MY POINT OF VIEW – BRIEFLY

IN BRIEF

I am more acutely aware of the weaknesses in my life that cause me grief because I can’t seem to overcome the tendencies they produce. I am constantly fighting temptations, none of which would be considered outwardly as significant as inwardly. These temptations don’t represent what I want, and what I need in order to become like Christ. As I was pondering this early this morning and asking the Lord questions regarding my situation, I had an interesting impression come to me. One of the things I asked was how I could ever overcome one particular challenge I have faced for many decades. In answer, the impression was simple, yet, for me at least, very powerful. It was this, some temptations will likely be with me my entire life, but by fighting them, resisting them, even though it seems like a futile endeavor, my desire and effort to overcome them is actually strengthening me and is recognized and valued in heaven. It’s the striving to overcome that will ultimately result in overcoming, combined with the Lord’s help of course. As this simple concept settled into my mind I felt peace and I knew it was true. I can neither save nor heal myself but in order to be saved and healed, I have to do my part. I have to resist and strive with all my mental and physical capacity to not yield to this, or any, temptation. I can do that. That is within my power to do. I have fought this battle for a long time and I can do it longer still. The Lord will enable and support me even in my most trying times. I needn’t have feelings of guilt or hopelessness because I experience the temptation as long as I don’t yield. I can’t control what temptations are put before me but I can control how I respond to them.

My mind had been on something that first formed while serving in the addiction recovery program. One of the most misunderstood experiences during recovery is relapse. It can be devastating for some. The mindset usually is that when they use, they feel enormous guilt and shame. The difference between those two things is critical to understand recovery. Guilt conveys the message that you have done something wrong that you need to correct. Shame conveys a much more insidious message. Shame says that you are wrong, not that you have done something wrong. It conveys that you are broken and can’t be fixed. Something horrible is wrong with you and you are irreparable. Guilt encourages continued effort, shame does just the opposite. When a person uses and experiences these emotions in greater or lesser measure, they promise themselves that they will never use again. They don’t want to use, but its compelling nature can be overpowering at times. So they move forward and ultimately relapse, sometimes even the same day they made the promise. Guilt can, over time and repetitive failures, become shame because it seems to them that no matter what they do, they can’t seem to overcome the compulsion to use, hence they are broken, something is wrong with them. I saw several individuals who, after years of support group attendance, would simply throw their hands in the air in utter frustration and proclaim that they just can’t do it, they can’t overcome their addiction. Interestingly, others could progressively overcome their addictive substances and behaviors. I wondered why that was. Certainly there are a variety of variables involved in both the choice to use as well as how one strives to recover. But over time I became acquainted with a concept that I believe can determine the nature of the outcome of recovery efforts. At first it was nebulous but recently I came across a statement that seemed to solidify the concept, at least for me. It is, focus on progress rather than failure. Relapse is always viewed as failure. It often convinces the one relapsing that all of the effort that went into deferring relapse was now invalidated and they would have to return to the original starting point in order to begin again. That puts a lot of pressure and responsibility on a person not to relapse, which is an unreasonable expectation. While relapse is not a part of recovery, it will likely occur during the time one is striving to recover. So rather than promising themselves that they will never do it again, a wiser, more effective course of action would be to acknowledge the relapse, identify why it occurred this time, prepare to avoid similar triggers in the future and mark the time between the last relapse and the current one. If formally measured and recorded, one can find encouragement in lengthening the time between relapses and see it as progress toward ultimate recovery rather than another failure. The time in between can be evaluated for both negative and positive behaviors and desires as they relate to relapse. Step by step, one can continue to move forward without beating themselves to death over continued and perceived failure. I believe this concept is not only applicable to recovery from addictive substances and behaviors, but also habitual sin. If the person can focus on the process of righteous progress, they can avoid the shame that results from continual failure. Extending the time between occurrences can be powerful encouragement instead of just focusing on the fact that you committed the same troubling sin yet again. This focus on progress, understanding yourself, and repenting or trying again, and again, and yet again, until you reach your ultimate objective, is far more manageable than promising you will never sin again, which truly is an unreasonable expectation while being mortal. May I clarify that I’m applying this process to individual sins, not an overall evaluation of your life. Some things may cause you no concern or trouble at all, while at the same time struggling intently with a particular challenge. This concept applies only to any particularly troubling, sinful weakness. As a person applies this process to the varied things in their life that trouble them, over time and with the Lord’s help and direction, there isn’t anything that they can’t overcome if they want to and are willing to pay the price to strive with all of their heart, might, mind, and strength. I should also add the disclaimer that some troubling things may require additional, professional help. But identifying that and utilizing that type of help would come under the umbrella of striving.

Growing old is interesting. At first, one only grows older but at some point along the way, at a point as indistinguishable as discerning when the darkness of night begins to abate, one must confront the reality of age by admitting that they have become old. My grandpa Brown once said that “the joys of old age, particularly an honored one [old age], far exceed the pleasures of youth”. That’s impossible to understand for one thoroughly enthralled in the pleasures of youth, but I can attest to its veracity. It does have its flip side as well. Without the honor of those loved, old age can be a fatal cancer to one’s peaceful soul. It is this perspective that allows one to realize that many of the pleasures of youth are transient, vain, and superfluous. What made me happy then carries no weight now. Joy is far more permanent and far less susceptible to the vagaries of circumstance. It is the rock of permanence, the assurance of eternal outcomes, the hope we have in Christ who can, and will if we are willing, make us whole by repairing the breaches in our lives to the extent that it was if they had never happened. Joy is the fruit of peace and divine peace can only come one way. As Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life”. Isn’t it amazing how much money (blessings) we leave on the table and from which we walk away?

Life is full of variables. I suppose it’s the enormity of these variables that provides the variety with which we are all familiar. Some days are good, some not so good. We experience a wide range of emotions. I’ve often wondered why I can’t sustain the wonderful feelings and times and eliminate the brutal, painful feelings and times. As I grow older I can better understand the essential role the entire spectrum of experiences, feelings, and outcomes play in our eternal development. I have learned to fret less over situations and circumstances that concern or make us afraid. Looking back as a means to look forward can be powerful when realizing that circumstances I once thought devastating, if not fatal, didn’t impact me the way I thought they would. Each thing I have experienced in my life has combined to make me the person I currently am and I anticipate that process will continue until I move to the next phase of my eternal development. As I come to better understand the power of Jesus to deliver all of the Father’s children from the ravages of death and hell, excepting the sons of perdition. All, regardless of what their life has been or not been, will be raised to at least a measure of eternal glory, and that least measure will far exceed the most wonderful things any mortal could imagine. But it’s important to note that though that meager measure of glory may be beyond imagination, it pales in comparison to the fullness of glory and blessings that await those willing to comply with God’s commandments and surrender their will to His, thus becoming like Him and worthy to inherit all that He has rather than just a smaller portion.

I think that God’s love is often misunderstood because we use our temporal perspective to define it. It’s not unusual for us to view everything through the lens of mortality. If our existence began at mortal birth and ends at mortal death, our perspective is incredibly limited. Any pain, loss, adversity, or failure could easily be construed as detrimental to our pursuit of happiness, however we may define it. But if our consciousness, our innate identity, never began but always existed in some form, was enhanced through a process of premortal birth to heavenly parents whose core motive was love for their children, to the point of developing a plan whereby they could develop and ultimately become like them with boundless expression and fulfillment, and if this mortal experience was an essential portion of this developmental process of becoming divine, and if mortal death also played and essential role in this process, and that life didn’t end with mortal death but would exist forever, one would be constrained to view mortality’s troubles much differently. That is why the gospel of God is the ultimate good news. Divine love is drastically different than the love many mortals experience. God’s love is tutorial. It has a divine purpose and expression. It is embodied in the sacrifice of God’s firstborn son who voluntarily came to earth to heal and repair all of life’s breaches through suffering unimaginable to any mortal. The greatest of all acts of pure, divine love offered freely to bless all who would accept it. God’s love is expressed both in justice and mercy, justice for those harmed and mercy for repentant harmers. Divine love is ever present and available and when felt it can be life changing. But God’s love is never forced upon anyone but offered freely and universally. His goodness is beyond any reproach, and certainly beyond any mortal effort to question or doubt. I have tasted of His divine love on multiple occasions. I have seen His holy hand in my life more times than I can count. His goodness to me is partially manifest in his tireless patience with me but is also manifest by what He did to make my mortal journey more meaningful, more fulfilling, and certainly more hopeful. And so it is with all his children.

During the course of my lifetime I have come to understand what a blessing it is to have a responsible calling. It helps to motivate me to keep my covenants before the Lord so that I may have the Holy Ghost with me always. The Holy Ghost plays a far greater role than just occasionally providing information. For me, I feel differently when the Holy Ghost is with me. I feel happier, more at peace, more able to reject the adversary’s enticements, closer to the Lord, and especially more inclined to enhance my development of the divine character. In fact, His presence in my life is absolutely essential to my eternal development. Because of this I can more easily recognize the things in my life that prevent me from availing myself of His presence. Some of these things just slough away but others cling to me as if barnacles on the hull of a ship. Stripping them away isn’t easy but the desire and work required to do so, regardless of how slow the process, is a divine characteristic in and of itself.

For some time I have noticed with greater clarity a pronounced disparity between believing Christ has power to exalt anyone willing to follow Him and those who believe He can exalt everyone except themselves. This limiting of Christ’s infinite and eternal atonement, in my mind, is the highest possible repudiation of Jesus Christ, other than those few who fully embrace perdition’s untenable preference for darkness. For one to say that they are an exception to God’s limitless grace is incredibly self centered. What could possibly make them so special as to place them beyond God’s grace? God’s divine grace is limitless, it knows no bounds. Regardless of what one has done, excepting those mentioned above, there is nothing that cannot be forgiven. All other perceptions regarding Christ’s ability to cleanse and heal originate from perdition’s filthy fortress.

I was pondering the disparate distance between God and man. Even the prophets, whose lives are most usually aligned with God’s will, are astounded when brought into the presence of God. Most fall on their faces upon the ground, unable to even look at Him. That they must experience some form of transfiguration just to be able to exist in His presence would be startling enough. After such a theophany, it’s not unusual for the prophet to describe having no mortal strength. For example, Moses’ experience, “And the presence of God withdrew from Moses, that his glory was not upon Moses; and Moses was left unto himself. And as he was left unto himself, he fell unto the earth. And it came to pass that it was for the space of many hours before Moses did again receive his natural strength like unto man; and he said unto himself: Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.” It’s much more likely that contemporary individuals perceive God as He appeared during His mortal sojourn on earth. In this form the disparity between God and man was far less noticeable. However, when considering God in His glory, something our doctrine promises possible for all of God’s children, the distance between fallen man and exalted, glorified God is beyond human ability to comprehend. If not for Christ and His atoning mediation, man could never become like God. Because of the incomprehensible distance between God and man, God’s mercy becomes the one and only means of bridging such an enormous gap. Despite Christ’s infinite mercy in offering Himself as a ransom to redeem all of God’s children, the extent to which that mercy has effect depends upon the desires and choices of each individual.

It has occurred to me that there is a rudimentary decision each person will ultimately confront. It is an existential question. Am I the result of happenstance or design? Can I believe our existence can be attributed to the spinning of some universal roulette wheel? If so, could I ever feel safe? Such a foundational belief would inherently present a constant state of uncertainty as well as a torturous lack of meaning. If not, then what? If one cannot believe that such a magnificent universe, including the complexity of a human being, resulted from mere chance, regardless of the extensive time involved, what alternatives remain? Who or what could have designed and created such an incomprehensible universe? And, perhaps more importantly, why? It seems to me that the world simply cannot provide answers to these existential questions, even though enormous resources and effort are expended in the search for these answers. Must such an impactful decision be made arbitrarily? Upon what evidence can this decision be made? The extent of creation certainly infers unimaginable intellect and power. But inference alone doesn’t lead to certainty. Scientific discovery is extensive but historically plagued by the elusiveness of absolute truth. Religious inquiry seeks truth via a different process. The basis for their route is rooted in their observational belief that the universe and its inhabitants were not merely the composite result of an unimaginable game of chance. They are affirmatively seeking the Creator. My faith is founded upon a long string of witnesses who have testified of His existence and truths derived from personal contact with Him. From these divine interactions come a flurry of doctrinal beliefs that tie us more intimately to the Creator than just passengers on the same train. As one seeks God, recognizing their paternal connection to Him, a steady flow of understanding and confirmation is readily available. In the words of Joshua, one who testified of God, “choose you this day whom ye will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”.

From my perspective, a common, recurring theme found in the Old Testament is Israel’s stubborn reluctance to allow Jehovah to be their God despite repeated miraculous occurrences of deliverance from their militant foes, often when overcoming a significant numerical disadvantage. As I was thinking about how the Lord wanted to make certain that Israel knew who the source of their victorious strength was and what was required of them to ensure such divine sustenance, my mind flashed unprovoked to the quiet Garden in Gethsemane on a doleful Thursday night. Of all numerically disparate confrontations, this one was without peer. Against the gaping mouth of hell itself, populated by the combined cohorts of a satanic rebellion first fomented in the premortal life, stood the solitary sentinel whose anointed mission was to not only withstand temptation no mortal could comprehend but ensure utter and ultimate defeat for all of evil’s seditious intent. Only one opposed an innumerable army of vile and vicious soldiers whose yearnings were solely to defeat the Holy One of Israel. Of all Israel’s battles, this was the one that scarred the Lord of Hosts. But despite the combined effort and motivation of evil’s most devilish hatred in those quiet, lonely hours in that dark garden, the Holy One would not yield. He took everything hell could aim at Him and refused to yield. The majesty of the Holy One overcame all that hell could conjure. Then, the next day, when Jesus was at his weakest physically, from lack of sleep, scourging, and the physical anguish of enduring crucifixion, the horrors of the previous night returned to Him while hanging upon that pole of Roman torture, with one notable exception; this time, for probably the first time in His mortal life, the presence of His Heavenly Father withdrew from Him, causing Him to cry out in anguish. Even in that extremity, He would not, in fact did not, yield to evil’s amalgamated attempt to thwart God’s holy plan of redemption. Thus the victory of the most crucial battle ever fought belonged to the sole soldier, the Lord of Hosts, the mighty Messiah. All of Israel, even almost all of God’s children, will proclaim His Holy name and bow in reverence for what only He could do in their behalf; save them from hell’s gaping jaws and all of the nefarious consequences that spew therefrom.

This morning I pondered the irony of those who judge God. Transforming God from the One who judges to one who is judged by those whose infinitesimal understanding of anything is like spitting into the ocean when compared to the majesty of God’s knowledge, understanding, power, and intent. I believe mortals judge God for a variety of reasons. Mortal hopes often go unfulfilled even after lengthy pleading for God’s will to conform to theirs. Such disappointment can lead one to conclude that God is either nonexistent, absent, or without feeling. Many view the almost universal injustice and inhumanity perpetrated by evil individuals and can only conclude that God is either nonexistent, absent, or sadistic. Individuals whose lives are alien to anything taught and expected by God are caught in the quandary of why they are so miserable even when they are free to express themselves without restraint, seeking only to gratify their own carnal pleasure. For covenant children of God who so often fall short of divine expectation, faith and devotion to their covenants dwindles until they are constrained to either judge God to be something He is not or eliminate Him from the equation of their lives in a vain attempt to extinguish the very guilt that God provides to inspire correction. Certainly the disparity between God and His mortal children is humanly unimaginable. But rather than judge God rashly or vainly, the more satisfying and fulfilling course of action would be to turn toward Him rather than away from Him. Really, it is peace we all seek and it is only available from one source, the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. It is only through the life and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, relying wholly upon His merits, mercy, and grace that exoneration and peace are brought to bear in one’s life. Rather than judging God from humanity’s meager perspective, chose to trust God’s unlimited love, concern, experience and perspective and begin to turn to Him. Rather than judging God, invite Him into your life and find therein everything you have been missing.

Independence Day. The liberty we now enjoy does not come without a price. This land was once free and would have remained free forever if its inhabitants had only obeyed Jehovah’s commandments, triggering promises of freedom and prosperity. Despite vacillating between freedom and captivity for hundreds of years, the people finally rebelled against God’s good promises and rejected Him entirely, causing the vast majority of the population to become extinct. This rejection of Jehovah, through their desire for and implementation of wickedness on a massive scale caused them to forfeit the sacred gift of freedom. Having had part in shedding the blood of Christ, if only symbolically, required any future inhabitants of this land to redeem it with the shedding of their own blood. The struggle for political freedom from tyrannical whims lasted for many years against a far superior military foe. The willingness of many colonists to shed their blood in freedom’s pursuit brought about heaven’s help in securing the very freedom they sought. God’s hand was evident in the population of the land and the creation of a government who held freedom in high enough regard to assure its future by dividing power in as many ways possible. It hurts my heart to watch a massive effort unified to overthrow all that is good and divine about America. This malicious movement seeks to abolish all order and governmental protection in the name of vengeance for all of its wrongs. It would seem to me that trying to work together to right such wrongs would be a more productive approach. But when considering who the originator of such chaos is, I suspect many involved in the movement of destruction will someday have their eyes opened and realize they were only pawns in a far more destructive objective, hatched in the most evil of minds.

Routine prayer can become vain if not attended by soul stirring intent, even if certain aspects of prayer are repeated often. I have committed myself to daily personal study of the scriptures, including the Book of Mormon and one of the other three books from the standard works, depending upon the Church’s course of study for the year. I also have several character flaws upon which I ponder and strive to make a conscious, affirmative effort to improve upon each. I can honestly say that progress is observable and rewarding, even though I am still tinged by weakness in those areas. I sense that progress resulting from pure intent is valued highly in Heaven. I strive to be kinder to people, less judgmental, more compassionate and understanding. I strive to speak to others in a more Christlike way. I hope that someday such a change will become who I am and not require so much affirmative action. Until then, I will continue to see the better way, regardless of how mechanical it feels at times. I have faith in the process. I want to be more expressively grateful for more things that matter. I am steadily striving to rearrange my priorities to reflect what I really want to become. Understanding how challenging this can be allows me to be patient with myself. Change can occur almost imperceptibly. When the sun sheds its first rays in the morning, who can distinguish the precise moment when it begins to become lighter? Over the next 30-40 minutes, light very gradually increases in ways that distinguishing the change from second to second is impossible but when the sun itself appears, one can readily recognize the culmination of the progress. Our lives are like that. I think far too often people lose faith in the process, or at least the pace of the process, and forfeit the sweet reward that awaits the patient pursuer.

Our belief in God includes the belief that He is Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. How then, can mortal man limit God? The answer lies in the agency given to man by God for an essential and crucial purpose. Man’s agency allows for the freedom necessary to shape the course of each individual life. God will never coerce but He certainly yearns for His children to choose Him. He is the only source of salvational outcomes, and offers a vast range of those to accommodate the vast disparity of mankind’s willingness to comply with the conditions of salvation and exaltation. Because of Christ’s atonement, all of the necessary legal obligations have been met and made available to all of God’s children. However, the legal implications for fallen man are only part of the equation of salvation. The other component is change. If anyone wants to dwell with God, in any measure, they must conform and comply with the conditions (laws) of their new residence. None of us, without the divine help offered freely by Christ’s atoning sacrifice, can change enough to warrant entrance into God’s most holy place. That type of change not only requires God’s merciful and enabling help, but also a desire and willingness on the part of the individual to seek such an outcome. That involves continual repentance (change) in order to transform one’s mortal nature into the nature of God. The power God possesses to complete such a magnificent transformation is only limited by one’s lack of desire or unwillingness to seek Him. How sad it is, considering the price that Christ paid to not only save but redeem each of God’s children, that so relatively few choose to receive less than is made possible and available to all. “For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.” (D&C 88:333)

The certainty I feel regarding God, His Son Jesus Christ, and His eternal plan of redemption are all bricks that are tied together by the mortar of His divine love. My personal experience with Him has been a process of laying one tier of bricks on top of another. Over time, the rigidity and strength of what we’ve built together can weather the storms I have encountered. Though I fully recognized that unless I continue to build my belief even stronger, I may not be able to withstand what awaits. Casualness is the enemy of my soul and will always lead to deterioration within my walls. Studying the Old Testament this year has been enlightening. Some things are self-evident but some need to be seen in context and pondered about before understanding comes. One thing that struck me was how many of the wicked kings sat upon the throne for extended lengths of time. As I pondered that several thoughts began to come to the forefront of my mind. Among them was that personal agency, one of the foundational of all God’s tenets, is sacrosanct and crucial to His grand plan of redemption and happiness. God allows each of His children to determine their own course by virtue of the right to choose according to one’s desires, even if they are eternally destructive. But with agency comes accountability. Though full judgment is withheld during mortality, it will ultimately demand personal accountability. Being mortal and watching loved ones make choices that I know they will come to regret is painful but requires restraint and patience to allow them their own mortal experience which is essential to their own eternal growth and development. If it’s painful for me, it’s unimaginable for me to consider what it might be like for Christ, who sacrificed so much on behalf of each child of the Father. Patience is a characteristic of Godliness. I am left to conclude that the vagaries of the mortal experience by nature create within us the opportunities to develop patience, something we won’t want to be without when our accountability experience comes due.

This morning I looked out the window just as the sun rising above the ridge to the east. My eyes were drawn to all the plants in our backyard, how beautiful they are and how much they have grown. My mind was opened and illuminated just as were my eyes with the day’s first rays of sunlight. I love watching things grow. Some grow fast and some grow slow but regardless of pace, all growth requires time. Time implies patience and affords the opportunity to develop patience, a divine characteristic that is essential as we not only accommodate our own growth but also the growth of others. But all growth is improvement. That is what He hopes for each of us. As the Grand Gardener of all creation, He knows exactly when and to what extent to prune or nourish any of His creations so that growth will improve and ultimately bear the greatest measure of fruit. His mercy allows me to remove the parts of me that impair my growth through the incomparable gift of repentance purchased with the Savior’s own precious and untainted blood. Indeed it is glorious, glorious beyond anything I can imagine. Growth is divine by intent and design, in whatever form it’s expressed. I apologized to Jo for how I acted last night and she forgave me. How grateful I am for forgiveness, both to forgive and be forgiven. What a glorious doctrine of redemption.

I have been reading Saints Volume 3. I have thoroughly enjoyed all three volumes. Being able to peer into the lives of those who have preceded us has been so helpful to me. Though living in different time periods with different cultural expectations, the challenges that face saints in any period of time have similar purposes if not similar faces. It’s heartening to see weaknesses as well as faith and devotion in the lives of others. It’s revealing to recognize that our lives are not that much different from theirs in so many ways. As the narrative neared my own birth and period upon the earth, I was astounded by some of the things that seem to have been ignored by subsequent generations. As Hitler came to power in Germany, making promises he couldn’t keep, all the while concentrating central power with brute force, and improving an economy destitute from the consequences of a previous war, many bought into his charismatic speech which hid his vile and evil intent. I thought a few names could be changed and our contemporary time would be described. It’s sad that we don’t heed the telling outcomes of the past as we book passage on the current bandwagon. My heart just aches for how so many are literally being led, as if by a ring through their nose, happily toward the slaughter house. Satan certainly reins over his wicked kingdom. However, His time will soon come to naught. It will fall and great will be the fall thereof. Waiting upon the Lord will become increasingly difficult in the coming days and years. Prophetic warnings fall upon deaf ears and hard hearts. If not inclined to hearken to the Lord’s gentle whisper of invitation, His louder, more compelling message will thunder forth in a more impactful manner which the rebellious will find much less appealing. On a happier note, I can’t help but read what saints of a previous generation have endured and overcome to make my life better. My gratitude for them has been magnified significantly. I wonder if my posterity will ever look back at me and feel the same way.

God given personal agency is a paramount doctrine in God’s Kingdom. Everything He does to coax His children to return to Him and claim their eternal blessings that were promised to them before they came to earth depends upon their ability to make their own choices. In my study it’s impossible to not recognize the impact agency has in the lives of individuals, relationships, communities, and countries. Recently a thought has begun to germinate within my increasingly marginal gray matter. I am coming to understand just how powerful agency really is. Each person has been granted the right and power to choose their own path. I don’t believe I have ever really seen it this way before, or at least framed in the way I now see it. I believe the adversary strives to convince people that their circumstances dictate the terms of their life. I think nothing could be further from the truth. Certainly circumstances that affect each person are often shaped by the agency of someone else, leaving the individual to deal with damage, not of their own making. Regardless of what is beyond one’s control, one thing is always, and entirely within each individual’s power to control. It is to choose how they will respond, what they will make of what they have. Joseph, Jacob’s son, is a prime example of this type of understanding. Much of his path was charted for him. He was unjustly treated on more than one occasion, each time resulting in circumstances that were worse than what they had been. And yet, he chose to respond without self pity, or complaint, or in any negative way. He always chose to forge forward and in doing so he allowed the Lord’s blessings to find him. While many are victimized by the evil actions of others,

it is through the tender mercies of a compassionate Savior, whose healing power can undo any injustice no matter how egregious, that justice will overpower injustice. I’ve seen this happen in my own life. It’s only in these last years that this has all become so clear to me. I hold the power to determine my own outcome by virtue of the choices I make. Imagine that. Of course, once a choice is made, the outcome is out of our control. A person having made their choice is now subject to God’s justice. Only then, when that stark realization settles upon one’s heart, does the need for a Savior, who stands betwixt them and justice, become efficaciously acute.

There is a vast spectrum of differences among people created by individual interests, backgrounds, perspectives, beliefs, and values. As these people encounter others in a variety of situations the worst in us is always ready to manifest itself, creating tension between people that can escalate into more than mere annoyance. Each of us is a dual being, the core part is who we were before we ever entered mortality. Despite a lack of information about that permortal state, we know that we lived there for a very long time, developing to the point we were ready for mortal combat. Though we wage war with adversity at every turn, the greatest challenge we face comes from the other part of dual nature, the mortal part. Mortal physicality is an absolute necessity to achieve the greatest measure of God’s promise, but it also presents an entirely new set of experiences. The physical body presents us with appetites, passions, and desires that far exceed anything we have ever experienced. Fortunately, our Heavenly Father sent each of His children to begin their mortal sojourn with the Light of Christ which acts as a moral barometer of sorts. When one chooses to ignore its gentle and quiet direction, they surrender power to Satan, the father of lies and enemy to our happiness and their nature migrates from the pure, innocent state into which we came to the carnal, sensual, and devilish person Satan wants us to be. His enticement to embrace such a change is clever yet devious, often trapping one before they even realize they were near the trap. Pursuing this baser nature only leads one farther and farther away from their premortal promise. When one decides the path of sin and darkness doesn’t yield anything close to what was promised, they must evict the natural man from their life. Such a task may prove to require far more effort than it took to find room for him in the first place. In fact, I don’t believe the natural man can be evicted with only mortal weapons as persuasion. It takes heavenly help through the merits, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ. Even then, it will neither be an easy nor a quick process. The manual for evicting the natural man is found in the Book of Mormon, Mosiah 3:19. For further details about the process delve into the Book of Mormon with consistent and willful intent. You will find its pages laden with the atoning beauty offered by Christ to all with willing intent.

My study of the Gospel has intensified this year. This morning while in prayer I realized how incredibly blessed we are to have the availability of so many scriptures in addition to living prophets and apostles. It was one of those illuminating moments when I was granted the opportunity to see things more as they really are than as I am normally inclined to see them. I pondered where we, as a covenant society, would be without these historical records of God’s dealing with His children. I am so dependent upon the scriptures to better realize who and what God is, what His purposes are, and how I can become more intimately familiar with Him. I learn so much about His divine motives and how I must affirmatively work on developing those same motives until they become mine. I see the accountability of justice when connected to God’s law, and why that is. I also see how patient and long suffering He is with wayward children as His mercy is extended with open arms to all who are willing to accept and embrace it. The process of reconciling with God is simple enough that a child can understand and implement it in their own life. And yet, the process is incredibly comprehensive, so much so that without Christ’s help, completion of the process is beyond even the most accomplished mortals. This dependency is fostered by humility as an absolute necessity. There is so much involved in this process of redemption that one, no matter how adept, could ever become bored with the ease of the path. It’s astonishingly flexible when considering one’s mortal weakness and God’s infinite mercy, but steely rigid when considering the necessity of God’s justice in establishing an environment where personal agency is paramount. Above all, in and through all things is the lifeblood of God’s love, the purest motive possible which is offered to all of God’s offspring. Isn’t it amazing so few accept the offer?

As my life ebbs along to its inevitable conclusion, I become more focused on eternal things. So many of my previously important mortal interests have significantly diminished or disappeared entirely. My desire to become more like the Savior escalates to fill the space. My thoughts center more upon Him and I am ever trying to affirmatively eliminate character traits that are an enemy to my soul and replace them with the divine characteristics necessary to prepare me for my life after this one. Two paintings that used to hang at the front of the chapel in the Jordan River Temple have helped shape that process. One portrayed the Savior suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane while the other one portrayed the Savior speaking with a Samaritan woman at the well. For several years I just viewed them as art but with time, the Spirit began to open my eyes to crucial components of the Savior’s Atonement. One, His Atonement is both infinite and eternal in nature. Christ’s atoning influence has no bounds either in space or time. And yet, it is intimately personal for each of God’s children. The price He paid to satisfy divine justice is incomprehensible to the finite mind, but the compassionate grace He extends to all whose mortal wounds have inflicted pain and sorrow is tender and sweet because He also took upon us all our infirmities. He understands what each person has experienced, all one’s fears, pains, anxieties, failures fall under His loving care, to which so many can attest. The most important relationship we can develop will be with Christ. Awed by His power of creation and ability to resist all evil, one can reach out to Him for tender comfort, consolation, and healing which knows no bounds.

In my experience there is a wide variety of opinions as to what constitutes happiness. It is sought in many ways. In my opinion, therein lies the fatal flaw that leads so many to embrace an expectation for happiness that doesn’t exist. So when their best efforts are expended to achieve happiness based upon their own perception, a perception that doesn’t exist, it would seem certain that instead of happiness all sorts of negative responses would soon lead one to the conclusion that happiness doesn’t exist. And if that is true, even in their own mind, the hope of ever being happy would seem not only remote, but seemingly unattainable. This sapping of hope which ultimately leads to despair can be life threatening if not for effective intervention. True happiness and joy only comes from one source, God. Counterfeit happiness is the great lie that comes from the father of lies, he who is eternally miserable and seeks that all be as miserable as he is. Each of us is free to choose between these two alternatives, to decide which path will lead to the happiness we want. “Ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.” (Helaman 13:38) Many, probably most, choose the path to happiness that emphasizes those things which are carnal, sensual, and devilish. This choice, though temporarily enticing and pleasurable, will never produce lasting happiness because it runs counter to the nature of happiness. “All men that are in a state of nature, or I would say, in a carnal state, are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world, and they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness.” (Alma 41:11) If a person seeks happiness by pursuing a sinful lifestyle, they are seeking something that does not exist. Their expectation of happiness will never come to fruition and leave them empty and unsatisfied. But another aspect of that flaw is that many, probably most, are guided by the belief that happiness is defined by a lack of difficulty, challenge, or failure in one’s life. I believe this is a flawed perception. Nephi’s life certainly wasn’t free from difficulty, yet he said, “And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.” (2 Nephi 5:27) Shortly before confronting the horrors of Gethsemane, the Savior told His apostles, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” I believe that happiness is not the absence of tribulation, but the reward for overcoming whatever tribulation we encounter. If one has a correct perception of the nature of happiness and what is required to achieve a life after the manner of happiness, their choice of path is actually quite clear and their accurate expectations will arm them for their journey. “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:9,10) The abundant life is filled with sacrifice, service, love, compassion, forgiveness, obedience, humility, meekness, selflessness, all of which contribute to happiness not only here on earth, but in eternity. If you are expecting to enjoy happiness in any other way, you are guaranteed to not only be disappointed but ultimately miserable. Learn about the manner of true happiness, what it entails, what it offers, what to expect. Reach for Christ, be willing to become a disciple by learning what discipleship requires. Start with the Book of Mormon. It will lead you to true happiness, pure happiness, the happiness that never ends, the happiness that never disappoints but always satisfies and fulfills.

I have often pondered the power of patterns in our lives. Patterns are obviously helpful in many ways, such as when sewing or using blueprints to build something. Blueprints for most of life’s most important things aren’t available in the way we think of blueprints, but the examples of success around us can be as effective as drawings to show outcomes. The Lord’s prime pattern was His Son, Jesus Christ. No exemplar can compare but He isn’t the only exemplar the Father has provided for His children. We associate with many people whose lives reflect a consecration and devotion to God that allows the Savior to make them Holy. Consistent and intentional use of personal agency over time to comply with righteous desires brings about change, not only in ways for which we are alone responsible but in more eternal ways which only the Lord can provide. Not only should we be observant of such living patterns of spiritual development but strive to become such a living pattern for those watching us. I have been blessed by many such individuals throughout my life.

Early this morning, I was pondering the disparate distance between God and man. Even the prophets, whose lives are most genuinely aligned with God’s will, are astounded when brought into the presence of God. In their scriptural accounts, most fall on their faces upon the ground, unable to even look at Him. That they must experience some form of transfiguration just to be able to exist in His presence would be startling enough. After such a theophany, it’s not unusual for the prophet to describe having no mortal strength. For example, Moses’ experience, “And the presence of God withdrew from Moses, that his glory was not upon Moses; and Moses was left unto himself. And as he was left unto himself, he fell unto the earth. And it came to pass that it was for the space of many hours before Moses did again receive his natural strength like unto man; and he said unto himself: Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.” It’s much more likely that contemporary individuals perceive God as He appeared during His mortal sojourn on earth. In this form the disparity between God and man was far less noticeable. However, when considering God in His glory, something our doctrine promises possible for all of God’s children, the distance between fallen man and exalted, glorified God is beyond human ability to comprehend. If not for Christ and His atoning mediation, man could never become like God. Because of the incomprehensible distance between God and man, God’s mercy becomes the one and only means of bridging such an enormous gap. Despite Christ’s infinite mercy in offering Himself as a ransom to redeem all of God’s children, the extent to which that mercy has effect depends upon the desires and choices of each individual. I would like to temper that reality by sharing what I have come to know about diminishing that distance through Christ. That this mortal experience was created for our eternal development, Christ’s mercy is tender and kind. He invites us to be yoked to Him, to allow Him to work through this mortal process together. When I recognize my own weakness in any aspect of my life, having a stronger companion upon which to lean is incredibly encouraging and comforting. Realizing that He will not do for me what is mine alone to do cannot extinguish the strength and commitment I feel from Him and the hope and comfort that engenders. That it is a process played out over time and that He only asks for my best and is patient with my best even when it is so apparently meager instills within me hope. Because He is my partner I should never succumb to discouragement that seems to be ever ready to deter my progress. As long as I am connected to Him, I’ll be ok.

I don’t believe Lucifer limits his meddling to a binary yes or no. I think his subtlety is much more nuanced and it doesn’t matter in the least to him which way one may be redirected or what tactics are used to accomplish his nefarious designs. Meddling with the pace of one’s progress toward God is one of his most preferred and effective tactics. Constructing the idea that pace is the same for everyone can be brutal. For those whose pace seems slow when compared to others, comparative expectation can foster discouragement and ultimately resignation and defeat. For those whose pace seems faster than others, comparison can lead to criticism and judgment of others whose pace cannot equal theirs. God works with us at our pace. Most usually growth and development in mortality is slow, sometimes almost imperceptible. These comparative perceptions can lead to being either too hard on ourselves or too hard on others. While we may not be able to recognize the progress we are making, God always does because His perception is eternal in nature. From His perspective, it’s the growth that matters most. Consistent, persistent growth and development toward God and combined with His merciful help will ultimately yield an eternal harvest beyond our fondest imagination.

I find that many people struggle in life because they have expectations that were formulated upon faulty information or misaligned effort. I believe another major factor that leads to expectations not being met is a dearth of understanding regarding the purpose of earth life. If earth’s origins, which also encapsulates man’s origin, are as many believe just the result of an incredible existential happenstance one could not be faulted for expecting what so many do. But if, as I believe, both earth and the entirety of its occupants were created by a divine creator and for His divine purpose, then we shouldn’t be surprised when things don’t go as well as we imagined or hoped they would. There is a purpose to our lives. On this mortal journey one will encounter many things; some pleasant and beneficial, some unpleasant and detrimental, and some unpleasant but beneficial to our ongoing development. When viewed through the prism of eternal reality and purpose, each of our experiences may ultimately be beneficial toward an outcome that will far exceed anything experienced in mortality. Patience is an essential friend to have on this journey.

Being a disciple of the Messiah, of emulating and striving to become more like Him is never initially the easy way but it is unquestionably the more satisfactory and fulfilling way if pursued to its designed end. The adversary’s easy alternative appeals to a broader audience, many of who consume it entirely without question until they are bound by restraints they could never have imagined nor suspected, which will be so incredibly strong that only the power of Christ Himself will be able to rescue those willing to pay a price far greater price that obedience would have ever required.

In my study this morning I came across one of the many references to the Savior as the shepherd and how the shepherd would give their life to protect the sheep. It made me think of an experience I had several years ago when going up into the mountains to pick up some of our children from Youth Conference. We became impatient waiting for them to walk down the road so I began walking up the road and it was much farther than I thought it would be before encountering them. On my way there was a herd of sheep off in the trees. I made a move to walk toward them when I heard a fierce growl, then another and another. Three ferocious looking dogs were making it abundantly clear that I was not to take another step toward the sheep they were guarding. I couldn’t help but think of the Savior protecting His flock. It was so visual and aural that it imprinted the memory that I still have ever so clearly. It gave me an additional aspect of the Savior’s role of protecting His covenant sheep. Acting like a sheep isn’t something of value in our society, but it is in Heavenly Father’s, as long as we are part of His flock.

Daily routines are often disparaged for a variety of reasons, many of which I have espoused. But age just as often provides perspective that is unavailable to younger people. I believe that my life is constructed from myriad small decisions and the cumulative impact of daily routines, whether productive or destructive. I would counsel younger people to be cautious about the routines they establish because, if dutifully pursued, they will bear fruit even if the fruit surprisingly is bitter when at last it ripens.

Early this morning I studied a talk given by Elder Lance B. Wickman, titled But If Not. In this talk Elder Wickman dealt with the “why” questions. The “why” questions can often be heart wrenching. On one occasion I wondered why something had occurred contrary to my hope and expectation. An answer did come but it came twenty years later. Regardless of the timing I was incredibly appreciative of receiving an answer because it taught me to more fully trust a loving Heavenly Father. The “why” questions play an important, perhaps essential, role in consecrating our will to the Lord. Trusting God without complete or even partial understanding allows our will to be swallowed up in His. If one can submit their will to God unconditionally, the sweet comfort of divine peace can still the unsettled soul even without understanding. Trusting God enough to defer understanding will ultimately result in the Savior wiping away all tears from all faces. They will one day prostrate themselves at the feet of the Savior and wash his feet with a flood of grateful tears. The price of reaching this point can be terrifying and painful but the Savior has already experienced your anguish and fear and made it His. He will grant the gift of peace until understanding comes. Unconditional trust in God will sustain a person through the process of confronting the inevitable “why” questions that mortality will inevitably offer.

Early this morning I listened again to Brad Wilcox’s talk, His grace is Sufficient. I love that talk but I love the Savior’s grace even more. Grace is something that was rarely discussed during my youth, and if it was mentioned it wasn’t in a positive way. It was looked upon as contrary to God’s plan of salvation, completely overshadowed by the emphasis on works. We found fault with Born Again Christians for their emphasis on grace without the necessity of works in tandem. In doing so, I think we were as guilty in our own way of focusing on our works without ever including the doctrine of grace in the conversation. As I have matured in the Gospel, I have come to see how each is a necessary component of the equation of salvation. An incorrect understanding of this sweet combination can cause one to err regarding the true nature of God’s plan of redemption. Brother Wilcox clearly welds those two elements together in a way that anyone can understand. A correct understanding of grace draws me nearer the Savior, bringing me to my knees in the process. I stand all amazed at His willingness to bear all our ills and to cancel the effects of the Fall.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is either what it claims to be or it is not. There is no middle ground. God has offered to confirm its truth if one is an honest and genuine seeker of truth and prepared to act upon the truth that is given. I recognize there are questions, both contemporary and in the past, that cause people concern about what they have believed with regards to the Church’s origin and its current operation. Many have issues with the Church’s doctrine or policies. Over the yearsI have encountered things that I didn’t understand. Had I focussed on them and allowed them to erode my core beliefs, my testimony could have been in jeopardy. Not everything that’s encountered with anti Church bias will prove to be true, either in part or in totality. For me, my belief isn’t centered on peripheral issues. I believe that certainty regarding the claims made by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints regarding its divine origin and continued divine guidance is available to any true seeker of truth. I don’t believe God will dispense spiritual assurance to those whose motive is simply curiosity. One must seek a sure witness by possessing real intent, the intent to act upon the assurance of truth when it comes. So, for a person who wishes to know the truth about the origin and continued destiny of the Church, they must seek answers to the following questions:

Does God exist?
What is the nature of God?
What is my relationship with God?
Is Jesus Christ the Son of God?
Does God speak to mortals?
Did Joseph Smith see and converse with God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ?
Is the Book of Mormon exactly what it claims to be?

For me, these are the core questions that lead to truth. If appraised honestly, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is either exactly what it claims to be or it is not. There is no in between. If it is true, and I believe that it is, its message is of inestimable value and would change anyone’s life for the better not only in mortality but have eternal implications as well. If it is not true, then your guess is as good as mine as far as our purpose on this planet. For practical purposes, I would begin with the last question listed above. This book is something you can hold in your hand. You can read it and ponder it. It is something that could not be duplicated by anyone void of divine assistance. It is tangible evidence of its divine origin. If it is true, and I believe it is, then Joseph Smith is telling the truth about its origin. If the Book of Mormon is of divine origin as claimed, then Joseph Smith is the prophet of God he declared himself to be. His declaration of the reality and divinity of God the Father and His Son is also true. God’s existence is not only verified but our relationship with Him is made plain. After experiencing God personally, after having a Spiritual witness and confirmation regarding the above truths, the peripheral questions fall into their rightful place and one can patiently wait for a more expanded perspective as additional information becomes available. Joy D. Jones said, “Eternity is the wrong thing to be wrong about.” With that in mind I offer this advice. Believers have an affirmative assurance that what they believe is true. Non believers usually default to not believing rather than paying the price to affirmatively assure your position. If you choose not to believe, I would encourage you to seek an affirmative assurance that your choice to not believe is indeed founded upon truth. There is no middle ground between true and false. If it isn’t one, it’s necessarily the other.

In the book of 1 John 4:18, the apostle John says this about love, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” For many years I pondered on how love could cast out fear. We all encounter fear in our lives, in one of many ways. Fear and uncertainty seem to be siblings. I liken it to watching a football game, or any athletic endeavor, and being anxious about many things during the course of the contest because I didn’t know what the outcome would be. I often had a vested interest in the outcome, enhancing my angst during the game. But if I recorded the game and knew the final score before I watched the game, I didn’t fret in the least about mistakes or misfortune during the game because I knew how it ended. If life could be compared to watching these games, we confront many situations that terrify us because we don’t know how things will end. It frightens us because so often we have no control over the outcome. We are at life’s mercy. However, God knows how the game of life will end. He knows the end from the beginning. If we love God, our trust in Him and His outcomes, regardless of what that may be, will sustain us when circumstances are uncertain, even though they aren’t uncertain to Him. If I love Him, I will trust Him because I know His outcomes will only benefit me, not only here but also for eternity. The power of divine love can cast out fear because it frees one from worrying about the outcome. Though difficult at first, once trust in God has been affirmed repeatedly, it becomes quite liberating to surrender any outcome to God. I don’t know how the game will end but He does, and I can implicitly trust Him and accept the outcome He prefers for me. Surrendering all of our uncertain outcomes to Him, by loving and trusting Him, because of His loving goodness, dispels the fear of an unwelcome outcome. It’s a beautiful doctrine with magnificent implications for living our lives. Elder Neal A. Maxwell expresses it better than I can, “We can also further develop our submissiveness to God’s will, so that amid our lesser but genuinely vexing moments we too can say, ‘Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). When heartfelt, this expression of obedience constitutes real petition followed by real submission. It is much more than polite deference. Rather, it is a deep yielding in which one’s momentary uncertainty gives way to the certainty of Father’s rescuing love and mercy, attributes which drench His plan of salvation.”

Our Come Follow Me study today discussed something they referred to as fence laws. Fence laws are barriers people place around the true doctrines of the Gospel to protect them from encroachment. Many of the Jewish laws that Scribes and Priests developed over hundreds of years would be considered fence laws. The problem occurs when these fence laws become weighted the same or greater than God’s laws. It was obvious from the discussion that parents often produce a variety of fence laws that stand in the place of the true doctrines and principles of God. I could easily see that I had been guilty of such a practice. These fence laws act as insulation between those for whom they were intended and God’s true laws. These fence laws then impede a person’s ability to connect to God directly which can be spiritually debilitating. It’s important we can recognize the difference between God’s laws and these fence laws we create around the pure truths.

This morning I read and pondered a talk given by Elder Randall K Bennett titled Your Next Step. He begins by addressing how many perceive the gap between us and God to be insurmountable. I think many deal with this disparity by simply eliminating God, thus eliminating the gap. I don’t believe those in this group are at all concerned about the gap. Rather, they simply eliminate God from their personal equation because they think it eliminates any guilt their life choices may induce. Others see the gap as being significant to their future but impossibly distant and insurmountable so they just quit trying to close the gap, thus eliminating themselves from the equation. Either way, the gap remains. I believe both of these perceptions are taken from the Devil’s handbook. He doesn’t care which part of the equation one eliminates, the result is the same. The Doctrine of Christ dispels both misperceptions. The Doctrine of Christ acknowledges the impossibility of man bridging the gap between man and God if left to one’s own capabilities. Such a gap was anticipated and part of the divine plan for the salvation and exaltation of all mankind. (Ether 12:27) Jesus Christ, the firstborn child of heavenly parents, was chosen to act as an intermediary between God and man. This sacred role required a sinless life so that His offering on behalf of all the rest of God’s children would satisfy the full demands of God’s justice. Perhaps even more enlightening is that not only does Christ balance the scales of justice, but by taking upon Himself all of mankind’s sins, frailties, weakness, pain, suffering, injustice, and categorically every negative aspect of life produced by the fall of Adam, He possesses the compassion and ability to succor any hapless soul from the rigors of mortality. He has overcome the gap (2 Nephi 2:5-9) for all who will embrace His sacred gift and bind themselves to Him by sacred covenant. This enables the willing to engage the Savior’s power to overcome all of the Fall’s negative consequences. He becomes one’s personal Savior and Redeemer, helping them, in a very personal and loving way, to traverse the gap between fallen man and exaltation. He provides the belief that such help is readily available, that He wants God’s children to partake of His gift by working with Him and relying upon Him to successfully eliminate the gap by arriving back into the presence of God.

It’s Palm Sunday. While pondering the Savior’s magnificent gift to all mankind, my thoughts sauntered to a few verses in Hebrews chapter 12. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” Much strikes me in these verses but this morning one phrase stood out to me, “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” Our faith must be rooted deeply in the Lord, Savior, and Redeemer Jesus Christ. Our faith begins there. Saving faith would not exist without Jesus because there would be no Savior. Even though the great plan of reclamation and redemption was God the Father’s it was Christ whose atoning sacrifice gave eternal life to the plan of the Father. My faith is weak. It vacillates depending upon a variety of variables. As was identified in the first verse above, running the salvational race from our mortal habitat to God’s throne can be a daunting experience. Even discounting that the race couldn’t be run without Christ’s sacrifice to satisfy justice, if not for Christ’s shepherding encouragement all along the way, this particular race would be too long for anyone to finish. So not only does Jesus mark the course and run it first successfully, but He gives everyone a reason to run, runs with anyone willing to allow Him to join them, and when mortal energy is insufficient, He provides divine help, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

The Book of Mormon is the fulcrum upon which the truth of the restoration is balanced. If the Book of Mormon is true then Joseph Smith was indeed who and what he said he was. One cannot lightly dismiss the testimony of those witnesses who saw and handled the plates and whose testimony never faltered regardless of some who became alienated from the Church. From my perspective, in addition to the whisperings of the Holy Ghost affirming the truth of the Book of Mormon, I believe the greatest evidence of the truth of the Book of Mormon is the book itself. Joseph Smith translated it in its entirety in a little under 60 working days. Given the intense scrutiny to which it has undergone for almost 200 years, how can one explain a book of such magnificence being produced in such a short time by an uneducated young man in his 20’s? Any person who will genuinely search its sacred truths with a heart intent upon responding to its divine invitations will find their own witness of its truthfulness. In addition, try this experiment offered by Elder Marion G. Romney of the First Presidency, “I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness.”

Every day I become increasingly aware of my own mortality. The frailty of my mortal body with its attendant and increasing pains and weakness, coupled with my decreasing capacity to do things I’ve always done is an ever present reminder of my inevitable appointment with death. Death is an essential step in the process of redemption and salvation. It isn’t to be feared unless one has postponed choosing to believe in and accept God by repenting and striving to become more like Him. For those faithfully on the covenant path, death will produce tears of absence but also reinstate eternal relationships with loved ones who preceded us beyond the veil. Our capacity to be actively engaged in God’s work in the spirit world will increase as it rolls forth to a glorious triumph. Death itself is a laying aside of the mortal body we so anxiously awaited while watching and waiting for Adam and Eve to open the gates of mortality. Our fallen, mortal condition provided physical bodies subject to weakness, illness, and ultimately death. But they also provided myriad experiences and feelings we had never previously known. It was glorious in many ways but challenging in others. The Lord’s glorious resurrection provides a glorious reunion with our own mortal bodies at some point in the future but without any of mortality’s limits. As anxiously as we once waited for a mortal body, we will likewise wait for our own glorious, resurrected body with all of its marvelous eternal potential. This process of change and exchange is only possible through the Atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That alone would bring all of God’s children to their knees in humble gratitude.

While being with the Bishop while he conducted interviews this afternoon he mentioned that a family living within the ward boundaries but who are not members of the Church don’t have any food. Unfortunately, the Bishop’s Storehouse doesn’t open until Tuesday. I told him that I could go to Walmart on Monday to get them some food to tide them over until Tuesday. He then went in for his last interview. During that time I felt impressed to go to Walmart to get some food today. When he finished his interview I mentioned to him I felt that I should go today to get the food. He smiled and told me that he’d had the same impression while in his interview. So after finishing with my responsibilities at the church I went home and changed my clothes and shopped on Sunday. I purchased enough things to sustain this family until Tuesday when a food order could be procured. I felt the love of the Lord as I did this. I thought of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Scribes and realized that had I not purchased the food until tomorrow I wouldn’t have been any different than they were with regards to the Sabbath.

Elder Bednar’s talk given in the last conference was titled, “Abide in Me and I in You; Therefore Walk with Me.” I’ve read it three times so far. It certainly had an effect on me, particularly listening to it when at the end Elder Bedar’s voice changed and I could tell how deeply he felt about Christ’s gift of atoning grace. I am familiar with people who think this great gift can heal everyone else but not themselves. Such restraints on His Atonement don’t exist. Its sacred impact is both infinite and eternal. However, the part of his talk that struck me most was the doctrine taught by Alma wherein he likened the word to a seed which we can plant in our hearts. If the seed is a true seed, and if we make a place for it to grow and care for it, it will sprout and grow into a tree which will, in due time, produce fruit. This fruit, Alma says, will be most precious, and sweet above all that is sweet and white above all that is white. Elder Bednar said the seed we plant is the word; the life, mission, and doctrine of Jesus Christ. He indicated the fruit represents the blessings of Christ’s Atonement. All of this led to him asking if Jesus resided in the fleshy tables of our hearts or was still outside of us. We are certainly aware of Christ but have we neglected to open our hearts and invite Him to actually abide with us? His invitation for us to abide with Him is ever present but it won’t happen until We open our hearts to Him and allow Him to be the most important thing in our lives, our choices, and our priorities. Binding ourselves to Christ through covenant is an invitation to walk with Him, experience life with Him, to know that with Him as a companion we have no need to fear anything. It was a powerful talk. It’s a powerful doctrine. But it’s only powerful if we allow it to occur within us, rather than only with others. I invite each of you to open your heart to Him, even if you have no more than the smallest desire to believe. Let this tiny desire work in you as a seed, His Holy Word, until it grows into a mighty tree whose fruit is eternal and sweet above all else.

I sometimes wonder if we, and I include myself, really understand and appreciate the magnificent gift of moral agency. The right to choose is sacrosanct in God’s great plan. Lucifer’s attempt to usurp God’s power and claim His throne was an attack on individual moral agency. God gave this extended version of agency to mankind while Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden. It has always been present, hence the tussle in the pre mortal life but it holds a preeminent role in essential mortal experience. One’s right to choose for themselves is the fulcrum upon which all action is balanced. And as with a fulcrum, eternal agency is ultimately the choice between only two outcomes. On one hand one may choose to believe and obey God’s will. On the other hand, one may choose not to believe and obey God’s will. Ultimately those are the only two choices. Obviously we encounter a wide variety of choices that impact our lives daily that we would never connect with ultimate outcomes. But each choice impacts us and will either lead us closer to or farther away from God, regardless of how innocent the choice may seem at the time. Moral agency allows God to hold each person accountable for their choices and where those choices will ultimately lead. Because each person is born with the Light of Christ, they have a basic understanding of the difference between right and wrong. The choice then belongs entirely to us. We have been given the sacred power to determine the course of our own life. That power first surfaces within the confines of our own thoughts. Our thoughts lead to action and action produces a consequence. We have been given the power to determine what thoughts we embrace and which to discard. Each thought is a player making an entry onto the stage of your mind. You can either enjoy and embrace the thought or remove them from the stage. Over time you will find that these little dramas, played out in your mind countless times, will ultimately determine what you become. That is indeed power, your power, given to you by God. You can either believe and embrace God’s gift or you can choose to disbelieve in God and yield your choices to one who would much prefer you worship him instead. The subtleness of evil outcomes, originating with Lucifer, will come back to haunt you. Despite being advertised as the opposite, any evil choice and its corresponding outcome will invariably result in misery and suffering. But if you choose to believe God and accept what He offers, the inevitable outcome will be joy, peace, and unlimited possibility.

This morning I listened to a talk given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland at BYU titled, A Saint Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. For some reason, this talk spoke to my soul in ways it never had before. He spoke of the purpose of our mortal lives and some of the implications of that, even enjoyable ones. He spoke of how difficult confronting some of mortality’s more disdainful experiences can be. Yet through it all, He testified of God’s glorious goodness. Those two things are often found by many to be incongruent, and from a purely mortal perspective, I couldn’t argue. But God’s perspective is never constrained by mortal lenses. His perspective is far more expansive, being restrained by neither time nor space. His view is eternal and far beyond our comprehension which requires us to exercise faith and trust in Him and His Holy purposes. He mentioned how some withhold forgiveness, for a variety of reasons, none of which will expunge our personal responsibility to forgive, regardless of the pain of offense.

As I’m sure you know, my love of growing flora took root on my Grandpa Brown’s farm. Upon owning my own land, one of the first things I did was prepare the soil for a garden. It was horrendous soil, clay so hard that even a tractor driven tiller couldn’t penetrate it. It had to be plowed first and then tilled. Even then, all that remained was clods formed as if cured in a kiln. It took a few years before I was able to alter the composition of my garden soil. Among the favorite things I grew over the 41 years of gardening were: Peaches, apples, sweet corn (Serendipity variety), watermelons, cantaloupe, sweet peppers, strawberries, raspberries, and of course, pumpkins. The pumpkins engendered joy that came from watching children hunt through the patch for their favorite pumpkin. Growing things, especially plants that produce produce, provides life lessons that may be learned from being at nature’s mercy. This morning I was studying the words of Paul and he mentioned the fruits of the Spirit. I thought, how like the fruits of a garden are the fruits of the Spirit, though in a spiritual way. The fruit doesn’t come before the planting and nourishing of any spiritual gift or experience. Often patient waiting is involved in the spiritual harvest as much, if not more, than the garden harvest. If one’s eyes are open, they will see many correlations between physical and spiritual things, one testifying of the other.

I was thinking this morning about the power of perspective. Looking at something from a different location or point of view can often render a significantly different outcome, often revealing truth and obscuring falsehood. Far too many conversations are derailed because of a difference in perspective rather than a difference in reality. In Lehi’s dream of the tree of life, Satan’s intent to blind the eyes and harden the hearts of those searching for the tree of life is compellingly informative. The adversary desires that mortal perspective be restricted as much as possible so that his preferred focus is displayed more predominantly without competition that could potentially clear the mud from his muddy waters. Conversely, the Lord invites all to expand their perspective by believing in Him and what becoming His disciple can offer. Indeed, Jesus is not just a magnificent teacher and motivator. He is much more than that. Unlike any other mortal, He is the literal Son of God, with power to overcome physical death and unlock the prison of spiritual death for all who so desire by accepting His terms of release. But even more, He is the Mighty Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Moses and others were allowed glimpses of the grandeur of an unfathomable universe which He created under His Father’s direction. Despite His majesty, He walked upon the earth in the guise of humanity, experiencing mortality along with the rest of us. But unlike us, when death called, he willingly submitted to it though death had no claim on Him. And also unlike us, He, sired by immortal God, had power to overcome death and open the door for all other mortals to triumph over death as a merciful gift, given freely to all. After escaping the tomb that proclaimed His death, He ascended to His Father before returning to manifest Himself to thousands as the living reality of His resurrection. Can one believe in Him and ignore the limitless possibilities He offers to all mankind. The limits of our perspective are self-inflicted. He offers the perspective of eternity, of the divine potential each mortal possesses. His willingness to stand between us and God’s justice, frees all repentant mortals from the bitterness of their own sins, having taken them upon Himself and suffering sufficiently to satisfy the demands of that justice, something that must have pained His Father as much as it pained Him. Each of us has two options, and two options only. We can either choose Christ and accept all that he promises us, opening the way to unimaginable possibilities, or we can reject Christ, thus throwing in our hat with Lucifer, the evil one, whose only intent is for us to suffer to the extent he does. The perspective of truth compared to its opposite is incredibly stark. It’s as different as day and night. So why is it so difficult for some to distinguish the difference? It’s because their perspective is so restricted by their choices in life that they can’t see the difference. They have become so spiritually myopic that they are blinded to the truth, to reality. Remember Lehi’s dream. That is reality. Eternity is the wrong thing to be wrong about. (Joy Jones)

This morning I had the sweetest spiritual experience. I got up early and began reading The Message, the Meaning, and the Multitude by Elder Holland. A little later in the morning, I was sitting in the truck alone, in the shade of a huge tree while waiting. I finished reading Elder Holland’s talk there. As I did so, a solemn yet sweet feeling of peace settled over me and I felt the love of God. It was so poignant that tears flowed freely. It was as my past began to parade before my eyes. I began to see how different my life had been because of Jesus and His sacred gift of atonement. I realized how blessed I have been. Even in my darkest days, hours, and even moments, when life seemed so meaningless, when hope had shriveled to near nothing, I could see Him there. He was never far from me. His love was manifested in myriads of ways and I could sense His care and concern for me. I was swept away with my love for Him, my heart full of gratitude for Him, for His divine patience and loving kindness. I came to understand that without Christ, my life would have been like rowing uphill in a turbulent stream against a powerful current, with oars too short, headed nowhere. It’s impossible to express in words what I experienced and felt this morning under the shade tree, alone in the truck, waiting for the world to begin again.

Our time upon this earth was foreordained to be a culmination of so many things. It would include the restoration of the Gospel of God, the growth of the Lord’s Kingdom on earth, and especially the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in glory. His coming would usher in a thousand years of peace and righteousness which would silence the adversary for a time. The earth would be returned to its paradisiacal glory. Zion would return and join the New Jerusalem. However, before these marvelous events will occur, the Saints of God upon the earth in mortality will be required to fight for truth against a numerically overwhelming foe. Indeed the adversary has swelled his ranks and become brazenly bold in his efforts to thwart the work of God. Were it not for prophetic utterance that assures the Saints of a victorious outcome, one’s faith might wither in the heat and pressure of the enemy. I don’t know how long I will live and consequently how much of this evil oppression I will live to experience so may I share with you some things that will act as your shield and sword. The Book of Mormon gives us guidance for living in a world governed by a populace who have sworn allegiance to the enemy of all good and whose mission is to see that all others are as miserable as he is. The faith of previous Saints was always centered and rooted in Jesus Christ. I encourage you to become acquainted with him personally, not just know about Him, but get to know Him. He will sustain you in every affliction. Regardless of what the adversary would have you believe, the manifestation of his power is only an illusion. Real power rests solely with the God of Heaven and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Anchor yourselves to Christ, look to him always, trust Him. Remember His mighty hand which liberated the children of Israel from Egyption overlords. Remember all of the times He protected and delivered His covenant people. You need not fear the enemy, regardless of their appearance. The power the adversary wields isn’t power at all. His is a power of intimidation through the lives of mortals on the earth who have yielded themselves to his nefarious ways. All of that darkness will be dispersed by the rays of eternal glory emanating from the coming Lord. Stay close to Him. The victory is His. It always has been and always will be. Yoke yourself to Him and never let go, no matter what.

Impatience is one of the more subtle sins. Contrarily, patience, or longsuffering as it is often referred to in the scriptures, is a significant component of the divine nature of the Gods. How could God deal with the extensive and repulsive aberrant behavior of His children if not for inexhaustible patience. Our mortal experience, particularly with loved ones, provides an ideal environment to develop patience and overcome impatience. I don’t think impatience is something often identified as sinful and just as infrequently targeted as a weakness that needs attention and change. Nature itself tutors us about patience. We never harvest on the same day we plant. We must allow the process of growth to play out before the joy of the harvest can be experienced. Waiting for something either needed or wanted is commonplace. It is a characteristic with which I have wrestled for a significant portion of my life. This morning I came upon some of Elder Maxwell’s thoughts on patience which heightened my intent to work with more urgency in diminishing my impatience, especially with others. He said, “impatience with a spouse may occur while a more public challenge is managed quite well”. It’s interesting to me that one can so easily recognize some character flaw in others but ignore it in themselves. Hence, thorough and persistent self assessment is necessary for celestial growth and progress, regardless of the pain self incrimination may produce. In another vein of perspective, waiting upon the Lord can be excruciating at times, but then again, experiencing our impatience and the consequences such impatience can produce, must have been excruciating for the Savior as he bore such things in our behalf.

The other day I was thinking about what life was like when I was in high school in the 60’s. Research was certainly more onerous then than it is now. Information was contained in and most usually limited to books or some other form of the written word. Searching for answers or information of any sort was much more laborious, tedious, and often unfulfilling. And when information was found, the information had to be extracted by handwritten note cards. Copy machines were non-existent. Often the time between the origin of the information and finding its way to me was extensive. Typing research reports was not an easy task. Spelling help was a dictionary. Cutting and pasting was done with scissors and paste. Corrections were made with Whiteout. As I write these words this morning I take for granted how easy it is to replicate those student experiences in a tiny fraction of the time it now takes. Now, information is as air; all around us, ever present, sometimes clear, and other times smoggy and dangerous. Much has changed during my lifetime. Any search for needed information is subject to algorithmic attention that provides new streams of information aligned with your interest, welcome or not. And while the methodology has changed significantly, what we do with the information has not. Information is either true or not. Just because a source of information is listed first in a Google search doesn’t necessarily authenticate its veracity. Truth has become a byword for many, having been replaced by a personally comfortable, convenient relativism. In this tsunami of information that washes over us daily, crying for our attention, is information which is both true and false. Among the false is that which is evil, some which is pernicious and vile, some deceptively harmful, and some simply distracting that can rob one of the possibilities truth offers. Rather than embracing eternal, unchanging truth, many now believe truth is whatever one wants it to be. As a believer in eternal truth established by an almighty God, the Creator of all things, I accept truth as unchanging, non negotiable, which is currently an unpopular belief. But for those of a like mind, how can truth be distinguished from error? The ability to make such distinctions accurately may very well be a pillar of salvation in the days ahead. I refer you to Moroni chapter 7 in the Book of Mormon for guidance.

Serving as the executive secretary in our Ward allows me a perception that few are allowed. One sees much of true devotion to God and the building of His Kingdom on the earth. But it also exposes weaknesses as well as strengths. One thing that is constantly at the forefront of these observations is wondering why so many temple recommend holding Saints fail to bear their share of weight for building the Kingdom? Even trivial, but essential things, such as cleaning the church weekly, helping a family either move in or out of the ward, fixing and providing a meal to someone in need, visiting with others to build everlasting relationships, sharing the most important message God has sent to earth, and consecrating their lives are most often accomplished by a small group of the same people. Is it because we love other things more than we love God as He loves us? Or is it because we really don’t believe? Or worse, don’t we want to believe? Our love for Him will always be manifested best by our loyalty to Him and His work, by our willingness to keep His commandments, and by how we treat others. In every congregation are many who desperately need a friend, whose lives have not gone as hoped or planned, whose hopes and dreams lie smoldering in the ashes, whose hearts have been broken by those they love, some by those they trusted most, those who carry the heavy load of unrepentant sin, some who feel their sins are beyond the pale of Christ’s forgiveness, many whose purpose in life has long since vanished, many who fear the uncertainty of life, many who feel the responsibilities of life are just too heavy, who don’t know the joy of the saints, and there are far too many who have yet to experience God’s love for them in a personal way. Isn’t addressing such meaningful needs the very essence of God’s Holy, eternal work, regardless of how inconvenient such love and service may be? In doing so, we become like Him and know the joy He knows.

My life, as well as the lives of everyone else, has been duly acquainted with uncertainty and the fear which so often accompanies it. It’s easy to feel like we are in control in life, but things arise that remind us, sometimes painfully, that having control of one’s circumstances is merely an illusion. There is One who is in control of all things, but it isn’t us. So much of existential influence is provided by power beyond our ability to have or control. We are deeply dependent upon things entirely beyond our control. I suppose that’s why we strive so hard to gain control in our lives, and ironically in the lives of others, particularly the ones we love. It’s as if we are grasping for a toehold in foreign territory. Also ironically, the One who wields the only power over all things is the One who tenaciously guards the right of all to make their own choices, thus muddying the water considerably. The very breath that sustains life is granted one breath at a time and that lasts minutes at most. Everything upon the earth that sustains life was designed and created by the One great Creator who is omnipotent. Rather than flailing around helplessly trying to keep the oars aligned in the lifeboat, one’s time would be much more beneficially employed striving to adhere to the kind counsel of Him who created not only the materials that allowed construction of the boat, but the water in which the boat is cast. Far too often one’s focus is on the creation rather than the Creator. And while admiring the creation can flood one with humble awe, it will still be only the Creator who is worthy of such awe. Unlike the mortal environment in which we now live, all things associated with God and His environment are infused with certainty. The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob never changes. He is certain. He can be relied upon without equivocation. His promises are sure and His love is not only immeasurable but eternally expressive. In a world of uncertainty, one can with assurance tie their boat to the one true mooring that will overcome any tidal fury or vicious storm. He is the true certainty for which we should strive and abandon any vain efforts to save ourselves in storms that rage far beyond our meager mortal efforts to still. Christ is the master of certainty to which the knaves of discord, contention, uncertainty, and chaos must bow.

As vicious political polarization continues to escalate into becoming hell itself, I am pained deeply. I have forfeited my membership in the Republican Party and fail to see anything better in the Democratic Party. I consider those in both parties who are located on the extreme edge, a line which grows fatter every day, to be traitors to all for which this country stands. I love this country. I believe firmly in its divine origin and purpose. I revel in the miraculous occurrences that helped produce independence from an overbearing despot. I marvel at the capacity to compromise among men of various and selfishly ingrained positions that ultimately laid aside their own needs in order to unselfishly forge a bond that granted freedom and opportunity to others. There were many who were instrumental in both the fight for freedom and its constitutionalism. But one figure stands above the others in my mind and heart; George Washington. He was a giant of a man in many ways but I would particularly like to focus this morning on his views regarding political parties. Currently, these two major political parties have adopted the same stance as warring countries, full of hatred for the other and totally incapable of seeing anything good in the opposition but rather perceiving them as evil incarnate so that compromise is perceived as defeat. In Washington’s farewell address given on September 19 1976 as he stepped away permanently from public service, he said this; “I have already intimated to you the danger of Parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on Geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, & warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the Spirit of Party, generally. This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human Mind. It exists under different shapes in all Governments, more or less stifled, controuled, or repressed; but in those of the popular form it is seen in its greatest rankness and is truly their worst enemy. The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissention, which in different ages & countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders & miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security & repose in the absolute power of an Individual: and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of Public Liberty.”

Each morning I raise the curtain on our window in the dining room and look out over the plants in our backyard. One of the things that fascinate me is the variety in the pace of growth in various plants. The full size oleanders grow rapidly. We have a pink oleander against the south wall that winter killed which required significant pruning almost to the ground. But now it’s already four feet tall. Our little peach tree, which was about four inches tall in the early spring, is now over three feet tall. However, we have a variegated century plant which has grown only a few inches in two years. While the rapid growers demand more visual attention, the sturdy but slow growers possess beauty of their own. Can one avoid the comparison of vegetative growth with the growth in people? Our oleanders don’t yell belittling taunts across the yard to the century plant because of its miniscule growth rate. Kids at school, however, relish opportunities to belittle others not up to their self perceived snuff. Unkind words, spoken so carelessly, cut deeply into the inner flesh of a fragile psyche. Such harm is not limited to unkind children. There is no age at which the inclination to criticize others is out of style. And while adults may be better at hiding such inner wounds than children, the effect caused by the stealthy stiletto strike of sharp words draws blood at any age.

I know I’ve spoken of this previously but I believe it bears saying again. Salvation and redemption are two doctrines which are often misunderstood. Because these two doctrines are critically important, especially from an eternal perspective, I want to touch upon them again, just a bit. In the equation of salvation, we are the variable and Christ is the constant. This infers that the value of the outcome is determined by the value of the variable but the value of the variable can change. It can become more valuable or less, depending upon choices made by the variable. The ultimate value of the outcome will be optimized by the variable’s willingness to be positively changed by the effect of the constant. In this equation, the variable has a role only it can play, as does the constant. Mischief creeps in when the variable tries to play the role of the constant, a role that only the constant can play. The value of the outcome will be maximized when both the variable and the constant play the role intended and the variable avails itself completely of the enabling influence of the constant. My thoughts on this topic run deeper than my words here. Better understanding what my role actually is has helped me more effectively rely upon the merits of Him who is mighty to save (change). I now understand in greater measure that only He can change my nature, only He can heal me from my mortal experience, only He can cleanse me of the stain of my sins as well as pay the price for them. The covenants I make and keep with Him will allow the sweet combination of my willing desire to repent and follow Him (something only I can do) and His incomparable atoning sacrifice (something only He can do) to produce the sweetest of fruit. Parenthetically, I understand this better than algebra.

My Book of Mormon study this morning included Ether chapter 15 and Moroni chapter 9. Both chapters are depressingly burdensome to me. To think of such potential, both mortally and eternally, wasted because they rejected God’s merciful grace saddens me every time I read it. Realizing that prophecy foretells that such fatal scenes will again play on earth’s grand stage, but on an even grander scale, seems both foolish and a useless waste of divine potential. I cannot fathom how wrenching this must be for even, and especially, the exalted heart of God. And though salvation, in some measure, will at some point salve their scorched souls, there will be much anguished regret and painful payment for sins not abandoned much earlier in the process. All of the pain, suffering, brutality, depravity, and devastation was needless had humble hearts been turned to Christ instead of toward him who plotted and persuaded men to such a miserable outcome. Sad indeed. Willful rebellion led to mortal annihilation. The brutality of that process is heart-rending. I think it’s important to examine more carefully how that destructive path began. Such an enormous and final outcome began with the seeds of willful dissent rather than willful consent to keep God’s commandments. As the Lord said, “out of small things proceedeth that which is great”. While in this instance He was referring to being faithful to Him and recognizing that the small efforts to serve God would someday produce outcomes of a much grander nature. However, this process also works contrariwise. The adversary urges susceptible individuals to take small, even baby, steps away from God and toward Him. At the time these miniature steps seem harmless simply because they appear to be of no seeming significance. But they are. They determine the direction one leans and leaning leads to moving in that direction. In this case, away from God. Really, it’s the little things, consistently applied that shape the direction of each and every life. One must pay apt attention to the daily things that draw them either toward God or away from Him. If away, and unchecked, the ultimate outcome will resemble the outcomes expressed in Ether 15, if not societally, then certainly personally.

In my opinion, one of the most unsung and under the radar aspects of Christ’s atonement is the gift of developmental space and time. This concept was first introduced at the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Having partaken of the fruit of the tree of good and evil, their lives were changed in ways they couldn’t possibly have imagined. A tragic misunderstanding of these events acts as a catastrophic doctrinal deterrent to God’s true plan of salvation. The choice made by Adam and Eve was an absolute necessity for the channels of mortal life to be opened for the rest of God’s children. The acquisition of a mortal body was an essential component of God’s plan to exalt His children. But in so doing, Adam and Eve introduced death into this grand equation, both physical and spiritual death. As a great gift to them, and by extension to us, God barricaded the tree of life, thus providing time between their transgression and the execution of the judgment pronounced upon them. Just as death would later be an equally essential part of this divine process, the gift of developmental time in between birth and death was of the utmost importance. I believe this time between birth and death, at least for most of us, is time for us to choose between good and evil, to determine what we want most, and to develop the nature to which we are inclined. This probationary time also allows us the space to act for ourselves, experience the consequences of OUR choices and learn from them. While often painful, it is certainly provocatively productive. These personal lessons, freed from the immediate imposition of the ultimate consequences, allows us an experience that we will one day reflect upon, even with all of its blemishes, and praise God for His majestic mercy. Retrospection will illuminate this marvelous plan far more eloquently than can I.

When I ponder the Savior’s pronouncement, “I am the way” I know it was the Savior’s answer to a problematic question asked by Thomas in response to the Savior’s declaration that He would soon be leaving them to prepare a place for them and that they knew the way to join Him. Thomas’ exclamation that they didn’t know where He was going, and they certainly didn’t know the way, and furthermore, how could they know the way, could very well be something any of us would utter in a similar circumstance. To this the Savior responded, “I am the way”. One of the great perplexing questions that must arise in every mortal mind is, “is this all there is?” In this brief exchange between Jesus and his apostles, that plaguing question was answered clearly and decisively. There is more than just mortality. In fact there is much more. Our future is flooded with potential. And the key to obtaining that potential is Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Follow Him, do what He does, love the way He does, endure the way He does. For if we choose to follow Him, we will end up where He is. “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be” John 12:26 Indeed, eternity is the wrong thing to be wrong about.