Mark 12:29-31 -- "And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is...thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength...And the second is...Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."
John 13:34 -- "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."
Moroni 7:47 -- "...charity is the pure love of Christ"
Moroni 7:46 -- "...if ye have not charity, ye are nothing"
I've heard it said more than once that despite the commandment we've been given to love everyone, it's not possible. I think it was spoken with a sense of practicality by people who readily acknowledged that there were people they knew whom they definitely did not love. I understand that, and I appreciate their candor, but what they said wasn't true. The fact is that we can love everyone. Maybe we can't all to do so all at once, without growing and exercising ourselves to gain that love, and sometimes there are people who are particularly difficult to love and who may have injured us seriously in some way. But we have great examples of others, Jesus Christ being the foremost but many more mere mortals as well, who have shown great love to others who were the most difficult to love or the least deserving.
I try to love everyone. I sure don't always succeed. But I have felt that love for everyone before, and I try to keep it with me. Interestingly, some of the times when I've most strongly felt the emotion of love for all were times when I was experiencing great trials. Otherwise, when I feel the greatest love is when I am engaged in service toward them. That service is a key component, and without taking the time for others I'm sure it would be impossible to gain or keep a love for them.
While service is essential, there are many good things which are not sufficient in and of themselves. The words of 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 strike me particularly: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."
One way to serve others is by declaring truth in this world so full of falsehood and deception. If we love those around us, we'll want the best for them. We'll want to speak the truth to enlighten them, if we happen to have light to share. (And we'll want to gain that light so that we can share it.) However, we run a certain risk. When we speak to what is true or right we either explicitly or implicitly speak to what is false or wrong. In doing so, some will feel as if we're condemning ("judging") them. Perhaps it's a rare thing these days for people to speak the truth while still genuinely loving those who don't seem to live by it, but I don't think that's the real problem. I think instead the real problem is the underlying but widely prevalent message that to disagree with someone's actions or lifestyle is to hate them. Love is preached to be synonymous with complete acceptance of not only the basic person but of everything they do.
The real challenge for me is to live in such a way that people know I love them. When the situation arises in which they could interpret my words as either condemnation or encouragement, they won't just see me as a "sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." They will know that I really do want what is best for them and that I still love them even with their incorrect choices, just as I hope others will still love me despite my choices that either are wrong or seem wrong to them.
Last thoughts for now:
I know that some people will never feel the love I have for them even when I'm doing my very best to have that love. I know that I haven't overcome selfishness and have certainly not achieved perfect charity in my heart. But I know that it is right and good that I should have that love. I know that I need to keep that love as a constant goal in my life and that without it, nothing else matters. I hope that I can teach it to my children and encourage it in all those around me. Charity is greater than hope, but I'll keep hope in a world that knows real charity.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Faith In God, Faith In Science
I recently read the book A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. I was enthusiastic to get into it; after all, Stephen Hawking is supposed to be one of the finest scientific minds of our day, and modern physics is fascinating stuff.
Well, I was disappointed.
Some of the theory seemed to be based on circular logic. Having observed forces between matter particles, people search for an explanation as to what creates those forces. They come up with the idea of force-carrying particles that are emitted by one matter particle and absorbed by another, which would change the velocity of each "just as if there had been a force between" them. Hawking states that these force-carrying particles "cannot be directly detected by a particle detector. We know they exist, however, because they do have a measurable effect: they give rise to forces between matter particles."
Really? It makes me think that I could come up with my own theory for what causes forces between matter particles and use the same justification for believing in them. Forces are caused by two-headed micro-demons that breath against pairs of matter particles, causing them to move away from each other. These demons cannot be detected, but we know they exist because they have a measurable effect: the give rise to forces between matter particles. That idea is facetious, but the logic behind "knowledge" of micro-demons is the same as that used for the "knowledge" of force-carrying particles.
At first the book was a fairly interesting read, but I soon saw that there was little I could do to think through the processes that modern scientists have used to develop their theories. Hawking basically goes over the ideas they came up with, referring to calculations without showing them. That's understandable, really; I wouldn't expect to understand in a few minutes or a few pages what very smart and educated people have taken years to develop. Among the scientific community leading minds can compare notes and evaluate each other's detailed thoughts. However, as the theories become as far-fetched as anything we read in scripture, what Hawking is telling the average person, through this book, is to accept the theories without seeing how they really work.
What he's asking us to do is to believe without seeing.
Isn't that the essence of faith?
Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Alma 32:21 "And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true."
More than 99% of all people who have ever lived have no hope of ever understanding modern physics, but everyone who knows how to read can investigate the scriptures and then turn to God in prayer to have their faith rewarded with knowledge. Even those who cannot read can hear the word of God preached to them. Anyone can listen to the Holy Ghost within their hearts.
Last thoughts for now:
I don't reject outright the world's best modern ideas in physics; I'm glad to have the technology we have that is based on those ideas. It would be wildly interesting to study the best theories in depth and contribute to them. But if the average person is to accept modern science on faith, is it unfair to ask them to accept the Atonement of Jesus Christ on faith? Not at all. Indeed, it is a wonderful thing to invite others to seek and test their faith in God and His Son, and to see that faith rewarded with sure knowledge.
Well, I was disappointed.
Some of the theory seemed to be based on circular logic. Having observed forces between matter particles, people search for an explanation as to what creates those forces. They come up with the idea of force-carrying particles that are emitted by one matter particle and absorbed by another, which would change the velocity of each "just as if there had been a force between" them. Hawking states that these force-carrying particles "cannot be directly detected by a particle detector. We know they exist, however, because they do have a measurable effect: they give rise to forces between matter particles."
Really? It makes me think that I could come up with my own theory for what causes forces between matter particles and use the same justification for believing in them. Forces are caused by two-headed micro-demons that breath against pairs of matter particles, causing them to move away from each other. These demons cannot be detected, but we know they exist because they have a measurable effect: the give rise to forces between matter particles. That idea is facetious, but the logic behind "knowledge" of micro-demons is the same as that used for the "knowledge" of force-carrying particles.
At first the book was a fairly interesting read, but I soon saw that there was little I could do to think through the processes that modern scientists have used to develop their theories. Hawking basically goes over the ideas they came up with, referring to calculations without showing them. That's understandable, really; I wouldn't expect to understand in a few minutes or a few pages what very smart and educated people have taken years to develop. Among the scientific community leading minds can compare notes and evaluate each other's detailed thoughts. However, as the theories become as far-fetched as anything we read in scripture, what Hawking is telling the average person, through this book, is to accept the theories without seeing how they really work.
What he's asking us to do is to believe without seeing.
Isn't that the essence of faith?
Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Alma 32:21 "And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true."
More than 99% of all people who have ever lived have no hope of ever understanding modern physics, but everyone who knows how to read can investigate the scriptures and then turn to God in prayer to have their faith rewarded with knowledge. Even those who cannot read can hear the word of God preached to them. Anyone can listen to the Holy Ghost within their hearts.
Last thoughts for now:
I don't reject outright the world's best modern ideas in physics; I'm glad to have the technology we have that is based on those ideas. It would be wildly interesting to study the best theories in depth and contribute to them. But if the average person is to accept modern science on faith, is it unfair to ask them to accept the Atonement of Jesus Christ on faith? Not at all. Indeed, it is a wonderful thing to invite others to seek and test their faith in God and His Son, and to see that faith rewarded with sure knowledge.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Fisher Family Traditions: Family Time
I've always found it important to re-evaluate the way we do things and make changes as necessary (which should be normal, really, if we're repenting as we should). However, when we think we've got a good idea we tend to want to hold onto it. One of our favorite family traditions is something call Family Time.
Family Time is a lot like Family Home Evening, except that it's simpler and we do it every day. In the Church we've repeatedly been counseled to pray together daily as a family and to read scriptures together daily. We've also been counseled that music invites the Holy Ghost. These things are the foundation of Family Time.
A while back we also picked up a part I called "gathering". With that added in, here's how our tradition goes before the kids' bedtime:
Gathering consists of tidying up the living room (which helps Mama to keep the house clean) and then sitting reverently while I play some music on the piano (generally from the Children's Songbook). I explain to the kids that when we're reverent, we listen to the Holy Ghost, and I sometimes ask what the Holy Ghost told them. I figure that by practicing reverence at home, the kids will be better at being reverent at church and at other appropriate times.
After gathering, we sing a song together. For now this is usually from the Children's Songbook instead of the Hymnal. Sometimes we sing a song that we don't know well, and occasionally one that none of us has even heard before. If we need to, one of the parents speaks a line of the lyrics before we sing them. We then read several verses of scripture. The passage could be as short as two verses (not very often at all) or even a whole chapter (also not very often), though usually it's closer to five or six verses. The length of the passage is not really important; mostly we want to talk about whatever idea or ideas are contained in the given passage. We've been reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning, and after a few years we're almost through 3 Nephi. We give everyone a chance to "read"; the younger kids repeat back the words of a verse as a parent reads them. (At one point our three-year old displayed some unwillingness to participate; we used his natural sense of possessiveness to our advantage. We ask, "Who gets to read Marshall's verse?" to which he happily raises his hand and says, "Me!" It works almost without fail.) As the kids participate this way they're also practicing their skills with either reading or memory. Depending on what the passage, we might even act out what we've read so that the kids can better understand. After we've read scripture we pray. For this prayer we kneel in a circle, and lately we've taken to also holding hands as well.
We try to keep up the tradition even when it's not convenient, such as when travelling. We've even had Family Time in the van. Sometimes we cut it a little bit short if necessary, though I'm always wary of selling ourselves short. The kids are accustomed to it and prod us as well. When we've wanted to keep it short by just having a family prayer, our sweet little three-year-old reminds us that we "forgot to read scriptures". Because of his encouragement, I've made sure to make the effort to read together even if it's late.
When we get the opportunity, we invite others to participate in our Family Time. It's a treat for us, and it provides a missionary experience as well when our guests are not members of the Church. I think it's one of the best ways to bring the Holy Ghost to people.
And, on Mondays, we have Family Home evening, which at a minimum also includes an opening prayer and a lesson but often also involves testimonies, an activity, and a treat.
Last thoughts for now:
Family Time is a wonderful tradition for us. I know that our family and our individual children are strengthened because of it. The kids expect it, and while we still need a lot of practice being reverent, they're learning a bit every day. I'm grateful for the counsel of living prophets and am glad that we've found a good tradition by which we can obey that counsel.
Family Time is a lot like Family Home Evening, except that it's simpler and we do it every day. In the Church we've repeatedly been counseled to pray together daily as a family and to read scriptures together daily. We've also been counseled that music invites the Holy Ghost. These things are the foundation of Family Time.
A while back we also picked up a part I called "gathering". With that added in, here's how our tradition goes before the kids' bedtime:
Gathering consists of tidying up the living room (which helps Mama to keep the house clean) and then sitting reverently while I play some music on the piano (generally from the Children's Songbook). I explain to the kids that when we're reverent, we listen to the Holy Ghost, and I sometimes ask what the Holy Ghost told them. I figure that by practicing reverence at home, the kids will be better at being reverent at church and at other appropriate times.
After gathering, we sing a song together. For now this is usually from the Children's Songbook instead of the Hymnal. Sometimes we sing a song that we don't know well, and occasionally one that none of us has even heard before. If we need to, one of the parents speaks a line of the lyrics before we sing them. We then read several verses of scripture. The passage could be as short as two verses (not very often at all) or even a whole chapter (also not very often), though usually it's closer to five or six verses. The length of the passage is not really important; mostly we want to talk about whatever idea or ideas are contained in the given passage. We've been reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning, and after a few years we're almost through 3 Nephi. We give everyone a chance to "read"; the younger kids repeat back the words of a verse as a parent reads them. (At one point our three-year old displayed some unwillingness to participate; we used his natural sense of possessiveness to our advantage. We ask, "Who gets to read Marshall's verse?" to which he happily raises his hand and says, "Me!" It works almost without fail.) As the kids participate this way they're also practicing their skills with either reading or memory. Depending on what the passage, we might even act out what we've read so that the kids can better understand. After we've read scripture we pray. For this prayer we kneel in a circle, and lately we've taken to also holding hands as well.
We try to keep up the tradition even when it's not convenient, such as when travelling. We've even had Family Time in the van. Sometimes we cut it a little bit short if necessary, though I'm always wary of selling ourselves short. The kids are accustomed to it and prod us as well. When we've wanted to keep it short by just having a family prayer, our sweet little three-year-old reminds us that we "forgot to read scriptures". Because of his encouragement, I've made sure to make the effort to read together even if it's late.
When we get the opportunity, we invite others to participate in our Family Time. It's a treat for us, and it provides a missionary experience as well when our guests are not members of the Church. I think it's one of the best ways to bring the Holy Ghost to people.
And, on Mondays, we have Family Home evening, which at a minimum also includes an opening prayer and a lesson but often also involves testimonies, an activity, and a treat.
Last thoughts for now:
Family Time is a wonderful tradition for us. I know that our family and our individual children are strengthened because of it. The kids expect it, and while we still need a lot of practice being reverent, they're learning a bit every day. I'm grateful for the counsel of living prophets and am glad that we've found a good tradition by which we can obey that counsel.
The Sacrament and the Gospel
While the sacrament is being administered to us, I generally whisper to one of my children (whichever is closest to me at the time) to ask them about the meaning of the sacrament and explain as necessary. It makes for a lot of repetition, but I really want them to understand the importance and meaning of the covenant. They know that when they're eight years old they'll be baptized, and then they'll start taking the sacrament each week also. (Right now they don't; I don't want them to be taking the bread and water out of habit only, but rather to meaningfully renew covenants as they eat and drink.)
On another topic:
When we used to teach people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ as missionaries, and as I've taught and been taught many times since, some central ideas about the Atonement of Jesus Christ are that He overcame two major obstacles for us: physical death ("the grave") and spiritual death("hell"). Because of the Fall we are mortal and subject to physical death, at which time our spirits will lose the marvelous bodies that God has given us. Also, with our moral agency we are free to choose our actions, and we all will make choices that separate us from God (and thus causing spiritual death). Jesus suffered for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, suffering such pain that He bled from the pores of His skin. He then died and was later resurrected.
Perhaps the connection is already obvious in stating this much. In any case, here's what my whispered conversation with my kids tends to sound like:
Daddy: "Why do we take the sacrament?"
Child: (waits)
Daddy: "We take the sacrament to renew our covenants. We make promises to Heavenly Father when we're baptized. We covenant to be like Jesus, to take His name upon us, and to obey the commandments. What does the bread remind us of?"
Child: "Jesus' body."
Daddy: "Yes. Because Jesus died, and his body went in a tomb for three days. What happened then?"
Child: "He was resurrected."
Daddy: "That's right, and because He was resurrected, we all will be, too."
As the water is being administered:
Daddy: "What does the water remind us of?"
Child: "Jesus' blood."
Daddy: "Yes, because Jesus paid for our sins and it hurt Him so much that he bled. Because He paid for our sins, we can all repent and live with our Heavenly Father again."
I don't think I've ever heard anyone teach that the sacrament is directly related to Jesus' resurrection and His experience in the Garden of Gethsemane, but it makes sense to me that way.
Last thoughts for now:
I want my kids to be ready for baptism. I want them to have a testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Just as elements of teachings in the temple are symbolic, the bread and water definitely are also. Jesus is the bread of life and the water of life, He died and was resurrected so that we will be too, and He atoned for our sins so that we can repent and be forgiven. All of us.
On another topic:
When we used to teach people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ as missionaries, and as I've taught and been taught many times since, some central ideas about the Atonement of Jesus Christ are that He overcame two major obstacles for us: physical death ("the grave") and spiritual death("hell"). Because of the Fall we are mortal and subject to physical death, at which time our spirits will lose the marvelous bodies that God has given us. Also, with our moral agency we are free to choose our actions, and we all will make choices that separate us from God (and thus causing spiritual death). Jesus suffered for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, suffering such pain that He bled from the pores of His skin. He then died and was later resurrected.
Perhaps the connection is already obvious in stating this much. In any case, here's what my whispered conversation with my kids tends to sound like:
Daddy: "Why do we take the sacrament?"
Child: (waits)
Daddy: "We take the sacrament to renew our covenants. We make promises to Heavenly Father when we're baptized. We covenant to be like Jesus, to take His name upon us, and to obey the commandments. What does the bread remind us of?"
Child: "Jesus' body."
Daddy: "Yes. Because Jesus died, and his body went in a tomb for three days. What happened then?"
Child: "He was resurrected."
Daddy: "That's right, and because He was resurrected, we all will be, too."
As the water is being administered:
Daddy: "What does the water remind us of?"
Child: "Jesus' blood."
Daddy: "Yes, because Jesus paid for our sins and it hurt Him so much that he bled. Because He paid for our sins, we can all repent and live with our Heavenly Father again."
I don't think I've ever heard anyone teach that the sacrament is directly related to Jesus' resurrection and His experience in the Garden of Gethsemane, but it makes sense to me that way.
Last thoughts for now:
I want my kids to be ready for baptism. I want them to have a testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Just as elements of teachings in the temple are symbolic, the bread and water definitely are also. Jesus is the bread of life and the water of life, He died and was resurrected so that we will be too, and He atoned for our sins so that we can repent and be forgiven. All of us.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
"Getting It Done", Percentages, and the Real Needs of Children of our Heavenly Father
While preparing for a talk I gave in church today, I came across the following words in a talk from W. Grant Bangerter in the October 1975 General Conference, entitled The Power of the Priesthood:
"I would like to ask tonight, 'What kind of a testimony do you have concerning the power of the priesthood?'
"How many brethren here are home teachers? Would you please raise your hands. Those of you who are listening in may also raise your hands. Now since we have just closed out the month of September, how many of you home teachers 'got your home teaching done?' Well, brethren, that’s a catch phrase. You know, the devil taught us to say those words: 'Did you get your home teaching done?' That is a very poor way to refer to the comprehensive mission embodied in home teaching. By getting us to ask 'Did you get your home teaching done?' the devil destroys 90 percent of our effectiveness. All that question implies is a quick visit the last day of the month so that we can send in the report." (http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1975/10/the-power-of-the-priesthood?lang=eng&query=teach+in+home)
It strikes me that I've often heard the same language in reference to home teaching--"getting it done". Before today it had never struck me that the devil had taught us those words. I understand the attitude, though. It's faulty to be concerned with whether or not someone made a perfunctory visit to someone's house during a given 28-, 30-, or 31-day period.
Part of the inadequacy of the "get your home teaching done" attitude comes when we ask the question, "Is there anything we can do for you?" The answer, more often than not, will be something like, "No, we're fine." I've found that it's much more helpful to appropriately probe a bit with specific questions. "How is your car running?" "Do you have plenty of food in your fridge?" "Are you in need of a priesthood blessing?" "How is your health?" These sorts of questions allow us to A) show that we actually care, and B) serve as the eyes and ears of the elders quorum president (or high priests group leader) and bishop, who really shouldn't be the first people to hear about someone's needs.
We also talk about home teaching percentages and I think we often fail to inspire ourselves and others properly to perform one of the most important priesthood duties we have. Here again, we miss the mark. When it comes to percentages, the following are true: 1) The percentage of families visited by home teachers is an important part of quarterly reporting so that Church leaders can have a sense of how well the priesthood holders of a given unit are fulfilling their duties. 2) Having a high reported home-teaching percentage (and thus projecting an image of obedience) should not be our goal. 3) Any percentage below 100 indicates that families we know and love (or should love, at least) are being neglected.
Instead of setting percentages as our goals, what should we focus on? People. Real people. Real children of our Heavenly Father, with real needs. The underlying facts beneath some percentage of home teaching being conducted are that Brother X doesn't understand his responsibilities as a leader and teacher in his home or how to accomplish them; Sister Y is struggling financially and is critically losing faith; and the Z Family is passing year by year without any reason to believe that the Church of Jesus Christ inspires anyone, because no one from the Church cares enough to even stop by! Home teaching is a vital priesthood service for both spiritual and temporal reasons, and is often the key to families resuming activity in the Gospel and in the Church. Even if a given family has few evident needs during some month, we are still negligent as priesthood holders if we are not dedicating time to care for that family in their home.
Last thoughts for now:
It's perhaps easy for me to speak of home teaching mistakes we make in general when I haven't been assigned as a home teacher for months. All the same, I know how important these assignments are, and I don't want to be found negligent by my God when reviewing my life with Him. I don't want others to miss the blessings of the Gospel and of salvation because I failed to care. I don't want to just "get my home teaching done". The Gospel is about love, and if I am to show love to my fellow members of the Church I'll take the time to visit them and attend to their real needs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)