NONE WERE WITH HIM

"Brothers and sisters, my. . . message today is intended for everyone, but it is directed in a special way to those who are alone or feel alone or, worse yet, feel abandoned. These might include those longing to be married, those who have lost a spouse, and those who have lost—or have never been blessed with—children. Our empathy embraces wives forsaken by their husbands, husbands whose wives have walked away, and children bereft of one or the other of their parents—or both. This group can find within its broad circumference a soldier far from home, a missionary in those first weeks of homesickness, or a father out of work, afraid the fear in his eyes will be visible to his family. In short it can include all of us at various times in our lives.
"To all such, I speak of the loneliest journey ever made and the unending blessings it brought to all in the human family. I speak of the Savior’s solitary task of shouldering alone the burden of our salvation. Rightly He would say: “I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me. … I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold me.”
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The bitter sweet pain of life comes with a challenge. We must feel the bitter pain before the sweet will come. My last post about our challenges was symbolic to a "Warhead" but is so true. The Warhead is so sour right at the moment, but after a few minutes turns to sweet. I can tell you from experience that our trials of faith can and will turn into the sweetness of Christ. It will, but only if we let it. Just like Alma says "But behold, because of the exceedingly great length of the war(or our trial, challenge, sickness etc.) . . . many had become hardened, because of the exceedingly great length of the war(trial, challenge, sickness, etc.); and many were softened because of their afflictions, insomuch that they did humble themselves before God, even in the depth of humility." (Alma 62:41)

We too have to take our "trials, challenges, and sickness" and learn from them. Remember Christ bled from every pore. Remember him who suffered all, "For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all . . . . Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit. Take your trial, take it to the "depth of humility!!" Learn from it, remember it, and never give up!! "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

“Blessed are they who … come down into the depths of humility and are baptized. …
“Yea, blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. …
“And blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. …

I promise you in the name of Jesus Christ, He cares, and He knows what YOU are feeling. He's suffered it, seen it and walked in your shoes, but just as he said to Joseph Smith,
. . . "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
"And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.
You will reap "rewards" from heaven, you will be blessed in your acts.  "Exalted on high," what could be better?

Sometimes we feel alone?  Why?

 You feel alone . . . I feel alone . . .  why . . .?   I don't know. . . . I ask the same questions at times. . . .-- Maybe so we could get up on our own and learn . . . . . Learn emptiness so we can feel the fullness of love.  I can just tell you one thing, when sorrow, doubt and fear pass, I feel ABLE, because I know God will help me.  Then in return God softens my heart so I can feel his love for his children. I can offer my sacrifice and broken heart to whatever he wants me to do, and they (meaning people who need the gospel) will feel it. We must take these experiences and learn from them, and ("soften" your heart with love) and not ("harden" your heart with anger).

"We cannot really feel charity—Christ’s love for others—without at least tasting His suffering for others, because the love and the suffering are but two sides of a single reality." (LDS.ORG)  And when we do come to feel and understand one millionth part of what our Savior bore we become "joint heirs" with his will.

I know these things to be true my brothers and sisters.  Your purpose lays waiting unwrapped underneath what seems to be impossible.  Though the tape is strong, and the cardboard isn't loose you can open your gift awaiting you at the end of your journey.
Ask yourself, ---will I take my trial? Will I overcome the world with Christ?-- Do try and understand why this is happening, because God does. He is ABLE!

Take care my good friends, and have a happy, safe new year. God be with you.