“Physical and Spiritual Exercise,” For the Strength of Youth, Apr. 2022.
The Theme and Me
Youth share how they are living the words of the Young Women and Aaronic Priesthood Quorum Themes
Physical and Spiritual Exercise
“I strive to serve, exercise faith, repent, and improve each day.”
Photograph from Getty Images
After I got a concussion playing [American] football, I started having headaches daily. I had a hard time not focusing on the pain I was feeling. One day I felt an impression from the Holy Ghost that happiness doesn’t come from our circumstances but from our focus. I realized that my focus was always on my pain instead of the daily blessings I receive from God.
I started to wonder, what else was stopping me from growing spiritually? With a humble heart I asked Heavenly Father this question. I knew I could not come up with the right answer on my own, but our Heavenly Father has all of the answers.
The answer I received seemed very simple, but it was customized to what I needed: “Get out of bed and exercise again.” I started exercising despite the constant pain I felt. I found myself moving closer to God.
When I exercise, I don’t see results right away. But if I keep pushing myself, I see change. The same principle applies to spiritual growth. When we read the scriptures, we might not experience an immediate change. If we keep reading the scriptures and ask questions with a sincere heart, we will see a difference in the blessings we receive and in our faith.
God has given me so much love. By exercising both physically and spiritually, I grow closer to Him. Being close to Heavenly Father is my biggest comfort and form of peace. When you take the sacrament, I invite you to focus on the spiritual growth you can make in the coming week. The Holy Ghost will give you the personal guidance you need.
The author lives in the Netherlands.