Obedience

     The last Christlike attribute I would like to talk about is one that we've all heard countless time in our lives. This one is Obedience. I don't know about everyone else but I heard this one constantly growing up, mainly my parents telling me to be obedient. Which I needed to hear.  Today I still hear that term as a missionary and from the Lord through the scriptures which is talked about A LOT! But obedience must be something we need a constant reminder of or else it probably wouldn't be brought up so much.

      Obedience was preached from before the world was created. It is the first law of heaven. The Lord gave Adam and Eve commandments right from the beginning. After they were cast out of the Garden of Eden Adam offered sacrifices to the Lord. An angel came to Adam and asked him why he was offering sacrifices. Adam said that he didn't know why, he just knew that God commanded him to. We can apply this example to our lives. There are commandments out there that we may not understand the whole reason behind them. But we should be willing to obey those commandments because the did come from God and God knows all things so he obviously has a reason behind every commandment. God wouldn't give us commandments if they weren't for our good. So, its important to remember that although we may not understand all the reason for commandments, we just need to follow them and we will be blessed. I am reminded of a scripture in the Doctrine & Covenants section 82 verse 10 which says, "I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." When we keep the commandments, we are promised blessings no matter what, but when we don't obey, God can't promise us any blessings. What a wonderful thing to remember.
     Our Savior and Exemplar Jesus Christ was the most obedient person to ever walk this earth. He came and did all that His Father asked Him to do, even being baptized. Now, if we are baptized for the remission of sins, and Christ had no sins, why then was He baptized? Well, let me tell you, Jesus Christ was baptized, "to fulfill all righteousness", and to show "the children of men that according, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments" (see 2 Nephi 31:5,7 italics added). Christ didn't need to be baptized, but being baptized was a commandment to God and Christ wanted to keep all of God's commandments and so He got baptized, not just by anyone, by John the Baptist who had the proper priesthood authority to baptize. What a wonderful example Jesus Christ set for us in being obedient to the commandments.
      Now, I know being obedient can be difficult, especially when the norm is on the opposite end. But I do know that when we are obedient and choose the right even when it is hard, that God will bless us more that we can imagine. He loves us so much, and if we show our love for Him by being obedient to Hid commandments, He will see our actions and will reward us accordingly. I have seen this countless times in my life and the more we are obedient the easier it will become to resist those temptations our there our lives will be beyond happy!

Diligence

     Okay back to the Christlike Attributes. The next one I would like to talk about is diligence. Diligence is an important attribute to have. Not only in the gospel of Jesus Christ and doing His work, but also in our every day lives. One needs to be diligent in accomplishing his or her life's goal. Diligence in all we do will take us far in life.
     To be diligent means, "constant in effort to accomplish something; attentive and persistent in doing anything." Throughout our lives, we go through many different tasks which we want to accomplish. Some of those tasks may include a school or job project, making the school sports team, getting into a certain school to earn a degree in an area of your choice or even some yard work. If we are not diligent, if we don't put in constant effort to finish our task, we won't be able to reach our ending goal. It's important that we do find that determination within ourselves and be diligent so we can accomplish any life goal we may have.
     Everyone in life also goes through different trials and tribulations through their life. These trials and difficult to overcome at times and we often want to just give up and quit. But like any goal we wish to accomplish, we need to put in our effort and be diligent in our trials knowing that if we are doing our best in life, we will eventually overcome our trials and be freed from the burdens that beset us. If we push through our trials with faith and diligence, the Lord will see our efforts and will bless us in our time of need. We can't just sit back and wait to for the blessings to come because they most likely won't. We need to be active and do what we are supposed to even when we may not want to and it may be hard, but as long as we do, then the blessings will flow.
     I know that being diligent in all that we do will help us become better people and we will find success in our lives. The most important thing we need to be diligent in is living the gospel of Jesus Christ and sharing His gospel with others. That's why we as missionaries go out door to door to try and find people who will listen to our wonderful true message we have to share. I know as long as we missionaries are diligent, even when times are tough and we may be tired, if we stay diligent and be persistent, we will find people who are interested in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Diligence is important and we can go far in life when we are diligent. I know all this to be true.
    

Humility

     The next Christlike attribute I would like to discuss is the wonderful characteristic of humility. This attribute is one that many people in the world struggle with. I have heard the saying that "pride is the universal sin". If you look at the world, that sure makes sense to me, whether we're prideful out of ignorance or whatever the case may be, pride is not good and one needs to be humble to live a Christlike life.
     What does it mean to be humble? Well I found some good words out of the missionary reference Preach My Gospel explaining Humility. "Humility is willingness to submit to the will of the Lord and to give the Lord the honor for what is accomplished. It includes gratitude for His blessings and acknowledgement of your constant need for divine help. Humility is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of spiritual strength. When you humbly trust Him and acknowledge His power and mercy, you can have the assurance that His commandments are for your good. You are confident that you can do whatever the Lord requires of you if you rely on Him. You are also willing to trust His chosen servants and follow their counsel. Humility will help you as you strive to be obedient, to work hard, and serve selflessly."
     Clearly, being humble is pretty awesome but on the flip side, we need to beware of pride. Preach My Gospel goes on to say, "The opposite of humility is pride, which is condemned in the scriptures. To be prideful means to put greater trust in oneself than in God or in His servants. It also means to put the things of the world above things of God. Prideful people take honor to themselves rather than giving God the glory. Pride is competitive; those who are prideful seek to have more and presume they are better than other people. Pride usually results in feelings of anger and hatred, and it is a great stumbling block."

     I know that its important to be humble in all that we do. There is a difference between being confident and prideful or arrogant. One can be proud of their accomplishments but still give God the credit and thanks. Humility truly isn't a sign of weakness, it is a strength and we are better off when we are humble because we develop more Christlike attributes when humility runs its course in our lives. I know I can be more humble in some areas in my life, that's why I am working on becoming better, as everyone can improve the quality of their lives. If we strive for humility, others will see our examples and will want to follow. I know that as we strive for humility, we will become a better person and follower of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Patience

     This next Christlike attribute is one that I most definitely need help on. That attribute is Patience. Now, I'm sure everyone has heard the saying "the patience of Job". Yes Job truly had an incredible amount of patience. The patience of which I know I will probably never have. But I can work towards it hopefully cause I know it'll be tough. Anyways patience, how do we describe patience.
     The Missionary Guide Preach My Gospel says this concerning patience. "Patience is the capacity to endure delay, trouble, opposition, or suffering without becoming angry, frustrated, or anxious. It is the ability to do God's will and accept His timing. When you are patient, you hold up under pressure and are able to face adversity calmly and hopefully. Patience is related to hope and faith-you must wait for the Lord's promised blessings to be fulfilled. You need patience in your everyday experiences and relationships...You must be patient with all people, yourself included, as you work to overcome faults and weaknesses."
    During our times of difficulty that we will all face in life, if we are patient and keep enduring, then we will eventually receive the blessings God has in store for us. Going back to Job, he literally lost everything he loved, yet, he still pushed forward with patience, not getting angry at anyone, and although he was tested for a long time, he still endured and in the end he received even more than what he had to begin with. We all have our different trials and tests in life which are hard for each one of us, but as long as we are patient and look forward with faith, then when the time is right, we will get the blessings promised to us.
     I know that it takes a lot of learning to develop patience, but that's how we learn is by practice. Our Savior was patient with everyone he dealt with, so why can't we? I know that if we strive to be a little more patient with others, and also ourselves, then we will find an added measure of the Spirit of Lord in our lives. I know in my youth I was not patient at all. If I didn't have something right then and there, I would get angry. Now that I'm older and more mature, I have been able to become more patient with things in life and I've noticed that if you don't have something right now, its okay, just keep being positive and when the time is right, and if you have been patient, then you'll get what you need. Patience is surely a virtue and a Christlike attribute, so its important that we learn it.

Here is a short video by an Apostle of the Lord, Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, about patience. It puts what it means to be patient in simple terms, check it out.

Knowledge

     The next Christlike attribute we need to develop is Knowledge. Jesus Christ was had all knowledge and wisdom. He knew the scriptures and He knew all He needed to know in this life to fulfill His purpose on earth. He grew up seeking, searching, pondering and applying what He learned from the scriptures and from His Heavenly and earthly parents to gain the wisdom and perfect knowledge that He had. Likewise, we are to obtain knowledge so we can be successful in this life.
     We have been commanded by the Lord to gain knowledge. In the scriptures we are told to "Seek learning, even by study and also by faith" (D&C 88:118). We need to seek knowledge, specifically spiritual knowledge. We are to study from the scriptures and the words of the Apostles and Prophets everyday. When we study in faith, with prayer, we will find answers to questions, and find help to any challenges we may be facing in life. We should do all we can to gain the knowledge we need to be eternally happy in this life and forever. By so doing we will live our lives as our Savior would have us live.
     Now, we must remember that when we are seeking knowledge, we will not know everything all at once. Knowledge comes over time. We learn little by little every day, line upon line, precept upon precept. We have the scriptures and living prophets to helps us gain the knowledge we need to know so we know how to worship, what to worship, and what we need to do to find success in this life.  Knowledge is one of the gifts of the Spirit and if we do all we can to seek and obtain the knowledge God wants us to obtain, then we will have "the advantage in the world to come" (D&C 130:18-19).
     I know that my spiritual knowledge is very small compared to others. But I do know that if we don't obtain knowledge, then we won't know how to get back to our Heavenly Father. I am so grateful for the scriptures and the words of the Apostles and Prophets that help me to learn and grow in my knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love reading the scriptures and hearing the knowledge others have of the gospel and I hope that one day I can become more knowledgeable in the ways of the Lord so I can help others obtain the knowledge they need to find true happiness and success in this life. 

Virtue

     "Virtue originates in your innermost thoughts and desires. It is a pattern of thought and behavior based on high moral standards. Since the Holy Ghost does not dwell in unclean tabernacles, virtue is prerequisite to receiving the Spirit's guidance. What you choose to think and do when you are alone and you believe no one is watching is a strong measure of your virtue.
     "Virtuous people are clean and pure spiritually. They focus on righteous, uplifting thoughts and put unworthy thoughts that lead to inappropriate actions out of their minds. They obey God's commandments and follow the counsel of Church leaders. They pray for the strength to resist temptation and do what is right. They pray for the strength to resist temptation and do what is right. They quickly repent of any sins or wrongdoings. They live worthy of a temple recommend.
     "Your mind is like a stage in a theater; in the theater of your mind, however, only one actor can be on stage at a time. If the stage is left bare, thoughts of darkness and sin often enter the stage to tempt. But these thoughts have no power if the stage of your mind is occupied by wholesome thoughts, such as a memorized hymn or verse of scripture that you can call upon in a moment of temptation. By controlling the stage of your mind, you can successfully resist persistent urges to yield to temptation and indulge in sin. You can become pure and virtuous" (Preach My Gospel pg. 18-19).
     Jesus Christ never at any moment even considered thinking about thinking unwholesome thoughts. He always resisted the temptations of the devil and He conquered all. I know that if we strive to keep our thoughts and desires clean and pure and virtuous, then we will live a true happy and productive life. Even in eternal life with our Father in Heaven.

 What does it mean to be virtuous?
 D&C 4:6        D&C 46:33                  2 Peter 1:3-8
D&C 25:2       D&C 121:45-46
D&C 38:24     Articles of Faith 1:13

Faith in Jesus Christ

One of the Christlike attributes we need to develop is the simple word of faith. Faith in Jesus Christ Himself to be more specific. The simple definition of faith is believing in something you can't see. That is essentially what faith is. Faith in Jesus Christ, is believing in Him and who He is, although we have never seen, or met Him personally. However, we do read all about Christ in the scriptures, and by so doing, we can come to know Christ and to have faith and believe in Him. To have faith in Christ, we must accept Him as our Savior and follow His teachings. We believe that through Jesus Christ, we can be forgiven of our sins and become clean through His Atoning sacrifice in our behalf. Also, you trust in Him and you know that He loves you with unconditional love.

Faith, believe it or not, is an action word. When we have faith, we want to do something. Faith leads to repentance when we sin, obedience to the commandments, and giving service to others. When you have faith, you trust the Lord enough to follow His commandments even if you don't clearly understand why. Your faith is shown by what you do in your life, or in other words, your faith is shown by your works. If you don't do anything to show your faith, then your faith is dead as is states in James chapter 2.

Now, incredible faith doesn't just come to someone overnight. It begins as a tiny seed and if nourished, it will grow into a giant tree. Your faith will increase with scripture study, prayer, service, and obedience to the commandments. As you strive to be a better disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, your faith in Him will grow. Faith is such a simple principle, yet it is a crucial principle to develop because we walk by faith rather than by sight so we can make it back to our Father in Heaven. Through faith, we can be blessed beyond measure.
I know that if we develop faith in Christ by learning more about Him, and by striving to keep His commandments, then we will find ourselves trusting in the Lord a little bit more each and everyday. We can live a joyful, peaceful life if we put our faith and trust in the Lord enough to follow Him to the end of our lives, with confidence that He will make out lives worthwhile. 

Become Like Christ

     Christ tells us in the scriptures that we are to follow Him and become like Him. In the Book of Mormon in 3 Nephi 27:27 Christ says, "Therefore what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am." We are commanded to be like our Savior Jesus Christ. How can we do that? We can strive to develop the attributes He has. Jesus Christ set the ultimate example for us to follow. He, along with Heavenly Father love us so much that They want us to become like Christ so we can live worthy enough to enter into Their presence when we go out of this mortal life. The next series of posts I will blog about are in fact Christlike Attributes we need to develop so we can become like our Savior Jesus Christ.
     This video is one of the primary songs that the children of the church sing, being performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir titled, "I'm Trying to be Like Jesus". I hope it will set the mood for my next series of posts. Becoming like Christ is a lifelong process, but if we truly want to become like Him, then we will do all we can in order to do so. I know that Christ is our Exemplar and He has shown us the way so we can strive to become like Him.