Why?

I walk out the door for another day here in this place and I ask myself
Why?

I look at the blue, blue sky and see the birds and hear the sound of the wind in the trees and ask myself
Why?

I feel the warmth of the friendly sun on my face, basking in its goodness and walking in its light and I ask myself
Why?

Why do I feel so good when I help someone or say a kind word?
Why do I long for love and long to show love and to be loved?
Why do I feel like there's something else out there beyond these four walls and the canopy of the sky?

Why?

Two guys in ties walk up to me and ask if they can talk to me
Why?

They tell me I can find out who I am and where I came from and where I'm going when I die.
Why?

They say God loves me and He's my Father and He wants the best for me, even when I can't figure it out
Why?

I begin to feel something real swelling inside, a familiar, happy feeling.  Like Home.

Why do I feel good when I reach out to God?
Why am I feeling like I can overcome the things I never did like?
Why is this so real to me, such an obvious answer to such a puzzling question?

Now I know why.

Even as a Child

We had an awesome spiritual feast today--the 181st Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Every six months the leadership of the Church gives addresses about subjects of faith, hope, Jesus Christ, and how to be better disciples. Pretty awesome, huh?  (If you have any other questions about General Conference, facebook me or visit this site)  One of my favorite talks today was from a woman who spoke about children and their examples to us of humility, patience, unconditional love, and devotion to Jesus.

Once, when Jesus was asked who was the greatest in God's kingdom, Jesus brought a little child in front of His followers and said,

Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 

It makes me wonder how I'm doing in becoming humble like a little kid.  Note also that Jesus wants us to become childlike, not childish--there is a definite difference. 

A father and child very near to my heart!

Remember when your parents told you to do something or not to do something and it didn't make sense to you?  Remember when you did it and you saved yourself a whole mess of trouble? or maybe you disobeyed--caused you grief, didn't it?  God doesn't expect us to know all the reasons He gives us, but He does expect us to trust Him, just like a little child totally and completely trusts their parents.  I know there are things in my life that I don't understand (and there will be plenty more!); but that's alright.  We are children of our Heavenly Father and Father certainly knows best.  It's alright if we don't get it all the way the first time or if there are things that bug us or get in our way.  That's all part of the test of life.  I know that if we will believe in what God says to us through the Holy Ghost, the scriptures, and prophets, we will be alright.   

Consider what a Book of Mormon prophet had to say on the matter:

For the natural man is an enemy to God, ... and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit... and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child,  submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

I know that it is through the Atonement (the sacrifice and sufferings) of Jesus that we can become the childlike people He knows we can be.  If we practice being like children in our attitude toward God and His commandments, we will be happy, blessed, and be on the way to realizing our true potential as sons and daughters--children--of our Heavenly Father.

Much Love,

Elder Spendlove