Our LDS Life

I have decided that people who call us a cult are doing us a favor. Why? Because those who have gotten to know more than one Latter-day Saint well, see that we are good people who love the Lord. The vast difference between what people see/know about us and what those who dislike us purport is enough to stir the curiosity and make our friends ask questions about our beliefs. At this point we can share with them what we truly believe.  This includes our testimonies of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior of the world, and the Book of Mormon’s power to bring us closer to Him.

Our task? Live our religion and let Christ’s transforming power take hold in our lives… then open our mouths and share the amazing things the Lord is doing in our lives. By their fruits ye shall know them…. Let our lives speak for themselves and then have the humility to connect the dots back to where credit is rightly due… to the Savior and the Book of Mormon that testifies of Him!

“Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessings of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines anymore than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on the sofa watching sporting events and giving advice to the athletes,” President D. F. Uchtdorf, April 2009 General Conference.

The people in Jerusalem never asked Jesus what he meant by “other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepherd” (John 10:16). They thought he referred to the Gentiles and were satisfied with the answer they’d come up with in their own minds. So they never asked more. Had they asked, He would have told them. But they didn’t ask. They thought they knew the answer (3 Nephi 15:17-21).

Have you ever wondered how many things we “think” we know that we really don’t? How many times are we satisfied with the answers our own minds concoct instead of asking if there is more? What if there is more that God would like to give us, but because we do not ask, we do not receive?

Have you ever been reading the scriptures and run across something you don’t quite understand. You glance at it for a second, perhaps make some cursory judgment as to what it might mean, and then move on — forgetting all about it. I’ve done that a thousand times. But what if we stopped and took the time to ask? It’s in there for a reason, isn’t it?

Do we really believe the prophets wrote things as “filler?” Did they have a quota of pages they needed to fill and some of it was just fluff to get to the right word count?  Quite the opposite for the Book of Mormon. Mormon and Moroni were super conscious about how much ore they had. They took time to think about what they included and made sure everything served a purpose. If that is the case, then why do we gloss over some passages that we don’t understand … never taking the time to ask?

The very essence of Joseph Smith’s ability to receive revelation was his willingness to ask. His experience in the sacred grove began with a question. The Word of Wisdom came from a question. Most of the doctrines restored to earth came as Joseph was translating the Bible and had questions along the way. There’s Paul’s question “why are they then baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at all?” which led to the restoration of that principle (1 Corinthians 15:29, D&C 128:16). The entire section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants about the degrees of glory came from Joseph’s observations from the Bible, “It appeared self-evident from what truths were left, that if God rewarded every one according to the deeds done in the body, the term ‘Heaven,’ as intended for the Saints’ eternal home, must include more kingdoms than one.”

Repeatedly the Prophet Joseph showed us the way to dig, ask questions and get answers for ourselves. Why then, are we satisfied with mediocrity in our scripture study or in studying what modern prophets and apostles have to say? Do we assume answers are only given to prophets? Are they the only ones entitled to insights and answers? While it’s true that prophets are the only ones who declare official church doctrine, it doesn’t mean that the rest of us should be lazy bums and not search for answers on our own. We shouldn’t go about declaring our insights as doctrine, but there are so many wonderful truths to be had that can enrich our lives and give us peace. But we have to ask!

Joe J. Christensen in an article entitled, “Toward Greater Spirituality: Ten Important Steps” from the June 1983 Ensign said,

“What a blessing it would be if all of us would receive more spiritual strength and personal revelation than we do. President Brigham Young said, ‘There is no doubt, if a person lives according to the revelations given to God’s people, he may have the Spirit of the Lord to signify to him his will, and to guide and to direct him in the discharge of his duties, in his temporal as well as his spiritual exercises. I am satisfied, however, that in this respect, we live far beneath our privileges.’ (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. and arr. by John A. Widtsoe, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1973, p. 32; emphasis added.)

So why do we settle, when all we have to do is search, ponder and ask?

My mother found this in a talk she had by President Ezra Taft Benson. Seems appropriate for today:

“For nearly six thousand years, God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the second coming of the Lord.  Some individuals will fall away; but the kingdom of God will remain intact to welcome the return of its head – even Jesus Christ.  While our generation will be comparable in wickedness to the days of Noah, when the Lord cleansed the earth by flood, there is a major difference this time.  It is that God has saved for the final inning some of His strongest children, who will help bear off the kingdom triumphantly.  That is where you come in, for you are the generation that must be prepared to meet your God.”

……”In all ages prophets have looked down through the corridors of time to our day.  Billions of the deceased and those yet to be born have their eyes on us.  Make no mistake about it – you are a marked generation.  There has never been more expected of the faithful in such a short period of time than there is of us.  Never before on the face of this earth have the forces of evil and the forces of good been as well organized.  Now is the great day of the devil’s power.  But now is also the great day of the Lord’s power, with the greatest number ever of priesthood holders on the earth.”

“We will live in the midst of economic, political and spiritual instability. When these signs are observed – unmistakable evidences that His coming is nigh – we need not be troubled, but “stand in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come” (D&C 87:8).  Holy men and women stand in holy places and these holy places consist of our temples, our chapels, our homes, and stakes of Zion, which are, as the Lord declared, “for a defense and a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth” (D&C 115:6).  We must heed the Lord’s counsel to the Saints of this dispensation: “Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord.” (D&C 133:10)

“This preparation must consist of more than just casual membership in the Church.  We must be guided by personal revelation and the counsel of the living prophet so we will not be deceived.  Our Lord has indicated who, among Church members, will stand when He appears: “At that day, when I shall come in my glory shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins.” (D&C 45:56)

I was reading Alma 29 yesterday morning and something struck me in this passage I hadn’t really thought about before. I’m sure you’re familiar with this one, but please read it again with me:

“O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people! Yea, I would 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 ought not to harrow up in my desires, the firm decree of a just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; 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’ve always thought this a rather sad passage, perhaps because I’ve felt a lot like Alma at times wishing I could say the words that would lead millions of souls to Christ. Alma explains why this is such a great desire of his heart in verse 10:

“When I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea even that he hath heard my prayer; yea then do I remember his merciful arm he extended towards me.”

I agree with Alma, there is no greater joy than watching people come unto Christ. When you’re a part of that process, you do feel the love of God for you and others. You remember God’s infinite mercy toward you. This intense gratitude fills you with an indescribably joy. It is that joy that Alma seeks. Again, I can relate to Alma, and this passage has always been bittersweet for me, knowing God will not infringe upon the agency of others, and that Alma (and I) must be grateful for the influence allotted to us.

BUT, something occurred to me yesterday that I never saw before. Notice how Alma insists that God grants to us according to our desires. What about Alma’s desires? Were they so horrible? So out of line? Did God ever grant Alma’s desires? I say He did. He just didn’t do it in quite the way Alma envisioned. If you read further in the Book of Mormon, you’ll see that Alma was translated just as Moses was. In other words, just as Moses became an angel, Alma also became an angel! Also, Alma wanted his words to be broadcast to the world at large. How many people have read Alma’s words in the Book of Mormon? Church membership sits at 13 million today. The Book of Mormon has been translated into over a hundred languages. Alma’s words have influenced and continue to influence the entire world!

In other words, God did give Alma the desires of his heart. It just came in a time and in a way slightly different than Alma envisioned. What do we take away from this? Don’t bury your righteous desires. Pursue them, believe in them, and KNOW that God grants the righteous desires of His followers in His own time and in His own way.

I think President Gordon B. Hinckley sums it up best:

“Believe in yourself. Believe in your capacity to do great and good things. Believe that no mountain is so high that you cannot climb it. Believe that no storm is so great that you cannot weather it. You are not destined to be a scrub. You are a child of God, of infinite capacity.

“Believe that you can do it–whatever it is that you set your heart on. Opportunities will unfold and open before you. The skies will clear when they have been dark with portent.”

I’ve always had a soft spot for Joseph Smith’s wife Emma Smith. One incident in particular to me encapsulates Emma’s devotion and love for her husband. As she stood over Joseph’s casket, one man came up to her and said, “Sister, endure this well and a crown will be yours.” To this Emma responded, “You don’t understand, my husband was my crown.”

Emma’s devotion to Joseph through all the persecution He endured is remarkable and I love this video and song that is a tribute to an elect lady.

I really enjoyed this video by a fellow member of the church where she shares her thoughts and feelings about General Conference and her conversion story.

One of my favorite talks from the last General Conference was by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf in the General Relief Society Meeting held in September 2008. He spoke on God’s happiness — the things that make Him happy, and how since we are made in His image, the things that make Him happy will make us happy. The two things he pointed out that bring God happiness are creativity and compassion.

President Uchtdorf made so many good points. These are a few that stood out to me:

“The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create.” – Dieter F. Uchtdorf,

“As we lift others, we rise a little higher ourselves.” President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Spencer W. Kimball, “The more we serve our fellowman in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls.”

“Work will cure your grief. Serve others.” President Hinckley

James Barry (Author of Peter Pan) said, “Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.”

He ended his remarks with the following:

“In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance. Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hearts, notice the loneliness and despair. Let us feel the silent prayers of others around us, and let us be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to answer those prayers.

I have a simple faith. I believe that as you are faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, as you draw closer to him in faith, hope and charity, things will work together for your good. I believe that as you immerse yourselves in the work of our Father, as you create beauty, and as you are compassionate to others, God will circle you in the arms of His love. Discouragement, inadequacy and weariness will give way to a life of meaning, grace and fulfillment. As spirit daughters of our Heavenly Father, happiness is your heritage. You are choice daughters of our heavenly Father. And through the things you create, and by your compassionate service, you are a great power for good. You will make the world a better place. Lift up your chin, Walk tall, God loves you. We love you and admire you. ” – Dieter F. Uchtdorf, General Relief Society Meeting, September 2008

I have found these words to be true, and it was a wonderful reminder of the fact! He gave me renewed determination to be more compassionate, to reach out and lift others, and to use my creativity in ways that will bless the lives of others.

I just got off the phone with a friend. We were talking about the blessings that come to us when we commit ourselves fully to the Lord, and also the sacrifices that sometimes he asks of us. She mentioned in passing how blessed she’s been in the area of friendships — how the Lord has given her so many wonderful friends. It reminded me of a quote by President Ezra Taft Benson. As I went to look it up, I found an entire article by him, and there’s just so much good stuff in here that I thought I’d post a segment of it:

“Christ’s great gift to us was His life and sacrifice. Should that not then be our small gift to Him—our lives and sacrifices, not only now but in the future? A few years ago my colleague Elder Boyd K. Packer said this: “I’m not ashamed to say that … I want to be good. And I’ve found in my life that it has been critically important [to establish this intention] between me and the Lord so that I knew that he knew which way I committed my agency. I went before Him and said, ‘I’m not neutral, and you can do with me what you want. If you need my vote, it’s there. I don’t care what you do with me, and you don’t have to take anything from me because I give it to you—everything, all I own, all I am—,’ and that makes the difference.” (“To Those Who Teach in Troubled Times,” address delivered at seminary and institute conference, Summer 1970, Salt Lake City.)

“Yes, men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. Whoever will lose his life in the service of God will find eternal life.

“Sacrifice is truly the crowning test of the gospel. Men are tried and tested in this mortal probation to see if they will put first in their lives the kingdom of God. (See Matt. 6:33.) To gain eternal life, they must be willing, if called upon, to sacrifice all things for the gospel. “If thou wilt be perfect,” Jesus said to the rich young man, “go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” (Matt. 19:21.)

Hearing this injunction, Peter said, “Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?”

To this query, our Lord replied, “Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” (Matt. 19:27, 29; see also D&C 132:55.) From First Presidency Message “Jesus Christ — Gifts and Expectations” December 1988

Good stuff, don’t you think?!

This summer our family took a trip to Kirtland Ohio, Palmyra and Washington DC. This video  includes footage from the Johnson Farm … one of the places where Joseph Smith was tarred and feathered and also where he spoke the next morning to 200 people on the front steps of the Johnson home: