I am grateful for my scripture study this morning. I loved studying about grace. I love knowing that Jesus IS the plan. This amazing plan is powered by love. Grace means condescension, kindness, generosity, and charity. Divine grace involves divine work. “This is my work and my glory…” (Moses 1:39). Grace is everything God the Father and Jesus DO to bring to pass “the immortality and eternal life of man.” Everything they do is for our personal success. Grace is centered in the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Because of the grace of the Father and of Jesus Christ ALL men may be saved.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught that “because we all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and because there cannot any unclean thing enter the kingdom of God (1 Ne 15:34), everyone of us is unworthy to return to God’s presence… We cannot earn our way into heaven; the demands of justice stand as a barrier, which we are powerless to overcome on our own. But all is not lost. The grace of God is our great and everlasting hope. Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the plan of mercy appeases the demands of justice (Alma 42:15) and brings about the means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance (Alma 34:15).
Faith and works do go together… like two blades on a pair of scissors. C.S. Lewis taught “asking which blade in a pair of scissors is more necessary was pointless.” Faith and works are two sides of the same coin – there is balance! Works are necessary but insufficient. We need Christ! Jesus saves! And it matters what we do. Our “works” are an expression of our faith in Christ.
Jesus asks us to follow Him. Jesus went around doing good. He did so out of His own free will and brought about much righteousness. To follow Him, we must do the same. These are the “works” of righteousness, the “works” of faith required of us. We are invited to do the same… “put your trust in the spirit which leadeth to do good – yea to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously… (D&C 11:12).
We are invited to express faith by asking “what would Jesus do,” and then to act on the answers in faith. Thus, faith and works and grace all go together “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”
I am grateful for the things the Spirit and other smart spiritual people teach me. I am grateful for the testimony of the Spirit that increases my own testimony as I read and study the scriptures and the words of the prophets. I am grateful for the promptings of the Spirit and for the times I have the courage to follow those promptings. Following the promptings of the Spirit truly brings the blessings of heaven.
I am grateful for qi gong. Attempting to begin a practice of qi gong has really helped me to center myself.
I am grateful for a much better day today.
I am grateful that my lesson iseas worked today.
I am grateful for the texts I exchanged with family members today were fun and inspiring.
I am grateful that my new desk organizers came in the mail today. Now to find the time fully move into the office!
Today is my brother Paul’s birthday. I am so grateful for that guy! I loved snuggling him when he was a baby. He is fun and has such a great sense of humor. He is loyal. He is hard working. His forgiving. He is loving. He amazing!
I am grateful so much today!
Resigning as the General Manager of the Universe 