Embrace What Makes You, You

When You Have No Idea What You’re Doing

By Chakell Wardleigh

Church Magazines

April Ensign 2020

Realize who you truly are

This is your first step—realizing your importance and your true identity,¹ because the world makes it really easy to forget who you truly are.

You are a child of God.

It’s the only label that truly matters. You were sent to earth during this specific moment in time. The final dispensation. Do you realize how significant that is? Think about it. God reserved you for one of the most tempestuous times the world has ever known. He knows you are strong enough to withstand the temptations of the world. He knows you and your capacity for good.

Unfortunately, Satan also knows how strong our generation is. So he’s desperately throwing his last attacks to drag us down (see Helaman 5:12). But remember, no matter the challenges you might face, adversity can help you grow closer to the Savior and find healing through His Atonement when you seek His help—which in turn can help you progress to become even more than you are now (see 2 Corinthians 5:17–18).

Embrace what makes you, you

You’ve been blessed with individual spiritual gifts and qualities (see Doctrine and Covenants 46:11–12) to help you not only progress on your personal journey but also lead others to the truth. You are uniquely set apart from everyone else because you have your own special brand of pizzazz only you can offer the world! And your pizzazz can come in many different forms. Perhaps you’re a natural-born leader; or maybe you’re musically inclined; or it could be you have the gift of being a good listener or showing compassion to others.

You’re here at this time for a reason. Reading your patriarchal blessing is one key to unlock your understanding of your individual strengths and discover how they can help you throughout your life. And if you put in effort and faith, the Lord can help you tap into your strengths, develop even more gifts and qualities, create power from your weaknesses (see Ether 12:27), and ultimately succeed in creating something beautiful.