All Things Testifiy of His Love

     One thing that has been on my mind as I have read the scriptures lately is the love of God.  Every thing He does is a testimony of His infinite love. In 2 Nephi I was reading a chapter where the Lord was strongly rebuking the people.  As I read it I couldn't help but wonder what happened to the Loving Heavenly Father we know of.  But then I noticed something at the end of His rebuking He left a even stronger message of love, an invitation to Come Unto Him, so that they would not have to suffer the horrible things of which He had spoken of.  As I looked at other examples of rebuking it was always the same.  He always left an invitation to come unto Him.  His rebuking is a plea.  It is not about revenge or punishment. It is a loving warning from our Heavenly Father.  Wicked NEVER was happiness.  He cannot change that, He can only help us as agents of choice, to understand that eternal principle.

     Anther example I found of this was in Helaman. Nephi is given the ability to do anything he wants because he would not do anything contrary to the desire of God.  Of course Nephi having the same desires of God, wanted to bring others unto Christ.  But the people of Nephi at that time were extremely prideful.  So Nephi asks for a famine in order to humble the people.  The famine last for three years!  Before it stopped the people had asked for it to stop, they had suffered, people probably died.  But it was not taken away until the people humbled them selves and repented, until they change.  That is why God allows bad things to happen to us. Because it will change us.  One of my favorite stories is the one Elder D. Todd Christofferson told in conference awhile ago (there is an awesome Mormon message about it.)  In the story a man on a farm cuts down a current bush because it was too large and producing no fruit.  After he cut it down it appeared that the bush was crying and he thought he heard it complain about cutting it down.  Saying he had impeded on his progress.  The man replied that he was the gardener and that he knew what he wanted the bush to be.  Years later the man faced a trial in his life in which he was upset to God to.  The words he said came back to him, "I am the Gardener here and I know what I want you to be"  He later thanked God saying " Thank you Mr. Gardener for loving me enough to cut me down."

    This principle of loving disciple from a Heavenly Father is everywhere.  During Mission prep we were talking about the Plan of Salvation.  We talked about how in sprit prison some people would have to suffer.  I thought this strange, why would Heavenly Father make His children suffer for sins that were already paid for.  But once again I realized it was for change.  I believe it was Elder Oaks that taught " the repenting sinner must still suffer for his sins, but that suffering has a different purpose than payment or punishment, the purpose is change."  If the Telestial kingdom is going to better than the current Earth the people are going to have to change.  A kingdom is only as glorious as the people in it.  That is why they must suffer, to help bring out of them every bit of good.  To help them understand that wickedness will only bring them sadness and pain.  In the words of Tupac "that's just he way it is" 
I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who loves me enough to cut me down.  I am grateful for my Savior who has made it possible for me to change. Let us love, for God is Love
-yo yo yo Cheeseman