What SAVED Me

"Throughout the journey along the pathway of life, there are casualties. Some depart from the road markers which point toward life eternal, only to discover the detour chosen ultimately leads to a dead end. Indifference, carelessness, selfishness, and sin all take their costly toll in human lives.

Change for the better can come to all. Over the years we have issued appeals to the less active, the offended, the critical, the transgressor—to come back. “Come back and feast at the table of the Lord, and taste again the sweet and satisfying fruits of fellowship with the Saints.”

In the private sanctuary of one’s own conscience lies that spirit, that determination to cast off the old person and to measure up to the stature of true potential. In this spirit, we again issue that heartfelt invitation: Come back. We reach out to you in the pure love of Christ and express our desire to assist you and to welcome you into full fellowship. To those who are wounded in spirit or who are struggling and fearful, we say, Let us lift you and cheer you and calm your fears. Take literally the Lord’s invitation, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

It was said of the Savior that He “went about doing good . . . for God was with him.” May we follow that perfect example. In this sometimes precarious journey through mortality, may we also follow that advice from the Apostle Paul which will help to keep us safe and on course: “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”..........

Mortality is a period of testing, a time to prove ourselves worthy to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. In order to be tested, we must sometimes face challenges and difficulties. At times there appears to be no light at the tunnel’s end—no dawn to break the night’s darkness. We feel surrounded by the pain of broken hearts, the disappointment of shattered dreams, and the despair of vanished hopes. We join in uttering the biblical plea “Is there no balm in Gilead?” We are inclined to view our own personal misfortunes through the distorted prism of pessimism. We feel abandoned, heartbroken, alone. If you find yourself in such a situation, I plead with you to turn to our Heavenly Father in faith. He will lift you and guide you. He will not always take your afflictions from you, but He will comfort and lead you with love through whatever storm you face." President Monson, "Looking Back and Moving Forward," Ensign, May 2008, 87-90

Well how it saved me.....Last year just a little earlier than this time I was in a stage of pain, confusion, heartache, loneliness. Many of you might wonder why, I had everything, a job, family, a boyfriend, about to start school. But believe it or not I started feeling like something was missing. I had no clue what it was but I felt empty. Then conference came, I got to listen to this talk, that in a way impacted me very much. After I did what this talk guided me to do, through out the months I forgot about what it meant. And now a year later I ran into it again. In a way I had forgotten why I made that choice last year, and now I know why I did. I had to look back in order to move forward. As I looked back at my life at that time it was full of remorse, doubts, pain. But now after reading it again looking back brings peace to my heart, knowing that what matters is where I am at now, not the past, but the change I made in my life. It wasn't easy I had lots of doubts about if I had made the right choice and if that's really what I needed. But the pain that I went through to get to whom I've become now was worth every tear, every heartache, every lonely day.

Never be scared to take that step that will make you a better person. Fear will only hold you back from becoming what you need to become, to get to the other side. Like I said it won't be easy, but with His guidance, love, comfort, company everything will be OK. Have faith trust yourself. Surround yourself with friends and family that will bring only the best out of you. Also remember that to help other you must help yourself first.