Rise Above Worldly Sorrow , Seek For The Heavens

One of my favorite poems is a poem written by William Ernest Henley called "Invictus" which is a Latin term for "Unconquerable". William Ernest Henley spent many years in trial and hardship. At the age of 12 William suffered from Tuberculosis of the bone which ended up causing the amputation of his left leg below the knee. He spent many years in the hospital where he wrote many of his inspiring poems including "Invictus". 

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Now the reason why I admire this man and this poem so much is the fact that this all represents Rising above our circumstances. Hope is something William Henley had throughout his life. Hope in something more for his life. Hope in something more than what he was given. The Gospel of Jesus Christ relies on Hope, Faith, and Charity. Without having the other two attributes Hope cannot be. (Moroni 10:20) I would like to think that William had to understand these things at a young age in his life because of his trials. 

"Hope is one leg of a three-legged stool, together with faith and charity. These three stabilize our lives regardless of the rough or uneven surfaces we might encounter at the time. The scriptures are clear and certain about the importance of hope. The Apostle Paul taught that the scriptures were written to the end that we “might have hope.” ¹

Hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness. ² Its absence—when this desire of our heart is delayed—can make “the heart sick.” ^{3 (Dieter F. Uchtdorf).} 

 ^{I am confident that we can rise above our trials, adversities and current circumstances in our life by having Hope. The Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us to have hope in our lives each and everyday. The gospel helps us have a positive attitude and helps us see the light at the end of the tunnel even at the worst of times.}

 ^(D&C121:7)

 Each and everyday we are saved by our hope.(Romans 8:24). Without hope in something more more our lives we are lost in an illusion of worldly view, cares, and opinions. It can be a scary hard place without hope in something more. I am not sure where William Henley's s inspiration came from but I feel confident in saying that he demonstrated Hope, Faith, and Charity. With the Gospel Of Jesus Christ we can learn to better do that in our lives each and everyday. I am certain that my life is more optimistic, sure, and positive as I've had this Gospel in my life.

 Jesus Christ suffered the Atonement for us so that we could have hope.( John 3:16) As we look to Jesus Christ in our lives he offers us hope. He offers us freedom. He offers us love. The Atonement of Christ is here for us today to better ourselves and overcome the world. I know Jesus Christ lives. I have felt the power of his Atonement immensely in my life. I know the Book of Mormon testifies of Christ and his atonement. I know the Gospel brings light to an other wise dark, unmerciful world with little or no certainty. The gospel brings certainty and it brings HOPE.

 

Leaving The Past Behind

 

In the chapter 21 of John we learn of Jesus Christ coming back after his resurrection and appearing to his disciples. He appears on the shore nearby where his disciples are fishing and he tells them to cast their nets to the right side of their boat. At this point they had been fishing for a whole day and night straight and hadn't caught anything. The moment they cast their net to the right their net was full. It was at that moment that Simon Peter recognized Jesus and jumped into the water to swim to shore and greeted him. Jesus was at the shore with fish and bread for them. Jesus then asked Peter three times If he loved him. Peter replied each time "yes". Jesus's reply to Peter each time was "Feed My Sheep".

This has become one of my favorite chapters in the New Testament. When Christ had finished his 3 year ministry on Earth the disciples were left behind. They were left to continue on in good for the rest of their lives. They weren't to just go back to normal and forget everything that had happened as they walked with Christ. They were to leave their nets behind forever. As a full time missionary the message this chapter gives is very meaningful for me. The day I decided to serve the Lord I decided to leave my old life behind. Not just for these 24 months that I have been called to serve a mission but for the rest of my life. When time finally comes for me to leave my mission and move on with my life,  I will move on as a "New creature in Christ". (2 Corinthians 5:17)  

I will never return to my past. That is the hope and brightness of the Atonement of Christ. The Atonement of Jesus Christ allows us to leave our past behind us and never look back. With the Atonement of Christ we are always focusing on the Future as opposed to what's behind us. I am grateful for the gospel in my life and the person I am and will be as I live the gospel. The gospel is hope and life. I know that as we leave our nets behind and commit to follow Jesus Christ and live the gospel we will be forever looking towards the future with hope, gratitude and confidence. I know as we enrich our lives with living the gospel we can be who we want to be and forever change. This is my testimony of Christ's Atonement and Gospel In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Elder Erich Gardner

Be True To Yourself

Life is a beautiful thing. Everything we do, and each and every person we meet plays a part in shaping who we are. Every single day is a chance to do something extraordinary and memorable. Every hour is a chance to live and reach our potential. The Gospel of Jesus Christ reveals to us the purpose of this amazing privilege and opportunity.

There are many things in life that can make us happy. Happiness can give us temporary freedom or it can last a lifetime.  In the Dictionary the definition for happiness is A: a state of well being and contentment. B: a pleasurable or satisfying experience. Happiness can be either of these things in our lives. Joy on the other hand is something better than happiness. It is something more powerful and everlasting. It is pure happiness and It can only be attained by real and true accomplishments.
The world's view of happiness is being ahead of the rest. How many material things we can attain. How much euphoria can we feel. True and everlasting happiness and joy can be found as we break free of worldly cares and thoughts. Break free of the world's illusions and truly allow ourselves to be "Ourselves". As we live the Gospel of Jesus Christ we find who we really are. We break free of the worldly chains that bind us down and trick us into thinking that those things make up our identity, as we come closer to our Heavenly Father and live the Gospel.
Ride the wings of the gospel. Be true to yourself and your Identity. Don't sell yourself out or settle for less than you deserve. Faith in Jesus Christ offers us freedom. We can find ourselves by finding him. I am grateful for the person I am today as I have strived to deepen my faith in Jesus Christ. I know the Book of Mormon gives us a guide to live our lives to the fullest and deepens our faith in Jesus Christ. I love and cherish this gospel. It has changed my life.

With love,

Elder Gardner