Finding Motivation

Day fifty-nine

I woke up tired today.  I am feeling a little bit overworked and stretched too thin; so much to do and only so much time to do it in!  How am I supposed to balance everything?  I feel like some area of my life is not getting all the attention it needs. So you can guess what I prayed for:  I am grateful for all the opportunities, but I need some help staying afloat and making sure that I don't drop the ball on something or someone.  It is time to ask for some help from above!

I was supposed to start reading in the Old Testament today.  I just wasn't feeling it today, so I decided to search why I should study the Old Testament and what I should expect to get out of it.  I went to the Church website and found a talk by Elder Henry B. Eyring called Studying and Teaching the Old Testament.

I found what I was looking for:  

Four Suggestions for Studying and Teaching the Old Testament

"First, I would be more eager to be taught. I would listen to others, as if I believed the Spirit could teach me through their words. I would go to every class I could, expecting to learn from whoever was called to teach me. I would read and ponder the materials I was given. I would read the scriptures. I would plead in prayer to be taught from on high. Now there are practical limits to the time I could spend, but no limits on how determined to be taught I could be.

Second, I would think more often and more carefully about the Savior and His mission. So much of the Old Testament can be taught as dramatic stories, fascinating customs, and beautiful literary forms. But I will sense a greater happiness, a deeper appreciation when I study or teach of times when prophets spoke of Jehovah and when the people received the words and turned toward Him. I would sense sorrow when the people turned away from the promised Savior of mankind and toward misery. I can make you a promise if you do that: the Spirit will come and you will sense less of the sordid wickedness of the people, of their abominations, and more of the love of their God, who warned them against iniquity and idolatry, who begged them to come to Him, and who, even in their wickedness and misery, kept reaching after them.

Third, I would put more effort into coming to know prophets as personally as I could. I would read in the book of Abraham and the book of Moses not only for doctrines but to know their hearts. I would try to feel what Job felt and what Jeremiah felt. I would work and pray to know the character and the trials of the prophets. I can make you a promise because I have tried it.

And last, I would more carefully invite the Holy Ghost as my companion. Others wouldn’t see much of what I do, since so much would be in private, but they would sense the change in me as the Spirit softened my nature. They would notice it in my being a little more patient, a little more interested in them, a little less likely to argue or belittle, a little more likely to smile. And they would notice not only that I seemed more happy but that they are more happy when they are around me. The Holy Ghost will teach us all things we should do to please God and thus take happiness with us."

Sometimes I just need to hear words of encouragement from someone else.  Today those words came from Elder Eyring's talk.  It was just what I needed to help me refocus my efforts on my scripture study. Now to get back to studying!    

True Disciples

Day fifty-eight

I know Sunday is called the day of rest, but that is not always the case for me.  I knew this Sunday would be particularly busy, so I prayed that I would have the energy to serve well, to have the Spirit with me as I interacted with others and taught, and to be spiritually filled for myself.  I love the Lord and hope that my words and actions show that.

Today I would like to share some things I learned while preparing and teaching the youth in Sunday school.  We were learning about the skills needed to be a true disciple of Christ.  We were in Matt 6 and 7.

Definition of disciple: A pupil or learner.  Denotes the 12 Apostles; all followers of Jesus Christ. (BD p657)

The term disciple is used 269 times in the New Testament.  (It must be important!)

Being a disciple means learning how to let go of our ordinary life in order to pursue the extraordinary life of imitating Christ.

Training to be a disciple:
-takes time everyday
-requires a serious attitude sometimes
-will cost you something in earthy terms, it may even cost you friends
-requires some basic or foundation skills, but after the basics, it is different for each person.

Skill #1 Pure Motives. Do the right things for the right reasons. 
Matt 6:1-6, 16-21
We determine what we treasure by the amount of time, money, and thought we devote to something.
I need to find ways to purify my motives.

Skill #2 Pray.  Follow the Savior's example of prayer.
Matt 6:7-13; 7:7-11
We are not born knowing how to pray.  The Lord's prayer teaches us about how we should pray, with love and respect.

Even though Heavenly Father knows what we need it is still important to ask, seek and knock.  We appreciate the things we have to work for more than those that are just handed to us.

Skill #3 Treat others kindly and fairly. The Golden Rule!  Forgiveness and judge not.
Matt 6:14-15; 7:1-6, 12
Quote:  "Forgiveness does not mean ignoring what has been done or putting a false label on an evil act.  It means, rather, that the evil act no longer remains as a barrier to the relationship."  ~Martin Luther King Jr.

Motives for forgiveness:  The knowledge that you've been forgiven yourself.

Not forgiving others sins, is like carrying around somebody else's sin, which doesn't do you any good.  It's like chewing on somebody's dirty sock.  What's the point?

Forgiveness is part of our salvation, it makes sense that we should have lots of chances to  improve our forgiving skills.

Judging others harms both us and those that we judge.

"The best and most clear indicator that we are progressing spiritually and coming unto Christ is the way we treat other people." ~Elder Marvin J. Ashton

Skill #4 Serve God, Trust Him, and do His will.
Matt 6:22-34; 7:13-29
We are to be dedicated enough to take no thought for our life.  Christ uses nature to express the "stop worrying" lesson.

Remember He requires you to let go of the things of this world only so you can take hold of something better!

I enjoyed teaching this lesson and learning from the youth.  I left class feeling like we had a stronger foundation, we had a better understanding of the skills necessary to be a true disciple, and we were more dedicated to improving those skills and becoming better disciples.  It is nice when everyone learns something, especially the teacher!

Spirituality in Nature

Day fifty-seven

I woke this morning looking forward to a day with my family.  We didn't have anything special planned, just errands, chores, pictures, haircuts, and homework, but sometimes these turn out to be the best days.  So I prayed for today to be simple, but good, and filled with lots of good opportunities.  And it turned out to be just that!

I read and studied Abraham 4-5 this morning, which is about the Creation, but didn't have the time to write my blog before we had to leave.  That turned out to be a great blessing, because I found my inspiration for my blog while we were running around taking pictures for the boy's band.  We wanted several locations for the photos, so we jumped in the car and drove around looking for just the right spots.  As we found our spots I couldn't help but have a few thoughts about what God has created for us.  This is what came to my mind:

If the creations are this incredible, what must the Creator be like? He reveals things about himself, just like an artist reveals things about himself in his work of art.  His attention to detail is impeccable, His eye for beauty is perfect, and His desire to care for His creations every need shows his nurturing side.  The earth is filled with God's glory, it reflects His majesty.

 I really like the quote:  "The world around us is a window through which you can glimpse the majesty of God." ~Unknown

Today I had the opportunity to look around and listen, without too many distractions, and to hear God speak through his works.  It was quite awesome. 

It is easy to see why Jesus did a lot of his teaching outside among the things he created. It makes perfect sense that some of his deepest teachings, like those found in the Sermon on the Mount, took place outside in nature.  Can you picture him sitting on the mount, totally comfortable among his creations, so much so, that he uses them to illustrate spiritual applications?  He is surrounded by object lessons! A perfect example of this is in Matthew 6:25-31, when he is teaching His followers that they should "stop worrying".  He does so  by using the examples of the flowers and the birds. 

The psalmist, David, understood how nature testifies of God.  He states in Psalm 19:1:  "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork."  All it takes to believe there is a God is to look up!

The other thought that came to me was that his most amazing creation, the crowning work of the natural order, the pinnacle of God's work, is man!

We are made in the image of God.  Our minds, our creativity, our ability to love and to reason, all are expressions of God's image in us.  Two good quotes:

"You are a mirror reflecting God's majesty for all the earth to see." ~ Unknown

"The God who created, names, and numbers the stars in the heavens, also numbers the hairs on my head...He pays attention to the very big things and to very small ones.  What matters most to me matters to Him, and that changes my life."  Elisabeth Elliot

What started out as another story of the Creation in Abraham this morning, led to some really cool experiences today.  I have always loved nature and felt closer to God when I am among His creations, but today it was very sweet to have an increased appreciation for the world and for the Lord and share it with my family.  I wish all the lessons we need to learn in this life were as enjoyable!







      

Proving God

Day fifty-six

Another busy day ahead of me, but it is filled with good things so it shouldn't be too bad.  My prayer this morning expressed the gratitude I feel for being blessed with things to do that serve others.  I really enjoy helping people, it makes them feel good and me feel good.  I am grateful for the blessings that the Lord has given me and my family this week, and for the lessons I have learned in my scripture study.  I asked the Lord to comfort those that are suffering or grieving, that they might be able to find peace throughout their challenges, and to guide me in ways that I might be able to serve and help them. 

Scripture study is in Abraham Chapter 3. 

I grabbed on to verse 25:
"And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them."

During my scripture study I sometimes come across sources that seem to forget this part of the Plan of Salvation, we are here to be tested, instead they focus their discussions on ways to prove or disprove that God exists.  President Ezra Taft Benson stated:  "We are not here to test or "prove" God, but to be tested and proved ourselves.  We are on trial, not God."  (Conference Report, April 1988)

I could find no request from God that we try to prove his existence to others.  Instead, I found that His requests are of a personal nature; we are to know for ourselves that He is there.  It is part of our testing to learn to have faith and believe in God, to seek Him out and invite Him into our lives. 

He does ask us to share our belief in Him with others, not in an attempt to prove that he exists, but to give others the opportunity to know for themselves.  It is not our job to change the hearts of others, that is reserved for the Holy Ghost, we are merely the instrument to provide the opportunity. 

We have been counselled from Church leaders regarding how to react to those who would pursue an argument:

"Speaking of civility on a personal level, Elder Robert D Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught Latter-day Saints how to respond to criticism: “Some people mistakenly think responses such as silence, meekness, forgiveness, and bearing humble testimony are passive or weak. But, to ‘love [our] enemies, bless them that curse [us], do good to them that hate [us], and pray for them which despitefully use [us], and persecute [us]’ (Matthew 5:44) takes faith, strength, and, most of all, Christian courage.”

When you understand the nature of God you know that God doesn't need anyone to try to prove that He is real, He is God for goodness sake, all powerful and all knowing.  He could do it for himself and he does. Only He knows when a person's heart is ready to accept him, he just asks that we be there to help share the message, He will do the rest.

As for testing God, nothing good comes from tempting the Lord, just read about the Anti-Christs in the scriptures and you learn not to mess with God!  He does tell us if we want to find out if He is there to 'experiment on the word' (Alma 32:27-28).  He says try it out, live it, and see if He will keep His promises.  That is how to properly test the Lord, on His terms.

I am quite grateful that it is not my job to prove God, I think I have enough on my plate working on my on test and proving myself.  However, I am grateful to be an instrument of God which provides me a way to serve Him and others.  It's just another part of His perfect plan!

The Lord Watches Over Me

Day fifty-five

Yesterday was one of those days where everything just fell into place.  In anticipation of the snow (which I was very happy to see this morning) I went and ran all my errands to be prepared for today.  Everything I needed was available and on sale, I never stood in line for longer than 5 minutes, traffic wasn't bad, and the people I met along the way were kind and we even shared some laughs.  I love those days!

I know my prayers have been focused on gratitude for the things in my life lately, but I can not help but feel that the Lord is taking extra good care of my family lately.  I have learned over the years that this usually means we are being prepared for some hardship, the Lord builds us up before the trial comes.  So my prayer included lots of gratitude, but also a request that the Spirit remind us of all these blessings when the trial comes. Just as I prepared for the snow, I want to be spiritually prepared for whatever may come.

To help with my spiritual preparation I am studying Abraham Chapter two today.  As I was reading, I was noticing how the Lord worked in Abraham's life to direct him to where he needed to go and what he needed to do.

verse 1 -  Famine.  Note how the Lord used the famine to influence Abraham and his family to move from one place to another, until they arrived in Egypt.  It got me thinking about the hardships the Lord has put in my life to get me where he wants me to be.  At the time of the hardship I don't think I was able to see how the Lord was working in my life, but looking back it's nice to know that he has been so active in my life.

verse 6 - Communication.  Abraham was blessed with numerous occasions when the Lord spoke or appeared to him.  I have not had such experiences myself, but the Lord communicates with me through spiritual promptings or through others.  Whether or not I actually receive an appearance of the Lord is not important to me, keeping the communication lines I have open is what I need to focus on.

What does it mean to know that the Lord is watching over me?  President Joseph Fielding Smith explained:

“The descendants of Abraham, the tribes of Israel, became the chosen people of the Lord according to the promise. The Lord honored them, nourished them, watched over them with a jealous care, until they became a great nation in the land the Lord had given to their fathers."

Do I recognize the ways the Lord honors, nourishes, and watches over me?  Sometimes I can see how He has nourished and watched over me, but not as often as I should.  To be told that the Lord watches over His people with a jealous care, makes me feel so loved. I know that I am important to Him. 

I never really thought about how the Lord honors me before.  I have always focused on the ways I should honor him.  But when I think about it, the Lord has always honored me.  He has trusted me with my agency from the beginning, He lets me make mistakes to learn from,  He has faith in my abilities, and He never abandons me.  Wow!  I hope I honor Him as much as He honors me.

What happens when I don't recognize the Lord in my life? 

President Smith's quote continues:

"Notwithstanding this tender care and the instructions and warnings this people received from time to time through their prophets, they failed to comprehend the goodness of the Lord and departed from him. Because of their rebellion they were driven out of their land and eventually were scattered among the nations” ( Doctrines of Salvation, 1:164).

I can't imagine being 'departed' from the Lord, yet I don't always make Him the priority. Something for me to think about, because if I truly comprehended the goodness of the Lord, then I would always recognize His hand in my life. He would always be the priority in my life and my actions would reflect that.

God has given me a lot to think about from this study session, which is good, it is just one more way the Lord is watching over me!

Scripture Geek

Day fifty-four

I woke up this morning in hopes of seeing some snow, and the Lord did not disappoint, it snowed, but it didn't stick.  I'm not sure what it is about snow that makes everything seem so much more beautiful.  It always makes me smile to see snow falling, it just seems so magical.  I am still hopeful that we will get some snow that sticks.  In the meantime, I am happy to watch the snow fall from the sky and recognize the beauty that God creates.  My prayer was one of gratitude this morning for such beautiful things in nature like snow.  I am so grateful to see God in the world around me and feel the Spirit in all His creations.  What a great blessing!

I finished the Book of Moses yesterday, so I moved on to the Book of Abraham chapter one.  I only got two verses in, when I realized that I share some common traits with Abraham. We both are looking for greater happiness, peace, and rest; we both have 'a desire to be one who possesses great knowledge', we both have a desire to receive the blessings of the priesthood, to be a greater follower in righteousness, and we both desire to receive instructions. (Abraham 1:2)

I am nowhere near the spiritual level of Abraham, but I do desire to be like him in his faith and obedience, and I share his thirst for knowledge and blessings. 

As I researched this verse I came across a quote from Elder Neal A. Maxwell:

“The true disciple has an inborn questioning to know, personally, all that God is willing to teach us...Abraham sought, even though he had a father who had turned from the faith, ‘for greater happiness and peace’ and ‘for mine appointment unto the Priesthood.’ (Abraham 1:2, 4.) Abraham described himself as desiring ‘great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness’ (Abraham 1:2 ), questing for the word of Christ. Divine discontent in the form of promptings can move us to feast because we know that by feasting we can increase our knowledge, effectiveness, and joy” (Wherefore, Ye Must Press Forward [1977], 119).

I like the term 'divine discontent', it describes how I often feel about studying the scriptures.  If a verse contains something that prompts me to dig deeper, I have to do it.  I have to know.  Because of this drive to know more and to be spiritually fed, I have learned to turn to the scriptures to find answers that I seek, and my testimony that God knows me personally has increased.  My ability to share the gospel with more confidence is improving and my desire for others to find the happiness and peace from the scriptures for themselves has grown.

Now, my crazy need for more knowledge (as it has been described), isn't always met with flattering responses.  I have been called a "scripture geek" , a "scripture nerd", even a "scripture freak".  I'm okay with that.  After reading about Abraham I think I am in good company.

Characteristics of Good Men

Day fifty-three

I have been thinking a lot about being a better example to those around me.  There always seems to be some area of my life where I feel I need to improve.  Then when I improve in that one area another pops up.  I am grateful for the Lord showing me my weaknesses, but sometimes it is a bit overwhelming when there are so many!  So I prayed to know which areas I should focus my efforts on and for the ability to keep the nagging voice of negativity out of my head.  I prayed for opportunities to grow and for faith and courage to be the example I need to be for those around me.

I am in Moses Chapter 8 today.  I love verse 27 about Noah:

"And thus Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord; for Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generation; and he walked with God, as did his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth."

I started thinking about the characteristics of a just and perfect man.  What would a just and perfect man for this generation be like?  Am I teaching my sons to have these characteristics?

This was a timely study because I had just watched my sons interact with girls over the weekend, and I made it clear that I expected them to behave as perfect gentlemen. Mom's standards of a gentleman, not the worlds!

I found a talk by Bishop Richard C. Edgley titled, Behold the Man, in the May 2000, New Era, which talks about true manhood.

Bishop Edgley says true manhood comes only if and when you earn it.  He talks about Satan's version of manhood versus Jesus Christ's example of manhood.  I love the line:  "Yes, Jesus is the man."  from his talk.

He gives two criteria for true manhood:
     A true man is strong enough to withstand the wiles of Satan.
     A true man is humble enough to submit himself to the redemptive powers of the Savior.

I used this talk as my family home evening lesson on Monday night.  I asked my husband and sons to write a list of characteristics they thought a good man would have.  Here is what they came up with:

Intelligent, loving, caring, hardworking, hot stuff, sense of humor, gentle, devoted, kind, patient, tolerant, creative, supportive, family oriented.

I think their description sounds like a pretty amazing man.  I thought the 'hot stuff' remark was a little funny, but you do want your man to be attractive to you!

I went a little further with the discussion.  I had found three different articles from the web that listed ten or more characteristics of a good man.  One article came from a support group for abused women, one was written by a woman, and was was written by a man.  I didn't tell them who wrote them but asked them to read through the list and choose three or four characteristics characteristics they would add to their list.  I was surprised by their answers:

His shell is tough, but his heart is tender and strong.  His strength is in his reserve.
He may not meet society's perception of physical beauty or material wealth, but both attributes reflect from within him like a beacon.
He's upfront, never evasive.  You know exactly where he's coming from.
His words meet his actions.
Great men have their priorities in line.  They know what is truly important in life, and live accordingly.
Great men respect and honor women.  They don't objectify, degrade, or demean them.
Great men are honest, and have a sense of morality, integrity, and decency.  They have an internal awareness of what is or is not appropriate, good, right, or decent.
Great men are in touch with their feelings, emotions, concerns and even shortcomings.  They can love and be loved.
He recognizes his strengths and his weaknesses.
He can laugh at himself.
He is committed to your happiness.

My personal favorite was: He does not pay lip service to God's word, as a matter of fact you never hear him say it at all because he lives, breathes and exudes it in all that he says or does.

The last one is what I picture Noah and all the great prophets like.  You just knew how they felt about the Lord because it was a part of them.

That's what I want for my sons.  I want them to have these characteristics.  I want them to be good men.  Luckily they have good men, like their father, to measure themselves up to.  They also have the examples of the great men of the gospel.  We ended our lesson with each of them choosing one thing on their list to work on.

It was great to use the things I learned from the scriptures and apply it to my family in such a positive way. I do not expect the men in my family to be perfect, but I want them to be aware of what the Lord expects from them so that they can be examples for their generation.  From their lists it sounds like they are on their way, which I am very grateful for!  

God Wept

Day fifty-two

There is a little sadness in our house this morning because our friends are on the road, heading home again. It was so nice to see them and it brought back those strong bonds of friendship.  We are very blessed to have them in our lives.  I prayed with a thankful heart for having such wonderful people to bless our lives and asked that they will be watched over as they travel.  I prayed that they might know how much they have impacted my family and that they might receive all the blessings they deserve for sharing their love with us.

I am in Moses Chapter 7 today which has some of my favorite verses from the scriptures in it Moses 7:28-41.  The prophet Enoch is talking with God when something happens that shows him a side of God that he was not aware of, God wept.

"And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains?"  (Moses 7:28)

That verse has always touched my heart.  I am not a person that is brought to tears easily, I am more of a keep it together person. I don't know that this is necessarily a good thing, but I feel like people look to me to be strong in times of adversity, so I try to keep my emotions under control.  When I do cry it is usually because there are very strong emotions of love attached to it. That is what I think of when I read that God wept, it is an expression of great love.    

When the scriptures talk about God weeping it is usually because the people he loves are not living their lives correctly.  Elder Marion D. Hanks explains:

"God, from whom all blessings come, asked of his children only that they should love each other and choose him, their Father."

"But as in our day, many neither sought the Lord nor had love for each other, and when God foresaw the suffering that would inevitably follow this self-willed, rebellious course of sin, he wept.  That, he told Enoch, was what he had to cry about"  (Conference Report, Apr. 1980, 40-41)

I have felt that way too.  It is difficult to watch those that you love suffer, especially because of their wrong choices. 

I can remember the first time I read and really understood what these verses were saying, I was a teenager.  It made me evaluate my life and say to myself: Do my actions make God weep?  Because of my great love for God I remember crying because I could not say that I had not made God weep with my actions.  I realized I had caused him pain.  These verses led me to repentance and shaped the way I would make decisions for the rest of my life.  For me these verses are as important as the verses about the Atonement.

As I studied this chapter again I reflected on how far I have come from my teenage years.  I still make mistakes, but I am getting better, and I still think about how my actions will make God feel.  In fact, my love for the Lord has greatly increased over the years.  And with that increased love has come this desire:  If God should weep for me, I want it to be out of joy and not sorrow. 

Hope

Day fifty-one

I was speaking at the Spanish Branch this morning and I admit I was nervous.  This is the first time I would speak with a translator and I wasn't sure what to expect.  I prayed that the Spirit would be with me and my translator this morning, that the message would come through the way the Lord intended.  I talked to Him openly about my concerns and apprehensions.  Then I thanked the Lord for the chance to take a leap and to lean on Him.  My feelings of nervousness started to change to anticipation, I was getting the opportunity to have a new experience, a chance to see things from a different perspective.  What a great blessing!  Once again, He helped me to see a situation through the proper eyes.

I think the talk went well.  The members of the Spanish Branch were very loving and patient with me.  I really enjoyed studying the topic of hope and thought that I might share what I learned on my blog.  I hope you enjoy it.

 Hope

Some things I’ve learned about hope:

Hope is a forward-looking confidence in God’s perfect plan.

Hope in action is the ability to press through today’s hardships because you know they are part of a larger plan—a plan that will result in rewards that far outweigh the hardships.

We hear the word hope all the time.  “I hope I win the prize.” “I hope the teacher doesn’t call on me.”  “I hope our team wins the championship.”  In everyday use, “I hope” really isn’t any different from “I wish.”

But that’s not the kind of hope the scriptures talk about.  You might hope to win the prize, but you really don’t have any reason to believe that you actually will.  That kind of hope doesn’t really have any power to sustain you when you’re going through the hard times.

The hope described in the scriptures has more to do with confidence than with wishing.  Hope is a conviction that you are moving toward a future that a good God holds in his hands.  It’s having faith that there is a reason for everything in your life, even if you don’t understand the reason at the time.  It’s a confidence that all things –the sorrows as well as the joys- ultimately work for your good, your eternal happiness.

There is a quote by Hadley Moule that reminds me to have hope:

“There is no situation too chaotic that God cannot, from that situation, create something that is surprisingly good.  He did it at the creation.  He did it at the cross.  He is doing it today.”

I would like to talk a little bit about God creating something good out of what might seem a not-so- great situation.

Moses chapter 4 The Story of the Fall

At first glance this chapter appears to be a tragic story of deceit, human weakness, and dire consequences.  However, I look at this chapter as a chance to look at the hard times in our lives from a different perspective, one of hope. 

We know that out of Adam and Eve's choices the Plan of Salvation was put into action here on Earth.  There would have been no opportunity for progression had their transgression not occurred. I don't know if Adam and Eve completely understood the implications of their actions at the time, and I imagine it must have been a very emotional experience to be removed from the Garden of Eden and the presence of God, but the consequences of their choice led to hope for all of God's children.  Good things came from what might be seen as a tragic situation. 

We have great stories of seeing hope in the chaos of our world today.  There is a story about the wife of a sailor who is waiting for her husband to come home.  While she is waiting, their house catches on fire and they lose everything.  Soon after this the sailor arrives on shore and runs to kiss his wife, but he finds her sad and crying.  When he asks what is wrong she says that she cannot be happy because their house burnt down and they have lost everything.  The sailor hugs his wife and explains that had it not been for their house burning down the sailor would never have made it home, for it was the flames of the fire that gave them hope and led them to the shore safely through the fog.

We all might be guilty at one time of saying, “I know that I should have hope, but things aren’t so great right now and I am overwhelmed with feelings of hopelessness.”

Whenever I feel that way I turn to prayer and the scriptures.  It is something that was ingrained into me as a seminary teacher, if you want guidance, pray and search the scriptures.  One scripture verse that really keeps me on track when it comes to hope is Ether 12:4:

“Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.”

Your hope is as certain as your belief in God.  Colossians 1:27 speaks of “Christ in you and the hope of glory.”  Is Christ in you?  If so, then you have hope, a hope to live for.  Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are the perfect examples of hope.  They believe in each of us and hope that we will yearn to be with them as much as they want to be with us. Can you hear the hope in Moses 1:39? “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”  Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation is filled with hope that we will learn it, love it, and do it, so that we can have eternal life. 

The gift of agency teaches us about hope.  The Lord hopes that we make the right choices as much as we hope we make the right choices.  Think of the last tough decision you made, where did you seek guidance?  Hopefully it was from the Lord through prayer.  Talking to God everyday and expecting the right answers is hope at its best!  Both sides benefit.  Heavenly Father gets to hear from us (which he hopes for) and we get the best answer to our question (which we hope for).

The doctrine of eternal life brings a hope of never being apart from our Father in Heaven and our Savior again.  The hope that God offers his people is more than a vague wish that the sun will come out tomorrow; it’s a genuine confidence that in all things, even the painful things, God is perfecting you, straightening you out, shaping you into something beautiful for all eternity. 

Speaking of perfecting ourselves, what a message of hope we find in the Atonement.  We hope to use the power of the atonement through repentance and be clean again and rid ourselves of guilt and shame.  In the Book of Romans we are taught:  “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts…” (Romans 5:5) and in the Moroni 7:41 we learn that “hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection” leads us “to be raised unto life eternal.” 

Imagine how much happier the people of the world would be if they would have hope in the power of the atonement and repent. They would get their chance to live their lives without guilt or shame, two things that can suck the hope right out of someone.

I guess my message today is to remember that hope is an eternal principle.  It is through hope that we should look to our future.  Remember that God has hope in you and has begun a work in you and he is going to complete it.  And someday when he is finished, you will be like Christ himself.

In the meantime, let hope shape every decision you make.  Let that confidence control the way you think about yourself and the world around you.  I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ . Amen.

Feelings of Inadequacy

Day fifty

First item of prayer this morning was a great big thank you to the Lord for all the blessings in my life!  My family had a great time visiting with friends and family after Ryan's ordination last night. What a great blessing to have two priesthood holders under one roof and to be able to share it with people that love my family so much, it made it that much more special! Second item was to request that the Spirit would be with me today as I was preparing a talk for church tomorrow.  I have been struggling with it all week, trying to get my thoughts to make sense and to make sure that what I was planning to say was led by the Spirit.  I have faith that it will all work out.

I am studying Moses chapter 6 today.  There are a lot of lessons to learn in chapter 6, but the one that seems to fit me the best is found in verse 31 which is Enoch's response to the Lord's call:

"And when Enoch had heard these words, he bowed himself to the earth, before the Lord, saying:  Why is it that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and I am slow of speech; wherefore am I thy servant?"

Enoch is expressing his feelings of inadequacy.  He is not alone in having these feelings, both the prophet Moses (Exodus 4:10-12) and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:4-9) felt inadequate to serve as the Lord had called them to do.  Many of the leaders of the Church have expressed these same concerns.  Elder James E. Faust taught: "Most of us who are called to leadership in the Church feel that we are inadequate because of inexperience, lack of ability, or meager learning and education."

I don't think you have to be in a leadership position to feel inadequate in what the Lord has asked you to do.  I feel that way a lot.  I am not the smartest, most well educated, or able speaker, yet the Lord has called me to teaching positions within the Church for many years.  I did not have a degree in parenting, but the Lord felt that I should parent two young boys that were less than fourteen months apart. I have often thought to myself, what is the Lord thinking?  There are people much more qualified to do these jobs, are you sure you want to  choose me?

I love the Lord's response to Enoch: "Go forth and do as I have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee."  I do not fear that people will harm me, but I do fear that people will judge me on my inadequacies. I think the Lord is telling me that I need to have a little faith in Him, to do what he tells me to do, and He will take care of the people that would judge me.

He goes on: "Open thy mouth, and it shall be filled, and I will give thee utterance, for all flesh is in my hands, and I will do as seemeth me good."  This is one of those 'it's not about me moments'.  I am just the instrument through which the Lord chooses to sometimes share his message.  I just need to take the leap and let Him do the rest.  He won't leave me hanging, he will provide what I need to say.

The Lord explains how this works: "Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify..." and "thou shalt abide with me, and I in you; therefore walk with me."  With such a beautiful invitation how can anyone refuse to be the Lord's servant?  To know that God will abide in me and walk with me is the best motivation I can think of for doing what He commands me to do.

Taking the leap and becoming one of the Lord's servants is not easy, it is a constant battle of overcoming our feelings of inadequacy. Enoch, Moses, and Jeremiah all faced difficult times as a servant of God, but the blessings that came from their service are innumerable.  We can not know how our service to the Lord will not only bless us, but those that we serve. I will continue this battle with the hope that it will get easier and that through me the Lord may bless the lives of others.     

Conflict and God's Character

Day forty-nine

I awoke this morning with a feeling of anticipation for what the day would bring.  My friends travelled in safety and I am looking forward to visiting with them today and I have the opportunity to see my eldest son become an Elder today!  My prayer was filled with gratitude for the blessings the Lord has given my family and friends.  There is a feeling of safety that comes with the knowledge that the Lord is actively participating in your life and puts the people that you need to progress in your path.  I am truly blessed with a great family and great friends!

I have moved on to Moses Chapter 5, the Story of Cain and Abel, for scripture study today.

There was one thing that really stood out to me in this story; it says a lot about God's character and dealing with conflict.

In the story of Cain and Abel each of these brothers prepares an offering to the Lord.  The Lord accepts Abel's, but denies Cain's which makes Cain angry.  The Lord was justified in not accepting Cain's offering, he did not do it in faith, but it is the way the Lord deals with this situation that impresses me the most.

I know as a parent I have found myself in a similar position with an angry child standing before me.  In my case, I can say that I didn't always know the best way to react to the situation.  So I thought this would be a great opportunity to learn from the Master!

How God Deals with Cain

Lesson One:  The Lord still loved him. In fact, the Lord loves him so much that he tries to use the experience as a teaching moment. He shows compassion.

I need to keep my composure enough that I can feel compassion and see the opportunities to use love and teaching, instead of feelings of anger, frustration, and arguing. 

Lesson Two: "If thou doest well, thou shalt be accepted" (Moses 5:23) The Lord tells Cain that if he would make the right kind of offering, He would accept it. He gives Cain the chance to go back, think about what needs to change, apply what he learns, and to try again.  If he learns the lesson, repents, and makes the offering in the appropriate manner, the Lord will accept it. 

The urge to punish instead of teach is often overwhelming in situations where anger is involved.  The example the Lord sets here is important.  I need to be thinking about the chance I have to help them overcome and repent for their actions.  My actions and words should reflect that desire.  I know that when I implement this teaching in my home the effects of the experience are felt much deeper and the chances of re-offending seem less likely.

Lesson Three:  "And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door..."  (Moses 5:23)  He does not take away Cain's agency, instead he lets him know that his sin waits for him to repent.  Cain has to choose to want to change. 

This is tough.  I have found myself trying to pressure my children into repentance and I didn't even recognize it at the time.  If I want to teach my children about repentance I need to be the example.  And instead of guilting them into repentance I should be praying for their hearts to be softened so that they can correct their own ways.  You cannot force repentance on someone, they have to want it for themselves.  They have to have their agency.  A good lesson for anyone!

Lesson Four:  "And Satan desireth to have thee" (Moses 5:23)  To me this phrase shows that the Lord really understands what we are going through. He is involved in Cain's life and knows who and what he was battling.  He is giving him a warning to help him recognize where this influence is coming from.

We cannot be involved in every aspect of our child's life, but the Lord expresses here that we need to make it a priority to know who is influencing them.  And if we find that the influences aren't positive we have an obligation to warn them. This is possibly the least welcoming part of this process from the viewpoint of the child and the parent.  It is usually not received well and the child might even pull away from the parent. We are all called to do hard things and this is one of them.

Lesson Five:  "...and except thou shalt hearken unto my commandments, I will deliver thee up..." (Moses 5:23)  This is not a threat, but a statement of consequences.  The Lord is letting Cain know that he is accountable for how he uses his agency and that there are serious consequences for his choices.

One of the great things about being a Christian and having the gospel is that the consequences are all laid out for us.  The scriptures are filled with examples of people who have made good and bad choices and the consequences of those choices.  I think as a parent I need to be studying the scriptures so that I can be a more effective teacher and share the knowledge of these examples with my family.  Sometimes knowing the consequences beforehand can help prevent a problem in the future.

I want to parent more like the Lord.  I don't know how old Cain was at the time of this conversation, but it appears that he was more adult age.  I find myself with two adult aged sons in my home now and I still want to be a better parent for them.  I want the blessings for my family that would come from following the Lord's example.  How thankful I am for the lessons the Lord gives me!  
 

Good Out of Tragedy

Day forty-eight

There are some very special people who are making a road trip today to come and visit Oregon.  As excited as I am to see them, I am equally nervous for them to drive all the way from Utah and Idaho.  So I included a special request in my prayer this morning that the Lord would bless their trip, that they may be safe, that the weather would be mild, and that they would listen to the direction of Spirit regarding their safety.  Now I just need to trust the Lord and keep myself busy so I don't worry about them all day!

Today I am studying Moses Chapter 4 which is about how Satan became the devil, tempts Eve, and the fall of Adam and Eve.

At first glance this chapter appears to be a tragic story of deceit, human weakness, and dire consequences.  However, I look at this chapter as a chance to look at the hard times in our lives from a different perspective. 

We know that out of Adam and Eve's actions the Plan of Salvation was put into action here on Earth.  There would have been no opportunity for progression had their transgression not occurred. I don't know if Adam and Eve completely understood the implications of their actions at the time, and I imagine it must have been a very emotional experience to be removed from the Garden of Eden and the presence of God, but the consequences of their choice led to hope for all of God's children.  Good things came from what might be seen as a tragic situation. 

Here is another example of seeing things in a different light.  There is a story about the wife of a sailor who is waiting for her husband to come home.  While she is waiting, their house catches on fire and they loose everything.  Soon after this the sailor arrives on shore and runs to kiss his wife, but he finds her sad and crying.  When he asks what is wrong she says that she cannot be happy because their house burnt down and they have lost everything.  The sailor hugs his wife and explains that had it not been for their house burning down the sailor would never have made it home, for it was the flames of the fire that led them to the shore safely.

Stories like these make me think about how I look at the difficult times in my own life, do I dwell on the dire consequences or do I look for the good that can come out of it?  I have been guilty of both.

The challenge for me is to see the good during the hard times.  I know that I have not perfected this because the Lord keeps blessing me with difficult times, but I do think that I am getting better at it.  I am one of those people that learns best by doing and my Father in Heaven knows this about me and keeps giving me opportunities.  It is nice to know that I am on His mind so much!

One thing that has helped me to get through the difficult times is to remember that it isn't always about me, sometimes God works through me to help others.  To recognize this was a great blessing to me, it helped me to take the focus off myself and to look around at others that might be in need of help.  It really puts the whole 'one big family' in perspective.  The willingness to sacrifice for the good of another is the greatest act of love that we can give. 

I love this quote by John Maxwell:

"A difficult time can be more readily endured if we retain the conviction that our existence holds a purpose - a cause to pursue, a person to love, a goal to achieve."

I am forever grateful to Adam and Eve for their sacrifice and for the opportunities that I have been given because of it.  Through their experience I have learned to see the difficult times in my own life in a positive light and to recognize God's hand in these situations.  I just need to learn to enjoy the ride a little more through all the bumpy parts!  
 

A Help Meet

Day forty-seven

My mind has been on those in my life that are facing challenges ranging from cancer to marriage problems.  I decided to dedicate my prayer time to them this morning.  I thanked the Lord for making me aware of their needs and for the opportunity that I have to serve them and pray for them.  I asked him to please bless and comfort them, to guide them, and to guide those around them to know how we can best serve them.  Most of all, to let them know that they are loved and not alone.

My scripture study takes me to Moses Chapter 3 this morning. In chapter 3 we learn that all things were first created spiritually and we learn more about Adam and Eve.

I would like to start in verse 18: "And I, the Lord God, said unto mine Only Begotten, that it was not good that the man should be alone; wherefore, I will make an help meet for him."

Help meet
This verse says a lot about God, it shows his great love for us and his understanding of the importance of the human connection.  He understands that we need other people in our lives to live up to our full potential.  It also tells us how he views the relationship between a husband and a wife.  He uses the term 'help meet' to describe what Eve's place will be.  There is a quote from Howard W. Hunter regarding this term:

“A man who holds the priesthood accepts his wife as a partner in the leadership of the home and family with full knowledge of and full participation in all decisions relating thereto...The Lord intended that the wife be a help meet for man (meet means equal)—that is, a companion equal and necessary in full partnership. Presiding in righteousness necessitates a shared responsibility between husband and wife; together you act with knowledge and participation in all family matters. For a man to operate independently of or without regard to the feelings and counsel of his wife in governing the family is to exercise unrighteous dominion” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1994, 68; or Ensign, Nov. 1994, 50–51 ).

Although the husband and the wife have different parts to play in a family: the father is to preside over, provide for, and protect, and the mother is primarily responsible for the nurturing of children; they are to look to each other as equals and partners.  Anything other than this type of relationship is considered unrighteous dominion, which means, it is not of God.

The Rib (Moses 3:18)
Is there significance to the woman coming from the rib? 
I know that there is debate as to whether God actually removed Adam's rib to create Eve.  President Spencer W. Kimball taught that the story of the rib is figurative. But I think the discussion should be on what is the significance of the rib, not whether it was actually taken. There is a teaching about this that comes from the Hebrew Talmud that I would like to share:

"Be careful if you make a woman cry; because God counts her tears.  The woman came out of a man's rib.  Not from his feet to be walked on.  Not from his head to be superior, but from the side to be equal. Under the arm to be protected, and next to the heart to be loved."

Beautifully said!  I think the Rabbi that taught this had a good understanding of what God was trying to teach.

Shall be One Flesh (Moses 3:24)
Building a relationship where you become 'one flesh' is one of life's greatest challenges and it can seem almost impossible to reach when you look at the number of divorces in the world today.  We sometimes may feel like, how will we ever make it?

I don't have all the answers and I think each situation is different, but there are a few things that the Lord mentions in this verse that I think we should look at.

Leave his father and mother:  President Kimball stated that: "the woman occupies the first place. She is preeminent, even above the parents...even the children must take their proper but significant place."  This is true for us women too, we must place our husbands in first place.  I am not always good at this, but I have noticed that when I follow this advice my marriage is so much stronger.  We feel important to each other and I really enjoy the attention!

Cleave unto his wife:  Cleave means to be closely united or to join. There is a trust that comes with marriage that once you are united or joined together you will always be there for each other, especially during the hard times.  I am very fortunate in this department, my husband is my best friend, which has led us to want to be there for each other.  We turn to each other first and we have learned to turn to the Lord as a couple.  The blessings of such a relationship have allowed us to beat the odds of the world that our marriage wouldn't last and has strengthened our love for each other over the years.

Be one flesh: I have always thought of this as being one in purpose.  It means taking the time to understand  the other person mentally, socially, sexually, and spiritually.  This takes looking at your spouse through God's eyes, which is not always easy.  It means looking at your relationship with an eternal perspective and not letting the things of the world get in the way.  By far, this is the biggest challenge in a relationship and has eternal consequences.  This is one of our greatest responsibilities, but also can bring us our greatest joy.

I love the teachings the Lord has given in these verses for a successful marriage.  I wish the world would take a moment and remember these things.  Imagine how much better the world would be if everyone stopped and re-evaluated their marriage under the terms set by God, and made a plan to implement these teachings to strengthen their relationship.  What a great gift it would be to the families of the world if every parent decided to be a better 'help meet' to their spouse, Satan would have no power over them or their families. We would be one step closer to a perfect world!      

Self-Dominion

Day forty-six

I had some interesting experiences yesterday while trying to deal with the issues that had come up.  It boiled down to: Don't worry so much about the can't do's, and focus on the can do's.  That is my goal today, the can do's!  My prayer began with gratitude for the direction I had been given and the change in perspective. I am finding that I need the change of perspective more and more in my life. Learning to see things through spiritual eyes is hard. To help me with this I asked that the Lord would bless me with the ability to recognize those things that I can do to help a situation and to let go of the things I can't. 

After prayer I got back into the scriptures in Moses Chapter 2 and the account of the Creation.

My favorite part of this chapter is in Moses 2:28 where man was given dominion.  I was excited to find a quote from Elder Sterling W. Sill that seems to agree with my thoughts on this subject:

"One of the most inspiring messages in all sacred scripture is the story of the sixth day of creation when God made man in his own image.  He also endowed him with a set of his own attributes.  Then, as the very climax of creation, God gave man dominion over everything upon the earth, including himself.  The dictionary says that 'dominion' means control or the power to govern.  The most important part of the dominion given to man was self-dominion." (in Conference Report, Oct. 1963, 77-878)

I love that the Lord has so much faith in us that he allows us to have 'self-dominion'.  He believes in us, he knows that we can learn to control ourselves and to govern ourselves in a way that leads to self-mastery.  So why is it so important to have self-dominion?

In 3 Nephi 27:27 Jesus Christ tells us what type of person we should be:

"Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am."

Jesus was the perfect example of someone who had self-control and was able to successfully self-govern.  He used his gift of self-dominion to make the choices that allowed him to fulfill his calling of being our Savior.  Let me point that out again, he made choices. If we are to be like him we must have the opportunity to make choices also.  Self-dominion includes agency and we are taught that agency is an eternal principle.  Therefore, agency is not taken away from us, but is given to us to help us become more Christ-like.  Self-dominion allows us to become more like God.

What happens if we don't govern ourselves well?

One of my favorite scriptures regarding this is in Proverbs 25 verse 28: "He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls."  What a great visual this verse brings to mind, I picture a city filled with chaos and forever being torn down because there is no order. The same goes for us, if we cannot learn to rule ourselves then we are filled with chaos and contradiction and the world will use us up and tear us down.

There have been times in my life where I have not governed myself very well and I lacked in the self-control department and I felt like the broken down city. My life was chaos and the world took advantage of it.  Although this was only for a short period of time, it is not something I wish to experience again.

Luckily, I was able to use my agency to overcome the situation and once again be in control. I learned to appreciate the gift of self-dominion and the blessings that come with it.  It is hard to be in control of oneself all the time, but to get it back after you loose it, is even harder.  (Just think about the last time you lost control and got angry with someone, it is hard to get over those feelings and to make the relationship right again.)

This is a topic near to my heart, it has affected the way I live my life, the way I parent, how interact with others, how I view mistakes, and much more.  I truly have a testimony of the power of self-dominion and I am grateful for the opportunity to share it.

Unselfishness

Day forty-five

Some issues came up yesterday that concerned me and I was struggling with how to deal with them.  This morning my prayer was mostly about these issues and my need for understanding.  I also wanted to know what my part should be in handling these issues.  Although I did not receive instant answers to my requests, I did feel better about letting the Lord know how I am feeling and my desire to do what is right.  My job now is to listen and recognize the answers as they come.

I am into the Book of Moses today for scripture study!  I have been looking forward to learning more about Moses and his experiences.  So I begin with Chapter 1.

Chapter 1 records a vision in which Moses saw God who revealed to him the whole plan of salvation.

I love that Moses starts this chapter by letting us know that he saw God face to face, and he talked with him (Moses 1:2).  This lets the reader know that the teachings in this book are important enough to warrant a face to face conversation with God and should be studied with that in mind.  It also gives us a great example of what a face to face conversation with God would be like physically (transfiguration), mentally (stimulating information and questions), and spiritually (feeling the glory of God and learning to recognize Him).  It also makes me wish that I could have a face to face conversation with God!

We are also given the opportunity to learn more about the character of Satan (Moses 1:12-24).  In your weakest moments he will tempt you and try to deceive you by making false claims.  He has a terrible temper, is arrogant and bitter, and is not above trying to use fear to get you to do what he wants.  I think Moses handled him brilliantly by casting him out.

My favorite part about chapter one is that we also learn more about the nature of God.  We learn what the Lord truly desires :  "For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."  (Moses 1:39)

I have always felt that this verse showed the endless love that God has for his children, but in my research I came across a quote by Pres. Marion G. Romney that helped me recognize a different attribute in this verse:

"Hence, we see the complete unselfishness of our Father in Heaven.  His whole work and glory is to bring eternal life and happiness to his children."

It is not about Him, it's about you and me! We are His work.

Pres. Romney continues: "Should not our whole purpose in this life, therefore, be made up of righteous service to one another?  If not, how can we ever hope to be as he is?"

What a perfect example the Lord has given for me to pattern my life after:  Focus more on Him and others, and less on me. If I am to be his glory then I need be more unselfish. I wish I could say that I only think of others and give service based on righteous motives, but I still find myself sometimes thinking of my needs.  I am working on this and I know that the Lord is helping me because he keeps giving me opportunities to show it.  I love that he doesn't give up on me! 

So with a renewed purpose of righteous service I am off to conquer the day!

Being a Christian

Day forty-four

As always I was looking forward to the Sabbath.  I enjoy taking the sacrament and focusing on the Lord to start my week off.  So I expressed a deep gratitude for these opportunities in my prayer this morning and asked that the Spirit would be with me and all those that attended church services.  I prayed that we might love and support each other in our journey here on earth and that we would feel His love for us today.

Today I finish up the Articles of Faith with a study of Article of Faith 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.

Elder Mark E. Peterson taught:  "Honesty, truth, virtue, and kindness are hallmarks of true Christianity.  If we lack them, we can hardly say that we follow Christ..."

The phrase 'hallmarks of true Christianity' got me thinking:  What does it mean to be a Christian?  And why is there a code of conduct for a Christian?

What does it mean to be a Christian?

Joseph B. Wirthlin states: "...two characteristics identify Christians: (1) they profess belief in a Savior, and (2) they act in harmony with the Savior’s teachings."

(1) belief in a Savior

The Bible Dictionary describes Christians as:  A name first given to believers in Jesus Christ at Antioch in Syria, about A.D. 43 (Acts 11:26).  It was perhaps given contemptuously, but was accepted by followers of Christ as a fit title (1 Pet 4:16).

So all those that believe in Christ as their Savior can use the title Christian.  No where could I find a rule that states that the term Christian is attached to just one church.  In fact, all churches that believe in Christ have a right to call themselves Christian.  It is the belief in Christ and not the belief in any specific creeds or traditional doctrines that define a Christian.

Why is there a code of conduct for a Christian?

(2) act in harmony with the Savior’s teachings

Once a person accepts the title of Christian there is an expectation of action.  These actions are based on the example of Jesus Christ.  We are not only to believe in Christ, but we are expected to become more like him.  Just saying the words "I believe" is not enough, we are supposed to work at being Christ-like.

To quote Elder Mark E. Peterson again: "Professions of piety, without the works of piety, are sheer hypocrisy and are dead..."

I know that for me the thought of being a hypocrite makes me ill.  I have a hard time with Christians that say one thing, but their behavior expresses something totally contradictory.  I understand that we are all hypocrites to some extent, but I think that we can minimize our chances of hypocrisy by becoming more Christ-like.  It should be by our actions and our words that others know that we are Christians.

As a Christian I appreciate the direction given in Article of Faith 13. It lists some of the Christlike attributes we should be striving for: honesty, truth, chastity, benevolence, virtue, and doing good to all men.  It also helps us to know what we should believe in, hope for, and endure through.  And it lets us know what we are to seek for; anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy. 

My study session today has inspired me to be a better Christian and to be thankful for all those that call themselves Christians.  I find myself thinking that even with the wide variety of beliefs among the various Christian churches, it is better to take a person's claim to be a Christian at their word and by their actions and let the Lord be the judge.

God and the Government

Day forty-three

I am so looking forward to today. I got to sleep in, there isn't anything major on the calendar, and I might actually get the rest I need to get rid of this cold! So I thanked the Lord for another day and asked Him to bless my body that I might overcome this illness and that I might use my time wisely.

I am studying Article of Faith 12 today:

We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.

When you study this Article of Faith you also end up studying Doctrine and Covenants section 134.  This section is a declaration of belief regarding governments and laws in general and was given to clear up any misunderstandings concerning the same.

So what do the scriptures have to say on this matter?  Here are some verses I found interesting:

Origin and Purpose of Governments
"We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man..." D&C 134:1

Being Subject to
"...be subject to principalities and powers and obey magistrates..." Titus 3:1

"Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake..." 1 Peter 2:13-14

Obeying, Honoring, and Sustaining
"...love the Lord and obey his voice..." Deut 30:20

"...to obey is better than sacrifice..." 1 Samuel 15:22

"Men are bound to sustain and uphold governments..." D&C 134:5

Divine Direction
"Pray for kings and all in authority..." 1 Timothy 2:1-2

"Have just men to be your kings..." Mosiah 23:8

"Do your business by the vote of the people..." Mosiah 29:26

In the scriptures we read of times when the people were led by good governments and bad governments. The key to the good governments was that they kept God in the process from the very beginning.  The leaders sought God's input before making decisions and they taught the people to be obedient to God's laws.  We could use some more of that today!

So what do you do if you find yourself being governed in a way not consistent with God's way?

Elder James E. Talmage explained:  "...It is not required of them to suffer without protest imposition by lawless persecutors, or through the operations of unjust laws; but their protests should be offered in legal and proper order." (Articles of Faith, 423)

This study session didn't really provide a lot of new information on this subject, but it did remind me of how important it is to keep God in the government.  It also made it clear that I am to be actively involved in what is going on in the governments of the world, whether it be through prayer, research, or legal protest, I need to be involved.  I hope you will too!

One Big Family

Day forty-two

My oldest son turned nineteen yesterday and as we were celebrating his special day I couldn't help but feel a very overwhelming feeling of gratitude to my Father in Heaven for allowing me to be a part of this amazing young man's life.  So this morning I made sure to let my Father know that I love my family very much.  I am so grateful that we found each other and get to share our earthly experiences together.  I let him know that I recognize His hand in the blessing of my family and that my testimony of the importance of family grows each day!

I am studying Article of Faith 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.

I have always loved this Article of Faith.  I grew up in a home where two different religions were practiced and respected.  I was raised to not find fault in other religions, but to seek out the good in them, the shared beliefs, and build relationships on that foundation.  I am truly grateful to my parents for teaching me this lesson.

I want to share a statement that was made in 1978:

STATEMENT OF THE FIRST PRESIDENCY REGARDING GOD’S LOVE FOR ALL MANKIND
February 15,1978

Based upon ancient and modern revelation, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gladly teaches and declares the Christian doctrine that all men and women are brothers and sisters, not only by blood relationship from mortal progenitors, but also as literal spirit children of an Eternal Father.

The great religious leaders of the world such as Mohammed, Confucius, and the Reformers, as well as philosophers including Socrates, Plato, and others, received a portion of God’s light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals.

The Hebrew prophets prepared the way for the coming of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, who should provide salvation for all mankind who believe in the gospel.

Consistent with these truths, we believe that God has given and will give to all people sufficient knowledge to help them on their way to eternal salvation, either in this life or in the life to come.

We also declare that the gospel of Jesus Christ, restored to his Church in our day, provides the only way to a mortal life of happiness and a fullness of joy forever. For those who have not received this gospel, the opportunity will come to them in the life hereafter if not in this life.

Our message therefore is one of special love and concern for the eternal welfare of all men and women, regardless of religious belief, race, or nationality, knowing that we are truly brothers and sisters because we are the sons and daughters of the same Eternal Father.

Spencer W. Kimball
N. Eldon Tanner
Marion G. Romney 

The first time I read this statement I was so grateful for the message that it gives. It clarified for me how the Lord works through people to bring about His truth. I had often wondered how such profound teachings that came from these different religious leaders and philosophers could have come from any other source.  What a great blessing to have a prophet of God verify what I had been taught. 

So my prayer is that we will see people of other religions for what they are, our brothers and sisters, and that we will treat them with respect and look for ways to create better relationships with them.  After all, we are  one big family!

God Yearns

Day forty-one

I found myself praying more as a daughter would talk to her father this morning.  It was very comforting.  He heard my happy thoughts, my complaints, and my desires.  I shared more about my daily concerns than I usually do and I felt like He was truly there listening and loving me.  It was a great way to start my day.    

Today I am studying Article of Faith 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.

The first quote I read this morning touched my heart.  It is a quote by Elder James E. Talmage concerning the children of Israel.

"...Israel are not lost unto their God.  He knows whither they have been led or driven; toward them His heart still yearns with paternal love."

I love the words 'His heart still yearns with paternal love'.  I think that is a true statement to all of His children.

The topic of God as the literal father of my spirit has been on my mind lately.  I have been contemplating what it will be like to see Him again.  Questions such as: What will He look like? How will I recognize Him? and will He be happy to see me? have been floating around in my head.  As I study His character, I wonder, what traits do I have that come from Him?  Is He proud of the person I have become?  Does He miss me?

Just as God yearns for me with fatherly love, I have found myself yearning for Him as his child.  I want a closeness that I don't yet have, a tighter relationship, a oneness that let's me know that I am doing His will.  I have glimpses of oneness, but I yearn for more.  The amazing thing is, He wants more for me too.

He has given me instructions on how to get closer to Him:

- study the scriptures (2 Ne 32:3)

- love one another (John 13:34)

- pray (D&C 19:38)

- keep His commandments (John 15:10)

- learn about Jesus Christ (Alma 38:9; John 10:38))

- believe (Mosiah 4:9) 

- draw near to Him (D&C 88:63)

It is by following these instructions I am led to this desire to be closer to him. 

What power there is in the words "God yearns". The fact that God feels such a strong emotion towards his children impresses upon my heart how much He loves me. The thought that He is yearning for me to be with Him again fuels my desire for more closeness. It helps me to understand the importance of strengthening my relationship with Him and it reassures me that He is on my side.  I am feeling very loved by my Father today!

Spiritual Security

Day forty

Ugh, I am sick!  I am fighting a cold, but it is day forty and it feels like it should have some significance.  The number forty brings thoughts of Noah and the flood and of Jesus Christ fasting and being tempted.  Now for me, forty days represents the number of days I have consistently studied the scriptures and shared what I have learned.  I know it might seem silly to make such a big deal about it, but it has not been easy to keep up this pace, life has thrown in a few challenges and there never seems to be enough time to do everything.  So I thanked the Lord for all the blessings I have received from my forty days of studying and I asked Him to please bless me with health that I might continue to learn and share.

Today I'm tackling Article of Faith 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.

As I studied this topic, it became clear to me how much I take the gift of revelation for granted.  Revelation in the simplest terms is: communication from God to his children on earth.

Revelation may come through the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost by way of inspiration, visions, dreams, or visits by angels. And revelation provides guidance that can lead the faithful to eternal salvation in the celestial kingdom. (Guide to the Scriptures)

There is one line in the Bible Dictionary that put the importance of revelation into perspective for me:

Without revelation, all would be guesswork, darkness, and confusion.

Guesswork
In a world where things are constantly changing and people are always trying to keep up with every fad, it is comforting to know "...that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity." (Moroni 8:18) His teachings are absolute, He is bound by His promises, His love is everlasting, and His words are always relevant.  There is no guesswork with the Lord, when you receive revelation from Him in any form, you can know without a doubt that it is correct.

Darkness
The world is filled with dark things.  We know where they come from, "Satan spreads the works of darkness" (Hel. 6:28-31).  I have always found these words in Isaiah filled with sadness, "Darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people" (Isa. 60:2).  The spiritual blindness or ignorance that keeps people separated from God and in the darkness is one of those realities that makes my heart ache.

I don't fully comprehend why people would choose to stay in the darkness.  The scriptures tell us, "Jesus will give light to those that sit in darkness" (Luke 1:79), but here is the catch, "Because ye ask not, ye are not brought into the light" (2 Ne 32:4).  All they have to do is ask, and through the Light of Christ they can receive confirmation, through revelation, that the gospel is true and begin their journey out of darkness.

The key to staying out of the darkness, "If your eye be single to my glory, there shall be no darkness in you" (D&C 88:67)

Confusion
 Confusion is defined as:  disorder; upheaval; tumult; chaos (Dictionary.com).  All you have to to do is read the newspaper or watch the news to see that there is confusion in the world. Again, we know the source, "Satan has filled the world with confusion" (D&C 123:7). 

In opposition to Satan's confusion the Lord has stated, "Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion"  D&C 132:8

I have gained a greater appreciation of the spiritual security that comes with the knowledge of revelation.  That security comes from being able to know, instead of guess; to be in the Light, instead of the darkness; and to have order, instead of confusion.  How wonderful it is that we can tap into God's knowledge and receive guidance in our lives.  I cannot think of a better source of knowledge to have in my life!