Who Are You?

I have fifteen chapters left to read to reach my goal of finishing the Book of Mormon by Christmas—right on target! When our bishop extended this invitation, I actually slowed down a bit. That little “throttling back” has given me room to reflect, ponder, and even pontificate on what I’m reading. It’s been good for me. And once again, I’m seeing more clearly where our great nation is headed if we don’t turn back to becoming a God-fearing and God-worshipping people.

Clyde watches political news, which is… distressing. I know the evil that’s out there. I don’t need a play-by-play. If I let myself ruminate on it too long, it is burdensome.

When I started writing my thoughts for Ether 10, I felt this odd familiarity—almost déjà vu. No surprise there: I’ve read this book so many times. I searched my blog and, sure enough, there it was from 2012: Work, Work, Work. What a concept—that work keeps us out of bondage, that we teach our children how to work, and that an honest day’s wage still means something. I’ve always enjoyed working. For a long time my mantra was, “My work is my play,” and it really did help. I don’t dislike anything I do; sometimes there are just too many choices pulling me in different directions!

On another note, we recently watched the movie Overcomer. It’s about a talented but forgotten girl growing up poor and mostly alone, raised by her over-worked grandmother. The lies she’d been told about her parentage  was a heavy world for her. But as she discovers she’s a runner, she also discovers who she really is. She has a good coach, a righteous man with a supportive family around him, and—without spoiling the story—the real turning point comes when she starts struggling with her identity. Her coach asks, “Who are you?” She gives her name. “No… who are you?” he insists, and then he suggested she read Ephesians 1 and 2.

I finally got around to reading those chapters myself this morning. In the movie she eventually recites, with power and conviction, what she learned about her identity. And at the core of it all is something we were taught from our earliest days in Primary: I Am a Child of God.

As I read Ephesians 1 and 2, here’s what stood out to me:

·       I am a child of Jesus Christ.

·       I have been redeemed through His blood.

·       I have been given the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.

·       By His grace, I am saved.

·       That grace—given through my faith—is a gift from God, not something earned.

·       I am His workmanship, created by Christ.

·       He is my peace.

·       I am a fellow citizen in the household of God.

This knowledge is the key—freedom, joy, success, direction. It unlocks everything. We are children of a Heavenly Father who loves us, and we must love Him. He is the light and life of our very existence. Everything in this world was created for our benefit. Even His life was given for us. His greatest joy was saving His brothers and sisters from a fallen world. We are imperfect, but through Him, we are made perfect.

This is my testimony. Like Hannah Scott in the movie, I experienced my own awakening years ago, and I still marvel at the blessings that flow from knowing who I truly am.