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

Your lungs are awesome. They magically make you breathe to regulate a precise balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide, among several other jobs critical to life. They do this despite your best efforts to overcome this balance. The lungs even have a super secret stash of air that is used only in emergencies. In fact, it is very difficult to access this stash. In order to access it, you have to stop breathing.

I’m not talking like hold your breath stop breathing, but chemically induced apnea stop breathing. When someone is given a drug that shuts off the breathing center in the lungs and the brain, the body quickly uses the available oxygen and, if needed, opens the secret stash called the functional residual capacity (FRC) to stay alive.

Interestingly enough, the air we breathe in (and the air in the FRC) is only about 21 percent oxygen and the average adult uses about 3-4 mL of oxygen/kilogram/minute to maintain an adequate oxygen level. So the average 150-pound person needs about 280 mL of oxygen/minute. Now, the secret FRC lung vault can hold about 2 liters of air. So, 21 percent of 2 liters is 420 – this means that right now, your FRC has 420 mL of available oxygen should you receive a lethal dose of Propofol. Knowing that you need approximately 280 mL of oxygen, this would give you about (420/280 = 1.5) one and a half minutes before the oxygen level in your blood starts to drop.

Still with me? If you need to take a break and grab a drink or something, I understand. We haven’t got to the awesome part yet…

Upon inducing anesthesia, we frequently induce apnea and take over the respiratory system. We do not often tell our patients that we will administer a lethal dose of Propofol in order to induce apnea. We say that you (the patient) will fall asleep and you will wake up. Let’s be honest, you don’t care about the details, you just want to be out…

Anyway, we understand how to monitor and manipulate the FRC for everyone’s benefit. As I have just explained it would take around a minute and a half of not breathing before we see any changes on the monitor. It really shouldn’t take longer than that for your CRNA to take over your breathing and start to mechanically deliver oxygen in order to sustain life. There are several techniques and tools that we learn to use to do this most efficiently, and it is awesome. But… things don’t always go smoothly. The real trick is understanding or predicting the patients who are at greater risk than normal and preventing those bad situations, giving yourself the best possible chance for success and safety.

At this point, I feel that I should tell you that anesthesia is very safe and that this is precisely what anesthesia providers have been trained for, and it really is what we do everyday, several times a day… If you asked me to analyze some data about marketing or customer satisfaction and present it to a board of anybody, I would be terrified…

Now, there is a very simple practice called pre-oxygenation that your CRNA can use in order to make sure that you are safe and that your oxygen level remains perfectly within the happy brain zone. Earlier we learned about how the air (and the FRC) contains 21 percent oxygen. Prior to surgery, your CRNA will put a mask on your face and have you take several deep breaths of 100 percent oxygen. Filling your lungs (and your FRC) with 100 percent oxygen has some amazing consequences. Lets do more math… here comes the awesome part…

As mentioned above, your FRC at 21 percent gives you 1.5 minutes of high oxygen levels. If you fill your FRC with 100 percent oxygen, you get 2000 mL or oxygen (instead of air). Knowing that you need 280 mL or oxygen/minute to keep levels up, math tells you that you theoretically get (2000/280 = 7.1) 7 minutes before your oxygen levels will drop.

Yes, you could shut your lungs down for more than 7 minutes before your oxygen levels even start to decrease. That means that after pre-oxygenation, I could give you a drug that would stop you from breathing, leave the O.R., walk down the hall to the cafeteria, grab a doughnut, sit and eat the doughnut, walk back, wash my hands, and come back into the O.R. before your oxygen levels drop.

Now, of course there are disease processes and several conditions that alter this, and I am simplifying things, but the basis remains true. One and a half minutes of safe oxygen levels versus 7 minutes of safe oxygen levels is very significant. And all this due to the simple means of applying a mask for a few moments before surgery… such a simple thing can greatly increase a patient’s safety and security.

So… What does this have to do with anything that belongs on this blog?

In Alma 49, we learn about the city of Noah: “the city of Noah, which had hitherto been a weak place, had now, by the means of Moroni, become strong, yea, even to exceed the strength of the city Ammonihah.”

What are the means of Moroni?  He used simple means: dirt, sticks, and rocks to create great things: impenetrable forts.  These provided safety and security to his people.  But more than that, Moroni “had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God” (Alma 48:7).  Faith and trust in the Lord was the true strength of Moroni’s armies.

Our simple means include the primary answers…

Daily scripture study is a simple process that plays a crucial role in keeping us safe and secure against the adversary. It brings strength and inspiration in times of need. Church attendance and partaking of the sacrament is a simple way to fill your spiritual FRC with 100 percent goodness. Like pre-oxygenation, prayer does not have to take hours to be affective. The blessings of simple obedience are endless. Let’s invest our time and trust in the basics. After all, by small and simple things are great things brought to pass (Alma 37:6).

Perspective is the way we see things when we look at them from a certain distance… It is like being in a forest and having a tree in front of you. Unless we step back, we will not be able to appreciate what a forest really is. So what is the eternal perspective of the Gospel?

Our loving heavenly Father has created a plan for us. This plan is called the plan of happiness. We chose to participate in this plan by coming to earth, gaining experience, and learning so that we could return to Him and receive a fullness of joy.

“Understanding this plan of happiness provides us with an eternal perspective and helps us to truly value the commandments, the ordinances, the covenants, and the trials and tribulations. ” – Elder Pino

1. Understanding and having an eternal perspective helps us truly value the commandments.

The commandments are the rules. Elder Holland said: we need [you] to stay on [the team] and stop dribbling out of bounds just when we need you to get in the game and play your hearts out! In almost all athletic contests of which I know, there are lines drawn on the floor or field within which every participant must stay in order to compete.”

The rules or commandments are not there to hinder us or keep us reigned in from having fun. The rules are there to make sure we are having fun!

I grew up across the street from a complex of baseball fields. There were 6 in total. Fields 1, 5, and 6 were used for little league games, the other were used for pony league, and high school ball. I played baseball every summer and it seemed like everyone else did. After our games, my friends and I would stick around and play baseball until it was so dark that we couldn’t see the ball anymore.   There were never enough of us to play full on baseball, so we would play ‘double-or-nothing’. I loved playing on fields 5 and 6. But we quit well before dark if we had to play on field 1.

Field 1 didn’t have an outfield fence. This created 2 problems. 1) the ball would roll forever. This made for really long innings of the 2 outfielders running all over the place. 2) Because the field didn’t really end there were people in the “outfield” that we had to watch out for… They didn’t understand that six 12-year-old kids were in the middle of a very important game – and it couldn’t wait. It wasn’t fun to try and explain to them that the ball was flying at them because they were in our field. That is when I learned that boundaries were actually a good thing.

Could you imagine playing soccer or football without any out of bounds?

That is only part of it… We have all probably played a game before where someone is bending the rules a bit. I think we all know who I am talking about…

Not only is it not fun to play without boundaries, it is not fun to play with others who don’t follow the rules and it is even worse when you are playing with others who don’t know that rules. Football without rules would be a bloody free for all.

So… having an eternal perspective not only helps us keep the commandments, but also helps us truly value them (especially the hard ones like home teaching or service or Sabbath day observance). The commandments exist to help bring us happiness. If you are struggling with a commandment, it will help to approach the commandment using an eternal perspective.

2. Understanding and having an eternal perspective helps us truly value ordinances and covenants.

Ordinances and covenants can be very powerful. How often do we remember the importance of taking the sacrament and what it really means? Many of us have made covenants.   Do we always remember them?

I know that for me personally I need to be much better and keep an eternal perspective regarding covenants. It is easy for me to remember the contracts that I have signed regarding work, a car, a house, etc.… and I get caught up in mortal contracts and the consequences of them, but do not always take the time to evaluate and ponder the eternal covenants that I have made. I invite you all to re-study and re-ponder the importance and the power of the sacrament and the other ordinances and covenants that you have made.

3. Understanding and having and eternal perspective helps us truly value the trials and tribulations.

Jesus Christ told Joseph Smith: “Peace by unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.”

Speaking to His apostles, He said: “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

He reassured Moroni: “If men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble… for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”

How can we ‘truly value’ the “gift” of weakness? These scriptures teach us that we are to endure our afflictions well, be of good cheer, be humble, and have faith…

We will struggle, we will fail – that is part of life. But if we have the right perspective, we can come to value the trials and tribulations. The Lord has said that he gives us weakness. It is up to us to decide whether to value and use the gift, or to throw it outside in hopes that some passerby will come by and pick it up.

An example of this can be found in the book of Mormon. Ammon is with the servants of king Lamoni. The bad guys come and scatter the flocks because they are bad guys. Ammon knows that he is on the Lord’s errand. He has an eternal perspective on things. The servants of King Lamoni are on the king’s errand. They have a temporal or mortal perspective. Let’s see and compare how they feel about the same trial…

The servants said: ‘Now the servants of the king began to murmur, saying: Now the king will slay us, as he has our brethren because their flocks were scattered by the wickedness of these men. And they began to weep exceedingly.’

Compared that response to: ‘Now when Ammon saw this his heart was swollen within him with joy; for, said he, I will show forth… the power which is in me… that I may lead them to believe in my words.

Completely opposite feelings, servants were weeping while Ammon felt joy. That is the difference of perspective and faith. Nephi and his older brothers provide another example of this. They went through the same trials and tribulations. They were together. Nephi knew he was on the Lord’s errand and had an eternal perspective. His brothers were following what they thought were the foolish imaginings of their father. Their perspective was mortal.

The trials were not easier for Ammon or Nephi, but having the proper perspective made an enormous difference in every aspect of their lives.

Elder Pino states: “It is extremely important that we do not make decisions of eternal value from the perspective of mortality… The Lord knows what He wants to accomplish with each of us. He knows the kind of reform He wants to achieve in our lives, and we do not have the right to counsel Him. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.”

Again, we all have struggles.   Continue in obedience, really push yourself. Try even harder and you will see the blessings. They will come I promise you. As you continue to keep the commandments (especially the hard ones) and pray to see the eternal perspective… YOU WILL SEE IT.

Back when I was about 15 our scout group went on a campout to Flaming Gorge. My preparation was very thorough as I carefully loaded up my backpack for our 3 day camp. Thanks to my thoughtful considerations to the necessities our trip would require, our entire group of already obnoxious, rambunctious and annoying teenagers increased our capacities to annoy. This was all thanks to my backpack, which consisted of almost nothing but candy. While the leaders likely thought the mixture of not only teenagers, but sugar crazed teenagers in the confines of a 4.5 hour car drive was exhausting, my energy seemed to increase the longer we drove.

Upon arrival we promptly set up camp and upon completion I loudly asked “what are we doing now?” We were by a lake, in the mountains, and I had roughly 7 pounds of sugar circulating in my bloodstream. My leaders (who already looked like they wanted to go home) responded with as much enthusiasm as Ben Stein in the old claritin clear commercials and said “play cards”. I thought for a moment then said “okay, then what?” Their response: Silence… and they both climbed into their tents. I asked “what day are we renting a boat to go on the lake?”… “We’re not” was their response. “Did we really drive all the way here to play cards?” I asked? “yes”, came the response. I quickly realized the fun police had apparently threatened my leaders with their very lives at any attempt no to bore us to death. I felt like I had no freedom to enjoy the wild outdoors. So, naturally I did what any logically thinking teenager would do in the wilderness with no compass, no sense of direction, while in a place he’s never been. I grabbed my buddy and we left the group and snuck off to enjoy our newly taken freedom and fun.

Hours later it started to get dark so we headed back to camp. We entered our camp before sundown, both soaking wet from swimming, and I with a bloody earlobe thanks to a not so cool live lizard earring experiment that sounded a lot cooler than it really turned out to be. We received the welcome I should have expected. Our leaders chewed us out, and lectured us about the importance of not leaving the camp with the security of the others. They were upset we had not told anyone where we were going or when we’d be back. They had no way to track us or contact us and were clearly upset with us. From that moment we were then forbidden to leave the camp again unless our entire group was together or we had a leader with us. Bummer! This we realized was “true” lack of freedom and our actions lead to the lamest scout trip in history basically sitting in camp playing cards for 3 days.

We had wanted freedom and fun and thought we were getting it, but that was not the case. As it turned out our “fun and freedom” lead to exactly the opposite. It lead to being captive in a place we thought would provide us freedom. What we thought was the solution, was actually the problem. We had misread the entire situation, we had been deceived.

How many people in the world today have been deceived by this very thought process. The adversary is an expert in the art of deception. He and his followers have the whole “smoke and mirrors” game down pat. The world accepts, rewards, and even glamorizes the empty, hollow, and superficial things of the world while doing the opposite to the positive and righteous things. Sound familiar? How about Isaiah 5:20: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter”!

How many of us buy into this? How many of us go in search of things, places, substances, or activities to fill a void, bring a solution to, or bring us what either ourselves or the world incorrectly perceive as “happiness” or “fun” to provide what we feel is “freedom” but it doesn’t last. Why doesn’t it last? Simply because it never was! Wickedness never was happiness. (Alma 41:10) Smoke and Mirrors is all a game, the adversary’s game, and any game you play with him, you lose.

The world has and will continue to judge and call the LDS Church as something it is not. Our religion is viewed and described by the world as “restricting” and “no fun”. The adversary’s smear campaign is well funded, and is running on all cylinders. They have the support of the mass entertainment industry that constantly puts out product that is immoral, and filled with lyrics about sex, violence and drugs. They boast about and glamorize the adversary’s best weapons. The very same weapons he uses and employs on anyone and everyone including those helping him move his work along.

The world has painted a lie as the truth, and the truth as a lie! However, words, thoughts, actions, laws, and opinions of the world cannot and indeed will not change the truth. A lie is a lie, no matter how many believe it. The FACT is, the TRUTH is, it’s our abstinence from these substances, materials, things, and behavior that NOT restricts us, but allows us our freedom! Avoiding drugs, alcohol, pornography, gambling, or other addictive items or behavior is exactly what allows us to remain free. It keeps us free from slight to even crippling addictions or lifestyles. How many marriages, families or friendships are broken up due to addiction of various kinds? How many people live subject to, or as an absolute slave to a drug, a cigarette, alcohol, gambling or pornography? How many people have to schedule their days and even their entire lives around something that has such a grip on them they can’t function without it? Their addictions have their full and constant attention and affect them physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially? Addictions can be destructive, crippling and destroy everything you have including life and health itself! After reading the “fine print” packaged with the world’s idea of “fun” does it still sound like fun? Does it still sound like it provides freedom?

Finding a solution to a problem has never been nor will ever include trying to forget it or drowned it out with any type of activity or substance. I’m not trying to be insensitive to or offend those with any type of addition, or who participate in these actions. Nor am I saying they are bad people, I’m just pointing out that those actions or substances don’t provide what they are advertised or pretended to provide. This is simply the adversary in one of his areas of expertise: False Advertising.

The reality is and will always be this: Happiness doesn’t come from a “thing”. It doesn’t come from a nicer car, bigger home, nicer clothes or material goods. Happiness doesn’t come from anything that money or influence can buy. Happiness doesn’t come from anything that can be destroyed, traded or taken from you. Rather, true happiness comes from something worth more than anything money can buy. Something worth so much, it’s priceless. Something made affordable to every single person on the face of the earth because it’s free! I am talking about a relationship with our Living and Loving Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ.

That is true happiness. Lasting happiness. Happiess that lasts because it is and always will be. The best part of all this is that Christ loves you and will help you out of any situation or addiction. Whether a lifestyle or substance is life altering or simply nagging, our Father in Heaven can help. He can guide you away from the smoke and mirrors to something stable, unchanging, everlasting and solid. Himself.