So here it is--addressed to "My friend's friend":
I may not know your story but I do
know mine. I had loving parents who divorced when I was young but they still
supported me as best they could. They tried to teach me everyday about family,
love, integrity, hard work, patience, and about God’s love for me. Despite
everything they taught, I still made mistakes—all of us do. Sometimes they are
bigger, other times minor. And the world teaches us that its ok… that everyone
makes mistakes. While that is true, it should not be justification for
knowingly doing something that you know to be wrong. It is important to think
about the consequences of your actions now BEFORE you reach a
point-of-no-return.
Would you listen blindly when someone tells
you not to “jump off a bridge”? Or
would you question—How far off the ground is the bridge? Will I get hurt? Will
I die? Has anyone else jumped off the Bridge? Is there a cushion at the bottom?
Is it fun? Who is going to do it with me? Is someone taping this?
Stop.
The only question you should be asking is:
Why would you put yourself in a
situation where you could be hurt in
the first place? The world teaches us to question, to test the limits, and if
we get hurt or make a mistake, its okay that’s what “second chances” are for.
“Second Chances” are a gift. Given to you by someone who suffered more than any
other person that you know. He suffered so that you could repent, be forgiven,
and return to live in Heaven with him. So, WHY would you make that gamble with
your eternal life? So many of life’s
mistakes are preventable, if we would only listen to our own moral compass, who
is screaming at us to stay on the straight and narrow path, but we refuse to
listen. How will you learn? How will you stay on the straight and narrow path? If
you know the consequences ahead of time, and we do, why would you do it any
way? It is far easier to make the right choices the first time, than to
suffer through the repentance process.
Trust me.
Having made my share of mistakes I would hope that my
siblings, friends, family members, or anyone else reading this will learn from
it, so they will not have to suffer as I have suffered.
I know what it is like to have a broken heart and contrite
spirit. The repentance process took me longer than I thought it would. But
changing the desires of your heart is hard. It was not fast. It was not easy.
Our generation is one of “instant messenger” “drive-thrus”
“instant video streaming”. Quick and Easy. Satan wants you to believe Life is all
about “Quick and Easy” and I will tell you here and now that if you do not have
a firm foundation BUILT in
righteousness and in making good choices the only thing that is “Quick
and Easy” is the fall into Satan’s grasp—into misery, loneliness, depression,
lust, and shame. Satan uses illusions of happiness and love and warmth but his
delights of the body are only temporary. They do not last and they will
leave you feeling emptier and hollowed, and pulled even farther from the
Spirit.
I testify to you now, with all the knowledge that I have
gained down my long and bumpy road in life, that the good things are WORTH
waiting for. That Satan only has power over you if you allow him to.
I am grateful for Christ’s Atonement, because despite all
the mistakes I made along the way, I WAS able to be forgiven. I have been able to
feel the everlasting warmth, light and love that the gospel has to offer, and to
know of Heavenly Father’s unquestionable love for me. And because I made the
choice to Stop and Turn My Life to
Him, I am happier than I ever could have imagined. I am closer to Him and I
rely on Him more and more when trials, questions and hard times come up in my
life. Today, I am happily married and sealed to my beloved eternal companion,
who is my best friend and father to our children. We are a Christ-Centered
family, who also know of the power and love Heavenly Father has for each of us.
There is hope and happiness for those who want to change and who make the
commitment to do so. I do not know your specific circumstance or situation, but
I do know that we are all children of our Heavenly Father, and that means you
are loved; and there is always someone on your side even when you feel
alone. He knows you personally, better than you probably know yourself; he
knows your needs and the desires of your heart. You are worth more than you know. Through the Atonement, and the long
and hard repentance process, you too can gain a testimony of His love. You
can change the path and direction of your life. Agency is Heavenly Father’s
Gift to you.
The choice is yours… What
will you do with it?
