Earlier today, I had a conversation that included, among other things, an exploration of the concept that no one is "all good" or "all evil." There are a number of places in the scripture that contrast "the wicked" and "the righteous," as if those are two clearly-defined, distinct groups.
They're not.
Every righteous person has some wickedness in them (with a handful of celestial exceptions), and every wicked person has some righteousness in them (with perhaps at least one satanic exception). Of the people who have lived one Earth, live on it now, or will ever live on it, all of those people (except Jesus Christ) fall, will fall, or have fallen somewhere on the spectrum between perfectly good and completely evil.
No one is pure good or pure evil. Not you, not your mother, not your mother-in-law, and not any politician, whether you support them or oppose them. Everyone has redeeming qualities, and everyone has room for improvement.
So, let's remember that in our conversations with each other and not let our assessments of anyone grow out of proportion. Only one person was literally perfect, and only one person was "literally Hitler" (and he wasn't completely evil anyway. No one who was born on this planet ever was). So, let's keep our compliments and criticisms at least semi-moderate, whether we're talking about politicians, relatives, or even (or especially) ourselves.
Monday, July 31, 2017
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Finalizing My Temple Dedication Lesson Plan
Most of my Primary lessons start with a recap, partly for the sake of retention, partly to get students who were absent last week mostly caught up, and partly just to give myself a place to start from. Fortunately, the construction of the Kirtland Temple leads perfectly into the dedication of the Kirtland Temple. Instead of starting the lesson by talking about the keys of the Priesthood (which I plan to get to later), I'll start by having the children read at least some of the accounts of the dedication. Between paragraphs, we'll probably discuss the rarity of intense, spiritual experiences and the sacredness of temples.
When we finish talking about the dedication and the spiritual experiences that accompanied it, we can move on to the restoration that took place a week later. That's when we can talk about the Priesthood keys and authority, to the extent that I can explain it. After providing as clear an explanation as I can, we'll spend the remaining lesson time talking about why missionary work and temple work are important, how they're related, and how they bless us and our families.
There are some complex and not-fully-understood concepts in this lesson, but I'll work with them as well as I can. Rather than trying to explain things I don't understand myself, I'll teach what I do know about them and then try to focus mostly on the parts that I understand better. Hopefully, those parts will make sense to my students as well, stay in their memories longer, and be of more benefit to them. Knowing about missionary work and temple work is probably more important than understanding the rules regarding the different types of heavenly beings, anyway. Besides, these are primary kids. It's probably best that we stick to topics that they (and I) can understand.
When we finish talking about the dedication and the spiritual experiences that accompanied it, we can move on to the restoration that took place a week later. That's when we can talk about the Priesthood keys and authority, to the extent that I can explain it. After providing as clear an explanation as I can, we'll spend the remaining lesson time talking about why missionary work and temple work are important, how they're related, and how they bless us and our families.
There are some complex and not-fully-understood concepts in this lesson, but I'll work with them as well as I can. Rather than trying to explain things I don't understand myself, I'll teach what I do know about them and then try to focus mostly on the parts that I understand better. Hopefully, those parts will make sense to my students as well, stay in their memories longer, and be of more benefit to them. Knowing about missionary work and temple work is probably more important than understanding the rules regarding the different types of heavenly beings, anyway. Besides, these are primary kids. It's probably best that we stick to topics that they (and I) can understand.
Saturday, July 29, 2017
Keys and Authority
Another part of the lesson I'm having a little bit of trouble with is the "Keys" metaphor. The Priesthood had already been restored by the time the Kirtland Temple was constructed. What was restored therein was the keys, or authority, to use the Priesthood to do missionary and temple work. The keys of the priesthood are essential. As the manual put it: "Priesthood holders may perform priesthood ordinances only as authorized
by those who hold the appropriate priesthood keys. For example, before a
father can baptize his child, he must receive permission from the
bishop." Thus, even when one holds the priesthood, they still need authority to be given to them by those who hold the keys.
The trouble is that holding keys doesn't necessarily give a person authority to use them. I sometimes carry the spare key to Mom's car, but that doesn't give me the authority to drive her car. Perhaps physical keys are more like the Priesthood, in that one can hold it and still not have the authority to use it. Then, what are the Pristhood keys like? Ownership? Mom owns the car, so she has the authority to drive it and to allow other people to drive it. That sort of makes her like the bishop in the manual's example. I may have the ability to drive her car, but I still need her permission, just like a priesthood holder may have the power to baptise, but will still need the permission of the bishop.
I'm afraid that the fact that priesthood keys don't work the same way as physical keys may confuse my students. It's certainly somewhat confusing to me. Perhaps it would be best not to use this analogy at all, or maybe to draw some kind of diagram to show how these various concepts and symbols relate to each other. Or maybe I could make the analogy work by saying that Mom lets me borrow her keys, thus giving me temporary permission to use them. That might be simpler than trying to explain how physical and priesthood keys are similar or different. That's something the Primary kids can learn another day.
Saying that priesthood keys are like physical keys may be an oversimplification, but I hope it still works as an analogy. As I've learned before on my blog, no analogy is perfect. Under too much examination, any analogy would fall apart. Physical keys may not be a perfect analogy for priesthood keys, but I hope that, for the sake of my lesson tomorrow, the analogy is close enough.
The trouble is that holding keys doesn't necessarily give a person authority to use them. I sometimes carry the spare key to Mom's car, but that doesn't give me the authority to drive her car. Perhaps physical keys are more like the Priesthood, in that one can hold it and still not have the authority to use it. Then, what are the Pristhood keys like? Ownership? Mom owns the car, so she has the authority to drive it and to allow other people to drive it. That sort of makes her like the bishop in the manual's example. I may have the ability to drive her car, but I still need her permission, just like a priesthood holder may have the power to baptise, but will still need the permission of the bishop.
I'm afraid that the fact that priesthood keys don't work the same way as physical keys may confuse my students. It's certainly somewhat confusing to me. Perhaps it would be best not to use this analogy at all, or maybe to draw some kind of diagram to show how these various concepts and symbols relate to each other. Or maybe I could make the analogy work by saying that Mom lets me borrow her keys, thus giving me temporary permission to use them. That might be simpler than trying to explain how physical and priesthood keys are similar or different. That's something the Primary kids can learn another day.
Saying that priesthood keys are like physical keys may be an oversimplification, but I hope it still works as an analogy. As I've learned before on my blog, no analogy is perfect. Under too much examination, any analogy would fall apart. Physical keys may not be a perfect analogy for priesthood keys, but I hope that, for the sake of my lesson tomorrow, the analogy is close enough.
Friday, July 28, 2017
Why Build the Kirtland Temple?
I'm trying to figure out why the Kirtland Temple needed to be built. Before a few days ago, I assumed that the Kirtland Temple was just like any other temple, a place where sacred, essential, saving ordinances could be performed. However, according to the Primary lesson manual, "the Kirtland Temple was not designed for the ordinances we now perform in temples." Then, what was it designed for?
The manual says that the temple was to be "a sacred place where heavenly beings could come to restore priesthood keys and a meetinghouse where the Saints could gather to worship and to learn the gospel." But there are plenty of places where the Saints could gather to learn and worship, and Peter, James, John, and John the Baptist proved that one does not need to be in a temple to restore priesthood keys. There most have been another reason.
Maybe these priesthood keys were extra special, or maybe there's something special about the translated beings who appeared in the Kirtland Temple that made it so they couldn't appear except in a temple. There are definitely things I don't know about temples and heavenly beings.
Right now, my theory is that the Kirtland Temple was built and dedicated to set up the right conditions for the early saints to have a powerful, religious experience. Up to that point, Joseph Smith had pretty much gotten used to spiritual manifestations, as he had received several, perhaps even dozens, of manifestations by then, but I don't know how many other early saints had had a spiritual experience of that nature. Assuming that they were like the rest of us, I'm guessing that most of them had never seen a vision, but the dedication of the temple provided a unique opportunity for them. According to the manual, "Everyone present felt a holy, joyful feeling. Many people saw angels or heard angels singing, and others saw visions, prophesied, or spoke in tongues. Several people saw a heavenly messenger, whom Joseph Smith said was the Apostle Peter, in the temple."
I don't know if this was the main purpose for the construction of the Kirtland Temple, but I do think it was one of its purposes, and while I may not understand all the reasons why this temple had to be built, I think that this reason alone was enough to make building the temple worth what the early saints went through to make it happen. Spiritual experiences of that nature are rare, and the can have a powerful effect on a person. I would think that being present for the dedication of the Kirtland Temple and the spiritual manifestations that accompanied it strengthened the faith of the early saints and might have helped them gain the faith and courage they would need for the trials they were soon to face. I think that most of the other things that happened in the Kirtland Temple could have happened elsewhere, but allowing the entire congregation to have a spiritual experience of that nature might have been reason enough to build it.
The manual says that the temple was to be "a sacred place where heavenly beings could come to restore priesthood keys and a meetinghouse where the Saints could gather to worship and to learn the gospel." But there are plenty of places where the Saints could gather to learn and worship, and Peter, James, John, and John the Baptist proved that one does not need to be in a temple to restore priesthood keys. There most have been another reason.
Maybe these priesthood keys were extra special, or maybe there's something special about the translated beings who appeared in the Kirtland Temple that made it so they couldn't appear except in a temple. There are definitely things I don't know about temples and heavenly beings.
Right now, my theory is that the Kirtland Temple was built and dedicated to set up the right conditions for the early saints to have a powerful, religious experience. Up to that point, Joseph Smith had pretty much gotten used to spiritual manifestations, as he had received several, perhaps even dozens, of manifestations by then, but I don't know how many other early saints had had a spiritual experience of that nature. Assuming that they were like the rest of us, I'm guessing that most of them had never seen a vision, but the dedication of the temple provided a unique opportunity for them. According to the manual, "Everyone present felt a holy, joyful feeling. Many people saw angels or heard angels singing, and others saw visions, prophesied, or spoke in tongues. Several people saw a heavenly messenger, whom Joseph Smith said was the Apostle Peter, in the temple."
I don't know if this was the main purpose for the construction of the Kirtland Temple, but I do think it was one of its purposes, and while I may not understand all the reasons why this temple had to be built, I think that this reason alone was enough to make building the temple worth what the early saints went through to make it happen. Spiritual experiences of that nature are rare, and the can have a powerful effect on a person. I would think that being present for the dedication of the Kirtland Temple and the spiritual manifestations that accompanied it strengthened the faith of the early saints and might have helped them gain the faith and courage they would need for the trials they were soon to face. I think that most of the other things that happened in the Kirtland Temple could have happened elsewhere, but allowing the entire congregation to have a spiritual experience of that nature might have been reason enough to build it.
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Too Personal to Share
This morning, I ironically overheard a conversation between two of my coworkers, one of which was saying that she doesn't post everything about herself on social media largely because her life isn't anybody else's business. In general, I agree with her assessment. Most of a person's life isn't the general public's business. One's personal information, for example, is just that: personal. The same can be said of one's personal experiences and personal feelings. If a person chooses to share such things, that's their decision, but it can sometimes be inappropriate or unwise to share too much.
For that reason, there are some things that I don't feel comfortable sharing on my blog. I've had some experiences that, while blogworthy, are too personal to blog about. I'd offer you an example of a personal experience I've had that's too personal to blog about, but an example I could think of would, by definition, be too personal to share on my blog. You're just going to have to take my word on this one.
But on the other hand, I'm sure that, even without an example, you know what sort of thing I'm talking about. Almost everyone has something about themselves that's not necessarily intended for the ears of the general public. Many of us have faults and challenges that we'd rather not discuss in public. Some of us have had experiences too sacred to mention in casual conversation. And while I feel that it's important to explore one's innermost thoughts and feelings, the internet may not be the best place in which to do that.
So, occasionally, I have thoughts and experiences that, despite occupying a good deal of my time and thoughts and teaching me valuable lessons, are not fit to share on my blog. At those times, I hope you can be patient with me and forgive me for not sharing any spiritual thoughts. Some thoughts are just too personal to share online.
For that reason, there are some things that I don't feel comfortable sharing on my blog. I've had some experiences that, while blogworthy, are too personal to blog about. I'd offer you an example of a personal experience I've had that's too personal to blog about, but an example I could think of would, by definition, be too personal to share on my blog. You're just going to have to take my word on this one.
But on the other hand, I'm sure that, even without an example, you know what sort of thing I'm talking about. Almost everyone has something about themselves that's not necessarily intended for the ears of the general public. Many of us have faults and challenges that we'd rather not discuss in public. Some of us have had experiences too sacred to mention in casual conversation. And while I feel that it's important to explore one's innermost thoughts and feelings, the internet may not be the best place in which to do that.
So, occasionally, I have thoughts and experiences that, despite occupying a good deal of my time and thoughts and teaching me valuable lessons, are not fit to share on my blog. At those times, I hope you can be patient with me and forgive me for not sharing any spiritual thoughts. Some thoughts are just too personal to share online.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Locks and Keys
This Sunday, I'm teaching a Primary lesson about the dedication of the Kirtland Temple and the restoration of the keys of missionary and temple work.
Side note: How weird is it that the keys of missionary work weren't restored until 1836? Given all that we've covered in church history so far, I was sure they'd've sent out some missionaries by then. But no, the first official missionaries weren't sent out until 1837, though I'm sure people still told their friends and neighbors about the church well before then even without an official calling to preach the gospel full time.
What struck me most about the restoration of the keys of temple work was that, even after sacrificing so much to build a temple, which they were going to lose before too long, the early saints still did not have the opportunity to perform all of the temple ordinances. I think they could get their endowments, but according to the lesson manual, the Kirtland Temple "had no baptismal font in which to perform baptisms for the dead and no altars for temple marriages," and I only think they could perform endowments there. I could easily be wrong about that, especially since the lesson manual also says that "the Kirtland Temple was not designed for the ordinances we now perform in temples," the ordinances whose keys were restored just a week after the temple was dedicated. The early saints were given the keys to temple work; they just didn't have a temple in which they could do it.
The beginning of the lesson emphasizes the importance of keys, but what this lesson really taught me was the importance of locks. Having keys is practically pointless without access to the things the keys unlock. Without the locks they unlock, keys are basically worthless. This makes me curious as to why the Lord would restore the keys of temple work before the saints had built a temple in which they could perform it, and that makes me think that maybe there were some ordinances the early saints could perform in the Kirtland Temple, even though the manual doesn't mention any and specifically mentions the absence of fonts and altars.
Of course, these questions and curiosities are purely academic. We now have the keys to temple ordinances and temples in which we can do them. We have both the keys and the locks, so we should use them. As for the early saints, I'm sure God had a good reason to give them the keys to temple work then, even if they didn't have the opportunity to use them yet. As always, God knows what He's doing. Perhaps there were some ordinances they could perform even if they couldn't yet perform others, or perhaps they were given the keys early in order to prove that they could hold on to this sacred responsibility for a while before they were given the opportunity to use that power. God does seem fairly fond of preparation and tests.
At any rate, whether I share any of this in my Primary lesson or not, the main takeaway for me is that it's not enough to have the key to a lock. In order to benefit from that key, we have to actually go to its lock and open it. This applies to temple work, the gift of the Holy Ghost, or any other blessing we have access to that's contingent on our actions. It's not enough to just have the scriptures, for example; we also have to read them. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we have access to a great deal of blessings, but it's up to us obtain them and make use of them. I wonder what all keys we've been given and what locks they could help us open.
Side note: How weird is it that the keys of missionary work weren't restored until 1836? Given all that we've covered in church history so far, I was sure they'd've sent out some missionaries by then. But no, the first official missionaries weren't sent out until 1837, though I'm sure people still told their friends and neighbors about the church well before then even without an official calling to preach the gospel full time.
What struck me most about the restoration of the keys of temple work was that, even after sacrificing so much to build a temple, which they were going to lose before too long, the early saints still did not have the opportunity to perform all of the temple ordinances. I think they could get their endowments, but according to the lesson manual, the Kirtland Temple "had no baptismal font in which to perform baptisms for the dead and no altars for temple marriages," and I only think they could perform endowments there. I could easily be wrong about that, especially since the lesson manual also says that "the Kirtland Temple was not designed for the ordinances we now perform in temples," the ordinances whose keys were restored just a week after the temple was dedicated. The early saints were given the keys to temple work; they just didn't have a temple in which they could do it.
The beginning of the lesson emphasizes the importance of keys, but what this lesson really taught me was the importance of locks. Having keys is practically pointless without access to the things the keys unlock. Without the locks they unlock, keys are basically worthless. This makes me curious as to why the Lord would restore the keys of temple work before the saints had built a temple in which they could perform it, and that makes me think that maybe there were some ordinances the early saints could perform in the Kirtland Temple, even though the manual doesn't mention any and specifically mentions the absence of fonts and altars.
Of course, these questions and curiosities are purely academic. We now have the keys to temple ordinances and temples in which we can do them. We have both the keys and the locks, so we should use them. As for the early saints, I'm sure God had a good reason to give them the keys to temple work then, even if they didn't have the opportunity to use them yet. As always, God knows what He's doing. Perhaps there were some ordinances they could perform even if they couldn't yet perform others, or perhaps they were given the keys early in order to prove that they could hold on to this sacred responsibility for a while before they were given the opportunity to use that power. God does seem fairly fond of preparation and tests.
At any rate, whether I share any of this in my Primary lesson or not, the main takeaway for me is that it's not enough to have the key to a lock. In order to benefit from that key, we have to actually go to its lock and open it. This applies to temple work, the gift of the Holy Ghost, or any other blessing we have access to that's contingent on our actions. It's not enough to just have the scriptures, for example; we also have to read them. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we have access to a great deal of blessings, but it's up to us obtain them and make use of them. I wonder what all keys we've been given and what locks they could help us open.
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Conflicting Ideologies
I recently watched a video defending Avatar: The Legend of Korra. For those of you who don't know, which should be just about all of you, The Legend of Korra is a sequel series of Avatar: The Last Airbender, arguably one of the best cartoon/anime series I've ever seen. The Last Airbender had a plethora of memorable characters (and a few forgettable ones, but we can forget about them), deep character development, and a single story arc that spanned its three seasons. In my opinion, The Legend of Korra didn't live up to its predecessor. I had a hard time relating to the main character, and the side characters mostly seemed pretty flat. Not knowing how many seasons they were going to get, the writers wrapped up all loose ends at the end of each season, meaning that there wasn't a continuing story. There wasn't even a recurring villain, since each villain was defeated by the end of the season in which they were introduced. But it was the many villains that Youtuber "Just Write" praised.
While Avatar: The Last Airbender focussed mostly on the characters, Avatar: The Legend of Korra focussed mostly on the world, as explored through the actions and opinions of the characters. Notably, the villains possessed strong, conflicting ideologies, none of which were bad in moderation, but the villains became villains by taking their ideologies to the extreme. By the end of the series, Korra learns to find a balance between the extremes, learning something of value from each of the villains she defeats, or so I've been told.
And it's this "learning from others" and "finding balance and harmony by avoiding extremes" that I really want to blog about.
In our society, particularly in our political society, there doesn't seem to be much interest in listening to other people's points of view. Instead, our politics seem to be polarized and polarizing, with each side going farther and farther into the extremes that they espouse, while decrying the "extremism" of those on the other side of the debate. This needs to stop. We can't afford to listen only to those who agree with us and vilify those who don't. There are good points on both sides of the debate on any issue, and we'll become better-informed, wiser people by listening to them.
I'm not saying that we all have to agree with each other or always let each other get their way. What I'm saying is that we should listen to each other and keep our minds open to the valid opinions and perspectives we may hear. No one (besides deity) is completely right or completely wrong. (And no one, besides maybe the prophets, are or were completely right about God's opinions of things, so we can't claim that we're right about everything just because we're on God's side. Many other people also think they're on God's side, and yet, we still disagree.) It's important to be humble, willing to share our opinions courteously, and most importantly, willing to consider other people's points of view, even and especially when their ideologies conflict with our own.
While Avatar: The Last Airbender focussed mostly on the characters, Avatar: The Legend of Korra focussed mostly on the world, as explored through the actions and opinions of the characters. Notably, the villains possessed strong, conflicting ideologies, none of which were bad in moderation, but the villains became villains by taking their ideologies to the extreme. By the end of the series, Korra learns to find a balance between the extremes, learning something of value from each of the villains she defeats, or so I've been told.
And it's this "learning from others" and "finding balance and harmony by avoiding extremes" that I really want to blog about.
In our society, particularly in our political society, there doesn't seem to be much interest in listening to other people's points of view. Instead, our politics seem to be polarized and polarizing, with each side going farther and farther into the extremes that they espouse, while decrying the "extremism" of those on the other side of the debate. This needs to stop. We can't afford to listen only to those who agree with us and vilify those who don't. There are good points on both sides of the debate on any issue, and we'll become better-informed, wiser people by listening to them.
I'm not saying that we all have to agree with each other or always let each other get their way. What I'm saying is that we should listen to each other and keep our minds open to the valid opinions and perspectives we may hear. No one (besides deity) is completely right or completely wrong. (And no one, besides maybe the prophets, are or were completely right about God's opinions of things, so we can't claim that we're right about everything just because we're on God's side. Many other people also think they're on God's side, and yet, we still disagree.) It's important to be humble, willing to share our opinions courteously, and most importantly, willing to consider other people's points of view, even and especially when their ideologies conflict with our own.
Monday, July 24, 2017
Come One, Come All
Topsy Turvy is a goofy song in the middle of Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Previously, I thought that I wouldn't get anything blogworthy out of it, since it mostly talks about how almost everything is backward for "Topsy Turvy Day." No spiritual message there. Yet, there is a spiritual message in the first line of the song, which I also saw on a sign in front of a church: "Come one, Come all." When I saw that message on the church's sign, I thought about how the Savior's invitation to "Come unto me" extends to each individual and all the world.
Jesus doesn't turn anyone away. No matter who a person is or what that person has done, Jesus wants that person to repent and return to their heavenly home, not just because He wants to save as many people as possible, but because He cares about each and every one of us individually. Jesus knew each of us before we were born. We were (and are) siblings. We looked up to Him, and He helped raise us up. We may have forgotten, because of the veil of forgetfulness, but He remembers the relationships each of us formed with Him. He knows each of us personally and cares about us deeply. That is why He still would have completed the Atonement, even if there was only one person who needed to be saved.
Of course, I know that Jesus wants to save everyone, and I'm sure He'd be happy to save as many as He can, but His connection to each of us is more unique than that. We're not just a number of souls to Him. We are individuals, and He cares about us as individuals. When someone chooses another path, He weeps for them, not because then there's one less person to share heaven with, but because that individual person would be missing.
I find it very touching, and a little overwhelming, that Jesus Christ knows me personally and that He wants me to be happy. It's difficult for me to imagine having a personal relationship with Him, but I know I had one, and I know that He still remembers it. Jesus remembers a time when He and I were personal friends. And He wants each of us to return to Him at least partly because He wants those friendships to last forever. It's incredible to think about our personal relationships with the Savior, but we each have them, which is why He wants all of us, and each of us, to come unto Him.
Jesus doesn't turn anyone away. No matter who a person is or what that person has done, Jesus wants that person to repent and return to their heavenly home, not just because He wants to save as many people as possible, but because He cares about each and every one of us individually. Jesus knew each of us before we were born. We were (and are) siblings. We looked up to Him, and He helped raise us up. We may have forgotten, because of the veil of forgetfulness, but He remembers the relationships each of us formed with Him. He knows each of us personally and cares about us deeply. That is why He still would have completed the Atonement, even if there was only one person who needed to be saved.
Of course, I know that Jesus wants to save everyone, and I'm sure He'd be happy to save as many as He can, but His connection to each of us is more unique than that. We're not just a number of souls to Him. We are individuals, and He cares about us as individuals. When someone chooses another path, He weeps for them, not because then there's one less person to share heaven with, but because that individual person would be missing.
I find it very touching, and a little overwhelming, that Jesus Christ knows me personally and that He wants me to be happy. It's difficult for me to imagine having a personal relationship with Him, but I know I had one, and I know that He still remembers it. Jesus remembers a time when He and I were personal friends. And He wants each of us to return to Him at least partly because He wants those friendships to last forever. It's incredible to think about our personal relationships with the Savior, but we each have them, which is why He wants all of us, and each of us, to come unto Him.
Sunday, July 23, 2017
The Trials of Diamonds
The First Presidency Message for this month comes from President Henry B. Eyring, and is titled "The Reward of Enduring Well." In his message, President Eyring spoke about how the trials of life exist not just to test our capacity to endure them, but also to polish us, refine us, and make us more like our Heavenly Father. As I read this message, I thought about diamonds. "Most natural diamonds," according to the Wikipedia article on diamonds, "are formed at high temperature and pressure at
depths of 140 to 190 kilometers (87 to 118 mi) in the Earth's mantle. . . . Diamonds are brought close to the Earth's surface through deep volcanic eruptions by magma." Once the diamonds are formed, brought to the surface, and mined, they "are converted into gems through a multi-step process called 'cutting'," which has its own Wikipedia article. This article describes the cutting process in detail, including steps called "cleaving or sawing" and "bruting." Diamonds have to go through a lot in order to be created, and then they go through a lot more to become cut and polished gems, but by the end of the process, the diamonds will have become beautiful and valuable gems that symbolize the ability to last for an eternity.
Similarly, we had to go through a good deal of hardship just to be human, and we have to go through even more hardship to become saints. The process puts us through a good deal of pressure, and there is a lot of cutting that needs to be done as well. But as our impurities are gradually removed and our lives are shaped after the pattern set by the Savior, we become spiritually stronger and more beautiful until we become the priceless gems we always had the potential to become.
In light of this, the endurance of trials and hardship seems less cruel and more uplifting. God didn't put us on Earth and subject us to hardship out of some morbid curiosity to see how much suffering we could endure. He subjects us to hardship because those trials help to transform us into the God-like beings God knows we can be. Those trials help to cut and polish us and turn us into more perfect versions of ourselves. Diamonds couldn't become diamonds without the hardships they go through. Similarly, God knows we need to go through some hardships in order to become our best selves.
Similarly, we had to go through a good deal of hardship just to be human, and we have to go through even more hardship to become saints. The process puts us through a good deal of pressure, and there is a lot of cutting that needs to be done as well. But as our impurities are gradually removed and our lives are shaped after the pattern set by the Savior, we become spiritually stronger and more beautiful until we become the priceless gems we always had the potential to become.
In light of this, the endurance of trials and hardship seems less cruel and more uplifting. God didn't put us on Earth and subject us to hardship out of some morbid curiosity to see how much suffering we could endure. He subjects us to hardship because those trials help to transform us into the God-like beings God knows we can be. Those trials help to cut and polish us and turn us into more perfect versions of ourselves. Diamonds couldn't become diamonds without the hardships they go through. Similarly, God knows we need to go through some hardships in order to become our best selves.
Saturday, July 22, 2017
Good Intentions
I started with such good intentions. I was going to blog first (or second) thing in the morning. But then I went to a meeting with my brother, and before I knew it, half the day was gone. The other half of the day was spent being tired and playing a card game with my brother, and this evening was largely occupied by a shopping trip with my mom and my sister. So, on the day I was going to blog early and had basically all day to do it, I still end up blogging just before midnight, as I do most days. I'll do better tomorrow.
At least, I intend to do better tomorrow, just as I had intended to do better today, but good intentions are not always enough. Sometimes, one's intentions aren't as important as one's actual results. Yet, I still think there are some circumstances in which intentions are more important than results. God judges people by their hearts, which is where their intentions lie, so if a person attempts to do something, but they fail, God still gives them credit for it.
Of course, that might depend on why they fail. I could have blogged earlier today, and I had intended to, but I failed, and that failure falls solely on my shoulders. If I had intended to blog earlier, but couldn't because of circumstances out of my control, like computer trouble, then God might have let me off the hook, but I had an opportunity to blog this afternoon, and I failed to take it. My prior good intentions weren't good enough.
Thankfully, I'll get another chance to blog early tomorrow morning. If I'm smart, I'll take that chance and prove my good intentions then.
At least, I intend to do better tomorrow, just as I had intended to do better today, but good intentions are not always enough. Sometimes, one's intentions aren't as important as one's actual results. Yet, I still think there are some circumstances in which intentions are more important than results. God judges people by their hearts, which is where their intentions lie, so if a person attempts to do something, but they fail, God still gives them credit for it.
Of course, that might depend on why they fail. I could have blogged earlier today, and I had intended to, but I failed, and that failure falls solely on my shoulders. If I had intended to blog earlier, but couldn't because of circumstances out of my control, like computer trouble, then God might have let me off the hook, but I had an opportunity to blog this afternoon, and I failed to take it. My prior good intentions weren't good enough.
Thankfully, I'll get another chance to blog early tomorrow morning. If I'm smart, I'll take that chance and prove my good intentions then.
Friday, July 21, 2017
Back to Blogging Earlier
Yesterday, I proved that it is still (or again) possible for me to blog in the morning before I leave for work, at least some of the time. On days I'm not scheduled to work, blogging before midnight should be even easier. Perhaps it's time I recommit to that goal. When I started blogging, the goal was to blog about a General Conference talk each morning before noon. I don't think I'll hold myself to the "Conference Talk" part, and I probably won't hold myself strictly to that "noon" part, either, but when I manage to blog before work, and particularly on days when I don't have work, I can certainly blog much earlier than I have been blogging, and I think my blog posts and my spirituality would improve as a result.
So, I'm going to try to blog earlier tomorrow and for at least the whole following week. I have specific deadline timestamps in mind, but I don't want to reveal them for fear of being held to them. At any rate, I should hopefully be able to have a blog post uploaded each day by dinnertime. As with any goal, I could easily fall short, and I apologize if (or when) I do, but also like any other goal, it could help me develop a habit which, in this case, could help me drastically in many areas of my life, and may give you better posts to read as well. Blogging has, for the last few years, always had a positive impact on my life. Hopefully, going back to blogging earlier will make that positive impact even stronger and make my blog posts better as well.
So, I'm going to try to blog earlier tomorrow and for at least the whole following week. I have specific deadline timestamps in mind, but I don't want to reveal them for fear of being held to them. At any rate, I should hopefully be able to have a blog post uploaded each day by dinnertime. As with any goal, I could easily fall short, and I apologize if (or when) I do, but also like any other goal, it could help me develop a habit which, in this case, could help me drastically in many areas of my life, and may give you better posts to read as well. Blogging has, for the last few years, always had a positive impact on my life. Hopefully, going back to blogging earlier will make that positive impact even stronger and make my blog posts better as well.
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Reserving Judgement
Yesterday, a student came in with a paper about social media, judgement, and discrimination. His main argument is that people are too judgemental of each other, and I agree. People often judge other people harshly, even to the point of exhibiting rude and unfair treatment, when it's really not our job to see to it that people get what (we think) they deserve. God doesn't want us to judge each other, at least, not in that sense. God has reserved the right to pass judgement, and I say let Him have it! Without His eternal perspective and His accurate view of people's hearts, it can be difficult, if not impossible, for us to judge each other fairly, which is why, with few exceptions, we probably shouldn't try to judge each other at all. Judgement is God's job, and we should leave it to Him.
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Developing Sin-Resistance
Sister Joy D. Jones spoke of raising
A second lesson we can learn from this quote is that, though we cannot become perfect in this life, we can become better by repeatedly trying. We are all human. We all have shortcomings. None of us are going to become sinless any time soon. Yet, those shortcomings can help us improve ourselves by showing us areas in which we can improve. If we are vigilant, valiant, and willing to repent, we can learn from our (oft repeated) mistakes and eventually learn to stop making them. That is how we will ultimately become perfect: With focussed effort, we can learn to sin less and less frequently until we eventually don't sin at all. This requires diligent and continuous effort, but it is possible.
Sister Jones' talk shared other good tips on how to become sin-resistant. It was worth revisiting. I'll have to listen to it again another time. Until then, I can attempt to develop sin-resistance by continually trying to resist sin and by learning from my mistakes whenever I fall short. I may not become perfectly sinless within my lifetime, but if I am vigilant and consistent in my efforts to resist sin and repent of it, I am confident that I can become sin-resistant.
Being sin-resistant doesn’t mean being sinless, but it does imply being continually repentant, vigilant, and valiant.In the same paragraph, she goes on to say:
Perhaps being sin-resistant comes as a blessing from repeatedly resisting sin. As James said, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”There are at least two lessons in this. One is that we become good at something by doing it. Practising doing something, like resisting sin, is one way to become better at doing that thing. That is one of the ways fasting can help us. Fasting gives us the opportunity to resist the temptation to eat so we can learn to effectively resist the temptation to sin.
A second lesson we can learn from this quote is that, though we cannot become perfect in this life, we can become better by repeatedly trying. We are all human. We all have shortcomings. None of us are going to become sinless any time soon. Yet, those shortcomings can help us improve ourselves by showing us areas in which we can improve. If we are vigilant, valiant, and willing to repent, we can learn from our (oft repeated) mistakes and eventually learn to stop making them. That is how we will ultimately become perfect: With focussed effort, we can learn to sin less and less frequently until we eventually don't sin at all. This requires diligent and continuous effort, but it is possible.
Sister Jones' talk shared other good tips on how to become sin-resistant. It was worth revisiting. I'll have to listen to it again another time. Until then, I can attempt to develop sin-resistance by continually trying to resist sin and by learning from my mistakes whenever I fall short. I may not become perfectly sinless within my lifetime, but if I am vigilant and consistent in my efforts to resist sin and repent of it, I am confident that I can become sin-resistant.
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
At the Behest of a Prophet
I just reviewed President Thomas S. Monson's talk The Power of the Book of Mormon, and I'm glad I did. His message didn't contain anything new, apart from the announcement of some new temples, but despite the repeated nature of his message it was still one that I needed to hear again.
We who have been raised in the church have always been told how important it is to prayerfully study the Book of Mormon daily, but how many of us actually do it? I can only speak for myself, but, to put it lightly, my studies of the Book of Mormon could be improved in frequency, consistency, length, depth, prayerfulness and basically every other way.
And the blessings being offered for prayerfully studying the Book of Mormon daily are ones that I could really use. President Monson concluded his talk by saying "I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so," he promised, "we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives."
I would love to hear the voice of the Spirit more often and have greater power to resist temptation. I have a few fears and doubts I could stand to overcome, and we could all use heaven's help from time to time. All these blessings and more can be ours if we prayerfully ponder the Book of Mormon daily, as we've been counselled to do by our current prophet and probably every other modern-day prophet before him.
The counsel to study the Book of Mormon each day is nothing new, but I find that I frequently need to hear it. Reading the Book of Mormon daily is a habit that I fall out of far too easily, which is a real shame, considering the blessings I miss out on by not reading the Book of Mormon frequently. So, starting again tonight, I'm going to try to follow President Monson's counsel to study the Book of Mormon prayerfully. I can't promise that I'll read the Book of Mormon faithfully every night from now on, but I can try, and when I fail, I'll probably be reminded again by another message like this one.
We who have been raised in the church have always been told how important it is to prayerfully study the Book of Mormon daily, but how many of us actually do it? I can only speak for myself, but, to put it lightly, my studies of the Book of Mormon could be improved in frequency, consistency, length, depth, prayerfulness and basically every other way.
And the blessings being offered for prayerfully studying the Book of Mormon daily are ones that I could really use. President Monson concluded his talk by saying "I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so," he promised, "we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives."
I would love to hear the voice of the Spirit more often and have greater power to resist temptation. I have a few fears and doubts I could stand to overcome, and we could all use heaven's help from time to time. All these blessings and more can be ours if we prayerfully ponder the Book of Mormon daily, as we've been counselled to do by our current prophet and probably every other modern-day prophet before him.
The counsel to study the Book of Mormon each day is nothing new, but I find that I frequently need to hear it. Reading the Book of Mormon daily is a habit that I fall out of far too easily, which is a real shame, considering the blessings I miss out on by not reading the Book of Mormon frequently. So, starting again tonight, I'm going to try to follow President Monson's counsel to study the Book of Mormon prayerfully. I can't promise that I'll read the Book of Mormon faithfully every night from now on, but I can try, and when I fail, I'll probably be reminded again by another message like this one.
Monday, July 17, 2017
The Help of the Holy Ghost
Having and keeping the Holy Ghost as a constant companion is harder than it sounds. It requires frequent prayer and careful living, but the blessing of having the Holy Ghost with you is well worth the effort. The Holy Ghost can lift your spirit and offer inspired guidance. He can even semi-dictate a blog post, when you need Him to. I am thankful that I was baptised and confirmed and given the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Now, it is my responsibility to keep the Holy Ghost with me so He can help me when I need Him most.
Sunday, July 16, 2017
Sinning in Ignorance
One thing I've thought about in preparation for the Word of Wisdom I taught today is the concept of sinning and ignorance. Before the bretheren received the Word of Wisdom, many of them used tobacco, and possibly even drank alcohol occasionally, and this both was and was not okay.
Sin has at least two kinds of consequences: eternal consequences and temporal consequences. If one is sinning in ignorance, the eternal consequences will largely be mitigated. God doesn't punish people for breaking commandments they don't know about. If a person doesn't know that it's a sin to play sports on Sunday, God's probably not going to be too hard on them for doing so. So, unless I'm wrong, sinning in ignorance doesn't carry very many or very strong eternal consequences.
The temporal consequences, however, remain fully in force. The early saints, or anyone else who used tobacco before the Word of Wisdom was revealed, may not have been punished for it, but the tobacco would still have had negative effects on them. It still would have been harmful and potentially habit-forming. Thus, even though their eternal welfare wasn't at stake, it was still good for the early saints to learn about the dangers of tobacco.
God's commandments aren't just rules that God punishes us for breaking. They're warnings about things that are inherently harmful to us. Not knowing about those commandments might spare us from the eternal consequences of ignorantly breaking them, but it won't spare us from the temporal consequences of those actions. Sinning in ignorance isn't as bad as wilfully sinning, but that doesn't make it harmless. There are consequences for sinning, even if a person doesn't know they're doing it.
Sin has at least two kinds of consequences: eternal consequences and temporal consequences. If one is sinning in ignorance, the eternal consequences will largely be mitigated. God doesn't punish people for breaking commandments they don't know about. If a person doesn't know that it's a sin to play sports on Sunday, God's probably not going to be too hard on them for doing so. So, unless I'm wrong, sinning in ignorance doesn't carry very many or very strong eternal consequences.
The temporal consequences, however, remain fully in force. The early saints, or anyone else who used tobacco before the Word of Wisdom was revealed, may not have been punished for it, but the tobacco would still have had negative effects on them. It still would have been harmful and potentially habit-forming. Thus, even though their eternal welfare wasn't at stake, it was still good for the early saints to learn about the dangers of tobacco.
God's commandments aren't just rules that God punishes us for breaking. They're warnings about things that are inherently harmful to us. Not knowing about those commandments might spare us from the eternal consequences of ignorantly breaking them, but it won't spare us from the temporal consequences of those actions. Sinning in ignorance isn't as bad as wilfully sinning, but that doesn't make it harmless. There are consequences for sinning, even if a person doesn't know they're doing it.
Saturday, July 15, 2017
WoW! A Lesson Plan!
Here's the plan:
I'll start, as usual, by asking (and, if needed, reminding) my students what last week's lesson was about. This tends to be a good way to refresh their memory, and talking briefly about the Three Degrees of Glory will help me transition to another important, modern-day revelation: The Word of Wisdom.
I'll explain the situation with many of the Bretheren experiencing a Word of Wisdom issue, but I'll explain that this was before the Word of Wisdom was revealed, and well before conventional wisdom caught up with it, so the Bretheren didn't know they were doing anything wrong. From here, I might add a side-note about sinning in ignorance (which I should probably blog about) and/or the fact that we can learn from both good and bad examples of behavior, even in our role models.
Once I've established the need for inspired correction, I'll invite the class to read the inspired correction found in D&C Section 89. The youngsters like reading, and there are many good passages in this chapter that teach the Word of Wisdom directly from its source. As we read, we'll pause occasionally to discuss what the verses say and/or leave out. We'll especially want to mention that illegal drugs, on top of being illegal, are also against the Word of Wisdom, even though they're not specifically mentioned. We'll also take a moment to explain what hot and strong drinks are, in case there's any question. And we'll certainly talk about following the spirit of the Word of Wisdom being equally important as following the letter of it.
I'll end the lesson with the bottom line that the Word of Wisdom basically means to take care of our bodies, and if we do that, our bodies will also take care of us. Then, time permitting, we'll play a few rounds of hangman using words and phrases from the lesson until it's time to head into sharing time.
It's the same basic structure as most of our lessons have been: Recap, Overview, Story, Reading, Discussion, Activity, usually (though not always) in that order. I hope that this structure and the fact that we have a regular structure help the children follow the lesson and learn from it. If not, perhaps the structure itself should be revised.
Anyhow, that's my lesson plan, and I think it's good enough for now, so I'll ask for God's blessing and/or feedback on it, possibly make a few inspired tweaks, and prepare to follow the plan (as much as the kids allow me to) tomorrow.
I'll start, as usual, by asking (and, if needed, reminding) my students what last week's lesson was about. This tends to be a good way to refresh their memory, and talking briefly about the Three Degrees of Glory will help me transition to another important, modern-day revelation: The Word of Wisdom.
I'll explain the situation with many of the Bretheren experiencing a Word of Wisdom issue, but I'll explain that this was before the Word of Wisdom was revealed, and well before conventional wisdom caught up with it, so the Bretheren didn't know they were doing anything wrong. From here, I might add a side-note about sinning in ignorance (which I should probably blog about) and/or the fact that we can learn from both good and bad examples of behavior, even in our role models.
Once I've established the need for inspired correction, I'll invite the class to read the inspired correction found in D&C Section 89. The youngsters like reading, and there are many good passages in this chapter that teach the Word of Wisdom directly from its source. As we read, we'll pause occasionally to discuss what the verses say and/or leave out. We'll especially want to mention that illegal drugs, on top of being illegal, are also against the Word of Wisdom, even though they're not specifically mentioned. We'll also take a moment to explain what hot and strong drinks are, in case there's any question. And we'll certainly talk about following the spirit of the Word of Wisdom being equally important as following the letter of it.
I'll end the lesson with the bottom line that the Word of Wisdom basically means to take care of our bodies, and if we do that, our bodies will also take care of us. Then, time permitting, we'll play a few rounds of hangman using words and phrases from the lesson until it's time to head into sharing time.
It's the same basic structure as most of our lessons have been: Recap, Overview, Story, Reading, Discussion, Activity, usually (though not always) in that order. I hope that this structure and the fact that we have a regular structure help the children follow the lesson and learn from it. If not, perhaps the structure itself should be revised.
Anyhow, that's my lesson plan, and I think it's good enough for now, so I'll ask for God's blessing and/or feedback on it, possibly make a few inspired tweaks, and prepare to follow the plan (as much as the kids allow me to) tomorrow.
Friday, July 14, 2017
Learning About Spacetime
My brother and I have been talking about spacetime. Or, rather, he's been trying to explain spacetime to me (and also something about how photons turn into electrons and positrons, and how positrons and electrons turn back into photons), except that we're both too tired to effectively have this conversation. However, I get the feeling that, even if we weren't so tired, this would probably be a difficult conversation to have. Space is complicated, and it's complicated further when we consider time as, somehow, being a dimension of space (or of spacetime). I'm afraid that it's all going over my head.
Yet, I know that it's not going over God's head. God understands space. He created space. He designed space. And eventually, after a LOT of teaching, if we're worthy, we will be entrusted with the power to create spaces for ourselves. I currently can hardly even fathom what that means; I can't even begin to comprehend how smart or intelligent or educated a person would need to be to actually do that.
It's amazing to me that God understands the universe and everything in it. What's even more amazing, though, is that God can teach us to understand it, too.
Yet, I know that it's not going over God's head. God understands space. He created space. He designed space. And eventually, after a LOT of teaching, if we're worthy, we will be entrusted with the power to create spaces for ourselves. I currently can hardly even fathom what that means; I can't even begin to comprehend how smart or intelligent or educated a person would need to be to actually do that.
It's amazing to me that God understands the universe and everything in it. What's even more amazing, though, is that God can teach us to understand it, too.
Thursday, July 13, 2017
Retraction
In response to my mother's comment on my last blog post, I double-checked my source and found that it didn't actually state that Joseph Smith ever used tobacco. It said that many of the men in a group to which he belonged did, and it said, collectively, that the group did, but Joseph Smith himself was not specifically included in or excluded from the group of those who smoked and chewed tobacco. He might have. He might not have. Many of his peers did, but it's still possible that he didn't. So, I was mistaken yesterday, and I'm grateful that I was. Now, I don't have to talk about Joseph Smith smoking tobacco because, as far as Primary Handbook knows, he may not have.
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Teaching About Tobacco
RETRACTION: Since writing this blog post, it has come to my attention that I could well have been mistaken in my assumption that Joseph Smith smoked and chewed tobacco. I still think it's likely, but I cannot say for sure. This blog post labors under the potentially-false assumption that Joseph Smith smoked and chewed tobacco, which, I repeat, he may not have. Any claim in this blog post that he did smoke and chew are pure speculation on my part, and it's entirely possible that my speculation was incorrect.
This Sunday, I will have the honor and obligation of trying to explain tobacco to Primary kids. Here's the setup: Before the Word of Wisdom was revealed, and well before scientists figured out how harmful tobacco could be, chewing and pipe tobacco were so popular that even the early saints, including the Prophet Joseph Smith, were doing it. I think what I'm most concerned about is the risk of either ruining the image of Joseph Smith as a role model for my Primary class or allowing him to set a bad example for them. I don't want want my class to stop looking up to him, but I don't want them to follow his tobacco-smoking example, either.
I can think of two solutions to this problem. The first is to teach the children that nobody is perfect and that we can learn from both what people do right and what they do wrong. We can follow people's good examples while deliberately not following their bad examples. Joseph Smith had many admirable traits, qualities, and habits. Smoking and chewing tobacco are not among them. Yet, we can learn to follow in his footsteps for the most part and still avoid the pitfalls he fell into before he learned better. If the 116 pages didn't teach the children that's it's okay to ignore God's answers because He'll change His mind eventually if you keep asking Him to, hopefully this lesson won't teach them that it's okay to use tobacco.
The second solution is to spin this story in a positive, repentance-based light. Before receiving the Word of Wisdom, Joseph Smith was sinning in ignorance. He didn't know he was doing anything wrong. But as soon as he learned that chewing and smoking tobacco was against God's wishes, I'm sure he repented of his behavior and tried to quit. Of course, I'll want to do more research to confirm that suspicion, if I can, and find any information I can on whether he was successful or not (either to provide encouragement or a cautionary tale), but the information might not be readily available, so I might be better of going with the first solution.
Either way I do it, I hope to be able to teach those Primary kids the history of Joseph Smith's tobacco use without having the whole lesson go completely off the rails. I can see this potentially going badly, especially when a portion of my audience is generally only half-listening. I just have to pray and hope that they don't pick up the wrong half.
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
Seats for Strangers
After not having gone to the movies for quite some time, I went to the movies twice today. Both times, I went with my sister, who has trouble walking and sometimes uses a wheelchair. Both times, strangers at the theaters were willing to move over a few seats to give our group enough space to sit together. This reminded me of how the Savior asked us to make room for Him and said that, when we do service for others, we are doing service for Him. It was encouraging to see people make such kind gestures for my sister and her family even though we were strangers to them. I don't know if any of them were Christian, but their actions certainly were, and I think He is just as pleased with them for that as I am.
Monday, July 10, 2017
Blogging, Not by Candlelight
And the power's already back, reminding us that the trials of this life are always temporary and, after they're endured, usually feel blessedly brief.
Blogging by Candlelight
The power's out, but I can still blog from my phone. Similarly, we can always communicate with God, even in our darkest hours. Let us remember that we can always turn to God, even when everything else in our lives go dark.
Sunday, July 9, 2017
Not Perfect, Perfected
This afternoon, I had the opportunity to clear up a misconception about the Celestial Kingdom. Some thought that a person had to be practically perfect to qualify for the Celestial Kingdom, but I reminded them that Jesus Christ is the only person who managed to achieve perfection, though we can all be perfected by the power of His Atonement. We cannot be perfect (We can try, but we should not expect ourselves to succeed.), but through the grace of Jesus Christ, we can be perfected and have our sins washed away so we can be deemed worthy of the Celestial Kingdom, even if our actions haven't always been Celestial. The important thing, I reminded them (and myself), is that we are trying to be good. As long as we keep trying to keep the commandments and keep working toward our eventual perfection, God can make up the difference. We cannot be perfect through our own efforts, and we will never be truly worthy of anything that only perfect beings deserve, but we can "come unto Christ, and be perfected in him" (Moroni 10:32), and that's what it really takes to qualify for the Celestial Kingdom.
Distracted
I suppose this shouldn't surprise a twenty-something-year-old, but I find that I have many life lessons to learn, including how not to get distracted. I know that I have to blog every evening, if I hadn't blogged earlier that day, yet I frequently find myself spending most of my evening hours on Facebook or Youtube when I should be focusing on my blog or my family. Spending too much time and attention on the internet is a fault I share with many members of my generation, but one that I, especially as a Mormon, should try to overcome. This is an important season of the Earth's history. We need strong families and great spiritual strength. We can't afford to get too distracted by the internet.
Friday, July 7, 2017
Talking and Working with God
In response to my last blog post, my mother made an excellent comment which I would like to expand upon now. In her comment, she reminded me that, as important as it is to communicate and cooperate with our fellow man, it is even more important to communicate and cooperate with God. Prayer is essential to our spiritual growth and salvation, and following God's plans is the best way to bring about the greatest blessings in our lives. God has great plans in store for anyone and everyone who is willing to work with Him, but the only way we can learn God's plan for us and the next steps we should take to follow it is to talk with Him. Many people miss out on tremendous blessings because they fail to ask God what they need to do to get them, or they find themselves unwilling to do as they had been directed. To receive the greatest blessings we can receive, in this life and in the next, we need to consistently, nearly constantly, communicate and cooperate with God.
Communication and Cooperation
A paper I recently helped a student with and a game I just started with a friend have both reminded me of the importance of communication and cooperation. Humans are herd animals, and our greatest strengths stem from our ability to share ideas with each other. When we work together, we can do great things. When we don't work together, everything falls apart. That is why it's important for us to communicate with each other openly and honestly and to try to work with each other when we can. Communication and cooperation are what allow us to excel.
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Judging by Ugliness
Of the many lessons we can learn from Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, perhaps the most obvious is that we shouldn't be mean to others simply for being different. The titular character, Quasimodo, was nearly killed as an infant and was mocked by a crowd of jeering produce-throwers, all only because he was "ugly." I think we can agree that the ugly behavior of Quasimodo's tormentors is more offensive than Quasimodo's appearance.
We should not be so quick to judge, and we shouldn't judge others for such frivolous reasons as appearance. A person's heart is a far better indicator of their character and worth than anything else, so judging a person by their appearance (including any and all judgements based on their skin tone or apparent nationality or ethnicity) is ultimately a poor means of passing judgement.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame teaches us the folly of judging others based on their appearance, and the scriptures teach us the folly of judging others at all. So, let us try to refrain from judging others, and let us especially refrain from judging others by how they look.
We should not be so quick to judge, and we shouldn't judge others for such frivolous reasons as appearance. A person's heart is a far better indicator of their character and worth than anything else, so judging a person by their appearance (including any and all judgements based on their skin tone or apparent nationality or ethnicity) is ultimately a poor means of passing judgement.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame teaches us the folly of judging others based on their appearance, and the scriptures teach us the folly of judging others at all. So, let us try to refrain from judging others, and let us especially refrain from judging others by how they look.
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
No Questions Asked
Earlier today, my sister asked for a small, plastic container, so I went to the kitchen and got it for her. I didn't ask here why she needed it. I still don't know what she used it for. I didn't, and still don't, need to know why she wanted a small, plastic container. I just knew that she needed one, so I went and got it for her, no questions asked.
I should be that obedient to God. When God asks me to do something, I often as for a reason. I want to know why God wants it to get done and why He wants me to do it. And when God doesn't answer my questions or if the answers don't make sense to me, I feel reluctant to do what God has asked of me.
Instead of demanding answers and reasons for God's requests, I should be more trusting and obedient. I shouldn't have to know the reasons why God wants me to do things; it should be enough for me to know that God has His reasons and that, if I knew what He knew, His decisions and commandments would make perfect sense to me.
Unfortunately, I'm not quite at that point yet. I still like to know God's reasoning behind His commandments, and I sometimes feel that it would be foolish of me to just do whatever God asks of me without at least knowing why He wants me to do it. Strangely, I am more willing to serve my sister without question than I am to serve God. I should change that. Not that I should be less willing to help me sister but that I should be more willing to trust and obey God, even when I don't know why He wants me to.
I should be that obedient to God. When God asks me to do something, I often as for a reason. I want to know why God wants it to get done and why He wants me to do it. And when God doesn't answer my questions or if the answers don't make sense to me, I feel reluctant to do what God has asked of me.
Instead of demanding answers and reasons for God's requests, I should be more trusting and obedient. I shouldn't have to know the reasons why God wants me to do things; it should be enough for me to know that God has His reasons and that, if I knew what He knew, His decisions and commandments would make perfect sense to me.
Unfortunately, I'm not quite at that point yet. I still like to know God's reasoning behind His commandments, and I sometimes feel that it would be foolish of me to just do whatever God asks of me without at least knowing why He wants me to do it. Strangely, I am more willing to serve my sister without question than I am to serve God. I should change that. Not that I should be less willing to help me sister but that I should be more willing to trust and obey God, even when I don't know why He wants me to.
Monday, July 3, 2017
The Most Important Kind of Freedom
Tomorrow (or today, most likely, by the time you read this), we celebrate our nation's freedom. When I think of freedom, I usually think of the freedom to do things, to live and worship as I choose, without fear of legal repercussions, for example. But while that freedom is valuable, it has its limits, and there is another kind of freedom which is even better.
One of the main limits to the freedom to do as I please is the limitation imposed by the law. I cannot, for example, drive a car however fast I'd like without running the risk of getting pulled over. I can, of course, drive a car that fast. I am physically capable of doing so. But there would be consequences.
The same is true in terms of the spiritual laws. With our God-given moral agency, we are free to act as we choose, but any choice we make will carry consequences, and if we make poor choices, we won't like the consequences that follow.
A much more liberating and appealing kind of freedom is the freedom from such consequences and from the habit-forming poor choices that lead to them. Satan wants to bind us and make us miserable, so he attempts to trap us in sinful habits that lead to dire consequences. If we value our freedom or our happiness, we must use our moral freedom wisely so we can stay free from Satan's traps.
Though God's commandments sometimes seem limiting, they are nowhere near as restrictive as Satan's snares or the soul-crushing consequences of abusing our freedom. Sure, it might be nice to have the freedom to be able to do whatever we want and get away with it, but there are always consequences for our actions. So, in the end, the most important kind of freedom is keeping free from sin.
One of the main limits to the freedom to do as I please is the limitation imposed by the law. I cannot, for example, drive a car however fast I'd like without running the risk of getting pulled over. I can, of course, drive a car that fast. I am physically capable of doing so. But there would be consequences.
The same is true in terms of the spiritual laws. With our God-given moral agency, we are free to act as we choose, but any choice we make will carry consequences, and if we make poor choices, we won't like the consequences that follow.
A much more liberating and appealing kind of freedom is the freedom from such consequences and from the habit-forming poor choices that lead to them. Satan wants to bind us and make us miserable, so he attempts to trap us in sinful habits that lead to dire consequences. If we value our freedom or our happiness, we must use our moral freedom wisely so we can stay free from Satan's traps.
Though God's commandments sometimes seem limiting, they are nowhere near as restrictive as Satan's snares or the soul-crushing consequences of abusing our freedom. Sure, it might be nice to have the freedom to be able to do whatever we want and get away with it, but there are always consequences for our actions. So, in the end, the most important kind of freedom is keeping free from sin.
Sunday, July 2, 2017
How Bad Is Death?
Next week, my primary class is learning about the Three Degrees of Glory. This topic is both comforting and troubling for me because, no matter how you slice it, the underlying message seems to be that death isn't actually all that bad.
The Three Degrees of Glory, ranked from best to worst, are the Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial Kingdoms, but even the lowest degree of glory, the Telestial Kingdom, is described as being much nicer than Earth. In fact, I've even heard it said that if everyone knew how good the Telestial Kindgom was, there would be mass suicides to get there.
That's where this topic gets troubling for me. Life stinks. In fact, life in Earth is so bad that even the worst place any of us a capable of ending up is better than here. Yet, we really don't want to leave this mortal life early. Mortality is the only way we can gain the experiences we need to grow. Unfortunately, most of those experiences are painful ones, which is why we couldn't have had them in a Celestial world.
So, on the one hand, death isn't too bad because we end up in a nice place, even, potentially, a heavenly place, depending on our decisions, but on the other hand, death is still kind of bad because it means an end to the opportunities created by a mortal life. Dying isn't the worst thing that could happen to us, but we should still put it off as long as possible, for our own sakes if no one else's. I'm just a bit fuzzy on how bad dying really is.
I suppose it depends on the context. If one dies after a long, full life, that's not so bad, but if a person dies early, that is bad. But it's hard to know what counts as "early" in this context. Some people die by accident, but some of those "accidents" may turn out to have been acts of God. I suppose only God knows when it's a person's time to die. If a person dies when God determines their life on Earth is over, that's not a bad thing, but if a person dies before that time, it is. But it's difficult, if not impossible, to know whether or not a person's time was truly up, so it's difficult, if not impossible to know whether their death is a relief or a tragedy.
Of course, this is far too heavy a subject to bring up in a class full of 8- and 9-year-olds. Odds are, the lesson on the Three Degrees of Glory won't go far beyond describing the three kingdoms and which kinds of people go to which kingdoms. But I can hardly help wondering how we, who know the meaning of life and the nature of death, are supposed to feel about death. Is it to be shunned as an end of necessary mortal experienced or embraced as a long-awaited return to our heavenly home? The answer may depend entirely on whether or not the death comes early, but I'm afraid only God knows when each person's "early" ends.
The Three Degrees of Glory, ranked from best to worst, are the Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial Kingdoms, but even the lowest degree of glory, the Telestial Kingdom, is described as being much nicer than Earth. In fact, I've even heard it said that if everyone knew how good the Telestial Kindgom was, there would be mass suicides to get there.
That's where this topic gets troubling for me. Life stinks. In fact, life in Earth is so bad that even the worst place any of us a capable of ending up is better than here. Yet, we really don't want to leave this mortal life early. Mortality is the only way we can gain the experiences we need to grow. Unfortunately, most of those experiences are painful ones, which is why we couldn't have had them in a Celestial world.
So, on the one hand, death isn't too bad because we end up in a nice place, even, potentially, a heavenly place, depending on our decisions, but on the other hand, death is still kind of bad because it means an end to the opportunities created by a mortal life. Dying isn't the worst thing that could happen to us, but we should still put it off as long as possible, for our own sakes if no one else's. I'm just a bit fuzzy on how bad dying really is.
I suppose it depends on the context. If one dies after a long, full life, that's not so bad, but if a person dies early, that is bad. But it's hard to know what counts as "early" in this context. Some people die by accident, but some of those "accidents" may turn out to have been acts of God. I suppose only God knows when it's a person's time to die. If a person dies when God determines their life on Earth is over, that's not a bad thing, but if a person dies before that time, it is. But it's difficult, if not impossible, to know whether or not a person's time was truly up, so it's difficult, if not impossible to know whether their death is a relief or a tragedy.
Of course, this is far too heavy a subject to bring up in a class full of 8- and 9-year-olds. Odds are, the lesson on the Three Degrees of Glory won't go far beyond describing the three kingdoms and which kinds of people go to which kingdoms. But I can hardly help wondering how we, who know the meaning of life and the nature of death, are supposed to feel about death. Is it to be shunned as an end of necessary mortal experienced or embraced as a long-awaited return to our heavenly home? The answer may depend entirely on whether or not the death comes early, but I'm afraid only God knows when each person's "early" ends.
Saturday, July 1, 2017
President Monson's Most Recent Message
If I'm going to mention President Monson's most recent General Conference talk in my Primary lesson tomorrow, I should probably familiarize myself with it. Fortunately, it is (as noted previously) rather short, and it also happens to be the next General Conference talk I am to blog about.
President Monson started his talk The Power of the Book of Mormon by announcing a few new temples and then testifying of the importance of studying, pondering, applying the teachings of, and having a testimony of the Book of Mormon. He said "The importance of having a firm and sure testimony of the Book of Mormon cannot be overstated."
He touched on the evils of the world today and said that a strong testimony of Jesus Christ and His Gospel would help see us though to safety. He reminded us of the last few paragraphs of the Introduction of the Book of Mormon by telling us that, if we read the Book of Mormon with a desire to know whether or not it's true, we can receive a witness that it is true, and through that witness, we can come to know the truthfulness of the church.
He also warned us that it would be necessary for each of us to obtain such a witness for ourselves because, as he put it "the testimonies of others will carry you only so far," and he reminded us that, even once obtained, a testimony needs to regularly strengthened "through continued obedience to the commandments of God and through daily prayer and scripture study."
This is a lot of work, but he promised that great blessings would follow daily and prayerful pondering of the Book of Mormon. Specifically, he promised that "as we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives."
Life has always been hard, especially for true believers in Jesus Christ, and it has been getting harder. The only way to make it through these treacherous times with our spiritual safety intact is by maintaining a strong personal testimony through daily, prayerful scripture study. If we study the Book of Mormon daily, we will receive the help we need to get through life's ever-increasing challenges. That is an important message for all of us, important enough for the Prophet to spend his limited strength to spend his limited time to tell us. President Monson built his most recent General Conference talk around a plea to read the Book of Mormon daily. If that commandment was important enough for the Prophet to put that strong of a focus on it, then maybe we all had better keep it.
President Monson started his talk The Power of the Book of Mormon by announcing a few new temples and then testifying of the importance of studying, pondering, applying the teachings of, and having a testimony of the Book of Mormon. He said "The importance of having a firm and sure testimony of the Book of Mormon cannot be overstated."
He touched on the evils of the world today and said that a strong testimony of Jesus Christ and His Gospel would help see us though to safety. He reminded us of the last few paragraphs of the Introduction of the Book of Mormon by telling us that, if we read the Book of Mormon with a desire to know whether or not it's true, we can receive a witness that it is true, and through that witness, we can come to know the truthfulness of the church.
He also warned us that it would be necessary for each of us to obtain such a witness for ourselves because, as he put it "the testimonies of others will carry you only so far," and he reminded us that, even once obtained, a testimony needs to regularly strengthened "through continued obedience to the commandments of God and through daily prayer and scripture study."
This is a lot of work, but he promised that great blessings would follow daily and prayerful pondering of the Book of Mormon. Specifically, he promised that "as we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives."
Life has always been hard, especially for true believers in Jesus Christ, and it has been getting harder. The only way to make it through these treacherous times with our spiritual safety intact is by maintaining a strong personal testimony through daily, prayerful scripture study. If we study the Book of Mormon daily, we will receive the help we need to get through life's ever-increasing challenges. That is an important message for all of us, important enough for the Prophet to spend his limited strength to spend his limited time to tell us. President Monson built his most recent General Conference talk around a plea to read the Book of Mormon daily. If that commandment was important enough for the Prophet to put that strong of a focus on it, then maybe we all had better keep it.
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