Hell is a place! It is also a state of mind.

Mormon 9 – So many nuggets!

As I was reading this chapter this morning it was almost with a new set of eyes.  I have read the Book of Mormon dozens of times.  But this time I saw nuggets that in the past did not stand out.  Why is this – especially given the fact I feel a little punk today?  It has something to do with “drops of oil”.  Each time I read anything pertaining to the gospel of Jesus Christ, I am adding to my lamp the drops of oil spoken of in the scriptures. 

I sat and stared at Mormon 9:2 for minutes before I moved on.  Let’s see if I can commit to paper what my mind was doing – and why.  I’ll start with the why.  My granddaughter, Tyler, is the sweetest teenager.  She has figured out that I really love to “chew on the scriptures” and occasionally will send me a text with a question pertaining to the Gospel.  She asked me about Hell the other day.  She asked me after reading 3 Nephi 12:30 if hell is a place.  “. . . is there a hell or does it mean that they will experience hell like conditions in the afterlife?”  My reply was sufficient and probably more than she wanted, but chewing on this one verse today was even better.

“Behold, will ye believe in the day of your visitation – behold, when the Lord shall come, yea, even that great day . . . . (from The Living Christ it says:  “We testify that He will someday return to earth And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” Isaiah 40:5). This is what the day of your visitation means?  We will all see the Lord come at the same time.  I’ve pondered that statement numerous times.  What is that going to look like?  I have no idea, but I have no doubt that it will be seen by all of us at the same time.  Yes, it will be a great day!

Moving on:  “. . . when the earth shall be rolled together as a scroll, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, yea, in that great day when ye shall be brought to stand before the Lamb of God. . .”  Why did this stop me in my tracks?  In D&C 130:9 “The earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon (This is a place.), whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom (do you get this?  Inferior kingdom is the Telestial kingdom). . . or all kingdoms of a lower order, (think Telestial Kingdom here), will be manifest to those who dwell on it; (who will be dwelling on the Telestial Kingdom? Read D&C 76:83-86) and this earth will be Christ’s”.  Those who dwell in the Telestial Kingdom, aka the earth as we know it, will have become as a sea of glass and easy to read. . . Will be able to see.  Even though we’ve been told even the Telestial Kingdom will be a place of glory.  D&C 76: 84 says “. . . they are thrust down to hell.”  This earth, in its sanctified state, will be the hell spoken of in the scriptures!  It is a place.  It will also be a state of mind though because we will see with clarity those things we might have had, and chose not to have. What do you suppose your mind is going to feel like at that point if you “qualify” to live in the Telestial Kingdom?  I can’t think I’d be real happy about it.  That would definitely describe hell to me.

My morning is moving a lot faster than I am.  I could chew on this a long time.  Yes, the scriptures are full of nuggets.  This chapter is dense with them.  I love reading the scriptures and finding a nugget I can chew on.  I love my Savior, Jesus Christ and his patience with me in this process – and it is a process.  As I wrote earlier, one drop at a time, or line upon line as Joseph Smith wrote (D&C 98:12). 

Revelation 12 - Flood of Water

My time in the scriptures this morning was so enjoyable.  I read from the Book of Mormon and then went to Revelations where I’m reading it again.  I have noticed something.  The more I read, the more I understand what I’m reading.  Awesome!

I read Revelation 12 this morning where it talks about the apostasy and the war in heaven, which continues on the earth today.  Oh brother does it!  The “woman” (v1 and throughout the chapter), is the Church. The “man child” (v5) is the Priesthood.  Of course, we know the “rod of iron” is the word of God, more specifically the Book of Mormon, and Satan’s war to keep that from coming forth was and continues to be relentless.  He does NOT want us to read it and learn of the truth. 

The “wilderness” (v6) I believe is Utah, or what has become Utah.  We know it wasn’t a state when the saints first arrived here, but it was wilderness.  That was my thought this morning.  Verse 15 was an eye opener to me.  “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.”  The serpent (Satan) cast out of his mouth a flood of water after the woman (the Church).  Never in our history as we know it has the world been flooded with such filth and sleaze as we see daily on the Internet, news, in the work place and it has even slipped into some of the higher echelons of our own beloved Church.  Could this not be considered a flood?  What is the definition of a flood?  “An overflowing of a large amount of water beyond its normal confines. . .”  Certainly evil has spread to every corner of the world.  Could it not be considered as an outright assault against the Lord’s Church – a war (v17) to destroy the remnant of her seed – us! 

I feel sad at the casualties of this war.  I see them daily – some my own family members.  It is heartbreaking.  But I have the faith that the Lord is in charge of this and He will prevail.  I want to be on the winning side of this war.  When I see big trees fall (Priesthood leaders in the Church), it is such a sad thing to me.  Yet we’ve been told that even the very elect will be deceived.  Matthew 24:24 – “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”  I’m having a hard time seeing how a Priesthood leader can be deceived when it comes to a sexual transgression, but we are seeing some serious offenses in this arena. 

We can never let our guard down.  We can never think that we are immune from this flood.  We must read from the scriptures daily, pray for strength to overcome the adversities in this world, attend our meetings and the temple.  These are the tools the Lord has given us to inoculate us against this flood. 

Mormon 2 - Parenting 101 - Patience, Forbearance

Mormon 2

As I read Mormon 2 this morning I couldn’t help but compare it to parenting.  Mormon’s forbearance with his people emulates our Heavenly Father’s patience with each of us.  We are constantly being encouraged to return to Him - to keep His commandments so that we can.  Some still shake their fists and wish to die (v14).  I actually see it in my own family.  They’re mad at God for not giving them the things they thought they deserved and prayed for, when they give no thought to the things God has asked of them so He can bless them with the things that will bring lasting happiness.  It is a head scratcher to me.  Surely verse 15 rings a bell:  “open rebellion against their God”.  You can keep reading that verse and get quite uncomfortable with what is in store for those who are in open rebellion.

Almost as if by design, the conference talk we listened to this morning was W. Christopher Waddell’s talk, “Turn to the Lord”.  There will always be hard things we are required to go through - some harder than others.  That is why we have put put on this earth – to learn from our experiences and trials.  My daughter’s trials were extreme.  Her eternal companion was mentally ill, inflicting on her terrible things and leading her into a dark abyss.  She was not allowed to have friends who could support her in her trials because of his insecurities and jealousies.  It was a horrible existence.  But rather than turning to the Lord and trusting that he could help her bear her afflictions and knowing that some day she would be “free”, she turned on the Lord – basically shaking her fist at Him.  How could he allow one of his daughters to suffer such afflictions?  How could he not inspire the Priesthood brethren to see the atrocities of their lives?  She threw the entire package out because of the sickness of one person whom she had put her trust in. 

The patience of our Heavenly Father in this Mormon Chapter 2 is an example for us as parents.  We should never give up on our children who have strayed or are angry with God for whatever injustice they feel they have suffered.  God is good.  He does not give up on us.  He loves His children.  It is evidenced all round us.  We too should never give up on our children.  I have a firm testimony that the Lord has a plan in place for each of his children.  I will never forget my own rescue.  It was just time to change.  In my heart I knew it and I was drawn toward it.  I wanted to feel the goodness of the Spirit in my life.  There was no clear understanding of how to do it, but one piece at a time the way was provided.  All it took was the desire.  I’m so grateful for this blessing in my life.  It gives me the strength to hold onto the faith that my own children will have similar experiences.  They are covenant children; I have no reason to believe otherwise.  It may not happen in this life.  But I know they will return.

3 Nephi 24:10-11 - Blessings Abound!

Let’s see if I can capture the thoughts I had when I read this earlier this morning.  Sometimes my scripture study time is not without interruption.  Such was the case this morning.  However, when I read 3 Nephi 24: 10-11, I stopped in my tracks.  We’re supposed to liken the scriptures unto ourselves.  Right?  Well, this time it hit me in a totally different way. 

The first time I remember hearing the phrase, “ . . . and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it”, was from my Dad when he gave me a father’s priesthood blessing for the first time.  I had been encouraged by my missionary friends to ask for a blessing.  This was totally foreign in our family.  I had always thought priesthood blessings were for the sick and dying – not healthy, confused and needy children.  What a novel idea!  I pulled myself together and decided to go to my parents’ home one night and tell them of my journey.  I was turning my life around and I needed courage to do what lay ahead.  I was in a miserable marriage and I wanted out.  I gave it a good try – nine years of my life, and I wanted the life I saw my parents and siblings having.  I was studying the scriptures, going to church as best I could, and I hungered for more – a lot more.  Well, my dad gave me a beautiful blessing.  My parents were happy for the changes I was making and the direction I wanted to go.  In that blessing, he said something to the effect that if I continued on the path I was charting that the Lord would pour out blessings that there would not be room enough to receive them.  I will say that this phrase was prophetic.  I have been abundantly blessed beyond measure.  I am so very grateful!  I’m also grateful for this memory.

As I continued reading this morning, I stopped again to ponder verse 11.  Why have I never noticed this before?  “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes (I’ve noticed this one), and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground . . .”  I have read it and noticed it, but always equated it to the fruits of my labors – like a farmer would his fields.  What are the fruits of my labor?  What are the fruits of my ground?  My children!  I have always had the faith that eventually they will yearn for the warmth of the gospel in their lives again.  I don’t know what beckoned me to return.  It just felt like it was time.  The people in my life were encouraging and it was just the right thing to do.  I have total faith that my children and grandchildren who have wandered off the covenant path will have a similar experience.  I always add this caveat, “If not in this life, then in the next”.   I know we have our agency, and that this is a very important part of Heavenly Father’s plan.  But I also believe what we’ve been told about covenant children.  Somehow, this is all going to work out.  President Hinckley said that numerous times.  They may have to suffer, even as Christ did (D&C 19:16-17), but they will somehow return. 

3 Nephi 22 - It's all about family! It's about peace!

Maybe at times putting "Family" and Peace" in the same sentence seems like a juxtaposition.  Bear with me here.  

3 Nephi 22 is the same as Isaiah 54 – a little hard to understand until you’ve read it a few times.  It starts out talking about the stakes of Zion, and the period of time that the gospel was not on the earth and how desolate and dark things were.  Then Christ starts talking about enlarging the cords and strengthening the stakes.  What are those stakes?  The Stakes of the church.  We are in the process of “gathering” the Lord’s people into the stakes of Zion!  What a beautiful thought, and it is very visible.

Christ tells us to “Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed; neither be thou confounded, for thou shalt not be put to shame; for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. (v4).”  I’m not certain what widowhood is reference to.  Might it be the darkness that is so prevalent when we do not have the gospel in our lives?  Might it be when we did not have covenants to strengthen and protect us?  These are questions; not answers.  This much I know.  I am most grateful for the promise of forgetting the shame of my youth.  Also, I know that it can be forgotten – by me as well as the Lord.  It is a real thing!

Then Christ starts talking about “thy children”.  Oh, I know there is more in this tiny chapter.  These are points I picked out this morning.  But our children shall be taught of the Lord.  We teach them as parents until they leave the safety of our homes.  But it is the Lord who teaches them the real lessons as they make choices of their own and reap the consequences of those choices.  They can choose to stay under the protection of covenants they have made themselves and that we made as their parents.  But the Lord is the real teacher.  Where are the lessons?  There is an instrument spoken of in v16, created by the smith – Joseph Smith!  When he brought forth the Book of Mormon, that was the tool the Lord will use to help gather in his people – our children.  This is their heritage.  But I’ve written a small note at the end of this chapter in my book:  “We can not do it without Christ’s Atonement”.  He suffered the pains of sins for all of us.  Once we realize his role in our lives by reading and gaining testimony of the truths in the Book of Mormon, we can be freed from the destruction that our poor choices have created.  Do the effects of those choices magically disappear?  Of course not!  But the faith we grow will help us see the hand of the Lord in the gathering, sifting, and everything else that is happening in the world and in our own lives.  We will have peace that can’t come from any other source.  Of this I firmly believe.  I see the Lord’s hands in my own life as I was “rescued” and gathered in.  I see opportunities in my own children’s lives that come and go.  When the time is right, something will take them to their knees and they will remember that they were taught of the Lord as children.  They will see that they have been taught in their own foolish choices.  And should they choose to come out of the darkness, the desolate existence they are currently in, then “great shall be the peace of thy children”.