Course Correction?

Mormon 2

Mormon describes the sad state of the Nepites. He is their leader, but he has little hope they will change and become a righteous people again. Wars continue in spite of their gathering together. Wickedness is everywhere.

I'm impressed with Mormon. He was just a young boy (10) when he was told he would become the steward of the brass plates when he grew up. All his life he was exposed to their wickedness and abomations. Yet he says in v19, “nevertheless, I know that I shall be lifted up at the last day.” How is it that some people can deal with the perversions around them and others fall so easily? I wish I could have an answer to this. I can only suppose it has something to do with who we were before we were born. Were we fully on board and committed as spirit children? We know we chose the Lord's plan, or we wouldn't be on this earth.

The Nephites were successful in one battle against the Lamanites. However, Mormon says in v 26, “. . . nevertheless, the strength of the Lord was not with us; yea, we were left to ourselves. . . weak. . .” This is the state those who fight against the Lord are in. Those who have broken their covenants with the Lord can expect the same. They should not be surprised when they are weak. Should they experience success, it will only be for a time and they would never give the Lord credit, nor would it be because of the Lord.

Sometimes I have a hard time finding application to me today. It is very easy to be finger pointing toward those who do not keep their covenants. When there is complaint about not having the blessings they desire, what am I to say? "Of course you're not being blessed. Is there a reason why you should be?"  Conversely, there are those who keep their covenants and blessings seem to be withheld. Interesting that those people will give the Lord credit for the smallest of blessings and see his hand in their lives.  Again, what makes the difference?  I believe it is who we were before we came to this earth.

This chapter is one to be remembered when things go wrong. When they do, it might be a good idea to do a reality check and be sure I can see blessings or would I be among those who “. . . curse God, and wish to die”? (v15)  If so, maybe I have crossed the line and need to make a course correction.    

Sunday School answers

The Book of Mormon

Wickedness becomes so widespread that the Lord takes the disciples (3 Nephites) away. No miracles; no gifts. The people willfully rebelled against God. The land was cursed because of their wickedness. Their possessions became slippery because the land was cursed. There were sorceries, witchcrafts and magics, and the power of Satan was over all the land.

What a depressing synopsis! How I pray things don't get so wicked that our Apostles are removed from the land. I need to restudy the last days and see if this is possible.

Were there really no miracles and no gifts, or were they so hardened that they could not see them? Obviously, Mormon was ministered to by angels and knew of God's goodness.

The phrase that sticks out to me today is “they willfully rebelled against their God”. I've seen this and it is not a pretty thing. I've also seen the resulting consequences. When a person who has had the light willfully rebells, they can't see the forest for the trees. They don't see a blessing or a gift. What are some of the gifts? Certainly the Holy Ghost. You can't feel his presence because your heart is hardened and unable to receive. You don't see the blessings of family, friends, gospel truths. You are basically blind to the things of the Lord.

So how does this change? I've been there. What did I do to turn it around? I was miserable and although substance abuse was not an issue, I was addicted to what was normal for me. They say a known bad is better than an unknown possible good. Certainly this was the case with me. However, one day something was so bad that I remembered. What did I remember? That just maybe I had a Heavenly Father who would answer a simple prayer. I wasn't even smart enough to pray as I had been taught as a child. I simply said: “Heavenly Father. I give up. I'll do whatever it takes to be happy again.” It was at this point that miracles began to happen in my life. No matter what it was, I did it. It wasn't all easy. Tiny baby steps, I changed my life. And today, that period of my life seems as but a dream. If I didn't have a daughter and her family as a result of it, I could easily forget it ever happened.

So how does this apply to me and you today? This is the Sunday School answer, but a solid truth – daily scripture, prayer, FHE, temple attendance and service. Serve, serve, serve. There are people in worse shape than you. They are easy to find. Lift them. It doesn't take a lot. A smile; ask them about their day or their family. Go out of your way to make the life of someone else just a little better. Think on it. When was the last time you served and it wasn't part of your paycheck? How did it make you feel?  

Pride, selfishness

4^th Nephi

The best of times; the worst of times

There is so much to comment on here that one doesn't even know where to begin. From the time Christ appears to the people until about 200 years, there is peace in the land. They live the law of consecration with no contentions among them. What a joyful time that must have been! Why? Because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people (V15).

But this changes, and Satan begins to have success again. What happened? Pride. Selfishness. Verses 26 through 43 basically give the steps to apostasy.

1. Division among people (class distinctions)
2. Churches did receive all manner of wickedness
3. Denied miracles
4. Persecuted the believers of Christ
5. Children were taught to hate believers

The one that jumped out at me is #2. How does a church receive all manner of wickedness? By administering the sacred ordinances to those not worthy who then trample under feet those things we hold sacred. The sacred “thing” that stands out to me today – because of the news, is that of marriage. States are now making it legal for same sex marriage. Is this not “receiving” wickedness? As I watch faithful members of the church fall away, I see them imagine injustices they have received and become bitter toward the church. They pass this onto their children and their children's children. It is not hard to see how after 200 years it is possible for an entire nation to dwindle in unbelief.

So how does this apply to me? What can I change in my life to prevent such tragedy? 

A sticky note I have in my scriptures quotes Millet and McConkie's, BOM Commentary:  "Once a people begin to focus on themselves they are no longer in a position to focus on the needs of others."   Can I prevent this happening on a personal level? Absolutely!  How do I do my part to keep it from happening on a more global sphere? Therein lies the real problem. Satan has gotten his teeth into the muscle of our world. There is such selfishness and sin in the world, one wonders how we will ever turn it around. Alas, I can only do my best to influence those in my small circle, and hopefully they will influence those in their small circles and then perhaps the world can be a little better. At least our part of the world. But if 4^th Nephi is indeed a parallel of what we have to look forward to (as prophets have told us), we can see that it is only going to get worse. It is our duty to keep our family ties loving and close. It is only in the family where we can know the peace that the Nephites had in the first half of 4^th Nephi.

To spurn or Embrace - Choice is mine!

3 Nephi 29 & 30

I think it is Nephi who is warning us! He is telling us that when the Book of Mormon comes forth, (and it has or I wouldn't be writing this), that the gathering of Israel and all the promises that attend it have begun. His counsel to those who reject latter-day revelations and gifts.

This is a sobering chapter in the Book of Mormon. If you read it and are not on track, it stings. When you read it and you are on track, you ache for those of your loved ones who come under the category of “non-believer”.

In v5, Nephi says “Wo unto him that spurneth at the doings of the Lord; yea, wo unto him that shall deny the Christ and his works!”

To spurn means tread or trample, scorn, decline, reject the words of the Lord. To contend with the ways of God.

“Wo” - just the very sound of this word makes you now it's not a good thing. I can't find the definition in the Webster Dictionary, however Mormon 9:26 says he who denies the things of the Lord will wonder and perish. This is enough definition for me to know he who spurneth the doings of the Lord is not in a good place.

V7 tells what those who spurneth can expect: “. . . shall become like unto the son of perdition, for whom there was no mercy, according to the word of Christ!” I can think of nothing more frightening and demeaning than to be consigned to be in the same camp as Satan who is the son of perdition. I suppose we can deny this all we want, but at the end of the day, what the Lord has promised will be fulfilled. We've seen enough prophecies already come forth that there really is no room for doubt. All we can hope for is that we and those of our loved ones who don't get it will get it before it is too late.

Chapter 30:2 gives us further warning and invitation: “Turn, all ye Gentiles from your wicked ways; and repent of your evil doings. . . and be filled with the Holy Ghost. . .that ye may be numbered with my people who are of the House of Israel.”

I love it when I see a pattern in the scriptures. This verse is Article of Faith #4 – aka the First Principles of the Gospel: Faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism and receive the Holy Ghost. There are numerous places in the scriptures where, in so many words, this is placed. Do you think it might be important? Is it pretty simple? I think so.

So how does this apply to me today? I'd like to say “carry on”, but there is always room to improve and I need to pray that God will show me my weaknesses that they can become strengths.   

What can I do?

3 Nephi 28

The twelve are asked what they would want from Jesus. Nine inherit Christ's kingdom; The Three Nephites desire to never taste death but to minister always among men until the second coming of Christ.

In verse 1, Christ gives an excellent example of how to minister: “What is it that ye desire of me. . .” I need to remember this as I serve. It's simple enough. Then in verse 9, we're given the reason why: “. . . that ye might bring the souls of men unto me. . .” This needs to be our purpose in serving as well.

Verse 20 has a curious phrase: “. . . they did smite the earth with the word of God, insomuch that by his power they were delivered out of the depths of the earth; and therefore they could not dig pits sufficient to hold them.” How do you smite the earth with the word of God? It's not preaching. I would suspect they used Priesthood power to do whatever was required to free them – much the same as the way the earth was created in the beginning. In reading Genesis 1, all of creation was done by the word of God, i.e. “. . . and God said. . .”

Verse 35 – I love this phrase! “. . . do ye suppose that ye can get rid of the justice of an offended God, who hath been trampled under feet of men, . . .” Do you really think that just because you say you don't believe it, that God is not going to take offense, that there will be no consequence? The phrase just before this one says it all and should be enough to make anyone shake in their boots: And it would be better for them if they had not been born.

So exactly how does this all apply to me today? Certainly as I serve in my church calling I need to remember to ask what someone needs of me and my purpose needs to be to bring the souls of men unto our Savior. But it goes one step further. Why? Why is this so important? To prevent any of my brothers or sisters – God's children - from ever wishing that they had not been born. To help them in their quest for truth so that they do not offend God. And therein lies the problem. I have but little power to prevent anyone from doing anything. Nothing makes this more clear than raising children. It is the power of the Holy Ghost that has that power. My duty is to bear testimony at every opportunity so that the Holy Ghost can do his job.

Have you received His image in your Countenance?

3 Nephi 27

Jesus gives the name of his church, and spells out his gospel. He commands the people to repent, be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. They are to be even as Jesus is.

I've always marveled at idea that the people wanted to know what to call the church. It is such logic to me that it doesn't even need to be talked about. Could it be because I was raised with this logic? And then in v11 it says “. . . they will have joy in their works for a season. . .” v12 “For their works do follow them. . . and they are hewn down. . .” You see that in a lot of upstart religions. They remind me a lot of shooting stars, though there is nothing illuminating about them in the least. In fact, many of them are frightening.

I've especially enjoyed reading about the Doctrine of Christ (v13-22). It's so simple! It is basically the 4^th Article of Faith. And then in v21we are told to do what we have seen the Savior do. What did He do? He was loving at every turn. Until we develop that same kind of love, there is room to grow.

It saddens me when he talks about the fourth generation falling away and “. . . turning their works upon their own heads.” (v32) We know when we keep reading that this prophecy is fulfilled. But what exactly does it mean when our works are turned upon our own heads? We have some really righteous people as examples whose countenance really shines and we are drawn to them like magnets. They don't seem to be getting older, but rather better. Well, this works in the opposite direction as well. As people embrace a self-centered and indulgent lifestyle, their countenance becomes hardened. It is almost embarrassing to be in their presence because you feel sad for what they have lost and what they have become. They have a hardened look.

I've seen it both ways. I've seen the hardened reach out and embrace gospel principles and become beautiful in the process. Their countenance changes and it is as if “their works are turned upon their own heads”. Isn't it a person's head (face) where we make our first opinion?  Maybe this interpretation is just a little too literal.

So how does this apply to me today? Is there vanity involved in this at all? Maybe. I want ever so badly not to have that hardened look. I want to have my countenance shine and therefore, I must continue in my faith, repenting when I slip up (as we all do), and keep moving forward, aka enduring to the end.   

My responsibility both directions

3 Nephi 25-26

Jesus makes it quite clear that the generations need to be connected. In chapter 26 he expounds from the beginning to the end and Babes and children utter marvelous things – so much so that they cannot be written. The people of the church (which I assume is everyone there at this point), have all things in common. In other words, they are living the law of consecration.

Oh how I would love to see how this all worked. In Ch 25 v 1 Christ mentions that the proud and they who do wickedly will burn as stubble and be left without root or branch. What does that mean exactly? Well, if I was without root, would I not be without ancestors? If I was without branch, that would obviously be without children. But you can't say I don't have parents. I was born. You can't say I don't have children, because I do. It must mean that when I leave this earthly existence, that I will be alone somehow. I will be without those who mean the very most to me – my family! When we turn our backs on the teachings of the gospel, we are walking away from our family into a world where we will really be alone. As silly as this sounds, there's going to be a whole lot of company in that aloneness.

Then Jesus tells them (Ch. 25) that Elijah will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers, “lest I come and smite the earth with a curse”. What would that curse be? Just that – being without family. Not valuing family – going it alone. I wrote in the margin of my scriptures at some point that neglecting FHE (Family Home Evening) is as serious as neglecting to do genealogy. How so? Because if we do not teach these things to our children, they will not learn the gravity of living righteous lives, thinking they can do as they please without effect. I cannot think of much worse than being alone in a sea of others who are alone.

It's almost not fair to have read two chapters, because Chapter 26 is also full of good stuff. Can you imagine being in a gathering where little babes are speaking? It definitely gives credence to the book I read recently “Trailing Clouds of Glory”. I've taken a little flack on this book when I've talked about it to some family members. “Little children don't talk” they say. Well, they can. They have, and I have no doubt that they still do at times.

So how does this apply to me? What do I need to change or improve upon? Oh how I pray my temple attendance counts as genealogy. I need to index more. I need to fight harder for those of my children who struggle with their testimonies. How exactly can I do that? My days of actually teaching them are over. They wouldn't listen if I tried. All I can do is set a righteous example. Be happy. I know from experience that happiness is quite elusive when we are not living righteous lives. Conversely, happiness is a byproduct of every day when I am living the principles of the gospel and serving as I have been asked. Yes, service is a major part of the gospel. In it we find the joy that cannot be found in any other way. I have got to pick the pace up in that department. There is always room for improvement. Makes me tired to think about it.