Refiners Fire

This morning I was reading in 3 Nephi chapter 11, the account of the Savior coming to the American continent. I couldn't help wondering about what it would have been like to be there. A voice spoke from heaven, "not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that heard to the very center...and did cause their hearts to burn." (verse3)  I love the reference to piercing their hearts to the center. The word pierce shows that it left an impression and touched them deep down to the center of their hearts! I think of how often we each have spiritual experiences that touch us so deep and cause us to change. That is what the atonement of Jesus Christ does for us! It allows us to have experiences that change us! It allows us to forgive and live in peace. The atonement while bring us true happiness. It helps us realize what is most important in live, helping us to keep our priorities straight. In President Uchtdorf's talk from the 2013 general priesthood session entitled "You Can Do It Know," he talks about letting the moments that we "fall" become strengths as we apply the Saviors atonement. "Ever person, young and old, has had his own personal experiences with falling. Falling is what we mortals do. But as long as we are willing to rise up again and continue on the path toward the spiritual goals God has given us, we can learn something from failure and become better and happier as a result." (You can do it now, President Uchtdorf) I know that as we are willing to rise up that Heavenly Father gives us the strength we need to carry on and overcome. I know that he gives us moments when we fall to refine us. To go along with that I love the analogy of the refiners fire. When a silversmith refines silver he must watch it closely until the moment where he can see his image in the silver. No two pieces of silver require the same time. He watches them closely as it is refined so it isn't over heated, just like Heavenly Father watches us as we are refined, until that moment when he can see his image in us. That takes a lot of heat and challenges, but he promises us that "great shall be your reward in heaven" ( 3 Nephi 12:3-12) as we endure well. I know that he lives and watches us and helps us through the heat of life. Like a silversmith he will not leave us while we are being refined! He doesn't take the heat way but watches over us until we are refined, not matter how long it takes! I know he loves us and that one day when we return to him if we endure it well he will say, "well done thou good and faithful servant!" That is what should keep us going!!