Conservative, Liberal, and Intellectual Mormons

Posted on by Jared

For most of my church life, I’ve thought of members as being either active or inactive. Nowadays, I view members as being conservative, liberal, or intellectual.

The church has always had diversity in its members. The standard works provides an interesting cast of characters to help us understand just how wide and deep the diversity of God’s children is. Whether we look at Lehi’s family or a thousand years of Jewish and Nephite history we encounter diversity and variety.

We are the Gathered of the Last Dispensation

The Lord taught, He …shall gather together his elect… Mark 13:27. We represent the gathering that has been going on from the day the Lord appeared to the prophet Joseph Smith. We’re gathered because we hear His voice, and we know Him because we followed Him before. We’re even numbered, and none that Heavenly Father has given Christ will be lost (John 10:14, 27, D&C 50:41-42).

Many, if Not All of Us, Took Substantial Risk

The scriptures teach we shouted for joy at the prospect of coming to earth (Job 38:7). However, I believe that as we came to understand better the challenges and risk of mortality our shouting turned into humility—even great concern when we saw some of the great ones, who preceded us, fall short of their expectations.

We took risk coming to this particular earth. There is reason to believe that this earth, out of all the earths the Lord created, is perhaps the lowest kingdom ever created by Heavenly Father for the testing of his children (Moses 7:36). Consequently, those who come here may be subject to greater challenges, and blessings. [1] The Savior came to this earth out of all He created to accomplish the atonement; the scriptures teach He descended below all things in the process (D&C 88:6, 122:8).

Another kind of risk some of us appear to have taken, by choice or by calling, was the family we came to. Some have learned by the workings of the Spirit that they elected to be born into circumstances where they would be a messenger; a missionary of sorts to members of their family. Carlfred Broderick calls them saviors on mount zion. 

The Gate Swings Both Ways

The gate to the kingdom of heavens is open to all. It also swings both ways, for those entering, and for those exiting. I’m saddened when someone in the Bloggernacle relates the sense of freedom they felt leaving the church and starting a new life without the oppressive need to follow the Savior.

I’m sure that some of them will do just fine in this life because they never really made their way along the gospel path. They hung around the gate and never partook of the fruit, therefore, they won’t miss the church because they never really feasted on the gospel. Their still candidates for the missionaries; they might know a lot about the church, but they don’t know the Savior. I use the word “know” not referring to so-called head-knowledge, but to know someone intimately, as a friend. 

Spiritually Getting Caught Up in the Thick of Thin Things

We look “beyond the mark” when we spend the bulk of our spiritual energy to obtain those things of least importance. Goethe put it this way, “things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.”

The question needs to be asked: what matters most?[2]

I hope all who read this post will answer: fulfilling our baptism covenant by receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. There is nothing a member of the church can do that is more important! We need to understand the difference between good, better, and best when it comes to the opportunities the Lord makes available to His followers. For example, being called to a high profile calling in the church is good, magnifying our calling is better, and seeking diligently to be led by the Holy Ghost is, best. A common pitfall in the kingdom is to mistake good for best, and better for best, and in doing so find that we have been  busily engaged in secondary efforts.

Summary

This post started out exploring the idea there is great variety among church members. Many Bloggernaclist like to think of themselves as being a conservative, liberal, or intellectual Mormon or a mix thereof. The point of this post is best summed up by Elder Dallin Oaks, “I find some wisdom in liberalism, some wisdom in conservatism, and much truth in intellectualism—but I find no salvation in any of them.” “Criticism,” Ensign, Feb. 1987, 68

Click here to read: How Do I Know if I’m Experiencing the Holy Ghost?

[1] We are inhabitants of a world of sin and sorrow; pain and anguish, every ill that can be heaped upon intelligent beings in a probation we are heirs to. I suppose that God never organized an earth and peopled it that was ever reduced to a lower state of darkness, sin and ignorance than this. I suppose this is one of the lowest kingdoms that ever the Lord Almighty created, and on that account is capable of becoming exalted to be one of the highest kingdoms that has ever had an exaltation in all the eternities. In proportion as it has been reduced so it will be exalted, with that portion of its inhabitants who in their humiliation have cleaved to righteousness and acknowledged God in all things. In proportion as it has been reduced so it will be exalted, with that portion of its inhabitants who in their humiliation have cleaved to righteousness and acknowledged God in all things. In proportion to our fall through sin, so shall we be exalted in the presence of our Father and God, through Jesus Christ and by living the righteousness of his Gospel. All this the people will understand in due time through their faithfulness, and learn to rejoice even in the midst of afflictions. Brigham Young, May 24, 1863. JD 10:175

[2] This question is being asked with the assumption one is already a member of the church in good standing. This would mean they have fulfilled the requirement for baptism by following the 4th Article of faith: We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

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A Repentance Primer for the Average Sinner

Posted on by Jared

Forgiveness of sin is possible because of the atonement of Jesus Christ. The Scriptures teach that to obtain this gift of the atonement you must make changes in your life. Whatever it is that you’re doing or have done that constitutes sin needs to be addressed.

Some sins are easily dealt with while others are more difficult. If, for example, you stole something of small value two years ago and realized that it was wrong and that you are guilty of breaking the Lords commandment, you can repent by asking in prayer to be forgiven. On the other hand, if you are guilty of sin that is addictive, like internet pornography, then you will probably need to seek out the help of your Bishop and maybe a qualified professional.

I think the most important part of repentance is to understand that the Savior is the ultimate source of forgiveness. The church and church leaders are there to help you, but the Savior is where your focus needs to be.

I know something about the process of repentance because I’ve utilized it many times and will continue to do so. With that said I would like to share with you a few things that I’ve learned along the way.

First, you haven’t done anything that the Savior hasn’t already helped others repent of. In others words, He won’t be surprised or shocked by your sins, no matter how you might feel about them.

Second, the Savior is perfect; He doesn’t make mistakes. Whatever He requires of you to complete your repentance is for your benefit. Have faith in your Savior and the wisdom He possesses.

Third, if you need to confess to your Bishop, do so even if you’re embarrassed. Don’t let your repentance become complicated because you’re afraid to tell your Bishop the details of your sin(s). And please, don’t fall into the trap of a partial confession. This happens when you hold back some important part of your confession. Later, after you leave the Bishops office, you realize you weren’t completely forthright. Now, you feel guilty for your sin(s) and a partial confession. What do you do now? My advice is to see the Bishop again, as soon as possible and finish what you started.

Fourth, spend time with the Savior, your advocate with the Father, who knoweth the weakness of man and how to succor them who are tempted (D&C 62:1). Spending time with the Lord is best accomplished in meaningful prayer, scripture reading, and journal writing.

I have found that I need to stay on my knees, usually for fifteen minutes or so, to feel the Lords presence. Often I don’t feel anything and wonder if my prayers even went above the ceiling. Other times, I know that I am being heard and feel His love and encouragement. And then there are those occasions when the veil becomes so thin that it becomes more of a conversation than a prayer.

Fifth, don’t allow discouragement to gain a hold on you. If you have set backs then just get right back up again and do what needs to be done. Talk with the Lord and remember His tender mercies. As for Bishops, the nice things about them, there are more than one, if this is needed, and the church doesn’t keep a record of your sins in a database for the average member.

But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven. Moroni 6:8

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Valiant or Honorable

Posted on by Jared

It isn’t a secret that the Mormon church is losing some of its members. The reasons for the loss of members are manifold.

Some say the reasons are complicated, others say it a matter of choice. Those who are leaving the faith talk about such things as the multiple accounts of the Joseph Smith’s  first vision or problems with the Book of Abraham. The list goes on. Those who are staying and thriving in the faith talk about testimony and spiritual experiences. The list goes on.

The scriptures address the varying degrees of faith manifest by church members. Mormons have D&C 76. This revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith by vision provides some powerful insight into what happens to church members and others on judgment day.

It gives some details about the three degrees of glory, in other words, heaven. One of the more interesting aspects of D&C 76 is the perspective given about two of the kingdoms of glory, the terrestrial and celestial. The terrestrial will be inhabited by honorable men and women while the celestial will be occupied by men and women who are valiant in the testimony of Jesus.

Apostle, Bruce R. McConkie gave a description that helps us understand what it means to be valiant:

“To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to take the Lord’s side on every issue. It is to vote as he would vote. It is to think what he thinks, to believe what he believes, to say what he would say and do what he would do in the same situation. It is to have the mind of Christ and be one with him as he is one with his Father.”  General Conference Oct 1974, “Be Valiant in the Fight of Faith.”

He also ask a few questions that drive home the point of what it means to be valiant:

Am I valiant in the testimony of Jesus if my chief interest and concern in life is laying up in store the treasures of the earth, rather than the building up of the kingdom?

Am I valiant if I have more of this world’s goods than my just needs and wants require and I do not draw from my surplus to support missionary work, build temples, and care for the needy?

Am I valiant if my approach to the Church and its doctrines is intellectual only, if I am more concerned with having a religious dialogue on this or that point than I am on gaining a personal spiritual experience?” General Conference Oct 1974, “Be Valiant in the Fight of Faith”

D&C 76 provides details about what qualifies individuals to the different degrees of glory. Those who qualify for the celestial kingdom are valiant in the testimony of Christ. Those who will occupy the terrestrial kingdom are said to be the “honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men.”

Could it be that honorable men and women are lukewarm in their commitment, whereas those who are valiant are committed?

Could it be that it is as simple as qualifying consistently for a temple recommend to be considered valiant, thus being a joint heir with the Savior?

Each day we should consider what principles we have lived. Were we quickened by a portion of the celestial or terrestrial glory? It matters because the time will come when we will receive a fullness of the glory of that kingdom (celestial or terrestrial) we chose to embrace each day.

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Example of Faith: Marion G. Romney—Prayer Answered

Posted on by Jared

The following example of faith is quoted from Elder F. Burton Howard’s biography of President Marion G. Romney:

In 1967 Sister Romney suffered a serious stroke. The doctors told then–Elder Romney that the damage from the hemorrhage was severe. They offered to keep her alive by artificial means but did not recommend it. The family braced themselves for the worst. Brother Romney confided to those closest to him that in spite of his anguished, personal yearning for Ida’s restored health and continued companionship, above all he wanted “the Lord’s will to be done and to take what he needed to take without whimpering.”

As the days wore on, Sister Romney became less responsive. She had, of course, been administered to, but Elder Romney was “reluctant to counsel the Lord about the matter.” Because of his earlier unsuccessful experience of praying that he and Ida might have children, he knew that he could never ask in prayer for something which was not in harmony with the will of the Lord.

He fasted that he might know how to show the Lord that he had faith and that he would accept God’s will in their lives. He wanted to make sure that he had done all he could do. She continued to fail.

One evening in a particularly depressed state, with Ida unable to speak or recognize him, Brother Romney went home and turned as he always had to the scriptures in an effort to commune with the Lord. He picked up the Book of Mormon and continued where he had left off the night before.

He had been reading in the book of Helaman about the prophet Nephi, who had been falsely condemned and unfairly charged with sedition. Following a miraculous deliverance from his accusers, Nephi returned home pondering the things which he had experienced. As he did so he heard a voice.

Although Marion Romney had read that story many times before, it now struck him this night as a personal revelation. The words of the scripture so touched his heart that for the first time in weeks he felt he had tangible peace. It seemed as if the Lord was speaking directly to him. The scripture read:

Blessed art thou, . . . for those things which thou hast done. . . . And thou . . . hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.

And now, because thou hast done this . . . I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will. [Helaman 10:4­5]

There was the answer. He had sought only to know and obey the will of the Lord, and the Lord had spoken. He fell to his knees and poured out his heart, and as he concluded his prayer with the phrase, “Thy will be done,” he either felt or actually heard a voice which said, “It is not contrary to my will that Ida be healed.”

Brother Romney rose to his feet. It was past two o’clock in the morning, but he knew what he must do. Quickly he put on his tie and coat, then went out into the night to visit Ida in the hospital.

He arrived shortly before three o’clock. His wife’s condition was unchanged. She did not stir as he placed his hands upon her pale forehead. With undeviating faith, he invoked the power of the priesthood in her behalf. He pronounced a simple blessing and then uttered the incredible promise that she would recover her health and mental powers and yet perform a great mission upon the earth.

Even though he did not doubt, Elder Romney was astonished to see Ida’s eyes open as he concluded the blessing. Somewhat stunned by all that had happened, he sat down on the edge of the bed only to hear his wife’s frail voice for the first time in months. She said, “For goodness’ sake, Marion, what are you doing here?” He didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. He said, “Ida, how are you?” With that flash of humor so characteristic of both of them, she replied, “Compared to what, Marion? Compared to what?”

Ida Romney began her recovery from that very moment, soon left her hospital bed, and lived to see her husband sustained as a member of the First Presidency of the Church, “a great mission upon the earth” indeed (F. Burton Howard, Marion G. Romney: His Life and Faith [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988], pp. 137-­42).

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Wrapping Our Minds Around An Idea—Choose Your Ideas Carefully

Posted on by Jared

Wrapping our minds around an idea is one of the joys of life. It is fulfilling to wrap our minds around an idea and then apply our new idea in some fashion and see the results.

However, at times the results can be unsettling. Ideas can seemingly wrap themselves around our minds and create misery for ourselves and others. The Lord told us there is opposition in all things, and this includes the pursuit of learning.

I believe it is important that we choose carefully those ideas we wish to embrace. Not all ideas are of equal worth, to test this, ask those who are on the receiving end of ideas hatched by leaders of such countries as North Korea, Zimbabwe, and the Darfur region of Sudan.

I’ve decided I like the ideas that brought forth the United States Constitution best. Even though they are not perfect, the last few hundreds of years have shown that the foundational ideas found in the US constitutional are unsurpassed for creating freedom and prosperity for humanity.

Foundational Ideas Of Faith

In my opinion, one the foremost foundational doctrines of the Judeo-Christian heritage, as found in latter-day scriptures, is the idea of prophets. The Lord reveals His will to the prophets, a very simple idea that is taught and illustrated in the scriptures from Genesis to The Articles of Faith.

The next foundational religious doctrine is the idea that each person, who diligently seeks, can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. With this gift, we can receive guidance from a being who is perfect and knows all things—a perfect friend.

If we take these two foundational doctrines from the scriptures and properly apply them, we can have peace and joy in this life, and receive the greatest of all the gifts from God—eternal life.

Struggling with Foundational Ideas

If a member of the LDS church is struggling with the foundational doctrines of prophets and the Holy Ghost, then there are reasons for this. The scriptures refer to them as stiffnecked. 

Stiffnecked

There is an informative scripture in the Jarom that defines “stiffnecked”.

“And there are many among us who have many revelations, for they are not all stiffnecked. And as many as are not stiffnecked and have faith, have communion with the Holy Spirit, which maketh manifest unto the children of men, according to their faith.” Jarom 1:4

Those who are stiffnecked resist the Holy Ghost. This is confirmed by Stephen:

“Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.” Acts 7:51

Resisting the Holy Ghost is not new. In fact, some of the Lord’s choice prophets come from this group. I believe Alma the older and younger, maybe the apostle Paul, and certainly Amulek and Zeezrom appear to fit this definition. Alma‘s attitude towards those who suffer from stiffneckedness is inspiring to me. I hope to be like him. That is why I write this blog.

“O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ

Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.” Alma 31:34-35

Lacking Faith and Understanding

Those who lack faith and understanding, but may not resist the Holy Ghost, are those who stay with the church even though certain ideas have wrapped themselves around their minds and cause their testimonies to ebb and flow. Isaiah explained it this way:

“They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.” 2 Nephi 27:35

Conclusion

Many of today’s LDS live in a day when there are an information overload and a pervasive spiritual anemia (mostly because of prosperity, see Helaman 12). In my estimation, there are comparatively few who are diligently seeking the gift of the Holy Ghost to fulfill the promise of their baptismal covenant.

Moroni warned us (the Gentiles) about denying the things of the Spirit:

“if the day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away among you, it shall be because of unbelief” (Moroni 10:24)

Many of today’s church members seem to be on the road to doing just that. I hope that those who find themselves wrapped up in the problems of church history, blacks and the priesthood, women and the priesthood, and a host of other things that steal away their faith and devotion, will turn from this course, and expend their spiritual energy seeking to come unto Christ and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.

This gift is real! I’ve experienced it as many others have. I hope those who have not will include in their circle of friends those who have, and learn from them what it takes to receive this gift that is promised in the waters of baptism.

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The Savior Teaches a Unique Doctrine Regarding Forgiveness Over Dinner

Posted on by Jared

The scripture teach that the Savior spent time with those who were considered “unworthy” because they were not every good at keeping the commandments. He had great compassion for them and blessed, encouraged, and forgave them. On one occasion, the Savior visited the home of a Pharisee named Simeon. As an invited guest the Savior arrives and befriends a known sinner, a women and enters with her. The scripture says:

And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Luke 7:37 – 38

Try to imagine this scene by considering how you and your family would react if you were asked by your Bishop to host a dinner for a visiting apostle and he arrives with a woman known to be a pole dancer in a local bar. Can you imagine your surprise as they both enter your home, she is weeping, and singular focused on the General Authority, and in a few minutes after sitting for dinner, begins to wash his feet with tears, and wipe them with her hair, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with an ointment? What would you be thinking? Would you like Simeon say to yourself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.” Luke 7:39

The Savior, and remember what the word “Savior” means, taught Simeon, using a short parable, one of the most interesting concepts or doctrines regarding forgiveness ever revealed:

Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee.  And he saith, Master, say on.

There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most.  And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged…Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. Luke 7:40 – 48

We see many different kinds of people represented in the scriptures and in our Wards and Stakes. There are those who are like Nephi, on one extreme, who seem to have been nearly perfect all their lives, and then there are those on the other extreme, who are like the woman, have come from a background of sin. Then there are all those in between.

The Book of Mormon teaches powerfully of those, like the woman who accompanied the Savior, who are “the vilest of sinners” and become holy and pure because they embraced the atonement of Jesus Christ and received forgiveness. Consider the father and son prophets, Alma 1 & 2, the four sons of Mosiah, and the converted Lamanites, to name a few.

When one has been forgiven of much, then having been so forgiven the love they have for the Savior may be greater than those who are forgiven of little.

As I said to begin with, I know something of what this sinful woman experienced and felt when the Savior of the world forgave her. It would be interesting if we knew more about her.

I came to the Bloggernacle and have testified about my miracle of forgiveness. I know that Jesus is the Christ, the lamb slain before the foundation of the world for our sins. His message to us today is to repent, saying:

Wherefore, I command you to repent, and keep the commandments which you have received by the hand of my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., in my name;

And it is by my almighty power that you have received them;

Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore-how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.

For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;

But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;

Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit-and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink-

Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.

Wherefore, I command you again to repent, lest I humble you with my almighty power; and that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments of which I have spoken, of which in the smallest, yea, even in the least degree you have tasted at the time I withdrew my Spirit.

And I command you that you preach naught but repentance… D&C 19:13 – 21

Summary

The Savior of the world, He who was and is without sin, descended below all things and therefore has the capacity to save all those who come to Him seeking forgiveness. It’s interesting to understand from what He taught Simeon about forgiveness—those who have the greatest debt may be those who love Him the most when forgiveness is obtained.

Some, who are like Nephi, and feel they have lived a nearly perfect life, to them it might seem like an insult to think that a woman of ill-repute, an immoral creature, could somehow experience a dimension of love for the Savior that might exceed their own, as the Savior teaches here, is beyond their willingness to accept. But I ask, when the Savior of the world forgives sins are those who are the most filthy prior to receiving forgiveness still tainted somehow? Are their garments, after being washed by the Blood of the Lamb, less white than those who sinned to a lesser degree?

Some among us may not like the message in this parable anymore than the message contained in the parable of the labors (Matt 20:1-16).

The graphic example of the converted Lamanites is a notable illustration of the Saviors parable of the two debtors. Before their conversion their described as, “…a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people; a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites, and robbing and plundering them…” After their conversion the Book of Mormon says they, “…never did fall away…they became a righteous people…they were distinguished for their zeal towards God, and also towards men; for they were perfectly honest and upright in all things; and they were firm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end…And thus they were a zealous and beloved people, a highly favored people of the Lord.” (Alma 17:14; 27:21,30)

It appears the converted Lamanites realized a dimension of faith, as individuals, and as a group, that have few equals in all of scripture.

In light of this parable LDS need to be cautious in our thinking about those who are like the woman who accompanied the Savior at Simeon’s house.

Who are the wicked then? The scriptures answer this question:

For whoso cometh not unto me is under the bondage of sin.

And whoso receiveth not my voice is not acquainted with my voice, and is not of me.

And by this you may know the righteous from the wicked… D&C 84:51 – 53


In other words, the worst sinners are those who fail to respond to the Spirit when it is extended to them. Every soul will have the opportunity to accept or reject the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who accept it will be made clean, no matter the depth of sin they may have committed. Those who choose to reject it will not be made clean, no matter how little they may have sinned.

And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out. 2 Nephi 25:29

 

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Counseling God or Following Blindly Versus Counseling with God

Posted on by Jared

The title of this post outlines three ways we can approach the Heavenly Father as we deal with the various issues of life. I’ve experienced all three ways of dealing with the Heavenly Father at different times in my life. At times I have sought to counsel Him, at other times I have followed church leaders blindly, and now I’ve learned, at least to some degree, how to counsel with the Lord. Following are a few things I’d like to share. 

Counseling God

 It is easy to slip into a mode of prayer (prayer is the usual way we counsel with the Lord, but not the only way) where we end up counseling God. I’ll mention three kinds of prayer that fit this description.

1. I’ve got to go—prayer. This is done when we hurriedly give the Lord a list of things to do and then rush off to do something “important”. I think sincerity and thankfulness are absent in this form of prayer. Directing God about the universe to do our will is the least likely prayer to be heard an answered, in my opinion (children and young adults sometimes pray this way and I believe Heavenly Father hears them, but for the average adult, I wonder).

2. I really need an answer this time—prayer. This mode of prayer implies a subtle threat, saying in effect, if you don’t answer me this time I might do something bad like stop going to church, or you owe me one, because many of my prayers haven’t been answered lately.

3. This isn’t really a prayer, but it is nonetheless a form of communication with God wherein LDS counsel Him by resisting His Spirit. I’ll have Amulek describe this mode of “prayer”:

…I did harden my heart, for I was called many times and I would not hear; therefore I knew concerning these things, yet I would not know; therefore I went on rebelling against God, in the wickedness of my heart… Alma 10:6

Of the three, this is the most serious because it is done with knowledge and sophistication, whereas the other two are manipulative, but naive. I chose Amulek to illustrate this point because he repented and became a true follower of Christ. However, there are many others, who were once followers of Christ, but have fallen away because they hardened their hearts towards Heavenly Father and His prophets.

The Book of Mormon details how political differences among the Nephites were often the catalyst for schisms in the government and in the church. The prophets were always being opposed by those (including church members) who had lost their way and would “contend one with another…and…teach with their learning, and deny the Holy Ghost” (2 Nephi 28:4).

Following Blindly

This kind of dealing with the Lord is common among those who haven’t developed their talent of reasoning and thinking. My dad used to say there are three kinds of people in the world, those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder, what happened. This “wonder what happen” group find comfort in the thought that once church leaders have done the thinking, the thinking is done. They don’t have an opinion because their unaware of the specifics of the issue at hand and are comfortable remaining uniformed and uninvolved, thereby following blindly.

In my church experience I have found very few seasoned members who fit this description. Most of those that start out this way find their footing and abandon this approach. The church’s emphasis on education and participation in the political process make it hard to follow blindly.

In my own experience, I am grateful for the opportunity of serving a mission and graduating from college. This is where I ceased to follow blindly, the ways of my youth, and learned to ask questions and ponder using the scriptures and the Holy Ghost.

Counseling with the Lord

Counseling with the Lord is both a state of mind and process. It is a state of mind in that those who have moved along the path of prayer have experienced its value and know of themselves that the Lord can be near. It is a process because it requires us to do certain things, in a certain way.

To describe this kind of prayer I can say right off that it does not include any of the things that define counseling the Lord, or following blindly as discussed above. One of the aspects of this kind of prayer is to have a certain conviction (state of mind) that we are calling upon God, the creator who knows all things. We also know that we are His children and that we are fallen beings, living in a fallen world. If we’re going to counsel with Him we need to have this understanding. The scripture and the living prophets testify to this continually, now we need to act upon these revealed gospel truths.

Once we understand this state of mind, which is nothing other than humility, then we can begin the process of counseling with God . We knee before Heavenly Father, and in humility ask for that which we need. We can explain in detail why we need whatever it is we’re asking for. We can further explain that we are willing to accept His will, this is the most difficult part of counseling with the Lord. When we can truly say this, then we are on a high spiritual level and will have the Lord’s ear. If we struggle with this, and we all will, then we can pray for the faith to arrive at this level of spirituality. Remember, faith is a gift.

There are many other things we can do, but by understanding these simple concepts we can move nearer to the heavens and have the channels of communication opened to us.

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Posted in Prayer, Spirituality, Teachings of the Prophets | Leave a comment

O God, Wilt Thou Make Thyself Known Unto Me?

Posted on by Jared

“O God…wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee…” Alma 22:18

These few words spoken by an old man, King Lamoni; in his first prayer, are full of meaning for those who desire to know God.

King Lamoni asked God to reveal Himself, he understood that to know God, God would need to reveal himself (1 Corinthians 2:11). King Lamoni also understood the need for repentance when he said that he would give away all of his sins to know God.

These two principles:

1. Faith that God will reveal Himself, and

2. A willingness to give up our sins are basic to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We never out grow our need for these principles. Those who desire to become church members and those who are seeking the face of the Lord need to understand and apply these two principles.

Both King Lamoni, and the Brother of Jared found it necessary to have faith that God would reveal Himself, and they both needed to be willing to give up their sins. Anyone who is seeking a blessing from God will need to understand an apply these two principles.

How Does God Make Himself Known?

The scriptures repeatedly answer this question. Three examples:

1.  Nephi said that the Lord did soften his heart so that he believed the words of his father Lehi (1 Nephi 2:16).

2. Lehi was given a vision (1 Nephi 8:1-38) to help him understand the plan of salvation.

3. Moroni saw Jesus and talked with Him face to face (Ether 12:39).

As the above examples illustrate, there are many ways God makes Himself known to His children.

How Do We Give Away All Our Sins?

The scriptures repeatedly answer this question. Moroni taught that as often as we repent and seek forgiveness, with real intent, we will be forgiven (Moroni 6:8). The Savior told the Nephites that he laid down His life for those who repent and come unto Him to be saved (3 Nephi 9:22).

We give away our sins when we sincerely change the direction of our lives through repentance.

Summary

All who seek a blessing from the Lord can apply these two basic principles of the gospel, and if done with real intent, the Lord will make Himself known in one of the many ways taught available to Him, as recorded in scripture.

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Posted in Repentance, Testimony | Leave a comment

Suspected Answers to Prayer

Posted on by Jared

We often read or hear that faith is a decision. And so it is. Those who make the decision to be faithful also make the decision to take the Holy Spirit for their guide. I think of them as inseparable companions. We’re taught that “faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that believe.” One of the signs that accompany the faithful is the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Guidance of the Holy Spirit comes because of the grace of God. Another way of saying this is: it comes as a tender mercy to, “those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do”.

One of the surprising things about receiving the guidance of the Holy Spirit is that we don’t always recognize it. We may suspect it, but at times we just can’t be sure (at other times, we know prayer resulted in guidance). I’ll provide an example of a suspected answer to prayer that resulted in guidance from the Spirit.

Years ago, I was part of a group our Stake President asked to work on a filmstrip about dating. We worked on it for months. The night of the presentation, in the old Joseph Smith Building at BYU, as people started to take their seats, we realized that the screen to project the slide show on wasn’t down. Without the screen we couldn’t project the filmstrip. The room where the controls for the screen were located was locked up. We had about 10 minutes to find a solution. I took a moment and explained to Heavenly Father our predicament and asked for his help.

I looked around and saw that there was more than one screen near the ceiling, a new one and one that looked old. On the stage, I also saw what appeared to be some kind of a control panel. It was well used and had wires hanging out of one side. I flipped a couple of switches and decided to touch some of the exposes wires together. To my delight the well used movie screen haltingly began to descend until it was fully lowered. From there, everything went well. About 300 or so people showed up.

After the presentation, one of the maintenance crew for the JSB showed up. He was both agitated and perplexed when he saw the old blue projection screen was lowered. He asked me how I got it down. I told him. He shrugged his shoulders and said he didn’t know how we got it down and we were lucky it didn’t fall down and hurt someone. As he continued to talk about his amazement that I was able to lower the screen, I realized that my prayer may have resulted in a blessing that otherwise wouldn’t have occurred.

I thanked Heavenly Father that everything worked out as it did. I suspected He had intervened in answer to prayer.

We’re taught to thank the Lord in all things and acknowledge his hand in our lives. Our group had worked for months in this effort and many prayers for its success had been offered.

President Monson taught,

“…my brothers and sisters, our Heavenly Father is aware of our needs and will help us as we call upon Him for assistance. I believe that no concern of ours is too small or insignificant. The Lord is in the details of our lives.”  President Thomas S. Monson, Oct 2012 Conference

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Update:

A reader left the following comment after reading this post. 

“I’m just so sad I was looking for someone who actually gets answers. I don’t. Nothing.”

My purpose in writing this post is to point out that prayers are answered in many ways. As I pointed out in this post, sometimes we can only suspect a prayer was answered. Other prayers are answered in ways that leave no room for doubt. Click here for a post that relates answers to prayer that can not be denied.

If you would like to leave a comment or thought, click here.

 

Posted in Faith, Prayer | Leave a comment

Of the Tenets Thou Shalt Not Talk

Posted on by Jared

My goal in blogging is to write about those things that will help followers of Christ draw nearer to the lord. The scriptures teach, “draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you.” With that thought in mind I would like to explore the following scripture.

And of tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost. D&C 19:31

What is the Lord teaching Martin Harris, and the rest of us in this verse of scripture?

The way I read this verse of scripture is that the Lord is teaching His followers the importance of talking about those things that will be the most beneficial Spiritually. He says, of “tenets thou shalt not talk” (the word tenet only appears twice in the standard works).

The 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary defines tenet:

Any opinion, principle, dogma or doctrine which a person believes or maintains as true; as the tenets of Plato or of Cicero. The tenets of christians are adopted from the Scriptures; but different interpretations give rise to a great diversity of tenets.

When I first read this I was puzzled why the Lord would tell us not to talk about the “doctrines” of the church. After some thought, I decided that what the Lord is telling us is to focus on certain doctrines, the most important ones, so that we don’t get our doctrinal priorities mixed up. The scriptures contain many hundred tenets; just go through the Topic Guide to observe this.

Based on my observations, this verse needs to be talked about more in our day. It seems that the important principles of the gospel: “repentance faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost” are not favorites in the bloggernacle, just as healthy food is not an American favorite in this day of fast food.

On healthy foods, the next time you have a group of friends over, place some fruit and vegetables next to ice cream or pizza. Which food will be consumed first?

Seeking Understanding from the Scriptures

The Lord’s counsel to stick with basic doctrine is reaffirmed in the following verses:

Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church.
Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church.
And now, behold, whosoever is of my church, and endureth of my church to the end, him will I establish upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. D&C  10:67 – 69

Summary

I think the message for church members in D&C 19:31 is simple. The Lord is teaching us to focus on those doctrines that will bless our lives the most: the first principles of the gospel.

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Posted in Precepts of Men, Scripture, Spirituality | Tagged , , | Leave a comment