{"id":10962,"date":"2019-10-14T14:22:00","date_gmt":"2019-10-14T20:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reliefsocietywomen.com\/blog\/?p=10962"},"modified":"2019-10-14T14:22:00","modified_gmt":"2019-10-14T20:22:00","slug":"spirituality-turning-ourselves-over-to-jesus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reliefsocietywomen.com\/blog\/2019\/10\/14\/spirituality-turning-ourselves-over-to-jesus\/","title":{"rendered":"Spirituality: Turning Ourselves Over to Jesus"},"content":{"rendered":"

During our recent conference, a lot of the talks focused on our spirituality. More specifically, our commitments to the covenants we make and how focused we are in staying on the path. In the Sunday morning session of the October 1985 General Conference, Dallin H. Oaks spoke on the topic of Spirituality<\/a>. This is an important topic for us today.<\/span><\/p>\n

On social media, people seem quite upset with Pres. Oaks because of his blunt talks; one of trusting the Lord<\/a> and the other, keeping the two great commandments.<\/a> I remember listening to these talks thinking how well he explained things. He was careful yet thorough, truthful yet loving, and he backs everything up with what the scriptures teach us. And still, people claim to be offended and angry at what they view as harsh, unloving words.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thirty-four years ago, (then) Elder Oaks explained what spirituality looks like.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cSpirituality is a lens through which we view life and a gauge by which we evaluate it.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Quoting scripture next, he recited, \u201cWe look not at the things which are seen<\/em>, but at the things which are not seen<\/em>: for the things which are seen<\/em> are temporal; but the things which are not seen<\/em> are eternal\u201d (2 Cor. 4:18<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

His talk distinguishes worldly and temporal logic from eternal and spiritual revelation. Specifically, ignoring the naysayers and having faith in the unseen and accepting eternal truths.<\/span><\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t realize there were so many scriptures that warn us against worldly attitudes, but he lists many of them. If the scriptures warn us so heavily, why do we reject a modern-day prophet for saying the same thing? Latter-day Saints have a responsibility to recognize truth from worldly lies. This has become difficult in our day.<\/span><\/p>\n

We are hearing more and more about mental illness, anxiety, and bone-shaking pain. It is real and can be debilitating. I\u2019ve experienced this in my own life. But here is the secret to life: By turning to Jesus Christ, we can be made whole\u2014no matter how broken we are.<\/span><\/p>\n

Have we forgotten that we came down to earth fully aware that we were to be tested? Likely, we had little understanding exactly how that would make us feel and how painful and immobilizing it would be, yet this is what we came down to experience. A large part of our purpose in coming to earth is to overcome this pain by turning to the Savior.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cSee with the perspective of eternity, a temporal setback can be an opportunity to develop soul power of eternal significance. Strength is forged in adversity. Faith is developed in a setting where we cannot see what lies ahead. \u2026 Those who can look upon their afflictions in this manner have spirituality.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The answers we need really are in the scriptures and in our conference messages. This is where we learn again about faith, repentance, forgiveness, service, true worship, keeping covenants, and everything that aligns us with Jesus Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus Christ has given us the means by which we may be cleansed of our sins, our pain, our weaknesses, our sorrows, and our illnesses. It is our responsibility to seek after that eternal perspective; to claim our spirituality. By doing so we will be able to sanctify ourselves, or in other words, turn our lives over to our Savior, so He can do the rest.<\/span><\/p>\n