…Loose him, and let him go.

  This past week has been ROUGH!   Lots of busy days ended up being late nights.
  I’ve read my last post a few times during the week to remember to treat myself good and to continue with hope to live a little better than the day before.

                            (highs + lows)
In Bed                    10:30  2:15
Awake                    6:15   7:29
Gospel Study         30min
Exercise                25min (1 mile)
Nutrition               2-3 good meals   
                              4 glasses water  
  

  Wednesday mornings have become my solo temple time.  This was inspired by my good friend Kevin Flanagan telling me about his Tuesday morning temple sessions for the last 5 years!  This last week, after changing into my temple whites, I reached into my suit pocket and pulled out a name card of one of my male ancestors out of the huge stack I have.  After reading the name I pulled out (randomly), I instantly felt Heavenly Father’s love.  The name was the same name as a person that I had been angry with for a few years and never really let it go... 

“With variations of characters and circumstances that story could be repeated many times over in our own day. How difficult it is for any of us to forgive those who have injured us. We are all prone to brood on the evil done us. That brooding becomes as a gnawing and destructive canker. Is there a virtue more in need of application in our time than the virtue of forgiving and forgetting? There are those who would look upon this as a sign of weakness. Is it?

I submit that it takes neither strength nor intelligence to brood in anger over wrongs suffered, to go through life with a spirit of vindictiveness, to dissipate one’s abilities in planning retribution. There is no peace in the nursing of a grudge. There is no happiness in living for the day when you can “get even.”

…“Father, … forgive our debts, as we forgive our debtors”( Matt. 6:9, 12).

…“To err is human, to forgive divine.” (Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism, 2:1711). There is no peace in harboring old grudges. There is no peace in reflecting on the pain of old wounds. There is peace only in repentance and forgiveness. This is the sweet peace of the Christ, who said, “Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God” (Matt. 5:7). Of that I testify in the holy name of Jesus Christ, amen.” (GORDON B. HINCKLEY “Of You It Is Required to Forgive” Nov 1980 Ensign)

  For a while now I have been pressed by the Spirit to just let this go and forgive. I kind of thought that I already had… But the feeling I have felt, is that I need to write a letter to this person. So for the the past few months I have thought about what I would say.  Most times my ideas would lead to “getting even” or casting judgment. I don’t want to be like that. I want to be a good man, and a disciple of my Savior who has forgiven me for countless things.

  So many talks and scriptures lately have spoken to me about this. At our last Stake Conference, Pres. Warnick talked about forgiving. He challenged us to forgive anyone that we are holding animosity towards or holding a grudge against for something they may have said or done, to you or to someone you love. He gave an analogy of when the Savior raised his friend Lazarus from the dead…

  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

   And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

  And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

  And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

  …He said that we need to let the Savior forgive, and unloose those who have wronged us, and let them go. To unloose our grudges and ill feelings and anger we have towards anyone, and let them go.

  I love this analogy. And I want to obey and I want to be forgiven.

  That morning at the temple when I read that name, I instantly felt Heavenly Father’s love for me. I also instantly felt his love for this person and opened my heart to see them in a whole different light. I felt humbled and very grateful.

  So last night, I sat down and wrote a long letter. I really hope and pray that they take it in the light that it was written. I am grateful to this person for a lot of reasons, and I’m concentrating on those things and the special feelings and light the Lord gave to me at the temple, when I think of them from now on.