Sermon for the Week

So, last night I was very restless. Sometimes my brain is on overdrive. I was awake for an hour or so in the middle of the night. I was pondering on all the evil in the world and the people who make money off of it. Especially those who make money off it, in the name of "helping people" on TV. There's way too much garbage on TV. Especially "talk shows" if you can call them that, that are supposedly helping others, when all they're doing is making people's lives more miserable. And the "stars" on these shows that are supposedly "professionals."
They don't understand the damage they are actually doing. As I'm tending to do lately, this made me ponder on my own life. Ya know, the whole "when you point your finger at someone else there are 3 fingers pointing back at you" thing. So, I thought of myself and wondered how many people I have been a negative influence on in my life. It's a rather horrible feeling and I truly believe that someday we will know the effect we've had on others for good or bad in this life. Because I was thinking this, I felt horrible, even wracked with pain. I didn't think I was ever going to shake the feeling or the thoughts that were playing in my head. I prayed for forgiveness for all the evil I have done, for the bad examples I have set, for the negative influence I've been on others, I was really upset!
Then, as always, the Lord in his infinite love and wisdom touched me with his Spirit, as he so often does, by placing a melody in my head. I recognized it and was filled with instant peace as I pondered these words:
Come, ye disconsolate, where’er ye languish;
Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel.
Here bring your wounded hearts;
here tell your anguish.
Earth has no sorrow that heav’n cannot heal.

I'm grateful for the old Sunday School program where you actually had song practice and we learned the hymns. That's how I know this hymn. I'm also grateful for the peace it brought to me and continues to bring.

Eddie and I have been watching the Discussions on the Old Testament on BYU TV. Not only has it been a bonding thing, but we're learning something and Eddie's even beginning to like Isaiah! Now that's truly amazing!

Anyway, the outcome of this whole experience has been a greater appreciation for my Savior and the Atonement. As it says in Isaiah 53:4-5

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows...he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

And this reminds me of the words of Alma:

"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me." Alma 7:11-13

Because of the Atonement earth truly has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal!
I'll leave you with my favorite scripture:
2 Nephi 1:15 "But behold the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love."


For my Savior and the gift of the atonement I am truly grateful!

End of sermon!
Dee