5 Steps to Greater Spirituality

Over the summer my husband and I had a great opportunity to go to some workshops on a husband/wife retreat with his work.  In one of our workshops we were blessed to hear from Elder Yoshihiku Kicuchi. He is such a spiritual holy man that was a great joy and pleasure to be in his company.  He has had a remarkable life: Being a convert to the Church in Japan to begin with, then going on to serve a 30 month mission, Mission President in Hawaii, Temple President of the Tokyo Temple, and member of the First Quorum of the Seventy.

He shared with us some experiences he had while serving as Mission President, as well as some very important principles he taught the missionaries.  These have had a profound impact in my life, and I hope they can help you as well

He told how when he arrived in Hawaii as a new Mission President there were many missionaries not living the missionary rules. He told us of surprise visits to their apartments in the middle of the day to find missionaries still in bed sleeping, surf boards in their living rooms, and so forth.  Because of this, not surprisingly, their baptisms per mission were extremely low. They needed a new commitment to their mission and to life.  He began to implement a program that was so powerful that their baptisms per month went from 24 to 154 in a matter of a few months time.  More than that, it changed the spiritual lives of many of the young missionaries. 

 This formula taught to Elder Kicuchi by President David O McKay can change OUR lives and increase OUR spirituality if we implement this into our daily routine. You can think of this as 5 Steps to Greater Spirituality, a Personal Devotional, OR... 

 How to have your OWN Sacred Grove Experience

The Sacred Grove
(taken by Susan Rust)

and get closer to the Lord

Now I am not talking about replicating the First Vision when Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ in this grove of trees. 

I am talking about beginning each day in a  daily devotional of sorts that is sacred and holy time  just for you.

By small and simple things....great things are brought to pass.

This is one of those small and simple things...which can bring great blessings into your life.

Here is the formula taught by Elder Kicuchi spoken in a cute Japanese accent:

1. Arise Early...determined by you.  Arising early shows your willingness.  Follow this with some exercise which can be but doesn't have to be longer than 15 minutes.
2. Wash Your Body...even if you have never been a shower every single day kind of person following this step has great benefits.  Besides feeling clean and being clean, there is something ritualistic to the physical cleansing of your body that is actually very spiritual.
3. Get dressed for the day in clean linen...this goes without saying, but get dressed and ready for the day
4. Subdue your Spirit... which is the time for  meaningful personal prayer.  Come to know the Savior Jesus Christ and commune with the Father.
5. Wait for Inspiration of the Holy Father... immerse yourself in daily scripture and gospel study. This is where answers will come.

What a powerful yet simple way to start the day.  I have been living this and I love it.  If you feel your spirituality and life needs a new jump start....try this out.  It can change your life.

Church History Tour- Which Plate Am I ?

Church History Tour: Brigham Young's Home

The Kitchen table in the Brigham Young home in Nauvoo
(Photo taken by Richard Rust, with permission)

B-A-C-K to the Church History Tour!  One of my favorite places of the whole tour was of coarse, Nauvoo.  I love that city and love visiting there.  It had been about 13 years since I was there last, so it was exciting to be back again.

While we were there we heard from various people and missionaries, "go see the Brigham Young house!"

We went inside and it was quaint and cute like all the other restored homes, smelling a little dusty, testifying to me that yes this place is old, and very authentic. 

[Update: The Atonement plates are in the Brigham Young home, but no longer used as a lesson for visitors coming in. They stopped teaching it because these plates were found on site before renovations, but they can’t prove they were Brigham Young’s. I decided to keep my post because the lesson remains powerful regardless of the ownership of the plates.]

At first I didn't quite see how it was "the best house in Nauvoo" or was any different than the other homes. I loved them all as there is some lesson or principle to learn in each house.

In the Brigham Young home the principle that they taught was the Atonement.  Just thinking about it now, I am taken back to the moment we stood in front of this table and were taught about plates and the Atonement.

The story: As they were beginning to restore the Brigham Young home, they found out by the cellar/or maybe in the cellar,  a dishes set, that was badly broken.  A Senior missionary serving in Nauvoo on a mission, knew about restoring plates like this and went about making these plates look as if they were  new and had never been broken. The process is interesting and remarkable how they can make something that is so badly broken and unusable, new again without even a mark or scar to be seen.

The missionaries compared these plates to the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  They explained how our Savior takes each one of us in a broken plate state, and through His mercy, grace, and the great power of His Atonement, redeems us, and makes us new again. 

I loved this lesson, and contemplated for days... Where  am I at in the cleansing process of the Atonement? Am I letting the Savior change me and redeem me? Which plate am I?

*All photos of the plates were taken in the in the Brigham Young home in Nauvoo
 by Richard Rust, with permission

Church History Tour: Liberty Jail Experience

As we visited Liberty Jail and saw with our eyes and felt so much of what Joseph Smith and the other prisoners went through, I really felt grateful for how he endured that trial and what he learned from it, and how I have grown from this experience as well as my own Liberty Jail trials.

Liberty Jail:  A small jail in which the Prophet Joseph Smith and others were unjustly imprisoned from November 1838 to April 1839. While in these difficult conditions, Joseph received certain revelations, gave prophecies, and was inspired to write an important letter to the Saints, excerpts of which are contained in Doctrine and Covenants 121–123.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave an astoundingly great talk on this very subject called

"Lessons From Liberty Jail"

It is a must read, and I hope you will take the time to study that talk.

"In the Prophet Joseph’s letters, he spoke of the jail being a “hell, surrounded with demons … where we are compelled to hear nothing but blasphemous oaths, and witness a scene of blasphemy, and drunkenness and hypocrisy, and debaucheries of every description.”    “We have … not blankets sufficient to keep us warm; and when we have a fire, we are obliged to have almost a constant smoke,” he said.  “Our souls have been bowed down”   and “my nerve trembles from long confinement,” Joseph wrote.   “Pen, or tongue, or angels,” could not adequately describe “the malice of hell” that he suffered there.    All of this occurred during what, by some accounts, was considered the coldest winter on record in the state of Missouri." (Lessons from Liberty Jail)

The jail walls were 4 feet thick, 2 feet of wood and 2 feet of rock making escape impossible.  This was a horrible, terrible, lonely, and forsaken time in Joseph's life.  It was the hardest experience he had until the martyrdom, 5 years later.

Several of our present and past Church leaders have referred to Liberty Jail and a prison-temple.  Very interesting metaphor don't you think!

"Certainly this prison-temple lacked the purity, beauty, comfort, and cleanliness of our modern temples. The speech and behavior of the guards and criminals who came there were anything but temple-like. In fact, the restricting brutality and injustice of this experience at Liberty would make it seem the very antithesis of the liberating, merciful spirit of our temples and the ordinances performed in them." (Lessons from Liberty Jail)

"So in what sense could Liberty Jail be called a “temple,” and what does such a title tell us about God’s love and teachings, including where and when that love and those teachings are made manifest? In precisely this sense: that you can have sacred, revelatory, profoundly instructive experiences with the Lord in any situation you are in. Indeed, you can have sacred, revelatory, profoundly instructive experiences with the Lord in the most miserable experiences of your life—in the worst settings, while enduring the most painful injustices, when facing the most insurmountable odds and opposition you have ever faced" (Lessons from Liberty Jail)

What Truths Strengthen YOU from the Liberty Jail Experience ?

So many truths can be pulled out of this experience that Joseph had specifically. Liberty Jail was a totally refining trial in his life. It was said, that after Liberty, Joseph was a different prophet in that he knew who he was more, he spoke with more power and more confidence and more direction. Trials do that for us. They refine us and make us stronger and better. 

• Revelation was given for everyone! The Liberty Jail time was a refining time for ALL the Saints. and continues to be so even today!  Think about how other's trials also strengthen us!  Reading Doctrine and Covenants 121-123 that was FOR Joseph, was really FOR all of us. This scripture passage strengthens me like no other scripture passage does during hard refining trials.
• Trials of Liberty sustained them in future trials and cemented their faith.
• The Lord has His timing. Although we have to wait for a time period during trials, He has not left us, forgotten about us or forsaken us. Joseph  asked the Lord HOW LONG, and WHERE ART THOU? This time was extremely refining and sanctifying for Joseph.
• Even the worthy will suffer great trials. Trust that the Lord delivers! Things don't always work out the way we think they will. Our righteous desires aren't always fulfilled when we expect them to be. However, the Lord is still guiding us!



Homework assignment:

Elder Holland's talk Lessons from Liberty Jail

Doctrine and Covenants 121–123.



Church History Tour: Independence, Missouri

These shoes served me well and stood in many sacred holy places
that were "temple-like" in their sacredness and spirit...
from Independence, Missouri...to Liberty Jail...to Parley Street in
Nauvoo...to Winter Quarters in Omaha, Nebraska. 

Hi everyone!  Just got back from a whirlwind Church History Workshop with my husband and am excited to share some of the awesome, insights we learned along the way.  This was SUCH a great opportunity that I wish all of you could experience. I know we may be boring people or boring parents, but I would MUCH rather spend my money and time on a Church History Tour than a trip to Disney Land.  It is so worth it and such a testimony building experience.

You can't go to these sacred places without coming away moved, that yes indeed, something sacred happened here.  You feel it. However,  let me interject and say that you don't have to be in these places to know it is real, or to feel the power of testimony of these people and experiences. 

Someone once said, " In great deeds and great sacrifices
something resides." 

That is a very true statement. When you are standing in the same air, or on the same floor boards, or the same dirt that these people once did...where they sacrificed, did great deeds, or died for a cause....you FEEL of their spirit and their purpose.

Ready to go on a short Church History Tour? Let's begin....

We'll start with Independence, Missouri.

the promises and prophecies...

An important thing to remember is that Independence, Jackson County, Missouri was the location of the Garden of Eden.

"It is a pleasant thing to think of and to know where the garden of Eden was...In Jackson County was the garden of Eden, Joseph has declared this and I am as much bound to believe that as to believe Joseph was a prophet of God" (Brigham Young, Journal History of the Church, March 15, 1857)

"In accord with the revelations given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, we teach that the Garden of Eden was on the American continent located where the City of Zion or the New Jerusalem will be built.  When Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden, they eventually dwelt at a place called Adam-ondi-Ahman, situated in Daviess County, Missouri" (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation)

Independence is also the location of a future temple site and the New Jerusalem. Right now it is a large area of grass where  a cornerstone is layed.

" Joseph Smith dedicated the temple site for the city of New Jerusalem on August 3, 1831.  He laid the northeast cornerstone and delivered the dedicatory prayer."

the persecutions and misery...

Independence is a place of promise and prophecy.  However, when the early Saints lived there, it was anything but pleasant or promising. This is kind of a tough time of LDS Church History that we remember as being a place of persecutions and misery for the Church leaders and the Saints. The leaders of the Church were tarred and feathered, businesses and homes burned, and the Saints were driven out.  Like you, I have wondered WHY it was so bad or had to be so bad?  Where was the law? Where was the civility? Where was God?

In the 1830's Missouri was the far west border of the country.  It was where the lawless criminals were hiding out. The Saints were, of coarse,  not the lawless, uncivilized, uneducated type. They were a people who were  following their God, their prophet, and their faith.  This was the Independence, Missouri that the Saints found:

"It seemed good and pleasant for brethren to meet together in unity. But our reflections were many, coming as we had from a highly cultivated state of society in the east, and standing now upon the confines or western limits of the United States...; how natural t was to observe the degradation, leanness of intellect, ferocity, and jealousy of a people that were nearly a century behind the times.

As we could not associate with our neighbors (who were, many of them, of the basest of m en, and had fled from the face of civilized society, to the frontier country to escape the hand of justice)  in their midnight revels, their Sabbath breaking, horse racing, and gambling;  they commenced at first to ridicule, then to persecute." (History of the Church)  

Some may struggle with WHY the Saints had to suffer so much or HOW they endured all the persecutions they did. Some may wonder where God was for them at that time.  One principle to keep in mind is that the  the Lord was refining His Saints.  The refining process can't happen through easy times of no trial. Although the early Saints went through severe trials and suffered incredible losses, they were never alone.  When we go through hard times of trial and wonder where the Lord is we are never alone. I'll cover that topic a little more when we talk about the  Liberty Jail experience.



Understanding Lehi's Dream

In 2007 something kind of awesome happened.  There were 3  Devotional/Fireside talks  given back to back one month after another....on Lehi's Dream.  Coincidental??  I think not!

• Lehi's Dream and You - President Boyd K. Packer, BYU Devotional given January 16, 2007
• Reservoir of Living Water-Elder David A. Bednar CES Fireside, given February 4, 2007
• Hold Fast to the Words of the Prophets - Elder Neil L.Anderson CES Fireside given March 4 2007

Interesting don't you think that all three randomly inspired, chose to speak on the same topic?  Here is what Elder Anderson said prior to giving his CES Fireside talk.

"I want to tell you of the Lord’s guiding hand in our meeting tonight. During the early days of January I worked to organize and outline what I would present to you. Knowing that Elder David A. Bednar was scheduled to speak to you in February, I asked him if he had finalized the subject he would address.

I was taken aback when he responded that his talk was about holding fast to the iron rod. It was the exact title I had chosen for my talk. The choir was already practicing this beautiful number that they have just shared with us.

As Elder Bednar and I discussed the messages we had prepared, it was evident that we had approached the subject differently. Elder Bednar thought for a moment and said: “The Lord loves the young adults of the Church. There is purpose in this. This is a message the Lord wants delivered.” I determined to proceed.

Then, just a week later and before Elder Bednar’s talk, President Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, gave a BYU devotional address he entitled Lehi’s Dream and You.  He too included in his talk what it means to hold fast to the iron rod.

My brothers and sisters, this is a subject the Lord wants you to think about."-Elder Anderson
 

That was six years ago, and I can't stop thinking about these talks.  Here are some significant highlights :

"You may think that Lehi’s dream or vision has no special meaning for you, but it does. You are in it; all of us are in it." -President Packer

 

"At your baptism and confirmation, you took hold of the iron rod.  But you are never safe. It is after you have partaken of that fruit that your test will come. " -President Packer

(Lehi's dream refers to members of the Church)

 

"The mist of darkness will cover you at times so much that you will not be able to see your way even a short distance ahead. You will not be able to see clearly. But you can feel your way. With the gift of the Holy Ghost, you can feel your way ahead through life. Grasp the iron rod, and do not let go. Through the power of the Holy Ghost, you can feel your way through life"-President Packer

 

"Largely because of television, instead of looking over into that spacious building, we are, in effect, living inside of it. That is your fate in this generation. You are living in that great and spacious building." -President Packer

____________________________________________________________________



 

 

• "Father Lehi saw several groups of people pressing forward along the strait and narrow path, seeking to obtain the tree and its fruit.
• The members of each group had entered onto the path through the gate of repentance and baptism by water and had received the gift of the Holy Ghost (see 2 Nephi 31:17–20)
•  The tree of life is the central feature in the dream and is identified in 1 Nephi 11 as a representation of Jesus Christ.
• The fruit on the tree is a symbol for the blessings of the Savior’s Atonement.

 Interestingly, the major theme of the Book of Mormon, inviting all to come unto Christ, is central in Lehi’s vision. Of particular interest is the rod of iron that led to the tree (see 1 Nephi 8:19). The rod of iron is the word of God.

• Group 1: Baptized members of the Church, as soon as the "mists of darkness" came they were gone.  No mention of the rod of iron. 1 Nephi 8:21-23

"Those who ignore or treat lightly the word of God do not have access to that divine compass which points the way to the Savior. "-Elder Bednar

• Group 2: "Clingers" This group pressed forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree. When they were mocked by the members of the great and spacious building, they were ashamed and fell away into forbidden paths and were lost. Please notice that this group is described as clinging to the rod of iron. 1 Nephi 8: 24-28

"Clinging to the rod of iron suggests to me only occasional “bursts” of study or irregular dipping rather than consistent, ongoing immersion in the word of God." -Elder Bednar

• Group 3 "Held Fast":  Members of the Church who "held fast" to the rod of iron continually pressing forward until they reached the tree.we read about a third group of people who pressed forward continually holding fast to the rod of iron until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree. The key phrase in this verse is “continually holding fast” to the rod of iron. 1 Nephi 8: 30 No mention of them wandering off or getting lost.

 "Perhaps this third group of people consistently read and studied and searched the words of Christ. Perhaps it was the constant flow of living water that saved the third group from perishing. This is the group you and I should strive to join." -Elder Bednar

 

• Group 4 :  Probably not members of the Church-people who did not even come to the path but went straight for the great and spacious building

"Are you and I daily reading, studying, and searching the scriptures in a way that enables us to hold fast to the rod of iron—or are you and I merely clinging? Are you and I pressing forward toward the fountain of living waters—relying upon the word of God? These are important questions for each of us to ponder prayerfully."

______________________________________________

 

"The iron rod is the word of God. I like to think of it in this way:

 

The word of God contains three very strong elements that intertwine and sustain one another to form an immovable rod.

 

These three elements include, first, the scriptures, or the words of the ancient prophets."

The second element of the word of God is the personal revelation and inspiration that comes to us through the Holy Ghost

 

... the third element, a critical addition intertwining with the other two...the words of the living prophets. We must also hold fast to the word of God as delivered by the living prophets."  -Elder Anderson

 

 

 

These are all must read talks that I will include in my LDS Talks tab for quick reference.  These are significant talks given by living prophets and apostles, each inspired to teach in a three month period..back to back on the principles of Lehi's Dream.  Just as President Packer taught, it applies to you and me.

 

 Next post will be a more in-depth study of the groups spoken of by Elder Bednar. Stay tuned!!

The Order of Obedience

We had our first four children in three years.  It was a feat that few can accomplish.  We had twins which doubled things up pretty fast. I remember waiting for the birth of our twins, and realizing how out numbered my husband and I would be with our little family and knowing that above all, we needed to have order. 

Prior to their births, I prayed many times that the Lord would show me how to have a family with order. I knew my sanity and happiness depended on it. I started training myself to be more orderly, and started teaching my children some basic principles.

My first realization from the Lord was to teach obedience.  Obedience comes in  steps or layers, especially when they are very young. They can't be expected to do step 3 if they haven't mastered step 1.  If they do, and you allow it, the order is lost, and no principles are taught.

For example, one of our first steps when they were little bitty, was to stay in our own yard to play.  This was very important to me, that they learn to obey this first instruction.  I felt if they can't obey the first rule to stay in our own yard to play, then they can't go to a friends house to play.  That was one of the first obedience steps that we had in our home.

Another obedience step as they got older was that they have to contribute to the family. They are expected to keep their room clean and do other house jobs.  If those things aren't done, then they can't enjoy other privileges  like going and playing with friends.  It has just become a basic order of obedience in our family.

Obedience may seem or feel redundant to some. It is following the little things.  It is about not excusing ourselves from the rules no matter who they come from.  There is a measure of sacrifice that  goes with it.  Both from the parents to stand by it and to teach it, and for the youth or children to follow it.

We have learned as a family, that obedience is the first law of heaven, and with it brings great happiness, peace, and blessings.

There were two great talks this past General Conference on obedience.  One was from Elder L. Tom Perry Obedience to Law is Liberty and the other from President Monson Obedience Brings Blessings.  I would encourage you to read these two talks. They are excellent.

Obedience is an eternal principle of God.  With it comes strength and great blessings.

 “The happiness of the Latter-day Saints, the peace of the Latter-day Saints, the progress of the Latter-day Saints, the prosperity of the Latter-day Saints, and the eternal salvation and exaltation of this people lie in walking in obedience to the counsels of … God.”

"Obedience is a hallmark of prophets; it has provided strength and knowledge to them throughout the ages. It is essential for us to realize that we, as well, are entitled to this source of strength and knowledge. It is readily available to each of us today as we obey God’s commandments"

"...the great test of this life is obedience. “We will prove them herewith,” said the Lord, “to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.”-Obedience Brings Blessings.

I especially love the middle quote that we can have what the prophets have--- through obedience. Obedience is the hallmark of their lives and we are also entitled to that same strength and that same knowledge. We are all God's children, and He wants us to be obedient.  I really love that.

"In Doctrine and Covenants 130 we read:

“There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

“And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (D&C 130:20–21).

Surely there could not be any doctrine more strongly expressed in the scriptures than the Lord’s unchanging commandments and their connection to our happiness and well-being as individuals, as families, and as a society. There are moral absolutes. Disobedience to the Lord’s commandments will always deprive us of His blessings. These things do not change.

In a world where the moral compass of society is faltering, the restored gospel of Jesus Christ never wavers, nor should its stakes and wards, its families, or its individual members. We must not pick and choose which commandments we think are important to keep but acknowledge all of God’s commandments. We must stand firm and steadfast, having perfect confidence in the Lord’s consistency and perfect trust in His promises.

May we ever be a light on the hill, an example in keeping the commandments, which have never changed and will never change.- Obedience to Law is Liberty

Have a great day!

Making Conference Journals

How are YOU preparing for General Conference?

 

One way to prepare is to create a Conference Journal.

 

A conference journal is a journal where you will write down the special messages from the Lord that are just for you.  You will hear these at General Conference. They will come as personal messages, or impressions from the Spirit, or answers to your prayers. Write them down as they come so that you will be able to remember them, and  implement them.

 

 

 

Elder Richard G. Scott mentioned an experience he had in a church meeting he attended, while listening to a lesson, inspiration came to him...

 

"As each impression came, I carefully wrote it down. In the process, I was given precious truths that I greatly needed in order to be a more effective servant of the Lord. The details of the communication are sacred and, like a patriarchal blessing, were for my individual benefit. I was given specific directions, instructions, and conditioned promises that have beneficially altered the course of my life."
 

"What I have described is not an isolated experience. It embodies several true principles regarding communication from the Lord to His children here on earth. I believe that you can leave the most precious, personal direction of the Spirit unheard because you do not respond to, record, and apply the first promptings that come to you."

(To Acquire Spiritual Guidance)

 

We will not remember everything we hear this weekend at conference. When the May Ensign comes out we will be able to read and remember the talks that we heard.  We will remember however, how  we FELT when we hear a certain talk or a certain counsel. If we write down these impressions and specific counsel for us personally, we are getting out of conference what the Lord wants us to hear and understand for our lives.

You dedicate these words of personal revelation to a special Conference Journal.  My daughters who are 12 and older take a special journal with them whenever they go to Stake Conference, General Conference, or special meetings or broadcasts.  Keeping and writing in a journal during conference gives them a personal purpose to being there. They have an invested interest.  They are going there to learn something and to receive personal revelation for their lives.  The Conference Journal becomes a valuable keepsake for them.



My daughters spent a few hours on Sunday making Conference Journals.  I thought they turned out really cute and wanted to share them with you.  You have probably all made something like these before.  They are so easy to do. Just buy a cheap composition notebook and some scrap paper.

And with some creative juices  you can come up with something perfect for you.

 Here is the back...which is also cute

 

 

 

Have a great Conference experience!

 

 

Teaching the Atonement Using Comparisons

In preparing to teach my Sunday School class of energetic 13 year old boys, I asked them what they already knew about the Atonement.  I got a lot of blank stares.  They knew it had to do with this picture above, and faith, but in all reality, the whole topic was a little blurry to them.

I have been struggling with WHAT and WHERE to teach. So I decided this week to approach the teaching and learning through comparisons.

Comparisons is using a story or visual with symbolism to teach a principle.

"A man walking along a road fell into a pit so deep he could not climb out.

 No matter what he did, he  could not get out by himself. 

 "The man called for help and rejoiced when a kind passerby heard him and lowered a ladder down into the pit. This allowed him to climb out of the pit and regain him freedom."

"We are like the man in the pit. Sinning is like falling into the pit, and we can’t get out by ourselves. Just as the kind passerby heard the man's cry for help, Heavenly Father sent his Only Begotten Son to provide the means of escape. Jesus Christ’s atonement could be compared to lowering a ladder into the pit; it gives us the means to climb out.

But the Savior does more than lower the ladder, He comes down into the pit and makes it possible for us to use the ladder to escape. 

Just as the man in the pit had to climb up the ladder, we must repent of our sins and obey the gospel principles and ordinances to climb out of our pit and make the Atonement work in our lives. Thus, after all we can do, the Atonement makes it possible for us to become worthy to return to Heavenly Father’s presence." 

see Is faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ written in our hearts?

by Linda K. Burton



Do you know what I love about this particular comparison to the Atonement?
The principle that

 1) the Savior literally comes down into the pit where we are to help us out

AND

2) that He redeems us, making Him just what He says He is: our REDEEMER.
He doesn't just put us back where we were before we fell into the pit.

He puts us in a higher place. Making us better than we were.

 The illustrated story above of the pit and the Savior was  from the October 2012 conference issue.  It was perfect for this lesson so I decided to add it with this teaching section.

You can see how simple it is, while teaching a great principle.   You can use it in FHE, Primary, or any environment where you are teaching someone else about the Atonement.

Power in FAITH

I attended a Women's Conference about  POWER in FAITH and POWER in COURAGE.  

Our speakers,  taught an important concept that  I needed, and that is that having faith doesn't mean we have faith in a specific OUTCOME necessarily, but our faith is in the the Lord REGARDLESS of the outcome. That is so vital because if that outcome doesn't come to play, if our faith is centered in Christ and not the outcome, we don't lose our testimonies over it. I really liked that thought.

A great scripture insight was taught: The parable of the bread and the stone in Matthew 7.   The principle is  that the Lord wants to give us everything--the best blessings and the best gifts, but that we also need to ask for it. The bread symbolized the BEST gift or the BEST blessing.   If we ask for what we want the most (bread)  He is not going to give us a stone. We need to trust in the Lord to know that HE WANTS to give us bread. He is not going to give us a stone if we ask for bread.

 

Find out what is the RIGHT  thing and pray for what you need and what you want.  She commented that the tragedy isn't in  not getting it, the tragedy is when we  stop praying for it, or when we stop wanting the righteous desires of our hearts.

I love this scripture illustrating this principle:

Hebrews 4:16 "Come BOLDLY unto the throne of grace and ASK in time of need"

It is not only OK to ask for what we really really want, but to trust that the Lord WANTS to bless us with it. But we have to ask. She called this intentionally praying.

We need to have intentional prayers.

Following of coarse this counsel given:

Doctrine and Covenants 9:7-8: "But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.

But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong."

Praying for the "RIGHT" things  is a great concept.  But how do we know what is right when we want something so badly?  For me when I am in a situation when I really need a blessing, or want something very badly, I have to go back and really evaluate:

What I have FELT from the spirit? What has the spirit tried to TELL me?  What PROMISES of the Lord have I felt?  What are the righteous DESIRES of my heart?  What feels right to pray about?

 Then go forward in intentional faith praying for what we should pray about.  When we pray for the right blessings, it can change our life..and we will realize that prayer when accompanied with faith has a true POWER. 

"The fervent prayer of a righteous woman availeth much"

It reminds me of a time in my life when my husband and I wanted something very badly. It felt right. And we recieved that promise from the Lord through the spirit, that it was going to happen, it was only a matter of time.  During this time we exercised great faith in prayer as we prayed for what seemed the "right thing" and waiting on the Lord for it to happen.

It wasn't immediate, and although it did happen just as the Lord promised us it would, it wasn't easy.  But  we learned how to pray for the "right thing" and instead of thinking I don't deserve this, or I am asking for "too much", we prayed knowing the Lord  heard us and knowing He wanted it for us as much as we wanted it for ourselves.

Although we wanted a specific outcome, our faith was in the Lord, that He knew the right timing and His will be done regardless of the outcome.  That is a very hard thing to exercise faith in, but it is really our only choice because the Lord is ultimately in charge.

He knows all and sees all and stands at the door ready to give if we will just let Him in.

And remember, He comes bearing bread, not stones.

What is The Book of Mormon?

A question from a friend not of my religion, "what is The Book of Mormon"?

 "I haven`t understood why the prophecies of LDS are considered by critics to be more fake than those of any other religion in the world and I like the part in the Book of Mormon that says that there can still be new prophecies as opposed to general view in many religions that the prophecies ended forever with their favorite prophet.

But if it is clear that the Book of Mormon has been assembled in different times according to current political views of the leaders and made to look like a whole, then it would be understandable why some people don`t take it seriously. Personally I find all central books of religions are influenced by the writer`s views and it is known that the Bible was assembled over a long period. It would just be honest to admit that parts of the book have been added or rewritten later and are thus fictional illustration to held beliefs."

I wrote a blog post a while ago called: The Bible and The Book of Mormon are Both Good Fruit  which clarifies our belief in both the Bible and The Book of Mormon. I would encourage you to read that post.

What is The Book of Mormon?

 On the front cover of The Book of Mormon is says: "Another Testament of Jesus Christ" 

 The Book of Mormon is literally another testament of Jesus Christ along with the Holy Bible, which we use the King James Version. The same version used by most Christian religions.

On the Introduction   page of The Book of Mormon it explains where this book came from and what it is about.

• The Book of Mormon is holy scripture written by prophets who lived on the American continent anciently from 600 B. C. to 421 A.D.  It was written by prophecy and revelation and contains the fullness of the gospel.
• The record was written on plates of gold and passed down from prophet to prophet, each writing God's dealings with their people during their specific life-time. They were commanded of God to write down these things for a future people [us]. Because it was inscribed on metal plates, it was not destroyed.  A prophet-historian named Mormon abridged all the records into what is called The Book of Mormon. Moroni, Mormon's son was the last prophet of The Book of Mormon.  He was commanded to hide up the plates, to preserve them for a future generation.  He put the plates with other special artifacts in a stone box and hid them in a hill covered with a large stone. There it stayed hidden, and preserved until the Lord wanted them to be found.
• Joseph Smith, commanded of God, was led to Hill Cumorah where the plates were hidden in the stone box in the hill..  He translated the plates. I wrote about it here.  You can also read Joseph Smith's own account of that experience here.
• The record gives an account of two great civilizations. One came from Jerusalem in 600 B.C., and afterward separated into two nations, known as the Nephites and the Lamanites. The other came much earlier when the Lord confounded the tongues at the Tower of Babel. This group is known as the Jaredites. After thousands of years, all were destroyed except the Lamanites, and they are among the ancestors of the American Indians.

One thing to keep in mind while reading The Book of Mormon: it is not necessarily in chronological order.  If you look on the very bottom of the page you are going to see dates.  This will tell you the general time period on that specific page.

For example in Omni we read about Mosiah, father of King Benjamin. The book of Omni occurred between 279 B. C. and 130 B. C. See photo below:

 In our natural minds we assume that this happened WAY before the events written later in the book about King Noah and Alma.  This actually occurred during the same time period.  You have events happening in one area, events happening in another area, but happening at the same time.  This makes it even more exciting to me. 

 See the photo below of Mosiah 17 when Abinidi was martyred. You will notice this happens during the same time period as the book of Omni, 37 pages earlier.

I wrote a Mosiah time line a few years ago for myself. You can view it here if you are interested.

What else about The Book of Mormon? 

 'The crowning event recorded in the Book of Mormon is the personal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ among the Nephites soon after his resurrection. It puts forth the doctrines of the gospel, outlines the plan of salvation, and tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come." [ Introduction page]

"The Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” -Joseph Smith

"We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10:3–5.)

Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is his revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah." [Introduction page]

It is TRUE.  It is of GOD.  You don't have to take anyone elses word for it. You can find out for yourself! 

"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." [Moroni 10:4-5]



The Name of our Church

  The official name of our church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "The Mormons" is actually a nickname given to us because of our belief in  The Book of Mormon,  Mormon was a prophet-historian and was the one who abridged all the ancient records into the book called The Book of Mormon. I'll talk more about that later.

                                                        

What makes us different than almost any other religion

is our belief in God.

Most people believe in some sort of a Supreme Being although they may call him by different names. We know that God lives and I am excited to share with you my feelings about Him.

"We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost." [Article of Faith 1]

We believe in what is referred to as the Godhead. 

The Godhead consists of three separate beings who are all Gods: God-our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ-His Son, and the Holy Ghost. You have most likely heard of each and everyone of these.  Most Christain religions believe in God-Jesus-Christ-and the Holy Ghost as ONE person or one being without a form, who fill the immense of space. 

We believe as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that they are three separate beings,  but are one in purpose.  God, our Heavenly Father, and His Son Jesus Christ both have perfected immortal bodies of flesh and bone that resemble our own bodies.  The Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit. 

A great example of this from the scriptures is at the baptism of Jesus Christ:

When John the Baptist baptized Jesus, God the Father's voice was heard from heaven, and the Holy Ghost descended like a dove. In this example, all three members of the Godhead were present at one moment. They were not one God, but three separate Beings.

God is our Heavenly Father. 

We are His children. We believe we lived with Him before we came to this earth as spirits. He knew us then as His children. We knew Him as our Father. He presented a plan to us that would enable us to come to earth and grow, learn and be tested and eventually return back to His presence and become like Him. 

God had a great purpose and plan for each of our lives.  We also believe that family is central to the God's plan for us and we each have an eternal destiny as families.

He loves us. He cares about us and knows us by name. He wants to communicate with us, and we can communicate with Him through prayer. I know that He hears and answers prayers.


God is an all-wise, and all-powerful being. He is merciful, kind, and just. I have personally felt His mercy and His love. I know He is real and that He lives.  We can have faith in Him.  One of my favorite scriptures from The Book of Mormon is:

Mosiah 4:9: "Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."

Jesus Christ is our Savior

We believe in Jesus Christ as the beloved Son of God.  We believe He came down to earth was born of Mary, lived a perfect life without any sin, and showed us the way in all things as written in the Bible.  Central to the plan of our Heavenly Father is the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  The Atonement included His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane as well as His suffering and death on the cross.  Through the Atonement we can be freed from the burden of our sins and develop faith and strength to face our trials.

The Holy Ghost

 Unlike God the Father, and Jesus Christ His Son who have tangible bodies of flesh and bone, the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit. He is also a member of the Godhead andhis  role is to testify of Jesus Christ, and to testify truth.  He communicates with us through feelings that come into our hearts and mind. We can recognize and feel when something is true and right by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Two Book of Mormon missionaries, Ammon and Aaron, taught people who did not have a Christian background about God and how to pray. You can read their experience in  Alma 18:24-40 and Alma 22:4-23

Other quick references to what we believe:

• The Family: A Proclamation to the World
• Articles of Faith
• The Living Christ
• The Proclamation of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ