EQ Lesson 8: The Power of the Word

I've been trying to prepare this post for a week and a half now, but every distraction that could distract me has distracted me! I began reading reading the lesson last week, but had very little ability to get past the first two pages. It was as if I were being blocked by every Earthly hindrance. Upon pondering the problem, I was reminded of the First Vision. When Joseph Smith began his solemn prayer to Heavenly Father, Satan immediately set upon him in an attempt to stop this latter day work from coming forth. I'm no Joseph Smith, but I can testify that Satan will do everything in his power to keep men from doing the work of God.

Upon that enlightenment, I have dedicated myself to the study of this lesson, as I know there are things therein I (and my students) need to learn. So, this can't be any normal lesson, now can it?

As I began studying this lesson I was struck by the fact that this was no ordinary lesson. This lesson was from a special Leadership Training, and President Benson felt that his message to the Leadership was important enough to be printed in the next Ensign, for all the membership to see. As I read, I had an unshakable sense that these words, from the Prophet of God held a great weight, and that in them were promises which if followed, could bless the lives of many.

I also got the sense that the promises made by President Benson fit under the edict found in D&C 130:20-21, that doing as he said would yield very specific, and very powerful blessings.

So, what did President Benson promise? In short, he promises that immersing ourselves in the scriptures daily will give us protection against the adversary, and help us to resist the temptations of our times.

This promise is even more important to us today than it was in 1986. The tempestuous paths our membership can get into today make the 1980's look like simpler, easier, and safer times. Heck, the 80's look innocent in comparison.


So what is it about studying scriptures that makes them so powerful? Here are a few things:

The Word of God

The scriptures are the word of God, but reading the scriptures themselves isn't enough. You can read the scriptures cover to cover and never read anymore than facts and stories. To get the most out of the scriptures we have to have the Holy Ghost with us. This of course, requires prayer. It also requires us to "meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein." (Joshua 1:8) When we meditate on the word of God, it is then that the Lord can "put [his] law in [our] inward parts, and write it in [our] hearts." (Jeremiah 31:33)

Similarly, Moroni instructs to read, ponder, and pray. (Moroni 10:3-5). However, I like to think that meditation has a deeper connotation than pondering. Meditation connotes the making of a spiritual connection to the object of our focus.

The Holy Ghost

For just a moment, I'd like you to think about the scriptures just a little bit differently than you have previously. Think about them as a tool. Not a tool to be more Christlike, repent, or live the Mormon life. No, not even a tool for you. The scriptures are a tool for the Holy Ghost to use on you. Without the Holy Ghost the scriptures are just a collection of rules, stories, and genealogies. With the Holy Ghost however, the Master Carpenter can use the scriptures (as a tool) to form you into something amazing, for it is only the Holy Ghost that teaches our spirits.

Faith

The scriptures give us faith to live the gospel. When we read the scriptures we read what the Lord has done for those who came before us. He parted the red sea. He brought Lehi and his family safely across the ocean. He protected Abinadi as he testified against King Noah. He caused a mighty change of heart in Nephi the Younger. If the Lord has done all these things for others, can he not do the same for us?

Intangibles

One of the common questions I get asked from patients is, "What do I have to do to get out of here?" (I work in inpatient psych.) Usually they're looking for concrete answers, and quite often our staff provide those answers, "Go to groups, take your meds, follow the rules." In my head I'm yelling, "You're missing the point!" The answer is to, "Improve your health, learn to control your actions, increase your hope, and learn how to better manage your life and your illness."

Like my patients, we often lack insight into our spiritual health. "How do I get to the Celestial Kingdom?" "Have faith, repent, be baptized, endure to the end." As nice as it would be, our place in the celestial kingdom will not be held depending on how many check marks we checked on the list of righteousness. We will be judged by our intangibles.


Conclusion

There are of course many more things that can be added to this list. What this lesson comes down to is gaining a testimony of the power of the word of God, not just in the scriptures, but from our modern prophets, and through personal revelation, then acting on that testimony and reading the scriptures, and seeking personal revelation every day.

I want to add my testimony to President Benson's. I have seen great blessings from studying the scriptures often. I am more patient, and kind. I make better decisions based on the promptings of the Spirit. I think less about myself, and more about others. I am better guarded against the world, and better able to live righteously, My decisions are easier to make, because I have a pattern by which to make them. And most of all, I am more receptive to the Holy Spirit, so am able to be guided better by it. In Jesus' holy name, Amen.

What's in a name?

This blog post covers our Stake's Priesthood and Relief Society lesson this week. This lesson is on Russell M. Ballard's talk, "Following up" from the April 2014 General Conference. I'm only discussing the first portion of his talk though, about about using the full name of the church. For this first portion of his talk, Elder Ballard references his talk from October 2011 "The Importance of a name." I recommend reading this talk as well, for a better understanding of the subject.

LAZY MOUTH

Ok, I admit it. I'm bad at this principle. (The name of my blog reflects this.) I've rarely had to explain what a Mormon is. Sometimes I don't have to explain what LDS, or what a Latter-day Saint is. And my mouth is mostly too lazy to say, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" in it's entirety. (Honestly, the epitome of laziness is being too lazy to say 9 more syllables.) Then, I'm too intimidated to explain what being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints means, so I just let people think of me as a Jell-o loving, casserole eating, funeral potato consuming, polygamy practicing, mass producing Mormon, hoping that my example is enough to break their stereotypes.

Is my example enough? HA!

BECAUSE I SAID SO

In Far West Missouri in 1838 Jesus Christ revealed to Joseph Smith: "For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." (D&C 115:4) While "Because I said so" is not a reason most adults will accept, this is pretty much the truth of the matter. Jesus wants his church to be called by his name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It shows reverence and respect to our Savior when we do as he asks, even in the smallest things, like saying extra syllables.

A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME

Ponder a question for me: Is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints still the same church if it is called The Mormon Church? Defensively, you say "yeah, or course! A rose by any other name is still a rose." Let's look at this though. Like any other commandment, the Lord has wisdom in his actions.

WHO'S GONNA SAVE YOU?

The Lord reveals something to us in Doctrine and Covenants 76. D&C 76 was given to us from a vision Joseph Smith witnessed in 1832. This scripture reveals to us the nature of the eternal Kingdoms of God, namely the Celestial, Terrestial, and Telestal glories. I want to bring to your attention one portion of the chapter in particular. As you read this, ponder the name (or name of the church) by which you refer to yourself.

"And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is one.
And the glory of the terrestrial is one, even as the glory of the moon is one.
And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars is one; for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so differs one from another in glory in the telestial world;
For these are they who are of Paul, and of Apollos, and of Cephas.
These are they who say they are some of one and some of another—some of Christ and some of John, and some of Moses, and some of Elias, and some of Esaias, and some of Isaiah, and some of Enoch;
But received not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant." (D&C 76:96-101)

So, whose name you call yourself by? Who is your savior? Is your savior Mormon, or Jesus Christ? Which Kingdom are you shooting for?

LABELING YOUR MOTIVATIONS 

There are also psychological reasons to call ourselves by the name of Christ. Look at yourself. What do you do for work? What are your hobbies? Who are you?

The label of "who you are" is a powerful motivator in your decision making process. As a church member there are certain things you do, and don't do. There is a certain set of basic beliefs that you follow. When you label yourself as a member of Christ's church you have expectations, not just from others, but from yourself. You strive more to live the expectations.

Calling yourself a Mormon is one of the most informal ways to refer to your sacred church membership. Does that informality reflect, not only who you are, but the way you practice your religion? Are your sacred obligations met informally, without reverence, or respect? Does your lazy mouth denote a lazy devotion? Reflect on that a bit, do some introspection, and ask yourself those hard questions. Then ask what you should do about it.

AN IMPERFECT PEOPLE

None of us is perfect, but there are little things we can do to help us along. They may seem trivial to us, but there are reasons God asks them of us. One of those things is saying a few more syllables when you refer to the church, and your membership in it. Its not hard, it just takes practice and discipline.

EQ Pre-Lesson: Joseph Fielding Smith Chapter 9: Witnesses of the Book of Mormon

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith

Chapter 9: Witnesses of the Book of Mormon

This week we are discussing Chapter 9 of the Joseph Fielding Smith Manual. Instead of going over the lesson as a whole in this blog, I'm going to cover a few vital points.

What is truth?

"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." (D&C 93:30)

Some would say that there are two types of truth, spiritual truths, and temporal (or scientific) truths. However, truth is all in one. Truth exists without bias. One truth does not put itself above another. Truth IS; no more, no less. Interpretation and application is what gives order and meaning to truth. Deciphering the truth, it's importance, and meaning is sometimes the most difficult thing to do. 

The gospel is true. It contains many truths. It is up to each of us to discover the truth(s) of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and of the Book of Mormon. Just as scientists dedicate their lives to discovering the universe, and all things in it, we dedicate ourselves to discovering God, and all his teachings. We begin this process by following Moroni's promise, "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost." (Moroni 10:4) This is just a beginning though. We can't do do this once, and expect to be enlightened for life. We have to go through this same process over and over throughout our lives.

So, after having found the Book of Mormon to pass the test of truth, it is then our duty to determine it’s value. As I said before, the order and importance of truth is irrelevant without interpretation and application. So, how important is the Book of Mormon to you? Has it changed you? “Have ye been spiritually born of God?... Have ye experienced this mighty change of heart?” (Alma 5:14) These aren’t questions anybody can answer, except for you. Ponder the change the Book of Mormon has brought about in you. The greater the change, the more you should consider its importance.

"Do eternal consequences rest upon our response to this book?
Yes, either to our blessing or our condemnation"
- President Ezra Taft Benson -

STANDING AS A WITNESSES

That's a peculiar phrase isn't it? It's strong. It's powerful. It doesn't inspire movement. Wait, what? Standing as a witness inspires us to stand. This isn't about taking the gospel to the world. This is about standing firm. This is about holding firm to the Iron Rod when the scorn from the great and spacious building gets personal. This is about standing strong in your testimony in the face of temptation, persecution, false doctrine, harassment, ridicule, or provocation. This is about being firm and immovable. Standing as a witness at all costs.

So, let's tie all of this together:

1. Discover the truth of the gospel. Not "your truth," but the unalterable truth that does not change based on your opinions, how you feel, or who you're trying to impress.
2. Evaluate the importance of the truth you have discovered. What does it mean to you? Is it something  you need to protect, and keep for your own, or something you want to share with others?
3. Stand as a witness. Be firm, and immovable.

Homework:
Read the lesson
Evaluate areas of your life where you struggle to stand as a witness of the Book of Mormon, and the restored gospel.
Strengthen your testimony in those areas so that you may stand firm, and immovable as a witness of the Book of Mormon, Christ, and his restored gospel.

EQ Lesson 4/27: Let's not take the wrong way

This week our Elder’s Quorum lesson covers Elder Claudio D. Zivic’s talk, “Let’s not take the wrong way.” I’ve split this talk into 5 sections, and will talk about each section individually.

Be Anxiously Engaged
“Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness.” (D&C 58:27)

Elder Zivic opens up with a story about a child playing piano. It’s almost too bad he never comes back to this story, but he gives us something for which to think about before moving on to the next section.

Elder Zivic talks about a young boy who was taking piano lessons at this parent’s request. For some time, he ran from his lessons, and didn’t want to play piano. Then one day, he started participating. He started giving it his all. He had begun to love playing piano, and then he ran with it, practicing far more than was required of him. There are so many ways to apply this, and I am sure that we all have examples of this very same thing happening in our own lives. Since this is Elder’s Quorum I would like to focus on church/spiritual things.

Throughout our lives we all have to gain, and reaffirm our own testimonies. When we gain our own testimony a change comes over us. Our duties become more enriching, and we want to learn more about it. We want to “be anxiously engaged.” This is great! We need to be anxiously engaged, and learning about the Gospel every chance we get. However, this comes with a warning!

Tread carefully
“And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.”(1 Ne 12:17)"

When we are anxiously engaged in the Gospel we have to be careful about what we study, learn, and the conclusions we come to. Yes, we can, and should have autonomy in our studies, but as in Elder Zivic’s story we need to be aware of the signs on the path. The signs aren’t always what we expect, we have to know what to look for. The trail to Delicate Arch from Elder Zivic’s story are a series of Cairns that hikers have placed to tell others they are taking the correct path. These cairns are small piles of rocks. They are obvious markers, but if somebody, like Elder Zivic doesn’t know to look for them, they will just wonder why somebody would make such a curious little rock tower. It is up to individual hikers to educate themselves about the cairns, and then to follow them.

Just as hikers on their way to Delicate Arch have cairns, we have signs to lead us. As with the cairns it is up to us to educate ourselves about the signs, and subsequently follow them. So, what are the spiritual cairns we should be following? Let’s start with Paul’s words: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Gal 5:22-23)Joseph Smith also described the inspiration of the Holy Ghost as “pure intelligence.” (JS Quotes) Oliver Cowdery learned that the Spirit may “burn” in your bosom (but only after we’ve done our part in learning, and asked for confirmation in faith.) (D&C 9:8) Another spiritual cairn we should use is whether we are following in the footsteps of the prophets, and apostles. Are we following these spiritual markers as we learn, or are we wandering off into strange paths? If so, we had better find the path back as soon as possible.

Nourishment
When we are following the cairns set aside for us we find that we have spiritual nourishment along the way. We are fed, we are hydrated, and we are never lost. When we follow strange paths there is no guarantee. We may feel nourished at first, but the longer we go the hungrier we get, the less fulfilling our meals, and the more parched our spirits become. As Elder Zivic points out, Christ is the vine through which we get our nourishment, so it only makes sense that the closer we stay to him, the more nourished we are. This isn’t to say that we can’t study subjects not covered in the scriptures, or even controversial subjects, we just need to be careful that we don’t let those studies lead us from the truth, and nourishment Christ provides us.

Find your way back
If you aren’t on the right path, find your way back. Seek the help of your bishop, other members, and start praying for the Spirit’s guidance. When you’re on your way back you’ll start seeing those spiritual markers again. The Lord is merciful, and will lead you home; you just have to do the work.

Our time is now
We don’t know how much time we have on this Earth. You could keel over in the middle of this paragraph (please don’t), or you could live another 50 years. You don’t know when your time is up, so now is the time for you to be anxiously engaged in a good cause, follow the path of righteousness, find your way back, and be nourished by the good word of God. If you haven’t made that decision yet, then I encourage you to make that decision now. If you don’t know the “right way,” then ask you Father in Heaven, and he will show it to you.

Homework:
Read/Listen to Elder Zivic’s talk “Let’s not take the wrong way.”
Evaluate the path you are on. What spiritual cairns can you look to for guidance?
Lift your head up and enjoy your weekend

EQ Lesson: Joseph Fielding Smith Manual Chapter 7

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith

Chapter 7: Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Witnesses of Christ

Since we just talked had a lesson about Joseph Smith, and the importance of having a testimony of Joseph Smith in December I wanted to take this lesson in a different direction. First, I would like to thank ClassicMormon Mom for her post on this same lesson, which provided me some direction.

Witnesses of Christ

Joseph Fielding Smith states, “Two themes stand out uppermost in my mind. That Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was crucified for the sins of the world, and that Joseph Smith was a Prophet called and appointed to usher in the dispensation of the fullness of times.”

We can hardly speak of Joseph Smith without Speaking of Jesus Christ. When we speak of Joseph Smith we talk about his first vision, and the work he did to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the men of this generation. Joseph smith’s witness and testimony of the Risen Savior is the foundation upon which we stand. Without the first vision, Joseph Smith is just a boy from upstate New York. Maybe we would have known him for something else, but that isn’t what happened. Joseph Smith, a boy of 14 was visited by God the Father, and his son, Jesus Christ. Because of this event, this witness, and this testimony Joseph Smith restored the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in its fullness to the Earth.

That is the testimony this great work stands on.

Brotherhood

Though I don’t know a lot about the relationship between Joseph and Hyrum, I know they were more than brothers. They were best friends, and brothers in Christ. They loved and supported each other, and trusted each other with their lives.  Joseph Smith had so much respect for his brother, he is quoted as saying, “I could pray in my heart that all my brethren were like unto my beloved brother Hyrum, who possesses the mildness of the lamb, and the integrity of a Job, and in short, the meekness and humility of Christ and I love him with that love that is stronger than death, for I never occasion to rebuke him, nor he me.” (JSF Manual, page 112)

In 1841, Hyrum was called to be Assistant President of the Church. In his ordination he was told, “That he may act in concert with my servant Joseph; and that he shall receive counsel from my servant Joseph, who shall show unto him the keys whereby he may ask and receive, and be crowned with the same blessing, and glory, and honor, and priesthood,  and gifts of the priesthood, that once were put upon him that was my servant Oliver Cowdery. That my servant Hyrum may bear record of the things which I shall show unto him, that his name may be had in honorable remembrance from generation to generation, forever and ever.” (D&C124:94-96) Working so closely in the Church Presidency together only strengthened their bond of brotherhood, which would continue to grow until they were both martyred in Carthage Jail.

 

                             Joseph and Hyrum Smith's Last Ride - Memorial in Nauvoo, Ill

Brothers in Christ

In February of 1999 Gordon B. Hinckley, in an address to the Salt Lake Tabernacle, declared that the first thing every convert needs is “a friend.” Look at your Quorums, your wards, your stakes, and the church as a whole. We have strength and a bond that goes beyond this life. The priesthood connects us. It strengthens our bond as sons of God. When we consider the Priesthood, we think of worthiness, honesty, and integrity. Though not all men who hold the Priesthood have these attributes, we know that their incidence is higher than in the rest of the world, and that most are working to overcome their shortcomings. So, through the Priesthood our trust is strengthen, and our love deepened because we know the manner of men which stand by us.

So, look to your quorums first. Who among your brethren stands in need of a friend? Is it a new convert? Is it a returning member? Is it a struggling member? Is it you? Don’t be afraid to approach start a friendship with that person in need, or if it’s you, search out a friendship. Sure, your bond may feel artificial at first, even forced, but over time your bond will deepen. If you continue in this friendship, your bond may even be as close as Joseph and Hyrum’s bond once was. Imagine the love and respect you are leaving behind by letting these opportunities pass you by. Imagine having somebody you can trust that much.

Strength in Companionship

Humans need interaction. Satan knows this, which is why he likes to get you alone. When we are alone we are at our weakest, and when we are weak, he can entice us with “goodies.” We may indulge in a goody, then another, and another. Each time we do we are being rewarded for being alone, and since we don’t get any goodies when we are not alone, we get the equivalent of a punishment until we ARE again alone. (Do you see the cycle here?) P.S. There is research to support this. All you have to do is Google any kind of addiction and the word loneliness to find it.

Sin causes man to seek darkness, and loneliness. It is in the empty darkness that they can hide their darkest deeds. That is why the Savior commands us to almost always have a companion. We have companions in parents and siblings as a child. We have companions when we go on missions. We have a companion when we Home Teach. We are commanded to marry, which adds an eternal companion. So then does is not make sense to add to your list of companions through friends, and brothers in the Gospel?  When God said of Adam, “it is not good that man should be alone,” (Gen 2:18) he wasn’t kidding. When we have a companion, one who will see that we are “nourished by the good word of God,” (Moroni 6:4) we will not be left alone to the darkness, to be dragged down by the wiles of Satan.

In closing

The lesson here is actually simple. 

1.       Seek to gain, or strengthen your testimony of the atonement, and the restoration of the gospel in these latter days.

2.       Seek out friends(s) whose testimony and resolve you can strengthen, OR seek out friend(s) who can strengthen your testimony and resolve.

3.       Strengthen that friendship(s), and support each other in Christ, not in sin.

Remember, when you make friends that the goal isn’t retention. We aren’t looking to bolster numbers. The goal is to grow in love for somebody so much that you want nothing more than for them to be saved, for the Gospel is about the pure love of Christ, not numbers.

Elders Quorum Pre-Lesson: Faith and Repentance 3/9/14

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith

Chapter 5: Faith and Repentance

This week's Elder's Quorum lesson is on faith and repentance. I appreciate this lesson because faith and repentance are two things we can all benefit from understanding better.

I want to preface my comments by saying that repentance is more complicated than it looks. Sure, it's easy to say, "stop that!" But it's not always easy to "stop that." Anyone who's ever truly repented of serious sin knows it's not easy. Repentance involves tough emotions, faith, hope, willingness, vulnerability, humility, and a number of other "things", for lack of a more creative word. So, as you read, examine your own emotions, faith, hope, and willingness.

Faith

I love that we are studying faith and repentance together for this lesson. Why? Because faith gives us reason to repent. Paul of Tarsus truly stated, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." (1Corinthians 15:19) Look at all the commandments we have in the church: Don't drink, don't smoke, don't drink coffee, keep the Law of Chastity. If we didn't have faith, then what reason would we have to do any of these things. Heck, we'd be missing out on the party!

But the truth is, we have reason to keep God's commandments. We have faith that if we keep God's commandments we will be blessed in this life, as well as the next.

Faith 2.0

Faith isn't only about being blessed for our efforts. Faith is also about having trust in the atoning power of Jesus Christ. Christ's power isn't only the power to forgive, it is the power to teach, and heal us. We learn from Alma 7 11:13:

1. He suffered pains, afflictions, and temptations so that he could understand us in our trials, and afflictions.
2, He takes our punishment upon himself that we don't have to do it ourselves. (See also D&C 19:16-17)
3. He took upon himself death so that he could loose the bands of death
4. He took upon him our infirmities so that he could have mercy, and know how to succor us according to the flesh
5. He took upon him our sins so that he could blot them out, and deliver us.

So, if we turn to Christ and rely on him, trust on him, and put our faith in him then he will help us in our efforts to repent. And if we have faith in Christ then we must also be thankful, and this piece is requisite to faith. Being thankful means that we appreciate his hand in our repentance, appreciate his willingness to forgive us our sins, and recognize his power to change our hearts. (Read D&C 59:21)

Repentance

The Dictionary.com entry for repentance reads:

Repentance
noun
1. deep sorrow, compunction, or contrition for a past sin, wrongdoing, or the like.
2. regret for any past action.

Sometimes repentance, thanks to those complicated emotions mentioned earlier, can have a bad connotation. If you have need of repentance then you've sinned, if you've sinned then maybe you're not as good a person as you pretend to be, and have to fix yourself. So the call to repentance becomes an insult of sorts, because the sinner is a bad, and broken person. That is not a welcome feeling. If you doubt me, then look into your heart and think how you felt last you were called to repentance.

When I was younger I used to feel this way. I also had some serious iniquities to repent of, and didn't know how to repent of them. I would ask how to repent. The simple definitions just weren't enough. So, I prayed, and studied.

At first I asked, "What would Jesus do?", and God responded, "He wouldn't get himself into this situation!" That didn't help much at the time, but over the years I've thought on that answer as I've studied, pondered, and prayed. I've since created for myself a different definition of repentance that is simpler, less intimidating, more powerful, and wider in scope.

Repentance:
noun
1. The act of becoming more like Christ
2. The lifelong pursuit of becoming a Christ like person

Ponder that for a moment...

I prefer this definition because it means that repentance isn't just a stop gap measure for when we screw up. Repentance is a way of life, a way of improving our selves all the time, every day. It means that we never stop repenting, we are never done, and we never give up. If we are always repenting, then we are always becoming men of Christ.

Repentance makes bad men good, good men better, and better men great. If we have an eye toward Christ, and the spirit of repentance always in our hearts then we will one day find that we are that man of Christ we've been striving to become. We will be as Captain Moroni, and shake the powers of hell forever (Alma 48:17)

Homework: (Ponder and pray)

Read: Teachings of Presidents of the Church Joseph Fielding Smith Chapter 5.
Read: Ether 12:27 and ponder how you can apply this to repentance in your own life.

The Plan of Salvation

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith

Chapter 3: The Plan of Salvation

The lesson from the manual is good, and I would ask each of you to read it independently. You can find it online at LDS.Org

I won’t go over the whole lesson, but would like to provide some commentary, and give you some things to ponder.

The plan of salvation is the foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It gives us hope, purpose, and meaning.  Without the plan of salvation all would be for naught. There would be no more meaning to life than what we do with it now, and what we can do for our progeny.  There would be nothing for us to work for more than carnal security, and fulfillment.

As the plan of salvation is the foundation of the gospel, I would like you to take a moment to consider your own foundation? What are your motivations? What do you treasure most? What causes you the most disappointment? What are your goals? How much of a role does the gospel play in your life? Is your foundation in line with the gospel of Jesus Christ? If not, how can you realign it?

President Smith tells us. “The Gospel is the sole hope of the world.” This is a powerful statement, and I want you to all consider that we are the only church in the world with the true gospel, or in other words, we are the only ones who can provide the hope our world needs. Church membership takes up less than 0.2% of the world’s population, and active membership even less. That means that 99.8% of the world (or just about 7 billion people) does not have the gospel, does not have the truth, and does not have the hope provided by the plan of salvation. Take a moment to consider the enormity of missionary work ahead of us.

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth them unto me – the fountain of all righteousness.” – Ether 12:27-28

We all have different lives. We are all different people, but each of us has at least one thing in common, each of us has weaknesses. However, the plan of salvation is such that we can overcome those weaknesses, and that is the beauty of the plan, of the atonement! It is because of the atonement that we can have the gift of the Holy Ghost, and can repent. Jesus doesn’t only provide the way to Eternal Life, he leads us along the way. He is the ultimate guide to life, and will help us when we fall, veer down the wrong path, or eat poisonous mushrooms. Remember, that Jesus loves us, each and every one of us, and has our best interests in mind. He is not here to lord over us, and subject us to his will. He is here to make us free, and wants to ease our journey. His yoke is light, so when we join our yoke to his, he will pull our load with us, easing our way.

In closing, I would ask each of you to take some time to ponder the atonement. Don’t ask the question, “How can I become perfect?” or “How can God make me perfect?” but ask, “How can I work WITH my Savior toward perfection?”