Thoughts and notes on unity

"My life is a gift, my life has a plan, my life has a purpose, in Heaven it began. My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth and seek for God's light to direct me from birth. I will follow God's plan for me. Holding fast to His word and His love. I will work and I will pray. I will always walk in His way. Then I will be happy on earth, and in my home above."

"There once was a man who was asleep one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Saviour appeared to him.
The Lord told him He had a work for him to do, and showed him a large rock explaining that he was to push against the rock with all his might. This the man did, and for many days he toiled from sunup to sundown; his shoulder set squarely against the cold massive surface of the rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling his whole day had been spent in vain.
Seeing that the man showed signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture - placing thoughts in the man's mind, such as ``Why kill yourself over this?, you're never going to move it!'' or ``Boy, you've been at it a long time and you haven't even scratched the surface!'' etc. giving the man the impression the task was impossible and the man was an unworthy servant because he wasn't moving the massive stone.
These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man and he started to ease up in his efforts. ``Why kill myself?'' he thought. ``I'll just put in my time putting forth just the minimum of effort and that will be good enough.'' And this he did or at least planned on doing until, one day, he decided to take his troubles to the Lord.
``Lord,'' he said, ``I have labored hard and long in Your service, putting forth all my strength to do that which You have asked of me. Yet after all this time, I have not even budged that rock even half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?''
To this the Lord responded compassionately, ``My friend, when long ago I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you to push against the rock with all your strength and that you have done. But never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. At least not by yourself. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me, your strength spent, thinking that you have failed, ready to quit. But is this really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled; your back sinewed and brown. Your hands are calloused from constant pressure and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your ability now far surpasses that which you used to have. Yet still, you haven't succeeded in moving the rock; and you come to Me now with a heavy heart and your strength spent. I, my friend will move the rock. Your calling was to be obedient and push, and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom, and this you have done.''
One day when I was 14 years old I was out at girls camp on adventures. This particular day we were repelling. I watched other girls try this journey and some of them seemed to have so much fun. Others were petrified all the way down. I was unsure how to feel as I put on the harness and began my own journey down the side of the mountain. I was cautious at first but then gained confidence in what I was doing and started to go more rapidly down the mountain. Then something happened. I lost my footing and found myself hanging upside down. As I looked around I was petrified. Still my leader at the top of the mountain could see the whole picture and assured me that it would be alright. My leader or "belayer" was at the bottom holding me sure and steady. If I would trust them I would make it to the bottom of the mountain in saftey. They told me to stay calm. I yelled that I was calm, but appeared very differently. I struggled for a while until I gave into trust and was able to get myself back up and going again on the mountain.
As I pondered this experience recently I realized that when I was united with my leaders everything went more smoothly. I would like to liken those leaders to God who sees the whole perspective and Christ who has anchored our course in life through his atonement. When I worked with them I progressed at the right pace in my climb. When I got ahead of them I was stopped or humbled (yet they willing helped me fix my mistake when I trusted them) This is like life. When we align our will with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and trust their perspective things go forward more smoothly. We may not be able to see what lies ahead or behind, and at times it may even feel like we are hanging off the side of a cliff, but with them we can progress, overcome obstacles, and feel joy in life. Therefore, we should do all we can to unify ourselves with our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ.

As we unify ourselves with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ we are more able to serve and bless others around us.
How do we do this? We return to the words of that primary song. First we hold fast to His word and His love. Second we work. Third we pray. Fourth we always walk in his way. 

hold fast to His word and his love
* Job clung to God when everyone else abandoned him.
Job: Affliction is not necessarily evidence  that one has sinned, aflliction if not for punishent may be for experience, discipline, and instructions
It is essential for job to have a correct knowledge of God and to know that his own course of life was acceptable to God or he would not have been able to endure the trials that came upon him. His unfailing faith is characterized by exclamations such as "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him" (BD 714)

work
Hel 10:4 Nephi is united to the Lord's will so much that anything he commands will happen because God trusts that he only wants God's will.
- declared God's word with unwearyingess
not fear
not sought own life
* Sought my will and to keep my commandments

pray
Mosiah 24:15
Alma and His brethren submitted to the will of the Lord and their burdens were made light

"I knelt to pray when day was done and prayed O Lord bless everyone
Lift from each saddened heart the pain, and let the sick be well again. 
And then I woke another day and carelessly went on my way. 
The whole day long I did not try to wipe a tear from any eye. 
I did not try to share the load of any brother on the road. 
I did not even go to see the sick man just next door to me. 

Yet once again when day was done I prayed O Lord bless everyone. 
But as I prayed into my ear their came a voice that whispered clear
"pause now my son before you pray. Whom have you tried to bless today?
God's sweetest blessings always go by hands that serve him here below. 
And then I hid my face and cried. Forgive me God I have not tried.
Let me but live another day and I will live the way I pray."

always walk in His way
Matt 6:10- Christ tells Heavenly Father that His will is what should be done

Experience happiness on earth and in Heaven

"The Living Christ" 

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