Graça

I went to Teresina this past week after Carnaval for another leadership training. It was good, I learned a lot. I was able to meet up with some really good friends also.

God´s mercy is not something we can earn, nor is it something that we deserve. But it is His to give us freely. No matter our circumstances, mistakes, sins, and difficulties, He is always waiting to receive us. Our Father in Heaven sent His Only Begotten Son into the world to suffer and die for us.

John 3:16
16¶For ^aGod so ^bloved the ^cworld, that he ^dgave his ^eonly begotten ^fSon, that whosoever ^gbelieveth in him should not perish, but have ^heverlasting ⁱlife.

17For God ^asent not his Son into the world to ^bcondemn the world; but that the world through him might be ^csaved.

He suffered every kind of pain and affliction, felt every heartache, every guilt, and took upon himself the sins of the world, so that we might be saved.

Alma 7:11-13

11And he shall go forth, suffering pains and ^aafflictions and ^btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will ^ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12And he will take upon him ^adeath, that he may ^bloose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to ^csuccor his people according to their infirmities.

13Now the Spirit ^aknoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the ^bflesh that he might ^ctake upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

We truly don´t deserve what our Savior, Jesus Christ, did for us. But because of His love, He extends His mercy to all those who repent and believe on His name.

Alma 7:14

14Now I say unto you that ye must ^arepent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.

Mosiah 26:30

30Yea, and ^aas often as my people ^brepent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.

As we may all be aware of, there have been disasters happening frequently all over the world. The most recent in Japan. These are all signs of the second coming of the Messiah. We all need to take a look at our lives and see if we are living in harmony with the gospel. We all need to repent of our sins so that we might be lifted up in that great and terrible day. In the book of Alma we learn the importance of repentance.

Alma 34:32-33

32For behold, this ^alife is the time for men to ^bprepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of ^cthis life is the day for men to perform their ^dlabors.

33And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many ^awitnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not ^bprocrastinate the day of your ^crepentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the ^dnight of ^edarkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

Let´s not procrastinate our repentance. Because tomorrow we too could die or lose a loved one. I testify to you that the Atonement, the sacrifice of our Lord, Jesus Christ, allows us to be clean from our sins. He lives, and will come again. I love you my dear ones.

-Elder Samuel H. Chiba