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The Challenge of Change

 Pres. Dallin H. Oaks talk that we read this week “The Challenge to Become” was very thought-provoking to me. “In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.” – Pres. Dallin H. Oaks. It is very inspiring to know that we can become something new!

But how do we become something new? Pres. Oaks tells us that, “…the Final Judgement is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts – what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts – what we have become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.” We need to work and give a sincere effort to be obedient to our Savior and his commandments. To me, this sounds simple enough. I can do that. My life is always better and I am better when I dedicate myself and time to the Lord.

But I do believe there are times in our lives when this is “easier said than done.” I find myself in one of those seasons. For various reasons I have not been dedicating my life to the Lord as well as I would like. I can feel it. I have been letting myself be dictated to by fear, rather than faith. I am feeling the negative effects of that way of thinking.

The scripture that comes to my mind is Mosiah 3:19, “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.” When I lead with fear and give in to my “natural man” ways. I notice my life feels darker. However, I am not sure yet how to get out of this cycle of giving in to the natural man. How do I stop giving in to the natural man? This scripture tells us “…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…”

As I think about this, I can start with small baby steps. Celebrate my little victories. As I do this it will lead to bigger victories and a better determination to dedicate my life to Christ. The small baby step I can start with is when I take my morning prescriptions, I need to take 15 minutes to study the scriptures and Come Follow Me. I want to try this for a week and report back how I feel next week. What changes will I see in myself? What blessings will I see happen in my life?

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