Intelligent Life

Sunday, July 28, 2013

The Lord is Hastening His Work

Wow, what a day!

It started at 8:00 a.m. with a meeting with the bishopric to discuss missionary work in the ward, and the new directive from the stake to provide two appointments per week for the full time elders. We made some specific plans for the next ward council. Then I gave a talk in sacrament meeting on missionary work. For the third hour of the block, I presented some of the material from last month's worldwide training broadcast. Unfortunately, I had some technical difficulties that limited which video clips I was able to show. I showed Elder Perry's message, but I also really wanted to show the musical vignette, "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go," and President Monson's remarks. You can watch those at the link above, if you like. I especially recommend the musical vignette. After church, I went home teaching, visiting with a wonderful family in our ward who I just love. Then I attended the monthly stake missionary training. After that meeting, I co-hosted a special fireside with the other ward that meets in our building, an event we called Ward Mission Conference (which will become a quarterly meeting). It went really well, and I was glad to see the folks who turned out. Finally, I baked some brownies and delivered them to another home teaching family. Whew!

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend the Brigham City Temple with my good friend Ryan and perform baptisms for the dead. They had a shortage of Melchizedek Priesthood holders on hand, so we got to not only do Ryan's family names, but also assist with some youth who were there. We each got to fulfill six different roles: baptizer, proxy baptizee, baptism witness, confirmer, proxy confirmee, and confirmation witness. The trip took four hours all told, and it was really nice that we had no restraints on our time and could just relax, wait, be patient, serve, and enjoy the spirit of the temple. That's really the way to do it!

So, a great spiritual weekend all around! Exhausting, but refreshing all at once. (Note: I mention all these things not to "toot my own horn," but simply to recommend to you the great blessings that come from being active in the Lord's work. It takes effort, but it really makes you feel good!)

Anyway, here's a transcript of the talk I gave in sacrament meeting today. Hopefully it may be of some use to you. (Note: a small portion of this talk was previously published as a post on this blog.)

Sacrament Talk: Missionary Work in the Ward

This talk may not be for everybody. It is really only for some of you.

So, if you are someone who has no interest in missionary work, no desire at all to fellowship the less active, befriend the part-member family, or be an example to non-members in your neighborhood, this isn’t for you. If you are convinced that you can personally never make any difference in someone else’s life, if you are certain that you’ve got nothing to offer and you don’t ever want to try to be a missionary, if the whole idea of member missionary work is impossible to you –I guess you can just go home and take a nap until Sunday School starts.

Meanwhile, if you’re a complete missionary superstar – fully on board with the program, totally ON FIRE with missionary spirit, bursting with excitement over the Church’s big new emphasis on missionary work and are currently providing me and the full-time elders with multiple solid referrals and teaching opportunities each month – and to be honest you’d rather be out in the neighborhood right now spreading the gospel – well, you don’t need to hear what I have to say either. You can leave.

Oh. So, I guess you’ve all self-selected to fall into the third group – those who, deep down, WISH they could do more to build up the Lord’s Kingdom, who truly desire to make a difference and to be a faithful member-missionary, but perhaps struggle with overcoming the challenges of stepping out of your comfort zone, or maybe have a hard time with thinking of things you can do. Perhaps you have a desire to share the gospel, to be an example, to make more friends – but you just don’t have time. You have no idea who to talk to – you don’t know where to start. Maybe you’re just tired, overwhelmed, or scared.

Well, looking around, I see you are not alone.

And brothers and sisters, I’m in that category, too.

What I’ve found, as I’ve analyzed my situation, is that I have many excuses. I’ve also determined that most of them are pretty lame. Maybe these sound familiar:

I'm too busy. I am too shy. I don't want to offend anyone or make them feel uncomfortable. I would rather keep to myself. I don't want to open up that "can of worms." The status quo is just fine. I feel awkward – I don't even know where to begin a gospel conversation. Someone else is better qualified. I don't know anyone who could use the gospel message. So-and-so would never want to hear it. The time is never right.

While it's possible that each of these statements is technically, in some way, true; it does not excuse my inaction. It does not absolve me of the responsibility – the duty I have – to do what I know is right. It just helps me to rationalize and justify my personal failures.

That said, it's not productive to beat myself up, either. It's time to just recognize the fault, and fix it.

Put simply, it's time to repent. Time for change.

Last month, I had the opportunity to attend a special worldwide broadcast training for mission presidents – it was opened up to members of Ward Councils and their spouses as well – and is now available for viewing online by anyone. It was called “The Work of Salvation.” I found it to be a great motivator to remind me of my obligations, and to inspire me to do what's right.

And, lucky you, if you have not already seen it, I will be showing portions of it today during the third hour in a special joint meeting of the Priesthood and Relief Society.

In that video, our wonderful leaders are so inspiring. They make you want to change – not by making you feel guilty, but with gentle and loving counsel designed to inspire, uplift, and remind us of the great blessings we enjoy. The messages instill in us a true desire to live up to our divine potential, to serve, to share, and above all, to love.

As has been said several times recently by the prophet and apostles, the Lord is hastening His work. I do not take that message lightly. It means great things are ahead. It also means that I need to step up my own game, because the Lord's work (you know, that one that is hastening) is performed by His people – His followers – His Saints. We are the ones who must accomplish that work, as His hands, doing His work on the earth as His servants, blessing and serving others.

Now is the time to serve our fellow beings, and thereby serve our God. All it takes is love, and a willingness to act upon that love. If you let love be your motivator, and let the Spirit be your guide, all you need to do is ignore your excuses (say "no" to laziness, "no" to fear, "no" to any and all of those false obstacles in my "excuse" list I mentioned earlier) – and you will have success.

In that training video, we were reminded of some great and wonderful facts by President Monson and the apostles:

As we do our best, Heavenly Father will not let us fail.
When we are on the Lord's errand, we are entitled to His help.
Wishing will not make it so; the Lord expects our action.

These are powerful messages that can help us overcome the things that we let prevent us from sharing the gospel.

When I think of how happy the gospel makes me, when I consider the great blessings in my life that come because of the gospel, and when I think of the eternal significance of the gospel – I am driven, I am motivated, I am urged from deep within my soul to share the wonderful truths of the restored gospel.

Now all I need to do is ignore the excuses and do it.

The best way to share the gospel is in the way we live our lives. We should let it be evident in the way we live and serve others and build friendships that we love others and want them to share in the joy we experience in the gospel. If we can shift our focus ever so slightly away from ourselves and look outward to those around us, this should not be hard.

In a message found in the February 2013 edition of the Ensign, called “A Word to the Hesitant Missionary,” President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said:

“Disciples of Jesus Christ have always been under the obligation to take His gospel to the world. Nevertheless, sometimes it is difficult to open our mouths and speak about our faith to those around us. While some members of the Church have a natural gift for talking to others about religion, others are a little hesitant or may feel awkward, embarrassed, or even fearful of doing so.”

He then outlines four important things to consider when being a member missionary:

Be a light: that is, let the joy radiated in your life be, in itself, a reason why people may ask you questions to find out what it is that makes you so happy.
Be conversational: here he includes the simple method of not avoiding references to the Church when speaking with others not of our faith – in fact, we should freely speak of Church-related things, as it opens a door for people to ask questions. In the past, I've found myself editing my speech by saying "my neighborhood" when I really mean "my ward." I really should just use the language of the gospel, as it opens up doors. President Uchtdorf also mentions using social media to be conversational about the Church - something that's easy for us all to do – as simple as clicking "like."
Be full of grace: meaning, be clear and kind and civil; do not be disagreeable.
Be filled with faith: for this one, I will quote President Uchtdorf – “Sometimes we take upon ourselves too much credit or too much blame when it comes to others accepting the gospel. It’s important to remember that the Lord doesn't expect us to do the converting. Conversion comes not through our words but through the heavenly ministrations of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes all it takes is one single phrase of our testimony or about an experience to set in motion the softening of a heart or the opening of a door that can lead others to experience sublime truths through the promptings of the Spirit… The Lord can magnify the words you speak and make them mighty. God doesn't ask you to convert but rather to open your mouths. The task of converting is not yours—that belongs to the person hearing and to the Holy Spirit.”

So, by your efforts, you can bring the Spirit, and then let him do the work.

Elder Clayton M. Christiansen said in February 2005:

“The ability to share the gospel isn’t a ‘gift’ that has been given to only a few Latter-day Saints and denied to the rest. We have concluded from our own experiences and from watching others that finding people for the missionaries to teach can be easy and natural for all of us—if we go about it the Lord’s way.”

One of the things Elder Christiansen mentions is the importance of not editing people off your list of “possibly interested” folks, simply because you don’t think they’d be interested (for whatever reason – usually some kind of judgment on your own part). You simply never know who is ready, unless you provide the opportunity. He described how he and his wife had made a list of possible contacts for the missionaries, but left certain couples off the list as “obviously not interested.” When the missionaries became desperate for referrals, they offered those “unlikely” names, only to surprisingly find that they were receptive. Elder Christiansen says, “The only way all people can have the opportunity to choose or reject the gospel of Jesus Christ is for us, without judgment, to invite them to follow the Savior.”

Now, while much of what I am saying today has to do with building friendships with our neighbors in the context of missionary work, I think Elder Christiansen said something very interesting. He said,

“Over the past 20 years, we have observed no correlation between the depth of a relationship and the probability that a person will be interested in learning about the gospel. But the reverse is almost always true: Everyone who accepts an invitation becomes a closer friend, regardless of whether or not he or she ultimately accepts baptism. We have also learned that even when people decline our invitations, they are not offended if they can feel our love and God’s love when we invite them to learn about Christ’s gospel. They typically have expressed gratitude that we cared enough about them to want to share something so personal and important.”

That’s worth thinking about.

As many of you may know, a few decades ago, President David O. McKay stated that every member should be a missionary. Of course, he didn’t mean that you – with your busy life, your job, family, and other responsibilities – needed to be a full-time missionary every hour of every day of your life.

Instead, you might think of your missionary efforts – the sharing of the gospel through words and actions, being a friend and being an example – as something you tithe. A tithe is ten percent, so with 168 hours in a week, that works out to 16.8 hours of missionary work a week. Nah, that’s WAY too much to expect. So, how about we just go with a tithe of a tithe – just one percent of your time. Well, that’s a little over 90 minutes a week. Still too much? Okay, how about just 0.3% of your time – which works out to about a half hour a week?

But what can you accomplish in a half hour a week, when it comes to missionary work? It turns out there’s a lot you can do. Here are a few ideas. I’ve arranged them into three levels that represent varying degrees of “stepping outside your comfort zone.”

LEVEL 1:

Wave and smile to a neighbor you don’t know very well.
Say “hello” to a neighbor you don’t know very well.
Say “Hello, how are you?” and stop and wait for the reply.

LEVEL 2:

Bake some cookies and bring them to a neighbor you don’t know very well.
Without being asked, perform a small service, such as bringing their trash can in from the street (preferably AFTER the trash has been collected), pulling a few weeds in their yard when you’re already out doing yours, mowing their grass when you mow yours, or some other little thing.
Invite a neighbor over for dessert or perhaps a barbecue.

LEVEL 3:

Invite a neighbor to a church-related activity, such as a picnic, fireside, or other event.
Invite a neighbor to church.
Invite a neighbor to meet with the missionaries in your home.

Of course, the different ideas may be applicable to different neighbors. For example, if you already say “hello” to a certain neighbor, and have been doing so for the last four years, maybe it’s time to move to the next level with them, and bring them some cookies. Or, if you have a neighbor with whom you regularly exchange treats, maybe it’s time to ask them over for dessert *inside* your home. There is great power to touch hearts in the sacred and spiritual environment found in your home. Make use of it.

There are a bunch of other ideas, too, such as those found in our Ward Mission Plan. You may not be familiar with the Ward Mission Plan…I had intended to post it on the wall over here in our corridor, but have not done so yet. But here it is:

The purpose of the 2013 Fox Hollow Ward Mission Plan is:

to help every member of the Fox Hollow Ward fulfill the prophetic admonishment to be a member missionary
to help every less active member within our ward boundaries return to full activity and receive the blessings attendant thereunto
to assist the full time missionaries in their efforts to teach the gospel to non-members within our ward boundaries by regularly providing qualified referrals

You and your family can advance the purposes of the ward mission plan by participating in the following ways:

February/March: Prayerfully select a specific family to invite to visit the church investigator website www.mormon.org or to whom to give a pass-along card.
April/May: Prayerfully select a specific family to give a Book of Mormon. Write your family’s testimonies in it to give meaning to the gift.
June/July: Prayerfully select a specific family to invite over for a family dinner, BBQ or FHE.
August/September: Participate in our neighborhood “Snack ‘n’ Shuffle” and invite a less active or non-member neighbor to participate. By the way, that Snack n Shuffle is two weeks from today, on August 11^th at 6pm. And I’ll be talking to a few of you very soon about being “snack stations.”
October/November: Prayerfully select a specific family to invite to Sunday church meetings.
December: Prayerfully select a specific family to invite to visit Temple Square and see the lights.

For the youth (as a year-round challenge): Prayerfully select one specific non-member friend to invite to a weeknight Young Men/Young Women activity.

For the primary children (as a year-round challenge): Help your little ones think of a less active or non-member friend they can invite to Primary.

If your efforts through the year are successful, you may also want to prayerfully select one specific family to hear the missionary discussions in your home.

Review these goals regularly to assess progress, and pray about missionary opportunities daily.

I also recommend taking full advantage of digital opportunities to share the gospel – such as blogging and social media – per Elder M. Russell Ballard’s suggestions found in the June 2008 Ensign. It was that message that inspired me to start my gospel blog, called Intelligent Life, found at brittonwrite.blogspot.com. It is a blog that is strictly about Church doctrine, intended to be used a missionary tool. I really wanted to have the opportunity to be a missionary in that way, since I did not have the opportunity to serve a full-time mission, being an adult convert.

Elder M. Russell Ballard said, “With a relationship of trust established and with help from the Lord, we generally can feel comfortable moving beyond the realm of friendship and can invite our friends to learn more about the Church.” He also emphasized that you must set deadlines for yourself, or things don’t get done.

Also, if you haven’t been to lds.org lately, check it out. There are tons of great resources there now for sharing the gospel – they have really put a lot of effort into the missionary direction and it’s actually pretty cool.

The work is hastening. Doctrine & Covenants 4:1-2 says, “Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men. Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.” As a covenant people, you have already embarked in the service of God. Let that service, then, be with your whole heart and might and mind and strength.

The General Authorities have passed along expectations to the stake, and the stake has passed those expectations on to the wards. We are to provide two new names each week for the full time missionaries to visit. These can be names of non-member investigators, part-member families, or less-active members. This does not mean names for the missionaries to cold-call. They must be folks with whom you have already spoken, and who have agreed to have the missionaries over. Yes, it is a daunting challenge, but remember, that’s not two new names for each member, that’s for the whole ward. Together, we can do it. The important thing is to not think that someone else will take care of it, because if everyone thinks that, it won’t happen. But think of it this way: based on the math, you really only need to provide a referral about once every six months – but it may take you six months of relationship-building to get to that point with one of your neighbors. So, I encourage you to start now.

Think about your nearest neighbors – on each side, and across the street. Which one of them will you start improving your relationship with today? Who will you say “hello” to today? Or bring a treat to? Pray about it, then act on it.

If you have any additional ideas, please let me know. You can email or text me anytime. Also, you may wish to bring your ideas to a special fireside we are having tonight. It’s a joint meeting with the other ward that shares our building. We’ll be talking about the referral challenge, and also doing some hands-on practice in stepping outside the comfort zone. That’s at 7:00 p.m.

Brothers and sisters, I’m glad you decided to stick around for my talk. I know that your family will reap many wonderful blessings as a result of your concentrated, focused missionary efforts. It will definitely bless your children and increase the faith and love in your home. It will prepare your children for their missions. And it will help build the Kingdom of God.

I testify that as you make the effort, you will be blessed. We can and will, as a ward family, meet the challenge that’s been set forth by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to share the gospel with the world.

God lives. He loves us. He wants all of His children to have the opportunity to choose to come unto Christ. I know that Jesus Christ suffered and died for me, and was resurrected. I know that this is His restored Church, and that we are led by a true prophet. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Time for Change

Excuses.

I have so many of them. Most of them are pretty lame. Many of them are quite common:

I'm too busy. I am too shy. I don't want to offend anyone or make them feel uncomfortable. I would rather keep to myself. I don't want to open up that "can of worms." The status quo is just fine. I feel awkward - I don't even know where to start. Someone else is better qualified. I don't know anyone who could use the gospel message. So-and-so would never want to hear it. The time is never right.

While it's possible that each of these statements is technically, in some way, true; it does not excuse my inaction. It does not absolve me of the responsibility - the duty - to do what I know is right. It just helps me to rationalize and justify my personal failures.

That said, it's not productive to beat myself up, either. It's time to just recognize the fault, and fix it.

Put simply, it's time to repent.

Time for change.

A great meeting like tonight's worldwide broadcast for mission presidents - The Work of Salvation - which all members have been invited to watch, can be a great kick in the rear to remind you of your obligations, and to inspire you to do what's right.

And our wonderful leaders do it so well - not by making you feel guilty, not by bullying or cajoling, but with gentle and loving counsel designed to inspire, uplift, and remind us of the great blessings we enjoy. The messages instill in us a true desire to live up to our divine potential, to serve, to share, and above all, to love.

The Lord is hastening His work. This has been repeated many times lately by the Brethren. I do not take that message lightly. It means great things are ahead. It also means that I need to step up my own game, because the Lord's work (you know, that one that is hastening) is performed by His people - His followers - His Saints. We are the ones who must accomplish that work, as His hands, doing His work on the earth as His servants, blessing and serving others.

As King Benjamin said, "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."

Now is the time to serve our fellow beings, and thereby serve our God. All it takes is love, and a willingness to act upon that love. If you let love be your motivator, and let the Spirit be your guide, all you need to do is ignore your excuses (say "no" to laziness, "no" to fear, "no" to any and all of those false obstacles in my "excuse" list above) - and you will have success.

Tonight, we were reminded of some great and wonderful facts by President Monson and the apostles:

As we do our best, Heavenly Father will not let us fail.
When we are on the Lord's errand, we are entitled to His help.
Wishing will not make it so; the Lord expects our action.

These are powerful messages that can help us overcome the things that we let prevent us from sharing the gospel.

When I think of how happy the gospel makes me, when I consider the great blessings in my life that come because of the gospel, and when I think of the eternal significance of the gospel - I am driven, I am motivated, I am urged from deep within my soul to share the wonderful truths of the restored gospel.

Now all I need to do is ignore the excuses and do it.

The best way to share the gospel is in the way we live our lives. We should let it be evident in the way we live and serve others and build friendships that we love others and want them to share in the joy we experience in the gospel. If we can shift our focus ever so slightly away from ourselves and look outward to those around us, this should not be hard.

And so...it's time for change.

Friday, May 24, 2013

On the BSA Kerfuffle: Faith Brings Peace

Although it's been almost four months since my last post here, this subject actually dovetails very nicely with the subject of my previous post.

Several weeks ago, when the BSA was debating the policy changes, I discussed the situation with my closest friends and with my wife. I took a very hard-line attitude toward the issue, believing that any move to be inclusive of boys who struggle with same-sex attraction would be a terrible mistake, strategically and tactically.

Since my own personal opinion on the matter appeared to be in conflict with the way Church policy was shaping up, I took a step back.

I got down on my knees.

I humbly asked for peace on the issue.
My heart was softened.

It was my desire to sustain, trust, and follow the Brethren - because I believe that doing so is a sure road to peace and safety, and because I believe that doing so is a logical and requisite component of true discipleship. That is to say, either the Church is true, or it is not. If it is, then Jesus Christ stands at its head and directs His chosen servants to lead it as He wants it led. (And if a leader goes astray, per Brigham Young, he is removed from his place by God.)

I believe that to be true. I know it to be true.

Thus, I decided, in that prayer, to let go of my own attitudes and opinions on the matter, and instead trust that the Brethren know what they are doing. That took humility, and a sincere desire to be obedient, and to understand.

While I am not to be blindly obedient, I am commanded to be obedient. Unless I believe the current prophet, Thomas S. Monson, is no longer legitimate in the administration of Church affairs, and is no longer operating under the direction of Jesus Christ, then it devolves upon me to fall in line and support him and the Brethren regarding Church policy decisions and Church doctrine.

"Whether by mine own voice, or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." (D&C 1:38)

So, when the Brethren released their statement yesterday, I received it with perfect equanimity, and peace in my heart. Though it was contrary to what I had previously believed was in the best interest of the Church, the BSA, the boys, and the ongoing conflict between righteousness and "the world," I truly had no problem with it. That felt good!

And when I thought about it, I realized that what the Church did was not at all cowardly or "caving" to the world (as some have suggested - as if this is politics, rather than the administration of Christ's kingdom), but, quite to the contrary, it was a great courageous decision because the Church chose to be Christlike in the face of potential criticism. The Church chose kindness and love and forgiveness and understanding over worrying what it might "look like" in the eyes of either the hard-hearted members like myself, other churches, or those driving the homosexual agenda. Like Christ healing on the Sabbath to the "shock" of the Pharisees, or choosing not to condemn the woman caught in adultery, to the chagrin of the bloodthirsty crowd, the Church has said, in effect, "Let us care for all of God's children, regardless of what they struggle with, or what the world may say." And I say, "kudos."

Last month in General Conference, Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, taught,

"Alma taught that 'the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.' In order to understand this, we must separate the sin from the sinner."

Too often, it is easy to conflate the sin with the sinner - to be judgmental. I know that because this is one of my biggest weaknesses.

In considering this, my wife suggested a thought experiment: how would I feel if my precious son, or a brother or other person near and dear to me, were struggling with same-sex attraction, and was shunned and excluded from the Boy Scouts based on that? How would that exclusion hurt that boy? And how would the virtues of kindness and understanding be developed in the scouts who were part of excluding others? Might not the scout program itself, and the good influences found there, be of help to a young boy with those struggles? Might involvement in scouts not help that boy to better understand his identity and divine destiny and to overcome the temptations that beset him? Do we exclude people from Church participation because they are imperfect, struggling with temptations to sin in various ways?

Christ's ministry focused on serving and helping the individual, not on creating collateral damage in a war of agendas.

In the last General Conference, Craig A. Cardon of the Seventy said:

"Preach My Gospel speaks of the difficulty in overcoming addictive behavior and encourages priesthood leaders and members to 'not be shocked or discouraged' if investigators or new members continue to struggle with such problems. Rather, we are counseled to 'show confidence in the individual and not be judgmental … [treating] it as a temporary and understandable setback.' Could we do less with our own children or family members who struggle with similar problems, having temporarily strayed from the path of righteousness? Surely they merit our steadiness, patience, and love—and yes, our forgiveness. In general conference just last October, President Monson counseled: 'We need to bear in mind that people can change. They can put behind them bad habits. They can repent from transgressions. ... We can help them to overcome their shortcomings. We must develop the capacity to see men not as they are at present but as they may become.'"

While same-sex attraction may not be a "temporary" problem (it is in the eternal perspective), surely it is not a reason to be judgmental and exclusionary. Personally, I will strive to avoid such sins and be kind to others, regardless of what they struggle with. How awful it would be, for example, if I were to be excluded from a Church activity because of my own tendency to judge others!

And it should be noted that the Church's position on this issue has not actually changed: as it says in the statement, boys in the scouting program are required to adhere to the moral standards found in the "For the Strength of Youth" pamphlet - the guidelines are the same. Moral behavior is still required for participation. Nowhere in the Church are people penalized for uncommitted sins - condemned for a mere propensity or temptation - and that should be no different in Scouts.

Might this be a slippery-slope? Sure. No worries, the Brethren have it in hand. Will I be accompanying my son on any and all campouts? Certainly - but that was a decision I made for safety reasons long ago, before any of this debate ever came up. Today's world is dangerous, and this policy, one way or the other, doesn't change that fact.

Bottom line: Whatever the pros and cons of this policy decision may be, my faith is strongly - immovably - placed in the wisdom and divinely-inspired leadership of the Prophet and his counselors and the apostles. I am not too proud to say that they know better than me. I know that they are doing the Lord's will, whether I fully understand it or not. I am sure they have contingency plans in place for whatever troubles may lie ahead (and if not, they will receive appropriate revelation at the appropriate time). I am certain that, since this decision came from Jesus Christ Himself, that it can only, in the long run, come to good.

Any other conclusion, for me, requires me to disavow my own testimony - which I cannot do, and shall never do.

"Choose you this day whom ye will serve...as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (and, by extension, His kingdom on the earth, His church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the leadership He put in place)." (Joshua 24:15)

I very much hope this helps folks who are struggling with the Church's decision. Though it has happened many times in the past, a disagreement on a point of policy would be a tragic reason to forfeit one's eternal blessings.

Don't worry. It will all be okay. Have FAITH.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Receiving Revelation and "Receiving" Revelation

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that we are each entitled to receive revelation. That doesn't mean we are all prophets - it just means that we are all capable of getting communication from our Father in Heaven.

As I've mentioned previously, revelation is specific to the sphere of influence of the receiver. For example, each person is entitled to receive revelation that applies to his or her self, a parent may receive revelation that applies to the family, a bishop receives revelation for the ward, a stake president for the stake, and the president (prophet) of the Church is the only one entitled to receive revelation that applies to the whole Church.

So, while we all may receive revelation, we are each entitled only to a specific "level" or "type" of revelation commensurate with our position.

But what I want to talk about here is somewhat different: when our leaders receive revelation, how do we "receive" it? Do we accept it with obedience and commitment and a sincere desire to follow the leaders God has appointed to watch over His flock, or do we we receive it with a skeptical heart, a reluctant mind, and a begrudging spirit? Do we pick and choose which revelations we will willingly "receive"?

This principle applies in many ways. Do you "receive" the revelation from your bishop by taking seriously the idea that your calling (or someone else's calling) was inspired? Or do you doubt? Do you "receive" the revelation from the prophet that the Saints should not watch rated R movies? Or do you choose to believe that doesn't apply to you?

The Lord has made it clear in the scriptures - in revelations to the Prophet Joseph Smith - that we are to "receive" the revelations of our leaders:

"Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith." (D&C 21:4-5)

And again, most poignantly:

"What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." (D&C 1:38)

That's right - when you ignore the prophet or dismiss your bishop, it is the same as disregarding the Lord Himself.

Yes, we can all receive revelation when God communicates with us through the Holy Ghost. But I think we often may neglect to actually "receive" revelation when it comes through another human being.

So what's the problem? An aversion to (or misunderstanding of) obedience? Perhaps it's pride, or a lack of faith - or something else.

What do you think?

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Book of Mormon Challenge

Back on November 8th, my wife said we should have a Book of Mormon challenge: that is, to try to read the Book of Mormon, in its entirety, between November 8th and December 31st. I said, "Sure!" and created a Facebook event, in case any of our friends wanted to participate, too.

I invited 250 of my 500 Facebook friends (it turns out half of my friends are LDS). Of those invitations, 26 signed up to take part. I was surprised that many did, and was glad to have prompted some folks to get reading!

I created a spreadsheet charting the amount of progress needed for each day in order to complete the reading by the end of 2012, and shared that sheet with any who signed up. Then I kept a close watch on my progress as the days and weeks flew by. I read entirely on my smart phone this time, which was very convenient, since it is always with me.

In the end, I didn't make it. I ended up finishing this morning, January 15th. Had I been only a little more diligent, I could've met the goal. But, it's all right; I still outperformed my wife, and that's what really matters. :)

So, here's what I took away from the experience:

1) The challenge helped me get back into the habit of committing a fair amount of time each day to the scriptures. I needed that reintroduction of discipline in my life. It became clear that I waste too much time on other, less important stuff.

2) I've read the Book of Mormon through several times before, and I notice different things each time. There were many specific things, but overall I particularly felt the humanity of the writers (prophets) - what they must have felt at the time they inscribed the plates.

3) A brisk read also helps with recognizing the distinct voices of the different writers within the book.

4) I feel my faith was strengthened, as at this point in my life (unemployed) I really need that extra boost.

5) As always, it was, at many times throughout the book, so abundantly clear that this was not the work of one young man (Joseph Smith) - aside from the translation, of course - but that it is a true record of ancient date and of immeasurable worth.

I know the Book of Mormon is true. I encourage all to read it, cover to cover, and then pray about it with real intent, believing you will receive an answer.

I also challenge you to study it this year in a way you have not before - study by topic, keep a journal, read it straight through, or whatever. Trying a new way of studying it can really make a difference!

Happy reading in 2013!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Cool Read

I know it's been a while since I posted here...and I do plan to get back on track very soon. In fact, Sunday night I almost wrote a post about home teaching - and plan to act on that prompting in the very near future.

But in the mean time, I thought I would bend the parameters of this blog ever so slightly by posting about a story I read that I quite enjoyed. It's the best melding of science fiction and an LDS setting that I have ever seen.

It's by Eric James Stone...check it out here.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Intelligent Life Named #1 Religion Blog of 2012

Today, this blog was named the #1 religion blog of 2012 by Theology Degrees Online. Thanks! I appreciate the recognition, and continue to hope people find what they are looking for here.

I know I haven't been very diligent lately (that is, not posting much), but I promise to get back to it. I do love sharing my testimony here, and appreciate my readers.

I guess this is one of those cases of quality over quantity, eh? :)

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Home Teaching & Visiting Teaching: Letting Love Change Your Heart

“As I have fulfilled my assignment regarding you, fulfill your assignments regarding one another.”

You’re right – that’s NOT how the hymn goes. That’s also not how John 13:34 reads – the scripture upon which that hymn is directly based. Doesn’t quite have the same spirit the way I sung it, does it?

Unfortunately, many of us in the Church regard home and visiting teaching as nothing more than an assignment to be reluctantly fulfilled – another item on our seemingly-endless to-do list that we begrudge doing. But it’s actually a critical component of our covenant obligation to love one another – a covenant we took upon ourselves at baptism.

When we are baptized, we promise to keep God’s commandments, and God promises to bless us – particularly, He will bless us with His Spirit. More specifically, the covenant we make is one in which we agree (for our end of the contract), to “bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light…and…mourn with those that mourn…and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and…stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God...” (1)

Those things – bearing one another’s burdens, mourning together, comforting one another, and standing as witnesses of God at all times and in all places – those are not mere assignments from earthly leaders. Those are promises to God that inherently require us to love one another. They cannot be done effectively without love, and there is not much motivation (beyond a sense of duty) to do those things unless prompted by love.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught us about six different motivations for giving service; including selfishly seeking reward, a sense of duty, and fear of punishment. The highest of the motivations of which he spoke was love. (2)

So, how do we come to love those people who we are asked to home teach and visiting teach? The kind of love expected of us by the Savior cannot simply spring into existence in our hearts by looking at a list of names on a slip of paper we’ve been handed by our Elders Quorum President or Relief Society President, and then stuck on our refrigerator. But those names do represent real people – our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our neighbors. Why should we value those names – those people?

“Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; for, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him. And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance. And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth! Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people. And 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! Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation. Ask the Father in my name, in faith believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient unto the children of men.” (3)

This brings to mind a couple of thoughts. First, every soul is precious to God, even more than our own children are to us. I think we all know that, intellectually. But how can we make each soul precious to us? How do we come to actually love others? Think about your own relationships – the people you love. Certainly, spending some time with those people plays an important role in developing love for them. You come to get to know them over time and exposure to them – you begin to care about them more and more deeply, and have desires for their welfare. The same is true when you home teach and visiting teach.

Second, I notice that at the end of that scripture quote, the Lord says that if you ask for help, you’ll get it! He’ll send the Holy Ghost to help you know how best to proceed. That’s a priceless promise and a glorious gift. You need never worry about what to say or how to make your visits “work.” Bringing the Spirit with you is all you need to concern yourself with.

Now, as with any principle of the gospel, you cannot gain a testimony of home teaching and visiting teaching in any other way but to do it. You can hear your leaders each week offer the obligatory admonition to “get it done,” but those words alone will never convince you.

What’s required is a change of heart.

It is my hope that the Spirit of the Lord will work in your heart and help make any changes to your heart that may be necessary to instill in you an unwavering testimony of home teaching and visiting teaching. Or at least stir your heart that you may take those first steps toward gaining a testimony – that is, to go try it for yourself over a period of time, until you do have that testimony.

Alma pointed out that nothing had a more profound effect on influencing people’s behavior than the word of God: “The preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just — yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them — therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.” (4)

So do I – that’s why I love to quote the scriptures. Here are a few relevant ones:

“Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (5)

“Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness.” (6)

“Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (7)

“When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” (8)

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (9)

“Feed my lambs. … Feed my sheep. … Feed my sheep.” (10)

“When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” (11)

“Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.” (12)

“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” (13)

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ.” (14)

We know that actually living a gospel principle is the most effective way to gain and grow a testimony of that principle, so my object today is to just influence you to “give it a try” for a few months. No, a single visit will not be sufficient – only a few consistent months of regular, faithful home teaching and visiting teaching experiences will be enough to truly get the testimony of it rooted in your heart. Going out once just because we’re having a one-off “contest” or other gimmick is great, but it has about the same effect as going on a diet for “one week only” or working out for “one month only” – no lasting change takes place. Trust me on that one.

If you really want to gain a testimony of this vital aspect of discipleship, I encourage you to pray about it with real intent, ask Heavenly Father to touch your heart. Study the scriptures and seek your answers. Go to the temple and ponder it while you’re there. Fast about it. Prepare your heart to carefully listen for the promptings of the Spirit by living worthily – and you will receive those promptings. And then you will have the necessary desire to do His will – then you’ll commit to being a 100% home or visiting teacher for the rest of your life.

Sister Julie B. Beck said, “Visiting teaching becomes the Lord’s work when our focus is on people rather than percentages. In reality, visiting teaching is never finished. It is more a way of life than a task.” (15)

I believe the same words can be applied to home teaching.

Now, not to take away anything from visiting teaching, as we all know it is a vital component of the ministering to the needs of the ward members; but I want to focus a moment on home teaching, since it differs in some ways from visiting teaching. And I’m not just talking about the delicious treats.

One important distinction is that home teaching is a priesthood duty. We men who have the great privilege of holding the priesthood of God are under a solemn obligation to accept the calling to home teach and then to magnify that calling. “Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.” (16)

The oath and covenant of the priesthood states that “whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.” (17) That’s a pretty awesome promise.

In the revelation found in D&C 20, we are commanded to “visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties.” We’re also instructed to “visit the house of each member, exhorting them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties.” (18) Yes, the Lord said it twice – either it was a mistake, or it was very important. I’m going with option two.

Further, priesthood holders are commanded to “warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ.” (19)

If someone warned you that a dangerous storm was coming, once your family was sheltered, would you not also warn your neighbors? A storm is coming – a spiritual storm, from which only the gospel can provide the necessary protection. The Lord said, “Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.” I think it’s safe to say we have all been warned. We should use our priesthood to warn others. (20)

Elder David A. Bednar spoke on priesthood power in the most recent general conference priesthood session. He said, “Men who hold the priesthood are not inherently better than other men, but they should act differently. Men who hold the priesthood should not only receive priesthood authority but also become worthy and faithful conduits of God’s power. ... Receiving the authority of the priesthood by the laying on of hands is an important beginning, but it is not enough. Ordination confers authority, but righteousness is required to act with power as we strive to lift souls, to teach and testify, to bless and counsel, and to advance the work of salvation. In this momentous season of the earth’s history, you and I as bearers of the priesthood need to be righteous men and effective instruments in the hands of God. We need to rise up as men of God.” (21)

I testify that one of the most effective and profound ways we can use this power, on a regular and ongoing basis to lift souls, to teach and testify, to bless and counsel, and to advance the work of salvation – right here in our own neighborhood – is by choosing to become 100% home teachers every month.

As a wise leader once explained to me: since you’ll be a priesthood holder for the rest of your life, it makes sense to commit now to be a 100% home teacher for the rest of your life. It’s not going away, brethren! Think how much more pleasant it will be each month when it’s time to report your home teaching, to be able to always confidently report “100 percent” and provide an update on the well-being of your families!

Returning to my opening remarks, I do believe it all comes back to love.

In 1840, the Prophet Joseph Smith sent an epistle to the Twelve wherein he taught that “love is one of the chief characteristics of Deity, and ought to be manifested by those who aspire to be the sons of God. A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.” (22)

Well, “ranging through the whole world” can begin right in your own ward – through the inspired program of home teaching.

As I count my blessings, I am humbled. That humility drives in me a desire to somehow show my gratitude by doing my Father’s will. I fall short so often, and in so many ways. But I figure one easy way to show my gratitude is to try to bring the Spirit to the families I home teach.

I don’t even like the phrase “do my home teaching.” It sounds like such an arduous task when put that way! And it removes important components such as “people” and “souls” and “love” from the equation. I “do the dishes” or “do the laundry” or “do the yard work.” Home teaching is different. If I had my way, we’d never again tell the brethren to “do their home teaching.” Instead we’d say “go and love the souls the Lord has commanded you to love.” Put that way, who would shirk? The power of words is phenomenal.

Elder Wirthlin said, “Love is the beginning, the middle, and the end of the pathway of discipleship. It comforts, counsels, cures, and consoles. It leads us through valleys of darkness and through the veil of death. In the end love leads us to the glory and grandeur of eternal life. For me, the Prophet Joseph Smith has always exemplified the pure love of Christ. Many asked why he gained so many followers and retained them. His answer: ‘It is because I possess the principle of love.’” (23)

If we possess the principle of love, we will have a true, unwavering desire to “do our home and visiting teaching.” Or, as I prefer to phrase it, we will want to “go and love the souls the Lord has commanded us to love.”

Why are we here in this life, if not to love and serve others, and thereby learn to be more like Jesus Christ? Laying aside the blessings we can provide others, why would we choose to deprive ourselves of the blessings that come from service and from teaching and testifying of truth, and of magnifying our priesthood – of loving others? Why would we not do something easy that helps us become more like the Savior? Alma warned, "Do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way." (24)

And visiting a neighbor really is an easy – even a “small” thing, but one that can have miraculous impact. “By small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.” (25)

Now, I could stand here and give you suggestions for how to set up appointments with your families – such as the benefits of establishing a standing monthly appointment . . . or I could explain the best ways to minister to your families, such as praying with your companion before the visits; or using the First Presidency message from the Ensign for some people, or tailoring your message to the specific needs of each family you visit – even contacting the father of the family in advance to find out if there’s a subject he would like addressed – these are all great methods. But the how won’t really matter if the commitment to do it is not rooted in your heart. Once that desire is there, and the commitment made, then all the rest of the details will fall into place as you are guided by the Spirit.

So instead of telling you how to do it, I’d like to just share a couple of my own experiences. I’ve gotten to know and love some great families from home teaching over the years. There were some families where it was clear they were doing great – strong in the gospel, active members who faithfully magnified their own callings – and from those families I feel I was the one who gained something by visiting them. Then there were some other families – less active, or just struggling spiritually – for whom I think my monthly visits were (for them) a rare opportunity to feel the spirit in their home – and I felt honored to be the one to bring that spirit to them. I know I was an instrument to help make a difference.

I’ve established friendships through home teaching where I feel I was really able to have an impact in people’s lives. Recently, I reconnected through Facebook with a guy whose family I home taught several years ago. One of the first things he wrote to me was that he has, as a result of what I taught him through precept and example, maintained his own home teaching record of 100 percent over the past few years. I found that heartwarming, just because it means that many other families were blessed by his faithfulness, and I had the blessing of playing some small role in his decision to serve.

And we’ve all heard stories of families reactivated as a result of faithful home teachers – and how it positively affected generations that followed. Those stories are real, and I believe they are less rare than you may think. Likewise, a missed opportunity can have negative effects across generations. President John Taylor warned, “If you do not magnify your callings, God will hold you responsible for those whom you might have saved had you done your duty.” (26) That would be a heavy burden to bear.

When we love others, we are made better people, and become more Christlike.

President Monson said, “Love is the catalyst that causes change.” (27) Home teaching and visiting teaching is an act of love. I challenge you to commit immediately to becoming a 100 percent home or visiting teacher. If you don’t feel the desire right now, look into your own heart, pray, fast, go to the temple, ponder the scriptures, receive a prompting and then act upon it and make that commitment. Imagine what a transformation we could have in our ward, in our community.

Our stake’s current average sacrament attendance is about 48% of the membership. Think what a difference you can make by loving your neighbors and making church the place that they want to be on Sundays. Your efforts may not “pay off” immediately – it could take years, and you may not even get to witness the results for yourself. But know this: no good deed is ever in vain. It is always worthwhile to love one another. The Lord does not give useless commandments. And as we know from Nephi, “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.” (28)

In March, in my ward, there were 40 families who did not get a home teaching visit. That’s almost as many families as were in attendance at sacrament today.

As Ward Mission Leader, I have put an emphasis on home teaching as a part of our missionary responsibility – to bring back the one sheep to the ninety-and-nine in the fold – everyone, even the most faithful member – even our good bishop’s family – needs to have home teachers and visiting teachers visiting regularly. Even if our sacrament attendance were 100% - home teaching would not stop. It can help strengthen us all, and then KEEP us strong.

President Monson said, "I believe the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. Those who live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in service to others grow and flourish — and in effect save their lives." (29)

So, with all that said, I offer two final scriptures: “And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance.” (30)

“Choose you this day whom ye will serve...as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (31)

I testify that God loves each of us individually, and He will bless us as we go out and love others through our dedicated service of home teaching and visiting teaching.

“As I have LOVED you . . . LOVE one another.”

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

(1) Mosiah18:8-11

(2) See Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Why Do We Serve?” October 1984 General Conference

(3) D&C 18:10-18

(4) Alma 31:5

(5) Matthew 25:40

(6) D&C 58:27

(7) Matthew 22:36-40

(8) Mosiah 2:17

(9) John 14:15

(10) John 21:15–17