Postface

As we come to the end of this guide, we testify that we have not come to the end of this sacred journey. When we first came to recovery meetings, we imagined the greatest miracle we would ever experience would be our recovery from addiction. Those of us who are experiencing this blessing know that there is more—more work to do and more miracles and grace to experience. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

We who have taken these steps and are finding recovery hope and pray that you too will be blessed with full recovery, including the added blessings of full participation in the Church. Being clean and sober is the beginning of embracing everything the Lord has for us.

Some of us participate in the program, think we are healed, stop participating, and then relapse. Others find recovery but stop short of receiving the blessings of full activity in the Church. We have found that a thorough recovery includes finding a balance and connection between the 12 steps of recovery and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We are becoming new creatures in Christ, and as such, we can be powerful instruments to help the Lord on both sides of the veil (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). We testify of the additional strength we find as we continue to practice these gospel principles in all aspects of our lives, including our activity in the Church. The principles we apply in recovery, the lessons we learn, and the experiences we gain help us come unto Christ more completely and lead us to act according to the Lord’s plan. We are becoming “anxiously engaged” members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Doctrine and Covenants 58:27).

The Lord has blessed us as we have used the tools suggested in this guide. However, the Church of Jesus Christ is the storehouse of all the tools necessary for us to retain our sobriety and to grow and progress on the covenant path. As we conclude this guide, we invite all participants in the Church’s Addiction Recovery Program to “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men” (2 Nephi 31:20). As we do so, we are given the greatest of all the Lord’s promises: “Ye shall have eternal life” (verse 20).

In conclusion, we leave you our testimony that there is hope for recovery through the Savior Jesus Christ and these principles. We have participated in the gospel and taken these steps, and we know they work. We invite you to pray for the desire and willingness to continue this work, allowing the infinite grace of Jesus Christ to complete your recovery. May God bless you on your journey.