Before All This

I have talked before on the value of the knowledge we have because of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The more I study, the more I notice not only the value, but the rarity of it. Especially the pre-mortal life. We are the only religion that not only believes in it, but also has doctrine for it.

For some reason they believe that we live after this life, but not before.

That there was a war in heaven, but we weren't there.

They believe that our decisions in this life affect us in the next, so why wouldn't it make sense that the decisions made in the life before effect where and who we are now?

D&C 93:23: Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth.

Think of it. Before you were here, you were with God the Father, you knew Him, He knew you, He loved you, you loved Him.

You chose to come here. I am glad you did.

Elder Steven R. Bangerter said,

" Throughout our premortal life, we developed our identity and increased our spiritual capabilities."

" These decisions affected our life then and now."

Who you are now, is a glimpse of who you were before.

It is because of the decisions you made before. I know every single one of you who read this email has wonderful qualities and traits that you developed in your premortal life and this life.

It seems the mission is hyper speed for progression, through the disappointments of friends who we put our heart into, to mission companions who would rather stay at the apartment.

Just as you chose to go to the gym, or go run 8 miles, you knew beforehand it would be hard, that it would stretch you, but you also knew it would be worth it.

Sometimes we wonder if the Plan is working. Just as the Lord counsels us now, I remember someone I consider family giving a talk, in which he said " I know our loving Heavenly Father was probably counseling with us on our entire plan, on why He chose us for the lives we lead, why He chose us for the people He put around us, and why He chose us for the trials we have. They are very personal to our Heavenly Father and not in a vendetta vengeful kinda way but in a way of love, a way of Him expecting more from us than we feel we can give. In a way He needs us to learn to become greater, and in a way He knows He sent the right son or daughter for the job"

It may seen sometimes that the Plan wasn't that personal, that we just got drafted to go, but it’s the opposite.

God even had His son, Jesus Christ, who chose to suffer all those times in your life. The times when you'd rather lay on a bench and cry, when you'd rather just stay in bed because of the constant battle with the adversary we have, He felt it. So He knows exactly how to help you.

It seems every day we are in some sense in the furnace, getting heated so we are malleable in the Lord hands.

If you never stretch yourself, your body has no reason to grow. It is the same spiritually as it is physically.

Though I may be on a 2 year mission, we are all on a mission. We are on a mission to learn how to love God, and follow His Son Jesus Christ.

Every day is an opportunity to try again, and to chose to follow Him who is "mighty to save”, 2 Nephi 31:19.

"So when a trial faces us, instead of the question, “why me“, our Father in heaven would respond, ”of course it’s you", I know you and you can do it."

Please choose Him. Time isn't on our side, but God and those on the other side are.

It seems that after every trial we face, we might say, " I knew it was time to do it His way." - Alex Brown

Fight harder

Elder Nick Kendrick

Detroit, Michigan