A Heavenly Gift

My blogging updates haven't been very frequent lately. I still hope to write an 11 month update for Blake before he turns a year next month and share our family christmas letter. But honestly, almost every ounce of my extra time these last few weeks has been spent reading. As I mentioned in my last post, I set a goal a week before Thanksgiving to read the Book of Mormon in its entirety before Christmas. I figured it would be a great way to turn my thoughts more frequently to the Savior at this special time of year. I am not QUITE finished...I have 17 pages left and will finish tomorrow on Christmas Eve.

Today I came across something so beautiful and fitting for this time of year and the issues in our society, I just had to share.

This past week I have been pondering a lot about how quickly things can change in the world and how nothing in our society/government seems to be completely reliable. That uncertainly brings dread and fear into my mind and heart. With that context in mind, tonight I read in Ether 12:

". . . whoso believeth in God might with a surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God" (vs 4.)

"Because of the faith of men He [Jesus Christ] has shown himself unto the world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepared a way that thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they might hope for those things which they have not seen" (vs 8).

". . . But in the gift of his Son [Jesus Christ] hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled" (vs 11).

In this uncertain world we live in, it is possible to have hope for a better world. This is not the be all, end all. If we have faith in Jesus Christ, He can be our anchor. He has truly given us a most heavenly gift that makes it possible for us to repent, change, and become like Him so that we can one day return to live with Him.

There is a more excellent way that doesn't have to be filled with doubts, fears, and heartache. He has prepared it us. It is sure and steadfast. It is reliable. He is our Savior and He loves us.

At this Christmas season when a lot of our minds are focused on gifts, I am so grateful for the heavenly gift our Savior, Jesus Christ, has given to each one of us.