Prayer

I stumbled across an old treasure that I had forgotten that I love. You can find it here. I recommend it if you are looking for some wisdom and comfort.

Here's a little snippet that I discovered today :)

"We all need the humility that leads to prayer. We all need the humility that comes of getting on our knees in silent pleading. Prayer is befitting whether in success or failure. If there is success, there should be expressions of gratitude. If there is failure, there should be pleas for help."-President Gordon B. Hinckley

The Forgotten

For the past month and a half, every Thursday night, I've been going to a place called The Journey. The Journey is an extensive out-patient treatment center for adolescents who are recovering drug addicts. So basically, it's a place where kids who are getting over their drug addiction come, (usually by court order), and get individualized and group therapy, have classes to try and help them change their negative thinking processes, and a whole bunch of other really great stuff.

It's pretty sweet. I love it, in fact. The kids there are awesome. 

Every week I leave with new insights about life. This week wasn't any different.

This week there was a new kid. Before group therapy, he kept to himself, and was pretty quiet. During group, he didn't want to process (or talk about what was bothering him, and ask for advice from his peers) other than to say he was feeling "depressed, angry, and ticked off." The theme of depression carried over to the next group, where he seated himself in the corner, with his hood on his head.

During the second group, as part of an object lesson, we did an activity where we wrote nice characteristics about one another on sticky notes and stuck them to each other's backs. Because of the nature of the program that the kids at the Journey participate in, they get to know each other quite well, and the ones who have been there for any amount of time really grow to love and support each other. So, the kids who were participating in the activity were getting a lot of nice notes. But there sat the new kid in the corner, still looking really depressed, and quite lonely.

As I saw him sitting there, I wondered what he might like to see on a nice note written to him. It was really easy for me to write notes for the other kids, because I've been counseling with them, and hanging out with them for a month and a half now. But I didn't know the new kid as well. As I watched him, sitting there, looking like hell, knowing that he was hating every second of life at the Journey, I felt that he needed to know someone wanted him there. That someone cared about him. That just like his peers who were getting ten or fifteen nice notes, there was someone who saw something in him worth writing on a sticky note.

"Wanted."

That's all that I wrote on the note. I felt like that's all that needed to be written. He was a little surprised when I walked over and handed him a note, but he took it. A moment after I had given him the note, I saw one of the girls who is in the program write him a note too. I have no idea what her note said to him. But I do know that after he got our notes, he started crying.

After I had written that note, and as I watched the other girl write our friend in the corner another note, I knew something miraculous had happened. The boy had felt some love. In a depressed and angry state--at the time when he needed it the most--he was reminded that someone cared.

One of the reasons why I love going to the Journey so much is because I feel like I learn so much more than the kids in the program do. Tonight, I was reminded that everyone needs to feel loved and cared for. The activity with the sticky notes was great for the kids who got a lot of feed back from their peers--they thrived on it. But I feel like it was most important for the child who sat in the corner who only got two notes.  The child who probably felt forgotten and unwanted.

I wonder how many people there are who feel like that child. How many people feel like they don't fit in, like they aren't wanted, like their problems are too great for the system to handle.

 I wonder how many people feel like they go unnoticed.

I wonder how much good would come about if everyone tried to find one person a day, or a week who feels unnoticed, and helped them feel loved. I bet a lot.

What I don't have to wonder about, is what an impact it can make to take small, and I mean small efforts in making people feel loved. All it was for the child tonight was a note with a single word. A single note with a single word. A little observation that he needed that, and a little bit of action on that observation.

Sometimes all people need is a smile. Sometimes it's a friend to talk to, or a friend who is consistently there, or someone who will listen, or give advice, or someone to stick up for them when they are unable to do so for themselves. At any rate, it doesn't take huge acts to make a huge impact. It just takes sincerity. 

Today I'm feeling incredibly grateful. I'm grateful for those people who notice me when I feel unnoticed--because there have been many. I'm feeling grateful for the opportunity to have crossed paths with the new kid who sat in the corner, and for the thought that was placed in my head that he needed someone who cared. I'm grateful to have been able to share that love. I'm grateful that I know there is always someone who cares, even when no physical person is by your side.

This is a beautiful song by Marie Digby. It's called Miss Invisible. I've always loved it because it helps me remember to look for those who might feel invisible. I felt it was appropriate. 

Grateful

Grateful for .Emily. for taking me to my car. Especially because I'd left it miles from my home.

Grateful for the random stranger who scraped the ice off my back windshield.

Grateful for good people.

What are you grateful for?

More Than Mountains

As a disclaimer, this is another one of my "churchy" posts. But I do not apologize for it. I will not apologize because I know with a certainty that the message I share is true.

Take a look outside for just a moment. What do you see? I see sublime mountains, lush grass, beautiful flowers, and rushing rivers... and that's just on this planet. Then I look up. I see breathtaking sunsets,  numerous stars, a moon that is beyond gorgeous, and endless stars and universes that go much beyond my comprehension.

And then there is me.

I am of the belief that the same God who created the universe also created all things on the earth... including all the people. With that said, sometimes when I look at all of the wonderful things that God has created, I feel like I may be one of the least of His creations. To any who may also sometimes think or feel that way, may I offer two realities to ponder upon.

First, God DOES NOT make mistakes.

Think back to all of those wonderful things He has made. Now think of those things you think are "wrong" with you. Maybe you'd like to be a little taller, or you wish your eyes were a little further apart, or maybe you wish you'd have been born in to a different home. 

Now think how presumptuous it is of you to tell God that He "messed up" on you because He didn't make you exactly the way you think he ought to. Well, guess what? He didn't mess up. The same God who made all of those beautiful mountains and stars also made you. He made you the way you are for a reason. It was by no accident that you look, live, and have the life that you have.

Second, remember God is your Father.

There's a beautiful talk by Jeffery R. Holland called, Of Souls, Symbols, and Sacraments. In it, he briefly illustrates  how much love God has for us because He is our father. The following is an excerpt from the talk.

"Of all the titles he has chosen for himself, Father is the one he declares, and Creation is his watchword--especially human creation, creation in his image. His glory isn't a mountain, as stunning as mountains are. It isn't in sea or sky or snow or sunrise, as beautiful as they all are. It isn't in art or technology, be that a concerto or computer. No, his glory--and his grief--is in his children. You and I, we are his prized possessions, and we are the earthly evidence, however inadequate, of what he truly is."

Do you understand what that quote means? It means that although God creates everything, and I mean everything, the thing that he is most proud of, the thing that he cherishes most, is His children.

You are His child. He loves you. I know this for a fact. And I can guarantee that he doesn't want you to feel inferior to any of His other creations. He wants you to come to learn of Him, to feel of His love, and to become like Him.

Thoughts on Humility

This post was originally written as part of a letter to a dear friend. The personal parts have been removed, but I felt like sharing the rest of it.

I've been wanting to share this quote from President Hinckley with you. It's something that I've been thinking about as I've been trying to figure out the appropriate balance of acknowledging the good that is with in us and being humble. Previous to finding this quote, I sometimes thought that those two things--acknowledging our strengths/the goodness that is inside us, and humility-- were polar opposites. But I no longer believe that to be the case. I believe that we can acknowledge our goodness while still being humble, and in fact, I feel like we ought to acknowledge our goodness. I know that sounds a little outlandish, but hopefully after reading the quote, you'll see why I've come to that conclusion.

"It is precisely because we understand our divine heritage and potential that we ought to be humble about who we are. Being humble does not mean being weak. It means being teachable. It does not require us to be trampled upon. It means acknowledging where our strengths and abilities come from. It also means recognizing that we are not here on earth to see how important we can become, but to see how much difference we can make in the live of others." (Taken from Way to Be! pg 94-95).

The quote is beautiful, yes? 

Okay, now time to chat about it.

I feel like often times we (we being anyone who is striving to be more humble) fall into the trap of thinking that we cannot acknowledge our strengths without being prideful. But that is not the case. The trick is to be humble about who we are, not to disregard the talents and abilities Heavenly Father has blessed us us with. I'm pretty sure that's what President Hinckley meant when He said, "it is precisely because we understand our divine heritage and potential that we ought to be humble about who we are." We (you, me, and everyone else on this planet) are children of Heavenly Father. By saying that, I know I'm not telling you anything you didn't already know. But think about the divinity that is inherent in each of us because we are children of Heavenly Father. 

When we think about the divinity that accompanies that relationship, then it is easy to be humble about who we are and still feel good about admitting that we have unique strengths and talents. Why is that? Because when we realize we are children of the divine being of the universe, and that He has blessed us with gifts to help us help others, then those gifts become more than a source of personal pride. They become a chance to help lift and bless others. How beautiful is that? Truly beautiful.

But if we never acknowledge those gifts, then how can we bless and lift others? We cannot. By refusing to see the good in ourselves, we are aiding Satan in putting a cap on our potential. What a horrible thing to do.

So I think that we should strive to see the good in ourselves. Not so that we can boast, or to try and get gain, for that is sinful. We know that from Satan's example in the Pre-Earth Life. Rather, I think we should strive to see the good in ourselves so we can utilize those God-given abilities to build His kingdom. We should follow the example set forth by Christ in the Pre-Earth Life, and aim to build the kingdom with the abilities we've been given. When we do this we need to make sure we attribute credit where the credit is due.

So yes, we ought to be humble about who we are, and we ought to let the glory of our good works be to Him to whom they belong. But I also believe that it's okay for us to admit that we have been blessed by a loving Heavenly Father with certain abilities. And I also believe we should search out and nourish those abilities.

"Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come 'til heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be alright in the end. Trust God, and believe in good things to come."

This is one of my favorite messages about hope. Enjoy :)

Sometimes

 Sometimes life is just rough. Sometimes everything that could be wrong is. Sometimes life, and the people you hold dear to your heart, make you physically ache. Sometimes finding the strength to keep going seems all but impossible. The darkness and hopelessness that accompany these "sometimes" can be immobilizing...but only if you let them.

When I'm in these "sometimes" of life, I try to remember that they really are only some-of-the-time. I try to remember that despite all the pain and heartache, life is still beautiful. Part of that beauty is a derivative of those dark moments. Those painfully dark moments make the light ones seem even brighter. They give more meaning and joy to the good times. They give rise for gratitude being found in the smallest, yet most important things--and there are new things to be grateful for everyday.

I know that no matter how dark the days or the experience may be, there is a silver lining to be found in every situation. Search for that lining until you are able to see the light that is all around you. It'll show up before you know it. And most of the time, when you find that light, you realize it has really been there all along... just waiting for you to take notice. 

Once you find that light, cling to it. And be persistent in that clinging.

 I feel like learning to persistently cling to light when it is easier to succumb to the impeding darkness is one of the most important lessons to learn in life. Why? Because life is what you choose to make it. You can make it doom and gloom all the time by choosing to attend to the negative. Or, you can choose to direct your focus on the goodness that brings light and joy into life. Either way, it's your choice.

The Lengthy Arm of God

“For I am God, and mine arm is not shortened; and I will show miracles, signs, and wonders, unto all those who believe on my name.” -D&C 35:8

“For I am God.” Is there anything more reassuring or more powerful? Think of it. If we know who God is, all He has done, and know of his infinite power, then we can automatically find peace in His ability to succor his people. Knowledge of God and our relationship with Him brings peace and reassurance to the soul.

In Isaiah 59:1 it gives some further enlightenment on what the phrase “mine arm is not shortened” means. When the Lord says his arm is not shortened, it means that there is nothing that is outside of his reach—there is absolutely nothing that the Lord cannot do.

A knowledge of God, our relationship with him, as well as the magnitude of his power, allows us, as his children, to receive the blessings he has promised us. The Lord will indeed show miracles, signs, and wonders, unto all of those who believe on his name. He will provide a way for those who are doing their best to obtain the guidance and revelation they need to withstand the trials and temptations that are in this life.

How do I know this? How can I make such claims? Because I’ve seen it in my life. I write so often about how much strength there is in coming closer to God. About how after you learn of Him and your relationship with Him, He will perform miracles in your life… I write about this because I write what I know from experience to be true. The miracles that have been made evident in my life have not been what the world would consider extravagant, but they are what I needed. God has given me hope, joy, strength, and the courage to keep fighting. There is nothing that God’s arm cannot conquer--for He is God.

Hopeful thinking

I hope I never get...

Too old to swing. Too busy to play like a child. Too wrapped up in my own life that I forget to reach out to others. Too sad to enjoy the little things. Too smart to realize that I don't know it all. Too single-minded that I'm not open to suggestions. Too prideful to be humble. Too weary to keep going. Too comfortable to continue to grow. Too reserved to stop randomly dancing. Too mature to be a kid. Too high-strung to be wild and crazy. Too desirous to change who I am for someone else. Too hopeless to cease to giggle. Too ungrateful to see the beauty in life. Too selfish to give. Too self-centered to serve. Too bitter to love. Too rude to stop being kind. Too self-conscious to stop being me. Too forgetful to think of others.

...I hope I never get too tired to live.

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.

-Samuel Beckett

Lessons from Liberty Jail

Some awesome quotes from "Lessons from Liberty Jail," by Elder Holland. It's a beautiful talk indeed.

Now let’s talk about those propositions for a moment. Every one of us, in one way or another, great or small, dramatic or incidental, is going to spend a little time in Liberty Jail—spiritually speaking. We will face things we do not want to face for reasons that may not have been our fault. Indeed, we may face difficult circumstances for reasons that were absolutely right and proper, reasons that came because we were trying to keep the commandments of the Lord. We may face persecution; we may endure heartache and separation from loved ones; we may be hungry and cold and forlorn. Yes, before our lives are over we may all be given a little taste of what the prophets faced often in their lives. But the lessons of the winter of 1838–39 teach us that every experience can become a redemptive experience if we remain bonded to our Father in Heaven through that difficulty. These difficult lessons teach us that man’s extremity is God’s opportunity, and if we will be humble and faithful, if we will be believing and not curse God for our problems, He can turn the unfair and inhumane and debilitating prisons of our lives into temples—or at least into a circumstance that can bring comfort and revelation, divine companionship and peace.

Let me push this just a little further. I’ve just said that hard times can happen to us. President Joseph Fielding Smith, grandnephew of the Prophet Joseph and grandson of the incarcerated Hyrum, said something even stronger than that when he dedicated the Liberty Jail Visitors’ Center in 1963. Alluding to the kind of history we’ve reviewed tonight and looking on the scene where his grandfather and granduncle were so unjustly held, he said perhaps such things have to happen—not only can they happen, perhaps they have to. Said he:

As I have read the history of those days, the days that went before and days that came after, I have reached the conclusion that the hardships, the persecution, the almost universal opposition [toward the Church at that time] were necessary. At any rate they became school teachers to our people. They helped to make [them] strong.¹⁰

O God, where art thou? . . .

How long shall thy hand be stayed . . . ?

Yea, O Lord, how long shall [thy people] suffer . . . before . . . thy bowels be moved with compassion toward them? [D&C 121:1–3]

That is a painful, personal cry—a cry from the heart, a spiritual loneliness we may all have occasion to feel at some time in our lives.

Perhaps you have had such moments already in your young lives. If so, I hope you have not had too many. But whenever these moments of our extremity come, we must not succumb to the fear that God has abandoned us or that He does not hear our prayers. He does hear us. He does see us. He does love us. When we are in dire circumstances and want to cry “Where art Thou?” it is imperative that we remember He is right there with us—where He has always been! We must continue to believe, continue to have faith, continue to pray and plead with heaven, even if we feel for a time our prayers are not heard and that God has somehow gone away. He is there. Our prayers are heard. And when we weep He and the angels of heaven weep with us.

When lonely, cold, hard times come, we have to endure, we have to continue, we have to persist. That was the Savior’s message in the parable of the importuning widow (see Luke 18:1–8; see also Luke 11:5–10). Keep knocking on that door. Keep pleading. In the meantime, know that God hears your cries and knows your distress. He is your Father, and you are His child.

We are not alone in our little prisons here. When suffering, we may in fact be nearer to God than we’ve ever been in our entire lives. That knowledge can turn every such situation into a would-be temple.

Regarding our earthly journey, the Lord has promised:

I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up. [D&C 84:88]

Now, don’t misunderstand. We don’t have to look for sorrow. We don’t have to seek to be martyrs. Trouble has a way of finding us even without our looking for it. But when it is obvious that a little time in Liberty Jail waits before you (spiritually speaking), remember these first two truths taught to Joseph in that prison-temple. First, God has not forgotten you, and second, the Savior has been where you have been, allowing Him to provide for your deliverance and your comfort.

As the prophet Isaiah wrote, the Lord has “graven thee upon the palms of [His] hands” (Isaiah 49:16), permanently written right there in scar tissue with Roman nails as the writing instrument. Having paid that price in the suffering that They have paid for you, the Father and the Son will never forget nor forsake you in your suffering. (See Isaiah 49:14–16; see also 1 Nephi 21:14–16.) They have planned, prepared, and guaranteed your victory if you desire it, so be believing and “endure it well” (D&C 121:8). In the end it “shall be for thy good” (D&C 122:7), and you will see “everlasting dominion” flow unto you forever and ever “without compulsory means” (D&C 121:46).

It has always been a wonderful testimony to me of the Prophet Joseph’s greatness and the greatness of all of our prophets, including and especially the Savior of the world in His magnificence, that in the midst of such distress and difficulty they could remain calm and patient, charitable, and forgiving—that they could even talk that way, let alone live that way. But they could, and they did. They remembered their covenants, they disciplined themselves, and they knew that we must live the gospel at all times, not just when it is convenient and not just when things are going well. Indeed, they knew that the real test of our faith and our Christian discipleship is when things are not going smoothly. That is when we get to see what we’re made of and how strong our commitment to the gospel really is.

Surely the classic example of this is that in the most painful hours of the Crucifixion the Savior could say, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). That is a hard thing to ask when we’re hurting. That is a hard thing to do when we’ve been offended or are tired or stressed out or suffering innocently. But that is when Christian behavior may matter the most. Remember, “the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled [except] upon the principles of righteousness.” And do we need the powers of heaven with us at such times! As Joseph was taught in this prison-temple, even in distress and sorrow we must “let [our] bowels . . . be full of charity towards all men . . .  ; then [and only then] shall [our] confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and . . . the Holy Ghost shall be [our] constant companion” (D&C 121:45–46).

Remaining true to our Christian principles is the only way divine influence can help us. The Spirit has a near-impossible task to get through to a heart that is filled with hate or anger or vengeance or self-pity. Those are all antithetical to the Spirit of the Lord. On the other hand, the Spirit finds instant access to a heart striving to be charitable and forgiving, long-suffering and kind—principles of true discipleship. What a testimony that gospel principles are to apply at all times and in all situations and that if we strive to remain faithful, the triumph of a Christian life can never be vanquished, no matter how grim the circumstance might be. How I love the majesty of these elegant, celestial teachings taught, ironically, in such a despicable setting and time.

My beloved young friends, as part of my concluding testimony to you tonight, I wish to give you a blessing. It seems to me that as our apostolic witnesses are taken into the world, we have two opportunities and, indeed, perhaps obligations. One is to testify and bear witness, as I have been trying to do and will conclude in doing. The other is to bless—as the ancient Apostles did when the Savior invited them to do as He had done, except that it would be in all the world.

So for every one of you in attendance tonight—here in this vast auditorium or in other locations around the world—I bless every one of you, each one of you in your individual circumstances, as if my hands were on your head. I offer that to you as honestly as I offer my testimony. I bless you in the name of the Lord that God does love you, does hear your prayers, is at your side, and will never leave you.

I bless the brethren that you—that we—will be worthy of the priesthood we bear, that we will live true to the discipleship to which we have been called, in that great order, the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God. I bless you that we will really be like the Master—that we will think more like He thinks, that we will talk more like He talks, and that we will do more of what He did. I bless you brethren as you strive to be faithful that you will have all the blessings of the priesthood, many of which we have quoted tonight from these very sections from the Doctrine and Covenants.

I bless the sisters within this audience and within the sound of my voice. I would have you know how much we cherish you, how much God cherishes you, and how much the flag of faith has been flown by the sisters of this Church from the beginning. In every generation, it would seem, from the beginning of time down to the present hour and beyond, so often it has been the women in our lives—our grandmothers, our mothers, our wives, our daughters, our sisters, our granddaughters—who have taken that torch of faith and that banner of beautiful living and have carried gospel principles wherever it would take them, against whatever hardship, into their own little equivalent of Liberty Jails and difficult times. Sisters, we love you and honor you and bless you. We ask that every righteous desire of your heart, tonight and forever, be answered upon your head and that you will walk away from this devotional with the understanding and the knowledge firmly in your heart as to how much God and heaven and the presiding Brethren of this Church love you and honor you.

I salute you young adults of this Church in this great CES congregation and say that the future is in your hands. Those of us of my generation have to, in the very near future, pass the baton to you. God bless you to face those times with the valor, the honesty, and the integrity we have spoken of here tonight.

In closing, I testify that the Father and the Son do live. And I testify that They are close, perhaps even closest via the Holy Spirit, when we are experiencing difficult times. I testify (and as our closing musical number, “My Kindness Shall Not Depart from Thee,” will testify, quoting the prophet Isaiah) that heaven’s kindness will never depart from you, regardless of what happens (see Isaiah 54:7–10; see also 3 Nephi 22:7–10). I testify that bad days come to an end, that faith always triumphs, and that heavenly promises are always kept. I testify that God is our Father, that Jesus is the Christ, that this is the true and living gospel—found in this, the true and living Church. I testify that President Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God, our prophet for this hour and this day. I love him and sustain him as I know you do. In the words of the Liberty Jail prison-temple experience, my young friends, “Hold on thy way. . . . Fear not . . . , for God shall be with you forever and ever” (D&C 122:9). In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Failure or Success?

Failure. I feel like that a lot. I feel like there are a lot of things that I try to accomplish that I simply fail miserably at. It's the worst when this failure is accompanied with something I know that the Lord wants me to do. Sometimes I wonder why I feel like I need to do something if I'm going to fail at it. I wonder why the Lord sets me up for something that I can not achieve. Something that, quite frankly, is impossible. Impossible not because I'm unwilling to do what he asks, but because circumstances prevent me from succeeding. 

At times like these there are usually two thoughts that go through my head. One is that I'm using the wrong unit of measurement to determine success. Let me try to explain. I am a very end-goal motivated type of person. By that I mean I set a goal, and I find a way to see it all the way through. I am persistent, determined, and I just don't quit. I have learned that these traits are awesome when you're running a marathon, and you're only dependent upon yourself, but as soon as you add another's agency into the equation, it can get messy. Sometimes other people make choices that hinder your progress--they make it so the end goal is either out of reach or a lot further in the distance. When this is the case, that familiar feeling of failure creeps in. That is the moment that I find I need to remind myself that sometimes the end goal isn't what matters most. Sometimes success isn't reaching the finish line. Sometimes success is starting the race, and continuing to run no matter how long it ends up being. Sometimes persistence and determination don't lead to the end of the road, sometimes they lead to another hill, and that can be very disheartening. But what is it that will get you up that hill? More persistence and determination.

The other thing that I have to remind myself at times when I feel like a failure, is that it is not the accomplishment of a task that makes us great. Rather, it is our character. As I think about this, I have to remind myself that the times when I've been happiest is when I've been someone  rather than something. No amount of fame and glory can not account for an ugly soul. But a beautiful soul can make up for the lack of things. I am so grateful that the Lord could care less about the outward appearance of man, and looketh on the heart.

"We cannot always expect to succeed, but we should try the best we can." -Boyd K Packer

Eternal Punishment and Repentance

We are taught that as part of the repentance process is to forsake our sins. To forsake is to leave them behind. To let them stay in the past. It is much more that to simply quit doing them. It is to stop thinking about them, to stop punishing ourselves. While we continue to rehash all of the things we have done in the past, we cannot progress. If our minds are so focused on the past, we will become blinded to our future. That is why we must forsake our sins completely. That is why we must allow the atonement to work in our lives--that is why we must move on. If this principle is true in this world, it makes perfect sense that it will carry on to the next life.

Think about it, there is punishment that must be carried out for those who have sinned and not repented. Our God is a just God--and he must abide by the precepts that he has set forth. That means that those who do not take the opportunity to repent now, must suffer later. It's called eternal punishment. This sounds horrible, right? What kind of God could let his children do such a thing? Surely not a loving one. Well hold up just one second. Eternal punishment does not mean suffering for all eternity. Rather, it is the suffering of God. It is "eternal" because it is named after God, and he is eternal. It's a type of punishment rather than a duration of punishment. Just as Nike shoes are a brand of shoe, not an actual shoe. So back to the principle of repentance. If we are given the chance to forsake and move on from our sorrow in this life, it would make sense that we will be given the same chance in the next life.  For those who have not repented, and have to go into eternal punishment, they will have the opportunity to come out.  God is just. This is true. But he is also mercy.  He wants all of his children to be happy, and to repent. And guess what? He has already made a way for it to happen. It's called the Atonement. The Atonement is the great equalizer for all men. It ensures that all men have the opportunity to inherit eternal life. Through the Atonement, men are given the opportunity to repent, and to forsake their sins. To move on from the past, to move forward to a brighter future. And to acknowledge their Savior.