The key is to keep trying; to get up after you fall down; to utilize the gift of the atonement to keep becoming a better and more Christ-like person.
You are not alone. I am here to help- so is your dad, and your grandparents, leaders at church and school. There will always be someone you can reach out to. Most importantly will be your Savior Jesus Christ. He knows you best; probably even more than you know yourself. He will know how to help if you let Him.
This was only part of what I wanted to share with my son. But he's only 8. And I only have 2-5 minutes to say something. I didn't want my words to go over his head, or scare him. I wanted this to be a positive experience. Besides- there is so much good and positivity in the gospel- THAT'S what I wanted him to have today, so I asked my mom to make me 3 circles (one red, one yellow, and one green) to be a fun visual aid, and this is what I shared:
Jonas- I am so proud of you. You have made a decision that will change life for the better. You got baptized. You decided to follow the example of Jesus Christ; AND you have promised to follow Him for the rest of your life.
This is a big decision. Heavenly Father does not take this lightly- so he wants to give you a gift to help you on your life’s journey. Can you guess what that gift is called? That's right- it's the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost has many jobs to do: he’s a comforter, he’s a teacher, he’s a protector. You will learn about all of his jobs as you grow in the gospel. For the sake of time, I want to teach you about how he works.
Recently, Jonas and I have been teaching his little sisters about traffic lights. There are three parts to a traffic light: red, green, and yellow. Jonas, what does green mean? Go. What does red mean? Stop. Let's practice: green, red, green, red, red, green.
The Holy Ghost works in the same way. The D&C teaches us that the Lord will tell us in our minds AND in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Sometimes, he tells us (green) go. He’ll tell you this is good and right and you should pursue it. It will make sense to our heads, and it will feel good in our hearts. Other times, he tells us (red) stop. He’ll tell you that it's wrong, and that you should NOT pursue it. Our heads might be confused, and we won't feel good about it.
But the Holy Ghost doesn't tell us everything to do. We are still expected to make our own decisions, and we may not get a yes or a no. We may get a yellow light. What does a yellow light mean, Jonas? Good. It means “be careful”. When you don't get a sure yes or no from the Spirit, we move forward in the best way we know how- always dcareful to listen to what the spirit might tell us- which could be at any time.
You're a good kid, Jonas. I am so honored to be your mother. Feel free to talk with me or daddy you learn how the Spirit talks to you. I know it will help you in your life. It has helped many of us here. The Holy Ghost is very real. I testify of that In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
