More lessons learned at the MTC

First, I wanted to say thank you to Tyrel for his post about Trey's experience. I think we all need to be reminded sometimes just how close children are to the Spirit and how often we fail to recognize how many things can actually be considered spiritual experiences, etc.

Second, I had a cool experience today at the MTC through which my testimony of Christ and his Atoning Sacrifice was strengthened. It was during one of my favorite activities that we do at the MTC where we read the Book of Mormon and discuss and share the promptings and revelations we receive, and the things we learn as we read. Today we read in Moroni 7 and as we were reading verses 45-56, a thought came to me to replace the word 'charity' with 'Christ' and see how that would open our eyes to additional truths about Him and his Atonement. When you do that it reads: "And [Christ] suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not [his] own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not [Christ], ye are nothing, for [Christ] never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto [Christ], [who] is the greatest of all, for all things must fail." Isn't that beautiful?!!! It's a perfect description of Christ during the Atonement!!! (And any time really, but the Atonement was on my mind as we were reading these verses). Christ truly DID suffer long! Even at the darkest hours of his mortal life, he DID NOT envy others, become prideful, think evil, allow himself to be easily provoked, rejoice in iniquity, or seek his own. Instead, he was kind, rejoiced in truth, bore all things, believed all things, hoped all things, and endured all things. HE REFUSED TO FAIL US!!!

As it is our purpose in life to become like our Savior, Redeemer, Advocate, Mediator, and elder brother, Jesus Christ, who is also our Salvation, let us follow the example he has set from the very beginning and endure all things in order to accomplish the will of the Father, which is to 'bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man' (Moses 1:39).

P.S. Quick side note/question... One of the Sisters in my district pointed out the usage of the word 'cleave' and it made me wonder how often and in what situations it is used... Off the type of my head, I can only think of a couple specific examples: (1) Scriptures like Moroni 7:46 where we are taught to 'cleave unto charity' (i.e. Christ), and (2) the marriage covenant where we are told to cleave unto our spouse and none else. Thoughts? What does cleave mean exactly? What is it's significance?