Today is the day before Easter Sunday and I’ve just been
reflecting on my blessings, one of which is obviously the opportunity I will
have to serve in Nauvoo in 34 days…(not that I have a count-down or
anything…).
The Lord is so good to His children. I just think about all the blessings associated
with this summer, either directly or indirectly and it can be
overwhelming. In the first place the
Lord gave to us this life, with the intent that we would use it to rely on Him
and follow the gospel plan for happiness.
Its easy to look at this plan and say “Great! When I get to the
Celestial Kingdom I can be happy!” and see that happiness as a destination, but
this isn’t what the Lord intended at all, of course He wants us all to join
with Him in the Celestial Kingdom, but He also desires that we make choices
that will enable us to “find joy in the journey.” I already know that Nauvoo is
going to add so much lasting joy to my life both while I’m there and through
the memories of serving in the city beautiful that I will carry with me
forever.
Blessing number two is the blessing of our talents. Everyone on Earth has them (yet another
testimony of the goodness, mercy, and love of our Heavenly Father) Shortly
after I received my call to serve in Nauvoo I sat down and thought it would be
fun to map out all of the significant contributing factors that led to my being
able to audition. I started with a basic
list of when I started into music, when I started singing, etc, and continued
into how I came into contact with certain key people and found myself in a
circumstance where I would find out about Nauvoo and be able to apply. The list grew so fast and I was overwhelmed
by the staggering evidence of the Lord’s guiding hand in my life, because I
could see so many places where a little change and I wouldn’t be where I am
today.
The third blessing and probably the most significant of all
is what Apostle Neal A. Maxwell referred to as the Savior’s “relentless
redemptiveness”. I am so greatful for
the Atonement of Jesus Christ, both for its power to wash away sin and guilt,
to lift us when we fall, to keep the light of hope always shining brightly
before us, as well as its wonderful power to strengthen us beyond our own
capacities, to expand our hearts, our spirits, our minds, and our strength
making us more than we were and more than we could ever have become on our own.
The Atonement is beautiful.
All of these blessings, these gifts of love from Heaven, all
remind me of a line from the lyrics that I love, which comes from “Lamb of God”
by Rob Gardner which says “10,000 gifts could I employ, to show my praise, my
thanks, my joy! All of my life, yea, all
my days, still not enough to sing Thy praise.” Ten thousand may seem like a lot
at first glance, and it is, but I think it is such an understatement when we
consider all the things the Lord gives His children, especially the blessings
promised to those who have made and kept covenants with Him, and it will
forever be impossible for us to repay the blessing bought with the life and
blood, the agony and scorn, the pain and the resurrection of the ONE and ONLY
PERFECT son of God, our Heavenly Father, the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus
Christ. That price can never be
repaid. But, just as the limits of my
stomach don’t stop me from trying to consume as much delisciousness as possible
on Thanksgiving, I won’t let the limits of my mortal frame and lifespan hinder
my attempts to always sing praises to my God.
I’m so excited, and grateful for the opportunity to do just that and sing,
dance, and above all testify and live in such a way as to glorify Him. Time has flown alarmingly fast since
auditions in January, but still doesn’t quite seem to move fast enough. Nauvoo here we come, and I can’t wait for the
message we send out from there to go to all the world.