The Parable of the Snowmobile and the Forest

We've been visiting family in Bear Lake for a couple of days to celebrate the New Year. Yesterday afternoon, on a brisk and clear day, we took the snowmobiles into the beautiful mountains near Bear lake. It was to be a short ride, we rode away with only two hours of sunlight left.

As we continued to climb and go farther back in the mountains, we broke above the haze that lingered in the valley and the bright, deep-blue sky appeared. It was brilliant as the sun reflected off the snow.

We continued to go farther and deeper into the mountains, I was comfortable because I was with my brother-in-laws who knew the area very well. As we climbed up through some trees and came out on a ridge, I noticed that all the fresh snowmobile tracks disappeared. As we continued through the trees and up the ridge, I was thinking to myself, "I'm glad they know where we are, because I certainly have no idea." The entire ride we had seen fresh tracks everywhere, now it was just our tracks. After a few minutes, my brother-in-law pulled up and said that he had no idea where we were, even though they knew the general direction we needed to go, we were lost. This wouldn't have been a significant concern, except that the sun was setting and darkness wasn't far away from enveloping us.

I suggested we follow our own tracks out and so we turned around and started back. We had only gone for a few minutes and my brother-in-law, who was in the lead, made a U turn. I asked what we were doing and he said the tracks we had started to follow had turned into someone else's tracks. We were definitely lost. We chose a couple of directions and went for a few minutes before realizing that we were just making circles. I had always wondered how it was possible for people to get lost in what were normally totally familiar mountains, this was my answer!

We decided to simply start "down" the mountain, but after going for just a few minutes, we came upon a steep ravine and couldn't continue on that path - once again we had to turn around. Now the sun was low on the horizon and we didn't have much time before it was gone. We decided to say a prayer. We gathered in a circle, said a quick prayer asking for help and guidance and then closed the prayer. My brother-in-law decided to ride around a set of trees and see what was on the other side, we rode for one minute and discovered a large set of fresh tracks pointing the direction we needed to go. We followed those tracks for less than two minutes and as we went over one more ridge, the valley we were looking for opened into view - we knew we had made it and were safe! It took us 30 minutes to ride back home and the sun was below the horizon when we arrived at the house.

When we were lost, I couldn't help think of all the symbolism in this event.  We were closer  to a very dangerous situation than we probably realized, especially because we had no survival kit of any kind (matches, flares, etc.) and the temperatures that night would be below zero degrees.

Sometimes in life we cruise along on a path we think is safe. We think all is well and we're quite comfortable with our current situation. Some people go through their entire life, thinking they're on the right trail, when in reality they're going deeper and deeper into the forest where the return becomes even more difficult. Sometimes, we look around and suddenly realize "all is not well", and we try to get back to the true path. Even when we begin to awake, we sometimes try to do it on our own. We look for the path, but end up going in circles. It's not until we sincerely look to the Lord, that he alone can quickly lead us back to the true path and put us on the correct course leading to eternal life. There are many deceptive trails in life, we can choose to follow any one of them, but only when we look to the Lord, will he illuminate the correct path.

I'm grateful for prayer and the quick and immediate answer we received yesterday while snowmobiling. I'm grateful for the lesson taught to me by the Lord. He is the master teacher. I came home and hugged our children, the outcome could have been very different. Let us all look to the Lord and live. Let's be careful about complacency in the gospel or we may find ourselves in a place we never expected to be.

For God So Loved the World

I watch this video in wonder and awe at the majestic man who condescended to come down amongst men when he didn't have too. Here was a man who was already a God and the creator of the world, he had no need of himself to do what he did. In a fullness of charity and mercy, he chose to be born in the humblest circumstances, with no fanfare to laud his coming into this mortal realm. He was raised as a carpenter and then spent his time among the hungry, the "unclean", and those who sought him.

This video is a reminder of true and complete love. For whoever may read this, I know that Christ lives and the time draws near when he will return in majesty and glory. He offers a love and joy that isn't known on earth, only through him can it be found. The world as a whole continues to pull away, but he yet calls for those who are willing to lay down their lives and forget themselves, and in turn, find him.

The Power of Music

Last night my Wife and I attended the Mormon Tabernacle Christmas concert.  It was a beautiful event and the music was incredible. That's one of the primary reasons I love the Christmas season, the music!

For some reason, there is a power to music that can cut through the hardest heart and tear down the thickest walls. Music has pierced hearts when nothing else could.

I scanned the scriptures last night when we returned home, it was interesting to see that many times when people glimpsed and saw the throne of God, he was surrounded by concourses of angels singing.

These are just a few notable times when music was part of a sacred event:

1 Nephi 1:8 "He saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God."

2 Nephi 8:11 "Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be upon their heads."

Mosiah 2:28 "I am about to go down to my grave, that I might go down in peace, and my immortal spirit may join the choirs above in singing the praises of a just God."

D&C 138:24 "Their countenances shone, and the radiance from the presence of the Lord rested upon them, and they sang praises unto his holy name."

D&C 128:22"Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel,"


And there are countless more verses, but these are a good sampling. I would encourage all of us to bring music into our homes, especially during Christmas. If there's just two people, sing as a couple - it's still powerful! I would encourage us to sing hymns with our children in our home. We've found that our children will hum the tune of the hymns we sing with them as they randomly walk around the house.

I love music and the power it brings into our lives. I look forward to the day when we can join the heavenly choirs above where everything is amplified to a degree we can only faintly comprehend.

Have a great week!

Grace For Grace

In reading the first few verses of 1 Nephi, I noticed a similar pattern of great men through history. These men (and women as well) who have been ministered to by Christ and seen marvellous things in vision seem to have shared a similar "heart" or "desire".

1. We know Lehi was already a good man, so stated Nephi. It wasn't until he went forth to the people and prayed with all his heart on their behalf that a vision opened up to him which was so tremendous it caused this good man to "quake and tremble exceedingly" (1 Nephi 1:5-6).

2. When Enos prayed in mighty prayer and was pronounced clean by the Lord, he could have stopped there. But, his heart turned to his brethren, even his enemies the Lamanites, and he continued to pray until another marvellous vision was opened to him.

3. The three Nephites who asked to stay and minister were "more blessed" than the nine because of their love for their brethren and desire to minister. Read the Lord's words to them in contrast to his words to the other nine (3 Nephi 28:3-10).

4. The Lord received not of the fullness at first, but received grace for grace. The master of us all grew until he received a fullness, in part because of his unconditional love and service to others. He received grace as he extended grace and continued until he received a fullness. (D&C 93:11-14).

We should embody the spirit of Christ if we are to become like him. It's my hope that we can extend grace and love to those around us - especially during the Christmas season (although it shouldn't stop on December 25th). As we prayerfully consider how we can serve and lift others, marvellous experiences await us. Many times the greatest blessings come when we forget ourselves and find ourselves in the service of others. We will receive grace for grace!

Thine Angels Have Charge Over Them

There are great and wonderful blessings to be had in Temple worship. If you've found this blog and are taking the time to read it, most likely you already share that same feeling and knowledge. In the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple, Joseph spoke these words found in D&C 109:22:

"We ask thee, Holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them, and thy glory be round about them, and thine angels have charge over them."

I've underlined four separate parts, but I only want to discuss the last six words of the verse, "Thine angels have charge over them." There are different ways this can be understood, one of those ways is that his angels will literally look after and protect us and those around us until our mission is finished. I want to share a journal entry about an amazing story from a Sister in Florida. This isn't to sensationalize the promise, but to illustrate one facet of its literal interpretation.

This account was shared in a testimony meeting in St. Petersburg, Florida. This is the story as written in my journal:

This sister is a worker in the Orlando Temple and as the sisters in the Temple were having there prayer meeting, Sister Hessi (another temple worker) recounted a story from her life that goes something like this:

One day Sister Hessi was doing names in the Temple. She was finishing up her session and was going to go home, however, she felt prompted to stay and do another name.  She hesitated because she had a baby sitter at home and gave the babysitter the time in which she would return.  But, she decided to stay and follow the prompting. She did the name for one more sister.

As she was driving home she noticed the emergency response vehicles in the area and realized they were at her house.  As she walked in the front door the babysitter said “I’m so sorry, I only turned away for a second”.  Her child had been swept away in the stream behind the house and had been swept under the culvert, they still hadn’t found the body.  She was going to go help look for her daughter when she felt like she should look in her room.  As she opened the door to her room, there was her daughter  all wet and dirty.  Sister Hessi asked her daughter how she got to her room and her duaghter didn't remember how she got out of the river, only that a nice lady brought her back to the room.  Sister Hessi asked what the nice lady's name was and it was the same name that she had just done in the Temple prior to going home that day."

There are MANY incredible blessings to be had with sincere and frequent temple worship. In addition, to this wonderful story of a mother in Orlando, it's my witness that when we attend to this great work, his angels WILL have charge over us - I know that to be true. I would encourage all of us to consider our temple worship. Is it just another ritual or is it something much deeper for you and I individually?

The Return of a Father

A close friend shared this story (and I share it with her permission) of her Father's return to the Gospel. Although it's long, it's well worth reading the entire story. There are many lessons to be learned from this story. Before reading it, I only pose one question - What would have happened if Ron didn't follow that prompting? Ron was an angel to this man!

Enjoy the story:

"My Dad was an only child who grew up in a rather non-religious family in California.  When he was 19 a friend introduced him to the gospel.  He hooked right on, was baptized and was religiously on fire.  He enlisted in the Navy for 2 years where everyone knew he was Mormon.  He was well liked and shared the gospel with anyone who was willing to listen.  After the Navy he was called to serve a mission in Preston, England. (Contemporary missionaries included Elder Cook and Elder Holland).  He returned home, finished his schooling at BYU where he met my Mom.

Although I do not remember it, my Mom has told me on several occasions that my Dad was very well versed in the scriptures.  His personality lends him to be a fantastic teacher and he had many happy years as an active member of the church. Around 1980 my Dad was introduced to some anit-Mormon literature.  At first he set off to prove it all wrong with his knowledge, but the more he read, the more questions he had the more and more he felt unsettled.  Around this same time he had a couple of close friends who were treated unkindly by church leadership, or at least that is how he viewed it.  A stake president had done some really bad things and wasn't excommunicated while other "lay" members of the church were excommunicated for what seemed like trivial matters. To be honest, I don't know that much about the situation.  My Dad has never wanted to "taint" the kids with his bad experiences with the church.  Finally, my Dad started to travel a lot during that time period.  He was gone from Thursday to Sunday night for about 5 months out of the year.  He fell out of the habit of going to church and quite frankly didn't want to be there.  I can remember going to church with Dad when I was little and he would bring a Robert Ludlum book to read in sacrament.  He went to appease my Mom, but obviously his heart wasn't in it.

At some point, he fell away completely...started drinking, never seriously, but wine and beer here and there.  As you can imagine it put a lot of stress on my parents relationship.

My Dad had been blessed with lots of people who love him and look out for him.  He has had bishops and home teachers reach out to him.  Sometimes he has treated these people VERY poorly and has not been kind and other times he has opened his door to them, but not his heart.  

My parents divorced in fall of 1999 and my Dad ended up living in his woodshop.  The last decade has been a really rough one for my Dad.  He has had terrible money problems what has been even more difficult for him is the loneliness that he has felt.  He has openly talked to me about suicide on many occasions.

About 6 months ago a man named Ron who lives in Logan, stopped in to see my Dad.  Ron is a Stake President on the USU campus, a former mission president and has been a bishop twice.  He bought a black walnut box from my Dad about three years ago, but has not had any contact with him since.  So about 6 months ago, Ron was driving by my Dad's shop and he had this feeling that he should stop in and visit with him.  So began their friendship. Ron has been down to visit my Dad at his shop 2 or 3 times a week for the past 6 months.  I think  Ron was the right man to help my Dad and I think my Dad was finally ready to open his heart.  Ron and Dad would talk about everything...religion, work, politics, their gardens, their life experiences, their families etc...they truly became good friends.  Plus my Dad really respected Ron.

About 3 months ago Ron called my Dad to be on High Council!!!  I don't know who was more shocked...my Dad, or myself when my Dad told me about it.  My Dad turned down the calling, citing that he was not worthy.  He didn't go to church, and he still liked to have a beer every now and then.  Ron said that was fine, but told him he was going to ask him again in the future.  Ron asked him again about a month later, again my Dad refused.  My Dad still hasn't accepted the calling, but he told me he is working towards it.

A week ago I had just returned from taking my Dad to a VA appointment for his Parkinson's.  While we were driving he told me that he had been to church for the past 3 weeks and had even gone to General Conference.  He said he was working to return to the temple.  I asked him where this change of heart had come from.  He told me that the doctrinal questions that bothered him so much all those years ago really didn't seem to mater that much to him now.  He said "it's easier to be in the church than out of the church.  I could have been swimming in the blessings of the gospel all of these years."  Isn't it true what he said?  Although life is hard even when you are living the principles of the gospel, life really is a lot easier when you live close to the Lord as opposed to living far from Him.  

My Dad will turned 73 years-old in January   Many many people have prayed for him for years.  I feel that I have been so blessed through this experience.  The Lord truly is merciful and prayers are answered. I' haven't seen him this happy for many years!"

Ether 12

Although I've read Ether 12 dozens of times, this morning something stood out that never has before. This is one of the rare instances in scripture where a two way conversation with the Lord is shared with us. I encourage you to read Ether 12 and listen to this conversation. Moroni had several different concerns he brought to the Lord, all of which the Lord resolved. Of note:

- Moroni was concerned about his weakness in writing and the Lord comforted him.
- Moroni prayed that we (the Gentiles) might have charity and grace. He was essentially told that it mattereth not to Moroni what the Gentiles do because his garments are clean from our blood.

This is a powerful conversation and it should give us great insight into both Moroni's personality and the Lord.

A couple of points:
- When we have a weakness, where do we go to seek comfort and strength? The reality is, rarely to the Lord, and more often to the world.
- The Lord told Moroni, "Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness."  Fools take advantage of the weakness of others. The humble and meek will learn from and lift others and seek the Lord, who will identify our own weaknesses and make those strong.

Friends

This weekend we had some of our closest friends visit...it was a wonderful time! After they left, I took a few minutes to reminisce on the blessings of such good friends. There are a lot of people who have touched our lives and there are a handful of people who have had a deep and profound impact, I can't imagine what our lives would have been like without having those associations.

I want to cite a few examples from scriptures of the powerful impact friends have had on some of my heroes throughout history:

2 Nephi 1:30 "And now, Zoram, I speak unto you: Behold, thou art the servant of Laban; nevertheless, thou hast been brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and I know that thou art a true friend unto my son, Nephi, forever." Imagine the strength and bond that existed between Zoram and Nephi, we only get hints into what a strength they were for each other.

Alma 62:37 "Now it came to pass that when Lehi and Moroni knew that Teancum was dead they were exceedingly sorrowful." Imagine fighting side-by-side and all the experiences they shared together. Imagine the incredible respect and love these three men had for each other. I'm sure they trusted their lives and everything they had to each other.

Alma 27:16-17 "And it came to pass that as Ammon was going forth into the land, that he and his brethren met Alma, over in the place of which has been spoken; and behold, this was a joyful meeting. Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell again to the earth." After more than a decade of being apart, these men who had once rebelled and repented, were united again. So great was there joy that Ammon lost his strength and fell to the ground.

D&C 121:9 "Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands. During four arduous months in Liberty Jail when Joseph felt abandoned at times, the Lord reminded him that his friends still stand by him and will greet him with warm hearts. This had to provide encouragement for Joseph when he felt alone and in despair.

D&C 135:3 "He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated! Joseph and Hyrum were brothers and relied on each other on many different occasions. There was a bond and a trust. I love the phrase, "in life they were not divided." Joseph lost many of his "friends", but he never lost that bond and friendship with Hyrum.

The examples go on and on. In most cases, where there are great men, they've had close friends who were an anchor and rod of support for them. I'm grateful for all the people we've associated with in this life who have blessed us. I'm especially grateful for some close friends who (to us) are like Zoram, Ammon, and Hyrum were to their associates in these examples. These type of friendships are a tender mercy from the Lord!

A Time of Election and Awareness

With politics and all the national issues on the forefront of our minds, it should cause us to be quite concerned about our country and the world. If the establishment of this nation had the hand of the Lord in it, then it makes sense the adversary would try to overthrow it.

As Moroni abridged the Jaredite plates, he inserted what he saw in the last days (Ether 8:22-25):


"22 And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations [do we?], to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not.

 23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles [this refers to us], it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you [What is shown unto us - the fall of a nation?], that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you [How do we prevent them from getting above us?], which are built up to get power and gain [Do we see the desire for power and gain in our local and federal government? Are elected leaders still servants of the people?]—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be [We've just been told that if we sit idly by and do nothing, the sword of justice will fall upon us!].

 24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you [to do something is a commandment from the Lord, not a request or suggestion], when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation [are we as a country awake when we are dependent on the government, taking God out of every public place, murdering hundreds of thousands of unborn children annually, approximately 55% of the population won't vote, etc.?], because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or [The word "or" indicates we can do something about it, IF we awake to sense of our awful situation] wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.

 25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people [Satan is a person who uses the same tactics through the ages. He's overthrown countless nations by the use of secret combination and wickedness], for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning."

We should have ample evidence around us of what is happening to our nation. Moroni and many others saw it and his concern was that we sit idly by while the secret combinations and wickedness overthrow our freedom and bring upon us our destruction. He's warning us that it's not too late, but that these things originate from the devil and if we do nothing, wo unto us! This isn't doom and gloom, this is a prophetic reality and has been seen and foretold for a very long time.

After Many Days

My wife and I attended the Mt. Timpanogos temple last night and had a wonderful experience. I was reminded of a truth which should be applied to every one one of us.

Nephi shares with us how he applies the scriptures in 1 Nephi 19:23 when he states, "for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning." Likewise, in the temple we are to consider ourselves as if we were Adam and Eve - in other words, it should be a personal and individual journey. It's likening and applying all of these teachings to ourselves for our "profit and learning".

After Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden, they built an altar and offered sacrifices. After many days an angel of the Lord appeared to them and asked them why they offered sacrifices? Adam responded, "I know not save the Lord commanded me." The angel then began to teach them the purpose of the sacrifice and other important doctrines. (Moses 5:4-6)

It was that experience that began a journey of progression and preparation for Adam and Eve. Additional angels appeared to them without revealing their identity to test and evaluate them, then angels returned disclosing their identity and casting out the adversary, over a period of time and other experiences they were prepared in all things to meet the Lord.

Among several interesting lessons in this endowment, I want to share just one:

Adam and Eve followed divine direction, even when they didn't know WHY they were doing it. They continued to perform this labor (offer sacrifice, with little understanding why they were doing it) for many days. For a couple who lived for more than 900 years, many days could be weeks, months, years, or decades. It was this act of faith that started a journey of progression until they were pulled into the presence of the Lord.

- How many of us obey the commandments of the Lord, even when we don't understand all the reasons?
- How many of us get impatient with the Lord, especially after MANY DAYS?
- How many of us continue to humbly seek the Lord to better understand how all things point to him?

I love the temple and all it has to offer. It points the way to Christ. It teaches us how to seek him and humbly serve him. It should remind us that he is in all things. We should patiently and humbly seek him and never weary of obeying his word, even if it requires MANY DAYS of sacrifice. What we learn in the temple is that he does hear those prayers and he will teach us when we obey his voice (D&C 93).

Ancient Book of Mormon Characters and Humility

A prophecy from Isaiah (2 Nephi 27:15-20) was fulfilled when Martin Harris carried a facsimile of some of the characters from the Book of Mormon to the "learned" professors in the East. The intent of Joseph and Martin were to see if these learned men could authenticate and translate these characters.

In the famous account from Martin Harris, he said,
"I went to the city of New York, and presented the characters which had been translated, with the translation thereof, to Professor Charles Anthon, a gentleman celebrated for his literary attainments. Professor Anthon stated that the translation was correct, more so than any he had before seen translated from Egyptian. I then showed him those which were not yet translated, and he said that they were Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyric, and Arabic; and he said they were true characters.

He gave me a certificate, certifying to the people of Palmyra that they were true characters, and that the translation of such of them as had been translated was also correct. I took the certificate and put it into my pocket, and was just leaving the house, when Mr. Anthon called me back, and asked me how the young man found out that there were gold plates in the place where he found them. I answered that an angel of God had revealed it unto him.

He then said to me, "Let me see that certificate." I accordingly took it out of my pocket and gave it to him, when he took it and tore it to pieces, saying, that there was no such thing now as ministering of angels, and that if I would bring the plates to him, he would translate them. I informed him that part of the plates were sealed and I was forbidden to bring them. He replied, "I cannot read a sealed book." 

And thus was an ancient prophecy fulfilled. A small piece of that facsimile carried by Martin is shown above.

There are several great lessons to be learned in this story. I'll share one of them here:

We're taught in 2 Nephi 9:29 that "To be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God."
I read it exactly that way, when we hearken to the counsels of God and are truly humble before him, we can be the instruments to bring about his work. When we rely solely on our learning, rather than him, we are stuck and make no progress. To be instruments in his hands, it necessitates our humility before him, which comes from sincere prayer and a contrite heart!

A great example of this is found when Joseph could make no progress in translating the plates. I quote from David Whitmer as he recounted,
"At times when Brother Joseph would attempt to translate...he found he was spiritually blind and could not translate. He told us that his mind dwelt too much on earthly things, and various causes would make him incapable of proceeding with the translation. When in this condition he would go out and pray, and when he became sufficiently humble before God, he could proceed with the translation." 
David Whitmer went on to recount an experience when Joseph had a disagreement with Emma and immediately went upstairs to translate, but couldn't decipher a single letter. Joseph then went out and prayed for an hour in a grove, returned and asked Emma for forgiveness, and continued to translate.

Not only was this post an example of prophecy fulfilled, but the lessons contained should teach you and I a great lesson. We can be learned, and that is good, IF we hearken to the counsels of God. No man has ever accomplished the work of God by their learning alone, it was ONLY when they were humble and diligently sought his counsel in sincere prayer!

General Conference

This is an interesting time. It seems like following conference, there's people who find ways to critique and find what was "missing" or find those points that don't coincide with their own understanding.

That's fine. But, it seems those people miss out on something so uplifting and inspiring.

Referring to the scriptures, Nephi said, "I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning." (1 Nephi 19:23).

I try to approach conference the same way. What can I liken and apply to myself, for my profit and learning. In other words, how can I repent and be a better instrument in the hands of the Lord. I've listed just a couple of questions that I liken to myself:

1. President Monson shared stories of receving a prompting and acting immediately. How often do I look for those whispering's? Am I living quietly in a way in which I can hear those promptings when they come? Do I respond immediately and act on them?
        -- What would our church be like if everyone listened and responded immediately to direction from the Spirit?

2. What type of spiritual leader am I in the home? Do I lead the family in some of the outward expressions of the Gospel such as scripture study, FHE, prayer, etc.? More importantly, do I work with my Wife to lead with love and kindness in the home? Have I sought the Lord to have him reveal the potential of our children, he certainly sees them in a different way than I do?

3. Regarding Church Service. Do I serve as I've committed to serve? How can I help the young men and others become fully converted to the GOSPEL?

4. Elder Holland.  When was the last time I shared my testimony or feelings about the gospel with someone outside the church? How often do I go "back to my fishing nets" rather than focus on our true mission?

There are numerous other opportunities for revelation and inspiration as we reflect on how we could be better servants to our Master. There will always be opportunities to find faults and "pick' at others - we'll find what we search for!

I'm grateful for a weekend of reflection, a weekend which allows us to recommit to the Savior, and a weekend that inspires me to be a better person. I personally walked away with several specific things in which I can do and act on now. I love the gospel and the organization of the church, despite its imperfections and the weakness of man!

The Veil and the Sun

The other day I left Heber Valley and drove down Provo Canyon. While driving in the upper part of the canyon, there was a soft, white blanket of clouds that settled over the valley. The cloud ceiling was around 100 feet.  As I rounded a corner, there was an abrupt end to the fog and low cloud deck. On the backside of the clouds it was a crystal clear, blue sky.

While driving I took a couple of pictures (there were no cars around) of the clouds and sun. A mile prior to these pictures being taken, the shape of the Sun wasn't apparent through the clouds. There was a dim light, it was bright enough to see without headlights, but it was still a pale, dim light. Approaching this break in the clouds, I noticed the brilliant Sun beginning to shine and the round shape of the Sun beginning to become noticeable through the clouds. As I passed the cloud deck and was able to see the Sun, it was set against a beautiful ocean blue sky. It was brilliant and I couldn't look in its direction without being blinded.

It was an inspiring moment. I was reminded of the Nauvoo Sunstone. Layered with symbolism, one of the symbols is that of the Sun representing the Father. If we look closely we notice the Sun rising through three layers of clouds. One interpretation of the clouds is that of the veil.

This experience driving through the canyon was almost like the temple and the Sunstone - that of increasing light. At first it was a dim light, then I began to make out something bright and round, and then after passing the line of clouds it burst forth in a brilliant and magnificent light.

Our lives our similar. Some walk their entire lives with just a small amount of light - some consider that sufficient; for this group the veil will stay firmly in place. Others begin to grow and develop that light and they watch it become brighter and brighter until at some point, it becomes a perfect light - that of the Son and the Father. Driving in the canyon, it was amazing to think that a thin layer of clouds separated myself from a beautiful blue sky and a brilliantly bright Sun. Sometimes in our lives, the veil is significantly thinner than we might imagine and there are glorious things awaiting us just beyond the veil - they are within our grasp according to the time and will of the Lord (D&C 88:67-68). When our eye is single to his glory, we will be filled with light!

Temple Dedication

I am excited about the Brigham City Temple dedication today. I've had the opportunity to be at the Mt. Timpanogos, Madrid, and now the Brigham City dedications. Each of the previous dedications have provided special experiences, I'd like to share one of them today.

One of the most special experiences in my life happened at the Mt. Timpanogos dedication, that was a special day! I arrived home from the mission the same Saturday morning and we drove directly from the airport to the American Fork Stake Center where the temple dedication was being broadcast. I was still wearing my black missionary badge. It was a beautiful dedication and then it came time to participate in the Hosanna Shout - a special ritual used in the dedication of temples. Following the Hosanna Shout, those assembled in the room sang The Spirit of God, along with those actually seated in the temple. Therein was a beautiful and sacred experience in my life. I heard beautiful choruses and many more voices singing than were actually present with us physically in the room. The song was incredible and penetrated my soul - I'll never forget the beautiful voices which seemed to number in the thousands. That day, there were many more present at the dedication than we could see with our physical eyes. The heavens must have rejoiced that day, for it sounded that way when we sang The Spirit of God.

President Woodruff later (after the Salt Lake Temple dedication)  told a congregation of Saints that “the Heavenly Host were in attendance at the [first] dedication [service] . . . and if the eyes of the congregation could be opened they would [have] seen Joseph and Hyrum [Smith], Brigham Young, John Taylor and all the good men who had lived in this dispensation assembled with us, as also Esaias, Jeremiah, and all the Holy Prophets and Apostles who had prophesied of the latter day work.” President Woodruff continued, “They were rejoicing with us in this building which had been accepted of the Lord and [when] the [Hosanna] shout had reached the throne of the Almighty,” they too had joined in the joyous shout.

As we participate in the Brigham City Temple dedication later today, I pray my heart is humble and ready to receive instruction from the Lord. This is a time when heaven and earth come together. These opportunities are unique, real, and sacred!

If you would like to read a good article regarding the Hosanna Shout, you can view one at: http://rsc.byu.edu/blog/?p=307

A Heavenly Light

This past Friday we hiked up Timpanogos and slept in the basin. We woke up at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday and hiked to the summit to watch the sunrise. Rarely can I get a camera to capture the moment, but I think this photo actually came pretty close. It was truly a heavenly light!

A verse in Mosiah 16:9 came to mind:

"He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless,that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death."

It's no wonder many of the marvelous experiences we have record of came while the individual was on a mountain - Nephi, Enos, Mahonri Moriancumr, Moses, etc.

This Is The Christ

This beautiful hymn was written by President James Faust. Consider carefully the words of the poignant hymn as you listen to and watch this video:

They heard His voice, a voice so mild;

It pierced them through and made their souls to quake;

They saw Him come, a man in white,

The Savior who had suffered for their sake.

They felt the wounds in hands and side,

And each could testify; This is the Christ;

This is the Christ, the holy Son of God,

Our Savior, Lord, Redeemer of mankind.

This is the Christ, the healer of our souls

Who ransomed us with love divine.

I read His words, the words He prayed

While bearing sorrow in Gethsemane;

I feel His love, the price He paid.

How many drops of blood were spilled for me?

With saints of old in joyful cry

I too can testify; This is the Christ;

This is the Christ, the holy Son of God,

Our Savior, Lord, Redeemer of mankind.

This is the Christ, the healer of our souls

Who ransomed us with purest love divine!

So many things compete for our time and attention, but truly we are preparing for his return and must bear witness that He is the Christ!

A Fun Story: President Monson

I had no intention of writing about this, but it was a fun and light moment that made our children's day. We were traveling from Heber valley to American Fork for a soccer game. The fall colors lit up the mountainside with a deep red, which makes the drive all the more enjoyable.

In the canyon we passed two nice cars and I wondered who the passengers might be. I didn't pay any more attention until we pulled up to a red light in Orem. Those two same cars approached us from behind and pulled up next to us. I looked in the back of the car and was surprised to see President Monson and his wife sitting there. I told our kids to look and see if they could tell us who pulled up next to us. It took them a minute and then they realized it was President Monson.

Although he probably gets it all the time, I rolled down our sons window and let him and our daughters wave to them. As soon as they saw our kids waiving, they leaned forward with a big smile and vigorously waved back.

He may not be perfect, I realize he's still a man, but he's been an inspiration to me on multiple occasions. He has a heavy load to carry...one I couldn't even begin to imagine. Yet, he finds time to smile and lift those around him. We've had a chance to be close to him on other occasions and in those times he's always lifted those around him.

Nothing doctrinal in this post, just a fun story about something that made our children's day. They were pretty excited the rest of the evening and it brought a smile to our faces as well!

Lessons of Love and Service

I came across this story shared by President Monson. This story involves two men in Midway, Utah (near where we live). There are numerous lessons to be learned in this simple story.

The story is told as follows:

Long years ago, Roy Kohler and Grant Remund served together in Church capacities. They were the best of friends. They were tillers of the soil and dairymen. Then a misunderstanding arose which became somewhat of a rift between them. 

Later, when Roy Kohler became grievously ill with cancer and had but a limited time to live, my wife, Frances, and I visited Roy and his wife, and I gave him a blessing. As we talked afterward, Brother Kohler said, "Let me tell you about one of the sweetest experiences I have had during my life." He then recounted to me his misunderstanding with Grant Remund and the ensuing estrangement. His comment was, "We were sort of on the outs with each other."

"Then" continued Roy, "I had just put up our hay for the winter to come, when one night, as a result of spontaneous combustion, the hay caught fire, burning the hay, the barn, and everything in it right to the ground. I was devastated," said Roy. "I didn't know what in the world I would do. The night was dark except for the dying embers of the fire. Then I saw coming toward me from the road, in the direction of Grant Remund's place, the lights of tractors and heavy equipment. As the "rescue party" turned in our drive and met me amidst my tears," Grant said, "Roy, you've got quite a mess to clean up. My boys and I are here. Let's get to it." Together they plunged in to the task at hand. Gone forever was the hidden wedge which had separated them for a short time. They worked throughout the night and into the next day, with many others in the community joining in.

Roy Kohler has passed away, and Grant Remund is getting older. Their sons have served together in the same ward bishopric. I truly treasure the friendship of these two wonderful families. (General Conference Report, Apr. 2002, 22)

If we really ponder this story, there are many life lessons:

- What caused the rift in the first place? Why did they it allow it to cause a rift?

- How many memories were lost during that time when they were "on the outs" with each other?

- What would have happened through the generations had Grant not come to help that night with his children?

- How many wonderful memories came to these two men and their posterity as a result of forgiveness and charity?

I conclude with this wonderful admonition and thought from Moroni: 

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—" (Moroni 7:46)

That Which Ye Send Out Shall Return Unto You Again

This post is more for me than anyone else.  I pose some questions for self-introspection:

- How do we treat others?

- How do we treat those who seemingly have nothing to offer us?

- Do we get upset at others' shortcomings?

- How do we treat the telemarketer, the person who cuts us off in traffic,  the person who's spoken unkindly about us when we weren't there, the person who in some way offended us, etc.?

The choice is ours and I believe this promise in Alma 41 will hold true in this life as well as in the life to come:

14 Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again.

 15 For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all.

I interpret this promise in two literal ways:

1. When we do good and are kind to others, good will be returned or restored unto us. Some call it Karma. We never know in what way it is returned unto us, but it is. Likewise, when we hurt, offend, or injure others emotionally, it will also be restored unto us in this life. Our actions towards others will catch up with us at some point, one way or the other.

2. When we pass through the veil, in a magnificent way our life will be opened up to us (and the Lord). We will see the consequence of our decisions and actions and how they affected others. If we were kind, we will see the ripple effect it caused in that individual's life - we will feel the emotional lift we helped cause. If we injured another through insult or rudeness, we will see and feel the ripples it caused - we will see and feel the emotional hurt it caused that individual and others. All our actions and the effects from those actions will be opened to our vision and we'll see them, both the good and the bad. In that day, the Lord will stand with love and mercy, however we will be our own judge as these events unfold before our senses.  The Lord won't have to "say" anything, it will be apparent to us as it unfolds, there will be no hiding from this panorama of our life.

I remember at Utah State when I pulled up to the parking attendant to pay the $4 I owed for parking. The attendant said, "No charge. The car in front of you paid for your parking." I was in awe! I did my best to try and catch the car, but to no avail. The rest of the day was spent trying to find ways to help others. I determined that day to try and do simple acts of kindness to lift others.  The simple act of a stranger helped change my life in a profound way.

I invite each of us to find something this week that will lift someone. Also, I invite us to temper our emotions and remember to let the small things go - only focus our time and energy on lifting others!

The Symbol of the Spoon

We sat in a marriage and family relations class today where the instructor used an analogy which might be a great reminder and visual illustration for adults as well as children. Every time we pick up a spoon we can hold it up and look at the reflection. This simple analogy is very symbolic of the realities of life.

When we hold up a spoon and turn it inward we see everything upside down.

When we hold up a spoon and turn it outward, we see our reflection as it really is.

Matthew 10:39:

"He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."

Mosiah 2:17:

"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

When we focus on satisfying our own needs and wants (the natural man) our perspective of life is upside down. We only begin to see clearly when we're filled with charity, the pure love of Christ, and seek the welfare of others. It's when we start emulating the Savior that our vision begins to open up and we start to see things as they really are. What a joyous awakening it is when this begins to happen! 

The Temple

My Wife and I had the opportunity to attend the Provo Temple last night. We chose to do sealings and we participated in a special experience. In the middle of our work, they escorted three sisters into the room. We assisted with the sealing ordinance of the parents of one of those sisters. Her parents died several years ago. Following the sealing of her parents, she was then sealed to her parents as a daughter. A special spirit was in the room.

The Sealer spoke with us for a few minutes and we had a good discussion. As a result, I walked out of the temple with two new thoughts:

1. The ordinances of the Gospel are chiasmic. Look carefully at the wording of the baptismal prayer and the sealing. There are several words shared in those two prayers which are ONLY used in those two prayers. It begins with the Father and culminates with the Father.

2. An approach I plan to use with the temple from this point forward is to ask myself this question every time, "What can I take away today that will help me improve my behavior or some part of my personality?"  Often I go looking for knowledge, knowledge without conversion is only condemning. It's when we allow that knowledge to mold our character that the temple unfolds a pathway to exaltation. If we're the same person after being in the temple that we were before, we're no closer to the Lord.

This was an interesting observation for me and I'm grateful to the Lord for that small revelation.

Emotions of the Lord

Sometimes we think the Lord is more like an object rather than a resurrected being and that he doesn't experience various emotions. His life, as given in the scriptures, would indicate otherwise. What's fascinating to me is that he does experience many emotions, but he has learned to master them and control them as an exalted God would control them.  

My questions are: 

Since he experiences emotions, how does he handle and control those emotions as an exalted being?

What lesson is there for each one of us if we ponder the answer(s) to the previous question?

If he continues to experience emotion, how important is it for each of us as mortals to learn, here and now, to control and master our emotions? How do we do it?

Without putting the actual verbiage of the scripture in this post, I've simply put a reference to each verse that details an example of when Christ exhibited a particular emotion. It's actually quite interesting to read each verse, but I'll leave that to the individual.

Wrath:  D&C 76:33, Ether2:8&9, 1 Nephi 13:11, 1 Nephi 22:16, 3 Nephi 22:8, Alma 13:30

Anger:  Helaman 11:12, Helaman 13:30, 2 Nephi 15:25, 2 Nephi 23:13, Alma 8:29, D&C 61:20, D&C 61:5, D&C 84:24,

Mercy:  3 Nephi 22:7&8, Ether 11:8, Alma 5:4, Alma 5:33,Alma 9:26, D&C 99:3, D&C 88:40, D&C 101:9, Romans 9:15

Compassion:  D&C 101:9, 3 Nephi 17:6, 1 Nephi 21:15,  Luke 7:13, Mark 1:41, D&C 64:2, Matthew 20:34, Matthew 14:14

Joy:  3 Nephi 17:20, 3 Nephi 27:30, D&C 88:53, 2 Corinthians 2:3, 3 John 1:4, John 3:29, Alma 27:18

Why Do We Justify Sin?

This is short and I simply want to pose a thought and a few questions.

Yesterday, we visited someone who had previously been sealed in the Temple. She hasn't been "active" in the church for years and she's since removed her garments. According to her she still believes it's true, but she feels like people are judging her because she likes to drink wine. She's passed judgement on the organization and the imperfect members and has therefore withdrawn herself from the blessings associated with it. What we listened to were her "justifications" for being where she currently is and why she's happy with that. This is the same conversation I've had with countless people across the world. I was truly saddened as we listened. The adversary uses this same tactic over and over and he's become quite successful.

A truth rang true in my mind as we sat there and this goes along with my previous post. D&C 130 mentions that the same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there. We judge ourselves! When someone has justified an action or behavior, they will see what they want to see and find what they want to find. If they want to find that small group who "judges them", they'll find it. I grant there are some close-minded and rude people within the church, but that is the exception - just like any organization. More often than not, if someone comes back after a period of absence, they are welcomed with open arms by a host of different people. At least that has been my observation.  But, someone tends to judge themselves when they're in that environment and obviously doesn't want to be there because they feel uncomfortable. How will that person feel when they're not sitting in front of a group of people, but the Lord himself who reveals all truth? We invited, loved, and tried to convey a humble testimony that the Savior loves and extends mercy and compassion, regardless of who the person is - we'll see if it makes a difference. But now, I want to turn this to ourselves.

How have we allowed the adversary to become so successful in our lives?

In Helaman, chapter 8, I read this in verses 24 and 25, "And now, seeing ye know these things and cannot deny them except ye shall lie, therefore in this ye have sinned, for ye have rejected all these things, notwithstanding so many evidences which ye have received; yea, even ye have received ball things, both things in heaven, and all things which are in the earth, as a witness that they are true. But behold, ye have rejected the truth, and rebelled against your holy God; and even at this time, instead of laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where nothing doth corrupt, and where nothing can come which is unclean, ye are heaping up for yourselves wrath against the day of judgment."


- Is there any thing in our life which we currently justify?
- Are we lying to ourselves about any particular area of our life?
- What are we specifically doing to lay up treasures in heaven?

The Purpose of Life

Every once in a while a life changing book comes along and really inspires the reader.  Yesterday I finished a book that falls into that category. I've heard a couple of people talk about the book and it truly was a life-changing work!

The book is Return From Tomorrow written by George Ritchie. I look forward to reading his next book, Ordered to Return.  He's not an LDS Author, but I can say that based on my own personal experiences and the doctrine as I understand it, his experience was real and true. His experience is consistent with previous revelation and experiences we read about in the scriptures.

He puts life in perspective for each one of us. He gives the reader a perspective of what awaits us and what we should do with our time.

I will try (although inadequately) to sum up his book:

1) When we pass on from this life we'll see our entire life and how our actions have affected others, both good and bad.

2) When his spirit was separated, there was no progress unless he kept his focus towards the Lord. Then, and only then, was he able to see things as they really are.

3) The question that repeatedly came to his mind was, "What have you done with your life?"  He was the one to answer his own question. It was manifest in his innermost thoughts and desires.

4) It's all about developing love and relationships and building others - isn't that what Christ did and still does?

This young 19 year old man had a life changing experience and he was converted to the Lord (as far as I can tell). Every day of his life from that point forward revolved around that experience.

As a result of reading this book, I've re-committed to ask myself these questions each morning:

1) Lord, how can I serve thee today and be an instrument in thy hands?

2) Who's life did I affect today? How did I help, lift, or inspire someone to become better and look towards our Master?

How to Get Personal Revelation

I've attached a wonderful discourse given by Bruce R. McConkie at a BYU devotional in 1966. In this devotional he teaches some wonderful truths that seem to have been lost among many in the current culture of the church. This is the link:

http://speeches.byu.edu/download.php/McConkie66.mp3?item=2608&download=true

Of note, we should each become a prophet or prophetess. Now, what does that mean? The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus.  This discourse clearly describes what that is. It begins with dreams, visions, and angelic ministration. It culminates with the ministry of Christ and the Father (D&C 93, John 17:3).

He reminds us that these visions, dreams, and ministry are NOT just for someone with a calling, it's for any member or individual who abides the law. God is no respecter of persons and marvelous experiences are not obtained by virtue of a calling. A culture has seemed to creep into the church that divine revelation is only for General Authorities, Elder McConkie clearly rebukes that myth. It's the responsibility of each person to individually find and become like the Lord, literally.

Elder McConkie brings up a great point. We (as a whole) tend to attribute living revelation to the Prophet Joseph and others, but we rarely make a claim to personal angelic ministration.  It is our responsibility to seek to be taught by the heavens.

D&C 11:25 warns us, "Deny not the spirit of revelation, nor the spirit of prophecy, for wo unto him that denieth these things."  I would suggest that this is directed to each one of us individually.  The question I ask myself is "what things am I doing to inhibit the spirit of revelation?" If we inhibit the spirit of revelation, we are essentially denying it by our actions. If that be the case, then wo unto us and we should speedily repent.

What a marvelous time we live in when the heavens are open. If we humbly seek the Lord, confess our sins, and repent, the heavens can be open to any individual!

Your Actions Speak Louder Than Your Words

This will be short. When Helaman, the Son of Helaman, named his children Nephi and Lehi, he did so with a purpose. He named them so they might remember the "works" of their fathers and ancestors (Hel 5:6-8).

If you're a parent or spouse, I ask you (and myself) this simple question:

What are your actions or works towards your spouse and children? Answer yourself honestly with no guile or justification.

I love the quote which says, "I can't hear your words because your actions are shouting." Certainly our actions speak louder than our words. What a wonderful state we're in if our words match our actions - that was the life of the Savior!

As a parent or spouse, let us recommit to teach our children and love our spouse through our actions and words. If we use words without action or works, that is condemning. When the actions begin to match the words and we repent of our follies through the atonement, that is exalting!

Part 2: General Commandments and Personal Commandments

Part 2

In this post I want to share my approach to life and the gospel, it allows me to control what I can control. Whether others are right or wrong in their decisions is between them and the Lord.  This is the approach I've taken in trying to seek the Lord and honor the rites, ordinances, and sustain men to callings they have within the church organization. I don't believe they're mutually exclusive, but complementary. Men and organizations will stray and can make mistakes from time to time, but again, I'll explain my role and approach to that:

In D&C 93:19-20 it says, "I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fullness.  For if you keep MY commandments you SHALL receive of his fullness, and be glorified in ME as I am in the Father, therefore, I say unto you , you shall receive GRACE for GRACE."  All those who are begotten THROUGH ME are partakers of the glory of the same, and are of the Church of the Firstborn."

I sat on a beautiful green hilltop one morning and watched the brilliant sun crest the horizon. I pondered these verses when I was taught something beautiful and this is what I was taught:

One of the keys in those verses is when he says, "MY commandments." What became clear to me is that to truly worship the Father and come unto him, through his Son, there are really two types of commandments: Those commandments asked of everyone and PERSONAL commandments. If we expect to draw near to the Lord and be redeemed by him, we must be able to live and adhere to both types.

1) General Commandments.  If we raise our hand to sustain the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve then we also agree to pay tithing, obey the Word of Wisdom, serve in church callings, hometeach and visit families to whom we're assigned, speak or participate when asked to do so, and participate in temple work.  This has been an enormous blessing throughout my life. What I've learned serving in callings and the associations made have changed me and helped me become a better person. I could start listing names of those I've associated with inside the church and it would get extensively long, I've been blessed by each name on that list. Often times it was working with an "inactive young man" or assigned to home teach someone who's life was in shambles and hadn't associated with the church for years. I could write pages about experiences and blessings that have come through the church and serving in the church.

These are the general commandments and things we've committed to do if we sustain our leadership by common consent. These are foundational commandments and, in many cases, a predecessor to the greater commandments or personal commandments.

2) Personal Commandments:  I believe this next type of commandment is the greater type of commandment and comes to us when we are able to follow the foundational commandments discussed previously and when we humbly seek the Lord with full purpose of heart. Following these commandments will help your power in the priesthood grow.  In D&C 93, the promise is to those who keep "MY commandments." This is a much higher form of communication than the most basic commandments. This is when we begin to receive personal direction from the Lord on a daily basis. We learn to follow that direction and the communication and revelatory experiences increase to the measure we keep those personal directives or commandments.  In a general conference address, Elder Scott gave a talk titled To Acquire Spiritual Guidance. In it he said, "Communication with our Father in Heaven is not a trivial matter. It is a sacred privilege." He then goes on to share his thoughts on personal revelation or receiving personal guidance. He shares a story of sitting in a Sunday School class when he received personal direction from the Lord, wrote it down, pondered, prayed,  and then received more direction. This process continued and I'll just share the last part of his story (I would encourage you to read the whole talk). He says, "Subsequently I prayed, reviewing with the Lord what I thought I had been taught by the Spirit. When a feeling of peace came, I thanked Him for the guidance given. I was then impressed to ask, “Was there yet more to be given?” I received further impressions, and the process of writing down the impressions, pondering, and praying for confirmation was repeated. Again I was prompted to ask, “Is there more I should know?” And there was. When that last, most sacred experience was concluded, I had received some of the most precious, specific, personal direction one could hope to obtain in this life. Had I not responded to the first impressions and recorded them, I would not have received the last, most precious guidance."

This is my witness: When we receive guidance from the Lord, write it down, ponder it, pray for confirmation and  then ask "Lord, what else is there or what more...?", we will grow in light and intelligence.  We will draw near to the Lord and he will bless us with rich and personal experiences in which an environment is created where all that's promised in Section 93 might be fulfilled. The key is not simply living just the basic commandments, but then learning to be a "disciple" and live the personal commandments given to us by revelation.  The Lord will change the heart of an individual who follows this course and, as the potter's clay, will mold that person into what he wants them to become.

Part 1: General Commandments and Personal Commandments

Part 1:

I sustain and support those who have been called to lead in the church organization by common consent. I believe they (men and women who humbly seek inspiration and guidance) are entitled to inspired guidance. I believe the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve are men who do their best in a very challenging position - which they never looked for in the first place. I've had the chance to interact closely with several of them and I know people who work with them on a daily basis.  Although certainly not perfect, that particular group (as I know them) are humble  men who are constantly participating in quiet acts of service and kindness on a daily basis. They're asked to lead a multi-million member organization, spread through countless cultures.  I can't imagine the burden on their shoulders. Most of them have missed weddings, reunions, birthdays, baptisms, etc. They have sacrificed their life in many cases.  

Though I support and sustain them, it's not by them that salvation comes (2 Nephi 9:41 ). The Lord Jesus Christ is the keeper of the gate and he employeth no servant there.  We know by looking through history that it's possible to participate in the ordinances and rites, yet be hard-hearted and far from God (Israelites in the wilderness, Pharaoh, the Scribes and Pharisees, etc.).  The church and the authority vested in it (a preparatory gospel) will show us the way and point us in the direction to Christ. I'm the first to acknowledge that without the organization of the gospel to include wonderful home teachers, a faithful mission president, the opportunity to visit families with my father, etc. I wouldn't be here today and I'd certainly have taken a different path in life.

With that being said, according to the Lord, we as a church are still under condemnation for handling lightly the things of the Lord, more specifically the Book of Mormon.  This according to the Lord in D&C 84:54-57 and again re-affirmed by President Benson. Without providing an answer, I simply ask, what does that mean and how should it motivate you and I? If we're under condemnation as a whole, what have we forfeited? If this is the case, then what are we to do?

In Part 2, I'll try and answer that last question and provide my approach, which certainly may not fit everyone. We can do our part, but we can't force anyone. Following this course, I feel at peace and it allows me to focus on what's within my control. What I can't control are the decisions of others, to include those at every level in the church, whether right or wrong. I still firmly believe that no matter who you are, the Lord honors those who honor him.

Apply Your Heart to Understanding

Mosiah 12:27-28 is a powerful scripture with a significant teaching. Abinadi is meeting with King Noah and his priests and makes a comment and then poses a question. He says to them, "Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye have not been wise. Therefore, what teach ye this people?" The Priests responded, "We teach the law of Moses."

There are two significant portions of the body mentioned over and over in scripture, the heart and mind - both are important!

1) The Mind: Each person has the commandment to study and learn. However, each person is cautioned in the Book of Nephi, "O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God." (2 Nephi 9:28-29).

2) The Heart: Search for the word "soft" or "soften" in the scriptures and look at the numerous references to the heart. One example is D&C 121:4, the Lord commands you and I to "let thine heart be softened." What does that mean?

Now, the response of the Priests in Abinadi's example becomes important. Those Priests supposedly taught the Law of Moses, a law of outward ordinances and rites designed to point people to Christ and his Atonement. Similarly, we have the sacrament, temple rites, baptism, etc. which are all designed to point our hearts to Christ. Joseph Smith said those who dwell with God must have the character of God. It's when we allow these rites and ordinances to point our HEARTS to Christ, that a true conversion begins, otherwise many of us can be like the priests of Noah or a Pharisee. Those Priests of Noah said they taught those rites, but they certainly hadn't applied their HEARTS to understanding because they persecuted the people and didn't let those rites and ordinances draw them to the Lord.

I want to share a personal story, but I'll try to be vague in the details so as not to reveal the people in the example, but it is someone close to our family:

There's a man who serves in a Stake calling and has always been engaged in the activities of the Church - at least participates in the outward "rites". He puts on his suit and tie and he's there every Sunday. Yet, at home he rules with unrighteous dominion and has created enemies in his children because of the way he rules his home. His Wife has recently left the house and they're in the middle of this terrible mess.  I'm certainly not the Lord and can't pass final judgment on this man, but this is EXACTLY what the Pharisees did. They put on their priestly robes and would adhere strictly to the rites, yet they didn't recognize their Lord and they crucified him - in other words, they never applied their HEARTS to understanding. They only used their mind.

What a great lesson! Each of these rites which we participate in are crucial (temple, sacrament, etc.), but we MUST apply our HEARTS to understanding and let those point us to Christ. Those rites should soften our hearts and we should learn to treat those around us as the Master would treat them. If there's any question on how to treat people, Moroni 7 and D&C 121 describes it quite clearly.

I ask myself the same questions I pose here:

- Do you take the learning you've received and apply your heart to understanding?

- What are your actions towards others, especially when the other party seemingly has nothing to offer you?

- When you participate in the sacrament or temple rites, are you going through the motions or letting it drive you to repentance and a renewed conviction to serve the Lord?

- The Lord lifted people wherever he went. Do you do the same?  How?

When are hearts understand, we're filled with charity. Moroni said it well, "Charity is the greatest of all and it never faileth."

May we renew our commitment to apply our HEARTS to understanding and become more like Christ in our homes, workplace, and wherever we find ourselves!