"Behold Your Little Ones"

It is with great love that I write a few words this day. I recently read an article in the December 2010 issue of the Ensign which brought this love into my heart. The article, entitled "How Some Members with Disabilities Serve," gave several vignettes of individuals with developmental disabilities, and how ward families have taken them in, and given them the opportunity to grow, where growth might not be originally anticipated. The Spirit spoke so strongly to me as I read, reminding me that it was the potential for seeing this type of growth that really was the impetus for me to become a psychologist which now seems a lifetime ago.

In that lifetime I have been given experiences that place me in a unique, even authoritative position to declare that individuals with mental handicaps are known by our Heavenly Father, and are nurtured about by him and ministered unto by his angels on a daily basis. However, it takes a heart equally as pure to see it. The Savior taught that "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Matt. 5: 8; 3 Ne. 12: 8)" I ask, are you sufficiently pure to see the hand of God in even the least among you? For surely it is the pure in heart who can see God's daily workings.

When the Resurrected Savior visited the Americas, he went about blessing those who were the poorest among them:

"And he said unto them: Behold my bowels are filled with compassion towards you. Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them. (3 Ne. 17: 6-7)"

Note that the Savior asked for those who were afflicted. Just like how the "whole have no need of a physician, (Moroni 8: 8)" He requested the poor in spirit, knowing that the kingdom of heaven belonged to them (see Matt 5: 3; 3 Ne. 12: 3).

How often do we mistake "pure in heart" and "poor in spirit" for awkward, weird, unattractive, and uncomfortable? Do we not realize that individuals with developmental disabilities teach us ever day what it means to be "as a child, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [them]? (Mos. 3:19)"

The Savior made it a point to bless the poor, and to bless those who were willing to submit themselves unto Him.

"And he spake unto the, and said unto them: Behold your little ones."

"And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them." (3 Ne. 17: 23-24)

I know that as we show love to those who need it the most, we will be blessed. I know this to be true because I have been blessed as I have ministered unto those with special needs, and have seen my spirit enlarged as they taught me what it means to be pure in heart.

Have a great week!

Musings of the Natural man

O how great is the nothingness of the children of men;
yea, even they are less than
the dust of the earth.
--Helaman 12: 7

I recently read this verse and was struck by its impact on me. How is it that we, who have divine nature and potential, are even less than the dust of the earth? The answer comes from seeing the wickedness that we are prone to engage ourselves in, being overcome by the natural man (see Mosiah 3:19). This is manifest when we willfully act against what we normally would do according to our belief system, and when we willfully reject that which is of most good. Because "all things which are good cometh of God (see Moroni 7:12), " we are also in essence rejecting God when we do wrong.

I recently had a conversation with a friend about why people do things that are not in accordance with their belief systems, and we came to the conclusion that it had to do with many factors, including societal pressures on morality, circumstances within which the person is placed, and within-person variables such as personality and risk factors. As a psychologist, I would like to think that the negative consequences of re-nigging on what one stands for would be enough to make one want to stay true to his or her beliefs, but the world in which we live does not reinforce these actions. We are prone to forget, and somehow the world reinforces the pain that comes from disobedience.

I would like to think that men are motivated to obey the Commandments of God because they love the Lawgiver, but we are often too stiff-necked to adhere to this noblest form of obedience.

And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence,
they will not remember him. --Helaman 12:3

The Great Plan of Happiness, however, supersedes our knack for forgetfulness, by providing us voices of hope in the midst of our afflictions. We come to realize that there is a discernible reason why we feel anguish, even a causal relationship between actions and sorrow. We read in Ether 12:27:

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Learning humility is an essential part of the Plan. As we do so, I believe we are given a level of confidence that only comes as we grow in faith that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we may overcome our "natural" tendencies. When we let the Lord take control of our lives, we give up the one thing that is truly ours--our own free will--and gradually move it to the point at which it lines up with God's will for us. This is a lifetime pursuit, and we will always have room to make up; but as we let the Lord in, we gain happiness, and the weak things are made strong for us.

In the Priesthood Session of the October 2010 General Conference, Elder Patrick Kearon taught:

The Savior assures, “If they harden not their hearts, and stiffen not their necks against me, they shall be converted, and I will heal them.”⁹ You and I can accept His invitation to “return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal [you].”¹⁰ UAdd a Note

Contrast this miraculous healing with what happens “when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride [or] our vain ambition. … The heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved;” and we are left alone “to kick against the pricks … and to fight against God.”¹¹ UAdd a Note

...we find healing and relief only when we bring ourselves to the feet of the Great Physician, our Savior, Jesus Christ. We must lay down our weapons of rebellion (and we each know what they are). We must lay down our sin, vanity, and pride. We must give up our desires to follow the world and to be respected and lauded by the world. We must cease fighting against God and instead give our whole hearts to Him, holding nothing back. Then He can heal us. Then He can cleanse us from the venomous sting of sin.

I know that as we turn the the Savior, we may be relieved from this "venomous sting," and thereby gain in true happiness which comes from doing good. We will "put off the natural man," and become strengthened by He who is mighty to save.

Have a great week!

Aminadab and the Healing of Wounds

I am grateful to have been again filled with words to write this day. Often in the hub-bub of life the words don't come all at once, or even in small doses. Sometimes the words don't arrive even until the eleventh hour, like today. Regardless, I know that as I follow counsel given this last General Conference to "slow down a little, [and] proceed at the optimum speed for [my] circumstances ("Of Things that Matter Most", President Dieter F. Uchtdorf)" the Spirit can better work through me to write what the Lord would have me write.

With that said, I am excited to discuss today the repentance process, and how all of us can take advantage of the Atonement to improve our station and more fully partake of the goodness of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I will use two examples to illustrate this--Aminadab in the Book of Mormon, and biological process by which wounds are healed.

Aminadab was a Nephite by birth, who was raised a believer in Christ. At some point in his life he dissented from the Church, and joined the Lamanites in the land of Nephi. We do not know if he was a guard or a prisoner, but he somehow ended up among the 300 people who witnessed a miracle as brothers Nephi and Lehi were encircled by a pillar of fire. He heard the voice of perfect mildness which said "Repent ye, repent ye, and seek no more to destroy my servants whom I have sent unto you to declare good tidings...for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; and seek no more to destroy my servants. (Helaman 5: 29, 32)" And when all but Nephi and Lehi were surrounded by a cloud of darkness and left enduring a massive earthquake, it was Aminadab who first looked upon the prophets, noticing that they "converse[d] with the angels of God." When the others around him asked what they should do, it was Aminadab who recognized the truth, saying to the others:

You must repent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was taught unto you by Alma, and Amulek, and Zeezrom; and when ye shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from overshadowing you. (Helaman 5:41)

The Lamanites heeded Aminadab's words, repenting and calling upon God. Soon the cloud of darkness dispersed, the pillar of fire spread to cover the whole multitude, and every person there was filled with the Holy Spirit. After receiving a testimony of the truth, the three hundred went out, and told their family, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances of what they had experience, until the "more part of the Lamanites were convinced." What a great turn of events this was, which mainly occurred as one man recognized the truth when he saw it, and had the courage to repent, and to help others to repent as well.

The story of Aminadab is great, but only illustrates the beginning of the repentance process. True healing takes time. This was elucidated by my stake presidency in Ward Conference last week, as they compared spiritual healing to the physical healing of wounds. Physical wounds heal themselves through three stages: the Inflammatory stage, the Proliferation stage, and the Remodeling stage. I will now briefly explain these stages, and liken them to the repentance process:


The Inflammatory Stage. This stage takes place in the first 1-3 days after the wound is received, and involves removing any foreign agents from the wound, performing a self-cleaning, and preparing the wound for healing. Just as this stage is the foundation for pure healing, pure repentance cannot happen if we do not remove from ourselves those noxious agents which bind us, and clean out our souls that spiritual healing may take place. This involves truly humbling ourselves, utilizing the proper priesthood channels when necessary, and ridding ourselves of the cause for our sin. In my opinion, this is the hardest part, and examples of this not done well are replete throughout the scriptures, as well as in modernity. I cannot understate the difficulty that it takes to become self-aware to the point at which one recognizes the causes of his or her sinful behavior. But the blessings are glorious as we come to know our wrongs, and as Aminadab, come to remember the Source by which healing can take place.

The Proliferation Stage. This stage can take up to three weeks, and is mainly concerned with the building of new tissue and skin cells. As sinful behavior is also habitual behavior, it is important to again fill our lives with the good so that the evil may not prevail against us (see D & C 21:6, Moroni 9;26). Spiritual proliferation occurs as we learn again to serve, first creating the good habit, and second letting the testimony of the truth grow in our hearts, that we may be fully nourished by our good works (see Alma 32: 28-43).

The Remodeling Stage. This final stage can take anywhere from six months to two years, and is the process by which the body restores the wound fully to its state before the wound was received. This may be the hardest for us to understand, that true repentance takes a very long time, even after we have reached the checkpoints of worthiness or spiritual guidance. Just because we act upon the Spirit once or twice does not mean that we are safe from the wiles of the adversary. We must remain ever vigilant thereafter, having a perfect remembrance of the pain that we felt before, that we may most effectively avoid falling into our sins again.

For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.
And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God. (Alma 34:32, 42: 4)

I know that as we employ these steps into our lives, we will move toward the healing of our wounds, toward a spiritual endurance that will last until the end of this life, and will extend our life into the eternities, living with He who has bought our souls with a painful price that we can never repay. Let us ever be mindful of the Savior, and in this time of giving thanks, be ever grateful for the grace that is made possibly only as we confess our sins, and go about forsaking them throughout this probationary state.

Have a great week!

"Notwithstanding their Strength"

I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss today my thoughts on the great and universal sin of pride. It is so pervasive in our world today, that we often don't see it as such; however, pride is still a sin, and as we increase in self-awareness we are made more accountable for it.

With that said, I admit that pride rules my life on a daily basis. It shows itself in a desire to be recognized above another, to vaunt myself to a position of worldly praise. But I know that as I strive to humble myself, I gain experiences that remind me of the source of from which my talents come, and the reason why I have received them; it is to serve others, and build the Kingdom of God here on earth. But how often do we take the gifts we've been given, explicitly for this purpose, and use them to push ourselves away from the human race? In my observation, this is all too common.

Luckily, we have been given hosts of examples to follow that, when heeded faithfully, put our hearts back in tune with the Spirit who entices us to "do good continually"(see Moroni 7: 13). One such example is of the Nephites living under the direction of the prophet Helaman:

And the people of Nephi began to prosper again in the land, and began to multiply and to wax exceedingly strong again in the land. And they began to grow exceedingly rich.

But notwithstanding their riches, or their strength, or their prosperity, they were not lifted up in the pride of their eyes; neither were they slow to remember the Lord their God; but they did humble themselves exceedingly before him.

Yea, they did remember how great things the Lord had done for them, that he had delivered them from death, and from bonds, and from prisons, and from all manner of afflictions, and he had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies.

And they did pray unto the Lord their God continually, insomuch that the Lord did bless them, according to his word, so that they did wax strong and prosper in the land. (Alma 62:48-51)

One thing I notice from this passage is that the Lord wants to bless and prosper us, but the pretext upon which blessings flow is humility. Humility comes from remembering the Lord in all that we do, praying and giving thanks continually. Humility is not unnecessarily abasing ourselves, and it is not desiring to not succeed for fear of how it might cause our pride to increase. Rather it is the balance of power and success with the motivation to serve others with that success and the conviction that anything good that happens is "bought with a price" (see 1 Corinthians 6:20). In the Priesthood Session of the October 2010 General Conference, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said the following:

When I was called as a General Authority, I was blessed to be tutored by many of the senior Brethren in the Church. One day I had the opportunity to drive President James E. Faust to a stake conference. During the hours we spent in the car, President Faust took the time to teach me some important principles about my assignment. He explained also how gracious the members of the Church are, especially to General Authorities. He said, “They will treat you very kindly. They will say nice things about you.” He laughed a little and then said, “Dieter, be thankful for this. But don’t you ever inhale it.”

That is a good lesson for us all, brethren, in any calling or life situation. We can be grateful for our health, wealth, possessions, or positions, but when we begin to inhale it—when we become obsessed with our status; when we focus on our own importance, power, or reputation; when we dwell upon our public image and believe our own press clippings—that’s when the trouble begins; that’s when pride begins to corrupt...

In this, as in all things, Jesus Christ is our perfect example. Whereas Lucifer tried to change the Father’s plan of salvation and obtain honor for himself, the Savior said, “Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.”¹⁷ Despite His magnificent abilities and accomplishments, the Savior was always meek and humble...

Pride is a switch that turns off priesthood power.²¹ Humility is a switch that turns it on.

So how do we conquer this sin of pride that is so prevalent and so damaging? How do we become more humble?

It is almost impossible to be lifted up in pride when our hearts are filled with charity. “No one can assist in this work except he shall be humble and full of love.”²² When we see the world around us through the lens of the pure love of Christ, we begin to understand humility.

It is my prayer that we may follow the example of the Savior, and have love for all those around us, for that is when we begin to conquer the universal sin of pride. I know that as we strive to see others for the good that is in them, that we will come to love them and their talents with they may so graciously help us, just as we serve them. At this point we will have our cake and be able to eat it too, having Christlike love for others, and being blessed and prospered by the Lord for it.

Have a Great Week!

And This Was Their Faith

One of the great things about the scriptures is that they apply to each and every one of us, as explained by the prophet Nephi:

And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning. (2 Nephi 19:23)

Nephi taught his brothers, sisters, and children by the scriptures, touching on what they had with them in the wilderness. He taught them the writings of Isaiah, words which might be found confusing, but when one is in touch with the Spirit, shine through in beautiful plainness. I believe that we can follow Nephi's example, taking all scripture, and applying it to our own lives.

It is in this vein that I approach the end of the Book of Alma, which on the surface may seem to be merely stories of two warring nations. To the lay historian, the battles between the Nephites and the Lamanites don't hold much redeeming value beyond learning what happened; however, the Gospel scholar sees types and corollaries; he sees central themes, like the war between good and evil, between the children of Christ and the children of the adversary. He sees the subtle ways that the devil lures the complacent, and the importance of remaining vigilant at all times. He also sees examples of how this is to be done, namely in the stories of the righteous Nephites and their leaders like Ammon, Alma, Moroni, and Helaman.

With that said I would like to look at Alma 48, which describes the example set by Moroni and the people of Nephi. I have separated verses by the qualities described therein. Here is my conceptualization:


THE IMPORTANCE OF PREPARATION

Now it came to pass that while Amalickiah had thus been obtaining power by fraud and deceit, Moroni, on the other hand, had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God.

Yea, he had been strengthening the armies of the Nephites, and erecting small forts, or places ofof earth round about to enclose his armies, and also building walls ofof their lands; yea, all round about the land. resort; throwing up banks stone to encircle them about, round about their cities and the borders

And in their weakest fortifications he did place the greater number of men; and thus he did fortify and strengthen the land which was possessed by the Nephites. (V: 7-9)


THE CAUSE OF LIBERTY

And thus he was preparing to support their liberty, their lands, their wives, and their children, and their peace, and that they might live unto the Lord their God, and that they might maintain that which was called by their enemies the cause of Christians.

And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery;
...Now the Nephites were taught to defend themselves against their enemies, even to the shedding of blood if it were necessary; yea, and they were also taught never to give an offense, yea, and never to raise the sword except it were against an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives. (V:10-11, 14)


GRATITUDE AND FAITH

Yea, [Moroni was] a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people.

Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood. (V: 12-13)


PROMISED BLESSINGS

And this was their faith, that by so doing God would prosper them in the land, or in other words, if they were faithful in keeping the commandments of God that he would prosper them in the land; yea, warn them to flee, or to prepare for war, according to their danger; And also, that God would make it known unto them whither they should go to defend themselves against their enemies, and by so doing, the Lord would deliver them; (V: 15-16)


LIKE UNTO MORONI

...and this was the faith of Moroni, and his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of blood but in doing good, in preserving his people, yea, in keeping the commandments of God, yea, and resisting iniquity.

Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men. (V: 16-17)

It is my prayer that we might all see the War Chapters for what they really are--a call to spiritual arms, a blueprint for how to defend against the whiles of the adversary, that we might maintain our liberty to choose the right. Let the faith of Moroni and his people be our faith, knowing that as we put God first we will be blessed with prosperity. Let us not be like Amalickiah and his fellow ex-Nephites who let the word go upon stony ground, but let us be unwavering in our conviction of the Savior, that as we emulate Him we will be strengthened and taken care of to the point of ultimate happiness in this life and the life to come.

Have a great week!

The Importance of Fathers and Sons

Happy Halloween! It’s scary to think that another year has passed; this weekend just a year ago I was in Boston, Massachusetts, listening to the words of the likes of Clayton Christensen, David Neeleman, and Elder M. Russell Ballard (see "It's the Resolve that Counts"). Their world and mine have progressed, and I am happy to say that I continue to strive to follow the admonition of the great prophet Lehi:

“And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart might have gladness because of you, that I might not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things, that ye may not come down into captivity;

“…Awake my sons; put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust."

2 Nephi 1: 22, 24 (emphasis added)

Slowly and surely I am learning what it means to be a true man, a righteous holder of the Priesthood of God. It involves shaking off the chains to which Lehi refers, but then also creating new ones as described through modern revelation:

“…It is sufficient to know, in this case, that the earth will be smitten with a curse unless there is a welding link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children, upon some subject or other…For we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect…for it is necessary in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fullness of times, which dispensation is now beginning to usher in, that a whole and complete and perfect union, and welding together of dispensations, and keys, and powers, and glories should take place, and be revealed from the days of Adam even to the present time.”

D& C 128: 18

This welding between the fathers and children across all generations of time is achieved only through the active use of the sealing power, that is, the power of the Priesthood to perform vicarious ordinances for those who have passed on without having received the opportunity to accept these ordinances in mortality. These vicarious ordinances are realized only in the holy temples, sacred house of God set apart for this purpose.

No one understood the importance of welding together generations in this vein than father Lehi, who in a parting blessing to his son, Joseph, gave what in my opinion is one of the most poetic passages in the Book of Mormon. In this blessing (found in 2 Nephi 3) Lehi compares Joseph of Egypt to his son, who also was a righteous youth who received harsh treatment from his older brothers. Lehi then quotes Joseph of Egypt, who prophesied of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon by the hand of Joseph Smith, who would be a great prophet "like unto Moses."

To me this chapter represents what has been spoken of above: the essential nature of welding the fathers to the sons, and the sons to the fathers. We should never understate the importance of covenants, and what they mean for generations to come as we perform the Lord's work through the sealing power. I am grateful to have received this knowledge, to especially know that as I serve in the Lord's house I am fulfilling the words of all the holy prophets who saw our day, and rejoiced to know that the fullness of the Gospel would at last never be taken from the earth, for the very purpose of blessing all generations of time.

Have a great week!

Emulating Amulek

A couple of months ago my stake (BYU 2nd) received the charge to read the Book of Mormon from start to finish before the end of the year. I was lucky enough to have already started doing so, and have slowly and steadily made my way through the middle of the Book of Alma. It has been a rewarding experience as I re-learn many of the stories quickly forgotten, and re-firm my testimony of the doctrines found therein. This week my mind turned toward Amulek, the traveling companion of Alma the Younger. Amulek was a man who was truly converted to the Gospel, preaching and teaching from Ammonihah to Sidom to Antionum, testifying of plain and simple truths pertaining to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Amulek was a man who knew; it is my prayer that we too may gain his testimony.

Amulek was well-known among his peers in Ammonihah, relating to them that he had " many kindreds and friends," and "also acquired much riches by the hand of [his] industry." (Alma 10:4) Amulek then relates:

"Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known much of the ways of the Lord, and his mysteries and marvelous power. I said I never had known much of these things; but behold, I mistake, for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power; yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people.

"Nevertheless, I did harden my heart, for I was called many times and I would not hear; therefore I knew concerning these things, yet I would not know; therefore I went on rebelling against God, in the wickedness of my heart." (Alma 10: 5-6)

He then explains that he finally did hear, being visited by an angel of the Lord who told him he would receive a prophet of the Lord. Amulek finally learned, and thereafter did not waiver. He received Alma, and taught with the same power for many years. None of his words which we have are more representative of this than those he spake to the humble of the Zoramites in Alma 34:

"Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.

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

"...And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance. of m

And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption.

Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;

"... For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.

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 until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed. (Alma 34: 8-10, 15-17, 32-33)

When I think of Amulek and his conversion, I also think of Saul of Tarsus, who on the way to Damascus received a visitation from the Lord Himself, asked the simple yet piercing question, "why persecutest thou me?" Amulek's conversion is also similar to that of his "beloved brother" Alma.

What is the common thread? These three men were all visited by heavenly messengers, called to repentance from a state of wickedness. And unlike Laman and Lemuel who did not repent, these three men turned around, and served the Church wholeheartedly and unwavering until the end.

How often do we find ourselves caught in the pride of our hearts, unwilling to heed the will of the Lord? Perhaps we are not like unto these three (Amulek was a proud and rich man; Alma and Paul actively attacked the Church and its members), but we have sins that we hold onto for dear life that keep us from progressing, keep us from being all that we can be. I know this because I've experienced it in my own life, and strive to be more aware of how I err each and every day. Common to Paul, Alma, and Amulek is also the power that the Atonement of Jesus Christ had in their lives. Do we let Christ in? Do we follow Amulek's words, letting mercy subsume the demands of justice? I know that as we strive to improve, including Christ in all our dealings that we will be able to feel this mercy.

Have a great week!

All Things Testify; In the Strength of the Lord

Now Alma said unto him: Will ye deny again that there is a God, and also deny the Christ? For behold, I say unto you, I know there is a God, and also that Christ shall come.

And now what evidence have ye that there is no God, or that Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your word only.

But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto you that they are true; and will ye deny them?

I am grateful for the changing of the seasons, and the testimony of the Great Creator to know that He is behind their varying expressions. If one has the testimony of Christ in their heart, they know that everything testifies of His existence and divine mission. However, it is easy to stray from this testimony, letting the natural man enter in, offering "educated" and "empirical" explanations for the existence of natural phenomena. Such was the case with Korihor, of whom we read in Alma Chapter 30. Korihor went about inciting the people to disbelief, turning away many, preaching that there was no God, and that there was no Christ who should come. Korihor came to this conclusion initially through a vision, in which a messenger told him to preach such things.

Alma confronted Korihor, and gave him the rebuke seen above. Korihor had no evidence that there was no God. He then asked Alma to show him a sign, that he might be convinced of the truth of Alma's words. Alma replied:

...Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.
And yet do ye go about, leading away the hearts of this people, testifying unto them there is no God? And yet will ye deny against all these witnesses? (Alma 30: 44-45)

Noticing that Korihor still sought after a sign, Alma replied:

...it is better that thy soul should be lost than that thou shouldst be the means of bringing many souls down to destruction, by thy lying and by thy flattering words; therefore if thou shalt deny again, behold God shall smite thee, that thou shalt become dumb, that thou shalt never open thy mouth any more, that thou shalt not deceive this people any more. (Alma 30: 47)

Korihor again asked for a sign, and so Alma gave it to him, striking him dumb by the power of God. Korihor then admitted to being deceived by the devil, and that he always knew there was a God. However, Alma refused to take away the curse, and Korihor lived a meager existence the rest of his days.

What, if anything, can be learned from this story? First, it is important to gain a personal testimony of what Alma taught, that all things testify that there is a Supreme Creator. It is also important to gain a testimony of what Alma showed, namely that there is power in the Priesthood of God, and this power overcomes the wicked designs of the adversary. I am grateful for a personal knowledge of that second point as well, to know that as I remain worthy to hold the Priesthood, I can use it to serve in such a way that confounds the wise and learned (see Alma 32: 3, 36: 6-7, 1 Cor. 1:27).

It is important to remember that Alma acted under the direction of the Spirit, acting as an instrument by which the Lord's purposes could be established. Only when we serve with this mindset and purpose may we be able to have such power, as priesthood holders or anyone called to serve. In Elder David A. Bednar's first talk given as an Apostle (entitled "In the Strength of the Lord"), he said the following:

I have pondered the instruction of Jacob as contained in the Book of Mormon:

“Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.

“Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things” (Jacob 4:6–7).

Brothers and sisters, please pay particular attention to the word grace as it is used in the verse I just read. In the Bible Dictionary we learn that the word grace frequently is used in the scriptures to connote a strengthening or enabling power:

“The main idea of the word is divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ.

“… It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts” (p. 697).

Thus, the enabling and strengthening aspect of the Atonement helps us to see and to do and to become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity. I testify and witness that the enabling power of the Savior’s Atonement is real. Without that strengthening power of the Atonement, I could not stand before you this morning.

May we accept our call to serve with such humility. May we remember that our spiritual and subsequent social, emotional, and mental strength comes through applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives. And lastly, may we have the courage to do as Alma did, showing those who are unbelieving that they have no reason not to believe. I know that as we do so under the direction of the Spirit, we will be the small means by which the Lord confounds the "wise and learned" designs of the adversary.

Have a great week!

General Conference Reactions, October 2010

Six months have passed, seemingly in the blink of an eye, and General Conference came and went in the same fashion; but what a great conference it was! I would like to take a moment to share some of my reactions to the counsel we received last weekend, and perhaps this may be a source of inspiration to you.

TEMPLES

I become especially excited for October Conference because the custom has become to announce new temples being constructed in its Saturday morning session. This year was no different, as President Monson announced the edification of five new temples: (1) Lisbon, Portugal, (2) Indianapolis, Indiana, (3) Urdaneta, Philippines, (4) Hartford, Connecticut, and (5) Tijuana, Mexico. The announcement of new temples is evidence that the Lord's work moves forward. President Monson said "the ordinances performed in our temples are vital to our salvation and to the salvation of our deceased loved ones. May we continue faithful in attending the temples, which are being built closer and closer to our members." I am grateful for the knowledge that I have of the essential nature of temples, and how they can bring together generations.


CONSECRATION

Another talk that impacted me was given by Elder D. Todd Christofferson, entitled "Reflections on a Consecrated Life." In it Elder Christofferson said that a consecrated life comes from purity, work, respect for one's body, service, and integrity. He cited the Savior's example of consecration, and that true happiness comes from giving what is truly ours--our time and our choices--to God's purposes. Elder Christofferson said:

"As the Savior demonstrated, the consecrated life is a pure life. While Jesus is the only one to have led a sinless life, those who come unto Him and take His yoke upon them have claim on His grace, which will make them as He is, guiltless and spotless. With deep love the Lord encourages us in these words: 'Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day' (3 Nephi 27:20)."

Elder Christofferson went on to explain how we emulate the Savior's example of consecration, which involves the five tenets mentioned above. In all things it means putting God first, using what we have been given to build the Kingdom of God. this happens as we build up others, striving to be a source of help for the human race. I received strength from this talk as it provided and framework and encouragement in my efforts to "quietly and thoughtfully go about doing good."


"BEWARE OF PRIDE" 2.0

The last talk I would like to emphasize comes from the man I affectionately call the "Cleanup Hitter"--President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency. I call him this because for me President Ucthdorf always seems to speak with power, authority, kindness, and confidence, and seems to further the validate the words of those who preceded him. His talk in Priesthood Session was no different. To the men of the Church President Uchtdorf provided a new iteration of President Ezra Taft Benson's seminal "Beware of Pride" talk. President Uchtdorf explained that, like President Benson, he had been weighed down for some time by this topic.

President Uchtdorf explained that everyone has an intimate if not casual relationship with this universal sin. He said that pride is a sin because it brings hatred and hostility as we compare ourselves to others. Pride reveals that in stead of worshiping God and lifting up our neighbor, we are merely looking after ourselves. President Uchtdorf called it a "gateway sin," as pride is the precursor to all other sins. He said that this sin can be seen foremost in the world of sports, which then can bleed over into all facets of life; what a statement to millions of Mormon sports fans!

But President Uchtdorf spoke of the true things--pride is the switch that turns off Priesthood power, and it is humility that turns it back on. He said:

"When I was called as a General Authority, I was blessed to be tutored by many of the senior Brethren in the Church. One day I had the opportunity to drive President James E. Faust to a stake conference. During the hours we spent in the car, President Faust took the time to teach me some important principles about my assignment. He explained also how gracious the members of the Church are, especially to General Authorities. He said, 'They will treat you very kindly. They will say nice things about you.' He laughed a little and then said, 'Dieter, be thankful for this. But don’t you ever inhale it.'"

It is my hope that we can strive to better serve not just because it is our duty, but because we sincerely want to bless the lives of others. I believe that it is therein where we will grow in gratitude for others, and not to "inhale" our blessings and prosperity. I hope that we can make a better turn towards consecrating ourselves, out time, and our agency toward building up the Kingdom of God. As we do this, we will be enabled to bless even more people, thus fulfilling the Lord's work and glory, which is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." I am ever grateful for the knowledge of these truths.

Have a great week!

"Can ye Feel So Now?"

And again I ask, were the bands of death broken, and the chains of hell which encircled them about, were they loosed? I say unto you, Yea, they were loosed, and their souls did expand, and they did sing redeeming love. And I say unto you that they are saved.

...And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?

...And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?
--Alma 5: 9, 14, 26

I love Alma the Younger's words to the people in the land where he served. Alma was at this time the high priest of the Church of God, recently renouncing the judgment seat, devoting himself to the judgment of the Lord. He went out to the people who had been converted, and who perhaps were hit with a bit of complacency over time. These people had experienced deliverance; the Book of Mosiah was devoted to it. And as Alma saw it, they should have retained in remembrance this deliverance, both physical and spiritual, as well as the mercy that the Lord had towards them (Alma 5:6).

How often is it that we get complacent? How quick are we to forget out conversion, and all the little experiences that strengthen our testimonies, forgetting that "all things denote that there is a God?" (Alma 30:44) Speaking for myself, I know that it is all too often that this occurs. Yes, this is inevitable as we are all imperfect beings with imperfect bodies; our brain in its current state is only capable of taking in, recording, and integrating so much. However, basic neuroscience would also suggest that neural pathways that are used consistently and over time are strengthened. In the context of Alma's words, we should constantly put into practice our testimonies, that we may always sing the song of redeeming love in tune with He who has power to fuel it.

Like with the people of Alma the Younger (and also the people of Alma and King Benjamin and Abinadi before him, as well as all the believers of the words of the prophets), the song of redemption is sung as we face the music, in tune with the Great Composer, finally understanding the notes, the beat, and the rhythm that make up this Eternal Song. We know we understand when we receive feelings of "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, [and] faith." (Gal 5:22)In the May 1999 Ensign, Elder Dallin H. Oaks said the following regarding how we feel to sing, speaking of the "burning" feeling in our hearts:

What does a “burning in the bosom” mean? Does it need to be a feeling of caloric heat, like the burning produced by combustion? If that is the meaning, I have never had a burning in the bosom. Surely, the word “burning” in this scripture signifies a feeling of comfort and serenity. That is the witness many receive. That is the way revelation works.

Truly, the still, small voice is just that, “still” and “small.”

“The language of peace, as spoken by the Lord, embraces a sense of quiet confidence, comfort, and warmth. It is gentle and calm, amiable and sweet; it is temperate and kind; it is orderly and identified by happiness, joy, and feelings of love” (Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, The Holy Ghost [1989], 14).

For me personally, I would add excitement and motivation to the definition of "burning in the bosom". I feel as though I can do anything the Lord asks of me, and feel like I can be an instrument in His hands. For me there is an energy to move forward in faith, a great positivity that I can tell comes from the source of all that which is positive. I feel much like the Apostle Peter, who, impetuous as he was, performed many miracles in the Lord's name. He did falter at times, but was not afraid to do so. He held in his sights what was truly important, being obedience to the Lord's commands. I hope that we can all gain this excitement for the Gospel and its redeeming power, and work to fill our lives with the Godly, that we may learn to never forget His redeeming song.

Have a great week!

What to do with the Rising Generation

In Mosiah Chapter 26, we read about a "rising generation" in the church which was too young to understand and be converted by the words of King Benjamin, which rose up in rebellion of the Gospel. They refused to believe, refused to be baptized, and refused to congregate with the body of the church. They also coaxed many people out of the church, "deceiv[ing] many with their flattering words."

This dissension from the church caused Alma to institute church disciplinary action, which he had up to this not had occasion to do. Perhaps thinking that the wrongs of the church members to be more civil in nature, he sent them first before Mosiah to be judged of their iniquities. Mosiah volleyed this attempt, however, telling Alma "I judge them not." Alma thus found himself in a pickle: he was left to figure out what to do with those of the rising generation, uncomfortable in passing judgment, but knowing that these people had to be judged by someone, for justice had to be served.

Now before we go on with the story, think about times in which you've felt the same way: needing to make a decision on something, but feeling completely unqualified to make it. Decisions like these are never easy, and never convenient; however, perhaps there is learning that takes place after exercising faith in a positive outcome.

For me, a salient example was choosing to move back to Utah to start graduate school. I had only applied to BYU as a "fall back," not really intending on getting my doctorate in the same institution where I received my Bachelor's degree. I wanted to go make a name for myself somewhere else in the world, and possibly return to Provo one day to teach or consult. However, when faced with the decision of either returning to BYU or waiting a year to try the application process over again (I could not, in the end, see myself at any of the other schools where I interviewed), starting graduate school seemed the right move for me. I came to this conclusion the same way that Alma came to his:

And now the spirit of Alma was again troubled; and he went and inquired of the Lord what he should do concerning this matter, for he feared that he should do wrong in the sight of God.

And it came to pass that after he had poured out his whole soul to God, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying:

Blessed art thou, Alma, and blessed are they who were baptized in the waters of Mormon. Thou art blessed because of thy exceeding faith in the words alone of my servant Abinadi.

And blessed are they because of their exceeding faith in the words alone which thou hast spoken unto them.

And blessed art thou because thou hast established a church among this people; and they shall be established, and they shall be my people.

Yea, blessed is this people who are willing to bear my name; for in my name shall they be called; and they are mine.

And because thou hast inquired of me concerning the transgressor, thou art blessed.

...Therefore I say unto you, Go; and whosoever transgresseth against me, him shall ye judgeaccording to the sins which he has committed; and if he confess his sins before thee and me, and repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also.

Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.

And ye shall also forgive one another your trespasses; for verily I say unto you, he that forgiveth not his neighbor’s trespasses when he says that he repents, the same hath brought himself under condemnation.

Now I say unto you, Go; and whosoever will not repent of his sins the same shall not be numbered among my people; and this shall be observed from this time forward. (Mosiah 26: 13-19, 29-32)

In response to this revelation, Alma judges those in the church of their iniquities, and allows the repentant to be put back into good standing in the church. For those who would not repent, their names were "blotted out." Alma goes on to authoritatively lead the church from that point forward, exhorting and admonishing to "pray without ceasing, and to give thanks in all things."

I personally am grateful for the power of prayer, and how it helps me deal with the dilemmas in my life. Oftentimes we already know the answers to our questions (as perhaps Alma did), but praying "with [our] whole soul" is what brings clarity. Showing this level of humility is what shows the Lord that we know we really need His help. Such a turning to Heaven helps put the Atonement into effect, and I am grateful for this simple fact, as it enables progression here on earth, and on into the eternities.

Have a great week!