"The Last Lecture"

For my D&C religion class for our final class we had to write our own "Last lecture." Basically what that means is the speech we would give if we were going to die tomorrow. What means the most to us and what are we made of? This was really hard for me and it took me a lot of pondering to dig up what I really value most. Our only criteria was to include doctrines found in the first half of the D&C. So I would like to share what means most to me to all my family and close friends. Read it and then go make your own, it is a great thing to have and to think about.

“The Last Lecture”

My time has come to join the missionaries on the other side of the veil. But I hope that through my life I have been able to touch your lives as you have touched mine. My life has been nothing but pure joy found through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Joy, meaning the inner peace that we feel even when hard times come. The Lord said to Thomas B. Marsh in D & C 31:2,3 “Behold, you have had many afflictions because of your family, yea, your little ones; and the day cometh that they will believe and know the truth and be one with you in my church. Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation.” We have to find that inner peace and joy even when we are hit with trials that we think we can never get through. The only way we can trudge through those hard times is to look for the sunshine in the storm and turn to your father in heaven as said in D & C 59:7 “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things” Anything is possible with the Lord. Through his Atonement we can get through anything. He went through all of it already so we wouldn’t have to do it alone. In D&C 6:37 he said, “Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.” He has already paid the price and if we turn to him we can inherit the kingdom of heaven just like he promised. “There is none other name given whereby man can be saved;” D & C 18:23.

I have found in my life that true comes only from the things of God – the things of eternity. No matter how many toys or clothes we have, we will still feel exactly the same if we are empty inside. In D & C 38:39 it reads “And if ye seek the riches which it is the will of the Father to give unto you, ye shall be the richest of all people, for ye shall have the riches of eternity; and it must needs be that the riches of the earth are mine to give;” We will feel truly rich when we feel that our life is in accordance with the will of God. There is no other object or wealth that can make up for that feeling.

LOVE with all your stinkin little heart. Don’t judge, look at people as if you were seeing them through the eyes of Christ. Life is too short to judge others. In every person there is a treasure lying inside that is waiting to be found. Each person in this world has something to offer. I have learned in my life that I can learn something valuable from everyone I meet. I can learn to love something about everyone I meet. They are children of God and they are lovable and yearn to be loved. “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (D & C 59:6)

The Gospel and Family is what it’s all about. The happiest moments of my life were spent in the service of the Lord and with my family. I can’t wait to spend eternity with my family doing the things we love to do together and helping the Lord build his kingdom. The good news that we have is meant to be shared. Let your light shine and stand above the rest so they will notice that what you have is different. The Lord says it best in D & C 18:15, “And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!” We will find great joy in the service of our Heavenly Father, rounding up his children so we can live with him again.

Do all you can to be in the presence of God for eternity. Put off what you want now for what you want later. Live everyday like it’s your last and treasure the memories that are made. Don’t have any regrets, God loves you and wants you back. I love you and hope to be live with you again in the mansions of our Father. God be with you ‘til we meet again.