Yesterday was a good day, and I attribute a lot of the success to following the routine in the morning. I felt good about myself, I had a lot of energy, and I feel Heavenly Father blessed me for making a small sacrifice to do His will.
One of the cool things that happened yesterday was we had the HS Christmas Party up in Salt Lake at Bucca de Beppos (or something like that). It was an Italian restaurant and we had a good turn out.
I also was able to meet with Susan from a dance studio here in Spanish Fork. It was my first meeting with a director about building their website, helping them with online marketing, etc. I feel it went pretty well and look forward to meeting with more directors.
Now to my study of the gospel. Today I’m going to read the talk by M. Russell Ballard titled “O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One“.
The sub-title is perfect:
There is hope for the addicted, and this hope comes through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lehi said, “And because he [Lucifer] had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind” (2 Nephi 2:18).
[Satan] uses addiction to steal away agency. According to the dictionary, addiction of any kind means to surrender to something, thus relinquishing agency and becoming dependent on some life-destroying substance or behavior.1
Remember, brothers and sisters, any kind of addiction is to surrender to something, thus relinquishing agency and becoming dependent. Thus, video-gaming and texting on cell phones need to be added to the list.
The prophet Lehi taught his sons this eternal truth: “Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil” (2 Nephi 2:27).
[Recovery from addiction] begins with prayer—sincere, fervent, and constant communication with the Creator of our spirits and bodies, our Heavenly Father.
“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love … ; that ye may become the sons of God; … that we may be purified even as he is pure” (Moroni 7:48).
To those who are dealing with an addiction personally or within your family, I repeat, fervent prayer is key to gaining the spiritual strength to find peace and overcome an addictive craving…Set aside all pride and turn your life and your heart to Him.
Alma 5:14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye aspiritually been bborn of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty cchange in your hearts?
Our love for our Father in Heaven and the Lord Jesus Christ needs to be reflected in our daily choices and actions.
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13)
There are lots of things I liked about this talk. One of the things that stands out the most, though, is what I highlighted in bold: “[Recovery from addiction] begins with prayer – sincere, fervent, and constant communication with the Creator…” I’ve felt this throughout my process of recovery: when I’m doing well, I’m talking with God quite a bit – in the moment of temptation, consistently in the morning and at night, and throughout the day. Not only has this been helpful in fighting off the “fiery darts of the adversary”, but I feel it’s also the perfect way to show God that I’m willing to do HIS will and submit myself to Him. Being diligent in prayers is a specific way to show humility, to show that I know that I can’t do this on my own.
Just like the scripture says at the end of this talk: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). It’s only THROUGH Christ that I can do all things; and by ALL things I think it’s not limited to just spiritual things either. I think that Christ can help me with the directions I go with my career. He can and will and does help me to keep my commitments to do this routine. He can and will help me with patience with my family.
I’m grateful for this study today. I’m grateful I was able to be “successful” another day in my morning routine. I’m grateful that I’m able to study the words of our modern-day prophets and relate them to my life and current situation. I’m grateful for the talents and experiences that God has blessed me with.
Hasta manana!
Nate
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