A Simple Testimony

I have to admit, I've been procrastinating writing a post on this talk. Not because it was bad, on the contrary, I think it's AMAZING. Because...well, I've never lost a child. I've never lost anyone in my immediate family. No one in my immediate family has ever had any serious health problems. We have always been very blessed in that regard. I anguished over what I would write for this post because I thought, 'what could I possibly contribute to this subject? I have no knowledge, nor experience on this topic.'

But then I realized that there is something that I do have; a testimony. I would like to share my simple testimony with you at this time.

I testify that the Atonement is the single most important event this world has ever known. Without it, we could feel nothing but despair, for all the world would be lost. But because of it, we are all saved. We are all saved. God is not just God, he is a Father, our Heavenly Father who loves us infinitely and eternally. I know that there is no way he would abandon us to this world and abandon us to death without a way to return to him. Especially not a little child. I think of how much love I have for little children, even though I don't have any of my own yet. Just seeing them, watching them explore the world in their innocence, listening to the beautiful, clumsy, simple yet profound things they say fills my heart with gladness. God feels that love at a higher capacity than we can even fathom. If we can feel love for children that aren't even ours, how much greater love does our Heavenly Father have for them, who is their spiritual parent? I testify, with utmost assurance that He loves them more than all the parents in the world can love combined, and that he CANNOT allow them to be lost. Those beautiful young spirits who leave this earth early are brought back into a loving parent's warm embrace in the glories of Heaven. It is because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ that this is possible. He loves us with the same love as our Heavenly Father. He laughs with us, and he cries with us. He feels our hopes and dreams, and also our sorrows. And if we allow him to, he will swallow up our sorrows in his love. He is all powerful, and I testify that as hard and painful as life can be, as unbearable, unfair, and ugly some trails appear to be, he can turn those trials into blessings. He can cause a flower to bloom in the deserts of our lives. I testify that this is true. I know it because I have felt it. I have used his atonement many times in my life. When sorrows seems too hard, He gives me solace. Every time.

Let us all live with these reassurances! God is not only aware of us, we are his full-time occupation. If we allow him to be more than a passing occupation in our lives we will truly see the blessings pour down from Heaven upon us. Our loved ones are not lost, they are simply away from our sight for a moment. Though it hurts to be apart from them, let us live for the day when through the gospel we may see them again! Let us live the way we know those loved ones would want us too! Let us rest in the peace and the assurance that the atonement has entitled us to have. Listen to this talk. Study the atonement. God cannot bless us with knowledge that we do not seek. I urge any one who is suffering to search out for their savior and put their hand in his. I testify that he will be there. I say these things in the loving name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.