The Lord's Way is the Best Way

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 41, a section given to the Saints in Kirtland. At this point the sections and revelations are all dealing with the same concepts. Setting the church in order and preaching the gospel.

This particular section deals more with setting the church in order, which is to be expected as the church has not long been in Kirtland at this point. It has always amused me when people ask if it is important to have things done a certain way in the church or not. To such people I think they do not understand the gospel.

The Lord has always taken an interest in having His church set up a certain way. Even from the time of Adam, when there may not have been an organized church because it was just Adam and his wife, Eve, the Lord explained to Adam how He wanted things done. When the Savior walked the earth, He set things up for his apostles and disciples and was very particular about who should be doing what, etc. So if the Lord is the same today, yesterday and forever, why would it be different now? Of course people who think that it is or should be different, are generally the same people who think that revelation is over and no more.

But the Lord is the same today, yesterday and forever and that is why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Saints is a restoration of things are they were when the Savior walked the earth. Because the Lord does not change. His people change, the circumstances of the world change, but he does not change.

The other part of this revelation that stood out to me is not casting your pearls before swine, walk before you can run, milk before meat, or however you desire to say it. Just as in everything else the Lord does, there is an order to things. The Lord does not just lay out everything on the table for all to see, but rather gives a little here, a little there, until as we prove ourselves, we gradually are given the whole picture. Everything is done this way. Even Satan uses a corrupted version of this. He does not just take someone who has just started breaking the commandments and have them go out and commit a murder. No, he has them start cursing, watching inappropriate things on TV and movies, being mean to those around them and little by little he builds them up until there is no turning back. Why do you think he does it that way?

It's because he is corrupting the proper order of things. He is mimicking the pattern the Lord has established because he is not clever enough to come up with something on his own. Everyone uses this pattern though. Babies use it every single day. They cannot comprehend everything, all that they want to, but they can understand one new concept at a time. Think about a baby and how they learn. You stop, slow down and show/tell them the new idea and repeat it until they get it. Then you have them practice it and repeat it until it is mastered. We are children in our Father in Heaven's eyes and are being taught the same way.

And just like a baby, He does not treat us that way out of a lack of love, but rather it is because He knows that is the best way and we can only handle so much at any given time. He knows our limitations better than we ever could. Thank heavens He does, or we would all be in trouble! Because just like a baby, we all try and run faster than we have strength to. And if we could actually succeed in doing it, well I don't think it would go well for any of us. So thank the Lord that He puts the limits there for us for our protection. My advice is to not try and push those boundaries because you will not enjoy the experience whatever the outcome. Until tomorrow.

What would Jesus do?

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 40. It is an extremely short section and one dealing with a concept that we have talked about before. It is a section where the Lord tells Joseph what happened to James Covill. Per the Lord himself James Covill rejected the Lord because of the cares of the world and fear of persecution.

How many people have avoided doing things because of fear of persecution? Now granted, most of us do not have to put up with the kind of persecution the early Saints did where they quite literally might kill you for being a Mormon. It is the same as early Christianity where they would kill a Christian just for believing in Christ. So maybe they aren't comparable with the type of persecutions that we face today, however we ALL face our own type of persecutions in this life. I remember on my mission coming face to face with a man that I felt evil just radiate from like he was a furnace. It made me physically ill to stand in his presence and he hated us. I had a full beer can flung at me, I had dogs set on me, and many others. And you know what? It all fades into the background. I don't even remember that stuff happening to me unless I sit down and think about it. Truly.

So why do we let what other people think stop us from doing the things that God has asked us to do? Why do we fear man more than God? Well the obvious answer is because we are natural men and women and other men and women are here and God is not. Sometimes it is because we want to impress someone of the opposite sex because our bodies hormones kick in and we forget that we do not desire to mate with someone that does not believe the same things we do and we do something dumb. There are any number of reasons, but when you look past the self deceptions and lies it's all one thing, we are fearing man and not God.

It sounds kind of simple, but the only way I know of to overcome this malady is to ask yourself "what would Jesus do?". You remember that slogan from the late 90's? It's not just a tool to help us treat others nicely. It can be the proverbial glass of cold water to the face that we need when faced with a choice of following God or Satan. As we come face to face with our temptations, especially the ones where we have to make the choice to listen to a person as opposed to the commandments of God, this one simple phrase will help put everything in perspective for us. "What would Jesus do" if He were here? He would do the will of His Father and follow the commandments with exactness and we all know it. And so should we.

As we learn to fear God more than man, it becomes easier to resist the temptations to listen to men as opposed to God. We can do what is right by making a conscious choice to follow God and His commandments and then the Spirit will direct us in right paths we should follow. What would Jesus do? Remember it and it will serve you well. Until tomorrow.

Death Bed Confessions - A Myth

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 39 which was a revelation given to James Covill. James had been a baptist preacher but believed in Joseph Smith when he met him and agreed to do the Lord's will as revealed through Joseph. The Lord's will to James was pretty much what it has been to everyone else at this point in the Church's history. Preach the word of God and baptize by immersion.

I did think it was interesting though that the Lord states that the people in Ohio were praying that the Lord would spare the world and that the Lord would stay His hand. But as the Lord himself states, He cannot deny His word. That is the reason missionary work is so important, the word of the Lord MUST come to pass and so we must instead gather in His elect and those who know not where to find the truth before the end comes.

I did have another thought based on this section today. The Lord tells James that no man knoweth when the Lord will come. This is of course by design but I got to thinking, why would it be such a bad thing for men to know when the Lord was coming back? The answer of course is that it would change everything. Think about school kids and when the teacher has to leave the classroom for a few minutes. Think what would happen if they knew the precise minute that teacher would be back? Total chaos until about 30 seconds before the teacher returned. Well, just imagine what would happen if people knew when the Lord was going to return? The same exact thing because do not understand the gospel.

Deathbed confessions do not work because just as we have said in the past, when we die our spirits do not magically change and we do not suddenly want to live the gospel if we never did before. No, just as Amulek and Alma taught the people of Ammonihah so many years before, the same spirit that inhabits our bodies now will inhabit them then and if we don't desire the things of God now, we won't then either. People who have deathbed confessions are scared of the unknown and that is all that is happening. They have not had a change of heart and do not suddenly desire the things of God, but rather have examined their lives and do not like what they see. They remember the scriptures and what is prophesied about the wicked and what awaits them and desperately want to avoid it. So they buy into the lies that Satan has spread and think that by just saying the phrase that they accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior that it will save them for an undesirable fate. How wrong they are.

So, with how many people don't understand the doctrine of true repentance, can you imagine how bad it would be if we knew the exact date when the Savior would return? There would be no test. There would be no challenge! And it would completely eclipse everything the gospel attempts to do. This life is the time to decide what it is YOU want and to prepare for an eternity of it. If you don't want an eternity of living the gospel, that is your choice. If you don't want an eternity of being surrounded by people that do drugs and drink every day, now is the time to make that choice. You can do anything you want in this life, and that is a great gift. But choose wisely, because your choice will stay with you forever! Until tomorrow.

Esteem thy Brother as Thyself

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 38, which was a revelation given to the church at a conference. The main message of the section that I took away was to be one or you are not mine. It got me thinking as I was reading, what makes a man prideful? Pride is thinking you are better than someone else for whatever reason. So where does it come from?

I do not think that most people have parents that tell their children they are better than so and so. I know there are parents that tell their children they are better than "that", with that being all sorts of things from fighting with other children, to watching TV, to eating sweets, you name it and a parent has said it. But how many parents actually tell their children you are better than Timmy, or Suzy or insert name here? I really don't think it's very many.

So where does it come from? If children don't get the feeling that they are better than all others around then from parents, where does it start? Well, it's the natural man, we are born with it. It is one of the main things we were sent down here to overcome if we have a desire for it. Have you ever watched a toddler play with another child? They can have a very hard time sharing the first few times, especially if they are an only child. They certainly did not learn that from their parents, parents are always showering their children with toys and gifts so surely they must learn sharing from the parents. However, perhaps just like a cat, the child reasons that the reason the parents do all this for them is because they deserve it, and that is where the sense of entitlement comes from? I really don't know.

Have you ever noticed that humans aren't the only ones with pride? Animals can have it too. As I mentioned above, any cat owner will tell you that felines have tremendous pride in general. It's so interesting to watch different animals and their behaviors. Have you ever noticed that both cats and dogs depend upon their owners for food and water and yet they exhibit totally different behaviors? Dogs are friendly and humble and subservient, whereas cats act like they are entitled to such lavish treatment and act offended if it is not given quickly enough. Now don't get me wrong, I love cats and prefer them to dogs, but they are an excellent example of pride most of the time.

But in this section, the Lord wants us to overcome pride and become more focused on those around us. Verse 25 tells us to esteem our brother as ourselves. I always find it so funny that whenever someone in the church talks about King Benjamin's wonderful sermon in Mosiah 4 they almost always will point out that he is not talking about sharing money with people without, when as we have discussed that is exactly what he is talking about! And here, if we are to esteem our brethren as ourselves, does that not include money? Or are we so mean to ourselves that we deny ourselves all comforts? The Lord made the riches of the world and made some rich so that they might bless the lives of others. Some do it VERY well. I personally don't like Bill Gates very much and think his company went downhill once he stopped taking personal part in it, but the man uses his wealth the way it is meant to be used. He and his wife, to my knowledge, are constantly involved in charities and helping those in need. There are plenty others who use their wealth appropriately and oddly enough it seems to be those that have the most that have it figured out that money is not everything. It seems to be those that have enough for our needs that hoard it and lavish ourselves with all these unneeded things.

We most certainly need to take care of ourselves, and those we have stewardship over, most notably our families. But if there is left over we need to really consider what we are doing with it. Are we paying a GENEROUS fast offering every month? Are we helping those we see in need? It is a major blessing to just have a home, clothing to wear and food to eat. Not everyone in the world has these things. Now, some of the people without these things are without them for a reason and it would be quite dangerous to invite them into your homes and I do not advocate it. But if someone asks you for a dollar and you have it in your pocket, I was always taught that you give it and not worry about what they are going to use it for. I was always the person who would give away my last cracker to a friend if they asked. I do not say that to toot my own horn, but rather to point out that we can raise our children to be that way.

It actually is one of those things that becomes easier the more you do it. The more you try and overcome the natural man, the more "natural" it feels and the easier it becomes. It is up to us to want to overcome the natural man, and as we exhibit the behaviors that prove to our Heavenly Father that we DO want to overcome them, He will bless us and help us to become better than we are now. The easiest way though to overcome it and esteem thy brother as thyself is to cultivate charity. Charity is the easiest way to think of others before yourself. It's surprisingly easy to do. It all starts with desire and a prayer. And we can all do that, if we want. Until tomorrow.

A Call to Gather - Physically and Spiritually

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 37, a very short section of only 4 verses. In this section the Lord commands Joseph and the saints to move to Ohio, specifically Kirtland and gather there so all the saints can be together for the building up of the kingdom of Zion.

This section reminds me of a friend of mine that I had a conversation with back before my mission. He wondered why it was necessary for people to go to church every week for 3 hours and why couldn't he just worship God on his own. Why is it necessary to go to church? My response at the time was a simple that I actually liked going to church, what other reason do I need? Now that I'm a little older and wiser my answer would be that it is a commandment from God first and foremost, secondly, it provides strength and lastly, I still enjoy it!

I know I have shared the story of the bishop who went to an inactive member's house and took a coal out of the fire, let it die down, then returned it to the fire. If you are interested in the entire story, it was from my post on Alma 6, back on August 15th. Most people find it easier to do what is right when they know that they are not the only person who is doing it. But more importantly for the earlier Saints, a bully is less likely to pick on those that he/she perceives as weaker than himself/herself is, is much less likely to pick on those in numbers. At this point in the church's history, persecution was rampant and starting to turn violent. It had always been violent for some, such as Joseph Smith, and the idea of stamping out the new Mormon religion was getting more and more popular. With the Saints spread out as they were the branches were very, very small and defenseless. The Lord wanted to protect His people so He had them gather in greater numbers.

Again I can't help but drawn the comparison between this commandment and the spiritual protection afforded by those who gather together for protection. This is the reason we have seminary and mutual for our youth. It's why we have institute for our young adults, why we have firesides and CES broadcasts and CES programs such as Especially for Youth. We want our young people to be successful and gain testimonies of their own so that they are not relying wholly on their parents testimony and we want them to gain good friendships to bolster them and help uplift them.

But we all need that kind of help. No man/woman is an island the saying goes. We all need good strong friendships and help in this life, especially in he church and in the area of religion. It is SO much easier to live the gospel when you surround yourself with those who also live the gospel. If you think about it, the spiritual gathering has not stopped. We are all still called and required to give our hearts to the Savior and turn our hearts to Him and His work. While we physically are asked to stay where we are and build the Kingdom wherever we currently are, spiritually we are called to go to the temple as often as we can and to attend our church meetings each and every week so that we can be a more profitable servant. And I do believe that for most of us it is not even a sacrifice anymore. And for those that it is, keep doing it and keep praying for assistance and you will get there. Everyone who truly wants to does eventually. Until tomorrow.

The Call to Serve

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 36, which is about missionary work. It honestly made me think of the January first presidency message and my Home Teaching visit that I had last night with one of my families. The first presidency message, or home teaching message as it is sometimes called, was on missionaries and how the Lord needs missionaries.

I learned something last night during my visit. The father taught his family something while I was there that I had not known before. He pointed out that the Savior when He was on the earth, when He taught the Lord's prayer, taught that the very first thing He taught them to say, "thy kingdom come" means to establish Zion. This part I already knew. But I had never thought of it as pertaining to missionary work until last night. My wife actually went with me last night since my companion was not able to go, and when I mentioned that to her that I had never thought of it that way before, she mentioned she had been taught it years ago so I guess I was the oddball there.

Missionary work was so important back then when the Savior was on the earth, and not so long ago when the church was first reorganized here, that missionaries were only sent out with the clothing on their backs. No food, no preparation, no money at all. Just sent out with the promise that the Lord would provide. In this day and age we of course have things a bit more organized and do not just call random people during General Conference, although that would be pretty neat, could you imagine that? I know I would faint if I were the one called, it would be kind of like the Lord's draft! :)

Even in this scripture it says that every elder who will embrace it will be ordained and sent forth. In this day and age we know that every young man who is a member of the church is called to serve a mission. Some do not accept the call either because of worthiness issues or because of "other" pursuits. But as President Monson and other prophets, and even the Lord has said, it is a Priesthood duty to serve a full time mission and there should be no debate among worthy young Latter-day Saint men. The time to serve a mission is when the Lord has declared it is time, not you. For all those that are wondering if a mission is right for them, the answer is a resounding YES. I don't remember his name, but one of the members of the Quorum of the Seventy in last October's general conference stated that it is contrary to the order of heaven for God to repeat what He has already spoken to the many to the one, or the few. God has already answered every young man's question of is a mission right for them by having his prophets declare that EVERY worthy young man is called to serve! It should not be a question or a debate.

I could say more, but it has already been said before so this will suffice. I do want to close with what everyone else has already said before me and will continue to say long after I am gone. It is the most worthwhile thing you will ever do and will be the best 2 years, or 18 months, of your life, guaranteed. No one I have ever talked to, who really dedicated them to the work mind you, has ever regretted even for a second serving a mission. You won't either if you put God's will ahead of your own, I can promise you that. Until tomorrow.

The Gift of the Holy Ghost

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 35 which was given to Sidney Rigdon. Sidney Rigdon had been a preacher before hearing the gospel and becoming converted and the Lord makes reference to it when He says that Sidney had baptized those that came unto him, but he had never given the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Once, Joseph was asked what is the one thing that sets us apart from other religions. His answer was the gift of the Holy Ghost. All religions have the scriptures, while it is true we have the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price, every other religion out there has the scriptures of some sort or another. All other religions believe they can commune with God and some of them even feel He answers back so revelation is not unique either. However, none other religion, at the time, claimed to have a member of the Godhead as a constant companion throughout this life. It is truly what sets us apart.

It's so important that when Paul, in ancient days came across those who had been baptized and heard that they had not received the gift of the Holy Ghost, he re-baptized them and gave them the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is the most special gift a person can receive, and once you become accustomed to His presence, if you do something to make Him leave, you will feel it. And if you really drive Him away too long it can take even longer to invite Him back into your life. But just as Heavenly Father will forgive us our trespasses, so too will the Holy Ghost trust us again and eventually come back into our lives if we will clean up our act and make ourselves a worthy receptacle of His presence.

The rest of the section deals with the condition of the world at that time, like a lot of sections in the Doctrine and Covenants. I really liked the part of the section where the Lord said that none do good except those who are ready to receive His gospel. That's kind of the same situation we have today. The only people who consistently do what is good and right are those who desire to serve God. It kind of goes back to our discussion a few days ago of why do people do that which is good and right? There really are those that desire the things of God.

Have you ever had a moment where you saw/heard something that just made you so uncomfortable and ill at ease that you just had to do something to change the situation? I sometimes get that way and makes me sad is almost every time it happens I look around and there are literally hundreds if not thousands around me having the time of their lives. It makes me feel like I don't belong here, in this society, on this world. I'm sure many of you have had similar experiences before. That is because you are one of those who are accepting of His gospel and are one of those who desire to do good because it is who you are. That is why the Holy Ghost is your constant companion, or can be your constant companion at any rate. As we strive to do what is right and good in this life we will stand out but that is not a bad thing. It is a great thing to be different when everyone around you is not doing what God would have you do.

Stand tall, remember the scriptures that a city on a hill cannot be hid, nor is it meant to. We are meant to stand out and be witnesses of God at all times and in all places. Remember your baptismal covenants. Be that witness at all times and you will enjoy the companionship of the Holy Ghost at all times, which is truly a wonderful thing. Until tomorrow.

The Darkness Comprehendeth it Not

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 34, a section given to Orson Pratt, Parley P. Pratt's brother, after his conversion. It is pretty typical of most of the revelations that were given at that time to the various members and not very unique. However, verse 2 really stood out to me, "The light and the life of the world, a light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not;"

I was really struck by that phrase, the darkness comprehendeth it not. It is so telling, I am reminded of the fall of man. Satan came and tempted Adam with the fruit of the forbidden tree hoping to thwart the plans of Heavenly Father because he knew not the mind of God. Satan does not think like Heavenly Father does, that should be pretty self evident since he wanted to totally change the plan of our Heavenly Father right from the start and wanted the glory for himself, however I think we oftentimes forget just how different the Lord and Satan are.

Satan does not have a body, has never had a body and it is the belief of many church leaders and prominent members, such as Hugh Nibley, and myself, that most of Satan's knowledge about how to tempt us, came from Cain and his other early followers. I mean have you ever stopped to think about it? Satan has never had a body, so how in the world does he know to tempt you so perfectly when it comes to sex, or liquor or anger, or whatever your weakness is? One could state that it's been at least 6000 years and anyone can get good with enough practice, but I do not think that is all there is to it.

However, the good qualities of mankind, sacrifice for a child, service, love, and many others, are foreign concepts to him and his angels. They know only hate and misery. Have you ever met someone like that? Someone that just didn't seem to understand why people sacrifice or what true joy at little things is? I have met a couple of them. I've also met many more people that seemed lost in darkness and didn't even know it because the good things in the world were hid from them. People that when confronted with someone like me who is always happy and smiling and joking around, it confuses them. My first job was at a local Burger King in my hometown. I worked there almost 3 years before my mission and I remember there was one person, a kid like me, that I did not know very well that one day came up to me after he had worked there I think a month or so, and asked me how I could be so happy all the time. Now, I was young and naive enough not to recognize the wonderful gospel opportunity in front of me and I gave a very inexperienced answer which seemed to satisfy him, but as I look back on my memory, which of course was over 15 years ago so who knows how accurate it is, I remember him looking very sad and he kept to himself a lot. I really wish I could have been a better friend to him. Regrets of days gone by.

But it's people like that that make me realize there are people with a shroud of darkness over their minds that need help recognizing the truth when they find it, because they don't understand it. They know it is something unique and want it, but it is only on a primal level and they don't understand why they want it. It is sad really but those people can easily be brought into the light as the metaphor goes. It's the people that have squelched the light inside of them that REALLY don't understand why selfless people do what they do. People who follow the tenets of Satan even if they don't realize it. What we can do is prepare ourselves for the inevitable questions that such a life as ours will bring and answer appropriately unlike I did so long ago. As we prepare ourselves, God will place people in our path that we are uniquely suited to help. And few things in life can match the joy of truly helping someone change their life for the better. It's one of the best feelings you can have in this life! Until tomorrow.

Why are People Good?

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 33, which is a section given to a couple of brethren and it honestly feels a little hodgepodge to me. I am quite positive it is what those 2 men needed to hear, no doubt about it. However, reading it in this day and age it almost seems strange the commandments they are given in this section and the things the Lord tells them.

One thing that really stood out to me almost immediately, was verse 4 where the Lord tells them that the entire earth is corrupted and very few that doeth good and they are confused by priestcraft. If the Lord said that about people in 1830, what must He think of the world and it's people now? I can only imagine. But knowing what I do of American history from 1830, if He is saying that people are all corrupt in that day and age, I can only imagine what He must think about people in our time.

I have often wondered in the past about why people are good or don't break the law or commandments more, and why people do the things they do, especially atheists. I have often felt it is because they are afraid of getting in trouble with what ever authority figure is present, be they police or even the principal if still in school. Now perhaps some people have more faith in people than I do, but I really do wonder what causes people to be good. But people who do not believe in God and do not believe in the 10 commandments, most people are still doing good things, or at least not doing bad things, so what prompts it?

Now, working in the customer service industry perhaps has jaded me. I have seen people do and say the most ridiculous things all in the name of getting something for free. I've seen people eat an entire pizza except for one small bite then complain it was wrong and demand a free one. I've seen people straight up lie about treatments received, all to save a few dollars and it has really jaded me to people being good or not and people's motives for when they are good.

Now being a church member I really do try and think the best about people and despite what I say, I always give people the benefit of the doubt. But even church members, you have to wonder, what re the reasons people keep the commandments? I used to talk with Dad about this and I remember we came up with 3 different reasons for following the commandments and each stage reflected a different level of progression.

The first is following the commandments for fear of punishment. None of us wants to end up in the telestial kingdom so we follow the commandments. We do not wish to be caught being bad by others so we follow the commandments. A spin off to this is we follow the commandments because we are supposed to. That's just what you do.

The second reason people follow the commandments is they want blessings. We follow the law of tithing because we want the windows of heaven to open up and bless us. We follow the word of wisdom because we want physical health and spiritual health. I think lots of members fall into this category even if they don't know it. We all want blessings and like our earthy Father, Heavenly Father wants to bless us too. He wants us to have everything our heart desires, within reason. That is the reason there are blessings a fixed to the commandments in the first place.

The third and final reason people keep the commandment is love for our Father in Heaven. Jesus taught his apostles that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments. When we love our Father in Heaven, the commandments no longer become a burden and we live them without thought. For most members born and raised in the church unless it is their weakness, following the word of wisdom is not hard at all and they don't even think about it. We are keeping the commandments because we enjoy it, because we enjoy living the kind of life that our Heavenly Father has. That is our ultimate goal isn't it? To live like He does?

So generally I think most people fall into the fear of punishment category, I really do. However, I also believe well over half of the people in this nation at least would NOT commit a major crime even if they were promised they could get away with it. So perhaps Heavenly Father would be more pleased with this generation than He was in 1830? Perhaps more people are doing good these days? Who really knows? I do know that priestcraft is more prevalent than ever unfortunately. So we need to make sure that we are being good and that we are setting a good example to those around of us of following the commandments because we WANT to. As we strive to be good a example, it will rub off on those around you. I have seen it dozens of times and hope to see it hundreds more. I hope you do also, because it will mean you are being an effective example. Until tomorrow.

The Priesthood Duty of Missionary Work

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 32, which is a revelation given to Parley P. Pratt and Ziba Peterson about whether or not they should go to the Lamanites on a mission. These brethren had caught the Spirit of missionary work and were most anxious to go on a mission to the Lamanites to let the know about their heritage.

Just like the Nephites of old who made the record, these worthy men were worried about the welfare of the Lamanites and wanted to make sure that they knew about the Book of Mormon and the promised made to their fathers on behalf of them. It is interesting to me that the spirit of missionary work was poured out so strongly on those men in the early days of the church. Now, not all of them had the desire to go out and preach like Parley P. Pratt did, most were called to go on missions but to my understanding they all went willingly.

It always baffles me when I hear people, young men I mean, talk about their struggle to determine if a mission is "right for them" or what they should be doing. I always want to shake them and remind them that President Kimball answered that question long ago by saying EVERY worthy young man should serve a mission. In our day, President Monson, just recently, re-commanded every worthy young man by reminding us that it is a priesthood duty. It may sound callous of me, but I honestly want to laugh at these men when they talk about their struggle with it. Now, don't get me wrong, I will freely admit that when it came time for me to serve MY mission, I did not really want to go. If you look at my pictures right before hand, I look like I am heading off to my execution! However, despite my own personal feelings about it, I never once questioned if I should go or not. It was a foregone conclusion that I should go. And luckily enough for me, once I made it to he mission field, I caught on to the spirit of the work and never had a problem with home sickness and had a wonderful mission that I would not trade for anything.

Of course, sisters are not commanded to serve a mission as young men are, but they of course have a place and are wonderful servants of our Heavenly Father. There are people investigating the church that no young man could ever hope to reach, but a sister missionary could melt their heart in a minute. Thank the Lord for sister missionaries!

There's really not much else to say about it, so I will end today's post here but with my testimony that every young man in this church is born with a call to serve waiting for him to grow into it. That is why it is SO important as parents, siblings and friends that we impress upon our young men the importance of staying clean and worthy of it. As our beloved prophet has said, it is a Priesthood duty, and it is up to us to stay true to that duty and make sure that we are doing what we are supposed to be doing so we can answer that call of duty. I leave you to ponder this message. Until tomorrow.

What might have been

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 31 which is a revelation give to Thomas B. Marsh. Most scriptorians will recall that Thomas B. Marsh actually falls away from the church over 1 pint of cream and his pride but eventually he repents and returns but he lost his reward. If you think about it, that it the ultimate reward of sin is the lost opportunity. All sin can be repented of except for denying the Holy Ghost but what might have happened, what could you have done during the time you repented? That is the true loss.

The Lord even warns Thomas Marsh to pray always lest he enter into temptation and lose his reward. He lost a big reward, or responsibility however you choose to look at it, by his sins. Thomas B. Marsh when he leaves the church was head of the quorum of the twelve Apostles, which we all know means he was next in line to become prophet. But he fell away and it fell to Brigham Young instead. What a lost opportunity!

I once read a quote from one of the general authorities that the Lord will hold us accountable for those we might have saved had we done our duty. I would think that the same is true of if we had not sinned and lost our privilege of going to the temple, or giving a priesthood blessing, etc. Unfortunately there is a point in my life where I was asked by someone I home teach for a blessing and I had to turn them down because I was not worthy. It is one of the few regrets in my life.

One would think that such thoughts and worries would keep people from making mistakes and serious sin. However, that last thing on your mind when you are faced with serious sin is what you have to do tomorrow, or that you won't be worthy to give a blessing the next day. However, one of the ways to resist a temptation that has not yet taken hold of you is to think of all those things and remember your priesthood duties or if you are a woman, your family duties, especially if you are a mother.

Speaking of family, another part of this section that stood out to me is the very beginning where the Lord tells Thomas B. Marsh how he has had afflictions because of his family but one day they will know the truth and join with him. I'll bet there was no sweeter words spoken to Thomas Marsh than those. It must be incredibly hard to not have your family accept your decision to join the church. I have not had to go through that particular trial because my parents are already members, but I can only imagine the heartache that some people have to go through when their parents do not accept their decisions.

It is hard to look at someone's situation and know exactly what they are going through because we do not know the situation and choices that have led up to that point in their life. It is easy to look at a person's situation and say things like you would not have done it that way or you would have stood up to your parents in that situation. Well would you really have if you had gone through exactly what that person had? It is impossible to say and only the Lord can say for certain if you in fact would have. The fact is though that each of us are given the trials that we need to progress and I daresay that if other people were given the same trials as us, it might be a breeze for them to endure them because they have already progressed to the point that they no longer need those trials to continue their progression.

I am personally grateful to have had a family that was accepting of my choices in this life and only butted heads with me on very unimportant things. I am also grateful that most of the missed opportunities because of choices I made in my life were not that many and despite my sins I have always tried to do my Priesthood Duty anyway. And I am especially glad for a wife that pushes me to be better than I currently am and tries to get me to improve and not just accept the status quo and call it good. Because we never stand still. We either improve or regress. And I will tell you this too, you won't improve without making a conscious choice about it. If you don't make the choice, Satan will make it for you and before you know it you will open your eyes and wonder just what in the world happened. It has happened to so many, don't let it happen to you. Until tomorrow.

Seek the Kingdom of God and Fear not Man

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 30 which was originally 3 sections but were combined by Joseph Smith in 1835 according to the heading on this section. This section was given to the Whitmer brothers and to Peter and John Whitmer Jr the Lord commanded them to proclaim His gospel and seemed generally pleased with their efforts. Not so with David.

The first two verses of this section are a rebuke to David Whitmer for not attending to the things of the Lord like he ought to have. In the first verse the Lord tells David that he has been too concerned with the way the world views him and not enough concerned with the Lord and His errands. This is a very easy trap to fall into for most people. I've even found myself doing it before. For me I think the most often I do it is when I'm called upon to go find less active or inactive members, especially home teaching.

But I should not be concerned with the people I am asked to serve but rather I should be more concerned with fulfilling my Priesthood duties and making sure that I am doing the things the Lord would have me do. I think most everyone can think of times where they were faced with a choice of what was comfortable and what was right and at least once I guarantee that the natural man in each of us won. Even in the prophets you can read of instances where they did not always do what was right. Remember, they were not born prophets and had to learn line upon line and precept upon precept just like the rest of us.

We may not look at it in that way but it is the examples above are most definitely fearing man over God in a BIG way. Anytime we have God telling us to do one thing, including the commandments, and the world telling us another thing and we choose the world's way, that is fearing man instead of God and God is grieved.

Now, I don't remember a lot of my early church history in regards to David Whitmer so verse 2 is a little vague to me. It sounds to me like David was called to preach, or something similar and forsook it in favor of other things. It reminds me of the discussion we had in priesthood meeting this past Sunday. We talked about what it meant to sacrifice and it somehow spiraled out from there to be more about will living the gospel cause you to prosper.

Obviously the answer is if you live a good and righteous life that is no guarantee of an easy life, quite the opposite in most cases it would seem if you were to do the research. You MIGHT be blessed with material wealth if the Lord feels you will you will use that wealth to further His work, but it most certainly does NOT mean that you will not have any trials. One of the brethren in my elders quorum put it perfectly that what we think we need is often times very different from what God knows we need. God will always make sure we have what He knows we need to progress, and sometimes that is very, very uncomfortable experiences so that we can grow.

I've often wondered why some people are given such extremely difficult challenges while I seem to have a really easy life. I do have my challenges just like everyone, but they seem laughable when I am not going through them and I look at the world around me and almost weep at the horrible state of so many children and people who have no way to correct their situation and have to wonder what they need to learn that they would have to go through such horrible experiences in this life.

Knowing God's nature and that nothing is done but for our benefit save in the case of the consequences of sin, but even then it can work for our good if we will let it, I am comforted that they will be better people for it. But if I, a sinner, feel such spiritual pain at seeing these people suffer I can only imagine how God must feel when He looks down at the world and sees such suffering. It makes me realize I have so much farther to go.

I am getting off topic though. I brought this whole subject up because we shared the scripture from Jacob 2:18-19 where it says to seek first the kingdom of God and then if you seek riches to do God's work with, you will obtain riches. But it is important to seek with our whole hearts the things of God's kingdom. We need to make sure that our primary focus is to build up the kingdom in whatever way we can, even if all we can do is raise up righteous children who will not depart from the truth. Not only that, but as we seek for the kingdom of God first, it will be that much easier to fear God instead of man. Kind of funny how those work hand in hand so well isn't it? Almost like God planned it that way. :) Until tomorrow.

Commandments: Temporal vs. Spiritual

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 29. This section mostly deals with the second coming and what to expect but it also mostly a repeat of what the Savior himself tells his apostles what to look for in the book of Matthew. However I had some interesting thoughts about this section as I read it.

As I was reading this section I came across the verse where the Lord talks about man being agents unto themselves. And it says that the Lord allowed the devil to tempt man otherwise mankind could not be agents unto themselves because they could not know the sweet if they did not know the bitter. And then the thought hit me, the Lord had planned on there being a devil all along, which means He knew that one of His children, at least one, would rebel against Him. I suppose that is really a no brainer since all things are present before the Lord, but I had still never thought of it like that.

What must that have been like for him? I can't even imagine what that must feel like. If the Lord, today, were to tell me that I would have a certain number of children, but one of them would rebel against me so completely that he would fight against everything I stand for and he would never repent and come back to me, I'm not sure how I would handle that kind of pain! Could you imagine having that kind of knowledge, wondering at each subsequent child, is this the one? Watching them through the innocence of childhood and looking at those sweet faces knowing one day one of them would turn on you and try and take down his siblings? What kind of pain our Heavenly Father must have felt. It gives me a whole new appreciation for our Heavenly Father that's for sure.

The other part of this section that stood out to me is the part about the Lord not giving us temporal commandments ever but all commandments are spiritual. If you think about it, God is not a temporal being but rather a spiritual being so it makes sense, but then again, it is hard to think in those terms because to us mortals, so many commandments seem temporal in nature such as do not commit adultery. To most people that would be a completely temporal commandment since it has to do with sex. However, the true purpose of that commandment is to be true and faithful to your spouse. And as we have discussed before, if we truly become exalted one day, we will have all things before US which means we better have progressed past the point of lusting after women because nothing will be hid from you anymore and I do mean nothing.

All commandments have a spiritual aspect to them and a temporal aspect. Because we live in a temporal existence it can be challenging to see what the spiritual aspect of the commandment is. Some are easier than others, not having any gods before our God is an easy one. Not stealing is a little harder. But if you really think about these commandments, if nothing else about them, you can know that not obeying them will drive away the Spirit. That is true of every commandment, but most of them go deeper than that I think. Of course, as we have mentioned before, when you realize that the commandments are actually guidelines for how God lives HIS life then it is easy to see how all the commandments are spiritual in nature.

As we strive to align ourselves to His will and ponder on the commandments it will become clear to us what the spiritual aspect of each commandment is and I think it will become just a little bit easier to live those commandments. One thing is clear, we will become closer to our Heavenly Father and that is ALWAYS a good thing and should be our ultimate goal in this life. Until tomorrow.

The Proper Order of Revelation

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 28, which is where the Lord sets forth the proper order of things and who is in charge of receiving revelation for the entire church. It's kind of interesting that so many people, including people like Oliver Cowdery, could be deceived by conflicting revelations. It really makes me feel that those that were deceived were already a little disgruntled and looking, perhaps, for a reason to doubt Joseph Smith.

However perhaps I am being very unfair and it is hard to understand how people would react now that we know the proper order of things and who is able to receive revelations for whom. But it does seem strange to me that if the prophet came out and said something, and then someone else came along and said the Lord had told them something different, I would certainly side with the prophet.

However, as stated, this is a very different time and we know that the prophet is the ultimate authority on receiving revelation for the church and I do not think that hardly anyone would be deceived if someone came along contradicting the prophet in this day and age. But, what if your home teacher claimed to have received revelation, what then? How would you handle that? After all, your home teacher has stewardship over your family, does that entitle him to revelation for your family? It is my understanding that your home teacher can be inspired on your families needs, but as far as receiving revelation for your family, they do not have the authority to receive revelation for what your family should be doing. That is my understanding.

It is my understanding that the only person who can receive revelation for another person is someone who has Priesthood Keys of authority over that other person. Such as the prophet, the apostles, a stake president, a bishop/branch president, or a father. A father does not have keys, however a father is the priesthood authority over the family. Of course a father could not receive revelation for another family but for his own family he is most certainly entitled, and should be, receiving revelation for his family members.

I also like how the Lord had Oliver take Hiram Page aside and tell him that he was not receiving revelation of the Lord but rather from Satan. The Lord could easily have had Joseph Smith do it, but I think Oliver needed to learn something here and so the Lord had Oliver do it. I also think the Lord had Oliver do it because it would have a greater impact. If Joseph Smith had denounced Hiram Page and his revelations, when there was already such dispute of whether or not Joseph was a fallen prophet, I think that would have only fueled the fire. However, if one of Hiram's believers, and one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's authenticity at that, speak to Hiram and help him understand the error of his ways, I think that would have the required effect.

It is also telling that the Lord wanted Oliver to tell Hiram in private, and not denounce him in front of the entire church and congregation. It reminds me a lot of Doctrine and Covenants section 121 where the Lord tells us to reprove with sharpness but show afterwards an increase of love. I'm not sure it is appropriate to reprove those who have done wrong in public settings. That is why church disciplinary actions are never publicized. We are not in the business of public admission of guilt but rather of true, proper repentance.

It is a pleasure to know that the Lord has a plan and that He wants us all to know the proper order of things and to know the right way we should look for inspiration and guidance from the Lord. As we follow the established pattern we will not be led astray by the craftiness of the devil but will be kept safe. Until tomorrow.

The Sacrament and the Armor of God

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 27 which is the section where the Lord reveals to Joseph Smith that it doesn't matter what is used for the sacrament so long as it is prepared properly and the prayers are said properly. This section has always illustrated to me that the prayers are the most important part of the sacrament, which most Latter-day Saints would most likely agree with who has ever heard a priest stumbling through the prayers 4 maybe even 5 times before getting it right.

I've heard every argument in the book about why wine should be allowed to be used in the sacrament from it more closely resembles blood to it's what the Savior used. But the fact of the matter is, the Savior himself stated that it does not matter what we use, and truly we have members that will use crackers, or juice or any number of things that are available for them. I am personally glad that we don't use wine because I have even heard it used as an argument of why people should be allowed to drink alcohol, because it is what is used in the sacrament therefore it must be ok, etc, etc.

The middle part of this section is really neat to me. The Lord here talks to Joseph about the people He has already sent and those that He will send to Joseph to restore keys. He even mentions which keys are going to be restored by which people. I think it would have been really neat to be Joseph Smith and receive this revelation and know in advance some of the people you were going to get to meet and the keys you were going to receive at their hands.

The last part of the section should be familiar to most from seminary. It is commonly referred to as the armor of God. This phrase and idea is very popular with speakers and people giving talks. For truly like the days of old we need protection from the world and from Satan and his followers. The armor of God is various and each has a purpose and when we take all those pieces together, we become a very worthy disciple of Christ. The pieces the armor represent are: truth, righteousness, preparation of the gospel of peace, faith, salvation and the Lord's Spirit. The blessings each one of these gives us is not listed however we are promised that if we have them all, then we are worthy to stand in His presence and we caught up to where He is.

I must be honest that nothing really stood out to me in this section during my reading or my pondering afterwards hence why this post is more of a review of the section. I invite you all to read the section yourselves, it's only 18 verses, and see what the Lord would have you learn from this section. For me I feel a greater sense to put on the armor of God and stand tall and proud as one of His disciples for the world to see and know that the truth is restored on the earth. For that is what we have all promised Him when we were baptized and what we renew each week when we partake of the sacrament. It's kind of neat how this section flows this way, talking about the sacrament, then ending with a discussion of what we will need to stand as witnesses for Him.

As I said, I invite each of you to read this section with a prayer in your heart and see what the Lord would like for you to learn in this section. I am confident that He will teach you all that you should know and do from these verses. Until tomorrow.

The Power of Scripture Study

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 26, a short two verse section with some very good counsel. In this section the doctrine of doing things by consent of the congregation is started. I often wonder just how much of how we do things in this day and age is the same as when the church was on the earth in ancient times. Certain things, like the ages of a deacon, seem quite different. But I like to think that certain others like consent of the congregation is the same as in ancient days.

The first verse, and commandment, has more meaning to us now. In this verse the Lord commands Joseph and Oliver to search the scriptures by way of preparation. This is of course relevant to us as we have in our day and age, been counseled by our prophets to spend at least 30 minutes each day reading the scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon.

The reasons are a little different though I think. Joseph and Oliver were commanded to search the scriptures in order to study to prepare to go preaching. Young people attend seminary for the same purpose, to learn the scriptures preparatory to serving a mission. At least that has always been my understanding of it. Older folks, and young folks alike, are counseled to read the scriptures daily because of the protection it provides.

It's really hard to explain to someone who has not experienced it for themselves but reading the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, provides a very real protection from Satan and his temptations. I remember when I was not living the commandments like I should have been, I was also not reading the scriptures. When I decided to get back on the road to behaving like I should have been, yes it was because I met my wife :), the first thing I started doing was reading my scriptures. It was very sporadic though but it helped.

It wasn't until I had been married for over a year that I really made the transition to reading my scriptures every single day and wow what a difference it made in my life! I was able to feel the Spirit more often. I was calmer and got less riled up during the day. Things didn't bother me nearly as much, life was just generally a lot more pleasant. There is a strength in the scriptures and the Book of Mormon in particular, that any Latter-day Saint would be a fool to pass up. Daily, sincere scripture study may feel like a chore to some, but it is a gift from heaven that lets the Spirit flood into your life and should not be passed up by anyone, especially those that struggle. I'm sure there are dozens of stories like mine that some of you could even share. But you all already know all this since this is a blog about reading scriptures so I am sure you all are very good at scripture reading. Stay with it and the Lord will teach you amazing things. That I can promise you and you will never be left alone in your time of need by the Spirit or the Lord. Until tomorrow.

Let thy soul delight in thy Husband

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 25 which is a revelation given to Emma Smith, Joseph's wife. I am sure most scriptorians out there will be familiar with this chapter where Emma is commanded to create the first hymnal. This section also contains the famous verse that the song of the heart is a prayer unto the Lord.

But the verse and phrase that stood out to me this time was right at the very end of the section. Emma is commanded to let her soul delight in her husband. This really hit home to me today for some reason. As I look around at the world, I have noticed that with the exception of the newly weds of just a few weeks and months, very few people actually delight in their spouse.

We see it all the time on TV, couples who fight non-stop. Couples who nitpick at each other. Couples who nag each other. People like to laugh at it but those stereotypes are built upon a truth. Just like I have never actually met a true to life politician but they are almost always portrayed the exact same way in main stream media so it stands to reason there is a reason for that. So it is with the married couple. Invariably in almost all sitcoms where there is a married couple, at least one of them is going to be portrayed as unhappy.

So if our entertainment is a reflection of our society, and it truly is, why are so many married couples unhappy? Why do 49%, or whatever the number is now, of marriages end in divorce? The obvious answer is selfishness or pride. They are putting themselves ahead of the needs of their spouse. No marriage is ever going to work or be happy for very long if one or both of the partners are selfish. Like any partnership, both parties need to do what's best for all involved. That includes a LOT of sacrifice.

So what does it mean to have one's soul delight in their spouse? Well, to me that indicates that they should be your source of joy. That they should be your best friend, the person you CHOOSE to spend all your time with, not just that you are stuck together. Think of your best friend in the entire world. The person that if you could have your choice you would spend all of your time with. Think how happy you are to see them and how they know you better than anyone else on the planet. If the person you are thinking of is not your spouse, then there is a problem according to this scripture. That is how I see it.

Think about when you leave work to come home at the end of a long, tiring day. Are you excited to go home and see your spouse knowing the he or she will be there for you and listen to you and make you feel better just to see them? Or do you dread going home because you now have to put up with your spouse and noisy kids? If the answer is the latter, then you are not taking delight in your family as you should be. When I come home from work everyday, I am extremely excited to see my wife and daughter, even though my little girl is almost always asleep when I get home. But I know my wife will be so glad to see me and give me a hug and all my cares that I came home with just don't seem quite so important anymore.

Another test to see if you are taking delight in your spouse is how often do you all argue and down right fight? WHAT are you fighting about? My wife and I almost never fight and we only argue a very little and it is usually just a result in some little thing that the other did that annoyed us and the other person is tired or frustrated about something too so it escalates a little bit. I cannot ever remember us fighting about money and cannot imagine why people do. I guess people just go off and spend money without talking about it first with their spouse. My wife keeps the books in our family and even then, with the exception of groceries she always tells me when she is spending money that is outside of bills and groceries. If I spend even a dollar out of our account I check with her first to make sure it won't throw off our budget. I guess it's selfishness that leads to fights about money, because otherwise I don't see how anyone can fight about money. If you feel you don't have enough of it, then go do something about it. Don't yell at your spouse because you feel there is not enough money to do what you want to do after all your needs are met.

Your spouse should be your best friend and closest confidant. They should be the person you call first with good or bad news. Now, just like with other close friends sometimes you need a break from them and so I am not saying you can't have other interests or go out at times without your spouse, but when you do and you are away from them for a period of time, you should miss them and be excited to see them again. I will say this, unless your spouse is doing something really, really wrong, like cheating on you or being abusive or other things along that vein, if you don't delight in your spouse, there is something wrong with you, not them. It's time to take a long hard look at yourself and find out why they are not your best friend and do something about it. After all, wouldn't you rather the person you have to share your home and even bed with be someone you like to be around and enjoy their company? I mean it's just common sense.

Now go tell your spouse you love them and find 1 new thing that you love about them and tell him/her about it! Until tomorrow.

I will give it to you in the very moment what you should say

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 24 which was given to Joseph and Oliver when they were in hiding from the persecution they were receiving. Lots of missionaries will remember this section as the section where they are promised to have the Spirit help them and tell them in the very moment the things that they should say.

I actually found something very interesting in this chapter though. It states that Joseph would not be blessed to temporal labors as that was not his calling. It is probably just hindsight since I have the advantage of reading all of this over 170 years later, but it seems to me that the Lord was trying to warn Joseph Smith here against going into enterprise which Joseph later tries a couple of times with disastrous results. Like I said it is most likely the fact that I have hindsight but it sure does spark of having a forewarning for Joseph Smith.

I have often wondered about Joseph's business blunders though. I have often wondered if he did not ask the Lord if it was a good idea or if the Lord wanted Joseph to make the mistakes and learn from them himself or why they happened, because I know many Latter-day Saints in this day and age when making such a huge decision would seek the Lord's approval before going into business or doing something of that nature. We probably won't know and truly in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter.

As I mentioned earlier, the part most people remember from this section is the verse where he Lord promises to give them even in the moment the things they should say. I think most people who have served a mission can tell you moments where they were at a loss of what to say when suddenly they knew exactly what they needed to say. I know I had one. I remember I was speaking to an investigator and he had a concern that the Book of Mormon said Christ was born in Jerusalem when of course he was actually born in Bethlehem. At first I was totally lost in what to say and then it just came to me. I remember telling the man that if he told his friends back in China that he lived in Hacienda Heights, CA would they know where that was? He of course said no. But if he told his friends he lived in Los Angles, CA they would know that right? They certainly would. Well telling his friends he lived in Los Angles would not be a lie because Hacienda Heights is a suburb of Los Angles. Similarly Bethlehem is a suburb of sorts to Jerusalem and the people in the Book of Mormon had no clue where Bethlehem was but they knew Jerusalem. I remember the investigator looked at me and said it all made sense to him now.

That was an answer that I know for a fact did not come from me and my experience was not unique. The Lord cares about His missionaries and the work they do. He does not abandon them. Just as He will not abandon us in our righteous efforts. What is important to us is important to Him as long as it is not against His commandments. He loves us just as our earthly parents love us except even more. He is always there for us and wants us to be successful. Just involve Him in your life and you will never go wrong. Until tomorrow.

The Lord Knows us Individually

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 23, which was given to 5 different men. I found it interesting that while the counsel received was similar, it was all personalized. That is not too terribly surprising however since the Lord knows each of us individually and wants us all to succeed.

I find it really neat that the only one who was told to beware of pride is, to my knowledge, the only one of the 5 men in this section to have fallen away from the church at some point. Oliver Cowdery fell away from the church for a time and it was in fact due to his pride. Of course you could say that all people who fall away from the church is due to pride, in fact all sin is the result of pride if you really think about it.

The others are given similar commandments but yet at the same time slightly different too. The Smiths are all commanded to exhort and build up the church and Joseph Knight is commanded to pray, both vocally and in private. I find that very interesting. Of all the things the Lord could tell a person to do in a revelation, He commands Joseph Knight to pray, both vocally and in private. I wonder why that is what about praying he needed to learn?

Have you ever wondered what the Lord would say to you in a revelation? Well, if you have ever had a priesthood blessing then you know what the Lord would say to you. However, you will find that as you change so too does the Lord's counsel to you. He truly does know each of us individually and wants what is best for us all. He will tell you what you need to know in the moment you need to know it. The Lord can also talk to you through the scriptures. It's not just through blessings or huge manifestations of the Spirit. He can and will also talk to you through the scriptures or whatever medium He needs to in order to speak with you. And that is a comfort to me. I know the Lord will not leave me or abandon me. And that gives great peace of mind. Until tomorrow.

Seek not to counsel your God

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 22, a very short but pointed section. In this section there were those who desired to become members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints without being baptized saying they had been baptized already. Anyone who has served a mission has heard this argument before. I remember when I was a missionary my junior companion and I were teaching a man the gospel and he agreed to be baptized if we could show him in the Bible where he needed to be baptized by immersion. We shared with him Romans 6:4 which says that we are buried with Christ through baptism and we talked to him about it asking him if it made sense that we were buried with Christ by sprinkling only. He thought about it for about 30 seconds and then agreed it did not and was baptized a short time later.

The thing most people do not realize when they say they have already been baptized is they are showing off a lack of understanding of the true order of God. When they say such things they do not realize that they are not arguing against me or another person when they say they do not wish to be re-baptized, they are arguing against God. It has always amazed me how many people have bought into the lie that Satan tells about authority to baptize not being important. How can it not be important? Did Jesus seek out one who had authority to baptize? John the Baptist never told Jesus he didn't have the authority to baptize him, he said he had need to be baptized of Him. He told his followers that he was unworthy to unlatch Christ's shoes, but he NEVER said he didn't have the authority.

So if Christ, who was perfect and needed no baptism unto the remission of sins but rather was baptized because it was a commandment of His Father, was baptized, why do people think they don't need to be baptized by the proper authority? I remember another person I taught on my mission just 3 weeks before I came home. He got hung up on authority and who had it and he was under the impression that either all had the authority or no one did. I remember clear as day that when I told him we had the authority to work in God's name and perform baptisms he scoffed and said all Church's claim that. It was a real shock to him when I told him that in fact no they don't. Only the LDS and the Catholic church claim to have authority from God. The others merely state that authority is not important or that their authority comes from the Bible. He too was baptized a little while later.

But the part that kind of makes me shudder a little bit as I read this section is the last verse where God almost rebukes us and tells us to not counsel Him. That is really a slap in the face almost. But if you think about it, what exactly ARE we doing when we say we are the exception? When we think the commandments don't apply to us? Are we not counseling God and telling Him that His word is not true and that His commands are meant for everyone else BUT us? That is exactly what we are doing! I learned a long time ago, as a teenager, that you cannot please everyone, so I stopped trying. Now, as a missionary, I really had no choice and had to correct people on this point and try and help them understand. But as a regular lay person, perhaps it is wrong of me, but I will state the doctrine and quote scriptures to make my point, but if you choose not to see it, I typically do not care, as Paul told the early saints of the church we each have to work out our own salvation. I often feel like quoting the angel who visited Alma the Younger and tell those people if they will be cast off of thyself, that is their business.

Again, I probably should not be that way and should really have more charity and be more concerned for their eternal salvation than I am, but I feel like it seems God does in this section. I don't like to see them question the will of God when it is so clear and the people are only missing it by purposefully ignoring it. I am sure there are many that have just been blinded by the craftiness of Satan but I often wonder how many are just stubborn? Again, luckily enough it is not for me to judge and I should have more charity than I do. It just makes me angry sometimes at the audacity of Satan and what he has done to these people and the people themselves that they are so carnal and give into the natural man so much that like Sherem they believe the message because it is pleasing to them.

Nevertheless the scriptures are before us all and we can all read them and fortunately the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants are clear so that there can be no misunderstanding. Those that desire can read and gain an understanding. And those that don't have the desire, well, we all have our agency and they can choose for themselves. I am glad I choose the path of righteousness and to reach my full potential as have most of you! Until tomorrow.