Today I was listening to a very lovely talk on the Easter story in Sacrament. Brother Harris did a wonderful job of capturing the importance of Easter. He very respectively told the whole story of Christ's resurrection and I really enjoyed it. There is one part that really stuck out to me, though. Brother Harris reached the part of the story when Mary Magdalen(sp?) was crying in the garden. She thought she saw the gardener and, while crying, asked him where her master's body was. The gardener simply said, "Mary" and she knew exactly who he was.
It made me realize that the Savior and our Heavenly Father know us so well, they know us by name. Heavenly Father knows my likes, my dislikes, who I love, what I love to do. He knows my favorite movies and songs that play on the radio. He knows that I love to sing and dance. He knows that when I'm home alone I will put on a concert for my biggest fans and dance my heart out to Lady GaGa. Better than that, he knows my heart. He knows when it's broken and how to mend it. He knows just how to make me feel loved and ok. He knew that I could cross over giant hurdles with flying colors and he knew just what to do to help me get over them. He knows me, better than I know me.
It makes me wonder, do I know him? If the Savior or my Heavenly Father called me by name would I know who it was?
I feel like the obvious answer is yes. I like to think that I would recognize my Father in Heaven but would I?
This made me think even further as to what causes me to know my Heavenly Father. There's the "seminary answers:" pray, go to church, pay your tithing, and read your scriptures. Love others, always serve with a smile,..the list goes on. But I have a theory. I think that you can do all of those things and still not know your Father in Heaven. I think it takes praying with your whole heart. Not just repeating the same prayer over and over again but really thinking about what you are thankful for that day. Really concentrate on your faults and shortcomings so you can truly repent. Then turn around and ask for a way to improve. Don't just quickly end; wait. Wait to see if He has guidance for you.
Don't just go to church. Serve at church. Get to know your ward members, love them, help them. Do the best you can in fast offerings so that your ward members can eat, have clothes, and wear shoes.
Pay your tithing in full. Never hesitate and always follow through.
When you read your scriptures really try to find the meaning of what your reading. I've found that when I read my mind wanders. I'm not always concentrating on the page. Sometimes that's a good thing. Sometimes I'm thinking about things in my life that the words pertain to. But most of the time I'm just thinking about what I'm going to do after I get done. I need to work on finding inspiration and lost knowledge in the scriptures. What a great opportunity it is to learn from prophets of the past. It's like reading General Conference from the prophets of old.
I end on serving others for a reason. I once heard a great analogy of service. When you are on an airplane the flight attendant tells you that if the air mask falls down make sure to put on your own before assisting another. I don't want you to be selfish or focus only on yourself but work on serving yourself. Your Heavenly Father loves you just as much as he loves the people around you. He wants you to be loved and healthy too. Make sure that you are taken care of and that you feel good so you can serve others to the fullest. Also, remember, that it's really the small things that count. You don't need money to serve. Sometimes you just need two hands that can fold laundry, vacuum the carpet, or wipe a counter. Sometimes you just need two ears to listen and a mouth to give advice.
Through these things you will come to know your Father in Heaven. I know that to be true. I also know it to be the greatest blessing here on Earth.
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