Today was a special day for me as I sat in meetings and learned of the Doctrine of Christ. I learned more than just the basics and I truly wanted to share with you what I further learned about my family! As I sat and listened I came to two conclusions. One that the Doctrine of Christ is essential to be a part of us, and two that along with the Doctrine of Christ comes the necessity to love and cherish those around us, to ultimately encourage those. That's when the spirit struck me so hard to a recognation to why I love my family so much.

I don't share this to brag but I know that now my father is the perfect example of Christ's Doctrine. I have been able to see such a huge change in my dad from when he wasn't as embedded in Christ's gospel as he is now. I have recognized that he depicts perfectly what it means to have faith. He once taught me so perfectly the meaning of faith when he said "Walk as if Jesus is standing right behind you, because He is." Never has any single line meant so much to me. My dad just gleams faith and I love it. Not only that but he's been through so much. I don't know of any man I have ever met that has been through as much as he has. Who has had to repent of somethings, but yet keeps pushing... now let's be serious who doesn't have to go through some trials here and there, but no, my Dad has gone through so much. I know he understands what it means to follow christ and to repent and be baptized (see 2 Nephi 31:11) I know my father knows what it means to have the spirit. He spreads that spirit and joy to me whenever he has the chance to teach me what he has experienced. My daddy and first favorite friend has taught me truly what it means to endure to the end.

He's gone through hell and back so that I don't have to. He knows what it is like to truly understand what I have gone through and he is always there for me! Likewise we all have a figure even better than my dad... and that's hard to believe who depicts all this and even more: Jesus Christ, He has done more than we can ever imagine for us and will always be there for us. I realize not everyone can have such an amazing father as I do, but we must realize that we can all have the peace and safety that can be found in Christ. In living as my dad does, His doctrine! Then on the other side of my family is my loving mother who doesn't have a mean bone in her body. So full of so many Christ-like attributes. Her charity and love sticks out so much to me so I'd like to tell you what makes that so important to me. As a missionary we are asked to Love everyone. As a human God commands us to love one another. Sometimes this just seems so hard. With all the turmoil people sometimes do to us how can we love them. I myself have found out that it's easy to say I love you but it's hard to be one who always loves. My mom has been such a perfect example of one who loves those she even doesn't know. I'm embarrassed to admit but many times she is more concerned for those I'm teaching than I am. This gives me one of the greatest example of how to be the love that I ought to be. Lynn G. Robbins puts the importance of being and doing into great retrospect in this last general conference when he says

"May your efforts to develop Christlike attributes be successful so that His image may be engraven in your countenance and His attributes manifest in your behavior."

This is our goal that we might be the Christ-like attributes that Christ was. Now my mom is not perfect but she depicts greatly some of the most important Christ-like attributes, however just like everyone can't have the father I got lucky to have, neither can everyone have the mother, However once again remember: WE ALL HAVE CHRIST. What better example than Christ to be a great depiction of Christ-like attributes. We can look at great role models that we have in life and they are just that GREAT, but Christ is and will always be the perfect role model. Strive in everyday life to live his gospel and be as he is. Or as Christ states it in  Mathew
  
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." 


I encourage you to look for those opportunities to share Christ's Gospel, to honestly seek out service and charity and truly be as Christ would be!