*Personal commentary, thoughts and inspirations are underlined.
President Thomas S. Monson
128 temples in the world. Five more temples to be built:
Calgary, Canada; Cordoba, Argentina; Kansas City, United States; Philadelphia, United States; Rome, Italy (gasps from audience).
Pray for the opening of those areas in which the Church is not currently operating.
Elder L. Tom Perry
Patterns of life's tests; ups and downs ... we sometimes experience stress. Our challenge is to endure these tough times with optimism.
"We know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and the best is yet to come."
Thoreau's Walden ... the simple life. There were only 4 things a man needs food clothing shelter fuel
Food
D&C 88:15 - spirit and body= soul of man. D&C 89 - word of wisdom. For the Strength of Youth - observe WoW, eat nutritious food, exercise, get enough sleep. Do not abuse drugs, prescription medication, household chemicals
Clothing
Simple and modest clothing. It sends a message to others, affects the way we act around others. Very casual dress is followed by casual manners. Some dress and get the "wrong kind of attention" Fashion-conscious mockers in great and spacious building ... others felt ashamed and were lost because of the mockers.
Shelter
The current housing crisis. DO NOT live beyond your means ... a message regularly given in General Conference. Do not run into debt. The majority of our troubles are because of lack of heed to this counsel. Live within income, stay out of debt, save for a rainy day. Well-managed families do not pay interest, they earn it.
Amen to this!! We have little debt, but we can do a lot better in our finances, food storage and savings.
Fuel
Walden discussed biological fuel. Perry discusses spiritual fuel. Acquire knowledge of god's eternal plan, surrender our will to Gods.
May we earnestly seek to simplify our lives.
I want to re-read "Walden" Does our life style need simplification?
Sister Allred
The Lord's church has the responsibility to teach the gospel in the world. The blessings of the gospel have touched 4 generations of her family. Each family has served missions who in turn have had a positive impact on many, many others.
How can I assist in missionary work? First have a clear understanding that God loves all his children. Second, learn that the message of the Christ and the Restoration is the most important message. Be a good example. Live a gospel-centered life. Be specific in your efforts. Prepare kids for missionary service. Invite friends to activities. Go with missionaries on visits. Invite people to family history centers. Share your beliefs. Send letters to full-time missionaries.
I need to pray for more missionary opportunities. Jill is such a good example of missionary work.
Elder Neil Anderson
"You don't know everything, but you know enough." Our spiritual journey is a process of a lifetime. Foundation of faith in Jesus Christ ... baptism, Holy Ghost, repentance, prayer, Book of Mormon ... we remain steady and patient. You don't know everything, but you know enough to keep the commandments.
Missionary about to leave. Talked about a life full of challenges. He didn't know if God even loved him. "You do know God loves you." He bowed his head and cried. "I do know it" That knowledge was enough to keep him on his mission.
We each have moments of strength and inspiration that sink deep. These times can be spiritual storage ... Jesus Christ: "settle this in your hearts" (Luke 21:14) So true ... do we stop and think to use this reservoir more often? Do we seek opportunities to replenish it as often as possible?
We have enormous spiritual reservoirs at our disposal. "Be not afraid, only believe"
"We come to know what we already knew."
Faith of Child
Story of Hadly the little girl who was born deaf. She saw a boy with no legs and asked her mom why. Heavenly Father makes everyone special. Hadly told boy that she is deaf and then testified to him that one day he will have legs and she will be able to hear.
Elder Marcos Aidukaitis
The faith of his father is a great example to Marcos. His father was able to go through difficult times because he read the Book of Mormon regularly. The Book of Mormon combined with the Spirit is the most powerful resource to conversion.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
We live in the perilous times spoken of by Paul. How can we have the Spirit to guide our choices and keep us on the path? "Go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments ... " By participating in the sacrament, we will always have the Spirit with us.
Wilford Woodruff ... the Spirit is the greatest gift than can be bestowed on man.
Some in the rising generation have not yet come to understand the significance of this meeting and the important of individual reverence in this meeting.
How we should prepare to take the sacrament
Elder Nelson taught the priesthood leaders how to plan and conduct sac. meetings. We bring a broken heart and contrite spirit. It is the highlight of our Sabbath day. Prelude music is subdued. No communication ... prayerful meditation.
We should have a broken heart and contrite spirit.
How we dress is important. It is like going to the temple.
We should concentrate on worship and refrain from all other activities, especially if it interferes with others. Not a time to read books/magazines. Not a time for texting or whispering. We promise to ALWAYS remember him. How sad that some violate this during the sac.
Music - everyone should join in the singing. This music is for worship, not performance.
How can we get our kids to understand these principals? I need to get off this shift schedule so I can consistently help teach this to the kids.
To those who officiate the sacrament
Speak slowly and clearly when saying the sacred prayers. Those who officiate the sac should be clean. They should dress appropriately. All should be well-groomed and modestly dressed. Elder Holland: white shirt for deacons, teachers, priests who administer the sacrament.
Administered by those who hold/exercise the keys to this ordinance
This is why we don't hold sacrament meetings in homes and family reunions.
Choir is singing
the last 90 minutes have flown by. I've not been this attentive to Gen Conf since before we had kids! Ironically, I am working the day shift and it is a quiet day. Typing up my notes has helped me focus on the speakers' messages too.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
He is telling the story of how his family fled Czechoslovakia. On a train trip, she left her kids on the train to get some food. When she returned, the train was gone! I can't imagine the horror she felt. She prayed and ran from track to track and train to train and finally found her 4 children. He wondered how she overcame the fear and despair on that cold winter night.
The Infinite Power of Hope
Hope is one leg of a three-legged stool of faith, hope and charity. Hope is a principal of promise and a commandment.
Why is there despair? There must be opposition in all things.
What is hope? This hope of which is speaks transcends the trivial. Confidence if we live according to God's laws, we will receive the blessings. It is believe and expecting our prayers will be answered. Optimism, enthusiasm, patience perseverance. A hope glorifying God with goods works. Patience to bear our afflictions.
Things hoped for: future events. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we will live forever. We can be cleansed of our sins. The Savior is the author of our salvation.
Things we hope in: sustain us in our daily walk. They uphold us in our trails. We hope in Jesus Christ. In times of distress, we can hope that things will work together for our good as we keep the commandments.
We cultivate hope the same way we learn to walk ... one step at a time. Pray daily, pay tithes and live the gospel more perfectly. There will be times where everything around us is dark, but within us we find an invincible summer. The brighter our hope, the greater our faith.
This is what I feel whenever I contemplate my career or our kids growing up in this wicked world or when I think of the perilous times that are yet ahead. I know things will get much, much darker before they get brighter. But in my heart of hearts, I know that things will get brighter. We have so much to hope for. It is easy to despair. But we must always hope and have faith.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Description of Jesus Christ
I'm not sure where I got this handout, but I found it in a study bible I sometimes use. The handout is entitled "DESCRIPTION OF JESUS CHRIST" Given to Antoine R. Ivins by Oscar W. McConkie
This is what it says:
This is what it says:
The following is engraved on a copper plate, which was found in an antique vase of white marble, during excavation in the city of Azuilla, in the kingdom of Naples, in the year 1825. It was discovered by the Commission of Arts attached to the French armies. At the excavation of Naples it was found enclosed in a box of ebony in the sacristry of Courtroom. Mr. Drennon, of the Commission of Arts, caused a model to be made of the plate. At the sale of his collection of curiosities, it was bought by Lord Howard for 5,844 francs, about $1,215.A Google search of the words "copper plate azuilla" directs to a book with this description.
Letter from Publius Lentulus to the Senate of Rome, concerning Jesus Christ. It being the usual custom of Roman Governors to advise the senate and people of such material things as happen in their respective provinces in the days of the Emperor Tiberius Caesar, he wrote the following epistle to the Senate concerning our Savior:
"Conscript Fathers: There has appeared amongst us, in these days, a man of great virtue named Jesus Christ, who is yet living amongst us, and of the people is accepted as a prophet of truth, but his disciples call him the Son of God. A man of stature somewhat tall and comely, with a very reverent countenance, such as the beholder may both love and fear. His hair of the color of filbert, full ripe, and lain to his ears, but thence downward it is more orient, curling and waving about his shoulders. In the midst of his head is a seam, or partition, of his hair, after the manner of the Nazerites. His forehead is plain and very delicate. His face without spot or wrinkle, beautiful with a lovely red. His nose and mouth so formed that nothing can be reprehended. His beard thickish, in color like his hair, and forked. His look innocent and mature. His eyes clear and quick. In reproving he is terrible, in admonishing courteous and fair-spoken, pleasant in conversation, mixed with gravity. It cannot be remembered that any have ever seen him laugh, but many have seen him weep. In proportion of body most excellent. His hands and arms most delectable to behold. In speaking very temperate, modest, and wise. A man of singular beauty, surpassing the children of men."
Monday, September 15, 2008
Reverence Invites Revelation
While reading blogs this morning, I read one author's account of his early morning. At the top of his post, he wrote a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson who said, "Let us be silent, that we may hear the whispers of the gods."
The author then related his early morning routine of getting up early in the morning and hearing the sound of silence. He read a bit in the quiet and then went on a jog ... all in silence. He then gave some tips how to get that quiet time into your daily routine. You can read the whole post here.
Anyway ... the quote from Emerson rings true. I seemed to remember a talk about reverence and revelation. So I did a search on LDS.org and found a talk by President Packer entitled "Reverence Invites Revelation" (Ensign, Nov 1991, 21)
In his talk he said, "Inspiration comes more easily in peaceful settings. Such words as quiet, still, peaceable, Comforter abound in the scriptures: “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10; italics added.) And the promise, “You shall receive my Spirit, the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which shall teach you the peaceable things of the kingdom.” (D&C 36:2; italics added.)
Elijah felt a great wind, an earthquake, a fire. The Lord was not in any of them; then came “a still small voice.” (1 Kgs. 19:12.)
Helaman said of that voice of revelation, “It was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul.” (Hel. 5:30.)
It was Nephi who reminded his brothers that an angel “hath spoken unto you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words.” (1 Ne. 17:45; italics added.)
The talk is very good and I encourage you to take some time to read it.
The author then related his early morning routine of getting up early in the morning and hearing the sound of silence. He read a bit in the quiet and then went on a jog ... all in silence. He then gave some tips how to get that quiet time into your daily routine. You can read the whole post here.
Anyway ... the quote from Emerson rings true. I seemed to remember a talk about reverence and revelation. So I did a search on LDS.org and found a talk by President Packer entitled "Reverence Invites Revelation" (Ensign, Nov 1991, 21)
In his talk he said, "Inspiration comes more easily in peaceful settings. Such words as quiet, still, peaceable, Comforter abound in the scriptures: “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10; italics added.) And the promise, “You shall receive my Spirit, the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which shall teach you the peaceable things of the kingdom.” (D&C 36:2; italics added.)
Elijah felt a great wind, an earthquake, a fire. The Lord was not in any of them; then came “a still small voice.” (1 Kgs. 19:12.)
Helaman said of that voice of revelation, “It was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul.” (Hel. 5:30.)
It was Nephi who reminded his brothers that an angel “hath spoken unto you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words.” (1 Ne. 17:45; italics added.)
The talk is very good and I encourage you to take some time to read it.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Five Tithing Talks in a Row
I'm working the night shift this weekend. So on Sundays I miss our church meetings which start at 9am. Today I was able to attend the other ward that meets in our chapel at 1pm.
All four talks today were about tithing. That makes 5 talks in row on tithing I've heard in that chapel. Obviously this is coming from the stake president (since he spoke about it last week). I wonder if he and the bishops are seeing a trend in the stake.
All four talks today were about tithing. That makes 5 talks in row on tithing I've heard in that chapel. Obviously this is coming from the stake president (since he spoke about it last week). I wonder if he and the bishops are seeing a trend in the stake.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Journal Entry on Tithing
After I posted that story on tithing, I remembered writing in my journal some thoughts on the subject. I finally found that journal entry.
Here is what I wrote on tithing March 3, 2003:
I wanted to include a bit of my testimony about tithing in this journal this evening. Over the weekend, I was working on our budget and trying to figure out how to pay off our credit card bill. This bill had been growing since November of last year. Jill and I are convinced that we do not want this type of thing to happen again this year. So, I was working on our budget and trying to figure out how to better handle it so that we are saving a sufficient amount of money to support ourselves.
After the budget was finished, I noticed that tithing is our largest bill next to our mortgage. The little evil thought crept into my mind about what we could do with that extra $560 each month. But quickly, I reminded myself (or it was the Spirit who reminded me) that I should think of all the blessings we’ve received from paying a full and honest tithe.
Going through this little trial made me realize that I needed to re-strengthen my testimony concerning tithing. So, on Sunday morning, I looked up many verses on tithing and read several talks from General Authorities about tithing. One of the best scriptures on tithing is in Malichi 3:8-10 and 3 Nephi 24:8-10. I also found a reference to Psalms 73. In this Psalm, he talks about how the wicked prosper in the face of defying God (Psalms 73:3, 12).
Sometimes, this is how I feel about tithing. When I see a coworker buying a brand new BMW or Dodge Ram truck, I ask myself where in the world does he get the money from. Then when I see our budget, I understand that many people don’t pay tithing and they “prosper.” But, the Psalm goes on to say that those people will eventually “pay.” Perhaps they will not pay in this life, but they will pay in the next.
Of the talks I read, I particularly enjoyed the faith-promoting stories told of saints who were faced with either paying their mortgage or paying their tithing. Others were faced with either buying food or paying tithing. One particular sister had a choice to pay tithing or go buy a sack of flower to feed her orphaned children. She and her kids decided to pay tithing. So she walked a few miles to the Bishop’s storehouse and paid the tithing. When she arrived home, she found a stock of food sitting on her doorstep, including a sack of flour. A note stated that her late husband had done some work for the local grocer and that the grocer had not paid him for his labor. The groceries were a payment for her husband’s work.
Now, we are not living check to check. We have a good budget where we have money left over each month (if we stay on budget) and we are saving plenty for us and for our kids. My test is to continue to pay an honest and full tithe and to make a generous contribution to the fast offering fund. All that we have is from the Lord. We are simply stewards.
I hope I remember this and I hope that Jill and I will strive to live a good life by focusing on the things that matter rather than striving to become so wealthy that we have to build new barns (or houses) to hold all of our possessions. Just as Jesus taught in a parable, the man who lays up treasures for himself on this earth and then eats, drinks and is merry for the rest of his days, will be damned. First seek the kingdom of God, and then all things will be added to you.
I know tithing is a true and just law. I love the law of tithing. I love to pay my tithing every two weeks. I feel good after I hand that envelop to the Bishop. The Lord has blessed us abundantly. Emma and Ben have beds to sleep in, they have blankets, clothes, food, drink and lots of toys! We have a good home and our health is good too. We have been truly blessed!
Here is what I wrote on tithing March 3, 2003:
I wanted to include a bit of my testimony about tithing in this journal this evening. Over the weekend, I was working on our budget and trying to figure out how to pay off our credit card bill. This bill had been growing since November of last year. Jill and I are convinced that we do not want this type of thing to happen again this year. So, I was working on our budget and trying to figure out how to better handle it so that we are saving a sufficient amount of money to support ourselves.
After the budget was finished, I noticed that tithing is our largest bill next to our mortgage. The little evil thought crept into my mind about what we could do with that extra $560 each month. But quickly, I reminded myself (or it was the Spirit who reminded me) that I should think of all the blessings we’ve received from paying a full and honest tithe.
Going through this little trial made me realize that I needed to re-strengthen my testimony concerning tithing. So, on Sunday morning, I looked up many verses on tithing and read several talks from General Authorities about tithing. One of the best scriptures on tithing is in Malichi 3:8-10 and 3 Nephi 24:8-10. I also found a reference to Psalms 73. In this Psalm, he talks about how the wicked prosper in the face of defying God (Psalms 73:3, 12).
Sometimes, this is how I feel about tithing. When I see a coworker buying a brand new BMW or Dodge Ram truck, I ask myself where in the world does he get the money from. Then when I see our budget, I understand that many people don’t pay tithing and they “prosper.” But, the Psalm goes on to say that those people will eventually “pay.” Perhaps they will not pay in this life, but they will pay in the next.
Of the talks I read, I particularly enjoyed the faith-promoting stories told of saints who were faced with either paying their mortgage or paying their tithing. Others were faced with either buying food or paying tithing. One particular sister had a choice to pay tithing or go buy a sack of flower to feed her orphaned children. She and her kids decided to pay tithing. So she walked a few miles to the Bishop’s storehouse and paid the tithing. When she arrived home, she found a stock of food sitting on her doorstep, including a sack of flour. A note stated that her late husband had done some work for the local grocer and that the grocer had not paid him for his labor. The groceries were a payment for her husband’s work.
Now, we are not living check to check. We have a good budget where we have money left over each month (if we stay on budget) and we are saving plenty for us and for our kids. My test is to continue to pay an honest and full tithe and to make a generous contribution to the fast offering fund. All that we have is from the Lord. We are simply stewards.
I hope I remember this and I hope that Jill and I will strive to live a good life by focusing on the things that matter rather than striving to become so wealthy that we have to build new barns (or houses) to hold all of our possessions. Just as Jesus taught in a parable, the man who lays up treasures for himself on this earth and then eats, drinks and is merry for the rest of his days, will be damned. First seek the kingdom of God, and then all things will be added to you.
I know tithing is a true and just law. I love the law of tithing. I love to pay my tithing every two weeks. I feel good after I hand that envelop to the Bishop. The Lord has blessed us abundantly. Emma and Ben have beds to sleep in, they have blankets, clothes, food, drink and lots of toys! We have a good home and our health is good too. We have been truly blessed!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Tithing Story
I don't have much time this morning to post an in-depth devotional on tithing, but I wanted to share a story our stake president shared yesterday in our ward conference.
I'm not sure where he heard the story. But there was a temple open house and a Jewish rabbi went to attend. He was so impressed with the feelings he felt there that he went back to his congregation and preached to them the importance of tithing. His point was that the reason he felt the Spirit in the "living temple" was because the people (the members of the Church) actually paid their tithing. He taught his congregation that tithing has been a commandment a long, long time ... even preceding Moses and he admonished them to pay a full tithe.
It was a very interesting story ... especially the point that we will have the Spirit of the Lord with us if we pay it.
I'm not sure where he heard the story. But there was a temple open house and a Jewish rabbi went to attend. He was so impressed with the feelings he felt there that he went back to his congregation and preached to them the importance of tithing. His point was that the reason he felt the Spirit in the "living temple" was because the people (the members of the Church) actually paid their tithing. He taught his congregation that tithing has been a commandment a long, long time ... even preceding Moses and he admonished them to pay a full tithe.
It was a very interesting story ... especially the point that we will have the Spirit of the Lord with us if we pay it.
Friday, August 08, 2008
It's Worth It
The radio turned on at 5:23am. Opening my eyes felt like pulling apart two freshly glued pieces of paper. The breeze from the fan seemed to instantly dry my already dried out eyes. I had a choice before me ... get up to play some basketball or smack the clock radio, roll over and fall back asleep.
I know from past experience that I should never think about this decision while in bed. I know that I should quickly get up and get into the bathroom where I can turn on the light and wake up.
I force myself to do it. I throw the covers off and put my feet on the ground. I know I've won.
After I arrive at the gym and have played the first game of basketball, I sit on the floor, wiping my face with a towel and realize how much fun it is playing early morning basketball. It is good to think about this because I am reinforcing my resolve to get up in those first few critical minutes after the alarm radio turns on.
Like scripture study, like prayer, like attending the temple ... I've found that when I've taken that first step, the rest becomes easy and I enjoy it and am glad to have done it. But it all needs reinforcing ... we need to remember why we are doing what we should be doing - because we find joy in it. This will help us make the initial step when it is time to get up to exercise or to pray or to study or to attend the temple or to do whatever we should be doing but don't exactly "feel like doing it."
I remember reading a quote by Brigham Young on the topic of prayer. He said,
Some of the brethren come to me and say, “Brother Brigham, is it my duty to pray when I have not one particle of the spirit of prayer in me?” True, at times, men are perplexed and full of care and trouble, their ploughs and other implements are out of order, their animals have strayed and a thousand things perplex them; yet our judgment teaches us that it is our duty to pray, whether we are particularly in the spirit of praying or not. My doctrine is, it is your duty to pray; and when the time for prayer comes, John should say, “This is the place and this is the time to pray; knees bend down upon the floor, and do so at once.” But John said, “I do not want to pray; I do not feel like it.” Knees get down, I say; and down bend the knees, and he begins to think and reflect. Can you say anything? Can you not say, God have mercy on me a sinner? Yes, he can do this, if he can rise up and curse his neighbor for some ill deeds. Now, John, open your mouth and say, Lord, have mercy upon me. “But I do not feel the spirit of prayer.” That does not excuse you, for you know what your duty is (DBY, 45). “Chapter 6: The Communication between God and Man,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 41
So the next time you're faced with something you don't feel like doing, but you know you should, just do it ... take the first step; take the plunge and the rest will follow.
I know from past experience that I should never think about this decision while in bed. I know that I should quickly get up and get into the bathroom where I can turn on the light and wake up.
I force myself to do it. I throw the covers off and put my feet on the ground. I know I've won.
After I arrive at the gym and have played the first game of basketball, I sit on the floor, wiping my face with a towel and realize how much fun it is playing early morning basketball. It is good to think about this because I am reinforcing my resolve to get up in those first few critical minutes after the alarm radio turns on.
Like scripture study, like prayer, like attending the temple ... I've found that when I've taken that first step, the rest becomes easy and I enjoy it and am glad to have done it. But it all needs reinforcing ... we need to remember why we are doing what we should be doing - because we find joy in it. This will help us make the initial step when it is time to get up to exercise or to pray or to study or to attend the temple or to do whatever we should be doing but don't exactly "feel like doing it."
I remember reading a quote by Brigham Young on the topic of prayer. He said,
Some of the brethren come to me and say, “Brother Brigham, is it my duty to pray when I have not one particle of the spirit of prayer in me?” True, at times, men are perplexed and full of care and trouble, their ploughs and other implements are out of order, their animals have strayed and a thousand things perplex them; yet our judgment teaches us that it is our duty to pray, whether we are particularly in the spirit of praying or not. My doctrine is, it is your duty to pray; and when the time for prayer comes, John should say, “This is the place and this is the time to pray; knees bend down upon the floor, and do so at once.” But John said, “I do not want to pray; I do not feel like it.” Knees get down, I say; and down bend the knees, and he begins to think and reflect. Can you say anything? Can you not say, God have mercy on me a sinner? Yes, he can do this, if he can rise up and curse his neighbor for some ill deeds. Now, John, open your mouth and say, Lord, have mercy upon me. “But I do not feel the spirit of prayer.” That does not excuse you, for you know what your duty is (DBY, 45). “Chapter 6: The Communication between God and Man,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 41
So the next time you're faced with something you don't feel like doing, but you know you should, just do it ... take the first step; take the plunge and the rest will follow.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Willing Heart
After reading my cousin's wife's post about Helman 6:36, I wrote some additional commentary on my Book of Mormon Inspection blog ... you can read the whole entry here.
This is what I added:
Hardened vs. Willing Heart
This morning, I read a blog post by my cousin's wife about her thoughts on Helaman 6:36. She had some really good insight into this verse. So I read Helaman 6:36 as well as the preceding two verses.
Mormon contrasts the hardened Nephites with the willing Lamanites. Helaman 6:34-36 says, "And thus we see that the Nephites did begin to dwindle in unbelief, and grow in wickedness and abominations, while the Lamanites began to grow exceedingly in the knowledge of their God; yea, they did begin to keep his statutes and commandments, and to walk in truth and uprightness before him.
"And thus we see that the Spirit of the Lord began to withdraw from the Nephites, because of the wickedness and the hardness of their hearts.
"And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out his Spirit upon the Lamanites, because of their easiness and willingness to believe in his words."
She cross-referenced the word "willingness" to Exodus 25:2 and 2 Corinthians 8:12. Then she noted that "willingly" in Exodus 25:2 is cross-referenced to the Topical Guide entry of Initiative. She comments, "Do I take the initiative to ask and find out what the Lord wants, rather then wait till the last minute and decide to follow him when things get difficult, or complain and make excuses? I have experienced both scenarios and I can say that I have felt the blessings of taking the initiative and being willing. Not only do I experience great blessings but my faith is strengthened."
Regarding taking the initiative in keeping the commandment and following the will of God, there are two people who are great examples of keeping this counsel … President Henry B. Eyring and our current stake president Gary Riding.
When President Eyring was called to the Apostleship, there was an article in the September 1995 Ensign that talked about his life. There are two sentences I remember from this article. In talking about his father Matthew Eyring said, "My father has told us that there are two things that he prays for every night. The first is, ‘What blessings do I have that I am not aware of?’ and the second is, ‘Whom can I help?’ And,” Matthew adds, “Dad says there has never been a day that his prayers haven’t been answered.” (Gerald N. Lund, “Elder Henry B. Eyring: Molded by ‘Defining Influences’,” Ensign, Sep 1995, 10)
I am such a laid back person that I’m afraid I feel pretty content with what I have been blessed with. But after rereading part of that quote and also what my cousin's wife said, I wonder how many blessings the Lord has for my family and me that I have not asked for. In her post she says, "I think sometimes it is easy to say, "I don't want any more or I have all that I need." I have met many people who have said this. When we have a willing mind, then I believe our minds are enlightened and the power of the Spirit is able to expand our learning and knowledge."
The other person who I think takes the initiative is our stake president Gary Riding. I have heard him speak on more than one occasion of how he prays for guidance from the Lord. Like President Eyring, he specifically asks the Lord what he needs to do that day … who he can serve. Then he would proceed to give examples of how his prayers have been answered.
One example of his that I remember is when he was jogging through the park and came across a man who seemed to be in mental anguish. President Riding felt inspired to stop and talk to the man. I don't remember all the details, but I think the man was having some marital and other problems in his life. A missionary moment ensued and the man was later baptized. After President Riding finished his talk, the man stood up and testified how his life was changed because of President Riding's prayers and his willingness to listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
So I guess the personal application here is that I need to be more earnest in my prayers, have a willing heart … be willing to accept the Lord's will and then do it, and then be diligent in seeking the Lord's will through daily and constant prayer. Then I need to recognize and heed the promptings of the Holy Ghost through the course of the day. And in order to recognize those promptings, I need to listen. In the July 2008 Ensign in another article about President Eyring, he teaches, "The key to hearing those answers and knowing that God has an interest in our lives, he says, is to develop a listening ear. “We’ve got to be quiet and listen. In my life, when I have failed to receive a clear feeling or have missed the voice of the Spirit, it is because I was too busy, too noisy inside, and too full of my own world.” (Robert D. Hales, “President Henry B. Eyring: Called of God,” Ensign, Jul 2008, 8–15)
This is what I added:
Hardened vs. Willing Heart
This morning, I read a blog post by my cousin's wife about her thoughts on Helaman 6:36. She had some really good insight into this verse. So I read Helaman 6:36 as well as the preceding two verses.
Mormon contrasts the hardened Nephites with the willing Lamanites. Helaman 6:34-36 says, "And thus we see that the Nephites did begin to dwindle in unbelief, and grow in wickedness and abominations, while the Lamanites began to grow exceedingly in the knowledge of their God; yea, they did begin to keep his statutes and commandments, and to walk in truth and uprightness before him.
"And thus we see that the Spirit of the Lord began to withdraw from the Nephites, because of the wickedness and the hardness of their hearts.
"And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out his Spirit upon the Lamanites, because of their easiness and willingness to believe in his words."
She cross-referenced the word "willingness" to Exodus 25:2 and 2 Corinthians 8:12. Then she noted that "willingly" in Exodus 25:2 is cross-referenced to the Topical Guide entry of Initiative. She comments, "Do I take the initiative to ask and find out what the Lord wants, rather then wait till the last minute and decide to follow him when things get difficult, or complain and make excuses? I have experienced both scenarios and I can say that I have felt the blessings of taking the initiative and being willing. Not only do I experience great blessings but my faith is strengthened."
Regarding taking the initiative in keeping the commandment and following the will of God, there are two people who are great examples of keeping this counsel … President Henry B. Eyring and our current stake president Gary Riding.
When President Eyring was called to the Apostleship, there was an article in the September 1995 Ensign that talked about his life. There are two sentences I remember from this article. In talking about his father Matthew Eyring said, "My father has told us that there are two things that he prays for every night. The first is, ‘What blessings do I have that I am not aware of?’ and the second is, ‘Whom can I help?’ And,” Matthew adds, “Dad says there has never been a day that his prayers haven’t been answered.” (Gerald N. Lund, “Elder Henry B. Eyring: Molded by ‘Defining Influences’,” Ensign, Sep 1995, 10)
I am such a laid back person that I’m afraid I feel pretty content with what I have been blessed with. But after rereading part of that quote and also what my cousin's wife said, I wonder how many blessings the Lord has for my family and me that I have not asked for. In her post she says, "I think sometimes it is easy to say, "I don't want any more or I have all that I need." I have met many people who have said this. When we have a willing mind, then I believe our minds are enlightened and the power of the Spirit is able to expand our learning and knowledge."
The other person who I think takes the initiative is our stake president Gary Riding. I have heard him speak on more than one occasion of how he prays for guidance from the Lord. Like President Eyring, he specifically asks the Lord what he needs to do that day … who he can serve. Then he would proceed to give examples of how his prayers have been answered.
One example of his that I remember is when he was jogging through the park and came across a man who seemed to be in mental anguish. President Riding felt inspired to stop and talk to the man. I don't remember all the details, but I think the man was having some marital and other problems in his life. A missionary moment ensued and the man was later baptized. After President Riding finished his talk, the man stood up and testified how his life was changed because of President Riding's prayers and his willingness to listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
So I guess the personal application here is that I need to be more earnest in my prayers, have a willing heart … be willing to accept the Lord's will and then do it, and then be diligent in seeking the Lord's will through daily and constant prayer. Then I need to recognize and heed the promptings of the Holy Ghost through the course of the day. And in order to recognize those promptings, I need to listen. In the July 2008 Ensign in another article about President Eyring, he teaches, "The key to hearing those answers and knowing that God has an interest in our lives, he says, is to develop a listening ear. “We’ve got to be quiet and listen. In my life, when I have failed to receive a clear feeling or have missed the voice of the Spirit, it is because I was too busy, too noisy inside, and too full of my own world.” (Robert D. Hales, “President Henry B. Eyring: Called of God,” Ensign, Jul 2008, 8–15)
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Prayer: ASK
Today was High Counselor Sunday. As kids, we used to call it Dry Counselor Sunday because the High Counselor usually gave a boring talk. But today's speaker was anything but dry. In fact, it was one of the best talks I've heard in a Sacrament meeting in recent memory.
His subject, given from the Stake President, was prayer. He structured his talk around an acronym ... A.S.K.
When we pray, we should:
A - be ALONE. He mentioned that when Joseph Smith went to inquire of the Lord, he went to the woods to be entirely alone. As the Savior taught in 3 Nephi 13:6, we should enter into our closets and shut the door to be alone. I think we are asked to pray in private so that we are honest in our prayers ... so that we feel we can say and express anything to our Heavenly Father.
S - SPEAK. When we pray, we should not keep the words in our minds. Although we can say a prayer in our hearts anytime, when we pray privately in our closets, we should pray out loud. He again referenced the First Vision and mentioned that Joseph Smith, when he entered the woods to pray, had never prayed out loud before. I've prayed out loud before as well as prayed in my mind and there is a distinct difference between the two. When I pray out loud, hearing myself speak to Heavenly Father is more sincere and humbling.
K - KNEEL. When we pray privately, we should kneel as an act of reverence to the Lord. I remember as a missionary we would put our flip flops on the floor and kneel on them because the cement was so hard. But now that I live in a carpeted home, I find myself not kneeling in personal prayer so often.
Amen - Another point he discussed in his talk was that when we say "amen" we are saying we agree with what was said. He discussed that fact that we need to say "amen" with faith. He suggested that when we say "amen" we should add a few words in our mind ... "go to work." So when we say amen, in our heart and mind, we should be saying "I agree to go to work." By doing this, we will exercise our faith more. I think it was President Hinckley (although I may be wrong on that) who said "pray as if everything depends on God and then work as if everything depends on you."
It was a great talk on prayer. I really needed to hear those words of counsel today.
His subject, given from the Stake President, was prayer. He structured his talk around an acronym ... A.S.K.
When we pray, we should:
A - be ALONE. He mentioned that when Joseph Smith went to inquire of the Lord, he went to the woods to be entirely alone. As the Savior taught in 3 Nephi 13:6, we should enter into our closets and shut the door to be alone. I think we are asked to pray in private so that we are honest in our prayers ... so that we feel we can say and express anything to our Heavenly Father.
S - SPEAK. When we pray, we should not keep the words in our minds. Although we can say a prayer in our hearts anytime, when we pray privately in our closets, we should pray out loud. He again referenced the First Vision and mentioned that Joseph Smith, when he entered the woods to pray, had never prayed out loud before. I've prayed out loud before as well as prayed in my mind and there is a distinct difference between the two. When I pray out loud, hearing myself speak to Heavenly Father is more sincere and humbling.
K - KNEEL. When we pray privately, we should kneel as an act of reverence to the Lord. I remember as a missionary we would put our flip flops on the floor and kneel on them because the cement was so hard. But now that I live in a carpeted home, I find myself not kneeling in personal prayer so often.
Amen - Another point he discussed in his talk was that when we say "amen" we are saying we agree with what was said. He discussed that fact that we need to say "amen" with faith. He suggested that when we say "amen" we should add a few words in our mind ... "go to work." So when we say amen, in our heart and mind, we should be saying "I agree to go to work." By doing this, we will exercise our faith more. I think it was President Hinckley (although I may be wrong on that) who said "pray as if everything depends on God and then work as if everything depends on you."
It was a great talk on prayer. I really needed to hear those words of counsel today.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Broken Heart and Contrite Spirit
Recently, I was asked to give a talk in sacrament meeting. I was assigned the topic of a Broken Heart and Contrite Spirit. I delivered this talk on May 25, 2008.
Introduction
My wife and I met in Spanish class. She came running down the hallway to introduce herself to me. I reciprocated by offering to help her with her paper (I felt she needed some help and I had some ulterior motives). Our teacher’s name was Bruce Lee. We were married in 1998, had our first, Emma in 2000, then Ben in 2002, Erick in 2004 and Camille in 2006.
In the summer of 1998, I picked up an extra job working in the Laundromat as a “mangler.” I sacrificed my time to earn the money to buy an engagement ring for Jill. I’m glad I sacrificed for her … she was and is worth it.
Sacrifice
In ancient times, the Lord commanded that Adam and his posterity offer sacrifices. Moses 5:5-8 teaches us about this. (Read the scripture and commentate)
I’m sure for them, it was indeed a sacrifice to offer up the fruits of their labors to the Lord much like it is for us as we pay our tithing today.
Joseph Smith taught us about sacrifice too. He said, “a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has the power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation” (see Guide to the Scriptures Sacrifice).
The scriptures are full of examples of sacrifice, both of the Savior’s great sacrifice and of others’. We read of Abraham offering his son as a sacrifice and of the saints crossing the plains and building up the kingdom of God on the earth. One of my personal favorite examples is that of the brazen serpent that Moses raised in the wilderness for the children of Israel. They were bitten by fiery serpents. Moses provided a means for them to be healed. They had to get off their beds and looked up the brazen serpent. Those who made that small sacrifice were healed while those who did not died.
What Christ Taught of Sacrifice
Christ taught us what we are to sacrifice. He did away with burnt offerings and instructed us to sacrifice something different.
3 Nephi 9:20 teaches us what we are to offer as a sacrifice (broken heart and contrite spirit … read the scripture and commentate).
Definitions
The Guide to the Scriptures defines Broken Heart: “To have a broken heart is to be humble, contrite, repentant, and meek - that is, receptive to the will of God.”
To me, the idea of a broken heart is easy to understand. We all have had our hearts broken or we know someone whose heart has been broken. When we see others suffering, it breaks our heart. We are humbled and we have pain in our hearts.
Contrite is a little more subtle. I have never really known what contrite means. So I looked up the definition.
Contrite
1. caused by or showing sincere remorse
2. filled with a sense of guilt and the desire for atonement; penitent
3. filling regret and sorrow for one's sins or offenses; penitent
4. contritus, literally "worn out, ground to pieces"5. thoroughly bruised or broken
6. broken down with grief and penitence; deeply sorrowful for sin because it is displeasing to God
7. to rub down, to wear out, used until so common as to have lost novelty or interest, hackneyed, stale.
In this light, we understand that our spirits are to be worn out or ground to pieces.
We have all heard the story of the sculptor who after having finished his work of art saw that it had a crack in it. Knowing that it wasn’t perfect, he decided to start over. He broke it to pieces, grounded those to smaller pieces and the added water. Once he did that, the sculpture became clay again and he was able to re-make the work of art.
The gospel application is obvious. We are to break our hearts as he broke the sculpture. We are to have contrite or ground or worn out spirits as the sculpture is ground down. We are to be baptized as the hardened clay is softened by water.
How do we break our hearts and become contrite?
I see two ways in which our hearts are broken and our spirits become contrite.
One, we can lead a life of sin to the point that we are lost. We ended up having no where to turn but to God. Our hearts are truly broken and as a lost child, we submit to anyone who will help us find our way home.
The second way is to humble ourselves by striving to break our own hearts and being contrite.
The way to do this is to same list found on our list of Sunday School answers. We pray, we read the scriptures and meditate on them. We have gratitude in our hearts and express that gratitude in prayer. We serve others. As we do these basic things, we become more humble and willing to serve God. We begin to yield our hearts to God.
As Elder Maxwell taught us of discipleship, there really is only one thing that we truly posses that we can give to God and that is our will, our heart. (see Neal A. Maxwell, “Insights from My Life,” Ensign, Aug 2000, 7 where he says, “I am going to preach a hard doctrine to you now. The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. It is a hard doctrine, but it is true. The many other things we give to God, however nice that may be of us, are actually things He has already given us, and He has loaned them to us. But when we begin to submit ourselves by letting our wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him. And that hard doctrine lies at the center of discipleship. There is a part of us that is ultimately sovereign, the mind and heart, where we really do decide which way to go and what to do. And when we submit to His will, then we’ve really given Him the one final thing He asks of us. And the other things are not very, very important. It is the only possession we have that we can give, and there is no lessening of our agency as a result. Instead, what we see is a flowering of our talents and more and more surges of joy. Submission to Him is the only form of submission that is completely safe.”)
As we become more willing to give ourselves and our hearts to God, the more we become sanctified.
Helaman 3:35 describes this process as it happened to the Nephites and Lamanites (read and commentate).
End with your testimony.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Scriptures
D&C 56:17-18Wo unto you poor men, whose hearts are not broken, whose spirits are not contrite, and whose bellies are not satisfied, and whose hands are not stayed from laying hold upon other men’s goods, whose eyes are full of greediness, and who will not labor with your own hands!
But blessed are the poor who are pure in heart, whose hearts are broken, and whose spirits are contrite, for they shall see the kingdom of God coming in power and great glory unto their deliverance; for the fatness of the dearth shall be theirs.
3 Nephi 9:20And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.
Psalms 34:18
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Psalms 51:17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
2 Nephi 2:7Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.
2 Nephi 4:32May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite!
Helaman 8:15And as many as should look upon that serpent should alive, even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal.
3 Nephi 12:19And behold, I have given you the law and the commandments of my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent of your sins, and come unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Behold, ye have the commandments before you, and the law is fulfilled.
D&C 20:37And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism—All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church.
Guide to the Scriptures
Broken heart - To have a broken heart is to be humble, contrite, repentant, and meek - that is, receptive to the will of God.
Contrite
1. caused by or showing sincere remorse
2. filled with a sense of guilt and the desire for atonement; penitent
3. filling regret and sorrow for one's sins or offenses; penitent
4. contritus, literally "worn out, ground to pieces"
5. thoroughly bruised or broken
6. broken down with grief and penitence; deeply sorrowful for sin because it is displeasing to God
7. to rub down, to wear out, used until so common as to have lost novelty or interest, hackneyed, stale.
Bruce D. Porter, “A Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 31–32
"When our hearts are broken, we are completely open to the Spirit of God and recognize our dependence on Him for all that we have and all that we are. The sacrifice so entailed is a sacrifice of pride in all its forms. Like malleable clay in the hands of a skilled potter, the brokenhearted can be molded and shaped in the hands of the Master."
"When we yield our hearts to the Lord, the attractions of the world simply lose their luster."
Object lesson: take come "soft" clay and some "hard" clay. Can hard clay be broken, ground down, added to some water and made malleable?
Gerald N. Lund, “Opening Our Hearts,” Ensign, May 2008, 32–34
Introduction
My wife and I met in Spanish class. She came running down the hallway to introduce herself to me. I reciprocated by offering to help her with her paper (I felt she needed some help and I had some ulterior motives). Our teacher’s name was Bruce Lee. We were married in 1998, had our first, Emma in 2000, then Ben in 2002, Erick in 2004 and Camille in 2006.
In the summer of 1998, I picked up an extra job working in the Laundromat as a “mangler.” I sacrificed my time to earn the money to buy an engagement ring for Jill. I’m glad I sacrificed for her … she was and is worth it.
Sacrifice
In ancient times, the Lord commanded that Adam and his posterity offer sacrifices. Moses 5:5-8 teaches us about this. (Read the scripture and commentate)
I’m sure for them, it was indeed a sacrifice to offer up the fruits of their labors to the Lord much like it is for us as we pay our tithing today.
Joseph Smith taught us about sacrifice too. He said, “a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has the power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation” (see Guide to the Scriptures Sacrifice).
The scriptures are full of examples of sacrifice, both of the Savior’s great sacrifice and of others’. We read of Abraham offering his son as a sacrifice and of the saints crossing the plains and building up the kingdom of God on the earth. One of my personal favorite examples is that of the brazen serpent that Moses raised in the wilderness for the children of Israel. They were bitten by fiery serpents. Moses provided a means for them to be healed. They had to get off their beds and looked up the brazen serpent. Those who made that small sacrifice were healed while those who did not died.
What Christ Taught of Sacrifice
Christ taught us what we are to sacrifice. He did away with burnt offerings and instructed us to sacrifice something different.
3 Nephi 9:20 teaches us what we are to offer as a sacrifice (broken heart and contrite spirit … read the scripture and commentate).
Definitions
The Guide to the Scriptures defines Broken Heart: “To have a broken heart is to be humble, contrite, repentant, and meek - that is, receptive to the will of God.”
To me, the idea of a broken heart is easy to understand. We all have had our hearts broken or we know someone whose heart has been broken. When we see others suffering, it breaks our heart. We are humbled and we have pain in our hearts.
Contrite is a little more subtle. I have never really known what contrite means. So I looked up the definition.
Contrite
1. caused by or showing sincere remorse
2. filled with a sense of guilt and the desire for atonement; penitent
3. filling regret and sorrow for one's sins or offenses; penitent
4. contritus, literally "worn out, ground to pieces"5. thoroughly bruised or broken
6. broken down with grief and penitence; deeply sorrowful for sin because it is displeasing to God
7. to rub down, to wear out, used until so common as to have lost novelty or interest, hackneyed, stale.
In this light, we understand that our spirits are to be worn out or ground to pieces.
We have all heard the story of the sculptor who after having finished his work of art saw that it had a crack in it. Knowing that it wasn’t perfect, he decided to start over. He broke it to pieces, grounded those to smaller pieces and the added water. Once he did that, the sculpture became clay again and he was able to re-make the work of art.
The gospel application is obvious. We are to break our hearts as he broke the sculpture. We are to have contrite or ground or worn out spirits as the sculpture is ground down. We are to be baptized as the hardened clay is softened by water.
How do we break our hearts and become contrite?
I see two ways in which our hearts are broken and our spirits become contrite.
One, we can lead a life of sin to the point that we are lost. We ended up having no where to turn but to God. Our hearts are truly broken and as a lost child, we submit to anyone who will help us find our way home.
The second way is to humble ourselves by striving to break our own hearts and being contrite.
The way to do this is to same list found on our list of Sunday School answers. We pray, we read the scriptures and meditate on them. We have gratitude in our hearts and express that gratitude in prayer. We serve others. As we do these basic things, we become more humble and willing to serve God. We begin to yield our hearts to God.
As Elder Maxwell taught us of discipleship, there really is only one thing that we truly posses that we can give to God and that is our will, our heart. (see Neal A. Maxwell, “Insights from My Life,” Ensign, Aug 2000, 7 where he says, “I am going to preach a hard doctrine to you now. The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. It is a hard doctrine, but it is true. The many other things we give to God, however nice that may be of us, are actually things He has already given us, and He has loaned them to us. But when we begin to submit ourselves by letting our wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him. And that hard doctrine lies at the center of discipleship. There is a part of us that is ultimately sovereign, the mind and heart, where we really do decide which way to go and what to do. And when we submit to His will, then we’ve really given Him the one final thing He asks of us. And the other things are not very, very important. It is the only possession we have that we can give, and there is no lessening of our agency as a result. Instead, what we see is a flowering of our talents and more and more surges of joy. Submission to Him is the only form of submission that is completely safe.”)
As we become more willing to give ourselves and our hearts to God, the more we become sanctified.
Helaman 3:35 describes this process as it happened to the Nephites and Lamanites (read and commentate).
End with your testimony.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Scriptures
D&C 56:17-18Wo unto you poor men, whose hearts are not broken, whose spirits are not contrite, and whose bellies are not satisfied, and whose hands are not stayed from laying hold upon other men’s goods, whose eyes are full of greediness, and who will not labor with your own hands!
But blessed are the poor who are pure in heart, whose hearts are broken, and whose spirits are contrite, for they shall see the kingdom of God coming in power and great glory unto their deliverance; for the fatness of the dearth shall be theirs.
3 Nephi 9:20And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.
Psalms 34:18
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Psalms 51:17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
2 Nephi 2:7Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.
2 Nephi 4:32May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite!
Helaman 8:15And as many as should look upon that serpent should alive, even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal.
3 Nephi 12:19And behold, I have given you the law and the commandments of my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent of your sins, and come unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Behold, ye have the commandments before you, and the law is fulfilled.
D&C 20:37And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism—All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church.
Guide to the Scriptures
Broken heart - To have a broken heart is to be humble, contrite, repentant, and meek - that is, receptive to the will of God.
Contrite
1. caused by or showing sincere remorse
2. filled with a sense of guilt and the desire for atonement; penitent
3. filling regret and sorrow for one's sins or offenses; penitent
4. contritus, literally "worn out, ground to pieces"
5. thoroughly bruised or broken
6. broken down with grief and penitence; deeply sorrowful for sin because it is displeasing to God
7. to rub down, to wear out, used until so common as to have lost novelty or interest, hackneyed, stale.
Bruce D. Porter, “A Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 31–32
"When our hearts are broken, we are completely open to the Spirit of God and recognize our dependence on Him for all that we have and all that we are. The sacrifice so entailed is a sacrifice of pride in all its forms. Like malleable clay in the hands of a skilled potter, the brokenhearted can be molded and shaped in the hands of the Master."
"When we yield our hearts to the Lord, the attractions of the world simply lose their luster."
Object lesson: take come "soft" clay and some "hard" clay. Can hard clay be broken, ground down, added to some water and made malleable?
Gerald N. Lund, “Opening Our Hearts,” Ensign, May 2008, 32–34
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Feeling the Spirit Once a Day ...
... keeps the temptations away.
As discussed in a previous post, one of my MTC teachers (Asa Neilson) taught us that we should always strive to be happy and to feel the Spirit at least once a day. That was one of the most valuable lessons I learned in the whole two months I spent in the training center.
I figure this is a good place to keep a hold of those experiences I try to have every day.
One of the many great things about the Information Age is the incredibly easy access to virtually limitless information. Blogs are a wonderful way to share and communicate some of that information. One of the blogs I regulary read is Jeff Linday's Mormanity.
Today Jeff posted a story from a convert (named Jim) who faced intense pressure from his pastor when he was investigating the Church. One of the main points that Jim made was how his pastor told him that he could not rely on his feelings to know the truth. The pastor told him that when the missionaries tell him that the burning in his heart is the Holy Ghost, it actually is the devil! At that moment, Jim was inspired to share Luke 24:13-16, 28-32 with his pastor:
Jim's experience is very edifying. The rest of the story is very uplifting too ... I encourage you to hop over to Mormanity to read the rest.
As discussed in a previous post, one of my MTC teachers (Asa Neilson) taught us that we should always strive to be happy and to feel the Spirit at least once a day. That was one of the most valuable lessons I learned in the whole two months I spent in the training center.
I figure this is a good place to keep a hold of those experiences I try to have every day.
One of the many great things about the Information Age is the incredibly easy access to virtually limitless information. Blogs are a wonderful way to share and communicate some of that information. One of the blogs I regulary read is Jeff Linday's Mormanity.
Today Jeff posted a story from a convert (named Jim) who faced intense pressure from his pastor when he was investigating the Church. One of the main points that Jim made was how his pastor told him that he could not rely on his feelings to know the truth. The pastor told him that when the missionaries tell him that the burning in his heart is the Holy Ghost, it actually is the devil! At that moment, Jim was inspired to share Luke 24:13-16, 28-32 with his pastor:
13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
• • •
28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the
day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
Jim's experience is very edifying. The rest of the story is very uplifting too ... I encourage you to hop over to Mormanity to read the rest.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Theosis
There is so much to learn. I've not been posting to this blog because I really didn't see a need to. I've been wrapped up in my "inspection" of the Book of Mormon as well as studying Isaiah. But with the recent fury over Elder Ballard's remarks about members getting more involved on-line, I think it appropriate to reboot this blog.
The original goal of this blog was to be a place for me to post thoughts and study notes from my personal studies of the Gospel. If I had an out-of-the-blue thought, I would post it here ... or post my thoughts about what was said in a Gospel Doctrine class or sacrament meeting talk. Perhaps it will be a place for dialogue between me and those who read it (if anyone reads it :-) ) But mostly it will be for my eyes and my benefit as I read, study and find things on-line ... and maybe it will be of use to others.
Theosis
I just read an interesting article over at Meridian Magazine entitled Questions Mormons Should Ask Themselves From FAIR, the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research. From there, I read about theosis or human deification. I've heard it before and read it many times on-line from people trying to persuade others that the LDS church is a cult. They use Isaiah 43:10 to argue that no man can become like God.
Theosis is a type of theology meaning divinization. I searched the word at wikipedia and found a nice article on it there. I remember in my humanities class at BYU that we learned early Christians indeed believed that they could become like God. This teaching has since been lost, but is taught again today by the LDS church.
Coming across this article is rather timely as I'll be studying Isaiah 43 very soon.
The original goal of this blog was to be a place for me to post thoughts and study notes from my personal studies of the Gospel. If I had an out-of-the-blue thought, I would post it here ... or post my thoughts about what was said in a Gospel Doctrine class or sacrament meeting talk. Perhaps it will be a place for dialogue between me and those who read it (if anyone reads it :-) ) But mostly it will be for my eyes and my benefit as I read, study and find things on-line ... and maybe it will be of use to others.
Theosis
I just read an interesting article over at Meridian Magazine entitled Questions Mormons Should Ask Themselves From FAIR, the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research. From there, I read about theosis or human deification. I've heard it before and read it many times on-line from people trying to persuade others that the LDS church is a cult. They use Isaiah 43:10 to argue that no man can become like God.
Theosis is a type of theology meaning divinization. I searched the word at wikipedia and found a nice article on it there. I remember in my humanities class at BYU that we learned early Christians indeed believed that they could become like God. This teaching has since been lost, but is taught again today by the LDS church.
Coming across this article is rather timely as I'll be studying Isaiah 43 very soon.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Recent Conversion Story
Every once in a while, I do a blog search for the phrase "Book of Mormon" Most of the links it returns are positive meaning they're pro-BoM. Today I ran accross this little conversion story:
It's interesting to note that the author is from Indiana. Perhaps the Book of Mormon his dad had in the garage came from Bookslinger whose blog (Flooding the Earth With the Book of Mormon) is about how he distributes dozens (if not hundreds) of copies of the Book of Mormon ... Bookslinger lives in Indiana.
After much soul searching, scripture reading, and prayer Ive decided to be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ive came along way in my search for Truth. I was an atheist working at a group home for at risk youth working the night shift. I had a young kid that would relive past molestations when he slept at night. I called out for God to help him. That was around six years ago and from that time on I have been studying the Bible and trying to find God's will for my life. I have went through different stages on my quest. I studied "Things that Differ" and "The Plot" at one point. And attended a few Baptist Churches. Then I saw the power of God in a "Oneness" Church called Truth Tabernacle. I went there for a year learning all I could. Finally one day helping my Dad clean out his house I came upon a Book of Mormon. He told me to throw it away, but I asked for it instead. He gave it to me and I started reading it. I liked it so much I orderded a Triple Combination off of ebay and was reading a lot every night at work. I asked God if the Book of Mormon was true, and felt a warmth descend on me. A few days later the missionaries were out tracking and happened upon my house. It was two sister missionaries. They said that they were not going to come inside because I have a fenced in yard and a dog. But one of the sisters felt the Holy Ghost leading her and told the other sister that they had to knock on my door. I had no idea that Mormons came door to door at the time and was shocked that they had come to my house. I thought they were local church members but later found out they came from California and Idaho to Indiana to teach the Gospel. This was in November of last year. I have went to Church, had many lessons by a few different missionaries, ate and had classes with other members. Fought with my parents and girlfriend over going to the Mormon Church. After much pondering and study I can no longer deny the testimony in my heart. The Book of Mormon is true, Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, Gordon Hinckley is the Prophet today, and Jesus Christ is the head of the LDS Church. I have a deep desire to be baptized, and to follow the commandments of the Lord. I pray that everyone on this board gives the Book of Mormon a read through and prays about it. The Church of Christ has been Restored. God is Good.
It's interesting to note that the author is from Indiana. Perhaps the Book of Mormon his dad had in the garage came from Bookslinger whose blog (Flooding the Earth With the Book of Mormon) is about how he distributes dozens (if not hundreds) of copies of the Book of Mormon ... Bookslinger lives in Indiana.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
D-Day Prayer and Title of Liberty
I'm not a history buff, but I do enjoy history. For a few years, I really got into World War II history. Even today, when I'm flipping through channels, I often stop on the History channel when there is a WWII documentary on it.
However, in all my reading about D-Day and the War, I never heard or read FDR's prayer he gave on June 6, 1944. The beginning of the prayer reminded me of Captain Moroni's Title of Liberty, which said, "In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children." (Alma 46:12)
Here is FDR's prayer:
My Fellow Americans:
Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.
And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:
Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.
Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest -- until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.
For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.
Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.
And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them -- help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.
Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.
Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.
And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.
And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keeness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment -- let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.
With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace -- a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
Thy will be done, Almighty God.
Amen.
However, in all my reading about D-Day and the War, I never heard or read FDR's prayer he gave on June 6, 1944. The beginning of the prayer reminded me of Captain Moroni's Title of Liberty, which said, "In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children." (Alma 46:12)
Here is FDR's prayer:
My Fellow Americans:
Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.
And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:
Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.
Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest -- until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.
For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.
Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.
And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them -- help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.
Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.
Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.
And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.
And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keeness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment -- let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.
With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace -- a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
Thy will be done, Almighty God.
Amen.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
The LDS Genesis Group
I've been a member of the Church my whole life (30+ years) and I've at least heard of many of the less known aspects of Church History and things about the Church. But today I stumbled on something I never knew existed ... the LDS Genesis Group. This is basically a support group for Black members of the Church. It appears to be wholly sanctioned by the Church.
You learn something new every day!
You learn something new every day!
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Elder David B. Haight's Testimony
I came across a powerful talk today. I cannot understand how I've never read this talk before. This October 1989 General Conference talk by Elder Haight, entitled The Sacrament- and the Sacrifice, is as clear of a testimony of Christ as I have ever heard. Many seem to be familiar with Elder McConkie's last talk in General Conference, in April 1985, perhaps because it was indeed his last, but this talk by Elder Haight is the clearest witness of Christ I've ever read. I wish it were in MP3 format so I could hear it delivered as it was intended.
I do not know all the details, but Elder Haight had experienced a stroke or heart attack or something and had to be taken to the hospital. Some surgery was performed and during this time he had visions.
Consider this paragraph from his talk:
To have your spirtual cup refilled, go read Elder Haight's talk as well as Elder McConkie's. As you read them, consider what an Apostle is ... a special witness of Jesus Christ.
I do not know all the details, but Elder Haight had experienced a stroke or heart attack or something and had to be taken to the hospital. Some surgery was performed and during this time he had visions.
Consider this paragraph from his talk:
I heard no voices but was conscious of being in a holy presence and atmosphere. During the hours and days that followed, there was impressed again and again upon my mind the eternal mission and exalted position of the Son of Man. I witness to you that He is Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, Savior to all, Redeemer of all mankind, Bestower of infinite love, mercy, and forgiveness, the Light and Life of the world. I knew this truth before—I had never doubted nor wondered. But now I knew, because of the impressions of the Spirit upon my heart and soul, these divine truths in a most unusual way.
To have your spirtual cup refilled, go read Elder Haight's talk as well as Elder McConkie's. As you read them, consider what an Apostle is ... a special witness of Jesus Christ.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Choices and Direction
Every day we make choices. Many of the choices we make have nothing to do with our spirituality - should we eat mashed potatoes or yams? Should I wear my black shoes or my brown shoes? It really makes no difference when it comes to our eternal salvation.
Other choices do make a difference, however. Should I watch the basketball game or go play outside with my kids? I'm so tired ... should I pray before going to bed or just go to bed and pray in the morning? These may seem small at the time, but they can have greater consequences.
So in all our decision making, we need to make sure our choices push us towards perfection ... towards the standard ... towards the Savior and our Heavenly Father.
Indeed we may miss an evening prayer or reading our scriptures for a day and we can rebound and say our prayers and read our scriptures the next day. But as soon as we become relaxed in the small things, we become more relaxed in the bigger things and we soon find ourselves on the slippery slope. Therefore, the more buffer we can put between ourselves and the edge of the slippery slope, the better off we are. And if at any time we find ourselves an inch closer than we ought to be, then we need to re-distance ourselves and redouble our vigilence.
I am reminded of a little story Elder Packer told several years ago.
"The story is told of a king who was choosing between two drivers for his coach. He ordered each of them to drive his coach down a steep, winding road cut into a high cliff.
"The first driver came down slowly, hugging the wall of the cliff. The second driver demonstrated great talent and ability. He raced down the mountain, with the coach so close at times that half the wheel was off the edge of the cliff.
"The king was very thoughtful, then wisely chose the first man to drive his coach. It is best to stay on the safe side of things." (Boyd K. Packer, “The Word of Wisdom: The Principle and the Promises,” Ensign, May 1996, 17)
So many in the world today "live on the edge" and are confident that they can veer so close yet not fall off. They seek to maximize how far they can "push it" to the edge and not fall off.
We too must maximize, but not to see how close we can come to the edge, but how far we can stay away from it. Interestingly enough, there is an edge or line on one side of the spiritual spectrum while on the opposite side lies a vast eternity of progression. So we really cannot maximize our length from the edge because there is no end. (see D&C 132:20)
Other choices do make a difference, however. Should I watch the basketball game or go play outside with my kids? I'm so tired ... should I pray before going to bed or just go to bed and pray in the morning? These may seem small at the time, but they can have greater consequences.
So in all our decision making, we need to make sure our choices push us towards perfection ... towards the standard ... towards the Savior and our Heavenly Father.
Indeed we may miss an evening prayer or reading our scriptures for a day and we can rebound and say our prayers and read our scriptures the next day. But as soon as we become relaxed in the small things, we become more relaxed in the bigger things and we soon find ourselves on the slippery slope. Therefore, the more buffer we can put between ourselves and the edge of the slippery slope, the better off we are. And if at any time we find ourselves an inch closer than we ought to be, then we need to re-distance ourselves and redouble our vigilence.
I am reminded of a little story Elder Packer told several years ago.
"The story is told of a king who was choosing between two drivers for his coach. He ordered each of them to drive his coach down a steep, winding road cut into a high cliff.
"The first driver came down slowly, hugging the wall of the cliff. The second driver demonstrated great talent and ability. He raced down the mountain, with the coach so close at times that half the wheel was off the edge of the cliff.
"The king was very thoughtful, then wisely chose the first man to drive his coach. It is best to stay on the safe side of things." (Boyd K. Packer, “The Word of Wisdom: The Principle and the Promises,” Ensign, May 1996, 17)
So many in the world today "live on the edge" and are confident that they can veer so close yet not fall off. They seek to maximize how far they can "push it" to the edge and not fall off.
We too must maximize, but not to see how close we can come to the edge, but how far we can stay away from it. Interestingly enough, there is an edge or line on one side of the spiritual spectrum while on the opposite side lies a vast eternity of progression. So we really cannot maximize our length from the edge because there is no end. (see D&C 132:20)
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Stars of the Heaven, Sands of the Sea
"That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies" - Genesis 22:17
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Discipleship
On a hot summer Sunday afternoon after attending church meetings, my missionary companion and I walked home and ate dinner. After dinner, I was sitting on a bench, sweating and listening to the crowd of people watching and playing a soccor game across the street. In my boredom and restlessness, I reached to the side of the bench and found the June 1996 Ensign. I opened it and began to read.
The article I turned to was entitled "Becoming a Disciple" by Elder Neal A. Maxwell.
Reading that article was a "defining moment" in my life.
Over the last couple of weeks, I've been listening to the General Conference talks from this last April as well as some talks by Elder Maxwell I downloaded from BYU's Speeches site. I found that two of these talks by Elder Maxwell were published in the Ensign. Both talks often refer to discipleship. I found that listening to these talks was much more powerful than reading them.
Neal A. Maxwell, “The Pathway of Discipleship,” Ensign, Sep 1998, 7
Neal A. Maxwell, “Insights from My Life,” Ensign, Aug 2000, 7
The article I turned to was entitled "Becoming a Disciple" by Elder Neal A. Maxwell.
Reading that article was a "defining moment" in my life.
Over the last couple of weeks, I've been listening to the General Conference talks from this last April as well as some talks by Elder Maxwell I downloaded from BYU's Speeches site. I found that two of these talks by Elder Maxwell were published in the Ensign. Both talks often refer to discipleship. I found that listening to these talks was much more powerful than reading them.
Neal A. Maxwell, “The Pathway of Discipleship,” Ensign, Sep 1998, 7
Neal A. Maxwell, “Insights from My Life,” Ensign, Aug 2000, 7
Thursday, April 05, 2007
April 15th - Talk on Fellowshipping
Last night I got a call from Brother White. I'm giving a talk in church on April 15th. The topic is Fellowshipping. I'll capture my preparation for my talk on this blog.
Ten Tips for Terrific Talks
Gordon B. Hinckley, “Find the Lambs, Feed the Sheep,” Ensign, May 1999, 104 (BASIS)
Dallin H. Oaks, “The Role of Members in Conversion,” Ensign, Mar 2003, 52–58
Gordon B. Hinckley, “A Perfect Brightness of Hope: To New Members of the Church,” Ensign, Oct 2006, 2–5
Jeffrey R. Holland, “What I Wish Every New Member Knew—and Every Longtime Member Remembered,” Ensign, Oct 2006, 10–16
Dallin H. Oaks, “Sharing the Gospel,” Ensign, Nov 2001, 7 ... some parts useful
M. Russell Ballard, “The Hand of Fellowship,” Ensign, Nov 1988, 28 last few paragraphs ... quote
Here's the full talk ...
FELLOWSHIPPING
Sunday April 15, 2007
I know most of us have young families and it is difficult to listen in church sometimes, but I humbly ask that you listen and prayerfully consider the topic I'll be discussing today.
Personal Story
Over seven years ago, I moved my family and me here to Texas after graduating from college. I had never been to Texas and I had never been a full-time employee … it truly was a challenging time in my life. But I was optimistic and willing to work. One of the first challenges I had was to sit at a desk for over 8 hours a day. I wasn't used to full-time work … I was used to going to class, attending study sessions, working part-time, playing basketball and a variety of activities throughout the day. Taking on a full-time job changed all of that.
The next challenge I had was learning my new job. I had never even heard of some of the technology I was supposed to learn. At times, in those early days of my career, I became discouraged and felt lost in a sea of IT analysts.
But all of that changed with time and with help from my colleagues. I was assigned a mentor … someone to show me the ropes and teach me my new job. His name was Tim. Tim was patient and willing to work with me. He taught me, showed me how to perform my duties and often liked to "chew the fat" with me. A few months into my new job and many mistakes later, I felt a renewed commitment to tackle my assignment. Soon I was given more liberties in my job and I was no longer a weight on Tim and my other team mates. I was an asset and I was productive.
Why have I told you this story? I've told you this story because I was born and raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or in other words, I am not a convert. I told you this story because I do not know what it is like to be a convert in the Church. I have tried to imagine what it would be like and the closest thing I could think of was my experience at the beginning of my career.
If you are still confused, let me read you a quote from President Hinckley from a talk he delivered back in 1999. He said,
Ten Tips for Terrific Talks
Gordon B. Hinckley, “Find the Lambs, Feed the Sheep,” Ensign, May 1999, 104 (BASIS)
Dallin H. Oaks, “The Role of Members in Conversion,” Ensign, Mar 2003, 52–58
Gordon B. Hinckley, “A Perfect Brightness of Hope: To New Members of the Church,” Ensign, Oct 2006, 2–5
Jeffrey R. Holland, “What I Wish Every New Member Knew—and Every Longtime Member Remembered,” Ensign, Oct 2006, 10–16
Dallin H. Oaks, “Sharing the Gospel,” Ensign, Nov 2001, 7 ... some parts useful
M. Russell Ballard, “The Hand of Fellowship,” Ensign, Nov 1988, 28 last few paragraphs ... quote
Here's the full talk ...
FELLOWSHIPPING
Sunday April 15, 2007
I know most of us have young families and it is difficult to listen in church sometimes, but I humbly ask that you listen and prayerfully consider the topic I'll be discussing today.
Personal Story
Over seven years ago, I moved my family and me here to Texas after graduating from college. I had never been to Texas and I had never been a full-time employee … it truly was a challenging time in my life. But I was optimistic and willing to work. One of the first challenges I had was to sit at a desk for over 8 hours a day. I wasn't used to full-time work … I was used to going to class, attending study sessions, working part-time, playing basketball and a variety of activities throughout the day. Taking on a full-time job changed all of that.
The next challenge I had was learning my new job. I had never even heard of some of the technology I was supposed to learn. At times, in those early days of my career, I became discouraged and felt lost in a sea of IT analysts.
But all of that changed with time and with help from my colleagues. I was assigned a mentor … someone to show me the ropes and teach me my new job. His name was Tim. Tim was patient and willing to work with me. He taught me, showed me how to perform my duties and often liked to "chew the fat" with me. A few months into my new job and many mistakes later, I felt a renewed commitment to tackle my assignment. Soon I was given more liberties in my job and I was no longer a weight on Tim and my other team mates. I was an asset and I was productive.
Why have I told you this story? I've told you this story because I was born and raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or in other words, I am not a convert. I told you this story because I do not know what it is like to be a convert in the Church. I have tried to imagine what it would be like and the closest thing I could think of was my experience at the beginning of my career.
If you are still confused, let me read you a quote from President Hinckley from a talk he delivered back in 1999. He said,
I received the other day a very interesting letter. It was written by a woman who joined the Church a year ago. She writes:
“My journey into the Church was unique and quite challenging. This past year has been the hardest year that I have ever lived in my life. It has also been the most rewarding. As a new member, I continue to be challenged every day.”
She goes on to say that when she joined the Church she did not feel support from the
leadership in her ward. Her bishop seemed indifferent to her as a new member. Rebuffed, as she felt, she turned back to her mission president, who opened opportunities for her.
She states that “Church members don’t know what it is like to be a new member of the Church. Therefore, it’s almost impossible for them to know how to support us.”
(President Hinckley goes on to say,)
I challenge you, my brothers and sisters, that if you do not know what it is like, you try to imagine what it is like. It can be terribly lonely. It can be disappointing. It can be frightening. We of this Church are far more different from the world than we are prone to think we are. This woman goes on: “When we as investigators become members of the Church, we are surprised to discover that we have entered into a completely foreign world, a world that has its own traditions, culture, and language. We discover that there is no one person or no one place of reference that we can turn to for guidance in our trip into this new world. At first the trip is exciting, our
mistakes even amusing, then it becomes frustrating and eventually, the frustration turns into anger. And it’s at these stages of frustration and anger that we leave. We go back to the world from which we came, where we knew who we were, where we contributed, and where we could speak the language.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Find the Lambs, Feed the Sheep,” Ensign, May 1999, 104)
In his talk, President Hinckley went on to remind us that every new convert needs three things:
1. A friend in the Church to whom he can constantly turn, who will walk beside him, who will answer questions who will understand his problems.
2. An assignment
3. To be nourished by the good word of God or in other words to become affiliated with a priesthood quorum or the Relief Society or the Young Women or Young Men or the Sunday School or the Primary.
Today I wish to speak of the first and the last things to which President Hinckley refers. I wish to speak of fellowshipping.
Examples From the Book of Mormon
I would like to share with you today some examples of fellowshipping in the scriptures.
The People of Alma
In Mosiah we read of the story of Alma and his rebellion against the wicked King Noah. He taught the gospel to those would listen. Alma and his followers gathered themselves together near the waters of Mormon. There, near the waters of Mormon in the forest of Mormon, Alma taught them about fellowshipping.
Listen to what he taught them, "And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and love one towards another." (Mosiah 18:21)
He further instructed them, "And there was one day in every week that was set apart that they should gather themselves together to teach the people, and to worship the Lord their God, and also, as often as it was in their power, to assemble themselves together." (Mosiah 18:25)
As a ward and stake, are our hearts "knit together in unity and love one towards another?" How can we knit our hearts in unity without getting to know each other and serving our brothers and sisters?
Do we "gather" not only our own families to church, but those families we home and visit teach? Do we extend invitations to our families to come to church to be taught and to worship?
Alma and Amulek
Many years later, the son of Alma whose name was also Alma re-entered the wicked city of Ammonihah. He had been fasting many days. He asked a man he encountered to give him some food. This man's name was Amulek. Amulek took Alma into his home and gave him food. Thus began a friendship that would last many years.
Alma "tarried many days with Amulek before he began to preach unto the people. (Alma 8:27) During this time, Alma blessed and taught Amulek and his family.
The time came to leave Amulek's home and go out and preach to the people. Alma and Amulek experienced harsh persecution. Eventually they were bound with strong cords, cast into prison, stripped of their clothes and physically abused. They were also forced to watch those precious converts whom they had taught be thrown into a raging fire … along with their records and scriptures (Alma 14:8). Amulek tried to persuade Alma to let him and Alma "exercise the power of God" to save these people, but Alma responded that the Spirit constrained him from doing so. Elder Eyring suggested once that perhaps some of these women and children burning in this fire were a part of Amulek's family.
Alma and Amulek are miraculously delivered from captivity by the hand of the Lord and here is what is significant about this friendship … Alma and Amulek's friendship did not end after these horrific events occured. Listen to these insightful verses. "Amulek having forsaken all his gold, and silver, and his precious things, which were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word of the God, he being rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and kindred … Alma having seen all these things, therefore he took Amulek and came over to the land of Zarahemla, and took him to his own house, and did administer unto him in his tribulations and strengthened him in the Lord (Alma 15:16, 18).
Do we not have brothers and sisters in our ward and stake who have forsaken all for the word of God? Does not your heart go out to those who feel alone and need and yearn for someone to take them in?
We Must Be a True Friend
Being a true friend to someone who needs our friendship is sometimes not easy. We ought not to treat those whom we home teach as merely objects of our duty. Elder Oaks learned this lesson:
I was assigned to visit a less-active member, a successful professional many years older than I. Looking back on my actions, I realize that I had very little loving concern for the man I visited. I acted out of duty, with a desire to report 100 percent on my home teaching. One evening, close to the end of a month, I phoned to ask if my companion and I could come right over and visit him. His chastening reply taught me an unforgettable lesson.
“No, I don’t believe I want you to come over this evening,” he said. “I’m tired. I’ve
already dressed for bed. I am reading, and I am just not willing to be interrupted so that you can report 100 percent on your home teaching this month.” That reply still stings me because I knew he had sensed my selfish motivation. (Dallin H. Oaks, “Sharing the Gospel,” Ensign, Nov 2001, 7)
The standard we must aim for is the Lord. Our Father in Heaven loves us and wants us to come unto him. If at any time you begin to forget that you are your brother's keeper and that your love for him is waning, then remember these words of Elder Holland's. In teaching us about the nature of God, Elder Holland said,
Looking out on the events of almost any day, God replies: “Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands. … I gave unto them … [a]commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me,
their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood. … Wherefore should not the heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer?” (Moses 7:29-33, 37)
That single, riveting scene does more to teach the true nature of God than any theological treatise could ever convey. It also helps us understand much more emphatically that vivid moment in the Book of Mormon allegory of the olive tree, when after digging and dunging, watering and weeding, trimming, pruning, transplanting, and grafting, the great Lord of the vineyard throws down his spade and his pruning shears and weeps, crying out to any who would listen, “What could I have done more for my vineyard?” (Jacob 5:41; see also Jacob 5:47, 49)
What to Do
Now, I'm not going to provide a list of things you can do to fellowship in our ward and stake and in our missionary efforts. My only suggestion for us all is found in Moroni 7:45-47. Please get your scriptures and look up Moroni 7:45-47 and read these powerful verses with me (WAIT FOR EVERYONE TO FIND IT). Go ahead, I'll wait for everyone to find it.
"And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not
in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
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—
But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray 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 followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen."
If you and I can strive to be charitable and if we earnestly pray for it every time we kneel in prayer individually and with our families and prayerfully consider the needs of our brothers and sisters in our ward, then we will make strides in genuine fellowshipping.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would encourage you to do two things today, tomorrow and the rest of the week.
First, prayerfully study Moroni 7:45-47. Study it during your personal scripture time. Study it as a family. Think of ways you can make charity your strength in terms of fellowshipping.
Second, in those quite moments when you are praying and meditating each day, please consider the counsel President Hinckley offered to put yourself in the shoes of new converts. And I would extend that to say, put yourself in the shoes of those whom you home and visit teach as well as other members in our ward who need our friendship and love.
As we do these things in "wisdom and order" we will be blessed, our families will be blessed and the work in building up the kingdom of God on the earth will move forward.
I know that the things that I have shared with you today are true. I know the Book of Mormon is true and that it truly is another testament of Jesus Christ. I know that our prophet Gordon B. Hinckley is a prophet of God and I am thankful for him. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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