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My wife and I have most recently been reading Truman G Madsen’s book entitled “Christ and the Inner Life.” This is a very good book and some of the concepts from it I’ve written about in previous posts.
I’ll share some quotes from the book that recently caught my attention:
I say to you that when he (Jesus) said to the woman of Samaria and to others, “He that believeth on me, shall never thirst”; I say to you that when on the cross he looked down and back, under the searing sun, and said, “I thirst,” he was reflecting both the promise and the need that all of us have. We, too, thirst until we ache. We, too, are living and dying on deserts.
A few paragraphs later, Madsen further concludes by saying:
May God help us to walk in the light; and, when we do not feel that we have it, to walk in the memory of it with integrity.
I thought it was interesting to note that Jesus, who had stated those who follow Him will never thirst was left alone and thirsted not only physically, but spiritually on the cross when he said “Father why hast thou forsaken me?” While his enemies scoffed and ridiculed him telling him to save himself. At this moment Jesus didn’t feel like he had the light anymore as His father had withdrawn himself from him. Jesus, who was all-powerful could have used his powers to save himself and destroy his enemies, but he didn’t because he had integrity. Jesus proved to be conquerer by holding on to the memory of the light he had felt and his mission and finished his mission with integrity.
How often do we feel like we’re alone in life? How often do we feel the darkness of sin, doubt, or discouragement and cry out to God and feel that we are yet alone? How often do we just simply not feel like walking with God, or doubt that He is there walking with us? What do we do when we feel that God has forsaken us?
I like what Madsen says about walking in the memory of the light. When all seems to be lost, the memories may be all that we have to rely on for a season.
First, we need to make sure we’re in the light. In a previous post, I shared ways to “plug” into the light throughy keeping the commandments and scripture study. I would add sincere prayer to this as well. We should continue to do these things even when we don’t feel like it because these are ways to stay in God’s light and feel His Holy Spirit.
Second, we need to remember. We’re probably all familiar with scriptures relating both those who remembered and those who forgot. I’ll share a few examples that come to mind.
Poor examples in the scriptures include: Laman and Lemuel in the Book of Mormon, King David and Solomon, the Isrealites during Moses’ time. In each of these individuals’ lives they had marvelous spiritual experiences. David and Laman and Lemuel both saw heavenly beings with their eyes. However due to negligence in keeping their eyes focused towards God, each of these individuals erred greatly and suffered because of it. A side note is to remember that repentance is always there for us, but the further we fall from God’s light and love, the harder it is to get back.
Good examples in the scriptures of those who remembered in spite of hardship and despair include: Paul, Nephi, Moroni, and Joseph Smith. There are of course numerous other examples, but these are the ones who come to mind.
In 2 Nephi 4, Nephi turns to God in prayer when he feels his strength slacken, Paul states numerous times in the Bible to count it a joy to suffer for the Lord and reflects on Jesus’ sacrifice to help him “stay the course”, Moroni refuses to deny Jesus despite the fact he is the last believer left in his world. Joseph Smith certainly wasn’t perfect by any means, but when times were hard and he felt like God wasn’t there for him anymore he didn’t give up on God, rather he turned to him in prayer and in turn received revelation.
There are numerous other means and ways given to us to remember God today. Temple attendance and partaking the sacrament (in the prayer we promise to “always remember Him”) are two more examples.
I know life probably isn’t easy for you, and it’s definitely not always easy for me. But I know that life would be much harder without God in my life and the belief I have in Jesus as well. As I’ve built memories with them, and try to further develop my relationship with them on a daily basis through scripture study and prayer as well as weekly partaking of the sacrament, I feel that life is much better. I also believe that when we develop these habits it makes it that much easier to look back on the good feelings and spiritual strength we receive gradually over time. In addition, when we don’t feel the Spirit for a season we realize our dependance on God and become grateful for His mercy.
When we’re down and don’t feel the light anymore I hope we can all remember to call upon God and keep walking in His light with integrity.
A couple months back I was reading the temple study blog and he had an excersize to find temple imagery in 2 Nephi chapter 4.
Recently I was reading in Hebrews as well as in Alma in the Book of Mormon and found some significant temple imagery as well. Here are some verses that stuck out to me:
These are very beautiful scriptures that are filled with temple imagery (garments washed white, the veil is represents Christ’s flesh, covenants, etc.). In addition scriptures such as Hebrews 9:5 talk about how there are certain things they can’t talk about regarding sacred things, just as LDS are told not to disclose certain sacred things about the temple. All throughout Hebrews is excellent temple imagery and is worth a good read.
In Hebrews chapters 6-10, Paul discusses the temple ordinances conducted in the Law of Moses and in chapter ten says that through the blood of Jesus we enter into the holiest and that the veil represents his flesh.
In Hebrews 9:12 it states that Jesus “entered into the holy place” and therefore obtained eternal redemption for us.
Having read this, one could argue that there isn’t a need for temple ordinances anymore because Jesus already died and this has replaced the need for a temple. Furthermore, if it is the blood of Jesus that saves us, what need is there for temple ordinances?
What are your thoughts on this?
Recently I wrote a post asking the question about what being a “Utah Mormon” means. I was surprised by the amount of visitors and controversy it stirred up. As stated in my purpose, it isn’t my intention to hurt anyone of any faith so in order to keep things light-hearted I thought I’d do something fun with the Utah Mormon thing to end the discussion on a positive note.
My father-in-law suggested a top ten list last night and I thought it would be fun. I’m going to have you help me with a top ten list. I have taken ten comments from readers of the post on Utah Mormon culture and will list them in random order. What I ask of you as a reader is to help me rank the top ten comments and in awhile I’ll share the results. In addition if you’d like to share any experiences or comments on any of these items, feel free to do so.
I have tons of relatives in Utah and I was born and have lived in Utah as well so for those of you in Utah I hope you realize that the term “Utah Mormon” is simply a stereotype that I’ve heard floating around out there and thought it would be fun to discuss. It isn’t my intention to hurt anyones feelings because heck, I’m probably a Utah Mormon myself!
O.k……(drum roll)….let’s get started!
What it Means to be a Utah Mormon Top Ten List
– I don’t know how to describe one, but I know one when I see one.
– “Utah Mormons” take Mormonism to the extreme
– “Utah Mormons” are characterized by their explicitives (Gosh!, Darn!, Heck!, and Fetch!)
– “Utah Mormons” think General Authorities are like rock stars (my wife loved this one…she shared with me an experience she had a BYU when some of her friends waited to see Elder Eyring and get their pictures and his autograph. When they came back they were pumped and going crazy…like you’d see at a rock concert 🙂
– “Utah Mormons” love green Jell-o
– Except for being on a mission, a Utah Mormon has never ventured outside of the “Mormon Corridor”
– “Utah Mormons” are nice, kind, and loving people
– “Utah Mormons” may take for granted what they have
– “Utah Mormons” are innocent in their knowledge of other faiths and/or cultures
– A “Utah Mormon” is someone who would be content living in Utah County all of their days
Because of the recent media on the Fundamentalist LDS group that “got busted” in Texas for abuse and polygamy the LDS church has made efforts to distance itself from this sect. Below is a recent interview with the LDS public affairs representative regarding the churches current stance on polygamy and how it wants the world to view the LDS church:
Polygamy is a huge issue and it is a great concern still for members of the LDS church. Some have concerns with polygamy and say the LDS church still “practices” polygamy in the sense that it is still a revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants section 132. In addition, people are still married in temples for eternity to spouses after one spouse passes away, so polygamy is technically still a part of LDS doctrine.
Depending on the Christian you speak with, they will either denounce or embrace polygamy. Generally speaking, the Christian world claims the Bible to be the only word of God. The Bible contains polygamy all throughout it’s text and depending on which Christian denomonation you speak with, they can argue for or against it. Here’s a christian website discussing the issue: http://www.gotquestions.org/polygamy.html. Here’s another website that has people, including pastors arguing for polygamy and that true Christianity should allow polygamy with other Christians arguing against it: http://www.answering-christianity.com/ntpoly.htm. As you can see in many cases interpretations of scripture are a matter of semantics as to whether God truly “approved” polygamy in the Bible or not and are up for interpretation.
Those who follow the LDS faith could have an easier time answering the polygamy question than their fellow Christians due to the fact they believe in modern, continuing revelation.
Joseph Smith stated “I have constantly said no man shall have but one wife at a time, unless the Lord directs otherwise.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 324). The LDS website also says polygamy isn’t allowed unless God directs it. Therefore, God can take away polygamy or ordain it through his prophets as he did through Nathan in the Bible (2 Samuel 12:8). Currently the LDS church doesn’t practice polygamy on grounds of a reveleation from a prophet named Wilford Woodruff that is contained in the Doctrine and Covenants in the “Official Declaration 1.”
However, there are still some questions that remain for both LDS christians and other Christians who believe in the Bible:
If the LDS church wants to take such a strong stance against polygamy, shouldn’t the church completely take it out of it’s doctrine, since it is still supported in D&C 132? Why or why not?
Also, if one is to consider himself/herself a true Christian, should they believe in polygamy because it is supported in the Bible? Why or why not?
Recently my wife and I spent some time in the Florida Keys. It was amazing and nice to get out of the cold Seattle weather.
One evening under a full moon, we decided to walk along the beach and enjoy the amazing smells and sounds of the ocean. We came upon a pier that went a few hundred yards out into the ocean and decided to venture out there. Upon arriving, we saw some local fishermen fishing off the dock. Suddenly one of them shouted “that’s a shark!” We ran over to the fishermen and sure enough…a little hammer-head looking shark had been reeled in. We all became instant friends as we talked with the fishermen about amazing stories of crocodiles, sharks, varieties of fish, life on the ocean, and hurricanes. I was intrigued by their comments…especially about hurricanes. They told me stories of huge hurricanes where the surge from the ocean was so huge that the island was covered with water and sharks were swimming in the streets.
Fishermen tend to be good story tellers, so I’m not claiming that everything they said was 100% accurate, but it was fun to listen to non-the-less.
After their conversation, I thought about the natural disasters we’ve had (flooding, etc.) in our part of the country recently and I thought about the prophet’s admonision to “prepare for a rainy day.” I wasn’t going to write about this until I read a post on the Millenial Star about the role of prophets. One of the comments mentioned something about preparing for a rainy day. I thought I’d share what my wife and I have been doing in order to plan and prepare for a disaster.
The LDS church is huge on planning and preparing for emergencies, getting finances in order, and many other things necessary for today’s uncertain economy. This website is great to educate yourself on how to plan and prepare: http://www.providentliving.org/welcome/0,10803,1653-1,00.html
In addition, I’ve found a great website to order food supplies, etc. We order something each month to add to our food storage. This website is awesome and has the lowest costs out of any that I’ve seen: www.beprepared.com. I think it is good to start with basic things like a 72 hour kit (www.code72.net) for each member of the family and then move up to food and water storage, extra clothing, etc. If you set aside some money each month to spend on this, it could be the best insurance you have.
I know this isn’t the typical post, but I thought I’d share this for those who haven’t started their home storage. If anyone has any other suggestions or ideas they’ve used in planning, feel free to share! No one wants to get caught in a crisis with sharks swimming in their front yard!
P.S. I just had a thought that in addition to temporal storage we need to be constantly focusing on spiritual “storage” preparing to be closer to the Lord. This is a whole post in and of itself so I won’t go into details, but feel free to share your ideas on this…
Recently one of the members of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons or LDS) gave an excellent talk entitled “Faith of our Father.” This talk is excellent for those in the LDS church and all Christians. I was especially moved by the following remarks:
When my own family contemplates the phrase “faith of our fathers,” often it is the Lutheran faith that comes to mind. For generations our ancestors belonged to that denomination. In fact, my son recently discovered that one of our family lines connects back to Martin Luther himself.
We honor and respect sincere souls from all religions, no matter where or when they lived, who have loved God, even without having the fulness of the gospel. We lift our voices in gratitude for their selflessness and courage. We embrace them as brothers and sisters, children of our Heavenly Father.
We believe that it is a fundamental human right to worship “Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.”4
As I reflected on these comments my thoughts turned to my sister and brother-in-law who are members of a non-denominational Christian church. They are youth ministers and feel called to help youth know Jesus. I’ve been touched as they’ve shared their experiences with me of miracles they’ve seen with prayer, healings they’ve witnessed, places the Lord has called them to go, etc. It has been a great example to me of how to turn one’s heart over to the Lord and serve as He would serve. If you want to check out their website it is under my “Evangelical” section of this blog under “Ignite.” You can read more about their ministry and how the Lord is working in their lives.
Next, I thought about my mother who is a member of another Christian faith. She is another great example of following her heart and following the Lord. She is always calling me with some great scriptures she has read and something she’s heard from one of her favorite pastors on Christian radio. I also love praying together with her and the sincerity she as a Christian shows for the Lord. She is another great example of a righteous woman who has turned her heart to the Lord. I’m grateful for her example.
I then thought of some of my friends from other faiths who have helped me throughout my life. Many of whom have commented on this blog from time to time. One such friend commented in one of my earlier posts entitled “Receiving and Recognizing Answers to Prayer” when she made a comment on how prayer is a sacred conversation. Some more of my Christian friends made some good comments and analogies on the “Making our Hearts a Manger” post a couple months ago.
Also, there are many of you who frequent this site who are at varying stages in spirituality…most are Christian and a few do not profess any faith that I have learned from and respect. Some of you I’ve emailed personally and responded to personally and I appreciate your example of continuing to learn and grow and the desire to be closer to Jesus. It helps me with my relationship with the Lord.
I want to thank you personally for sharing what you have learned and continue to learn. I feel we all are from the same God who created us and that He works through us as we are willing to learn and come to Him through prayer. Sincere seekers of truth in all religions and faiths sharing their ideas and spiritual growth are what makes us all grow closer to God and Jesus Christ. I hope we can all continue to learn and grow together.
In General Conference this week one of the Twelve Apostles, Jeffrey Holland said (paraphrased) that many Christians err in the verses in Revelation 22:18-19 that state:
18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book
President Holland goes on to state that the “words of the book of this prophecy” are pertaining to only the book of Revelation and that having additional scripture such as the Book of Mormon is not adding or taking away from the book of Revelation. He says many Christians err in that they think the “book of this prophecy” is the whole Bible and that many books in the Bible were written well after the book of Revelation was written.
If this is the case, one could argue that even though Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon and other scripture, he did indeed add to the book of Revelation in at least five chapters which you can view here (make sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page to view the Book of Revelation translations). One could argue that the hard life Joseph led and the imprisonments he had to face, the many babies that he and Emma had that died, and ultimately what caused his death were all part of the curses described in the book of Revelation.
The curse in Revelation doesn’t only mention adding to the book, but taking away from the book as well. One could argue on the other hand that Joseph Smith wasn’t adding anything, but he was restoring the “plain and precious truths” that were taken out of the Bible as the Book of Mormon suggests. One could argue that the “curses” that came as a result were persecution that has happened to other earlier Christians who translated the Bible or to those who don’t have the “fulness of the gospel.” One could argue that Joseph Smith was persecuted because Satan was trying to thwart the work from progressing, etc.
I can see why someone could side on the first option. Especially those Christians who believe the Bible is all God has revealed and ever will reveal and that further revelation isn’t necessary and that throughout all the years there hasn’t been anything taken out of the Bible. However I personally disagree with this. I feel that continuing revelation is necessary and that many truths were indeed taken out of the Bible throughout the years. In addition, if God had prophets and apostles before why wouldn’t he have them now?
What are your thoughts?
In the Bible, James talks about pure religion, which (summarized) is visiting the less fortunate and lifting them up. This is the essence of humanitarian efforts throughout the world and according to James what religion should be all about.
As a member, I give 10% of my income towards tithing and an additional 5-10% towards what we call fast offerings or humanitarian efforts. During Priesthood Meeting this past Saturday, Bishop Burton gave information on the humanitarian efforts of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was touched deeply as I saw the impact the LDS church has had for good in the world and felt honored to have donated a fraction of the money for such good causes. It was also good to see that the LDS church teams up with other organizations such as the Red Cross to help those who are less fortunate in the world to have a greater impact. I will include some highlights and information regarding the humanitarian efforts of the LDS Church.
Humanitarian Efforts
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides relief and development projects for humanitarian purposes in countries all over the world. Projects operate without regard to the nationality or religion of the recipients.
- Humanitarian service may include emergency response to natural disasters, such as an earthquake or a tsunami, or man-made disasters, such as the effects of war and famine. It may also be part of a longer-term effort to meet serious and more entrenched human needs, such as the need to alleviate disease.
- Within hours of a disaster, the Church works with local government officials to determine what supplies and food are needed. Materials are then immediately sent to the area.
- After urgent needs are met, the Church looks for additional ways to help with the long-term needs of the community. The Church’s approach is to help people become self-reliant by teaching skills and providing resources for a self-sustained life.
- Donations, principally from Church members but also from people around the world, are used to make relief projects possible. One hundred percent of the donations given to the Church’s humanitarian services are used for relief efforts. The Church absorbs its own overhead costs.
- The humanitarian services arm of the Church sponsors five ongoing global projects to help people become more self-reliant. Initiatives include neonatal resuscitation training, clean water projects, wheelchair distribution, vision treatment and measles vaccinations.
Some Humanitarian Stats
There are many other stats that you can view online. Bishop Burton gave the updated statistics in his talk and I’m assuming that information should be available by the end of this week.
How You Can Help
If you are interested in contributing to these efforts there are numerous ways you can do so. I know that in our church we put together emergency kits for the people in Mexico during the floods last year. You can also simply donate money and many other opportunities as well. For more information on how to help check out this website: http://www.lds.org/library/page/display/0,7098,6433-1-3298-1,00.html
I am very grateful to be a part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and feel the Lord has blessed me abundantly. I am grateful and feel it a privelage to give my money and know 100% of the money is being used for helping others.
One of the main concerns many people have from other faiths is that for certain sins within the Mormon church the members need to confess to their Bishop. LDS bishops are considered “judges of Israel” and therefore the concept is they sit in judgement in place of the Lord. This practice isn’t uncommon as I know the Catholic church also has confession.
I’m unfamiliar with the history of confession and if someone knows, that would be great to add to the comments. I did however go through the scriptures and see what I could find scripturally in support of or against confession to a person rather than the lord.
Conflicting scriptures:
| Morm. 8: 20 | man shall not . . . judge: for judgment is mine. |
| D&C 20: 13 | by them (the scriptures) shall the world be judged. |
| John 12: 47 | I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world. |
| Mosiah 29: 12 | better that a man should be judged of God than of man. |
Scriptures of People judging in place of Lord:
| Ex. 18: 13 | Moses sat to judge the people. |
| Obad. 1: 21 | saviours shall . . . judge the mount of Esau. |
| 1 Cor. 6: 2 | saints shall judge the world. |
| 1 Cor. 6: 3 | know ye not that we shall judge angels. |
| 1 Ne. 12: 9 | twelve apostles . . . shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel. |
| D&C 29: 12 | to judge the whole house of Israel. |
| D&C 58: 17 | appointed to be a judge in Israel. |
| Morm. 3: 18 | twelve tribes of Israel, who shall be judged . . . by the twelve whom Jesus chose. |
| Morm. 3: 19 | this people . . . judged by the twelve whom Jesus chose in this land. |
Lord is judge:
| Isa. 33: 22 | Lord is our judge. |
| John 5: 22 | Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. |
Final Judgement:
| D&C 29: 12 | to judge (Christ’s apostles) the whole house of Israel. |
| D&C 88: 99 | (1 Pet. 4: 6; D&C 138: 34) be judged according to men in the flesh. |
| D&C 137: 9 | Lord, will judge all men according to their works. |
| 2 Ne. 28: 23 | stand before the throne of God, and be judged. |
| 1 Ne. 15: 33 | stand before God, to be judged. |
| Alma 11: 41 | rise from the dead and . . . be judged. |
| Alma 41: 3 | men should be judged according to their works. |
I would love to hear peoples’ thoughts on why or why not is it necessary to confess sins to clergy?
This scripture is in 1 Nephi 2:16:
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.
Just a little preface for those who may not be familiar with this scripture. Nephi’s father, Lehi had just had a vision that was difficult for his family to understand. In this example, Nephi turns to the Lord rather than to science, other men, etc. to learn the Lord’s mysteries. As a result, the Lord visits him and softens his heart. This experience serves as a building block for the rest of Nephi’s life as one reads through the Book of Nephi and sees how strong Nephi is in the Lord throughout his life.
As I read over this again this morning I thought about my own life. What are the “mysteries” that I’ve experienced and what are some that I’ve seen others struggle with? Examples include: is there a God? Which church is true? Is the Book of Mormon true? The Bible? Why am I sick? What job should I take? Who should I marry? What school should I go to? Why do we have temples and what is the meaning of what we do in temples? How can I experience God’s love? How can I love my enemy? How can I trust in something I can’t see (Jesus, God, etc.)? Why did I lose my job? Why don’t I feel happy?
I could go on, but the point is that “mysteries” to me are basically anything we don’t understand (which is about 99% of life!). Since there are so many things in life that are incomprehensible, that makes it even more important to turn to the Lord.
In the very next verse (1 Nephi 2:17) Nephi describes how we can know the mysteries of God, which is through the power of the Holy Ghost. Other scriptures state that the Holy Ghost will “teach us all things,” and by the power of the Holy Ghost we’ll “know the truth of all things.”
Receiving an answer and recognizing the answer from the Lord through the Holy Ghost may not come all at once. It didn’t for Nephi, but eventually the Lord visited him and said in 1 Nephi 2:19:
Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart.
Notice that the Lord didn’t simply give Nephi an answer, but it was because Nephi was:
1. Humble (i.e. didn’t rely on the philosophies of men and science but relied on the Lord)
2. Never gave up (he didn’t just ask once and call it good and then blame the Lord for not answering. He diligently sought)
3. He had faith (he believed the Lord would answer him)
I encourage all of us to follow Nephi’s pattern when we have a question or do not understand something whether it be gospel or spiritually related or something else in our lives such as our children, job, friends, spouse, or anything else.
One thing I’d like to add in conclusion. Although we can apply this formula to virtually any question we have in our lives, these scriptures are specifically referring to the “mysteries of God.” People ask questions such as “Was Joseph Smith really a Prophet?” “Is the Book of Mormon a true Book?” “Did Jesus really exist and atone for the sins of the world?” “Is there a God?” “How do I recognize answers to prayer?” “Why does God allow bad things to happen?”
Whatever questions we are asking ourselves, I hope we can apply these principles in our lives and turn to the Lord rather than man or science. I don’t know much about God’s mysteries and many of life’s mysteries, but the little I do know has been revealed to me through the Holy Spirit when I follow this pattern to know the mysteries of God.
Grace for Grace 
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