My Sacrament Talk

Today, my wife and I were both assigned to speak in Sacrament. I've decided to post a transcript of my talk here:

Good afternoon, brothers and sisters. I’m grateful for my wife’s testimony – there’s really nothing more precious than sharing your core beliefs with your eternal companion and your children. As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland says in the introductory video to the temple open house – and I paraphrase – “I cannot imagine heaven without my wife, and my children.” So true it is. And that’s relevant to the subject of my talk today – you’ll learn why in a few minutes.

I was asked to choose a talk from our most recent General Conference of the Church upon which to speak. I chose to speak on “The Church Statistical Report, 2008,” as presented by Brook P. Hales, Secretary to the First Presidency.

He begins by saying, “Brothers and sisters, the First Presidency has issued the following report concerning the growth and activity of the Church as of December 31, 2008.”

He then goes on to list some significant numbers, including:

Total Church Membership: 13,508,509

Just to put that in some perspective; only California, Texas, New York, and Florida have a population of more than 13 million people. So if all the world’s members were a U.S. state, we’d be the fifth largest state. And 13 million is nearly TWICE the population of present-day Israel.

Brother Hales then gave us another number:

Converts Baptized: 265,593

That, by the way, is just over FIVE convert baptisms for each full-time missionary currently in the field.

I think those are absolutely magnificent numbers! And better yet, they’re not just numbers – each of those 265,953 represents a unique SOUL. A son or daughter of God who, after searching and wondering, reading and praying, found the true church AND did what was necessary to be baptized and become a member. I think that’s awesome.

In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord told Joseph Smith to remember that “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;” and that “if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!”

Now, perhaps none of us, individually, brought any of those 265,953 souls unto God (though perhaps some of us did) – but certainly no ONE of us brought ALL 265,953 souls unto God. Nevertheless, we, as a Church – as members of this great Holy organization – each may have played some part in that – whether by supporting a missionary, encouraging a friend, paying tithing, praying for the missionaries and the missionary work itself, or just being a good example to others and good representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Perhaps you referred an investigator to the full-time missionaries, or maybe a seed you helped plant in someone’s heart, years ago, finally blossomed and resulted in that person’s baptism during the last year.

You may never know how you touch and change the lives of others.

But even if you can’t directly trace any of those 265,953 baptisms back to yourself, those “many souls” are certainly reason for we as members of the Lord’s true church to rejoice!

Now, the Bishopric will be relieved to know that I didn’t really choose to give my WHOLE talk on the Statistical Report. It was more of a lead-in to the talk I chose to speak about, which is Elder Quentin L. Cook’s talk, on “Our Father’s Plan—Big Enough for All His Children.”

In it, Elder Cook describes some things that can be beneficial to those investigating the Church, and some things that are hindrances to their progress. I’d like to focus on some of those items today, and consider how we, as members, can work to make the conversion process smoother and more accessible for those who wish to learn the truth of the Gospel and act upon it.

In other words, how we can be missionaries.

Elder Cook says,

“Because of the uplifting doctrine of the Restoration, members rejoice in the gospel and find joy and satisfaction in the Church. We are viewed favorably when we live the teachings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. When members don’t live the teachings, it can be a stumbling block to those who do not belong to the Church.”

This is of course a reference to Alma 4:10 in which the Nephite church members had waxed proud, and in their prosperity began to persecute others.

An example of Church members not living the Gospel having an ill effect on an investigator can be found in my own conversion story.

I was introduced to the teachings of the Church by a woman I was dating who was a very inactive member – who no longer lived any of the Church’s teachings and who was not outwardly recognizable as a member. Nevertheless, she gave me a Book of Mormon, and the first thing I read was Joseph Smith’s testimony of the First Vision (found in the Pearl of Great Price).

Right when I read it, I knew it was true – because the Holy Ghost witnessed it to me, directly, spirit-to-spirit, with an amazing power. And that knowledge has only grown stronger in me over the years, bolstered by a thorough study of doctrine, careful reading of the scriptures, regular prayer, striving to keep the commandments, and undeniable personal experiences.

Since I immediately knew that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God, it followed logically that the Book of Mormon was true. So I was able to read it the very first time without skepticism, knowing that what I was reading was an inspired translation of actual ancient records.

I nearly finished the Book of Mormon in 1993, but unfortunately, I allowed my life circumstances to get in the way, and I put it aside until 1996, when I finished reading it, called the missionaries, took the discussions, and got baptized.

Now, I take full responsibility for my own choices, namely for letting three years slip by before acting on the testimony I’d gained. But if that member who’d introduced me to the Gospel had actually been living it during those years, I’m certain I would’ve been baptized sooner.

A contrasting example is found in the fact that the place where I was living at the time I took the missionary discussions was not a good environment – in fact, I never would’ve asked the missionaries to enter that home because of the things that were going on there. So, I took the discussions at a member home – some nice folks I’d met while attending church. Those folks made me feel welcome in their peaceful, family- and Gospel-centered home, and they showed me genuine friendship.

That’s one way that we, as members, can help with the conversion of investigators – by offering our homes as places of refuge for those who need a safe, clean place to meet with the missionaries and see an example of what a “celestial” home can be like.

Another area Elder Cook cites as a potential stumbling-block for people investigating the teachings of the Church is that of a proliferation throughout Christendom of doctrines that are false, yet so oft-repeated through the ages that they become commonly understood to be the truth, even though they are definitely NOT true. Such repetition of false doctrines over the ages, combined with a general agreement among other churches on certain incorrect teachings, can make some of the doctrinal truths found in the Lord’s true Church a little harder to swallow when finally heard for the first time.

Elder Cook put it thusly:

“My principal concern is for the honorable people on the earth who are open to religious faith but have been discouraged or confused by incorrect doctrine. For instance, with respect to the doctrine that revelation still exists, some very good people have been confident that the Church could not be true because they have been taught, and therefore believe, that the heavens are closed and there will be no additional revelation, no scripture, and no pronouncements from heaven. Let me emphasize that this widely held belief is not scriptural, but it is a stumbling block to some.”

And there are many other examples of such doctrines. But I believe that anyone who is open to the truth, and honestly and humbly seeking it, will (just as I did) find the doctrines of the true Church to be like “coming home.” Things will finally make sense.

Elder Cook also talked about another incorrect teaching found outside the Church. He said,

“For many of these people who are open to religious faith, one issue has been particularly troubling. They have had a difficult time reconciling the correct doctrine that we have a loving Father in Heaven and the incorrect doctrine that most of mankind would be doomed to eternal hell. … At the time Joseph Smith received revelations and organized the Church, the vast majority of churches taught that the Savior’s Atonement would not bring about the salvation of most of mankind. The common precept was that a few would be saved and the overwhelming majority would be doomed to endless tortures of the most awful and unspeakable intensity. The marvelous doctrine revealed to the Prophet Joseph unveiled to us a plan of salvation that is applicable to all mankind, including those who do not hear of Christ in this life, children who die before the age of accountability, and those who have no understanding.”

I don’t know about you, but I think that is GOOD NEWS! It’s fantastic news. Considering there are some Christians who believe that only 144,000 people will get to return to our Heavenly Father, it is very welcome news that in fact the invitation is open to ALL of His children; and as many as repent, receive all the appropriate ordinances by those with authority, and endure to the end – will receive that great blessing of returning to live with our Father in Heaven.

Another area that can be a hindrance for those who are learning about the Church is the abundance of opposition aimed at the Church, much of it from other Christian churches. But despite how outspoken others may be against us, we are counseled in the Church, as Jesus counseled his followers, to “turn the other cheek to the smiters,” and to not sink into contending with others.

Elder Cook said,

“…notwithstanding the significance of our doctrinal differences with other faiths, our attitude toward other churches has been to refrain from criticism. They do much good. They bless mankind. Many help their members learn of the Savior and His teachings.

A reporter for the Washington Post visited one of our Church meetings in Nigeria. The reporter interviewed one new member and told of his conversion. The reporter states:

‘[He] said . . . he jumped off a city bus and walked into the [LDS Church building]. . . . He immediately liked what he heard inside [the chapel], especially that no one preached that people of other faiths were going to hell.’ This echoes the feeling of numerous converts to the Church since its organization.”

President Gordon B. Hinckley said,

“I plead with our people everywhere to live with respect and appreciation for those not of our faith. There is so great a need for civility and mutual respect among those of differing beliefs and philosophies. … We can and must be respectful toward those with whose teachings we may not agree.”

Now, we may not receive that respect from members of other churches all the time – and the kind of aggressive “anti-Mormonism” that prevails among some may make it harder for converts to progress, since they must deal with a lot of misinformation that is thrust at them.

But the fact that the Church is so tolerant of others, and does not go around protesting other faiths, but instead reaches out in love to all, counteracts those attacks in a powerful way. To me, it really shows that Christ is the head of this Church.

Elder Cook’s talk, for me, really struck the missionary chord in my heart. It was a great reminder that EVERYONE – all souls who come to Earth – are welcome to “come unto Him” and partake of that sweet fruit of the Gospel – and that it is up to US who already have it, to share with those who don’t. Or, at the very least, to enable others to partake through our own examples, prayers, and efforts to keep the commandments.

President Hinckley also said:

“Now, my brethren and sisters, the time has come for us to stand a little taller, to lift our eyes and stretch our minds to a greater comprehension and understanding of the grand millennial mission of this The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is a season to be strong. It is a time to move forward without hesitation, knowing well the meaning, the breadth, and the importance of our mission. It is a time to do what is right regardless of the consequences that might follow. It is a time to be found keeping the commandments. It is a season to reach out with kindness and love to those in distress and to those who are wandering in darkness and pain. It is a time to be considerate and good, decent and courteous toward one another in all of our relationships. In other words, to become more Christlike.

We have nothing to fear. God is at the helm. He will overrule for the good of this work. He will shower down blessings upon those who walk in obedience to His commandments. Such has been His promise. Of His ability to keep that promise none of us can doubt.”

I believe that if you have a strong testimony, you want to share it with your fellow brothers and sisters in the world. Of course, sharing it is often thwarted by our own fears and shortcomings. That’s why, I believe, we need to focus on our testimonies – work on making them so strong, so powerful, that they cannot be held back by those weaknesses. Those of us who are so blessed as to have the Gospel in our lives have an obligation to share it with others.

I joined the Church too late to go on a mission - a fact I regret. I’m consoled by the fact that I will have the opportunity to serve a mission (or missions) with my wife one day. And right now, I’m in a missionary calling, as a Ward Missionary. And even without a calling, we all have the opportunity to be missionaries.

President David O. McKay said that every member is a missionary.

The "Threefold Mission of the Church" is “Preaching the Gospel,” “Redeeming the Dead,” and “Perfecting the Saints.” My patriarchal blessing states that I will have a role in all three, and to prepare myself for it. It says I don’t need to be called on a far away mission to preach the Gospel – that there are people in my own neighborhood who are without the Gospel, and I can share it with them. I’ve never forgotten that, even if I do a generally poor job of acting on it. For the last decade and a half, my missionary focus has been largely on my own family, since I’m the only member in my family.

I’m so driven to bring the Gospel to my family because I know that it is true and I know that it is SO good. Have you ever come across something SO great, so wonderful, so fulfilling, that you just HAD to tell others about it – so they could share in that joy and find out for themselves how great it is? It's natural that if you've found something awesome that you would want the people you love to also be able to partake of it.

Father Lehi, the first prophet of the Book of Mormon and progenitor of the Nephite civilization, experienced a dream – or a vision – that spoke of that very feeling: tasting something spectacular and desiring to share it with his family. In his dream, he saw a tree, “whose fruit was desirable to make one happy”:

“And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen. And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.”

Not only is sharing the Gospel something that one wants to do, it is also something that we are commanded to do throughout the scriptures. Jesus told Peter to “Feed my sheep” (and in case anyone missed it the first time, he said it three times in a row). And he wasn't talking about animal husbandry.

There are many ways to be a missionary besides an official call. As a home teacher, you can help folks return to church activity and the blessing of the Gospel by being their friend and providing them with Gospel messages when you visit. Or, more informally, you can reach out to people you know, give someone a Book of Mormon and invite them to church, or just be a good friend to people around you. Your example alone can go a long way. Sometimes people may just be interested to know more about your church when they see the clean, honest and upright way you live and how happy you are.

There are many opportunities to share your faith and your testimony with people. You just have to stay attuned to those opportunities, and then TAKE them when they occur.

It’s up to us, those who have the Gospel, to be instruments in the Lord’s hands in bringing it to the people of the Earth.

President Hinckley has said:

“The little stone which was cut out of the mountain without hands as seen in Daniel’s vision is rolling forth to fill the whole earth. No force under the heavens can stop it if we will walk in righteousness and be faithful and true. The Almighty Himself is at our head. Our Savior, who is our Redeemer, the Great Jehovah, the mighty Messiah, has promised: ‘I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.’

‘Therefore,’ said He, ‘fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. …

‘Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.’”

I find that very comforting - perhaps something we should remember as we prepare to do something missionary-oriented.

Brothers and sisters, the Gospel changes lives, now and eternally. Last year, it changed the lives of 265,593 people – people who learned the truth of their existence, gained the joy of repentance and forgiveness, and discovered that they really CAN have the thing that everyone naturally, inherently desires in their heart – the opportunity to be with their families forever. (I told you I’d eventually connect that Elder Holland quote at the start of my talk – the one about not being able to imagine heaven without his wife and children.)

The Lord said, “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” How many of this year’s quarter million converts will YOU have a hand in helping into the Kingdom of God? The Lord has said in this dispensation – to us – that the field is white aleady to harvest.

May I suggest that you “start small” – focus on ONE person, or one family. And then look for ways to make a difference, and pray for help in receiving promptings and acting on them.

I testify that missionary work – sharing this glorious and wonderful gospel with those who are seeking truth – is the manner in which we participate in the Lord’s work and glory. It is THE great cause in which every Latter-day Saint should be anxiously engaged in one way or another. Heaven Father offers the Gospel to all of His children – but it’s up to us to deliver it.

I leave this with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Women: Daughters of God

I'm grateful for a wonderful wife, Jean, who is an awesome mother to our three year old son, Seth. She makes me a better person - always has, always will. I appreciate her companionship, her friendship, her love and support. I am thankful that she respects me, trust me, believes in me, and stands by my side. I love her straightforward nature, her kindness, her great example of charity, and how quick she is to forgive when I (frequently) give her opportunities to do so. She is more patient than she gives herself credit for. She is talented and thoughtful and makes me laugh and smile every day. I love the fact that she loves Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and honors and respects the Priesthood. I am glad we are on the same path together, in terms of our spiritual goals and progression. I am so happy that we are sealed together for time and eternity.

Women hold a special place of honor and respect not only in my heart, but throughout the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

We men of the priesthood know that we're not worth much without our women beside us. In fact, it's doctrinal.

Women of the Church belong to the world's largest women's organization, with millions of members worldwide: The Relief Society.

Additionally, women in the Church fulfill many vital roles. From lds.org:

“Every willing member of the Church has many opportunities to render service, share talents, and gain new skills. Every week, women preach, teach, and lead in the Church on local and worldwide levels . . .

In addition, women in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints belong to and lead the Relief Society, an organization of several million women worldwide. Women also lead the Church’s Young Women organization and the Primary, an organization for teaching children. The leaders of these organizations meet regularly in executive councils to help make decisions that affect the worldwide Church. These organizations also exist on the local level, with women participating in council meetings to discuss and direct the work of the Church in local units.

A woman—the president of the Relief Society in each congregation—has a special role in working with the congregational leader, or bishop, to meet the needs of members who may struggle financially or who may face other special challenges in their lives.

[Women] also perform a vital work in nurturing and teaching in the home.”

Women, therefore have an equal but different role than men - in the Church and in families. In particular, women do not hold the priesthood. Again, I quote from lds.org:

“The priesthood—the authority of God to perform ordinances and act in His name—is conferred only on worthy male members of the Church. Men who hold the priesthood have no advantage over women in qualifying for salvation or eternal life through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”

I was going to quote from this talk by President Gordon B. Hinckley,
but having read it through I find it too hard to pull out a single
quote from such a great discourse on honoring the women in our lives.
Instead, I simply invite you to take five minutes and read it.
(Go check it out, then come on back and finish reading this blog post!)



Let it never be said that women hold a secondary place in the Church.

Certainly, men and women are different, with varied strengths and weaknesses in many areas - we are all diverse indeed. But as stated in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Council of the Twelve emphasized the equality of men and women in things of the spirit: "Where spiritual things are concerned, as pertaining to all of the gifts of the Spirit, with reference to the receipt of revelation, the gaining of testimonies, and the seeing of visions, in all matters that pertain to godliness and holiness and which are brought to pass as a result of personal righteousness-in all these things men and women stand in the position of... equality before the Lord.”

I will quote extensively now from a talk by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

“Elder James E. Talmage (1862–1933) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated that “the world’s greatest champion of woman and womanhood is Jesus the Christ” (Jesus the Christ, 3rd ed. [1916], 475). I believe that. The first time the Lord acknowledged Himself to be the Christ, it was to a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. He taught her about living water and proclaimed, simply, “I … am he” (John 4:26). And it was Martha to whom He proclaimed: “I am the resurrection, and the life. … And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (John 11:25–26).

Then, during His greatest agony as He hung on the cross, the Savior reached out to one person—His mother—when in that terrible but glorious moment He asked John the Beloved to care for her as though she were his own (see John 19:26–27).

Of this you may be certain: The Lord especially loves righteous women—women who are not only faithful but filled with faith, women who are optimistic and cheerful because they know who they are and where they are going, women who are striving to live and serve as women of God.

There are those who suggest that males are favored of the Lord because they are ordained to hold the priesthood. Anyone who believes this does not understand the great plan of happiness. The premortal and mortal natures of men and women were specified by God Himself, and it is simply not within His character to diminish the roles and responsibilities of any of His children.

As President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) explained, “The Lord offers to his daughters every spiritual gift and blessing that can be obtained by his sons” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1970, 59; or “Magnifying Our Callings in the Priesthood,” Improvement Era, June 1970, 66). All of us, men and women alike, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and are entitled to personal revelation. We may all take upon us the Lord’s name, become sons and daughters of Christ, partake of the ordinances of the temple from which we emerge endowed with power, receive the fulness of the gospel, and achieve exaltation in the celestial kingdom. These spiritual blessings are available to men and women alike, according to their faithfulness and their effort to receive them.”

I would also add to that list at the beginning of the quote, that it was to a woman who the resurrected Christ first appeared.

I bear my personal testimony that women are wonderful - to be treated with love, honor and respect, held in the highest regard and esteem. They are not to be objectified, demeaned, belittled, or spoken down to. They are the equal of men. That does not mean (as is so often taught in the world) that they are the same. It's so obvious that men and women are different, it should go without saying. But Satan likes to try to confuse things. To be clear, men and women are equal but different. We have different strengths and weaknesses. Different roles. (For details, check out the Proclamation on the Family.)

I love my beautiful wife, and I am so grateful for her. I am so glad that she and I and Seth (and any other children we may have) will be together forever.

Father-son

I am so blessed to be the father of a truly wonderful little boy.

Seth - who will be four years old in August - has taught me so much about the relationship of our Father in Heaven with us, His children.

I think of how much I love my boy, and am reminded that Heavenly Father loves us even more. I think of how I want to protect my son and watch over him, but that I also want him to learn and do things for himself. I'm certain that Father in Heaven feels the same way about me. I see how sweet and forgiving my son is, and I am reminded of the true nature of our spirits, and what a great example that is to me. I consider how loving and sensitive Seth is, and it makes me realize how far I've fallen from that perfect innocence of extreme youth - and how I must do my best to be more like that sweet little guy - to have the faith, trust, and love of a child.

I think of how much Father loved His perfect Son. I try to comprehend how difficult it had to be to watch Jesus suffer and die for us - the rest of His children. How excruciating it had to have been to make that sacrifice. How much love both the Father and the Son have for us - it is incalculable and amazing.

I am reminded of the hymn, "I Stand All Amazed."

As my wife and I raise Seth, I frequently gain new understandings and glimpses into how our Father in Heaven thinks and feels - I come closer to Him and better understand who He is.

Being a father is such an awesome blessing, especially when I have such an angel of a son. I am grateful for my relationship with my son, and for the insight into divinity that fatherhood gives me.

I testify that our Father loves us, knows us, cares about us, and is actively engaged in our lives. His feelings for each of His children are as profound as our own feelings for our children. He wants YOU to stay in contact with Him, to follow His instructions, keep His commandments, and to be HAPPY. That is why He has given us the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Come unto Him.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

All you have to do is open the door.

The Articles of Faith

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a number of core beliefs and doctrines that are listed in a document called The Articles of Faith (link).

This list is not an exhaustive list of our beliefs, but it's a great place to start. It answers a lot of the basic questions, though you may find it also raises a few. If you have any, please ask! I'll be glad to create future blog posts on those topics.

Sorry, but I have to keep this one short tonight - I'm tired and want to get a good night's sleep to start the week. (After all, getting adequate rest is a part of treating your body right.)

Have a great week!

Callings, Revisited

I posted just week before last about callings.

A couple of days later, I was released from my calling (working with the 14-15 year old boys). Then three days ago I received a new calling: I am now a ward missionary.

It will be my job to do what I talked about in LAST week's blog post: share the gospel in my own neighborhood.

I guess I must be in tune with the Spirit, or something! :)

That's all for now.

Sharing the Gospel

The "Threefold Mission of the Church" is:

• Preaching the Gospel
• Redeeming the Dead
• Perfecting the Saints

My patriarchal blessing states that I will have a role in all three, and to prepare myself for it.

The first of those, Preaching the Gospel, or "Missionary Work," is the topic of this week's post.

Have you ever come across something SO great, so wonderful, so fulfilling, that you just HAD to tell others about it - so they could share in that joy and find out for themselves how great it is? It's natural that if you've found something awesome that you would want the people you love to also be able to partake of it.

Lehi, the first prophet of the Book of Mormon and progenitor of the Nephite civilization, experienced a dream - or a vision - that spoke of that very feeling: tasting something spectacular and desiring to share it with his family. In his dream, he saw a tree, "whose fruit was desirable to make one happy":

"And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen. And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit."

The whole story is found in 1 Nephi 8. It's a good read - check it out. It's one of the oft-referenced stories in the Book of Mormon.

Not only is sharing the Gospel something that one wants to do, it is also something that we are commanded to do throughout the scriptures. Jesus told Peter to "Feed my sheep" (and in case anyone missed it the first time, he said it three times in a row!). And he wasn't talking about giving grain to the livestock.

There are many ways to be a missionary. You can, of course, submit your papers (at the appropriate age), receive a call from the Prophet, and serve a full-time proselyting mission for the Church. Or you can get called as a missionary at the ward level, serving in your local community. As a home teacher, you can help folks return to church activity and the blessing of the Gospel by being their friend and providing them with Gospel messages when you visit. Or, more informally, you can reach out to people you know, give someone a Book of Mormon and invite them to church, or just be a good friend to people around you. Your example alone can go a long way. Sometimes people may just be interested to know more about your church when they see the clean, honest and upright way you live and how happy you are.

There are many opportunities to share your faith and your testimony with people. You just have to stay attuned to those opportunities, and then TAKE them when they occur.

When I joined the Church, I was 25. It was too late for me to serve a full-time mission for the Church. However, I will be able to serve a "couples" mission with my dear wife when we are older (retirement age), and in the meantime, I have this blog (and any of the aforementioned opportunities).

I testify that missionary work - sharing this glorious and wonderful gospel with those who are seeking truth - is a great cause in which every Latter-day Saint should be anxiously engaged in one way or another. It changes lives.

It is my hope that I can do some good through the missionary work of this blog.

Callings from God

Membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is an active - not a passive - experience. Members are encouraged and expected to serve each other.

The Lord said,
"As I have loved you . . . love one another."

The best way to show your love for others is to serve them. Service can be achieved through your own efforts - doing favors for others without being asked; visiting the sick, sad and lonely; bringing fresh-baked cookies to a neighbor, giving a kind word, or just helping another with their chores.

But within the context of the Church - actual Church service - the Lord calls his people to perform specific duties in particular offices. These positions are not sought by members - they are assigned by leaders who are inspired.

When your Bishop meets with you and asks you to be a Sunday School teacher, for instance, it is not the Bishop asking. Well, it is - he's the one extending the calling to you - but the calling comes from the Lord. The Bishop is the messenger, acting on behalf of the Lord.

The Bishop has the authority to call members of his ward to certain ward-level callings, such as Sunday school teachers or members of auxiliary leadership, such as primary or young men/young women programs. Certain callings in the ward are handled at the stake level - your Stake President may call you to serve, for example, as a counselor in a bishopric, or as an Elders Quorum President.

As the circle of influence of a calling increases, the calling is extended by a higher level Church authority, such as when a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles calls a new Stake President.

All things are done in order, according to a well-established pattern set by the Lord.

A member will likely serve in many different callings during their life. For example, a man may serve as an Elders Quorum President, then a Bishop, then a primary teacher, then an employment specialist, then a Mission President. A woman may serve as a Primary President, then a Sunday school teacher, then a counselor in a Relief Society presidency, then as Stake Young Womens President, then a nursery leader. A couple may choose to serve a mission together after retirement, in which case they may then receive a calling to do so.

I, myself, have served as a member of two different Elders Quorum presidencies, a Primary teacher, a Ward Mission Leader, First Counselor in a Branch Presidency (a branch is basically a small ward), and a leader of 14 and 15 year old boys, among other callings.

Callings come and go. You are called, you serve for a season ("season" being a figurative term), and then you are released (or sometimes have to be released when you move away from your current geographic area of service).

Some callings are permanent. The calling of a father, for instance, is eternal. If you are a home teacher (we'll talk about home teaching in another post), you will be a home teacher for life (even though your home teaching assignments will change from time to time). Stake Patriarchs are called for life, as are Apostles and the President of the Church.

Church service - performing a calling - is a labor of love. Diligent service brings with it great blessings - for those you serve, and for you personally. Service in a challenging calling really stretches you spiritually. It makes you grow. It keeps you on your toes. It helps you become a better person all around.

There is nothing like it.

Sometimes it can be a real challenge to deal with a release from a calling that you have loved and served in diligently. When you have a lot of responsibility, and you live up to the task, and you grow to truly love those people who you have been called to serve, it can be hard to accept when your time is up and it's time for another to serve in your place. It can actually be kind of personally devastating at first. You may feel like you're being "fired" - or that you've left things unfinished. You wonder what the Lord has in store for you next.

I've experienced this myself, and I know some good people who've also gone through it (or are going through it right now). It can leave you feeling empty and disoriented at first. But I have a testimony that callings come from God. He knows what is best for you, and what is best for everyone else. He knows who else needs the opportunity to serve, and He knows where else he needs you to serve. Change is inevitable in all but the permanent callings. The key is to trust the Lord, to know that you did your best and made a difference, and to understand that more great opportunities for service are ahead of you. The best thing to do in such a circumstance is to stay strong and true - continue to live righteously and worthy of being called to serve - and to fill the immediate void by being sure to attend the temple and love and serve your own family and friends and neighbors in unofficial capacities while you await your next calling.

And then willingly accept that next calling, ready to serve.

It amazes me that some members will refuse callings. It is simply a concept that is foreign to me. I could not imagine saying "no" to the Lord when His appointed servant calls me to serve in a calling. There's a great hymn, "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go." Here are the words to that hymn:

It may not be on the mountain’s height, or over the stormy sea;
It may not be at the battle’s front my Lord will have need of me;
But if by a still, small voice He calls to paths I do not know,
I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in Yours,
I’ll go where You want me to go.

(chorus)

I’ll go where You want me to go, dear Lord,
O’er mountain, or plain, or sea;
I’ll say what You want me to say, dear Lord,
I’ll be what You want me to be.

Perhaps today there are loving words which Jesus would have me speak;
There may be now, in the paths of sin, some wand’rer whom I should seek.
O Savior, if You will be my Guide, though dark and rugged the way,
My voice shall echo the message sweet,
I’ll say what You want me to say.

(chorus)

There’s surely somewhere a lowly place in earth’s harvest fields so wide,
Where I may labor through life’s short day for Jesus, the Crucified.
So, trusting my all unto Your care, I know You always love me!
I’ll do Your will with a heart sincere,
I’ll be what You want me to be.

(chorus)

And this great scripture accompanies that sentiment:

"I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

1 Nephi 3:7

If you are called to serve, and you feel inadequate - not up to it - perhaps just humbled that God has put that trust in you, remember that the Lord qualifies those whom He calls. If you're not ready at the moment you are called, He'll make sure you are ready when it comes time to serve, and will help you and support you throughout your service.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said the following in the Priesthood session of the October 2008 General Conference:

"You may feel that there are others who are more capable or more experienced who could fulfill your callings and assignments better than you can, but the Lord gave you your responsibilities for a reason.
There may be people and hearts only you can reach and touch.
Perhaps no one else could do it in quite the same way."

I testify that if you consecrate yourself to the work - to serving in the Church where and when the Lord calls you to serve (through his appointed servants) - that you and those around you will be blessed immeasurably.

I know this from personal experience and from the experience of friends and family. I know I'm far from perfect in my magnifying of Church callings, but I do try, and consider it a privilege to be called to serve the Lord in any capacity.

The work is true. The Church is true. And it only functions if we each do our part to serve and love one another, following the example of Jesus Christ.

Faith: A Kind of Holy Confidence

The prophet Moroni spoke of the power of faith, stating that “by faith all things are fulfilled.”

Faith, I have come to understand, is a sort of “holy confidence” that has great power - not just power to help you feel good or to see you through tough times - but actual power to bring marvelous things to pass.

Indeed, as we strive to be like Christ - charitable and virtuous - we will find our holy confidence will grow - that is, our faith will become stronger.

It is by faith that the many wondrous powers of the priesthood operate. The faith itself actually fuels the operation - like a supernatural catalyst.

Just over two weeks ago, I was laid off, along with 20% of my company. No - it wasn't a result of the economy, it was the result of some corporate politics that have doomed the company almost from its inception three years ago. Sadly, the company is probably not going to survive. Regardless, I found myself with two weeks to get a new job.

I knew right from the start that everything would work out fine. I had faith that it would work out fine. But it was more than just a hope, or a good feeling, or some kind of placebo to get me through the difficulty. I really knew it would be fine.

I had that “holy confidence” - I was still humble and knew I had to do my part - I worked very hard to get a new job - but I felt assured that if I did all I could, that the Lord would take care of me and my family.

I truly was not worried.

My final day at work came and went - still no new job.

I had a couple of potential job offers on the horizon, and knew that either one would take care of us, but couldn't decide which one was best for me and my family.

The next day, I went to the Mt. Timpanogos Temple and did an endowment session. In the Celestial Room, I felt peace as I pondered on my situation. I still knew everything would work out - that wasn't what I was praying about. I wanted to know which job offer, when it came, I should take. I received an answer to my question. The answer was, “when the time comes, you will know what to do.”

Immediately after I came out, I received a call. It was one of the jobs. They made an offer, and I knew that I should accept it. So I did.

I start the new job this coming Thursday.

So, I only ended up being unemployed for about six hours. Everything worked out, just like I knew it would.

Now, I had to do my part - I worked very hard at applying and interviewing and following up. I never once even considered not paying my tithing. I have always paid my tithing no matter what my situation, and I always will. I continued to do everything I am supposed to do. And I believed, without a hint of doubt, that it would all work out.

I had no illusions - I understood that “everything working out” could mean a period of hardship, and any number of unexpected potholes in the road before a solution would arrive, but I knew that in the end it would be okay - even if we were to be tested for a while first.

Thankfully, the test was very short.

In the midst of this experience, I took the opportunity to take a step back and observe myself and my faith. And what I found was that when you truly believe, nothing wavering, you can feel it. You know it. It is true faith in action. And it brings real peace.

And, I believe, it makes good things happen.

Proverbs 3:5-6 reads:

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine
own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge
him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

I have always loved that scripture - now I have experienced it.

Nephi's brother Jacob stated, “Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith.”

And in a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord said, “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”

I bear testimony that something “clicks” when you truly believe - when you “doubt not” - when you have “nothing wavering.” You can feel it - it feels different than just hoping for the best. It is a confidence that the Lord will keep His promises. It brings peace, and it actually stimulates the very outcome that you desire.

President Monson's message in the March 2009 Ensign links the faith of which I speak to the essential element of prayer. I recommend it. Likewise, I highly recommend Elder Bednar's talk from the April 2008 General Conference, wherein he also connects faith and prayer in a powerful way.

Finally, with regard to that “holy confidence” of which I speak, I quote Paul, who said:

“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God,
ye might receive the promise.”

I had the faith, I felt the confidence, and I have received the promise.

And I am grateful.

P.S. A big THANK YOU to all who were praying for me and my family. I know that made a big difference!

My Testimony of Joseph Smith

I bear testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet, called of God, and given the responsibility of restoring the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

As a faithful boy of 14, he prayed for answers to the questions that burned within him, and was answered by seeing God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. They spoke to him directly, and answered his questions, and gave him instructions.

He was visited by the Angel Moroni, who gave him further instructions and prepared him to receive the golden plates.

He did indeed receive the golden plates - an ancient record of the people who once populated the Americas, and who were visited by Jesus Christ following His resurrection. Joseph translated the records by the gift and power of God. They were published as the Book of Mormon.

Joseph organized the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was ordained to the true priesthood of God by John the Baptist (Aaronic Priesthood), and by Peter, James and John (Melchizedek Priesthood).

To Joseph God revealed many great and wonderful things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, including the temple ordinances that bind on Earth as well as in Heaven - the sealing power.

I fully, whole-heartedly believe - yes, I KNOW without reservation - that the Prophet Joseph Smith did indeed receive the revelations that comprise the book of Doctrine and Covenants.

How do I know these things are true? Because I have asked God for myself, in faith, believing I would receive an answer. And I did receive an answer. The Holy Ghost has testified directly to my own spirit that these things are true. I will never deny it - because I know as well as I know anything that it is true.

Now, Joseph was not perfect - he was just a man. But he was kind, charitable, faithful, strong and courageous. He was a great man of love and perseverance. He endured many awful trials, and suffered much pain and sorrow at the hands of evil men, with unshakable faith.

He was murdered for his faith, sealing his testimony with his own blood (along with his brother Hyrum).

I love and admire and respect and feel a deep gratitude for Joseph Smith, and the great work he did to bring to pass the restoration of the Gospel.

I thank God for the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Easter Blessings

As we think on the Atonement, Crucifixion, and Resurrection this day, I begin with a couple of relevant scripture references:

“For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.”

-Doctrine and Covenants 19:16-19

“For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.”

- Alma 34:10

An "infinite and eternal sacrifice" - it was necessary - the only way that our salvation could be accomplished. It had to be the sacrifice of a God - to pay for all sins of all people of all time. Had it not been so, we would all be consigned to misery and ultimately a dark death with no hope for eternal joy.

Last Sunday in General Conference, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland spoke of what Jesus went through for us, and why, and what responsibility we now bear as recipients of those blessings. If you missed it, I highly recommend watching it online (Sunday AM session, next to last talk), and then reading it.

After describing how everyone – Jesus’ friends, disciples – everyone – had left His side in those final hours of His life, how He was left totally alone, Elder Holland said the following:

“I speak of the loneliest journey ever made and the unending blessings it brought to all in the human family. I speak of the Savior’s solitary task of shouldering alone the burden of our salvation. … Now I speak very carefully, even reverently, of what may have been the most difficult moment in all of this solitary journey to Atonement. I speak of those final moments for which Jesus must have been prepared intellectually and physically but which He may not have fully anticipated emotionally and spiritually—that concluding descent into the paralyzing despair of divine withdrawal when He cries in ultimate loneliness, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

The loss of mortal support He had anticipated, but apparently He had not comprehended this. Had He not said to His disciples, “Behold, the hour . . . is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me” and “The Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him”?

With all the conviction of my soul I testify that He did please His Father perfectly and that a perfect Father did not forsake His Son in that hour. Indeed, it is my personal belief that in all of Christ’s mortal ministry the Father may never have been closer to His Son than in these agonizing final moments of suffering. Nevertheless, that the supreme sacrifice of His Son might be as complete as it was voluntary and solitary, the Father briefly withdrew from Jesus the comfort of His Spirit, the support of His personal presence. It was required; indeed it was central to the significance of the Atonement, that this perfect Son who had never spoken ill nor done wrong nor touched an unclean thing had to know how the rest of humankind—us, all of us—would feel when we did commit such sins. For His Atonement to be infinite and eternal, He had to feel what it was like to die not only physically but spiritually, to sense what it was like to have the divine Spirit withdraw, leaving one feeling totally, abjectly, hopelessly alone.

But Jesus held on. He pressed on. The goodness in Him allowed faith to triumph even in a state of complete anguish. The trust He lived by told Him in spite of His feelings that divine compassion is never absent, that God is always faithful, that He never flees nor fails us. When the uttermost farthing had then been paid, when Christ’s determination to be faithful was as obvious as it was utterly invincible, finally and mercifully, it was “finished.” Against all odds and with none to help or uphold Him, Jesus of Nazareth, the living Son of the living God, restored physical life where death had held sway and brought joyful, spiritual redemption out of sin, hellish darkness and despair. With faith in the God He knew was there, He could say in triumph, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”

Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path—the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even if sometimes we may feel that we are. Truly the Redeemer of us all said, “I will not leave you comfortless. [My Father and] I will come to you [and abide with you].”

...As we approach this holy week…may we declare ourselves to be more fully disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, not in word only and not only in the flush of comfortable times but in deed and in courage and in faith, including when the path is lonely and when our cross is difficult to bear. This Easter week and always, may we stand by Jesus Christ “at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in, even until death,” for surely that is how He stood by us when it was unto death and when He had to stand entirely and utterly alone. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

How does that make you feel? It makes me feel awe and gratitude. It makes me wonder at the amazing love of our Savior and our Heavenly Father. When I reflect on how much I love my own son, I cannot imagine how our Heavenly Father would have felt as His Son suffered so.

I challenge you to have more faith in Jesus Christ and to show the Savior your appreciation for the Atonement by repenting of your sins and thinking about Jesus during the Sacrament, while you pray, and especially as you eat your Easter treats. Let us all remember what He did for us, so that we never have to feel alone, and can have true joy in our lives.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

April 2009 General Conference

This weekend was the 179th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (You can click on that link to watch it online.)

It was absolutely awesome.

I so enjoy General Conference - it really is my favorite pair of weekends for the year (it's the first weekend in April and the first weekend in October).

This conference was really edifying and strengthening. I was particularly moved by Elder Holland's talk in the Sunday morning session. Wow. I had tears streaming down my face.

I was in Oregon this weekend, so I took my mom to the Sunday morning session. She also really liked Elder Holland's talk and also President Uchtdorf's talk. They were wonderful talks, indeed.

I know I'm not saying much of substance here - just doing a lot of gushing. But the Conference really speaks for itself: just watch at the link above to see what I mean.

The only thing I can add is my testimony that President Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet of God, that his counselors and the apostles are prophets, seers and revelators - and that if we listen and heed their words, we will be blessed. I testify that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church of God on the earth today. I testify that Jesus is the Christ, that He lives, and loves us, and that if we put our faith in Him and repent and follow His example we will have great joy.

I feel great! I love this Church!

Fasting

The law of the fast is a wonderful law given of the Lord to His people in all dispensations of time.

In particular, it was reinstituted by commandment with the restoration of the Gospel in this dispensation.

There are 118 separate references to fasting in the scriptures (that's not instances of the word, that's separate discussions of the topic). Seems pretty important, I think.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are encouraged to fast once a month, usually on the first Sunday of the month, and whenever they feel their faith could use an extra boost. A typical fast consists of abstaining from food and beverages for a period of time, usually enough to skip two consecutive meals.

I used to like to do 24-hour fasts - I found it to be a more spiritual experience to make my body subject to my spirit for that long. But these days I've been less disciplined. I'd like to get back to doing 24-hour fasts.

Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated:

"The law of the fast has three great purposes.
First, it provides assistance to the needy through
the contribution of fast offerings, consisting of the
value of meals from which we abstain. Second, a
fast is beneficial to us physically. Third, it is to
increase humility and spirituality on the part
of each individual."

Let me explain those a little.

When we fast, we also give a fast offering - that is, we donate to the Church an amount that approximates what we would've spent on the food we didn't eat. It's the convenient equivalent of actually giving our food to the needy and going without ourselves. The money donated stays at the local level and is distributed to the needy in our area by the Bishop of the ward and the Stake Presidency.

Second, periodic fasting has been shown to be a good way to cleanse and rejuvenate the body.

And lastly, it is a great way to put mind over matter - to subject the body to the spirit and exert your will over the physical. It is like training for resisting temptation. And the brief deprivation can help you feel closer to the Lord. The minor suffering involved helps you learn to be more humble. And it helps you to count your blessings. It teaches self-mastery and it strengthens you - builds character and self discipline. And our Savior set the example by fasting Himself.

But fasting is not just "going without food and water." It must be combined with sincere prayer. It must have a conscious purpose.

Sometimes, a ward or a stake may be called upon to fast for a mutual purpose, such as for the well being of a member who was in an accident, or for rain in times of drought. Doing this helps focus the resolve of the group by making a sacrifice together for the benefit of another as we diligently pray for the same outcome. It's a kind of a group faith effort.

When I fast, I always begin with a prayer in which I establish the purpose and officially begin the fast. I often will have a dual purpose - something with which I need help in my own life, and a prayer for another. I also will mentally set an end point for the fast, so that I have a goal to work toward.

Then I refrain from eating and drinking until the appointed time, and before breaking my fast I will once again pray, thanking Heavenly Father for helping me through it, and revisiting the purposes for which I had fasted, offering up my prayers for those things.

I am grateful for the inspired guidance we receive from our Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I know that by keeping the commandments and following the example of Jesus Christ, I can be happier and healthier and be able to do more good in the world, and feel closer to my Father in Heaven.

I testify of that the principle of fasting is an important component of discipleship.

Family

We interrupt this blog to bring you this cute family photo.

March 2009

I sure love my family SO much, and I am so thankful that I will get to spend eternity with them, because Jean and I were sealed in the temple and Seth was born in the covenant.

The Church exists to support and strengthen the family. This is why I am so happy to be a member.

Draper Temple Dedication

My wife and I had the opportunity this evening to attend the dedication of the Draper, Utah temple. We weren't at the actual temple site, we were in our stake center. They broadcast the dedication session to all the stake centers in Utah. Each of the stake center buildings was considered, for the duration of the session, an extension of the temple itself.

So, yesterday our ward had the assignment of cleaning the stake center, being sure to make it as clean as possible so that it could be a sacred location for the dedication tonight.

The dedication was very nice. It's always great to hear from the general authorities, especially our beloved prophet, Thomas S. Monson. The talks were very inspiring, and the music beautiful.

Of course, tears came to my eyes a couple times, especially singing "The Spirit of God" - probably my favorite hymn.

The Draper temple is a beautiful building. I had the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to attend the open house: take the tour of the temple and see all the rooms. So nice. A great spirit there, indeed.

I really want to start attending the temple more often, and I really need to continue working on my genealogy so I can do the temple work for more of my own ancestors.

Anyway, this is not one of my more informational posts . . . just a chance to reflect on the sweet feelings of attending the temple dedication this evening.

For more detailed information on the temple, please see my earlier posts here and here.

Draper Utah Temple

Letting It Roll Off Your Back

For about 180 years, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has endured persecution in one form or another - from the Governor of Missouri issuing an "extermination order" (legalizing the murder of the Saints from 1838 to 1976) - to people in modern times picketing outside temple open houses to the publication of attack literature that continues today.

It's nothing new.

Recently, with the controversy over California's Proposition 8 (the one that defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman), Latter-day Saints became a target because of their support for the measure. Of course, the measure was supported by a broad coalition of Catholics, Evangelicals, and other faiths - as well as sweeping the "black vote" - but those in opposition found it easiest to pick on the minority religion.

Again - nothing new.

The latest poke at the "Mormons" came last night in an episode of some TV show on cable, where the producers decided it would be fun to reproduce some of our sacred temple ordinances - events that faithful members do not flaunt or talk about in detail outside the temple - in order to keep those things sacred (a concept apparently foreign to some).

Once more - this is really nothing new.

There will always be opposition, always be detractors, always be those who are willing to attack us, or trample on the things we hold sacred. But they will never be able to stop the work of the Lord.

What really matters is that we know what we know, and we will not lower our standards to get involved in a mud-slinging match.

In time, these trivial matters will be forgotten, so there's really no point in getting all riled up about it. There will always be some feelings of indignation when things that matter to us are disrespected, but the Christlike thing to do is to turn the other cheek to the smiters.

In this press release, the Church puts it all in perspective and takes the higher ground. What a great example of longsuffering and class.

Meanwhile, rather than watching a TV drama made in Hollywood to learn about the LDS temple, you could check out this brief video.

An interesting side-note on that video: there is a man interviewed (the guy in the Lutheran priest attire) named Krister Stendahl. I looked him up on Wikipedia and found this interesting tidbit:

Stendahl is credited with creating Stendahl's three rules of religious understanding, which he presented in a 1985 press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, in response to vocal opposition to the building of a temple there by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His rules are as follows:

(1) When you are trying to understand another religion, you should ask the adherents of that religion and not its enemies.

(2) Don't compare your best to their worst.

(3) Leave room for "holy envy." (By this Stendahl meant that you should be willing to recognize elements in the other religious tradition or faith that you admire and wish could, in some way, be reflected in your own religious tradition or faith.)

I thought that was a great set of rules! This was a man with an open mind who is to be commended for taking the high road.

I hope more people will follow that advice and come see for themselves.

The Articles of Faith - essential principles

What are the Articles of Faith? They are 13 statements about what members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe.

The Articles succinctly lay out the main beliefs of the Church, and form a great primer to the basics of our doctrine.

The Articles of Faith can be found in a set of LDS "standard works" - the set of scriptures that includes the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price. If you visit a Latter-day Saint home, you may find the Articles of Faith framed and mounted on a wall.

They are as follows:

1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.
3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul — We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

-Joseph Smith

Today I had the pleasure of watching and hearing my sweet three and a half year old boy recite the 13th Article of Faith in Primary at Church (with help from his mommy, of course).

I bear my testimony that these principles found in the Articles of Faith are indeed true. These are the foundations of my religion, and my life is focused and centered on these truths. Understanding these truths brings happiness and peace.

I encourage you to study them and pray about them yourself.

Opposition: A Necessary Evil

First off, I'm sorry I missed last week. I've been pretty consistent for the past couple months, putting up a new post each Sunday. But last weekend I was in Oregon at a professional fiction writers' workshop and didn't manage to post, as I was traveling that day. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming . . .

The subject of "why bad things happen" came up twice in the past week with two different people I know. It was basically framed as a semi-rhetorical question by the people with whom I was speaking: "How can God exist, all powerful, all knowing, and all loving, yet allow bad things to happen to good people, to allow awful things to happen to children, to allow suffering and misery and war and pain and death and loss to exist in the world? How can it be?" The question was used as an explanation for why those particular individuals cannot bring themselves to believe in God.

The seemingly irreconcilable paradox has left many people, including these people I know, to draw the only conclusion that seems logical to them: that there is no God, or at least not one who cares.

I'm here to set the record straight on this topic - to point out the fallacy that keeps these good people locked into a state of faithlessness. I will provide an explanation that transcends the skepticism of these folks. I don't fault these good people who have lost their faith over this issue - it can be a tough one to get your head around, and it is born out of a good heart that has love and compassion for people and difficulty understanding how it all can work this way.

Hopefully my words can help put it all in perspective and describe how there is no other way that life could function. Hopefully I can explain that without the misery, there could be no joy. That without the freedom to do evil, we could do no good. That the purpose of life, and the whole Plan of Salvation would be frustrated and come to naught - if not for opposition.

Let's start at the beginning . . .

Agency
Whether you believe in God or not, it cannot be disputed that human beings have what we call “agency.” Agency is freedom of choice – the ability to decide for yourself how to think, feel, believe, and act. This is a gift from God from before we ever came to earth, and it is immutable – no matter what your circumstance, you always have your agency – He will never take it away from you. Before the earth was created, when Satan rebelled and was cast out, he wanted to take away man’s agency – to force everyone to follow his plan. This is the very definition of evil – to try to take away man’s agency (addictions, for example). Thus, we will always have it, no matter what. Even if bound with chains and thrown into a dungeon, your liberty taken away – you still have the freedom to choose how you will deal with the situation – how you will think and feel and behave. All humans have agency, and God will never take that away – it is an eternal principle.

For an excellent study of the power of agency, see Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning, a book in which he relates his experiences in the Nazi concentration camps during the holocaust, and how he observed different people using their agency in different ways, for better or worse, despite the awful conditions. A very interesting (and short) read.

Using their agency, people have the freedom to choose to do good. They can choose to be kind and charitable or to be cruel and selfish. They can choose to repent of their wrongdoing, or to continue in the ways of sin. Making these choices is how we progress in this life – how we approach our tests and prove ourselves, how we decide where and how we want to spend eternity.

Opposition
Along with agency, there is the principle of opposition. We could never choose good over evil if there was no evil. We could never know joy and happiness if there was no sadness or misery. We could never learn and grow if we couldn’t make a choice between good and bad. And if we never chose bad, we’d never learn the value of choosing good, and we’d never be able to learn how to humble ourselves, repent, and avail ourselves of the Atonement - receiving grace, mercy and forgiveness. Likewise, if nobody else chose wrong, never hurt us or offended us, we would never have the chance to learn how to be Christlike – to forgive others. How can we learn to be like our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ if we never have an opportunity to act like them?

Thus, without evil and sin and pain and victims and suffering, our life on earth would be pointless. We could never improve ourselves, never come closer to God, and never experience real joy. It would be like walking around with a lobotomy – we’d feel nothing, but we wouldn’t care. Life would simply be a period of time during which your body functioned, then it would end when your body ceased to function, and there would be no exaltation afterwards.

Eternal Perspective
When you combine the eternal principle of agency with the necessity of opposition, you get the world in which we live: filled with the good, the bad, and the ugly.

But rest assured: when the righteous suffer, when the innocent are hurt, God has promised that they will receive recompense beyond our imaginations. God is just and fair and kind and loving. He is perfect, and He loves all of His children. The rewards that await the good are far beyond anything available in this life. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin referred to this as the principle of compensation:

"While it may not come at the time we desire,
the faithful will know that every tear today will
eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears
of rejoicing and gratitude."

Every experience we have, and the way in which we choose to deal with it, has a consequence in this life and in the next. One must maintain an eternal perspective to remain patient and peaceful in the face of adversity, and when considering the fates of others.

Is it hard for we mere mortals to keep an eternal perspective in mind? Is it a struggle to put everything in the context of a reality that is beyond our own comprehension? Sure it is. That’s one of the challenges of mortality. It takes a tremendous amount of faith.

But it can certainly be done. I know of parents who have lost their children, but maintained their faith. I have myself been through very painful times, but maintained my faith – and came out all the better and all the stronger for it. It’s why we’re here.

President James E. Faust gave a wonderful talk on this subject in 2004. It's hard to pull a single quote from it, as the whole thing is so good. Read it here.

I feel somehow that I have failed to do justice to this topic tonight. I will probably need to amend this with a quote that I want to find - but it is really late and I must go to sleep. Hopefully this will at least provide some food for thought.

Prayer - Communication with God

In the early 1990s, rap star MC Hammer had the courage to use a popular song to publicly state to the contemporary music world: "You've got 2 pray just 2 make it today."

Something not often stated regarding the Hammer: he was right.

Prayer is our opportunity to communicate with our Father in Heaven. He expects us to pray - it is even a commandment.

This is one of those principles where I find it useful to draw an analogy to human parents. Our parents want to hear from us, and we, likewise, want to hear from our children. It's natural. We want the best for our children, as does Heavenly Father. And even if we could read minds and knew everything that was going on in our childrens' lives (as Father knows us), we'd still want them to make the effort to contact us and share with us.

We are admonished in the scriptures that we should pray always. That doesn't mean we need to be on our knees in prayer 24/7 - but we should be ever aware of God, praying either directly, or by keeping a prayer in our heart. Example: I pray on my knees each morning and each night, and I say a prayer over my food when I eat. But I will pray at other times as well - such as when I'm driving along the freeway and I see the evening sun striking the snow-covered Wasatch Mountains - the beauty is so wonderful that I will turn off the car radio and say a quick prayer of thanks - expressing my gratitude for the awe-inspiring view. (And yes, I keep my eyes OPEN while driving!)

The point is, it is important to be close to God, to converse with Him on a regular basis - not just when we're in need (like Wile E. Coyote praying as he falls through air to the bottom of a deep cliff). Wouldn't you be a little offended (or at least disappointed) if your children only called you when they wanted something, like to borrow money?

I am so thankful that we have the freedom to pray any time and any place we want. Even if it is only a silent prayer in your heart, there is no circumstance in which you cannot reach out and communicate with the God of the Universe. I think that's awesome. And it is not to be taken lightly - we should pray realizing that the communication is real.

As President Thomas S. Monson put it:

"As we pray, let us really communicate with our Father in Heaven.
It is easy to let our prayers become repetitious, expressing words with little or no thought behind them. When we remember that each of us is literally a spirit son or daughter of God, we will not find it difficult to approach Him in prayer. He knows us; He loves us; He wants what is best for us. Let us pray with sincerity and meaning, offering our thanks and asking for those things we feel we need. Let us listen for His answers, that we may recognize them when they come. As we do, we will be strengthened and blessed. We will come to know Him and His desires for our lives. By knowing Him, by trusting His will, our foundations of faith will be strengthened.
If any one of us has been slow to hearken to the counsel to
pray always, there is no finer hour to begin than now."

But don't be discouraged if your prayers are not reciprocated by an instant thunderous lightning bolt of revelation. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said:

"Every sincere prayer is heard and answered
by our Heavenly Father, but the answers we
receive may not be what we expect or come
to us when we want or in the way we anticipate."

This is indeed true. The story I am about to tell illustrates this. It also is a testimony of the power of prayer - that a prayer of faith can result in a miracle. I don't just say this because I believe it because I read it somewhere or it was told to me - I have experienced it myself, so I have a first-hand testimony.

One example: In December of 1998, I was going through the darkest period of my life. I was in a situation that was literally destroying me - physically, emotionally, spiritually, personally. I had reached my wit's end - I didn't know where to turn or what to do - I just knew that I couldn't go on like that any longer. I was suffering deeply. I had made some very poor choices, and I was paying for it (had been paying for it for years at that point). I prayed fervently. I asked only that I might know WHEN my burden would be lifted - when things were going to at last get better. In my mind at the time, I envisioned things getting better in a way quite opposite to how they ended up getting better, but that's beside the point. The very salient point is that while in the midst of that tear-strewn prayer, I heard the Holy Ghost utter to me, in clear words, "Sunday, January 3rd, 1999." That was my distinct answer. I knew I had been spoken to, and I knew that if I could just hang in there for another two and a half weeks, I'd be okay.

My prayer was answered, and all I had to do was wait. Well, by the time January 3rd rolled around, I'd almost forgotten about that experience. But something drastic changed in my life that day, and it wasn't until a few days later that I realized - my burden had been lifted that day, in accordance with the answer I'd been given to my prayer. He'd kept His word. It wasn't what I'd been hoping for, but in the end, it was far, far better for me.

That was a big one, but I've also experienced many little blessings that reinforce my testimony of the power and reality of prayer.

A footnote: I originally intended this post to be paired with a post about revelation -
the other part of communication with God. That post is here. So this one completes the pairing.
(Coincidentally, that post was written about ten years to the day after the experience described above.)

The greatest prayer of all time.