Because Nephi is awesome (all around full fledged awesome) – and because he teaches us such amazing lessons in his writings – I am going to write (again) about some of the things he teaches us.  But in this particular case (this blog post) I am also going to thank his older and murmur-ier brothers for providing Nephi (and us, since Nephi recorded it for us) with excellent insight into “things as they really are”.

In 1 Ne. 17:8 the Lord tells Nephi “thou shalt construct a ship”, for the express purpose of taking his entire family (his parents, the whole family of Ishmael, his other siblings and their spouses and children, Zoram and his family, and his own wife and children) across the Sea Irreantum (a.k.a. “many waters” a.k.a “the ocean”).   He’d never done that before, and in all reality, building a giant boat to cross the ocean was pretty much crazy.  Not crazy in a cuckoo or mental sort of way, but crazy in a “that is a crazy huge task” sort of way.

Nevertheless, Nephi gets started on this task right away (without a complaint).  He starts by making a fire, and then finding ore so that he can then melt that ore out of the rock so that he can make tools – all before he even starts on the lumber or the actual boat.  Did I mention this was a crazy huge task? And sometimes we complain about our home teaching assignment…

At this point – while Nephi is laying the groundwork, and “preparing every needful thing” for this crazy task, he asks his older brothers for some help – or as Nephi terms it “labor”.  They, in true form, “did complain against [Nephi] and were desirous that they might not labor.”  I could very well side with Laman and Lemuel on this one, since I don’t know that I would necessarily enjoy “laboring” to build a boat either, but I don’t think that was the reason for their complaining.  Nephi records that the reason they wanted to withhold their labor was because “they did not believe that he could build a ship, neither would they believe that he was instructed of the Lord” to do so.  They didn’t want to help Nephi because they thought he was completely nuts.  They’d already been dragged for 8 years through the wilderness and were tired of all this “journeying”.  They were completely fine with the idea of staying on the beach where there was plenty of food and comfortable lounging.

This answer (no) makes Nephi “exceedingly sorrowful” It is important to note that he is not saddened because they don’t want to help, but because of the reasons why they don’t want to help.  He is sorrowful because they don’t see the vision and feel the motivation and want to be obedient to the Lord and have the spirit guide them; not because he ever doubted his own ability or confidence in actually building a boat (even if he would have had to do it mostly on his own).

When Laman and Lemuel “saw that [Nephi] began to be sorrowful they were glad in their hearts, (obviously not understanding the real source of his sadness) insomuch that they did rejoice over [him] saying: ‘We knew that ye could not construct a ship, for we knew that ye were lacking in judgment, wherefore, thou canst not accomplish so great a work.’”

Nephi recorded that solid gold for us as his readers.  Laman and Lemuel are more than happy to tell Nephi what he can’t do and how foolish he is for ever thinking that he could “accomplish so great a work.”  How’s that for supportive brothers?¹

Let’s pause here to recognize why that comment (thou canst not accomplish so great a work) is false.  It is false because it is not true (write that one down).  This is one of the tools of the adversary and is often repeated by those who comfortable lounging on the beach while commenting to each other about how foolish other people are.  They make these statements because he [they] don’t like it when somebody tells them they should start helping with the boat construction so that they can sail towards the promised land (code for living the right way or honestly trying to – even if it means undertaking monster changes in their lives) or when they just see you working on a great task without even asking them for help.  I bet just watching  Nephi get up early every day, study and pray and work hard to map out and plan to build the Titanic probably made them feel feel uncomfortable in their shade tent (this may have even been helped by others in the party who were more than willing to help).  People working hard to accomplish great things makes them feel bad, it makes them feel angry and perhaps even a bit guilty.  So, they start to tell other people (and anyone else that will listen) that they can’t do such great things or that they are foolish for even trying.

So, naturally, Laman and Lemuel go to the all to familiar “you are crazy” insults.  They declare: “thou art like our father (and the other silly prophets), led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart”…Behold, these many years (8) we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy.”  They (and others like them) are perfectly happy in their comfort zone and not building boats or accomplishing great works.   

So, on the one hand we have Laman and Lemuel (code for the adversary) telling us that we “canst not accomplish so great a work” and on the other hand we have the Lord commanding us to do so – and to do that great task as perfectly as we possibly can (remember when he told us be charitable and kind and everything else, and as if it weren’t enough he then he also said “be ye therefore perfect”)?  He also tells us that we can “do all things through Christ which strenghteneth [us]” (Philippians 4:13).  I’m pretty sure the word ‘all’ includes big, great, and even crazy huge.

One side says you can’t, the other side says you can.

The bad guys claim that we are led about by the “foolish imaginations” of our hearts.  But, I think we can remember that “the foolishness of God is wiser than men” (1 Cor. 1:24), and that “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise” (1 Cor. 1:27) and take their claims of our great “foolishness” as a tender compliment and say “guilty as charged”, and oh my how my heart burns for that foolishness.  So thank you Laman and Lemuel for recognizing my weakness and foolishness in your eyes, it proves that I am on the right path.

Notes

¹ I wish I could say that I’ve never acted like this with my brothers, but I have so I can’t.   I have been all to eager to tell my brother what he could not (or should not) do.

Recently I was asked to speak in Church. My desire was to not only inspire my ward members, but to pull a King Benjamin and deliver a talk so awesome, so mind blowing, that everyone within earshot would became permanently and more deeply converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the spot… oh, and that our entire ward would be translated as well.

So, with that totally obtainable and reasonable expectation in mind I set out to find the perfect topic. To achieve a ward translation I figured I likely needed a single topic that could somehow also cover every topic of the Gospel at the same time. This meant my single topic had to cover reading the scriptures, Temple attendance, magnifying your calling, having meaningful prayer, keeping the Sabbath day holy, paying tithing, home teaching, and basically every other aspect of the Church all at once. At this point I’m feeling super good and confident about the goals I had set for myself. I somehow needed “One topic to rule them all”. The problem was that single topic that covered all topics didn’t exist. Or so I thought…

Later that night I went to a meeting where Sabbath Day observance was discussed. A comment was made that we needed to have a “Zion Stake”. The comment then continued: to achieve that we would have to have Zion Wards. In order to achieve Zion Wards, we had to become Zion Families. To become a Zion family we have to become Zion individuals. Boom! That comment was the answer to my prayers and my talk began to form in my head! I had my topic! Not only that, I realized there is in fact “One Topic to rule them all!” It was Conversion! Deep, personal, and true conversion! This means knowing and understanding that this Church is true and that God lives.

It makes perfect sense because when we are TRULY converted we will NATURALLY find ourselves reading our scriptures, having meaningful prayer, paying tithing, home teaching, and doing all those good things! When I say converted though, I don’t mean converting like Heat “fans” when Lebron came to town only to abandon the team the second he left… I mean converting like Cubs fans, who deep in their heart know they are never again going to win a World Series, yet still buy season tickets, still paint their face, still cheer for their favorite players, and still hold out hope for the impossible. In this article though, the conversion I’m talking about is deeply rooting yourself and immersing yourself in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This conversion when true, can and will change your life. It will change who you are, how you view yourself and others. It will change how you speak, how you act, and change the way you look at life. This deep conversion spans beyond this life and into eternity.

Awesome! So…  How to we become converted? This is what I love about this Church and what I love about this Gospel. There is not a single person in the Church that doesn’t know the answers to this question. It’s simple, it’s the Primary answers! Go to Church, read the scriptures, pray consistently, attend the Temple, ect… I love it because it’s not too difficult or hard to understand for anyone! It applies to every single one of us regardless of where we are in our Spiritual progression. This works every time without fail right? Yes… under one condition, I’ll explain…

James 1:5 and 3 Nephi 27:29 have something amazing in common: the word “ask”. This means you have ask for it. You have to want it. Sometimes “asking” requires you to ask really really hard, and often, before you receive an answer. If you don’t receive your confirmation right away it’s not because God doesn’t hear you, or that he doesn’t exist, it’s because you have to prove that you want it. You have to show him that you want it. Maybe you need to want it more or ask even harder. Remember that scripture that says “be ye slothful and not diligent, ask me not, and I will pour my Spirit upon you”? Me neither because it doesn’t exist! Asking for it, and wanting it will likely mean we have to take things to the next level.

What that means is not just doing it to do it, or just doing it to cross it off a list. We have to want it in our hearts, and with all our hearts! Going through the motions with empty intention doesn’t bring conversion anymore than buying a weight bench gets you ripped… I know, because I’ve totally tried that and it doesn’t work. There is an incredible amount of difference between “Praying” and “communicating with our Father in Heaven in deep and meaningful prayer”. There is a mammoth different between “reading the Scriptures” and “feasting up on the words of Christ and praying for understanding”. The same goes for “Fasting” and “going without food”, “home teaching” and “developing a relationship with your families” so on and so forth. What I’m saying is it’s possible to live the Gospel without the Gospel living within us. Whether we have never committed ourselves before or whether we simply need to recommit ourselves the starting point is the same. It begins with each of us. I promise you a deeper commitment to this Gospel will change your life, and for the better. I know because I’ve put those scriptures to the test, and again I promise you they work. I have seen and felt that first hand. Add this, my invitation to the countless others who have invited others to do the same. Happiness awaits.

I watched a video this week in which the speaker (Elder Kim B. Clark) quoted Ephesians 6:12. It was awesome (both the video and the scripture).  In fact, that one scripture might be one of the most motivating scriptures that we have – because it sizes up our opponents without any degree of dilution.  It lets us know exactly who and what we are fighting against.  It says that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Elder Clark related this scripture in order to emphasize the use of the word “whole” in verses 11 and 13 – as it refers to the “armour of God” – meaning that we can’t just put on some of the armour, or even most of the armour – we need it all.  This is true. He also emphasized that no matter how awesome we are doing right now, it’s still not enough and we can still do better.

After the video, I read the whole passage – a bit slower than usual.  Please note that I have referenced this exact passage (Eph. 6:10-17) in a previous blog post but had not even noticed a key phrase until this last reading.

I started at verse 10 and read through verse 17:

10 Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

The entire point of this blog post is to highlight the manner in which we are to “put on” the armour that we have available to us.  In verse 11 it says just that – “put on” the armour.  That seems normal enough.  We put on our clothes, we put on our jewelry, we put on our coats, we put on our watches, we put on our makeup, we put many different things ON our bodies to protect them.  This is not new.

BUT in verse 13 Paul gives us a qualifier – or a prerequisite – to how we will be able to “withstand in the evil day” – with that armour and it is not putting the armour ON us, it is taking it “unto” us.  I don’t know the scientific or exact significance of that phrase, but to me it seems like a more permanent solution – more like a molecular infusion.  Rather than donning some protective apparel for a particular battle (IE putting on a helmet and a breastplate) – we are bonding the armour to our very core, creating a oneness with it that will not allow separation.

In other words – Paul is telling us that if we want to be left standing at that last day, against the wiles of the devil and against these powers and rulers of darkness we will need to some spiritual adamantium surgery.  Paul said it, not me.

Now, for those of you unfortunate folks who don’t know what adamantium is let me tell you:  It is a “metal alloy, and is best known as the substance bonded to the character Wolverine’s skeleton and claws.”  “In the stories where it appears, the defining quality of adamantium is its practical indestructibility.”   Also of note is the fact that “adamantium also weights his [Wolverine’s] blows, increasing the effectiveness of his offensive capabilities.”¹

Essentially, it is the substance that Logan (a.k.a James Howlett) took “unto” himself (surgically bonded to his bones) which enabled him to become one with his indestructible armour (allowing his armour to be as much a part of him as his amazing facial hair) which logically led to his becoming a famous X-men character.²  He is also a great singer.

So, the question then becomes, how to I take unto me the armour of God so that I can become as strong and as impenetrable and indestructible and dependable as the lord wants me to be?   No doubt the sequence of instruction given by Paul can lend us a clue (vs 11 first and then vs 13).  In the first instruction (vs 11) he tells us to “put on” the armour – and likely this is how we learn how it feels (we quickly learn how heavy armour is), how it can protect us, and identify the benefits of its use.  Then, after we have walked around the block a few times, and maybe even seen the intensity of a small battle we take the armour off to “rest up a bit” (maybe while we are taking a shower or eating dinner or going to work or the movies).  Over time, the repeated process of putting on and taking off the armour slowly but surely helps us feel the vulnerability of being “not armed” as well as the contrasting safe and secure feeling of being fully armed and therefore we start eating dinner and going to school and out with our friends with our armour on, which leads to taking our armour off less and less frequently.  Then, (perhaps after many days) the armour has somehow become part of us and we aren’t even sure we remember how to take it off and in a very real way we have learned to live life fully armed – thus taking the armour “unto us” in every facet of life.

Yet, I think that Paul is telling us in verse 13 that something else, something a bit more permanent is still needed.  That’s where it’s up to each of us to discover for ourselves how we can once and for all take the armour “unto us” so that we are protected from the inside out and once we discover how to do that – then, when we have resolved to more fully infuse the armour of God to our very core, and let it become a part of us we can learn how withstand the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Notes

1 Wikepedia.org/wiki/adamantium

2 Please note that some people claim adamantium is a fictional metal alloy.

The definitions of the verb “build” that are worth noting (for this particular post) include the following:

1. To construct something by assembling and joining parts or materials:
2. To establish, increase, or strengthen (often followed by up; IE to build up).¹

These helpful reviews, combined with our knowledge of the word edifice (which interestingly is a synonym for the noun “building”) help us to understand that when we build something – or someone – we construct, increase, build, and strengthen it.  Or, to wrap all of these definitions into a commonly used scriptural reference, we “edify” – meaning literally to add to or to improve upon.

The next step is the verb “become”, since it is a logical outcome of and the process of the object being built.  It is defined as “to come into being, to change, to develop, or to grow to be”.²

The key point is that “becoming” is a process, and is the result of a “building”.  And for further clarification, a thing cannot “become” changed, or cannot “develop, grow, or come into being” without some active change being effected upon that thing.

With that in mind, I’d like to share three some interesting scripture passages.  Please note the use of “become” and how it is used and the end result of their change.

Mormon 2:26

And it came to pass that when they had fled we did pursue them with our armies, and did meet them again, and did beat them; nevertheless the strength of the Lord was not with us; yea, we were left to ourselves, that the Spirit of the Lord did not abide in us; therefore we had become weak like unto our brethren.

Helaman 4:24-26

And they saw that they had become weak, like unto their brethren, the Lamanites, and that the Spirit of the Lord did no more preserve them; yea, it had withdrawn from them because the Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples—

Therefore the Lord did cease to preserve them by his miraculous and matchless power, for they had fallen into a state of unbelief and awful wickedness; and they saw that the Lamanites were exceedingly more numerous than they, and except they should cleave unto the Lord their God they must unavoidably perish.

For behold, they saw that the strength of the Lamanites was as great as their strength, even man for man. And thus had they fallen into this great transgression; yea, thus had they become weak, because of their transgression, in the space of not many years.

Mosiah 1:13

Yea, and moreover I say unto you, that if this highly favored people of the Lord should fall into transgression, and become a wicked and an adulterous people, that the Lord will deliver them up, that thereby they become weak like unto their brethren; and he will no more preserve them by his matchless and marvelous power, as he has hitherto preserved our fathers.

In each of these passages, what these people had “become” was not something better, in fact it was something much worse, but it very much was something that they had “come into being”, had “changed” or “developed” and something that they “grew to be”.

Now I’m not sure about you, but when I talk about constructing something, I don’t have plans to build something so that it “becomes” weak, yet there is a master builder out there who does just that.  Don’t believe me?  Let’s read another passage:

Ether 8:24-25

Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things [evil combinations] come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.

For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.

This last passage gives us a perfect insight into the adversary’s intention.  He seeks to “build” us up by promising gain, power, influence, kingdoms, etc. but he is only building us up with the intent to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries.  His end goal is complete annihilation.  That’s not building, that’s destroying.  That’s not construction, it’s deconstruction.  This passage is a perfect example of how he uses a fraudulent idea of freedom and growth (building) to promote his ways of bondage and destruction.  As he is carefully taking critical pieces of your sure foundation away, he whispers in your ears; “look at what we are building, isn’t this fantastic”?  We don’t need this strong foundation, it only holds us back and prevents us from going higher.

He is a liar.

Yet, we can take comfort in one more scripture passage – which indicates that in the end, the ultimate destroyer will be asked a very direct question by his fellow deconstruction workers, which will cause him some shame.  Nephi (quoting Isaiah) records the interchange as follows:

2 Ne. 24:9-12, 16

Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming; it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

All they shall speak and say unto thee: Art thou also become weak as we? Art thou become like unto us?

Thy pomp is brought down to the grave; the noise of thy viols is not heard; the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! Art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations!

…They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and shall consider thee, and shall say: Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms?

In the end, the master destroyer will “become weak” and he will be left to miserably enjoy the rubble of his nothingness that he so carefully built.

Let us not be fooled by his claims of expert building, shortcuts, exclusive knowledge of inspection processes and building tips, and be not impressed by his subtle whispers of progress.  Let us on the other hand, always seek the spirit that will truly edify us and build upon the sure foundation – which is Jesus Christ – the true master builder.

Notes

¹ Dictionary.com/build

² Dictionary.com/become

Image by Del Parsons 1999

Remember in school when we were tasked with determining how long it would take for one runner traveling at 12 miles per hour to catch up to another runner who was running at a pace of 10 miles per hour when they were separated by 6 miles?  I do.  Do you remember telling yourself (and your classmates) that there is no way that this question will ever be relevant in anyone’s life.  I do.

Yet, here we are and I’d like to share one such story.  It’s in Alma 56 and it is amazing (and it’s not even about Moroni or Helaman).  It’s about a guy named Antipus and his leaders (his leaders remain anonymous).  Chapter 56 of Alma is the only time this man is mentioned, but if you ask me – what he teaches us in one epic race to battle is more than enough to put him on the list among the greatest scripture and war heroes in the Book of Mormon and it allows us to ponder on the story that led to his determination and the supernatural source of “might”.

The scene is the ancient American continent around the year 65 B.C and the Nephites are in the 11^th year of a currently ongoing (seemingly-never ending) war with the Lamanites. Captain Moroni has received a letter from Helaman, in which he relates the amazing story of how a small band of young warriors helped turn the tide against the “most powerful” Lamanite army in that area of the land.

These warriors had never been in a single battle, and they were all young.  They were willing, had faith, and were no doubt beloved by all of the Nephite leaders for that willingness and exceeding faith.  I know that Helaman was more than impressed by them, and loved them like his own sons.

Once this little army (headed by Helaman) joined the ranks, they march over to join the army of Antipus in the city of Judea.  Antipus “did rejoice exceedingly”.  No doubt these leaders and this army were happy to see young men they loved and young men who belonged to families that they had watched over and cared for the past several years.¹ It is no wonder that the record states that during this time they did “receive strength”.  Have you ever heard of a leader of youth claim to have gained more ‘strength’ from the youth than they gave away?  I have.  Have you ever been a leader, or grown to love the youth over whom you’ve had a stewardship? Yes again.

When the time was right, and the “most powerful army of the Lamanites” began to grow uneasy seeing the Nephites “receive strength” the Nephites put a plan into action.  A plan which involved Helaman and his youngsters marching from the city of Judea “near the city of Antiparah, as if they were going beyond the city.     The purpose of this march was a decoy – to lure the Lamanites out of their stronghold.  And it worked.  The “most powerful army of the Lamanites” had left their strong city and was now marching on the heels of a small group of youth who had never experienced a single battle.

Note:  No doubt the young men had agreed to this plan, and had known some of the risks involved, but I don’t know if the way the plan unfolded was exactly what they had in mind – because the Army of Antipus didn’t even start marching to catch up until these young men were “near the city of Antiparah”.

The story goes on to inform us that Antipus marches forth behind the Lamanites, but they don’t even notice until they had traveled “a considerable distance” chasing Helaman and the stripling warriors.  Let’s remember that the words that Helaman uses are “flee” and “pursuing” and “intent to destroy”.  I don’t think they were speed walking or strolling through the woods.  This sounds a whole lot like running to me.  Not the kind of running we do to exercise, or even the kind we do when we “run” to the store, but more like the “I am getting chased by a bear” running.

Enter the awesomeness of Antipus:  we learn that he and his leaders are pursuing the Lamanites “with their might” while the Lamanites are trying to catch the young warriors “with the intent to slay them” before Antipus could catch up to them, so I doubt the Lamanites were coasting (or doing the run/walk or “sort of jog” thing some of us do when we “run”).

Let’s take a moment to put ourselves in Antipus’s situation – he just sent out a bunch of young men who have never been in battle as bait for the “most powerful” Lamanite army.  He might be feeling just a little responsibility towards the safety of those boys – especially if we think that that Antipus knew their parents – especially their mothers, and the sacrifices they’ve made, the prayers they have offered, and the weight that he felt as a leader of the Nephite army assuring them that he would watch over them.  I imagine Antipus encouraging and pleading with his body (and then asking the Lord for physical strength) to go as fast as his heart wanted him to – and then when he “beheld the danger” that they were in, he did “speed his march”.  He went to level 11.

Then it was night.

Then it was morning – and they all ran all day (even until it was dark).

Then it was night again.

Then the young men awoke to the Lamanites upon them, and they “did flee”.

Shortly after this point (in the morning on the 3^rd day) the Lamanites stopped chasing the young stripling warriors.  They didn’t know if it was a trap to lure them back, or if Antipus had caught up.  Either way – their bravery and courage took them back to battle (they did not want the Lamanites to overpower Antipus).

This little band turned back, and came upon a “terrible” battle between the Lamanite army and the army of Antipus.  And in this terrible army, “Antipus had fallen by the sword, and many of his leaders, because of their weariness, which was occasioned by the speed of their march”.

The arrival of the young warriors turned the tide, the Nephites defeated the Lamanites, and there are miracles seen when not a single young warrior was found to be slain.  Yet, perhaps the most amazing feat that we too often gloss over, is the fact that Antipus and his army overtook the Lamanite army before they were able to catch up to the young decoys.

When we consider the fact that Antipus likely knew that he was running right to his death, especially when he had started out “in his might”, then kicked it into extra high gear by “speeding his march” even further.  Then compound that with the fact that he and his army likely didn’t rest very much at all during the night of the 2^nd day in order to catch up to the Lamanites.  Antipus refused to allow the Lamanites to catch up with those young men.  I imagine him saying to himself and his other leaders “not on my watch”, there is no way we are going to rest not knowing if the Lamanites are sleeping tonight.  There is just no way I am going to allow that “most powerful army” catch up to our young men.”

Imagine running a marathon – twice in one day (and not on a paved road with water stations, port-a-potty stops, crowds cheering you on, etc.) and then imagine doing that 3 days in a row.  Now imagine running two marathons per day for two days and then rather than rest your weary bones on the 2^nd night, you exert every ounce of energy that you have to catch up to the runners in front of you who got a 5 or 6 or 10-hour head start on the first day.  Then imagine finally catching up to them, shortly after they’ve rested for the night and commencing a battle with them (remember they are “the most powerful army”).

That is where we find Antipus and his leaders.  Sacrificing themselves in order to save others.  A perfect and exemplary type of the savior, who went willingly into the garden and onto the cross so that we could have a way out.

Notes

1 The conversion story in Alma 23 of their parents is a great story as well.

Credit is defined as:

1. The ability of a customer to obtain goods or services before payment, based on the trust that payment will be made in the future¹
2. The borrowing capacity of an individual or company²

These two definitions are primarily used in the financial world but have become common in our every day terminology.  Not only because we need ‘credit’ to qualify for a mortgage or a car loan, but we also use it to buy things in general (IE credit cards). As most of us understand,  there is a process and resulting score that the financial world uses to assess and determine how much it can trust us to make good on our financial promises.  That’s where the statement “based on the trust that payment will be made” comes into play (see definition 1 above).  After all, it’s easy to “promise” that payment will be made in the future, and a bit more difficult to actually make the payment.  If and when we miss a payment (or two or three), or even when make a payment past the due date that trust level goes down and is indicated in our credit score.  Factors in this score and in the resulting level of trust that the world has in our financial promises include our age, our debt to income ratios, how long we’ve been using credit, how faithfully we’ve made payments over time, etc.

For anyone to have a good credit score, payments need to be made and made on time consistently through the years, allowing that level of trust to be built up over time – and missed or late payments need to be avoided.  This seems logical right?  Therefore, if anyone wants to have an absolutely perfect credit score, that means that every single payment would be made on time, without fail.  Not even a single³ late payment – ever.  No missed payments, late payments, debt consolidation, renegotiated terms, or interest paid due to deferred payments.  Not a single failure to make good on your promise.  Now, imagine that the consumer who somehow fits this credit parameter and has for 40 or even 50 or 100 years and you can guess how high the level of trust is from the financial world in extending them credit – both in quantity and in quality. I think that most banks would allow this consumer to charge or borrow whatever they wanted with little fear that he would make good on his payment.

This principle is also true with the Savior.  Throughout the eons of the pre-existence (which is really more time⁴ than any of us can even imagine) Jesus Christ exhibited perfect obedience to every command and did always those things which pleased his father.⁵ Thus Christ was able to develop a truly infinite amount of spiritual credit.  This fact allowed the full gamut of positive effects flowing from the atonement to be efficacious to anyone and everyone – long before the atonement was actually performed.  This allowed every single person all the way back from the very beginning⁶ to draw upon the power of the atonement, utilize repentance, have faith in Christ, and through the spirit become more than they could have on their own – all long before the actual debt was paid.

Just imagine with me how many times throughout the long pre-existence the Lord was perfect in making his payments and in developing that spiritual credit.  Hint: it’s a really really really long time and a really really long and impressive list of things that he did.  This all leading up to the great moment in which he answered “here am I, send me.”⁷

The universe itself was perfectly content to allow the effects of the atonement to be realized prior to the atonement being performed.  The laws of justice and mercy had no issues with extending their spiritual credit for thousands if not millions or billions of years in advance of a promised payment.  That alone should give us an idea of just how perfect the savior had been because these eternal and immovable laws of the universe probably carry a bit more weight than the man-made credit bureau algorithms in the end – and that includes their absolute and exacting demand for a full and perfect payment.  Even a payment that fulfilled “every whit”⁸ of the law, yea, “every jot and tittle.”⁹   With that in mind, the second definition above seems appropriate – as the spiritual credit that the Lord acquired is very much related to his infinite “capacity”.

One point in all of this is to help us remember just how perfect the savior has always been, which allowed us to have perfect faith in his response to the the fathers question “who will go for us?”¹⁰ in the pre-existence and allows us to have perfect faith in him today – because we know with absolute certainty that he will make his payments.

The other point in all of this is to help us understand and to feel the intense gravity of his plea in the garden to somehow “let the hour pass from him.”¹¹ As he went to “a place called Gethsemane”¹², his soul became “exceeding sorrowful, even unto death”¹³ – yet he still moved forward, and he went “a little further.”  As he did, he “fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.”¹⁴

Here we have the most perfect being, the most obedient and trustworthy of all, the most exact, faithful, honorable and loyal son after eons of time asking his father if there is a possible alternative to the required payment due to his feeling the immense weight of it all – and asking that question three times.  Christ himself said that he “would that I might not drink the bitter cup.”¹⁵ The idea of someone who has been perfectly obedient for eons, someone who understands so well the science of obedience and the immutable laws of the eternities, to explore the possibilities of another way and to even ask his father if there was a way out should help us feel the awesome power of that plea and the crushing weight of the world he felt on his shoulders.   Yet, as we know, the Savior in his perfect obedience and perfect love for all of us, submitted his will and any inklings of personal comfort that night to the father and took upon himself the sins and pains of the world which caused him – “even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit.”¹⁶  

Thus the savior made good on his promise – just like we knew he would.  Just like his father knew he would, and just like the universe knew he would.  This perfect being; the light, the life, and the hope of the world was squeezed as none other could be, and in those pressing moments, rather than shrink – his soul did expand¹⁷ as he battled all alone against the vast armies of death and sin and darkness.  In the end, Jesus and his light overpowered death and paid the debt.  Now, Jesus Christ is eagerly encouraging us to access, use, and spend that same spiritual credit made available by his loving payment.  It is the limitless source of grace that we can draw from every single day – and in every circumstance to help us become like him and learn to love like him.

Let us be thankful for this gift, and let us receive the gift so that we can “rejoice in that which is given”, and rejoice “in him who is the giver of the gift.”¹⁸

Notes

¹ Google search ‘definition of credit’

² Investopedia.com/terms/c./credit.asp

³ I realize that credit and credit scores generally take 2, 7, or 10+ years’ worth of data to perform their calculations.  For the purposes of this definition, and the use of ‘absolute’ I have used the word never, and don’t intend that to be limited to the rolling 2 or 7 or even 10-year period.

⁴ Alma 40:8 – Time is only measured unto man.

⁵ John 8:29

⁶ I do mean the very beginning (like the pre-existence), and not just the beginning of mortality.  The book of Revelations indicates that during the war in heaven, the victorious troops (Michael and his angels) overcame the great dragon, and cast him out “by the blood of the Lamb.”  We can understand that the blessings flowing from the atonement are literally infinite (and this includes time).

⁷ Abr. 3:27. See also Moses 4:1, 2 Ne. 16:8 and Isa. 6:8.  This idea allows us to rule out any other options for volunteers at that moment as well.  Even if there were others who volunteered to go for us, or who ‘promised to pay’ – their ‘capacity’ or their spiritual credit just didn’t qualify them to make that contract (covenant).  That debt-to-income ratio was just way too high for us.

⁸ 3 Ne. 1:25

⁹ Alma 34:13

¹⁰ 2 Ne. 16:8 and Isa. 6:8

¹¹ Mark 14:35

¹² Matt. 26:36

¹³ Mark 14:38

¹⁴ Matt. 26:38

¹⁵ Matt. 26:39. See also Mark 14:35

¹⁶ D&C 19:18

¹⁷ Alma 5:9

¹⁸ D&C 88:33