The fullness of the gospel {an iron analogy}

Iron Pic Source (Edit is my work)

*Switches to story telling voice (and language)*

Once upon a time in a land far far away called Kentuckia, in a white farmhouse an iron broke (and their washer and heat...but that's beside the point) This was very startling to their oldest daughter who really liked non wrinkly clothes

So they got a new iron. And the very picky daughter strongly disliked it. (She was kind of a laundry snob) She would iron and iron and iron, but alas her clothes would still be wrinkly! She was often the last daughter out the door, and we all know that when you are in a rush, the last thing you want to do is take 20 minutes to iron.

So she went on despising the "iron that never worked." And having slightly wrinkly clothes.

Until one day her dearest mother, who knew of her frustrations, said dearest daughter; did you know the iron keeps being switched to the lowest power? That could most certainly cause the iron's performance to be less than satisfactory!"

The said daughter turned a shade pinker because she realized that she had been adjusting the power to what she thought was high, but was actually low.

The daughter learned to use the iron correctly and they all lived happily ever after in their neatly pressed clothes.

The End.

*Switches to normal writing*

So how does this relate to the gospel?

Sometimes we become frustrated. We don't feel the fullness of the gospel. We don't feel the joy and peace it promises. We don't feel a reassuring feeling or a confirmation of truth. We might not feel like The Savior is comforting us or standing beside us. There are numerous examples of ways we might not feel like everything is just right.

But it might be because we aren't fully taking advantage of all the gospel. We might be just like the oldest daughter, ironing and ironing with no change. We might be reading our scriptures and praying day after day, day after day, with no answers.

We may be forgetting the most important tool. The spirit. If we forget the spirit, we are still partaking of the gospel, but only at a very low power level because the spirit is the only way to truly partake of the fullness of the gospel.

It might take revelation. We may have to wait for our Heavenly Father, like the mom in the story, to help us know what to do.

So what is our responsibility? To throw ourselves into the quest to come unto Christ. To keep persevering. To invite the spirit into our lives in every way possible. To always be worthy of his presence. To be ready and receptive of revelation constantly.

I know our Heavenly Father is constantly there for us. He loves us. He is our never failing friend, the Prince of Peace, and The Savior of the world. He sacrificed all for us and loves us beyond comprehension. Sometimes life can become frustrating and these truths become blurry. I plead with you to not give up. Your dark night will end and you will wake to a glorious dawn.

I know this with all sincerity of heart,

-Shelby

PS: I am the oldest daughter.