Love Thy Neighbor

A couple of years ago I moved to a new city and one of my roommates was a lesbian. I was so afraid that she would hate me if she knew I was a member of the church because of the scripture "you will be hated of men for my names sake" and I was afraid she would hate me because a lot of members of the church are very homophobic and I did everything in my power to prove to her I wasn't homophobic before I ever told her that I was a member of the church. 

Every day I see more and more hate coming from Christians to marginalised groups of people in the name of Christ. It's devastating to see. But the more I see, the more I think that possibly there was a misunderstanding of the scripture among some people. A lot of christians think people hate them because of Christ, but I'm starting to think that people hate christians because of the way they treat marginalised people particularly people who are LGBT+ or POC, and that they do this in the name of Christ. No-where in the scriptures does it say to hate and exclude people in fact Christ sat with those who were excluded and took care of the one before He took care of the many.

The word love is in the scriptures 736 times. In fact, to love one another, just like Christ loves us, is a commandment, not a suggestion. And there is no asterix that says only to love people who look like us or have the same beliefs as us or are straight and cis. We are commanded to love our black, immigrant, gay, trans, muslim brothers and sisters. In John 13:35, this is how Christ says we shall be known as one of His disciples, by loving one another. But, in the world we live in, the opposite is true. If someone tells me they hate gays, I know they're a Christian because that is part of the culture that is so prominent in our society. 

Christ represents love. Christ is full of love. Christ suffered through the sins of every single person that has ever and will ever be on Earth, because of His love for us. Christ sat with publicans and he sat with sinners reminding us that His love and His mission is not just for the righteous. It is not our place to condemn those who are different from us and it is not our place to condemn those who sin because even Christ did not do that. Christ loved. 

We Need to Forgive Ourselves

As long as we repent with a sincere heart, the Lord will forgive us. I think next to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, that is one of the biggest blessings we can receive in our lives. But I think something we often forget to do is forgive ourselves. Mark 11:24-25 tells us the the Lord won't forgive us unless we forgive. I've always taken that to mean we need to forgive those who have hurt us but what if it also means we need to forgive ourselves for the hurt we've caused others or the sins we've made. 

I think there is a lot of self-hatred in the church, because of church culture, when we sin. We can feel judging eyes in sacrament meeting fall upon us when we've done something we're not supposed to do and even though we've repented, the judgment alone can make us feel like we need to stay with a guilty conscience. Whether it's a big sin or not. The Lord loves us, whether we sin or not. He would prefer us to not sin but He knows we're human and as long as we come to Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit and repent, He will forgive us. Then why can we not forgive ourselves? 

About five months after I was baptised I started college and moved to France and in with my abusive grandmother. (To be clear, I am not blaming this on her, she just merely planted the seed and I helped it grow.) I wanted to go to church, I had found a new ward within walking distance from my grandmothers apartment and was excited to go. But every Sunday my grandma had something planned for us, nothing on the other days of the week, only Sundays. So I got out of the habit of going. I went to Institute once, but as a new member in a new country, I felt so much anxiety that I couldn't go back. Less than a month after I moved in with her, I became inactive. I wasn't much of a drinker before I was baptised, but once I was inactive I drank (in my mind it's a lot, but in reality it really wasn't) I smoked, I once did hard drugs and i was so depressed that I started to self harm. The thought of the Lord came to my mind a couple of times but I felt so guilty about all the bad things I was doing I never let the thought linger for more than a minute. The more guilty I felt, the farther away from the Lord I drifted. Satan was thriving. 

The summer after freshman year, I tried to kill myself. The only reason I am still alive today is because while I was in the hospital, I heard Heavenly Fathers voice telling me I wasn't done yet. That I still had more to do. He tried so hard to get me to come back to church and I wouldn't listen until I had sunk so low I had no choice but to listen to Him. I would be lying if I said I listened to Him right away, because I didn't. I couldn't even remember this until about a month later when I was on the metro to school. But the spirit was so strong, it felt like I was the only person on the train and the Lord was squeezing my cheeks together and pointing my face in His direction, screaming to get me to listen. I finally did. And I felt so guilty for everything I had done during the last year. I was so embarrassed with my behaviour that even still, I couldn't go back to church. Even though by that point I had repented and was back to reading my scriptures and having daily prayer.

Satan is so strong, if we can't forgive ourselves it's probably because he's still around whispering in our ears that we're not worthy of forgiveness even though the Lord has forgiven us. It took me a good year of prayer and fasting to be able to forgive myself. I like to say that my suicide attempt is both the worst and best thing to ever happen to me because It brought me back to the Lord. We deserve to be forgiven. We deserve to forgive ourselves. The Lord loves us. Heavenly Mother loves us. And our big brother Jesus Christ loves us. They don't want us to live with guilt. Only Satan does and we have to do everything we can so that he does not win.

Head vs Heart

Luke 11:9-10 tells us no matter who we are, if we have a question we can always ask and Heavenly Father will answer us. If we are lost and we need to find our way, Heavenly Father will leads us there. Sometimes I forget that we have this direct link to Heavenly Father and that He is so open to giving us the answers we need. Whether it's through scripture, through the prophet or through personal revelation, He will give us an answer. I think I forget, because I'm afraid of the answer I'll receive. Or that I won't receive any answer at all and then I don't end up asking Heavenly Father really pressing questions because I'm so afraid I won't get an answer. 

As a convert, I didn't grow up with the knowledge that G-d loves us unconditionally and I didn't know we could ask questions, I wasn't even sure G-d existed. Out of sheer force and persistence and help from the Holy Ghost do I believe and know Heavenly Father is my father in heaven. When I started meeting with missionaries I felt so uncomfortable praying, I felt like I was just talking to the air because I had never prayed before and at the time didn't know anyone was listening, but I wanted it to be true. My brain knew it was all true, but my heart didn't quite feel it yet. But the spirit is so strong. "But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Luke 12:31). My heart may not have been there yet, but my head certainly was. I had the knowledge that everything was true, because I had had proof through dreams and the spirit helped me and I knew everything that the missionaries were telling me was true. But I couldn't get my heart to listen.

I still feel this way sometimes, especially when it comes to asking for personal revelation. That doubt sinks in, the way I grew up comes back and I'm so afraid that I won't get an answer and a little part of me will go "see, there is no G-d, all of this was fake." I know this is just Satan talking. I know this doubt is just the adversary telling me not to try because he doesn't want me to ask Heavenly Father for help, because he wants me to suffer. But Christ wants me to be happy. Heavenly Father wants me to be happy. Heavenly Father wants me to ask Him for personal revelation. I know He's dying to answer my very pressing questions that I am too afraid to answer.

The same goes for repentance. My head knows there are some things I need to repent for, and I know I'll be forgiven, but my heart doesn't feel it. Repentance isn't just apologising to Heavenly Father for transgressing. I could apologise and ask Heavenly Father for forgiveness until I am blue in the face, but it doesn't mean anything if I don't feel sorry. That's not to say, I won't or don't repent. If I know I've sinned, I will. But I'm afraid that Heavenly Father won't forgive me because my heart is not in the right place. And scripture like, "unless ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3), only add to the fear. I know what I have to do and I do it, but there is an ongoing battle between my head and my heart and because I am so afraid of asking for help because of doubt, there is even more of a battle.

I know Heavenly Father is real, and I know Jesus Christ is my saviour. I feel this with my entire heart and with my entire soul. No matter what has happened to me since I became a member five years ago, my head and my heart have always agreed on that. 

Trust in the Lord, Even When You Feel Like You Can't

When I was first diagnosed with PTSD after losing my job at Disney, I didn't really think much of it. I just thought g r e a t, another mental illness I can add to my already long list. But even though it's been a year, it didn't really hit me how bad it was, other than the odd panic attack, until this past Monday night when I found myself get irrationally angry for seemingly no apparent reason. I had no idea what had triggered me, but I was angry at every single one of my former co-workers for shaming me and telling me I deserved to get fired and that I deserved to lose my friends because I spoke badly about a billion dollar corporation. Along with PTSD, I have ADHD and I have a love-hate relationship with the hyper-focus part of ADHD. It can be nice when I'm really into my school work and all of a sudden it's three days before every single one of my assignments is due but I've already finished all of them, but it's pretty awful when I'm in a downward spiral of a PTSD trigger. 

In John 7:6, Jesus says "my time is not yet come but your time is away ready" and even though I hadn't thought of it while I was triggered, in reading the chapter it really struck me like a bolt of lightning. When I first got termed I remember repeating to myself over and over again: this is temporary, the Lord doesn't give us anything we can't handle. In reading this scripture, and seeing where I am now compared to where I was a year ago is leaps and bounds different really testified to me that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father really has everything planned for us perfectly. Even though I got triggered out of no-where, it had been months since this last happened.

It can be really easy to lose sight of what's important, especially when dealing with mental illness. Having a mental illness can at times feel like Satan has crawled his way through your ear and set up a campsite where instead of singing campfire songs, he whispers lies t you while he roasts marshmallows. This is why it is so important to remain faithful to Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father, no matter how difficult it may be. The pharisees and the Jews had hardened their hearts and wouldn't even listen to Jesus Christ, we can't be like the pharisees if we want to stand any chance against Satan. Helaman 5:12 says "it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the son of God, that ye must build your foundation, that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yeah, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power to drag you down." If we set our foundation in Jesus Christ, it will be so much easier to remember that He has a plan. His timing is not our timing, but His timing is perfect.

We cannot lose faith, we have to keep seeking guidance from Jesus Christ or Heavenly Father because if we don't Satan will have his way with us. We just have to trust in the Lord.

(To get over my trigger I vented on twitter and googled med schools I'll probably never get into, you do what you can)

Jesus Taught Love, not Hate

Even though I have been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for five years now, I am constantly surprised when I read the scriptures and Christ is being Christlike and not hateful like the media and the alt-right paint Him to be. I am reading the new Testament for the first time and I don't see much of Jesus hating and condemning sinners, but I see Him helping sinners and sitting with sinners and praying with and for sinners. In my mind I don't see christ angry at a woman getting an abortion, I see Him holding her hand and comforting her as she makes an incredibly difficult decision, whether He agrees with it or not. I don't see Christ happy that parents kicking their son out for being gay, I see Christ helping him find a new place to live, somewhere safe where he'll be happy, whispering in his ear that he is loved.

I spent a lot of the last five years hiding the fact that I was a member of Gods church because of the stereotype that those who follow Christ are hateful because Christ is hateful. But Christ is not hateful. He loves each and every one of us, even when we sin. He is disappointed when we sin, but He still loves us. 

People tend to use Christ as a scapegoat. Use Him to justify their bigotry and hatred when He was neither of those things. I went for an annual checkup at Planned Parenthood and was met with protestors in the parking lot, holding signs wanting to defund Planned Parenthood, that it's a slaughterhouse, and others like that. I'd never been to Planned Parenthood, I went because I needed an annual checkup and a TB test for when I start on campus classes at BYUI in the fall, but I was meat with protests and yelled at for murdering children (I wasn't) and that I was going to burn in hell (I'm not) and that Jesus doesn't love me (He does) if I go into Planned Parenthood. Matthew 5:22 says "but I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgement." I was a stranger, and they were abusing me in the name of Christ because they assumed something that wasn't true. 

As I was looking through my past tweets to find the picture on this post, I saw something I had retweeted that just said "kindness upon kindness" that Elder Gong shared at the most recent general conference. I don't remember the context (although he must have talked about passover because I tweeted about that just before retweeting this quote) but it reminds me of the D&C 98:12 "For He will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept," because I don't believe being faithful just entails following all the commandments, but it involves being Christlike and showing love to our brothers and sisters and above all being kind to each other, whether we agree with what someone is doing or not. We don't know what someone is going through and one kind word could be all someone needs to hear. 

For with God Nothing Shall be Impossible

When I think of this scripture, I am reminded of my year 13 Outdoor Education class. It was the dead of winter and we were inside because we were working on our leadership unit. The activity we were working on involved getting across an obstacle course of foam pads that were far apart from each other and we couldn't touch the ground or we'd have to start again. We did it twice round. The first time, the room was silent and we had to get across using our own minds and the second time we had encouragement from our peers. The first time round, I remember my time was a minute longer than when I had encouragement. The scripture reminds me of this activity because when we have Christ and Heavenly Father helping us through life, everything is so much easier.

When I finished high school, I moved a world away from all of my friends. Literally, I was living in the North of England, in the Lake District and moved to South Florida two weeks after getting my A-Level results. I was lonely, I was depressed, I was suicidal and on occasion I did self harm. I didn't have the gospel in my life and I had no idea what I was going to spend the rest of my life doing. I lived day to day, late to work every single day because I didn't see the point in getting up. I worked one part time job but didn't have the energy to get a second one. I went to work, I came home, I watched tv, went to bed. It felt like a never ending cycle. Worst of all, I was lonely.

Temple trip with the sisters in my ward, the day
after I was suspended

About a year ago, I got fired from my dream job. It also happened to be during the week that I had started reading my scriptures in the mornings before work and I'd given myself the challenge of not listening to any secular music for a month. Looking back, losing my job should have been impossible. I remember phoning my mom and telling her how depressed and low and suicidal I felt, but I also clung tighter to the iron rod. The day I was suspended, I went to the temple. The next day, I had lunch with the Sister Missionaries in my ward. I did everything I possibly could to not let go of Christ, but to bring Him in my life more. And it didn't feel impossible. It felt almost easy going through and event that gave me a lot of trauma and stress and anger. I made it thanks to God and Jesus Christ. I was able to get a job less than two weeks after I got fired - my unemployment benefits didn't even have time to kick in! And I know that that is thanks to Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. 

After getting termed I moved back in with my parents and joined a new YSA, where my Institute teacher is one of the best teachers I've ever had, (that is a blessing in itself) and an extremely inviting ward filled with converts and a branch President who invited us over for hot dogs and s'mores (his wife took care to get me kosher hot dogs because she knows I eat kosher). 

In June of 2019 President Nelson came to Orlando during his "Follow the Prophet" tour, where I have the privilege of being an usher. During his talk he said "Jesus Christ is our anchor when we are desperately in need," and that echoes the Luke 1:32 scripture because without an anchor, we are adrift and it can seem impossible to stay in one place, but an anchor makes everything possible.

This last year should have been impossible. I've lost the majority of my friends, I lost my dream job and moved back in with my parents. But it wasn't. It wasn't, because I had Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ holding my hand with every step I took. I asked Him for guidance when I lost my job and He has continuously helped me since, because with God, nothing is impossible.