Keep the Temple Near

In the movie Jurassic Park there is an iconic scene where a T-Rex is chasing our heroes as they drive in their Jeep. An image of the driver looking in the sideview mirror to see the dinosaur's progress is what makes it iconic and impactful. You see the mirror and the notice emblazed on all of them: "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear." As I studied one Sunday afternoon in the parking lot of the Provo, Utah temple, I looked in the side mirror, and saw basically the same thing; I decided to take a picture to effectively copy that iconic image from the film. Then the reflection came upon me: "How close is the temple really?" The better question I think would be "How close am I to the temple?"

How regularly do we attend the temple? Obviously the question doesn't only refer to physically, because there are many in this world who faithfully keep their temple covenants in mind without a temple close. Members from my mission in Mexico have to travel 10 hours by bus to reach the nearest temple. The question refers not only to how often we physically attend, but also the importance we place the temple in our hearts. Whether we have made the covenant of Marriage, or the covenants of the Endowment, or simply attend to do baptisms for the dead after having made our own sacred Baptismal covenant, the time we spend there has a particular importance, especially in this chaotic world we live in. We should ponder our own temple attendance and its effectiveness because going to the temple is a means by which we can receive specific direction, increase our overall spiritual sensitivity, and allow salvation for others beyond the veil.

In the Book of Mormon, Nephi receives a very daunting task from the Lord: he was to build a ship which would take him from the Middle East to the Americas, something that hadn't been done very often at that point of history. Looking at it like that, it's easier to understand why Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael lacked faith. Nephi did not lack faith. What he did lack was knowledge. In 1 Nephi 18:3, he shares his secret of how he gained that knowledge: "And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things." In Hebrew symbology, the mountain represents the temple--the great prophets often went up to high mountains and received the greater revelations (think Moses and the Ten Commandments). So effectively, Nephi gained his insights on how to build a ship by attending the temple. We all have been given hard tasks in this life. They may be official ones, like ones we receive at a job or in our Church callings, or they may be the difficult trials that come upon us along our journey. The temple is a place where the Spirit of the Lord dwells, and if we can go with our minds open and ready to receive revelation from Him, we will. President Ezra Taft Benson said, "I promise you that, with increased attendance in the temples of our God, you shall receive increased personal revelation to bless your life." Elder Richard G. Scott offered this counsel: "Clear from your mind all other concerns so your full attention is given to the temple experience. Occasionally, when possible, devote an entire day to temple worship. The benefits multiply greatly with unhurried temple participation." That is wise counsel.

Attending the temple with an open heart and as frequently as our circumstances permit allows us to then carry that Spirit with us with more abundance outside. Paul said, "God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth...Therefore, brethren [and sisters], stand fast," (2 Thessalonians 2:13,15, emphasis added). Temple attendance--whether it be to perform proxy baptisms, or initiatories, or endowments, or sealings--qualifies us for greater sensitivity to the Spirit. That qualification, in turn, allows us to be better prepared to overcome temptation, to receive clearer direction from our God, and to overcome the trials and afflictions that come upon us in life. As we "stand fast," or act on the prompting of the Spirit, we naturally purify ourselves; our will begins to coincide directly with our Heavenly Father's. This process occurred amongst the believers of the Nephites in a time of rampant wickedness: "And they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God," (Helaman 3:35, emphasis added). The best way to "yield our hearts unto God" is by making specific pacts with Him, or covenants. The temple is where we make our deepest and most sacred covenants with Him. As we act, keeping always in mind those covenants, and following the more powerful promptings we will receive as a result of regular attendance, we will see a difference in the impactful experiences that we will have. We will be amazed at what we can accomplish and what we can become.

Finally, one of the more important purposes of the temple is to perform vicarious ordinances done which allow those who have not had the opportunity to receive the Gospel in their mortal life can have that same opportunity to enjoy the blessings of keeping sacred covenants. We do the work, not taking at all into account the status of the individual--it is Christ who will judge them according to their works; we simply must fulfill our duty to our ancestors, and all will be taken care of. When you think about other vicarious acts that have been done on others' behalf, you can get a sense of the importance and impact our service in the temple has on those who have passed on. The specific one that I'm thinking of is the greatest vicarious act of all. Because we all sin, we are completely unable to redeem ourselves from the effects of those sins; we are also completely incapable of bearing the punishment that is inevitably attached to them. One who was perfect had to step in and suffer the punishment for them, that we might have an advocate; this redemption is known as the Atonement, and Christ was the One who performed it. He is our Savior. Likewise, as we go to the temple and do work for the dead, we are doing that which the individual cannot possibly do for themselves. While Christ opened the door to our ultimate salvation and exaltation, as we serve in the temple we are allowing an opening for a segment of the salvation and exaltation of those individuals. In effect, we are getting to act as saviors with Christ. Our vicarious work allows millions of souls the opportunity to progress. I like to think that when it is our time to pass on, there will be countless people waiting for us, ready to thank us for serving in the temple, and allowing them the chance to make those sacred covenants and receive the corresponding blessings. That will only happen, however, as we faithfully and regularly attend the temple.

I have had the amazing opportunity to live so near to temples. I have had the opportunity, in 3 separate stints, to serve as a temple worker in the San Diego temple. I have sacred experiences in the temple, as I know most of you have. I know the power that comes from regular temple attendance. Just like with the sideview mirror, we should take time to ponder just where we are at in terms of our temple attendance--just how close the temple is to us. That question of "What is regular attendance" is a very personal one. A lot of us have a great many things to do in this busy life. We just need to make sure that attending the temple is a priority. 

Humility of Christ in His Birth

The Nativity

Once in royal David’s city

Stood a lowly cattle shed,

Where a mother laid her baby

In a manger for his bed:

Mary was that mother mild,

Jesus Christ her little child. 

He came down to earth from heaven,

Who is God and Lord of all,

And his shelter was a stable,

And his cradle was a stall;

With the poor, and mean, and lowly,

Lived on earth our Savior holy. 

(From "Once in Royal David's City" LDS Hymn 205) 

On a cool April evening two centuries ago, a child was born. Born to a virgin, Mary, this child didn't have a birth like most. Luke recounts, "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn," (Luke 2:7). No, His birth was not like others--it was far more humble. Months before, the child's mother received a visitation from an angel, bearing news of what this child would become: "And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end," (Luke 1:31-33). More than six centuries prior, the great prophet Isaiah saw in vision the condescension of the very Jehovah whom he worshipped: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace," (Isaiah 9:6).

So, the "Son of the Highest," "the mighty God," the very "Prince of Peace," the Savior of mankind...

...was born in a stable.

Athos M Amorim, former member of the Quorum of the Seventy said, "From the moment of His birth, the Savior taught humility through His actions. The great Creator of all things condescended to be born into the humblest of circumstances. He entered mortality in a shelter for animals and was laid in a manger, a crib that was also used for the feeding of animals. His first visitors were humble shepherds..." This child also received visitation from wise men from the east, who bore gifts. If you thought you had disappointing Christmas presents as a kid, Jesus got fragrances (I guess gold's not that bad, is it?). Of course it's not a competition--its just the reality. Jesus, "once of humble birth," is the very embodiment of humility.

A couple more scriptures, transcribed from the mouths of prophets, highlight the gravity of this humble birth:

"And behold he cometh, according to the words of the angel, in six hundred years from the time my father left Jerusalem. And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they spite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his longsuffering towards the children of men," (1 Nephi 19:8-9)

"And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us--That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness," (D&C 76:40-41).

Despite the manner in which He was born, the Christ-child came with a mission. He came with divine endowment and an inspired potential. This child would grow, and He would come to fully realize that potential. It was He who said, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world," (John 16:33). What a message to us, that despite the manner in which we come into this world, or the condition, we may overcome. We may, because He did.

Jesus was perfect spiritually during his earthly ministry, but He was not perfect physically. I'm sure He had physical imperfections that He wasn't so proud of as a child (See Isaiah 53:2). I'm sure children made fun of Him. I'm sure He felt at times that He wished He didn't have to have the physical weaknesses He had. I think sometimes we fail to realize that Jesus was human. He had to go through the same physical pains we had to, and I think in a sense more so. Obviously in the end He would feel all of the pains we do. I'm sure when He was younger He got sick-- maybe He too had Swine Flu, Typhoid Fever or a stomach ulcer or two. I'm sure He got called names by the children around him. I'm sure He had some insecurities and anxieties. But the thing is, He wasn't born in a hospital. He was born in a stable and laid in a trough for a bed. The King of kings, the Prince of Peace, Emmanuel, the very Son of God was born in humbler conditions than we can fathom in our time of modern medicine and scientific breakthroughs. He knows humility. He is humility. He knows how to succor us when we feel inadequate. Of all the people who would know that you can overcome, it'd be Him. He was born amongst cattle and grew to become a prophet and ultimately the Savior of all mankind. He calls on us to come to Him not out of some selfish desire for more followers like many of us on Instagram or Twitter. No, He calls on us humbly because he knows all of us can overcome our weaknesses by doing so, just as He did.

John records the following episode during Christ's ministry: "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him," (John 9:1-3). When the Pharisees interrogated the healed man, trying to trip him up in his words in some way or another, he said, "I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again?...Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes," (John 9:27,30). Despite his tender testimony, the man was cast out from among them. Christ heard of it, and lovingly went to him.

He asked him, "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?"

"He answered and said, Who is he, Lord that I might believe on him?

"And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

"And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him," (John 9:35-38). 

I know many people who have been born with physical, mental, or emotional shortcomings. I have friends who have sudden uncontrollable panic attacks; I have known people born without ears, or with other serious deformations; I have worked extensively with children and adults with mental disabilities like autism, Asberger's Syndrome, Down's Syndrome, and others. I'm sure many of those people, or their loved ones, have questioned the Lord, crying, "Why?? Why must I suffer this? Why did my life have to be so affected? 

"What did I do to deserve this?"

My message to you today, is that as you cry, that same Being cries right along with you. "Wonderful, Councellor,...the Prince of Prince," "the Son of the living God:" He wants you to know that you have done nothing wrong. If you will but turn to Him, humbling yourself, He will hold you in his arms and say, "Peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes," (D&C 121:7-8). If you ever question whether or not He loves you, please, get down on your knees and open up your heart to Him. He will let you feel of that love. That I can promise you in His Holy Name. 

In these bustling busy days that are leading us up to Christmas Day, I would invite you all to take those moments to ponder on the humility of Christ, even as He was born in a stable and laid in a manger, and what that means to you personally as you go about your daily lives. He was born so humble, and was the greatest of all. We can at least overcome our petty shortcomings if we can just turn to Him.

And our eyes at last shall see him,

Through his own redeeming love;

For that child so dear and gentle

Is our Lord in heav’n above,

And he leads his children on

To the place where he is gone.

(From "Once in Royal David's City" LDS Hymn 205) 

Keeping Over Their Flock By Night: The Shepherds

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace good will toward men." (Luke 2:8-14)

When I read these words, I often think of the Charlie Brown Christmas special, and Linus' speech in which he shares with Charlie Brown the true meaning of Christmas. For those who haven't seen it, you can see it by clicking the link at the bottom of the picture.

See the video of Linus' speech here

But now I think of those to whom the words were directed: the Shepherds. Last year I had the opportunity to dress up as a shepherd for the annual Nativity Festival, a community event hosted by the Church in my home stake of Temecula, California. As part of the presentation, I got to read that section from Luke 2, and it took on new meaning as I pondered what the Shepherds would have felt like as they saw the heavenly hosts, and as they made the journey to Bethlehem to see the boy who would be their Savior. What an unbelievable opportunity! Elder Dallin H Oaks, in a message printed in this month's Ensign, said, "These humble shepherds became the first of millions of mortal witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ. Like them, we are invited to be witnesses too." That unbelievable opportunity is put into greater perspective: these humble, probably poor shepherds were called on by an angel of God to be the first witnesses of the birth of Jesus, even the Son of God. What was it about them that made them the eventual choice to be such?

Painting by Walter Rane

Two verses from Luke that stand out to me are 16-17, which read: "And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning the child." Not only were they humble, they had great faith. Seeing an angel is no given that one will act--see Laman and Lemuel in the Book of Mormon for an example. These men were humble, they were diligent, and they were faithful. When you look at modern missionaries and which ones have success, they have similar qualities. Here I am not defining "successful missionaries" on number of converts only, but the quality of their conversion, and the conversion of the missionaries themselves. They are humble, they are diligent, and they are faithful. Just as Christ would grow and call on humble men who were fishermen and publicans to be his Apostles, the Lord called on lowly shepherds to be those who would first spread the word of His birth. There is definitely a lesson there.

Painting by Simon Dewey

Expanding a little more on their diligence as disciples, the question came to my mind: Did they leave their sheep, leaving the ninety and nine to go after the One, even the Lamb of God? Or did they make that incredible effort to lead their flock all the way to Bethlehem, that none would be lost? Either way, their effort is exemplary and commendable, but in my mind, I imagine that these shepherds, who were found by the angel "keeping over their flocks by night," patiently guided their little sheep along, following the star that would take them to the infant Christ. As I imagine this great effort, I think of parents with young children, who patiently get their kids ready for Church every Sunday, and who diligently go through with Family Home Evening and Family Prayer and Family Scripture Study. I think of parents with children who have gone astray, who fall on their bruised knees and cry that their lost sheep will find their way back to the fold. I think of parents with children with disabilities. Having worked in a Special Ed class, and spent time with the amazing children of my home ward, I hold a special respect in my heart for those special shepherds with a special, yet challenging flock, that humbly and patiently try to lead their flock to Christ. Parenting is not easy, and I know that without even having had that opportunity as of yet. It is one of the deepest desires of my heart to one day have the opportunity to do so, even knowing how hard it is. I have heard the pains of fathers and mothers, as a missionary and in other capacities, as they share of their struggles of keeping their flock together and progressing. I know that many may be on the edge, wondering if they should just give up.

For you parents, whatever situation you may be in, remember the Shepherds. They made it to Christ! "And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger." You will make it too! Will it be easy? Heck no. Will it take some effort and some suffering and some tears? Of course. But you will get there. The great blessing of it all is that when you do, you will then be able to bear witness, and eventually, you will be able to lift others as well. Those shepherds "made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child." This child is Jesus, the Son of God, who was born, lived, died, and lived again because He and the Father love you. 

But what do I know, right? I've never had kids, nor have I been married. But this I do know: The Gospel of that same Jesus is the way. If humility is the mindset and faith is the attitude, eternal happiness will be the ultimate end. This is eternal truth.

I know that we all know of someone who is struggling. I hope that we can follow the example of the shepherds of the first noel, and "[make] known the saying which was told [us] concerning this child." That saying is that He is the Christ, and He already suffered what you are suffering now, and if you turn to Him, He will lift you up, for "[His] yoke is easy, and [His] burden is light," (Matthew 11:30). President Thomas S. Monson said, "As we follow in His footsteps today and as we emulate His example, we will have opportunities to bless the lives of others. Jesus invites us to give of ourselves: 'Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind.' Is there someone for whom you should provide service this Christmas? Is there someone who awaits your visit?" I know that there is.

"Blessed Art Thou Among Women"

It was most likely mid Summer in the city of Nazareth, in Galilee, when the angel Gabriel appeared to a young woman. She was indeed young, a virgin, and engaged to be wed. "Hail," he told her, "Thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women," (Luke 1:28). This young woman was Mary, and Gabriel went on to tell her that she would be the mother of Jesus, the Messiah, the Christ, the very Son of God, the Redeemer and Savior of the world. After careful consideration of this news, and assurance that though she was a virgin and yet to be married the conception would be possible, she replied, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word," (Luke 1:38). James Talmage notes in Jesus the Christ that Mary was not at all ignorant of the prophesies of the Messiah and the tribe from which he would be born, which was also hers: "Mary had doubtless contemplated, with holy joy and ecstasy, the coming of the Messiah through the royal line; she knew that some Jewish maiden was yet to become the mother of the Christ." With her simple statement "Behold the handmaid of the Lord," she officially accepted in her heart that such an opportunity and great responsibility would be hers. In wholehearted worship of the God that she would soon bring into the world in the flesh, she said:

"My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name," (Luke 1:46-49, italics added).

In this season set apart in united celebration of Jesus' birth, it is important to ponder on His earthly mother, and the example of pure character that she was, which allowed her to bear Him who would live and die for us. We can learn how to put ourselves in a position to bear greater responsibilities, and can gain a greater appreciation for the wonderful women in our own lives.

"Latter-day revelation confirms the biblical account and affirms that Mary was a pure and a chosen vessel, and the mother of the Son of God in the flesh," (Bible Dictionary, pg. 729). Nephi saw her in a vision: "What beholdest thou?" the Spirit asked. He said, "A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins," (see 1 Nephi 11:14-20). Alma had seen her day and testified, "[Jesus] shall be born of Mary...she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel," (Alma 7:10). When we think of a virtuous woman, she is one that immediately comes to mind. In truth there are few accounts of women in the scriptures, but there are those exceptional women like Mary who are given account. Luke in particular seemed to want to take note of the virtuous women in Jesus' earthly ministry, and it is he who wrote of Mary most. One important example comes from the end of chapter 2 of Luke, when the young Jesus was found teaching in the temple. Mary, in great distress, says to her son, "Why hast thou thus dealt with us?" The increasingly self-aware Jesus answers, "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" Her great humility and love is then described, as Luke narrates, "And [Jesus] went down with them...and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart." She was one who was fully aware of what this boy would become. Indeed, the end of the chapter yields more insight: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man," (see Luke 2:48-52). The painting below by Simon Dewey is called "In Favor with God." What an image to coincide with the scripture; with it comes the insight that Mary was not only part of that increase of wisdom and favor with God, she was instrumental in it. 

There is a reason some believers of Christ also worship Mary as deity; these words used to describe her are some of the attributes that encapsulate an ideal disciple: pure, chosen, beautiful (kind), fair (virtuous), precious. These are the qualities that qualify us for continuous companionship of the Spirit, that empower us in preparation for trial and tribulation, that allow us to effectively act as instruments in the Lord's Holy Hand. Mary's pure character allowed her to bear and raise the Savior of this world. It was He "while in the very act of Atonement," (Jeffrey R Holland from this talk) who said, "Woman, behold thy son," (John 19:26), in humble recognition of her who had birthed and raised Him. We would do well to take note of, or to "behold" the ultimate example of purity and virtue outside of the Savior himself.

(Watch these Mormon Messages: "Mary, the Mother of Jesus" and "An Angel Foretells Christ's Birth to Mary")

Another important takeaway from a deep ponderance (that's not a word but I like it so I use it ;) ) of Mary, the mother of Christ, is a greater appreciation of those pure and virtuous women that play such an important part of our lives. Think of your own mother and your sister(s), maybe your wife or your girlfriend, or your "friends that are girls:" you will realize that if she (or they) was not in your life, you would struggle greatly to be the disciple of Christ you are today.

Modern revelation has confirmed this fact. Elder Quentin Cook said, "God placed within women divine qualities of strength, virtue, love, and the willingness to sacrifice to raise future generations of His spirit children," (see his full talk "LDS Women are Incredible!"). As I grew up, it didn't take me long to realize that women are naturally kinder, more loving, more sensitive to the feelings of others, and more willing to help those in need than men. I have come to the conclusion that men are asked to hold the priesthood, because if women did, us men would do nothing. Women truly are amazing; you are selfless, you know how to care for others, you know how to love others. You are Saviors. Nothing breaks my heart more nor makes me angrier than to see men take advantage of their physical superiority to abuse or demean beautiful and choice daughters of God. There's a special place in infierno for those men who do that, because our Father in Heaven holds a special place in His heart for His daughters. If ever you feel down, or unappreciated, or unloved, I pray that you can always remember that you have a Heavenly Father that is more than aware of you, that loves and appreciates you and what you do more than you can possibly imagine. I am grateful for you women, especially my own mother, my sisters, my grandmother, and all those who have made an impact on me; I look forward to making sure that my future wife and mother of my children never feels I don't appreciate all that she goes through on behalf of me and those choice souls who will be our children. 

I am by no means an angel, but for what it's worth I'd like to echo the words of Gabriel to Mary to you- yes, I'm talking to you (unless you're a guy, then I'm not):

"Thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women."

What Are We Thankful For?

What am I thankful for? I'm thankful for the Gospel in my life, which has allowed me to see unbelievable miracles and enjoy unspeakable blessings. I agree with Chris Williams: "I'm grateful that God allows tragedies and trials to occur in our lives. Not because they're easy or they're desired, but because they help us love." (see the Mormon Message here) I'm thankful for my family. I'm grateful for the gospel in my life. There are an infinite amount of things to be thankful for. Many have the Thanksgiving tradition of saying what they're thankful for around the dinner table. A more impactful question we should ask this Thanksgiving week is how can we live more gratefully.

The story of the 10 lepers is a perfect example of how to live gratefully, but not for the reason you'd think. When Jesus came upon 10 men who suffered the terrible, incurable, highly fatal disease of leprosy, they saw Him, and all recognized Him, if not as the very Son of God, as the great Prophet and Healer that He was. "Have mercy on us," they cried, with all the energy of their souls; they had nowhere else to turn, nobody else to ask that could legitimately ease their intense pain, end their suffering, and cure their ailment. The Savior, full of compassion, instructed them to show themselves to the priests, a simple request, and as they went they were "cleansed." It is then that we get the lesson. All 10 had called on the Savior with hope that he would help them. When he gave instructions, they all obeyed with the faith that it was for their good. All 10 were healed. But how many returned to give thanks? We know that only one did. But how did he give thanks? With all the love and gratitude of his heart, he fell on his face before the Savior and cried on His holy feet. And so that was it, right? The Savior said "You're welcome" and he went his way, right? No. He said, "Arise, go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole." (See Luke 17:11-19)

Faith and Hope allow us to receive and recognize our blessings. But true gratefulness comes from Love. We will not live gratefully without loving our Heavenly Father and His Son. An essential part of living gratefully is getting down on our knees and giving heartfelt thanks for specific blessings we've received. Anyone could have gone and said thank you. I'm sure at least a few of the others would have returned had they seen the Samaritan giving thanks. But we would do well to follow the example of this Samaritan, an outsider of the faith, who gave thanks in a way that many of us would not even think to. He bathed the Savior's feet with his tears of gratitude. I, personally, often get in the habit of saying "I thank thee for this day" to start my prayers. I've had to break the habit- but not of saying it, but saying it without meaning it. It's one of those things I say a lot in prayers, but I always try to ponder in my heart, "Why am I thankful for this day?" Then it has more meaning. It is one thing to recognize that the Lord gives us all we have and another to truly praise Him for it:

"Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name." (Psalms 100:3-4)

President Thomas S. Monson, in a First Presidency message from May of 2000, talked about how we can cultivate an "attitude of gratitude." He contends that if we focus on specific areas of our lives, we can improve our ability to recognize more swiftly our great blessings and life, and then act accordingly. First, we should be grateful for our mothers. For more counsel on this specific topic, see Elder Holland's talk from this past conference, "Behold Thy Mother." Next, we should "reflect gratitude for our fathers." Third, our teachers. Fourth, we should be grateful for our friends. Fifth, "may we acknowledge gratitude for our country"- gratitude for veterans of our respective countries is included here. Lastly comes the most important. He says, "Sixth and finally- even supremely- let us reflect gratitude for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ...He taught us how to pray. he taught us how to serve. He taught us how to live. His life is a legacy of love. The sick He healed; the downtrodden He lifted; the sinner He saved." (see the entire message here.) When things get complicated in life, I add to President Monson's counsel, by saying that we should go to the basics of our lives. Family and friends, and most importantly, the Savior: if we can focus on these things in our lives, we can treasure them that much more. We hold tight to our treasures; we respect our treasures; we take care of our treasures. That is how we live gratefully--we love others, especially those closest to us. We do it by loving the Savior.

Check out the following Mormon Message, "In the Spirit of Thanksgiving," where people from all walks of life are asked what things they are grateful for. Notice how their unique perspectives and experiences in life shape what things they mention they are thankful for. A perfect example for me is the man who says he's thankful for Mac and Cheese. I'll let you see why. We should ponder on these things this week, as we enjoy good food and good company; if we do, I feel like we can greatly improve our ability to live our lives more gratefully.

"The Day of This Life"

A few weeks before leaving to serve my mission in Mexico in May of 2011, I was asked which scripture I wanted to be placed on my missionary plaque. At the time I was experiencing an interesting sensation: I was numb. I wasn’t excited to leave, but I wasn’t nervous either. I was just waiting until the time came. Having been caught off guard, I quickly opened my scriptures and looked for the first verse that I recognized. This was it: “For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors” (Alma 34:32). At the time the scripture didn’t have much significance for me, but I have since treasured it and the message that it presents, and have since . In this essay we’ll dissect, verses 31-33, which talk about Repentance, Duty, and the Savior’s Invitations.

Alma 34:31- "Yea, I (Alma) would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you..."

Humility and openness to change bring about something special in our lives. We often think of repentance as only needed with big sins; the juicy ones- the ones you have to talk to your bishop about. In reality, they don't have to be big; in fact, they don't even have to be sins! Anything that prevents us from "coming forth" requires repentance. This may be a habit of being late, or being insensitive, or being impatient. We all have habits. We should ponder if they are preventing our progression, (Redemption means "the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil." Notice that it's not just sin.)

Something that stands out to me in this verse, which precedes the one that I have on my missionary plaque, is the promise made. This promise, made by a prophet of God, holds true for all of us no matter what: "If ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you." When does it say the plan of redemption will be brought about us? Tomorrow? Next week? Maybe next month? No, it says immediately. That great plan of redemption is one we kind of "buy into." Not that any type of financial payment qualifies us, in fact that's not possible. The only stipulation for entering in is to be willing to do what the Lord wants us to. If we repent with an open heart, not only will He forgive us, He will cleanse us from that sin (or habit). And when does that happen?

Immediately. An area seventy that spoke at a Stake Conference I attended (I'm not sure of his name--it may be Elder Monk) , about what a "righteous man" is, said,"The man at the bottom of the stairs looking up is better than the man at the top of the stairs looking down." It's all about which direction we're facing.

Alma 34:32-“For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors...”

This short verse gives us the purpose of this life--it's like the Tweeted cliff notes version. The main purpose of life is to prepare to meet God. How do we do that? By "performing our labors."

So...

Preparation to meet God=Purpose of Life
But also...Purpose of Life=Perform labors

So let's do some algebra (Disclaimer: I'm a Spanish major and last took a math class 5 years ago. This may or may not be the Transitive Property):

So if x is the purpose of life, then "Preparing to meet God" is y, and "Performing Labors" is z. If I learned anything from algebra it's this: if x=y and x also=z, then y=z. So what does all this mean?

The way that we prepare to meet our Heavenly Father is by performing our labors, meaning keeping His commandments and serving God, His Church, and His children. Not only that, but being obedient allows us to know Him now.

I put this as my mission scripture without really thinking about but now I think it was only fitting. My mission was the first time I served Him with pure motivation. I came to know Him. I came to know what He wants from me. I came to know what He wants us to become. Keeping the commandments helps us come to know Him, and prepare to live in His presence.

Alma 34:33- "And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed."

(Beseech means to ask someone urgently and fervently to do something; implore; entreat)

Alma urgently asks us to repent. Why? Because he knows that this is the time to do it. Right now. Right this very minute. In truth, repentance is part of the reason an earthly life is necessary. Our Heavenly Father desires us to be as He is, having perfect character and a perfect body. We could not receive a glorified body without receiving a mortal one with natural appetites and desires, thus, repentance should be viewed not as a means of laying aside sin (becoming less of a sinner) so much as a means of accepting godliness. We then see repentance more as a way of becoming more like Christ and less as just being less like our old selves. This can be a useful tool in allowing ourselves to forget those sins and forgive ourselves.

If you followed me to this point, you may be asking "So what? These scriptures are straight forward; I could have come up with that reading by myself." I'll close with what I most got out of this scripture, and I hope that it will help you to change your perspective about sin and repentance. In verses 31 and 33, Christ (through Alma) gives us 3 invitations:

1) Come forth
2) Harden not your hearts
3) Do not procrastinate your repentance

Now think about this question. What is our "natural man/woman" reaction to sin? Usually it's justification. We justify our sins in 3 main ways:

1) Separating from God (usually with the ceasing of prayer)
2) Denial of wickedness of the sin
3) Procrastination. We say "I'll change tomorrow" or "Just one more time."

You see how Alma's invitations can help us overcome those justifications? If you look at the two lists you see that they directly relate. They're perfect opposites. When we sin, if we would turn to Christ before we turn away completely away from Him, we avoid shame. We will have to endure guilt, but guilt and shame are not the same. Shame pulls us down; guilt points us up (see 2 Corinthians 7:10).

Secondly, if we will humble ourselves and open our hearts, we realize that our sins are preventing us from being happy. So instead of denying, we allow Christ to help us find that happiness through full repentance. Finally, avoiding procrastination allows us to enjoy that happiness now (See President Uchtdorf's talk "You Can Do it Now!") As Alma said, the time is now. Right now. Right this very second.

To really close, let's look at the 3 things Alma includes as the purpose of life:

1) To prepare to meet God
2) To perform our labors (keep the commandments)
3) To prepare for eternity (verse 33)

If you take a look at the other 2 lists, I think you'll see a connection. I'll let you do the pondering on that, but I'll just say that you should never feel ashamed because of your sins. Christ wants us to recognize how our sins drive us away from Him, but not to the point where we feel unworthy to change. Because we can't be. We tell ourselves that and Satan tells us that. But Christ has his hand out ready to catch us. All we have to do is say, "Lord, save me" as Peter did (see Matthew 14:24-33).

For more General Authority perspective, check out these two talks:

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf: Point of Safe Return (from April 2007 Conference)
Elder Larry R. Lawrence: What Lack I Yet? (from October 2015 Conference)

Persist in the Inspiration You Receive

Life is hard. We often go through great struggles in this mortal journey. We see now great physical suffering throughout the world. In this past year or so, we've see terrorist attacks in Paris, in Belgium, in Orlando, and too many other places to name all over the world. Such situations are a product of a world without direction, and we can expect that such situations will not cease as we come closer to the time of our Savior's Second Coming.

Individually, we sometimes struggle to find direction for ourselves in this world of chaos. Often we are given stewardship over others, and must also help them find direction. This is nearly impossible for us to accomplish by ourselves. The comforting thing is that the Lord doesn't ask us to do it alone.

He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy; and then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive" (D&C 11:12-13). It is His Holy Spirit that can enlighten us in this seemingly impossible task of mortality. We can tap into that at anytime, if we humbly reach out to Him.

A true experience will help illustrate this, especially for those who find themselves in positions to minister to and serve others:

There was a missionary who was serving as zone leader in a zone that was struggling; it was a zone full of small branches in ranch towns that were also struggling. As this Elder tried to think of ways to inspire his missionaries, he felt inspired himself to take advantage of the weekly phone calls he did with the district leaders to share uplifting messages from the scriptures. He tried it on the first Sunday of the 6-week transfer with the 3 district leaders, sharing scriptures about the Atonement. The reaction from these Elders was less than receptive. "Maybe the Spirit doesn't travel so well through the phone," he recorded in his journal.

The next week came around and the numbers were again very low, far below the goals that had been set. This humble zone leader prayed for inspiration. The same impression arrived. Share scriptural messages. A certain scripture came to his mind and he shared it. Again, the Elders' reaction was not what he hoped, but he felt peace, knowing that the Lord had inspired him and it was what He wanted him to do. And so each week, he shared scriptures. Instead of attempting to question those Elders' efforts or shame them for their low numbers, he loved them and shared heartfelt messages with them.

On the last day of the transfer, after having received word from the assistants to the Mission President that he would be transferred the following day, he received a call. It was one of those district leaders. This particular leader had struggled mightily, as he was training a native speaking missionary while continuing to struggle with the language himself; he was also serving in a branch with a plethora of serious problems and incredible challenges. They spoke of the week and the progress they had both made. Suddenly, however, the Elder fell silent. It seemed to the zone leader that he was fighting back tears.

Finally this humbled district leader said, "Elder, I am so grateful for you trying so hard to help me. This transfer was really really hard. I literally had no idea what I was doing. But when you'd call on Sundays, you wouldn't chastise me like most leaders do. I could tell you really cared. And every time you'd share a scripture, it was always a direct answer to my prayers and my problems."

An overwhelming feeling of peace came over that zone leader. He knew that his efforts to humbly call upon the Lord had allowed the Lord to use him as an instrument to touch this struggling district leader and fellow son of God and representative of His Work.

We need the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and the promise is there for us: if we humbly seek for it, we can have it. President Henry B. Eyring said, "You have had times when you have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost. It may have happened for you today. You can treat those moments of inspiration like the seed of faith that Alma described (see Alma 32:28). Plant each one. You can do that by acting on the prompting you felt. The most valuable inspiration will be for you to know what God would have you do...Whatever it is, do it. When you demonstrate your willingness to obey, the Spirit will send you more impressions of what God would have you do for Him. As you obey, the impressions from the Spirit will come more frequently...Your power to choose the right will increase." (see the full talk from Pres. Eyring here)

In a world of chaos, we can have peace. When we have problems, we can find solutions. When we are lost, or at a fork in the path of our mortal journey, we can find direction. If we humbly seek to receive revelation, we will receive it. And once we do, we must act. One thing that it is important that we remember, however, is that it's not always going to be easy once we do. We will struggle. But if we persist in the inspiration we receive, we will find peace. Even if things don't turn out how we'd think or how we'd hope, acting on spiritual impressions will always lead to good. (See Ether 4:12 and Moroni 7:13). If we are inspired to share the gospel with a friend, and he or she rejects it, we can know we did what the Lord wanted. If we are inspired to pay tithing and we are confronted with serious financial trouble, we can receive the assurance that all will be well. Examples abound, and the principle is the same.

Life is hard enough by itself. It only gets harder when we don't have the Spirit guiding us along. We have to be ready to follow those gentle impressions when they come. When they do, we should act, then persist in that impression received. We will find peace in the journey. Christ promised that when he told his fearful apostles, "Peace I leave with you,,,not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid..." (John 14:27), "...Fear not, believe only" (Luke 8:50).

My Purpose

My purpose with this blog is to provide messages that may help someone, anybody in their day, to help them to feel the Spirit and be uplifted by It.

On my mission a member of the Quorum of the Seventy visited a Stake Conference that I attended. He had been a part of the committee in charge of putting the site Familysearch.org together. At the head of the committee was then-Elder Henry B. Eyring. Of the undertaking, Elder Eyring said, "If we save just one soul because of this website, it would have been worth it." We know that millions upon millions of souls will reap the benefits of the work done because of that site. Understandably I'm not quite as zealous with this undertaking of mine- I'm not in a position to be saving souls, but the same principle applies. If I can touch but one heart, or better said, if the Spirit can touch one heart or one mind because of the insights shared here, my efforts will have been completely worth it.

So I hope that you can ponder the messages posted here with an open heart and a willing mind. Revelation and Inspiration can be received at any time that we are willing to hear them. If you feel impressed to share a particular message, go ahead. You never know who needs to hear that message today.