Fear, Anger, Hate and Suffering

I recently gave a talk in church that was based on a talk called Living the Gospel Joyfully and while I was speaking the Lord in my mind asked me to compare the blessings that Lord attempts to give to a proverb from Star Wars; Fear leads to Anger, Anger leads to Hate, Hate leads to Suffering.

While giving this talk it came to me that when we put up our umbrella to resist the rain of blessings or the sunshine of the light of Christ shine upon us. The turn around is that when we see others get the blessings of heaven and our own sins blind us from seeing our own blessings we are quick to become fearful. Has God forgotten me? Am I worthy of no blessing at all? Our own ambitions and hesitancy keeps us from pressing in a good direction that would lead us to strengthen our faith and regain our blessings through repentance and the charity of God; we go down a path of witch many have not returned. As children of God we know all to well that the proverb of the Jedi ring true but there was no alternate so that we could avoid this path so I propose this one...

Faith leads to Trust, Trust leads to Charity, Charity leads to Happiness. I know that it might seem cheesy by making a mirror of this age old movie quote but I think that seeing its opposite opens our eyes so that we can see both the good and the evil paths and make our new choices with what we have learned.

When we are quick to judge because we decide to look at the blessings of others over what is on the other side of the scale that they are called to balance, we fail to realize the blessings we have in conjunction with our own blessings. Let us remember to have faith so that we might build upon that over fear. Lets hope that we do not listen to our fear and short comings over our faith and inner power that God has given us both to grow with and share. We have the makings of greatness in us, let us bear one another's burdens and show the strength of the Lord.

Image is found here.

Teach Me to Walk

The song Teach me to walk in the light has been running through my mind all week. I wasn't sure why exactly. At first it was the tune; mellow, light and comforting. Some time later I began to recall the words. Being a primary song, I had been singing the song since childhood so the words came naturally.

Teach me to walk in the light of His love

Teach me to pray to my Father above

Teach me to know all the things that are right

Teach me, teach me to walk in the light

The first verse is a plea to a loving parent to be a teacher for something that the child doesn't know. For us older children of our Father who have lost our parents it could be a plea to God Himself. To those of us that have parents but are parents, we continue to turn to the sages that are our parents to continue our teaching so that we can teach our children. Finally, for those that are children themselves, young, single and free it is a request to a parent to be out guide. Sometimes I am not sure what I was asking when I ask for what seems like basics. I have seen and experienced a lot; things that I would have not otherwise experienced if I had not asked the simple requests of the first verse.

Come little child and together we'll learn

Of God's commandments that we may return

Home to his presence to live in his sight

Always, always we'll walk in the light

The second verse it seems is a reassurance to us because of our request. We as parents realize that our mortality is a continuous learning experience. We are barely masters of our lives and when we become parents we learn together both raising our children but blazing a trail that hopefully our own parents have led for us to follow. Times have changed from our parents to ourselves and it will continue to change when our children reach adulthood but its important to help our children have a solid and sound foundation while continuously solidifying our own. My own parents grew up in the '60's and '70's, myself, '80's and '90's and lastly (but not least) my kids are growing up now. The lessons that apply to me, my wife, my parents, grandparents, etc. still apply to my great kids and this hymn and poem says a lot about that.

Heavenly Father, we thank thee this day

For loving guidance to show us the way

Thankful we praise thee with songs of delight

Gladly, gladly we'll walk in the light

After receiving a great gift of lessons that are line upon line and precept upon precept we show our thanks. I know that at one time one of my blogs (I cant remember witch) I wanted to ram all my knowledge and insight into each and every child because I was so worried that the children would need it the way that I got it. How gratifying it is that our Father (who probably thinks the same at times) exorcizes restraint and lets us walk on our own and ask at our own time and speed. The same has to hold true for us as parents. The simple things like Family Home Evening and daily family prayer and scripture reading is a great teacher (though at times I wish that I could give so much more). I am just grateful that I can teach my kids songs and poems to let them have something to hum at times alone.

Its nice that I grew up in a great home full of song and for those that have not thought on that take some times to play 'Sunday music' on the sabbath. Just that act alone will stir thoughts and feeling that allow Father to teach our children when we are not there. I know that I will not be there for ever for my sons and daughter but when the time comes I hope that I will have left the tools that they need to be the men and woman that they need to be for this future.  

The image is here.

Hows your jersey?

For some of us Saints we proudly profess our faith to Saint and gentile a like but when we reflect on how our soul looks to God do we hold up? For some of us we are familiar with being a fan or patriot of our team (you know your team). We have the jersey, the colors on our bed spread and posters on our wall; we go as far as painting our faces and chests on game day to show out spirit for the sport and the team. The question I want to ask is what does our jersey for the countenance of Christ look like? Do we have bright colors and repent often so that it shines (like washing it and replacing it when it needs it). When we go out in public are we wearing the colors of a honest and forthright Saint? Is His image in our countenance? ….Or do we hide it under a bushel (as the scriptures term it). Are we ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ?

These were some of the questions asked while we were studying Malachi today. Oh sure there was reference of “Will a man rob God?' and 'Turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers' but I picked up a subtle message that screamed to me to write about. I know that there are Saints out there that dedicate their time, talents and energy to the building of the kingdom but are we also building our communities, neighborhoods and families? I know that for some their jersey offends the neighbors because they are gentiles or and you are Saint but for some of us we live in places where we all wear the same jersey but some are tarnished and ripped; there are holes and stains or all together hidden. Why? Why should they hold up their colors up when the neighbor holds the colors stronger and prouder than they? For example, living next store to the bishop or elders quorum president. It can sometimes be intimidating but we should show our spirit.

The song says “Who's on the Lords side, who? Now is the time to know.” When it comes to our jerseys, are we showing our colors; are we bright and shining examples? I am sure that when we root for our team that our colors do not dim, is it dimming for the Lord? We need to do some serious self examination.

There is a story (personal one of course) where I was keeping a 'clean' van all year long for the company that I was working for. I thought that the van could be a shining example of what vans should look like when they come back to the office for their annual visit. When I arrived I was met by a pal of mine who showed me his van and how dirty it was. It was spic and span. I almost felt ashamed thinking of my own van. I learned at priesthood this week that we are our worst critics and worst cheerleaders. On the other side of the coin is us being our most eager to pardon our sins and rooting for our success when we are complete failures. My company 'jersey' was dirty but it took seeing it from others point of view to see it because being alone on the road didn't show it. This leads to the importance of gathering together oft (partly so that you can see what clean is). No so that we can become the paparazzi and point fingers at our superficial surface to to point the finger at ourselves and see if we are holding up to our own standard and what we believe the Lord's standard for us is.

We have a unique opportunity to show who we are and while our jersey is not on our outside we can make it shine like it is. Let each day be a gauge for measuring ourselves so that we can become the better person. There are many things that the Lord has given us so that we can improve (tools if you will) its just a mater of using them. See you next week and Happy New Year. 

Image is located here. 

Lost and Found

Formula for Success

When you want a thing bad enough

To go out and fight for it,

To work day and night for it,

To give up your peace, your sleep and your time for it,

If only the desire of it makes you aim strong enough

Never to tire of it.

If life seems all empty and useless without it

And all that you dream and scheme is about it,

If gladly you'll sweat for it, fret for it, plan for it,

Pray with all your strength for it.

If you'll simply go after the thing you want

With all your capacity,strength and sagacity,

Faith hope and confidence, stern tenacity,

If neither poverty nor cold nor famish nor gaunt

Nor sickness nor pain of body and brain

Can turn you away from the aim that you want

If dogged and grin, you besiege and beset it,

You Get It.

Vaughn J. Featherstone

It seems that when you loose something that was a part of you, you find who you are underneath. Prior to being laid off I was all about getting home and sitting on my butt and enjoying the kids and wife with no real plan for change. Well that has changed a lot; a real lot. What I learned on the road and the life lessons that God has given me have prepared me for this and I didn’t even see it coming.

Alas learning and applying are two different things. We can learn how to drive through a training course and books all we want but until we get out there and risk it (even a little) we will never know what driving is about. The Lord knows that I talk a big game and am a great motivator but when it comes to motivating myself, I really need to listen to myself and go and DO IT. When Vaughn wrote that poem, I get the sense that he had applied the very things that he was inspired to write. He wanted to be close to God and there he was at a pulpit showing what had got him there. We should take that same spirit of go get it and become what we want. Life will get in the way but either you can use life as a crutch to pull you to your goal or complain that it is a weight to pull you down away from your goal.

Do you remember the movie Mulan? In it Mulan (now known as Ping) was asked to climb a pole to the top with two heavy weights on each hand. The Captain Shang demanded that they use those weights as a tool to get there. One represented strength and the other discipline, both were needed to get to the top.

In our lives I think that we are asked to carry the same weights and from it we will become the butterfly or swan that we were meant to be but some of us find it too hard and quit too early. We are not ugly ducklings or caterpillars for ever. The opportunity is always there, its a matter of finding who you are deep inside and pulling yourself from what you learned in training and applying it to what you want. Training is over for some of us and for others its just beginning. It is up to us to know where we are with the Lord and apply what we have learned and then go and get it!

So now back to the title that this article is written about. I think that we sometimes are lost or have lost something that we thought were a big part of us but its like a diamond in the rough, when what you thought was part of you is taken away you will see what you truly are. We have all the time in the universe but what are we doing with it? We should strive to acquire what we want and what we are so that when we show the Lord our talents at the end of our lives we will show that we doubled them. We are not lost; to the Lord we are exactly where we need to be but if you think that your life needs to change take time to assess your assets and see what you need to do to change your course and use the Lord as your compass (but that's for another time). Have a great week brothers and sisters. Oh and Merry Christmas!

Vaughn J. Featherstone's image. 

Stains of the Mind

I was struggling on what to write about and it was in my priesthood meeting that I learned the most fascinating thing; one day you will have to stand before God naked. 

Let that soak in a little. Oh sure you will not be nude. I didn’t write nude; I said naked. There will be nothing you have done that you can hide and either you will go into judgment with your head held high or wish that you could hide under a rock and disappear. And what will determine that? You!

 

We are asked to daily repent of our sins and rise above what we were yesterday. We are asked to correct our course and ride down a strait and narrow path riddled with trials that will truly test the skills of navigation that our Father gave us before we left our heavenly home. At times we will make mistakes that will tarnish our spiritual apparel and we need to keep it clean. 

Here’s the real kicker. Will we forgive ourselves or will we let our stains get us because we will not let it out of our minds after the Savior has removed them? When we look at ourselves are we looking at stains that do not exist? Are we bound to put the stains back because we cannot move on beyond the experience that we have repented of? Do we insist on letting out past experience define how pure we are? Have we not forgiven ourselves when we went through the repentance process?

Do you think that perhaps the noble and great ones have not also been though the experiences that we think that they have not? Think of the great names, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Brigham, Peter, Paul Alma…. The list goes on and on. All of these brethren have been through a mighty change, a crucible if you will that asked them to be better men (and that’s just the men; think of the sisters that have gone through it too). Either sin can define us or refine us. Father has taught us correct principles so that we can govern ourselves and part of that governance is repentance. 

I’m not going to dwell on the rules of the church but stick to the principles of the gospel. When we repent we are made whole. Period. It is not like having a tattoo removed or removing a piercing where there is a scar or blemish left behind. We are made whole. Sin will change us, that’s true but you must use that experience to your advantage. You have a painful teaching tool as Alma (both of them) does. You have been asked to do great things and make sacrifices so that you could be the person that you are today. Now that you know this, can you ask yourself am I ready to meet God? Will I hold my head high? Will I wonder what I could have done more? Will I say that I was prepared with what I had at the time that the conflict occurred? 

It was said of Captain Moroni that if all were like Captain Moroni that the very gates of hell would shudder. I am certain that sometimes you scream at heaven saying that you are not Moroni but really are you? He was just a man and our brother who learned just like you and I line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little and there a little. His experiences didn’t define him but he created a definition through his experience; he was a child of God and God had sent him in his time and place to be a noble and great one in his moment. 

Ours is the moment to be the noble and great ones of our time. Do not let sin define you; do not let your experiences define you. Sure you will not be all prophets, seers or revelators but great home teachers or visiting teachers are needed. Define yourself based on your experience. Were you better yesterday? No? Well get up and get to work; build the kingdom! God has a work for you today! Hold your head high! You are a child of God; the maker of heaven and earth! Show it! Be it!

Image is here.

Our personal Phantom Menace

During our own personal tempering there are moments where the heat of temptation becomes unbearable (so we think) we can at times believe that we cannot endure the power of addiction or seduction. During these times is when we are truly being tested to show our true strength. I recall where there were moments where I was told by others (and perhaps myself too) that if the Lord asked for our lives we would give it but when the powers of hell rise against us and we are asked to live for Christ we falter.

Why?

There is an old Indian parable. In it, it talks about two wolves that are constantly wrestling inside us all. One is evil (natural man) and the other is good (our truly spiritual selves) and it was up to us to decide who was in charge; who was going to win. I am brought back to my earlier days of struggle and repentance. I was there when I sinned. I was there when I repented. I will be there when I have to choose the course that I am going to take daily to do good or evil; to serve God or manna (my hunger and desires).

For some of us we are on a clear and direct course of righteousness. We check with our compass every morning, during the day and every night. We avoid the rocks that would dash our lives to pieces and insure that we are in tip top shape for our journey. Some of us would say that this is only the example of prophets and apostles. Not so, brothers and sisters, we all have endured much and hope to endure all things so why not allow our personal example be our own Northern star. The prophet taught that ‘man are, that they might have joy’. If you are not having joy in your struggles in the name of Christ, you’re doing it wrong. We all have our personal devils that are constantly banging at our door but we must be strong against the winds and waves that beat at us and not let them beat us up.

I think sometimes of the movie Star Wars: Phantom Menace (personal feelings aside of the movie).  Here was a story where good men and women let their pride get to them that they ignored prophecy, were blinded by their own ‘righteousness’ to miss a building threat within and without their world of peace and (within the span of two more films) watch as their lives become destroyed and friends die because they were not watchful of evil. I know that for my personal experience I think of my own government here in the States but also in a microcosm I should reflect on my own life. The Prophets have said that if the watchmen failed to watch that thieves would come into the town at night and lay ruin the town and its people. Likewise if we do not keep our guard in check and are ever mindful of the slings and arrows (of sin) thrown at us daily we will succumb to the temptations of the adversary. 

We are good and for those that are ‘hoping’ to be good, you’re on the right path. Siblings, this life is hard but remember we chose it. We shouted from the rafters in heaven how excited that we were to be here in this moment. I know that for some of us spirits who were told of what was to come there was a question will it be harder than when we kicked Satan from heaven and the answer was 'yea'. We then smiled and said 'bring it on; I am ready'. Now that we are here we have come to realize how tough it is.

 For some our tempering is really tough and our spirits have screamed from the heat. Our cries have gone straight to our Father and like the teacher who is silent during the test, He only pats us on the shoulder and whispers that we can do it. When we do accomplish it, we thank our teacher for teaching us the way to go so that we could keep our course straight and our spirits strong. Sure there are things that are ahead that will be hard but we are the children of the God of heaven. We can do it and we have great parents and brother who are with us all the way. We were taught in heaven, reminded here on Earth and we can return home. We just need faith and endurance (2 Timothy 2:10; 13^th Article of Faith). 

Image is provided by popcornmonster.com and Lucus Films (now owned by Disney)

Vengeance is Mine saith The Lord

These last few weeks I have had the opportunity to look at justice and the outcome there of. Among the various things that could be said of justice is first the scripture Roman 12:19 and secondly is the quote my friend Doc Thompson said "Justice is not an outcome, it's not a verdict you like; justice is the process. Period."

For years I have held the belief that justice was always going to be fair or that it was like karma. Its not. Those that are bullied do not always see karma 'get' their oppressors, the truth when revealed doesn't automatically get a officer of the law or someone with Force Lightning to come correct them. I have been so wrong and keep forgetting that even Alma the prophet saw people burn to their deaths; himself and his companion  put in prison because of the law. It was a harsh reality to see that the justice of God is different then the justice of the law.

The law isn't always fair. Justice, with as much evidence to convict, will send criminals to jail nor round up the varmints and lynch them. Cowboy justice and vigilante justice isn't the way of a just society as much as we might want it to be because we didn't get the result we wanted. Guilty men and women will get away from punishment we believe that they should receive but they cannot escape the vengeance of God.

In our society we do our best to mimic the way that God would have us run ourselves and do our best to be a rule of law and not a rule of men. However there those that want to exercise their own vengeance without justice first looking at the facts and while its true that the facts do not always reflect the truth we must not discount what it is able to reveal. The end result of those that would exercise their own 'justice' has lead to pillaging and looting; rape and murder.

I recall in my personal life the experience of a bully that had tormented me for months in Junior High and for the longest time I wanted justice. The truth was that I wanted vengeance. Some years later, like Alma the Younger who had become righteous, I saw the young man (my tormentor); he had cleaned up his life and had gone out and served the Lord. I inadvertently attended his home coming. I am certain that the Lord had made that arrangement. I was angry like Jonah who had waited for vengeance on the Ninevehites. It wasn't supposed to go that way thought it was. Jonah had thought that Nineveh had hurt his people so much and expected that they would not repent when he prophesied the destruction of the city but even the king called for repentance of his people and took not chance that even a maid or manservant, mule or camel not repent. Together they went through the gull of bitterness of repentance and had become pure in the sight of the Lord.

So where are we? These days I fear that we want 'justice' (really vengeance) for the law breakers and for the senseless killing, rape murder and disobedience that had run a muck. We want illegal aliens shipped back to where they came from and executions carried through. Why? We want vengeance but we are just children of the Lord not adults. We do not see what our heavenly parents see and like children in a car lack the experience that our parents do who are navigating our lives to where we will learn the most. We desperately want the Lord to say that He is going to turn this car around if we don't quit it and yet the call never comes; the car continues its course. I would put a charge of Israel to remember who is behind the wheel and that the Master will do what must be done but we must continue to be diligent to be a children of law and leave the vengeance to the one that will do it righteously and fairly. There will be times of pain and sorrow but God will wipe our tears and heal our wounds.

Be of good cheer for God will give us the best experience that we could ever have.

Image is found here.

Dont be Seduced by the Coolness

I am so not perfect. I might be creative and spiritual but I am not perfect. I was in the foyer (because I was late to church) and I had forgotten to turn off my phone ringer and the darn thing began chiming telling me that I had a tweet (or something like that) and I realized that this could have been embarrassing if I had been in the chapel. Then it hit me, I was looking at my phone while I was ‘listening’ to people bear their souls in testimony and was not feeling the Spirit! Again… embarrassing… I wanted to justify my behavior initially because I was a visitor but the Spirit came to me and told me that although I was not telling my testimony, I should pay attention; that perhaps for a second I could feel the Spirit and learn something. I had become seduced by the coolness.

I am not sure who has or who has not heard of the phrase. It comes from a television show called Phineas and Ferb. In ‘Put that putter away’ Candace warns her friend Stacy to not be seduced by the coolness. It’s interesting how something in a funny and witty cartoon could stick to me so much that I encouraged my family to make that one of our house rules (rule 6) because it could be applied to so many things and is so simple to remember.

All day I thought about the lesson learned and how I could make it stronger for me. It was during priesthood that I think I heard the answer. In life there is so many distractions and our lesion was on plotting your course in life. It was not enough to avoid sin but to create barriers (emotionally spiritually and physically) to avoid sin and to  keep an eye single to the ‘Glory of God’ as it were and through little goals and coursing your mindset you could avoid the ‘Coolness’. How easy it has been for Satan who is also a goal minded person to pull us under because what we thought, saw, sang, etc was ‘cool’ or ‘harmless’. A navy oriented person would tell you that it only takes one degree to be off course and that could be the case with being seduced. Sailors daily and (perhaps by the minute) not only chart their course (set goals) but monitor their course to insure safety and success.

When things rattle the course they do not give up but assess the situation and reestablish their bearings so that they can get back on course. We must be just as vigilant in our lives to do the same and learn from the sailor. Our lives will have rocky water and sometimes we will need to repent and correct our course but if we are prepared for the road ahead our need for correction is minimal and our course then can stay true. 

Heavenly Father asks us to hold to the Rod of God (the word) and hang on because there will be times when the Coolness will be so enticing that you will be tempted to be near the Rod without holding it tightly. Those are the most dangerous times because when the storm comes you are not prepared and easily swept away by every enticing thing that would keep you from your Father. I would exhort you all to check your course again and check your compass; are you on a Celestial path? If not, ask yourself why and then why not. You have the potential to be on the path and whatever it takes from climbing out of the filth that you have heaped upon yourself or merely dusting yourself off you can be on that path again. God wants you to succeed. Don’t be seduced by the coolness.

Image is found here.

Memorial to that which is Important

It’s Memorial Weekend and we are called to reflect on our American siblings; men and women who gave their lives for a country that in some cases did not return for the sake and freedom of those that they left behind. One such American was a sailor named Henry ‘Bessy’ Bingham, my dad’s uncle. Because of our loss so many years ago Bessy’s brother David (grand'pap) was the only one left to carry on the family name and through David’s family I am here. Soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines have all given their all to this country and I am so grateful. For this article I just wanted to just give a moment for those that have died to give us liberty that we now enjoy in a great country represented by the ole red white and blue.

Now the subject I wanted to discuss. While we are reflecting on the memories of men and women that have given us a great example following prophets and the savior by giving their lives for that witch they believed in so that we would not have to I want point out a poison that has infected not just our country but the whole world; complacency. Brothers and sisters we have been seduced by the ‘Coolness’ and have been quick to accept that someone else will take care of the problem even telling ourselves that Father will do it when we ourselves will not. Some have allowed fear to cripple us so that we cry what can be done while others who are small race into the fray praying that God will direct their path only to die with the cause that they went into the fray with.

We have spent too much time allowing us to be seduced by a ‘dark side’ that is all around us. Satan talks to us in advertisement, music and pulls every which way with his doctrine; good intentions mixed with crap.  He has tricked us into believe that the law of ‘happy rainbows and sunshine’ will be a better replacement for the structure of law that hold men accountable and show us a right and wrong. Flawed or not, being mortal who attempted to do what is right has lead us through better moments then a demand for social justice and equal outcome. There was a time when men and women were punished for their sins against society and swift was the sword of justice. Now the sword stays dormant and rusting from lack of use.

This error has not been just my country but all the countries of the world. The bigger the government got the worse it got. We no longer push and explore because we are told not to. We no longer educate ourselves because we are told not to. We no longer get justice though it is demanded because it will hurt someone’s feelings and finally we no longer win because someone will lose. We have been seduced by the ‘Coolness’.

What will we do to correct this course? Though it must be done at an individual level, we must rapidly turn to God, demand accountability and choose righteous leaders and not just ‘good’ leaders. The pot that is government is a corrupt and black pot; a cesspool that ‘unicorns and puppy dogs’ have poisoned. We are encouraged not to remember those that have given their all and look at cartoons and photo shopped pictures instead of calling for accountability. When we break down the doors of those that are accountable and hold their feet to the flame will they continue to misbehave? We must remember that many countries are in bankruptcy because of war, famine, pestilence and death. We are facing a famine of the word of God and our children have been taught to ‘shut up’ about ‘Him’, the God of Israel or cease to talk about such offensive things. If we want it to stop we must talk of Christ, rejoice in Christ, preach of Christ, prophesy of Christ and write according to our prophecies.

I hope that this has encouraged you to seek to be part of something bigger than yourself and to stand tall for yourself, community, city, state (province) and country. If you can’t go big then start small. Start with the very thing that the founders did liberty and justice for all. Let men be accounted for their own sins and not for your father’s transgression and if we are left to pay then let us pay it quickly. We can correct our corruption but we must seek repentance and encourage others to do the same. We are from divine inheritance and we must show it.

Brothers and sisters, please take some time this weekend and perhaps everyday from this weekend to remember those that who have given their all so that we might enjoy time with our families, freedoms and the ‘Coolness’ that is ever present. Let us be in the world and not of it. Be diligent.

In the precious name of the Master, Jesus Christ, Amen.

God gave men the priesthood because...

I want to point the reasons for priesthood to being a men only thing. First I know that it was such a controversy recently and I know that some women could do a better job but there is a key reason why it’s in the hands of men; we, guys, are lazy!

Ok, one of the key things that God has pointed out to us all the time (from Adam on) is that men will be the bearer of the priesthood, providers for our families defenders of truth and right.This comes with a standard of responsibility; namely to bless and edify the whole earth, establish order and to bring all nation tongues and people to Christ through the blessings of the covenants of the priesthood. 

I know it’s the vague answer but have you considered this part of the equation that the priesthood was given to men to get them off their rumps and do something. We guys (as most wives, mothers and sisters know) are inherently lazy. For heaven’s sake, a guy invented the television, remote control and a lot of comfy things that we all enjoy. The Lord in his infinite wisdom told us to work and beyond that gave men the priesthood so that we could get out there and do more than just collect a paycheck and collect action figures (hobbies). 

Imagine for a moment that at the end of the day Brother and Sister Smith are getting into bed after a hard day work, she with the kids and he with the job. At night the Sister Smith is 'asked' by her sick children to take care of them and then the phone rings and it’s a fellow saint asking for a blessing. If women had the priesthood, the husband would ask the sweet wife to do it because he is tired (the poor baby); never mind that she has been busting her hump too. Disputations would erupt and the two would always be at odds as to who should exercise their priesthood keys. Now because the man is the only one with the rights to exercise those keys in our modern day, each members roll is defined and the wife would kick her sweet husband out and have him get dressed give that blessing. He's not arguing about it because he knows that it is his sole responsibility. He calls another brother and they give the blessing. Brother Smith is grateful for the chance to bless the siants life and goes back to bed. 

I know that it’s over simplification but does it really need to be complicated? We each have a roll in life and in the church. Heavenly Father loves each of us and when we have our role or life chore then we know what is expected of us and we can then perform it to the best of our ability. The fact that there is a disputation among the brothers and sisters in our church today is ludicrous. From the very foundation of the world he has defined our role and how we should treat each other and while I empathize with the plight that has been created I am sure that if we are prayerful of our troubles, we will get an answer. We may not like it but if we accept it and obey it, we will be happy. 

Image is found here.

Communion with God

Image can be found here.

I learned that Sacrament is not in the Bible Dictionary (go ahead look it up; it’s not there; I'll wait).  The shock of my day was that discovery. When we were learning the lesson about the Sacrament the teacher (who was a Patriarch) was a bit delighted that we were a bit complex about the situation. He then explained that although the act of Sacrament was not in the Bible Dictionary but that Communion was. It was then he asked a question of why? Oh there were several explanations of the situation but one that he displayed was the best one I had heard.

We are blessed to partake of the Sacrament of Christ most every week; to most of us, this most sacred of testaments of our faith. Some would argue that the temple has more sacred events but when it comes to our root and foundation we remember that Article of Faith that says our root pillars are Faith, Repentance, Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost; and what renews those pillars to us every time we fall short of the Glory of God?  The answer is the Sacrament or Communion with God.

The Saints know what the Sacrament is but what is Communion?  I tend to think that it’s a check in with the Godhead (for all of them are involved) and we then check in. We tell Christ what we have done with his name; we tell our Father what we have done to be his son’s representative; we renew our spirit to be in tune with the Holy Ghost.  These are not small tasks.  At times when such thoughts came to me I would leak ‘some coolness’ as I call it as the tears would come and I would realize how little I know of the Atonement or the gift that our Father has given us.  

Sometimes I wonder why I don’t know the secrets of the universe but then I weekly learn about the secrets in plain and simple truths and the Sacrament is one of them. No this secret doesn't move mountains or create worlds or does it? The ties to the Atonement are so tight the Sacrament such a significant fragment of what we are to learn here on Earth. Truly the word Communion is appropriate.

I am stuck with such thoughts of whether or not I have really have Communed with God to report my progress. Have I done any good in the world today as the song says?  Have we become complacent, perhaps judgmental because we thought we were on a better path then our brothers and sisters on this ship we have called home for so long? I thought about the times that I judge the homeless or the sister that was twerking on the internet/television.  Some would justify our behavior because we have not done these things and for a moment we become the very people we do not want to become pointing and standing in our own personal great and spacious building. We want to so desperately say that we are on the side of Christ who even he himself had a blow up and threw out people who sold goods at the temple. He used a whip, threw over tables and shouted; so we point mock and chastise and when we come to Communion/Sacrament we forget our shortsightedness and forget that we are all travelers and will all go back to that God that created us.

Let us all, brothers and sisters, remember who we are and why we’re here; let us glorify and magnify our Fathers name and the gift of his precious Son; let us not forget that not one of us is not a son or daughter of the greatest parents.  I hope that we will make an effort to lift and edify the children of God and perhaps we will be better examples of our Savior.

And I do so in Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ

W

Image is located here. 

I have seen some recent pictures of Muslims display their religion by praying on set times or dates in very public places and I wondered if I am that courageous. I could excuse that political correctness chastises my use of God in public places but those same hypocrites allow others to praise Allah. 

So I wondered if it was me and I had created in myself a false fear of what the Atheists and Muslims were going to say if I prayed at a Wendy's or alone in a hotel with no one to look upon me save God himself. Is faith or Christianity slowly being eradicated by law or social stigma? I knew that Alma was brought to the same forefront when he was confronted by the priests of Noah a second time and they at the time had political clout. Are we under the similar spiritual punches in the gut or are we doing it to ourselves because we have surrendered our power to something imaginary (that could end up the law if we are not careful)? 

Thinking of this I have made some effort to counter the effects by praying more in public. Sure I do not utter a word to reverence others faith (or lack thereof) but I pour my heart out to my make so that I like Alma can be heard in my heart. I pray that even the action of a prayer like jester doesn't become against the like Alma's story. 

Have a great day and as Alma said "Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you."

Do you want to meet Jesus?

A couple of weeks ago friends and I who had been playing games and laughing, everything was normal till one of them had got serious by asking me and another LDS fellow of mine a serious question. Do you want to meet Jesus?

At first we were a bit taken back and the room had got quiet; said my friend continuing his thought, "Because everyone seems to want to meet Jesus".

Image from http://www.patheos.com

My LDS friend (I'll call him Tim) and I almost simultaneously said no. This other friend of mine (we'll call him Charlie) was surprised. "Why?” Charlie followed up. We then took an hour explaining that our innocence of faith would be removed and we would then be living by knowledge and the weight that would bear. 

We then explained that it’s like when you are learning about the flowers when you were five. Mom took you to a field and said "Child this is a flower". You would hold it and admire the color and laugh and run holding the flower. Then sometime later would go to school and learn about the flower and the science of its cellular structure and the way that it gains food. Now you could deny photosynthesis because you have never seen it or felt it. Once you have learned it you can say whatever you want. Discovery and learning continues.

Now compare that to meeting Jesus. Meeting God's son has a great weight. Once you have gone down this road you can never go back. I suppose that you could deny that you ever saw him to his face but let’s face it; I think that God would hold us accountable for that. See the difference of walking by faith and walking by knowledge is that one has a greater level of reward and damnation. Those that walk by faith would gain a little here and there and if they slipped they could then just get up and continue while those that walked by knowledge if they fell the gravity of the fall would weigh them terribly and getting back up would be longer and harder.

I think of that moment and realize that I could possibly not be ready to meet God. It’s an awkward revelation. Here I thought that there was nothing to fear and like a child I was stunned by the experience. I know that God will be on his throne and with countless courses of angels but what happens when he comes to your face and says 'Hi'. Do I fall to my knees and beg never to behold his face again. Beg him to leave because I am an unworthy person to be in such glory. Do I weep for joy? Really, what do I do? 

What would you do? I know that there will come a day that you will meet the Messiah but what will you do? It’s something to think about this week.

The Message for You

Image is located here.

I love how so many times I have gone to church and I got that message that was just for me and even though I was just a visitor so no one knew me (well I had been there the week before so some of them knew me) but the message while sitting in the foyer it seemed was just for me.

One of the speakers began talking about the meek. Now I had some limited understanding of the meek mainly that they would inherit the earth. This sister though thought of a new way of putting it and presented a thought that told us that perhaps that God in his infinite wisdom had in fact changed our course so that we would always find happiness in His choice (a choice that was not clear or direct; something that we would enjoy as well, as his children). As I was sitting in the foyer it hit me. When I was young I wanted so badly to be a church leader and felt put off because I was always the student and when the opportunity arose to be something of a leader I would again be put in situations that called for my other talents in a new direction. For instance, when I was a missionary, I wanted to be a leader of some kind but I didn't develop fast enough through my experience and I probably would of been a poor leader. During that time I was very upset with the leadership and God because as a man-child I thought I was prepared but a missionary that could just spit out scripture and not with the spirit was not ready to be a leader. Perhaps President knew that and on the same breath he new that (through the spirit) that I was not good with change so he kept me in only three areas my whole mission.

I have wondered sometimes if I have been a stubborn child to God and in fact have been compelled to be meek because I want to be obedient but I cant get over my thick skull. Its like being compelled to be humble (and perhaps they are more related then I think).

I know that I am not humble nor meek enough to be a leader some days. It shows in my work effort. I want to be the boss but forget that with great power comes great responsibility. In my life I have been steward of several cars that I have crashed in fender benders and I forgot I had responsibility over that too so I am not sure if I truly know power and responsibility. I also know very little of sacrifice as God has been generous with giving of his substance (yes that means I am a full tithe payer). While I am gone from my wife and four children for months at a time (no I am not a soldier) I am blessed to be in this wonderful country and I am not more then a thousand miles from home and if ever it was needed the company would be willing to fly me for an emergency (as they have done once or twice).

I honestly believe that this has been a great training ground for understanding sacrifice and compelled humility as I spend nights alone and the only human contact is those hands that I shake sparsely. I have also been privileged to know some great people and traveled across this whole land seeing 47 states in the Union. Something that I am certain that most will not be able to say in their lifetime. I have learned about myself in a way that perhaps I would of never have.

So am I one of the meek? Perhaps. My struggles have been alone and worded only to my wife and this blog. I have found that I must challenge myself in a new and different way so that I can find my purpose (and I am certain that its not just working 60 hours a week). Is that what the meek do. They take what they have and push themselves to be something that they were meant to be? I wonder.

A few weeks (perhaps it was months) Glenn Beck extended a challenge that was similar. What was our purpose and to whom were we going to make a difference? He said that we were not made to do a 9 to 5 job and then die but to rise above that and be something. I believe that he was talking about Nielsen Mandela when he was talking about it and while I detest with every fiber of my being the putrid thought of communism and all its forms and the poison that it does to the good minds of men, women and children I could not help appreciate that Glenn was pointing that Nielsen found his purpose and seized the day; made his life his own.

All of us need to find our moment and recognize our humility, see what we are made of and the experiences that we have been in and make our lives our own.

That's my lesson to you.