Life and Salvation

Joseph Smith said “a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has the power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation.”

I had a friend say something about all the "requirements" of the church and how they can seem, and let's be honest, actually BE, overwhelming. Sometimes you do feel like there is so much to do and you know you aren't doing it all and what you are doing probably isn't all that great, BUT to me it's worth it. It's worth the sacrifice. I believe it is God asking me to do these things and that's the difference. If I was just being asked by some random dude to have FHE and go to institute and have a calling and go visiting teaching and go to ward activities and pay tithing and dress modestly and live the word of wisdom and give a talk and go to the temple and be careful of the entertainment I consume and bear testimony and read my scriptures every day and pray multiple times a day and take meals to the neighbor and a million other things, I'm pretty certain I'd tell him to peace out and just do whatever took  my fancy. But that's not how it works. It's not some random dude, it's our Father in Heaven. And I know these things are in place for a reason and that they will help me and help others become the people God needs us to be. If it wasn't for my conviction that I belong to God's true church and that that will require some sacrifice I wouldn't be able to do it. If I didn't know I had His help in all of this and that even when I come short He is still inviting me to come to Him and be better, I'd give up. Of course there are days we feel overwhelmed and find ourselves not quite measuring up, but that is the beauty of it. That is what builds our faith, keeps us humble and pulls us to Christ. Hopefully my sacrifice, in some small degree, shows God that I love him and that I am trying and that I will keep trying. Day by day my faith will increase and that is what will save me.