You can't change what you can't see

"Perhaps at no other time do we feel the divine love of the Savior as abundantly as we do when we repent."—Linda S. Reeves, "Claim the Blessings of Your Covenants"

So today was a great lesson on Repentance and the need for it in our lives. One of my favorite quotes from the lesson was "When we repent, our life changes."

It made me think of an experience I had several years ago. I was cleaning my house and had asked a friend to come and help me. As she came in the house she noticed a Computer tower that was on top of a shelf in plain sight that was broken. I had put it up there when it broke to deal with it later. But then it disappeared, at least to me. I never saw it again. It just sat there in plain sight but I couldn't see it. She said "What about this Computer tower?" In that question I could suddenly see it and noticed that it was indeed taking up good space and cluttering up the house. I couldn't clean it until I could see it. In the lesson it quotes one of the greatest stories of repentance in the Book of Mormon it is the story of Alma the Younger. 

“My soul was harrowed up [troubled] to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.

“Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments.

“… So great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror.

“… It came to pass that as I was … harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy … concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.

“Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me. …

“And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more. …

“And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

“… There can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy” (Alma 36:12–14, 17–21).

I had never noticed the word "saw" in that scripture until today. Only once Alma saw what he was doing as sinful could he make the necessary steps to change and repent. Only once he recognized his need for the Savior could he call upon him to help. Last quote from the lesson: "We should repent now, every day. When we get up in the morning, we should examine ourselves to see whether the Spirit of God is with us. At night before we go to sleep, we should review our acts and words of the day and ask the Lord to help us recognize the things for which we need to repent. By repenting every day and having the Lord forgive our sins, we will experience the daily process of becoming perfect. As with Alma, our happiness and joy can be sweet and exquisite."

Several questions come to mind as I think about this message for me today. First, What do I need to see more clearly in my self and my life so I can start to change? and Second, How can I implement this question into my daily prayers so my best friend, Jesus,  can help me to see myself and my life more clearly? 

Advocate

Advocate 

What Is the Significance of the Title “Advocate”?

The imagery of a judicial system is often invoked when the Last Judgment is mentioned in scriptures. Man goes before the “judgment bar” (2 Nephi 33:15), there to be “arraigned” (Alma 11:44) and face God, “the Judge of all” (Hebrews 12:23). As part of that imagery, Jesus is called the Advocate (paraclaytos). In the King James Version of the New Testament, Jesus is called the “advocate” only once (1 John 2:1). The same word (paraclaytos) is used for the Holy Ghost, although it is translated “Comforter” (John 14:16). Thus, Jesus is one Paraclete, or Comforter, and the Holy Ghost is called “another Comforter” (John 14:16). The Greek word comes from para, to the side of, and kalayo, to summon. “Hence, originally, one who is called to another’s side to aid him, as an advocate in a court of justice” (Vincent, Word Studies, 1:486).

In the terminology of today’s legal system, an advocate is a lawyer who pleads another’s cause in a court of law, or in other words, an attorney for the defense. Usually, the attorney for the defense pleads the cause on the basis that the client is innocent; or if guilty, that extenuating circumstances should be considered and mercy extended. At the time of eternal judgment, we will stand before the bar of God accused of being imperfect and unworthy to enter God’s presence, “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). At that time we have an Advocate with the Father. He will stand beside us to plead our cause before the Great Judge; however, He does not plead our case by pointing to our lack of guilt; rather, it is His own sinlessness to which He calls God’s attention (see D&C 45:4). His perfection and His suffering pay the price to satisfy justice for those of His “brethren that believe on my name” (v. 5). Imagine the indescribable sorrow of standing before the judgment bar with no one to step forward, no one to speak for you. How tragic that some will not come to Him in true faith and repentance so that He can take their guilt upon Him and become their advocate with the Father.

D&C 45:3-5

“It is of great significance to me, that I may at any moment and in any circumstance approach through prayer the throne of grace, that my Heavenly Father will hear my petition, that my Advocate, him who did no sin, whose blood was shed, will plead my cause.”  D. Todd Christofferson, “I Know in Whom I Have Trusted,” Ensign,May 1993, 83.

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:


https://www.lds.org/scriptures/tg/jesus-christ-advocate?lang=eng

Reverently and Meekly Now

At the throne I intercede;

For thee ever do I plead.

I have loved thee as thy friend,

With a love that cannot end.

Be obedient, I implore,

Prayerful, watchful evermore,

And be constant unto me,

That thy Savior I may be.

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https://www.lds.org/ensign/2014/07/the-divine-mission-of-jesus-christ-advocate?lang=eng#footnote2-10907_000_006