Category Archives: Divinity

The Real Gift of Christmas

25 Saturday Dec 2021

Posted by in Angels, atonement, Christmas, Divinity, General

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During Christmas season, we think a lot about gifts. We think of the gifts we want to give to others and admire the generous gifts we receive. However, if we slow down from the hectic scramble to check off the items on our Christmas lists, we can ponder and benefit greatly from understanding the reason we celebrate with gifts during this time of year.

Sometimes, recognizing the greatness of a gift in the very moment it is given is difficult to do. It requires proper perspective and understanding. Unfortunately, I am not known for for being an expert in either maintaining the proper perspective, or in possessing anything that resembles great understanding. However, as I often do, I have a story that demonstrates my lack of perspective and understanding, and I’m glad to share it.

When I was growing up in Payson, Utah, the entire gamut of youth sports programs was comprised of just two options. We had summertime city baseball, and wintertime Junior Jazz basketball. Not quite the same as the full time year-round club teams kids now have for every sport. Needless to say, as kids, we looked forward to those seasons (mostly for the snow cones we would get IF won our baseball games).

In my first year of playing this Junior Jazz basketball, I was 8 years old. I barely knew how to dribble or shoot, and hardly understood the game itself. However, Junior Jazz did have its perks. Each year, they would have some members of the Utah Jazz organization put on a little basketball camp for all the kids in town to kick off the season.

In this particular year, 1985, the players that were sent down as guests to help run the camp in the thriving metropolis of Payson were the new guys. Some short, spindly, second year player from Spokane, Washington, and the new rookie kid from Luisiana.

It’s likely that the veteran Jazz players used the camp as a cruel hazing initiation for the new guys, or teach them patience. It was certainly needed to run a basketball camp full of 8 year-old kids in Payson. I am fairly certain it was not to bolster up a developmental league or to identify the next shining star, or future prospect for the NBA.

All I remember from that day, was the short spindly player that came could dribble like a madman. He went over some dribbling drills for us to do, which, when he demonstrated, looked more like the roadrunner’s feet from the cartoon. None of us could do them. When we tried, the gym was almost instantaneously a madhouse full of kids chasing the basketballs that had bounced of our heels, feet, knees, and butts. I remember him demonstrating another ball-handling drill while laying on his back and scissoring his legs front to back while moving the ball between them, all while talking to us. He looked more like a magician than a basketball player. I just remember thinking and wondering how on earth a real human could even do that. He looked more like what you’d see on a video game.

The only thing I remember about the other guy was that he was super tall, and he could actually dunk.

After the camp, the two guys sat down and were signing pictures and handing them out to the kids. I remember my dad being adamant that I get that signed picture from each of them before we went home. I was just wanting to go home and eat my bowl of cereal that was my custom on Saturday mornings. I remember chatting with the tall guy very briefly as we walked down the hall on the way home. Whatever, no big deal.

Some memory huh? Just a normal day in the life of and 8 year-old boy in 1985 Payson, Utah. Nothing to see here.

Well, as it turns out, I still have those signed pictures that my Dad was so worried about (and thanks Mom for helping me keep them from the trash heap). The players just happened to be John Stockton and Karl Malone.

After thirty-five years, I can now look back at the events of that day with added perspective and understanding. Captain Crunch consumption should not have been my focus that morning. What an amazing day that was. What a gift. How often does a little kid in Payson get to go to a free basketball camp put on by two future hall of fame NBA players? Once in a lifetime, that’s when.

Sometimes, the magnitude of the gifts we receive takes time to sink in. But, as we look back, these gifts can grow in meaning for our lives. This happens to us all the time.

In order to fully understand the immensity of the gift we celebrate each Christmas, we need to better understand the nature of God Himself, and the nature of our Savior. Just as an additional thirty-five years of life added to my appreciation of a special basketball camp as a little boy, added knowledge and understanding of the true nature of God and his benevolent gift can add to our love and appreciation for Him.

This perspective, or lack thereof, is not a new challenge to overcome. One of the most pointed questions on this subject came from an angel to Nephi during his vision of the history of the world. In that vision, he saw Mother Mary and the birth of our Savior. During these scenes, the angel of the Lord asked Nephi this poignant, probing question. This question may be one we skip over a lot of times because of the way the meaning of the word has changed over the years. The question he asked Nephi was…

“ Knowest thou the condescension of God?” (1 Nephi 11:16)

To us, the word condescend isn’t necessarily a good one. Usually we associate this with people who talk down to others. But, in this particular case, it is the perfect word to describe Jesus’ pathway to his earthly experience. If we look at the 3rd definition of condescend in the dictionary, it says this…

“to put aside one’s dignity or superiority voluntarily and assume equality with one regarded as inferior:”

It feels like we are getting closer with that definition.

It is almost impossible to fully appreciate the immense distance between who, and where, Jesus Christ was in the moments before his birth, to who, and where he was in Bethlehem at his birth. They couldn’t be further apart. We need to fully appreciate how great Jesus was BEFORE he was born, and just how human he became, to better understand his condescencion.

Before the little baby Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes, He was the God of the Old Testament. He was the God that cleansed the earth through the flood. He was the God that led Moses and the Israelites out of Egypt. He was the God that parted the Red Sea, and sent down fire to engulf the soaked alter for Elijah in his fight against the priests of Baal. This baby Jesus was the mighty Jehovah, the Great I am. This little one in a simple manger was the Creator of the Universe and worlds without number.

Isaiah captured this concept best in his famous scripture we often hear around Christmas time, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…” His prophetic writings then perfectly describe the divine destiny of that little baby as he continued, “and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

The mighty Creator of the Universe chose to fulfill the Father’s plan, and pass through a veil to become that little baby in Mary’s arms. He gave up everything to be with us, and to learn like we would learn, and to face and overcome everything in much the same way we would be asked to do.

Jesus didn’t only sacrifice his perfect physical body in the garden of Gethsemane and on Calvary’s hill. He sacrificed all that he had BEFORE he was even born. By coming to earth as an innocent baby with a mortal mother, he left behind his position at the Father’s side. He gave up all his power, all his knowledge, and all that he had become, to join us on this humble earth. With his mortal birth, he was fulfilling the Father’s plan. By virtue of his mortal birth, he sacrificed all that he was before, and chose to descend below everything just for us.

That is the condescension of God. What a gift.

In section 93 of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord reveals more understanding about his nature, his growth, and his condescension. By teaching us more about his nature, he is teaching us about our nature, and our divine potential.

It is in this section that we learn when it was that Jesus received a fulness of the Father. His first 30 years were spent learning, growing, and becoming who he was meant to be. This was an example for all of us and our own individual paths of growth and learning.

At the baptism of Jesus, he fully became who he was meant to be.

“And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace; And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness..And I John, bear record, and lo, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove, and sat upon him, and there came a voice out of heaven saying: This is my Beloved Son. And I, John, bear record that he received a fulness of the glory of the Father; and he received all power, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him..” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:12-16)

The Lord then turns to teach us how this applies to us. He teaches us about who we are, and why it’s important to understand the nature of God. His entire life was the gift. We need to celebrate it all.

We should celebrate together the gift of his birth, his teachings, and ultimately in his atoning sacrifice. HIs life, in it’s entirety, is the greatest gift ever given because of what it makes possible for all of us. Because of him, we also have divine potential. We can receive the fulness of the Father all because of him.

“I give undo you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness. For if you keep my commandments, you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace.” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:19, 20)

This time of year we give and receive many gifts. Let’s take just a little more time to think about the most important gift of all. Jesus gave himself as a gift to all mankind in a garden in Gethsemane, and again upon a cross on on Calvary. But, before that pinnacle event in human history, he gave up everything to [con]descend into our world as little baby in Bethlehem, and became the greatest gift ever given.

The modern day apostles may have said it best when they declared…

“God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son”.

Substance

01 Friday Sep 2017

Posted by in Divinity, Example, General, Service

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Substance_P

Often, when we read the Book of Mormon or the scriptures in general, we may pass over certain words because they are common, or because of the surrounding context in which they are used. Let’s take the word substance for example; as it is used in several scriptures we understand substance to be goods, flocks, herds, food, money, or other temporal and welfare type of goods.  This seems to be the case in Mosiah chapter 4 (verses 16,17,19, and 22) where substance is used repeatedly, which all seem to relate to sharing your ‘substance’ with the poor and the needy.

One of my very favorite scriptures, if not my absolute favorite, is Jacob 2:17 which reads “think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.” At first glance, this context seems to fit the paragraph above.  Jacob is denouncing the people’s love of riches, and indicating that the antidote to pride is the sharing of one’s substance.  There are other several other scriptures that support this idea, but I think we can learn quite a bit more if we think of this word substance in it’s modern day definition.

Substance:

  1. That of which a thing consists
  2. The actual matter of a thing
  3. The real physical matter of which a person or thing consists and which has a tangible, solid presence.

Certainly you could argue that substance can mean material goods and flocks, but I would like us to think about why the word substance is used in Jacob 2:17 (and other verses), and how sharing our substance is much more than just sharing our temporal goods.  I like to think of it as “the actual matter of a thing”.  The charge to “be free with your substance” tells me that sharing what I am actually made of – the matter of a thing, or that of which a thing consists – is what is expected of me (and not just to give of my material blessings).  I love that challenge.  In part because it seems harder, in part because it helps us understand that what we are and what we are made of – the sum total of all our experience and trials and strengths and weaknesses is incredibly important and that is what we need to share it with everyone.  We need to be free with our substance.

Another reason I think this, is because of the way substance is used in another verse – Alma 27:24.  At this point in the Book of Mormon, the people of Ammon (the Anti-Nephi-Lehies) are traveling with Ammon to see if the people of Zarahemla will let them live with the Nephites (since the Lamanites keep destroying them).  Of course, the Nephites say yes because they are good – and in verse 24, it indicates the condition for which the Nephites will give up the land of Jershon and provide their army for their protection: “we will guard them from their enemies without our armies, on condition that they will give us a portion of their substance to assist us that we may maintain our armies.”

So far, this reference can still be thrown into the temporal goods category, since it makes 100% sense that the Nephite army required these newcomers to provide food and supplies in return for their possession of the land of Jershon.  But, there is always more…

There happens to be a footnote on the word ‘portion’ in verse 24 which takes us to Alma 43:13 where it says that “the people of Ammon did give unto the Nephites a large portion of their substance to support their armies”.  I’ve read these verses, and all of the verses related to sharing substance several times, but only recently I’ve noticed the connection between Jacob 2:17 and these that I’ve listed.  The ‘large portion’ of substance that the people of Ammon shared probably included temporal goods (food, supplies, etc.) but it was WAY more than that.

Let’s just do a quick review of exactly what it was – the actual matter of a thing –  that the people of Ammon shared with the Nephites through the end of Alma.

This group of new converts comes into town, having made some new covenants, and they were “distinguished for their zeal towards God, and also towards men”, and they were a “beloved people”.  A people who were “compelled to behold their brethren (the Nephites) wade through their afflictions, in their dangerous circumstances”.  This people was renowned among all the Nephites for their convictions, and their commitments to covenants that they had made.  Do you think that substance – the actual matter of their being – was shared?  I certainly think so.  The sharing of their substance, was way more than just providing the Nephite army with granola bars and water jugs.  It was a spiritual substance that changed the course of Nephite history, and culminated with 2,060 of their stripling youth volunteering themselves to go right into the heart of battle, leaving home, and placing themselves right in the middle of the Nephite army, an act which caused them to “rejoice exceedingly” and ultimately, an act of love that cannot be measured.  Remember that “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).  Even though the stripling warriors didn’t lay down their lives, they were willing to, and that is some serious substance.

I think that this people – the people of Ammon – were the epitome of sharing their substance, which is why I love the condition placed upon them in the very beginning when they come to town.  The Nephites themselves probably didn’t even realize how amazing that condition was when they required it in the first place.  I think that this condition to give the Nephites ‘a portion of their substance’ was paid in full many times over.  When we think of the blessings that the Nephites received and the testimonies that were shared and strengthened from the people of Ammon – I am amazed at the simple phrases in the Book of Mormon that are so jam-packed with awesomeness.  So, the challenge for all of us today, is the same as it was for the people of Ammon and the people in Jacob’s time; let us ‘be familiar with all, and free with our substance”.

The Master of Ocean and Earth and Skies

26 Thursday May 2016

Posted by in Battle, Divinity, Example, General, Humility, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, Loyalty, Obedience, Opposition, Optimism, Patience, Power, Pride, Prophets, Strength, Success, Weakness, Weather

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Washington

Everyday life is full of gospel lessons. They are everywhere. You just have to look for them.  Who would have ever thought that even Saturday morning cartoons could teach us about the Savior and His power! Yes, even Donald Duck can teach us.

I want to share a certain scripture and then go on to explain how the lesson in this scripture can be shown in a Donald Duck cartoon, and then how it came to life in another powerful way in the late 1700’s.  It will be a bit like Bill and Ted’s excellent gospel adventure. Hang on.

The scripture is in Luke. Chapter 8 verse 25. This is Jesus and his desciples speaking in a boat. Jesus had just calmed the angry seas during a sudden storm on their way across a certain lake, simply by commanding them to be still…

“And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! For he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him”?

This is the same story that inspired the Hymn “Master, the Tempest is Raging”. The lyrics are a perfect set up for the rest of this post. Especially the part about the late 1700’s. Here is the second verse,  and the chorus…

Master, with anguish of spirit
I bow in my grief today.
The depths of my sad heart are troubled.
Oh, waken and save, I pray!
Torrents of sin and of anguish
Sweep o’er my sinking soul,
And I perish! I perish! dear Master.
Oh, hasten and take control!

The winds and the waves shall obey thy will:
Peace, be still.
Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea
Or demons or men or whatever it be,
No waters can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean and earth and skies.
They all shall sweetly obey thy will:
Peace, be still; peace, be still.
They all shall sweetly obey thy will:
Peace, peace, be still.

The cool part of the story and the hymn, is that we learn that the Savior has power over everything! Including the winds, water, weather, and all the elements. We learn the same lesson in the Book of Mormon when Lehi and Nephi are crossing the ocean, and Laman and Lemuel tie Nephi up so they can have their little dance party. Only by repenting, releasing Nephi, and a subsequent petition sent to the Master of earth and skies, does the storm cease! The weather is controlled by the Lord!

Now, back to Saturday morning cartoons. In this next little clip, Donald learns all about this same principle. Sometimes the weather does funny things. Things that don’t exactly make sense. It can be sunny one second, and rainy the next. Check this out…..

Donald Duck learns the hard way that weather can only be controlled by the Lord! Normal men cannot be blamed, nor take the credit for good, or bad weather! Its God’s little way of making sure that He alone is responsible for it. When He doesn’t want you to go golfing in sunny weather, you don’t go!

Now, lets rewind to the year 1776. General George Washington had picked a fight with the largest most powerful Army/Navy/Military in the world at the time. Great Britain. He’s got a bunch of volunteer farmers fighting for him, who aren’t exactly striking fear into the British. The odds are that the “war” will be over in about 10 minutes, it was like Mike Tyson vs Steve Urkel.  The Rebel soldiers had no chance. They weren’t as well trained, well equipped, or as numerous. The one thing they did have on their side, however, was the Master of Ocean and Earth and Skies! This is how He played his part….

Example 1. The Battle of Dorchester heights. This little battle was just outside of Boston. The British had taken control of the port city, and Washington and his little army was just outside wondering what on earth they could possibly do to fight and not get blown away.  One of Washington’s colonels, Henry Knox, had heard that way over in New Jersey the Americans had captured some Cannons and supplies, and that if he could go see if he could get them to Boston, They might have a chance. Washington sent him off, and a few months later, Henry Knox returned with 120,000 pounds of morters and cannon. But here is where the details of the story go right along with Donald Duck. After getting to Fort Ticonderoga where the Cannons had been taken, he built sleds to transport them back to Boston, although no snow was on the ground. That took faith. He then waited several days, until Christmas Day, when a blizzard hit, and the Hudson river froze over, allowing for easy crossing. By January 1776 his delivery was made. The customized weather allowed the quick transport all the way back to Boston. But, that wasn’t all. More heavenly weather would come!

Henry_Knox_by_Peale

Henry Knox

The new cannon had to be sent to the top of the Hill to overlook and bomb Boston. The only problem was, if the British saw the Americans hauling cannons up the hill, they would have attacked with their huge numbers, and mopped the floor with them. So, of course, the Lord sent a heavenly haze to conceal their move up to Dorchester Heights above Boston, right in front of the British lines. Unseen. But, the Lord wasn’t done yet.

Washington now had his cannon on top of the hill, but was still way outnumbered by the British. General Howe, the British commander, then decided to send his War-boats to cross the harbor and attack Washington’s spot on the hill. But, as the British sent the boats off, the day, which had started abnormally warm and pleasant, changed by nightfall into a storm that Washington’s officers called the “hurrycane” of hail, snow, and sleet!

Two British boats were blown ashore. One American Leutenant said it was the worst storm he had ever seen.  Talk about a bad day. Just to add salt to the wound, after these divine weather interventions, there happened to be a sudden outbreak of small pox in Boston where the British troops were stationed. They had seen enough, they were just like Donald Duck trying to golf, and soon thereafter said, “peace out” and left Boston!

The British were stunned. But if we look back and examine it through gospel lenses, we see a pattern that is forming. Consider this scripture in 2 Nephi. Its describing the wealthy, powerful, and worldly. See if it fits in this context…

“And the harp, and the aviol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine are in their feasts; but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands.”

                                                                                          -2 Nephi 15:12

Example 2. Escape from Brooklyn Heights. Washington’s tactics in the war were often just a matter of not getting wiped of the face of the earth. More like a prevent defense, or not losing, rather than going for the knockout win. One of these grand escapes was in Brooklyn. This miracle happened after Washington’s troops were surrounded and cornered on 3 sides by British soldiers, and blocked off by the East river on the 4th side. The British Navy had hundreds of ships in New York Harbor and was sending ships up the river to completely surround Washington’s troops. He had already lost 25% of his army in the previous days of fighting. It was pretty hopeless. The war would be over in those next 10 minutes. Well, not exactly. Maybe just as soon as the rain stopped pounding the area, making it impossible to keep the powder dry, or even move in the mud. No knockout attacks were possible. Weird huh? Not really, if we know who sent the rain!

For some reason, Washington decided to wait for 3 days, then, on the 3rd night, attempt a daring overnight escape. All the troops will be silently sent across the East river on small boats. The same river that the British were coming up in order to surround them.  It was supposed to be game over. The British only had one single problem. The Lord was on the American side. And, again, being all powerful, He controls the weather!

That night, an abnormal northeasterly wind picked up, preventing the British ships from being able to come up the river to cut off Washington’s escape. Then at 9 pm, the wind shifted and blew to the west to help Washington’s boats escape. When morning came, not all the troops were across yet, so, not a problem, the Lord sent a fog so thick that “no one could see a man even 6 yards away” but this fog was only on the long island side of the river, on the New York side, it was clear as a bell. As the last of the boats entered the water, the fog started to lift, and the British moved in, only to find an abandoned camp! The timing was so perfect, that the British even took a few shots at the last boats that were just out of range.

Washington’s 9000 men escaped! And just to make sure the British didn’t immediately follow and destroy them the next day, a fire broke out in the city just in time to take away the British soldiers attention.

What was it exactly that made the Americans different? Why did the Lord help them, and not the British?

Two simple reasons stand out. First, America is a covenant land. The Jaradites were lead here, the Mulekites were lead here, and the Nephites were lead here. To this land. For that reason alone, we know that “inasmuch as ye keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land”! The covenant stands even today. The covenant is for the land, not only the people on it.

The second reason was that Washington was not your everyday commander. He was a very religious man. He understood exactly who was ultimately in control of the outcome of the war. He knew that “Providence” was America’s only hope for victory. He demanded that his men lived virtuously. He demanded that they watched their language, that they had scripture study, and that they prayed to petition the help of the Master of ocean and earth and skies! He was just like Moroni, and Mormon. He knew that his soldiers needed to be worthy of the blessings of Heaven, or they had no chance. They were completely dependent on Him. Sound familiar? Sounds just like the people of Limhi, and the people of Ammon, and the People of Alma. History really does repeat itself.

That is why America won the war. She was led by a man who understood that God was in charge. During his inaugural address, Washington said this…

“No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand which conducts the affairs of men more than the people of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency”

Remember, the Lord needed a nation built on religious freedom in order to garner in His last dispensation of the gospel. The United States constitution was ratified and officially binding in 1788, only 17 years later, in 1805, Joseph Smith was born.

No matter how helpless the situation may seem, we can learn the lessons over and over both in the scriptures and out. Gods people will prevail. Our loyalty needs to be to Him. He will never forget them. Even when its raining! Let’s always try to be worthy to be called His People.

“And the day shall come that the earth shall rest, but before that day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve;”

-Moses 7:61

Graduating from the Obliviousness of the Benchwarmer

16 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by in Battle, Divinity, General, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, Sports

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bench

When I was a sophomore in high school, I was able to dress out, and sit on the end of the bench during the varsity basketball games. There were 4 or 5 of us. We loved it because we felt absolutely no pressure to win because we were just afterthoughts, or decorations really. We were basically cheerleaders in uniforms, as we were so far down the bench we could barely see the coaches at the other end.

On occasion, however, when we (the varsity team) were up big, we would get our chance to play in garbage time. We would get in and play our hearts out for our shot at getting our name in the paper by scoring a point. That was the ultimate goal, in our 15 year old minds, to become famous by getting our name in print.  Of course, we also had a great time inventing the now infamous celebratory dance that we named “the chicken”. The game itself meant nothing to us really, because we weren’t seniors, and it wasn’t really even our team. We just thought about how awesome we could dance, and hoped we could get some playing time, maybe. We looked a lot like these guys..Who are hilarious by the way…

Although we had a great time, and made fools of ourselves dancing, the thing we didn’t understand really until later, was that the games actually meant something. Not that what we were doing was anything bad, but we kind of missed the opportunity to be more of a part of the real game that was going on. We were a little oblivious to the reality of what was at stake. We were a bit blinded by whatever-ness, or lack of perspective. We were content in our little party space at the end of the bench, while the real game was happening all around us.

Today, I feel, many of us are still living our lives like we are the benchwarmers. We are content in our little corners of our lives and sometimes fail to see the importance and gravity of the game that is going on all around us. We are in a game for our lives. The outcome determines our  place in the eternities. And sometimes we are only concerned if we can get mentioned in the paper the next morning.

If we take a step back, and look at the test we are in we can think…who are the players? Who are we playing against? Do we even realize we are living right in the middle of the final minutes of the most important game ever?

So how does this look in real life? Over the last few months, there have been an increase in dramatic events that have changed the way many people feel about their lives. With terrorist attacks in Paris, and now in San Bernadino right here at home, it has created an increased level of anxiety and fear. People are grasping at anything, everything, and anybody who claims to offer safety and security. Safety and relative peace cannot be guaranteed, and seem unattainable even impossible. But, we need to remember… what game we are playing?

Are we playing the “whoever dies with the most stuff wins” game? Or,  the “whoever gets their name in the paper the most wins” game? Or, the “whoever can dance the most awesome chicken at the end of the bench” game? If so, we will look for peace and safety in the wrong places. We will fall prey to the illusion of secular security, which is nothing more than false security.

When we look at our lives differently, the way we should see them, everything changes. We then begin to realize that the real game is between good and evil and we are here to choose for ourselves which team we want to be on, and then become key players on the team. The only way to win, and achieve true safety and real peace is to align ourselves as close as possible to the One who will ultimately win the game. He is the author of the peace we seek, the Prince of Peace.

Jesus Christ is the only way to find peace. He alone provides the real lasting safety that we all seek, because that is the whole point of this game of life we are all playing. In this game, the elusive sentiment of true happiness is only awarded when we completely and fully disregard the world’s mirage of secular security. When we stop concentrating only on how awesome our chicken dance is, and actually start playing to win.

It is then we will realize that we are involved in a game on a much larger playing field than we ever thought, and we aren’t just hoping for the few minutes of playing time awarded to the scrubs in garbage time, our minds and hearts can be more committed to the pursuit of real and lasting peace, love, security and divine safety that comes only through the Savior of the world.

Joseph Smith wrote about the way the game will end, and its perfect to read when we feel overwhelmed with all the negative or when the evil in the world seems overwhelming, and the game seems to be lost. Just remember, we choose which team we want to be on!

He wrote, “the Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540).

Real peace and safety can come to us. But, it comes when we look to Christ. He pours it upon us when we try to be like Him, and follow Him. He has invited all of us to do so, and find the peace and safety only He provides.

“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.” (Psalms 4:8)

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10)

“Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.” (D&C 6:34)

All this

16 Thursday Jul 2015

Posted by in Blessings, Divinity, Faith, Journeys, Visions

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Brother of Jared Seeing the Finger of the Lord, by Arnold Friberg

I think most of us are generally familiar with the story of the brother of Jared, but just as a refresher I’ll provide a recap.  He and his family lived when the language is confounded at the time of the building of the tower of babel.  He cries to the Lord and is able to continue communicating with his friends and family.  Then, when the Lord tells them to prepare for a monumental journey to the promised land, they do just that.  They prepare for this great journey and are led all along the way by the Lord himself.  Just prior to actually setting off into the ocean, the brother of Jared was trying to get a few “small” questions answered and went to the Lord in humility for a little bit more guidance (and to calm his fears).  What happened was pretty amazing.  In chapters 2 and 3 of Ether we learn:

  • The Lord continually provided the brother of Jared with revelation including specific instructions for preparation
  • The Lord provided an opportunity for the brother of Jared to struggle with and develop a solution for his problems, and be rewarded for his work
  • The Lord caused the stones that the brother of Jared prepared to “shine forth in darkness” (Ether 3:4-6)
  • The Lord showed himself unto the brother of Jared (Ether 3:13)
  • The brother of Jared was redeemed him from the fall and was brought back into the Lord’s presence (Ether 3:13)
  • The Lord ministered unto the brother of Jared even as he ministered unto the Nephites (Ether 3:17-18)
  • The Lord gave the brother of Jared two stones (Ether 3:23) “that shall magnify to the eyes of men the things he should write”
  • The Lord showed the brother of Jared “all the inhabitants of the earth which had been, and also all that would be, even unto the ends of the earth” (Ether 3:25-26)

In reality, the Lord literally showed the brother of Jared “all things”.  And “there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared” (Ether 4:4).  But, since I want to really emphasize both the number and the quality of “things” that the Lord showed him, I will include the list of things that the Lord did while He ministered among the Nephites, specifically because Moroni tells us that the Lord did indeed minister to the brother of Jared “even as he ministered unto the Nephites” (meaning just as recorded in 3 Ne. chapters 11-26) where we learn that:

  • Jesus showed himself unto them one by one and allowed each of them to feel his wounds (3 Ne. 11:14-15)
  • Jesus gave them power (3 Ne. 11:21-22)
  • Jesus taught them true doctrines and principles (including particulars regarding ordinances) and expounded the scriptures and the prophets unto them (3 Ne. 11:23-41, all of 3 Ne. 12-16; 19:10-23:5; and 23:14)
  • He blessed and healed them (3 Ne. 17:5-10) and their children (3 Ne. 17:11-12; 21, see also 3 Ne. 26:15)
  • Christ himself prayed with and for them (3 Ne. 17:13-18; 19:19-24; 19:27-29; 19:31)
  • He wept with them due to joy – even until his joy was full (3 Ne. 17:21-22)
  • Jesus facilitated the ministering of angels and they were all encircled about with fire (3 Ne. 17:24; 19:14-15)
  • He instituted the sacrament (3 Ne. 18: 1-14; 19:8-9; 26:13)
  • He gave them the Holy Ghost (3 Ne. 18:36-37; 19:13)
  • Jesus shone the light of his countenance upon them (3 Ne. 19:25,30)
  • He prayed “words which cannot be written by man” in their presence (3 Ne. 19:32-33)
  • He performed a miracle of feeding them bread and wine when there was none (3 Ne. 19:3-7)
  • He gave them new scripture (3 Ne. 24-25; 26:2)
  • He expounded all things unto them, both great and small (3 Ne. 23:14; 26:1,3-5)
  • He taught and ministered with them for 3 days (3 Ne. 26:13)
  • He loosed the children’s tongues (26:14) that they could “speak things which were unlawful for man to utter”
  • He revealed “even greater things” unto the children (26:14)

So, now we are looking at quite the list of accomplishments when the Lord ministered to the Nephites, which by reference were things that can be included in our understanding of the ministration to the brother of Jared.  But let us remember that the author puts all of these great things outlined in 3 Ne. 11-26 in context by telling us that “there cannot be written even a hundredth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people” (3 Ne. 26:6).  Numerically (and just for emphasis), that means that if we review the 17 items on that list and that’s not even a hundredth part, we really could make a bullet list of over 1,700 things that were pretty great.  Combine that with Moroni’s statement regarding the abridgment the Jaredite record that tells us he “could not make a full account of these things” (the brother of Jared’s encounter) – and we can truly understand that we are only getting a tiny sampling of how amazing both events really were.

Hopefully these lists of amazing items help us realize the absolute gravity and weight of a simple phrase like “these things” or “all this” when it refers to ministering visits from the Lord.

That brings us to the question; “why are we making a list of amazing things that the Lord showed the brother of Jared?”

The answer is found in Ether 3:18 which reads “and all this, that this man might know that he was God, because of the many great works which the Lord had showed unto him.”

All this (everything on these lists, and a hundred times more), that this man (this one man in the singular) might know that he was God.  This small and simple statement tells us that the Lord did all these great works and made himself known just so that the brother of Jared would know that he was God (which naturally leads to faith, repentance, improvement, etc.).  That seems like a lot of time and work and effort went into making sure one guy knew the truth, especially when we remember that this is a man who is pretty confident that the Lord was in charge all along the way.

The message is that the Lord will show each one of us “all this” just so that we might know that he is God just like he did for the brother of Jared.  He says it himself (through the allegory of the olive trees) when “the Lord of the vineyard said again unto his servant: Look hither, and behold another branch also, which I have planted; behold that I have nourished it also, and it hath brought forth fruit.  And he said unto the servant: Look hither and behold the last.  Behold, this have I planted in a good spot of ground; and I have nourished it this long time… behold; I have nourished this tree like unto the others” (Jacob 5:24-25).  Each of us is a tree “like unto the others” meaning that we will be “nourished this long time” individually by the Lord of the vineyard.

Remember, the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; For behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him (D&C 18:10-11).  He is intimately invested in each of us, and has already offered his down payment.

I wonder, if we set out to make a list of all the “things” that the Lord has done for us as individuals to show that he is God, if it wouldn’t look very similar to the brother of Jared’s list; to the point where if we are honest with ourselves we might be able to recognize that the Lord has in fact “manifest himself unto us in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of our stumbling blocks” (1 Ne. 14:1).

And all this, that we might know that he is God.