Friends-
Oh my goodness, I can't believe we are so close to the end and ready to start really focusing on our Tree of Life art project!! I really hope you will see the significance of this project. Let me tell you a couple reasons why I think it is important.
1. I want you to have something special to remember this experience with, and not just your journaling. A visual reminder of what you experienced and learned. But not just to look at but the act of making it will give you time and a reason to sit and think about what you experienced, why certain things touched you, what you want to remember from it. I think this experience alone is worth the effort. It's what made my soul book so incredibly meaningful to me. I went through all my pictures and special memories, but then I sat there and pondered over and over again, "What does my soul need to remember?" That is your question for this project, "What does my soul need to remember about these last 10 weeks and how can I represent that visually?"
2. Creating something from scratch is an incredibly satisfying, and even sacred experience. Creating is one way that we are like God, and our divine nature can come through. It's something that I think most of us are just too busy to do yet it feels soooo good in the process, to think on new planes, to work with your hands and creative mind, and then to look at your finished product and say, "YES! I made that!" Even if it's not perfect, it didn't exist until you came along and made it live! There is an awesome talk on the importance and beauty of creating and I can't find it! I think it was by Uchtdorf or Holland. If that rings a bell with anyone will you please let me know where to find it? It fits perfectly but I don't remember enough key words for the right talk to come up in my search, but I found this part of a talk given my Pres. Uchtdorf in 2009 and oh, how perfect. Please read. I wish I had sent you more talks like this during the challenge... (there is more to read at the bottom of this talk!)
Why Does Heavenly Father Love Us?
Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount—that is the measure of God’s love for you. 7
God does not look on the outward appearance. 8 I believe that He doesn’t care one bit if we live in a castle or a cottage, if we are handsome or homely, if we are famous or forgotten. Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God’s love encompasses us completely.
He loves us because He is filled with an infinite measure of holy, pure, and indescribable love. We are important to God not because of our résumé but because we are His children. He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken. God’s love is so great that He loves even the proud, the selfish, the arrogant, and the wicked.
What this means is that, regardless of our current state, there is hope for us. No matter our distress, no matter our sorrow, no matter our mistakes, our infinitely compassionate Heavenly Father desires that we draw near to Him so that He can draw near to us. 9
How Can We Increase Our Love of God?
Since “God is love,” 10 the closer we approach Him, the more profoundly we experience love. 11 But because a veil separates this mortality from our heavenly home, we must seek in the Spirit that which is imperceptible to mortal eyes.
Heaven may seem distant at times, but the scriptures offer hope: “Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” 12
However, seeking God with all our hearts implies much more than simply offering a prayer or pronouncing a few words inviting God into our lives. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” 13 We can make a great production of saying that we know God. We can proclaim publicly that we love Him. Nevertheless, if we don’t obey Him, all is in vain, for “he that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 14
We increase our love for our Heavenly Father and demonstrate that love by aligning our thoughts and actions with God’s word. His pure love directs and encourages us to become more pure and holy. It inspires us to walk in righteousness—not out of fear or obligation but out of an earnest desire to become even more like Him because we love Him. By doing so, we can become “born again … [and] cleansed by blood, even the blood of [the] Only Begotten; that [we] might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory.” 15
My dear brothers and sisters, don’t get discouraged if you stumble at times. Don’t feel downcast or despair if you don’t feel worthy to be a disciple of Christ at all times. The first step to walking in righteousness is simply to try. We must try to believe. Try to learn of God: read the scriptures; study the words of His latter-day prophets; choose to listen to the Father, and do the things He asks of us. Try and keep on trying until that which seems difficult becomes possible—and that which seems only possible becomes habit and a real part of you.
How Can We Hear the Father’s Voice?
As you reach out to your Heavenly Father, as you pray to Him in the name of Christ, He will answer you. He speaks to us everywhere.
As you read God’s word recorded in the scriptures, listen for His voice.
During this general conference and later as you study the words spoken here, listen for His voice.
As you visit the temple and attend Church meetings, listen for His voice.
Listen for the voice of the Father in the bounties and beauties of nature, in the gentle whisperings of the Spirit.
In your daily interactions with others, in the words of a hymn, in the laughter of a child, listen for His voice.
If you listen for the voice of the Father, He will lead you on a course that will allow you to experience the pure love of Christ.
As we draw near to Heavenly Father, we become more holy. And as we become more holy, we will overcome disbelief and our souls will be filled with His blessed light. As we align our lives with this supernal light, it leads us out of darkness and toward greater light. This greater light leads to the unspeakable ministerings of the Holy Spirit, and the veil between heaven and earth can become thin.
Why Is Love the Great Commandment?
Heavenly Father’s love for His children is the core message of the plan of happiness, which plan is made active through the Atonement of Jesus Christ—the greatest expression of love the world has ever known. 16
How clearly the Savior spoke when He said that every other commandment hangs upon the principle of love.17 If we do not neglect the great laws—if we truly learn to love our Heavenly Father and our fellowman with all our heart, soul, and mind—all else will fall into place.
The divine love of God turns ordinary acts into extraordinary service. Divine love is the motive that transports simple words into sacred scripture. Divine love is the factor that transforms reluctant compliance with God’s commandments into blessed dedication and consecration.
Love is the guiding light that illuminates the disciple’s path and fills our daily walk with life, meaning, and wonder.
Love is the measure of our faith, the inspiration for our obedience, and the true altitude of our discipleship.
Love is the way of the disciple.
I testify that God is in His heaven. He lives. He knows and loves you. He is mindful of you. He hears your prayers and knows the desires of your heart. He is filled with infinite love for you.
Let me conclude as I began, my dear brothers and sisters: what attribute should define us as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
Let us be known as a people who love God with all our heart, soul, and mind and who love our neighbor as ourselves. When we understand and practice these two great commandments in our families, in our wards and branches, in our nations, and in our daily lives, we will begin to understand what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus the Christ. Of this I testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Ok- I really almost forgot THIS WEEKS Challenge is to get your supplies ready for the Tree of Life Art project. You can do ANYTHING so your supplies might be paint, canvas, cardboard, rice crispies and marshmallows, paper and pen, real tree branches and spray paint, pasta and glue, beads and string, finger paint and poster board, needle and thread, fabric and dye, or any combination of the above or whatever your heart desires!
THIS IS NOT A CONTEST!! YOU DON'T HAVE TO SHARE YOUR TREE WITH ANYONE!!!!!!!!! IT IS FOR YOU! Pray about it! I still don't know what mine is going to look like at all! I can't wait to find out! Haha!
Google pictures of trees, maybe it will be an olive tree, a ficus tree, a fruit tree? Maybe it will be 3 tress or a forest of trees, or a tree with no leaves, or maybe the tree will be in your heart? You can also look at pictures of people's depictions of the tree of life or Lehi's dream. Please don't chicken out on this because you are "NOT an artist!" This is not about art, it's about pondering and creating and internalizing!!
I just love you all so much it hurts! Have a wonderful week! I've been working on a story for you I will share soon. Enjoy your week! Don't forget about the Mystery Challenge in the survey.
HERE IS THE SURVEY LINK- Please take it tomorrow (or tonight)
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