Heart, Mind and Strength - 2 Nephi 25:29

I'm going to love the Facebook Page "Read the Book of Mormon in 365 Days".  Today's question comes from 2 Nephi 25:29.

“What do you think it means to worship the Lord with all your heart, might, and strength?” 

What does it mean to worship someone or something?  The dictionary uses the following words in the definition of  “worship”:  feelings of reverence, adoration for deity, ceremony, devote, pay homage, honor.

Are my actions reverent enough to say I worship the Lord with ALL my heart, might and strength?  Do I adore my Lord and Savior?  What does it mean to adore someone?  Again, the dictionary says to “love and respect”.  If we love someone, don’t we do what they ask us to do?  Do we do it because of fear or respect?  How about trust?  Haven’t I learned that when I keep the Lord’s commandments, I am blessed? 

Ceremony - Hmmmm, think on it.  Sacrament, temple ordinances - for self and for deceased, prayer – daily and throughout the day.

Devote - To “devote” means to give all or the largest portion.  Are my time, talents and everything the Lord has given me devoted to serving the Lord in His purposes? If not, should this be tweaked so that I am in line with proper worship of the Lord, aka “all my heart, might and strength”? 

Homage – Special honor.  What exactly does that look like – to honor someone?  Oh wow!  The dictionary spells that out in a very temporal way.  “His portrait hangs in a place of honor.”  Do I have pictures of the Savior throughout my home?  Do I sing praises to the Lord?  Do I adhere to his code of conduct?  If so, I’m honoring Him.

So in answer to your question, I would say I’m at least on the right track of worshiping the Lord with all my heart, might, and strength.  Could I do more?  We can always do more.  Today must always be an improvement over yesterday.  Seeing the Lord’s hand and recognizing his gifts in all that surrounds me is one way I can do that.  Yes, it is a joy to worship throughout my day – all day. 

Stand for Truth and Righteousness

I had an epiphany last night that I wonder why I’ve not thought of before. 

There is a real movement going on in the country currently on the rights of homosexuals, (i.e. gays, lesbians, transvestites, etc.)  The country, and even our righteous members, are being quite divided on this issue. 

The prophet and apostles of God sent out a Proclamation on the Family in 1995 that was truly inspired.  We were nowhere near having the troubles with same-sex attraction that we are today, and it seemed a little odd though definitely inspired.  It stated that marriage is to be between a man and a woman who are married.  It says a whole lot more, but that is the point of this journal entry. 

We’ve been told in numerous scriptures that in the latter days, we will need to heed carefully the words of the prophets to navigate through this sinful world and avoid the pitfalls of Satan.  This is truly one of those pitfalls.  As I was reading posts on Facebook last night, there was a particularly long string on the rights of the people to love the way they choose to love, and that people shouldn’t be deprived of this right.  What?!  There were several of my nieces and nephews who chimed in on this conversation, and I was stunned.  Even the very elect shall be deceived. Joseph Smith – Matthew 1:22  says: “For in those days there shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant.”  Many of these young people are covenant people.

I can’t say that those fighting for same-gender marriage have shown forth any great signs.  They do make a pretty good argument on why it should be allowed.  But it is against God’s commandment that marriage is between a man and a woman ordained of God.  It is a mockery! 

For years the Young Women have been reciting the YW Theme and Values:

WE ARE DAUGHTERS of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. WE WILL “STAND as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places”  (Mosiah 18:9) as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith • Divine Nature • Individual Worth • Knowledge • Choice and Accountability • Good Works • Integrity • and Virtue

WE BELIEVE as we come to accept and act upon these values, WE WILL BE PREPARED to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

Mosiah 18:9 contains the covenants we make at baptism, so this includes men as well.  This is what I’m talking about.  Is making a comment of logic for Gays and Lesbians on a Facebook string standing for truth and righteousness?  I contend that it is NOT!  This is one of many opportunities we will have in what I see to be our very near future to stand for truth and righteousness.  The tests will most likely get harder; the stakes higher.  This is a good one to cut our teeth on, if we haven’t been called on before to make a stand on something. 

I wrote the above about two months ago.  Since then, I have been interviewed to have my Temple recommend renewed.  It is quite clear that this issue would be included in the questions asked.  We need to remember what STANDING FOR TRUTH really means.

Scriptures vs. Christ's Physical Presence

In Luke 18 Jesus tells the disciples not to keep the little children from him, “. . . for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”  Then I read in 3 Nephi 17 where he stands in the middle of the little children and there is a miraculous encircling of fire around them.  Jesus prays to the Father for them.  The multitude is witnessing this and tears fill their eyes.  It isn’t recorded what Jesus said because “. . . no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father.”

What is it that makes this particular prayer different?  Is it this prayer that gives these children the faith they need to pass the blessings of this day onto four generations before it is weakened?  If I heard the Savior pray for me, would I be more faithful?  Would I serve Him all the days of my life?  Would I be His disciple to the end?  They had this amazing, miraculous experience, but I have the scriptures.  I can read them daily and be blessed one drop at a time that my testimony will grow and endure the trials of this generation, which are great.  Is being encircled in the Savior’s love physically in a group of other children any different than being encircled by His love when I read the scriptures?  I can make it just as miraculous; I believe it to be so.  Reading the scriptures helps me know my Savior loves me, and that He prays for me as well.  My task is to behave in such a way as to be worthy of these blessings in my life.  That is where my faith is tested.

Bondage and The Last Days

This morning I read Elder Quentin L. Cook’s 2013 October conference talk on bondage.  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/lamentations-of-jeremiah-beware-of-bondage?lang=eng

There are so many ways to be in bondage I feel like I’m walking along the shores of a shark-infested, alligator-infested shoreline.  If that wasn’t enough, I read Luke 21 where the Savior is calling out the divers troubles of the Last Days and warning against them.

• Wars and rumors of wars
• Nation wars against nation
• Earthquakes
• Famines
• Pestilences
• Persecution of righteous
• Armies in Jerusalem
• Distress in the land (could this be pollution which is certainly stressing us!  All the illegal edicts coming down from the Federal government with no voice from the people.  Now that’s distressing!)
• Sea and waves roaring (tsunami’s)
• Men’s hearts fail them for fear
• THEN we shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory (v27)

But all these things will serve as a testimony (and strengthening) if we choose.  I like v15 where it says “I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.”  I will have a voice to speak and the Lord will put the wisdom into that voice.  This is particularly interesting to me given the conversation I had with my husband last night.  Will I have the strength and power to “fight”?  Will it be in hand-to-hand combat as the Nephites experienced?  Or will my part be in the form of bearing testimony and physically supporting i.e. providing food, clothing, caring those who are actually in the battle? 

Then I read a most poignant message designed especially for me given the frustrating day I had yesterday, and I won’t go into detail.  Verse 19 “In your patience possess ye your souls.”  [sigh]  This comes just after the verses where I can expect loved ones of any relation to betray me and hate me because I love my Savior.  This said, maybe my frustrating day yesterday is for a purpose.  Am I learning to be patient?  Not as much as I should.  So I must learn to deal with the frustration of children who are wandering off the path and flirting with the alligator and shark-infested waters.  They too much decide to choose to stay clear of those things that will harm them and bring them into bondage, just as I have and just as I’m still doing.   

All Flesh Shall See it Together

Moroni 3:4 And after this manner did they ordain priests and teachers, according to the gifts and callings of God unto men; and they ordained them by the power of the Holy Ghost, which was in them.

As I read Moroni 3:4, I asked myself what these "gifts" are.  I love the ease with which we can search these things:

• Spirit of God (HG)
• Wisdom
• Understanding
• Knowledge
• All manner of workmanship (What is that?  Just about any creative process man can conceive, I would think.  Prior to the Holy Ghost becoming a part of my life, creating was not in my life in any form I can remember.) Exodus 31:3
• Wisdom to be able to run the affairs of the kingdom - Ex. 36:1 -
• Spirit of prophecy - Numbers 11:25 –
• Cast out devils; speak with new tongues – Mark 16:17
• Power to heal - Acts 10:38
• Power to be a witness - Acts 1:8
• But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God – Acts 7:55 Moses 1: 55 – (Also Acts 7:55, Moses sees God’s work and glory)

This last one hit a spiritual nerve.  Yesterday as I was studying/memorizing paragraph 9 of The Living Christ, I had a little epiphany.  The apostles said: “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).

What is the glory of the Lord?  Moses 1:39 – “Behold, this is my work and my glory – to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”

Will we be transfigured when we see it, as was Moses? (Moses 1), Or -

Will we be dead when we see the glory of the Lord?  No, that doesn’t make sense to me.

When Moses saw Satan (after he’d seen the Lord’s glory, which is the world, worlds without number and ends thereof – EVERYTHING – Moses saw it!) – afterward, when he was conversing with Satan, he couldn’t see anything!  When we see the glory of the Lord, we will see all the works that were shown unto Moses. (Moses 1)  So, like it says in Isaiah 40:5 “. . .all flesh shall see it together.” 

One more thought:  From D&C 93:29- 37 - Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.

 30 All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence.

 31 Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light.

 32 And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation.

 33 For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy;

 34 And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy.

 35 The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled, God shall destroy that temple.

 36 The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.

 37 Light and truth forsake that evil one.

So this brings me another question.  When all flesh shall see it together, will the Holy Ghost be upon them?  Clyde says, no, because at that point they know – they can see it.  D&C 93 makes that one quite clear.