Becoming as little children...

"Well, February is here, that is weird to me. Just last week I was at the MTC. Now I am coming to grips with how time works when you are older...but my perception on myself is that I am 15. That was almost 5 years ago. I like to think that I have really enjoyed myself, my youth, my experiences, but in reality I think it is human nature to not pay attention to what is there at the moment and then to miss it once it is gone. I am now almost considered an adult, but forever I will be a child. It seems in our human nature to, when looking back, think of things we did wrong instead of the wonderful times we had.

 

"Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Interesting that Jesus wants us to become like children because we are always children, children to God. We need to become children because we need to learn to be like dad. Like God.

We need to be as children because we are always learning. Children are always asking questions. That's what God wants us to do in prayer to him, without questions we cannot have answers. That is how we learn. By asking questions and by experience.

We need to be as children because they can forgive. Have you ever watched two young children get mad at each other, maybe a shove there and a push here, always ending up with both in tears and then in just a few instances later they are seen hugging and being friends? That is how Heavenly Father wants us to be, it is okay to get upset sometimes but he doesn't want us to be upset for very long, we can forgive and children are great examples of how to forgive, because they do it so easily.

We need to be as children because we need to learn to submit ourselves (children learn to submit to their mom and dad's will we also learn to do the same for Heavenly Father's will). Just like how we learn to do our chores we learn to do God's will. It is only as we are doing those chores we learn the why behind it. Our parents don't tell us to do chores because they want us to suffer, they do it so we can learn to work, learn to help, learn to serve (I wish I learned that long ago!). When we do our chores with a good attitude they no longer become "chores" but blessings. Some people see going to church and going to seminary and reading their scriptures and saying their prayers and paying tithing and giving talks as "chores" when really they don't understand the why quite yet. As President Packer says, "The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior." Once they know the doctrine behind those different things it becomes so much more then just something we have to do, it becomes something we want to do. And just as we please our earthly parents by doing our earthly jobs we please the Lord when we do our Heavenly jobs and we get rewarded with blessings, isn't that great?

Christ understood how to be a child of God and what it meant.
(At age 12)And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? awist ye not that I must be about my bFather’s business?
The greatest example though is as he is performing the Atonement, "Not my will be done but thine." He knew the doctrine behind doing his job. Is it any wonder we address God as our Father? and Christ as the Son? God the ultimate father who chastens us from time to time and Christ the example of how to be a child of God."

Well, looks like I have to grow up but I can still be a child :)
Love,
Elder Blackburn