So a few weeks ago, my companion and I were running through the streets of Benicia. It's so beautiful there. Running through the old victorian style houses downtown, the sun was rising and I started to think about the effect of the light through the town. As I was watching it, the light transoformed the sky and the colors of the hills start to change. They turned a mutsy purple and the sky was a soft fuzz peach. The tops of the trees began to glow and as the sun slowly kept stretching out from the it's eastern hemisphere trip, the leaves and the flowers started burning with their brilliant neon hues.
A tree with dark green brush and a plain neutral trunk can appear as vibrant as fire. A mountain of dirt heaps can become majestic and bold as the evening sun yawns against the backdrop of its mighty stage.
We, likewise, are made of the dust of the earth, but with the light of the Son, we can be transformed.
Jesus Christ has invited us to become like Him so that we can have His light to be constantly with us. He says, "Follow Thou Me...repent ye, repent ye and be baptized in My name...And He that is baptized in My name, he it is that shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost like unto me."
When we follow Christ and are baptized in His name by someone who holds that power of God, that person who is baptized can receive the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost, or the Spirit, leads and guides. He testifies of truth, comforts us and reassures us of God's love for us. He also fills us with light.
The Spirit, to me, feels like rays of sunshine falling from Heaven. It touches my heart and that brilliant light and peace from God changes me. In the last October General Conference, Keith B. McMullin used this quote, "President Joseph F. Smith described his experience with this mighty change: 'The feeling that came upon me was that of pure peace, of love and of light. I felt in my soul that if I had sinned … it had been forgiven me; that I was indeed cleansed from sin; my heart was touched and I felt that I would not injure the smallest insect beneath my feet. I felt as though I wanted to do good everywhere to everybody and to everything. I felt a newness of life, a newness of desire to do that which was right. There was not one particle of desire for evil left in my soul. I was but a little boy, it is true, … but this was the influence that came upon me, and I know that it was from God, and was and ever has been a living witness to me of my acceptance of the Lord.'"
The dawn of morning brings a new day. It's always a clean slate with spotless opportunity and it is bright! Thats what repentance is. Repentance is changing from the dark clouds of night to seeing the world in a new perspective, seeing yourself in a new perspective and seeing God in a new perspective. Its letting go of bitterness and focusing on all that is good and being washed clean of past mistakes. Baptism is the next step that sanctifies and opens the gate to a path of hope and peace and light.
We've also been given a new chance as a whole society. Throughout history, people have been given the chance to feel that peace and enter that gate of a new life filled with light and joy! But the people would turn away from it and reject it because they had their own ideas of what happiness was. That left the world in darkness and confusion, and those who looked for light couldn't always find it. There was a pattern of darkness and light, much like the turning of the earth. From day to night and back again, just as the world revolves, the pattern of history has repeated itself.
However through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the world now stand still in the light of day. As he sought after the pure truth, He was able to experience that light of the Gospel. In his own story (http://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/js-h/1?lang=eng) he talks about his experience of seeking after truth. After searching and pondering and heeding the words of the scriptures, he knelt down and offered of a prayer with all of his heart, sincerely and simply wanting to know. In his own words he said, "I saw a pillar of clight exactly over my head, above the brightness of the dsun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.
...When the light rested upon me I bsaw two cPersonages, whose brightness and dglory defy all description, estanding above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My fBeloved gSon. Hear Him!"
God has truly brought that light and pure truth back to the earth again. Its clear and it has offered us a chance to live with the greatest joy and greatest understanding and peace in our lives. We don't have to live in the shadow of doubt or confusion. The power of prayer unlocks that misunderstanding for each of us and I know that. Its a promise from God and if you sincerely want to know if its true, you can!
This is the promise:
"We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10:3–5.)
Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is his revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah."If you want to have light pour into your heart from Heaven and to feel the truth of the Gospel, pray. Ask Him, ask me, just ask!
I know these things are true and I hope you let that light flood in, just like the dawn.
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