With The Love that Remains

Ten years ago today the world was shocked by the events that took place on what is now commonly known as "9-11." Those numbers will forever be engrained in the minds and hearts of those who were old enough to understand the meaning of the terrorist attacks on that day, serving as a reminder about how truly fragile freedom can be, and the high cost that we all must pay to preserve those freedoms. For those who will not personally remember what happened that fateful day, it will be much like the majority of people today who don't recall another infamous day, 12-7-1941, or the day that Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, and thrust the United States into World War II. I was not there, and I don't know anyone who was there; and to the best of my knowledge I don't know anyone who knows someone who was there. That event for me is just a conglomeration of media and commentary that I use to form my opinion of what happened. While that suffices me, it does no justice to the sentiment that drove the people of the time, united in the defense of their liberty, homes, and their way of life.

Likewise, many who have only a tertiary understanding of the September 11th attacks will not feel what those in New York and Shanksville and Arlington felt, and will not feel what the rest of us felt. It will take their own September 11th to truly learn what it feels like to have under attack that which they hold most dear. Nevertheless, we can through our testimonies teach others what it feels like to experience such hardship and uncertainty, and to escape such times unscathed and even stronger than before.

In previous posts I have talked about "forgetting," and how that relates to the great Plan of Happiness that Heavenly Father has set in motion. I believe that the best way that we can teach through our testimony unto the rising generation is through the Spirit that we exude as a function of our knowledge if this Plan. Using the love that remains with us from faith-confirming and faith-promoting experiences, let us not give up on those who come after us, but in stead strive to teach them true doctrine that will enable them in turn to find their place in the Plan.

I know that we are all in the arms of the Savior, and that He has the power to heal our spiritual, emotional, and even physical wounds through the supernal gift of the Atonement. The Atonement is central to the Plan, and should be central to the message of love that we convey. Events like those of September 11th, 2001 are not new in the trauma, anguish, and heartache that they cause, and in fact continue to happen on a daily basis. The Book of Mormon is filled with stories of tragedy, war, famine, plague and pestilence as well. The lasting legacy of the Jaredite people is likely their ability to quite literally and completely self-destruct, to which there were "howlings and lamentations, that they did rend the air exceedingly. (Ether 15: 16)" Similarly, the Nephites who remained after the prophesied destruction which marked the Savior's crucifixion were said to be "howling and weeping continually" as they endured three days of complete and utter darkness (3 Nephi 8: 23).

In spite of impending doom and gloom, I know that we may persevere through the power that rests in the Savior. When we sin we feel utterly alone, and feel that the light of the Savior has gone from us. In that precise moment the Master of Lies, even Satan strives to have us believe that we cannot recover the light we lost. I believe that this is where we must focus our efforts for the new generation which will undoubtedly experience hardship at a level that we may not understand. But we do understand how they will feel, and we do understand that the "Son of Man hath descended below them all. (D & C 122: 8)"

As we strive to remember that we are not "greater than he," we will begin to see that God has purpose in destruction and pestilence. We will see that those righteous who have suffered death are received by the Lord "unto himself, in glory," and that for the rest us "God will have a humble people. ("Beware of Pride," Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, May 1989)" Let us, with the love that remains after our hardship look to the Savior, that we may have strength to share our love of Him and the Plan with those around us. And on this special day, let us teach that love prevails over all toil and strife, and that in the end, the Lord's humble people whom He calls His own will prevail as well.

Have a great week!

Post 101: Turning Our Hearts

I am happy to announce that this is officially the 101st post on this blog! Exciting, I know. To celebrate, I've decided to title this post "Turning Our Hearts" as an encapsulation of one of the great purposes of our existence. Let's start in 2 Nephi:

“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)

The Prophet Lehi here talks about a piece of what it means to be a true man, being "united in all things." We know from the scriptures that unity is equated with godliness, and that through unity we may become worthy to be claimed by the Savior (see D & C 38:21, among others).

Quite possibly the most important type of unity comes through turning our hearts to generations past, present, and future, through often diverse efforts. For those in the present, we improve our links through family prayer and scripture study, activities, projects, and other often grueling efforts [just ask Barack Obama what it's like to unify a people!]. For our sons and daughters yet to come, the best way to link ourselves to them is through building a foundation of righteousness, which in my opinion involves a scrupulous inward look at character flaws, and effectively turning our hearts over to the Savior in love and hope that we may be cleansed in time. For our ancestors, we must needs develop the Spirit of Elijah, taking advantage of the sealing power given to and subsequently delegated by a prophet of God. Near the end of the Old Testament we read:

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers,
lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. --Malachi 4: 5-6

This "turning" of which Malachi prophesies happens in the temples of God, where the sealing power may be used to perform sacred ordinances for those who've passed on without having received them. The prophet Joseph Smith shed some light on this scripture:

“…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."

I testify that Joseph Smith was and is a great prophet of God, and that by and through him the fullness of the Everlasting Gospel was restored. It is through that Restoration that we know of the welding work that we must perform while here on the earth, striving to turn our hearts for generations to come. Let us all work to be a little more like the Savior, doing for others what they cannot do for themselves, being a healing influence in the lives of all whom we meet.

Have a great week!

Mental Health and the Gospel, Part II--Answering the Unasked Questions

As the time has passed, my posts have turned more into "monthly" conceptualizations; nevertheless, it is still a treat to share when I get the chance. Today I'm happy to share the second half of my conceptualization of the connection between mental health and the Gospel. We'll start today with a scripture chain, and use logic and the Spirit to deduce their in importance in this specific context.

FREE ACCORDING TO THE FLESH

Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.
--2 Nephi 2: 27

We know that all good things come from God, and that which is from God entices us to do good continually (see Moroni 7: 12-13). Assuming that "liberty and eternal life" are both good things, captivity must not be good, and therefore of the adversary. This coincides with the second portion of the above scripture that states that captivity and death are wrought upon us by the power of the adversary, and that these two things make us miserable.


TO WHOM ARE WE BOUND?

And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder,
and works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever.
-- 2 Nephi 26: 22

Efforts are constantly being made for our attention. There are two polarizing influences, both promising greater things upon our yielding to them. If we believe that good and evil, God and the devil are opposites, then we must also believe that the mechanisms by which they work are opposite. This must mean that if the devil works by "flaxen cords" then God must work subtly as well. Using the flaxen cords metaphor, we see that as the devil slowly influences us that we are less and less able to act for ourselves because we are "bound," the cords becoming stronger and stronger as they multiply. This acting for ourselves is also referred to as agency, and we loose agency as we choose the adversary, offering ourselves as captives.

THE "SO WHAT?" FACTOR

But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord,
even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.
--Mosiah 4:30

So what should we do about this knowledge? If we follow the admonition of King Benjamin, then we ought to "watch" ourselves, and our thoughts, and our words and deeds. This can be extremely difficult if we are bound by strong cords, and often is only made possible through the help of trained professionals. This scripture is justification that therapy is a tool of the Atonement, as far as it helps individuals to self-monitor with the end of unhooking individuals from those strong cords, giving them the agency to exercise moral agency.

THE UNASKED QUESTIONS

With that established, let's think about some questions that often go unanswered, often because it's not acceptable to ask them:

Q: Is it a sin to see a therapist?

A: In most cases, certainly not. A good therapist meets clients at their own beliefs, not trying to change religious belief systems. In fact, a good therapist will help the individual fulfill King Benjamin's admonition without even knowing it.

Q: When is it times to start seeing a therapist on top of meeting with the bishop?

A: This is something that should be felt out between every bishop and member, as the bishop acts as a common judge in Israel, helping the member access the gift of the Holy Ghost more effectively. Both parties involved should treat the situation with humility: the member should be humble enough to heed the counsel of the bishop to potentially seek professional help as revelation from God, and the bishop should express humility in recognizing that certain issues cannot handled by only his ecclesiastical counseling. Other questions to consider when deciding on adjunct therapy are 1) How long-standing is the issue at hand, 2) How much impairment does the issue cause and 3) How much and it what ways does the issue effect other people. As a clarification, impairment refers to the inability to make proper relationships and perform normal life activities like hold a job, support a family, or balance a budget.

Q: How can mental illness NOT be the fault of the individual suffering from it?

A: There are many instances in which the sins and misgivings of others (sometimes even generations prior) affect the lives of their posterity, which puts the child on an unequal playing field before even given the chance to account for him or herself. Examples of this include fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), some traumatic brain injuries, and notably borderline personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Because we often do not know the extent to which individuals have suffered, it is important to treat mental illness with sensitivity, not first assuming that it was the fault of the individual suffering.

Q: How do I best help my friend or loved one with mental illness?

A: Before we go about helping others, it is important to follow the Spirit and ask for the Spirit as we decide to reach out. We are promised help as we serve others, and our efforts will be galvanized as we 'counsel with the Lord in all our doings.' (see Alma 37: 37) Here are some additional suggestions:

We should follow the counsel of the Savior to 'judge not, lest [we] be judged, (see Matthew 7:1)' for we are all broken in some ways.

We should strive to "look on the heart (Samuel 16:7)", and include for "outward appearance" such things as behaviors, words and deeds, as well as flawed perceptions of the character of that individual.

As everyone has the light of Christ or better, we should remember that there is core deep within everyone that is of God, and we should strive to locate and accentuate that godliness on others.

We should also seek the help of others in our helping efforts, lest we become burnt out, or lest we deprive others of the opportunity to serve.

But above all, we should lend a listening ear, willing to "mourn with those who mourn, and comfort those who stand in need of comfort. (Mosiah 18:9)"


It is my testimony that the Lord has placed us hear on this earth with talents that are meant to continually bless the lives of others, including our own. Let us be humble enough to seek proper help as the need arises, and let us be humble enough to follow the Spirit as we seek to be that blessing in the lives of others.

Have a great week!

Mental Health and The Gospel Part I--Healing through the Atonement

For some time I have let incubate in my mind thoughts on how to best reconcile the teachings of the restored Gospel with philosophy and practice that I continually learn as a grad student in clinical psychology. These two camps are sometimes divergent, but are actually more similar than one might think; in fact, I have come to believe that part of my earthly mission is to dispel among church members the oft-held myth that the study of behavior and the mind is antithetical to the study of the Savior. The only antithetical thing about that statement is the statement itself. The next two posts will be dedicated to shedding light on this mystery of the Kingdom. My hope is to empower the weakest of us, and inspire the strongest of us to find the Savior in even the greatest and least understood of our challenges. I stress that these thoughts are purely my own; as such, I invite all who read to ponder them, and follow the Spirit while interpreting the words that follow.

In 1986 then Elder Boyd K. Packer, a master instructor, shared this nugget:

"True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the Gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior."

To the untrained eye, this quote by President Packer may seem to deflate my ideas before they even get moving; the answer to all the ails that we feel must be that if we just study and study and study, we will be guided to better behavior. I believe this to be true, for it has worked in my own life. Some months ago I was inspired to study twice a day in stead of my post-mission tradition of just reading at night; the results have been remarkable, and I have seen an added measure of growth in my own life.

I consider myself fortunate to have been able to grasp the scriptures commensurate with increased study and prayer; but what about those for whom it doesn't so easily? Are they who haven't learned good Gospel study habits forever destined to be slower in learning to follow the Savior? I think not! The Savior is explicit about who he allows to partake of His goodness:

"And after their temptations, and much tribulation, behold, I, the Lord, will feel after them, and if they harden not their hearts, and stiffen not their necks against me, they shall be converted, and I will heal them. (Doctrine and Covenants 112:13:13 )"

This does not just apply to the learned, but anyone who hearkens unto the Savior, not stiffening their necks against him. It does not speak of those who are more intelligent or have a greater capacity to learn, but it is anyone who willingly comes unto Christ.

So what does this all mean for President Packer's quote? As I see it, it means that our behavior changes as we study the Gospel, but as we do so at our own pace. For those of us who study temporal things (including behavior), it is important that we follow the prophet Nephi's counsel:

But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God. (2 Nephi 2:29)

For me, this means taking a philosophical stance toward the science-religion debate that places the nature of man at a point of imperfection. As such, man is not able to "comprehend all the things that the Lord can comprehend (Mosiah 4:9)," but is able to obtain truths "line upon line (see Isaiah 28:10; D & C 98:12)" as God sees fit. As a behavioral scientist, it is ever important that to recognize this, and to see scientifically-derived truths for what they are--a small drop in a large bucket of eternal truth.

With that said, I do not regret my choice to enter into the mental health field, as I see a unique challenge in building the kingdom, which will for me inevitably last for the remainder of my life. In fact, I "feel it a pleasure to serve (Hymns, 19)" in this capacity, and know that the Lord will bless my in my temporal endeavors as I strive to put Him in the forefront. I know this to be true of all people, and I know that all people are susceptible to degenerating in the face of temptation. Let us all be diligent and prayerful that we might make it through those times, that the Atonement may lay hold upon us, sanctifying us in preparation for the great and dreadful day of the Lord (see Malachi 4; 3 Nephi 25).

Have a great week!

BEST OF ME: Commitment to a Cause

Hello everyone! In the spirit of Independence Day I decided to re-post an article I wrote two years ago...Enjoy!


ORIGINAL POST DATE: JULY 5th, 2009


I would first like to wish everyone a Happy Birthday, for if you are American, it is your birthday. One thing that has pressed on my mind more than ever this Independence Day Weekend has been the importance of t he formation of this great country in realizing the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There was no other place at that time in which such a singular event could take place, and if not in America, the Restoration would have been delayed for literal decades. Go America! With that said, there has been another topic that has been weighing down on my mind this last week, being the idea of commitment. Some people have this in spades, and others (e.g. all men in regards to relationships) require a little more coaxing and encouragement. Where does the difference lie?

In researching "Commitment" in the Topical Guide, I was impressed first with how many scriptures listed refer to worshiping with "all your heart." For example we find this in the Book of Joel:

Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.

--Joel 2:12

What is it about the individual that causes him or her to be willing to, and then to actually offer the full conviction of heart? It is is my belief that it is a result of a personal conversion to and love of a principle that causes action. Take Ammon as an example. In Alma Chapter 17 we see that Ammon was committed to serving King Lamoni and the Lamanites, stating that he intended to serve them "perhaps until the day I die" (v. 23). Ammon loved Lamoni and his people, which love was perpetuated by the Gospel, and Ammon's conversion to it.

And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of the baseness of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct.

--Alma 17:9

Ammon and the Sons of Mosiah desired nothing more than to be instruments in the Lord's hands. This is another characterstic of commitment to a cause--the selfelss desire to perpetuate it, not looking for any gain but the personal satisfaction that comes from helping others become converted to that same cause.

I am grateful for the Founding Fathers who also had this in pespective. They knew their cause was just, and they knew that they were instruments in the hands of the Lord. They were committed, and for that I am also grateful. In this season I hope to be able to emulate their examples, as well of all the other more immediate Gospel heroes. To end, I am reminded of the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith:

Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.

--Doctrine and Covenants 128: 22

Have a great week!

The Secret Combinations in Our Souls

And behold, in the end of this book ye shall see that this Gadianton did prove the overthrow, yea, almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi.

Behold I do not mean the end of the book of Helaman, but I mean the end of the book of Nephi, from which I have taken all the account which I have written. --Helaman 2:13-14

In the Book of Mormon we read many stories about individuals and groups who actively rebelled against the Lord and His people. Although their rebellion often hit a culmination out in the open, their planning, devising, and promises were often carried out in secret. These began with Laman and Lemuel devising to kill Nephi and their father, Lehi. Later on we read about Nehor and his "order," and then about the "kingmen" and then Gadianton, Kishkumen, and their "secret combination" of robbers who made oaths to overthrow the judges each time they were elected. Secret combinations transcend even the Book of Mormon, and Cain is considered the first among them, conspiring against his brother Abel. In his landmark talk "Beware of Pride," President Ezra Taft Benson said:

"Pride results in secret combinations which are built up to get power, gain, and glory of the world. (See Hel. 7:5; Ether 8:9, 16, 22–23; Moses 5:31.) This fruit of the sin of pride, namely secret combinations, brought down both the Jaredite and the Nephite civilizations and has been and will yet be the cause of the fall of many nations. (See Ether 8:18–25.)"

Now, surely if the pride that fuels secret combinations has proven and will yet prove the destruction of many nations, it must first destroy those who fuel the fire of enmity in the first place; As one who studies group dynamics, I know that no one act is done in isolation, and that interaction with people creates reciprocal behavior between aggressor, recipient, and observer; and though the whole is usually greater than the sum of the parts, individuals are still affected. With this said, I think it behooves us to look at the effects that pride and enmity have on our own souls, irrespective of the influence we have on others and which they likewise have on us.

In the same talk, President Benson said,

"Pride is a sin that can readily be seen in others but is rarely admitted in ourselves. Most of us consider pride to be a sin of those on the top, such as the rich and the learned, looking down at the rest of us. (See 2 Ne. 9:42.) There is, however, a far more common ailment among us—and that is pride from the bottom looking up. It is manifest in so many ways, such as faultfinding, gossiping, backbiting, murmuring, living beyond our means, envying, coveting, withholding gratitude and praise that might lift another, and being unforgiving and jealous."

It seems to me that here are diverse ways that we might do wrong or commit sin, but if we follow the counsel of the prophets new and old, I am assured that we will be able to fend off the pride that seeks to silently "combine" within us until we are overtaken by it. To again take from the prophet:

"Let us choose to be humble.

We can choose to humble ourselves by conquering enmity toward our brothers and sisters, esteeming them as ourselves, and lifting them as high or higher than we are. (See D&C 38:24; D&C 81:5; D&C 84:106.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by receiving counsel and chastisement. (See Jacob 4:10; Hel. 15:3; D&C 63:55; D&C 101:4–5; D&C 108:1; D&C 124:61, 84; D&C 136:31; Prov. 9:8.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by forgiving those who have offended us. (See 3 Ne. 13:11, 14; D&C 64:10.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by rendering selfless service. (See Mosiah 2:16–17.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by going on missions and preaching the word that can humble others. (See Alma 4:19; Alma 31:5; Alma 48:20.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by getting to the temple more frequently.

We can choose to humble ourselves by confessing and forsaking our sins and being born of God. (See D&C 58:43; Mosiah 27:25–26; Alma 5:7–14, 49.)

We can choose to humble ourselves by loving God, submitting our will to His, and putting Him first in our lives. (See 3 Ne. 11:11; 3 Ne. 13:33; Moro. 10:32.)"

I know that we can choose to submit ourselves in all things to the Savior, to become meek like unto Him. therein will we be able to conquer the secret combinations of the soul, and be enabled as sons and daughters unto the Most High, and to be esteemed as friends of God.

Have a great week!

Fearing What We Might Find

But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves,
and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God,
and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord,
even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish.
And now, O man, remember, and perish not.
--Mosiah 4:30

I am a firm believer that the Atonement of Jesus Christ can penetrate every fiber of our being, and create a change in us that only the truly faithful and learned in the ways of God could have anticipated. It happens as we slowly, grace for grace become aware of our many weaknesses and frailties. learning that at the end of the mountain is yet another, which in many ways dwarfs the pinnacle we have just overcome. And often as we get in touch with reality we look back at what now to us seems easy in comparison to the impending trial, and long for those ways. We may say to ourselves, "why can't I go back to that simpler time?" or "don't I deserve a rest right now?"

While such an attitude may be undesirable, it is quite admirable when compared to when we don't even attempt to see the height of the initial mountain. Very often we don't look inward for fear of what we might find. We may fear that in fact we have so much farther to go than we could ever imagine. If we refer to King Benjamin, we notice that such errors when not corrected can be deadly. In order to qualify for eternal life, we must do as King Benjamin directs, and watch our thoughts, actions, words, and deeds. I believe that as we do this that we will gain greater access to the Atonement, and thereby be able to move closer to God, and be enabled to serve.

This week's thought is short, but I would like to simply admonish you to notice your inner self, and upon gaining understanding quietly and confidently seek the Lord's help in becoming a saint.

Have a great week!