followers of my faith [Mormon Monday 15]

We were blessed with really beautiful weather surprisingly late into the fall this year. The golden sunshine of autumn days is lovely to behold.

Outside the balcony of my apartment is the most beautiful tree ever. I spent some time a few days ago just staring at the red, orange, yellow, and green leaves as they rustled in the wind, and let the peace of nature sink into me.

It reminded me, actually, of the Relief Society activity our stake had. We sang "Beautiful Savior" and these lyrics stuck out to me:

Fair are the meadows, fairer the woodlands robed in the flowers of blooming spring
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer, He makes the sorrowing spirit sing

I'd never thought before how it could be possible that in that second line, the later phrase is correlated to the first: Because of Jesus' fairness and purity, He makes the sorrowing spirit sing. His fairness and purity like unto the fairness and purity of nature, perhaps?

Doesn't being surrounded by the beauties of a mountain trail or a quiet meadow soothe your troubled heart? The Lord created such wonders for our benefit, and all creations bear His signature. I had the thought as we sang that perhaps nature makes us feel so peaceful is because of His peace.

I've read many books over the years that say things like "Nature is God's cathedral, so I do my churchin' out there." It is easy to find God in nature, especially if you're looking. But I think one of the reasons we go to church each week is to learn to truly rely on Jesus, to find His fairness and purity and let Him make our spirits sing.

Another thought I had was that as we become more fair and pure, with more inner beauty, we are empowered to help others' sorrowing spirits. The more the light of Christ shines through us, the more beautiful we become and the more people want to be around us because, as in nature, they feel peace in our presence.

So I've been pondering on what small things I can do to enhance my inner beauty. Not because I want more people to think I'm beautiful (lots of people already think I'm beautiful), but because I'm finally seeing the connection between inner beauty and the ability to truly help people.