Spilt Water

I had an experience the other week at church that has really had me thinking the last little while.  We were at church in Ronan, MT and it was time for the sacrament to be passed.  The bread came and the water came, but something happened when the water came... I picked up the cup and then immediately dropped it.  Water of course went spilling all over me.  I felt foolish at first and thought that only a two year old would do something like that, but as I've thought about this embarrassing experience it has had much greater meaning than simply doing something and feeling dumb.  What does the water represent?  It represents our Savior's blood he freely spilt for us.  Exactly the point that has hit me:  He gave his blood for me and I can either use the Atonement and make his suffering worth it, or I can ignore his gift to me and simply spill the water cup.  I know that what I did was an innocent mistake and I thankfully took another water glass, and was able to partake of the sacrament.  I know that our Savior was willing and ready to perform the act of the Atonement for each one of us.  He loves us that much!  He wanted to make it possible for each of us to return to live with our Heavenly Father.  None of us has ever done anything too bad to use the Atonement and be forgiven of our mistakes!  Through the Atonement we can be completely forgiven of our sins and be pure and clean!  It is never too late!  Our Savior is there waiting for us with open arms, he is waiting to welcome us back to the fold!  The choice is ours-  We can spill the water cup or we can partake and be cleansed!  I, for one, would much rather partake of the Atonement and allow him to cleanse me.

Where are We Being Led?

I have been thinking a lot about the decisions that we make each day.  We have so many opportunities to choose right and so many times we can choose wrong.  We have a gift called agency, which is the ability to choose.  The Book of Mormon teaches us this in 2 Nephi 2:27 "Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man.  And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself."  On Saturday this verse meant something different to me than it ever had before.  It told me exactly how I can know if a choice is correct or not!  It taught me that as I am thinking about a choice I can think if it brings me closer to the Savior, the great Mediator of all men, or if it takes me further away from him.  I have loved this picture since I first saw it, but as I thought of it Saturday I thought of it differently too.  It was a perfect image of agency to me that day.  Our Savior is there waiting for us at all times beckoning us to come unto him.  The devil, however, is not going to be there for us when we make choices that take us farther from our Savior. Why would we ever want to make choices then  that take us further away from our Savior and lead us to no one?  I don't believe that any of us want to be further from our Savior, but the fact is that we all make mistakes and choose things that do take us away.  The best news is that we can turn around and head back towards our Savior.  He is waiting for us and desires to put his arm around us.  Just as this child is with Him so too can we be with Him as we strive to make choices, big and little, each day that will lead us to Him.  He wants us to come unto Him!  Don't let Satan trick us and lead us away to somewhere that no one will be waiting for us.  Our Savior WILL be there for us!  He loves us!