For the next three days, we are going to focus on “connection.”
While mainstream society turns to social media as the primary means of connection and communication, it simultaneously drifts further and further away from the most important connections we can have in this life. Social media has it’s place, but there is nothing that can replace good old-fashioned connections that build lasting relationships.
Today we will touch on Connection with Heaven.
Tomorrow we will look into Connection with Ourselves.
And Tuesday we’ll explore Connections with Family.
In order for peace to be real and enduring it needs to start from the inside. Even though external factors can contribute to a peaceful environment, situations change from moment to moment and our experiences of daily life are not always of a peaceful nature. Therefore, peace must be a calm and abiding reassurance; a feeling, a warm firelight that burns brightly even when external peace is nowhere to be found. But where does this peace come from? And how do we not only light it from time to time, but keep it forever glowing in the deep parts of our heart?
We reach up and connect with heaven. And as we do, heaven unmistakeably reaches back to us, pouring into our hearts warm rays of sunlight to fuel our fire of peace.
How do you connect to heaven? There are so many ways.
Do you kneel before your Maker morning and night to share with Him all about your day? Do you thank Him for the specific bounties of life you enjoy? Do you align your will to His and ask for the things you need? Do you plead for forgiveness? I remember my Dad teaching me many years ago that we come to know God the Father through prayer. As we do so, He can become our very best friend.
Do you immerse yourself in the living waters of the scriptures and words of modern-day prophets? Do you hear or feel answers to your questions as you feast on this bread that truly satisfies? Do you read of the life of Christ and desire to follow Him? Do you walk through your day with renewed resolve to emulate your Savior? As you do so, you will gain another best friend in your Redeemer. This is what my Father taught me.
Do you listen closely to your heart so you can better hear the whisperings of the Spirit? Do you quiet the noise around you and tune into the voice that will lead you to joy, service, love, and ultimately back to your heavenly home? As you come to know the voice of the Holy Ghost and how He speaks to you individually, you will gain a third best friend. You need this connection to be finely tuned so you can clearly navigate this fallen world.
Did you connect with heaven this past weekend during General Conference? When you heard our living prophet speak did you feel glowing rays of light add fuel to your fire of peace? {#ldsconf #presmonson}
Do you commune with heaven during the Sacrament? Do you connect with heaven in the temple? Do you connect to heaven as you ponder after your personal prayers? Do you feel the connection grow as you pray always in your heart, feel sparks of gratitude throughout your day, serve your neighbor, love your family? What are your favorite ways to connect with heaven?
Come to him and He will come to you.
One of my favorite scriptures, one that brings peace and comfort to my heart is Revelation 3:20—
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
Can you imagine sitting with the Savior–dining with Him at your very own dinner table? Just imagine it for a moment….
Can you feel the fire of peace that would grow in your heart as you conversed heart to heart? This is the peace we need. This is the warmth that can only come as we bring heaven more fully into day-to-day lives….
