Achieving True Reverence
Filed under: Becoming More Christlike, Jesus Christ
Robert C. Oakes, who served as a member of the Seventy (a high level position in the Mormon Church) for many years
recently wrote about the subject of reverence, suggesting it is not just a topic for children. Reverence is an important part of worship for all followers of Christ.
When I teach young children, I often ask them what it means to be reverent. They normally respond, “Sit down and be quiet.” Teachers often tell children to be reverent when they really mean to tell them to behave, and so this is the definition most children have of the word. I follow up by asking them to listen to a story:
Susan is sitting in Primary (the children’s auxiliary in the Mormon Church) and is sitting very still. Her hands are in her lap, she isn’t talking, and she isn’t wiggling. She’s looking right at the teacher. Is she being reverent? The children say she is. Then I tell them there is more to the story. While she’s sitting still, not talking, not wiggling and looking at the teacher, she is thinking, “When I get home, I’m going to hit my brother. He was so mean to me this morning. I’m going to teach him a lesson.” I ask again, “Is Susan being reverent?” Even young children realize she is not being reverent, because although her body is doing the right thing, her mind is not.
I tell the children behavior is on the outside and reverence is on the inside. Then we sing a children’s song that emphasizes this message:
Rev’rence is more than just quietly sitting:
It’s thinking of Father above,
A feeling I get when I think of his blessings.
I’m rev’rent, for rev’rence is love. (Listen to Reverence is Love.)
Reverence is how we show our love for God and for Jesus Christ. Mormon churches have foyers meant for the inevitable socialization among a people who consider their congregation their second family. Once they enter the chapel or a classroom, they’re asked to stop socializing and to sit quietly, listening to the prelude music. Of course, that doesn’t always happen, but it’s the goal.
During the meeting, members remain quiet, listening to the speakers and doing whatever is needed to keep small children happy. In a Mormon church, even the tiniest child remains with his family during the main worship service, known as Sacrament Meeting. This allows children to be trained by their parents to be both reverent and well-behaved, and includes them in the spiritual life of the congregation.
True reverence, as mentioned above, is not just about sitting still and being quiet. While it’s certainly easier to feel the spirit when we’re well-behaved, our minds must also be focused on things of the spirit. As we walk through the chapel doors, we leave behind us the cares and thoughts of the world, and turn our full attention to God. In the quiet moments that are ours, we think of the Savior and His atoning sacrifice, and during the time people are speaking, we listen carefully and stay alert for promptings from the Holy Ghost as to how the speaker’s message can apply to us in our own lives.
This three hour focus each Sunday on the things of the spirit helps Mormons to move into the outside world renewed and ready to face the moral and secular challenges of everyday life. We feel ready to tackle life and the gospel with renewed strength and energy.
Of course, Church isn’t the only place reverence is needed. We can feel the spirit every moment of our lives if we work hard to do so. As we go about our weekday chores and tasks, we can surround ourselves with things that will help us keep the Holy Ghost near. Playing spiritual music, thinking about the gospel and how to apply it to each aspect of our lives, and reading appropriate books ensure the spirit will be present. Mormons are taught that when the Spirit flees, they must flee also, and the Spirit cannot be where there is sin. Mormons work to create an appropriate environment for themselves whenever possible, decorating their homes with spiritual things among the secular ones, playing appropriate music, interacting kindly to family members, and engaging in service and other appropriate activities.
They try to bring the gospel into their homes as much as possible. Each morning they have prayer and scripture study. They have a spiritually based family night once a week. They select other gospel-centered activities to do throughout the week, ensuring that their religion is not a three-hours-on-Sunday religion, but an all day, every day religion that impacts every moment of their lives.
There are times, of course, when we cannot control our environments, such as at work or school. However, we can choose how we interact with that environment. We do not need to participate in gossip or gripe sessions. When inappropriate music is playing, we can move to another room, encourage a change of music, or put on headphones where allowed. If all else fails, we can tune out or ask to be placed in a less offensive environment.
While we can’t always control the music or the language around us, we are always in full control of our own thoughts. We can fill our minds with religious music, spiritually uplifting thoughts, and a pleasant attitude. It’s what we do with what we can control that determines the presence of the spirit.
Elder Oaks explained, “As we study the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and gain an appreciation of the remarkable impact—both mortal and eternal—of His Atonement on our lives, we naturally experience the emotional responses of respect, love, and honor. Gospel obedience and Christian service then flow as appropriate expressions of these emotions. But without reverence, the expressions of respect, love, and honor are incomplete.
As we develop reverence for Jesus Christ, we are better able to pattern our lives after His perfect example. There are many facets to such reverence: faith that He lives, trust in His promised blessings, and obedience to gospel standards. But one of the most important facets is the feeling of our heart—the respect, love, and honor we feel toward Deity. We who respect, love, and honor the Lord will never take His name in vain and will be uncomfortable with demeaning or trivializing jokes about Him. Rather, we praise and revere our Heavenly Father and Him whom we worship as our Lord and our Savior.
The Lord gives clear direction regarding His expectation for reverence in Leviticus 19:30, where He states, “Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.” The respect we show for His temples and chapels is a reflection of the reverence for Him we feel in our hearts. Our degree of respect, love, and honor for the Lord is directly reflected in our reverence, as shown by our attitudes as well as by our decorum.” Robert C. Oaks, “Worship through Reverence,” Ensign, Dec 2009, 20–23
Gossip
Filed under: Becoming More Christlike, Relationships
In September of 1981, Gene R. Cook wrote an article that might well have struck fear in the hearts of some readers. He wrote of a group of Mormons summoned before church leadership because they were in danger of having their church
Gossip--Don't Pass it on
membership taken from them? Had they robbed a bank? Broken the law of chastity? Committed apostasy? No, not at all. They had done something most of them probably considered unimportant—they had gossiped. They had participated in a nasty whisper campaign about someone they believed had been immoral. The stories were lies and the damage was widespread. Church leaders found it necessary to take this drastic step to help their members understand that gossip is not entertainment or a minor sin. A reputation had been destroyed and it would be impossible to completely undo the damage, especially since the stories had spread outside the church. Read more
Eternally Safe Choices–Undertanding Agency
Filed under: Becoming More Christlike, Discovering Yourself, Finding joy within the gospel, For the Strength of the Youth, Living the Gospel, Making Decisions, Peer Pressure, Teens & Seminary
The teen years are filled with temptation. The media, peers, even teachers and other adults can try to convince a young person that sin is okay, natural, normal, and fun. For a teenager with high standards and an eye for eternity, it can be a challenge to stay on the right path, when so many people are determined to take her off that path.
Fortunately, God and His servants have outlined effective ways for teens—and adults—to stay safe.
Staying safe is a matter of choices, and to make wise choices, we have to understand the concept of agency. This article will focus on agency, and future articles in this series will walk through the process of using that understanding to make eternally safe choices. Read more
Let Us Be Men
Filed under: Becoming More Christlike, Finding Happiness, Men & Priesthood, Service
The term “real men” is a popular one to bounce around, but the definition of a real man varies from culture to culture, even in the same country. Too many people equate true manhood with being rough and tough, liking freedom, doing as he pleases, and even being immoral. The Mormons have a different idea of what true manhood means.
In 2006, D. Todd Christofferson gave a talk in General Conference, a semi-annual international conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on the subject of true manhood. He said:
“Though he will make some sacrifices and deny himself some pleasures in the course of honoring his commitments, the true man leads a rewarding life. He gives much, but he receives more, and he lives content in the approval of his Heavenly Father. The life of true manhood is the good life.” D. Todd Christofferson, “Let Us Be Men,” Ensign, Nov 2006, 46–48
Elder Christofferson told the story of his mother, who had a dangerous surgery that caused her great pain when she used her arms for quite some time afterwards. One day his father took her to a shop and asked the shopkeeper to demonstrate a new machine that ironed clothing. It utilized peddles operated by the leg, not the hands. She was shocked when he purchased it and paid cash. She was extremely worried because it was very expensive and she was concerned about how they were going to manage after having spent so much. He eventually admitted that he knew what she had tried to hide—that when ironing, she had to go into the bedroom and cry until the pain subsided, and so he had quietly gone without lunch for a year to save the money for the machine.
Elder Christofferson said that this was a true man—one who took care of his family even when it meant great sacrifice. A man makes his family and his responsibilities to God his priority in life, and everything else is secondary. This means that while his peers may be out playing, he may find himself hard at work during the day, and then come home to chores, helping his wife with her responsibilities, and playing with his children. For a real man, one who honors his role as a servant of God, this is not a hardship, even if it is sometimes tiring or frustrating.
Mormons are old-fashioned in some aspects of gender—meaning they stay with what God taught us men and women should be. The Family: A Proclamation to the World says of a man’s role:
By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.
Notice that it says men and women help each other in their duties. This means a Mormon man will often be found
washing the dishes or changing the diapers, even though it might be primarily the wife’s role. A real man isn’t embarrassed to be found doing this, nor does he feel that a long day at the office protects him from the responsibilities of the home, because he knows a mother is putting in a much longer day than he is. Parenting is a two-person job.
Men who have doubts about his role as a real man is counseled, Elder Christofferson says, to turn to the Book of Mormon for advice. When Jesus Christ visited these people, he asked
Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am (3 Nephi 27:27). This scripture tells us that a man who wants to understand his role in life should look at the Savior to see what sort of man He was. We know from many stories told us in the Bible that Jesus Christ was very respectful of women. He included many women among His friends and followers. He respected their ability to learn and He taught them individually. He didn’t save all the learning for the men, as we see in the story of Mary and Martha. This example shows us that a man should respect his wife’s intelligence and treat her as an important person, his equal, just as Jesus treated the women in his world as equals.
Jesus refused to allow his apostles to send children away who had come to see Him. Even though he’d worked a very long day and was tired, he put aside his need for rest and spent meaningful time with children, teaching them and building a relationship with them. His example tells fathers and other men what their attitude toward children should be. Although Jesus did not have children of His own, He demonstrated that a man’s children should be a priority, no matter how busy or tired they might be. He also demonstrated the responsibility to teach children the gospel.
Throughout the scriptures, Jesus is shown to be kind and gentle, not afraid to cry or to show compassion. At the same time, he had the courage to stand for the right against everyone, regardless of the cost to himself. He stood up for the downtrodden and those rejected by the world. He served those who were good and those who were “bad.” He defended the gospel without hesitation and refused to water it down to be politically correct or in tune with the times.
Elder Christofferson’s title comes from a Book of Mormon scripture that says, in part, “arise from the dust, my sons, and be men (2 Nephi 2:21).” To learn more about what it means to be a Mormon man, read the entire talk at LDS.org or watch the video below.
Stendahl’s Three Rules of Religious Understanding
Filed under: Becoming More Christlike, Uncategorized
The Mormons have a new video explaining why Mormons build temples. This clip includes the late Krister Stendahl, a former Lutheran Bishop of Stockholm and Dean of Harvard Divinity School, speaking about Mormon temples. Stendahl was never a Mormon, but is often remembered for a speech he gave defending Mormons.
According to FAIRLDS, controversy built up around the Mormons’ desire to build a temple in Stockholm, Sweden in 1985. Stendahl contacted Truman G. Madsen and offered to hold a press conference in a Mormon church building endorsing the building of the temple and also suggesting the appropriate way to treat religions other than your own.
In this speech, he outlined three rules, now called, “Stendahl’s three rules of religious understanding. These are good rules for anyone to follow, regardless of their faith.
The first rule is that if you want to know about a religion, you should ask the faithful members, and not the enemies. Anyone who follows partisan politics knows that those who feel so strongly about something sometimes think it’s okay to lie as long as it helps you “win.” If someone is trying to learn about you, it’s likely you’d rather they ask you personally, rather than rounding up your enemies for a hearty bashing session. When Jesus was living on the earth, he taught that we should treat others as we want others to treat us, which makes responsible fact-gathering a Christian responsibility. When learning about another religion, stop to think how you want people to learn about your own religion. Go to the source.
The second rule is to not compare your best to their worst. This is a very basic principle of fairness. Imagine, for instance, a person were to say, “Well, I know this church is bad because last week, the newspaper had a story about someone from that church who got arrested. In the very same paper, there was a story about a person from my church who works for the poor.” While that’s a rather stark example, it does make a clear point. It’s very likely both churches have people who get arrested and people who serve the poor. To selectively point out the worst person, and compare that person to another congregation’s best is hardly a balanced way to evaluate a faith. A fairer way to do this is to look at Congregation A’s work with the poor and compare it to Congregation B’s work for the poor. Of course, poverty relief is only one aspect of Christianity, but we have to compare things on an equal basis-as the old saying goes, don’t compare apples with oranges.
The third rule is to leave room for “holy envy.” Stendahl suggests it’s perfectly okay to admire something in a church you don’t actually want to join. Every church has it’s good and it’s not necessary to trample it just to make your own church look better. It’s even okay to admit that another church does one particular thing better than yours, or maybe just differently than yours but in a way you like. Stendahl was able to picture himself going through the temple ceremonies, even though he didn’t want to become a Mormon. He didn’t have to think we had it all right to admire that aspect of the Mormon faith. He wasn’t threatened by the fact that we had something he personally admired.
These rules reflect basic Christian principles, but they also demonstrate Stendahl’s comfort in his own religion. His testimony of his Lutheran faith was strong enough that he didn’t need to trample another religion in order to feel okay about his own, nor did he feel the need to eliminate or blockade another religion to keep his safe.
If you are sure your own faith is true, you won’t be worried about what other religions are doing. You’ll be too busy sharing the wonders of your own faith to devote your life to trampling the beliefs of others.
While we might not agree with everything Stendahl did in his religious life, we can find wisdom in these three rules that are right for any religion.
Watch the video on why Mormons build temples.
Control Your Thoughts
I ran across a beautiful article the other day by a modern day apostle, Boyd K. Packer entitled The Spirit of Revelation. Though directed to the youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, his words offer encouragement for each of us about the importance of mastering our own thoughts. What we think and feel creates the most intimate parts of who we are. Do the things we harbor in our minds and hearts reflect the things that God would have there, or have we let this sacred space be taken over by the philosophies and worries of the world around us? God has asked us to focus our thoughts on Christ and virtue, among other things. One of the greatest things we can master in this life is our mind. We can use it to focus on good, evil, and every shade in between the two. But the disciple of Christ should be mindful of the first and greatest commandment:
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (Matthew 22:37)
This can not be accomplished if we spend more time thinking about our landscaping, car, finances, hobbies, or anything else, more than we spend time pondering the ways of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Above all else, we need to avoid putting things into our mind that drive the Spirit out of our lives— these things can enter in the form of entertainment such as movies, music, books or it can come in the form of friends, associations, or other influences. We may not always be able to control what we are exposed to, but we always control what we do with it after that. If it doesn’t belong in the heart and mind of a disciple of Christ, it has no place in our lives and should not be allowed to take root within us.
Though we must learn what works best for us personally, President Packer offers one valuable solution about learning to control our thoughts that happens to be one of my favorites. It has to do with the power of music to affect our thoughts and mood. Does music affect you in such a way that it can bring you peace, energy or even frustration that accentuates thoughts and feelings you had before the music began? It can be used to enhance or to change our mood. It can be used to control our thoughts and outlook on life.
If we choose carefully and give root to things that can inspire and uplift, we have ammunition against those things we do not want to entertain. Worthy music can provide protection and inspiration when we need it most. In just the opposite manner, music that is destructive to our spirit, it can lead and keep us in darker places that become hard to escape from.
President Packer reflects on how this lesson was learned in his own family. His brother taught him to face the challenges of war and life with a hymn and a prayer in his heart, saying. He said, “I have a favorite hymn . . . and when things got rough I would sing it silently to myself, and there would come a faith and an assurance that kept me on course.”
It was a lesson well learned, President Packer reports the value of what he learned from his brother. “As the years passed I found that, while not easy, I could control my thoughts if I made a place for them to go. You can replace thoughts of temptation, anger, disappointment, or fear with better thoughts— with music.”
Then, it the fun and straight-forward manner I have come to value in Boyd K. Packer’s counsel he ends with this great summary of the challenge to control our thoughts.
“Shape up! Face up! Take hold of your lives! Take control of your mind, your thoughts! If you have friends that are not a good influence, make changes, even if you face loneliness, even rejection.
“If you have already made bad mistakes, there are ways to fix things up, and eventually it will be as though they never happened.
Sometimes guilt controls our minds and takes us prisoner in our thoughts. How foolish to remain in prison when the door stands open. Now, don’t tell yourself that sin really doesn’t matter. That won’t help; repentance will.”
Take control of your thoughts and feelings and you will find yourself with a clearer focus and steadier feet on the path of Christ you seek to follow.
Have I Done Any Good In the World Today?
Filed under: Becoming More Christlike, Blessings, Humility, Obedience, Peace, Service
I’ve been thinking today, of a favorite hymn. I like it partly because of its upbeat melody, and partly because of its message. This song provides an interesting way to look at a disciple’s role in service and helping our fellow man. I appreciate its straightforward reminders of the things that matter most, reminders of how to obtain these goals, and the cheerful manner in which the message is delivered. Service doesn’t seem like such drudgery, but a privilege and a joy.
Have I Done Any Good? Hymn #223
1. Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone’s burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?[Chorus]
Then wake up and do something more
Than dream of your mansion above.
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,
A blessing of duty and love.2. There are chances for work all around just now,
Opportunities right in our way.
Do not let them pass by, saying, “Sometime I’ll try,”
But go and do something today.
’Tis noble of man to work and to give;
Love’s labor has merit alone.
Only he who does something helps others to live.
To God each good work will be known.Text and music: Will L. Thompson, 1847–1909, alt.
These thoughts offer important introspections into the kind of life we want to lead. At the beginning and end of each day, are we asking God where our hands and hearts are most needed, or did we leave something undone that He had in mind for us?
The thing I find most comforting about this song’s message is the promise that any effort, any work we give in the name of Christ is acceptable and pleasing to God. That’s really all He asks of us—be willing to go and do, placing our confidence in the Lord, not in our own abilities.
There is a set of scriptures in the Doctrine and Covenants that reiterates this promise.
8 Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me so it shall be done unto you; and, if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation.
10 Behold, thou hast a gift, or thou shalt have a gift if thou wilt desire of me in faith, with an honest heart, believing in the power of Jesus Christ, or in my power which speaketh unto thee;
11 For, behold, it is I that speak; behold, I am the light which shineth in darkness, and by my power I give these words unto thee.
12 And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit.
13 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; (Doctrine and Covenants 11:8-13)
That’s a beautiful message. God promises that if we are willing, and desire to serve, we will be given the gifts most needed to bless and help the lives of others. It really is a matter of doing what He wants us to, in finding the places His Spirit leads us, in judiciously deciding what is most needed, then turning our hands, actions and lives over to Him to fulfill His promises. Jesus Christ, and our faith in Him, can make up for our inadequacies and doubts if we are willing to go and do something good.
Here’s another reminder from the Bible:
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 1:17-27)
Want to fill your life with more light, peace, and of the Savior’s love? Then don’t be afraid to ask, and ask often, “Have I done any good in the world today?”
Be Content with the Things of Christ
Filed under: Becoming More Christlike, Blessings, Humility, Peace
There are many around us, in fact the world seems to be almost entirely focused on achievement, competition, perfection, and material possessions. There are more ways advertised in all the media we encounter every day to be better, have more, and change who we are to fit society’s norm, than we could ever humanly conquer.
When we are constantly surrounded by influences that tell us not to be satisfied with who we are, it becomes easier to forget that the example of Christ had nothing to do with the worlds view of success and happiness.
The scriptures tell us He was a man without a remarkable appearance and an even less remarkable collection of worldly goods. He was often judged for this. Even then, many people felt that respect was earned by stature and favor within the community. Even among the religious orders of the time there was a certain amount of pride involved in showing off how well you could live your beliefs. All these were in opposition to the life and example of Christ. So is most of what the world would have us believe today.
What were Jesus Christ’s views on the important things in life? Love for God and man, a kind word and a kind act, humility, and peace. These are the things He valued; these are the things He taught His disciples to value. We know this. We study His words and life. We try to become more like Him. But often, our attempts go astray because we are trying to mix what our peers, culture, and society define as happiness and success with the things of God.
How does one learn to be content, not so much with what he has or is, but with what the Lord sees in Him? They are often two very different things.
The first answer is probably to make sure that we are looking in the right places for the answers we need. Our pursuit needs to focus on the same things that we sought out when we went looking for Christ in the first place. The answers are found in our scriptures, in prayers and the intimate feelings within our hearts. The solutions are in our ability to emulate Him, not a fashion magazine.
The disciple’s job is to begin figuring out what the difference is between God’s voice and the world’s. We all have basic needs (basic needs, not what we’d, like those needs to be) for supporting life, but we often forget that a big part of that life is the spirit that dwells within us. We have a responsibility to nourish and protect our soul as well as our God-given bodies. Are the goals and activities we choose for ourselves honoring and nurturing that part of us? Are we following an example that leads us to greater peace or a greater list of things to do and places to be in order to measure up?
Make sure your assessing this part of yourself along with your “bottom line”. What is the Lord’s standard for His disciples? How does He measure your worth? What things in your life keep you the closest to Him, His peace, and His love and which things do not?
Learn to minimize the distractions and find contentment in the things that really matter for who you are, and who God wants you to be.
Disciple Pioneers
Filed under: Becoming More Christlike, Humility, Obedience
July 24th is celebrated by the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as “Pioneer Day”. It is a day we honor those who were the first members of the LDS Church in this time period. These were the people who felt the Spirit and were willing to step outside of their comfort zone to follow the whisperings of their heart about a vision given to a young farm boy and an additional book of scripture. They joined the church in its youngest phases and though their blessings were numerous, so were the challenges they faced.
For some of us it’s easier to declare your religious affiliations than it is for others. There are still many people who don’t want their friends and family to experience the freedom of choosing a religion that is different than their own or simply unfamiliar to them.
This is the problem many of the early church members faced, except often to the furthest extremes such things can be taken. Eventually, many set forth on a new quest for someplace to call their own. They wanted someplace to build up their faith in God while avoiding conflict with their fellow man. Like many of that time, their desire for someplace different, and hopefully better, lead them to journey across an American continent that was wild and, at times, unfriendly as well. Not all of them chose the best times, supplies or circumstances to travel in, making the journey all that more difficult. Even those who the best prepared would not find the journey easy. Many would not even make it.
I think of the many days I fall into bed exhausted from my meager labors and wonder if my spirit and stamina would have allowed me to follow my new faith across the continent. My soul and confidence shrink away in wimpy fear of such thoughts. There is something I have learned from pondering these events, however. I learned that just as God knows and watches over each of us in today’s world, He knew and watched over each person who set his feet on a Westward track. He knew their weaknesses and strengths. He knew what they were capable of better than they. He never gave them more than they were able to handle.
I am amazed at how much they were able to handle under God’s watchful hand. I wonder what I have allowed my own weaknesses to let me shrink away from that seem too difficult when the Lord needed me to reach the other side of to reach a greater state of peace. Sometimes I simply fear the journey.
There is something else I’ve learned. It’s not really that these men and women were looking for the types of trials they would face; they were simply looking to follow God’s will for them. That, I think, is a whole different matter. That, I would hope, my spirit would not shrink from. Yes, the journey was difficult. But that isn’t really the point sometimes. Mostly the pioneers were just doing what they had to for two reasons- to survive and to serve God.
In that way, I think many of us are still pioneers. We go and do things every day that serve these two purposes. Maybe not as distinctly but our main focuses are often, “What do I and my family need to meet our basic needs?” and second, “what does God need me to do today?”
Where can those two questions take us? Often outside of our comfort zone. We make sacrifices to help, protect, and serve those we love. Sometimes we make even greater sacrifices to follow Jesus Christ. Many can not find time in their busy modern lives for God. The disciple makes time for Him first. We often find our feet walking paths that we would not choose for ourselves. We are often tried and tested beyond what we think we can bare. We are each doing the best we can with the knowledge and love for God given to us. We open those same paths for those around us.
This pioneer day, think about the ways you bring God into your life every day. Think about the things you do in His name. What part of your own spirit follows the example of those who have gone before you? What part of your own family history represents a milestone that allows you to enjoy more of the life you have today? Pioneer day is for all of us. It’s about sacrifices and actively following Christ, no matter where the path leads.
A Disciple’s Need for the Holy Ghost
Filed under: Becoming More Christlike, Blessings, Humility, Leadership, Obedience, Peace
I’ve talked a lot about the Spirit that a disciple of Christ needs to carry with him. It’s that presence and knowledge of God’s will for you that make you the most effective disciple you can be. This Spirit comes in two forms. There is a general presence that testifies of truth as well as gives guidance and direction as it is needed for any and all human beings who have not denied the light of Christ within them. There is also a second step in which the disciple makes specific covenants with God that allow that Spirit to more fully manifest Himself to you. These covenants invite the Holy Ghost’s companionship into every aspect of your every day life.
Why the distinction? What can be gained from the added step of covenant making? And lastly, what covenants need to be made in order to receive these increased blessings? It’s about promises and commitment. The more committed we are to Jesus Christ, the more our actions show it, the more our lives invite the Holy Ghost and the more we are able to feel His affect in our lives. Making covenants with God is an increased measure of commitment and the ordinance of baptism opens the way for these blessing of the Spirit.
Shortly after baptism, through the power of the priesthood present in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are given the gift of the Holy Ghost. This is when we are given the privilege to have the Spirit as our constant companion as long as we are trying to live up to the promises we made at baptism. He acts as a testifier of Jesus Christ to strengthen and build our testimonies. He also acts as a guide, comforter, and a conduit for many other blessings. The Holy Ghost should be the closest and most valuable friend a disciple of Christ can have with him on life’s journey.
To understand this distinction further, let’s look at the example of Peter.
Peter was one of Christ’s most faithful disciples. He recognized the divinity in the Savior when many walked away. He served faithfully by the Savior’s side. He indicated that he wanted to be found in no other place than with the Savior.
During the last supper, Peter proclaims his steadfastness in defending Christ. Then sadly, a short time later, he would deny his knowledge of Christ three different times. (See- Matthew 26:33-35, 58, 69-75)
Then, after the Holy Ghost is given to the disciples at Pentecost, Peter’s perception of his mission and goals as a disciple of Christ changes. Because of that constant reaffirming presence, Peter finds strength that was previously beyond his capabilities. (Acts 4 & 5)
That’s the value of the Holy Ghost. Expressing true commitment through covenants with God, then living up to them, provides and extra strength and shield to your life. When the Holy Ghost is allowed fully into your life you can find testimony and faith beyond that you have ever previously known.