“Have Ye Experienced This Mighty Change in Your Hearts?”
Alma did not know about today’s lifesaving heart transplant surgeries, which replace a damaged or diseased heart with a healthy one. But he knew about a more miraculous “change of heart” (Alma 5:26)—one whereby the Savior gives us a newness of spiritual life, like being “born again” (see Alma 5:14, 49). Alma could see that this change of heart was exactly what many of the Nephites needed. Some were rich and others poor, some prideful and others humble, some persecutors and others afflicted by persecution (see Alma 4:6–15). But all of them needed to come unto Jesus Christ to be healed—just as we all do. Whether we are seeking to overcome pride or to endure afflictions, Alma’s message is the same: “Come and fear not” (Alma 7:15). Let the Savior change a hardened, sinful, or wounded heart into one that is humble, pure, and new.
Here is the message I received this week about our kids. So beautiful.
“I was just listening to the podcast today about Alma and Hellman … the one about the kids and as you were pouring out your heart I could tell that you really wish you could do more for the situation your kids are in and I just wished I was there to tell you, you ARE doing enough! And nothing you could have done differently or better would have changed what is. Everyone is going to have their own journey. And you were fortunate that your journey was with wonderful amazing God loving parents and you grew up the same way. But not everyone does. Not everyone has it that together from the start. As you kept asking about what things could you do or ideas I just keep thinking about the verse that says train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.
It’s funny it says when he is OLD. maybe the Lord knew we’d do a lot of dumb things when we’re young. 😉
But seriously though- I’ve been listening to you from the start ….I know that your love for God doesn’t turn off when you turn that microphone off. I know that you shine that light everywhere you go and that means your home is filled with it. Don’t despair if your kids are not where you want them to be right now. They have to get there on their own and thru their own experiences. I have 7 kids, and some are older now and some are still babies. And now that the older ones are (starting to make) bad choices I had to come to terms with the fact that it doesn’t matter what I want. These kids are going to do what THEY want. So I have to decide what is the best way to stay relevant in their lives so that they always feel they have that door to come thru when they get back from eating with the pigs. Do I still teach them Jesus. Yes! I’m just like you. It’s in every other conversation
Because when they are at their crossroad when they are racked by the torment of their many sins, it will be impossible for them not to remember the words of their (mother). I know it hurts. I know it’s hard. I may be calling you in a couple more years when the rest of mine grow up to remind me of these words- no mother wants to see her kids stray because we know what that leads to. And we don’t want that for our kids. I grew up in a Christian home and we all were very involved in church, the scriptures, praying, evangelizing, etc… ( I have 6 sisters 2 brothers) but we all had to come to our own day of reckoning and that came at different times in all our lives
But we always came back to the Lord. In different ways. Maybe still not perfect but it’s in us. And we can’t run from it! Just like the Lord promised.
Lastly, one thing my husband always tells me is not to give up on people. You never know what they will become and when. He knows because he was raising in a “Mormon” family and he was the wildest kid you ever met.
He did every drug, every party, moved to the city and ran with the worst gangs and now he is a completely different man
I’ve seen the power of God work in a lot of the worst people. I’m from the inner city of Chicago- we faced a lot of tough challenges. But the bottom line is it was never in your power to “save” your kids or keep them in the church. Your job is to teach them the way so they can always know how to get back.”
Here’s the link to the 7 ways to build self-confidence
Here’s the link to music with a message about combating self-doubt.
Thank you so much for this weeks podcast. THANK YOU to the smart lady who wrote about wandering children I NEEDED to hear that this week. Thank you for always giving more understanding for words from the dictionary I have a son struggling with an addiction and I shared with him that the savior will run to our help in those times of temptation. Thank you Melanie for all the time you put into your podcast.
Thank you for doing these podcasts. I really relate to the way you teach. I love how real you are. I hope blessings pour down from heaven for you, because I feel so blessed in these weird times to have this podcast to listen to. Thank you Thank you
Here are the original Check yourself before you wreck yourself scriptures; Alma39:9, “Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. Oh, remember, and take it upon you, and cross yourself in these things.” and 3 Nephi 12:30, “For it is better that ye should deny yourselves of these things, wherein ye will take up your cross, than that ye should be cast into hell.”