This week, I am once again hopefully teaching a lesson at church tomorrow, but this time, it's not going to be the Resurrection lesson I had hoped to give on Easter. This time, the lesson I'm hoping and planning on giving is about the importance of the Restoration.
I'll probably start off by sharing Elder Gary E. Stevenson's story about losing his keys on his ski trip. The parallels are pretty much perfect. The cold, dark night on the mountain is perfect for picturing the spiritual situation of the earth during the great apostasy. The car is as excellent symbol for the Priesthood. The miraculous finding of the keys can be related to the miraculous restoration of the Gospel and the Priesthood. One thing that I'll especially want to mention in my lessen that I didn't include in my blog post about this talk is the presence of other people.
In Elder Stevenson's story, he wasn't the only one on his ski trip. His family was with him. As they approached the vehicle together, he searched through his pockets unsuccessfully, while his family waited anxiously. This must have a difficult and embarrassing situation for him. He was the one entrusted with the keys. Everyone was counting on him. Having car keys grants a person a certain amount of power, but it also comes with a tremendous responsibility to carry them and use them well.
Again, the parallel is clear. As I'll be teaching a group of young Priesthood holders, I'll try to teach them what holding the Priesthood really means. The ability to perform essential ordinances is a great power somewhat similar to the ability to drive a car, but a person entrusted with the ability to perform such ordinances is also charged with the responsibility to remain worthy to carry those Priesthood keys. When those young men have families of their own, their families will count on them to remain worthy to carry the keys. They won't want to be in the situation of standing outside their car, unable to let themselves and their families into the car because they had lost the keys.
Of course, I may be going off on a tangent here. I think the lesson actually planned to spend more time explaining the reality of the apostasy and the restoration and the reasons for them. To answer the question of why there was a restoration, the lesson would say "because there was an apostasy," while I would say "because without the Priesthood, we'd be locked out in the cold." But if I explain the analogy well enough, it should be clear that those two answers mean basically the same thing. Apostasy is a period of spiritual darkness, whether it's a personal apostasy or the great apostasy. And, either way, the Priesthood is the key. With the Priesthood, we have access to saving ordinances that enlighten us and bring us closer to God, and that's something that's true for individuals as well as the church as a whole.
While teaching about the great apostasy and the need for the restoration of the Priesthood, I'll also be teaching about personal apostasy and the need to stay worthy to hold the Priesthood. In either case, without the Priesthood, both people as individuals and the world as a whole would be left out in the cold.
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Friday, April 29, 2016
Questions Regarding Consciousness, Humanity, and Souls
Aprt of the problem I've been having the last few days is the things that I've been thinking about have been either not blogworthy or too complicated for me to blog about. These complex topics have included the concept of consciousness and what it means to be human. For example, if we built a robot with a computer brain exactly as complex as a human brain, and we programmed it to think like a human, would it be a "person"? If not, what is the trait that we have that it would lack? How can we define humanity? Is it an exclusively human trait, or is it possible for other creatures, perhaps even machines, to be "people," too?
Being religious, I get an easy answer to the question, but it's not one I'm fully satisfied with. The difference between us and the hypothetical "human" android is that we have souls, but that opens up other questions. Do animals have souls, for example? And if they did, would that make them people, too? If they don't, what happens to them when they die? Do they simply stop existing, as some non-religious people thing we do, or do they pass on to the other side, as we do? If animals have spirits that pass on to the afterlife, what's the difference between their consciousness and ours? Is there even a difference? They clearly are not human, but that could be as small a difference as a matter of species. Dogs are not humans in the same sense that they are not cats. There is a physical, biological difference, but there other differences, too. Animals don't seem to be as intelligent as humans, but that perspective could be a blend of human arrogance and our inability to measure animal intelligence.
We are certain that animals are not people, that there is something about us that is special that neither an animal nor a robotic replica of ourselves could have, but what is that defining characteristic? How can we be sure that all of us have it and none of them don't? Does such a characteristic even exist at all? I'm sure that robots don't, and could never, have souls, nor will they exist in the afterlife unless someone up there chooses to make more. But what of animals? They have spirits, don't they? What makes their spirits different from ours? What makes us so special? What is it that makes us human?
Anyhow, those are the questions I've been wrestling with lately. If you want to wrestle with them further yourself, you can talk to your religious friends, take a psychology and/or critical thinking class, and/or talk to anyone who has played The Talos Principle. Personally, though these questions trouble me somewhat, for now I think I'll be satisfied with saying that I don't know the answers to these questions, but eventually I'll have the opportunity to talk with Someone who definitely does. Until then, I'm going to try to treat animals decently and hope it doesn't matter too much that I have no intention to give up eating meat.
Being religious, I get an easy answer to the question, but it's not one I'm fully satisfied with. The difference between us and the hypothetical "human" android is that we have souls, but that opens up other questions. Do animals have souls, for example? And if they did, would that make them people, too? If they don't, what happens to them when they die? Do they simply stop existing, as some non-religious people thing we do, or do they pass on to the other side, as we do? If animals have spirits that pass on to the afterlife, what's the difference between their consciousness and ours? Is there even a difference? They clearly are not human, but that could be as small a difference as a matter of species. Dogs are not humans in the same sense that they are not cats. There is a physical, biological difference, but there other differences, too. Animals don't seem to be as intelligent as humans, but that perspective could be a blend of human arrogance and our inability to measure animal intelligence.
We are certain that animals are not people, that there is something about us that is special that neither an animal nor a robotic replica of ourselves could have, but what is that defining characteristic? How can we be sure that all of us have it and none of them don't? Does such a characteristic even exist at all? I'm sure that robots don't, and could never, have souls, nor will they exist in the afterlife unless someone up there chooses to make more. But what of animals? They have spirits, don't they? What makes their spirits different from ours? What makes us so special? What is it that makes us human?
Anyhow, those are the questions I've been wrestling with lately. If you want to wrestle with them further yourself, you can talk to your religious friends, take a psychology and/or critical thinking class, and/or talk to anyone who has played The Talos Principle. Personally, though these questions trouble me somewhat, for now I think I'll be satisfied with saying that I don't know the answers to these questions, but eventually I'll have the opportunity to talk with Someone who definitely does. Until then, I'm going to try to treat animals decently and hope it doesn't matter too much that I have no intention to give up eating meat.
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Candles and the Cost of Service
"A candle loses nothing by lighting another."
I can say from first- and second-hand experience that this is only half-true. While it's true that some service costs us nothing, or, at most, very little, other forms of service cost a person a great deal. And even if the service one gives isn't monumental in its scope or cost, the cost of many acts of simple service can add up alarmingly fast. This form of work takes a toll of a person as much as any other form of work does. Whether you devote yourself to a few great works or countless smaller ones, there is almost always a cost.
On the other hand, theoretically, there are rewards as well as costs for the service we do. Also theoretically, the rewards are always equal to, or greater than, the costs. If this is true, then that means that our repayment for our service will always be at least as great as its cost.
Unfortunately, the rewards and the costs don't always line up. If you spend time and energy doing work, and you get paid in cash, getting paid for your work doesn't mean that you get your time and energy back. You might be able to buy something that saves you time or energy later, but I think I'm letting the analogy take me too far away from the original topic. If the service we give is physical or emotional, and the reward we get is spiritual, we may have great rewards awaiting us, but we'll still feel tired and drained at the end of the day.
A candle may lose nothing from sharing its fire, and maybe I'm pulling the wrong analogy from this message, but we do lose things when we reach out to others. We lose time, we lose energy, and sometimes we even lose peace or sleep. The rewards may more than make up for the costs of our service, but that doesn't negate the fact that there is almost always a cost.
We shouldn't underestimate the cost of service, and we especially shouldn't undervalue our sacrifice when we pay that cost. We may, eventually, get as much out of our service as we ever put into it, but that doesn't mean that there wasn't a price to be paid first. To say that service has no cost is to undercut the sacrifice of those who chose to pay it.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Taking Pride in Trying
I saw this on Facebook just now: "Don't wait until you've reached your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of every step you take toward reaching that goal."
Too often, we base our self-esteem on our accomplishments. We consider ourselves successful as human beings if, and only if, we succeed in what we attempt to do. But often, even just making the attempt is, in itself, an accomplishment, and we should recognise that. Every effort is a little victory, but we almost never celebrate them. Instead, we tend to set goals for ourselves, then think of ourselves as complete failures if we fall short of those goals in any way, forgetting the little successes we have along the way, including the victory of choosing to try.
When it comes down to it, our choices are really the only things we can control. We can choose our actions, but we can never choose the results of our actions. Often, whether we succeed or fail depends largely on factors outside our control. In those cases especially, we should give ourselves credit for trying, whether we succeed or not.
Our success is not ultimately in our hands. There are too many other factors, beyond our own actions, for us to take full credit for any success or full blame for any failure. It's not for us to decide whether we succeed or not, so we shouldn't place the burden of determining our success solely on our shoulders. All we can really do is try. If we try and we succeed, that's great. Good for us. But if we try and we don't succeed, that's okay, too. Good for us for trying. To deepen our inner peace, we would do well to try to learn to accept ourselves and take pride in our efforts, even if our efforts don't become accomplishments. We don't always get to succeed in what we set out to do, so we should give ourselves some credit, even if we can accomplish no more than to try to do the right thing.
Too often, we base our self-esteem on our accomplishments. We consider ourselves successful as human beings if, and only if, we succeed in what we attempt to do. But often, even just making the attempt is, in itself, an accomplishment, and we should recognise that. Every effort is a little victory, but we almost never celebrate them. Instead, we tend to set goals for ourselves, then think of ourselves as complete failures if we fall short of those goals in any way, forgetting the little successes we have along the way, including the victory of choosing to try.
When it comes down to it, our choices are really the only things we can control. We can choose our actions, but we can never choose the results of our actions. Often, whether we succeed or fail depends largely on factors outside our control. In those cases especially, we should give ourselves credit for trying, whether we succeed or not.
Our success is not ultimately in our hands. There are too many other factors, beyond our own actions, for us to take full credit for any success or full blame for any failure. It's not for us to decide whether we succeed or not, so we shouldn't place the burden of determining our success solely on our shoulders. All we can really do is try. If we try and we succeed, that's great. Good for us. But if we try and we don't succeed, that's okay, too. Good for us for trying. To deepen our inner peace, we would do well to try to learn to accept ourselves and take pride in our efforts, even if our efforts don't become accomplishments. We don't always get to succeed in what we set out to do, so we should give ourselves some credit, even if we can accomplish no more than to try to do the right thing.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
AoE Healing
Many games that involve combat also involve healing. If there is a way to lose health in the game, there's also usually a way to regain it. In games that involve multiple people on the same team, there are sometimes ways for one player to heal another. Sometimes, one player can heal many others at the same time, though they usually all have to be within the same area. This is called Area of Effect (AoE) healing. Everyone stands within the circle, then everyone within the circle gets healed.
However, games with AoE healing effects have to answer an interesting question: What happens if an enemy gets into the circle? Do they get healed as well? I see no reason why they wouldn't. A spell whose effect is as simple as "heal everyone in this circle" would have no way to distinguish between friend and foe. If an effect were to heal your friends, but not your enemies, it would have to have some way to tell the difference between the two.
Games solve this problem in different ways. Some games keep track of who's on whose team, and they make sure your healing spells affect only your teammates. Other games allow you to specify exactly who you do or do not want to be healed, either by allowing you to name exceptions to the AoE effect (e.g. Heal everyone in this circle, except for that guy), or by forcing you to select each individual you want to heal. Depending on how the game goes about it, trying to figure out how to heal your friends but not heal your enemies can be a complicated problem.
In real life, it's not actually a problem at all. Real life is a game that involves spiritual combat, and it involves spiritual healing as well. The spiritual healing I'm referring to is forgiveness. In this sense, Jesus Christ is the ultimate healer. His Atonement created an AoE healing effect that encompasses the entire world. By putting the entire planet within His healing circle, Christ was presented with the challenge of figuring out He could make sure He healed some people without accidentally healing others. His solution was wonderfully simple; He didn't bother. As far as I know, Jesus made no effort to exclude anyone from His healing power. Even His mortal enemies, the people who actually executed Him, had access to His forgiveness. He didn't exclude anyone from His healing circle, and neither should we.
In a much smaller way, we have the ability to forgive others, healing their (and our own) spiritual pain. Some of these people, we may consider our enemies. After all, they hurt us, which is why they require our forgiveness. However, in the grand scheme of things, we are not enemies at all. We are all brothers and sisters. We have the same goal, even if not all of us know it, and there is no good reason for us not to help each other along. As such, we have no reason not to heal others, including even those who have hurt us. In fact, there are many reasons why we should forgive them, specifically.
One reason we should heal our enemies is because we heal ourselves in the process. In his April 2016 General Conference talk, The Healing Ointment of Forgiveness, Elder Kevin R. Duncan taught us that "an unforgiving heart harbors so much needless pain."
In the end, all judgement belongs to the Lord, and He has offered a way for everyone to be forgiven. We should follow His example by offering forgiveness to others. Doing so will lessen the spiritual pain that we feel, and it will dull their spiritual pain as well. When it comes time for justice, God will be just, but He will also be merciful, and He asks us to be merciful as well. Let us let the Lord soften our hearts so we can gladly extend the healing ointment of forgiveness, not just to our friends, but to everyone whose lives we touch.
However, games with AoE healing effects have to answer an interesting question: What happens if an enemy gets into the circle? Do they get healed as well? I see no reason why they wouldn't. A spell whose effect is as simple as "heal everyone in this circle" would have no way to distinguish between friend and foe. If an effect were to heal your friends, but not your enemies, it would have to have some way to tell the difference between the two.
Games solve this problem in different ways. Some games keep track of who's on whose team, and they make sure your healing spells affect only your teammates. Other games allow you to specify exactly who you do or do not want to be healed, either by allowing you to name exceptions to the AoE effect (e.g. Heal everyone in this circle, except for that guy), or by forcing you to select each individual you want to heal. Depending on how the game goes about it, trying to figure out how to heal your friends but not heal your enemies can be a complicated problem.
In real life, it's not actually a problem at all. Real life is a game that involves spiritual combat, and it involves spiritual healing as well. The spiritual healing I'm referring to is forgiveness. In this sense, Jesus Christ is the ultimate healer. His Atonement created an AoE healing effect that encompasses the entire world. By putting the entire planet within His healing circle, Christ was presented with the challenge of figuring out He could make sure He healed some people without accidentally healing others. His solution was wonderfully simple; He didn't bother. As far as I know, Jesus made no effort to exclude anyone from His healing power. Even His mortal enemies, the people who actually executed Him, had access to His forgiveness. He didn't exclude anyone from His healing circle, and neither should we.
In a much smaller way, we have the ability to forgive others, healing their (and our own) spiritual pain. Some of these people, we may consider our enemies. After all, they hurt us, which is why they require our forgiveness. However, in the grand scheme of things, we are not enemies at all. We are all brothers and sisters. We have the same goal, even if not all of us know it, and there is no good reason for us not to help each other along. As such, we have no reason not to heal others, including even those who have hurt us. In fact, there are many reasons why we should forgive them, specifically.
One reason we should heal our enemies is because we heal ourselves in the process. In his April 2016 General Conference talk, The Healing Ointment of Forgiveness, Elder Kevin R. Duncan taught us that "an unforgiving heart harbors so much needless pain."
Even though we may be a victim once, we need not be a victim twice by carrying the burden of hate, bitterness, pain, resentment, or even revenge. We can forgive, and we can be free!Another reason we should especially heal our enemies is to show them that we are not really enemies at all. If we forgive those who have harmed us, they may feel sorry for harming us, making them less likely to do it again. In a purely practical sense, it's a defensive measure designed to reduce and prevent aggression. In a spiritual sense, it's the right thing to do.
In the end, all judgement belongs to the Lord, and He has offered a way for everyone to be forgiven. We should follow His example by offering forgiveness to others. Doing so will lessen the spiritual pain that we feel, and it will dull their spiritual pain as well. When it comes time for justice, God will be just, but He will also be merciful, and He asks us to be merciful as well. Let us let the Lord soften our hearts so we can gladly extend the healing ointment of forgiveness, not just to our friends, but to everyone whose lives we touch.
Monday, April 25, 2016
Ponderize - Mosiah 4:30
We've been reading through Mosiah in our family scripture reading, and I've highlighted several blogworthy and ponderize-worthy verses. One of them is Mosiah 4:30.
It's kind of a longer scripture, but I think that's a good thing. The extra challenge of trying to memorize it will give me more time to ponder it and to really think about the words and the message.
I wonder what it means to "continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord." Granted, this counsel was given before Jesus' first coming, but if we apply it to our own time, it could mean to remain conscious of the reality of the Second Coming and to prepare ourselves for it.
Anyhow, I hope it works. I've been trying to use ponderizing to center my thoughts on the gospel, and ponderizing a scripture that literally says to "watch your thoughts" should help with that. At any rate, it's worth spending a week thinking about it.
But this much I can tell you, that if you do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your days, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.This is kind of what I've been doing with my ponderizing: trying to watch myself, especially my thoughts. Last week, it didn't work so well because the scripture I chose was rather vague in its guidance of what a person should do to increase their spiritual power. It basically just says to be righteous. This scripture is much more specific in its counsel, but it remains broad enough to cover many situations.
It's kind of a longer scripture, but I think that's a good thing. The extra challenge of trying to memorize it will give me more time to ponder it and to really think about the words and the message.
I wonder what it means to "continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord." Granted, this counsel was given before Jesus' first coming, but if we apply it to our own time, it could mean to remain conscious of the reality of the Second Coming and to prepare ourselves for it.
Anyhow, I hope it works. I've been trying to use ponderizing to center my thoughts on the gospel, and ponderizing a scripture that literally says to "watch your thoughts" should help with that. At any rate, it's worth spending a week thinking about it.
Sunday, April 24, 2016
Ponderize 121:36 - A Limit to God's Power?
This week, I've been ponderizing D&C 121:36
The rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected to the powers of heaven, and the powers of heaven cannot be controlled or handled except upon the principles of righteousness.
Apart from a few minor errors, like saying "or" instead of "nor," the only differences between what I memorized and the original verse were deliberate. I took out the two "that"s so the sentence could stand on its own, and "only" to "except," because I'm pretty sure that's more true to the original meaning.
But while we're on the subject of that "except," I wonder how true that second half of the verse is. "The powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled [except] on the principles of righteousness." Does this restriction extend to God as well? Does God have to be righteous in order to use His power? We know that if a mortal priesthood holder tries to use to priesthood unrighteously or unworthily, it won't work, and I'm pretty sure the power that priesthood holders hold is the same kind of power that God uses. If we cannot use the priesthood unrighteously, I wonder if God couldn't either. Then again, the question is moot, since God is always perfectly righteous anyway.
Still, I wonder sometimes whether the rules of the universe were created by God, and whether He could change or break them, or whether those rules were in place before He attained His godhood, and whether He is as bound by them as we are.
Of course, it's not an important question. If it ever becomes important for us to know, we'll probably find out at that point, and like I said earlier, the questions is moot anyway. God wouldn't break His own rules, even if they were his own rules and He could do it and get away with it. He wouldn't set that kind of example for us and have His Son tell us to be like Him. God is perfect; therefore, His righteousness is perfect. He will always act on the principles of righteousness, whether His priesthood power depends on it or not.
The rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected to the powers of heaven, and the powers of heaven cannot be controlled or handled except upon the principles of righteousness.
Apart from a few minor errors, like saying "or" instead of "nor," the only differences between what I memorized and the original verse were deliberate. I took out the two "that"s so the sentence could stand on its own, and "only" to "except," because I'm pretty sure that's more true to the original meaning.
But while we're on the subject of that "except," I wonder how true that second half of the verse is. "The powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled [except] on the principles of righteousness." Does this restriction extend to God as well? Does God have to be righteous in order to use His power? We know that if a mortal priesthood holder tries to use to priesthood unrighteously or unworthily, it won't work, and I'm pretty sure the power that priesthood holders hold is the same kind of power that God uses. If we cannot use the priesthood unrighteously, I wonder if God couldn't either. Then again, the question is moot, since God is always perfectly righteous anyway.
Still, I wonder sometimes whether the rules of the universe were created by God, and whether He could change or break them, or whether those rules were in place before He attained His godhood, and whether He is as bound by them as we are.
Of course, it's not an important question. If it ever becomes important for us to know, we'll probably find out at that point, and like I said earlier, the questions is moot anyway. God wouldn't break His own rules, even if they were his own rules and He could do it and get away with it. He wouldn't set that kind of example for us and have His Son tell us to be like Him. God is perfect; therefore, His righteousness is perfect. He will always act on the principles of righteousness, whether His priesthood power depends on it or not.
Saturday, April 23, 2016
The Lost Keys and the Cold
In his April 2016 General Conference talk, Where Are the Keys and Authority of the Priesthood?, Elder Gary E. Stevenson shared an experience he had when, at the end of a skiing trip, he found that he had misplaced the keys to the vehicle that would take him home. He and I have something in common; when this happened to him, even before finding the keys, he thought, "there just might be a lesson here." And there was. He thought of how powerful and important the car was, especially since it was very cold that evening and night was falling. He must have thought about how necessary it was to get into the car so he could get warm and get home. But he also thought of how impossible it was to get into the car without the keys.
The obvious analogy is to relate the car and its keys to the priesthood authority and its keys. Elder Stevenson said "priesthood authority and priesthood keys . . . open the gates of heaven, . . . and pave the covenant pathway back to our loving Heavenly Father." Without the priesthood, essential ordinances, such as baptism, could not be performed, and without those ordinances, no one could enter the kingdom of heaven, no matter how righteous they are.
Fortunately, "The Lord has shown us that He will not leave us standing in the bitter cold without keys or authority to lead us safely home to Him." There was a space of time when the priesthood power wasn't available on the earth, but just as Elder Stevenson miraculously found the keys to his car, the keys to the priesthood were also restored. "Without this restoration, we would be locked out from the vehicle necessary to transport us on our journey home to loving heavenly parents," but with those keys, we can access a power that will comfort us, strengthen us, and make it possible for us to get back to our home with our Father in Heaven. I am thankful for the power and keys of the priesthood and I'm thankful that God restored those keys when they were lost.
The obvious analogy is to relate the car and its keys to the priesthood authority and its keys. Elder Stevenson said "priesthood authority and priesthood keys . . . open the gates of heaven, . . . and pave the covenant pathway back to our loving Heavenly Father." Without the priesthood, essential ordinances, such as baptism, could not be performed, and without those ordinances, no one could enter the kingdom of heaven, no matter how righteous they are.
Fortunately, "The Lord has shown us that He will not leave us standing in the bitter cold without keys or authority to lead us safely home to Him." There was a space of time when the priesthood power wasn't available on the earth, but just as Elder Stevenson miraculously found the keys to his car, the keys to the priesthood were also restored. "Without this restoration, we would be locked out from the vehicle necessary to transport us on our journey home to loving heavenly parents," but with those keys, we can access a power that will comfort us, strengthen us, and make it possible for us to get back to our home with our Father in Heaven. I am thankful for the power and keys of the priesthood and I'm thankful that God restored those keys when they were lost.
Enjoying Adversity
The game Cards Against Humanity is not a good source of inspiration. In fact, I wouldn't recommend looking into it, since the game is built around the concept of making fill-in-the-blank sentences that often end up being "humorously" inappropriate. Regardless, I spent part of yesterday afternoon thinking about one of the cards in the game: "If God didn't want us to enjoy _, he wouldn't have given us _." I wanted to fill the two blanks in such a way that the sentence became doctrinally accurate and slightly insightful. I'm not sure I succeeded in the first part of my objective, but I think I succeeded in the second. The sentence I came up with was "If God didn't want us to enjoy climbing mountains, he wouldn't have given us mountains to climb."
I enjoy climbing mountains. I like the physical challenge of climbing mountains and the sense of accomplishment I feel when I reach the top. I love the view from the tops of mountains, and I appreciate the exercise I get from climbing them.
Interestingly, though, when mountains are brought up in a gospel setting, they almost always represent either temples or adversity. It's easy to enjoy temples. Going to the temple, whether you can actually enter the temple or not, can be an enrichingly spiritual experience. The personal challenge of becoming worthy to enter the temple is undoubtedly rewarding, and the blessings available within the temple are priceless.
But what of adversity? Is it possible, and did God intend us, to actually enjoy facing adversity? There are certainly some blessings to be gained from adversity. The spiritual exercise can be rewarding, and there are long-term blessings that could be related to the view from the top of a mountain. But can we enjoy the act of facing adversity the same way some people enjoy the act of climbing mountains, even before the payoff is gained?
Perhaps we can enjoy adversity, but only if we have the right attitude. When climbing a mountain, the going is often difficult, but the setting is usually nice. If we focus on the difficulty, we'd find the experience difficult to enjoy, but if we focus on the setting, we may enjoy the experience despite the difficulty of the trip. Additionally, if we set our minds forward, looking forward to the view from the top or the strength from the exercise, we can suffer through our mountain climbing with a patience born of faith. Similarly, if we face our adversity with faith in the blessings we may receive, we can endure our adversity well.
Still, that's not quite the same as actually enjoying facing adversity. If we're really looking forward to the blessings or really good at looking for the good in any situation, we might be able to pull it off, but I don't think that's really the point of adversity. God loves us and He wants us to be happy, but I think He's far more concerned with our ultimate happiness than with our present happiness. Thus, we face adversity, not because God hopes that we'll enjoy it, but because He knows that it'll bring us more joy in the long run. Thus, the phrase "If God didn't want us to enjoy climbing mountains, he wouldn't have given us mountains to climb" doesn't actually hold any water. Even if it was literally impossible to enjoy facing adversity, I think He'd give us adversity anyway, because He knows that the payoff is worth it.
But the fact that it's possible to enjoy facing adversity is an important truth to know. Now that we've established the one can have joy, even while facing adversity, we can take the steps necessary to do so, namely, developing a good attitude. We know that, in God's wisdom, we are going to face adversity whether we'll enjoy it or not, so we might as well try to make the best of it. When we face adversity, let's try to focus on the good that we can find in it and the blessings that we'll gain from it. Let's appreciate the opportunity to flex and strengthen our spiritual muscles. Let's rise to the challenge of trying to actually enjoy facing adversity.
I enjoy climbing mountains. I like the physical challenge of climbing mountains and the sense of accomplishment I feel when I reach the top. I love the view from the tops of mountains, and I appreciate the exercise I get from climbing them.
Interestingly, though, when mountains are brought up in a gospel setting, they almost always represent either temples or adversity. It's easy to enjoy temples. Going to the temple, whether you can actually enter the temple or not, can be an enrichingly spiritual experience. The personal challenge of becoming worthy to enter the temple is undoubtedly rewarding, and the blessings available within the temple are priceless.
But what of adversity? Is it possible, and did God intend us, to actually enjoy facing adversity? There are certainly some blessings to be gained from adversity. The spiritual exercise can be rewarding, and there are long-term blessings that could be related to the view from the top of a mountain. But can we enjoy the act of facing adversity the same way some people enjoy the act of climbing mountains, even before the payoff is gained?
Perhaps we can enjoy adversity, but only if we have the right attitude. When climbing a mountain, the going is often difficult, but the setting is usually nice. If we focus on the difficulty, we'd find the experience difficult to enjoy, but if we focus on the setting, we may enjoy the experience despite the difficulty of the trip. Additionally, if we set our minds forward, looking forward to the view from the top or the strength from the exercise, we can suffer through our mountain climbing with a patience born of faith. Similarly, if we face our adversity with faith in the blessings we may receive, we can endure our adversity well.
Still, that's not quite the same as actually enjoying facing adversity. If we're really looking forward to the blessings or really good at looking for the good in any situation, we might be able to pull it off, but I don't think that's really the point of adversity. God loves us and He wants us to be happy, but I think He's far more concerned with our ultimate happiness than with our present happiness. Thus, we face adversity, not because God hopes that we'll enjoy it, but because He knows that it'll bring us more joy in the long run. Thus, the phrase "If God didn't want us to enjoy climbing mountains, he wouldn't have given us mountains to climb" doesn't actually hold any water. Even if it was literally impossible to enjoy facing adversity, I think He'd give us adversity anyway, because He knows that the payoff is worth it.
But the fact that it's possible to enjoy facing adversity is an important truth to know. Now that we've established the one can have joy, even while facing adversity, we can take the steps necessary to do so, namely, developing a good attitude. We know that, in God's wisdom, we are going to face adversity whether we'll enjoy it or not, so we might as well try to make the best of it. When we face adversity, let's try to focus on the good that we can find in it and the blessings that we'll gain from it. Let's appreciate the opportunity to flex and strengthen our spiritual muscles. Let's rise to the challenge of trying to actually enjoy facing adversity.
Friday, April 22, 2016
I "Blogged" Today
I have an idea of what to blog about, but I'm not sure I'm still awake enough to fully develop my thoughts. How about, for now, we count this as a "blog post" so I can say that I blogged today, and tomorrow I'll blog twice: once about the idea I wanted to blog about tonight, and once about whatever the next Conference talk is.
I really should build up some kind of reserve of blog posts I will have written, but not posted, so I could have a pre-witten blog post that I could just post, and not have to try to write something insightful when I'm tired, but that would require me to occasionally, perhaps frequently, write more than one blog post in a day. I might be able to do that, but I'm not sure how quickly I could build up a blog post reserve or how quickly I would deplete it. I'm not sure the idea would hold up in practice. But I'll give it a shot. Maybe I'll write three blog posts tomorrow, and post two of them.
Or maybe I should just go to bed before I make any promises a sane version of me won't want to keep.
I really should build up some kind of reserve of blog posts I will have written, but not posted, so I could have a pre-witten blog post that I could just post, and not have to try to write something insightful when I'm tired, but that would require me to occasionally, perhaps frequently, write more than one blog post in a day. I might be able to do that, but I'm not sure how quickly I could build up a blog post reserve or how quickly I would deplete it. I'm not sure the idea would hold up in practice. But I'll give it a shot. Maybe I'll write three blog posts tomorrow, and post two of them.
Or maybe I should just go to bed before I make any promises a sane version of me won't want to keep.
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Our First and Most Profound Identity
About a week ago, I rediscovered a video that I had blogged about exactly three years and a month ago today. The video highlighted a deaf person who based his identity on being deaf. Signing to a group of deaf students, he said, "We're deaf: first, last, always." When I first saw that video, I was unsettled. I knew that it was foolish to base one's identity on what one could or could not do, but at the time, I wasn't sure what I should base my identity on. My answer came in the following General Conference, in which Bishop Dean M. Davies and President Deiter F. Uchtdorf stressed the importance of our identity as children of God.
In the April 2016 General Conference, Elder Donald L. Hallstrom shared a similar message. The main purpose of his talk, , was to remind us that we are, in fact, children of God, and that that truth should be at the core of our personal identities.
In the April 2016 General Conference, Elder Donald L. Hallstrom shared a similar message. The main purpose of his talk, , was to remind us that we are, in fact, children of God, and that that truth should be at the core of our personal identities.
This doctrine is so basic, so oft stated, and so instinctively simple that it can seem to be ordinary, when in reality it is among the most extraordinary knowledge we can obtain. . . .
With few exceptions, everyone participating in this meeting could right now, without written lyrics or music, sing “I Am a Child of God.” This beloved hymn is one of the most often sung in this Church. But the critical question is, do we really know it? Do we know it in our mind and in our heart and in our soul? Is our heavenly parentage our first and most profound identity?I hope that it is. Elder Hallstrom taught us that "A correct understanding of our heavenly heritage is essential to exaltation," but he warns us that in this world full of distractions, it can be easy to neglect and forget our relation with God. Thanks to Elder Hallstrom's talk, I was reminded that I truly am a child of God. I hope that that knowledge will stay with me throughout my life and influence the decisions I make. The young man in the video said that "Hearing [people] don't know who they are." But we do. We are children of God: first, last, and always.
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Shortcut Across the Lake
Sister Mary R. Durham opened her April 2016 General Conference talk, A Child’s Guiding Gift, with a story of two men who, during a hike with two children, decided to take a shortcut by swimming across a lake, fully clothed, with the two kids on their backs. Sister Durham used the men's water-filled hiking boots as an analogy for the weight of the world, telling us that, in order to keep ourselves and our children afloat, we need to let go of the things in the world that weigh us down. There's another lesson we might learn from this experience: Don't try to swim across a lake, fully dressed, with a kid on your back. If you fail, both you and the kid will drown. If you succeed, you will teach your kid that they can do stupid things like that and get away with it.
In life, we are also tempted to take "shortcuts," especially with regards to morality and keeping the commandments. In a world full of spiritual dangers, we should teach our kids to avoid such dangers, to face them only when necessary, and with every advantage they can get, not to go in over their heads in them with two serious handicaps.
Though, perhaps I shouldn't call the kettle black just yet. I also do dangerous things, sometimes in the presence of children, trusting in my physical ability to prevent myself from coming to harm. There have been times when I've jumped or climbed over things when it would have been just as easy, and safer, to go around them. I have set a bad example for my nieces and nephews, and I, as an adult, should have known better.
I hope that my bad example and that of the two men in Sister Durham's story don't extend into things of a spiritual nature. I hope I never flirt with temptation, trusting in my strength to resist, and I especially hope I don't make that mistake in front of anyone who might follow my example. I don't want to set such an example for anyone, especially not the youngest members of my family. This story has brought me to the sobering realization that my bad example may jeopardize their souls.
We should all try to be careful about the examples we set and the messages we send to our children, especially in regards to the risks we take. Some risks are necessary, but swimming across the lake wasn't, and neither are lowering our standards and allowing ourselves to say "just this once."
In life, we are also tempted to take "shortcuts," especially with regards to morality and keeping the commandments. In a world full of spiritual dangers, we should teach our kids to avoid such dangers, to face them only when necessary, and with every advantage they can get, not to go in over their heads in them with two serious handicaps.
Though, perhaps I shouldn't call the kettle black just yet. I also do dangerous things, sometimes in the presence of children, trusting in my physical ability to prevent myself from coming to harm. There have been times when I've jumped or climbed over things when it would have been just as easy, and safer, to go around them. I have set a bad example for my nieces and nephews, and I, as an adult, should have known better.
I hope that my bad example and that of the two men in Sister Durham's story don't extend into things of a spiritual nature. I hope I never flirt with temptation, trusting in my strength to resist, and I especially hope I don't make that mistake in front of anyone who might follow my example. I don't want to set such an example for anyone, especially not the youngest members of my family. This story has brought me to the sobering realization that my bad example may jeopardize their souls.
We should all try to be careful about the examples we set and the messages we send to our children, especially in regards to the risks we take. Some risks are necessary, but swimming across the lake wasn't, and neither are lowering our standards and allowing ourselves to say "just this once."
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Logic is Not Enough
"We all know that human judgment and logical thinking will not be enough to get answers to the questions that matter most in life. We need revelation from God. And we will need not just one revelation in a time of stress, but we need a constantly renewed stream."—Henry B. Eyring, "Continuing Revelation"
This is something I wish the teacher of my Critical Thinking class understood. Human judgement and logical thinking are good things, and we should each develop ours, but they're not enough. To answer the questions that really matter, eternally, we need revelation, and we need to accept that revelation on faith. We cannot prove the validity of our beliefs, but that doesn't mean that they are not valid. We can't prove the importance of acting according to our beliefs, but that doesn't mean that it's not important. Logic and reasoning will only get you so far, usually only about as far as you can see. To expand your view into the eternities, we need to look through the eyes of faith.
Monday, April 18, 2016
Ponderize - D&D 121: 36
D&C 121: 36
That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.
My biggest takeaway from General Conference is that, as a Paladin, I haven't been putting enough effort into levelling up. I've blogged before about how the Priesthood is true divine magic, and as a Priesthood holder, I have been given access to that power, but I have done very little to learn how to tap into it and expand my access to it. In his Priesthood Session talk, The Price of Priesthood Power, President Nelson awoke me to this neglect of mine when he expressed his fear "that there are too many priesthood bearers who have done little or nothing to develop their ability to access the powers of heaven."
This week, I'm going to begin the process of trying to fix that. By focussing on D&C 121: 36 this week, I'm going to continually remind myself that I have access to the powers of heaven, and that, to tap into that power, I need to diligently adhere to the principles of righteousness. Of course, I try to adhere to those principles anyway, but I'm sure that I haven't been doing as much to be worthy to bear the priesthood as I could be doing. I could be more righteous; thus, my priesthood power could be greater. I hope to increase both my righteousness and my power this week.
It's not really like a Paladin to seek power for power's sake. That's more of a Wizard's thing, especially if they're seeking power through study and practice, as I will. But it is very much like a Paladin to want to increase his devotion to God, and to increase his capacity to bless others and battle evil. While I don't consider myself particularly power-hungry, I admit that I could certainly use more of that kind of power. That is why, this week and onward, I am going to actively try to increase my spiritual, priesthood power.
That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.
My biggest takeaway from General Conference is that, as a Paladin, I haven't been putting enough effort into levelling up. I've blogged before about how the Priesthood is true divine magic, and as a Priesthood holder, I have been given access to that power, but I have done very little to learn how to tap into it and expand my access to it. In his Priesthood Session talk, The Price of Priesthood Power, President Nelson awoke me to this neglect of mine when he expressed his fear "that there are too many priesthood bearers who have done little or nothing to develop their ability to access the powers of heaven."
This week, I'm going to begin the process of trying to fix that. By focussing on D&C 121: 36 this week, I'm going to continually remind myself that I have access to the powers of heaven, and that, to tap into that power, I need to diligently adhere to the principles of righteousness. Of course, I try to adhere to those principles anyway, but I'm sure that I haven't been doing as much to be worthy to bear the priesthood as I could be doing. I could be more righteous; thus, my priesthood power could be greater. I hope to increase both my righteousness and my power this week.
It's not really like a Paladin to seek power for power's sake. That's more of a Wizard's thing, especially if they're seeking power through study and practice, as I will. But it is very much like a Paladin to want to increase his devotion to God, and to increase his capacity to bless others and battle evil. While I don't consider myself particularly power-hungry, I admit that I could certainly use more of that kind of power. That is why, this week and onward, I am going to actively try to increase my spiritual, priesthood power.
Sunday, April 17, 2016
Ponderize - Isaiah 53: 5
Isaiah 53: 5 For He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him: and with His stripes, we are healed.
One thing I've done as I ponderized this verse and the others is played around with the emphasis of each sentence, putting the stress on different words to see if that yielded different meanings. When I put the emphasis on the verbs, for example, it seemed to emphasize the reality of what happened. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. That is a bedrock truth that can form the foundation for a solid testimony. That was a decent insight and a rather blogable one, but I also found another insight which I found far more interesting.
It involves the tenses of the verbs. For He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him: and with His stripes, we are healed. The word "was," a past tense state of being verb, was used to describe Jesus' suffering, but "are," a present tense verb, is used to describe the healing.
This reminds me of the last line of the Primary hymn "Gethsemane." That song also uses mostly past-tense verbs, but its last line is also in the present tense. My mother's interpretation of this word choice is that the gift of the Atonement is ongoing. My elaboration on that insight is that the suffering of the Atonement isn't ongoing.
Jesus was bruised for our iniquities - in the past. The pain of that bruising is also in the past. It's done with. The time of Christ's suffering is over. The time of His healing and blessing of the children of men is ongoing. This is comforting to me, and I'm sure that it's thrilling for Him. He only had to pay the price once, and He did that. The matchless gift of the Atonement is bought and paid for. Now, our Savior gets to enjoy the thrill of giving that gift over and over again.
I am thankful for this truth, both for His sake and mine. For my sake, I'm thankful for the gift of Christ's Atonement. For His sake, I'm thankful that He doesn't have to pay for it any time anyone uses it. He did have to pay for it, and I'm thankful that He did, but I'm especially thankful that the blessings of the Atonement are available now and forever, while the pain of the Atonement exists only in the past.
One thing I've done as I ponderized this verse and the others is played around with the emphasis of each sentence, putting the stress on different words to see if that yielded different meanings. When I put the emphasis on the verbs, for example, it seemed to emphasize the reality of what happened. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. That is a bedrock truth that can form the foundation for a solid testimony. That was a decent insight and a rather blogable one, but I also found another insight which I found far more interesting.
It involves the tenses of the verbs. For He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him: and with His stripes, we are healed. The word "was," a past tense state of being verb, was used to describe Jesus' suffering, but "are," a present tense verb, is used to describe the healing.
This reminds me of the last line of the Primary hymn "Gethsemane." That song also uses mostly past-tense verbs, but its last line is also in the present tense. My mother's interpretation of this word choice is that the gift of the Atonement is ongoing. My elaboration on that insight is that the suffering of the Atonement isn't ongoing.
Jesus was bruised for our iniquities - in the past. The pain of that bruising is also in the past. It's done with. The time of Christ's suffering is over. The time of His healing and blessing of the children of men is ongoing. This is comforting to me, and I'm sure that it's thrilling for Him. He only had to pay the price once, and He did that. The matchless gift of the Atonement is bought and paid for. Now, our Savior gets to enjoy the thrill of giving that gift over and over again.
I am thankful for this truth, both for His sake and mine. For my sake, I'm thankful for the gift of Christ's Atonement. For His sake, I'm thankful that He doesn't have to pay for it any time anyone uses it. He did have to pay for it, and I'm thankful that He did, but I'm especially thankful that the blessings of the Atonement are available now and forever, while the pain of the Atonement exists only in the past.
Saturday, April 16, 2016
And the Thorns Sprung Up
A week after he concluded the first session of General Conference, President Eyring also opened the next session. In his Saturday Morning talk, Where Two or Three Are Gathered, he spoke about two converts who had recently written to him. They both had testimonies of the gospel, but were concerned "that feelings of love for the Lord and His love for them were lessening."
President Eyring related this to the parable of the sower, in which one of the types of soil in which seeds are sown is thorny. The seeds that landed there fell among soil that was good, and the seeds started to grow, but then "the thorns sprung up, and choked them" (Matthew 13:7).
Similarly, many of us have received the Gospel and have felt it grow within us. We have nourished it and have tasted of its fruit, proving that our soil is good enough to grow the good plants within us. But Satan works against all of God's children, especially against the ones with the greatest potential, so just like the enemy in the parable of the wheat and the tares, he sows weeds in our fields, trying to choke the gospel out of us.
If we look at this from a certain perspective, this can be almost encouraging. Satan attacks us when he sees the good in us. He wouldn't bother sowing thorns in our soil if there were no good plants in there to choke. If we feel that our testimonies are wilting because the enemy is trying to choke the life out of them, that's because he knows that if he doesn't, those testimonies will grow healthy and strong and will bear fruit.
We can also choose to weed the thorns out and make our soil good again, assuming that we notice that the weeds are there. As President Eyring teaches us, "Satan is clever." He is often subtle enough that we don't notice his weeds growing within us until our plants begin to wilt. That's why President Eyring said that "Those who are saddened by the loss of the joy they once had are the blessed ones. Some do not see the withering of faith within themselves." We can only weed thorns out of our lives once we know they're there, so noticing that our plants are wilting because our garden has weeds is actually a good sign. We noticed, and now we can do something about it.
If we find that we have thorns in our soil, that fact proves many good things. It proves that our soil is good enough to grow things. It proves that Satan is nervous enough about the progress that we're making that he wants to put a stop to it. And it proves that we have become aware of the devil's scheme, which puts us in a good position to thwart it. Finding thorny weeds in our garden isn't typically a pleasant experience, but I agree with President Eyring that those who notice such weeds or the wilting they cause are actually the blessed ones. Satan sows weeds into the gardens of many. Those whose gardens grow anyway are those who notice the thorns in their lives, take courage, and weed them out.
President Eyring related this to the parable of the sower, in which one of the types of soil in which seeds are sown is thorny. The seeds that landed there fell among soil that was good, and the seeds started to grow, but then "the thorns sprung up, and choked them" (Matthew 13:7).
Similarly, many of us have received the Gospel and have felt it grow within us. We have nourished it and have tasted of its fruit, proving that our soil is good enough to grow the good plants within us. But Satan works against all of God's children, especially against the ones with the greatest potential, so just like the enemy in the parable of the wheat and the tares, he sows weeds in our fields, trying to choke the gospel out of us.
If we look at this from a certain perspective, this can be almost encouraging. Satan attacks us when he sees the good in us. He wouldn't bother sowing thorns in our soil if there were no good plants in there to choke. If we feel that our testimonies are wilting because the enemy is trying to choke the life out of them, that's because he knows that if he doesn't, those testimonies will grow healthy and strong and will bear fruit.
We can also choose to weed the thorns out and make our soil good again, assuming that we notice that the weeds are there. As President Eyring teaches us, "Satan is clever." He is often subtle enough that we don't notice his weeds growing within us until our plants begin to wilt. That's why President Eyring said that "Those who are saddened by the loss of the joy they once had are the blessed ones. Some do not see the withering of faith within themselves." We can only weed thorns out of our lives once we know they're there, so noticing that our plants are wilting because our garden has weeds is actually a good sign. We noticed, and now we can do something about it.
If we find that we have thorns in our soil, that fact proves many good things. It proves that our soil is good enough to grow things. It proves that Satan is nervous enough about the progress that we're making that he wants to put a stop to it. And it proves that we have become aware of the devil's scheme, which puts us in a good position to thwart it. Finding thorny weeds in our garden isn't typically a pleasant experience, but I agree with President Eyring that those who notice such weeds or the wilting they cause are actually the blessed ones. Satan sows weeds into the gardens of many. Those whose gardens grow anyway are those who notice the thorns in their lives, take courage, and weed them out.
Friday, April 15, 2016
The Feeling of Greatest Importance
One important truth that President Eyring shares in his talk is surprisingly easy to overlook, but is expressed nicely by the following image.
True, pure love is easily the most important feeling a person can feel. Feeling the love others have for us can be a great comfort to us in this world of turmoil and strife, and feeling that kind of love for others motivates the greatest acts of kindness and goodness. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ were motivated by their deep love for us when they created and redeemed the world. Similarly, I believe that the greatest acts we will ever do are the ones motivated by this love. Feeling pure love for others and feeling others' love for us can help us make the best decisions in life and give us the courage to press on. It's no wonder that God encourages us to express and act on this genuine love. It's the feeling that most helps us to become like Him.
True, pure love is easily the most important feeling a person can feel. Feeling the love others have for us can be a great comfort to us in this world of turmoil and strife, and feeling that kind of love for others motivates the greatest acts of kindness and goodness. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ were motivated by their deep love for us when they created and redeemed the world. Similarly, I believe that the greatest acts we will ever do are the ones motivated by this love. Feeling pure love for others and feeling others' love for us can help us make the best decisions in life and give us the courage to press on. It's no wonder that God encourages us to express and act on this genuine love. It's the feeling that most helps us to become like Him.
Thursday, April 14, 2016
"These Deeds Shall Thy Memorial Be"
In his conclusion to the General Women's Session of the April 2016 General Conference, in which much was said about service, President Henry B. Eyring shared the Biblical account of the woman who anointed Jesus' head with oil, and was then criticized for it by some of Jesus' followers. The Savior defended her, saying:
And she's not the only woman who was remembered for her charitable service. The woman I blogged about yesterday, who drove a truck full of quilts to Kosovo, went on to do even more service when she got home, for which she was remembered at her funeral. Coincidentally, we don't know her name, either, but I'm sure heaven does.
A lot of the service we give is relatively thankless. The great contributions to humanitarian efforts aren't as widely celebrated as great contributions to science and technology are, or as are even mediocre contributions to film and music. The everyday contributions to humanity largely go unnoticed, sometimes even by their beneficiaries, but never by God. People often don't see how hard others work to serve them, but I know God does, and I'm sure He'll remember those deeds when it comes time to dispense heavenly blessings.
The persona, or narrator, of the hymn A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief doesn't get much recognition, either, except by the one person who matters most. Throughout the hymn, the persona performs small, but progressively larger, acts of service for the title character, all but one of which are performed privately, with none of the public acclaim a person might hope to receive in return for their service and sacrifices. However, the blessings the persona does receive are far more valuable than the recognition he or she does not. These blessings include a tasty meal, a quenching drink, pleasant dreams, and even the attainment of inner peace. The greatest blessing the persona receives is given after the greatest act of service. At the close of the hymn, the title character reveals himself to be the Lord, Jesus Christ, and tells the persona that he or she will be remembered, in heaven at least, for the service he or she had done for Him.
We, too, will be remembered for what we do for our fellow man. Whether we aid them or ail them, whether the acts we perform are large or small, the deeds we do for, or to, others will be the ultimate measure of our mortal lives when we stand before the Judgement Seat. At that time, as always, our Earthly recognition, or lack thereof, won't matter. What will matter is that our deeds will be recognized, and rewarded, by God.
I don't know the name of the woman who drove quilts to Kosovo and did even more service when she got home, and no one on earth knows the name of the woman who anointed Jesus' head with oil, but God knows them, for their names are written in the book of eternal life.
Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. ... Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her (Mark 14: 6&9).This scripture is fulfilled repeatedly whenever anyone tells her story. Though history has forgotten her name, her legacy of service lives on.
And she's not the only woman who was remembered for her charitable service. The woman I blogged about yesterday, who drove a truck full of quilts to Kosovo, went on to do even more service when she got home, for which she was remembered at her funeral. Coincidentally, we don't know her name, either, but I'm sure heaven does.
A lot of the service we give is relatively thankless. The great contributions to humanitarian efforts aren't as widely celebrated as great contributions to science and technology are, or as are even mediocre contributions to film and music. The everyday contributions to humanity largely go unnoticed, sometimes even by their beneficiaries, but never by God. People often don't see how hard others work to serve them, but I know God does, and I'm sure He'll remember those deeds when it comes time to dispense heavenly blessings.
The persona, or narrator, of the hymn A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief doesn't get much recognition, either, except by the one person who matters most. Throughout the hymn, the persona performs small, but progressively larger, acts of service for the title character, all but one of which are performed privately, with none of the public acclaim a person might hope to receive in return for their service and sacrifices. However, the blessings the persona does receive are far more valuable than the recognition he or she does not. These blessings include a tasty meal, a quenching drink, pleasant dreams, and even the attainment of inner peace. The greatest blessing the persona receives is given after the greatest act of service. At the close of the hymn, the title character reveals himself to be the Lord, Jesus Christ, and tells the persona that he or she will be remembered, in heaven at least, for the service he or she had done for Him.
We, too, will be remembered for what we do for our fellow man. Whether we aid them or ail them, whether the acts we perform are large or small, the deeds we do for, or to, others will be the ultimate measure of our mortal lives when we stand before the Judgement Seat. At that time, as always, our Earthly recognition, or lack thereof, won't matter. What will matter is that our deeds will be recognized, and rewarded, by God.
I don't know the name of the woman who drove quilts to Kosovo and did even more service when she got home, and no one on earth knows the name of the woman who anointed Jesus' head with oil, but God knows them, for their names are written in the book of eternal life.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Giving Within Our Means
In her talk, “I Was a Stranger,” Sister Linda K. Burton emphatically encouraged us to reach out to serve others, but what surprised me was how she reminded us that we don't necessarily have to reach out very far. God has always asked His children to serve each other, but He never asks anyone to exceed their own abilities. As Sister Burton put it,
We don't have to break the bank to serve sufficiently, and we don't have to go far out of our way to do it, either. Sister Burton told the story of a woman who organized a quilt drive and drove a truck full of quilts from her home in London over 1000 miles to the country of Kosovo. On her way back, she felt a distinct impression that said “What you have done is a very good thing. Now go home, walk across the street, and serve your neighbor!”
As Sister Cheryl A. Esplin said, "service doesn’t have to be big and grandiose to be meaningful and make a difference." We can serve those in our own neighborhoods in our own small way, and it will be counted as good. There are instances of great need, where members of the church band together to perform great acts of service, but from each individual member, God never asks for more than we can give. There is great service that we can do from home. Even if all we do is give to Fast and other charitable offerings, we can say that we are doing our part.
If you have an excess, in terms of money, time, or ability, perhaps you can and should give accordingly, but we can all take comfort in knowing that God never asks us to give more than the excess of what we, ourselves, have been given.
Each member of this worldwide sisterhood has covenanted at baptism to “comfort those that stand in need of comfort.” Yet we must remember that none of us should run faster than we have strength.Of course, we should do what we can to help others, but we each have our own limitations. There are some things that we cannot do, even if we feel we should. What God expects of us is that we work within our limitations to serve others. Sister Burton told us about how "The Savior lovingly acknowledged the widow whose contribution was only two mites because she did what she could." We may only have two mites that we can spare, but if we give according to our means, it will be enough.
We don't have to break the bank to serve sufficiently, and we don't have to go far out of our way to do it, either. Sister Burton told the story of a woman who organized a quilt drive and drove a truck full of quilts from her home in London over 1000 miles to the country of Kosovo. On her way back, she felt a distinct impression that said “What you have done is a very good thing. Now go home, walk across the street, and serve your neighbor!”
As Sister Cheryl A. Esplin said, "service doesn’t have to be big and grandiose to be meaningful and make a difference." We can serve those in our own neighborhoods in our own small way, and it will be counted as good. There are instances of great need, where members of the church band together to perform great acts of service, but from each individual member, God never asks for more than we can give. There is great service that we can do from home. Even if all we do is give to Fast and other charitable offerings, we can say that we are doing our part.
If you have an excess, in terms of money, time, or ability, perhaps you can and should give accordingly, but we can all take comfort in knowing that God never asks us to give more than the excess of what we, ourselves, have been given.
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
WDJD?
Sister Neil F. Marriott posed a question in the title of her April 2016 General Conference talk: What Shall We Do? Many Christians, when faced with uncertainty about what to do, ask themselves "What would Jesus do?" However, when I pose that question to myself, I'm often left without a good answer. Knowing that Jesus is infinitely wise and considerate, I imagine that He would come up with the wisest course of action, and then to that. Other times, I find it impossible to answer the question "What would Jesus do if He were in this situation?" because Jesus wouldn't have gotten into that situation in the first place. Rather than asking "What would Jesus do?" Sister Marriott suggested another question, which I believe is a suitable, if not superior, alternative.
Also, I believe that asking ourselves what Jesus does rather than what He would do makes it easier for the Spirit to give us an inspired answer. It's harder to picture Jesus sitting in a classroom, trying to teach a group of rowdy Primary children, or if He would command their full attention, it's difficult to imagine how we might do the same. But it's easy to picture Jesus loving children with all His heart as He attempts to instruct them. It's easy to imagine Him using stories, analogies, or object lessons to teach people. We can even imagine Jesus dispensing snacks to His listeners. We can clearly picture Jesus doing these things because these are things that Jesus actually did.
When we ask ourselves what Jesus does or did do, we invite the Spirit to cast into our minds a recollection of a story or incident in the Bible that may help us. The Spirit may not be able to show us exactly what we should do (unless we're very attuned to the Spirit and are listening carefully), but He can show us what kind of thing we should do. This is true even in a case where we face a challenge that Jesus never faced in His mortal life. For example, Jesus never had to help a friend overcome an addition to internet pornography, but He did say to a woman taken in adultery "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." Those may not be the exact words you'd want to use, but it may the the right attitude. Sometimes, you may need to use a firmer approach to one who persists in wrongdoing, and other times, you may need to use a gentler hand with one who persistently struggles. The Spirit can help you know which moment of the Savior's life would be best to emulate in that particular moment in your life.
We should always try to behave like Jesus Christ, but it can be hard to determine how Jesus Christ might behave in each specific situation. So, rather than asking what Jesus would do if He was in my position, I'm going to consider what He did and what He continually does. This may not give me the exact solution to my life's specific problems, but it will help the Spirit remind me of guidelines I can follow. If asking yourself what Jesus would do works for you, go ahead and keep doing that. But if you find that that question isn't as helpful as one might think, you might try asking yourself what Jesus did or does instead.
When we ask ourselves, “What shall we do?” let’s ponder this question: “What does the Savior do continually?” He nurtures. He creates. He encourages growth and goodness. Women and sisters, we can do these things!Asking what Jesus does continually rather than what He would do in this case, specifically, invites us to think about the Savior in more general terms. Rather than wondering exactly what Jesus would say to a grieving friend, we can easily answer that Jesus would comfort them, and then we can try to follow His example, even if we don't do it as perfectly as He would have.
Also, I believe that asking ourselves what Jesus does rather than what He would do makes it easier for the Spirit to give us an inspired answer. It's harder to picture Jesus sitting in a classroom, trying to teach a group of rowdy Primary children, or if He would command their full attention, it's difficult to imagine how we might do the same. But it's easy to picture Jesus loving children with all His heart as He attempts to instruct them. It's easy to imagine Him using stories, analogies, or object lessons to teach people. We can even imagine Jesus dispensing snacks to His listeners. We can clearly picture Jesus doing these things because these are things that Jesus actually did.
When we ask ourselves what Jesus does or did do, we invite the Spirit to cast into our minds a recollection of a story or incident in the Bible that may help us. The Spirit may not be able to show us exactly what we should do (unless we're very attuned to the Spirit and are listening carefully), but He can show us what kind of thing we should do. This is true even in a case where we face a challenge that Jesus never faced in His mortal life. For example, Jesus never had to help a friend overcome an addition to internet pornography, but He did say to a woman taken in adultery "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." Those may not be the exact words you'd want to use, but it may the the right attitude. Sometimes, you may need to use a firmer approach to one who persists in wrongdoing, and other times, you may need to use a gentler hand with one who persistently struggles. The Spirit can help you know which moment of the Savior's life would be best to emulate in that particular moment in your life.
We should always try to behave like Jesus Christ, but it can be hard to determine how Jesus Christ might behave in each specific situation. So, rather than asking what Jesus would do if He was in my position, I'm going to consider what He did and what He continually does. This may not give me the exact solution to my life's specific problems, but it will help the Spirit remind me of guidelines I can follow. If asking yourself what Jesus would do works for you, go ahead and keep doing that. But if you find that that question isn't as helpful as one might think, you might try asking yourself what Jesus did or does instead.
Monday, April 11, 2016
Young Love
The first talk of the April 2016 General Conference was Sister Cheryl A. Esplin's talk, He Asks Us to Be His Hands. In this talk, she shared a touching Primary lesson that tuaght me the importance of teaching children to love. The five- and six-year-old children were instructed to draw pictures of themselves and their loved ones, including Jesus and their families, on strips of paper that would be linked together to form "love necklaces."
One child, Heather, said that she doubted that her sister loved her and that she didn't even love herself. This saddened me. I could hardly imagine a little girl, only five or six years old, already struggling to love herself.
Before Heather's teacher could figure out what to say to comfort her, her classmate, Anna, said "Heather, I am putting you in my necklace between me and Jesus because He loves you and I love you." This so touched Heather that she immediately crawled under the table to get to Anna to give her a big hug.
This experience tells me how important it is to teach children how to love. The world is filled with so much hatred that many people even hate themselves, and that condition of self-hatred seems to be afflicting some children as well. The solution is to teach children, at an early age, the importance of loving themselves and others, and one of the ways to teach them that is to teach them about the all-encompassing love of Jesus Christ.
The fact that Jesus loves everyone is simple enough for even a child's understanding, yet it's also profound and inspiring. It reminds us that no one is unlovable and that we should love everyone, including ourselves. Sometimes, loving certain people is a challenge for us, but at those times, we can try to follow the Savior's example and see people through His eyes. The world has more than enough hatred and animosity in it already. What it needs is for more people to feel and express universal love.
One child, Heather, said that she doubted that her sister loved her and that she didn't even love herself. This saddened me. I could hardly imagine a little girl, only five or six years old, already struggling to love herself.
Before Heather's teacher could figure out what to say to comfort her, her classmate, Anna, said "Heather, I am putting you in my necklace between me and Jesus because He loves you and I love you." This so touched Heather that she immediately crawled under the table to get to Anna to give her a big hug.
This experience tells me how important it is to teach children how to love. The world is filled with so much hatred that many people even hate themselves, and that condition of self-hatred seems to be afflicting some children as well. The solution is to teach children, at an early age, the importance of loving themselves and others, and one of the ways to teach them that is to teach them about the all-encompassing love of Jesus Christ.
The fact that Jesus loves everyone is simple enough for even a child's understanding, yet it's also profound and inspiring. It reminds us that no one is unlovable and that we should love everyone, including ourselves. Sometimes, loving certain people is a challenge for us, but at those times, we can try to follow the Savior's example and see people through His eyes. The world has more than enough hatred and animosity in it already. What it needs is for more people to feel and express universal love.
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Ponderize - Isaiah 53: 5
3 Nephi 27:20
Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.
I could have hoped to have learned more about this verse. I still don't know, for example, how the reception of the Holy Ghost sanctifies us. Nor do I know how my next ponderizing verse is supposed to work.
For this week, I have chose to ponderize Isaiah 53: 5: But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
How could His suffering heal us? This isn't a game where Health Points could be transferred from one character to another. Hurting one person doesn't automatically heal another, and healing one person doesn't directly harm another, so I'm not sure how Jesus' stripes are supposed to do any real good.
Of course, Isaiah could be using the term "stripes" loosely. Maybe he wasn't referring to the whipping specifically, but to all of Christ's suffering, including His prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, but that still doesn't explain how Jesus could have paid the price for our sins. In Alma 34, we read:
On the other hand, Jesus was there when this "legal system" was written, so He might have worked in a loophole to allow Himself to take our punishment, but I still don't understand it. Maybe I never will.
Whether we understand the Atonement or not, it's important to think about it, to remember what it cost our Savior and what it means to us. I don't imagine that, by the end of the week, I'll understand the workings of the Atonement any better than I understand the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost, but it'll give me an excuse to listen to Handel's Messiah again, and if it encourages me to avoid sin, it'll be worth the confusion, even if I never figure anything out.
Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.
I could have hoped to have learned more about this verse. I still don't know, for example, how the reception of the Holy Ghost sanctifies us. Nor do I know how my next ponderizing verse is supposed to work.
For this week, I have chose to ponderize Isaiah 53: 5: But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
How could His suffering heal us? This isn't a game where Health Points could be transferred from one character to another. Hurting one person doesn't automatically heal another, and healing one person doesn't directly harm another, so I'm not sure how Jesus' stripes are supposed to do any real good.
Of course, Isaiah could be using the term "stripes" loosely. Maybe he wasn't referring to the whipping specifically, but to all of Christ's suffering, including His prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, but that still doesn't explain how Jesus could have paid the price for our sins. In Alma 34, we read:
Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another. Now, if a man murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of his brother? I say unto you, Nay.Then, how is it that Jesus' suffering could satisfy the demands of justice for us? The law of justice demands that we pay the price for our own sins. Having Jesus suffer for our sins is like punishing an innocent bystander for someone else's crimes. No just legal system would let anyone else take my punishment for me, no matter what arrangement my scapegoat and I worked out between us.
On the other hand, Jesus was there when this "legal system" was written, so He might have worked in a loophole to allow Himself to take our punishment, but I still don't understand it. Maybe I never will.
Whether we understand the Atonement or not, it's important to think about it, to remember what it cost our Savior and what it means to us. I don't imagine that, by the end of the week, I'll understand the workings of the Atonement any better than I understand the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost, but it'll give me an excuse to listen to Handel's Messiah again, and if it encourages me to avoid sin, it'll be worth the confusion, even if I never figure anything out.
Saturday, April 9, 2016
No Limits?
Working on my preparations for the lesson I'm probably going to give tomorrow, I came across this quote from Elder Paul V. Johnson, which he gave in the most recent General Conference:
I cannot fly. That is a physical limitation. Will I be able to fly when I'm resurrected? We sometimes talk about angels flying, so maybe that makes sense, but I also can't shoot laser beams out of my eyes, or breathe fire, or grow extra limbs. There are many things that I am physically unable to do, limitations that I have. Are they really all going to be resolved and removed? Will I ultimately become physically capable of doing literally anything I want to do?
Potentially, yes.
God is omnipotent, and He created us with the capacity to become like Him. If we keep His commandments and gain eternal life, we will eventually gain all that He has, including His power. We can become omnipotent, at which point all physical, mental, and emotional limitations will have been removed. I'm sure God could breathe fire or grow extra limbs if He wanted to, and if I play my cards right, so could I.
Now, our eventual achievement of omnipotence is not the same as the universally-promised gift of resurrection. I highly doubt that everyone who has ever lived will literally be given the power to overcome all physical limitations. God wouldn't hand out omnipotence to everyone. I'm sure that Elder Johnson only meant that our disabilities and deformities will be removed, and that we won't get sick or tired anymore. We may be physically stronger then than we are now, and we will be immortal, so our ability to withstand harm will be greatly increased, but as great as being resurrected is, merely being resurrected probably doesn't mean that literally all the limitations will have now will be removed.
The resurrection is an amazing gift, and there is no limit to human potential, but I highly doubt that Elder Johnson meant that quote to be taken literally, or to be taken so far out of context as I took it. Omnipotence is within our eventual reach, but the ability to overcome literally every physical limitation is almost certainly not a free gift that comes with resurrection.
Each of us has physical, mental, and emotional limitations and weaknesses. These challenges, some of which seem so intractable now, will eventually be resolved. None of these problems will plague us after we are resurrected.I wonder what this means, exactly. Does he mean it literally? Does he mean that we really won't have any of the physical, mental, or emotional limitations that we have now?
I cannot fly. That is a physical limitation. Will I be able to fly when I'm resurrected? We sometimes talk about angels flying, so maybe that makes sense, but I also can't shoot laser beams out of my eyes, or breathe fire, or grow extra limbs. There are many things that I am physically unable to do, limitations that I have. Are they really all going to be resolved and removed? Will I ultimately become physically capable of doing literally anything I want to do?
Potentially, yes.
God is omnipotent, and He created us with the capacity to become like Him. If we keep His commandments and gain eternal life, we will eventually gain all that He has, including His power. We can become omnipotent, at which point all physical, mental, and emotional limitations will have been removed. I'm sure God could breathe fire or grow extra limbs if He wanted to, and if I play my cards right, so could I.
Now, our eventual achievement of omnipotence is not the same as the universally-promised gift of resurrection. I highly doubt that everyone who has ever lived will literally be given the power to overcome all physical limitations. God wouldn't hand out omnipotence to everyone. I'm sure that Elder Johnson only meant that our disabilities and deformities will be removed, and that we won't get sick or tired anymore. We may be physically stronger then than we are now, and we will be immortal, so our ability to withstand harm will be greatly increased, but as great as being resurrected is, merely being resurrected probably doesn't mean that literally all the limitations will have now will be removed.
The resurrection is an amazing gift, and there is no limit to human potential, but I highly doubt that Elder Johnson meant that quote to be taken literally, or to be taken so far out of context as I took it. Omnipotence is within our eventual reach, but the ability to overcome literally every physical limitation is almost certainly not a free gift that comes with resurrection.
Friday, April 8, 2016
Why To "Hold on [Our] Way"
At the start of Elder Aoyagi's talk, he told the story of an earthquake that hit Japan, causing great tsunamis which dealt terrible damage. He said that, when these kinds of events happen, many are tempted to wonder why God permits such tragedies to happen and why there is so much suffering in the world. Elder Aoyagi taught that:
I believe that trials can work out to be for our good, if we learn from them and gain strength from them. Whether or not our trials end up helping us depends largely on our attitudes. If we continue with the instinctive, "Why is this happening to me" attitude, our trial will be nothing more to us than a trial. But if we exercise patience and stay faithful to the Lord despite our trials, if we "hold on [our] way," then our trials can strengthen us, just as resistance training strengthens an athlete.
Of course, maintaining a positive attitude and a firm resolve in the face of trials is easier said than done. That's where part of the strength we gain comes from. But God is also willing to ease our burdens, or at least comfort our souls and strengthen our shoulders, if we turn to Him. That's part of why it's such a good idea to stay faithful to God, even when He lets us experience trials; He helps us get through them.
Everyone experiences hardships in life. As Elder Aoyagi said, "The trials of this earth [...] are inevitable experiences." Both the faithful and the faithless endure them. The difference is that the faithful endure them well, and with divine help. I know that I want that help when I face trials and challenges, so I'm going to try to stay faithful to God, even when things go wrong and life gets hard. I know that God will help me get through my trials if I ask Him to, and that I'll have to face those trials either way. As long as trials and afflictions are a necessary part of life, we might as well try to stay faithful through them and endure them well, so God can continue to abide with us and strengthen us and help us cause those afflictions to work out for our good.
The trials of this earth—including illness and death—are a part of the plan of salvation and are inevitable experiences. It is necessary for us to “hold on [our] way” and accept our trials with faith.The phrase "hold on [our] way," was borrowed from Doctrine and Covenants, Section 122, verse 9. In this passage of scripture, God was comforting Joseph Smith as he was experiencing some serious trials. In verse seven, God told the prophet, "all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good," and in verse nine, He encouraged him to "hold on thy way, [...] for [I] shall be with you forever and ever."
I believe that trials can work out to be for our good, if we learn from them and gain strength from them. Whether or not our trials end up helping us depends largely on our attitudes. If we continue with the instinctive, "Why is this happening to me" attitude, our trial will be nothing more to us than a trial. But if we exercise patience and stay faithful to the Lord despite our trials, if we "hold on [our] way," then our trials can strengthen us, just as resistance training strengthens an athlete.
Of course, maintaining a positive attitude and a firm resolve in the face of trials is easier said than done. That's where part of the strength we gain comes from. But God is also willing to ease our burdens, or at least comfort our souls and strengthen our shoulders, if we turn to Him. That's part of why it's such a good idea to stay faithful to God, even when He lets us experience trials; He helps us get through them.
Everyone experiences hardships in life. As Elder Aoyagi said, "The trials of this earth [...] are inevitable experiences." Both the faithful and the faithless endure them. The difference is that the faithful endure them well, and with divine help. I know that I want that help when I face trials and challenges, so I'm going to try to stay faithful to God, even when things go wrong and life gets hard. I know that God will help me get through my trials if I ask Him to, and that I'll have to face those trials either way. As long as trials and afflictions are a necessary part of life, we might as well try to stay faithful through them and endure them well, so God can continue to abide with us and strengthen us and help us cause those afflictions to work out for our good.
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Can't Save Spiritual Impressions
I've discovered something interesting: I can't save my progress halfway through writing a blog post. In most games and processes, you can hit certain milestones where you can save your progress and start from that point later. For example, when you're doing research, you can save the location of good information, which will make it that much easier to find that information again if you have to pause and resume your search. If you're writing an essay, you can write down some brainstorming and maybe an outline and then build on those ideas later. But this is not an academic blog. This is a spiritual blog. And spiritual impressions are much harder, if not impossible, to save.
This morning, I started to blog about Elder Koichi Aoyagi's Conference-ending talk, Hold on Thy Way. I copied some important quotes and started to write an introduction, but that's as far as I got this morning, so I saved what I had written, trusting that I would be able to resume blogging when I got back from school. But I've found that, whether it's the penalty of procrastination, or whether it's that the waters of my mind have been muddied by the events of the day and need time to settle before they can clear, I just don't have the same spirit with me right now that I had this morning. So, even with the notes I left myself, I can't quite get myself into the mindset I know I was in when I first read that talk.
What this means for me is that, in the future, I will have to commit to blogging about a Conference talk as soon as I review it. If I don't have time to blog about it, reading it ahead of time probably won't help me, and if I do choose to read the talk at a certain time, I need to make sure I'll have enough time to blog about it, because quitting halfway through a blog post and trying to return to it later doesn't work out as well as I would have thought.
The spiritual interpretation of this message is that the Spirit works on His own timetable, not on ours. We can't put spiritual impressions on hold until a more convenient time, so we need to follow them while they're still fresh. Tomorrow morning, I hope that my mind will be fresh enough to gain new insights into Elder Aoyagi's talk, or to gain the same insights again, but I know now that it would have been much better if I had blogged about my first impressions of Elder Aoyagi's talk before I lost left.
This morning, I started to blog about Elder Koichi Aoyagi's Conference-ending talk, Hold on Thy Way. I copied some important quotes and started to write an introduction, but that's as far as I got this morning, so I saved what I had written, trusting that I would be able to resume blogging when I got back from school. But I've found that, whether it's the penalty of procrastination, or whether it's that the waters of my mind have been muddied by the events of the day and need time to settle before they can clear, I just don't have the same spirit with me right now that I had this morning. So, even with the notes I left myself, I can't quite get myself into the mindset I know I was in when I first read that talk.
What this means for me is that, in the future, I will have to commit to blogging about a Conference talk as soon as I review it. If I don't have time to blog about it, reading it ahead of time probably won't help me, and if I do choose to read the talk at a certain time, I need to make sure I'll have enough time to blog about it, because quitting halfway through a blog post and trying to return to it later doesn't work out as well as I would have thought.
The spiritual interpretation of this message is that the Spirit works on His own timetable, not on ours. We can't put spiritual impressions on hold until a more convenient time, so we need to follow them while they're still fresh. Tomorrow morning, I hope that my mind will be fresh enough to gain new insights into Elder Aoyagi's talk, or to gain the same insights again, but I know now that it would have been much better if I had blogged about my first impressions of Elder Aoyagi's talk before I lost left.
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
The Spirit and the "Why" of the Gospel
Elder Kim B. Clark of the Seventy spoke about the need to have the Spirit with us. He spoke about those who didn't recognise Jesus Christ during His mortal ministry because they didn't have His Spirit in them to testify of Him. We need to have that Spirit in us just as much today as they did back then, if not more so. Elder Clark reminded us, as if we needed reminding, that "Our time is a dangerous time—a time of great evil and temptation, a time of confusion and commotion." In this time of trouble, we need the guiding voice of the Spirit to show us what paths to take, and we need the inspiring and testifying voice of the Spirit to remind us both that and why it all matters.
In the past, some people failed to follow Jesus because they were more interested in the things of the world than the things of the Spirit. Today, the world is more interesting than ever before. We need to cultivate the Spirit inside us to inspire us to keep following the path of Jesus Christ. We don't need reminding that we live in a troubled world, but we do need reminding that the solution to all of life's troubles is Jesus Christ.
In times when I've lost my connection to the Spirit, I've felt myself drift into apathy, wondering why and even if anything in life really mattered. Thankfully, through the guiding and teaching voice of the Spirit, I've been reminded, repeatedly, that there is a purpose to life, and we need to follow the teachings of Christ in order to fulfil it. I'm thankful for the Spirit showing me not only how to follow the path of Christ, but why it's important to.
In the past, some people failed to follow Jesus because they were more interested in the things of the world than the things of the Spirit. Today, the world is more interesting than ever before. We need to cultivate the Spirit inside us to inspire us to keep following the path of Jesus Christ. We don't need reminding that we live in a troubled world, but we do need reminding that the solution to all of life's troubles is Jesus Christ.
In times when I've lost my connection to the Spirit, I've felt myself drift into apathy, wondering why and even if anything in life really mattered. Thankfully, through the guiding and teaching voice of the Spirit, I've been reminded, repeatedly, that there is a purpose to life, and we need to follow the teachings of Christ in order to fulfil it. I'm thankful for the Spirit showing me not only how to follow the path of Christ, but why it's important to.
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
He Can Fix Anything - He Will Fix Everything
You know the drill. I should have blogged in the morning, but I didn't. Now it's late, and I'm tired, so I went on Facebook to find an inspirational picture quote that I can blog about quickly before I go to bed. Fortunately, with the recent General Conference, there has been an explosion of blogworthy picture quotes, so finding this one wasn't difficult.
I am so grateful for the power of God and His ability to heal us mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I'm thankful for the Conference Messages which remind us that God can redeem us, no matter what we've done. No one is hopeless. No one's life is so messed up that God can't set it right. It may take time, but it's never impossible. There is no life so shattered that it cannot be restored. There is no soul so wayward that it cannot be redeemed. There is no hardship, trial, or affliction so severe that it cannot be overcome through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Through the power of the Atonement, God can fix anything and anyone, even us. I'm grateful for that knowledge, and I'm especially grateful to know that God is going to set everything right in the end, no matter how messed up it is now.
I am so grateful for the power of God and His ability to heal us mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I'm thankful for the Conference Messages which remind us that God can redeem us, no matter what we've done. No one is hopeless. No one's life is so messed up that God can't set it right. It may take time, but it's never impossible. There is no life so shattered that it cannot be restored. There is no soul so wayward that it cannot be redeemed. There is no hardship, trial, or affliction so severe that it cannot be overcome through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Through the power of the Atonement, God can fix anything and anyone, even us. I'm grateful for that knowledge, and I'm especially grateful to know that God is going to set everything right in the end, no matter how messed up it is now.
Monday, April 4, 2016
Ponderize - 3 Nephi 27: 20
The scripture I've chosen to ponderize this week is 3 Nephi 27: 20:
The punctuation is interesting, too. The colon implies that repenting, coming unto Christ, and being baptized are all part of "the commandment," and the way the following phrases are structured, it seems that standing spotless before God is a result of being sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, which is a result of keeping this commandment.
I should check out the surrounding verses for context clues as well.
This is going to be an interesting verse to ponder and study. I look forward to really digging into it and reporting what I find. Also, it should be a nice challenge to try to write the verse from memory, punctuation and all, at the end of the week. If there are any errors in my recitation, it should be informative to compare the differences as well.
This is a nice scripture. It's going to be a good week.
Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.Already, a few words stand out to me. Sanctified. Reception. Stand. Spotless. The Last Day. I look forward to thinking about what these terms mean, especially in the context of each other.
The punctuation is interesting, too. The colon implies that repenting, coming unto Christ, and being baptized are all part of "the commandment," and the way the following phrases are structured, it seems that standing spotless before God is a result of being sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, which is a result of keeping this commandment.
I should check out the surrounding verses for context clues as well.
This is going to be an interesting verse to ponder and study. I look forward to really digging into it and reporting what I find. Also, it should be a nice challenge to try to write the verse from memory, punctuation and all, at the end of the week. If there are any errors in my recitation, it should be informative to compare the differences as well.
This is a nice scripture. It's going to be a good week.
Sunday, April 3, 2016
2 Nephi 4:31 - Would You? Will You?
For about half a week, I've been ponderizing 2 Nephi 4:31, which I will now type from memory.
O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?
As I've been pondering this verse, I've discovered that, depending on the punctuation, there could be as many as three ways to interpret Nephi's prayer. Firstly, it's pretty clear that Nephi is praying for blessings. I said about as much when I started ponderizing this verse. Nephi would love for God to redeem his soul, to deliver him out of the hands of his enemies, and to make him that he may shake at the appearance of sin. He wants to be more righteous, so he is praying for help.
Another way to read this is incorrect, but when I started ponderizing this verse, I couldn't remember how the verse was punctuated. I couldn't recall whether it used question marks or periods at the ends of the sentences. If it used periods, which it doesn't, then we could have interpreted Nephi's prayer as confident statements of truth rather than requests. In that sense, Nephi would effectively be saying "I know in whom I have trusted. I know that you will redeem my soul. I know that you will deliver me from sin. I know that my moral struggle against my sinful flesh is only temporary. I know that, in time, I will no longer have the problems that trouble me now." In this sense, Nephi's statements would be full of confidence and faith. It is important to have faith in the Atonement and salvation of the Lord.
However, the sentences were actually punctuated with question marks, which means that these sentences are actually questions. They can be interpreted as requests, and I think that it the correct interpretation, but you could also look at the questions at face value. "Will you redeem my soul? Will you deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Will you make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?" These questions, especially the first two, are essentially asking "Is there any hope for me? Am I going to be saved?" God knows the future, including the future of each soul. Theoretically, He knows whether or not a person is ultimately going to be saved. Even though the answer depends largely on our actions, God knows what the answer is, and He could tell us, if we ask.
However, He might not tell us. If He knows that we're not going to choose salvation, He isn't going to tell us that because He doesn't want us to give up or to think that He has already consigned us to hell (though it's really ourselves taking us there through our actions). If we are going to be saved, He might not tell us because He knows that telling us that we're guaranteed to succeed might make us stop trying as hard. I've seen many video clips of people who were sure they would win a race even before they crossed the finish line, so they started celebrating prematurely, allowing the person in second place to surge ahead of them. Becoming perfect takes a significant amount of effort, and God wouldn't want to tell us anything that may cause us to slack in our efforts prematurely.
On the other hand, He might tell us, if it would encourage us. Some people already believe that their cause is hopeless, and they're already close to, or beyond, the point of giving up. Those people, God may tell that they will succeed, to let them know that they're not hopeless, to let them know that their struggle is not in vain. However, He will still want to be careful not to move someone from hopelessness to complacency, so whatever our situation is, He probably won't tell us now whether we are going to be saved eventually or not. Besides, I'm pretty sure the answer to on of those questions is going to be "no," no matter who you are.
God doesn't usually just remove problems from people or release people from their problems. Facing problems and learning to overcome them is one of the purposes of life. Especially, learning to resist temptation and reject sin is one of the primary goals of mortality, so I don't think that God would simply deliver us from sin, just because we ask Him to. What He probably will do is give us (or help us develop) the strength and wisdom to deliver ourselves.
What I've learned from this experience is that scriptures can be interpreted in many different ways, so it makes sense to ponder them over long periods of time. Also, I think it's most likely that the correct interpretation of this particular verse is that Nephi is asking for help from God, and we should too, so long as we remember that God's help will most likely come in the form of giving us the power to help ourselves.
I'm glad I ponderized this verse. I think I am going to keep turning to it as my "delete key," unless I find a better "delete key" later on. I'm not sure which verse I'm going to ponderize next. Maybe a verse will stand out to me during Conference. If not, I'll just pick one before the end of the day, and I'll announce my choice tomorrow. Until then, I hope you all enjoy the last two sessions of Conference and that we all feel spiritually recharged by the end of them.
O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?
As I've been pondering this verse, I've discovered that, depending on the punctuation, there could be as many as three ways to interpret Nephi's prayer. Firstly, it's pretty clear that Nephi is praying for blessings. I said about as much when I started ponderizing this verse. Nephi would love for God to redeem his soul, to deliver him out of the hands of his enemies, and to make him that he may shake at the appearance of sin. He wants to be more righteous, so he is praying for help.
Another way to read this is incorrect, but when I started ponderizing this verse, I couldn't remember how the verse was punctuated. I couldn't recall whether it used question marks or periods at the ends of the sentences. If it used periods, which it doesn't, then we could have interpreted Nephi's prayer as confident statements of truth rather than requests. In that sense, Nephi would effectively be saying "I know in whom I have trusted. I know that you will redeem my soul. I know that you will deliver me from sin. I know that my moral struggle against my sinful flesh is only temporary. I know that, in time, I will no longer have the problems that trouble me now." In this sense, Nephi's statements would be full of confidence and faith. It is important to have faith in the Atonement and salvation of the Lord.
However, the sentences were actually punctuated with question marks, which means that these sentences are actually questions. They can be interpreted as requests, and I think that it the correct interpretation, but you could also look at the questions at face value. "Will you redeem my soul? Will you deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Will you make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?" These questions, especially the first two, are essentially asking "Is there any hope for me? Am I going to be saved?" God knows the future, including the future of each soul. Theoretically, He knows whether or not a person is ultimately going to be saved. Even though the answer depends largely on our actions, God knows what the answer is, and He could tell us, if we ask.
However, He might not tell us. If He knows that we're not going to choose salvation, He isn't going to tell us that because He doesn't want us to give up or to think that He has already consigned us to hell (though it's really ourselves taking us there through our actions). If we are going to be saved, He might not tell us because He knows that telling us that we're guaranteed to succeed might make us stop trying as hard. I've seen many video clips of people who were sure they would win a race even before they crossed the finish line, so they started celebrating prematurely, allowing the person in second place to surge ahead of them. Becoming perfect takes a significant amount of effort, and God wouldn't want to tell us anything that may cause us to slack in our efforts prematurely.
On the other hand, He might tell us, if it would encourage us. Some people already believe that their cause is hopeless, and they're already close to, or beyond, the point of giving up. Those people, God may tell that they will succeed, to let them know that they're not hopeless, to let them know that their struggle is not in vain. However, He will still want to be careful not to move someone from hopelessness to complacency, so whatever our situation is, He probably won't tell us now whether we are going to be saved eventually or not. Besides, I'm pretty sure the answer to on of those questions is going to be "no," no matter who you are.
God doesn't usually just remove problems from people or release people from their problems. Facing problems and learning to overcome them is one of the purposes of life. Especially, learning to resist temptation and reject sin is one of the primary goals of mortality, so I don't think that God would simply deliver us from sin, just because we ask Him to. What He probably will do is give us (or help us develop) the strength and wisdom to deliver ourselves.
What I've learned from this experience is that scriptures can be interpreted in many different ways, so it makes sense to ponder them over long periods of time. Also, I think it's most likely that the correct interpretation of this particular verse is that Nephi is asking for help from God, and we should too, so long as we remember that God's help will most likely come in the form of giving us the power to help ourselves.
I'm glad I ponderized this verse. I think I am going to keep turning to it as my "delete key," unless I find a better "delete key" later on. I'm not sure which verse I'm going to ponderize next. Maybe a verse will stand out to me during Conference. If not, I'll just pick one before the end of the day, and I'll announce my choice tomorrow. Until then, I hope you all enjoy the last two sessions of Conference and that we all feel spiritually recharged by the end of them.
Saturday, April 2, 2016
"No Unclean Thing Can Enter"
In his Conference talk, Remembering in Whom We Have Trusted, Elder Allen D. Haynie shared a story from when he was a young man. He, his brothers, and his friends got together to dig a hole, just for fun. In the process of digging, Elder Haynie became so dirty that his grandmother wouldn't let him into the house, which she had just cleaned, until he, too, had been cleaned. After a short time of being locked outside, filthy and cold, Elder Haynie allowed himself to be washed off with a garden hose, after which he was allowed to come inside, change into dry, warm clothes, and be comfortable.
And so it is with us. We all, at some points in our lives, find ourselves covered in mud, and the only way for us to enter our Heavenly Father's house is to be washed and pronounced clean. Jesus Christ said in 3 Nephi 27:19 "no unclean thing can enter into his [God's] kingdom," so we all need to be washed and cleansed by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The cleansing process of repentance may be temporarily unpleasant, like being hosed off, but the results are that we can be once again welcomed into our heavenly home.
I am grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which makes it possible for me to be cleansed of my sins so I can return to live in the presence of my Heavenly Father. It is such a blessing to know that, after having been soiled by sin, I can be washed clean and re-enter my heavenly home.
And so it is with us. We all, at some points in our lives, find ourselves covered in mud, and the only way for us to enter our Heavenly Father's house is to be washed and pronounced clean. Jesus Christ said in 3 Nephi 27:19 "no unclean thing can enter into his [God's] kingdom," so we all need to be washed and cleansed by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The cleansing process of repentance may be temporarily unpleasant, like being hosed off, but the results are that we can be once again welcomed into our heavenly home.
I am grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which makes it possible for me to be cleansed of my sins so I can return to live in the presence of my Heavenly Father. It is such a blessing to know that, after having been soiled by sin, I can be washed clean and re-enter my heavenly home.
Friday, April 1, 2016
Love and God's Laws
Carole M. Stephens told of an experience she had with her granddaughter Chloe. Sister Stephens was driving Chloe somewhere, but Chloe would not keep her seatbelt on. No matter what Sister Stephens said or did, Chole could not be convinced to stay seated, until Sister Stephens said a silent prayer and felt impressed to "teach her." Sister Stephens then showed Chloe her own seatbelt and explained that she wore it for protection. She said that she didn't want Chloe to get hurt, and asked her again to stay in her seatbelt. This time, Chloe understood, and she said "Grandma, you want me to wear my seat belt because you love me!"
Yesterday, I blogged about how God's barriers and restrictions exist to protect us, but at the time, I didn't consider the fact that God wants to protect us because He loves us, but of course, everything God does, He does because He loves us.
Sister Stephens went on to say:
I am thankful to know that God's laws were given out of love, that He's not just trying to rule over us, but that He's trying to keep us safe. That knowledge makes it easier for me to accept His commandments, even the ones I don't fully understand, and that makes it easier for me to avoid pitfalls and claim promised blessings. I know that my life has been blessed by the knowledge that God's commandments are manifestations of his love and that I can show my love for God by keeping them.
Yesterday, I blogged about how God's barriers and restrictions exist to protect us, but at the time, I didn't consider the fact that God wants to protect us because He loves us, but of course, everything God does, He does because He loves us.
Sister Stephens went on to say:
After my experience with Chloe, I searched the scriptures for verses that mentioned commandments and love. I found many. Each of these verses reminds us that His commandments are a manifestation of His love for us and obedience to His commandments is an expression of our love for Him.I know that God's commandments are evidence of His love for us, and our obedience to His commandments is evidence of our love for Him. It has never been about an set of arbitrary rules that God demands that we follow "because I said so." Each of His commandments ahs a good reason behind it, and even when we don't know the reason for a commandment and God asks us to accept it on faith, we can exercise faith in God by trusting that we will learn the reason for the commandment in due time.
I am thankful to know that God's laws were given out of love, that He's not just trying to rule over us, but that He's trying to keep us safe. That knowledge makes it easier for me to accept His commandments, even the ones I don't fully understand, and that makes it easier for me to avoid pitfalls and claim promised blessings. I know that my life has been blessed by the knowledge that God's commandments are manifestations of his love and that I can show my love for God by keeping them.
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