Dear Rose,
When I asked you why you wanted to be baptized you answered, "Because I want to follow Jesus and be like Him." When I asked if you understood what baptism was you said, "It's a covenant, which means a promise to God, and a promise He makes back." As we continued to talk about it all, you knew it all. You knew what it all was and the why, and you knew that you wanted to do it. I'm not so sure if I understood as well as you when I was 8 years old and getting baptized.
But I'm so grateful I made the choice to do it, regardless. It set me on the path that I am still on today. There have been times of questions and doubts but I feel like I've been able to weather the storms with the light and anchor of faith. I have learned that you truly don't need to know anything to have faith. You don't have to feel all the good feelings and be in a good place with your testimony to hold onto your covenants. In fact, those are the times you should hold on the tightest. Sometimes people get disoriented in the darkness and think that's the time to let go. But I can promise you that if you hold on the light will come again and you will be so grateful you didn't get lost.
In a world with many confusing roads and paths and contradicting, flashy road signs, don't throw away your map. We have the ultimate guide! We have the scriptures, living prophets, and the Holy Ghost, who can provide us with our own life saving personal revelations.
We are not here to earn love. We already have that from loving Heavenly Parents and our Savior, Jesus Christ. What we are here to do is to GIVE love. To grow it. To share and spread it around liberally. This is the reason we are here. It's all about the love. It feels so freeing and good when you realize this and know that perfection is not what the world or our culture says it is. It's not a check list or how we look or what others think of us. It's just perfectly trying our best and loving God and others, including ourselves.
Within this gospel we have full access to knowledge, healing, and progress. We have access to the light in a very dark world. YOU, my sweet Rose, are LIGHT. You are full of love for everyone and every creature. You have so much to give! I hope you will always hold to this covenant, and future covenants, because You and God and Jesus -together- will be an unstoppable team for good!
We love you and are SO proud of you. We can't wait to continue to watch you grow into the amazing Rosie that you are!
Love, Mom
No comments:
Post a Comment