To Infinity, And Beyond...

I woke up this morning with thoughts of eternity running through my mind.  I thought about eternity and infinity.  I thought about how infinity is simply an eternity of numbers and eternity is an infinity of days.  As I thought of these words and the concepts that surround them I had several thoughts that I consider profound.  I realize that for others these thoughts might not make sense or they might not really be important.  I know that these thoughts are not my own, rather they are thoughts over which I have been given stewardship.

What will I do with these thoughts?  Will I roll over and go back to sleep?  Will I record them for future understanding?  Will I think about them and allow them to change me for the better?  These are some of the questions that determine whether we will be open to further promptings or not.  I believe that as we record impressions and guidance from the spirit, we open ourselves to more guidance and increased direction.

Now, back to the thoughts that I woke up having.  I thought about infinity from a mathematical perspective.  I'm not a mathematician but I understand that infinity is not a number and can never actually be achieved.  Infinity is a concept.  Broken down it makes more sense to me.  In- (without), -fin- (end), and -ity (state of being).  So, literally, infinity is the state of being without end.  You cannot add to infinity nor can you take away from it.  You can merely approach infinity.  And how do you approach infinity?  One number at a time.

Eternity, much like infinity, is a concept.  Also, much like infinity, eternity does not exist to us as mortals.  You cannot add to nor take away from eternity.  You can merely approach it.  And how do you approach eternity?  One step at a time.

I think the symbol for infinity was chosen wisely, or somebody simply knocked an eight on its side.  "∞" INFINITY.  "∞"  ETERNITY.  As we stand in the middle of this symbol there is a never-ending loop of days behind us as well as days in front of us.  We have good and bad things that happen to us daily.  I think that too often we allow the infinite and eternal to scare us because we cannot truly understand it.

What I believe that we need to do is simply approach eternity one step at a time.  Don't let eternal marriage overwhelm you...it is to be achieved one day at a time.  Don't let the quest for perfection end if you're imperfect...the quest is eternal!  Allow yourself to make mistakes but do better each day.  Eternity will happen if you let it...don't force it!

I have to admit that this is where the original text to the post ended.  However, I just finished up at institute and I feel that I have to add a few words from that lesson.  The lesson focused on one verse and the question posed in it.  1 Nephi 11:16, "And he said unto me:  Knowest thou the condescension of God?"  This is a concept that I have not understood and believe that I have only begun to grasp after attending institute tonight.

I will do my best to explain what is beyond my grasp.  I hope that the illustration and the spirit will teach what I lack the ability to explain.  "The condescension of God" (the coming of Christ to the Earth) does more to explain the love that Christ had and has for us than a lot of other doctrines.  As I understood the lesson, Christ had received the fulness during the pre-mortal life.  However, he gave up Godhood to come dwell with us mortals so that he could show us the way.

When he was born a babe in Bethlehem, the veil was placed over him just like it was for all of us.  D&C 93:12-14 explains that He "received not of the fulness at first, but received grace for grace;"  Meaning that Christ went through life re-learning everything that he already knew and re-gaining that which he had already gained.  Then after His baptism, as explained in verses 16 and 17, He received a "fulness of the glory...[and] all power."

Then, to ensure that all of us could return to our Father in Heaven, He gave it all up, AGAIN!  As D&C 88:6 explains, "he descended below all things...that he comprehended all things".  Through the Atonement He descended below all and then after the Resurrection, He received a Fulness again!  He gave it all up twice for us.  He loves us so much.  He would not go through all of that and then give up on us.  "Give up" is not in His vocabulary.  Quite literally, He has already gone to hell and back for us.  May we all have a little more faith in the man that wants nothing more than to please Heavenly Father and to help us achieve happiness.

I will end this post with a glimpse of what Heavenly Father wants us to be.  I truly believe that it is within each and every one of us to become what Jesus became.  D&C 93:19-20 says, "I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come to the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.  For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace."

Give yourself a break.  Give yourself time.  Don't get frustrated.  Don't give up.  If you want to be more like Jesus, remove the phrase "give up" from your vocabulary.