All are trying to come to God

Perhaps the title is misleading as not all are trying to come to God as some have given themselves to worship the god of deceit and lies; Satan. I am not writing about them. I wish to bring up those that earnestly seek to follow God as they know how and wish goodness and kindness on others.

Said Ezra Taft Benson quoting Orson F. Whitney...

“Perhaps the Lord needs such men on the outside of His Church to help it along,” said the late Elder Orson F. Whitney of the Quorum of the Twelve. “They are among its auxiliaries and can do more good for the cause where the Lord has placed them, than anywhere else. . . . Hence, some are drawn into the fold and receive a testimony of the truth; while others remain unconverted . . . the beauties and glories of the gospel being veiled temporarily from their view, for a wise purpose. The Lord will open their eyes in His own due time. God is using more than one person for the accomplishment of His great and marvelous work. The Latter-day Saints cannot do it all. It is too vast, too arduous for any one people. . . . We do not quarrel with the Gentiles. They are our partners in a certain sense.” (Conference our partners in a certain sense.” (Conference Report, April 1928, p. 59.) (Civic Standards for the Faithful Saints by Elder Ezra Taft Benson General Conference - April 8, 1972).

I have read books like Mere Christianity (by C. S. Lewis), Dune (by Frank Herbert), and other great books. None of them LDS but inspired to lift and enlighten men and women to reflect upon the three divine questions; namely, who are we, where did we come from and where are we going. 

When reflecting upon God and His kingdom, I find it hard to imagine that all the ideas of heaven could be right but they can be wholly wrong either. My wife and I reflect on these things. We hope that the one who loved horses in this life is riding in the next; the outdoorsman is camping hunting and hiking. It would make no sense that God, an intimate and eternal being who loves all of His children, would give joy in this life that could not be given in the next life. Still, I cannot encapsulate the magnitude of what heaven would be like. 

In my life I have learned joy and charity in struggle, faith when I was thought to be alone, hope when reading the word of God, and forgiveness when I sought to repent and improve, putting away the old me for something better.

I assume it is no different for anyone else here on Earth. Each of us has been led to a light that lifts us and inspires us. Our eyes are opened in each new chapter of our lives when we thought that we were awake the whole time. Each challenge we take on changes us and refines us like silver or gold. Just when you think the Master is done, He bends and folds the metals and he's to make something even better. Perhaps the analogy isn't even close. Gold rings and silver necklaces are mere trinkets but I have a limited view of beauty as I have only seen the craftsmanship of man's hands and the beauty of nature, God's creation.

I recall at one point in my life when I was eager to dismiss others because of their different views. I pull my faith and views close because I didn't want them tarnished by others not realizing that they could grow and become better. As a missionary, I had a fragile testimony. As a young adult, I was easily swayed. I didn't want the sway that moved my tender branches, to destroy my young roots in my understanding of the gospel. Now I am older and wiser (well, at least older) and I find strength in sharing common strength in who I know to be the Lord God of Hosts. Perhaps I am still limited but I know God is helping this sleeper to awaken.

The Red Sea and the Atonement

When the Red Sea closed, we hope that the Israel children remember the symbolism. God knew death and sin were racing to catch them and relief and a haven were on the other side of the sea. Once that sea was parted it and they crossed, it, the mighty sea, closed on death and sin like the Atonement so that it could not pursue them any longer. I hope that this is us. Jesus has drowned the sins and death that awaits us, awaits our failure in both our present and future. It will not be done if we cross the impossible with faith.

Baptism

All this week I have reflected on baptism. The act to become holy to the Lord by entering in water, barefoot and vulnerable.

I reflected my own baptism and how I was excited with anticipation of the ordinance. I was going to commit myself to the Lord by making a covenant to seek to be pure.

When we are baptized it is for a mere moment where we cannot see, hear, and cannot breathe. We are completely vulnerable. We are dependent on the Lord and priesthood to survive. Now, dad didn't let me drown but pulled me out of the water. 

As I reflected on how short the act was I marveled how mortality is also so short. We go from a place of trust seeing all, hearing all, and basking in the breath of life. We enter mortality where we cannot see nor hear the Lord. Fear could easily overcome us because we then ask "God where art thou?" our whole lives not knowing that our Father was there the whole time keeping us safe and being in control.

I have taken the time this week to thank God for my baptism in mortality and for showing me His hand and mercy in this experience. I am grateful that I have lived as long as I have to see and recognize God's love for each of us. I hope to be a saint that others will remember for their smile and good spirit but above all, I hope that the Savior is now more in my countenance than when I started this mortal journey.

Tradition and Restoration

While Israel had twelve sons and a daughter, I wish to focus on two Juda and Joseph. It occurred to me that these two sons are the covenant sons of Rachel and Leah. One has been blessed to cleave to the gospel as hard as they can and are hated for it whilst the other son, his family, has restored the gospel to all the earth and has looked out for the sons and daughters of the elder brother. I am a son of Joseph and more so to all of Israel. I look for an understanding of the gospel through both eastern and western viewpoints. This year studying I have gained a greater and greater grasp and relationship of my Savior and Redeemer. I love how my eyes have opened so much these last three to four years. Life has been kind and my increase is because of a merciful God. Likewise, my trials have been fashioned for my experience and though hard, I love it.

Red ball and dark chocolate

I once talked about this subject with sin in mind, I now am thinking of the other side of that coin. I want so much to remember the Savior like a red ball and remember the feeling like warm melting chocolate. I want so much to yearn for the sweet taste of redemption, the visual of His face. They say when you root out wicked things, you should seek to put righteous things in their place. I dwelt on what not to do so long that I forgot what to do. I fear that others do the same. May we take the time to make new habits, new goals, perhaps renew our love for the Lord through good thing that lift the heart and soul. Be good, God is ever watching.

God hears and sees

 Hagar was alone in the desert when an angel appeared and promised a blessing on her child, naming him Ishmael, which means “God hears.” Hagar responded with, “You are the One who sees me,” and even gave Him a name, El Roi, which means thus. 

God is ever near and watches and hears all our prayers and cries. He sees our struggles but remembers, he has said that he will temper us as steel and refine us like silver. There will be emotionally, physically, and spiritually hot days, days of intense pressure. There will be days of intense sorrow and pain. We must pass through these experiences so that we can understand and come to God as He is attempting to come or reach out to us. Now we must also know there will be times of immense joy and gladness to match that pain because we are, that we might have joy. The rollercoaster of life has highs and lows, times of screaming fear, and laughter. Know this, God knows the length of the ride and you will not get off till it ends. You will have a great experience if you see it as thus.

God is looking for his face in the refinement that is our lives. When silver is made pure the refiner can see his face in the silver, he then knows it's ready for greater things. Wait too long and it ruins the silver, so also is removing it too soon. So are our lives in so many ways. The constant heat and tempering seem overwhelming at times. Trials long and short, spiritual and physical can overwhelm some but if we endure it well, we will be fit for the kingdom. We will have been perfected and exalted one day at a time; making us whole and complete through the Savior. 

We can endure this life. Life is like a garden, the Lord removes the rocks and puts up a fence but we then are responsible to weed and taking care of it. If we breach the fence and low bad things in our lives it is on us, not the Lord. While the Lord set up our garden or life to go one direction, He knows you and I to are gardeners and influencers in our lives. We choose some of the outcomes too. We may not choose the consequences of our actions, the weeds, brides, and thistles but we choose at times what goes in our garden like friends and lovers, the neighborhoods we live, the car we drive. In the end, it is a culmination of the two of us, the Lord and I that looks at my garden and sees what fruit and vegetables I produced, am I bitter or sweet, and I desirable or must I be cast off like dross, good for nothing because I wasted my time, talent and energy on crap, on weeds.

Hagar recognized the Lord, we should too. May we see as He sees and hear as He hears so that we can be one who lifts a button and extends a helping hand. May we be endurent for the things we cannot change and not just so but with gladness. It is a hard thing we are called to do but it is worth it, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Esau tears and porage decisions

As I have been studying the story of Esau I have come to realize there is a difference between straightway doing the Lord's will and making impulsive postage decisions, taking a spiritual thing second to the will of the flesh first. I wonder how many times I have done this thing and how many blessings I missed because I desired vanity or I wanted to gaze upon lecivitiness or coveted something; little sins that deprived me of a blessing because of my impulsiveness. I am sure it's like a check-out at the store. The candy is tempting and would please the tongue but we are asked to bridal out passions like a dieter from the things that would easily beset us. 

Esau took the things of this world as a greater value than the things of God and it cost him a blessing. Now I worry about my impulsivity and how much it may hurt me or my family. I would say "don't worry" but the echo of the pebble is not fully seen till it's too late. May my children find God faster and better than I.

The redemption of Lot

At times I feel as Lot did as Sodom was carried off, alone and afraid. I wonder at times am too far from my Redeemer. My wickedness besets me and I become alone, naked, and afraid. Then in my weakness, a light shines forth, and the heavens open with trumpets and chariots. The Redeemer of the world with His angels, events, and stripping warriors race in or the Holy Ghost testify that I am His and if He is mine, we will be one, John 10:30; Isaiah 43:1-7.

God loves not just us collectively but me individually. My faith and hope in my Savior have been a trip! Trials of faith and hope have shaken off the shackles of sin through redemption. And like articles on the bilge (bottom of the boat) when I have learned sailing through life I need to clean my hidden places or unseen places. Those parts of my life that have dark memories need to be acknowledged so that they will not strive to come to the surface. I am not perfect or an I?

Be ye, therefore, perfect is the advice of the Savior to the apostles and Jehovah to Abraham. He meant whole or complete. When we are given comfort by the Spirit we become exalted, whole, or complete. We just need to realize it.

God loves us he sees us and hears us in our trials as Hagar realized (Gen 16:13). God help us to realize as she did I hope in the name of Jesus Christ, Anen

A fathers rant

At times I forget how tender and impressionable my family is and while studying the scriptures I was brought to remember how important it is to be a shepherd to my lambs and protect them as the Savior does to me. It is not enough to have a prayer in your heart or testimony in your heart but to bear it and share it. Your family needs to be strengthened by you and those around you. Bring good into your home and work to keep wickedness out. With the rise of the flu, I realize that sickness seeps in from outside influence so the need to be both spiritually, morally, physically, and mentally strong and then strengthen your family, friends, and neighbors are vitally important. Sometimes I do not feel that I have been vigilant in the call. People make their own choices but I feel personally responsible at times. If you are reading this, be better than you were yesterday. Remember God loves you and the Savior seeks to redeem us all.

The comforts of the garden

I was reflecting on the garden of Eden and the choice Adam made to leave home, his mother, and father and cleve this wife and take on the lone and dreary world. Each young couple who makes that decision embarks on a tradition that has been with us for thousands of years by millions of men and women. We leave our garden to be a strength and pillar for our wife and children. We make a new garden so that our children will be in an Eden that they will remember and model their homes after. Life can be hard and it changes our garden but we must be a tiller and gatherer for our family so that they can do the same.

We need to weed and nurture our gardens like our relationship with our Savior and Heavenly Father. Our relationships must be constantly be furnished and watched over. Our relationships with our spouses and children should be weed-free. That is we should eat together often, council often, laugh often and pull together often in the trial. When our children that our Eden and that the importance is there, our children will model after us, the prophets, the Savior and above all, the Father.