The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ

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A question from Elder Raspband, who is hosting a Face to Face for Young Adults event on September 13, 2020 that will focus on the Restoration Proclamation, is:

How does the restored gospel help me overcome the challenges of today’s world?

My short answer:

  • In centering myself spiritually I overcome the challenges of today’s world. The gospel teaches me many truths that strengthen my testimony and laser point my spiritual focus.
  • God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, the Prophets, the commandments and the scriptures all help me live successfully.
  • The Atonement of Jesus Christ helps me improve by allowing me to try again.
  • The Holy Ghost guides me.
  • If I don’t feel spiritual I read the Book of Mormon, repent, pray and try to keep the commandments.

My long answer:

  • Because of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ I know the truth about life.
  • There is a plan for my life. I’m not just floundering and stumbling through my life trying to figure it out but know my purpose, who I am, where I can go and how I can get there.
  • God is real and is the father of my spirit. He loves me and I am His spiritual daughter.
  • God has told me, through the scriptures, how to return to Him in heaven. -Keep the Commandments. -Follow Jesus Christ as my life’s example and do the good things He did. -Love God with all my heart and soul. (Love God with all I can love, as much as a drowning person gives their all in gasping for air.) -Choose God over the world.
  • Jesus Christ is my Savior and through Him is the only way to live with my Father in Heaven again.
  • The Atonement of Jesus Christ plays a huge part in my life. The world thinks repenting is admitting that I’m a failure and weak. But I know the truth that we’re not perfect and need second chances -do-overs- to try again in a better way and improve. I’m so very grateful that I can turn to my Savior – any time – as many times as I want – and say, “I’m sorry I did that. Let me try again. Please help me be better. I know you want me to succeed and I know you’ll help me. Thank you for helping me.” I don’t beat myself up when I do wrong, and if the adversary tells me that I’m a failure, or weak, or the many other bad thoughts that bring me down I change my thoughts to think good things like, “I’m strong, the Lord is proud of me for my faith, He will help me -I know it- and I’m so grateful that He’s in my life.” I give myself a pep-talk to pump myself up in having good, focused thoughts.
  • Heaven is where I want to go, specifically the celestial kingdom. I’m grateful for the gospel, the church, and good people in my life who are helping me reach that goal. (People aren’t perfect, in or out of the church. But at least in the church people are trying to be spiritual, good and nice. They’re trying to improve themselves, love people and serve others. They’re trying to get back to heaven with faithful testimonies of God and Jesus Christ. I’d rather be with people who are trying to live good lives than be with people who aren’t trying to accomplish anything because being with those who don’t try would eventually leave me feeling unfulfilled.)
  • Because of the restored gospel, there are prophets on the earth today. God has promised that the prophets will never lead me astray so if I listen to them I am assured success.
  • Because of the restored gospel, God’s power helps me through the priesthood. God’s power is real and I feel the blessings of His power. The more faith I have the more God works in my life, and the more I feel it through the Holy Ghost.
  • In a talk I heard someone say, “If we want to talk to God we pray, and if we want Him to talk to us we read the scriptures.” I love that because I can turn to God anytime through prayer and He can turn to me anytime when I read the scriptures. God is always there but when I reach out to Him I feel his presence. God has said many things to His children and all I have to do is read His words. God wants to communicate with me -and He will- every time I open my heart and receive His counsel.
  • The restored gospel of Jesus Christ builds a firm testimony in me, one of hope and resolve. It helps me focus on building godly attributes within myself to have eternal life in the celestial kingdom instead of focusing on the world’s drama and unfairnesses. (This is an imperfect world full of imperfect people, of course people will do things wrong. Life is full of unfair things but will I let unfairness and drama change my focus from having eternal life to focus on bad things?)

For more information about the Face to Face for Young Adults event on September 13, 2020 click here