A lot of times I wonder about how well I'm doing overall in my life. Am I doing what I know I am supposed to? Is God pleased with the way I am living my life and the choices I am making?  I always feel that I could be doing a little better and there are definitely many aspects of my life that I need to improve on. A talk by Elder Dallan H. Oaks titled, The Challenge to Become, really helped me understand more about these questions and the concept of preparing to live with God again.  He talked about how all of us throughout our lives are going to make many mistakes and do things that are against what God would have us do.  However, He understood that this was going to be a part of each of our lives, so he provided Jesus Christ and his Atonement and the opportunity to repent and change.  He talked about how our lives and preparing to meet God is more about what we have become than the choices we have made.  All of us take different routes and have different experiences throughout our lives,  but if those things have and are leading us to become more like Christ, then we are heading in the right direction.  Obeying God's commandments changes us and molds us into what He would have us become. And when we are obedient we will ultimately end up with the wonderful blessing of living with God and Christ again. I'm very grateful for the blessings they provide me and the chance I have to become better. 

JUDGING OTHERS

I find that I look at other people and judge them for things that they do or don't do way more often than I should.  I think it's fairly natural for us to compare ourselves to others and judge them when we do so.  There is something in the natural man that makes us want to be better than other people or point out their faults.  In the Doctrine and Covenants Section 64 verses nine-eleven it says, "Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin. I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.  And ye ought to say in your hearts-let God judge between me and thee, and reward thee according to thy deeds."  I think being able to keep ourselves free from judging others and viewing them as God would is one of the most difficult things to master in this life.  But when I have been able to do it, I have found it to be very beneficial.  It sets us free from all the worry and anger we end up with when we are always judging others and worrying about what they are doing.  It's always going to be hard, but it will always be worth it to learn to better control ourselves and be at peace with what God has for each of his children.

GRATITUDE

There were a lot of amazing talks that I had the opportunity to hear at General Conference a couple weeks ago and I've been thinking a lot about some of those messages. One in particular that stuck out to me was by President Thomas S. Monson called The Divine Gift of Gratitude.  He talked a lot about being grateful and especially expressing that gratitude to the people around you.  Most of the time I'm pretty grateful for the things that I have or that people do for me, but I realized I need a little work on saying thanks for those things.  I know everyone likes to be noticed and appreciated and I need to do a better job of letting them know how much they really are needed and appreciated. President Monson also talked about how when we have an attitude of gratitude, we have a much better outlook on life.  We see things in a more positive light, and because of that we are happier.  I have definitely noticed in my own life that when I am grateful for the things I have and the things others do for me, I am much happier and seem to be in a better mood.  I know that being grateful can uplift our spirits and help us to realize how much we really do have.  I'm very appreciative of this Gospel and all of the opportunities that it gives me to learn and to make myself a better person.

GENERAL CONFERENCE

General Conference is coming up this weekend, October 2 and 3. This happens every six months in April and October and is a meeting where the prophet and the apostles, as well as other leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, get together and give talks or speeches about different Gospel topics and other things that are important in our world today. It's an amazing opportunity to feel of the Spirit and gain a greater understanding of Christ's teachings and what I should be doing today in the world.   It makes me really grateful that we have a living prophet today, Thomas S. Monson, as well as the apostles to help guide and direct us in this world where so many things are confusing. It gives me a sure source to look to and to trust on some of my important decisions. I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored and I'm very grateful for everything that it brings with it.  To find out more about the Prophet and the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, please visit Mormon.org.

TRUST IN GOD

Trusting in God and following his commandments is what truly brings us lasting happiness in this life. Proverbs 16:20 "He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he." I've really come to see that this is true in my own life.  Whenever I rely on God and really trust that when I do what He asks, he will take care of me, I am truly happy.  It isn't always going to be easy, actually most of the time it's not easy. In 1 Timothy 4:10 it says, "For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe." There is going to be hard work and suffering along the way, but we will be at peace with ourselves and will have a confidence that we will one day return to live with God. And that is worth everything that we are faced with here on Earth.

NEVER BE TIRED OF BEING GOOD

I wanted to share a verse that has recently come to my attention and that gives me a lot of hope and motivation.  It's Alma 37:34 in the Book of Mormon and it reads,  "Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls."

That really hit me because I think a lot of times we get tired of trying to do and be good. We are nice and try to do what we can to be good, upright people, but sometimes it seems like it's not really making any difference.  We're kind and others don't seem to recognize it and it can be frustrating.  But this verse lets me know that doing good is never a bad thing and that there will always be peace and strength that come from doing what we know we should.  And in the end we will receive the rewards and blessings that come from our actions.