A Few Thoughts About Faith An Obtaining Answers To Our Prayers

Posted on by Jared

I don’t know if everyone is born with some degree of faith or not. But I think it is safe to say that some are born having the gift of faith, and others can develop it.

When I refer to faith, I mean faith in God. The following list expresses a few things we know about faith as Latter Day Saints:

1.   Because faith is wanting, the fruits are

2.  The fruits of faith are the gifts of the Spirit

3.  Faith comes by hearing the word of God

4.  Faith comes by seeking earnestly the gift of faith (D&C 46:8)

5.  Three things are necessary in order that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God… First, the idea that he actually exists, Second, a correct idea of his character, perfections, and attributes, Third, an actual knowledge that the course of life which he is pursuing is according to his will. (Lectures on Faith 3:2-5.)

6.  If a man has not faith enough to do one thing, he may have faith to do another: if he cannot remove a mountain, he may heal the sick. HC 5:355

With this brief list about faith in mind, how can you and I make use of this information today?

For starters, I’ve had experience with faith already, so I have the advantage of past experience. Many, if not all who are reading this may be able to say the same thing. For those who can’t, be aware that each of us who’ve had experience, had a starting point.

When I desire to obtain a blessing from the Lord I’m surprised at the resistance that sometimes enters into my mind. I don’t know if this is true for others, but nearly always I have to contend with doubt. I don’t doubt God, that isn’t a problem for me. I have doubts about myself and wonder if I have the energy and determination to gain the Lord’s ear. Maybe it is a form of spiritual laziness. Whatever it is, I go through a session of self talk and pretty soon I get to a point where I call upon Heavenly Father and thank Him for the experiences with the Spirit that I’ve been given in the past. When I review some of these experiences it increases my faith, and I feel confidence swelling in my heart and mind.

After climbing my wall of doubt, I ask the Lord to forgive me of my failings; I know He is merciful and forgiving because of the teachings in the scriptures (Mosiah 26:30), and from my own experiences. I remind myself that it’s not my place to counsel Heavenly Father, but to seek His counsel. I don’t try to sell Him on all the reasons that it would be a good idea to grant me the sought after blessing. I’ve decided He already knows my needs and it is best to express my desires, and then thank Him for all that He has blessed me with. I also pray for the gift of faith so that my petition can be heard and answered. The Lord answers the prayer of faith (D&C 42:14).

Should we ask one time, thinking that is sufficient or do we ask continually until we receive an answer or get tired of asking? This can be the hardest part of prayer. I’ve learned to ask the Lord for guidance on how to pray.

How and why the Lord responds to prayer can be a mystery. In my experience He has granted my request when I’ve made just one request, other times I’ve prayed for extended periods of time and been unable to obtain help. At other times, my prayer was granted after fasting and praying over long periods of time, even years. When I pray, I often say, “Thy will be done”. I’ve learned that we need to be sincere when we say this.

There are many examples of answers to prayer I can relate from. The Lord has blessed me with many powerful Spiritual experiences, and even miracles. I know he hears and answers prayers—nothing doubting.

Most often answers to prayers are subtle, like what happened a few months ago. My wife and me were watching a video on a Friday date night. The phone rang, we saw it was from a loved one. We stopped the movie and listened for 15 minutes about the latest struggles of a newlywed. Before restarting the movie we knelt and with earnest desire prayed for the Lord’s help in behalf of our loved one. We resumed the movie, and about half an hour later the phone rang again. We stopped the movie and were greeted with a much happier newlywed. He thanked us for our prayers. I asked him what he meant. He said that after he talked with us he had a spiritual experience that helped him see the problem from a different perspective, and that he knew our prayer in his behalf was the reason. I asked him why he thought we had prayed for him. We didn’t tell him we would pray for him. He said that he just knew that we had, and that he felt an impression to call us back and relate what he’d just experienced.

If you have time, please relate your thoughts and ideas about faith and prayer.

A Few Thoughts About Faith and Obtaining Answers to Our Prayer

I don’t know if everyone is born with some degree of faith or not. But I think it is safe to say that some are born having the gift of faith, and others can develop it.

When I refer to faith, I mean faith in God. The following list expresses a few things we know about faith as Latter Day Saints:

1.  Because faith is wanting, the fruits are

2.  The fruits of faith are the gifts of the Spirit

3.  Faith comes by hearing the word of God

4.  Faith comes by seeking earnestly the gift of faith (D&C 46:8)

5.  Three things are necessary in order that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God… First, the idea that he actually exists, Second, a correct idea of his character, perfections, and attributes, Third, an actual knowledge that the course of life which he is pursuing is according to his will. (Lectures on Faith 3:2-5.)

6.  If a man has not faith enough to do one thing, he may have faith to do another: if he cannot remove a mountain, he may heal the sick. HC 5:355

With this brief list about faith in mind, how can you and I make use of this information today?

For starters, I’ve had experience with faith already, so I have the advantage of past experience. Many, if not all who are reading this may be able to say the same thing. For those who can’t, be aware that each of us who’ve had experience, had a starting point.

When I desire to obtain a blessing from the Lord I’m surprised at the resistance that sometimes enters into my mind. I don’t know if this is true for others, but nearly always I have to contend with doubt. I don’t doubt God, that isn’t a problem for me. I have doubts about myself and wonder if I have the energy and determination to gain the Lord’s ear. Maybe it is a form of spiritual laziness. Whatever it is, I go through a session of self talk and pretty soon I get to a point where I call upon Heavenly Father and thank Him for the experiences with the Spirit that I’ve been given in the past. When I review some of these experiences it increases my faith and I feel confidence swelling in my heart and mind.

After climbing my wall doubt I ask the Lord to forgive me of my failings; I know He is merciful and forgiving because of the teachings in the scriptures (Mosiah 26:30) and from my own experiences. I remind myself that it’s not my place to counsel Heavenly Father, but to seek His counsel. I don’t try to sell Him on all the reasons that it would be a good idea to grant me the sought after blessing. I’ve decided He already knows my needs and it is best to express my desires, and then thank Him for all that He has blessed me with. I also pray for the gift of faith so that my petition can be heard and answered. The Lord answers the prayer of faith (D&C 42:14).

Should we ask once thinking that is sufficient or do we ask continually until we receive an answer or get tired of asking? This can be the hardest part of prayer. I’ve learned to ask the Lord for guidance on how to pray.

How and why the Lord responds to prayer can be a mystery. In my experience He has granted my request when I’ve made just one request, other times I’ve prayer for extended periods of time and been unable to obtain help. At other times my prayer was granted after fasting and praying over long periods of time, even years. When I pray I often say, “Thy will be done”. I’ve learned that we need to be sincere when we say this.

There are many examples of answers to prayer I can relate. The Lord has blessed me with many powerful Spiritual experiences, and even miracles. I know he hears and answers prayers—nothing doubting.

Most often they are like what happened a few months ago while my wife and I were watching a video on a Friday date night. The phone rang and we saw it was from a loved one; we stopped the movie and listened for 15 minutes about the latest struggles of a newlywed. Before starting the movie we knelt and with earnest desire prayed for the Lord’s help. We resumed the movie and about half an hour later the phone rang again. We stopped the movie and were greeted with a much happier newly wedding telling us he felt the power of our prayer. I asked him what he meant. He said that he saw the problem from a different perspective and that he knew our prayer in his behalf was the reason. He didn’t know we had prayed for him, but he told us he felt a strong impression to call us back and relate what he’d just experienced.

If you have time, please relate your thoughts and ideas about faith and prayer.

Posted in Gifts of the Spirit, Prayer | Leave a comment

Keeping the Commandments without Making Covenants has no Power to Sanctify

Posted on by Jared

Click Here for the Table of Contents

For those who have made covenants to follow Christ there is a simple plan that needs to be obeyed in order to realize the promised blessings. The following scripture clearly describes the plan and promise:

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

In forty words the Savior succinctly explains the gospel plan. Receiving the Holy Ghost is the focal point of the gospel plan. In other words, the purpose of repentance and baptism is to receive the Holy Ghost. Without the Holy Ghost, repentance and baptism have no power to sanctify. And without becoming sanctified we cannot stand spotless before the Lord.

As Latter-day Saints we have many responsibilities. Following is a brief list of some of the things expected of us. There is no particular order to this list:

1.  Visiting teaching/Home teaching

2.  Attend the three hour block of meetings

3.  Accept and magnify callings

4.  Sustain church leaders

5.  Keep the commandments

6.  Repent

7.  Pay tithing and offerings

8.  Daily prayer

9.  Have weekly home evenings

10. Every member a missionary

11. Home storage

12. Receive the priesthood

13. Serve a mission (especially young men)

14. Read the scriptures

15. Temple marriage

16. Regular temple attendance

17. Genealogy

The things contained on this list, in and of themselves, have no power to sanctify a follower of Christ. Putting it another way, the power to sanctify comes exclusively from the Holy Ghost. Diligently doing those things on the list might help us be better people, but being better people isn’t the ultimate goal of the gospel. We don’t need the gospel to become better people. We can do that on our own by following moral and ethical principles. Reformation is not the same as sanctification.

The only way we can be prepared to stand spotless before the Lord at the last day is by coming unto Christ and receiving the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is a sanctifier and once we’ve been baptized we have the right to receive His companionship. Our focus needs to be on Christ. Otherwise, we can end up where five of the ten virgins found themselves. “Worthy”, but not sanctified. 

 

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Thoughts On Faith, Doubt, and Unbelief

Posted on by Jared

I’ve read that for most of human history, mankind whatever their circumstances, maintained some sort of belief that they were created by a “god”.  This was true for those living in the jungles or on main street. The vast majority of mankind believed that they were created. Of course, that didn’t mean all attended church or strived to keep the commandments, but the notion that God didn’t exist wasn’t widespread.

The era we live in today is unique because unbelief is wide spread and acceptable. Atheism is a growth industry, particularly among some in the ivy league crowd who declare like Korihor, that God is “a being who never has been seen or known, who never was nor ever will be”. He further taught that  belief is ” the effect of a frenzied mind”. Korihor would have fit right in on many college campuses throughout today’s world.  

Mormonism is an American faith. It has been around less than 200 years. For most of that time it has been a Utah church. In 1947 there were about 1 million church members. Today there are roughly 16 million members. It is now a world wide church. It is estimated that about 50% are considered active. In other words, as the Book of Mormon points out, church members “were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small”.

In the internet era new problems have emerged for Mormons. These problems are fueling doubt among some faithful church members, particularly the young. They’re learning things about the history of the church that are new and troubling.

What used be clear cut and uncomplicated regarding things taught in church about Joseph Smith, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and other church scriptures, are now comparatively complicated, blurred and inexact. 

Nearly everyday, there is news, both in print, and that by ear about someone struggling with their testimony. Some leave the church, but more often, a “for sure testimony” is now less sure. Many just keep quiet about their concerns while others are more inclined to seek answers. New books are being published to provide help. The church has published a series of essays to offer explanation for some of the more difficult topics. 

Those who are entangled by doubt have many new avenues to deal with it. They can read the essays, read the new books that are out, and coming out. They can talk with local church leaders (some not all), a friend, a loved one about their faith crisis.

What about me? I was inoculated many years ago. I am not troubled. I am at peace. I write this blog (I’m in my 9th year) to do what I can to help others. For me the solution came in answer to prayer.

I know many others who haven’t, as yet, received an answer to their prayers. We are all different and will have to travel our individual path to find answers. 

Be assured there are answers. More church members are finding satisfying answers to their concerns than are choosing to leave the church. The news about them travels very slow because it isn’t as sensational. 

I’ve written many posts on doubt. Go here for a list. I hope you can find something that is helpful. God bless.

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Posted in Church History, Doubt, Prayer | 1 Comment

When Your Flame of Faith Flickers

Posted on by Jared

For many the birth of mature faith comes when the faith of their youth is challenged.

With this thought in mine I would like to write to those who are feeling the flame of their faith flickering. 

I think nearly everyone experiences doubt about their faith. That is to be expected. However, with the advent of the internet there is an avalanche of material that tears down faith.

Latter Day Saints in particular are targets for those who feel it is their duty to expose Mormonism for what it is, “a big lie”.

Those who are most effective at attacking the candle of faith are church members who are dwindling in faith and those who have abandoned their faith altogether. Some of them are even making a comfortable living attacking Mormonism. 

I hope each and every one of them will return to the path of faith.

There are others who have met and defeated the enemies of faith. Their stories need to be told. 

Following is an account of the struggle Robert L Millett experienced while serving as a missionary.

“As a young missionary in the eastern state in 1967, I learned something about the trauma that we often feel when we are up against the wall of faith, when we want to believe but feel our grip on the iron rod slipping. My companion and I had moved into a small town in New Jersey, only to find the local Protestant minister had anticipated our arrival and prepared their parishioners for our coming. At almost every door we approached, we were met by a smiling face and the words, ‘Oh, you must be the Mormons. This is for you.’ They would then hand us an anti-Mormon tract…Most of the propaganda didn’t trouble us at all. Some of it we actually chuckled over…one part in particular, however, did trouble us, for it dealt with our view of the Godhead. The writers repeatedly drew attention to what they called “inconsistency” in the way Latter-day Saint scripture and teaching referred to God, our heavenly Father, and his Son, Jesus Christ.

We didn’t chuckle much about this, for it dealt with a central and singularly important matter, namely, the God we worship…

For weeks we did our work, but our heart wasn’t in it. We went through the motions, but without saying much to each other, we sensed that we couldn’t do so indefinitely. I broke the ice at lunch one afternoon with a rather brutal query: ‘Elder, what if the Church isn’t true?’ There was a long, uncomfortable pause, followed by his response: ‘I don’t know.’

I followed up: ‘What if the Baptists are right?’…’What if the Catholics are right? What if they have had the authority all along?’…

I am ashamed to admit that before this time I had never prayed intently about my testimony. I was raised in the church. Mom and Dad had a testimony, and I knew that they knew…but suddenly what they knew did not seem sufficient to settle my troubled heart.

I prayed and I pleaded. I begged the Lord for light, for truth, for anything! I asked to be guided in the right direction, to be led to an answer…These vexations of the soul went on for some weeks. I had actually concluded…that if relief were not forthcoming shortly, I would pack my bags and go home…

When we came home for lunch a few days later…I reached to a nearby lamp table and picked up a copy of the pamphlet, ‘Joseph Smith Tells His Own Story’. I began reading the opening lines…I was suddenly and without warning immersed in the most comforting and soothing influence I had ever known. It seemed at the time as if I were being wrapped in a large blanket as I began to be filled with the warmth of the Holy Spirit form head to toe. The spirit of conversion encompassed me, and I came to know assuredly that what we were doing was right and true and good. I did not hear specific words, but a distant voice seemed to whisper: ‘Of course it’s true. You know that now, and you’ve known it for a long time.’

Another feeling I had was that the answers to what was troubling me were for the time being beyond my capacity to comprehend. In time the answers would come, answers that would be as satisfying to the mind as they were soothing to the heart. I was being instructed, in other words, to put this matter on the shelf, to focus my attention elsewhere for a season, and move on.” Holding Fast, Robert L Millet, pp. 107-112.

Elder Millet went on to find the answers to his questions and complete his mission. He has written numerous books on Mormonism and is the former Dean of Religious Education at BYU.

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Posted in Doubt, Example of Faith, Member Testimony, Mighty Prayer, Spiritual Experiences, Trials | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

One of His Sheep Wanders and The Shepard Finds Him

Posted on by Jared

Those who call themselves Mormon are a family. And as many of us know by experience, members of a family can for a time be all over the place regarding their feelings towards their Mormonism. 

Following is a short-list of attitudes, or the states of mind, among Mormons I am currently acquainted with:

Thankful for their Mormonism

Questioning their Mormonism

Evolving in their Mormonism

Leaving their Mormonism

Rejected their Mormonism

Returning to their Mormonism

There is one thing that binds us together in our individual families, and in our church family—covenants.

We’re taught that we made covenants before we were born that resulted in our Mormonism in this life. Church membership isn’t an accident (John 10:23-27).

Covenants are a strong binding cord that can withstand terrible abuse. As the list above illustrates, those who have made covenants can be forgetful, but the Lord doesn’t forget.

Remember what Elder Orson F. Whitney said:

“The Prophet Joseph Smith declared—and he never taught more comforting doctrine—that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.” In Conference Report, Apr. 1929, 110.

In a future day the gates of the Celestial Kingdom will open and the Savior with His sons, and daughter, His joint-heirs with Him, will enter into the Father’s presence. Many who enter on that day will have formerly been estranged from their covenants for a season.

I was and I know what it is like to be “drawn back to the fold”. I know what it is like to have the eyes of the Shepherd upon me. I know by sacred experience what the following scripture says is true. It was fulfilled in life years ago:

“What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?  And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.“ Luke 15:4 – 5

I know what it is like to be carried on His shoulders. I tread a thorny path for a time. I was lost and He found me! My story.

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“I Don’t Think I Believe in the Church Anymore”

Posted on by Jared

Today’s church members live in a time the prophets of the Lord have foretold. A day of apostasy, anemic testimonies, and broken covenants. The internet is filled with faith destroying words and images. In order for the faithful to survive they will need to be committed to following the Lord’s “to do list” if they are to acquire a genuine testimony, a testimony that comes from the Holy Ghost as promised in the Book of Mormon.  Living on borrowed light, in other words, a testimony that isn’t really our own. Something like renting a house as compared to owning one. 

The following account illustrates what I mean.

“A little over six months into my [calling as a Bishop], I visited one evening with one of the brethren in my ward who suffered from what turned out, unfortunately, to be a fairly common problem. He was a good man, very active and serving in a leadership position. A returned missionary, he had been married in the temple to an outstanding woman. They had some great kids, and to every appearance they had it ‘all together’ spiritually speaking. Yet he was obviously troubled as he sat down across from me, and it didn’t take long to discover why.

‘I don’t think I believe in the Church anymore’, he said abruptly, ‘and I guess maybe I ought to be released.'” I Need Thee Every Hour, Blaine M. Yorgason, p. 83-85.

This brother had the courage to confront his feelings and tell his Bishop how he really felt. I wonder how many, seemly active, men and women in the church today harbor the same unspoken concern? In my opinion, there are many. This concerns me and is the main reason I came to the bloggernacle and started this blog.

The story continues:  Bishop Yorgason listened as this brother told his story and soon realized the source of the problem.

“He unveiled a series of sad events and circumstances, mostly economic though also martial, that had occurred, he said bitterly, ‘even though I always paid a full tithing!’

At length I began to ask him questions pertaining to such things as his personal and family prayer habits, his temple attendance, his feelings about family home evening, and so forth. Neither did it take me long to recognize that he was one of that significant number of individuals (for a good portion of my adult life, myself included) who have relatively firm testimonies of the truthfulness of the Church and the gospel, who serve willingly and have enjoyed the blessings of the temple, but who are not yet committed enough to focus on keeping all the commandments or giving their lives wholly to the Lord. When I pointed this out to him, however, and suggested that the source of his difficulties might be not only spiritual but related directly to his own behavior, he was not only upset but deeply hurt. ‘How can you say that?’ he demanded. ‘I have always been active in the Church, and so has my family!’ ‘Yes, you have,’ I responded, ‘if active means merely attending meetings, doing your home teaching, and serving in your calling.’

‘What else could it mean?’

Well according to what you have told me tonight, your personal prayers are dictated by your schedule, you never pray with your wife before you go to bed or when you arise, you never study the scriptures except during Church classes, you use your temple recommend two or three times a year but find the experience boring and tedious, and you stopped holding family home evening at least two years ago because they always turned into family brawls. Now correct me if I am wrong, but I believe each of these things has been commanded, daily or at least regularly, by the Lord…

‘So, you’re saying I’m not really active?’

He was stunned by my question, and his belligerence had completely evaporated…He smiled a little sadly. ‘I guess the truth does hurt, doesn’t it.’ I Need Thee Every Hour, Blaine M. Yorgason, p. 83-85.

This experience illustrates how anyone of us can get caught up in spiritual slothfulness, “because of the easiness of the way” that Alma warned his son about (Alma 37:46).

In order to have the companionship of the Spirit, the Lord’s given his followers a “to do list”. When we fail to follow the relatively easy to do list, we leave ourselves open to the wiles of the devil and the natural man. We then can become prey to a host of spiritual viruses that assault our Spiritual immune system and weaken us to the point where we find ourselves, though “active”, one day saying, “I don’t think I believe in the Church anymore.”

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Posted in Doubt, Testimony | Tagged | 9 Comments

The Book of Mormon—The Keystone of our Spiritual Life

Posted on by Jared

I’m looking forward to reading and studying from the Book of Mormon in 2016. I feel excited like a little boy who is about to open up a gift. Why do I feel this way about reading the Book of Mormon? I don’t know exactly. In the last few years I’ve read it twice. Last year I read it cover to cover using a replica of the first printing. No chapters and verse as in our current edition. At first I was a little uncomfortable with unfamiliar lay out, but in no time I adapted to it. I didn’t even notice the absence of all the changes the church has made with words and punctuation.

A few years ago our stake challenged us to read it in 30 days. I read and listen to tapes and completed it in 6 weeks. At first I murmured, but when I completed the challenge I experienced a panoramic sense of the Book of Mormon I never had before. It was like viewing the city you live in from a satellite view. It allows for a different, refreshing prospective. I realized how patient and longsuffering the Lord was with the peoples of the Book of Mormon—especially the Nephites. It wasn’t until they utterly rejected Christ that he withdrew His presence from them. Sometimes I feel like our generation is in the advanced last days, but the Book of Mormon draws me away from that thought. It gives me hope for America. I think there are many great blessings in store for the gentile nations.

I’m going to try to explain why I’m excited to read the Book of Mormon again this year. It’s out character for me to be this way. I have a low tolerance for repetition.

The main reason I am excited to study the Book of Mormon this year is to learn and relearn how men, men like any of us, makes the transition from a natural man, to a follower of Christ, and then to a son or daughter of Christ. This spiritual growth and rebirth the Book of Mormon illustrates over and over is available to anyone who seeks for it.

It might be that some who read this will identify with me when I say that it took me many years to arrive at the understanding, God is no respecter of persons. I need to remind myself that Heavenly Father is not like me. The Lord really means what he says, he is no respecter of persons. That means we don’t have to be a G.A., Stake President, High Councilmen, Relief Society President, or anything else in order to have the spiritual growth and experiences represented in the Book of Mormon. A rank and file member of the church has the same right, as those in leading positions, to these gifts and blessings manifest in the Book of Mormon when he/she abides the law. Go here to read more on this topic.

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Dwindling in Unbelief from Year to Year

Posted on by Jared

Dwindling in Unbelief  From Year to Year, the title of this post is a sad title, but unfortunately, it is what is happening before our eyes in the era we live in. It happened to the Nephites. Look up the word dwindle with all its word forms. It appears 24 times in the Book of Mormon.

The theistic foundation of America is undergoing a dramatic change. At the end of WWII, societies values were compatible with LDS values. Today that is not the case. There is a vast difference and the difference is increasing each year.

Case in point, If what appears on TV today was somehow suddenly shown to viewers in the 1980’s what do you think would happen? No doubt, there would be a huge uproar! But sadly, our culture has slowly, with little opposition, permitted the values of former days to fade away.

What about church members (Mormons), have they been immune to the changes taking place in America? No, I don’t think anyone would use the word immune. I think most observers would agree, the best we can say is that we have lagged behind the changes in our culture.

Elder Russell M Nelson recently wrote in his new book:

“Difficult days are ahead. Rarely in the future will it be easy or popular to be a faithful Latter-Day Saint. Each of us will be tested. The Apostle Paul warned that in the latter days, those who diligently follow the Lord, “shall suffer persecution”. That very persecution can either crush you into silent weakness or motivate you to be more exemplary and courageous in your daily life.” Accomplishing the Impossible, Page 115.

What about you? How are you dealing with the increased secularization of American values? Do you find yourself watching movies and going to internet sites that you formerly would never have considered? How about social issues? Do you find yourself aligning more and more with modern trends that apostles and prophets are opposed too? If so, where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?

I hope that any church members who are moving away from the values they once cherished will “cross themselves”.

The Book of Mormon prophets referring to the day we are living in and moving more and more towards, warned us, saying:

1 HEARKEN, O ye Gentiles, and hear the words of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, which he hath commanded me that I should speak concerning you, for, behold he commandeth me that I should write, saying:
2 Turn, all ye Gentiles, from your wicked ways; and repent of your evil doings, of your lyings and deceivings, and of your whoredoms, and of your secret abominations, and your idolatries, and of your murders, and your priestcrafts, and your envyings, and your strifes, and from all your wickedness and abominations, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, that ye may receive a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, that ye may be numbered with my people who are of the house of Israel. 3 Nephi 30:1 – 2

For those who decide to cross themselves and return to greater faith, this is a good time of year to do so.

Merry Christmas

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Posted in America, Member Testimony | 1 Comment

Repentance Made Easier-Part 2 (Sanctification)

Posted on by Jared

Click here for the Table of Contents.

I hope you’ll read, Repentance Made Easier-Part 1 (Justification),before reading part 2.

Repentance is a Window into our Souls

Once we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we need to repent. Otherwise,  our faith will be in vain. Faith without repentance is of no use. What good are garden seeds without soil, eyes without light, or ears without sound? So it is with faith and repentance. They are both needed in order to activate the desired blessings that are available to us through the atonement.

Repentance is the soil that faith grows in. It is also the soil all other blessings are derived from. Until we repent nothing happens. Repentance is the key that opens the door to our divine possibilities, that of becoming a join-heir with Jesus Christ.

The Lord stating the importance of repentance said, ” Say nothing but repentance to this generation” (D&C 11:9).

The prophet Moroni taught the principle of repentance in language so clear I wonder how it could be misunderstood. He said:

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

Sanctification

When we repent of our sins with real intent the Lord forgives us. We are in a state of justification. We can even say we have clean hands. However, repentance means much more than just having clean hands. The book of Psalms contains two verses of scripture that help us understand the principle of repentance more fully:

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD?  or who shall stand in his holy place?
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart… Psalms 24:3 – 4

From these verses we learn that to be fully acceptable to the Lord we need to have both clean hands and a pure heart. This is where the scriptural terms justification and sanctification come in. As we’ve already discussed, justification is to have clean hands. But what is required to have a pure heart? Sanctification is the gospel term used to describe the change that takes place in the hearts of those who seek diligently to know and follow Christ.

How does this change in heart come? Is it ultimately accomplished through our will power?

Regarding sanctification the Savior said:

“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…” 3 Nephi 27:20.

How are we sanctified? Answer: by receiving the Holy Ghost.

Summary and Conclusion

The words “made easy” in the title of the two chapters on repentance were used to do just that; take something many complicate and make it easier to understand.

Elder Uchtdorf addressed our tendancy to complicate gospel principles, saying:

“Sometimes, well-meaning amplifications of divine principles…complicate matters further, diluting the purity of divine truth with man-made addenda…And gradually, eternal principles can get lost…” Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Love of God, Oct 2009 General Conference.

I don’t think the principle of repentance is as complicated as some portray it. I think it is useful to think of repentance in terms of justification and sanctification. These gospel terms are used in the scriptures and by church leaders to describe the essential doctrines of salvation. Having said that, I don’t think the rank and file members of the church are comfortable with them.

I’ve had enough experience with repentance to know that it is a true principle. I’ve learned by experience that when I sincerely repent the Lord forgives me, just like the Book of Mormon teaches.

When you or I repent with real intent, and partake of the sacrament worthily we can be in a perpetual state of justification. This allows us to be the recipients of all the blessing the Lord desires to extend to us in spite of our imperfections.

There is a verse in the Book of Mormon that provides insight into how sanctification is accomplished in the lives of those who follow Christ:

“…they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God” (Helaman 3:35).

This verse helps us understand that sanctification is a process that occurs when we yield our hearts to God by waxing “stronger and stronger” in humility and “firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ”.

Sanctification occurs over time as a process, whereas justification can be thought of as a series of events—repentance events.

One writer concluded: “It could be said that the process of sanctification is found in a seemingly endless series of justification events.”

Church members are in a covenant relationship with God. Justification and sanctification are gifts from God because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is important that we don’t get the idea that justification and sanctification are a reward we earn when we change our behavior by exercising our will power (See note 1 below).  That would be like a man thinking that by disciplined eating and exercising he could earn the resurrection. We’re not justified or sanctified through exercising will power.  We’re justified and sanctified by “yielding [our] hearts unto God”.

I need to add a word of caution before finishing. In part 1, I indicated that I was writing for the average church member, the 90% plus who are honestly striving, not perfectly so, but with real intent to be true followers of Christ. The scripture clearly teach that repentance, the justification part, can be quick and easy—if we have real intent. If someone should twist this and think they can willfully sin and quickly repent, I feel sorry for them. God will not be mocked (Jacob 6:8-9).

My goal has been to help my readers see the basics of repentance through the doctrines of justification and sanctification. There are other gospel terms that need to be bought into the discussion. Terms that help us to have a more complete understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ. For example, remission of sins, born again, fire and the Holy Ghost, mighty change, and etc. Click here to read a three part essay on these doctrines. 

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Note 1:  Click for post on the difference between: Reformation or Repentance

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Repentance Made Easier-Part 1 (Justification)

Posted on by Jared

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Repentance is a basic principle of the gospel, and being basic one would think the majority of church members would be well versed and comfortable with it. However, I don’t think that is the case, I think many members are uptight about the principle of repentance.

If a church member feels unworthy much of the time, then they probably qualify for the title of an uptight Mormon. The gospel is designed to bring joy and happiness into our lives. If we find joy and happiness a rarity and feel perpetually unacceptable (in any degree) to the Lord because of our sins of omission and commission, then it may be due to a lack of understanding about the basic principle of repentance.

Following is a two-part discussion on repentance. It is my goal to make repentance more attractive and easier to understand. It is written for the average church members, the 90% plus who haven’t sinned to the extent their church membership is in question. But even for that small percentage whose membership is in jeopardy, who have or might lose their membership, the principles discussed are still vital and applicable.

What are my qualification for writing about repentance? That is an easy question to answer, I’ve had lots of experience. And along the way I’ve learned some things I’d like to pass on to others.

My experience with repentance has taught me that Heavenly Father is quick to forgive sins. Repentance doesn’t have to be difficult. Repentance for many of the things that trouble us can be repented of speedily; even easily.

Elder Jeffery R. Holland taught the following:

You can change anything you want to change, and you can do it very fast. That’s another satanic suckerpunch—that it takes years and years and eons of eternity to repent. It takes exactly as long to repent as it takes you to say, “I’ll change”—and mean it. BYU Devotional on 18 March 1980.

Unfortunately, I believe many church members have come to think of repentance as an arduous, unrewarding, never-ending, impossible task. Repenting of some sins can be as easy as calling upon Heavenly Father in prayer.

For example, I know of a man who was caught stealing. He was a teenager at the time. The owner of the store made him promise never to come back to his place of business. He agreed. He went home and told his parents what he did. When he related this story, he was nearing eighty years of age. He told how his parents reviewed the scriptures with him and taught him that Heavenly Father would forgive him instantly if he sincerely asked. He did, and added that he never stole another thing in his life.

This example illustrates the principle of repentance in its most basic form. Some of the sins we experience can be dealt with this quickly.

Some who read this story will say, “I wish my sins were so easily dealt with, the guy in the story never stole again. What about me, I keep committing the same sins over and over again? I sincerely repent and before long I’m back doing the same thing. Repentance doesn’t work for me, I guess I’m not celestial material.”

Those who feel this way don’t understand or don’t believe what the Lord teaches about repentance. There isn’t a man or woman who hasn’t struggled with repetitive sin. Some sins take longer to repent of than others.

The Lord clearly teaches us how to deal with repetitive sins. Should we choose not to believe Him, then disbelief is another sin we need to work on.

The Savior teaches:

Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me. Mosiah 26:30

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

The Lord will forgive us as long as we have “real intent”. In my opinion, we possess real intent as long as we keep trying. Even when we lapse, and sin intentionally, then feel remorse and a determination to do better, I believe the Lord will be quick to forgive. Many of those who love and desire to serve the Lord have deeply ingrained habits and possibly genetic tendencies that take time to overcome. The Lord will be patient, but cannot be deceived or manipulated. 

Why is the Lord so forgiving? I think the answer is obvious, until we reach perfection we will need to have the blessing of repentance and the promise of forgiveness available on request.

Summary

Latter-Day Saints have been taught that repentance is not to be trifled with. I certainly agree with this, trifling with repentance is just plain wrong. I think trifling with repentance occurs when real intent is absent or lacking. I’d like to suggest that we can’t repent with real intent too often. The Lord doesn’t mention frequency of repentance being a problem, however, lack of needed repentance is frequently mentioned as a problem (D&C 19:15-21).

As aforementioned, I am writing to the average church member who is seeking to repent of average sins, the kind of sin that doesn’t put their church membership into question.

Sin is a barrier to obtaining the blessings the Lord intends for us to receive. When we call upon the Lord repenting with real intent that barrier can be removed. The scripture refer to this as “justification”. Justification can be thought of as an event. When we repent with real intent we’re pardoned from punishment for sin and declared guiltless. This is what the Lord taught when He declared: “as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven”. We can have access to justification, even in a matter of minutes. In addition, we can renew our covenants as we partake of the sacrament each week. The key is “real intent”.

Elder Spencer W. Kimball wrote:

It depends upon you whether or not you are forgiven, and when. It could be weeks, it could be years, it could be centuries before that happy day when you have the positive assurance that the Lord has forgiven you. That depends on your humility, your sincerity, your works, your attitudes. (Miracle of Forgiveness, Spencer W. Kimball, pp. 325).

Brigham Young said:

Let us do the best we can, and if we make a mistake once, seven times, or seventy times seven in a day, and are honest in our confessions, we shall be forgiven freely. JD 2:136

Question: do you believe the Lord forgives sins? Have you ever been forgiven of a sin you’ve sincerely repented of? If so, did you repeat the sincerely repented of sin again, maybe many times? Do you believe the Lord forgives sins we repeat? For example, anger, pride, and lust are sins that many struggle with, even their entire life. Do you believe the Lord will forgive us as oft as we repent sincerely of these sins? He says he will, do you believe Him?

I’ll close with a thought on sin that teaches an important point about the need and availability of repentance for all who follow Christ:

“That all men commit sin, before and after baptism, and for that matter, before and after their calling and election is made sure, is self-evident. There has been only one Sinless One—the Lord Jesus who was God’s own Son.” (Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:342.)

This chapter covers the basics of repentance and justification. One thing we need to understand is that justification allows us to have clean hands but doesn’t change our hearts.  A pure heart comes through the process of sanctification. Note the use of the word “process”. Sanctification is a process whereas justification is an event. Sanctification takes time and effort.

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Repentance Made Easy-Part 2 (Sanctification) Click Here

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