I didn't grow up listening to a pastor or "holy man" preach every week. I grew up in a church where everyone was expected to contribute, and everyone was expected to keep the commandments. In hindsight, it's strange to me when I see others' religious experiences in which they are "normal" and some other figure is "holy". I don't mean to take a shot at other people's faith, but I know what it means to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Every member of the Church has been baptized. Through that covenant we all have promised to take upon ourselves the name of Christ, keep his commandments, mourn with those that mourn (Mosiah 18:9), and speak with the "tongue of angels" (2 Nephi 31:13-14, 32:2-3). We are all disciples of Christ who have covenanted to cast off sin and leave worldly ways behind. We all serve in the Church, and someone who is a mission president one month is a teacher for young children the next. We all have the same responsibility to have faith and to repent, and if we do so we are all candidates for positions of service that people outside of our religion might see as positions of prominence. Despite our weakness we are all saints; we are all Latter-day Saints.
I think sometimes we as members of God's Church don't realize what He wants for us. We are sometimes too content to let others lead. The truth is that we have all been called to serve and to lead and to be shining examples of discipleship. No one is inherently better than anyone else; there isn't a division of groups that are meant to be noble and groups that are meant to be prodded along. Instead, God desires "that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world; That faith also might increase in the earth; That mine everlasting acovenant might be established; That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers." (Doctrine and Covenants 1:20-23)
What's more, the breadth of Christ's Atonement itself implies that the glory of God is intended for all of us. "And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam. And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day. And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God." (2 Nephi 9:21-23--a personal favorite) We all are supposed to benefit from the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and having been given so much we are then all required to do much. God desires for us all to receive His joy and glory, or as I mentioned in an earlier post, there's "Only One Destination in the Plan".
Last thoughts for now:
We all deserve to have hope, and we all deserve to know the joy of service. Heavenly Father wants us all to be righteous and holy. The Church exists to bring the children of God, every one of us a sinner, close to Him. I hope for us all to better understand Jesus Christ's Atonement and become better servants of the Almighty God.
Showing posts with label joy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label joy. Show all posts
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
"He granteth unto men according to their desire"
A recurring message in the scriptures is "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8) When we need something from Heavenly Father, if we ask faithfully He will give it to us. Often, he will answer our prayers through His servants here on this earth. Sometimes, if we are truly seeking to serve Him, we are blessed to be the instruments by which He blesses others.
I certainly hope to bless others' lives. I believe that the most important way I can help others is by sharing the restored Gospel with them. While it's good to serve in many ways, such as by providing food or doing physical labor, if we can share true knowledge and inspire others to live according to that truth, then for the most part they will be able to provide what they need for themselves and dedicate themselves to service as well. So I love to testify of the restored gospel.
I find myself frustrated in my desire sometimes, though. While I would love to declare the joyous truths of the restored gospel with everyone, that isn't how God works. He gives to those who ask. Or, as Alma said, "O that I were an angel[...]that I might go forth[...]with a voice to shake the earth, and[...]declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth. But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me. [...]I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire[...]yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction." (Alma 29:1-4)
I doubt that Alma met people who intentionally sought spiritual destruction, but many who heard him definitely did choose that path through their refusal of the true gospel. Similarly, we run into people who, while professing to live life just like anyone else, reject the glad message of the restored gospel. Despite my great desires to share the gospel, if someone doesn't want it, I should "give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." (Matthew 7:6, interestingly spoken by Jesus right before the passage above.) I hesitate to call anyone "swine" or "dog", but I recognize that many will find no value in the treasures I share and will instead mock them and me. Thus, I should reserve my great treasure for those who seek it.
I have found that even when someone asks a question about my religion they may not merit a lengthy response, depending on whether they ask with a real desire to know. Just because someone throws out a simple question, I should not seek to provide every answer to every question. The other day I spoke about the restored gospel for several hours with a friend, but in hindsight, I see that I was more eager to share the truths of the Restoration than he was to learn them. The result was that, despite my testimony of the Book of Mormon, he still didn't want to read it. Without doing so, he cannot gain a testimony for himself. Even if he did read some of it, if he did not ponder the words and ask God "with a sincere heart, with real intent" (Moroni 10:4), he would not receive an answer from God.
Last thoughts for now:
I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone and is a joyous, wonderful thing. I know that I should "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh [me] a reason of the hope that is in [me]". Yet, I should guard the treasure of my testimony, and as I seek to serve God I should seek to share my testimony and knowledge only inasmuch as others truly seek it, just as "He granteth unto men according to their desire". And like Alma, "I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me." And, though it won't always happen at the speed I would like, measure by measure, those who listen to the voice of the Shepherd will be gathered into Zion.
I certainly hope to bless others' lives. I believe that the most important way I can help others is by sharing the restored Gospel with them. While it's good to serve in many ways, such as by providing food or doing physical labor, if we can share true knowledge and inspire others to live according to that truth, then for the most part they will be able to provide what they need for themselves and dedicate themselves to service as well. So I love to testify of the restored gospel.
I find myself frustrated in my desire sometimes, though. While I would love to declare the joyous truths of the restored gospel with everyone, that isn't how God works. He gives to those who ask. Or, as Alma said, "O that I were an angel[...]that I might go forth[...]with a voice to shake the earth, and[...]declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth. But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me. [...]I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire[...]yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction." (Alma 29:1-4)
I doubt that Alma met people who intentionally sought spiritual destruction, but many who heard him definitely did choose that path through their refusal of the true gospel. Similarly, we run into people who, while professing to live life just like anyone else, reject the glad message of the restored gospel. Despite my great desires to share the gospel, if someone doesn't want it, I should "give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." (Matthew 7:6, interestingly spoken by Jesus right before the passage above.) I hesitate to call anyone "swine" or "dog", but I recognize that many will find no value in the treasures I share and will instead mock them and me. Thus, I should reserve my great treasure for those who seek it.
I have found that even when someone asks a question about my religion they may not merit a lengthy response, depending on whether they ask with a real desire to know. Just because someone throws out a simple question, I should not seek to provide every answer to every question. The other day I spoke about the restored gospel for several hours with a friend, but in hindsight, I see that I was more eager to share the truths of the Restoration than he was to learn them. The result was that, despite my testimony of the Book of Mormon, he still didn't want to read it. Without doing so, he cannot gain a testimony for himself. Even if he did read some of it, if he did not ponder the words and ask God "with a sincere heart, with real intent" (Moroni 10:4), he would not receive an answer from God.
Last thoughts for now:
I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone and is a joyous, wonderful thing. I know that I should "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh [me] a reason of the hope that is in [me]". Yet, I should guard the treasure of my testimony, and as I seek to serve God I should seek to share my testimony and knowledge only inasmuch as others truly seek it, just as "He granteth unto men according to their desire". And like Alma, "I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me." And, though it won't always happen at the speed I would like, measure by measure, those who listen to the voice of the Shepherd will be gathered into Zion.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
To Be Mourned After Death
(written 21 Aug 11)
People value some strange things, and often people care way too much about others whom they’ve never even met, but sometimes what is important to a certain person is indicative of real worth.
We read that a certain disciple, Tabitha, was known in her life for being “full of good works and almsdeeds” (Acts 9:36). To have such a reputation shows that she really did something useful in her life. As we read further we learn at least one thing specifically that Tabitha did. After she died, “all the widows stood by…weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which [she] had made, while she was with them.”
They cared. Those widows really cared. She had made clothing for them, and they wept while showing an apostle of the Lord how she had shown them charity. I'm confident that the widows loved her for more than the material gifts, also; they surely felt her love in other ways as well.
Would I have anyone weep for my loss? Would others care like that? Would my death be meaningful, and thus indicate that my life had been meaningful?
I think of my wife, who has sewed blessing dresses for so many newborn girls. Sometimes the mothers cry when they see the dresses. That shows that she, much like Tabitha, has done something meaningful.
Last thoughts for now:
My gifts to others probably won’t often be in the form of clothing, so they won't mourn my loss for that reason. Frankly, I don’t want to be mourned when I die. I want people to rejoice in the Plan of Salvation. I’d like it, though, to know that my life had meaning to others. I hope to serve others until they know I love them, and I hope that in return they love me.
People value some strange things, and often people care way too much about others whom they’ve never even met, but sometimes what is important to a certain person is indicative of real worth.
We read that a certain disciple, Tabitha, was known in her life for being “full of good works and almsdeeds” (Acts 9:36). To have such a reputation shows that she really did something useful in her life. As we read further we learn at least one thing specifically that Tabitha did. After she died, “all the widows stood by…weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which [she] had made, while she was with them.”
They cared. Those widows really cared. She had made clothing for them, and they wept while showing an apostle of the Lord how she had shown them charity. I'm confident that the widows loved her for more than the material gifts, also; they surely felt her love in other ways as well.
Would I have anyone weep for my loss? Would others care like that? Would my death be meaningful, and thus indicate that my life had been meaningful?
I think of my wife, who has sewed blessing dresses for so many newborn girls. Sometimes the mothers cry when they see the dresses. That shows that she, much like Tabitha, has done something meaningful.
Last thoughts for now:
My gifts to others probably won’t often be in the form of clothing, so they won't mourn my loss for that reason. Frankly, I don’t want to be mourned when I die. I want people to rejoice in the Plan of Salvation. I’d like it, though, to know that my life had meaning to others. I hope to serve others until they know I love them, and I hope that in return they love me.
The Joy of the Challenges of Families
(written 21 Aug 11)
I was able to attend an Elder’s Quorum meeting today because I’m out of town. Out of the continental U.S. to be more specific, but anyway, I received a lesson from the teacher about eternal families. I really liked a line from the Gospel Principles manual that stated something about husbands and wives making each other happy. I thought particularly about my daughter’s reaction before I left; I’m confident that she means it when she says she loves me and that she really wants me around, so I must be doing some things right.
It occurred to me also that it’s pretty easy for us to be pleasant with people we don’t have to spend much time with, particularly if we’re just meeting them, but it’s different with our spouses (and children), with whom we spend so much time. We have ups and downs, but even when we’re not feeling well we can generally muster some charm and manners so as to give others a positive impression. With our spouses, though, it’s a continual effort, and it’s hard to be nice all the time; it takes endurance. That’s why it’s so beneficial to us; in being continually nice to our family members, we get a real opportunity to exercise our charity “muscles”, or in other words, to become more Christlike.
The idea of the our role in the family structure being a key part of our struggle to perfect ourselves isn’t new, but it’s recassuring to see the wisdom of God’s plan for us.
Very likely, it’s the fact that we must put effort into our family relationships that makes them so fulfilling and joyous.
Last thoughts for now:
I love my family. I’m glad they miss me when I’m away. I’m glad that I have to make a real effort at times in order to show them that I love them. I’m glad that my wife makes such efforts for me. I’m grateful for my covenants.
I was able to attend an Elder’s Quorum meeting today because I’m out of town. Out of the continental U.S. to be more specific, but anyway, I received a lesson from the teacher about eternal families. I really liked a line from the Gospel Principles manual that stated something about husbands and wives making each other happy. I thought particularly about my daughter’s reaction before I left; I’m confident that she means it when she says she loves me and that she really wants me around, so I must be doing some things right.
It occurred to me also that it’s pretty easy for us to be pleasant with people we don’t have to spend much time with, particularly if we’re just meeting them, but it’s different with our spouses (and children), with whom we spend so much time. We have ups and downs, but even when we’re not feeling well we can generally muster some charm and manners so as to give others a positive impression. With our spouses, though, it’s a continual effort, and it’s hard to be nice all the time; it takes endurance. That’s why it’s so beneficial to us; in being continually nice to our family members, we get a real opportunity to exercise our charity “muscles”, or in other words, to become more Christlike.
The idea of the our role in the family structure being a key part of our struggle to perfect ourselves isn’t new, but it’s recassuring to see the wisdom of God’s plan for us.
Very likely, it’s the fact that we must put effort into our family relationships that makes them so fulfilling and joyous.
Last thoughts for now:
I love my family. I’m glad they miss me when I’m away. I’m glad that I have to make a real effort at times in order to show them that I love them. I’m glad that my wife makes such efforts for me. I’m grateful for my covenants.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Death of an Apostle
Joseph Bitner Wirthlin: 11 June 1917 – 1 December 2008
There are things I just don't understand. A beloved apostle of the Lord has died, and I think back to the passing of our last president. Some reacted with great sadness, like the guy in this picture:
(AP) Thomas Richardson, a Brigham Young University student, pays his respects at a makeshift memorial in front of the Gordon B. Hinckley building on the campus of BYU after it was announced that Gordon Hinckley, the 97 year old leader of the Mormon Church died January 27, 2008 in Provo, Utah.
A fellow in my old ward bore his testimony the next Sunday and mentioned how sad he was.
I don't get it. For people who don't understand eternity, death can be frightening. But for us? I just don't get it.
What reason was there to mourn? If his life had been cut short, that would be unfortunate. If we had no hope of ever seeing him again, that would be bad. If he had been wicked and we knew he was going to face punishment before God, that would be horrible. If the Church was going to founder because of his loss, that would be absolutely terrible.
But none of these are the way things are! He was old. There's no doubt that he was righteous, and is in the next step of a glorious eternity. His wife had passed away years earlier, and (I'm certain that because they are sealed) they are now reunited. The Church prospered under his leadership, and it will continue to prosper with Thomas S. Monson as our president.
So why mourn?
If I died right now, it would be sad that my wife would face the challenge of raising our kids alone, and it would be sad that my children would have to grow up without a father. We'd miss out on a lot of wonderful experiences as a family. But ultimately, things would be fine; for the righteous, death is only a temporary separation.
If I live to be seventy or eighty or ninety years old, and then I die, I don't want anyone to mourn. If people have reason to believe that I've lived well, I want them to celebrate.
Last thoughts for now:
I have no doubt that Elder Wirthlin has been greatly blessed for his service. I also have no doubt that another apostle will be called, and that the work of God will continue and "the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent" as it has done. And we should have joy.
There are things I just don't understand. A beloved apostle of the Lord has died, and I think back to the passing of our last president. Some reacted with great sadness, like the guy in this picture:
(AP) Thomas Richardson, a Brigham Young University student, pays his respects at a makeshift memorial in front of the Gordon B. Hinckley building on the campus of BYU after it was announced that Gordon Hinckley, the 97 year old leader of the Mormon Church died January 27, 2008 in Provo, Utah.A fellow in my old ward bore his testimony the next Sunday and mentioned how sad he was.
I don't get it. For people who don't understand eternity, death can be frightening. But for us? I just don't get it.
What reason was there to mourn? If his life had been cut short, that would be unfortunate. If we had no hope of ever seeing him again, that would be bad. If he had been wicked and we knew he was going to face punishment before God, that would be horrible. If the Church was going to founder because of his loss, that would be absolutely terrible.
But none of these are the way things are! He was old. There's no doubt that he was righteous, and is in the next step of a glorious eternity. His wife had passed away years earlier, and (I'm certain that because they are sealed) they are now reunited. The Church prospered under his leadership, and it will continue to prosper with Thomas S. Monson as our president.
So why mourn?
If I died right now, it would be sad that my wife would face the challenge of raising our kids alone, and it would be sad that my children would have to grow up without a father. We'd miss out on a lot of wonderful experiences as a family. But ultimately, things would be fine; for the righteous, death is only a temporary separation.
If I live to be seventy or eighty or ninety years old, and then I die, I don't want anyone to mourn. If people have reason to believe that I've lived well, I want them to celebrate.
Last thoughts for now:
I have no doubt that Elder Wirthlin has been greatly blessed for his service. I also have no doubt that another apostle will be called, and that the work of God will continue and "the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent" as it has done. And we should have joy.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Joy of Fatherhood
At Snow College, I was an assistant ward clerk for a while. One day, while we were waiting for a meeting to start, Bishop Cragun shared a thought with us. I don't think he particularly intended to teach anything with his words, but they have stayed with me. He was speaking of one of his children and one of their activities (I believe it was wrestling). He said that he had wrestled when he was younger, but it was more fun to watch his children do it.
I remember coming to a strange realization myself. I remember echoing others' thoughts that children are entertained by the simplest things. Then, one day as I watched my own daughter, I saw the other side of it: I'm entertained when she does the simplest things. I love hearing her speak. I love watching her learn. She is endlessly entertaining.
Those who achieve the highest degree of exaltation do so specifically because they will exercise the greatest power: procreation. The greatest joy beings can have is found in watching our children and helping them to grow.
Last thoughts for now:
After personal righteousness, my greatest concern is for my family. I look forward to having more children and raising them to love life and live truth.
I remember coming to a strange realization myself. I remember echoing others' thoughts that children are entertained by the simplest things. Then, one day as I watched my own daughter, I saw the other side of it: I'm entertained when she does the simplest things. I love hearing her speak. I love watching her learn. She is endlessly entertaining.
Those who achieve the highest degree of exaltation do so specifically because they will exercise the greatest power: procreation. The greatest joy beings can have is found in watching our children and helping them to grow.
Last thoughts for now:
After personal righteousness, my greatest concern is for my family. I look forward to having more children and raising them to love life and live truth.
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