The Gospel and Church

Today we had a great lesson today in Relief Society given by Jill.  She talked about the difference between the gospel and the church.  The gospel being the doctrine of Christ.  The atonement, the ordinances and covenants we make (baptism, gift of the holy ghost, temple, sacrament etc), scriptures, etc.  The Church being the Sunday meetings, auxillaries, fellowship, leadership, etc.

There is a distinct difference between the two.  We go to Church to build our testimonies of the gospel. The church is imperfect, run by imperfect humans that help us and act as a vehicle for us to gain a testimony of the perfect gospel and perfect God and Lord whom we worship.

It was a great lesson that helped me recognize the importance of the two in my life.  I am grateful for the Church which I belong, filled with brothers and sisters, that are helping, guiding, teaching and leading me to better live the gospel.  It helps me feel the Spirit to more fully follow Christ and the Gospel in my life.  So often on my mission I saw people forget that the Church was simply a vehicle to help us follow the Lord more closely when they left the Church because it was run by imperfect humans. Or forget that the Church was a great and necessary tool to better follow the Lord (when they stopped coming to Church feeling it was unnecessary to help them live the gospel).

It was a great lesson.  Made me more fully appreciate the gospel and Church in my life!