BecometheBeatitudes

ImanEnglishmajor,soIalwayslikelookingupthedefinitionsofwordsIdont
know.IlookedupthedefinitionofbeatitudebecauseIthoughtitwasaweirdword,
anditsdefinedassupremeblessednessorexaltedhappiness.Thesedefinitionsmake
itobviousthatifwefollowtheBeatitudeswewillbesupremelyblessedandhappierthan
ever.
WecanfindthebeatitudesinMatthewchapterfive.Inthischapter,amassof
peopleisfollowingChristaround,andHebeginstopreachHisfamousSermononthe
Mount.Beatitudenumberoneisinversethreeandstates,

Blessedarethepoorinspirit:fortheirsisthekingdomofheaven.
Thephrasepoorinspirithasalwaysbeenalittleconfusingtome,soIlookedit
upinthefootnote.Thereittellsusthatpoorinspiritmeanshumble.Humilitycanbe
hardforme,soIlookedtheworduponlds.org,anditsaidsomethingIthoughtwas
reallypowerful.Itreads,Tobehumbleistorecognizegratefullyourdependenceonthe
LordtounderstandthatwehaveconstantneedforHissupport.Humilityisan
acknowledgmentthatourtalentsandabilitiesaregiftsfromGod.Itisnotasignof
weakness,timidity,orfear;itisanindicationthatweknowwhereourtruestrengthlies.
Wecanbebothhumbleandfearless.Wecanbebothhumbleandcourageous.
Ithoughtthisdescriptionofhumilitywassopowerful.ThetypeofhumilitythatI
strugglewithisthefearthatImbeingtakenadvantageof.Iworrythatthetimeoreffort
orkindnessthatIgivetopeopleisntbeingreciprocated,andsometimesIgetfrustrated
andwanttogiveuponservingothers.ButthefirstBeatituderemindedmethatChrist
wasperfectlykindtoallandgaveallthathehad.EventhoughHewasbetrayed,Hestill
hadaperfectloveforHisbrothersandsisters.
Thesecondbeatitudeisinversefourandreads,

Blessedaretheythatmourn:fortheyshallbecomforted.
Thisbeatitudeisalittlebitdifferentthanalltherestbecauseitdoesntentail
somethingweneedtodotoreceiveblessings.Ijustthinkitsabeautifulreminderthatif
weareeversadaboutsomething,Christwillalwaysbetheretocomfortus.Ithinkweare
soluckytohavetheknowledgethatChristcanbeourconstantcompanion.Itisso
powerfulandupliftingforustoremember.
Thethirdbeatitudeisinversefiveandsays,

Blessedarethemeek:fortheyshallinherittheearth.
WhenIlookedinthefootnotes,ittoldmethatthemeekaregentleandforgiving.
BeingmeekremindedmeofaquoteIheardinGeneralConference.IntheOctober2013
GeneralConference,ElderD.ToddChristoffersenquotedtheformerYoungWomen

GeneralPresidentMargaretNadauldwhenhesaid,Theworldhasenoughwomenwho
aretough;weneedwomenwhoaretender.Thereareenoughwomenwhoarecoarse;we
needwomenwhoarekind.Thereareenoughwomenwhoarerude;weneedwomenwho
arerefined.Wehaveenoughwomenoffameandfortune;weneedmorewomenoffaith.
Wehaveenoughgreed;weneedmoregoodness.Wehaveenoughvanity;weneedmore
virtue.Wehaveenoughpopularity;weneedmorepurity.So,thisquoteisobviously
gearedtowardswomen,whichmakesitmoremeaningfultome,butIthinkthateveryone
cantakealittleadvicefromSisterNadauldandBeatitudenumberthree.Wecanallbea
littlemoreloving,forgiving,kind,andmeek.
Beatitudenumberfourisinversesixandtellsus,

Blessedaretheywhichdohungerandthirstafterrighteousness:
fortheyshallbefilled.

IntheOctober2014GeneralConference,ElderRichardG.Scottgaveapowerful
talkaboutmakingourfaithapriority.Hesaid,DontyieldtoSatansliethatyoudont
havetimetostudythescriptures.Choosetotaketimetostudythem.Feastingonthe
wordofGodeachdayismoreimportantthansleep,school,work,televisionshows,
videogames,orsocialmedia.Youmayneedtoreorganizeyourprioritiestoprovidetime
forthestudyofthewordofGod.Ifso,doit!Thatwasakickinthepantsformeand
remindedmethattherearereallynoexcusesformetonotbestudyingmyscriptures.It
mademerealizethatwhenIdoputthoseworldlythingsbeforescripturestudy,Iam
believingSatanslie,andIdonteverwanttogivehimanypoweroverme.ElderScott
gaveusabeautifulpromiseifwehungerandthirstafterrighteousness.Hesaid,Through
daily,consistentscripturestudy,youwillfindpeaceintheturmoilaroundyouand
strengthtoresisttemptations.YouwilldevelopstrongfaithinthegraceofGodandknow
thatthroughtheAtonementofJesusChristallwillbemaderightaccordingtoGods
timing.ThisisareallypowerfulpromisefromaGeneralAuthority,andIthink
studyingthewordofGodisasmalltasktodoincomparisontothegiantblessingswe
receivebecauseofit.
Beatitudenumberfiveisinversesevenandtellsus,

Blessedarethemerciful:fortheyshallobtainmercy.

ThisBeatitudeisanexampleofdountoothersasyouwouldhavedoneunto
you.WeallneedmercywhetheritsfrompeopleonearthorHeavenlyFatherand
Christ.PresidentMonsoncalledmercytheDivineGift.Ithinkofmercyasbeing
patient,forgiving,andlovingtopeoplethatIdontalwayswanttobekindto.Ittakesan
activeefforttodoso,butIknowifwetrytobemercifultoothersthatwewillreceive
mercyinourlivesfrombothpeopleonearthandHeavenlyFatherandJesusChrist.
Beatitudenumberseveninverseeightsays,

Blessedarethepureinheart:fortheyshallseeGod.
Ithinkwerealltryingtodowhatsgood,butwesometimesfallshort.Ithinkwe
willberewardedforourpureeffortstoserve,bekind,andchoosetheright.
InversenineisBeatitudenumbersevenandsays,

Blessedarethepeacemakers:fortheyshallbecalledthe
childrenofGod.
MyNanaisninetyyearsoldnow,andwhenevermysiblingsandIwouldfight
whilegrowingupshewouldsay,Howaboutweallbepeacemakers.Mysiblings
alwayswouldtellme:Neola,youwerealwaysthepeacemakerinourhome.Whenever
shewouldsaythatIwouldalwaysjustthinkthatsomepeoplewereinherently
peacemakers,andIjustwasntborntobeoneofthem.Andthoughitistruethatsome
peoplearegiventhegiftofpeacemaking,withsomehardwork,patience,andhumility
wecanallbecomepeacemakers.Peacemakersaresubmissiveandarewillingtogiveup
anargumenttosavearelationship.
Beatitudenumbereightislastandinverseten.Itsays,

Blessedaretheywhicharepersecutedforrighteousnesssake:
fortheirsisthekingdomofheaven.
Weareatatimeinhistorywhenwearebeingpersecutedforourbeliefs.Inthe
October2014GeneralConferenceElderDallinH.Oaksgaveagreattalkonexactlythis
subject.Hesaid,Evenasweseektobemeekandtoavoidcontention,wemustnot
compromiseordiluteourcommitmenttothetruthsweunderstand.Wemustnot
surrenderourpositionsorourvalues.ThegospelofJesusChristandthecovenantswe
havemadeinevitablycastusascombatantsintheeternalcontestbetweentruthanderror.
Thereisnomiddlegroundinthatcontest.Wecantgiveupourvaluesinorderto
appeasepeople,butwecan,AsElderOaksstates,disagreewithoutbeingdisagreeable.
Andifwestayfasttoourmorals,[We]shallbecalledthechildrenofGod.