My "Why"

It seems only fitting to write about something I consider to be such a big part of me during this Thanksgiving season. Afterall, it is something I thank God for every day.

I want to write about why I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Or maybe some of you may know it better as being a “Mormon” - but the truth is, we scrapped that nickname a while ago because we want to be referred to as followers of Christ instead of followers of Mormon. We’re Christians, not Mormons.

There is a lot that I could say about my “why,” but it really boils down to three things that

1. Jesus is my Savior

It really is that simple.

Have you ever read something and it resonated so deeply with your soul that you wish it came from your own words?

Yeah, me too.

C.S. Lewis, a famous Christian author who is not a member of my faith, said it best. “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

Jesus is the ultimate source of light in my life. The words from the Bible couldn’t be more true as Jesus says, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life,” (John 8:12)

Despite having learned so much about Christ through attending church services and Sunday school lessons, my most profound understanding of Jesus has come from the darkest hours of my life.

Ironic, isn't it?

It has been in the times where I have hit rock bottom that I have learned what it truly means to turn to the Lord, to trust Him.

Knowing that He died for me (and you) and was resurrected three days later gives me hope that I simply cannot find anywhere else in this world.

I know that Jesus is the Savior of the world because nothing fills my heart like He does. Nothing.

2. The Gospel is soul food

There is a yearning in each of us for something more than what our eyes can see.

Some people try to fill that need by chasing material things. Others simply deny it’s there, and most just ignore it all together.

I have found that the yearning I feel is for a purpose to life that extends beyond my day to day labors. It is a yearning for understanding why I am here, and a yearning to one day return to my Heavenly Father.

These and other meaningful questions of my soul have been answered through following God’s commandments and personally studying His word.

Jesus beckons to us “come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” (Matthew 11:28).

The answers are there and the line of communication is open between us and God. The hole that we so desperately want filled in our lives doesn’t have to remain an open, gaping hole. Jesus invites us to come unto Him and find the answers we seek.

There is always something more that God wants to teach us. There is always something more that He wants to teach me.

The unmatched joy and satisfaction I feel in my heart tells me that the gospel truly is “good news,” and I will never go hungry.

3. God keeps His promises

I am a die hard optimist and a believer of all good things in life, but I know this confidence often comes with a price.

People we rely on sometimes don’t live up to our expectations. Plans fall through. Situations change. We are left disappointed, deceived and broken.

While that is the reality of living in an imperfect world, that is NOT the reality of our relationship with God.

I have always found solace in the fact that God is a perfect being and it is Him (and Him only) that I can 100% depend on.

My heart is drawn to the promises of one specific verse in the Book of Mormon as I ponder God and His promises.

It reads, “I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual,” (Mosiah 2:41).

This is just one example of a promise God has made to the faithful that I have seen manifested in my life.

Keeping the commandments has not been an immediate ticket to happiness in my life, rather it has provided me more of God’s love and light and therefore allowed me to feel what true joy is. It is a happiness that lasts and can stand the test of hard times.

The scriptures and words of ancient and modern-day prophets overflow with God’s promises. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are living testaments to those words and how God really does keep His promises.

He is the definition of an infallible friend. I truly believe that, no matter the circumstance, God can never let us down. It is simply not in His nature.

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This is the foundation of my “why.” It is the reason I left home for a year and a half to teach people about Jesus Christ in a foreign language in Minnesota. It is why I chose to marry my sweet Alec in the Temple. It is why I go to Brigham Young University and have religion integrated into my education. It is why I get up each morning and feel that the day has purpose.

It is my “why.”

What’s yours?