A Mind Filled With Wonder

I have had a lot on my mind lately. From how grateful I am for my Savior to what he has meant to me this past year. This past year has been full of adventures I never thought I would take part in, from buying my own house and living alone to losing people I did not think I would lose. Through all of these changes, the ups and downs, two things have become pretty clear to me: the meaning of Christ’s name when we call Him Beloved and the strength that he has given me, increasing my faith.

One of Christ’s many names is that of Beloved. In Joseph Smith’s first vision, he recounts our Heavenly Father saying, “ This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/first-vision?lang=eng. There are a few reasons this phrase has been so important to me this last year. The first being, I believe that this is what Heavenly Father has needed of me more than anything. I need to learn that I am capable of hard things. That even when I am afraid, I must listen and respond to the call of my Savior and My Father in Heaven. This is not always easy, as I never want to cause another person harm. I have learned that sometimes we are asked to listen and to walk away, as there is something better for us waiting on the other side.

The other thing I have learned from this name is that I am a beloved daughter of Heavenly Father and my Savior. This name has shown me how much I am loved by those who gave me a chance to come to this earth so that I may one day return home ready to continue my journey, learning from my Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son. I have also realized how loved I truly am. I know people always say that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us more than we know. This year, I learned how true that is.

I went through some hard things, and during all of it, I learned that there is no greater love than that of my Savior and Heavenly Father. There is nothing I would do to lose this love; they will always be my first choice. It is not always easy to put them first; quite often, putting them first means giving up something we love. That could be a certain type of music, a person, swearing, going to bed earlier, putting down your distraction, and picking up the scriptures what ever it might be. This is not an easy task, but I can promise that it is worth it. In all my imperfections, the harder I strive to do this, the more peace, joy, and LOVE I feel throughout my life.

I love all y’all. Heavenly Father loves you all. We are His children, and he wants us to return home to be with Him. Of this I know.