The gospel it true. I know it. I was raised in a home that has taught me this my whole life. I has helped me know where to go more than anything else. It has given me balance, structure, and an incredible sense of purpose. As I look back on the journey my life has taken me, I have pondered how I gained this sure knowledge for myself. While my experience are very personal and special to me, the principles behind them are universally the same.
It begins with Hope. Hope is a precursor to Faith. In order to have a true understanding of the gospel so that it envelopes our lives, we have to hope that it will work. Hope is the spring in our legs that allows us to leap. We hope that the gospel is true. We hope that by following commandments they really will make our lives happy. We hope it will sustain us through times of immense temptation. We hope that others will be there for us so we don't have to go through this life alone. And most of all, we hope that when Christ suffered in the garden of Gethsemane it was for each of us, personally. I think that's where seed of hope is planted: when we understand the Atonement was meant for "me."
Following hope comes Faith. The hope that gave us the courage to leap now evolves into the long journey of living the gospel. Our hope is still there, but it becomes stronger as it is surrounded and fortified by faith. It's like a sphere. As our testimony grows, nothing ever goes away, it only expands. Whenever any part of us grows in the gospel, every aspect of our life grows as a result. That growth comes from faith. We are now doing what's right, and walking in the light of the gospel. However, we may not see the blessings right away. In fact, we may still feel the Siren call of our former lives. This is where faith is put to the test. Faith is doing what's right and trusting in the Lord's timing. But as we continue to follow His commandments, we no longer have to just hope that God will help us, we simply know He will. This is faith. We exercise faith when we show enough patience and diligence to trust the Lord will help us in the way that is most conducive to our lives and personal needs. Faith also happens to be the most difficult step, because it is where we prove to the Lord we want His will for us, not our own.
What occurs after faith is the greatest of all: Charity. We know from the scriptures that "charity is the pure love of Christ." By exercising faith to do His will, we become more like Him. We make his choices our choices, and are blessed with charity. It is the fruit from the tree of life, tasting sweeter than words can express. We become so full of love and gratitude that joy seems to appear in everything around us. It engulfs our whole soul. It isn't that our lives are easier, but everything is suddenly much clearer. That is why charity is "the greatest of these," because it is Christ's love. We are now living like Him, and become privileged to feel the way He does about ourselves, as well as our fellow men.
I know this is true because I have experienced it for myself. I also know that in order for it to be successful, we have to be willing to give our whole heart to the Lord. If we only go through the motions without the desire or the trust that it will work we will always wonder why the Lord is not listening to us. We won't see any purpose in keeping His commandments because they hold absolutely no value to us. We will see the gospel based on the people we know follow it rather than the principles it was founded on. But if we sincerely strive to know if the Atonement is real for us, the Lord will fill our lives with so many blessings there won't be "room enough to receive it." Our cup will runneth over.
Christ lives. He knows you and loves you. He knows me personally and answers my prayers. I know His Atonement was for me, just as it is for you. To those that are searching, the answers are here. For more information, fee free to ask me questions, or visit mormon.org.
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