Tools for Gospel Students and Teachers

I hold the opinion that the most important tools for teachers in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are the scriptures and the Holy Ghost. Sensitivity to the Spirit and knowledge of the scriptures will allow a teacher to teach powerful lessons that help those being taught have a stronger desire to live the gospel. "Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth? Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together." (D&C 50:21-22). Having the Spirit of the Lord is vital in gospel teaching.

There are other tools that can benefit gospel teaching and learning. The LDS Church recently released their Gospel Library iPhone app. While there were other LDS library apps out previously, none were official apps of the Church. I use this app on my iPod to both prepare lessons and to teach my lessons. In the app you can annotate the scriptures or lesson manuals by adding your own cross-references and notes. The other boon for my lessons is the fact that most of the Teachers in our quorum (okay, 2 out of the 3 active young men) have either an iPhone or an iPod Touch. This means that not only do they always have their scriptures with them, they also have the Aaronic Priesthood manual that we use for the lesson. This allows them to follow along with the lesson (at the portions of the lesson when I'm using the manual) and find the scriptures quickly. For the one youth who does not have an iPod or iPhone to use, the lack of the device has not been an issue because I never make it one.

If everyone had an iPod Touch or iPhone or iPad then I would make the app a little bit bigger portion of my lessons but for now I'm just glad that some of the Teachers can follow along with the lesson. This will help them remain a little more focused on the lesson, or at least the gospel if they are browsing through the app during the lesson.

One thing I like about having the LDS Gospel Library app on my iPod is having scriptures and lesson manuals and conference addresses with me at all times. If I have some down time I can read the scriptures or prepare a lesson or listen to General Conference whenever I want to and wherever I am (within reason, of course!). Many times I've been riding the bus to or from the campus where I attend school when I had a gospel insight - or rather, when one came to me through the Holy Ghost - that I jotted down in my iPod note app. Now I can also jot down these thoughts right in the LDS Library app near an appropriate scripture. Soon these notes or highlights or cross-references will sync with the new LDS Gospel Library website. Or, if I annotate my scriptures online, it will sync with my iPod app. I'm looking forward to these tools.

Most of my gospel study and reading is done on a computer (iPod included). This has been the case for nearly two years now. While I occasionally pick up my hard copy scriptures and read them (something that I miss but not enough to make it my primary method of study), I mainly use electronic forms of scriptures. I do this in part because this blog is a large part of my gospel study. Having tools that allow me to better consolidate and correlate my study is a step forward in adding consistency to my study. Being able to sync my mobile study with my at home (or school) study allows me to transfer information to this blog better. It also allows me to have all my notes for my Sunday lessons in multiple places but synchronized between those places. This will also allow the young men that I teach to highlight scriptures on their iPods or iPhones in class or in Seminary and have that information also available online.

One issue I can see is when they go on missions but I think it is a good idea to have a new set of scriptures just for a mission that get read and annotated and cross-referenced with things that are most meaningful to the missionary at the time. I have to admit that I have not added much in the way of notes or cross references in my scriptures since I returned home from my mission almost 9 years ago. I added some notes but I haven't generally been able to devote hours per day to scripture study like I could as a full time missionary. I figure that between studying in the mornings before we went out, studying sometimes at lunch time, and studying and reading at night before bed or at other random times, I got in a good 2-3 hours of gospel studying every day. I did not have to learn a new language (something that is both fortunate and unfortunate) so I could devote much time to studying the gospel. I cannot often devote that much time to gospel study now due to family, school, and church responsibilities. However, what having this LDS Gospel Library app on my iPod does is allow me to make better use of my 'downtime' (such as when I ride the bus or walk across campus). As a related note, that is also why I enjoy having the General Conference podcast on my iPod - I can listen to talks as I walk across campus or ride the bus. On weekdays I typically get through at least two talks. They are great sources of knowledge and Spirit, especially because I often miss talks the first time around due to dealing with young children.

These are all tools the Lord is helping make available so gospel study and hearing and reading the words of His prophets are more accessible than ever. While we should never let technology overwhelm our lives (not that I'm one to preach much about that because I am almost never away from a computer or my iPod - due in part to what I do as a student but also due to my preferences for leisure time), technology is a part of our lives. It can be used for both good and evil. If we spend our time with the good we will not have time for the evil (not that that is sufficient reason to not do evil - "I'm only not sinning because I do not have time to" - rather, our reasons to not sin should be because we are sanctified and have no more disposition to do evil; however, crowding out the evil with the good is certainly a start). If you are going to spend the bulk of your time using technology (e.g., computers), at least make it productive and worthwhile and do good.

Whether we are teachers at church or home or simply studying for ourselves, there are new tools that allow for easier and more frequent gospel study. I'm thankful for the technology that allows me to have access to God's words wherever I am.

Lessons from Life - Part 3 - Rappelling

As I was growing up, my family went rappelling fairly often. My father had spent a lot of time climbing when younger and had developed a great love of rappelling. It was not long after I first tried it that I loved it. I remember the first time I went rappelling. I was about 8 years old. The rock we went down was not large - maybe 20 feet tall - but to an eight year old, it was daunting. I was able to make it down under the reassurances of my father and family. It wasn't long before I went down without hesitation. There is something thrilling about bouncing down a cliff at a high speed. There were times that I would jump down 20-30 feet in a single bound, relying on the friction between the rope, my hand (when I planned on going down that quickly I wore a leather glove), and the figure-8 (a metal device that the rope slides around) to keep me from falling to quickly. I even tried going down head-first, which is not recommended if you have a serious fear of heights. [Image by Rescue Dog].

Rappelling is a dangerous activity. Yet, if proper safety measures are taken, it can be quite safe. When we went rappelling, my father made sure we were safe. Whenever possible, he would tie the rope(s) to two anchor points so that if one failed, there would be backup. We used to tie our own harnesses using nylon straps but we preferred to use manufactured harnesses. All harnesses were checked and re-checked to make sure they were on properly. We would use two carabiners to connect to the figure-8 (that the rope went around). These carabiners were set so the gates were on opposite sides. Whenever possible we would use at least one carabiner with a locking gate. As an added measure of safety, we would have someone at the bottom of the cliff who belayed. Belaying is a climbing term to describe the controlling of a rope. If someone were to slip down the cliff out of control, the person belaying at the bottom could pull the rope out away from the cliff and stop the person on the rope. They can also help guide the person rappelling down the cliff. Rappelling is safest when there is a person at the top guiding the person on their journey down the rope as well as someone belaying at the bottom.

Over time rappelling ropes wear thin. The tough outer layer of the rope can weaken with the friction of the people going down the rope as well as when it rubs against the rocks. Rappelling ropes are incredibly strong - they can hold thousands of pounds of weight and force. However, they become unsafe if their integrity is compromised.

As is rappelling, so is life. Life can be and is very dangerous but it can be a lot of fun. However, to survive - physically and spiritually - we need to establish safety guidelines and procedures. We need to establish them early and follow them. Others can guide us and help us remain safe as well. We have parents and prophets who can teach us correct principles. We can have safety in our personal lives, our homes, and within the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can find safety within Zion, the spiritual place where the pure in heart dwell and the physical city where the saints of God will eventually live.

"And it shall be called the New Jerusalem, a land of peace, a city of refuge, a place of safety for the saints of the Most High God; And the glory of the Lord shall be there, and the terror of the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it, and it shall be called Zion. And it shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety." (D&C 45: 66-68).

As we anchor ourselves to the rock of Christ and follow the prophets and scriptures as our safety guides, we will be safe even as we experience some of the harrowing heights and even the thrills of life.

The Witness of the Book of Mormon, Part 1

There are three recent General Conference talks that relate to this essay. All have to do with the Bible and Latter-day Saint beliefs about scripture. This is an important doctrine because unlike most other Christian religions, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes in modern and ongoing revelation to prophets of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In April 2008 Elder Holland gave a talk, "My Words...Never Cease" about ongoing revelation. In it he also gave a brief history of the Bible. In October 2007 Elder Nelson spoke on Scriptural Witnesses. In April 2007 Elder Ballard spoke about The Miracle of the Holy Bible.

I'll start with a quote from Elder Holland.

For centuries after John produced his writing [Revelation], the individual books of the New Testament were in circulation singly or perhaps in combinations with a few other texts but almost never as a complete collection. Of the entire corpus of 5,366 known Greek New Testament manuscripts, only 35 contain the whole New Testament as we now know it, and 34 of those were compiled after A.D. 1000.²

The fact of the matter is that virtually every prophet of the Old and New Testament has added scripture to that received by his predecessors. If the Old Testament words of Moses were sufficient, as some could have mistakenly thought them to be,³ then why, for example, the subsequent prophecies of Isaiah or of Jeremiah, who follows him? To say nothing of Ezekiel and Daniel, of Joel, Amos, and all the rest. If one revelation to one prophet in one moment of time is sufficient for all time, what justifies these many others? What justifies them was made clear by Jehovah Himself when He said to Moses, “My works are without end, and . . . my words . . . never cease.”⁴

The Bible did not generally exist in the form it has today until over a thousand years after the Savior's life (although there are very rare copies of the Bible from the 4th century that are similar to what we have today; the Codex Sinaiticus is one example). "The Hebrew Bible-the Old Testament-as Jesus knew it, consisted of from twelve to twenty such scrolls of different sizes. They were never united into what we could call one 'book' until the invention of printing made that possible, in the fifteenth century" (Edgar Goodspeed, How Came the Bible?, p.10 as cited by Robert Millet, Selected Writings of Robert L. Millet, p.5). Committees of scholars and Church leaders decided on what they believed to be the most authoritative and authentic books to include in the Bible. However, the books of the New Testament that are accepted into the modern canon were generally denoted as canonical by about 400 AD (Millet, Selected Writings, p.9).

Lessons from Death, Part 9

For me, one way of obtaining comfort for another's death is remembering that I was there in the pre-earth life when the Plan of Salvation was presented. We all were there. We were there when Lucifer presented his alternate plan, which was rejected. We were there and shouted for joy at the opportunity to come here to earth, to gain a body and become more like Heavenly Father. We accepted this opportunity to come, even though we knew there would be hard things to bear and many sorrows to experience. There are times in this life that I shrink from the bitter cups from which I am asked to drink; we all drink dregs of bitterness in our lives. Knowing the bitter, we are better able to appreciate the sweet.

The sweetness that we can taste comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ and from the tender assurances of the Holy Ghost. Death is not (or will not be) a stranger to any of us; sooner or later we all see death visiting those we know and love. Sometimes he appears as a merciful end to suffering and other times he appears heartless and cold, robbing us of those we love too soon in life. One day he will call at each of our doors, beckoning us to him. Death is not the enemy, he simply brings the key that opens the door leading from this life into the next. Sometimes he comes riding in a chariot of fire pulled by flaming horses (see 2 Kings 2:11); other times he silently appears without fanfare. Death is not the end; it is a door - a small step in our lives but a giant leap towards our eternal progression. Christ suffered and died that we might all live again and enter again in to the presence of the Lord.

"For behold, [Christ] surely must die that salvation may come; yea, it behooveth him and becometh expedient that he dieth, to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, that thereby men may be brought into the presence of the Lord. Yea, behold, this death bringeth to pass the resurrection, and redeemeth all mankind from the first death—that spiritual death; for all mankind, by the fall of Adam being cut off from the presence of the Lord, are considered as dead, both as to things temporal and to things spiritual. But behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord." (Helaman 14:15-17).

Link to part 8 of this essay.

Lessons from David - Part 2

Solomon was a great prophet and king, one of the greatest. He was wise and just. The Lord appeared to him multiple times (e.g., 1 Kings 9:2). Solomon was wealthy and well-respected by all. However, Solomon "loved many strange [non-covenant] women" (1 Kings 11:1). He had many wives and concubines. In his old age "his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, and it became as the heart of David his father" (JST 1 Kings 11:3-4). David's heart was not perfect either but he was repentant, or at least came across as repentant in the scriptures. Solomon worshiped false gods and forsook the Lord. The Lord then took away Solomon's blessings but retained some for his children (and so on) because of "David thy father's sake" (1 Kings 11:12). That's why, even though David did evil in the sight of the Lord, I believe his heart was more repentant than Solomon's was.

David's words comprise some of the most beautiful passages in the scriptures. His psalms contain beautiful words and beautiful themes. His words also focus heavily on the role of the Lord as Redeemer, largely because David is seeking forgiveness. Here are a few of his words: "For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness." (Psalm 18:28). "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1). David also wrote some prophecies that told of events and teachings from the Savior's life: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring [the Lord as Lion is not an infrequent metaphor for the Savior].... For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pieced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me [foretelling the Savior on His way to Golgotha and upon the cross]. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture" (Psalm 22:1,16-18). David's Psalms contain many more prophecies of the Savior, referring to Judas' betrayal (Psalm 41:9), cleansing the temple (Psalm 69:9), the suffering of the Savior in Gethsemane (Psalm 69:20), and how He was offered vinegar while on the cross (Psalm 69:21).

One of my favorite scriptures is found in the 84th psalm. "For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:10-11; emphasis added). David made mistakes. He made very grievous mistakes but he tried to do good. He is one character I admire and respect for many reasons, in spite of his faults.

Strangers in a Strange Land, Part 5

Quoting Elder Holland again from the October 2008 General Conference:

"In the course of life all of us spend time in 'dark and dreary' places, wildernesses, circumstances of sorrow or fear or discouragement. Our present day is filled with global distress over financial crises, energy problems, terrorist attacks, and natural calamities. These translate into individual and family concerns not only about homes in which to live and food available to eat but also about the ultimate safety and well-being of our children and the latter-day prophecies about our planet. More serious than these—and sometimes related to them—are matters of ethical, moral, and spiritual decay seen in populations large and small, at home and abroad. But I testify that angels are still sent to help us, even as they were sent to help Adam and Eve, to help the prophets, and indeed to help the Savior of the world Himself. Matthew records in his gospel that after Satan had tempted Christ in the wilderness 'angels came and ministered unto him' (Matt. 4:11). Even the Son of God, a God Himself, had need for heavenly comfort during His sojourn in mortality. And so such ministrations will be to the righteous until the end of time."

We should remember that the Savior suffered more than any other person. As the Lord told Joseph Smith in his great sufferings: "The Son of Man hath descended below them [your sufferings] all. Art thou greater than he?" (D&C 122:8). Also, "He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth" (D&C 88:6). We can take strength in knowing that the Savior suffered the things we suffer - He suffered more than we will ever suffer - and knows and understands each of us. He comforts us in our trials. He cries with us when we are sad or hurt or afraid. As we wander in wildernesses, often in darkness, the Lord is there for us. We need but exercise faith to find Him who will guide us to the Promised Land. In the words of the poet:

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
“Give me a light, that I may tread safely into the unknown!”
And he replied:
“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”
So, I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.
And He led me toward the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East. (Minnie Louise Haskins. From “The Gate of the Year,” in James Dalton Morrison, ed., Masterpieces of Religious Verse (1948), 92.)

I pray that we may follow the Lord so we can return home and not forever wander in strange lands. He is there for us always, especially in times when we seem to be strangers in a strange land - tired, lonely, and lost in the wilderness. The Lord will lift us and guide us home.

Strangers in a Strange Land, Part 4

For those feeling lost, who are struggling and sorrowed, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin stated at the October 2008 General Conference:

You may feel singled out when adversity enters your life. You shake your head and wonder, 'Why me?' But the dial on the wheel of sorrow eventually points to each of us. At one time or another, everyone must experience sorrow. No one is exempt. I love the scriptures because they show examples of great and noble men and women such as Abraham, Sarah, Enoch, Moses, Joseph, Emma, and Brigham. Each of them experienced adversity and sorrow that tried, fortified, and refined their characters.
Learning to endure times of disappointment, suffering, and sorrow is part of our on-the-job training. These experiences, while often difficult to bear at the time, are precisely the kinds of experiences that stretch our understanding, build our character, and increase our compassion for others. Because Jesus Christ suffered greatly, He understands our suffering. He understands our grief. We experience hard things so that we too may have increased compassion and understanding for others. Remember the sublime words of the Savior to the Prophet Joseph Smith when he suffered with his companions in the smothering darkness of Liberty Jail: 'My son, 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).
With that eternal perspective, Joseph took comfort from these words, and so can we. Sometimes the very moments that seem to overcome us with suffering are those that will ultimately suffer us to overcome.

It is important to remember that when the Lord requires us to wander in strange lands, He will deliver us: "The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it" (Acts 13:17). Not only are we blessed after our wanderings, we are blessed throughout them. Like He supported Nephi, the Lord lifts us through our afflictions in the wildernesses of our lives. He preserves us when the great swells of the oceans seem about to overwhelm us and bring us down to the depths of despair (see 2 Ne. 4:20). We may feel, whether we have sinned or not, that we "are led about by Satan, even as chaff is driven before the wind, or as a vessel is tossed about upon the waves, without sail or anchor, or without anything wherewith to steer her; and even as she is, so are they" (Mormon 5:18). But the Lord will be our Captain if we allow Him to be.

Strangers in a Strange Land, Part 3

The Lord told Abraham, "I have purposed to take thee away out of Haran, and to make of thee a minister to bear my name in a strange land which I will give unto thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession, when they hearken to my voice" (Abr. 2:6). Abraham spent his days as a stranger and a wanderer: "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Heb. 11:9-10). Moses too was a stranger in a strange land: "He called [his son's] name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land" (Ex. 2:22). Those who wander are usually looking for a promised land, just as the tribes of Israel wandered for 40 years in the desert before they entered their promised land. The Psalmist called himself a "stranger in the earth" (Psalm 119:19); indicating that all of us are strangers here on earth; it is not our original home. Those who are faithful, like the prophets, will receive the blessings of eternal life in the celestial realms - the ultimate Promised Land: "These [the first Patriarchs - Adam through Jacob] all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly [one]" (Heb. 11:13-14,16). The prophets all had faith that they would receive a better country, a heavenly home.

Alma also taught on this theme: "And they [glad tidings of great joy] are made known unto us in plain terms, that we may understand, that we cannot err; and this because of our being wanderers in a strange land; therefore, we are thus highly favored, for we have these glad tidings declared unto us in all parts of our vineyard" (Alma 13:23). Ammon likewise talked about wandering in strange lands: "Yea, blessed is the name of my God, who has been mindful of this people, who are a branch of the tree of Israel, and has been lost from its body in a strange land; yea, I say blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land" (Alma 26:36). Even in the Promised Land, a land of bounty and blessing, the Nephites were strangers because they were broken off from the rest of the house of Israel.

Isaiah stated: "For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land; and the strangers [foreigners] shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob" (2 Ne. 24:1). The Lord said that those who wander in strange lands, who spend time in wild parts of the vineyard, will return to their own land with the added strength of the wild branches (see Jacob 5). Even the people of Enoch first went through a period of wandering before they established Zion: "they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth; But obtained a promise that they should find it [Zion] and see it in their flesh" (D&C 45:13). That is what all the righteous have been promised - a city of refuge, a city of holiness, a place for the pure in heart, even Zion. Faith requires trial; promised blessings only come after our faith is tried. How hard our trials may be!

Strangers in a Strange Land, Part 2

Entering the wilderness is not usually easy, even for the righteous who know of and believe in the promised blessings. Even Sariah complained for a time to Lehi: "Behold thou hast led us forth from the land of our inheritance, and my sons are no more, and we perish in the wilderness" (1 Ne. 5:2). Such grumblings and murmurings are common among those who do not recognize the Lord's hand in their lives. It is difficult to keep an eternal perspective when you are suffering. Sariah had forgotten (or never really yet believed) that it was not Lehi who told them to leave Jerusalem, it was the Lord. Lehi merely acted as spokesperson. She quickly repented of her murmurings though. When Nephi's bow broke, his family started to murmur against the Lord because of their afflictions and because of the sufferings they had experienced in the wilderness (see 1 Ne. 16:20). However, Nephi went before the Lord, prayed, and made a new bow. He had faith through his afflictions and trusted in the Lord.

Some in Lehi's and Ishmael's families murmured when Ishmael died: "Our father is dead; yea, and we have wandered much in the wilderness, and we have suffered much affliction, hunger, thirst, and fatigue; and after all these sufferings we must perish in the wilderness with hunger" (1 Ne. 16:35). They forgot all the times the Lord had blessed them with food, just like the Israelites were blessed with manna, quail, and fresh water by the Lord in their need. We too are often quick to forget the blessings of the Lord when we wander in strange lands, in deserts of despair or forests of darkness.

What is a strange land? A strange land at the most basic level is somewhere that is not your home. A strange land can also mean somewhere new, not the land in which you or your ancestors grew up. Even though you may be in a promised land, rich in resources, you can still be in a strange land. A strange land could also mean a land of wickedness or a land of non-covenant people.

Strangers in a Strange Land, Part 1

"Time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream, we being a lonesome and a solemn people, wanderers, cast out from Jerusalem, born in tribulation, in a wilderness, and hated of our brethren, which caused wars and contentions; wherefore, we did mourn out our days" (Jacob 7:26).

Many times throughout history the covenant people of the Lord have suffered as they wandered. They have wandered physically, emotionally, or spiritually in strange lands. Their sojourns in these wildernesses have been hard, harsh, and heavy. Oftentimes these people had to leave their homes behind to enter unfamiliar places. Some, like Jacob, felt that all their days were spent in mourning. Why are the righteous so often asked to do hard things and suffer?

We made the choice in the pre-earth life to come to earth. We knew that we would face suffering, sickness, limitations, and sorrow. We also knew that we could experience great joy and progression. We agreed to enter this ofttimes dark and dreary world because we knew of the blessings that would result if we were faithful. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland talked about some of the thorns and darkness of life during the October 2008 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: "When Adam and Eve willingly stepped into mortality, they knew this telestial world would contain thorns and thistles and troubles of every kind. Perhaps their most challenging realization, however, was not the hardship and danger they would endure but the fact that they would now be distanced from God, separated from Him with whom they had walked and talked, who had given them face-to-face counsel. After this conscious choice, as the record of creation says, 'they saw him not; for they were shut out from his presence' (Moses 5:4). Amidst all else that must have troubled them, surely this must have troubled them the most."

Come Buy Wine and Milk Without Money and Without Price, Part 3

Mercy is such an important principle that it is one of the main messages of the Book of Mormon. At the end of the first chapter of the first book in the Book of Mormon Nephi writes, "Behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance" (1 Ne. 1:20). Jerusalem was about to be destroyed. Lehi had had a vision and started preaching the impending destruction of Jerusalem. It was not a popular message. However, the Lord was mindful of Lehi and his family. Lehi had a special calling to leave Jerusalem and work his way to a promised land. That is the Lord's mercy; He delivered Lehi's family from destruction. Their path was not easy but the Lord was merciful. Nephi explained how to obtain mercy - simply have faith in the Lord. The Lord has merciful feelings for all people. However, He can only be as merciful as people allow Him to be: "Thus doth the Lord work with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him" (Mosiah 29:20). He cannot fully bless us with His mercy if we do not have faith in Him and if we do not pull all our trust in Him. To receive a fullness of mercy we must repent of our sins.

We can continue to trace the Lord's mercy throughout the Book of Mormon as people are freed from bondage - physical and spiritual. Even though much of the tone of the Book of Mormon is negative - it is after all, a chronicle of a civilization that destroys itself - there is always the underlying message of hope and mercy that things will work out in the end. There is repentance and forgiveness. There is mercy to be found. There is a Balm in Gilead. The Lord will "bind up the brokenhearted [and] proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.... [He will] comfort all that mourn; [and] appoint unto them that mourn in Zion [and] give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, the he might be glorified" (Isaiah 61:1-3). In these tender verses we learn of Christ's role as healer. He pours forth mercy unto those in need and comforts those who mourn: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Rev. 21:4). This is a promise given to those who return to live with God again.

Come Buy Wine and Milk Without Money and Without Price, Part 2

In what is one of the most moving descriptions of the Lord's mercy, the prophet Micah described the Lord's feelings for the House of Israel - for all of us. Even though the people were (and are) often unfaithful wives to the Bridegroom, the Lord is merciful. Notice how justice and mercy are both served: "Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness" (Micah 7:7-9). Micah later continues with a moving and loving description of the Lord: "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnent of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:18-19). The Lord executes justice but he delights in mercy and is compassionate.

The Savior's life was filled with many acts of mercy. He gave sight to the blind; He cured all manners of infirmities; He cast out devils; He took time to bless children when He was tired and hungry; He even brought the dead to life. However, His greatest act of mercy was the Atonement. "And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam. And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day" (2 Ne. 9:21-22). This single act made it possible for all to live again and for all to receive forgiveness of sins as they repent and have faith in the Lord. The way is prepared. "Come, my brethern, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price" (2 Ne. 9:50).

Come Buy Wine and Milk Without Money and Without Price, Part 1

One quality that the Lord exhibits and encourages is mercy. We are commanded to be merciful: "What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:8). One eternal principle seems at odds with mercy - justice. However, justice and mercy are usually mentioned together even though many times they seem like they are mutually exclusive of each other. On the surface, it does not seem possible for someone to be both just and merciful.

In the book of Alma we find one of the most clear descriptions of the interplay between justice and mercy. We learn that justice must be served - it is an eternal law that cannot be broken: "Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God.... Do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God." (Alma 42:13,25). However, we know that God is both just and merciful. Justice must be fulfilled but God provided a way for justice and mercy to be served: "And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also" (Alma 42:15). The Great Lawgiver, even the Lord Jesus Christ, offered himself as a merciful sacrifice so that justice would be fulfilled. The great Book of Mormon teacher, Jacob, younger brother to Nephi, called the Plan of Salvation the "merciful plan of the great Creator" (2 Ne. 9:6). The Plan of Salvation is really the Plan of Mercy. It is the way prepared for us to be able to return to the presence of God and be like His Son Jesus Christ. None of us can return on our own, we all fall short, but the Lord is merciful and provided a Way.

Pride, Part 5

Pride not only leads to sin, it keeps us from repentance. Isaiah warned, "Wo unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope" (2 Ne. 15: 18). The wicked pull their sins along behind them in cart. Notice how Isaiah described the ropes: "cords of vanity." People do not cut the ropes - do not repent - because of their vanity, or their pride. Some people are proud of the carts they pull. Others may not repent because without their cart, they feel they might not fit in with the rest of the world. Still others pull invisible carts and are too ashamed to admit they too pull a cart, so they don't repent.

Those who are able to cut off their sins are promised great blessings: "Behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God...and their joy shall be full forever" (2 Ne. 9:18). The crosses of the world the righteous bear include mocking and scoffing, which is a common pastime of those who dwell in the great and spacious building. The righteous despise the shame of the crosses of the world, meaning that they do not heed the mocking and derision; they humbly go on their way, following the Savior's footsteps, even if they lead up a lonely Calvary. The righteous know there is no shame in following the Savior. The righteous receive the promise that they will return to dwell with God and have a fullness of joy. I've felt a portion of this joy and long for its fullness.

Pride is manifest in many ways. For some, it is not repenting because of feelings of shame. Others don't repent because they feel unworthy of forgiveness. Pride is also manifest through the desire for worldly things at the expense of the Eternal. It is manifest through our refusal to forgive others or to accept their forgiveness.

[More to come as I finish the essay].

Pride, Part 4

The proud try to forge their own way and light their own paths. Isaiah stated: "Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand - ye shall lie down in sorrow" (2 Ne. 7:11). When people try to walk by the light of their own conceit, they will always stumble. The light of Christ is perpetual while the sparks of the proud are merely ephemeral. "Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him" (Job 18:5-6). The proud do not turn to the Lord for strength. Their sparks are short-lived. The prideful "[turn] out of the way of righteousness, and...trample under their feet the commandments of God, and...turn unto their own ways, and...build up unto themselves idols of their gold and their silver" (Hel. 6:31). Turning to another analogy from Isaiah, "shall the ax boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it?" (2 Ne. 20:15). We axes and saws have no reason to boast. The Book of Mormon king Benjamin spoke much on that subject: "Of what have ye to boast? And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves? I answer you, Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold, it belongeth to him who created you" (Mosiah 2:24-25).

Another facet of pride causes us to be focused inwardly on ourselves. Those who are prideful do sometimes turn their thoughts outward. However, when the prideful turn outward they merely look down their noses at others, seeing only the worst in others while viewing themselves as better than those around them. Pres. Benson stated: "Pride does not look up to God and care about what is right. It looks sideways to man and argues who is right. Pride is manifest in the spirit of contention" (Ensign, May 1986, p.4-). Pride is not about having things or talents or money, it's about having more than others and making sure they know that. C.S. Lewis explained this concept: "Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man.… It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone" (Mere Christianity, New York: Macmillan, 1952, pp. 109–10; as cited in Benson, Ensign, May 1989, p.4-). There is a condition called anosognosia that is occasionally occurs after brain injury or in conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. Anosognosia literally means without knowledge of disease. People with this condition are not aware of their deficits and usually deny any problems. Specific areas and connections in their brains are damaged, destroying the ability for them to have that self-insight, or self-awareness of their deficits. The proud have a similar problem. They cannot see their faults or their sins. They deny any problems and only see faults in others. However, unlike those with anosognosia, the proud do not have an excuse for their lack of self-awareness - it is a choice they make.

Pride, Part 3

I turn now to another example of pride. Alma gave counsel to his three sons, which counsel comprises chapters 36 through 42 in the book of Alma. Alma starts out his discussion with his son Corianton (who is known for leaving his missionary work to chase after a harlot named Isabel) with these words: "Now this is what I have against thee; thou didst go on unto boasting in thy strength and thy wisdom" (Alma 39:2). Alma continued and talked about sexual sin but it's important to note that he started with the sin of pride - Corianton's boasting in his own strength and wisdom. At the end of his discourse to his son, Alma tells Corianton to let the justice, mercy, and long-suffering of God "bring you down to the dust in humility." (Alma 42:30). Alma starts out with pride and ends with humility. I believe Corianton's underlying problem was pride. This is similar to the cities of Sodom and Gomorra. We tend to focus on the wickedness of those cities as being sexual. However, to Ezekiel the Lord stated: "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness [it's interesting to note how often pride and idleness are mentioned together] was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good" (Ezekiel 16: 49-50). The sin of Sodom was pride, which led the people also to not share of their abundance with the poor. The people had other sins, of course, but the Lord in this instance condemned their pride.

Pride is when we put our will before or above the will of God. It states in Genesis that the Lord created man and woman in his own image. Many of us, in our pride, try to create God in our own image. Joseph Smith said, "They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall" (D&C 1:16). When we are prideful we think that only we know what's best for our lives. The Psalmist wrote: "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts" (Ps 10:4). Pride keeps our thoughts from turning to the Lord. Sometimes we also might try to rationalize our sins away saying that God understands. He might only beat us with a few stripes but then we'll be saved. In essence, we sometimes try to form God into who and what we think He should be. This occurs more often when we repeatedly pray for things and seek to change the will of God instead of trying to understand and accept His will. Heavenly Father blessed us with moral agency and allows us to exercise that agency, even when the choices we make are self-destructive: "Because of...their great wickedness, and their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper" (Hel. 4:13). When we are too prideful to acknowledge the Lord's hand or to lean on His strength, He allows us to make our choices and rely on our own strength. We will not ultimately prosper if we do so.

Pride, Part 2

The most-quoted prophet by Book of Mormon prophets is Isaiah. He wrote much about pride. When describing the wicked he stated that "they worship the work of their own hands.... And the mean man boweth not down, and the great man humbleth himself not.... And it shall come to pass that the lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down.... The proud and lofty, and...every one who is lifted up...shall be brought low" (2 Ne. 12:8-12). I don't believe it's a coincidence that one of the first complete chapters of Isaiah that Nephi includes is about pride and the fate of the prideful in the last days. Isaiah further reveals the insidiousness of pride when he writes about Lucifer's fall from heaven and some of Satan's thoughts: "For thou hast said in thy heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High" (2 Ne. 24: 13-14). His ultimate fate is to be "brought down to hell, to the sides [or depth] of the pit" (2 Ne. 24: 15). Many will stare at him in that day and say with astonishment: "Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms?" (2 Ne. 24: 16). All of Satan's pride, all of his self-made glory, will be gone, leaving behind merely a shattered shell of his former self.

Pride puffs up the wicked; they seek to exalt themselves by whatever means they deem necessary. The Lord described the proud: "They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall" (D&C 1:16). Lehi and Nephi saw in vision the dwelling-place of the wicked - the great and spacious building. Lehi saw that the building "stood as it were in the air, high above the earth" (1 Ne. 8: 26); this sounds very similar to the Tower of Babel. Lehi also noted that those in the building were wearing exceedingly fine clothes, which the wicked and prideful commonly wore throughout the Book of Mormon. That building that Lehi and Nephi saw in vision represents the pride of the world: "I saw...that the great and spacious building was the pride of the world; and it fell, and the fall thereof was exceedingly great" (1 Ne. 11: 36). Those who are puffed up with pride will fall, leaving them dejected and defeated, not exalted.

Pride, Part 1

The Book of Mormon was written for our day. It carries a message confirming that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. One of the major themes of the Book of Mormon, other than the saving and exalting power of the Savior Jesus Christ, is pride. The Lord told the early saints of the restored church: "Beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old" (D&C 38:39). We are to learn from the mistakes of the Nephites and not become prideful as they became. One doesn't have to look hard to find numerous scriptures about pride. Because the Book of Mormon was written for us, this major theme is telling about the sins of our day. The apostle Paul also taught about the last days: "In the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, [and] proud" (2 Tim. 3:1-2). Paul goes on to list more sins of those who live in the last days but he starts out with pride.

The more I read the Book of Mormon, the more convinced I am that pride is at the root of all, or almost all, sins. While pride itself is not the most grievous sin (see Jacob 2:22), it leads to a multitude of other sins. Mormon noted this about the Nephites' pride: "they did wax stronger and stronger in their pride, and in their wickedness" (Hel. 11:37). Note that in this verse, as with the words of Paul, pride came first. This is also noted in the book of Helaman. There was a time of peace and prosperity. The Nephites expanded their lands and spread the gospel - many thousands were baptized. All seemed well in Zion. In fact, it was noted that there "was no contention among the people of Nephi save a little pride which was in the church (Hel. 3:1; emphasis added). As the chapter progresses the people become more and more prideful, which leads those who are prideful to persecute the humble followers of Christ. After a few years there was great wickedness throughout the members of the church: "And it came to pass that the fifty and second year ended in peace also, save it were the exceedingly great pride which had gotten into the hearts of the people; and it was because of their exceedingly great riches and their prosperity in the land; and it did grow upon them from day to day" (Hel. 3:36).

Justification and Sanctification, Part 3

Here is the conclusion (for now) of my justification and sanctification essay.

The precious blood of the Savior was shed for each of us. He suffered so that we need not suffer if we repent. His blood purifies us; it sanctifies us and allows us to return to dwell with God. Sanctification makes us holy, or consecrated. Just as the temple is holy, a place of holiness to the Lord, a sanctuary from the world, when we are sanctified, we become holy and protected from the world. Through temple service and worship we can become sanctified.

The Lord described those who are sanctified with these words: "But first let my army become very great, and let it be sanctified before me, that it may become fair as the sun, and clear as the moon, and that her banners may be terrible unto all nations" (D&C 105:31). In preparation for the Second Coming the Lord's people were commanded, "Wherefore, prepare ye, prepare ye, O my people; sanctify yourselves.... Go ye out from Babylon. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord." (D&C 133:4-5).

Sanctification is the process and the state of exaltation. Those who are sanctified become one with the Savior: "Ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are one." (3 Ne. 28:10). Those who are "sanctified in holiness before the Lord [will] dwell in his presence day and night, forever and ever." (D&C 133:35). The sanctifying presence of the Lord is "as the melting fire that burneth, and as the fire which causeth the waters to boil." (D&C 133:41). This fire cleanses and purifies. It allows us to become more like the Savior and allows us to return to live with Him.

Justification and Sanctification, Part 2

Here continues part 2 of my justification and sanctification essay.

Sanctification goes beyond becoming blameless or re-aligned with God. It means being purified, becoming spotless before the Lord. "Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God." (Alma 13:12). Those who are sanctified cannot stand even the appearance of sin, and like Nephi prayed, "shake at the appearance of sin" (2 Ne. 4:31). The sanctified are not just cleansed from sin - they have no desire to sin. The sanctified do not just do no wrong; they are not just free from wrong, they, like the Savior, "[go] about doing good" (Acts 10:38). The sanctified receive the attributes of the Savior upon themselves; they become like Him.

Sanctification comes through the blood of Christ: "But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever.... And [the Lord] cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam.... And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God." (2 Ne. 9:18,21,23). The suffering of Christ was great, "For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit - and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink." (D&C 19:16-18).