Back to the Basics

I don't pretend to be eloquent in speech. I sometimes write the exact way that I think. It doesn't always make complete sense to those reading it. It seems like so many times I struggle with getting what I'm feeling in my heart, down on paper so others can understand and feel the same. I'm not a deep thinker, I don't have complex feelings, so if what I'm feeling is simple why do I struggle sharing it? That's a question I've asked myself more than once.

I find the same thing is true in how I live my life. I know the principals of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know the way I'm supposed to live and the things I'm supposed to do. So why is it so hard for me (and all of us) to do those things? I think the answer is, we complicate things. It's human nature to do so. There have been times in my life when I want simple answers, or want to do simple tasks like read my scriptures everyday, but I let the enormity of what not doing/getting these things can mean to me in the "big picture" and pretty soon the small things have turned into huge and overwhelming tasks.

I have a cousin who is 19 years old. He was born into a family that was divided in their beliefs. My aunt is LDS but not active and my uncle is Muslim and very active in that religion. After my aunt and uncle got divorced, it was hard to watch my cousins try to figure out how to live their lives. They have great examples in both of their parents, but when it came to religion they lived in accordance to whose house they were staying at for the weekend. They said their prayers with my uncle and would go to church with my aunt or grandparents. Religion was complicated. My cousin, like alot of kids, made some choices that made the black and white lines of religion seem a little gray. After alot of personal hardships my cousin decided he wanted to change. He couldn't live his life the way he was living it and decided to meet with the Missionaries and try to find more. He had alot of support in this decision. Most of my family is LDS and even my aunt who isn't active was supportive of whatever choice he made. He chose to get baptized.

You may be wondering why I'm sharing this story, and there is a reason. I learned many valuable lessons from my cousin, but one that I think will stay with me always. We, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have to go back to the basics. It was such a blessing for my friends and family, those closest to my cousin and those acting as his sounding board and support system, to remember the basics. We couldn't describe church doctrines or principals in depth. My cousin is young and new in the church and needed basic principals laid out for him. We started attending the Gospel Principals Sunday School class at church with him and I feel like I as much as him learned so many valuable things. We cannot let the enormity of eternity overwhelm us. We need to remember the simple principals of the church. When my cousin would get discouraged and start getting overwhelmed and asking difficult and complex questions we would ask him "Do you have a testimony of Jesus Christ?" "Do you believe the Church is true?" "Do you feel the Spirit when you do things that please the Lord?" If the answers to those questions are Yes then we're set. Does that mean life is easy? No. Does it mean we understand everything? No. It means that we know what we need to know and we can rely on the Lord for the rest while we're learning.

My home teachers came last Sunday and shared the October First Presidency message with me and it was such an answer to my prayers. President Uchtdorf talked about Developing Christlike Attributes and remembering the basics in the church and turning to our Heavenly Father for help with the rest. My home teachers asked me if I believed in this principal of remembering the basics and the story of my cousin came to the forefront of my mind. I know it's true. I know the basic principals and doctrines of the church are unchanging and if we hold strong to those then we can weather difficult times. We don't have to be eloquent or all knowing, we have to believe that the Church is true and that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that He and our Heavenly Father love us unconditionally. And I do believe that.