December 19, 2010

Tonight I read a Conference talk by Elder M. Russell Ballard. It is called O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One. He attests that "Lucifer is a clever and cunning intelligence. One of the main methods he uses against us is his ability to lie and deceive to convince us that evil is good and good is evil." He is successful at his attempts with those who do not have the Spirit as their constant companion to help them discern Satan's luring traps. In this particular talk, Elder Ballard talks of addiction. He says that, "any kind of addiction is to surrender to something, thus relinquishing agency and becoming dependent." He points out the obvious kinds of addictions such as drugs and pornography, but also points out some not so obvious ones such as video-gaming and texting. I thought that was really interesting. And even if one falls to addiction, because of the Atonement, there is always hope of recovery. And it begins, as he says, with "fervent prayer." It takes humility, gratitude, faith, prayer and a willingness to turn everything over to Him. With all of those ingredients, "your body, mind, and spirit can be transformed, cleansed, and made whole and you will be freed." I absolutely love the gospel of Jesus Christ because of the hope it offers. No matter what happens, or what choices I make, because of the Savior's Atonement, there is always hope of freedom. To me, that is the most wonderful thing in the world. It means so much to me and I'm so grateful for this knowledge, especially as I am studying sociology and preparing myself to help others. It comforts me to know there is always a path of hope, no matter what situation or experience I encounter.