Centralia Stake Relief Society

                      Finding Peace in Imperfection
Excerpts shared from a talk by Elizabeth Lloyd Lund
from LDS Family Services, In turn shared by Stacy
Heredia 2nd counselor in Centralia Stake Relief Society

"One of the misperceptions that we may struggle with
during this earth life has to do with the concept of
perfection. Many falsely believe that we must achieve
perfection in this life in order to be saved or exalted.
Turning to our Heavenly Father in imperfection requires
humility. This process is described in Ether:"If men
come unto me I will show them their weakness. I give
unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my
grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves
before me; for if they humble themselves before me,
and have faith in me, then will I make weak things
become strong unto them" Ether 12:27
When we are humble, our Father in Heaven will open
His arms to us and help us learn from our weaknesses.
There is a difference between feeling humbled and
feeling of little worth or value. Humility draws us
closer to the Lord, while shame and guilt can drive us
away from the Lord. God does not want us to
denigrate ourselves and feel that we have little worth
in His eyes. This is hurtful to Him and to us. It's
important to recognize that we are worth the time and
effort it takes to change. Part of what this earth life is
about is finding ways to change our weaknesses. Some
weaknesses may be life long battles, while others can
be overcome more quickly.
Thoughts become our Reality
I know there are many who have had feelings of
imperfection and insecurity, whether in a calling, as a
parent, or just in general. These feelings can cause us to
hide our talents and hold back from others or feel
discouragement, anxiety or depression. Our thoughts
about ourselves significantly influence our behaviors
and feelings. Many of us say things to ourselves that
we would never say to another person. This in turn,
holds us back from our true potential and diminishes
our abilities and talents. President Ezra Taft Benson
(1899-1994) said, "Satan is increasingly striving to
overcome the Saints with despair, discouragement,
despondency and depression." Fortunately "the only
opinion of us that matters is what our Heavenly
Father thinks of us, " taught Elder J. Devn Cornish
of the Seventy. "Please sincerely ask Him what He
thinks of you. He will love and correct but never
discourage us; that is Satan's trick."
Imperfection is an Opportunity
We are on earth to have joy, and part of that joy is
what we create, what we believe, and what we
accept. If we accept that we are flawed children of
God who are learning as we go, we can accept our
imperfections. Expecting immediate perfection
would be denying us the opportunity for growth.
We would be denying the gift of repentance and the
power of Jesus Christ and His atonement in our lives.
In order to grow from our weaknesses, we must turn
to the Lord with faith, hope, and an understanding
that He will hold us in the palm of His hand.
President Russel M. Nelson, has counseled: "To the
individual who is weak in the heart, fearful in the
heart, be patient with yourself. Perfection comes
not in this life but in the next life. Don't demand
things that are unreasonable. But demand of yourself
improvement. As you let the Lord help you through
that, He will make the difference."
As we focus on the good, rely on the Lord and His
atonement, and accept and learn from our
imperfections, we can remove unrealistic
expectations of ourselves and strive for goodness and
happiness in our lives. We will be at peace with our
imperfections and find comfort in Gods redeeming
love. We will find joy in our hearts knowing that the
plan of salvation can lead us back to our Heavenly
Father as we make our best efforts, imperfect as they
are, to be worthy to live with Him again.

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