"Remember Who You Are!"

God is our Loving Heavenly Father. He knows us each individually and He is well aware of each of us and our own personal challenges and circumstances. As our Father He wants to bless us and has provided everything necessary for us to work through the trials of mortality and have eternal joy and peace in this life and in the life to come. 

These are principles I have heard, known and even taught to others my whole life. It was not a concept I believe I even began to really comprehend and understand to this extent until the weeks following the return home from my mission. 

It was at a point where questions and doubts were swarming my mind, my Book of Mormon sat close by my feet on this airplane but in a moment of weakness I lacked the motivation and desire to pull it out and search its pages to find the answers of my soul. Deep in this despairing mental hole, feeling as though I could get myself out of it I let pointless doubts loom.

Arriving at my new destination I felt lost more than ever before. With all the strength of Spirit I had within me I pulled it out and committed to read the Book of Mormon at the next airport gate I would be waiting at. 

The commitment was made but the darkness still did not give way.

Passing through the next concourse I had this feeling that I needed to smile. As I did so I started to notice the people and the world around me. Just getting a glimpse into the lives of these other individuals reality hit me that there was nothing for me to complain about comparatively. There is so much potential to reach out, learn, grow and love. 

As quickly as my mood changed and gratitude increased I saw this light as though an angel was descending down from heaven walking towards me. After a double take I still could not believe my eyes. It was the brilliant glow and beautiful smile of Sister Elaine S. Dalton, the former Young Women's President who's light and testimony I had built mine upon for years.

Our paths crossed and I exclaimed "I know who you are!"
 

She looked at me in my old worn out skirt, my temple bag and Book of Mormon in hand and stated "I know who you are too...tell me your name"

she continued, "You just got off your mission didn't you?...You still glow...and you have angels surrounding you right now..." 

I clumsily tried to express to her how much her light and example impacted me as a youth. Her gold blazers, stories of running and hiking and her description of the beauty inside the walls of the temple prompted and inspired me to be worthy and pure and do the things necessary to abide there someday.

It was a tender mercy of tender mercies. It was more than just meeting someone face-to-face that I had loved and admired for many years. 

It was for me to realize that Heavenly Father was there for me all along,

He had already sent angels to assist and lift me, I just hadn't yet done the things necessary to access that power and recognize them. He sent someone I knew and loved to help point my gaze heavenward; to His immediate and unconditional love. 

We have His light, we have the potential to receive "...all the Father Hath"

 "Remember who you are! See yourself as our Heavenly Father sees you. You are elect. You are of noble birth. Don’t compromise your divine inheritance. You were born to be a queen. Live so you are worthy to enter the temple and there receive “all that [the] Father hath.” Develop deep beauty. There is no more beautiful sight than a young woman who glows with the light of the Spirit, who is confident and courageous because she is virtuous."

-Sister Elaine S. Dalton

 

I know that God lives and that He is consistently and anxiously reaching out for us. No matter how many times we may turn away, He will never turn away from us. His Love is always there. We need to have the courage to reach out our hand to partake of that love and be changed into the glorious, pure and virtuous beings He has always intended us to become.