spite of it. Because of my children, I grew.

By example and opportunity, our children are masterful mentors of their most natural gifts. It is no wonder that Christ pointed us to the gifts of a child.

One of Satan’s greatest tactics is to convince us that once we sin we can never become clean again. It’s over. We should just give up, and give in.

Fortunately there is hope. Repentance is an extraordinary blessing given to us by our Savior. All that He endured during the Atonement I cannot possibly fathom. Yet I am forever in debt to Him for this gift. If we sin, we can receive forgiveness. We can be cleansed. We can feel the peace of the Lord. All of these things will serve to strengthen us against further temptations.

In the last several decades Satan has focused in particular on swaying teenagers to make wrong choices. You can see it in the media, in music, and in everyday peer pressure. He knows if he can get to you young, he will have a much greater hold on you as you grow up. He desperately wants you to believe once you sin there’s no way to go back.

There is a booklet called For the Strength of Youth put out by leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormon Church). In this booklet there are many vital points covered to help the teenagers of today cope with temptations and to give guidelines that will help keep you on the happy side of life.

One of these key points is the process of repentance.

“Satan wants you to think that you cannot repent, but that is absolutely not true. The Savior has promised you forgiveness if you will do what is required. The sooner you repent, the sooner you will find the blessings that come from forgiveness” (For the Strength of Youth, p.30).

The repentance process has six key elements:

1. Faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Does that surprise you a bit as the first step? Satan will try to convince you that you are no longer worthy to go to your Heavenly Father and ask for forgiveness. He will try to convince you that the sin you committed was so great it could never be forgiven. This is where faith comes into play. You need to have the faith that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ there is the power to be forgiven. You need to have the faith that your Heavenly Father is ready and willing to forgive you and help you become clean once again.

2. Sorrow for the Sin. I’m not just talking about getting caught and paying penance. You need to have a sincere sorrow for what you have done. There must be an acknowledgement of the sin and your choice to commit it. 2 Corinthians 7:10 talks of having a ‘godly sorrow.’ This type of sorrow signifies a sincere regret at having disobeyed the commandments of Heavenly Father, and a genuine hope to make a change.

3. Confession. Perhaps the hardest part of the process, yet essential if a cleansing is to take place. It is natural for us to hide away our sins, but a funny thing happens when we do. The sin doesn’t go away, but sits like a puddle of tar, sticking to everything inside. We can try to ignore it but it never goes away...until we are ready to confess. For less serious transgressions this can be done in prayer to our Heavenly Father. If our sin is more serious this needs to be done to a church leader. Be completely honest, and do it as soon as possible.

4. Abandonment of Sin. Although the confession is hard, it’s not enough to complete the process. We must also forsake the sin, step completely away from it, and flee before it.

5. Restitution. Whether you want to admit it or not, others are always damaged when we choose the wrong path. It is vital in our healing process to make restitution.

6. Righteous Living. Many times sin becomes a bad habit. If this is the case we need to replace the bad habit with something good. If the sin only happened once, we still need to fill our lives with righteous things so that temptations will have no power over us.

Repentance is not an easy process. It is, however, the only way for us to become whole again, to regain happiness, and to look upon ourselves as worthy children of God. We should always confess our sins to the Lord, and trust that He will help us find our way back to our Heavenly Father. We need to trust in His promise:

“He who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more” (D&C 58:42).

When we successfully come through the process of repentance the Lord will remember our sins ‘no more.’ This doesn’t mean we should forget, otherwise there was no lesson learned. The blessing comes in no longer feeling that sorrow, and in being able to start over with a clean soul.

It is up to us, however, to take that first step.

I’ve been thinking today of a parable the Savior told.

John 10:1-7 – Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow: for they know his voice.

And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

John 10:27 – My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

I’ve been thinking about hearing the Savior’s voice, knowing Him, and following Him with full faith. I’ve been wondering how often I let other voices sneak into my life that try to distract me from my Master. I’ve been praying for the strength to know the difference and “follow not the stranger”. I want to always be found in the Good Shepherd’s fold. I want to always be one of His lambs. I can’t think of a better place to be. That is a disciple’s true desire: to emulate and follow Christ by coming to know Him personally, to understand who He is and what we mean to Him.

His voice will always lead us to do good, to feel the comfort and safety of His love even in the darkest hours of our lives. We find it in the scriptures as we read and study him . It’s in the inspiring words of those in our congregations and families. It’s there in the smile and wave from a neighbor. The freshly fallen snow, the blossoms in spring, the cry of a newborn, all testify of Him. Are we listening?

I think of the story of Elijah from the Old Testament, when he is called to the mount to stand before the Lord. A strong wind comes, but the Lord was not in it. An earthquake comes, but the Lord was not in it. Fire comes, but the Lord was not it. Then, Elijah hears the still small voice of the Lord. Sometimes we forget the part of the story that explains the Lord came with the wind and the earthquake and fire, but it was not until there were no distractions that Elijah recognized His presence and heard His voice.

1 Kings 19:12 – And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:
And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice

It may not be strictly true, but I wonder sometimes if the Lord had to send the large and noticeable things in order to get Elijah’s attention, to help him focus and really hear what the Lord had to tell Him. I also wonder if this same thing happens in my own life. Have there been times when I’ve been called to come closer to the Lord, but He has needed to use something large to get my attention and humble me so that I am ready to listen?

How many times during the day do I miss the ways the Good Shepherd calls to me? What does it take for me to hear those calls? It takes awareness. It means noticing the Lord’s hand in everything around us, becoming in tune with His many blessings and His Spirit. Then, it takes quite, pondering, searching, and reaching deep into our soul. Then, His voice is heard.

Does God still talk to man? Does the Savior still call for His sheep to follow Him?

Yes.

The real question is— Are we listening?

I started college less than six months after joining the church. Because I graduated a year early, I started a local school, but knew no one. Soon after starting, I met an LDS student in the LDS section of the college library, and she introduced me to the Institute of Religion. The Institute program is designed for young adults, generally ages 18-30. Many colleges have a building near the campus, where students can take classes and socialize in a safe environment. In places where there aren’t enough students for that, classes are held in the evenings.

For me, the Institute building became my home and security blanket as I navigated college as a somewhat younger than average student. For the first time, I encountered professors who were happy to attack the church in class, and, being new to the church, I had no answers for their attacks. When these things happened, I was able to drop by the Institute after classes and find someone to explain to me what I had heard. This helped to keep my new faith strong and to stand up to negative pressure.

The classes were high level gospel study, with a satisfying dose of scholarly background information added in for good measure, since credits earned there generally transferred to church schools. I soon learned all the things my long-term LDS friends knew already—how the leadership of the church operated, what the history of the church was, and how LDS family life was supposed to work.

The adults who worked in the building were a source of wise counsel when I faced the challenges of learning to be an LDS adult. The friends I made there shared my own values, and balanced the pressure to adopt new values that were more common among my non-LDS friends. It was easier to hold out when there were other church members in my everyday life.
Since the credits earned in seminary do transfer to church schools, there was homework and there were tests. It was sometimes hard to juggle those extra classes, since, as a new convert hungry for the gospel, I took every class I could, but it was well worth the extra work. I don’t remember many of the things I learned in my academic classes, but the lessons learned in that seminary building on the hill are used every day of my adult life.

"We hope that all for whom these programs are available will take advantage of them. Knowledge of the gospel will be increased, faith will be strengthened, and you will enjoy wonderful associations and friendships with those of your own kind"

President Gordon B. Hinckley, "Of Missions, Temples and Stewardship", Ensign, November 1995, 51

The last thing my new LDS friends convinced me to attend was seminary. After all, it was held very early in the morning before school and I was not a morning person. As strong as my new testimony was, I wasn’t sure it was strong enough to make me get out of bed before daylight to learn the gospel.

Once I went however, you couldn’t keep me away. I learned so much more in that hour of religion than I learned in the shorter Sunday School class. Even more importantly, I began to treasure the feeling I took with me to school each day. Because I was the only member of the church in my family, I was not awakening to family prayer and scripture study. Attending seminary, however, allowed me to start my day with the gospel and to carry the spirit with me to school. It seemed like school went so much better when I went to seminary. I found it easier to resist temptation, to handle pressure from non-LDS friends, and to remember the new standards of life I had chosen for myself. My mood was better, my grades improved, and I was less concerned with the things that didn’t matter.

It wasn’t magic. Some days I didn’t allow the spiritual uplift to stay with me. I still had trials, hard days, temptations, and hurt feelings. More often than not, however, the days were better when I started with the gospel.

Getting up early was hard, but I soon learned it was easier if I prepared properly. I went to bed earlier, so I wasn’t tired. Then I decided the frantic rush with a half-put together mind was keeping me from getting the full benefit of the experience. I began to prepare the night before by setting out my clothing and school supplies, being sure homework was complete, and checking to see if there was anything for breakfast.

In the morning, I allowed enough time to get completely ready, since I didn’t return home afterwards, and to eat a decent breakfast. I wanted to be sure I had plenty of time for morning prayers as well, so the spirit was with me before I arrived, and I wasn’t dependent on the teacher to bring it in herself.

While it seemed very difficult initially, over time, the new schedule became natural and I began to enjoy starting my day in a quiet house, with the gospel to look forward to before a long day of school.