Sinning Against the Greater Light

This week I would like to highlight something that someone talked about on the discussion board. One of my classmates talked about how if we are members of the church and go against what we have been taught, that it would have been better for us never to have found the gospel to begin with. Unfortunately, he did not reference the scripture from the New Testament where he got that information, but the scripture D&C 82:3 immediately came to my mind which states,

"For of him unto whom much is given much is required; 

and he who sins against the greater light 

shall receive the greater condemnation."

Do we understand what that means as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

As members of the Lord's true church, we are blessed with the knowledge of God's Plan of Happiness for us. We have the knowledge of the doctrine of Eternal Families. We know that the Lord gives us commandments to help us and because He loves us, not because He wishes to control us. We know that in the Pre-mortal life, Satan proposed a plan that took away our free agency and we fought to come down and exercise our free agency to prove ourselves to our Father in Heaven.

We know that when we make covenants with the Lord, we need to keep them. If we keep them, then the Lord is bound to keep His side of the promise. However, if we do not keep our side of the promise, then the Lord has no obligation to keep His (D&C 82:10).

With this knowledge gives us power and with that power we are given a great responsibility. A responsibility to keep our covenants. A responsibility to teach our children. To teach others. To live the commandments. To pay our tithing. To serve others. To love others. To make a conscious effort every day to be better than we were the day before. To trust in the Lord. To endure to the end.

Are we doing all of that? Are we as members of the Church doing all that we can to fulfill the great responsibility that we have been entrusted with?

I remember as a teenager sometimes feeling that I wish I hadn't ever learned of the gospel. After all, those outside the church seemed to have so much freedom. They could do whatever they wanted! But, understanding that going back on what I had learned could hold some serious consequences for me in the eternities, I never ventured too far from the strait and narrow path.

As I have grown I have watched as some friends and family members chose to abandon their testimonies (if they had them to begin with - after all, it's hard to be sure) for a more worldly lifestyle. They had many reasons for leaving the church. Maybe they had never really felt the spirit testify to them of the truth of the gospel. Maybe they were offended. Maybe they struggled with a piece of doctrine. I don't know all of the reasons for all of them leaving the Church.

What surprised me most about them leaving is that none of them seem better off. Some of them claim to be happy. And I believe that they really do believe that they are happy. But it is not because they are really happier than they were before. It's because they have forgotten (or have never really experienced) JOY. Joy comes along with the gospel of Jesus Christ. These individuals, although free from many responsibilities that the Church gave them, are free of feeling true joy in their lives.

So is the exchange worth it? Is it worth it to give up joy in this life and the next, just for a little bit more freedom in this life?

I think not.

And does deciding not to follow the word of wisdom, the law of chastity, the law of the fast, the law of tithing, and choosing not to keep the Sabbath holy (among other things) REALLY give you more freedom? I dare say that it does not.

I have never once had to worry about how I was going to get home, because I feared I might drink too much at a party. I have never once had to worry if I would test positive for an STD because I have kept the law of chastity. I have been greatly blessed by my efforts to fast and by my husband and I diligently paying our tithing. I have learned that keeping the Sabbath day holy does not mean that it's one less day to accomplish the things I need to get done - it's a day given to us for rest and, more importantly, a day for us to show the Lord how much we truly love Him with worship.

Do I have less freedom because I am a member of the Church? I actually think that I have more.

So when the scriptures tell us that much is required of us, let us all remember that we are given so many incredible things in this life and we will receive more than we can possibly comprehend in the next if we continue faithfully.

Faith, Repentance, Enduring to the End

There are three main things that I pulled from the readings this week. These are things that I know I needed to be reminded of in this stage of my life. These three things are:

1. We must endure with patience,
2. Christ suffered for ALL, and
3. Faith gives us power.

Each of these things might seem simple enough to remember and yet, I found myself needing to be reminded of them.

We must endure with patience

"For ye have need of patience, that, 

after yet have done the will of God, 

ye might receive the promise" 

(Hebrews 10:36).

One of the main principles of the gospel is to endure to the end. But enduring doesn't just mean to survive the trials and tribulations that will inevitably come throughout this mortal life. It means surviving our trials with faith and patience and courage. 

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said:

"We will have many opportunities to abandon our journey. At times it will seem that the path requires more than we had wished for. But... we must have the courage to follow our Redeemer, even when our cross seems too heavy to bear."

In the Women's Session of that same conference, President Uchtdorf counseled us:

"There will always be things to complain about - things that don't seem to go quite right. You can spend your days feeling sad, alone, misunderstood, or unwanted. But that isn't the journey you had hoped for, and it's not the journey Heavenly Father sent you to take... Look for the happiness your Father in Heaven has prepared for you in every step of your journey."

And so it's important for us to remember that, yes, this life is meant to be one of trials and testing. But we are also supposed to experience joy and happiness in this life as well. After all, we learn in the scriptures that "men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25).

Enduring to the end can seem overwhelming at times. After all, when trials come (and they will come), it is often hard to see how things will all work out. But they WILL work out one way or another. That doesn't mean that things will work out the way that we want them to. It doesn't mean that everything is going to be perfect right now, but we can rest assured that some day everything will be made as it should because "the Lord is full of... equity" (Alma 9:26). 

Our Heavenly Father loves us ALL and wants us ALL to not only be tested, but to endure with faith and experience the joy that is possible in this life. He has provided a way for all of us to experience this, which brings me to the next insight I gained...

Christ suffered for ALL

"We are sanctified through the offering 

of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" 

(Hebrews 10:10).

Notice the emphasis on "for all" as it is written in the scriptures. It doesn't say that Christ suffered for only the saints or only the sinners, for members of the Church only, for only men, or only for those who actually repent. No. He suffered for all. 

There are so many quotes that I could share that fit with this (I'm not sure if you've noticed this about me, but I LOVE quotes from our Church leaders). I will share two of my favorites that I think fit with this principle and add some clarity to it.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said:

"Surely it would guide our actions in a dramatic way if we remembered that every time we transgress, we hurt not only those we love, but we also hurt [Christ], who so dearly loves us. But if we do sin, however serious that sin may be, we can be rescued by that same majestic figure, He who bears the only name given under heaven whereby any man or woman can be saved."

Did you get that? Any man or woman can be saved through Christ because He suffered for each and every one of us. He suffered for our sins whether or not we decide to repent of them. Why wouldn't we take advantage of His beautiful sacrifice?

The first part of Elder Holland's quote is something that has always hit me. When I was younger I remember my dad telling me that any time we sin, we are adding more pain onto the anguish Christ had to feel as He suffered for our sins. This is something that I have always tried to remember as I make choices throughout my life.

I would like to add a quote from President Uchtdorf (he seems to be a favorite of mine today) into the mix:

"It is not repentance per se that saves man. It is the blood of Jesus Christ that saves us. It is not by our sincere and honest change of behavior alone that we are saved, but 'by grace that we are saved, after all we can do' (2 Nephi 25:23). True repentance, however, is the condition required so that God's forgiveness can come into our lives."

Christ already suffered for our sins. He suffered for our sins because He loves us. If we truly love Him, we will repent of all of our sins and take full advantage of His sacrifice and His saving Atonement for us. 

Faith gives us power

Chapter 11 of Hebrews talks about many great people from the scriptures and what their faith drove them to do and allowed them to overcome. I want to summarize just a few of these.

Abel - Abel's faith drove him to offer a great sacrifice to the Lord; one that was greater than his brother's sacrifice because Cain lacked faith (Hebrews 11:4).

Enoch - because of Enoch's faith he was translated so he would never taste of death (Hebrews 11:5).

Noah - Noah's faith gave him the courage to warn the people of the flood. He built the ark and was able to save his family from the destruction (Hebrews 11:7).

Abraham - when Abraham was commanded to go to a place he had never been, he went, although he didn't know where he was going. He had faith in the Lord and he obeyed (Hebrews 11:8). In addition, Abraham obeyed the Lord in offering up His son, Isaac, not knowing what the purpose was for doing so (Hebrews 11:17).

Sara - through Sara's faith she was able to conceive a child although she was "past age" (Hebrews 11:11).

Because of the great faith that these individuals (and many others) had, they were driven to do many things that they otherwise wouldn't have done and they were able to accomplish the things which the Lord wanted them to. The scriptures go on to tell us...

"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, 

but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, 

and embraced them, and confessed that they were 

strangers and pilgrims on the earth" 

(Hebrews 11:13).

This leads me back to my first point of enduring to the end, knowing that the Lord has our best interests in mind. These individuals didn't necessarily see the blessings from their faith in this life. But they believed and trusted in the Lord, knowing that He would one day keep His promises and bless them for their faith. 

Elder Holland counsels us to "believe in God and [ourselves]." Sometimes true faith does not come easily, especially when faced with difficult trials. To this, Elder Holland counsels:

"In moments of fear or doubt or troubling times, hold the ground you have already won, even if that ground is limited... When those moments come and issues surface, the resolution of which is not immediately forthcoming, hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes... Jesus said, 'If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall way unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.' The size of your faith or the degree of your knowledge is not the issue - it is the integrity you demonstrate toward the faith you do have and the truth you already know."

Elder Holland then tells us,

"You have more faith than you think you do."

Faith, the first principle of the gospel, is so important to our success in this mortal life. With faith in Jesus Christ and in our Father in Heaven, we can accomplish ALL that the Father wants us to accomplish. 

Conclusion

These three principles all work together to help us become who the Lord wants us to become. Faith and Repentance are two of the first principles of the gospel as stated in the 4th Article of Faith. Enduring to the end, though not mentioned in the 4th Article of Faith, is another one that is necessary for us to return to live with our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ and to remain with our families throughout all eternity.

This is the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Could there possibly be anything more beautiful?

Resources

Dieter F. Uchtdorf. Four Titles. April 2013 General Conference Priesthood Session of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/four-titles?lang=eng

Dieter F. Uchtdorf. Point of Safe Return. April 2007 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/04/point-of-safe-return?lang=eng

Dieter F. Uchtdorf. Your Wonderful Journey Home. March 2013 General Women's Meeting of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/liahona/
2013/05/your-wonderful-journey-home?lang=eng

Jeffrey R. Holland. Behold Thy Mother. October 2015 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/behold-thy-mother?lang=eng&_r=1

Jeffrey R. Holland. Place No More for the Enemy of My Soul. April 2010 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/place-no-more-for-the-enemy-of-my-soul?lang=eng

Our Mortal Journey of Becoming

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Who, being in the form of God, 

thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

But made himself of no reputation, 

and took upon him the form of a servant, 

and was made in the likeness of men:

And being found in fashion as a man, 

he humbled himself, 

and became obedient unto death, 

even the death of the cross"

(Philippians 2:5-8, emphasis added).

There are a couple of things that I absolutely love about these lines of scripture.

Humility

The first is the example of humility that Christ sets for us. We are told throughout the scriptures to humble ourselves before the Lord, and Christ provides the ultimate example to us on how to do that. As these scriptures say, He didn't try to make a reputation for Himself. Christ didn't perform miracles
to create a reputation, but rather, He performed miracles to testify that He was the Christ and because He loved each and every one of God's children. This is shown time and time again when Christ healed people, only to tell them that they were to tell nobody about what had happened. That would take a lot of humility.

For us, we can follow Christ's example by serving others out of love and kindness, and not because of any recognition that we might receive because of our service. We are taught more about this in Matthew:

"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore, when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what they right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly" (Matthew 6:1-4, emphasis added).

Just as Christ had to humble Himself before His father, we must also remain humble, especially when it comes to serving and loving others. May we all follow Christ's example of humility.

Becoming

Perhaps my favorite line of scripture throughout all of the readings this week was the very end of the scriptures I shared earlier where it says that Christ "became obedient" even unto death. I love the use of the word become because it helps to describe our own mortal journeys on this earth.

Too often I get discouraged by my imperfections and the weaknesses that I succumb to on a daily (even hourly) basis. It is easy for me to feel like I will never measure up to my potential and I will forever let down my Father in Heaven who had entrusted me with so much.

This is one reason why understanding the principle of becoming is so important.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught us,

"The Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts - what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts - what we have become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not just a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become."

When we think about our mortal journey as a path of becoming, we are able to better let go of past can and will become the individuals that the Lord wants us to be. Since we know that the judgment will not be one where the Lord will weigh our good deeds against our bad ones to determine our eternal destinations, we can understand that, so long as we have repented, our past sins don't count against us and we can always get a clean slate and start over. 

mistakes and move forward with faith in Christ and the knowledge that through Him, we

One of President Uchtdorf's favorite pieces of counsel in General Conference seems to be that we should "start where [we] are" (he gave us this counsel in the 2009, 2013, and 2015 General Conferences, at least). To me, that shows just how important it is that we follow his counsel. Elaborating on his 2013 message, President Uchtdorf said:

"Start where you are. Isn't it wonderful to know that we don't have to be perfect to experience the blessings and gifts of our Heavenly Father?... the perfect place to begin is exactly where you are right now. It doesn't matter how unqualified you may think you are or how far behind others you may feel. The very moment you begin to seek your Heavenly Father, in that moment, the hope of His light will begin to awaken, enliven, and ennoble your soul."

And, because I love Elder Holland and he always speaks directly to my soul, I will add his words to President Uchtdorf's:

How beautiful is this counsel from our dear leaders? We must start where we are and understand that we are doing better in the gospel that we think we are. Both of these things will help us in our journey to become like our Father in Heaven who loves us more than we can comprehend.

In Conclusion

This mortal life is full of trials and challenges. But these trials we face help to humble us just as Christ was humbled and they help us become who the Lord wants us to become. We are not expected to be perfect right away. In fact, we are expected to be very imperfect, otherwise we would have no need of the Savior's Atonement. But, because of a merciful Heavenly Father and His son's sacrifice for us, we can become perfect only through Christ and only as we humble ourselves and put our faith in Him.

That, my friends, is beautiful.

Resources

Dallin H. Oaks. The Challenge to Become. October 2000 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2000/10/the-challenge-to-become?lang=eng&_r=1

Dieter F. Uchtdorf. The Hope of God's Light. April 2013 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/the-hope-of-gods-light?lang=eng

Jeffrey R. Holland. Behold Thy Mother. October 2015 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/behold-thy-mother?lang=eng&_r=1

Trials and Tribulations

A few days ago, I decided what I was going to write about for this week. I spent the next day or two, mulling it over in my head, deciding exactly what it was that I wanted to highlight and talk about. I wrote this post a couple times in my head, but I never really got around to putting it into words on here.

I had planned to get it all written up this morning.

My morning started pretty much as planned, nay, better than planned. I woke up, nursed my 5-week-old baby, got my kids dressed and fed, and got myself ready (and even managed to put on make-up for the first time in a few weeks) all before about 9:30. That may not seem all that impressive, but just trust me when I say that it never happens. Most days I'm lucky if I've showered by noon. I was just getting the kids ready to go to the store with me to pick up things I needed to make some treats for the Primary Program Practice that we have tomorrow morning.

And then real life happened and it ruined everything.

My two-year-old son randomly vomited all over my bedroom floor. Needless to say, this was the last thing that I needed on a day when I felt like I had much to get done (not to mention when I have a newborn baby!). In a matter of seconds, all of my plans for the day changed, and they were not for the better.

Instead of spending the day grocery shopping, making Rice Crispy Treats with my kids, and spending
the evening at the local Corn Maze (which had been our original plans for the evening) I got to spend the day sitting in front of the TV making a feeble attempt to balance my baby's need to nurse almost constantly (why is it that when I really don't have the time, she is ALWAYS hungry?) with my son's need to vomit every 30 minutes. And that doesn't even factor in my 4-year-old daughter who was pretty much neglected attention-wise all day.

I think it's safe to say that today was exhausting.

Now why did I go on this rant? Was it to get sympathy from my instructor so that he'll hopefully give me a good grade on this assignment, even if it's poorly done? No. (Although, a good grade would be a plus... *hint hint*) Was it because I desperately needed someone to complain to? Okay, so maybe that was part of it. What can I say? Writing blog posts is therapeutic to me.

But I promise I have a better reason for this rant.

My son finally fell asleep in the middle of the living room floor right in the middle of a Phineas and Ferb episode. I wanted to lay down myself, but I knew I had homework to get done. Plus, I am pretty convinced that I won't be sleeping at all tonight between the sick son and newborn daughter, so I figured going to sleep right now would be pointless.

I opened up my scriptures and started looking at the various scriptures I had highlighted, looking specifically for the one that I'd been thinking about all week. Instead, a different scripture stood out to me...

Romans 5:3-4
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope.

I couldn't help but laugh a little at the scripture, honestly. After all, there had been plenty of tribulation today and I can honestly say that I did not "glory" in it. I will be the first to admit that I didn't get down on my knees and say a prayer of gratitude for this trial I had been handed. I did, however, plead with the Lord to take away this trial... about thirty times. But alas, it has not been removed.

My son is still sick. I'm still tired. I'm still worried about the sickness spreading throughout my family.

So why, if the Lord really loved me, why would He put me through this - especially when He knew all that I needed to get done today? Why, if He really loved my son, would He inflict such suffering on him?

I'm sure there is a multitude of reasons. But one is answered in that scripture: to bring forth patience and experience.

D&C 122:7 teaches us that "all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."

It's hard sometimes to picture how a sick son could possibly be for my good or for his good or for the good of anybody. But that's where I just have to realize that the Lord knows far better than I what is best for us. Something is supposed to be learned from this experience. I don't know exactly what that is.

Maybe my prayers haven't been sincere enough and the Lord needed to give me an opportunity where He knew I would reach out to Him. Maybe my son needed some extra attention from me (things have been rough since the new baby arrived) and this was the best way to ensure that I was definitely going to give him attention. Maybe we were supposed to stay home today to avoid some sort of accident or disaster. Who knows?

The reason doesn't really matter though. What matters is that the Lord is mindful of me. He's mindful of my son. He's mindful of my family. He knows how much I love my sleep and how much the prospect of a sleepless night tonight terrifies me.

And just because He's mindful of me and knows me better than I know myself, that doesn't mean that I won't have trials. Trials and tribulations will still come, but I will have the knowledge that I won't really be alone in my trials.

I don't know why I always seem to need that reminder.

I've found that I am reminded of things so often in the scriptures - and very often reminded at just the times that I need them. That's one of the beautiful things about the scriptures, I guess. They are inspired and can give us answers and comfort at the exact moments that those answers and comforts are needed.

This post was a little bit different than my others, but it was one of those "one thought led to another" sort of things. I hope that it made some sense and my exhaustion and general frustration from the day (let's face it, even with the knowledge that the Lord is mindful of me, today was still quite frustrating) didn't completely inhibit my ability to form coherent sentences.

Judgement and Charity

The readings this week talked a lot about the dangers behind tolerating sin and turning a blind eye to it (1 Corinthians 5), but then a later chapter (1 Corinthians 13) spoke of charity and having love for others. In the world we live in today where it sometimes feels that more people tolerate sin than don't, these two ideas can seem to contradict one another. In light of this, I want to share a quote from Phil Robertson (from the show "Duck Dynasty"):

"Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone's lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they

believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don't have to compromise convictions to be compassionate."

Of course there is a fine line between not turning a blind eye to sin and being judgmental toward others. We are taught in Matthew to "judge not, that [we] be not judged" (Matthew 7:1). In addition, we were taught in this week's readings that "them that are without God judgeth" (1 Corinthians 5:13). So we know we shouldn't judge. But how do we refrain from judging others while still not turning a blind eye to sin?

Likewise, it can be difficult to separate the difference between loving someone and supporting their sinful behavior versus loving them despite their sinful behavior simply because they are a child of God. So how do we love someone without condoning their sinful behavior?

I'm honestly not sure that I have the perfect answer to these questions.

Judgement and Tolerance

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, however, gave a great answer to the first question in a CES Young Adult Devotional at Brigham Young University. He said:

"Our tolerance and respect for others and their beliefs does not cause us to abandon our commitment to the truths we understand and the covenants we have made... We do not abandon truth and our covenants. We are cast as combatants in the war between truth and error. There is no middle ground.

We must stand up for truth, even while we practice tolerance and respect for beliefs and ideas different from our own and for the people who hold them."

He continued:

"While we must practice tolerance and respect for others and their beliefs, including their constitutional freedom to explain and advocate their positions, we are not required to respect and tolerate wrong behavior. Our duty to truth requires us to seek relief from some behavior that is wrong."

To me, this means taking on an "agree to disagree" attitude to some degree. For many things, it simply doesn't matter that I may have a different belief than someone else. However, when certain things are wrong, it is my obligation as a member of the Church who has made covenants to stand up for what I know to be right. This may include voting for or against certain laws depending on how they fit in with the Lord's doctrine. It may be something as simple as standing up for the divine role of marriage as it was meant to be in the Lord's plan. It means not compromising my standards for the sake of avoiding confrontation. But it does not mean mercilessly ridiculing those who disagree or even practice sinful behaviors.

Keeping the Spirit With Us

That being said, I want to point out one of the key factors that will help us to know when and how to stand up for what is right. And that is keeping the spirit with us at all times. The spirit is the real teacher and he can help us know when and what to say, when the situation arises where we need to stand up for what is right.

Let me share an example.

A few years ago, my mom was at a barbecue for my brother's football team. She and some of the other parents were sitting at a table talking when the subject of same-gender marriage came up. My mom was the only member of the Church at the table. Of course, the other people at the table began to speak in favor of same-gender marriage - claiming that they didn't see what the big deal was and they didn't understand why some people were making such a fuss about it. They claimed that it's not hurting anyone for same-gender marriage to be legalized. 

My mom stayed quiet for a while, listening to their conversation and debating about whether or not she should say something. As a Marriage and Family Studies major at BYU-Idaho, she had learned many things in her classes (scientific evidence, if you will) about how same-gender marriage actually did do harm not just to the family, but also to society as a whole. My mom, however, did not want to get into an argument, so she kept quiet a little while longer and continued listening.

It soon got to the point where she could handle it no longer. She spoke up and words came flooding out of her mouth. She doesn't even remember what she said, but all eyes were on her. When she finished speaking, the other parents just sort of stared at her. Then one spoke up and said, "Huh. Yeah, I guess that makes sense," and the conversation swiftly changed to another topic.

My mom was able to leave that experience knowing that the spirit had helped her know what to say. She hadn't had to compromise her convictions and she hadn't had to sit and pretend she didn't have an opinion. Instead, she was able to stand up for what was right, while still respecting the right that everyone else had to disagree with her. In the end, it didn't cause an argument, but rather put an end to the conversation all together.

Love One Another

The scriptures teach us that "charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemingly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

We learn in the Bible Dictionary a bit more about the meaning of Charity. We learn that it is "the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love, not merely affection; the pure love of Christ" (Bible Dictionary, page 632).

We know we are supposed to love others and show charity to them. And so I pose the question again: how do we love others without condoning their sinful behavior?

Thankfully, we have modern-day prophets and apostles to shed some light on these sometimes difficult questions. Russell M. Nelson said:

"The Lord drew boundary lines to define acceptable limits of tolerance. Danger rises when those divine limits are disobeyed. Just as parents teach little children not to run and play in the street, the Savior taught us that we need not tolerate evil. 'Jesus went into the temple of God, and... overthrew the tables of the moneychangers.' Though He loved the sinner, the Lord said that He 'cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.'... As members of the Church entrusted with its holy temples, we are commanded that 'no unclean thing shall be permitted to come into [His] house to pollute it.' That assignment requires great fortitude as well as love... Real love for the sinner may compel courageous confrontation - not acquiescence! Real love does not support self-destructive behavior."

In Conclusion

A friend of mine recently gave a talk before leaving on her mission. She said that she was recently at a meeting where Russell M. Nelson was speaking and afterwards, he had a little Q&A with those in attendance. Someone asked him, "What is the most important thing I can be doing in my life to prepare to meet God?" (or something along those lines). President Nelson answered with a simple, "Just be good."

I love that. We just need to be good. That's all. Choose the right. Keep the commandments. Go to the temple. Pray. Study the scriptures. Be an example. Stand up for truth. Love others. Don't judge. ...just be good!

Resources:

Dallin H. Oaks. Truth and Tolerance. CES Devotional for Young Adults at Brigham Young University, September 11th, 2011. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/ces-devotionals/2011/01/truth-and-tolerance?lang=eng

Russell M. Nelson. Teach Us Tolerance and Love. April 1994 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1994/04/teach-us-tolerance-and-love?lang=eng&_r=1

Our Own Road to Damascus

In the readings this week, something that stood out to me in particular was the story of Saul on his way to Damascus as recorded in Acts chapter 9. We learn earlier in the scriptures that Saul "made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison" (Acts 8:3). To put it simply, Saul did not like the church. More than that, though, he hated the church and those in it, so much that he went about actively trying to destroy it.

Latter-day Application

Does this sound like anything we may be experiencing in these days? There are many who disagree with the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are also many who not only disagree with, but also hate the Church. And then there are those who, like Saul, seek to destroy the Church - because simply agreeing to disagree isn't enough for them. They have been so deceived that they put forth great efforts to destroy what is the Lord's Church.

Do we ever seek to destroy the Church? By this I mean, are our actions and deeds ones that will work to build others up and bring them to Christ? Or are they ones that will tear others down?

The Road to Damascus

As we continue reading in Acts, we learn of a miraculous experience that Saul had as he headed on the road to Damascus. I find it interesting that he had this experience while he was on his way to hunt down those who had fled Jerusalem to escape his wrath.

The scriptures read:

"And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest... And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:3-6).

As a result of this experience, Saul repents and goes on to preach the gospel to many and ends up being a pretty amazing person.

Our Own Road to Damascus

In the April 2011 General Conference, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave a talk entitled "Waiting on the Road to Damascus" in which he addresses a problem that many individuals face in our day.

He said:

"We know that manifestations such as [Christ appearing to Saul] happen. In fact, we testify that a similar divine experience happened in 1820 to a boy named Joseph Smith. It is our clear and certain testimony that the heavens are open again and that God speaks to His prophets and apostles. God hears and answers the prayers of His children.

"Nevertheless, there are some who feel that unless they have an experience similar to Saul's or Joseph Smith's, they cannot believe. They stand at the waters of baptism but do not enter. They wait at the threshold of testimony but cannot bring themselves to acknowledge the truth. Instead of taking small steps of faith on the path of discipleship, they want some dramatic event to compel them to believe.

"They spend their days waiting on the road to Damascus."

I don't know about anybody else, but I have never had such an experience as Saul or Joseph Smith did. I have never seen a heavenly messenger (and even if I had, I'm sure I would have probably been told not to share that experience with others) or heard a voice from heaven telling me exactly what I needed to do. So how can I possibly stand up in a fast and testimony meeting and say the words "I know that this church is true"?

President Uchtdorf speaks further on the subject:

"The truth is, those who diligently seek to learn of Christ eventually will come to know Him. They will personally receive a divine portrait of the Master, although it most often comes in the form of a puzzle - one piece at a time. Each individual piece may not be easily recognizable by itself; it may not be clear how it relates to the whole. Each piece helps us to see the big picture a little more clearly. Eventually, after enough pieces have been put together, we recognize the grand beauty of it all. Then, looking back on our experience, we see that the Savior had indeed come to be with us - not all at once but quietly, gently, almost unnoticed."

This is something that I can truly testify of. I cannot tell you the exact moment when I realized that I knew for a fact that the Church was true. Sure, I can tell you of experiences that helped shape my testimony of the Book of Mormon or of Joseph Smith being a prophet, but I cannot give you one isolated moment where I suddenly realized "Wow, it's all true!" Instead, things came to me as it is told they would be in the Book of Mormon when we are told that the Lord "will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little" (2 Nephi 28:30).

Move Forward Courageously

Something that particularly struck me about Saul's experience, was the what he asked of the Lord during this experience. Of all of the things that Saul could have asked, he chose to ask the Lord something that I think we all struggle to ask at times: "What wilt thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:6).

How often do we take the time to question this of the Lord? I hope that we do it daily, although I will admit that I am not so diligent.

President Uchtdorf's closing words speak of this and how we can keep ourselves from simply waiting on our road to Damascus. He says:

"Brothers and sisters, dear friends, let us not wait too long on our road to Damascus. Instead, let us courageously move forward in faith, hope, and charity, and we will be blessed with the light we are all seeking upon the path of true discipleship."

How beautiful is that promise? As we move forward courageously, we will have the light that we are seeking. To me, that's incredible.

Resources:

Dieter F. Uchtdorf. Waiting on the Road to Damascus. April 2011 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/waiting-on-the-road-to-damascus.p30-31?lang=eng&_r=1

He is Risen

This week we had the opportunity to study about Christ's death and, more importantly, His resurrection. I have always wished that there was more information in the New Testament about Christ's resurrection, since this is one of the very purposes for His coming to this Earth. Some of the most beautiful words in all scripture are those spoken of in the four gospels:

"He is not here: for he is risen" 

(Matthew 28:6). 

I cannot read these words without putting myself in the place of those who walked and talked with Christ prior to His death. Although they were confused for a time after the resurrection of Christ, I can only begin to comprehend the joy and peace that they must have felt upon understanding the truth of the words spoken by the angel that Christ was risen and lived again.

And He didn't just live again. He lives.

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you usually will not see too much emphasis placed on Christ's death because we believe in a living Christ - one that loves each of us and understands each of us and is constantly waiting for us to reach out to Him. The meaning that this has had throughout my life is something that I cannot even begin to describe. 

Christ lives, guys. Do you understand what that means? Do you understand what is possible because Christ lives?

A couple of years ago, the Church released a video entitled "Because Of Him." I have made a habit of watching this video periodically because it serves as a beautiful reminder of what is possible because Christ lives. As you watch this, consider what is possible for you personally because the Savior lives and loves you.

For me, knowing that Christ lives again gives me hope.

It gives me hope that through Him, I can overcome any challenge that is thrown my way.

I have hope that, not only will I be able to endure anything, but I won't ever have to endure it alone because Christ understands me perfectly.

It gives me hope that those loved ones who have passed to the other side are not lost forever, but will also live again.

It gives me hope of new beginnings and clean slates - nothing that I do will stop Christ from loving me and nothing I do is so bad that I cannot repent and fix it.

Knowing that Christ lives again also testifies to me of the love that my Father in Heaven has for me. He has provided a way for me (and you, and you, and you) to return to Him again, regardless of the circumstances that we may face in our lives. Because He loves me, He wants me back. He wants all of us back because we are His children and He loves us more than we can ever comprehend.

And our older brother, Jesus Christ, loves us more than we can understand. He loves us enough that He suffered for our sins and was crucified and rose again, so that we will all live again too.

It has been such a wonderful experience to study the life of Christ in depth during this semester. I was reminded of the importance of studying the Savior's life throughout these past seven weeks and I am grateful for that opportunity that I had to study His words and His life.