Lights and Intelligences

Meridian Magazine - “Why December 21, 2012 is Not the End of the World”

2012-01-13T10:19:00.000-08:00

This is great, 'cause, I was really losing a lot of sleep over this. (Wink ;)

"But the Book of Mormon Repeats Itself!"

2012-01-09T14:21:00.000-08:00

Something to chew on while you read your Book of Mormon:

"Semitic styles of writing and living are not just evidences that the Book of Mormon is a true record of ancient people from the Near East. They are evidences that a prophet of God, operating under strict obedience, with no personal agenda to make the words sparkle according to Western ears, was going word by word, translating with unfailing accuracy, a sacred record that contains the Word of God, a second witness of Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of Truth to anyone who reads it with a sincere heart. Something majestic was achieved in this work—not only the coming forth of a grand record, but the coming forth of a grand man."

"Proof" of the book's truthfulness comes through the manifestation and revelation of the Holy Ghost. But everyone can see the evidences for themselves....It is a "marvelous work, and a wonder."

"Response to an Evangelical Believer in Christ" By D. Kelly Ogden

2012-01-06T16:30:00.000-08:00

I love that not only do the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bring joy to my heart (as I live them, of course), but they also absolutely satisfy my mind's desire for order, common sense, and logic. I'm not claiming to know all the why's and wherefore's, but what I do know, I know in my mind, and in my heart, with surety. And that, my friends, is a recipe for peace.

"Create Your Fan Chart Now"

2012-01-03T15:26:00.001-08:00

"And When Ye Shall Receive These Things..."

2012-01-01T21:25:00.000-08:00

At the end of November, our ward's Young Women President challenged all the girls to read the entire Book of Mormon, from cover to cover, by the 31st of December. Well, I'm not (such a) young woman, nor am I a Ward leader, but I am a Stake YW's leader, and I felt it was appropriate to join my own 12-year-old daughter in the challenge, and, at the same time, support the Ward leaders. So, I took a temporary leave of absence from my cover-to-cover re-reading of the New Testament, and jumped in. In order to complete the Book of Mormon in one month's time, I'd need to read for at least an hour each day.

At first, I began the endeavor with the hazy idea that reading the scriptures at a quicker pace would certainly invite the Spirit of the Lord, but might make getting insights on details and doctrine more of a challenge; frankly, I didn't expect a whole lot more than a square-filling experience (a good square, mind you).

Boy, was I wrong. No square filling experience could match this for richness and outpouring of the Spirit. Mind you, I've read the Book of Mormon at least a dozen times over my life, but this time, as I made extra time to immerse myself in the Book of Mormon, patterns in gospel doctrine and parallels with the Old Testament (which I had just finished reading) which I had never before noticed, leapt out at me. Minute details caught my attention all over the place. Highlighter and ball-point pen in hand, I marked and read and marked and read, scribbling notes in margins and cross-referencing to the other standard works. I found powerful testimony of the Savior, Jesus Christ, on every page. My testimony of the truthfulness of Christ's Church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) was truly strengthened. Waves of Spirit would wash over me, and witness to mind and heart of the power of the words of the prophets who kept the ancient record I am privileged to hold in my hands. I think that making reading the Book of Mormon a priority over the busy holiday season was really THE gift of the season. It's too easy to get caught up in holiday business that has nothing to do with Jesus.

By the end of the book, I found myself feeling weepy. I felt such gratitude to the Savior for the knowledge I have of this great book, and I felt a strong desire to strive for greater personal obedience to the Savior, to show my gratitude to Him. I felt His love, and I felt like sharing that love with others, as I am able. One can't help read this book, without coming away with a desire to be a good person. Truly, it is like no other book, and it is the keystone of our religion. As Elder Holland said, “No wicked man could write such a book as this; and no good man would write it, unless it were true and he were commanded of God to do so.”¹⁰

Read this book. Read it with real intent. Pray with all the energy of your soul, to know if its truthfulness. Be prepared to act on the truth which will be revealed to you. Know that Heavenly Father loves you, and that Christ, the Anointed One, your personal Savior, is waiting to embrace you. Know that this Book of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ, that it fully corroborates the record of the Jews (The Holy Bible), and that one day we will all stand before God, to be judged of our works. The Spirit beareth record.

2011-12-31T09:19:00.001-08:00

"Christianity: Following Jesus in Word and Deed"

2011-12-22T18:08:00.000-08:00

I can add my witness to this statement:

"At their best, Latter-day Saints’ behavior, speech, thoughts and identity all reflect Christ and His teachings. If you ask a member what it means to belong to the Church, he or she will tell you that most fundamentally it means to believe in Jesus as the Savior of the world and to follow Him.

For Latter-day Saints, being a Christian means being a disciple of Jesus Christ, loving and worshiping Him above all. It means prizing Christ and centering one’s life on His teachings from the New Testament. It means striving to live the kind of life that Christ commanded, honoring Him in word and deed. This is the meaning of a Christian, and there is no doubt that Latter-day Saints — who pattern their lives after all of these things — belong to Christ’s fold."

There is but one Jesus Christ, the Messiah, The Savior of the World. It is in Him and his redeeming Grace that I place all my hopes.

"Finding Faith in Christ"

2011-12-22T18:02:00.001-08:00

I hope you're enjoying a Christ-filled holiday season. "To catch the real meaning of the 'spirit of Christmas,' we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the 'spirit of Christ.'" Pres. Thomas S. Monson

An Unexpected Convert—The Muslim at my Door By Franz Sidney

2011-11-10T12:20:00.000-08:00

This story is a must-read!!!! I can't help but think of these verses from Joel 2:

28 ¶And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will ^apour out my^bspirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall^cprophesy, your ^dold men shall ^edream dreams, your young men shall see ^fvisions:

29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit."

and these verses from Helaman 15:

"And this is according to the prophecy, that they shall again be^abrought to the true knowledge, which is the knowledge of their Redeemer, and their great and true ^bshepherd, and be numbered among his ^csheep.

14 Therefore I say unto you, it shall be ^abetter for them than for you except ye repent.

15 For behold, ^ahad the mighty works been shown unto them which have been shown unto you, yea, unto them who have dwindled in unbelief because of the traditions of their fathers, ye can see of yourselves that they never would again have dwindled in unbelief.

16 Therefore, saith the Lord: I will not utterly destroy them, but I will cause that in the day of my wisdom they shall ^areturn again unto me, saith the Lord."

Reminds me of this hymn, too~

1. The Spirit of God like a fire is burning!
The latter-day glory begins to come forth;
The visions and blessings of old are returning,
And angels are coming to visit the earth.

[Chorus]
We’ll sing and we’ll shout with the armies of heaven,
Hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb!
Let glory to them in the highest be given,
Henceforth and forever, Amen and amen!

2. The Lord is extending the Saints’ understanding,
Restoring their judges and all as at first.
The knowledge and power of God are expanding;
The veil o’er the earth is beginning to burst.

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

2011-11-09T08:41:00.000-08:00

If you follow this blog and you are not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, you might be especially interested in this article, which is full of photos of one of the newest "Mormon" temples, soon to be dedicated. And, if you're in the area, you can take a tour, before the temple is dedicated.

Someone (can't remember if it was a member of our Church or not) once complained that our temples are too fortress-like in the architecture. I've only ever viewed them as lovely, sacred edifices filled with the influence of the Holy Ghost, surrounded by light, gorgeous landscaping, and made of the finest materials, as were ancient temples in Jerusalem. Frankly, I was slightly peeved at the complaint.

Upon further reflection, I have come to agree--not with the complaint, but with the observation. These temples do resemble a fortress. But then,

"A mighty fortress is our God,
A tower of strength ne’er failing.
A helper mighty is our God,
O’er ills of life prevailing.
He overcometh all.
He saveth from the Fall.
His might and pow’r are great.
He all things did create.
And he shall reign for evermore."

That hymn epitomizes much of the sacred work that goes on inside the walls of the temple: to enlighten, to redeem, to exalt, and to strengthen our Father in Heaven's children. Worship inside these holy temples answers the age old questions of where we came from before mortality, the purpose of mortality, and what will become of us after we die. We make covenants with an eye single to the glory of God. Latter-day Saints are a covenant people, as were the Ancient Israelites, though we strive to keep the higher law, introduced by the Savior Himself, when He ministered on the earth. Christ revered His Father's house, and so do we. The Spirit of God, manifested through the workings of the Holy Ghost provides a spiritual feast of light and truth. I never feel more peaceful, more cherished as a daughter of God, or more enlightened, than when I am "home" in my Father's sacred house. "Holiness to the Lord~The House of the Lord"

If you would like to know more about why our Church builds temples, please go here.

"Reverence for the Bible"

2011-11-06T21:56:00.000-08:00

During previous periods of time when God organized His church, He added new revelations to pre-existing scripture, forming a connection between believers of the present and believers of the past. For example, the Old Testament book of Isaiah gives shape and meaning to the Gospel of Matthew. The two revelations need not be viewed as rivals competing with each other: the existence of one does not negate the relevance or legitimacy of the other. This ongoing revelation of scripture gives uniformity and continuity to an unfolding gospel narrative and unites people under one standard of doctrine.

Of all the standard works, the Bible remains the best source for an intimate understanding of the character and personality of Jesus Christ during His mortal mission. While the Old Testament offers a prophetic foretelling of that mission, the New Testament provides an unmatched account of the events, experiences, teachings and personal interactions of Christ. The Book of Mormon strengthens and reinforces His teachings through additional witnesses and provides moving accounts of the personal experiences many individuals had with Him. According to Elder Ballard, “The Book of Mormon does not dilute nor diminish nor de-emphasize the Bible. On the contrary, it expands, extends, and exalts it.”

Full article here.

"It is Growing and Growing"

2011-11-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

These quotes were shared by a speaker at a recent "The Best of Especially For Youth, which youth from our congregation were privileged to attend, along with kids from 6 other stakes (probably at least 300 in attendance, with 2 other venues available as well). Excellent, gospel-oriented motivational speakers + copious amounts of pizza and cookies + a dance for youth ages 14-18 = some pretty pumped youth. :)

"The Church will never be as small as it is right now. We are not downsizing anything in the Church. It is growing and growing...."

~~~~

"I have seen a lot of things in my experience. I have seen shock and concern and sometimes great disappointment come along, but I have never seen fear in the councils of the Church. We know who we are, and we know who He is.

~Elder Boyd K. Packer

CES Evening with a General Authority. February 29, 2008, "Conversation With Teachers" Elder Boyd K. Packer

A Book of Mormon Story

2011-11-03T10:24:00.000-07:00

Alma 7:12 And he will take upon him ^adeath, that he may ^bloose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to ^csuccor his people according to their infirmities."

The Book of Mormon~Another Testament of Jesus Christ affirms the testimony of the Holy Bible, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He paid the price for our sins to help us overcome the effects of spiritual death through sin, and because of His resurrection, we too may overcome physical death and once more stand in the presence of God the Father.

The Great Apostasy: A Time Line

2011-11-02T18:19:00.000-07:00

Meridian Magazine - What Happened to the Faith Once Delivered to the Saints?—A Brief Outline of Apostasy and Restoration - Meridian Magazine - LDS, Mormon and Latter-day Saint News and Views

How much do you know about the Great Apostasy, which resulted in the loss of both precious truths and Priesthood Authority on the earth to conduct the saving ordinances of Christ's True Church? During this season of Thanksgiving, I'm especially grateful for the Restoration of the True Church of Jesus Christ in these latter days, and for the tangible blessings in the life of my family. Truly, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the "stone cut out of a mountain without hands," that will grow to fill the whole earth.

"The Only True and Living Church" DALLIN H. OAKS

2011-11-01T18:50:00.000-07:00

"Three features—(1) fulness of doctrine, (2) power of the priesthood, and (3) testimony of Jesus Christ—explain why God has declared and why we as His servants maintain that this is the only true and living Church upon the face of the whole earth."

"So what does our testimony of Jesus Christ cause us to affirm?

Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of God, the Eternal Father. He is the Creator of this world. Through His incomparable mortal ministry, He is our teacher. Because of His Resurrection, all who have ever lived will be raised from the dead. He is the Savior, whose atoning sacrifice paid for the sin of Adam and opened the door for us to be forgiven of our personal sins so that we can be cleansed to return to the presence of God, our Eternal Father. This is the central message of the prophets of all ages."

~~~~

Like millions of others, I will add my personal witness to that of the Apostle, Elder Oaks, and witness that the Holy Ghost has, after much study and prayer on my part, revealed to my mind and heart that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's true Church on the earth, that it is directed personally by Christ, and that the Book of Mormon is a true book of scripture, which gives assurance of the truthfulness of the Bible, and that Joseph Smith was called of God by revelation, to restore Christ's Church on the earth, and that it is lead under the direction of the Savior today by a living prophet of God, Pres. Thomas S. Monson.

Live Like You Believe

2011-10-24T19:20:00.000-07:00

They Shall Lay Hands on the Sick and They Shall Recover

2011-10-15T18:07:00.001-07:00

I love this video. Seeing it reminded me of all the times I've been healed through the laying on of hands by those with Priesthood authority. And not only being healed, but I have received many blessings of counsel, where the Lord specifically addressed concerns that only I knew about. I can witness from personal experience, that in Christ's true Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there are modern-day miracles, some large, some small, but all adding to my faith and devotion in the living Savior, Jesus Christ. My family is blessed by the power of the Priesthood in our home, and I cannot imagine life without it. I'm thankful for a father, brothers, husband and a son who honor their Priesthood commitments, and who live clean, worthy lives, such that if an emergency crops up, they can exercise the power of the Priesthood as worthy vessels of the Lord.

Who Decides Who's a Christian?

2011-10-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

We have an election coming up, and some well-meaning folks are questioning the "Christianity" of one of the leading candidates. Faith and values do line up, for good or ill. A good tree can only produce good fruit, and vice versa. But for those not sure if a "Mormon" candidate is Christian, and if his beliefs aren't clear, this paper may at least address some of those concerns. It's called:

Comparing LDS Beliefs with First-Century Christianity
Daniel C. Peterson

Have your scriptures handy when you read it. Also, both mormon.org, and lds.org are wonderful resources to get reliable information about the doctrine and beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka."Mormons"). If you still are under the impression that we marry off young girls to polygamous marriages, worship Joseph Smith, reject Christ as the Savior, are shopping for real-estate on other planets, or that we have horns (yes, there are those who believe that...), then you really need to visit the links provided to get up to speed, so you can, you know, avoid breaking the commandment that warns against bearing false witness against your neighbors.

I also found this dialogue helpful, as well, called "Q&A With a Mormon."

and

The Economist: Mormons Are, in Fact, Christians

I'll add these words from a commentator of this piece, called "StopNSee," who said,

"Jeffress (along with many others) simply missed the mark. Mormonism is not a cult, but a culture. A culture persistently and diligently cultivated, with the goal of elevating the standards and practices of mankind.
The process includes, but is not limited to, a never-ceasing encouragement and admonishment from the lay leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, exhorting its members to upgrade their behaviors, avoid or eliminate detrimental habits, develop Christ-like attributes and share their blessings, meager or significant, with their neighbors and people in need around the world.
It is a culture of self-reliance and personal progress, blended with the unique understanding that everyone is a beloved son or daughter of God, who should be respected and supported, as needed, through the challenges and trials that this mortal life produces.
This is a culture which defines the objective of this life as personal happiness. This definition is coupled with the sure knowledge that choices and actions result in consequences for both individuals and peoples, and that following God’s laws, as closely as possible, is the only way to lasting happiness.
Mormon culture holds and reflects the belief that closely-knit, happy family and extended family units are embryonic expressions of the relationship that we will have beyond this mortal existence both with our fellow children of God and with our Eternal Father in Heaven. It is a culture that extends inclusion in this “Plan of Happiness” to all who wish to be included and who are willing to make the requisite choices that demonstrate a desire to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Often the culture takes on the persona of the loving, but nagging parent, who wisely or clumsily tries to direct the affairs of others, both in and out of the church, with the desire to “make things better.”
The culture of Mormonism is the culture of the believer. Mormons believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in the atonement of His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. Mormons believe that Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are the Father’s divinely invested agents, charged with directing the affairs of men here in mortality, that they act in perfect harmony with the Father’s will.
Believing Mormon culture includes the premise that God’s house is a house of order, and that He directs the affairs on earth through His communications with His chosen prophets, both in ancient times and again in these Latter-days. These prophets also work in harmony to establish and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all mankind. The Gospel of the atoning, or redeeming sacrifice of the Savior, Jesus Christ on behalf of every person born upon this earth.
The Mormon culture embodies the stated belief in “doing good to all men,” and allowing all men to, “worship how, where, or what they may.”
Good Mormons make good neighbors."

Notes from my reading in Matthew:

2011-10-11T21:32:00.000-07:00

footnote 16d in Matt. 1: "Christ" in Greek, and "Messiah" in Hebrew are synonymous, meaning "Anointed One."
Christ will save people from their sins; not in their sins.
"repentance" is a Greek word meaning "a change of heart or mind"
Christ was baptized by immersion (going down into, coming up from water as we are today, per His example)
Christ was baptized to fulfill all righteousness (Matt3:15)
3 distinct members of the Godhead present at Christ's baptism: God the Father spoke from His abode in the heavens, Christ stood in the water, and the Holy Ghost's presence was manifest by the appearance of a dove = 3 separate personages, all in perfect unity of purpose.
pattern manifest of the Spirit taking a prophet to different places to be shown a panorama of the world; in this case, the Son of God was given a similar experience; Satan came to tempt Moses to worship him as he did also to Christ; neither gave in.
I love the reference to light in Matt. 4:16
the Sermon on the Mount is about action--not just hearing the word, but doing it
Matt. 5:48, "perfect" in Greek meant "complete, finished, fully developed." Hence, Noah, in the O.T., could be called "perfect in his generation," without it meaning that he never made a mistake (only the Savior never made a bad choice).
Matt. 7:21, not enough to confess the Christ--we must do the will of the Father
Matt 8: even the devils recognized the identity of the Savior, but it was not to their Salvation because they exercise no faith in His saving Grace, having already sided with Satan

From Old to New

2011-10-11T20:59:00.000-07:00

I finished the O.T. a couple of weeks ago. What an amazing experience! Every time I re-read a book of scripture, I'm always older, with a little more life experience, and that causes me to notice principles and teachings and especially patterns in the scriptures that had not stood out to me, before. I love to flip back through the pages, and look at all the verses I've underlined, and all the notes I've taken; I love how seamless is the doctrine, from the O.T. to the N.T., to the Book of Mormon, to the Doctrine & Covenants, to the Pearl of Great Price. Every principle and belief harmonizes so fluidly. I've poured over footnotes, cross-referenced and had bookmarks going in multiple books of scripture. Not one note of discord, not one single contradiction. Truly, the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One doctrine which stood out strongly to me this time, were all of the references to the Restoration of the Gospel and the Gathering of Israel, in the Last Days. I guess with the growth of the Church throughout the earth, the unprecedented # of temples being built, and the sobering head lines in the news, this has significant meaning for me. Reading the O.T. was seriously like reading headline news. Ancient prophecies are truly coming to pass--you can almost make a check list and cross off every point. True, the law of Moses was fulfilled, every whit, by the Atonement of Christ, but the principles of righteous living, to be found in the O.T., are still in effect. It is by no means an obsolete book of books.

And now on to the N.T. I am thrilled to discover that I still have my "Guide to the Life of Christ" by Richard Lloyd Anderson, supplement to Religion 211, which I took at BYU. I have copious notes in there from required reading, which dig pretty deep into historical accounts, comparisons of the 4 gospels, prophecies of Christ found in the O.T., and some comparisons of the beliefs of other world Christian religions. Oh yeah, good scholarly stuff to chew on while I go through the N.T. again. I guess I'll close this post with this quote from Pres. Ezra Taft Benson, from 1975: "That man is greatest and most blessed and joyful whose life most closely fits the pattern of the Christ. This has nothing to do with earthly wealth, power, or prestige. The only true test of greatness, blessedness, joyfulness is how close a life can come to being like the Master, Jesus Christ. He is the right way, the full truth, and the abundant life." I know He is my living Savior, and I'm looking forward to studying His word in the N.T.

Combating the Slur: “Mormons Are a Cult”

2011-09-21T17:58:00.000-07:00

Just for fun. :)

Substitute the word "glory"...

2011-09-11T18:16:00.001-07:00

Recently I've been fascinated with Section 88 of the Doctrine and Covenants. And, remembering that, according to section 93:36, "glory" = "light and truth," I've begun to substitute that phrase ("light & truth") with the word "glory" every time I see the word "glory" or "glorious" in the scriptures. Try it. It'll shed a whole new "light" on your scripture reading.

For example:

D&C 88:67 And if your eye be single to my glory [light and truth], your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.

D&C 88:107 And then shall the angels be crowned with the glory [light and truth] of his might, and the saints shall be filled with his glory [light and truth], and receive their inheritance and be made equal with him.

9/11

2011-09-11T16:38:00.000-07:00

On Sept. 11, 2001, I was walking my newest baby boy, and small daughter around the block. I remember it was a hot morning, with high humidity, typical weather for September in GA. Things seemed so peaceful. I can remember birds singing, and hearing the ever-constant buzz of bugs in the underbrush. The sky was hazy, almost white. Shortly after I came home, I got a call from B__, telling me to turn on the television. Something unbelievable was happening at the Twin Towers. So, I did, and then, like so many thousands of Americans, I stayed glued to the TV for the rest of the day. It felt like the end of the world. Really, I was convinced (still am), that it was the beginning of WWIII. As is so typical with adversity, we were all just living our lives, when, without quite knowing how or why, we turned a kind of corner, and no thing's ever been the same since, has it?

I've seen a lot of slogans around town, most to the effect of "Never Forget." I appreciate the sentiment behind the words. We shouldn't forget so that we stay vigilant, and hope to prevent another such man-made, hate-filled calamity from happening again. But, to keep things in context, this is by far not the only tragedy happening around the world. Things we can't prevent, and over which we have no control are happening, and affecting many more thousands than died in the Twin Towers, 10 years ago. You're thinking, "Thanks, Debbie Downer," for the reminder. So, to keep things hopeful and positive, let me share this experience. I was recently reading reader commentary for an article regarding one of the hot button social issues of the day. No one seemed to want to discuss the merit of the principles in the article; rather, readers preferred to sling much at each other, & even the "Christians" were spewing vitriol with the best. I felt so troubled (at which point you'll naturally ask yourself why I read that stuff in the first place--which is a good question, and I'd be happy to tell you why, on another occasion). 2Nephi 28:20 was playing through my mind on a repeating loop. I was so troubled, because such disturbing dialogue (wherein polite debate about the issue is exchanged for personal attacks) is fast becoming the order of the day. I had some quiet (a small miracle) and I knelt down to pray, to ask God what can be done in the face of such anger, and almost immediately the words, "Be Still, and Know that I AM GOD," came into my mind. It wasn't loud, but it was clear. Sometimes I've felt constrained to join in discussions, even if they will be difficult, but this time I felt prompted to be still. And then, this morning, I was perusing a BYU magazine, reading an article about virtue, and I read this:

"Since we are more likely to open the hearts of others in our moments of love or forgiveness than when we are showing symptoms of the natural man (such as being dictatorial, controlling, ambitious, or prideful), we must be, in that moment when we are inviting others to the moral world, exactly what we are inviting them to be....Inward stillness allows us time to tune out the world, even if only for a moment, so we can receive revelation--so we learn to really hear....Time for holiness is a precious gift, a sacred offering to the Lord. Perhaps we need to simplify our lives so that there's more room in our day to sincerely ponder the path at our feet (see Prov. 4:26), to feel the Spirit, to interact with others, and to respond with calmness...." ("Virtue and the Abundant Life" BYU Magazine Summer 2011, 46 & 48.)

I really feel that reading that article, so shortly after my prayer, yesterday, was a further answer to my prayer, and a testimony that Heavenly Father really is ready, able, and willing to immediately answer and bless us. With the head line news so often dark and discouraging, knowing we have a Savior who loves us, and a conduit to Him, is so critical to my happiness. So, whenever I see the slogan "Never Forget," what I want not to forget is not so much that particular tragedy, but rather I don't want to forget the Savior; that no matter what calamity strikes, I know He is there to guide us through, to lift us from despair, to envelop us with comfort, to give Hope where there is seemingly no light in the dark or sure path through the mist of darkness.

Finally, I'd like to share with you a dream I had, shortly after 9/11. This was actually the third in a series, one dream each night, 3 nights in a row, that I believe was a direct message of love from the Lord, to provide comfort, and hope for the future. In my dream I was standing on top of a ridge of very tall sand dunes. I could see from horizon to horizon. I believe it was some time in the morning; the sun was bright, but not high in the sky. As I looked out to sea, as far as I could see were thousands of whales, and dolphins, manta rays, and all manner of sea life, leaping, and playing, jumping and flipping and diving. They were so full of joy, they could not contain it. Their elation was palpable. And deep in my heart like the sounding of a big bell, were these words: "He's here." And I knew in my heart that the reason the sea creatures were leaping was because the Savior was on the earth at that moment, and they knew it. And I knew it too, in my dream, even though I couldn't see him with my eyes. I woke up almost right after that. I felt like my spirit was on fire. I just knew everything will be OK.

Anyway, I want you to know how grateful I am for the Savior, who binds us all together forever, not just for time, but for eternity. I know these latter days are difficult, but I know that the Lord is pouring out His Spirit, too. I know that His charity "never faileth." And because of that, "in the midst of affliction, my table is spread."

You might enjoy this perspective from Elder Bednar, as well.

"We Lived with God"

2011-08-11T00:38:00.001-07:00

Ezekiel and Head Line News

2011-08-10T18:17:00.000-07:00

I'll apologize in advance that this post will be somewhat doom and gloom. But read on, and you'll know why.

My journey through the Old Testament is winding down. I've thoroughly enjoyed the experience, but for one problem: I read books like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, and my teeth are set on edge. I read about ancient Israel, and their state of apostasy, and the dire warnings of the Lord if they didn't change their ways (they didn't, BTW) and the high price they paid. And, knowing the equally dire warnings about the state of affairs in the Latter days, I kind of shudder.

I underline verse after verse, and make myself notes, looking for patterns. I know that even though the Law of Moses was fulfilled in Christ, Christ continues to govern His people according to the same principles as always. As always, there is no substitute for obedience to commandments, even though it is by Grace we are saved. My notes go something like this: "The Lord strengthens us to stand firm in the Gospel, and not to fear ridicule (Ezek. 2:8); Warn our neighbors, D&C 88:81 (Ezek.: 3:18-19); those who indulge in abominations come to loathe themselves (Ezek. 6:9); iniquity is its own stumbling block and cannot satisfy (Ezek. 7:19); folks are using the same justifications for wrong-doing today, as of yore; to wit: the Lord isn't paying attention any more (Ezek. 8:12); beware of FALSE prophets (Ezek. 13:2, 6, 10); when we are estranged from the Lord, it is because we worship some other kind of idol (atheists are not exempt!) (Ezek. 14:3-6); the Lord will not allow the true prophet to lead His Church astray (Ezek. 14:9); our country has legalized abortion, and introduced sexual perversion into public school curriculum (Ezek. 16:20-21); Ezek. 16: 14-15 epitomizes our nation and all nations which worship the secular; basically, all of chap. 16 epitomizes our nation, which has, in many regards, rejected its God, glorifying all manner of perversions; the Lord's version of equality as defined in chap. 18; and, time after time, the two biggies: Israel is cursed for 1) worshipping false idols of its own making, and 2) failing to keep the Sabbath day Holy.

The last two offenses come to epitomize all that was wrong with ancient Israel. Is our nation, so very different? I thank Heaven for the many, many individual Christians (and even my non-Christian friends who, in their walk and talk, epitomize Christ-like attributes), of all denominations and walks of life, who love the Savior, and serve Him the best they can, no matter what their particular understanding is of His Gospel. I believe it is because of their individual desires for righteousness that the Lord spares this nation the most dire of calamities. But, how long will His arm be stayed? I give thanks for the promises found in the Book of Mormon, which declare that the righteous will yet prosper in the Land of Promise. But there can be no doubt that reading Ezekiel has, for me, been a sobering experience.

Permanent Things: Toward an Understanding of Mormons

2011-07-25T00:10:00.000-07:00

Permanent Things: Toward an Understanding of Mormons

"And Should We Die, Before Our Journey's Through...."

2011-06-06T21:03:00.001-07:00

Thursday afternoon, I received a phone call everyone hopes never to get; a fellow dance classmate of my daughter was killed under tragic circumstances. The dance class is a small, chummy group of girls, several who have been dancing together for the last 3-4 years. They are a fairly close-knit bunch. Of course I was horrified and shocked, stunned, grief-stricken--just what you'd expect to feel, but throughout it all was the feeling of disbelief. This simply could not be real. A fellow mother and I drove to the school to pick up our girls, who carpool to dance class, together. This mother is also LDS, so we share the same beliefs about life after death. Breaking the news to our daughters was very difficult; the extraordinary manner of her death made the telling of it that much worse to share.

Today we attended the funeral, and it was truly a beautiful service, conducted by our young friend's own Orthodox Christian church; I saw several friends and neighbors, and we all shared the same sober expressions.

Throughout this difficult experience, I am so much the more grateful for a knowledge of the Plan of Salvation, and that I can share the knowledge of it with my children, that they need not grieve so bitterly, nor fear for themselves. We've talked frankly, and openly, about our friend's death. Viewing her body, prepared for burial, was a stark reminder that the body is only the temple, and that in death, the spirit resides elsewhere. It was a sacred experience.

My husband gave our daughter a Priesthood blessing, to help her be prepared for the day's events. She was given comfort and counsel, and blessed with the peace of knowing that the Lord has a plan for our little friend, and we should not grieve long, but know that her spiritual development continues on the other side of the veil. During the funeral service, my sweet girl leaned over and said, "She's here." She felt a powerful confirmation that her friend was present in the spirit. It was a very sweet and reassuring experience.

Following a luncheon, we decided to drive our girls around the local LDS temple (being Monday, the temple was closed), but we drove slowly around the beautiful grounds, felt the peace, and drank in the sunshine and blue sky of a warm afternoon. We wanted to point our girls towards the temple, and the promises of eternity to be made therein. It was a soul-soothing refreshment and a comforting way to end an otherwise difficult day.

As we made our final good-byes to this precious daughter of God, we mourn her loss, for our sakes, but rejoice in knowing that through the power of the Atonement and resurrection of the Savior, we will see each other again, someday.

Book of Mormon: An Introduction

2011-05-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

I Am a Child of God

2011-05-15T16:10:00.000-07:00

"He Held His Peace"

2011-04-24T00:30:00.000-07:00

“He Held His Peace”

Recently I viewed “His Sacred Name: An Easter Declaration,” which is a short video, produced by the Church, in honor of Easter. One phrase in the video, taken from the book of Mark, caught and held my attention: “[He] held His peace.” As I pondered that particular choice of words, it occurred to me that the wording could have been different, “He held His tongue,” or, “He kept quiet,” or “He refused to protest,” or any number of other phrases describing the Lord’s serenity, but the apostle simply stated, “He held His peace.” What a truly profound phrase it is. I reflected on the power of His peace in my life.

There was a time, not too long ago, when peace was beyond my grasp. I cherished a particular hope I believed to be worthy, and I felt I had every right to expect its fulfillment. Then, as a part of the Lord’s plan of refinement for me, the realization of that particular hope was withheld. As my plans turned to dust and ashes, I was deeply wounded. I felt betrayed and rejected, fractured and bitter. Emotional baggage surfaced, dredging up old insecurities and unwelcome self-doubt. For weeks I vacillated between “fight” and “flight.” I wanted to run away. I begged and pleaded for the Lord to move our family somewhere else, where my trial wouldn’t be staring me in the face, every day. Yet, the heavens were silent and I was left in a stupor of thought. During this very difficult period, I continued reading scriptures, praying frequently, and attending the temple, but not with much zest. Emotionally, I felt spent; Gradually, I became aware that the Lord was sending manna to my wilderness. First, the Lord gently let me know He wasn’t going to be moving me, any time soon. I knew because I was lead to read Jeremiah 29: 4-7 which verses spoke right to me. Then, a little further in the chapter, I read a message of hope that shone like a beacon in the dark, and marked a real turning point in my trial:

11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of PEACE, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity....”

Still pondering those verses, I had the opportunity to get away for a short trip by myself, without the cares of mothering. While visiting the Sacrament Meeting of my extended family, I enjoyed a real “revelatory experience.” Two visiting High council men were speaking to prepare the local Saints for an upcoming temple dedication. As each spoke of temples and the eternal nature of the family, the Spirit bore witness of this principle to me. Despite the delay of some of my most cherished hopes and plans, I knew they would one day come to pass; Filled with gratitude for the long-term Plan of Happiness, I offered up a silent “thank-you.” In that very moment, the Savior literally engulfed me in the arms of His love and filled me to overflowing with a peace and healing which passeth all understanding. My whole body felt full of warmth and my mind full of bright light. I felt as if I would melt from the outpouring of so much pure Charity. “Oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yeah, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!..There can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.” (Alma 36:20,21)

Though that which I desire is still not available to me, I can say as Job, “...therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.” (Job 42:3) In exchange for the price of my grief, which the Savior paid for me, I now have a personal witness of the power of Charity and Grace, yea even wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures. (D&C 89:19) I better understand at-one-ment, which is “atonement.” He, who suffered my infirmities, affected this cleansing, exchanging the bitter for the sweet, making me whole in Him.

Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, has promised those who put their trust in Him, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) As Christ held His Peace under the most trying of circumstances, so will I seek to hold His Peace as well, the Peace that passeth all understanding. (Phil. 4:7) In the name....

I presented this talk at the following:

April Stake Conference, 2011

Saturday evening, Adult Session

M___ Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Presiding: Elder Walter F. Gonzalez, Presidency of the 70

His Sacred Name - An Easter Declaration

2011-04-21T11:33:00.000-07:00

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: Did Joseph Smith Write the Book of Mormon?

2011-03-30T14:29:00.000-07:00

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: Did Joseph Smith Write the Book of Mormon?

Meridian Magazine - “Mormons are Not Christians” – One Reason They Say It - Page 3

2011-03-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

Meridian Magazine - “Mormons are Not Christians” – One Reason They Say It - Page 3

This article provides really good food for thought. The issues put forth in the article testify to the need for all people to take the LDS Church's canonized scripture at face value, as to whether Mormons are Christians, or not. Clearly, the Book of Mormon testifies to our need for Grace. Period. Yes, we need to keep the commandments to the best of our ability, but we will all fall short, and if we are saved, it will be by Grace. In this way, the Book of Mormon corroborates the teachings of the Bible.

Social Justice: Insidious Philosophy by Buffy Snell

2011-03-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

Social Justice: Insidious Philosophy by Buffy Snell

Thank you, Meridian magazine, for publishing this view. Social Justice is one of the most insidious philosophies adopted by church members today. How important it is to recognize and discuss divergence from truth! While the worldly emphasis on diversity of opinion may be appealing, we as a church ought to be unified against false philosophies, even and especially when they are mingled with scripture.

On the subject of unity, Marion G. Romney said:

“We of this Church can come to a unity and a oneness which will give us strength beyond anything we have yet enjoyed if we will obtain a sounder understanding of the principles of the gospel and come to a unity in our interpretations of present world conditions and trends. This we can do by prayerful study of the Lord’s word, including that given to us through the living prophet.

"This is the way to come to a unity. If we will study the word of the Lord as it comes to us through the standard works and through the instructions of the living prophet and not harden our hearts, but humble ourselves and develop a real desire to understand its application to us in our own peculiar circumstances, and then ask the Lord in faith, believing that we shall receive (see Doctrine & Covenants 18:18), all the while being diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lord, surely the path we should follow will be made known unto us, and we will be able to face the world as a solid unit.”.”-- President Marion G. Romney, April 1983 General Conference

James E. Faust, on the subject of social justice, said:

“I wonder how much we offend Satan if the proclamation of our faith is limited only to the great humanitarian work this church does throughout the world, marvelous as these activities are. When we preach the gospel of social justice, no doubt the devil is not troubled.”-President James E. Faust, Liahona, November 1995, pg. 3

Clarifying the meaning of the word "equality" , Ezra Taft Benson said:

"It has been erroneously concluded by some that the united order is both communal and communistic in theory and practice because the revelations speak of equality. Equality under the united order IS NOT ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL LEVELING AS ADVOCATED BY SOME TODAY…Is the united order a communal system? Emphatically not. It never has been and never will be. It is ‘intensely individualistic.’ Does the united order eliminate private ownership of property? No. ‘The fundamental principle of this system [is] the private ownership of property’ (J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Conference Report, October 1942, p. 57).’" --Ezra Taft Benson, A Vision and a Hope for the Youth of Zion

President Benson also said (quoting Dan Smoot),

“England was killed by an idea: the idea that the weak, indolent and profligate must be supported by the strong, industrious, and frugal – TO THE DEGREE THAT THE TAX-CONSUMER WILL HAVE A LIVING STANDARD COMPARABLE TO THAT OF THE TAX PAYER… this communist-socialist idea will destroy any society which adopts it and clings to it as a basic principle – ANY society.”—Ezra Taft Benson, quoting Dan Smoot in his speech, The Proper Role of Government

Social Justice is NOT a gospel principle, nor is it "the word of the Lord as it comes to us through the standard works and through the instructions of the living prophets."

Blogger's note: Allow me to throw in my 2 cents. When a government promises care from cradle to grave, there is little incentive for a people to strive for anything, including for a robust spiritual or temporal dependence on God. This doesn't have to be the situation, but certainly there may be less motivation to strive for anything, when the govt. promises to take care of all our needs. To me, countries who embrace extensive comprehensive entitlement programs run the risk of trading spiritual and personal reliance on the Lord and on provident living for a plan patterned after Satan's, who promised that in return for trading in our agency and our worship, he would "guarantee" that not one soul of us would be lost (see Moses 4:1). But that, at the price of our freedom. The Lord's welfare plan doesn't include going into debt or promising care for which it cannot fund, unlike the secular programs of countries in Europe, or even our own country's Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid. Furthermore, the Lord has commanded, "Behold, it is said in my laws, or forbidden, to get in debt to thine enemies (D&C 64:27)." Surely, any country which so deeply commits itself to paying for entitlement programs, the expense of which must be funded by going deeply into the debt of countries which do not support basic human rights and freedoms, especially of speech and religion, is not advisable, to say the least.

Meridian Magazine - Power in the Marriage Sealing - Page 2

2011-03-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

Meridian Magazine - Power in the Marriage Sealing - Page 2

"Speaking of the great blessings that flow to the children by the power of their parents’ marriage sealing, Joseph Fielding Smith wrote:

These keys hold the power to seal husbands and wives for eternity as well as for time. They hold the power to seal children to parents, the key of adoption, by which the family organization is made intact forever. This is the power which will save the obedient from the curse in the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Through

these keys the hearts of the children have turned to their fathers.[13]"

A Paradigm Shift

2011-03-09T14:53:00.000-08:00

I've read my share of anti-Mormon commentary in news articles wherein the LDS Church is featured. Frequently in the comment castigating the Church will be the mention that LDS women are "oppressed" in some way--because they're not ordained to the Priesthood, because they aren't to be found in the upper echelons of Church leadership, etc., etc., etc. After reading yet another such comment, I was pondering the very real misunderstanding of hierarchy in our Church, and it occurred to me that this is due to a difference in paradigms, between "Church and State," if you will.

In the world, a business (or government) will have a president, vice-president, and all their underlings, and power will flow from the top, in a downward direction. Think of this as a sort of "pyramid of power," with the President at the pinnacle, and the worker bee drones, at the base of the pyramid. If a person were to look at the printed charts showing the Prophet, 1st and 2nd Counselors, the Quorum of the 12 Apostles, the Quorums of the 70, the Auxiliary Presidencies, etc., one (who is misinformed) might make the same assumption: that the power in the LDS Church flows from the top, in a downward direction, with the individual at the whim/beck-and-call of his or her "superiors," as though the Prophet is the "boss," and failure to comply with his commands can get one "fired," so to speak. If one supposed this, one would be making a critical error in judgement. An error which might cause that person to miss out on a spectacular, life-changing paradigm: that in order to truly understand the flow of power to both women and men in the LDS church, one needs to turn the "pyramid of power" on its head.

The Prophet, his counselors, the 12 Apostles, etc., are callings, all of which exist for one simple purpose:

Priesthood and auxiliary leaders and teachers strive to help others become true followers of Jesus Christ (see Mosiah 18:18–30). To assist individuals and families in this effort, they:

In addition, certain priesthood leaders have the authority to oversee the performance of the saving priesthood ordinances.

because:

The family is ordained of God. It is the most important unit in time and in eternity.

Christ, Himself, said, "And whosoever of you will be the ^achiefest, shall be servant of all." (Mark 10:44); this places the Prophet (who is the Lord's official spokesperson) at the bottom of the proverbial triangle (truly a servant of all), his counselors, the Apostles, the Auxiliary Leaders both in Salt Lake City and local, all building up the base of a great foundation, founded upon Christ, Himself, upon which the family may safely rest, with mother and father the true leaders in their home, the home being the true seat of "power," in the Church hierarchy. You see, the Lord's goal is to have all of His children return to Him, as exalted beings, exaltation which can only happen as married (sealed) couples consisting of a man and his wife. The further benefit is to have one's children (who would, as adults, bring along their own spouses), sealed to their parents, for time and all eternity, thus creating a web of interconnected family units, all privileged to dwell in the presence of God, and experience a fullness of joy.

So, back to the reference where LDS women are "oppressed," and victims of some mythical church glass ceiling, let's be absolutely clear as to where women fall in the "hierarchy of power": all women are already at the pinnacle of "power," resting upon a Church, which has, as its foundation, "the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;" (Ephesians 2:20). True that women are not ordained to the Priesthood, but we must remember that the power of the Priesthood can only be accessed in an act of service, and is inaccessable as an act of unrighteous dominion, self-aggrandizement, or in any situation where the bearer has any less than charitable feelings (see Moroni 7: 44-47) about his fellow man; women are of course free to render service, receive personal revelation for herself or her family, and serve in auxiliary programs which are patterned after the order of the Priesthood, and thus able to receive, by rights of calling, the blessings of the Priesthood, including personal revelation for those within her stewardship. Women in the LDS Church are already "daughters of a Heavenly Father who loves them;" they are already heirs of salvation, together with their husbands, who cannot receive exaltation without a wife by their side, as an equal partner. There is no glass ceiling in the LDS Church, where women are concerned. The Church exists to support families. Standing at the head of every family, at least in the eternities, will be a mother and a father, and while not all women may currently find themselves in that position, they have, by right of divine nature, and through righteous choices, every opportunity for every blessing Eternity and Exaltation, have to offer.

This difference in paradigms (the business/govt. model, vs. God's model, a.k.a. "Plan of Salvation") offers exciting implications for women in the LDS Church: she realizes that her decisions now have eternal import; that her role as wife, mother, daughter, and sister will directly contribute to her own joy, and the joy of those most important to her and most closely connected to her now and in future: her family. What more powerful position can there be, for any woman? What position will have more lasting impact on her own posterity, than to "rule" side by side, as a Queen in her own dominion, with her husband, than that which an LDS woman now enjoys? No wonder the morning stars shouted for joy, when shown the Plan of Salvation? In the world, a woman's role as homemaker may be denigrated; the world may misunderstand the genius behind the structure of Church administration, but the women of the Church know who they are, why they are here, and where they are going. Let nay-sayers continue to miss the mark; LDS women are too busy creating eternity to pay them much heed.

"What Would Your Life Look Like If. . ."

2011-02-24T15:28:00.000-08:00

"What would your life look like if you took your love to your loved-ones, and your frustrations to the Lord (instead of vice-versa)?"

Such was the introduction to an amazing hour spent with John & Bonnie Lund, who visited our Stake for a fireside, just this last Sunday evening. I'm so glad I went. I was feeling a little weary that afternoon/evening, and was of two minds to go. Knowing what I know now, skipping out would have been a great loss to me. Here are some notes I took (the fullness which can certainly be found in Bro. Lund's published works).

Love and trust are not one and the same. Trust is based on consistent good choices.
We'll never carry out the Lord's way by using the Devil's methods. See D&C 121: 39-46 for the Lord's method.
Nephi was blessed for not murmuring. See 1 Nephi 3: 6.
D&C 93:39 Many of the mistakes we make in our relationships are the result of incorrect "teachings of [our] fathers." Where the Gospel begins, the incorrect traditions of the Fathers must end.
There are 38(!) verses of scripture commanding us to cease to find fault, one with another.
A talk by Gordon B. Hinkley, entitled "God is at the Helm" was referenced.
criticism, including so-called "constructive criticism" doesn't change a person; real change comes from within.
If criticize we must, it is best to ask the object of our criticism to give us instructions as to how they prefer the criticism expressed; ex.: in writing, by speaking, and when--immediately, or after some time to prepare.
In our society we give our frustration (our unmet expectations) full permission to be expressed--and we need to change that.
Just because we have a mouth and a thought doesn't mean we have the right to share it.
We need to learn to communicate so clearly as to be understood, as well as to not be misunderstood. This is best accomplished through active listening, and rephrasing what the other person has said, so as to make sure we perfectly comprehend the message.
If there is a disagreement, we must take turns speaking (perhaps by using a "talking stick," setting a timer, etc.), thus ensuring no interruptions.
Beware the tongue! See James 3: 5.
We need to take our love to our loved ones and our frustrations to the Lord. When we take our frustrations to the Lord, He will do one or more of the following: 1) soften hearts, 2) strengthen us, the other person, etc. in our mind/body/spirit, 3) raise people up to do what I (we) cannot [do for the other person(s)], 4) "Exodus principle" = lead the person(s) away from the problem, or 5) remove the problem from the person, in His own due time (requiring us to exercise patience and not murmur).

A few notes regarding men and women, when it comes to husband/wife interaction and marriage:

Bro. Lund recommended the following book: The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine.
He mentioned some research by Dr. Ruben Gur.
When a woman approaches a man with a piece of criticism, men want to know the following: 1) is it painful (say, on a scale of 1-10, how much of a crisis is it?)? 2) how long will it take (for the woman to express herself)? and 3) when a woman is done expressing herself, what does she really want from the man?

I'm still chewing on this information, as to how it applies to me personally, and in society, how best to express concern with societal ills, and how best to apply Bro. Lund's counsel, both personally, and as a concerned citizen.

And, just as an aside, Bro. Lund mentioned that he's only related to Gerald Lund, through Noah and Adam. That earned him a few laughs.

2011-02-07T20:33:00.000-08:00

The Blessings of the 13th Article of Faith

We live in some of the most challenging times in the history of the world:

Nephi, describing what he saw, in vision, of our day, was incredibly accurate when he spoke of the fountain of filthy water, and the mists of darkness which lead people astray: 1 Nephi 12: 16-17. I’m guessing you could all come up with a pretty grim list of filth and mist; a veritable minefield which we have to navigate through carefully, on a daily basis
Chap. 14: 17 is exciting because we live in a day when the blessings of the covenant are made available to us--[LDS] Church coming out of obscurity:

Elder Maxwell had this to say about our emerging visibility as members of the LDS Church: “Among other things, the past obscurity of the Church is giving way to visibility. The Lord described how He will bring His latter-day work “forth out of obscurity and out of darkness.” Thus, as foreseen, Christ and His work are becoming a light which can no longer be hidden. This emerging reality brings with it its own set of challenges and opportunities. For instance, though the gospel light is small, the adversary knows what it signifies, hence his disproportionate efforts to dim it.

Furthermore, God has chosen to work through those whom the world regards as weak and foolish. With heightened visibility, this fact, too, then creates its own set of challenges. Nevertheless, “God hath chosen the foolish … to confound the wise; … the weak … to confound the … mighty.”

The Stake Young Women Presidency has been meeting with the Young Women, during Ward Conferences, and asking/ discussing what it means to be a “Peculiar People.” Unsurprisingly, the YW all affirm that their non-member friends recognize the differences between their behavior, sometimes with approval, and sometimes with derision.

Elder Maxwell continues, “As if comparative obscurity, smallness as to scale, and ample human imperfection in the membership of His Church were not enough, the Lord wants a humble as well as a pure people. Thus, the lesson taught ancient Israel is still relevant: only three hundred warriors were used by Gideon to triumph over Israel’s enemies, “lest Israel vaunt themselves.”

Speaking of warriors, listen to this special letter written to you stripling warriors, from a [LDS] First Presidency who loves you:

“Message from the First Presidency,” For the Strength of Youth: Fulfilling Our Duty to God, 2

of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

“Our beloved young men and women, we have great confidence in you. You are choice spirits who have come forth in this day when the responsibilities and opportunities, as well as the temptations, are the greatest. You are at the beginning of your journey through this mortal life. Your Heavenly Father wants your life to be joyful and to lead you back into His presence. The decisions you make now will determine much of what will follow during your life and throughout eternity.

Because the Lord loves you, He has given you commandments and the words of prophets to guide you on your journey. Some of the most important guidelines for your life are found in this pamphlet. We testify that these principles are true.

We promise that as you keep these standards and live by the truths in the scriptures, you will be able to do your life’s work with greater wisdom and skill and bear trials with greater courage. You will have the help of the Holy Ghost. You will feel good about yourself and will be a positive influence in the lives of others. You will be worthy to go to the temple to receive holy ordinances. These blessings and many more can be yours.

We pray for each of you. May you keep your minds and bodies clean from the sins of the world so you can do the great work that lies before you. We pray that you will be worthy to carry on the responsibilities of building the kingdom of God and preparing the world for the Second Coming of the Savior.

The First Presidency”

Do you recognize this message of confidence? It’s from the For the Strength of Youth Pamphlet. You can review it at home, with your families.

So, what kind of a torch are we holding up to the world? What is our standard? It is this:

13 “^aWe believe in being ^bhonest, true, ^cchaste, ^dbenevolent, virtuous, and in doing ^egood to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we ^fhope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to ^gendure all things. If there is anything ^hvirtuous, ⁱlovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”

Joseph Smith quoted from two letters of the Apostle Paul when he wrote this 13th Article of Faith. Joseph could identify with Paul, for both had been through tough times, including lengthy imprisonment, the betrayal by friends and faithless members, and finally, they both gave their lives as a final testament to their faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Personally, I find great strength and comfort in this Article of our Faith.

Paul wrote to the Philippians to “cheer the Saints under his protracted imprisonment.” His letter to the Corinthians was written to the Greeks, “men gifted by race with a keen sense of the joys of physical existence, with a passion for freedom and a genius for rhetoric and logic, but reared in the midst of the grossest moral corruption, undisciplined and self-conceited.” Sounds a lot like our day!

Philippians 4:4-8 reads:___and 11-13. What would give Paul that kind of strength? The answer is found in the source for the rest of the 13th Article of Faith.

1 Corinthians 13:7 This is Paul’s great lesson on Charity, which we know is the pure Love of Christ.

Moroni said, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

47 But ^acharity is the pure ^blove of Christ, and it endureth ^cforever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, ^apray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true ^bfollowers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall ^cbe like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be ^dpurified even as he is pure. Amen.”(7:46-48)

When we are filled with the Love of Christ, we experience what Paul termed a “bond of perfectness.” (Col. 3:14) “Perfect” has also been defined as “whole,” or “complete.” When we are complete or “at-one-ment” in Christ, we are secure in His love, which produces a “mighty change of heart,” and causes us to lose our “disposition to do evil.” (Think of the mighty transformation of Alma the Younger!) Thus, we conquer the “natural man”--the rebel in us, and we want to obey the standards of the Thirteenth Article of Faith--Charity is the enabling power which enables us to do so.

As you study the scriptures, you will find that all the great heroes of the scriptures--both men and women, who stand for truth and righteousness, and fight their battles, both metaphorical and physical, do so with the Love and confidence of and in Christ (Charity) in their hearts. It’s what keeps their hearts pure and virtuous.

This next year, you youth will be hearing a lot more about this 13th Article of Faith. I would “exhort” you to go home, read it, study it, and pray about it, and pray for Charity, with all the energy of your souls, that you may be filled with His love for YOU, which will give you the strength and courage you need to hold high your lights and Gospel Standard. Remember, though you are young, you have a mighty mission ahead of you:

“And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have ^apower to lay the foundation of this ^bchurch, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of ^cdarkness, the only true and living ^dchurch upon the face of the whole earth.” (D&C 1:30)

I close with my testimony (my witness) of the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, through the restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, upon the earth, in this, the last dispensation, of the Fullness of Times, and in the name of Jesus Christ, the Savior, Amen.

(The above is a talk I prepared and delivered to the M__. Ward, in company with the visiting High Councilman, and in my capacity as Second Counselor to the Stake YW President).

"Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve": The Young Women Personal Progress Program a Springboard to Relief Society Service

2011-02-07T07:22:00.000-08:00

As I was reading the January Relief Society Visiting Teaching message, I had a thought pop into my head. For whatever reason, the sign at the entrance to the BYU campus came to mind, the one that says, “Enter to Learn, Go forth to Serve.” Of course, we always used to joke that it should have said, “Enter to learn, go forth to earn,” (haha), but thinking about the Relief Society, it occurred to me that if a girl spends her time in Young Women’s really soaking up the Gospel, through the Personal Progress Program, that could be considered the “Enter to Learn” part of life, and entrance to RS could be considered the “Go Forth to Serve” part of life. Every week, the Young Women, worldwide, repeat this theme:

WE ARE DAUGHTERS of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. WE WILL “STAND as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9) as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith • Divine Nature • Individual Worth • Knowledge • Choice and Accountability • Good Works • Integrity • and Virtue

WE BELIEVE as we come to accept and act upon these values, WE WILL BE PREPARED to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

Those are not mere words; they are words of power. Words are tools of power. Recall this phrase of the Lords, regarding the creation process: ". . .all things whatsoever I have created by the word of my power, which is the power of my Spirit." (D&C 29:30). The Savior of the World, Himself, was referred to as "The Word," in Revelation 19:13, ". . . his name is called The Word of God."

A Young Woman, who takes the words of the Theme to heart, is partnering with the Lord to create of herself a powerful tool, useful in the Lord's Kingdom, and readying herself for her mission in the Relief Society Program. The Relief Society was organized to empower women, within the framework of an organization patterned after the Priesthood, and with such authority, to go out into the world, and be a light and an example of the pure love of Christ, and to do so with a sister-hood of thousands of other empowered women. I think of one of the RS sisters I visit teach, via e-mail and Skype, whose husband works at a U.S. foreign embassy in Turkmenistan (a country that does not formally recognize the LDS church, so they have no organized Relief Society, with only a small handful of LDS families meeting in their own homes for church) and realize that for most of the women she meets, she is the only RS sister they know, and she, herself, is an ambassador of the restored Gospel. I’m sure people look up to her, knowing how amazing she is, much of it due to that very Gospel.

I recognize that for some LDS women, Relief Society is not their favorite organization. For whatever reason, they may feel left out, may feel too young, or too old, to relate to the other sisters; may serve in another auxiliary and feel out of the Relief Society loop; etc., etc., but I rejoice that there is a glorious Bigger Picture, of being an individual light, in companionship with millions of other Relief Society sisters, all over the globe, in a darkening world, and the Relief Society is the framework in which we will carry the light of the Restored Gospel to sisters (of our faith, or not) who have no Relief Society or Gospel, at all. How bright our individual light shines depends upon us, and what we contribute to Relief Society. "Ask not what [Relief Society] can do for you; ask what you can do for [Relief Society]."

To you Young Women, "Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve."

"You Can Make It"

2011-02-02T11:01:00.000-08:00

The following I share, upon request, as a Sacrament talk offered in my current capacity as Second Counselor in the Stake Young Women's Presidency.

"You Can Make It."

When I was a teenager, the thought occurred to me, "What if my parents meant well in raising me as a member of the LDS Church, but what if they were wrong, and the whole thing is some kind of fairy tale? How will I know if it's true, and if it is, how am I doing?"

Dallin H. Oaks spoke about the difference between testimony and conversion, “Testimony is to know and to feel; conversion is to know and to become.” As w/ most members of the church, my conversion process began in the manner described by Alma: 26-27. The answer to my question, "Is this the true Church?", has distilled as it did for Peter: Matt. 16:17 "For flesh and blood hath not ^brevealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” As I have “proved” the Lord, my confidence in its truthfulness has grown up, as I have grown up.

President Monson, quoting Albert Schweitzer: “[The Lord] commands. And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple, He will reveal Himself in the toils, the conflicts, the sufferings which they shall pass through in His fellowship, and. . .they shall learn in their own experience Who He Is.”

Your Bishopbric asked us to draw from these 4 talks, when preparing our message:

When the Lord Commands by y Elder Bruce A. Carlson Of the Seventy
Be of Good Courage by Ann M. Dibb
Developing Good Judgment and Not Judging Others

By Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer Of the Seventy

Our Path of Duty

By Bishop Keith B. McMullin Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric

What is the common thread? The pattern, which emerged in my mind was this: knowing that we live in perilous times, we will need moral courage, and good judgement. We will strengthen our courage as we protect our virtue. We protect our virtue as we obey the commandments. I have many scriptural heroes, but today I’d like to recall Shadraq, Meshaq, and Abednego: Daniel 3

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to ^adeliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not ^aserve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

The tests of our moral courage begin young. As a 6th grader, I experienced the sting of bullying, as I was mocked for being square. I was let to know that my squareness was hindering the process of becoming popular by my 2 best friends. As they abandoned our friendship for the pursuit of popularity, I was faced w/ my first real test--to abandon the teachings of my parents, and join them in their pursuit, or stand and be square. It was, for me, a school year in a fiery furnace. What are your furnaces?

Sis. Dibbs shared the following in her talk:

Heavenly Father knows our individual journeys are not easy. We are faced every day with situations that require courage and strength. A recent story in the Church News affirms this truth:

“A teacher in a high school a few months ago began her instruction one day by asking students who supported a political issue to stand on one side of the room, while those who opposed it were instructed to stand on the other side.

“After students had formed their sides, the teacher took her stance on the opposing side. Singling out one young woman on the side of the supporters, the teacher commenced an attack on her and the other classmates for their views.

“The young woman, who was a Mia Maid in her ward, absorbed the assault that criticized her beliefs.

“[She remained] calm in the face of a public attack leveled by someone in authority” (“What Youth Need,” Church News, Mar. 6, 2010, 16).

This young woman showed remarkable courage on her own battlefield, which on this day happened to be her school classroom. Wherever you are and whatever you may face, I hope you will take advantage of the guides found in the book of Joshua so that you can trust in the Lord’s promise: “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9).

You youth know what kind of assaults on your morality are out there.

1 Cor. 10: 13

13 There hath no temptation ^ataken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be ^btempted above that ye are able; but will with the ^ctemptation also make a way to ^descape, that ye may be able to ^ebear it.

Many of you youth and adults are probably aware of the fire storm of protest which some have lobbied at President Packer, since his last conference address, when he did nothing more than reiterate the Lord’s revealed doctrine regarding the sanctity of marriage, family, and the law of chastity.

As the world moves ever away from the moral lines, not drawn in the sand, but set in stone, you youth will be called upon to stand your ground on these issues. Your courage to do so will depend upon your personal virtue:

On November 28, 2008, President Thomas S. Monson and his counselors approved the addition of Virtue as the eighth value in the Young Women theme.

It was a Sunday evening, November 28, 1869, 140 years ago, when President Brigham Young called his daughters together and asked them to “retrench” in the way they dressed and acted. They were asked to turn away from the ways of the world that were leading them away from the gospel. This was the beginning of the organization known today as the Young Women.

Sister Elaine Dalton, Young Women general president, said, “The date is not a coincidence. The Lord had His hand in this decision. It has been divinely inspired. I looked up the word retrench as we were thinking about a return to virtue. The dictionary says it is an additional interior fortification. That is really what virtue is going to do for the young women. It’s going to give them a fortification, a strengthening, to stand as a witness of God in an ever darkening world. It is going to help them have strength and courage.”

Virtue was officially added to the Young Women values in November 2008. It is defined in the Personal Progress book as “a pattern of thought and behavior based on high moral standards. It includes chastity and purity” (Young Women Personal Progress [booklet, 2009], 70).

IF you will recall, S, M, and A, were virtuous. They had followed a different pattern of personal behavioral and dietary choice from their peers, and so were strengthened during their fiery trial.

The key word was obey:

Elder Carlson said,

At the time of his appointment as President of the Church, Harold B. Lee said: “The safety of the Church lies in the members keeping the commandments. … As they keep the commandments, blessings will come.”1

When we choose to disobey a commandment, it is usually because (1) we have convinced ourselves that the commandment does not apply to us; (2) we do not believe that it is important; or (3) we are certain that it is too difficult to obey.

But these are compromises w/ the adversary, who, as we know from experience, “will not support his children at the last day.” He does not have our backs, and he will not only leave us high and dry, but he will kick us when we are down. And when a challenge arises, as they inevitably do, and we need the Lord’s help, will we have the confidence we need to expect His assistance? Will He be quick to respond to our cries?

D&C101: 7 They were slow to ^ahearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; therefore, the Lord their God is slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble.

8 In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel; but, in the day of their ^atrouble, of necessity they ^bfeel after me.

This is not a position in which we want to find ourselves. We want to be able to w/stand all the fiery darts of the adversary. We want to come through our own fiery furnaces unscathed.

experience w/ B____ losing his job, and my gratitude for obedience w/ tithing. We had done our duty.

Duty:

What Is This Thing Called Duty?

The duty of which I speak is what we are expected to do and to be. It is a moral imperative summoning forth from individuals and communities that which is right, true, and honorable. Duty does not require perfection, but it does require diligence. It is not simply what is legal; it is what is virtuous. It is not reserved to the mighty or high in station but instead rests on a foundation of personal responsibility, integrity, and courage. Doing one’s duty is a manifestation of one’s faith.

President Monson said of it: “I love and cherish the noble word duty.”10 For members of the Church of Jesus Christ, our path of duty is keeping our covenants in daily life.

We’ve been given helps and clear guidelines:

Scriptures and For the Strength of Youth pamphlet

If your testimonies as to the importance of these principles is still developing, and if you are unsure as to the necessity of obeying them to the letter, let me take you to the last point:

developing good judgement: Gregory A. Schwitzer

First, put your own personal standards in alignment with the gospel of Jesus Christ. A person can never be a good judge without the gospel of Jesus Christ as a reference. The gospel has a long and successful record of guiding people to happiness. Some of the world’s ideas leave mankind adrift to try to define their own standards. Because of this, we hear phrases like “a new morality.” This phrase is deceptive! The standards of morality are eternal and have not changed; neither should we try to discover a new interpretation of them. For the youth these standards are written in the pamphlet For the Strength of Youth. These standards are clearly aligned with the gospel of Jesus Christ and are intended to continue through adult life. Perhaps it would be good for us as adults to study and apply this pamphlet to our lives.

Second, listen to the messages of the living prophet. How many poor financial judgments would have been avoided had we listened to the years of advice given through our prophets about avoiding risky speculation and following a careful budget to avoid consumer debt? How many marriages would have been saved by using good judgment in avoiding media that lead to pornographic addiction and heartache? Each general conference and Church magazine contains advice from the prophets which, if applied, will lead us to good judgment. We are left without excuse when we ignore them.

Third, cultivate with the Holy Spirit a relationship of listening. We are given the gift of the Holy Ghost after our baptism, but often we leave this gift on the shelf, forgetting that He will help us in the most important judgments of our lives. The Lord gave us this gift, knowing we would face difficult decisions in life. Listening to this voice is vital in developing good judgment. A relationship of listening often requires a quiet environment in which we can take time to ponder and hear the still, small voice. This peaceful environment is both external and internal. Therefore, it is more than shutting off the music of the world or the blare of other media; it is also shutting off the noise of sin that is internal to our soul. This will open the communication with the Spirit, which is so badly needed.

Christ said: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”4 The peace that comes from listening to the Holy Spirit removes the fear of making a poor judgment in life.

Fourth, keep the commandments. The willingness to keep God’s commandments opens to us many promised blessings. The Book of Mormon, in addition to being another testament of Jesus Christ, is a book about the results of keeping and not keeping commandments. The Lord said to Nephi in the second chapter of his first book, “Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper.”5

This is a process!!!!!

As a young Early Morning Seminary student, I was blessed with a very reassuring and affirming confirmation of the Holy Ghost that it was, indeed, possible, to "make it," in this world full of turmoil and temptation. Late one night I was reading my Book of Mormon assignment for the day, specifically Mosiah 4: 29.

I don't recall feeling despair, exactly, but I do remember thinking that in all likelihood, I wouldn't "make it" to the Celestial Kingdom, because there were too many ways to mess up. Never-mind repentance and Grace (both specifically addressed throughout the entire chapter in which I was reading)--the odds were against me, and I would just have to muddle through somehow. Then I got up to brush my teeth. As I entered the bathroom, I distinctly heard a voice say to me, "You Can Make It." Just like that. Loud and clear. I was really startled. I was sure someone was in the bathroom with me, probably hiding behind the shower curtain. I actually peeked behind the curtain to find the speaker. Just as I did so, I realized from whence came the voice, and I realized it had not been a scary voice, but did, in fact, have all the qualities of this voice: 3 Nephi 11: 3. I was both humbled and electrified. I had actually heard the voice of the Holy Ghost, and He had spoken to my unasked prayer, "Father, do I stand a chance? Can I really make it back home, despite all my failings?"

I share this experience, not as a necessarily unique experience to the world, but rather to offer hope, to all of us, and especially you youth who wonder if, with all the demands, the high standards, the temptations, and the troubles of mortality, you can make it back? The Holy Ghost answered my question, and I share it with you, "You Can Make It," as my testimony, and I do so, in the name of Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, and our Redeemer,

Amen

Psalms

2011-01-25T22:17:00.000-08:00

My journey through the Old Testament is proceeding apace. I'm almost through the Psalms. I will have to jot down a few thoughts on particular verses, at another date, but suffice to say, I find I identify a lot with King David, in that I find myself pleading for mercy, a lot, over my own short-comings. I realize he committed two terrible sins (adultery, and murder), and yet I can't help but feel compassion. When my own short-comings loom large in my mind, I feel every praise David makes to the Savior, in my heart.

Edwin Rushton as the Source of the White Horse Prophecy by Don L. Penrod

2010-11-02T12:26:00.000-07:00

And now for a really bad pun: Beating the "white horse" [prophesy] to death. But the article is timely and interesting.

Ventilators and illuminators in Noah's Ark and Jaredite barges

2010-10-18T14:51:00.000-07:00

by Michael Ash

Quite an illuminating article. . . .

"Called of God by Prophecy"

2010-10-18T14:45:00.000-07:00

By Elder Boyd K. Packer

I affirm to you, my young brethren and sisters, that that principle of revelation is a constantly operative principle, and I close with one other experience.

"And the Word Was Made Flesh": A Latter-day Saint Exegesis of the Blood and Water Imagery in the Gospel of John Eric D. Hunstman

2010-06-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

The first miraculous act of the Savior was to turn water into wine. On the surface, it appeared that he was simply doing a favor for a mother, flustered with hostessing a wedding feast. But this article points out, that, as usual, with the Savior there are multiple layers of meaning. Oh, I do love this stuff.

What I Observed in Church Today

2010-05-09T15:40:00.000-07:00

Truth to be told, we were running late this (mid)morning, to church. We hastily found seats close to the front, and were immediately involved in the Sacrament song. I shushed chatty children and focused on this most sacred of ordinances. As my hurried spirit quieted, I noticed a few things. I noted that today, two brothers shared, for the first time together, the duty of offering up the Sacrament prayers. They did so with reverence and respect. And as I watched the teenaged boys passing the bread and water to the congregation, I counted 6 pairs of brothers sharing that Priesthood duty of offering the emblems of the Savior's flesh and blood to the Ward members. And one word came to mind: "Family."

The first Sacrament meeting speaker was a 13-year-old boy, who shared examples from his home, of learning and living the gospel. He paid tribute to his mother, who teaches by example, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, through service to others. And I might add that this mother, besides service in the Church, also serves as the Parent Group president of our elementary school. This young man spoke with poise and polish, but also with simplicity and humility. He is a product of a Christian home. And again I thought, "Family."

A sweet, vibrant, young mother of 2 darling children shared her testimony of the importance of teaching the Gospel in the home. Her own little man-child brought smiles to our faces--he was too shy to sing up front with the other children, but upset when the opportunity was over. Darling boy, and darling family.

Sitting immediately in front of us were 4 generations of another family, who blessed us with a special musical number. I observed grandmother cuddling a grandchild in her lap, her own expectant daughter sitting next to her soldier-son, which son gently helped to lead great-grandmother up to the stand to sing. It was lovely, watching this family interact. "Family."

It being Mothers' Day, I watched with delight, my own young children singing songs in praise of motherhood. Oh, my family.

Another speaker, a father of 9 beautiful children, testified of Jesus Christ, and bore sweet tribute to his wife, whom he addressed as a "true disciple of Christ." Anyone who knows this family, and this mother, could well appreciate his tenderness and accurate portrayal of his companion. Again, "Family."

During Relief Society, the Young Women (the teenage girls) came in to our class, and brought all of us mothers to tears with yet another tender song honoring motherhood. Girls, why didn't you bring some tissues as well? The song was lovely, and I observed the teenaged girls, with mothers in the room, seeking out the eyes of their mothers, as they sang. Family.

Oh, the sweetness of family. All the ward families gathered together in mutual worship: parents, grandparents, and children. Not one family in the room has been without its major struggles and heartaches. Frequently, just getting to church is a major achievement. So, seated together, feeling the warmth of family and the love of the gospel, I found myself especially appreciative of this verse of scripture (2 Nephi 25:26), "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." It's really all about Christ, and about Family--mothers and fathers and kids. And we wouldn't have one, without the other.

Homesick. Always.

2010-03-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

There’s no place like home? There is certainly no place like our heavenly home and those yearnings are real. But the Witch of the North, in the crowning piece of wisdom to Dorothy says this “But you are home. All you have to do is wake up.”

In this deep sleep of mortality, the Spirit alone awakens us, reminds us, renews us, and we see that when God is with us, our divine homesickness can flee.

full text here.

2010-03-25T09:38:00.000-07:00

From President Benson's book God, Family, Country: Our Three Great Loyalties, pg. 356. 1974:

"In the war in heaven the devil advocated absolute eternal security at the sacrifice of our freedom. Although there is nothing more desirable to a Latter-day Saint than eternal security in God's presence, and although God knew, as we did, that some of us would not achieve this security if we were allowed our freedom, yet the very God of heaven who has more mercy than us all still decreed no guaranteed security except by a man's own freedom of choice and individual initiative.

Today the devil as a wolf in a supposedly new suit of sheeps clothing is enticing some men, both in and out of the Church, to parrot his line by advocating planned government-guaranteed security programs at the expense of our liberties. Latter-day Saints should be reminded how and why they voted as they did in heaven. If some have decided to change their votes they should repent, throw their support on the side of freedom, and cease promoting this subversion."

Thanks to Pearl, for finding the quote.

Elders of Israel, WAKE UP!!!!!!!

2010-03-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

"The devil knows that if the elders of Israel should ever wake up, they could step forth and help preserve freedom and extend the gospel. Therefore the devil has concentrated, and to a large extent successfully, on neutralizing much of the priesthood. He has reduced them to sleeping giants…

"Don't worry," says the devil; "the Lord will protect you, and besides, the world is so corrupt and heading toward destruction at such a pace that you can't stop it, so why try?" Well, to begin with, the Lord will not protect us unless we do our part. This devilish tactic of persuading people not to get concerned because the Lord will protect them no matter what they do is exposed by the Book of Mormon. Referring to the devil, it says: "And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well--and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to Hell" (2 Nephi 28:21).

I like that word carefully. In other words, don't shake them---you might wake them. The Book of Mormon warns us that when we see these murderous conspiracies in our midst, we should awaken to our awful situation (see Ether 8:24). Now, why should we awaken if the Lord is going to take care of us anyway? Let us suppose that it is too late to save freedom. It is still accounted unto us for righteousness' sake to stand up and fight. Some Book of Mormon prophets knew of the final desolate end of their nations, but they still fought on, and they saved some souls, including their own, by so doing. For, after all, the purpose of life is to prove ourselves, and the final victory will be for freedom.

(Ezra Taft Benson Teachings of Ezra T. Benson Chapter 5 Pg 659 – 661)

Comforting Words in Troubling Times

2010-03-24T20:49:00.000-07:00

"Do What is Right"

2010-03-19T08:50:00.000-07:00

Heavenly Father has found a way to get through my "mists of darkness." He sends me hymns to ponder. I'll be doing the most mundane things, and gradually I become aware that a hymn has repeatedly criss-crossed my brain. This morning, it was this hymn. Think about today's headlines, and read the words. And know that God is good.

Completing the Circle of Love: Our Love for God, and His love for Us

2010-02-16T09:56:00.000-08:00

I loved this talk, delivered on Valentine's Day, by our ward's Primary President, S. T. It's a "must-read."

"I was asked to speak today on Keeping the Commandments. It seems a common practice when giving a talk to define your topic. In the Bible dictionary, the 10 commandments is defined but not the word commandment. So I looked up the word commandment in the dictionary and was not really impressed by the definition. It is defined as a command or edict meaning a decree or proclamation issued by an authority and having the force of law. Well I could have told you that without even looking it up. But as I studied the scriptures and the words of modern day prophet’s, the word commandment changed in meaning for me.

In studying the scriptures, I found numerous versus about keeping the commandments.
The scriptures are full of knowledge regarding commandments. They contain passages that:

give commandments
give blessing experienced from following the commandments
give sorrows of those who didn’t follow the Lord’s commandments
Also answer the question, "Why [do] we need commandments?"

I took a minute and marked all the scriptures that pertained to those four categories about commandments. And as you can see, there are a lot of scriptural teachings contained in the standard works about commandments. [S. held up a copy of her scriptures with sticky tabs showing many marked verses.]

As I started to read all the passages, it became very apparent that I needed to pare the topic down a little and so I focused on the commandments given and why we need commandments.

There are many commandments given in the scriptures and there are even more in modern revelation. But which ones are the most important that I should focus on and discuss here? To answer that question, it seemed most appropriate to share the words or our Savior. When Jesus was asked what is the greatest commandment he replied in Matthew 22 saying:
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

I repeat the end of the scripture again, ‘on these two commandments hang all the law’. So to live, understand and have a true testimony of these two great commandments provides us with a path toward accepting all of our Father’s commands.

So let’s talk about love, it being Valentine’s day and all, it seems like a pretty appropriate topic.

The first commandment: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God”.
In John 14:15 we read,
If ye love me, keep my commandments.

And a little later on in John, that circle is completed when in 15:10
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love.

Sounds pretty simple and self explanatory. If we love God, we will keep His commandments. And if we keep his commandments we will abide in his love.

What does it mean to abide in His love? Why do we want that?

The first thing that came to my mind when thinking about God’s love was the Atonement. When I was in college, our stake theme for the year was that no truth was completely taught in class or over the pulpit unless that truth was connected in relation to the Atonement of our Savior. I couldn’t find the exact quote that was our theme that year but this one was pretty close.

Jeffrey R. Holland stated, "Indeed the Atonement of the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh is the crucial foundation upon which all Christian doctrine rests and the greatest expression of divine love this world has ever been given. Its importance in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cannot be overstated. Every other principle, commandment, and virtue of the restored gospel draws its significance from this pivotal event." (From: Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Liahona, Mar 2008, 32–38)

So in the act of the Atonement we share part in that divine expression of love and learn that every commandment draws its significance from the Atonement. If in the sacred, selfless act of the Atonement we share in part of that divine love, I could only image how that love would feel when we can see our Savior face to face as is promised to his faithful disciples who keep his commandments (D&C 93:1).

We must first allow ourselves to be encircled by God’s love and then allow that love to be our guide and tutor. Once we feel the love of God in our lives, we need to demonstrate to our Heavenly Father that we reciprocate that love.

Remember: If ye love me, keep my commandments, and If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love.

President Thomas S. Monson stated, "We have a responsibility to prove to our Heavenly Father, by the things we do, that we love Him." (From: Thomas S. Monson, “How Do We Show Our Love?,” Ensign, Jan 1998, 2)

Marvin J. Ashton stated, "True love requires personal action. Love takes time. Love demands action if it is to be continuing. Love is a process. Certainly the best way for us to show our love is by taking the time to prove it hour by hour and day by day. Our expressions of love and comfort are empty if our actions don’t match. True love is as eternal as life itself." (From: Marvin J. Ashton, “Love Takes Time,” Ensign, Nov 1975, 108)

So love requires action – through service, prayer, faithful obedience, and study we can come to know our Savior’s love and how to show love toward our Savior.

Everything that we learn about what Godly love feels like and how to show love towards our Savior will teach us further how to truly love our neighbor. The first commandment is to love God, if kept and lived, you can more easily fulfill the second commandment to love your neighbor.

I would repeat President Monson’s quote here with a minor change. We have a responsibility to prove our love to our…family, friends and neighbors. And Marvin J. Ashton’s quote that true love requires action.

I could think of numerous stories of how I have been shown Godly love through out my life. A more recent experience came to mind first. Last night was supposed to be kind of a crazy night. I went to C___ R____'s beautiful baptism, then I was going to be home for about 45 minutes, then go to work until 11:30pm. Then have a meeting before church and sometime in between all this, finish up my talk and sleep. When I got home from the baptism, my dear husband was trying to hide something from me. If any of you know him, he isn’t really great at hiding things. He so excitedly told me that he had prayed to Heavenly Father that I would be put on-call from work last night, meaning that they had too many nurses scheduled and didn’t need me to come in. Then not four minutes after he offered that prayer in my behalf, my worked called and I no longer had to come into work. What a selfless act of love to offer a prayer in my behalf.

The love we feel for others is at the heart of our capacity to obey commandments.

I have a three year old and parenting a three year old is a challenge for me. I want to tell him something once or a maximum of 10 times [this comment drew a few chuckles!] and not have to tell him again and again. I have learned that is just never going to be the case. But ever since he was little I have tried to teach him the consequence of his actions toward others. For example, when he would hit I would say, "No hit, hit hurts, hurt sad." So he could attach how his actions made others feel.
If you look at the 10 commandments and think about the feelings of your God, your parents and your neighbor and acted only out of love towards these people, there is no way you would break any of the 10 commandments. You would not steal, lie, kill or covet if you truly loved someone and thought about how those actions would make them feel.

As our love for our Savior grows and our actions of love toward the Savior increase, our ability to love our neighbor will increase. Elder Richard G. Scott shared, “Over time, (your) capacity will increase and grow stronger until it becomes easier and easier to automatically do the right things.” (From: Richard G. Scott, “Do What Is Right,” Liahona, Mar 2001, 10)

That is one big blessing of obedience; our will is aligned with our Saviors and our capacity to obey increases.

There are many blessings enumerated in the scriptures for being obedient to the Lord’s commands including health, strength, knowledge and exaltation. But I wanted to talk briefly about why we need commandments. So if you will forgive me, this section has a lot of quotes, I felt like the words of others were so perfect.

The Prophet Joseph Smith observed, “As God has designed our happiness—and the happiness of all His creatures, He never has—He never will institute an ordinance or give a commandment to His people that is not calculated in its nature to promote that happiness which He has designed, and which will not end in the greatest amount of good and glory to those who become the recipients of His law and ordinances” (History of the Church, 5:135). (From D. Todd Christofferson, “The Power of Covenants,” Liahona, May 2009, 19–23)

Commandments are established for our happiness from our divine, all knowing, loving creator.

In Deuteronomy 10:12, it says:
And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

Commandments are for our good.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson said, “Some see only sacrifice and limitations in obedience to the commandments, but those who live the experience—who give themselves freely and unreservedly to the covenant life—find greater liberty and fulfillment." (From D. Todd Christofferson, “The Power of Covenants,” Liahona, May 2009, 19–23)

Commandments provide greater liberty and fulfillment in our lives.

In Doctrine & Covenants section 82 we read:
And again, I say unto you, I give unto you a new commandment, that you may understand my will concerning you; Or, in other words, I give unto you directions how you may act before me, that it may turn to you for your salvation. I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.

Commandments are for our understanding and our salvation.

Continuing from Elder Christofferson earlier quote, “When we truly understand, we seek more commandments, not fewer. Each new law or commandment we learn and live is like one more rung or step on a ladder that enables us to climb higher and higher.”

Further In Doctrine and Covenants section 59 verse 4 we learn that those who are faithful and diligent will be BLESSED with commandments, "not a few."

Commandments are a blessing and enable us to grow.

Back to my original thought of changing the definition of commandments: Yes, they are laws and rules. But when we truly understand the purpose of commandments and the love in each command, it changes the definition. Commandments are for our happiness from our divine, all knowing, loving creator. Commandments are for our good. Commandments provide greater liberty and fulfillment. Commandments are for our Salvation. Commandments are a blessing. So let’s keep the commandments for "in this there is safety, in this there is peace."

I add my witness to the words of many that I have shared today…
To Love God and our neighbor are truly the greatest commandments. And that all commandments are a blessing and provide directions to us."

"A Return to Virtue Could Save a Nation"

2010-02-08T10:53:00.000-08:00

From a talk, titled, "Zion, the Pure in Heart," by Elaine S. Dalton. I was deeply touched by the following:

"Return to Virtue Could Save a Nation
When Peter wrote his epistle to the early Saints, he told them to “add to [their] faith virtue” (2 Peter 1:5). Faith without virtue would soon languish and die because without virtue there is no purity. Without virtue there is no strength. And without virtue there is no spirituality. It is clear that once you really understand who you are, you must be pure because purity precedes spiritual power.¹⁰ The power of which I am speaking is not the kind of power we see in the world. It has nothing to do with fame, position, good looks, celebrity, or wealth. The power and strength of which I am speaking has everything to do with virtue, which is chastity and sexual purity.
We live in a world that is concerned about cleanliness and purity—the cleanliness of our air and the cleanliness of our environment, our water, and even our food. In some places we legislate against pollution and even have government-funded environmental protection agencies to ensure that we are not made ill by contaminants that get into our air, our water, or our food supply. Yet society tolerates moral pollution in the form of pornography on billboards, television, and the Internet and in entertainment and other media. We tolerate filth that invades our minds through suggestive lyrics, music, and language. In some respects we are an organic generation ensuring purity and quality in our lives, and yet we are polluting our moral fiber. I believe that the lack of virtue in our society is directly responsible for many of our social, financial, and governmental ills. I believe that the disintegration of faith and families and the financial unrest are directly related to a lack of virtue in our society. And I believe that a return to virtue could save an entire nation."
Full text, here.

Was it, or was it not, a set-up job?

2010-01-21T22:28:00.000-08:00

I never get tired of this subject. And I know it wasn't really a set-up job. It was genius, pure and simple. But what I know of the Fall now is so much richer and I appreciate the Fall so much more, now that I'm 3_, than I ever could as a child, a teenager, or even a young adult (can I still claim to be a "young-ish" adult? Please?). I love this article. I intend to look up every reference and take copious notes in my scriptures. As soon as I read all the other articles ahead in line. Sigh. So much scholarship to be pursued--so little time. Thank goodness for eternity!

"To Become More, or Not to Become More"

2010-01-07T08:09:00.001-08:00

Totally radical! Sounds like a book* I'd like to read. This article gives a pretty good summation, though, about the LDS doctrine on the nature of man, and consequently our relation to God, our Father.

"What is the question?" Madsen wrote. "The question is not one of being, but of becoming. 'To become more or not to become more.' This is the question faced by each intelligence in our universe. At this point, and not before, the absolute and inescapable need for God and His Christ arises. And those who choose are ... 'added upon.'"

*Eternal Man by Truman Madsen

The Christian Tradition of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

2009-12-30T16:53:00.000-08:00

To preface, a thoughtful visitor to the blog has posed the following questions. I appreciate his patience awaiting an answer, as our family has enjoyed a busy holiday season, with the kids home from school, etc. So, M.M., this one’s for you, with my compliments:

"The first question is tricky, for two reasons: it's a simple question with (I suspect) a complicated answer, and I'm not sure how to ask it without giving offense."

Please know that far from taking offense, I am only too pleased to be asked this question, as it provides the opportunity to hopefully clear up a misconception which is common to many. I only wish more people would ask it.

"The simple form of the question is this: How does the LDS Church characterize its relationship with 'mainstream' Christianity?

What's puzzling me is this: if I understand correctly, Joseph Smith was given a new revelation. He then authored several new sacred texts, which the LDS uses in addition to the Bible. These texts are essentially unique to the LDS, and represent a new stage of divine revelation."

From the LDS perspective, it would be more accurate to state that Joseph Smith acted as mouthpiece and interpreter, rather than author; he did, in fact, translate the Book of Mormon, and received many new revelations, as mentioned in the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. While belief in these books is unique to the LDS, in fact, the truths contained therein are consistent and harmonious with other ancient texts of scripture, specifically that found in the Old and New Testaments, which principles would be in keeping with the fact that the Lord is the "same yesterday, today, and forever," and is "no respecter of persons."

That being the case, I would think that the LDS is Christian in about the same way that, say, Anglicans are Jewish. (To say that less flippantly: in both cases, one tradition grew out of the other, but has now made enough changes and additions to qualify as something entirely different.) However, the LDS folks that I'm aware of all identify themselves as Christians, and are understandably sensitive about being accused of not being Christians (or, in a few particularly obnoxious cases, not being "real" Christians).

From the LDS perspective, it would be more accurate to claim that the other Christian religions are traditions which grew out of the original Church of Jesus Christ (of the early Saints),and "ha[ve] made enough changes and additions to qualify as something entirely different," as opposed to the LDS Church which claims to be the original Church of Jesus Christ, restored to the earth in its fullness in the latter-days.

So the expanded version of the question is, what is it that makes the LDS continue to identify itself as part of (what could be seen as) an older, more limited tradition? Are the reasons doctrinal, or social*, or some combination? If someone says "But you're not Christians," what do you point to in order to say, "Yes we are"?

Again, no offense meant. I don't have any objection to the LDS defining itself as a Christian denomination. This is just something that puzzled me.

* I know the LDS has been subject to a fair amount of prejudice over the years, and I can see an argument for holding with the older designation to reassure people that you're, you know, not as strange and scary [ok, that earned you a "LOL"] as all that.

Excellent questions, and, rather than restate what has been stated very eloquently by others, I am going to refer you to the following discourse, which will, I think, answer your question. In short, you are correct that most Christian churches identify with an "old, and limited tradition" (by which I mean that most of them base their beliefs on the nature and form of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost) on the Nicene Creed, which itself evolved over a period of more than one convention (imagine the religious version of the latest climate talks in Copenhagen, and you’ll get the idea of the politicking which attended them). That being said, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lays claim to the oldest traditions and understanding of God, His Son, and the Holy Ghost, stretching back through the scriptures,even before the earth itself was with form and void. Our doctrine, both ancient and modern, is perfectly consistent throughout. It is for our rejection of the creeds in their variant forms, stemming from Nicea, etc., that we are rejected as Christians--not for any logic or lack of “fruits” born of our beliefs. It would be far more accurate to say that our understanding and our methods bespeak a different understanding of Christianity, of the Christ, and our relationship to God, our Father, than that we are not believers of Him or in Him. To stubbornly continue to disavow the Christianity of the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to usurp the judgement from the only one qualified to judge the quality of our Christianity, which judge is the Savior, Himself. May I refer you to the following articles, which so masterfully plead the Christian cause of the Latter-day Saints:

"The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent" by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

"Comparing LDS Beliefs with First-Century Christianity" by Daniel C. Peterson and Stephen D. Ricks

"Are Mormons Christians?" by Stephen E. Robinson

I would like to close with the following thought, which is that though the LDS would like the world to acknowledge and validate our claims to Christianity, still, we do not wish to be categorized as the same as other Christian faiths and traditions; indeed, we do wish to be seem as different, as a "peculiar people." We do not make the same claims as other faiths; we claim a restoration of the Gospel, a fulness of it, and a return of the Priesthood authority to act in God's name, and perform the saving ordinances, such as baptism, etc., which he enacted while on the earth; if we are the same, then what is the point of our distinct Church? While it would certainly be more comfortable to blend in anonymously, it is far better to stand as a "city on a hill." While I have experienced the rejection which sometimes comes from others who call themselves "Christian," because of my beliefs, I do not now, nor have I ever regretted standing up for my beliefs.

Please feel free to ask any more questions you might have; it's always a pleasure to share.

For Unto Us a Son is Given

2009-12-25T15:04:00.001-08:00

"As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth.

He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Though sinless, He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), yet was despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come.

He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His great atoning sacrifice. He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary’s cross. He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth.

We solemnly testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world.

He rose from the grave to “become the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20). As Risen Lord, He visited among those He had loved in life. He also ministered among His “other sheep” (John 10:16) in ancient America. In the modern world, He and His Father appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, ushering in the long-promised “dispensation of the fulness of times” (Ephesians 1:10).

Of the Living Christ, the Prophet Joseph wrote: “His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying:

“I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father” (D&C 110:3–4).

Of Him the Prophet also declared: “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

“For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—

“That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God” (D&C 76:22–24).

We declare in words of solemnity that His priesthood and His Church have been restored upon the earth—“built upon the foundation of … apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20).

We testify that He will someday return to earth. “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:5). He will rule as King of Kings and reign as Lord of Lords, and every knee shall bend and every tongue shall speak in worship before Him. Each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts.

We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son."