The Only One Who Returned to Tell the Tale
I am an earthly, natural woman. I think about food. I worry about money. I want to be warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s blisteringly hot outside.
In my natural state, I am selfish, dirty, and a little bit lazy. I didn’t learn these thing, they came “naturally.”
“In spite of my imperfections, at least God is perfect—that at least He is, for example, able to love His enemies, because too often, due to the “natural man” and woman in us, you and I are sometimes that enemy. How grateful I am that at least God can bless those who despitefully use Him because, without wanting or intending to do so, we all despitefully use Him sometimes. I am grateful that God is merciful and a peacemaker because I need mercy and the world needs peace.” (J R Holland)
The God I believe in and follow exemplifies all the spiritual qualities that are in direct opposition to my “natural” state. Where He is able to love, I am more likely to compete with others or take for granted what they do for me. Where He is able to extend mercy, I am more likely to hold a grudge or try to get revenge.
“Leo Tolstoy wrote once of a priest who was criticized by one of his congregants for not living as resolutely as he should, the critic concluding that the principles the erring preacher taught must therefore also be erroneous.In response to that criticism, the priest says: ‘Look at my life now and compare it to my former life. You will see that I am trying to live out the truth I proclaim.’ Unable to live up to the high ideals he taught, the priest admits he has failed. But he cries:‘Attack me, [if you wish,] I do this myself, but [don’t] attack … the path I follow. … If I know the way home [but] am walking along it drunkenly, is it any less the right way simply because I am staggering from side to side?‘… Do not gleefully shout, “Look at him! … There he is crawling into a bog!” No, do not gloat, but give … your help [to anyone trying to walk the road back to God.]’” (J R Holland)
The high ideals of the Christian religion point the way to God. They are sign posts in life and those that follow them make a trail away from the masses of people who prefer to live “naturally.” Where that trail leads cannot be proven by any one of the travelers for they have never been to the end and returned to tell the tale. Only Jesus Christ died, visited the world of the dead (1), and returned to Earth (2) to tell us that his message was true. I encourage you to read the accounts of his visits to Earth and weigh the truth of his message. I believe that Jesus Christ came to Earth in validation of all the prophecies of previous generations and lived a life that validated what he was saying. Then his death and resurrection brought the reality of the future afterlife into view.
For further study
Christ’s visit to the dead: D&C 138:14-19 See also: D&C 76:73, 1 Pet 3:18-20, John 5:25)
Christ’s return to Earth: 3 Nephi 16 See also: Acts 1
Sources:
Holland, Jeffrey R. “Be Ye Therefore Perfect—Eventually.” Ensign. Nov 2017. \
“The New Way,” Leo Tolstoy: Spiritual Writings, sel. Charles E. Moore (2006), 81–82.