“She Informed Me that She was No Longer Attending the LDS Church”

Posted on by Jared

After reading this brief account related by Camille Fronk Olson, consider sharing your thoughts.

Do you feel this young lady had a point?

How do you feel about her decision?

What would you have said to her?


I had been teaching released-time seminary for about five years when a student I had taught when she was a sophomore came back to visit me when she was a senior in high school. After a few pleasantries, she informed me that she was no longer attending The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; she told me she now attended a Protestant church in the area. I felt as though she wanted me to react with alarm when she made this announcement, so I remained calm and simply said, “Oh, that is interesting, what led you to that decision?” Her answer shook me from my calm demeanor because it was not at all what I expected. She said, “When I attended my LDS ward, we talked about being honest, the importance of reading scriptures and getting married in the Temple, and the importance of a living prophet, but I never heard much about Jesus Christ. In this new church I attend, Jesus is the heart and soul of all their sermons.”

My first reaction was denial. In my thoughts I was arguing that she wasn’t listening when she had attended the LDS Church because certainly the Savior is at the heart of all that we believe and understand. In an attempt to validate these assumptions, I asked all of the students in my five classes the next day what they thought of this girl’s observations about her ward. To my amazement, the great majority in every class agreed with her, concluding that we didn’t speak, teach, or mention much about the Savior other than in our hymns and at the end of prayers and talks.

I made a silent vow that day that I would never teach a lesson or give a talk without making a connection between the topic or scripture block and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. My motivation in the beginning was to prove to my students that we did indeed teach of Christ and rejoice in Christ. That reason, however, changed rather quickly. In seeking to find connections to the Savior and His Atonement to present in class, I discovered a deeper, more meaningful scripture study experience. Instead of looking first for ways that the passage applied to me, I sought to understand what it taught about the Redeemer. Students responded to our class discussions differently after I consistently made connections to the Atonement. There was a feeling of reverence in the room. After class, students often reported that the scriptures we had explored that day were the very ones that they needed in their personal challenges. Perhaps most dramatic, I noticed a change that was occurring in me. My reverence for the Redeemer increased beyond anything I had previously known. I also found a new sense of confidence that motivated me to action. I wanted to do and say whatever the Lord wanted me to do and say and felt an added energy to actually do it. Too often before this experience, I had “looked beyond the mark,” or the target upon which to focus. Looking beyond the Savior, I stumbled trying to explain tangents and ancillary principles, getting caught up in faddish topics scintillating stories instead of remembering the foundation of faith in Christ and repentance through the Atonement.

Joseph Smith Lecture Given at Brigham Young University–Hawaii
November 10, 2009
Camille Fronk Olson
Associate Professor of Ancient Scripture , Brigham Young University

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What Does it Mean to Be Baptized by Fire and the Holy Ghost? Part 3

Posted on by Jared

Click Here for the Table of Contents

The prophet Joseph Smith taught that we progress in the principles of the gospel like climbing a ladder.

He said: “When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top and so it is with the principles of the Gospel – you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation.” [1]

Certainly, being born again by receiving the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost is a significant step towards exaltation.

The Savior said: Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. John 3:7

The Savior’s words draw our minds to the birth of a child. When I learned that my wife was expecting I understood that it would take approximately nine months before birth. A child needs to mature to be ready to be born. Those who have brought children into the world realize that birth is both a process and an event.

For many, the process to be born again begins when they are taught by the missionaries, they feel the Spirit (Holy Ghost) in their hearts and recognize that what the missionaries are teaching them is the truth. Those who are willing to enter into the covenant of baptism and afterwards diligently seek the Lord will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.[2]

As we have experiences with the gift of the Holy Ghost we can know we’re on the right path. The more experiences we have the greater our faith becomes. As we grow in our gift of the Holy Ghost we’re ascending the ladder to exaltation, one step at a time, just like Joseph Smith said.

The Lord has revealed to His followers that it is “my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).” In order for the Lord to do His work each of us needs to be to be proved to see if we “will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them…” (Abraham 3:25). Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught, “our needed conversions are often achieved more readily by suffering and adversity than by comfort and tranquility.” [3]

Ascending the ladder to our exaltation can be likened to “conversions” as we encounter various challenges and difficulties and overcome them by our faith. Concerning suffering and adversity Elder Oaks added:

“Most of us experience some measure of what the scriptures call ‘the furnace of affliction’ (Isa. 48:10; 1 Ne. 20:10). Some are submerged in service to a disadvantaged family member. Others suffer the death of a loved one or the loss or postponement of a righteous goal like marriage or childbearing. Still others struggle with personal impairments or with feelings of rejection, inadequacy, or depression. Through the justice and mercy of a loving Father in Heaven, the refinement and sanctification possible through such experiences can help us achieve what God desires us to become.” [4]

Full conversion, in the sense of being baptized by fire and the Holy Ghost comes as we offer up a “broken heart and a contrite spirit”. A broken heart and a contrite spirit is often realized in “the furnace of affliction”. The fiery trials encountered in the furnace of affliction have the potential to break hearts and create the needed contriteness of heart that results in the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.

And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost… 3 Nephi 9:20.

When a heart breaks, it also opens to God who then can heal them.

And after their temptations, and much tribulation, behold, I, the Lord, will feel after them, and if they harden not their hearts, and stiffen not their necks against me, they shall be converted, and I will heal them. D&C 112:13

A Word of Caution

The Book of Mormon speaks of the importance of being born again but it’s interesting to note that each of the examples the Lord provides of those who experienced this blessing were not actively seeking it. Enos went to hunt beast in the forest. He doesn’t indicate that prior to the hunting trip he had been interested in calling on the Lord. It wasn’t until he was already on the hunting trip that he started thinking about his father’s words, eternal life, and the joy of the saints. It appears that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him while he was thinking about these things and caused them to sink deep into his heart. In my opinion, this gave him the Spiritual energy to call upon the Lord all day and into the night.

Similar things occurred with king Benjamin’s people, Alma the younger, the fours son of Mosiah, king Lamoni, Aminadab and the Lamanites. Prior to their conversions they hadn’t been seeking the Lord. Circumstances came together in unexpected ways, their time had come and the purposes of the Lord were accomplished.

The Lord gives a stern warning to those who have received the baptism fire and of the Holy Ghost and after this should deny Him—“it would have been better for you that ye had not known me.” [5]

Summary

Those who have entered into the waters of baptism should have experienced the Holy Ghost and have a “testimony”. After baptism they are eligible to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost if they diligently seek it, then, in the Lord’s time they will receive the additional blessing of fire and the Holy Ghost, thus receiving a full baptism of water and Spirit for a remission of their sins. At this point, as Nephi teaches, they have entered the gate and are in the strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life.

Their task now is to maintain a remission of their sins and “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men…feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end”.

 

[1] Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, P. 348.

[2] Joseph Smith said: There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the Gospel, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized. Had he not taken this sign or ordinance upon him, the Holy Ghost which convinced him of the truth of God, would have left him. History of the Church, 4:555.

[3] Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Nov 2000, 32–34

[4] Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Nov 2000, 32–34

[5] 2 Nephi 31:14

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What Does it Mean to be Baptized by Fire and the Holy Ghost? Part 2

Posted on by Jared

I asked two questions about king Benjamin’s people at the end of part one, “Was this their first experience with repentance?” and “Was this their first experience with the Holy Ghost?”

I think the obvious answer is no. The people of king Benjamin had established the church and built a temple many years prior to receiving a remission of their sins as recorded in Mosiah 4:3. They followed Christ by living the same gospel principles we do today. They had faith in Jesus Christ, repented, received baptism for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Book of Mormon says they had prophets and holy men and “…they did speak the word of God with power and with authority…” However, with all this they had never fully completed their baptism covenant by receiving a remission of their sins until the day king Benjamin had gathered them together.  They had repented and had experiences with the Holy Ghost but they had never received a remission of sins by fire and the Holy Ghost.

Remember, we learned in part 1 that the Savior taught that a remission of sins comes through the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 12:2), therefore, we can conclude that a remission of sins and repentance are not the same thing, and “fire and the Holy Ghost” and the gift of the Holy Ghost are not the same. King Benjamin’s people experienced something new, something they had never before experienced. It’s evident from this account that there are dimensions of repentance, and the Holy Ghost being taught in these chapters, that invites our study.

This is a new idea for most of those who are reading this, so I’ll repeat it for emphasis. The Book of Mormon teaches the doctrine of “forgiveness” and the doctrine of “remission of sins” are different, separate kinds of experiences. The Book of Mormon also teaches that the Holy Ghost is manifested in different ways—three to be exact.

With the example of king Benjamin’s people in mind it becomes apparent to the student of the Book of Mormon that there is more to the doctrine of repentance and the Holy Ghost than is generally recognized.

Before going on, I should say that I’ve talked to several gospel scholars (BYU and elsewhere) about this subject and some knew about it while others didn’t. Those who know about it understand it as I do.

First, on the difference between “forgiveness” and “remission of sins”, so far I have found just one LDS writer who has written on this subject.

Blaine Yorgason wrote:

“Forgiveness Not Always a Remission of Sins…there can be a difference between being forgiven of a sin and obtaining a remission of sins.

If a person commits a particular sin and then feels bad enough about it to confess it in humility and ask forgiveness of the Lord, he or she is freely forgiven of that sin…In our day the Lord has said, “I, the Lord, forgive sins unto those who confess their sins before me and ask forgiveness” (D&C 64:7).

Interestingly, this forgiveness seems to be granted even though the person may be committing other sins at the time. Thus, one who enjoys lusting may at the same time repent of and obtain forgiveness for stealing or lying. Or one who gossips may repent of and obtain forgiveness for immorality.

Unfortunately, such a person, while blessed with forgiveness for all the sins he chooses to repent of, nevertheless “persists in his own carnal nature” because he is intentionally going “on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God.” Because he has not repented of all his sins, he “remaineth in his fallen state and the devil hath all power over him” (Mosiah 16:5)… That is why forgiveness of some or even most of our sins is not, never has been, and never will be sufficient to bring us to Christ. Even though we are blessed for having repented of some things, we are not granted peace and joy through a complete remission of our sins…” I Need Thee Every Hour, by Blaine M. Yorgason, p. 113-115.

Brother Yorgason’s book was published in 2003 by Deseret Book. This means it passed the rigorous reviews of the church owned publishing company.

As followers of Christ we can repent of our sins in two ways. We can repent of them individually; one here and one there, or we can repent of all of our sins. The difference lies in our heart. Many of us have sins that are favorites and we don’t want to give them up. We learn to live with them by rationizing or ignoring them.

One of the difficulties in understanding the scriptures, as I’ve already mentioned, is that the prophets Heavenly Father provides for us to learn from lived at different time, understood the doctrines in different ways, and used a variety of terms to describe their understanding.[1]

As followers of Christ and students of the scriptures who should be “feasting on the words of Christ”, we’re left with the task of learning the doctrines, “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little… ”.

So let’s take a look at what the current thought is on the various ways humankind can experience the Holy Ghost.

To begin with, I’ll turn to the prophet Nephi. In 2 Nephi 31:13 he says something that caught my attention many years ago.

…witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.

Nephi lays out three kinds of baptism in this verse:

1. Baptism by water
2. Baptism by the Holy Ghost (we would call this in our day the gift of the Holy Ghost because it comes as a result of baptism).
3. Baptism by “fire and the Holy Ghost”.

Nephi breaks down our experience with the Holy Ghost into two parts after receiving water baptism, “…behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost…”

BYU professor, and associate dean, Kent P. Jackson in his 1987, Studies in Scripture Volume 7, p. 224-225, published by Deseret Book, included the following commentary on Nephi’s writings on the Doctrine of Christ:

“Such a baptism involves more than the physical ordinance. It has three components: baptism in water, baptism of the Holy Ghost, and the baptism of fire. ‘All three baptisms,’ said Joseph Smith, ‘make one.’ He explained: ‘The baptism of water, without the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost attending it, is of no use; they are necessarily and inseparably connected.’ All three components of baptism are essential if one is to be born again. ‘For by the water [baptism] ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit [baptism] ye are justified, and by the blood [baptism of fire] ye are sanctified.’ (Moses 6:60.) It was the baptism of fire—administered by the Holy Ghost—that King Benjamin’s people received. (See Mosiah 4:3.) It was this culminating baptism that brought them the remission of sins and ‘peace of conscience.’ It was through this baptism that they were ‘born of God’ and thereby acquired his spiritual image in their countenances, even as a child’s physical features and mannerisms reflect those of its parents.”

Last year at BYU Education Week I attended a class taught by a BYU religion teacher and to my surprise he taught the following:

He drew an ascending staircase with four steps and labeled them starting at the bottom,

4. The Baptism of Fire (Born Again, Mighty Change, Remission of Sins)
3. Gift of the Holy Ghost (Priesthood Ordinance)
2. Power of the Holy Ghost (brings testimony)
1. Light of Christ (conscience)

Summary

A baptized member of the church can repent and receive a forgiveness of individual sins. They can also receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (1 Nephi 10:17). When ready, based on the Lord’s will, a person can advance by receiving a remission of sins by fire and the Holy Ghost wherein they are born again, cleansed from sin, receiving a the mighty change of heart—fully converted, becoming a son or daughter of Christ.

Click here for Part 3


 

 

[1] The scripture use various terms to refer to being “born again”. These include: remission of sins, converted, son or daughter of Christ, baptism of fire, sanctified, justified, and cleansed. When these words are used in many, but not all instances it could mean the same as born again.

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What Does it Mean to Be Baptized by Fire and the Holy Ghost? Part 1

Posted on by Jared

The objective of all who are baptized by water should be to receive the baptism of the Spirit. Otherwise, our baptism is incomplete. Baptism has two parts: baptism by water and baptism by the Spirit. (Please reread these three sentences several times.)

The prophet Joseph Smith emphasized the importance of being baptized by both water and the Spirit saying, “You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half—that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost” (History of the Church, 5:499).

He also stated, “The baptism of water, without the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost attending it, is of no use; they are necessarily and inseparably connected” (History of the Church, 6:316).

Speaking to missionaries on this subject, Elder Boyd K. Packer said:

“Missionaries sometimes think they are only to do half the work; they are to teach and then baptize by water, and that concludes their work. In many cases the other half, the teaching about the baptism of fire, never really gets done… Get that idea in your mind with those two fixed together so tightly that, as one, it becomes part of you. Then we will not have the first half done, as is often the case at present, and the other half left undone” (Elder Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, Aug 2006, p. 50).

Elder Packer apparently feels we can do a better job teaching about the baptism of the Spirit.

Before going on, I would like to make sure that the terms being used are understood by the reader. Baptism of the Holy Ghost, baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, baptism of fire, and baptism of the Spirit are used to mean the same thing by some writers. However, others, myself included, feel they mean something related but have important differences. I’ll explain what I mean later on.

To understand what baptism of fire is, we can turn to the scriptures. Before doing so, it’s important to understand what the Lord provided us with when He gave us the scriptures. The scriptures are not like an encyclopedia or a dictionary containing precise, easy-to-understand definitions of terms. Apparently, the Lord intends for His followers to search the scriptures to gain understanding. The scriptures contain revelations, which are the key to understanding the mind and will of the Lord. Revelation is given “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little… ” (2 Nephi 28:30). This revelatory process, in some instances, can lead to difficulty for those searching the scriptures because each prophet is different in how he understands and teaches doctrine. With that said, let’s search the scriptures for understanding about baptism of fire.

The Savior taught, “Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day” (3 Nephi 27:20).

The Savior is teaching that repentance, faith in His name, baptism, and reception of the Holy Ghost will make His followers spotless at the judgment day. This verse is a general statement of the entire plan of salvation. It contains all of the elements of the fourth Article of Faith, with the addition of the doctrines of sanctification and last judgment.

In another verse the Savior gives more detail about the Holy Ghost, saying:

…“The Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one” 3 Nephi 11:36.

Studying the scriptures this way is like constructing a building with bricks; each brick adds one more part towards the completion of the structure.

Let’s consider other scriptures the Savior gave on this subject, 3 Nephi 12:1, 2, 6.

1. … After that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost…

2. Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins…

6. And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.

In verse 1, the Savior introduces the term “fire and the Holy ghost,” saying He will baptize with fire and the Holy Ghost after we’re baptized with water.

In verse 2, we learn that fire and the Holy Ghost bring a remission of sins.

In verse 6, we learn that if our desire for righteousness is equivalent to hungering and thirsting (food and water) we can be filled with the Holy Ghost.

These three verses of scripture provide additional understanding. However, they also raise questions. One question that comes to my mind, is there a difference between “fire and the Holy Ghost,” and the Holy Ghost? Also, what does a remission of sins mean. Is it the same as forgiveness?

To answer these questions we can turn to the account of King Benjamin found in the book of Mosiah.

King Benjamin was nearing the end of his life and was visited by an angel.  He and his people already knew about the coming of the Savior (having the plates of brass and also the plates of Nephi in their possession, see Mosiah 1:16). The angel provided additional details. King Benjamin gathered his people into a group to teach them what he’d learned from the angel. He taught them about the Lord Omnipotent, Jesus Christ, taking on Himself a tabernacle of clay, working mighty miracles, and suffering death to atone for the sins of mankind. He also taught them the doctrine of the Fall, teaching, “I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness…” (Mosiah 4:11). His words were carried into the hearts of his people by the power of the Holy Ghost to the extent that they were overcome and had fallen to the ground:

AND now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an end of speaking the words which had been delivered unto him by the angel of the Lord, that he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and behold they had fallen to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them.

And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth.  And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men.

And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them. (Mosiah 4:1–3)

The people of King Benjamin were a righteous people. They were described as “a diligent people in keeping the commandments of the Lord” (Mosiah 1:11), and a “highly favored people of the Lord” (Mosiah 1:13). They had constructed a temple (Mosiah 1:18), and there were many holy men among them (The Words of Mormon 1:17). Yet, prior to the experience recorded above, most or all of them had not received a remission of their sins! They had been baptized with water, but not with fire and the Holy Ghost.

Prior to this experience, the people of Benjamin were much like church members today: they had faith in Jesus Christ, they repented, were baptized by immersion for the remission of sins, and they received the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Let’s stop here and consider a few things:

As the scripture above teaches, the people of King Benjamin were baptized by the Spirit, receiving a remission of their sins, thus completing their baptismal covenant. I love reading this account. However, it raises at least two important questions:

  1. Was this their first experience with repentance?
  2. Was this their first experience with the Holy Ghost?

To answer Yes to either of these questions leads to difficulty. How could a people be described as a diligent people in keeping the commandments, a highly favored people of the Lord, and having many holy men among them, and at the same time conclude this is their first experience with the Holy Ghost and repentance? This conclusion runs counter to what the Book of Mormon tells us about King Benjamin and his people.

To answer No to either of these questions requires us to conclude that they already had experienced repentance and had the Holy Ghost. If this is the case, then why did they have the outpouring of the Spirit recorded in Mosiah 4:1–3?

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In part 2, I’ll explore some thoughts to answer the questions raised here.

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Would You Pray for Gentrie? She’s 14 and Hasn’t Eaten Food by Mouth Since Christmas ’09

Posted on by Jared

I learned about a young lady (Gentrie Hansen) who has a medical condition that is very difficult to hear about; let alone for her to deal with each day. Please click on the link below and go to her website. I hope you will leave a message on her Guestbook after reading about her ordeal.

She is in my prayers, I hope she will be in yours too.

Click here

www.fight4gen.com

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O Have Mercy, And Apply The Atoning Blood Of Christ—Pt 6

Posted on by Jared

This is Part 6 in a series of articles on repentance. They are based on my experiences. I am writing with the hope that others who are seeking the Lord will find something meaningful to aid them in their journey towards obtaining a remission of their sins.

Click here to access the series of articles.

After becoming active in the church I had supposed my life would be relatively free of difficulty thereafter. This incorrect understanding of the Lord’s plan came about because of misinterpreting the scriptures.

I was familiar with the scriptures that spoke of the blessings the Lord bestows on His followers (Mosiah 2:41) but I didn’t understand that trials and difficulties could also be considered “blessings”.

Nowadays, I notice whenever the topic of receiving blessings from the Lord is brought up in a gospel discussion; it is often followed by a discussion on temptations and trials. The idea is you can’t receive blessings without experiencing opposition and temptations as well.

I don’t know if the Lord’s plan requires that very blessing received is automatically followed by opposition, but the scriptures make it clear that the Lord will try us (Abraham 3:25).

Trials and temptations come in at least three ways.

1. One type comes because of bad decisions on our part, like running a red light because we’re in a hurry, resulting in an accident.

2. Then there are the kinds of trials that come when we’re doing our best to keep the Lord’s commandments. Consider the disappointment some young men (and their loved ones) suffer when they don’t qualify for a church mission.

3.  All of us have had to deal with the pain we experience when we succumb to sin. The scriptures provide many examples; one notable one is King David and Bathsheba.

Of the three kinds of trials and temptations mentioned above—which is the most difficult to deal with?  I think it is the trials and temptations encountered while striving to do the Lord’s will.

A good friend of mine taught seminary. He was an excellent teacher but lost his job because he didn’t marry before reaching a certain age. We had many discussions about marriage. We doubled dated often, so I was aware of several opportunities he had for marriage, but he would always tell me he just didn’t feel good about any of them. He was very popular, he had many prospects.

As he grew older, he developed a serious problem with depression. Nothing he did seemed to provide relief. He tried many kinds of drugs but the depression only grew worse. One day in a depressed state he took his life.

I think my friend would be here today if he’d married. I think a supportive wife and family would have made all the difference for him when he became ill with depression.

My friend and I had something in common. Both of us expected to meet and marry the perfect girl. The problem with this mind-set is that there are no perfect girls—or guys—for that matter. I realized this when I was in my early thirties, my friend didn’t realize it until he was in his fifties.

There are times and seasons to our life. If we don’t take advantage of those things the Lord would have us do in their proper time and season, our future opportunities and options can suffer.

Remember, repentance include sins of omission and commission.

 

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O Have Mercy, And Apply The Atoning Blood Of Christ—Pt 5

Posted on by Jared

This is Part 5 in a series of articles on repentance. They are based on my experiences. I am writing with the hope that others who are seeking the Lord will find something meaningful to aid them in their journey towards obtaining a remission of their sins.

Click here to access the series of articles.

I was now fully engaged in breaking away from the moorings of the worldly life I had been living. I was excited about embracing my new life as a follower of Christ. I enjoyed attending church and learning about the gospel and church history. However, it soon became apparent to me that my knowledge and understanding of the gospel was that of a somewhat disinterested fourteen year old. That was about the time I and left church activity, thinking I was a second class spirit from the pre-mortal world. I felt this way because I wasn’t born into the covenant. I’d learned at church that Heavenly Father sent His best Spirits to homes where they would be born into the covenant. My dad wasn’t a member, and mother never attended church. Disbelief in the church wasn’t why I left; it was because of disbelief in myself. I’ve learned since then that well meaning people can teach unintended doctrine, which can be destructive to “faith”.

My desire to increase my understanding of the gospel was helped when I went with a few members to a book store. It was very small, having less than 25 or 30 books. I bought all I could afford and was determined to read each and every book as quickly as possible. I found a novel way to do this. I volunteered for duty no else wanted. I would take the night shift on every holiday. This way the work was slow, allowing me time to study and I could also avoid all the holiday parties.

I’ve heard it said that the Lord speaks to His followers through the scriptures. I agree with this idea because that’s what I experienced. As I read the scripture I found treasures of knowledge and felt the Spirit of the Lord teaching me. I learned to trust the Lord as I came to know Him from my scripture study. I learned that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever and that He is no respecter of persons. This was important to me because I felt inferior to other church members. I also learned that anyone who repented could be forgiven, it didn’t matter who you were—if you repented then you were acceptable to God. All that He requires is sincerity. The Book of Mormon uses the phrase, “full purpose of heart”. In the eyes of the Lord this quality of the heart is more important than anything else we can bring before the Lord when we seek a blessing at His hand. I don’t doubt that the Lord sends choice Spirits to choice families. However, this isn’t always true. Take Abraham for example, the family he was born into had major problems (Abraham 1:5-7), yet he is one of the great and noble spirits from the pre-mortal world (Abraham 3:22-23).

As I read the scriptures, I learned about the “dealings of the Lord” and my confidence in the Lord grew. When I read in the scriptures, “he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven…” I believed what I read.

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O Have Mercy, And Apply The Atoning Blood Of Christ—Pt 4

Posted on by Jared

This is Part 4 in a series of articles on repentance. They are based on my experiences. I am writing with the hope that others who are seeking the Lord will find something meaningful to aid them in their journey towards obtaining a remission of their sins.

Click here to access the series of articles.

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

The Lord has made it clear what needs to be done in order to repent, and part of the process of repentance is confessing our sins (Mosiah 26:34-36). I found that confessing sins to the Lord is one thing, but confessing sins to another person was very difficult for me.

Forgiveness of sins is possible because of the atonement of Jesus Christ. The scriptures teach that in order to obtain this gift of the atonement we must make changes. Whatever it is that we’re doing or have done that constitutes sin needs to be dealt with in the Lord’s way. And for some sins confession with our Bishop is a necessary part of the repentance process.

Following are a few general ideas that helped me:

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 own benefit. Have faith in your Savior and the wisdom He possesses. If you are guilty of sin that can be additive, like internet pornography, then you may need to seek out the help of a qualified professional.

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. What do you do now? My advice is to see the Bishop again, as soon as possible, and finish what you started.

Fourth, don’t allow discouragement to gain a hold of you. If you have set backs then just get right back up and do what needs to be done.

Fifth, spend time with the Savior, your advocate who knoweth the weakness of man and how to succor them who are tempted (D&C 62:1).

Next, Learning the Lord’s ways Part 5.

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O Have Mercy, And Apply The Atoning Blood Of Christ—Pt 3

Posted on by Jared

This is Part 3 in a series of articles on repentance. They are based on my experiences. I am writing with the hope that others who are seeking the Lord will find something meaningful to aid them in their journey towards obtaining a remission of their sins.

Click here to access the series of articles.

One of the greatest obstacles I had with repentance is feeling “unworthy” because of backsliding. With some sins I was able to repent and wasn’t troubled thereafter, with other sins I struggled. At times I felt the Lord must have been worn out with me. He knew how many times I had tried and failed in my efforts to keep some of His commandments. It went something like this: I would knee before the Lord and say, “I am going to repent of (fill in the blank)”. I would then exercise my will power; I would do well for a period of time, only to end up backsliding. After doing this numerous times I realized repentance wasn’t always easy. I was embarrassed, and thought for sure the Lord considered me a loser.

This kind of thinking led to two kinds of behavior:

1. I would give up trying to repent, thinking I wasn’t celestial material.

2. I would give up trying to repent, and then binge in the sin I’d hope to repent of.

This kind of “repentance” plays into satan’s plan. He is at his best when we’re discouraged and discomforted.

So what does one do when seeking to repent of a sin(s) that just won’t yield to the standard ways of repentance?

First, it’s important to remember, repentance isn’t like baseball—three strikes and you’re out. Repentance is like soap, it is needed often, and is necessary as long as we live.

Second, any progress we make in conquering the natural man or woman is pleasing to God.

Third, and most important, the Lord  has said: “…if he…repenteth in the sincerity of his heart I will forgive him…Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.” Mosiah 26:29 – 30

From what I’ve learned about the Lord, when we sincerely seek to repent, and then backslide, the Lord will forgive our trespasses (back sliding) as often as needed.

The Lord gave His life so that each of us could have access to the gift of repentance. What could I possibility write, that would put into perspective the magnitude of the blessing that is ours to have access to a gift that required the Son of God to die?

I hope each time we partake of the sacrament we will be able fathom, to some degree; just how high the cost was that caused the Savior to bleed at every pore. Why would He be willing to pay such a price? The answer is: He loves us.

My experience with repentance taught me that with persistence we can make progress in overcoming the carnal, sensual, and devilish natures we inherit because of our flesh. Each person’s journey may vary on the path of repentance, but the destination is the same—peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come.

Some sins require confession, and even professional help. I’ll touch on this topic in Pt 4.

Part 1

Part 2

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O Have Mercy, And Apply The Atoning Blood Of Christ—Pt 2

Posted on by Jared

This is Part 2 in a series of articles on repentance. They are based on my experiences. I am writing with the hope that others who are seeking the Lord will find something meaningful to aid them in their journey towards obtaining a remission of their sins.

Click here to access the series of articles.

The first example came from a man named Smith, Sergeant Smith. He was about 10 years my senior, married with a small family. His objective in life was to increase in military rank. To accomplish his goal he let the men in our unit know that he would make sure we had a good time, if we helped him get promoted in rank. We soon found out that he had an ample supply of liquor at his home. On the weekends those who did his bidding were invited to his place to party. There was good food, a well stocked liquor cabinet, and a fridge full of beer. I was worried that my commitment to repent would be side tracked. However, after going to a few Sergeant Smith’s parties I observed some things that redoubled my determination to change (repent). It soon became apparent that he didn’t care very deeply about anyone at the party—including his wife and children. The positive impression he initially made was lost when I saw the smallness of character he actually possessed by the way he treated his wife.

The second example was Jack. He wasn’t in the military; he was a salesman. He was also a branch president. He and his family befriended me. I spent a lot of time at their home. Jack radiated all the qualities of character that Sergeant Smith lacked. I knew he cared for me and the other members of the branch. His objective in life was to serve the Lord and his family. The more time I spent with him the greater became my appreciation, love, and respect for him.

One day I got to thinking about the contrast between Sergeant Smith and Jack. I remember thinking that if I didn’t repent I could end up being like Smith. And if I did repent, I could become like Jack. This was an important, even a profound insight for me. It literally changed something in me.

As I think back on those early years of my life, I realize that Heavenly Father was guiding and helping me. He enabled me to see my own future through the examples of these two men. I saw that I was more like Sergeant Smith than Jack—and it created a pain in my soul. I wanted to repent, but I found out just how difficult it can be. I would often backslide in my efforts to change (repent). But I was also aware of an influence that was with me. In my better moments, I had confidence that this influence would stand by me through the thick and thin of repentance—as long as I didn’t give up. I began to learn what the Lord meant when He said: “…as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me”.

In part 3, I’ll go into more detail about my experience with the Savior’s willingness to forgive my trespasses—over and over again.

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