Heart t' Heart

[TimA.]

I met a man when I was 6 years old and knew him the rest of his life. During that time, over 30 years, he was addicted to alcohol and was never able to over come it. I know he was in professional treatment at least twice and went to AA meetings but was never able to quite for an extended time. What will become of him in eternity? Will he just be telestial? Or is there some grace that is sufficient for him to become more?

I ask because I have been addicted for close to 40 years now and I first tried to stop probably close to 30 years ago. I have tried many times and failed every time. It is beginning to look to me like I will never over come it either. What becomes of those of us who are unsuccessful at recovery?

Tim

[Bill]

Tim,

I don't know what will happen to your friend in the next life, but I'm confident that the Lord will judge all of us righteously and mercifully.
Who can know enough about another person to do that? Only God.

For you and me, I think we just have to keep trying and NEVER, NEVER give up.

Hand in there, Brother!

Bill

[TigerLily]

I can't answer that either. I'd like to think, though, that mercy will be granted to those who have sincerely worked hard to try and overcome their addictions, even if they were never completely able to do it. "After all we can do..."

[Wendy1]

D&C 137:9 "For I the Lord wll judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts."

To me this means the desire of one's heart is as important as one's actions.

From HDDMFB pg. 48 and 49 - Principle 3:

"Part of the process of coming unto Christ and truly applying His attonement to our lives and the lives of others is to lose our fear that there is some power or effect of evil the Savior can't overcome. Coming to know the perfect love of God, that all is happening for a benevolent reason, (no matter how terrible it looks from our present perspective) is essential to developing unwavering trust."

"...sometimes our suffering is the result of God having to allow other people their freedom, even if they choose evil. No one could shoose evil if there were not others willing to risk becoming their victims. We need to realize there is a great orchestration going on here in this life, beginning in the premortal realm, with its results still to be seen in the stage of life following mortality."

I would add, if no one offended me, would I understand how to forgive, if I and everyone in my family were perfect, would I understand the Attonement.?

I had a freind whose Mother had a horrible disease. She suffered mightily. Her daughter prayed and fasted. She finally was given to understand that her Mother agreed before she came to accept this disease, for she knew that her daughter would learn leassons through her suffering which could come in no other way. After some years, her Mom passed away, never recovering from the disease.

Some addictions have a genetic component. This is not to say that Christ is powerless over them, but... Maybe there's more to the plan than we know.

The key, I think, is trust. If it is the Lord's will that I be healed, wonderful, but if not... I will still focus on him.

[Celeste]

I hear your question, Tim. I have these questions too. I wonder if I am not able to keep my thoughts clean, live a pure life everyday, that I will end up in the telestial. I wonder if it will be so bad to live in the telestial. I have however felt that I would accept living in the Telestial rather than in the outer darkness with Satan and his horde. This decision means I will continue to try to live the will of our Father in Heaven to the very best of my abilities. I thought many times of how both Jesus and Satan are my brothers. At one time, Lucifer actually socialized with me, I think. I know in my heart I have felt sadness, heart break that he chose to do what he did. Yet, he chose it. I choose Jesus. I will turn to him each and everyday to help me to progress from perfection to perfection. I trust he will reward me justly for all that I do in this world.