Time no More

Dear Family and Friends,

I have pondered a lot this week, about where I am, what I am doing and why. I am so glad that I get this opportunity to be blessed so greatly. Of all the places that I could be right now, I would not be anywhere else. And let me say, time is so short. When the scriptures say there will be time no more, wow. That is an interesting thought. I guess that is the meaning of eternity, no end. I feel so strongly that Eternal Life is so simple to obtain, but why does it seem so hard? Because of Fear. Because of Doubt. Anything really. We are all children of the most high God. He has instilled in us a desire and furthermore, the potential to live and learn and to progress. Purity and cleanliness allow us to feel comfortable in his presence. But it is so easy to get caught up with the small things like comparing and trying to think we are doing better, or maybe not as well as someone else 'seems' to be. Let's apply the famous words of Dieter F. Uchtdorf "Stop It"

We are given life experiences to learn and to grow. We have the example of Jesus Christ to show us how to let go of the worldly influences and cares that try to tie us down. Well we learn in a couple of ways. Through other people's experiences, and more importantly, and lastingly, through our own. So to learn patience, we are given trials that test our patience. To learn Love we are given trials that may make it hard to love someone, yet we have to learn to love them anyway. Is that not what Christ did? Have we not all done something that made him bleed a drop of the most pure blood ever on this planet? And still he is patient and loving with each of us. Ignorant, or careless as we may be. We are commanded to read. Is it not easy to read? How many of us take for granted these things we've been given. I know I do. What a blessing it is to read and learn about patience, because how much good does it do to worry about something that we can't control? And if we have patience in those times when we could have been stressing, then we may look at those times as blessings. Maybe sitting in traffic we have the chance to think of an old friend and call them to see if they are doing well. But if we are impatiently striving to alter circumstances that are out of our control then we wouldn't think about that opportunity and our friend may continue to struggle instead. Sorry for rambling for a bit. The point is, through learning Christlike attributes our so called trials just become small moments in which we have the chance to choose joy and appreciation for God's gift of life instead of wondering or staying in confusion or anger or fear or disdain.

Obtaining Purity and cleanliness through the Atonement may not be easy, but staying focused on the Savior and believing that he is inviting us continually to come unto him is easy if we allow it to be. I want to pose a question:

If you were given 15 minutes with someone you knew very little about, and you were told that you had once chance to make an eternal impact in their life, what would you do or say?
And I'll add one more little twist, what would you share from the Book of Mormon to make that lasting eternal impact?

There will come a time when this may to each one of you. It will also pass as time always does, and that time will be no more. The Lord will ask you to account for the time that you spent in that 15 minutes (or hour or week or month, and in fine your whole life). This day is the time for men to perform their labors yea behold the day of this life i the day for men to perform their labors, yea behold the day of this life is given unto men to prepare to meet God." Alma 34:32

I love you all so much and I hope that each of us can take the time to put in order the tings that the Lord is asking us to do. No matter how big or small. Have a great week!

Elder McGarry