How the Atonement Makes Life Bearable

Dear friends, family, and strangers,

This week I thought a lot about the Atonement.

I was pretty convinced that if someone truly knew me they wouldn't
like me. That person wouldn't only not like me but they would be
disgusted, absolutely repulsed by me. Imagine if EVERYONE knew the
real me. I would have no friends, marriage would be an impossible
dream, and even dogs would growl at me.

As I've been on a mission, I've had the once in a lifetime experience
of never being alone. My companion is with me at all times. For the
most part, my companions know me. Companions have marched into the cave that is my soul and
not liked what they saw. They were scared by the dark tunnels,
frustrated at the puddles they stepped into.

It's the easiest thing in the world to think:
Well, gee. If my companion doesn't even like me, doesn't enjoy
spending every minute with me, without being able to read my thoughts
like I do, what am I doing here? Am I a good influence? What does God,
a Being who knows all my thoughts and my past and my future, think
about me?

The fact is we're all filthy beggars. I can guarantee that every
single person on the earth, no matter what they've done, has two
friends that won't shudder at the sight of us. Our Heavenly Father and
Jesus Christ knew we were going to come to this earth and fail
miserably. Christ bought all the tomato soup to mask our foul odors,
prepared all the bristle brushes to scrub our filth, and filled our
warm baths to soak in long before most of us were born. He sees past
our pitfalls and quirks and loves us still. It's an incomprehensible
love. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know where we're aiming for,
and They don't really care about the target we actually hit. They see
us for the potential we have. Charity will never fail. Heavenly Father
will never plug His perfect nose when we are near. Christ will never
faint of the grotesqueness of our dirtiness.

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us all. There is no such thing
as being "love worthy" because everyone is worthy of love. I know I'm
just as worthy of the Celestial Kingdom as the person who actively
opposes religion. I'm so happy to give up a year and a half to bring
all kinds of people just a tiny bit closer to the spiritual hose down
of their lives.

I love you all! I'm grateful for the few people who know me, and
still consider themselves my friends. You've been through a lot.

Love,

Sister Goldsberry

iPadから送信