Regrets confessed and the atonement accessed...

This has been a weird week out here in New Mexico, it has been cooling off here a little bit and it has been glorious. I am having a hard time putting my thoughts into words today for some reason so bear with me my friends. 

I taught seminary for the first time this morning and I felt like my mom haha. It’s hard. I really hope I was a good student in high school, if not I am sorry haha, but I learned a lot about what I regret. I wish I would have studied the scriptures. I wish I would have prayed more fully. I wish I would have been a better example. I wish I would have applied the atonement more in my life. I wish I wasn’t such a punk kid at times. But through all of that, through all of everything I went through, I am here. I am on a mission right now serving the Lord in the best cause on earth. I am becoming a member of God’s strong army. I honestly didn’t know how much my mission would change me up to this point. I don’t think I would have ever thought I would be as happy as I truly am… through all of the trials, all of the loss, all of the confusion hurt and pain, I still feel at peace because of where I am and who I am becoming. The only reason that this change was possible is because of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

The other day when I was feeling alone. I was thinking about our Savior and Redeemer. How He loves us so much. He voluntarily took all of my sins upon Himself.  He took every bad feeling that brings us to our lowest of lows unto Himself. And I was thinking why did He do this? What does that mean? He did it so He could know exactly how we feel, so He would know exactly how to make us feel better. It is truly incredible. No one forced Him to do it. He was not held at gun point. He did it in secret alone. Wanting no glory but solely because He loves us.

One more thing I was pondering this week is, why is it that this is the only religion in the United States that people seem to fight you about every little detail of doctrine in its entirety. Why is there so much anti-Mormon literature out there? Why do people try to fight the gospel so much? I came to the conclusion once again, that if they did not do this, it would not be true. There must be opposition in all things, we must be tested to grow. We must prepare for the hardships that surely will come in these last days. Preparation is so essential. This entire life we have been given is literally a preparational state. So it is time for all of us to buckle up to prepare, to use the atonement and listen to the prophets of God and what they have to say. Conference is better than Christmas on a mission.

I know I had a lot of things to say today, but I have had a lot on my mind this week. I feel as if I am being tested. But that only means growth and a more full knowledge. The sun is up and the sky is blue, there ain’t no mountain too high, and no valley to low. We got this my friends be safe out there.

love elder keegan