As We Are

This week in class my professor explained something that was really profound. He explained how Jacob and Nephi, two brothers and ancient authors of the Book of Mormon, were very different. When Nephi teaches people to repent, he is pretty blunt and basically says, here is what you are doing wrong and here is what you need to do better! On the other hand, his brother Jacob begins by going through this long process of saying, Look, I need to talk to you about something, and I feel so awful that I have to talk to you about this and I wish you wouldn't have sinned like this but I am going to tell you about it because that is what the Lord commanded me to do. It can be a bit funny to notice the contrast between these two brothers.

But I love what Brother Griffin taught us. He said that the Lord calls us to serve Him, yet He still lets us be us. Just like Nephi and Jacob were different and accomplished God's work in different ways, we are different. Yet, thousands of people throughout history, though different, have served the same God and worked for the same great and glorious cause.

I love how when we choose to serve God, He changes us for the better, but He doesn't make us into someone else. Rather, He makes us a better version of ourselves. More like Him. More holy and pure and able to do much greater things.

Joseph Smith, a modern prophet, was an example of this. He was an unlearned farm boy, yet the Lord used him to accomplish greater things than any farm boy could do on his own. And God can do the same for us.

I love this verse that describes Joseph's situation:

"19 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that the Lord God will deliver again the book and the words thereof to him that is not learned; and the man that is not learned shall say: I am not learned. 20 Then shall the Lord God say unto him: The learned shall not read them, for they have rejected them, and I am able to do mine own work; wherefore thou shalt read the words which I shall give unto thee."--2 Nephi 27:19-20, Book of Mormon

Joseph was himself. He was an average man who had a family, who probably liked to go to social events, who had less than perfect spelling skills, who made mistakes and had some real triumphs.

Yet, weaknesses, strengths, and all, Joseph was willing to do what God commanded him, so God was able to use him. God was able to utilize this man to help build up His kingdom on the earth, and in the meantime, he built up Joseph himself, too.

So we, with all of our quirks, hobbies, favorite things, imperfect efforts, and more, can also be of great value to the work of God, if only we have faith and are willing to do His work. Because, like the Lord said, "I am able to do mine own work; wherefore thou shalt read the words which I shall give unto thee." (Or, as I like to think of it, you will comfort the person that I have sent you to comfort, give the advice that I will tell you to give, or serve your friend in the way that I will teach you to.)

Being here at BYU, I am amazed by the many different followers of Christ I get to interact with on a daily basis. We each have unique struggles, disabilities, interests, talents, and experiences both good and bad. And yet we all have faith in the same God, we all love the same Gospel and we all are united in the same cause of truth. My roommate and I have different strengths and weaknesses. Yet our Heavenly Father, through His wisdom, finds ways for both of us to contribute to His service and lets us feel His love in the meantime.

Whoever we are, whatever attributes we may have, we are valuable in His kingdom. And we can serve Him. God loves us. He knows our strengths and weaknesses. Whatever they are, He can use us to build up His kingdom. He can help us to become like Him.

His power is beautiful, and His love for us is amazing.

Love, Abby

(Bit of a related side note. Yesterday I drove with some friends to the Provo City Center Temple. It is in the first picture included below. We were discussing how amazing it is that each temple is slightly different in build, size, color, location, and design. Yet each temple is a House of God, a place where His work can be done, a place of peace, and a place where the Spirit can be felt. They each may have their own special traits (like how the Nauvoo Temple's surroundings reflect the lives of those who sacrifices to build it and how the Ogden Temple has roses on the door handles). They each are unique and beautiful in their own way, yet serve the same purpose. Just like us!)