One Latter-Day Saint's View

Right and Wrong Level 1: God's Law

2008-06-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

This is a follow on to my earlier post: Two Levels of Right and Wrong

As I wrote about earlier, I've come to the conclusion that there are two levels of right and wrong. One is global while the other is personal. In this post I want to discuss the first level, God's law.

I'm sure I don't need to go into too much detail explaining how God is righteous and holy, and that He ultimately sets the standard for what is right and wrong. In fact the scriptures state that not only is He perfectly righteous and good, but if He were to deviate from this just a little, He would cease to be God (Alma 42: 13, 22, 25; Morm. 9: 19). Of course there is no chance of that ever happening (his goodness and righteousness wouldn't allow it), so we're all safe.

Since God wants us to become like Him in all of His attributes and perfection (Moses 1: 39) He has given us His law to guide us (Prov. 6: 23; 3 Ne. 15: 9). This is why I consider God's Law the foundation of all right and wrong.

His laws also go beyond mere morality. Since He created the world, all of creation follow the laws He ordained from the beginning (including fundamental laws like gravity and electro-magnetism) (D&C 88: 13). It would make no more sense to try to live a good life while disregarding God's moral laws, than it would be to try to build a computer while disregarding the laws of electro-magnetism. All goodness and blessings come only from following God's laws (D&C 130: 20-21). As Alma clearly taught, "wickedness never was happiness." (Alma 41: 10).

So how do we find out God's laws? The scientific method has been very effective at identifying the laws God uses to govern the physical world, but hasn't been quite as effective at identifying God's moral laws. (In my opinion that's why the physical sciences tend to progress further and faster than the social sciences.) While we are spiritual creatures, we're living in a fallen and carnal world. Without God's direct involvement, I doubt we'd even be able to properly frame the necessary questions much less identify the answers. We'd be "ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 3: 7).

This is precisely why God has declared His law to mankind through prophets (Jer. 35: 15; Mosiah 3: 13; Moses 5: 58). This law has then been preserved for us in the Scriptures. The Old Testament records God's dealing with mankind from the creation to before the coming of Christ. While it was geared most specifically towards the Children of Israel, it is the foundation upon which are other scriptures are build (i.e., all other scriptures assume you have an understanding of the Old Testament.) It's probably the most widely accepted book of scripture in the world today and formed the basis of just about all modern law and government.

The New Testament records the fulfillment of the Law of Moses by Christ. It's teachings build upon the Old Testament, and it provides further understanding of how it's necessary to center your life on Christ. While it teaches that the actual practices of the Law of Moses are no longer necessary, the righteous principles that under-girded the Law of Moses still apply. All who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior are obligated to accept the Old and New Testament (the Bible) as authoritative.

Finally, in our day God has provided further guidance and direction with the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. These books of scripture are meant to clarify and expand on the teachings of the Bible. All who have come to accept the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as Christ's restored church on earth today, and have joined it through baptism, are bound follow the teachings found in all these scriptures.

In short, God has given us the Scriptures to be a guide in this life. It is His law as contained in the scriptures that are binding and authoritative (D&C 42: 59). Any teaching, doctrine, or guidance must be found in the scriptures, or they're not binding on us as a whole. There is also only one person on the earth who has been authorized to add, delete, or modify what's spelled out in the scriptures: God's ordained prophet (D&C 43: 2-6). If it comes from anyone else, you can be assured that it's not authoritative or binding, even if it may be true. (If it is true, but hasn't yet been revealed to the Church through the Prophet, that person should have kept it to themselves in accordance with Alma 12: 9.)

The Scriptures don't speak kindly of those who would try to supplant God's words with their own. Whether it's false prophets (Jer. 14: 14-15), false teachers (2 Pet. 2: 1), or people using their own standard for judgment instead of what the Lord has given (James 4: 11-12), the result is not good. That is why it is so important to diligently search the scriptures ourselves. Not only does this help us know how to best govern our own lives, but it helps us to identify false teachers who misinterpret or go beyond what is actually written.

[I've heard people try to use D&C 1: 38 and D&C 68: 4 to argue that the teachings of any church leader given in an official capacity are scripture and binding. However, these scriptures need to be read in light of D&C 43: 2-6, referenced above. Their teachings are scripture when they're proclaiming the gospel by "reasoning with and expounding all scriptures unto them," (D&C 68: 1) not making up brand new scripture. For more information this statement by the Church or this talk by J. Reuben Clark, Jr. can be useful. I'll have more to say about it in my next post.]

In summary, God's Law provides the ultimate source of right and wrong. While it may be binding only to those who have made covenants with Him, it's still very beneficial for all people. The Scriptures contain the portion of His law that He expects all of us to follow. If anyone tries to teach you something that can't be found in the Scriptures, you can be assured it isn't from God (unless that person is His ordained Prophet and he's acting in that capacity.) This forms the baseline from which everything else is established.

The next level of right and wrong, which comes into play where the Scriptures are silent, is your own individual conscience as guided by the Holy Ghost. That will be the subject of my next post.

The Who, What, When, Where, Why and How of Repentance

2008-03-23T18:26:00.000-07:00

[The following is a talk that was given in our Sacrament Meeting by a good friend, Suzie. I liked it so much I asked for her permission to post it here on my blog. She consented so here it is. I hope you find it as rewarding a I did.]

Today my talk is on Repentance.

I was assigned read Elder David A. Bednar talk “Clean Hands and a Pure Heart” and to teach with that as my tool. In his talk he stated that Prophets throughout the ages have emphasized the dual requirements of (1) avoiding and overcoming bad and (2) doing good and becoming better. We call this process of refinement repentance.

Brothers and sisters, it is possible for us to have clean hands but not have a pure heart. Please notice that both clean hands and a pure heart are required to ascend into the hill of the Lord and to stand in His holy place.

Let me suggest that hands are made clean through the process of putting off the natural man and by overcoming sin and the evil influences in our lives through the Savior’s Atonement. Hearts are purified as we receive His strengthening power to do good and become better. All of our worthy desires and good works, as necessary as they are, can never produce clean hands and a pure heart. It is the Atonement of Jesus Christ that provides both a cleansing and redeeming power that helps us to overcome sin and a sanctifying and strengthening power that helps us to become better than we ever could by relying only upon our own strength. The infinite Atonement is for both the sinner and for the saint in each of us.

As King Benjamin concluded his instruction, he reiterated the importance of these two basic aspects of spiritual development.

And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you—that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God (Mosiah 4:26)

Some who hear or read this message may think the spiritual progress I am describing is not attainable in their lives. We may believe these truths apply to others but not to us.

We will not attain a state of perfection in this life, but we can and should press forward with faith in Christ along the strait and narrow path and make steady progress toward our eternal destiny. The Lord’s pattern for spiritual development is “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” (2 Nephi 28:30). Small, steady, incremental spiritual improvements are the steps the Lord would have us take. Preparing to walk guiltless before God is one of the primary purposes of mortality and the pursuit of a lifetime; it does not result from sporadic spurts of intense spiritual activity.

Who needs to repent?

We all need to repent. The only person in this world who has never needed to repent was Jesus Christ. Who will be forgiven if they repent? Everyone will be forgiven. There is one small catch. We must also forgive others, if we want to reap the rewards of our own forgiveness.

Doctrine and Covenants 64:10

I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.

Doctrine and Covenants 82:1

Verily, verily, I say unto you, my servants, that inasmuch as you have forgiven one another your trespasses, even so I, the Lord, forgive you.

Hugh Nibly said that there are only two things that human beings can do well; and we are envied by the angels, Those two things are 1) to repent, and 2) to forgive.

President Monson said this about forgiving ourselves:

There are some who have difficulty forgiving themselves and who dwell on all of their perceived shortcomings. I quite like the account of a religious leader who went to the side of a woman who lay dying, attempting to comfort her—but to no avail. “I am lost,” she said. “I’ve ruined my life and every life around me. There is no hope for me.”

The man noticed a framed picture of a lovely girl on the dresser. “Who is this?” he asked.

The woman brightened. “She is my daughter, the one beautiful thing in my life.”
“And would you help her if she were in trouble or had made a mistake? Would you forgive her? Would you still love her?”

“Of course I would!” cried the woman. “I would do anything for her. Why do you ask such a question?”

“Because I want you to know,” said the man, “that figuratively speaking, Heavenly Father has a picture of you on His dresser. He loves you and will help you. Call upon Him.”

What is repentance?

BIBLE DICTIONARY says that Repentance is:

The Greek word which denotes a change of mind, a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world. Since we are born into conditions of mortality, repentance comes to mean a turning of the heart and will to God, and a renunciation of sin to which we are naturally inclined. Without this there can be no progress in the things of the soul’s salvation, for all accountable persons are stained by sin, and must be cleansed in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. Repentance is not optional for salvation; it is a commandment of God

President Ezra Taft Benson has explained that if we truly want to repent, we must demonstrate faith in Jesus Christ:

Repentance means more than simply a reformation of behavior. Many men and women in the world demonstrate great willpower and self-discipline in overcoming bad habits and the weaknesses of the flesh. Yet at the same time they give no thought to the Master, sometimes even openly rejecting Him. Such changes of behavior, even if in a positive direction, do not constitute true repentance.

Repentance Includes Forgiving Yourself. Feelings of guilt can be a healthy sign; they remind us that we have sinned and need to repent. But feeling guilty after we have genuinely repented will make us become discouraged, leaving us vulnerable to temptation again. This is one of Satan’s greatest weapons.

When do we repent?

Jesus Christ said:

Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day (3 Nephi 27:20).

You may notice he didn’t say, come unto me as soon as its convenient for you. He didn’t say when you think you are up to it. Jesus said this is a commandment, do it now. Today is the time to act.

We need to repent all the time. All day long and every evening. There is always something we could be doing better with our lives. Situations we could have handled better. Thoughts that maybe we shouldn’t have. Did we yell at someone we shouldn’t have? Is there anger in our hearts or worse hatred?

Major transgressions such as murder, adultery, or theft are not the only sins that require us to repent. We also need to repent of small things we do every day. Such things as dishonest actions, losing our tempers, showing disrespect to our family and friends, gossiping, or failing to follow through on an assignment all weaken our characters and keep us from enjoying the companionship of the Holy Ghost and becoming like our Heavenly Father.

I think Hugh Nibley described it much better then I could.

Who is righteous? Anyone who is repenting. No matter how bad he has been, if he is repenting, he is a righteous man. There is hope for him. And no matter how good he has been all his life, if he is not repenting, he is a wicked man. The difference is which way you are facing. The man on the top of the stairs facing down is much worse off than the man on the bottom step who is facing up. The direction we are facing, that is repentance; and that is what determines whether we are good or bad. (from "Of All Things" p. 7, a Hugh Nibley quote book edited by Gary Gillum, 2nd edition.)

Where do we repent?

We should confess to the person we have wronged. We must also confess to the Lord. In addition, the seriousness of the transgression may require that we go to the bishop. The bishop is there to help and not to condemn. Bishops always keep such information confidential.

We can repent anywhere and at anytime. The sooner the better. We have all put off repenting for some reason or another. But all those times were worse then they could have been. The feelings of guilt – that were finally lifted when we repented, could have come a lot sooner if we had just stopped being stubborn.

So the time to repent is now.

Why do we repent?

D&C 18: 22

And as many as repent and are abaptized in my name, which is Jesus Christ, and bendure to the end, the same shall be saved.

Plain and simple – we repent because 1st we are commanded to, so that is showing our obedience. And the second reason, is we came here to this earth so that we may return to live with our Heavenly Father again. Repentance is our first step to get back to him.

A story I always liked is the Forgotten Wedges by Samuel T. Whitman. I am sure most of you have heard it, but I shall share it again today.

The ice storm wasn't generally destructive. True, a few wires came down, and there was a sudden jump in accidents along the highway. Walking out of doors became unpleasant and difficult. It was disagreeable weather, but it was not serious. Normally, the big walnut tree could easily have borne the weight that formed on its spreading limbs. It was the iron wedge in its heart that caused the damage.

The story of the iron wedge began years ago when the white-haired farmer was a lad on his father's homestead. The sawmill had then only recently been moved from the valley, and the settlers were still finding tools and odd pieces of equipment scattered about...

On this particular day, it was a faller's wedge - wide, flat, and heavy, a foot or more long, and splayed from mighty poundings. The path from the south pasture did not pass the woodshed; and, because he was already late for dinner, the lad laid the wedge ... between the limbs of the young walnut tree his father had planted near the front gate. He would take the wedge to the shed right after dinner, or sometime when he was going that way.

He truly meant to, but he never did. It was there between the limbs, a little tight, when he attained his manhood. It was there, now firmly gripped, when he married and took over his father's farm. It was half grown over on the day the threshing crew ate dinner under the tree. ... Grown in and healed over, the wedge was still in the tree the winter the ice storm came.

In the chill silence of that wintry night, with the mist like rain sifting down and freezing where it fell, one of the three major limbs split away from the trunk and crashed to the ground. This so unbalanced the remainder of the top that it, too, split apart and went down. When the storm was over, not a twig of the once-proud tree remained.

Early the next morning, the farmer went out to mourn his loss. "Wouldn't have had that happen for a thousand dollars," he said. "Prettiest tree in the valley, that was."

Then, his eyes caught sight of something in the splintered ruin. "The wedge," he muttered reproachfully. "The wedge I found in the south pasture." A glance told him why the tree had fallen. Growing edge-up in the trunk, the wedge had prevented the limb fibers from knitting together as they should.

This story shows how small things can become big things. WE need to take the time to deal with them as they come into our lives. If we keep putting them off, we can never truly heal, and someday our own lack of action on a small thing, may be the cause of some very large problem. Today is the day to take care of our futures.

How do we repent?

• a. Recognize our sins
We take a look at our selves and see what we need to change. What are we doing wrong? Pick out the things in our lives that need to be improved.

• b. Feel sorrow for our sins
We need to feel sorrow and regret so that it helps us not want to do it again. These emotions while unpleasant – are a very good guideline to follow. How would we be able to tell write from wrong with out sorrow or remorse?

• c. Have faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ
We can change everything in our lives, but without faith in Jesus Christ, his atoning sacrifice does NOT cover our sins. He willingly suffered for all our sins, but he cant help us if we do not believe in him.

• d. Confess our sins
You must be the judge of this. To whom should you confess? If you are unsure, you can always call on your Bishop. Most time if you have done something to someone else, you must confess to them. The greater the transgressing, the more things that will be required of you to do to gain your forgiveness. This is also for our benefit, as it help us not do it again.

• e. Abandon our sins
We must not do what we repented of again. We must move beyond that sin and cling to it no more. Sometimes we will slip and fall, just get up and repent again and keep going forward, each and every time.

• f. Make restitution for our sins
We must make the wrong write. If you stole something, give it back. If you said something unkind, apologize. If you are unsure about this step – its always safe to ask the Bishop.

• g. Keep His commandments and endure to the end
Well keeping the commandments while not easy – is pretty straight forward. But what does it mean to endure to the end? It means that to prove our sincerity we must be on guard every day so that we do not fall back into old habits. To earn God’s forgiveness we should go the extra mile, not only forsaking our sins, but doing good wherever we can. President David O. McKay said, “Happiness is righteousness”

Heavenly Father knows and loves each of us. He knows what we do, and he knows what is in our hearts. Our sins bring great sorrow to him and unhappiness to us. It is never too late to repent and start over, no matter how bad we may think we are. None of us is so good that we cannot improve in some way. When the Lord said, “Come unto me,” he was speaking to everyone.

I bear my testimony that these things are true. We can all be forgiven of our sins. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us very much and as waiting for us to take the first steps of repentance and back to our Heavenly Father. Amen

Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Lesson 10: 2 Nephi 26-30

2008-03-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

This was a very difficult lesson for me to prepare. It covers 5 chapters of the teachings of Nephi, and I could probably very easily spend the whole time on any one of the chapters. How could I do any of it justice?

While the lesson manual was filled with lots of good ideas, it seemed a little too random for my taste (the parts didn't flow together very well into one overall theme.) If that wasn't enough, today was Ward Conference so the Stake Presidency would be attending the class (and since Sacrament Meeting went long, I only had 30 minutes for the lesson instead of the usual 40 minutes.)

While I was struggling to put something together I felt I just wasn't up to the task, so I humbly asked for the Spirit's assistance. While I pondered about how to organize the lesson a thought came to me and I went with it. In the end I think everything worked out wonderfully.

I say all of this not to boast or brag, but simply so you can understand that if you find anything here useful or insightful, I can't take any credit for it. It was all the Lord's doing. On the other hand, if you find anything rough or pedestrian, that's all me.

Introduction

• I'm sure all of us have witnessed some illusion or another, whether a magic show or a mirage

• When we're aware of the illusion, it can be fun trying to guess how it's done, but often illusions are made to intentionally deceive or mislead us

• Satan uses many illusions to lead us away from the path of life

• Likewise, sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish between a real article and a counterfeit

• Experts at detecting counterfeits say it's better to study the real thing than the counterfeits

• The better we know the real thing, the quicker we'll notice when something is amiss

• Nephi spend much of is time in these chapters describing who the Savior really is so we can better identify how Satan tries to lead us astray

Overview

• At the heart of these chapters, Nephi foretells what is going to happen to his people from his time on through to when the Savior reigns again on the Earth

• Wars and Contentions (2 Ne. 26:2)

• Signs at Christ's Birth and Death (2 Ne. 26:3)

• Wicked Destroyed and Righteous Spared (2 Ne. 26:3-8)

• Christ Appears to Righteous (2 Ne. 26:9)

• A Few Righteous Generations (2 Ne. 26:9)

• People Destroyed Due to Wickedness (2 Ne. 26:10)

• Gentile Nations Persecute Descendants (2 Ne. 26:15)

• Great Wickedness of Gentiles (2 Ne. 26:20-22; 28)

• Coming of the Book of Mormon (2 Ne. 26:16-17; 27)

• Restoration of Israel (2 Ne. 29:14; 30:3-8)

• Wicked Divided From Righteous (2 Ne. 30:10)

• Wicked Destroyed (2 Ne. 30:10)

• Peace on the Earth (2 Ne. 30:12-15)

• All Things Revealed (2 Ne. 30:16-18)

• Satan Bound (2 Ne. 30:18)

• Interspersed within this prophesy, Nephi makes extensive doctrinal comments

Christ's Way

• Manifests himself by the Holy Ghost (2 Ne. 26:13)

• Works mighty miracles, signs, and wonders according to faith (2 Ne. 26:13; 27:23)

• Never works in darkness (2 Ne. 26:23)

• Always works for the benefit of the world (2 Ne. 26:24)

• Sacrifices his own life (2 Ne. 26:24)

• Draws all to him (2 Ne. 26:24, 33)

• Never rejects those who come to him (2 Ne. 26:25)

• Gives freely without cost (2 Ne. 26:25)

• Persuades all to repent (2 Ne. 26:27)

• Forbids all priestcrafts [preaching for personal gain and glory] (2 Ne. 26:29)

• Commands charity (2 Ne. 26:30)

• Forbids all types of iniquity (2 Ne. 26:31)

• Works plainly (2 Ne. 26:33)

• Provides ample witnesses (2 Ne. 27:12-14)

• Same yesterday, today, and forever (2 Ne. 27:23; 29:9)

• Teaches gospel to all nations who are willing to hear (2 Ne. 29:7-9)

Satan's Way

• Magnifies pride (2 Ne. 26:10; 28:12-15)

• Stirs up anger against that which is good (2 Ne. 28:20)

• Lulls into carnal security, "All is well in Zion" (2 Ne. 28:21)

• Flatters, "There is no hell or devil" (2 Ne. 28:22)

• "Lord has done his work" (2 Ne. 28:5-6)

• "Eat, drink, be merry ... it shall be well" (2 Ne. 28:7)

• "God will justify a little sin" (2 Ne. 28:8)

• Leads carefully with a flaxen cord (2 Ne. 26:22; 28:21)

• Binds with strong cords and chains (2 Ne. 26:22; 28:22)

• Builds up many churches for gain (2 Ne. 26:20; 28:3)

• Puts down the miracles of God (2 Ne. 26:20; 28:6)

• Teaches own wisdom and learning (2 Ne. 26:20; 28:4)

• Causes envy, strife, and malice (2 Ne. 26:21; 28:4)

• Builds secret combinations (2 Ne. 26:22)

• Works in darkness (2 Ne. 26:22; 28:9)

• Denies power of the Holy Ghost and God (2 Ne. 28:4-5)

• Seeks to hide counsels from God (2 Ne. 28:9)

• Robs the poor (2 Ne. 28:13)

• Persecutes the meek (2 Ne. 28:13)

• Commits wickedness, abominations, and whoredoms (2 Ne. 28:14)

• "Wo, wo, wo" to those who follow after Satan's way (2 Ne. 28:15)

What We Need to Do

• Hearken to the words of the prophets [timely advise with General Conference approaching] (2 Ne. 26:8)

• Look forward to Christ with steadfastness (2 Ne. 26:8)

• Withstand all persecutions (2 Ne. 26:8)

• Persuade all to repent (2 Ne. 26:27)

• Labor for Zion, not for money (2 Ne. 26:31)

• Repent and believe in Christ (2 Ne. 30:2)

Conclusion

• Nephi plainly differentiates between the way of the Lord and the way of the adversary

• By understanding the strategies of Satan, we can protect ourselves from them

• The best way to protect ourselves from the wiles of the devil is to constantly be repenting and looking to the Lord with faith

Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Lesson 9: 2 Nephi 11-25

2008-03-09T15:07:00.000-07:00

Main Theme: "My Soul Delighteth in the Words of Isaiah"

Introduction

• There once was an LDS soldier who was sent off to war. During a fire fight, he took a bullet in the chest and went down. The medics immediately went over to check him out, but as they removed his jacket and shirt, they couldn't find a bullet wound anywhere on him. Checking his jacket pocket they found a serviceman's edition of the Book of Mormon with the bullet embedded in it. Amazed that a little book like that would stop a bullet, the serviceman simply replied, "That just goes to show that nothing can get through 2 Nephi."

• Joking aside, 2 Nephi is notoriously difficult to read for one reason: Isaiah

• Elder Packer has even suggested merely skimming through the Isaiah chapters until you get back to the plain teachings of Nephi

• If you are willing to put in the time and effort, you can come to understand and appreciate why Nephi would quote so much from Isaiah

Why Isaiah?

• Why is Isaiah so difficult to understand?

• It is written in a poetic style, and poetry in general can be very hard to understand

• Poetry is filled with imagery and allusions

• Poetry is usually dense with meaning and must be understood on many different levels

• Living in a different time and culture, it seems to us to be written in code

• Requires the Spirit to correctly interpret (2 Nephi 25:4)

• Despite its difficulties, why did Nephi still believe it was important to preserve the words of Isaiah?

• To "more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord" (1 Nephi 19:23)

• To provide another witness of Jesus Christ (2 Nephi 11:2-4)

• To help us rejoice (2 Nephi 11:5-6, 8)

• To reveal God's judgments (2 Nephi 25:3)

How Isaiah Fits into 2 Nephi

• After Nephi has recorded the establishment of the land of his people, he turns to recording three witnesses of Christ and His dealings with mankind (2 Nephi 11:2-3)

• He starts with the teachings of his brother Jacob (2 Nephi 6-10)

• He then turns to the writings of Isaiah (2 Nephi 12-24)

• He finishes with his own testimony (2 Nephi 25-33)

• Jacob not only spoke of how the atonement applies to us individually (2 Nephi 9) but how it also applies to Israel as a people (2 Nephi 10)

• Isaiah prophesies about the Lord's dealings with the world generally, and the people of Israel specifically

• 2 Nephi 12—The Grand Overview

• The triumph and glory of the Lord on earth (2 Nephi 12:2-5)

• The current situation in the world (2 Nephi 12:6-12)

• The Lord to cleanse the world (2 Nephi 12:13-22)

• 2 Nephi 13-15—Judah and Israel as Examples

• Judah's apostasy, pride, cleansing, and redemption (2 Nephi 13; 14)

• Israel to be broken and scattered, but then restored (2 Nephi 15)

• 2 Nephi 16—Isaiah's call as a prophet

• 2 Nephi 17-22—Israel to be destroyed, then redeemed by the Lord

• Israel to be destroyed by Assyria, but Judah spared (2 Nephi 17; 18)

• As a sign that God is in control, a virgin to give birth to a son (2 Nephi 17:14-16)

• The Lord to be a light to a darkened world (2 Nephi 19)

• Assyria to be destroyed for its pride (2 Nephi 20)

• The gathering of Israel and the reign of the Lord (2 Nephi 21; 22)

• 2 Nephi 23-24—The fate of Babylon and the triumph of the Savior over Lucifer

• Destruction of the wicked of the world (Babylon) (2 Nephi 23)

• The fall of Lucifer and the triumph of the Savior (2 Nephi 24)

• Nephi describes the destruction of the Jews and their eventual restoration (2 Nephi 25:9-19)

• Jews to return from the Babylonian exile (2 Nephi 25:11)

• Christ to be born among the Jews (2 Nephi 25:12-13)

• Jews to be destroyed and scattered again (2 Nephi 25:14-15)

• When the Jews come to accept Jesus as the Christ, they will be restored (2 Nephi 25:16-18)

• Just as the destruction of the nations of Israel and Judah was true, so is their eventual redemption

How Isaiah Applies to Us Today

• Even though Isaiah lived a long time ago and wrote specifically to a different people, much of his writings still directly apply to us today

• Temples (2 Nephi 12:2-3; 14:6)

• God's laws and ordinances are found in the temple (2 Nephi 12:3)

• Temples serve as a place of refuge (2 Nephi 14:6)

• An ensign to the nations (2 Nephi 15:26; 21:12)

• An ensign is a banner of flag—it's used to rally people to a certain place at a certain time

• The Church today is to serve as an ensign (D&C 64:41-43; 105:39; 115:4-6)

• The gathering of Israel (2 Nephi 20:20-21)

• A major purpose for missionary work (D&C 110:11)

Nephi's Testimony of Christ (2 Nephi 25:20-30)

• Nephi glorifies in Christ just as Isaiah did (see 2 Nephi 22)

• Christ is the only name by which we can be saved (2 Nephi 25:20)

• After all we can do, it is only by the grace of Christ that we can be saved (2 Nephi 25:23)

• Preaching, teaching, and writing are all to bring people to Christ (2 Nephi 25:23, 26)

• The only true path for salvation is to believe in Christ (2 Nephi 25:28)

• The necessity to worship Christ with all our might, mind, strength, and whole soul (2 Nephi 25:29)

Conclusion

• Isaiah is a powerful witness of Christ and how it is necessary to come to Him

• It is our responsibility and privilege to participate in the Lord's long promised gathering of Israel

• May the central goal of everything we do be to bring people to Christ

Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Lesson 8: 2 Nephi 6-10

2008-03-02T16:10:00.000-08:00

Today I got to teach a lesson on another of the greatest chapters in the Book of Mormon. For understanding the basics of the atonement and what is necessary to take advantage of it, 2 Nephi 9 can't be beat.

The main theme of this lesson is "O How Great the Goodness of Our God"

Introduction

• Now that Nephi and his people have separated themselves from those who followed Laman and Lemuel, he gets into teaching them the gospel

• Nephi's brothers, Jacob and Joseph, have been consecrated as teachers for the people

• These chapters cover a speech given by Jacob to the Nephites about Christ

2 Nephi 6-8

• Mostly contain the writings of Isaiah. Why?

• Nephi asked him to (2 Ne. 6:4)

• Isaiah's words apply to all the house of Israel (2 Ne. 6:5)

• Isaiah is a witness of Christ (2 Ne. 11:2)

• According to these writings of Isaiah, what are some of the things the Savior does for us?

• He delivers us (2 Ne. 6:17; 7:2)

• He redeems us (2 Ne. 7:2)

• He comforts us (2 Ne. 8:3, 12)

• He's a light for us (2 Ne. 8:4)

• He judges us (2 Ne. 8:4-5)

• He saves us (2 Ne. 8:5-6)

• He is able to do all of this for us, and much more, because of his atonement

2 Nephi 9

• This chapter has three general parts, which model a good way to teach nearly any lesson

• Doctrine (2 Ne. 9:4-20)

• Application (2 Ne. 9:21-38)

• Invitation (practically begging) (2 Ne. 9:39-52)

• Our problem (2 Ne. 9:6-9)

• Left to ourselves, all of us are hopelessly lost

• Our bodies would die and be lost to us forever (2 Ne. 9:7)

• Our spirits would be corrupted by the devil and we would become just like him (2 Ne. 9:8-9)

• These are natural consequences of living in this fallen world (2 Ne. 9:6)

• We are subject to two deaths (2 Ne. 9:10)

• Physical death: The separation of our spirit from our body

• Spiritual death (also called hell): Our separation from God

• What the Savior personally did to save us (2 Ne. 9:5, 21)

• He came and dwelled with us as one of us

• He suffered every pain and affliction of all people of all time

• He sacrificed his own life on our behalf

• The results of the Savior's atonement (2 Ne. 9:11-16)

• All will be resurrected, both physically and spiritually (2 Ne. 9:11-12)

• All will be restored to their perfect state (2 Ne. 9:13-14)

• All will be brought into God's presence for judgement (2 Ne. 15-16)

• These things demonstrate God's character

• His wisdom, mercy, and grace (2 Ne. 9:8, 19)

• His goodness (2 Ne. 9:10)

• His planning (foresight) (2 Ne. 9:13)

• His greatness and justice (2 Ne. 9:17)

• His holiness and knowledge (2 Ne. 9:20)

• Our requirements to be judged righteous

• Believe in Christ (2 Ne. 9:18)

• Endure the crosses of the world (2 Ne. 9:18)

• Hearken to His voice (2 Ne. 9:21)

• Repent, be baptized, have faith (2 Ne. 9:23)

• Be spiritually minded (2 Ne. 9:39)

• Feast upon that which perisheth not (2 Ne. 9:51)

• Remember the words of God (2 Ne. 9:52)

• Pray continually (2 Ne. 9:52)

• None of us can do all of this all of the time, but we should never stop trying

• Warnings (2 Ne. 9:27-38)

• Don't waste your time on Earth (2 Ne. 9:27)

• Don't put learning or riches ahead of God (2 Ne. 9:28-30)

• Don't be spiritually blind or deaf (2 Ne. 9:31-32)

• Don't be uncircumcised of heart (2 Ne. 9:33)

• Don't lie, murder, commit whoredoms, or worship idols (2 Ne. 9:34-37)

• Don't die in your sins! (2 Ne. 9:38)

2 Nephi 10

• What the atonement does for us as individuals, it also does for Israel as a people

• They will reject Christ (sin) (2 Ne. 10:3)

• They will suffer and lose the land of their inheritance (death) (2 Ne. 10:6)

• They will come to believe in Christ (repentance) (2 Ne. 10:7)

• They will be restored to their land (resurrection) (2 Ne. 10:8)

• Concluding words (2 Ne. 10:23-24)

• Be cheerful

• We're free to act for ourselves

• Reconcile ourselves to the will of God, not to the will of flesh

• It is only in and through the grace of God that we are saved

Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Lesson 7: 2 Nephi 3-5

2008-03-01T15:13:00.001-08:00

I was recently called as the Sunday School President for my ward. No sooner was I called, than our ward Gospel Doctrine instructor was given a Stake calling. As a result, until a new instructor is called, I get the privilege of teaching this class.

I couldn't have picked a better place to begin teaching this class. 2 Nephi is so chalked full of wonderful teachings, I just wish we had more than only 40 minutes a week to talk about them. At least on this blog I don't have the time constraints as I do in class.

The main theme of this lesson is "I Know in Whom I Have Trusted"

Introduction

• Lehi's party has now completed their journey to the new world and established their new home there, called "the Land of First Inheritance".

• Lehi is near death and is giving his final words of counsel and admonishment to his children and grandchildren

2 Nephi 3

• Lehi now addresses his youngest son, Joseph

• This chapter talks about four men named Joseph whose lives span some 3500 years

• Joseph of Egypt

• Joseph, son of Lehi

• Joseph Smith, Sr.

• Joseph Smith, Jr.

• Why do you think Lehi thought it was so important to spend so much time talking about Joseph in Egypt?

• "Great were the covenants of the Lord which he made unto Joseph." (2 Ne. 3:4)

• "He truly prophesied concerning all his seed." (2 Ne. 4:2)

• Great example of how the Lord takes care of those but their trust in him

• Demonstrates how the Lord is always in control and guides his work throughout history

• What were some of the promises made by Joseph of old?

• A righteous branch to come from him, but not the Messiah (2Ne. 3:5)

• As seer will be raised up from the fruit of his loins (2 Ne. 3:6-8)

• The knowledge of God's covenants will be restored (2 Ne. 3:7)

• The power to convince others of the Lord's word (2 Ne. 3:11)

• Book of Mormon (2 Ne. 3:12)

• Confounds false doctrines

• Lays down contention

• Establishes peace

• Brings the knowledge of the fathers to the latter days

• Brings the knowledge of the covenants

• The seer will be named Joseph, and have the same name as his father (2 Ne. 3:15)

• All of these great promises will be realized through faith (2 Ne. 3:21)

2 Nephi 4

• Children of Laman and Lemuel promised that the Lord won't forget their descendants, but will in time restore them to the truth (2 Ne. 4:3-9)

• Lehi dies (2 Ne. 4:12)

• "Psalm of Nephi" (2 Ne. 4:15-35) [A beautiful musical rendition of these scriptures can be found here (Lyrics: John Tanner, Music: Sibelius, Arrangement: Ronald Staheli)]

• Probably gives the best insight to the heart and mind of a righteous man of all scripture

• Provides a four step process to continually draw nearer to the Lord

• Step 1 - Learn God's commandments (2 Ne. 4:15-16)

• Scriptures

• Words of the living prophets (D&C 1:38)

• Whisperings of the Holy Ghost (D&C 68:4)

• Step 2 - Recognize your inability to live up to your knowledge (2 Ne. 4:17-19)

• The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matt. 26:41)

• Step 3 - Maintain trust and hope in the Lord (2 Ne. 4:19-29)

• This is a critical juncture, the other option is to fall into misery and despair

• Remember all that the Lord has already done for you (D&C 6:22-23)

• Step 4 - Depend on the Lord's strength, not your own (2 Ne. 4:30-35)

• "Nephi's Prayer"

• You must do what you can do, but depend on the Lord to make up for what you can't do (due to weak flesh or otherwise)

2 Nephi 5

• While Nephi's anger caused his heart to turn to the Lord for forgiveness and strength, Laman's and Lemuel's anger caused their hearts to turn to murder (2 Ne. 5:2-3)

• The Lord warned Nephi to leave with those who would go with him (2 Ne. 5:5-6)

• Because of Nephi's trust and faithfulness in the Lord his people were given the chance to live "after the manner of happiness" (2 Ne. 5:27)

Conclusion

• The Lord is faithful to those who follow him, and we can put our full faith and confidence in him

• The examples of Joseph of Egypt and on through Joseph Smith, Jr. demonstrate how the Lord's promises will always be fulfilled

• "Nephi's Psalm" shows us how we can always trust in the Lord's help and forgiveness despite our own failings and weaknesses

• As we are faithful to the Lord, we can trust that He will also protect and guide us in our temporal, as well as spiritual, well being

TOPOTC: Joseph Smith - Lesson 2

2008-02-10T12:50:00.000-08:00

I was asked to teach the lesson in Priesthood Meeting today which was the second chapter in the Joseph Smith book. One thing I learned (or was reminded of) by teaching this lesson is how hard it is to put a good lesson together. Unlike the Sunday School curriculum, there's no lesson outline, only various quotes generally grouped topically. It takes a lot to turn that into something interesting with a good flow.

My goal with this lesson was to mostly lead a discussion on this week's topic, God the Eternal Father (after all, there really wasn't much I could add to what the members of the class already knew). I think there were mixed results, but there were times when the Spirit was definitely there. That is the most important since the Spirit can teach so much more (and so much better) than I ever can.

These are the questions I tried to use to lead the conversation:

1) Why is it important to talk about God?

2) How can we know God exists?

3) How is God our father?

4) What are some of God’s attributes?

5) How does knowing who God is affect our relationship with him?

6) How does our view of God differ from other churches?

7) What is God the Father’s role in he godhead?

8) What kind of example does the unity of the Godhead show us?

I think the questions that were most effective in bringing the Spirit were the fifth and eighth. Maybe that was because those are the ones that affect us most personally. Someone in the class shared an experience about how God helped him through a divorce. In a way it was like the story in the Book of Mormon where Nephi and his brothers were told to go get the Brass Plates. Whatever they did with their own efforts were futile, but by relying completely on God for his help they were successful. Often we are put in situations where we are at a complete loss of what to do. If we simply put our complete faith in trust of the outcome to him, then simply do whatever thing he wants us to do right now, our success is assured.

As for question eight, I think that really points to the end goal of the gospel. If we are living the gospel so that one day we can become like God, that means more than possessing similar power and glory. We need to learn to become one with each other, in families and wards, in the same way the Godhead is one. We each need to learn and act our part, while completely helping and supporting others with their part. Ultimately, the goal is that all of us be one with the Godhead in the same way they are one with each other. Often, I think it's better to think of salvation and exaltation in collective terms instead of individual terms.

But above all, I absolutely know that there is a God. He has touched my heart and helped me in ways that I cannot deny. I know He loves me and will help and guide me to the extent I allow Him. I pray I may do more to follow His guidance and direction, and emulate His goodness and righteousness. Not just for my sake, but more for the sake of my family and those around me. It's quite literally the least I can do to show Him my gratitude for all He's already done for me.

One Latter-Day Saint's View on Politics

2008-02-05T20:40:00.001-08:00

Once again I find myself wandering into the world of politics on this blog. I have no intention in making this a regular occurrence, but with us being in the midst of a presidential election where Mormonism has played a significant role, I'd like to share some of my thoughts on the matter. Specifically I'd like to discuss the part my religion plays in informing and shaping my political view and outlook.

I think I grew up in the typical conservative LDS household. I was taught from a young age the importance of faith in God, self reliance, individual liberty, personal responsibility and accountability, selfless service, community spirit, and respect for the law. I was also taught that the US Constitution was an inspired document (D&C 101:80) and that America is the land of promise, but that God will only bless and protect us as long as we worship Him and keep His commandments (Ether 2:9-12).

Because of my upbringing, I've come to identify myself mostly with the conservative movement, and hence the Republican Party which is home to that movement. However I've never felt completely comfortable labeling myself as a "Conservative" or a "Republican" (I generally chafe at any kind of pigeonholing.) Instead I view myself as a son of God who has been given certain blessings and responsibilities.

One of those blessings is to live in a free country where we enjoy the privilege of self rule (extremely remarkable when you look at the governments found throughout human history.) The associated responsibility is to seek out and uphold good, honest, and wise men as our leaders (D&C 98:10). My primary concern is that my selections are based on true principles that are in harmony with the Lord's revealed gospel. Party association or loyalty are secondary.

Once I have fulfilled my responsibility by participating in the political process, I feel the rest is left in God's hands. Since God is ultimately in control I really have no fear over whatever the outcome. While it is true that "when the wicked rule the people mourn" (D&C 98:9) the Lord has consistently promised to help and preserve those who honor and serve Him (1 Ne 22:17). As a result, how we live day-to-day may play a bigger role in the success of this country than who is in office at any given time. In short, I put more faith and confidence in the Lord's help and protection (as long as I fulfill my duties and obligations towards Him) than in the government's.

After all, the scriptures are full of passages that refer to the eventual wickedness and destruction of all the governments of the earth in the last days (for example, see 1 Ne. 14: 11-15 and D&C 87:6). While it's definitely not something that's nice to think about, if you believe in the revelations, you must admit that it's all a part of God's plan for the world. I don't believe these scriptures were given to scare us, but to prepare us for when the eventual day does come.

In the meantime I will continue to do what I can to promote what in my estimation is good government. While I fully understand the eventual situation leading up to the return of the Savior, I chose to remain optimistic about what lies ahead. There is still so much to appreciate and cherish of the marvelous time in which we live.

New First Presidency

2008-02-05T20:17:00.000-08:00

Now that the First Presidency has been reorganized, I want to send my best regards to President Monson, President Eyring, and President Uchtdorf. They'll wholeheartedly get my sustaining vote this coming Conference, not to mention my family's prayers in their behalf. I'm absolutely confident the affairs of the Church are in good hands.

As a side note, I've updated the Apostle Info in the side bar to reflect these recent changes. Once the new apostle is called, I'll add his information as soon as I get it.

Final Thoughts About President Hinckley

2008-02-02T18:45:00.000-08:00

After watching the funeral of President Hinckley today, I wanted to pay my last respects to this great man. The more I learn about him through the reminisces of others, the more in awe I become of him. His selfless service, humility, dedication, work ethic, good humor, optimism, and faith are an example to all. While I'm sure he had his faults (none that I could see), he was truly the kind of role model people wish we had more of today.

I'll admit that tears flowed freely at the conclusion of the memorial service when the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need" during a video montage of his life. It was weird, but they were tears of sadness and happiness at the same time—sadness over the fact we'll never see his smile or listen to him speak again, but happiness and gratitude for what he left behind. Not only the Church, but the world is a better place because he was here.

One thing that struck me was how much more his passing affected me than that of the other Prophets I've known who preceded him. I was only 11 when President Kimball died, and while I recognized him as the Prophet, I think I was too young to have developed much of bond to him. When President Benson passed, he had been sick and out of the limelight for so long I think I mostly felt relief that he no longer had to suffer the effects of old age. Then President Hunter came and went so quickly there wasn't any time to develop much of a bond with him. But through all of that, in both sickness and health of the Prophets, President Hinckley was there assuring us that the Lord was still and always directing the church according to His will.

As long as I can remember, he has been the consistent face of steady Church leadership. While I knew he was old, it rarely ever showed. When he passed on, it was without much warning. Suddenly that consistent face of Church leadership was gone. While I know the Church is still in good hands (President Monson has now served longer as an Apostle and in the First Presidency than President Hinckley had when he became the President) I can't help but miss his presence. While this day was inevitable, it simply seemed to come too soon.

So with the rest of the Church, I hail you President Hinckley:

God be with you till we meet again;

Keep love's banner floating o'er you;

Smite death's threat'ning wave before you.

God be with you till we meet again.

Till we meet, tell we meet,

Till we meet at Jesus' feet,

Till we meet, tell we meet,

God be with you till we meet again.

[Just in case you haven't seen it yet, here's another tribute to President Hinckley from Glenn Beck.]

Reminisces About President Hinckley

2008-01-28T20:19:00.000-08:00

In a way I'm still finding it hard to believe that President Hinckley is no longer with us. I knew he couldn't last forever, but I sure was pulling for him to become the oldest apostle of our dispensation (Elder Haight has him beat by 4 months). Seeing how well he was able to maintain his health well into his nineties, I thought there was even a good chance for him to make it to 100. Obviously, the Lord had other plans for him.

I vividly remember last General Conference when he ended it by saying: "Now the conference is adjourned for six months. We look forward to seeing you again next April. I’m 97, but I hope I’m going to make it." I couldn't help but have the same hope. While he didn't make it to next conference, I feel very privileged to have been able to hear him speak only two weeks ago at our multi-Stake Conference. At that time, I noticed he looked very frail. His suit looked like it was swallowing him, but he still gave a powerful talk. I'll always be grateful for being able to hear him one last time.

I can't say that I've ever had the privilege of meeting him in person. In fact I can only think of a few occasions when I even saw him in person. The first time was at the dedication of the Las Vegas temple. The first dedicatory session was reserved for Las Vegas's Church leaders (Bishoprics, Stake Presidencies, High Councilors, Patriarchs, and such) and their wives. While my parents were invited to attend that session, I was assigned to help direct traffic in the parking lot. Soon before the session started, I mentioned to my father how much I would have liked to attend that session. At that he went and asked our Stake President if I would be able to squeeze in. He agreed and filled out an admissions ticket for me on the spot.

I joined my parents in the lobby of the temple where they were seated, so I was probably only about 30 feet from the entrance when the entire First Presidency came in dressed all in white. Even today, just over 18 years later I can still remember the overwhelming Spirit that accompanied them (my mother almost immediately started to cry, and I nearly did as well.) This is a memory I'l cherish throughout my life.

The second time I saw President Hinckley in person was when I was at the Missionary Training Center. He was coming to dedicate the new gym and auditorium and I was waiting outside in line to enter. This time he passed no more than three feet from me. I remember thinking that he looked rather ragged and tired (I think he had just come in from an overseas flight), but under all of that you could still feel his Spirit and know he was a man of God.

Those are the times I can remember that I've been nearest to him. (I did attend a devotion or two while at BYU where he spoke, but at those times I was clear up in the nose-bleed seats.) Whenever I've seen him, whether in person or on TV, I couldn't help but feel uplifted and encouraged by his presence. He truly was a great example of how to be a disciple of Christ. If I could be only half the man he was, I feel I'd be doing fairly well.

One last reminisce is about how he was a direct influence on a major decision of my life. It was my last year of college and I was planning on following it up with some graduate work. At the October General Conference of that year he gave a powerful talk on the importance of getting out of debt. As a college student I was deeply in debt and I knew that going directly to graduate school would only further my debt. Instead, I decided to enter active duty in the military after graduation.

It took me nearly four years to pay off all my debts, but no sooner did that happen than I found the woman of my dreams. When we were married I was practically debt free which gave us a much better start for our marriage than we would have otherwise had. I have no idea how things would have turned out if I had disregarded President Hinckley's advise to get out of debt as soon as possible, but I feel I am much better off for it.

President Hinckley will be dearly missed. He left an impact on innumerable lives, and I'm sure his influence will continue to be felt for years. "We thank thee, O God, for a Prophet to guide us in these latter days....We feel it a pleasure to serve thee, and love to obey thy command."

Passing of President Hinckley

2008-01-27T20:05:00.000-08:00

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of President Hinckley as they morn his passing. He was a great prophet and leader, and he will be sorely missed by the whole Church.

We also pray for President Monson as he now assumes the mantle as Prophet and President of the Church. May the Lord, the true head of the Church, continue to guide and bless the Church through His new Prophet.

Two Levels of Right and Wrong

2008-01-27T14:18:00.000-08:00

I have often heard debates about whether or not there is any absolute standard of right and wrong. This may be an over simplification, but one side seems to claim that what's right is right, what's wrong is wrong, and it applies to all people at all times. The other side is more prone to claim that what's right and wrong depends on the situation, time, and people with no (or very few) absolute standards. This argument seems to mostly come up in religious vs. secular discussions.

Another example of this kind of dichotomy is the contrast between legalism and license (not to be confused with licentiousness). Legalism is the view where your status with God depends on your ability to follow God's commandments, laws, and ordinances. License (sometimes referred to as liberty) holds the view that your standing with God depends less on what you do, but is mostly based on where your heart is. This issue seems to pop up mostly in the faith vs. works debates between different churches such as Evangelicalism and Mormonism.

A similar discussion involves defining Iron Rod Mormons vs. Liahona Mormons (also see here). Iron Rod Mormons are those who view the gospel as taught by the scriptures and General Authorities to be a sure path, while the Liahona Mormons tend to view Church teachings more as guidelines to help them figure out their own path. Among LDS themed blogs I've seen this distinction made over and over again.

I am no philosopher or theologian and don't believe I'm qualified to speak of these issues in any more depth than I already have (and I'm most likely already in over my head), but I do feel qualified to speak on how I view all of this. One problem I've always had in choosing which side I feel is more correct is that it seemed both sides were true in some respect or other. While I've always more closely identified with the absolute-right-and-wrong-legalistic-iron-rod side of things, I've also always seen lots of value in the other side. In a way I felt someway at odds between these two different positions.

Recently, I've noticed in the scriptures places where both sides are featured. As a result, I'm coming more to the conclusion that these are actually false dichotomies. It's not an either or proposition, but both are important and correct within their own respective spheres of influence. I've come to refer to this insight as "The Two Levels of Right and Wrong." While I may be late in coming to this realization, I'd still like to share what I've learned. In future posts I'll go into more detail about what all of this actually means (don't want to turn these posts into novels after all).

Stay tuned.

NV Caucus Experience

2008-01-20T23:39:00.000-08:00

I debated whether or not to post about my experience at the Nevada Republican Caucus this past weekend. The intent of this blog is to discuss the LDS Church and the gospel, so wandering off into other areas (especially politics) could be a big distraction from this purpose. In the end I decided to go with the post since the Church does actively encourage members to participate in the political process, even though the Church itself remains completely neutral (see here). Also, seeing how this was the first Nevada primary caucus in who knows how long, I thought it would be interesting to describe what happened there. (Besides, I can always delete this post if it ends up distracting too much from the main purpose of the blog.)

So I know you're asking, "Wait a minute, you're living in California. How could your have participated in the Nevada Caucus?" The answer is quite simple: I'm in the military and can maintain my home residency, including voter registration, where I grew up. In my case, that is Las Vegas. Since you must actually attend the caucus in order to have any say, I decided to go ahead and drive the four hours to my old stomping grounds. Since my wife has a friend who just recently moved to Las Vegas that she hadn't seen in years, this trip ended up working out for the whole family.

The caucus itself started at 9:00 am on Saturday at my old high school (I should probably call it my new high school since it has changed so much with new construction; I could hardly recognize it.) Everyone met in the cafeteria to sign in and gather as precincts. All was organized by 9:30 when we split off into different classrooms to caucus within our own precinct.

Once on our own we elected a precinct Captain (turned out to be pretty easy since we simply let the person who organized us in the cafeteria remain the Captain) and while we were supposed to elect a precinct secretary, there were so few of us (14 in all) we just let it slide and the Captain mostly took care of those duties. Next came selection of delegates to the County Convention in February. Our precinct was allocated two delegates, and since only two people volunteered, it was a very easy selection. Two others volunteered to be alternates, so picking those were also very easy.

Everyone was then given the opportunity to make suggestions for the party platform. These suggestions were simply written on pieces of paper and collected at the end. Since everyone gets a say in the platform, there was no need to vote on them, or even read them aloud.

Finally we got to the presidential candidate preference poll. Before voting, time was given for a representative of each candidate to explain in two minutes or less why we should vote for that candidate. However, only the Mitt Romney supporters had anything prepared, so that's all we heard. Then everyone filled out their ballot, the ballots were collected, and the Captain counted and announced the results. After that we were done. All the materials (including the selected delegates and alternates, party platform suggestions, and poll results) were returned to the caucus organizers and that was that. We finished around 10:00 am.

I found this whole process to be very interesting, but I can see why primaries are used more often than caucuses. Not only are they simpler for the participants, I think they are also more fair. For instance, there were a few people who got there late and were not allowed to participate. It also discriminates against those who simply can't attend due to other commitments (I'm sure I wouldn't have gone if I lived much further away.) On the other hand, it was nice to be able to get together as neighbors to participate in the political process. In that way it was kind of fun.

So what were the results of our poll? Well, since you asked, it ended up 13 for Mitt Romney, 1 for Ron Paul. (Obviously it was a Mitt Romney neighborhood.) One other item of note was that Matt Romney was there rooting for his Dad. I got the chance to shake his hand, but didn't have my camera with me. Oh well.

90-Stake Conference

2008-01-13T17:06:00.000-08:00

This weekend all of the Stakes in Southern California had Stake Conferences that included a satellite broadcast from Salt Lake City. The broadcast was presided by President Hinckley and included talks by him as well as Daniel K. Judd, 1st Counselor in the General Sunday School Presidency; Elaine S. Dalton, 1st Counselor in the General Young Women's Presidency; L. Whitney Clayton of the Seventy; and Robert D. Hales of the Twelve.

The General theme of the conference seemed to be taken from 1 Cor. 15: 58–"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (see also Mosiah 5: 15) All of the speakers at the local Saturday evening adult session spoke on this scripture, and that also seemed to be the general thrust of the talks by Elder Judd, Sister Dalton, and Elder Clayton on Sunday.

Elder Judd specifically talked about the power of the gospel to change and improve lives. He used a convert from his mission as an example. This person came from a difficult neighborhood and his family was completely against him joining the church. However he persisted in the gospel and 23 years later looked up Elder Judd in Utah when he took his son to the MTC. While this young man didn't have much support from friends and family he did have support from the Savior (3 Ne. 22: 10) and local Church members. Elder Judd highlighted the importance of getting and retaining the Holy Ghost and noted that the Church is a hospital for saints and sinners.

Sister Dalton noted the faith and dedication of the youth throughout all the world. For example, in some countries youth will work all week just so they can earn the bus money to attend church on Sunday. While all of us need to decide for ourselves the best way to live our lives, she said a scripture that has always helped her in making decisions was 1 Sam. 2: 30 that says in part, "for them that honour me I will honour." Blessings always come from following God's commandments.

Elder Clayton's talk was about the importance of keeping our central baptismal covenant: obeying God and keeping his commandments. He used the kudzu plant as an analogy. This plant has many beneficial properties, and was once promoted for use as a forage crop and for ornamentation, but in the southeast United States it has grown out of control and is now viewed as a pest weed. Once it has taken hold of an area it's very difficult to root out and eliminate, and it blocks sunlight to choke out other plants in the area. Neglecting our baptismal covenants will allow worldly influences produce the same effect in our spiritual lives. Elder Clayton had three suggestions to keep us from being overtaken by this "spiritual kudzu".

   1. Observe the Sabbath day
   2. Work at keeping our minds clean
   3. Avoid giving only half-hearted attention to our family life

Elder Hales spoke on family preparedness, which I found interesting since I recently gave a lesson on the same topic. (For what it's worth, I think he did a much better job than I did, which should serve to illustrate why he's the apostle and I'm not.) Using the recent wildfires in southern California as an example he explained why "if ye are prepared ye shall not fear." (D&C 38: 30) He gave 4 steps to family temporal preparation based off of the pamphlet All is Safely Gathered in: Family Food Storage. (Also see here)

   1. Gradually build up a 3-month supply of food you regularly use
   2. Store drinking water
   3. Establish a financial reserve
   4. Build up a long term supply of stables like grains and legumes

As for spiritual preparation he talked about the importance of taking upon us the name of Christ and keeping his commandments. He also gave a three step plan for doing this.

   1. Be worthy to partake of the Sacrament
   2. Pay an honest tithing
   3. Attend the temple regularly

Overall he stressed the importance of always having the Spirit with us.

Finally we heard from Pres. Hinckley. He took us in a different direction than the other speakers. He talked about the many thousands of letters he gets from women who are discouraged about their lives and have little hope for their future, in this life or the next. They ask, "is all I have to look forward to is being barefoot and pregnant?" He emphatically stated that he strongly disliked that charactiture of our women. While the Church does talk about the importance of "multiplying and replenishing the earth" and "having joy and rejoicing in our posterity" the church leaves the number and timing of the children to the couple. While he also acknowledges that life is difficult with many setbacks and detours, he said that the trick is to learn to enjoy the journey as companions. He gave four suggestions to establish a nurturing home.

   1. Mutual respect–husbands and wives shouldn't try to change each other, but accept and cherish each other for who they are: equal partners in the family
   2. Soft answer–our communication should be meek, gentle, and uplifting
   3. Financial honesty–finances tend to be the biggest reason for divorce, so couples should never hide finances from each other, work together to establish a budget, and never make any major purchases without first discussing it between them
   4. Family prayer–developing the habit of always praying as a family will bring the family closer together

So that was the gist of the conference. Nothing new or groundbreaking, but all good things to remember. The biggest question is whether or not our lives will change much because of it, or if it will simply be quickly forgotten. I hope more of the former than the latter, but only time will tell.

Be Prepared

2008-01-12T13:23:00.000-08:00

With December 30th being the 5th Sunday of that month, Priesthood and Relief Society met together for the third hour. I was asked to teach the lesson for this meeting with the topic being spiritual and temporal preparation. Here is the general outline of the lesson I prepared:

I. Introduction

A. January is named after the Roman god Janus

B. Images of Janus show him with two faces, one looking forward and the other backwards

C. With the New Year approaching, it's a good time to look back on how this past year has gone, and forward to how we would like the new year to go

II. Looking back at 2007

A. How well did you do at accomplishing what you set out to do?

B. Do you feel pleased with how things went, or do you have regrets?

C. Are you discouraged or motivated to move forward?

D. Even our discouragements should motivate us to improve and continue moving forward

1. 2 Cor. 7: 9-10—Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

2. Ether 12: 27—And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

3. D&C 64: 33—Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.

III. Looking forward to 2008 and beyond (D&C 1: 12—Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh;)

A. Is the Lord really nigh?

1. Nigh means near, close, or almost

2. How near is the Lord?

3. Similar words have been used for thousands of years

a. Luke 10: 9—And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

b. Alma 5: 50—Yea, thus saith the Spirit: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand; yea, the Son of God cometh in his glory, in his might, majesty, power, and dominion. Yea, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, that the Spirit saith: Behold the glory of the King of all the earth; and also the King of heaven shall very soon shine forth among all the children of men. [emphasis added]

4. Do we sometimes become complacent with these warnings?

5. We must always remember that while the Savior's return may still be a long way off (as well as right around the corner), we may still be "called back home" at any time and we must always be prepared for that eventuality

B. "Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come"

1. Why do we need to prepare ourselves?

a. It gives us a sense of security (D&C 38: 30—I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear. [emphasis added])

b. It's a commandment (D&C 38: 40—And again, I say unto you, I give unto you a commandment, that every man, both elder, priest, teacher, and also member, go to with his might, with the labor of his hands, to prepare and accomplish the things which I have commanded. [emphasis added])

2. What do we need to prepare?

a. Spiritual Preparation—Put on the Armor of God (D&C 27: 15-18—Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, which I have sent mine angels to commit unto you; Taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my Spirit, which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you, and be agreed as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me, and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be caught up, that where I am ye shall be also. Amen. [emphasis added])

b. Mental and Intellectual Preparation (D&C 88: 74-80—And I give unto you, who are the first laborers in this last kingdom, a commandment that you assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare yourselves, and sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and your feet before me, that I may make you clean; That I may testify unto your Father, and your God, and my God, that you are clean from the blood of this wicked generation; that I may fulfil this promise, this great and last promise, which I have made unto you, when I will. Also, I give unto you a commandment that ye shall continue in prayer and fasting from this time forth. And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom. Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand; Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you. [emphasis added])

c. Temporal Preparation (Food supply, get out of debt, emergency preparedness, healthy food and exercise, etc.)

3. With so much to prepare, and only so much time available to us, how do we set our priorities?

a. 3 Ne. 13: 33—But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

b. D&C 82: 19—Every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God.

IV. Conclusion

A. We must always remember that what we are asked of by Christ, is minor compared to everything he has already done for us (Rom. 5: 6-11, 6: 3-13—For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement....Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.)

B. [Bear testimony]

C. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen

Useful Files Explanation

2008-01-11T23:17:00.000-08:00

Over on the sidebar I've linked to a couple of Excel files I've made. I've found them to be useful and I hope you do too.

The first file contains some information on all of the men who have served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in this dispensation. (Sorry, nothing on those who were ordained Apostles but were never given a place in the Quorum.) This file is a workbook with two sheets. The first sheet lists the currently serving Apostles, their date of birth, date of ordination as an Apostle, age at ordination, current age, and length of time served. It also averages those last three fields.

The second sheet lists all the Apostles since 1835, and in addition to the information above, it lists the date they were "released" (either through death or excommunication) and who they replaced. Some of the names are coded the following way:

• Black Bold: President of the Church

• Green Bold: First Counselor in First Presidency

• Blue Bold: Second Counselor in First Presidency

• Italicized: Non-Apostles preceded the Apostle who eventually "replaced" him

• Underlined: New Apostle was called prior to his "release"

The second file is a schedule I worked out on how to read the entire Standard Works in one year. (It assumes a non-leap year so you get a day off in leap years like 2008.) I made it so it could be printed on one 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of paper for easy reference.

If you find any errors or have any suggestions for improvement with these files, let me know in the comments. Enjoy!

Update-20 Jan 2008

There were some problems with accessing these files, but I was able to fix it by using Google Docs. However, Google Docs came with its own issues. For example, during the process of uploading these files, some of the cell formatting, such as column width, was changed. That means the one page Scripture Reading Schedule may not print on just one page unless you do some adjusting first.

In any case, I hope this works better than before. As always, feel free to leave any suggestions on how I can make it better.

Radiating the Joy of the Gospel In Our Lives

2008-01-11T17:58:00.000-08:00

This is a talk I gave in Sacrament Meeting Last November. I was asked to base it on Elder Ballard's talk from General Conference, "Faith, Family, Facts, and Fruit". Instead of just reiterating his talk, I decided to mostly expand on one point he made in the talk:

"We should also remember that sometimes the best way to answer people’s interest can be by how we live, how we radiate the joy of the gospel in our lives, how we treat others, and how sincerely we follow the teachings of Christ."

Below is the outline I prepared for my talk.

• This is an exciting time in which to live as we see prophesy being fulfilled as the Church grows (D&C 1: 30—And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually— [emphasis added])

• Church is definitely coming out of obscurity as can be seen by all the national attention it’s received over the past few years

• 1997—150^th anniversary of the westward trek across the plains

• 2002—Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City

• 2007—Prominent presidential candidacy of a member who is constantly called the “Mormon Candidate” by the media

• Some would like it better without this attention since some of it is negative, but this was never meant to be the case (1 Peter 3: 15—But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:)

• Last conference Elder Ballard gave some advise on how to be ready

• Difference between interest and curiosity

• For those who are interested, refer them to the missionaries

• For those who are curious best to have some simple talking points prepared—Facts, Faith, Family, Fruits along with the Articles of Faith

• “We should also remember that sometimes the best way to answer people’s interest can be by how we live, how we radiate the joy of the gospel in our lives, how we treat others, and how sincerely we follow the teachings of Christ.”

• How well do we “radiate the joy of the gospel in our lives”?

• This seems to echo Alma’s questions (Alma 5: 6, 14-15, 26-27—And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, you that belong to this church, have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of your fathers? Yea, and have you sufficiently retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering towards them? And moreover, have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance that he has delivered their souls from hell?... And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?... And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now? Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins?)

• Once someone has walked in the light of Christ, but cannot feel it now why not?

• 2 Nephi 28: 30—For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.

• D&C 84: 49-54—And the whole world lieth in sin, and groaneth under darkness and under the bondage of sin. And by this you may know they are under the bondage of sin, because they come not unto me. For whoso cometh not unto me is under the bondage of sin. And whoso receiveth not my voice is not acquainted with my voice, and is not of me. And by this you may know the righteous from the wicked, and that the whole world groaneth under sin and darkness even now. And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—

• Sin is the willful disobedience of God’s commandments.

• The commandments of God and sin are directly opposed

• Can only do one or the other

• God cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance (Alma 45: 16, D&C 1: 31)

• No unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of God (1 Nephi 15: 34, 3 Nephi 27: 19)

• All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3: 23)

• Left to our own merits we will be punished for our sins (Mosiah 2: 33—For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth to obey that [evil] spirit; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own soul; for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment, having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge.)

• On our own we are hopelessly lost (2 Nephi 9: 8-9—For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more. And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself;)

• God has “prepared a more excellent way” (Ether 12: 11)

• Jesus answered the ends of the law (2 Nephi 2: 7—Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.)

• We must repent and be baptized (2 Nephi 9: 23—And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God.)

• This redeems us from the punishments for our sins, but we have not yet been delivered from the power of sin over our flesh

• This deliverance from the power of sin comes from enduring in faith to the end of our lives (2 Nephi 31: 16—And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.)

• If we try to endure by our own strength we will fail

• We may fall back into our former way of life (Alma 24: 30—And thus we can plainly discern, that after a people have been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had great knowledge of things pertaining to righteousness, and then have fallen away into sin and transgression, they become more hardened, and thus their state becomes worse than though they had never known these things.)

• Or we may simply go along with the flow, trying to live in both worlds (Revelations 3: 15-16—[to the Laodiceans] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.)

• Or we will recognize the futility of our efforts and cry out with Paul “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7: 24) or with Nephi, “O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.” (2 Nephi 4: 17)

• We must do as Paul and Nephi did and depend wholly on the Spirit and God’s help

• Romans 8: 13-14—For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

• 2 Nephi 4: 30-35—O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation. O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin? May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road! O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy. O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm. Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. [emphasis added]

• thee, thou, or thy used 18 times!

• That is exactly what is meant to “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee” (Psalms 55: 22)

• Romans 12: 1-2—I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

• Matthew 11: 28-30—Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

• Sometimes we try to take on the Lord’s yoke without first casting our burden onto him

• That is a hard and heavy load indeed!

• We must always walk with an eye single to the glory of God (D&C 88: 67-68—And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things. Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.)

• As long as we always remember these promises we have made with the Lord and continually strive to walk with an eye single to his glory, then we will “radiate the joy of the Gospel in our lives”

• Let us follow the counsel of Elder Ballard and always be prepared to “tell a little about our Church” to those who are curious about or interested in the Church, but most especially let them be able to see “the hope that is in you” in how we live our lives

• [Bear testimony]

• In the name of Jesus Christ, amen

Perfecting the Saints

2008-01-05T10:02:00.000-08:00

In my ward on the first Sunday of each month, instead of breaking off into quorums, we break off into committees: Proclaim the Gospel, Perfect the Saints, and Redeem the Dead. This past November I was asked to give a quick 10 minute lesson on what it means to "Perfect the Saints" in the Perfect the Saints Committee. I thought it best to answer that question in the context of the gospel as a whole. Below is the outline I prepared for my lesson.

I. The Laws

A. The Law of God (Rom. 7:22)

1. Irrevocably declared in Heaven (D&C 130:20-21)

2. Only doers of the law are justified (Rom. 2:13)

3. God cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance (D&C 1:31)

4. We cannot be justified by this law (2 Ne. 2:5)

B. The Law of Sin (Rom. 7:23)

1. Opposed to Law of God (2 Ne. 2:11)

2. All follow this law to one extent or another (Rom. 3:23; Mosiah 16:3-4)

3. Natural man is enemy to God (Mosiah 16:5; 3:19)

4. Wages of sin is death (James 1:15; Rom. 6:23)

5. On our own, there's no hope (2 Ne. 9:8-9)

C. The Law of the Gospel (D&C 88:78)

1. More excellent way (Ether 12:11)

2. Christ freed us from sin and death (Rom. 8:2; Gal. 3:13; Mosiah 15:23)

a. Never violated Law of God (1 Pet. 1:19)

b. Suffered for our sins (D&C 45:3-5)

c. We can become one with Christ (D&C 35:2; John 17:19-23)

II. The Process (D&C 88:39)

A. Sin (Rom. 5:12)

B. Death (Alma 12:16)

C. Justification (D&C 20:30)

1. Faith in Christ (Enos 1:7-8)

2. Broken heart, contrite spirit (2 Ne. 2:7)

3. Repentance (2 Ne. 9:23-24)

4. Baptism (2 Ne. 31:13)

5. Gift of the Holy Ghost (3 Ne. 9:20)

D. Sanctification (D&C 20:31)

1. Endure to the end (2 Ne. 31:20)

2. Walk in the Spirit (Rom. 8:3-11, 14)

E. Exaltation (Glorification, Perfection) (D&C 132:22-23)

1. Joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17-18)

2. Receive all the Father has (D&C 14:7; 1 Cor. 2:9)

3. Become perfect (D&C 76:69)

III. What it means to be Saints

A. Cleanse the inner vessel (Alma 60:23)

1. Overcoming the power of sin (D&C 84:54-58)

2. Eye single to the Glory of God (D&C 88:67; 4:5)

3. How a Saint acts (Rom. 12:1-3, 9-21)

B. Strengthen your brethren (D&C 108:7; Luke 22:32)

1. Bear other's burdens (Gal 6:1-2; Mosiah 18:8-9)

2. Magnify the Priesthood (D&C 121:41-44)

As you might imagine I had to rush through the outline, and I still went over time. Still, I think it's a good overview of the central tenets of the gospel and our responsibilities once we accept it.

Welcome To My New Blog

2008-01-04T16:47:00.000-08:00

Hello world!

The purpose of this new blog is to give me some place of my own to join in on the conversation about my Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as Mormonism). While I have been thinking of starting my own LDS themed blog for a while, what pushed me over the edge was a recent talk by one of our apostles, Elder M. Russell Ballard, at BYU-Hawaii. He encouraged members to use the internet to let our voices be heard, and I wanted to do what I can in some small way to contribute.

For the most part I plan on using this blog to publish various talks or lessons I've given in church. I may also post various musing of my own on Mormonism, or comments on other articles or blogs out there on the web. We'll just have to see how things shape up over time.

As a final note, I feel compelled to state that everything I post on this blog is my own opinion and not necessarily the official doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the views of any other member for that matter. My views can only be considered correct to the degree with which they agree with Standard Works of the Church and the plain, consistent teachings of the Church's Prophets and Apostles. Any mistakes or errors are mine alone.

Welcome and I hope you can enjoy this little blog of mine.