BECOMING

My cousin’s beautiful wife Bethany has a blog that I regularly turn to for inspiration. She has had so many trials in her time but she’s never let it shake her testimony. Her blog is all about “becoming.” Becoming older, better, kinder, more like Christ. She posted this article on her blog a long time ago and I thought it was so inspiring I wanted to share my thoughts on it here, too. (To be honest, the talk is much more powerful than anything I could write, so I would really recommend reading the whole thing, even though it’s long).

Elder Oaks says that the gospel is more than just knowing something. It’s about BECOMING something. He tells the story of the laborers in the vineyard who came at different times and all received the same wages. Some of the workers were upset that those who didn’t come until the end of the day got the same pay as those who had been there the whole time. But Elder Oaks says, “… the Master’s reward in the Final Judgment will not be based on how long we have labored in the vineyard. We do not obtain our heavenly reward by punching a time clock. What is essential is that our labors in the workplace of the Lord have caused us to become something. For some of us, this requires a longer time than for others. What is important in the end is what we have become by our labors.”

So what does Heavenly Father want us to become? In 3 Nephi 27:27 it says, “Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.” He wants us to become like Christ. He wants us to be happy and kind and honest and pure. He wants us to become good husbands and wives and mothers and fathers and good members of society. And He doesn’t expect us to become all those things today or tomorrow or anytime soon. He has given us our whole lives to become who He wants us to be.

I know it can be hard to measure our progress on this journey of becoming, but it is the goal of becoming that is really important. Heavenly Father knows who we are and who we are capable of becoming. Don’t be afraid to become who He wants you to be. His plan will bring us happiness and hope not just today but forever.

I personally want to become more patient and more positive. I want to become a better cook and a better student. I want to become an outstanding employee and a loyal friend. Most of all, I want to become a good wife and a loyal daughter of God. And I know that through the gospel of Jesus Christ I can become all of that and more.

Love, Rebecca