Chapter 1: Way-Truth-Life

"Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me.

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him,

I am the way

the truth

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father, but by me"

John 14:1-6

From the beginning, Jesus Christ was to be the Savior and Redeemer of the World. He was the only one who could fulfill the purposes of God and make it so there was a way we could return to live with Him again. In this life, we all will face hardship. We will sin and therefore separate ourselves from God. Christ, through his sacrifice, made it possible for us to repent, or change, and become something better. Through his grace and mercy, we can overcome the effects of sin and feel the peace, comfort, and love he offers. We can find joy in the midst of a world full of sadness and despair. In this scripture, Jesus is explaining to his innocent Apostles that he must leave, and die. He explains: "I go to prepare a place for you."For you. His sacrifice was and is for you. His Atonement, his suffering of the pains, weaknesses, temptations, illnesses, griefs, losses, anxieties, and everything we ever would feel or experience in this life allows Jesus Christ to know us perfectly. When we are hurting, he understands. When we doubt, he cares. When we fail, he believes. He believes because he knows who we can become. He knows our potential and our eternal worth as sons and daughters of Almighty Heavenly Parents. All of us. This potential comes through him and his sacrifice, and he invites all of God's children to use his sacrifice to become better: it is not a gift denied to any who ask.

"...and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike to God." 2 Nephi 26:33

I pray that we all will strive to be better at coming to him. I pray that I will be better at coming to him. Maybe some of us are more like Thomas than we think: truly struggling to understand what Jesus means when he says we can be where he is. We struggle to understand how our circumstances, or life, will end and how we would even get there. But Christ knows the end, and he invites us to come unto him. Come unto him, and understanding will come. It takes a little faith, but he will not deny you. Pray to find his way, his truth, and his life. I know that we can be strengthened in any circumstance we may be in through the power of Jesus Christ and his Atonement. I have felt it, but more importantly, there have been times in my life where I have chosen to live without it. O how great is the difference.

I testify that he really is the way: the path to joy and peace.

I testify he is the truth, the great example of perfect love which is all truth.

I testify he is the light, even the source of all light; a light by which if we live, we will find our way.

Come and find the way.

Life is good.

God is wise.

Don't give up

Love,

Elder Childers

Atonement by Kate Lee. My most recent favorite artistic depiction of The Atonement.

My wonderful district all meeting together over zoom. I love my classes online; they are definitely the best part of my day. My teachers, Brother Skinner and Sister Neria are amazing and I've learned so much from them. Online MTC is different than I expected and fulfilling in every way.