The Prodigal Blogger & Words

So...it's been awhile. Like 2+ years awhile. A lot has happened. Yikes. I'm not sure why I stopped, and I'm pretty skeptical about this being anything worth reading as I begin anew. But I can't ignore the little nagging voice in my head that has been driving me crazy for the past month, telling me I need to start bleeding out some thoughts again. So here it goes.

Words. I have been pondering on words today. As I sat down for the past two days and listened to LDS General Conference, I was struck with the power of words. For better or worse, words have power to change perspectives, ideas, circumstances, people, and the world. So many of the messages I heard were both personal and inspiring. Hearing sermons of great depth all the way down to a lesson taught by a little girl named Chloe who didn't want to wear her seat belt, I was uplifted. I felt love. I felt hope. I felt a strong desire to change and be better.

But then you know what happened? General Conference ended. And I was back in the real world, struggling with all the very real temptations and weaknesses in my own life. Just a matter of hours later I was spending some time outside in the beautiful fall weather, and a friend also spoke out to use her words. In an offhand and with very likely harmless intentions, she said something that deeply hurt my feelings. Hours later, it is those words that are now bouncing around my head and haunting my thoughts instead of all those wonderfully hopeful and great words that I have been listening to all weekend. The tendency of human nature to always focus on the worst seems to be a constant battle.

BUT.

I am learning. I am learning that the words I use have that same power. That what I say also matters and has the ability to lift up or tear down. No doubt, I myself have ignorantly used words to cause hurt and pain, leaving someone to question their own self worth and purpose. It is probably one of the greatest ironies of life to realize that the things which bring you the worst pain are also injuries you have inflicted upon others at one time or another. That is exactly the reason why I am so grateful to have a knowledge of Jesus Christ in my life. I am so incredibly thankful for the sacrificing atonement of Christ. To know that not only can He heal my pain and suffering, but especially He can heal those that I have also caused to feel pain.

I am not perfect, and I know it perhaps better than anyone else. I have spent my entire life becoming acquainted with my own weaknesses and mistakes. I use words at their ugliest to dismantle myself so that no one else can do it better than me. 

BUT.

My words aren't the only words that have power. The words of Christ hold an even brighter and more powerful strength than anything else. THAT is why we have scripture. It's why so many generations of men have made such incredible sacrifices to record words. Words ARE power. And as I continue to learn more of Christ's words, I know I can find the power I need to change my own words, my own life, my own history. I can become better and find meaning, purpose, and joy as I follow and emulate the words of my Savior. I know the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and that no matter how many times I say the wrong words, He will always be there to help me make it right again as long as I choose to trust in Him.