June 30, 2010

Tonight I read an awesome article by Dallin H. Oaks. It is from the April Ensign and was adapted from an address given at a mission president's seminar. It is called The Atonement and Faith. One part of it spoke of how the Savior builds us up and the devil tears us down. He speaks of applying that to our choices in the way we use our time, entertain ourselves, etc. It really inspired me to want to really pay attention to the "themes of the books, magazines, movies, television shows, and music" that I choose and ask myself, "does this build up or tear down the children of God?" He says, "Whatever builds people up serves the cause of the Master, and whatever tears people down serves the cause of the adversary." I want to use that as a guide to my choices of entertainment and thoughts and support that which "serves the cause of the Master." And things that serve the cause of the adversary are important to pay attention to as well, for educational purposes, and it's important to know what I am fighting against.

And another part of this talk really impacted me. he spoke of comparing a person who sins to a tree that bends easily in the wind. On a windy day, the tree bends so much that the leaves dip in the mud. Only cleaning off the leaves still leaves a tree that is susceptible to the wind when the next storm blows through. It will bend again and be soiled again. True repentance occurs only when we become strengthened as well as cleansed so that we have "no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually." (Mosiah 5:2) I really really loved that analogy and it really helped me to understand repentance in a way that I never have before. I am really grateful for this article. What I read tonight really helped me a lot.