Focus on Eternity

"The great test of this life is obedience." -President Monson

Yesterday, in the self-reliance group I've been attending, we focused on tithing and on obedience to God's commandments (since it's a class on personal finances, it makes sense to talk about tithing.) I was reminded of a principle I learned on my mission- one that can be hard to remember- and that is to focus on eternity.

Much of my issues with anxiety are triggered by thinking about the future. I'm going into college with very little, I'll be trying to work my way through, and if it goes the way I mapped out about a month ago, I'm looking at probably another four years before I graduate. I'll have to make enough money to pay for rent, tuition, groceries, and everything else, while keeping up with homework and of course I still want to have a social life! So there's a lot of uncertainty there. And then, of course, there's the pressure to get married and start a family- which is what I want more than anything else, and therefore is the thing I am the most nervous about. Lately much of what I've faced has then turned around in my head to tell me that I won't be a good wife or a good mother (which is a lie that I am fighting very hard).

Last night, as we talked about tithing, I remembered all the people I talked to on my mission. That was one of the hardest commandments for people to accept, especially those who had little (which is most of the people we taught). But I remember growing up in a home where we paid tithing and generous fast offerings, and even when we didn't have a lot, we had enough. I remember the story of our couch- we needed a new one but couldn't afford it while paying tithing. One day my dad took a different route home from work and saw a piece of a couch (one of the recliners on the end- it's a sectioned couch) in a driveway with a sign that said "free." He went and asked, and we ended up with a long couch, big enough for the whole family, with two recliners and a couch bed. For free. And every time the cars break down, or something in the house needs fixed, it always seems to happen when we have enough to pay for it. I also remembered a couple from my mission- we were meeting with one of our investigators in their home. They told us a story about a time when the husband lost his job, right as they were preparing to send kids on missions and to college. He was offered a job across the country, for significantly less pay, but they felt impressed to accept. As it turns out, the cost of living was so much less that his salary was perfectly manageable. And a few years later, the original company called and asked if he would come back to work for them, and they'd pay whatever he needed. So they ended up with enough money to send their kids on missions and through college, and that may not have happened without all the craziness and stress in the middle.

I was reminded that, even when I can't see how things will work out, how I'll make enough money or be able to keep up without breaking down, if I put it in the Lord's hands, He will make everything work out for my good. That may not mean a big house or two cars, it may not mean graduating four years from now. But it means that it will help me reach my fullest potential- which in the end will matter much more than the job I held or the car I drove or the house I owned. Eternal perspective to me means letting go of those things and holding on to the end goal- the celestial kingdom.

As I thought about that, an interesting question came into my mind. Would I sacrifice being temple worthy to pay my rent?

Seriously. Think about that one.

For me, the temple is a place of peace and guidance. It's where I can recenter myself and be in touch with my Heavenly Father, and grow closer to my Savior. It is the great school that teaches me to prepare to meet God. And someday, I will be sealed there to an eternal companion. Would I give that up because I chose to pay rent over paying tithing?

In the self reliance manual, there is a quote, from a young bishop to a new convert. He said "If paying tithing means you can't pay for water or electricity, pay tithing. If paying tithing means you  can't pay your rent, pay tithing. If paying tithing means you don't have enough money to feed your family, pay tithing. The Lord will not abandon you." The referenced article, in the December 2012 Ensign, goes on to tell how this family made it through- they didn't become rich, but they had enough- and were later sealed in the temple. I think of the resources I have available to me- if I could not make it, I have family that can help me through a rough time. I can go to the bishop and receive temporal aid. But to have that spiritual foundation, that core of faith- no one else can help me with that. I have to be willing to give it all to the Lord, even when I don't understand or see the end from the beginning. I am not willing to give up being able to go to the temple. I am not willing to sacrifice my future eternal family. I am not willing to lose my faith. Temporally, the Lord will provide. Spiritually, the Lord will provide. But I must first put it in His hands.

Remembering this last night gave me a great sense of peace and increased energy and motivation to move forward, something I've been struggling with for a few weeks. I felt an assurance that everything will be alright. I will be able to obtain an education and keep up as long as I continue to work hard. I am taking steps to better care for my mental and physical health, which will give me some of the strength I need. And I will not give up on the Lord.

My challenge to you is to put your trust in Him, and to focus on eternity. That is the only thing that will get us through.

Tossed To And Fro

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (Ephesians 4:11-14). 

These verses have become some of my favorites. Earlier on in the same chapter is a verse we quoted often in my mission- verse 5, which says "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." That verse is one that Joseph Smith read before reading the better-known James 1:5 and having the miraculous experience known as the First Vision. And because of that, because of the First Vision and Joseph's calling as a prophet of the Lord, just as Moses and Abraham and Noah of old, I can find comfort in the verses above, that because of modern apostles and prophets, I need not be "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine." In today's world, that is a big deal. I feel as if the "winds of doctrine" have gone from small breezes to regular hurricane-strength gusts that will carry us away if we aren't holding on to something steady.

On my mission I had an interesting experience with this scripture. For background- while I was serving, the First Presidency sent out a letter and announced changes in the leadership handbook that stated that the children of homosexual couples cannot be baptized until the age of eighteen. My first response was to be a little angry and upset- it seemed unfair and cruel. As missionaries, we talk to a lot of people, and so we heard a wide variety of responses (luckily a member had let us know to expect it, since as missionaries in my mission, we also didn't watch the news or use Facebook or other social media).

Attempting to figure this out was rather hard. But, because I'd had similar dilemmas before, I knew where I'd find answers- in the words of the scriptures and our modern day prophet and apostles, and through the Holy Ghost. So I studied it out. I read a lot. And eventually things began to make a little more sense- although I didn't understand it perfectly, I knew enough to move forward with faith. But this post isn't about this specific policy; it's about the scripture from Ephesians.

We had been meeting with a woman for a short amount of time who had been baptized many years ago but had not been coming to church for a long time (she had the neatest, sweetest dog). And she asked us about this policy. She was offended and felt that it was wrong. She expressed her views and we were able to really talk about it. I tried to share some of what I'd come across in my own studies, but really, she didn't want to listen. Which to me was so sad that, because of her anger, she'd deny the Spirit, and the sure foundation Heavenly Father has provided in His gospel. That's when I remembered this scripture (or the Spirit brought it to my mind), and connected it with another of my favorites, Ether 12:4, which reads "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."

In that moment, the Spirit spoke to me and taught me something very valuable. I learned that the world tells us a lot of things. The world will tell us who we have to be or what we have to think or wear or do to be enough. The world will take doctrine and twist it until it is nearly unrecognizable. Satan will attempt to confuse us and anger us, tell us to be offended and to turn our backs on every truth because of one thing we don't like or 100% agree with. The world will keep throwing words like "bigot" or "cult" or "prejudiced" against us. But when has that ever not been the case? When have God's ways ever been popular in the world? The truth is, staying to the strait and narrow path is not easy, nor should we expect it to be. But because of what we have been blessed with- because of modern day apostles and prophets, because we have that active living revelation through them, and also personally, we have a sure foundation. That is what makes "an anchor to the souls of men." I have something to hold onto when those hurricane winds swirl around me and threaten to rip me apart. We are all to be united. We are all to love one another. And that can be done while staying true to the commandments, whether through ancient or modern prophets. The world will tell us that is impossible. But I can tell you, through experience, that not only is it possible, but it is worth it.

The world often tells me things that seem to make sense. They appear logical at first. But they cause me to have self-doubt, confusion, sadness, and fear. Those are signs to me- signs that I need to take a step back, to look at the eternal perspective through the lens of the Plan of Salvation and guided by the Holy Ghost. Then I can have peace of mind and focus on what is really important. I can live in this world without being of this world- without being tossed about with every new fad, trend, or movement. And I know there are so man people out there who are doing the same, and I am so grateful for you and for the example you set to me and to those around you. The world needs you. Stay strong. And if you're having trouble- turn to the scriptures. Turn to the words of our living prophet. Turn to your Heavenly Father in prayer. Slowly and surely, everything will make sense. Everything will fall into place. I promise you that.

Sunday Series: Hunting For Eternal Treasure

"For he will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept; and I will try you and prove you herewith." (D&C 98:12)

In the book "The Holy Temple" by Boyd K. Packer, it says this:

"When a contractor is to construct a building, he has beforehand...the plans and specifications. It is common procedure for these to be complete in great detail. They show the elevation...to indicate how it will appear from the front, and the sides, and the back...He can then see how the architect envisions the building will look when it is completed. The plans are carefully and minutely drawn, with details included...for electrical outlets, parts of the plumbing and heating systems, etc...This is not so with prophets."

Using the contrast of construction, President Packer is illustrating the principle of "line upon line, precept upon precept." The Lord alone holds all the plans for the details of salvation. We, however, cannot even begin to comprehend such a big picture, especially all at once. So instead, the Lord gives it to us in ways that allow us to grow in understanding.

The way I read it brought to mind a treasure hunt- not the kind with pirate maps, but the kind that I set up as a kid. Each clue (usually written on a sticky note) led to the next clue, which led to the next, and so on. As kids, my siblings and I loved to have treasure hunts, especially for our parents' birthday presents. We'd set up the clues, and most likely, we'd wrapped the first one to give to mom or dad. Then we'd all run throughout the house, following the clues until we reached the end of the line. My parents did this to me for one birthday. It was always a lot of fun, especially because we knew what lay at the end.

For visiting teaching this month, my companion and I shared a message from Elder Pino's conference talk. It's titled "The Eternal Perspective of the Gospel." He quotes President Kimball saying "If we looked at mortality as the whole of existence, then pain, sorrow, failure, and short life would be calamity. But if we look upon life as an eternal thing stretching far into the premortal past and on into the eternal post-death future, then all happenings may be put in proper perspective." The message of eternal perspective is an important one, especially when we understand the nature of our lives.

A long treasure hunt would surely be very frustrating if we did not understand the end of it. Surely we would get distracted and forget about the clues to go play other games. But the gifts at the end of the hunt are often the greatest, and the people you hunt with will make that time into wonderful memories. These are things we cannot understand without eternal perspective. We have to know first of all what the nature of a treasure hunt is, and that the work is worth it for the ending. Then we must follow the clues, line upon line and precept upon precept, until we reach the final goal. And, in addition to the classic treasure hunt, the gospel also expands our minds and teaches us eternal truths. Each "clue" builds upon the one before it, helping reveal the end.

Life is a treasure hunt, and eternity is the goal. This plan of salvation is so beautiful, and its nature so wonderful to us, allowing us to create joy and memories while learning about our goal. My challenge to you is to keep that in mind this week, and perhaps to share it with someone else.

Happy hunting!

Perspective

Yesterday, I was out at my car grabbing rocks out of my trunk and placing them in my bag. As I did this, I began to wonder what anyone walking by would think. Here's this girl, grabbing rocks and putting them in her backpack. Weird.

It got me thinking about perspective, how people do things, act certain ways, and we don't always know the reason why. Often we are asked simply to accept it, or to just treat them kindly, but that does not always happen, because of a limited perspective.

This is heard most when referring to the disabled, that you just have to try to understand. However, it applies equally well to everyone in the world. Trying to understand, giving the other person a chance, works wonders.

You may think you know someone, but do you really know their story?