I have known for a while that Christ is my Savior, friend, and comfort. I have known for a while that He lives still. I have often thought about how our Christus depicts the living Christ and is a symbol for our religion. Likewise, the cross is a symbol for many other Christian faiths. This semester I guess I’ve come to more of a realization that Christ leads and guides this church because He lives.
I have had class in Salt Lake every Thursday night this semester. The time in the car has become a major blessing in my crazy, busy life. It’s the only time I have to think. I so often underestimate the power of silence but that drive has reinforced its importance to me. Last week I turned off the music for only fifteen minutes on the way home. I felt a little strange. I finally had a moment to get my jumbled thoughts in order. I felt a power, no special revelation or cools ideas-just presence. I was calm. I was rejuvenated. I started to think about perspective and pictured Joseph Smith’s first vision in my head. Usually, I’m viewing that celestial occurrence as a spectator from the woods. Thursday, I saw it through Joseph’s eyes. The reality of Satan and his power on Earth hit me hard. So often I only think of Satan as having spiritual power to tempt us. I forget his power in a physical sense. Only with great determination was Joseph able to escape the grasps of Satan’s fingertips. As I imagined the light, the glory that appeared after Joseph’s courage it flooded my mind with awe. Two separate, very real beings came and spoke to him. Those beings were present, not past or future. I know they still exist today. Viewing that beautiful moment of the restoration in different eyes calmed me so much.
I feel so many take the powerful knowledge of a living Christ for granted. They do not realize what it means to have the Savior so close and so real. To me, it means that I always have someone to turn to, someone to help sort my thoughts, someone to calm my puzzled heart. To me, Christ is more than the Savior of mankind; He is the Savior that atoned for me. He is the Savior that atoned for not only my sins, but my sorrows.
Jesus is the Christ and knowing that He still comforts men, He still speaks to man makes worries useless. Christ will always be there to guide the church even in the darkest of times. I know that through His living revelation, this church lives and grows. The power of the words of President Monson and the twelve apostles can only be described as such. I feel we are given the knowledge of a living Savior as not only comfort, but hope. We may hope to live again- to live with Him again. We may hope to be clean and love beyond the grave; beyond the limits of time. My Savior lives, loves and inspires me.
