Love Unconquerable, Unlimited, Unconditional

This Christmas season, I have decided to start a new tradition for myself: I've been getting reacquainted with Christ by studying the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. My dear friends, Jesus Christ lives! He is our Savior, our older brother, and our perfect exemplar. I can't tell you what an amazing experience I have had spending time with Him in my study--hearing His words, and seeing His example, and feeling His love.

I always liked to compare Christ's role in our lives to my brother's playing basketball in the driveway with his friends. I would sit on the step and watch them, wanting to be able to play and knowing that I was just too little to do it on my own. But eventually, Mark would come over and lift me up on his shoulders and walk over to the hoop, and one of his friends would hand me the ball, and they would all cheer when I tossed the ball into the hoop. That image has become so much more real since I lost Mark, and even though this isn't exactly what the Atonement of Christ does (it's only a small part), I know that Christ is my older brother--that I can be as close to Him as I am to Mark. I can grieve for Him, and miss Him, and want to be with Him, just like I do Mark.

And I do. The other night, I was reading in Mark 14, when Christ takes Peter, James, and John to Gethsemane. Most often, I skim over this part in these first gospels, until I get to Luke, because Luke uses such beautiful and powerful language. But as I studied these verses, my heart broke for my Savior:

"And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;

And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?" (Mark 14:33-37).

Three times, The Savior of the world knelt in agony, alone, and each time He came to His friends, whom He had brought with Him for support, He found them sleeping. Even after all they had experience with Him, they did not understand; they couldn't even stay awake as He suffered for the sins of the world. And at last, when the time came to fulfill the rest of the Atonement, He said, "Sleep on now, and take your rest" (Mark 14:41).

What great love! To suffer so much, alone, knowing that so many would not understand, that so many would reject and dismiss the priceless gift that He gave.

And so, this Christmas, I make a commitment to you and to my Savior, Jesus Christ:

I will strive to love as He did--withholding nothing, and asking for nothing in return.

I will strive to live my life as He did--in the service of my fellow man.

I will strive to forgive as He did--frankly and without condition.

But most of all, I will remember always what He gave for me, and stand as His witness in all things, in all times, and in all places.

23 Life Lessons Learned at the Cinema! Because I spend way too much time watching these movies ... But they're just so good!

1. "It's like in the great stories, .... The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think ... I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something[:] ... [t]hat there's some good left in this world, ... and it's worth fighting for!"

2. "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

3. "[He] can't carry it for you; but [He] can carry you!"

4. "Keep breathing. That's the key. Breathe."

5. "You pile up enough tomorrows and you'll be left with nothing but a bunch of empty yesterdays."

6. "You're life is an occasion. Rise to it!"

7. "We must face tomorrow, whatever it may hold, with determination, joy and bravery."

8. "We Breathe. We Pulse. We Regenerate. Our hearts beat. Our minds create. Our souls ingest. Thirty-seven seconds, well used, is a lifetime."

9. "When you read a book as a child, it becomes a part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your whole life does."

10. "[D]aisies are the friendliest flower[.]"

11. "Life doesn't always turn out the way you plan."

12. "A person's a person, no matter how small."

13. "There may be something there that wasn't there before."

14. "[A]ny fool can have courage. But honor, that's the real reason for you either do something or you don't. It's who you are and maybe who you want to be. If you die trying for something important, then you have both honor and courage, and that's pretty good."

15. "Love is not a feeling. It's an ability. "

16. "Instead of telling our young people to plan ahead, we should tell them to plan to be surprised."

17. "I thank whatever gods may be / For my unconquerable soul. / I am the master of my fate / I am the captain of my soul."

18. "Forgiveness liberates the soul."

19. "How do we inspire ourselves to greatness when nothing less will do? How do we inspire everyone around us? I sometimes think it is by using the work of others."

20. "Tomorrow's taken care of, one way or another."

21. "Fifty thousand men died right here on this field, fighting the same fight that we are still fighting among ourselves today. This green field right here, painted red, bubblin' with the blood of young boys. Smoke and hot lead pouring right through their bodies. Listen to their souls, men. I killed my brother with malice in my heart. Hatred destroyed my family. You listen, and you take a lesson from the dead. If we don't come together right now on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed, just like they were. I don't care if you like each other of not, but you will respect each other."

22. "[I]n such cases as these a good memory is unpardonable."

23. "What are men compared to rocks and mountains?"