Sunday Series: To Never Escape His Notice

"And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchæus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchæus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully." (Luke 19:1-6)

How small must we be to escape God's notice, and how wicked to not receive His love?

There is nothing too small for Him or too sinful. God loves all. God is love, as the scripture says. The story from Luke illustrates this quite well. Even a publican who was too short to be seen in a crowd was seen by the Savior. I love this story. If Zacchaeus was seen, how could He miss us? He has a place for us and will reside with us if we but strive to see Him.

Allow me to explain that last sentence. Jesus may not have gone with Zacchaeus, had he not climbed that tree to see Him. Zacchaeus sought the Savior, and as a result, the Savior came to him, even into his home. Zacchaeus was a good guy as well- giving to the poor and striving to right every wrong he had done. This seems to me to be a wonderful metaphor for how we ought to live.

I'd like to use this to suggest three guidelines to inviting the Savior in.

1) Give to those in need, whenever possible. 

This is not just those in financial poverty, or those suffering from hunger. Nourish those who are starving spiritually and emotionally as well. Take hold of the outstretched hand, heal broken hearts, bind up their wounds, and help them on their way. They need the help often just as much as those who need money and food. It is almost harder to help someone who is suffering in a metaphysical sense, because their needs are so much less definable. A few dollars or a meal may not help.

Aid all you can, in every way, with needs that are spiritual, temporal, mental, emotional, and otherwise.

2) Seek out the Savior

This is not a casual action. This is the willingness to go to any end, use any means, just to glimpse His face, as Zacchaeus did. Run ahead; climb the tree. Even if He does not see you, you have seen Him and know that He was there. It is necessary to seek out the Savior in all we do, and in all we are striving to be. And it is climbing the tree that places Zacchaeus in the right place and time to meet and shelter Christ.

3) Receive Him with joy

Do not falter in that crucial moment- when the Savior comes to your door, answer it with haste! Do not drag your feet or murmur. Do not wring your hands and hesitate. Receive Him with joy and gladness as Zacchaeus did on that day centuries ago. If we have done all we can, and striven to live the best life we are capable of, then He will gladly remain with us until the end of days. If this is true, what reason might we have to hesitate?

Battle For Eternity

Th'eternal dance

The darkness below

And eternal flame

Reaches up great hands

Is a chance

It wants to know

God knows your name

Where heav'n stands

Twirling stars

So it can conquer

Shine 'cross time

Destroy everything

Never too far

God's throne tip over

Beyond the line

And hellfire sing

Galaxies spin

Shadow is master

Stop for no man

Of all set against

He forms them

The Lord God Creator

In the palm of his hand

The Savior He sent

Creations unnumbered

Torment eternal

Worlds without end

And so they descend

Made unencumbered

Fire infernal

Forever to stand

To burn and unbend

The light that he gave

Madness and sorrow

Shines eternal on

Dwell in that hell

His power to save

Who shall go

Shall never be gone

Who there shall dwell

PAD Day 17

Sunday Series: Neither Do I Condemn Thee

"Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy" (Matthew 5:7)

Mercy is a wonderful concept isn't it? Mercy means "kind and forgiving treatment of someone who could be treated harshly" (along with another couple definitions, all of which are relevant, but not to this post). I love this idea so much. To be treated with kindness when it is undeserved is one of the best and most wonderful feelings. It is a gift that shows love more than any other, I believe.

The scripture at the top illustrates another concept, one that the Savior spoke of during His ministry. The merciful shall obtain mercy- it's kind of like the Golden Rule, isn't it? Do unto others as you would have done unto you. Treat others how you want to be treated. Be merciful and receive mercy. It's a beautiful concept, but one that I sometimes feel the world does not grasp.

I believe everyone in this world has been told at one time or another to "suck it up" or to grow up and stop acting like a child. Sometimes this is justified, sure. Sometimes the emotion they show is just the tip of the iceberg. This is where the concept of treating others with mercy comes in. Sure, they might deserve to be treated harshly. They may be acting like a child. But think what effect kindness could have. What if it was just the tip of a huge iceberg? What if your harsh treatment, deserved or not, was the last straw? And what if it wasn't? I honestly don't believe that it matters. All people need mercy, even if we don't deserve it. Imagine, put yourself in their place. How would you react to harsh words, honestly? How would you react to kindness? Thinking back on my own past, I've found that harsh treatment has destroyed trust and caused me to hurt even more than I had been. It did not have the effect that it intended. Saying "suck it up" has only ever made things worse. But then, in those rare moments when I received kindness and the gift of mercy, I was able to truly release whatever was built up inside and feel better. Mercy made things better for me.

What if we were kind? What if we were merciful always, gave the benefit of the doubt, treated all around us with kindness even when it seems that harsher treatment has been earned?

The Savior was the perfect example of mercy. My dad has a painting in his office by Liz Lemon Swindle titled "He That Is Without Sin." The painting is of Christ and the woman taken in adultery. The woman's accusers stand around them. The woman herself is avoiding the Savior's gaze: she knows what she has done. It is a beautiful painting, and a wonderful story of mercy. The Lord said to the accusers "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her" (John 8:7). No stones were cast, and gradually those that had accused her left. The Savior asked, "Where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?" When she sees that none are there, she responds "No man, Lord." The Savior of the world, in His infinite mercy, says to her "Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more."

Now, looking at this story from the outside, it's easy to say that the woman deserved to be punished. The sin of adultery is a serious thing! Why was the Savior merciful; why did He not condemn her? She had earned any consequences that came of it. But He showed mercy. In my mind, I imagine that the woman was truly remorseful, that she realized what she had done. I imagine her resigned to a punishment that, had justice held all power, she would have received. Yet she received mercy. Imagine what a life she would have lived after this! A righteous life, most likely, a life that testified of the mercy of God and of His power. The Savior showing mercy saved this woman.

Mercy saves souls, hearts, and lives. This I believe more than anything. Justice has its time and place, and blunt words do too, but not towards  hearts that are hurting, hearts that are penitent, and/or hearts that are willing to change.

The merciful shall receive mercy (going back to the first scripture). If the merciful receive mercy, should we not be merciful? Do we not all need mercy, not only from God but from the people around us? Are we not all the woman taken in adultery- have we not all sinned and been condemned? But we can change, and the Lord knows that. The Lord knows our hearts, and if we are sincere when we fall before Him, I believe we will hear those words: "Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more."

Let us give those first words to others. Let us say to others "Neither do I condemn thee." We must be merciful for our sake and theirs. What right have we to judge and condemn? "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone." In our dealings with our fellow men, we must be merciful, or mercy will fail us at the last day. Let us be merciful as He was merciful.

He That Is Without Sin

Reaching Out

The beat sounding in my ears reminds me that there's hope
The shine of the sun in the sky reminds me that there's love
The contrast of the trees against the sky reminds me of beauty
And the joy of the Spirit reminds me that it is yet early

Eternity stretches ahead and eternity stretches behind
The morning reminds me that it's the Lord that we must find
The night reminds me of the blessings that he gave
And the stars above shining remind me who he saved

The warmth of my sweater reminds me that there's hope
The hugs of my friends remind me that there's love
The nights that I spend with my siblings and the Lord
They're the ones that make me certain of what I'm told

Happiness stretches ahead and happiness lies behind
And when we die, it's the Lord's joy we want to find
The music reminds me that He provided a path
And the scriptures say we can gain all our Father hath

The joy of the daytime reminds me that there's hope
The peace of the night reminds me that there's love
Art and beauty remind me of the potential we hold
And tell me the Lord will not leave us in the cold

The Lord looks far ahead And He's seen all that lies behind
And for every course we take, He knows what we will find
If we listen to His voice we'll be guided the right way
So that far in the future on that bright and beautiful day

We can hear Him say...

"Well done"

PAD Day 12

The God Who Wept

"No other God has made Himself vulnerable to His creation—deliberately, consciously.  All other gods demand sacrifice but not this God:  “I will have mercy and not sacrifice.”" -Fiona Givens, The Weeping God.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?" (Marianne Williamson)

"Jesus wept"  (John 11: 35)

Why is it so difficult for us to comprehend a God who weeps?

Why does God weep?

Why is weeping associated with weakness?

These questions have been running through my mind since reading the essay The Weeping God by Fiona Givens. To answer them, I think it's actually best to start with the last. Why is weeping associated with weakness? Why should the display of such strong emotion be considered lacking in strength?

I believe that we are afraid of the power of our own emotions. We are afraid of our hearts that can feel so deeply, and so we hide them away behind many walls and barriers. I, personally, try my best not to show any of my really strong emotions, especially tears. Everyone at some point has done this- held back so that no one would see us cry. Revealing that deep well of emotion, that vulnerable part of yourself, is scary. We are afraid of the power of our hearts, and we are afraid that other people will break them.

Over so many years, we have built up our society so that the hiding of emotion is normal, and so to show it must be a flaw, a breakdown of the walls we build for the sake of fitting in. Haven't we all seen someone crying and thought "that's pathetic" or that they were weak? Haven't we all reprimanded those who were hurting, telling them to "tough it up?" Crying is not seen as anything but weakness. It is seen as displaying a lack of self control.

Thus, a God who weeps is seen as sacrilegious. God is perfect; He has no weaknesses. How then could He weep? How could He lose control in such a way? Though God weeps for different reasons than we, His imperfect children, do, this difference goes unnoticed by society. If tears are weakness, they do not belong to God, but only to man, in our imperfect, fallen state.

But what if weeping is not weakness, but rather just an expression of emotion? What if society's perception is backwards? What if tears are rather the outpouring of emotions that have caused a heart to finally overflow?

Then a God who weeps becomes an emotional being, one who cares so deeply for His children that He cries for our pains and misfortunes. He is constantly watching over us, no matter what we are going through. He helps us where He can but He also allows us to grow, even if it pains Him to watch.

Isn't this a beautiful concept? An empathetic God who is always with us, who feels for our pains, who sheds tears for our sorrows. A Father who wishes only to hold us in His arms once more. A divine Being who loves His children enough to cry for us.

It changes us as well. Weeping becomes something with a place, something okay.  Crying becomes less shameful for us. It is no longer weakness. If God cries, then why can't we? To weep with and for others is something we learn from Him. To cry in the depths of our own trials is to cry unto Him, to ask for His aid. Tears are more than human weakness. Especially in sympathy for the pains of those we love. Especially in our own brokenheartedness. It deepens our sense of a caring Father in Heaven who loves us and will cry with us. God our Father is willing and able to "mourn with those that mourn...and comfort those who stand in need of comfort" (Mosiah 18:9) just as He has asked us to do for others.

I believe that the true strength of the heart lies in the depth of emotion we can feel without apology- not the depth of emotion we can hide from the world while wearing a mask of a smile. I believe tears arising from our deepest cares are signs of strength, of a full heart, of a large heart that holds a whole world. Those tears are the most genuine of all. I believe these are the tears of God, and they come from a heart as large as the universe, that spans the stars and circles the sun, that sees galaxies collapse and still cries when we fall.

The God who wept is the strongest and most divine of all.

The Voices

Who, what, when, where, why?

the voices in my head are loud tonight

Who are you to be confident in yourself?

the voices in my head are loud tonight

What is the point of trying so hard?

the voices in my head are loud tonight

When will it all add up to be worth the pain?

the voices in my head are loud tonight

Where will you go, if this risk doesn't work out?

the voices in my head are loud tonight

Why do you bother, when everything always falls apart?

THE VOICES IN MY HEAD ARE LOUD TONIGHT

then a whisper

"Be still, and know that I am with you"

the voices in my head are quiet tonight

PAD Day 9

There Was God

There was a day when I realized that no one would save me but God
And that I had to stand, to pick myself up every time that I could
That no one else would bring me an umbrella in the rain
And that if I say nothing, they won't realize I'm in pain

There was a time when I realized that no one would stay except God
And that I needed to turn to him every chance that I could
That everyone else would leave my life someday
It'll be years before I'll find the one who'll stay

There was a time when I realized that He was all I ever needed
That He'd never abandon me, leave me, or become jaded
He'd always hold my heart with a gentle and kind hand
And never let it fall onto life's rocks and sand

There was a day when I realized I was more than what they said
I am more than kisses and thin-ness and boots and thread
He is my Father and He sees through each and every mask
And if I push Him away, then He will only pull me right back

There was a moment when I realized only He could see my soul
And only He could see it and love me for all of me in full
I'm sure that's why us mortals are blind to others' minds
And I think we're scared of whatever we might find

But not Him! Oh no. He loves each of us just the same.
No matter what things we've done, if we're blind or deaf or lame
There was a day I realized that only this was true
And it was not long after, when I finally saw you

PAD Day 5

Sunday Series: The Ways of the Lord

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8)

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6)

The Lord truly works in mysterious ways. 

I've been having a rough time with some stuff lately, just stupid things (seriously dumb) but they've been giving me trouble. Today in church, I was able to hear what I needed to.

I heard the message "God will help you through this"

"Even if you feel you're stuck in a rut, you're still changing."

"God is always there."

I also heard "Study your scriptures and say your prayers" - something I've been slacking on lately.

"Take care of yourself physically as well" - like get enough sleep? What a foreign concept! 

So basically I first heard words of comfort and encouragement and then words of advice. It really helped make my day better. I was able to be in a better mood for the rest of the day, which was a good thing. That's not to say I was completely at peace, or felt totally better- I was still off and fairly grumpy. But it was better, and I have a plan now to get back on track.

The Lord works in mysterious ways.

I find it profound how He works through others. Who would've thought that so many testimonies could be about kind of the same thing? Or share messages I needed? Who would've thought that the Sunday School lesson could be on the very things that I've been slacking on all week? That is how He works. It is wonderful to me that He was able to take something so normal, something like fast and testimony meeting, Sunday School, and out Relief Society lesson, to comfort me and guide me.

I also find it wonderful the order in which I heard these things. First it was the comfort, the words of love and care. Then it was that which I already knew - the lack of sleep has been affecting my mood a lot. Then, after that, it was those things I've been failing to acknowledge- the things that I have to get back on. It wasn't accusatory at all, but a gentle affirmation that the Lord cares and that if I do these certain things, it'll get me back on my mental feet, so to speak, and I can be myself again (because who truly is themselves when they're grumpy and depressed?). 

The Lord works in wonderful ways.

Many are beyond our understanding. But we can try to emulate them and become more like our Father. We can grow in understanding that He loves us and would only do what's best, even if it sometimes hurts us. He has a grander plan for us than we can ever see with our limited mortal eyes. He is God and He is with us. He loves us first, and guides us always, and that never changes.

Sunday Series: The Concept of Worship

I had a thought today, about what "worship" actually is. It is, of course, important, but what does it really mean? What are its connotations, and why do we do it (besides that God has commanded us to)? Worship has always been a very abstract idea in my mind, some nebulous word describing the method by which we pay homage to God. And yet today, worship was on my mind, and I wanted to know what it really meant. So I looked the definition up.

This is the definition of "worship" from dictionary.com

I especially love definition #3, specially since it most easily expresses the ideas that ran through my mind today.

"Adoring reverence or regard"

By this definition, we worship a lot more things than just God. We adore a lot of things in this world. But the most important connection to this definition (in my opinion) is parents. Do we not all treat our parents with adoring reverence or regard? (outside of certain extenuating circumstances such as abuse). We love our parents and look up to them. I know I certainly do.

And then, with that connection established, is it not notable that God has asked us to call Him Father?

What, then, is worship, than the regard of a child to their parent? An all-powerful, all-knowing, infinite parent, for sure, but the idea is much the same. 

Young children absolutely adore their parents. They hang onto their every word, and everything that their parents tell them must be right. Have you ever heard the phrase "That's what Daddy/Mommy told me!" (or variations on it)? Young children do regard their parents with "adoring reverence [and] regard."

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him” (D&C 59:5)

“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand” (Ps. 95:6–7)

Don't these scriptures seem to say the same things? Love God, view Him with the greatest reverence, as a mighty Being, and someone infinite, eternal, and wonderful. View Him as a young child views their parents. And have we not been told to become like little children?

I feel like I better understand worship now. I understand what it means, and why we worship. He is our Father- He is everything we can become and so much more than we are now. And we view Him with adoring reverence and regard, for He is our everything.

Temple Trips

Today I was privileged to go to the temple with my ward. It's the first time I've been in the Provo temple, and it's really wonderful to me to see how different and how similar it is to the Denver temple. It is so amazing how they can all be the same when looking at the big picture, and yet, in the details, they are so unique, each a different work of art. The Provo temple is very green, for example, where Denver is more white, and (in my head) blue. The New Mexico temple that my family once went to was very red and cream. The Ogden is gold. And the setup is always very slightly different, as well as the furniture and the artwork. It's amazing.

But that's not what I want to focus on. Tonight I was privileged to witness a small number of baptisms for the dead performed in sign language. Now, to some that may seem completely normal, and it's probably weird that I think it's so amazing (I do know that I'm not the only one who thinks that it was awesome though). I've kind of lived in a bubble, and have never really seen an ordinance performed in another language, much less sign language. It was fascinating to observe how they had modified the original procedure used for baptisms to accommodate the use of the hands. It was way cool to watch them say the prayer, to spell out the names of the deceased.

Isn't it wonderful, that the Lord works across languages, cultures, and differences in ability?

It brings to mind the Catholic Church, in a thoughtful way. Many of their prayers and ceremonies are held in Latin. I'd imagine many other religions do the same- use a specific language in their ceremonies. But not us, not the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Ceremonies are taken across languages and cultures. In our most recent General Conference, speakers were allowed to give their talks in their native language! We are a religion of the world, in the truest sense.

It is so amazing to me that the meaning is not lost across languages, that we can speak in any tongue and still be heard by Him, our divine Father. He understands us no matter what. God does not speak a single human tongue. He is not confined by any way we attempt to define Him. And He has asked us to call Him Father, in our own tongues. In every language of the world, His name is heard. And it is understood. That is the most wonderful thing of all.

God truly is no respecter of persons.

And that's the most amazing thing.

Jacob 5 And Happy Endings

For my mission preparation class, we were challenged to read Jacob 5 closely. As I did, I realized something. It's something I've known, but for whatever reason, this time it had extra force.

This story has a happy ending.

Jacob 5 is, of course, the allegory of the olive tree. It shows the trees, tame and wild, and the fruit, bad and good. We are the fruit and the master of the vineyard is the Lord. The chapter chronicles the Lord's efforts in His vineyard to gain a good harvest, with good (righteous) fruit. It is a story of humanity. As I read through the end, it really hit me for the first time that this story, our story, has a happy ending.

"And it came to pass that when the Lord of the vineyard saw that his fruit was good, and that his vineyard was no more corrupt, he called up his servants, and said unto them: Behold, for this last time have we nourished my vineyard...and I have preserved the natural fruit, that it is good, even like as it was in the beginning...and the bad is cast away, behold ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my vineyard." (Jacob 5:75-76)

It ends well!

This is so important to me, that this story, our story, my story, ends well. We can find joy.

"If you ever feel your burden is too great to bear, lift your heart to your Heavenly Father, and He will uphold and bless you. He says to you, as He said to Joseph Smith, "[Your] adversity and [your]afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if [you] endure it well, God shall exalt [you] on high." (President Uchtdorf, "Your Happily Ever After," May 2010)

The other important part of Jacob 5, that fits in well with President Uchtdorf's talk, is the middle. The part where the vineyard is constantly back and forth between bad and good . This is the part of life that I think we are all intimately familiar with. This is normal life. Things go back and forth between being good and bad- we go back and forth between being good and bad.

"Sandwiched between their "once upon a time" and "happily ever after," they all had to experience great adversity. Why must all experience sadness and tragedy?...The scriptures tell us there must be opposition in all things, for without it we could not discern the sweet from the bitter...Adversity helps to develop a depth of character that comes in no other way. Our loving Heavenly Father has set us in a world filled with challenges and trials so that we, through opposition, can learn wisdom, become stronger, and experience joy."("Your Happily Ever After")

The world is filled with "bad fruit" and if we let it get to us, we too will become bad. But if we stand strong, we can be the good fruit that lasts through the days to the happy ending that we have been promised. Dan Clark spoke at today's devotional in the Marriott, and he talked about how we become like the people we spend time with. He compared it to putting one sick and one healthy child in a room together- you will get two sick children. (Brother Clark's talk was really good, I may do a separate post on parts of it).

This is coming down to the same thing that I've said so many times before: If we do our best and work our hardest towards the light, then we will reach our happy ending. We will be able to live with our Father again, as long as we strive to get there.

So don't stop moving forward! Don't give up, because if you keep moving, you will get a happy ending.

Testimony

Today was Fast Sunday for my ward, which means we got to listen to and bear our own testimonies. I did not get up and bear mine, but I'd like to now.

While the Sacrament was being passed today, I had a thought. In our ward, we meet in the Tanner Building on BYU Campus. This is a building where classes are held. And a building where sacred ordinances like the Sacrament can take place. What a miracle it is, that we can have the Sacrament wherever we may meet, even if it isn't in an official meetinghouse. We can partake of this ordinance wherever we have a worthy priesthood holder, and that is truly a gift from God.

Modern technology is also a gift. We can watch- and rewatch!- Conference broadcasts, Mormon messages, devotionals, anything. We can read the scriptures and counsel from our leaders. We can even engage in discussion and missionary work with people who are halfway around the world! That is something people could never even have dreamed of years ago. We talked in Sunday School today about Isaiah. Specifically Isaiah 5:29 (which reference I was just able to find again using the search function in the app on my phone...) where it prophesies of the last days.

We talked about how Isaiah would describe the last days, including things such as airplanes. In the scripture, it says the lion will "carry [its prey] away safe" which is funny because usually a lion's prey isn't what most people call safe. But an airplane, or a train- they pick up the people, "eat" them, and then deliver them safely to their destination. And they definitely roar.

But imagine, not knowing the concept of an airplane or a train. Imagine someone explaining it to you this way- how confusing that would be! But we don't have to worry about that, because we're raised knowing about it. We live in a world of marvels, things that once couldn't be comprehended. And all of this technology can be used in the work of the Lord. That is amazing.

The Lord has done a great work in our world, and we are blessed to be a part of it. And He still has time for each of us personally. He knows us, loves us, cares for us, and guides us. It is a long held conviction of mine, one that has not yet been proved wrong, that if we do our best, the Lord will ensure that everything falls into place for our good. If we live, trusting in Him, and working towards a better future, we will find our paths made smooth. This I believe.

"Trust in God and believe in good things to come." -Jeffrey R Holland

God and Miracles

Scientists can sometimes act like science somehow proves there is no God. Because everything has an order, everything can be explained. There are no miracles right? I think they have the wrong definition of miracle.

That everything has a place is a miracle to me. What kind of great creator could cause everything, every piece of our universe to fit together on its own without any need for divine interference? The complicated rules, the chemistry, the science, the atomic particles, the harmony in an ecosystem in balance, just the fact that there is so much to discover and that everything has a place, that is pretty miraculous to me.

If the definition of a miracle is something happening that defies all normal laws, then perhaps there are no miracles. But stop and consider the great artistry of our universe once in a while, and you might be surprised what you find. I find miracles.

This is an old piece- I was looking through old notes and found it, and rather liked it! So here it is

Salvation For All

I love 2 Nephi 26. There are so many gems of scripture. I especially love verses 24-33. In case you haven't read them, find it here.

These verses deal with the subject of salvation. But it's not the "be righteous or get thrust down to hell" kind of talk. Rather, it's the "salvation is for all men" and, one of my favorite quotes from the beginning of verse 24, "He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world."

There's so much negative in the world, sometimes it's nice to hear the positive.

"Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price."

The Lord denies no one. Christ denies no one. Not a single one! Not Hitler, not James Holmes, not abusers, murderers, not any one. It doesn't matter how heinous their crimes- if they come with a broken heart and contrite spirit, if they are willing and ready to change, and accept the consequences from their actions, then he will take them in and give them a chance. I truly believe that. I believe that if we are willing to do all He asks of us, that He will take us in and help us repent.

"Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance."

He will love us all forever, and if we come, His door is open to the last day. He knows we are imperfect. The Lord works with, in, and through imperfect people. How miraculous it is, what He can do. And no matter what happens, He will love and forgive us.

"He inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile."

Not Whitman

Written in Missionary Prep class. No relation to Whitman except the phrase. Whitman was a far better poet than I could ever claim to be.

O Captain my Captain
How great thou art
How glorious, how generous
Thy blessings impart
We unworthy servants
On this earth below
Do all we can do
Our love we shall show
O Captain my Captain
My Father, my friend
Always by my side
You'll stay until the end
And though I'm inconstant
Thy child I'll be
And learn of thee, Father
And sit at thy knee

Faith and Doubt

Faith is a funny thing. It is a belief in a thing without proof of it. It is, as Alma says, "hope for things which are not seen, which are true" (Alma 32:21). I think a lot of prove get faith wrong, in the sense that faith is not perfect. It is not knowledge- the two are in fact entirely different.

One of my favorite scriptures is in Ether 3:19. This is right after the brother of Jared has seen the Lord. It says, and this is my favorite part, that "he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting."

The part that really hits me is the part about "faith no longer." Faith does not exist in the presence of concrete knowledge. It is transformed into something else. This means that doubt must be inherent in faith. There must always be that portion of my mind that asks "what if I'm wrong?" That is what makes it faith. 

I am not sure that anyone on the world today, excepting perhaps prophets and apostles, could have a concrete knowledge of the existence of God. Yet I also believe that the portion of a person that doubts can be made smaller and smaller until it is very nearly nonexistent. Yet, the point is that it is still there. It can catch us unawares at the worst of times.

Faith is necessary to agency, as well. If we all knew that He existed, if we had seen Him, what would be left to choose? Of course we'd follow the right path, because we'd know for certain it was right. Doubt is necessary to agency. When a person knows something is true, they are not at all likely to act in a way contrary to that knowledge. If it is overcast, a person will often wear warmer clothes or carry an umbrella because they know that overcast often means rain. This is not to say we as people never act against our knowledge, because we do, but it is less likely, and I believe that knowledge like that could change or destroy our agency.

This means that a certain amount of doubt is necessary to God's plan for us. Doubt allows for a much richer experience. It opens our minds, it encourages discovery and learning. It engenders strength in opposition. It takes great strength to take a path that you sometimes doubt, and stay firm in the face of persecution, of other convincing views. Doubt is a great thing, as long as it does not take over. As long as it doesn't stop us from acting. Doubt is great when it is a catalyst for action in search of truth.