Sunsets are never permanent

The other day my companion and I were once again discovering how very fallible my gps is out in the country of Georgia. We were completely lost and were just following the road we were on until it got us to a major road or it ended. At one point we broke out of the heavy trees and turned down a road to discover this. A beautiful Georgia sunset. The bright explosion of light was magnificent. The picture does not do justice to the bright and beautifully colored sky we were looking at. The thing that was disappointing to me was that this show of beauty would not last. The sun was setting and soon darkness would set in. 

Long ago there was another sunset that came with much grieving. The death of our Savior Jesus Christ. He was the "light of the world" (John 8:12). And the brilliance and beauty of His ministry truly did light the world. But He was rejected and His ministry had a sunset of its own. The light of the world was put out and for a time the people of the earth experienced the long night of the apostasy. Many searched for the light but could not find it. Many good men and women during this time would speak out and find light in their own way. But it was still not the same. It would be equivalent to me turning on a lamp and saying "see, the sun is up!" Yes, there is light, but it is definitely not the light of the sun. And very similarly the light of the Son was missing. 

But God, our Father, loved all of us far too much to permanently leave us without the light of His Son. And just like a true sunrise, there was a brightness that signified the coming of the return of the light of the Son. In early American history it is recorded to be a great time of religious excitement. Many preachers traveled from city to city asking the big question "Are you saved?" and many people began to wonder if they were. A young boy asked that question for himself. In Ephesians it states "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Eph 4:5) As he continued to study he found in the writings of James the path to his answer. It states "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God..." (James 1:5) And so he did. He asked. And of his experience he said "I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me...When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" The light of the Son was literally and physically reintroduced to the world. 

I testify that this really happened. The Light is back. His church that He established himself 2000 years ago has been restored and this light and truth is available to any who honestly seek with an open heart. And the even greater news is that the Light will never be lost again. The Lord has promised it. And He never breaks His promises. 

Washed Clean

Today it has been raining. And oh do I love the rain. It is just so refreshing. And it washes all the dirt away. My favorite is having all the pollen washed off our car. Mostly because it gives me a small reprieve from sneezing. 

That silly little moisture does so much to refresh the earth. When I was a child my hometown was in a drought so we frequently prayed to receive rain to nourish our neighboring farmers crops. Prayers would even be said for it over the pulpit at church. I never thought anything of that until I came to live in Florida where moisture is abundant and people are most definitely not praying for more rain. 

More importantly I occasionally consider the spiritual significance and lessons we can learn from the refreshing ability of the rain. It cleanses everything it falls upon and brings new life to things that have lacked. Doesn't this remind us of something else in life? For me, baptism comes to mind. The most sacred covenant, or promise, that we can ever make in our lives. And the ordinance of baptism is the event that brings us new life. We are born into "newness of life" as Paul stated in the Bible. 

We are washed clean of our sins when we are baptized, and if it is preceded by true repentance we can feel as the prophet Alma explains by saying "And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been  born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?" After we have had the mighty change of heart and then are baptized we are spiritually born of God.

We can all be washed clean spiritually just like the earth can be washed clean physically. I know that it's possible for anyone who has the desire. And there is no better feeling than feeling fresh and clean. After rain storms it frequently feels that the world is coming alive and there is an energy of excitement in the air. Being spiritually washed clean can bring us those same feelings. And help us change.