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.

The Atonement

I feel that given the readings this week, I could not write about anything besides the Atonement of Jesus Christ, as spoken of by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. There are so many different aspects of the Atonement - so many different things that we must come to an understanding about - but I wish to focus on just a few things that struck me as I learned about the Atonement this week.

The Lord's Will Versus Our Own

Christ's suffering in Gethsemane was so great that "he sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:44 - with Joseph Smith translation). I can not even begin to comprehend the amount of agony and anguish that had to be endured. And yet, Christ was willing to do this for us because He loved us. It was not without trial. The agony was so bad, in fact, that Christ cried to His Father in Heaven saying, "if thou be willing, remove this cup from me," however, knowing that His suffering must take place, added, "nevertheless not my will, but thine be done"

(Luke 22:42).

I don't know that there have ever been more humble words spoken. Christ was willing to fully submit His will to the Father's.

Are we this obedient and faithful? I know that I'm not, as much as I try to be.

Christ, in his selfless sacrifice for all of us, teaches us an important lesson about the will of God compared to our own. I do not believe that it is wrong for us to question the way things are or to want something different than what we have been given. In fact, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland even says, "When life is hard, remember - we are not the first to ask, 'Is there no other way?'" But, as Christ has shown us through His perfect example, sometimes the answer is that there is no other way. And when there isn't, we must endure our trials with faith, knowing that everything shall work out for our good (D&C 90:24).

How perfect an example Christ gave to us of fully submitting our will to the will of the Father.

He Understands

The biggest thing that I always take away from learning about the Atonement is what Christ actually felt and what He suffered for. He suffered for the sins of the world (meaning that He suffered for my sins, your sins, your ancestors sins, your children's sins... everybody's sins) so we all have the opportunity to repent and to eventually return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. This is the ultimate gift that Christ could have given us.

Another part of the Atonement, however, that I think we sometimes overlook is that Christ didn't just suffer for our sins (although if He had "just" done that, we would still be indebted to Him forever). In addition to feeling the pain and anguish from our sins, he felt all of the physical, mental, and emotional pain that we would ever feel.

Do you understand what that means? It means that Christ is the only one who understands exactly how we feel about everything all the time. When we have this knowledge - that Christ not only loves us more than we can comprehend (enough to suffer for our sins!) but understands us fully - then it's no wonder why we are told to come unto Christ. He truly is our Savior, our older brother, and I hope that all of us count Him as a friend.

No matter the hardship or trial that we are facing, Christ has been there. He has been pushed lower than we can ever imagine and He understands our hearts and desires and situation more perfectly that even we do.

My husband has a poem that he likes to work into any sacrament meeting talk he has ever given. He would be proud of me for using it here. When I think about how Christ understands us perfectly, I cannot help but think of this poem. While it is written about a missionary, I think that we can all relate to this poem to some extent. Have some tissues ready - it's a real tear-jerker.

He's Been There Before

The alarm bell rings at 6:30, I stumble to my feet

I grab my companions bedding and pull off his sheets

A groan fills the room, is it already time to arise?

It seems like just a second ago, I was able to shut my eyes

The morning activities follow with study, prayer and such

When it’s time to leave the apartment, you feel you haven’t accomplished much

“We have a super day planned,”

My comp. says with a grin

I lowly utter a faithless breath,

“Yeah, if anyone lets us in.”

With the word of God and my faithful Schwinn, we ride off in the street

Prepared to face another day of humidity and heat

It’s 9:30 in the evening, the day is almost through

My companion and I are riding home not accomplishing what we thought to do

We ride up to the mailbox, hoping to receive a lot

Only to look inside and hear my echo reverberate “air box”

We go up to our apartment, the day is now complete

The only thing to show for our work is a case of blistery feet

It’s past 10:30 p.m. My companion is fast asleep

Silence engulfs me all about and I begin to weep

In the midst of sadness, I kneel down to pray

I need to talk to father, but I’m not sure what to say

“Oh, Father” I begin, “What happened to us today?

I thought we’d teach somebody, but everyone was away

My hands, my aching hands- worn, hurt and beat;

If our area was any smaller, we’d have knocked the doors on every street”

“Why on missions are the days so much alike?

The only difference about today was the flat tire on my bike

Will you send some cooler weather? The heat is killing me

I sweat so bad, it gets in my eyes, it’s very hard to see”

“Why do I have to wear a helmet, isn’t your protection enough?

People always laugh at me, and call me stupid stuff

Please send us investigators so I may give them what they lack

I want to give them Book of Mormons, the weight of them hurts my back”

“And what about my family, They don’t have much to say

I’m sick of not hearing from home day after day after day

Oh Father, Why am I here am I just wasting time?

Sometimes I just want to go home, I’m sorry but that’s on my mind”

“My companion, Heavenly Father, what are you giving me?”

The way he rides his bicycle, I don’t think he can see

Now you have it, I can’t go on, I don’t know what to do

That, my Father in Heaven, is the prayer I have for you”

My prayer now finished, I stand up, then jump right into bed

I need my rest for tomorrow, we have another long day ahead

Sleep starts to overtake me, I seem to drift away

Then it seems a vision takes me to another time in another day

I’m standing alone on the hill, The view is very nice

A man walks towards me and says, “My name is Jesus Christ”

Tears of joy well up inside, I fall down to His feet

“Arise,” He states, “Follow me to the shade. You and I need to speak”

My attention’s towards my Savior, total and complete

He says, “Your mission is similar of what happened to me

I understand how you feel, I know what you’re going through

In fact, it would be fair to say I’ve felt the same as you”

“I even know how you felt when no one listened to you

At times I felt not quite sure what else that I could do

I know you don’t like to ride a bicycle, for you a car would be sweet

Just remember the donkey I rode wasn’t equipped with 21 speeds”

“I understand you don’t like sweating, in fact it’s something you hate

I remember when I sweat blood from every pore, oh the agony was great!

I see you don’t like your companion, you’d rather have someone else

I once had a companion named Judas who sold my life for wealth”

“It’s hard to wear a helmet and have people make fun of you

Much like when they put thorns on my head and called me King of the Jews

So you feel burdened down by the weight of your pack

I recall how heavy the cross was when they slammed it on my back”

“Your hands hurt from tracting and knocking on doors all day

I guess when they pounded nails into mine, I ached in a similar way

It’s hard not to hear from home when your family’s not there to see

I lost communication on the cross and cried, “Father, why hast Thou forsaken me?”

“We have a lot in common, but there’s a difference between us you see

I endured to the end and finished my mission, so follow and do like me”

He embraced me with His arms and His light filled me with His love

With tears in my eyes I watched as He ascended back to the Father above

I stood with awe and wonder when a beep rang in my head

Listening I heard the alarm, then realized I was in my bed

My companion let out a groan, “it’s 6:30 already, no way!”

I sat up and said, “Come on, I’ll even carry your scriptures today!”

No matter what we go through,

When we feel we can’t take more

Just stop and think about Jesus Christ,

He’s been there before!

By Elder Troy Whittle

Texas Houston Mission

The Atonement of Jesus Christ is so fundamental to the gospel that it requires all of us to have an understanding of it. No matter how much studying we do, I don't believe we will have a full understanding, at least, not in this life. However, through studying the scriptures and the words of the prophets and apostles, as well as regularly attending the temple, attending our church meetings, partaking of the sacrament, and striving to keep the spirit with us, we can come to a better understanding of the Atonement and work to implement it into our every day lives.

In Conclusion

I wanted to share this short video. It's a song that I often find running through my head during the day. The simplicity of it is something that allows even a young child to understand its meaning, which is part of the reason that I love it so much.

Resources:

He's Been There Before retrieved from http://www.mormonmissionprep.com/motivating-missionaries/poem-hes-been-there-before/

"Gethsemane" retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ_VlQ8M5EE

Don't Be Deceived

This week we had the opportunity to read and study Joseph Smith - Matthew. As I prayerfully read through the chapter, I specifically looked for things that apply directly to me and to my life right now. In addition, I always search for things that will help me in my role as a mother and ways in which I can influence my children for the better.

The chapter speaks quite a bit about the importance of not being deceived. It speaks of the signs of Christ's second coming - of false prophets and false Christs who shall lure even the most elect away from the true gospel of Christ. It speaks of the love of men waxing cold and brother turning against brother in hatred. All of these are examples of how deceit will inevitably (and already is) play a role in these the last days. Thankfully, we have some counsel on how to get through these challenging times.

Marvin J. Ashton said,

"Young people, be not deceived. God loves you. He cares about you. He wants you back in his paths, where there is comfort, companionship, and purpose. We as leaders need to effectively communicate to our youth that God loves them no matter where they are. We need to sacrifice our time and talents in this direction."

Additionally, President Thomas S. Monson said,

"My young friends, be strong. The philosophies of men surround us. The face of sin today often wears the mask of tolerance. Do not be deceived; behind that facade is heartache, unhappiness, and pain. You know what is right and what is wrong, and no disguise, however appealing, can change that. The character of transgression remains the same."

So the message is clear: Don't let yourself be deceived.

But the question remains: How?

There are many ways that we can keep ourselves from falling into the grasp of the adversary and being deceived. Among them are regular church attendance, prayer, fasting, serving others, building our testimonies, and the list goes on and on and on. Basically, think of your typical Sunday School answers, and it will most likely answer this question to some extent.

In Joseph Smith - Matthew, however, we are given a more specific answer to the question, How can we keep ourselves from being deceived?

Verse 37 reads:

"And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived."

So there you have it. How can we keep ourselves from being deceived? By treasuring up the word of the Lord.

This, to me, includes reading, studying, and pondering on the words found in the scriptures. We are so blessed to have the scriptures that we do today and much personal revelation can come from the words written there. They are our study guide and cheat sheet as we navigate through our Earthly life.

In addition, we should listen to the talks given at General Conference. Not only that, but we should study those talks again and again, prayerfully searching out counsel that applies and helps us now or will help us in the future. I have never read or listened to a talk in Conference - and I mean really listened - and not come away with some new insight that I hadn't thought of before. Listening to and studying the words of our modern leaders is another way that we can treasure of the word.

We are given more counsel on how we can treasure up the word.

Elder Adrian Ochoa said,

"My dear brothers and sisters, if you ever come across anything that causes you to question  your testimony of the gospel, I plead with you to look up. Look to the Source of all wisdom and truth. Nourish your faith and testimony with the word of God. There are those in this world who seek to undermine your faith by mixing lies with half-truths. This is why it is absolutely critical that you remain constantly worthy of the Spirit. The companionship of the Holy Ghost is not just a pleasant convenience - it is essential to your spiritual survival. If you will not treasure up the words of Christ and listen closely to the promptings of the Spirit, you will be deceived."

What I love most about what Elder Ochoa said was that we should look to the source when we see something that confuses us. Too often, we see something that is concerning to us and as we research it more, we fail to go to the source to confirm its truth or to better understand it. If I see something about Church doctrine that troubles me, who should I go to for answers? The anti-mormon websites who will tell me everything wrong with the doctrine in addition to telling me why everything I have ever believed is false? Or the words of the prophets and apostles, my local church leaders, and (most importantly), my loving Heavenly Father?

I'm not sure about you, but I'd rather get my answers from that second set of sources.

We have been put on this Earth to succeed, not to become deceived and fail in our efforts to return to our Heavenly Father. Our Heavenly Father has not left us empty-handed in our endeavors. He has provided us with the tools and information and resources necessary for us to be successful; one of which is the holy scriptures.

I can say with absolute surety that as we treasure up the words of Christ and the words of His servants, then we will know right from wrong. We will know the truth of the doctrines that we hear. We will understand the gospel more fully. And most importantly, we will not be deceived by the ways of the world.

Resources:

Marvin J. Ashton. You Can Get There From Here. October 1971 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1971/10/you-can-get-there-from-here?lang=eng

Thomas S. Monson. Examples of Righteousness. April 2008 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/04/examples-of-righteousness?lang=eng

Adrian Ochoa. Look Up. October 2013 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/look-up?lang=eng

Little Gems

There are a few things that I love from the readings in the New Testament that we did this week. As I was reviewing the readings, I honestly was having a difficult time narrowing it down to just a few things that I absolutely loved. But as I looked back at the notes I took and what I highlighted in my scriptures, three distinct instances stood out to me.

O Jerusalem

The first of these is found in Luke 13:34 where the Lord exclaims, "Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!"

As I read this verse, I could sense the sadness and the anguish that Christ must have experienced at seeing the wickedness that was ever persisting in Jerusalem.

I sometimes get a small taste of His anguish as I watch those that I love and care about turn away from the things of God, and succumb to the temptations of the world. I have often gotten to the point where I feel the world couldn't possibly get more evil... only for something else to happen which shows me that things just keep getting worse.

But this scripture doesn't speak all "doom and gloom" to me. There is hope in the message that Christ is conveying. "How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings..." How beautiful is that? The Lord wants to help us, to heal us, to strengthen us. Just because the world seems to have turned their backs on Christ, that doesn't mean that Christ has turned His back on us. As we remain faithful and true to the things that we know, the Lord will be ever by our side, strengthening us and helping us. He will "gather [us] together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings" and we will be protected from the forces of the adversary.

To me, that is beautiful.

What Lack I Yet?

Elder Larry R. Lawrence gave a talk in the October 2015 General Conference that helps to shed some light on an account recorded in Matthew. Elder Lawrence said:

"Let's consider the New Testament account of the rich young ruler. He was a righteous young man who was already keeping the Ten Commandments, but he wanted to become better. His goal was

eternal life. When he met the Savior, he asked, 'What lack I yet?' Jesus answered immediately, giving counsel that was intended specifically for the rich young man. 'Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and ... come and follow me.' The young man was stunned; he had never considered such a sacrifice. He was humble enough to ask the Lord but not faithful enough to follow the divine counsel he was given. We must be willing to act when we receive an answer."

There are times when we all need to ask the Lord humbly, "What lack I yet?" This can be a difficult question to ask, especially when we are not sure that we want to hear the answer (and I know from personal experience that sometimes the answer is not what we were expecting). As Elder Lawrence said, it takes humility to come to the Lord with this question, but it takes great faith to follow the counsel that we receive as an answer to our question.

As we continue on in our lives, we will have need time and time again to approach the Lord with this question. I myself have asked similar things of the Lord more than once in my life. But we must always do so with the faith that it will take to do all that is asked of us. We probably will not be asked to sell all that we have like the man in the story was asked to do, but there are other things that we will be asked to do that may seem just as trying. As we are humble before the Lord, though, we will receive the answers to that great question, "What lack I yet?"

The Prodigal Son

I have always loved the story of the Prodigal Son. Not only does it speak of the love that a parent has for their child, but it speaks so strongly of repentance and forgiveness. We learn at the beginning of the chapter that "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth" (Luke 15:10). As members of the Church we believe that we are literally the spirit sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father. As such, we know that each and every one of us has great worth (D&C 18:10) to our Heavenly Father. Thus, why wouldn't He rejoice when one of His children repents and starts their journey back to Him?

Another thing that this story speaks about is humility. When the son in the story realizes that he has taken some wrong turns, he decides to return to his father. The son says, "I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants" (Luke 15:18-19).

How often have we felt unworthy to be a son or daughter of our Heavenly Father? I know I have experienced times when I felt unworthy even to pray to my Father in Heaven. But this is not the way the the Lord wants us to feel. He wants us to feel of His love and He wants us to turn to Him so that we can receive His help. And, as we do, He will respond in the same way that the father in the story of the Prodigal son did - "His father saw him, and had compassion ... For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found" (Luke 15:20, 24).

The gospel is a message of hope and peace; repentance and forgiveness. No matter what we have done or what we will do, we must never feel unworthy to ask our Father in Heaven for forgiveness and for His help. There will be rejoicing in Heaven and on Earth when we choose to forsake evil and turn towards the Lord.

Resources:

Larry R. Lawrence. What Lack I Yet? October 2015 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/what-lack-i-yet?lang=eng&_r=1