The Atonement of Jesus Christ

by Doctrines

The Atonement of Jesus Christ was the doctrinal topic for March’s study.   Russell M. Nelson reminds us that Jesus Christ “was anointed by His Father to be the Savior of the world. … [He] is our Advocate with the Father. …  He was sent by His Father to accomplish the Atonement, the central act of all human history.”1


When the Savior was on the earth, He focused on the one, although His life and teachings blessed and continue to bless many.   Similarly, while His Atonement has an impact upon all who will ever live, it can and should be very personal to each of us.   


President Nelson encourages us to “ponder the deep meaning of the word atonement.  In the English language, the components are at-one-ment, suggesting that a person is at one with another.  Other languages employ words that connote either expiation or reconciliation.  Expiation means ‘to atone for.’ Reconciliation comes from Latin roots … and … literally means ‘to sit again with.’ … In Hebrew [it] means ‘to cover’ or ‘to forgive.’ … [In] Aramaic and Arabic, … ‘a close embrace.’ … I weep for joy when I contemplate the significance of it all.  To be redeemed is to be atoned—received in the close embrace of God with an expression not only of His forgiveness, but of our oneness of heart and mind.  What a privilege!”2


In each of those meanings it is easy to see how personal the Savior intends His Atonement to be in our lives.  President Nelson helps us understand some of those very personal ways in the following three quotes:


“As the Only Begotten Son of our Almighty God, Jesus was the only perfect man to walk the earth. … He healed the sick and caused the lame to walk, the blind to see, and the deaf to hear. He raised the dead. Yet He allowed His life to be taken to make resurrection a reality and eternal life a possibility for all humankind. … Jesus came to the Garden of Gethsemane. He came to submit to the will of His Father and offer Himself as the sacrifice for the sins and weaknesses, the pains and burdens of all who had ever lived. … Upon the cross, the Savior of the world was lifted up.  He gave His life as part of His atoning sacrifice. … Because the Savior offered Himself as the infinite Atonement, you and I have the opportunity, the privilege, to be forgiven when we repent.  We can also turn to Him for healing of our hearts, for strength where we are weak, and for help to do things we simply cannot do on our own.  By virtue of His transcendent offering, Jesus also gave us the gift of immortality and the opportunity for eternal life.”3


“We live in a most difficult dispensation.  Challenges, controversies, and complexities swirl around us.  These turbulent times were foreseen by the Savior.  He warned us that in our day the adversary would stir up anger in the hearts of men and lead them astray.  Yet our Heavenly Father never intended that we would deal with the maze of personal problems and social issues on our own.  God so loved the world that He sent His Only Begotten Son to help us.  And His Son, Jesus Christ, gave His life for us.  All so that we could have access to godly power—power sufficient to deal with the burdens, obstacles, and temptations of our day.”4


“In a very real way, [the Atonement of Jesus Christ] affects each of our lives and the lives of every human being who ever lived. Understanding the significance of his atonement is fundamental to choices we make in all facets of our lives. The atonement of the Lord is central to our faith. … It seems almost beyond comprehension to think that he paid this enormous price for me and for each of you. And yet, as far as we are concerned individually, unless you and I do our part, his atonement will have been in vain. It is that covenant relationship—that mutual trust—that makes his atonement such a personal gift. It brings us protection, perennial hope, and the promise of joy.”5 


There were a few words that really resonated with me.  When the Savior was wrongly accused and sentenced to death, He was mocked by His accusers.  Knowing He had performed many miracles, they taunted Him to prove His divinity by saving Himself.  “Yet He allowed His life to be taken.”3  He did that for me!  And for you!  And for all who would ever live upon the earth.  And because He did, you can I can “turn to Him for healing of our hearts, for strength where we are weak, and for help to do things we simply cannot do on our own;”3 “have access to godly power—power sufficient to deal with the burdens, obstacles, and temptations of our day;”4 and “bring us protection, perennial hope, and the promise of joy.”5


One of my favorite sacramental hymns, Reverently and Meekly Now, really helps me to personalize the Atonement.  It is the only hymn we sing that is as though the Savior is speaking to us.  As you read these beautiful words, imagine yourself looking into the Savior’s eyes as He speaks directly to you.


Rev’rently and meekly now,
Let thy head most humbly bow.
Think of me, thou ransomed one;
Think what I for thee have done.
With my blood that dripped like rain,
Sweat in agony of pain,
With my body on the tree
I have ransomed even thee.

In this bread now blest for thee,
Emblem of my body see;
In this water or this wine,
Emblem of my blood divine.
Oh, remember what was done
That the sinner might be won.
On the cross of Calvary
I have suffered death for thee.

Bid thine heart all strife to cease;
With thy brethren be at peace.
Oh, forgive as thou wouldst be
E’en forgiven now by me.
In the solemn faith of prayer
Cast upon me all thy care,
And my Spirit’s grace shall be
Like a fountain unto thee.

At the throne I intercede;
For thee ever do I plead.
I have loved thee as thy friend,
With a love that cannot end.
Be obedient, I implore,
Prayerful, watchful evermore,
And be constant unto me,
That thy Savior I may be.6

I particularly love the personal invitations in the third and fourth verses.  If I have the faith to cast upon Him all my cares, His grace will flow into my life constantly.  If I will be obedient, prayerful and always remember Him, He will be my Savior—every hour of every day.  His Atonement is undeniably personal. It truly has the power to bless me every day of my life.  Knowing how to access that power is vital.  It will surely require effort on my part.  I must come to Him.  I will need to continually strengthen my faith in Him.  


President Nelson teaches, “Faith in Jesus Christ propels us to do things we otherwise would not do. Faith that motivates us to action gives us more access to His power.  We also increase the Savior’s power in our lives when we make sacred covenants and keep those covenants with precision. Our covenants bind us to Him and give us godly power. … Covenant-keeping men and women seek for ways to keep themselves unspotted from the world so there will be nothing blocking their access to the Savior’s power.”4 


Along with our attitudes and actions, our acknowledgment that the Savior is the source of such incredible power is imperative.  In our last general conference, President Nelson counseled, “If we as a people and as individuals are to have access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ—to cleanse and heal us, to strengthen and magnify us, and ultimately to exalt us—we must clearly acknowledge Him as the source of that power.”7


We can only acknowledge Him if we know Him.  Only in our quest to know Him will we be able to become like Him.  That is our lifelong challenge.  President Nelson has reminded us, “If you really want to be like the Lord—more than any thing or anyone else—you will remember that your adoration of Jesus is best shown by your emulation of Him.”8

To help us come to know the Savior better, President Nelson has offered this invitation, “Study everything Jesus Christ is by prayerfully and vigorously seeking to understand what each of His various titles and names means personally for you.  For example, He really is your Advocate with the Father. He will take your side.  He will stand up for you. He will speak on your behalf, every time, as you choose to be more like Him.”9

As we follow the example of our dear prophet and come to know the Savior in a deeper, more personal way, our love for Him will increase.  And as our love for Him increases, so will our gratitude for what He has done for us.  We often hear “Actions speak louder than words.”  It is easy to say how much I love the Savior and how grateful I am for what He has done for me.  However, until my gratitude changes the way I act, interact and react, those will be just words.  Until I truly strive to become like my Savior, allowing Him to change, help and heal me, I am not taking full advantage of His Atonement. 


Jesus Christ is our Savior, our Redeemer, our Advocate and our Friend. He suffered more than we can comprehend so that we never need suffer alone.  He knows us and loves us!  May we choose to be more like Him every day so that we can feel the power of His Atonement in our lives every day.  

References:

1.  Jesus the Christ—Our Prince of Peace – Russell M. Nelson

2.  The Atonement – Russell M. Nelson

3.  Jesus is the Living Christ – Russell M. Nelson

4.  Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives – Russell M. Nelson

5.  Standards of Standard-Bearers of the Lord – Russell M. Nelson

6.  Reverently and Meekly Now – Hymn 185

7.  The Correct Name of the Church – Russell M. Nelson

8.  Endure and Be Lifted Up – Russell M. Nelson

9.  Prophets, Leadership, and Divine Law – Russell M. Nelson

Agency & the Plan of Salvation

by Doctrines

My study for February has been on the plan of salvation.   Our Heavenly Father’s divine plan has also been called the plan of happiness, the plan of redemption, the plan of restoration, the plan of mercy, the plan of deliverance, and the everlasting gospel.  “Because of this plan, we can be perfected through the Atonement, receive a fulness of joy, and live forever in the presence of God.  Our family relationships can last throughout the eternities.”1


Often I have said how grateful I am for the plan of salvation.  Most often I say that when I am acknowledging my profound gratitude for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and for the sealing ordinances of the temple that bind me to my family.  I cannot imagine living without a knowledge of these beautiful doctrines!  They have given me comfort during those times when comfort would seem impossible. These are crucial to Heavenly Father’s plan.  But there is so much more for us to remember and appreciate about His divine plan—here and now.


Russell M. Nelson has taught, “Before the foundation of the earth, the plan of salvation was prepared.  It included the glorious possibility of a divine inheritance for us in the kingdom of God.  Central to that plan of salvation is the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  In premortal councils He was foreordained by His Father to atone for our sins and break the bands of physical and spiritual death. … Also pivotal to God’s plan is the family.  In fact, a purpose of the plan is to exalt the family.  The earth was created so that we as premortal spirit children of our Father in Heaven could come to the earth and obtain physical bodies. We are here to be tried and tested.  We are here to ‘choose liberty and eternal life, . . . or to choose captivity and death.’”2 

We are here to choose!  Do we recognize the important role agency plays in the plan of salvation? President Nelson reminds us, “A major reason for your mortal existence … is to test how you will exercise your agency. … That precious privilege of choice—man’s agency—was decreed before the world was created.”3  Even before we came to Earth, we made some very important choices.  We participated in that great council in heaven when the Father’s plan was announced.  We not only accepted the plan but shouted for joy.  We knew then that life on Earth would be hard.  We learned of commandments, covenants and commitments.  We willingly accepted those.  Along with happiness and success, we knew life would also be full of disappointment and failure.  We still chose to come!


We are so blessed to live at a time when the fulness of the gospel is upon the Earth.  If we choose, we can have daily access to the scriptures and words of the living prophets.  The temples are closer to us now than at any other time.  We can choose every day to draw closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  We can choose to rely upon the Savior’s Atonement always.  We can and must choose to have faith.   President Nelson said, “The proper exercise of moral agency requires faith.  Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel.  Because of Him, you have your agency.  He must be the very foundation of your faith, and the testing of that faith is a fundamental reason for your freedom to choose.”3  


A few years ago President Nelson spoke at a devotional for young adults.  His talk was titled, “Youth of the Noble Birthright: What Will You Choose?”4  He posed several questions.  I will cite four.  The questions and his counsel are applicable to all of us, regardless of our age.  


What manner of living will you choose?  Premortally, you stood by Jesus Christ during the War in Heaven.  And now the conflict between the forces of good and evil continues here on earth.  It is real! That conflict in which we are now engaged is still between the forces of good and the forces of evil.  On God’s side is Jesus Christ, foreordained to be the Savior of the world.  On the other side is Satan—a rebel, a destroyer of agency.  God’s plan allows the adversary to tempt you so that you, now in this mortal world, can exercise your agency to choose good over evil, to choose to repent, to choose to come unto Jesus Christ and believe His teachings and follow His example. What a huge responsibility and a huge trust!  


Will you establish priorities to help you make your choices in life?  Your choices will not all be between good and evil.  Many will be choices between two good options.  Not all truths are created equal, so you will need to establish priorities.  In your pursuit of knowledge, know that the most important truth you can learn comes from the Lord.  In His Intercessory Prayer to His Father, the Savior Himself confirmed this.  He said, ‘This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.’   Above everything else you are seeking to learn, seek to know God, your Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ.  Come to know Them and love Them, as I do. … Choose to stand for the Lord and His truth.”


How will you prepare for your personal interview with the Savior?  Judgment day awaits each one of us.  I don’t know whether the heavenly gate is pearly or not, but I do know, as do all students of the Book of Mormon, that ‘the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employ[s] no servant there; … for the Lord God is his name.’  Yes, each one of us will have a personal interview with Jesus Christ.  Each day on earth gives you time and opportunity to prepare for that interview. Please know this:  As you choose to live on the Lord’s side, you are never alone.  God has given you access to His help while you move along through mortality’s perilous pathway.  As you diligently, earnestly pour out your heart to Him in daily prayer, He will send His angels to help you.  He has given you the Holy Ghost to be by your side as you live worthily. He has given you scriptures so that you can fully feast upon the words of Jesus Christ.  He has given you words to heed from living prophets.


In whom will you put your trust?  You … know that God is your Father.  He loves you.  He wants you to be happy.  Put your trust in Him.  Maintain your focus on His holy temple.  Be worthy to receive your endowment and sealing ordinances.  Remain faithful to those covenants, and return frequently to the temple.  Remember, your loftiest goal is to gain the greatest of all the blessings of God, that of eternal life.  Ordinances of the temple are essential for that blessing.”


I truly am grateful for the plan of salvation, including the tests and trials.  I am so thankful for covenants and commandments and the safety that comes from keeping them.  And I am eternally grateful for the Savior Jesus Christ, whose Atonement makes the plan of salvation possible and the sealing ordinances of the temple efficacious.


President Nelson taught, “God wants His children to return to Him.  But the amazing thing is He allows them to choose that course; He doesn’t force them.  He sends His children to earth, causing a veil of forgetfulness to come upon them.  They are here to gain a body, to be tested, and to make choices.  The greatest of all choices they may make is to choose to return to their Father.”5 


The plan of salvation is the fulness of the gospel.  The more we understand our Heavenly Father’s plan, the deeper our desire will be to make and keep sacred covenants.  The more we understand the His plan for us individually, the more willingly we will submit to His will and to keep His commandments. We will choose to learn and live the gospel more fully each day because we know that “this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God.”6  God is our loving Father.  He does want us to return home to Him. The choice is ours.  But He has not left us alone to figure things out.  He has given us His Beloved Son and His prophet.  There we will find safety and security in an increasingly unsteady world.

References:

1.  Plan of Salvation – True to the Faith

2.  Faith and Families – Russell M. Nelson

3.  Choices – Russell M. Nelson

4.  Youth of the Noble Birthright: What Will You Choose? – Russell M. Nelson

5.  Teachings of Russell M. Nelson, pages 48 and 49

6.  Alma 34:32

The Godhead

by Doctrines

As we have listened to our Church leaders this past year, we have repeatedly been encouraged to deepen our conversion, “strengthen faith in Heavenly Father and His plan and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement”1 and “truly receive the Holy Ghost and learn to discern and understand His promptings.”2

Over the past few months, I have taken the opportunity to read and study all of Russell M. Nelson’s conference talks.  It has blessed my life more than I could have imagined.  The more I studied, the more my testimony grew.  I gained greater love and respect for this wonderful man.   While doing this, I felt inspired to begin the new year once again using the doctrinal topics from the youth curriculum as my monthly study, primarily using the words and testimony of our dear prophet.  He has reminded us that “[God’s] doctrine is ours to study, understand, and uphold.”3  “The foundation of one’s individual faith, if anchored firmly to eternal truth, allows each of us to reach upward with an eternal perspective.  That faith will give hope when there is no hope.  It will give us joy here and eternal life hereafter.”4

I have also felt the need to personalize and internalize my study of these doctrinal topics.  Knowing the doctrine is one thing.  Allowing that doctrine to change my heart is quite another.  What do these doctrines really mean to me?  How have they blessed me and my family?  Do I recognize that my life truly is better because of what I know?

 
January’s doctrinal topic is the Godhead.   Our understanding of the Godhead and Their separate and distinct roles is something that sets us apart from other religions.  The first Article of Faith states, “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.”5  Many of us have recited those words since we were young children in Primary.  But do we truly appreciate what that really means?   When we understand who our Heavenly Father is and our relation to Him, our lives have deeper meaning.  We can view life, especially in trying times, with an eternal perspective.  When we know that Jesus Christ is our Elder Brother, the author and finisher of our faith, our only way back home to our Heavenly Parents, we live life differently—more compassionately, more completely.  When we know the role the Holy Ghost plays in our everyday lives and in living and learning the gospel, we feel strength and hope and comfort beyond description.


For 35 years, we have been blessed to be taught by President Nelson often about Father in Heaven, the Savior and the Holy Ghost.  He has encouraged us to increase our knowledge and testimony of Them. One of the sweet evidences that Heavenly Father loves us is that He gives us prophets and apostles to teach and testify and guide us along the covenant path back home to Him.  President Nelson’s testimony is powerful!  In our last general conference, he testified, “I know that God lives! Jesus is the Christ! This is His Church that He directs by prophecy and revelation to His humble servants.”6  As one of those humble servants, we can learn much from his timeless teachings and profound proclamations.


We believe in God, the Eternal Father 

From President Nelson, we learn that “God is the Father of our spirits.  He has a glorified, perfected body of flesh and bone.  We lived with Him in heaven before we were born.  And when He created us physically, we were created in the image of God, each with a personal body.  Think of our physical sustenance.  It is truly heaven-sent.  The necessities of air, food, and water all come to us as gifts from a loving Heavenly Father.”7 

“We are literally children of God.  We are dual beings.  Each soul is comprised of body and spirit, both of which emanate from God. … We are children of God—physically and spiritually.”8

 
“Not one of us can ever stop being a child of God!”3 

“Heavenly Father loves every one of His children.  After all, He is their Father. He wants to bless them with His greatest gift, that of eternal life.”9 

I think there is great significance that in the short address to us as our new prophet President Nelson chose to tell us, “Our Father in Heaven cherishes His children, and He wants each of us to return home to Him.”10  That truth should warm our hearts and instill in us a desire to make and keep sacred covenants with Him.


He declared, “When we realize that we are children of the covenant, we know who we are and what God expects of us.  His law is written in our hearts.  He is our God and we are His people.  Committed children of the covenant remain steadfast, even in the midst of adversity.  When that doctrine is deeply implanted in our hearts, even the sting of death is soothed and our spiritual stamina is strengthened.11 


In a worldwide devotional for the young adults President Nelson said, “Learn for yourselves who you really are.  Ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, how He feels about you and your mission here on earth.  If you ask with real intent, over time the Spirit will whisper the life-changing truth to you.  Record those impressions and review them often, and follow through with exactness.  I promise you that when you begin to catch even a glimpse of how your Heavenly Father sees you and what He is counting on you to do for Him, your life will never be the same!”12


No matter if we are 5 or 25 or 55 or 95, we all need to truly know that we are children of God.   With that knowledge, we can bless the lives of those around us.


President Nelson reminds us that “parents have a sacred responsibility to teach their children the importance of God in their lives.”13  I was very blessed to have a loving earthly father.  He taught me the gospel through his words and his actions.  My father cherished me.   Because of him, it was much easier for me to understand that I have a loving Heavenly Father who cherishes me and has a plan so that I can return home to Him.  Our children learn the importance of God in their lives when they see how important He is in our lives.

We believe in Jesus Christ

When called as an apostle, President Nelson said, “I understand fully that the call to the Holy Apostleship is one of witness to the world of the divinity of the Lord Jesus the Christ.”14   Along with witnessing, he also taught, “The ministry of the Apostles—the First Presidency and the Twelve—is … to proclaim our knowledge of the Master.”13  There are some incredible witnesses borne that if we aren’t paying close attention we may miss.  As you listen to or read the words of the prophet and apostles, you will find they are profound!  I love President Nelson’s teachings and testimony of the Savior!  He not only teaches us about who the Savior is but also about how His Atonement and His attributes can change our lives and our hearts.


“I bear witness of the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ and of His redeeming, atoning, and sanctifying power.”15 

“I testify of Jesus Christ as the Master Healer.  It is but one of many attributes that characterize His incomparable life.  Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, the Creator, the great Jehovah, the promised Immanuel, our atoning Savior and Redeemer, our Advocate with the Father, our great Exemplar.  And one day we will stand before Him as our just and merciful Judge. … Only the Master Healer could take away the sin of the world. Our debt to Him is incalculably great. …  Jesus suffered deeply because He loves us deeply!  He wants us to repent and be converted so that He can fully heal us. … The gift of resurrection is the Lord’s consummate act of healing. Thanks to Him, each body will be restored to its proper and perfect frame.  Thanks to Him, no condition is hopeless.  Thanks to Him, brighter days are ahead, both here and hereafter.  Real joy awaits each of us—on the other side of sorrow.”16

“God so loved the world that He sent His Only Begotten Son to help us.  And His Son, Jesus Christ, gave His life for us.  All so that we could have access to godly power—power sufficient to deal with the burdens, obstacles, and temptations of our day. … The more we know about the Savior’s ministry and mission—the more we understand His doctrine and what He did for us—the more we know that He can provide the power that we need for our lives.”17

“True change—permanent change—can come only through the healing, cleansing, and enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  He loves you—each of you!  He allows you to access His power as you keep His commandments, eagerly, earnestly, and exactly.  It is that simple and certain.”3

“God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, but we are not.  Each day, ours is the challenge to access the power of the Atonement so that we can truly change, become more Christlike, and qualify for the gift of exaltation and live eternally with God, Jesus Christ, and our families.  For these powers, privileges, and gospel gifts, thanks be to God!  I testify that He lives, that Jesus is the Christ, and that this is His Church, restored in these latter days to accomplish its divine destiny.”7

“Joy … has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives. When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation … and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives.  Joy comes from and because of Him.  He is the source of all joy. … For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is joy! … As our Savior becomes more and more real to us and as we plead for His joy to be given to us, our joy will increase.”18

“Central to God’s eternal plan is the mission of His Son, Jesus Christ.  He came to redeem God’s children.  Because of the Lord’s Atonement, resurrection (or immortality) became a reality.  Because of the Atonement, eternal life became a possibility for all who would qualify.”7

“The Lord’s way is the only way for us to experience enduring happiness. His way brings sustained comfort to our souls and perennial peace to our homes. And best of all, His way leads us home to Him and our Heavenly Father, to eternal life and exaltation.”3

“Your commitment to follow the Savior by making covenants with Him and then keeping those covenants will open the door to every spiritual blessing and privilege available to men, women, and children everywhere.”10

You may remember President Nelson’s testimony last Easter, “Nothing could be more fitting than to commemorate the most important event that ever occurred on this earth by worshipping the most important being who ever walked this earth. In this, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we worship Him who commenced His infinite Atonement in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was willing to suffer for the sins and weaknesses of each of us, which suffering caused Him “to bleed at every pore.”1 He was crucified on Calvary’s cross and rose the third day as the first resurrected being of our Heavenly Father’s children.  I love Him and testify that He lives! It is He who leads and guides His Church.  Without our Redeemer’s infinite Atonement, not one of us would have hope of ever returning to our Heavenly Father. Without His Resurrection, death would be the end. Our Savior’s Atonement made eternal life a possibility and immortality a reality for all.”2 

We believe in the Holy Ghost


Each week as we partake of the sacrament, we promise to always remember our Savior, Jesus Christ. And when we do, we are promised the companionship of the Holy Ghost.  What an incredible gift! Scriptures teach us that the Holy Ghost “shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance;”19 “will guide you into all truth” and “shew you things to come;”20 “will show unto you all things what ye should do;”21 and “beareth record of the Father and of the Son.”22


President Nelson reminds us that the Holy Ghost is a personage “whose enduring influence transcends time.”23  In speaking of time, I believe he is referring to age.  To be guided by the Holy Ghost, our worthiness and willingness to be guided are what qualifies us and not the number of years we have lived.

  
In the worldwide youth devotional six months ago, President Nelson promised, “If you will sincerely and persistently do the spiritual work needed to develop the crucial, spiritual skill of learning how to hear the whisperings of the Holy Ghost, you will have all the direction you will ever need in your life. You will be given answers to your questions in the Lord’s own way and in His own time.”24

Addressing the women of the Church a few years ago, he said, “Sisters, do you realize the breadth and scope of your influence when you speak those things that come to your heart and mind as directed by the Spirit? … The Holy Ghost will magnify your influence in an unprecedented way!”15 

Then to the entire Church last April he declared, “The privilege of receiving revelation is one of the greatest gifts of God to His children. … Through the manifestations of the Holy Ghost, the Lord will assist us in all our righteous pursuits. … We can pray to our Heavenly Father and receive guidance and direction, be warned about dangers and distractions, and be enabled to accomplish things we simply could not do on our own.  If we will truly receive the Holy Ghost and learn to discern and understand His promptings, we will be guided in matters large and small. … In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost. My beloved brothers and sisters, I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation. … Choose to do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly. … The most important truth the Holy Ghost will ever witness to you is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. He lives! He is our Advocate with the Father, our Exemplar, and our Redeemer.”2 

President Nelson taught, “The Holy Ghost will facilitate the commitment needed for one to love God, to come unto Christ and become one of His covenant keepers.  Spiritual communication and true conversion are accomplished through the power of the Holy Ghost.”25

A testimony of these glorious truths should change how we live.  Conversion is not a one-time event.  It is something we must work on every day.  We need a testimony every day.  Some days would be impossible to bear without one.  Surely there will be a time when a firm, unshakeable testimony will be necessary to endure the “sore trials”26 of this mortal life.  That has definitely been my experience.  I know that without my testimony I would not have been able to endure the heartaches and sorrows that have come to our family.  Ten years ago when my daughter passed away was the first time in my life that I really had to put to the test what I had been taught and what I believed.  Did I really believe what I said I believed?  Yes!  As a child, I loved singing the song “I am a Child of God.”  As an adult, I love knowing that I am a child of God!   Especially during that difficult and tender time, I felt Heavenly Father’s love for me in an undeniable way!  His plan really is a plan of happiness!  The blessings of the temple are priceless!  And they are possible because of Jesus Christ.  Words are inadequate to express the sweet peace that comes from knowing that Jesus truly is my Savior!  I anxiously await the day I can kneel at His feet and thank Him for all that He has done for me!  He has healed my broken heart! Because of Him, I have had hope when all could have seemed hopeless.  Because of Him, I know joy even in the midst of sorrow.  The Holy Ghost has been my teacher and my comforter.   These are not fleeting feelings.  This is the foundation of my testimony.  It not only sustained me then but every day since.


A month ago my sweet son-in-law unexpectedly passed away.  I have been able to rely on my testimony to bring me peace “which passeth all understanding.”27  Once again I was taught by the Holy Ghost.  In my deep anguish, the words came quickly to my mind, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”28  Because I know and love my Heavenly Father and my Savior, I can trust.  I trust that Heavenly Father will always give us the strength to bear the things He asks us to bear, if we rely on Him.  I trust that the Savior will always heal our broken hearts, if we turn to Him.  His promise of peace is sure.  That peace comes through the comfort of the Holy Ghost.  I trust in the covenants we have made that bind us together as a family.  I cherish those covenants and my testimony.


I distinctly remember hearing President Nelson’s testimony as the newly called prophet.  It left a lasting impression on me.  He said, “I declare my devotion to God our Eternal Father and to His Son, Jesus Christ. I know Them, love Them, and pledge to serve Them—and you—with every remaining breath of my life.”10  May we do whatever we need to do to know Them and to love Them.  May we also pledge to serve Them and each other every day of our lives.

References:

  1.  Gather Together In One All Things in Christ – David A. Bednar

  2.  Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives – Russell M. Nelson

  3.  Decisions for Eternity – Russell M. Nelson

  4.  How Firm Our Foundation – Russell M. Nelson

  5.  The Articles of Faith 1:1

  6.  Opening Remarks – Russell M. Nelson

  7.  Thanks be to God – Russell M. Nelson

  8.  We are Children of God – Russell M. Nelson

  9.  Be Thou an Example of the Believers – Russell M. Nelson

10.  A Message From the First Presidency – Russell M. Nelson 

11.  Covenants – Russell M. Nelson

12.  Becoming True Millennials – Russell M. Nelson

13.  Salvation and Exaltation – Russell M. Nelson

14.  Call to the Holy Apostleship – Russell M. Nelson

15.  A Plea to My Sisters – Russell M. Nelson

16.  Jesus Christ—the Master Healer – Russell M. Nelson

17.  Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ Into Our Lives – Russell M. Nelson

18.  Joy and Spiritual Survival – Russell M. Nelson

19.  John 14:26

20.  John 16:13

21.  2 Nephi 32:5

22.  Doctrine and Covenants 20:27

23.  Constancy Amid Change – Russell M. Nelson

24.  Hope of Israel – Russell M. Nelson

25.  Teachings of Russell M. Nelson, pages 65-66

26.  Did You Think to Pray? – Hymn 140

27.  Philippians 4:7

28.  Proverbs 3:5-6

Building the Kingdom of God

by Doctrines

Building the Kingdom of God in the Latter Days is December’s doctrinal topic.  At this glorious time of year, we celebrate the greatest gift we have been given—the gift of the Savior, Jesus Christ.   Without Him, there would be no kingdom of God on the earth.   As we have studied and applied the foundational doctrines of the gospel throughout the year, doctrines that are necessary for us to have firm and unshakable testimonies, we are better prepared to help build the kingdom of God in these latter days in preparation for His Second Coming.  


Building requires action.  It requires work.  So for us to help build the kingdom of God in these latter days, action on our part is required.  We have a work to do.  What are some things we can do?  The first thought that comes to me when I hear that question is missionary work.  But there is much more.  The curriculum outline gives several suggestions, ones we may not typically think about.  Using the talks from our most recent general conference, we will discuss how we can implement of few of these into our lives.  


Help hasten the Lord’s work.  President Russell M. Nelson gave us a pretty good to-do list of things we can do to hasten the Lord’s work, some of those include doing family history, spending more time in the temple, and reading the Book of Mormon.  But when the prophet talked about using the correct name of the Church, did you think of that as being one way to help hasten the Lord’s work?  I didn’t.  However, as he spoke, it became quite clear that it is.  Each time we take the sacrament, we promise that we will take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, follow Him, keep His commandment, and always remember Him.  President Nelson cautioned, “When we omit His name from His Church, we are inadvertently removing Him as the central focus of our lives.  Taking the Savior’s name upon us includes declaring and witnessing to others—through our actions and our words—that Jesus is the Christ.  Have we been so afraid to offend someone who called us ‘Mormons’ that we have failed to defend the Savior Himself, to stand up for Him even in the name by which His Church is called?  If we as a people and as individuals are to have access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ—to cleanse and heal us, to strengthen and magnify us, and ultimately to exalt us—we must clearly acknowledge Him as the source of that power.  We can begin by calling His Church by the name He decreed.”1


Now consider his prophetic promise, “I promise you that if we will do our best to restore the correct name of the Lord’s Church, He whose Church this is will pour down His power and blessings upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints, the likes of which we have never seen.  We will have the knowledge and power of God to help us take the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people and to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord.”1 


Wow!  Power and blessings poured down upon us, the likes of which we have never seen.  What an incredible promise!  


Have a Christ-centered home.  This general conference, a change to our Sunday schedule was announced.  Although we will only be attending church for two hours, the extra hour is to be used for study at home.  President Nelson gave another powerful promise as he spoke of this new home-centered, Church-supported integrated curriculum.  He said that it “has the potential to unleash the power of families, as each family follows through conscientiously and carefully to transform their home into a sanctuary of faith.  I promise that as you diligently work to remodel your home into a center of gospel learning, over time your Sabbath days will truly be a delight.  Your children will be excited to learn and to live the Savior’s teachings, and the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease.  Changes in your family will be dramatic and sustaining.”2


There really is no better place to start building the kingdom of God than in our own homes, whether our homes are filled with one or twenty-one!  Those promises are not exclusive to homes where children reside.  We all can benefit from having a Christ-centered home, one sheltered from the influence of the adversary.  


Gerrit W. Gong encouraged us to “establish regular patterns of righteous living that deepen faith and spirituality.  These holy habits, righteous routines, or prayerful patterns may include prayer; scripture study; fasting; remembering our Savior and covenants through the ordinance of the sacrament; sharing gospel blessings through missionary, temple and family history, and other service; keeping a thoughtful personal journal; and so on.”3


Steven R. Bangerter spoke of the sacred duty parents have to “awaken within our children passion and commitment to the joy, light and truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ” and establish traditions which “ingrain strong, unwavering characteristics of goodness in our children that will infuse them with strength to confront the challenges of life.”  He said, “Consistent, wholesome family traditions that include prayer, scripture reading, family home evening, and attendance at Church meetings, though seemingly small and simple, create a culture of love, respect, unity, and security.  In the spirit that accompanies these efforts, our children become protected from the fiery darts of the adversary so embedded in the worldly culture of our day.”4


Help less-active friends or family members return to church.  A simple way we can help those we know and love return to activity in the church is to “be intentional about talking of Christ, rejoicing in Christ, and preaching of Christ with your families and friends.”  President Nelson proclaimed, “You and they will be drawn closer to the Savior through this process.  And changes, even miracles, will begin to happen.”5 


We can also be loving but bold in inviting our loved ones to come to church.  Dieter F. Uchtdorf did.  He invited, “Please come back.  We need you! … Because of your unique talents, abilities, and personality, you will help us become better and happier.  In return, we will help you become better and happier as well.”6  Not only do we invite, we love and accept them as they are—even if they choose not to come back to church.  Elder Uchtdorf encourages us to “build and strengthen a culture of healing, kindness, and mercy toward all of God’s children. … Let us all work together to become the people God intended for us to become.”  We do that when the Church is a place “where we forgive one another.  Where we resist the temptation to find fault, gossip, and bring others down.  Where, instead of pointing out flaws, we lift up and help each other to become the best we can be.”6 


Help new members of the Church.  Ulisses Soares likened the members of the Church to the Amazon River.  That mighty river is formed by the merging of two other rivers, flowing together for many miles “before the waters blend, due to the rivers having very different origins, speeds, temperatures, and chemical compositions.  After several miles, the waters finally blend together, becoming a river different than its individual parts.  Only after these parts merge, the Amazon River becomes so powerful that when it reaches the Atlantic Ocean, it pushes back the seawater so that fresh water can still be found for many miles out into the ocean.”   As members of the Church, we “come together from different social backgrounds, traditions, and cultures, forming this wonderful community of Saints in Christ.  Eventually, as we encourage, support, and love each other, we combine to form a mighty force for good in the world.  As followers of Jesus Christ, flowing as one in this river of goodness, we will be able to provide the ‘fresh water’ of the gospel to a thirsty world.”7


For many, joining the Church brings challenges.  Much is new and unfamiliar, even overwhelming at times.  Elder Soares said we must “extend a warm hand of fellowship to our new friends, accept them where they are, and help, love, and include them in our lives. All of these new friends are precious sons and daughters of God.  We cannot afford to lose even one of them because, like the Amazon River that depends on tributaries feeding it, we need them just as much as they need us, to become a mighty force for good in the world.”  He offered three familiar suggestions to help us help our new friends in the gospel.  “First, they need brothers and sisters in the Church who are sincerely interested in them, true and loyal friends to whom they can constantly turn, who will walk beside them, and who will answer their questions. … Second, new friends need an assignment—an opportunity to serve others. Service … is a process by which our faith can grow stronger. … Third, new friends must be ‘nourished by the good word of God.’  We can help them to love and become familiar with the scriptures as we read and discuss the teachings with them, providing context to the stories and explaining difficult words. We … can reach out to our new friends in their own homes and invite them to ours at times outside of our regularly scheduled Church meetings and activities, helping them merge into the mighty river of the community of Saints.”7


If we will do these things, Elder Soares promised, “If we minister to our new friends with our hearts full of pure love as the Savior did, I promise you, in His name, that He will assist us in our efforts. When we act as faithful ministers, as the Savior did, our new friends will have the help they need to remain strong, dedicated, and faithful to the end. They will join us as we become a mighty people of God and will help us to bring fresh water to a world desperately in need of the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”7 


Become better at ministering.   True ministering is doing what the Savior would do if He were here.   Sometimes ministering comes by assignment, but usually it does not.  President Nelson has explained that ministering is caring for and loving each other in a higher, holier way.  Some have questioned why we need to be assigned to do this.  Being known and numbered is important.  Jesus Christ—the Good Shepherd—often referred to His followers as His sheep or His flock.  To the Nephites in ancient America, He said, “Ye are my sheep, and ye are numbered among those whom the Father hath given me.”8    Bonnie H. Cordon beautifully taught, “The Savior’s sheep were known and numbered, they were watched over, and they were gathered into the fold of God.  As we strive to follow the Savior’s example, we must first know and number His sheep.  We have been assigned specific individuals and families to tend so we are certain that all of the Lord’s flock are accounted for and no one is forgotten.  Numbering, however, is not really about numbers; it is about making certain each person feels the love of the Savior through someone who serves for Him.  In that way, all can recognize that they are known by a loving Father in Heaven.”9


Joy D. Jones shared an experience she and her husband had many years ago as they we asked to minister to a family who had not been to church for several years.  Their first several attempts to meet with this family were unsuccessful.  Feeling frustrated and discouraged, they asked themselves, “Why are we doing this?  What is our purpose?”  She said something that really stood out to me!  They decided they needed to “seek direction from Someone with a greater perspective than our own.”10  


What a great lesson for each of us!  How often do we go about doing the Lord’s work without getting His perspective? 


Sister Jones continued, “So, after much sincere prayer and study, we received the answer to the why of our service.  We had a change in our understanding, a change of heart, actually a revelatory experience. As we sought direction from the scriptures, the Lord taught us how to make the process of serving others easier and more meaningful. … Knowing the who and the why in serving others helps us understand that the highest manifestation of love is devotion to God.  As our focus gradually changed, so did our prayers.  We began looking forward to our visits with this dear family because of our love for the Lord.  We were doing it for Him. He made the struggle no longer a struggle.  After many months of our standing on the doorstep, the family began letting us in.  Eventually, we had regular prayer and tender gospel discussions together.  A long-lasting friendship developed.  We were worshipping and loving Him by loving His children. … When Jesus Christ, through the power of His Atonement, works on us and in us, He begins to work through us to bless others.”10 


Ministering really is the essence of building the kingdom of God.  There are many ways to minister that need no assignment.  When we are hastening the Lord’s work through temple and family history work, creating a Christ-centered home, welcoming in new members or loving straying ones back, we are ministering.  When we share the gospel with those we meet, we are ministering.  When we lovingly care for our family and friends, we are ministering.  President Nelson said, “When you are truly ministering, you follow your feelings to help someone else experience more of the Savior’s love.”5

Jeffrey R. Holland taught us about another way of ministering that we may not have considered ministering, yet it will certainly help us all experience more of the Savior’s love.  It is not an assignment but rather a way of life.  Elder Holland called it “an even more personal aspect of ministering.”   It is being a peacemaker.  He reminded us that “Jesus has asked that we ‘live together in love’ with ‘no disputations among you.’  He encouraged us to forgive old grievances and let the Savior heal our wounds.  “To be His disciple and to try to do as He did,” Elder Holland said, “Jesus is asking us to be instruments of His grace—to be ‘ambassadors for Christ’ in ‘the ministry of reconciliation’ as Paul described it to the Corinthians.  The Healer of every wound, He who rights every wrong, asks us to labor with Him in the daunting task of peacemaking in a world that won’t find it any other way.”11 


Imagine the effect that kind of ministering can have as we work to build of the kingdom of God!  Such powerful ministering will bring profound peace.  Elder Holland declared, “With the apostolic authority granted me by the Savior of the world, I testify of the tranquility to the soul that reconciliation with God and each other will bring if we are meek and courageous enough to pursue it. … Care for one another in love.  My beloved friends, in our shared ministry of reconciliation, I ask us to be peacemakers—to love peace, to seek peace, to create peace, to cherish peace.”11


What better time than during the Christmas season to follow the example of the Savior and bring peace to the earth.   May we allow the sweet peace of the gospel to sink deep into our hearts.   As we do, our desire to build the kingdom of God will naturally increase. 

References:

  1.  The Correct Name of the Church – Russell M. Nelson

  2.  Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints – Russell M. Nelson

  3.  Our Campfire of Faith – Gerrit W. Gong

  4.  Laying the Foundation of a Great Work – Steven R. Bangerter

  5.  Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel – Russell M. Nelson

  6.  Believe, Love, Do – Dieter F. Uchtdorf

  7.  One in Christ – Ulisses Soares

  8.  3 Nephi 15:24

  9.  Becoming a Shepherd – Bonnie H. Cordon

10.  For Him – Joy D. Jones

11.  The Ministry of Reconciliation – Jeffrey R. Holland

Spiritual & Temporal Self-Reliance

by Doctrines

November’s doctrinal topic is spiritual and temporal self-reliance.   Whenever this topic is discussed, I am reminded of the often-quoted words of Heber C. Kimball, “To meet the difficulties that are coming, it will be necessary for you to have a knowledge of the truth of this work for yourselves.  The difficulties will be of such a character that the man or woman who does not possess this personal knowledge or witness will fall.  If you have not got the testimony, live right and call upon the Lord and cease not till you obtain it.  If you do not you will not stand. … The time will come when no man nor woman will be able to endure on borrowed light.  Each will have to be guided by the light within himself. … Therefore seek for the testimony of Jesus and cleave to it, that when the trying time comes you may not stumble and fall.” (Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1967, p. 450.)

That was said in 1867.  In April, 150 years later, President Russell M. Nelson gave us a similar warning, “If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation. … In the coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.  My beloved brothers and sisters, I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation.”1   With such a pleading from a prophet of God, it is undeniable that now is the time for each of us to become spiritually self-reliant by having a firm and unshakable testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ, of His Church, and of His prophet! 

In our most recent general conference, President Nelson challenged the sisters of the Church to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year.   I have enjoyed this experience so much!  From the very first page, I could feel the words as though they were from our prophet to us.  And just as the prophets of old were trying to prepare the people against the evils of their day, President Nelson is trying to prepare us now. 

There is a great lesson we can learn about spiritual and temporal self-reliance and preparedness from Captain Moroni.  Once the wicked Amalickiah had gotten into power, his goal was for the Lamanites to “overpower the Nephites and to bring them into bondage.” (Alma 48:4)  Because they heeded Moroni’s warnings, the Nephites had begun preparing themselves to defend their religious liberties, their families and their lands.  They built forts and walls to protect their cities.  Because of their diligence in building up fortifications, even cities which had once been weak were now strong.   But Moroni had not only been strengthening his armies physically, he had also “been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God.” (Alma 48:7)   This gave them power over their enemies. (Alma 49:23) 

We, likewise, have received prophetic warnings, most recently in October’s general conference.  Two of those warnings were very similar.  In his opening remarks, President Nelson said, “The adversary is increasing his attacks on faith and upon us and our families at an exponential rate.”2  In his last talk he said, “The assaults of the adversary are increasing exponentially, in intensity and in variety.”3  However, we do not have to face those attacks alone or unprotected.  He also told us how we can build up fortifications or, in other words, how we can become spiritually self-reliant.  “To survive spiritually, we need counterstrategies and proactive plans.  Accordingly, we now want to put in place organizational adjustments that will further fortify our members and their families.”2  Did you notice the word fortify?  We will now be involved in “an integrated curriculum to strengthen families and individuals through a home-centered and Church-supported plan to learn doctrine, strengthen faith, and foster greater personal worship.”  President Nelson reminds us, “We are each responsible for our individual spiritual growth. … It is the responsibility of the Church to assist each member in the divinely defined goal of increasing his or her gospel knowledge.”2 

Quentin L. Cook explained that the adjustment is more than a shorter Sunday meeting schedule.  It is meant to “bring greater gospel joy” to us all, deepen our conversion and strengthen individuals and families.4

David A. Bednar expounded on that, saying, “We live in a remarkable and revelatory season of the restored Church of Jesus Christ.  The historic adjustments announced today have only one overarching purpose: to strengthen faith in Heavenly Father and His plan and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement.  The Sunday meeting schedule was not simply shortened.  Rather, we now have increased opportunities and responsibilities as individuals and families to use our time for enhancing the Sabbath as a delight at home and at church.  Our desire is that faith in the Father’s plan and in the Savior’s redeeming mission might increase in the earth and that God’s everlasting covenant might be established. … The purpose and purification, the happiness and joy, and the continuing conversion and protection that come from ‘yielding [our] hearts unto God’ and ‘[receiving] his image in [our] countenances’ cannot be obtained merely by performing and checking off all the spiritual things we are supposed to do.  Rather, the power of the Savior’s gospel to transform and bless us flows from discerning and applying the interrelatedness of its doctrine, principles, and practices.  Only as we gather together in one all things in Christ, with firm focus upon Him, can gospel truths synergistically enable us to become what God desires us to become and endure valiantly to the end.5 

President Nelson declared, “The new home-centered, Church-supported integrated curriculum has the potential to unleash the power of families, as each family follows through conscientiously and carefully to transform their home into a sanctuary of faith.”3

The shortened Sunday schedule, if truly used for personal and family study time, will be one of the ways we can build up fortifications against the adversary.  But there is more.  If we are going to survive spiritually in these last days, we will need the continuing conversion Elder Bednar referred to.   And continuing conversion is just that—continuing.  It will include our daily attention to the other challenges we were given as well.   Here are a few that I think are vital to our preparations.  As you study the conference talks, I am sure you will find many more. 

President Nelson:  “I urge you to study these [general conference] messages, commencing this week.  They express the mind and the will of the Lord for His people, today.”3

“Our time in the temple is crucial to our salvation and exaltation and to that of our families.  After we receive our own temple ordinances and make sacred covenants with God, each one of us needs the ongoing spiritual strengthening and tutoring that is possible only in the house of the Lord. … Our need to be in the temple on a regular basis has never been greater. … make an appointment regularly with the Lord—to be in His holy house—then keep that appointment with exactness and joy.”3

“Feast upon the word of the Lord and apply His teachings in your personal lives.”3

“Pray to understand your spiritual gifts—to cultivate, use, and expand them, even more than you ever have.  You will change the world as you do so.”6

President Nelson also invited the women and young women to do these four things:  1) fast for ten days from social media to evaluate what influences we are allowing into our lives; 2) read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year; 3) regularly attend the temple; and 4) fully participate in Relief Society.

Ronald A. Rasband:  “I plead with you to set aside worldly influences and pressures and seek spirituality in your daily life. Love what the Lord loves—which includes His commandments, His holy houses, our sacred covenants with Him, the sacrament each Sabbath day, our communication through prayer—and you will not be troubled.  To receive personal revelation, we must place priority on living the gospel and encouraging faithfulness and spirituality in others as well as ourselves.”7

D. Todd Christofferson:  “To persevere firm and steadfast in the faith of Christ requires that the gospel of Jesus Christ penetrate one’s heart and soul, meaning that the gospel becomes not just one of many influences in a person’s life but the defining focus of his or her life and character. … It is in keeping their covenants with exactness that those ‘who are the elect according to the covenant’ avoid deception and remain firm in the faith of Christ. … Pray constantly, feast on the scriptures daily, serve and worship in the Church, worthily take the sacrament each week, love your neighbor, and take up your cross in obedience to God each day.”8

Gerrit W. Gong:  “When righteous patterns and spiritual yearnings join, time and eternity come together. Spiritual light and life come when regular religious observance draws us closer to our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ.  When we love the spirit and letter of the law, the things of eternity can distill upon our souls like the dews from heaven.  With daily obedience and refreshing living water, we find answers, faith, and strength to meet everyday challenges and opportunities with gospel patience, perspective, and joy.”9

Dieter F. Uchtdorf:  “We must do more than merely have an intellectual understanding of the gospel. … We must incorporate it into our lives—make it part of who we are and what we do.”10  

Henry B. Eyring:  “Take more time to pray, to ponder, and to meditate on spiritual matters. … It will take faith to endure. … Pray with greater faith. … Pray for the Spirit to enlighten your mind.”11

Neil L. Andersen:  “Each one of us will be wounded in the battle of life, whether physically, spiritually, or both.  Never give up—however deep the wounds of your soul, whatever their source, wherever or whenever they happen, and however short or long they persist, you are not meant to perish spiritually. You are meant to survive spiritually and blossom in your faith and trust in God. … Pray with all your heart.  Strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ, in His reality, in His grace. … Remember, repentance is powerful spiritual medicine.  Keep the commandments and be worthy of the Comforter.”12

Dale G. Renlund:  “Choose faith in Christ; choose repentance; choose to be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost; choose to conscientiously prepare for and worthily partake of the sacrament; choose to make covenants in the temple; and choose to serve the living God and His children.  Our choices determine who we are and who we will become.”13

The scriptures tell us that the Nephites were prepared for battle against the Lamanites “in a manner which never had been known … after the manner of the instructions of Moroni.” (Alma 49:8)  As we hear and heed the instructions of our leaders, we too can be prepared unlike we have previously been.  As we prepare and fortify our lives, great blessings have been promised.  Here are a few that stood out to me:

Quentin L. Cook:  “The announcements made today will result in profound blessings for those who enthusiastically embrace the adjustments and seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost. We will become closer to our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. … The ultimate blessing of deep and lasting conversion is worthily receiving the covenants and ordinances of the covenant pathway.”4

Ronald A. Rasband:  “No matter how much wickedness and chaos fill the earth, we are promised by our daily faithfulness in Jesus Christ the ‘peace of God, which passeth all understanding.’”7

D. Todd Christofferson:  “Always remember the promise of good things to come, both now and hereafter, for those who are firm and steadfast in the faith of Christ.”8 

Dieter F. Uchtdorf:  “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.  This is the promise to all who seek to believe.”10 

Jeffrey R. Holland: “If we follow the basic principles that have been taught, stay aligned with priesthood keys, and seek the Holy Spirit to guide us, we cannot fail.”14

Just as President Nelson gave a lengthy list of challenges, he gave us an equally lengthy list of blessings.  Consider these prophetic promises:

“I promise that as you diligently work to remodel your home into a center of gospel learning, over time your Sabbath days will truly be a delight.  Your children will be excited to learn and to live the Savior’s teachings, and the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease.  Changes in your family will be dramatic and sustaining.”3

“I promise you that the Lord will bring the miracles He knows you need as you make sacrifices to serve and worship in His temples.”3

“I bless you with increased faith in Him and in His holy work, with faith and patience to endure your personal challenges in life.  I bless you to become exemplary Latter-day Saints.”3

And to the sisters he promised, “As impossible as that may seem (to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year) with all you are trying to manage in your life, if you will accept this invitation with full purpose of heart, the Lord will help you find a way to achieve it.  And, as you prayerfully study, I promise that the heavens will open for you.  The Lord will bless you with increased inspiration and revelation. …

I now bless you with the ability to leave the world behind as you assist in this crucial and urgent work. Together we can do all that our Heavenly Father needs us to do to prepare the world for the Second Coming of His Beloved Son.”6  

Just as Captain Moroni’s people were prepared in a way that had never been known because they listened to their leader, we too can be prepared unlike any others as we listen to the prophet.

I hope that we will accept the challenge to prepare now.  May we individually and as families continually build the necessary fortifications to keep the adversary out of our lives.  My prayer is that we will have eyes to see and hearts to feel the miraculous changes and blessings that will surely come to us as we do what we have been asked to do.  Oh how blessed we are to be led by a prophet of God!

References:

  1.  Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives – Russell M. Nelson

  2.  Opening Remarks – Russell M. Nelson

  3.  Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints – Russell M. Nelson

  4.  Deep and Lasting Conversion to Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ – Quentin L. Cook

  5.  Gather Together in One All Things in Christ – David A. Bednar

  6.  Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel – Russell M. Nelson

  7.  Be Not Troubled – Ronald A. Rasband

  8.  Firm and Steadfast in the Faith of Christ – D. Todd Christofferson

  9.  Our Campfire of Faith – Gerrit W. Gong

10.  Believe, Love, Do – Dieter F. Uchtdorf

11.  Women and Gospel Learning in the Home – Henry B. Eyring

12.  Wounded – Neil L. Andersen

13.  Choose You This Day – Dale G. Renlund

14.  The Ministry of Reconciliation – Jeffrey R. Holland

Commandments

by CommandmentsDoctrines

September’s doctrinal topic was commandments.  “Commandments are the laws and requirements that a loving Heavenly Father gives His children to bless them, protect them, and guide them back to Him.”1 Simply put, Heavenly Father gives us commandments because He loves us and wants us to return home to Him.  We keep the commandments because we love our Heavenly Father and the Savior and we know that keeping the commandments will lead safely along the path of discipleship back to our heavenly home.


Massimo De Feo said, “True disciples love to obey the Lord’s commandments, and they obey because they love the Lord.”2  Similarly Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught, “We show our love for Him by keeping His commandments and by living up to our sacred covenants.”3


In general conference we are given gentle, and sometimes not so gentle, reminders of what our Heavenly Father expects of us and the blessings we can receive for following His will.  We will always be encouraged to do better and be better as we strive to keep the commandments.  We will continually be encouraged to make and keep sacred covenants.   We will also be reminded of the blessings we are promised when we are faithful in our commitments to God.   In his closing talk, Russell M. Nelson said, “Not only have the messages been edifying, but they have been life-changing!”  He exhorted us to “study the messages of this conference frequently.”4   Think for a minute about the word he used –exhort.  The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines exhort as “to give warnings or advice : make urgent appeals.”5   If a prophet of God knows that what we have just heard can change our lives, it is no wonder he makes an urgent appeal to us to study these talks frequently and repeatedly and include them in our discussions with family and friends .  He also tells us we will be blessed, in a specific way, if we will do this.  “Your desire to obey will be enhanced as you remember and reflect upon what you have felt these past two days.”4  As we reflect on a few of these conference talks, I hope  you will remember of some things you have felt as you listened to and have since studied these wonderful messages.


Using the scriptural words “by small and simple things are great things brought to pass” as the theme for his talk, Dallin H. Oaks spoke about the effects of small and simple things.  Scripture study and prayer are just two of the seemingly small and simple things we are commanded to do that, when applied over time, can have a powerful effect for good in our lives.  It is important that we keep in mind that “in total and over a significant period of time, these seemingly small things bring to pass great things.”  One morning while taking a walk, President Oaks noticed a few places where the concrete sidewalk had cracked.  The cracks were evidence of the power that small and simple things can have over time.  They hadn’t happened from something big and powerful but were the result of the “slow, small growth of one of the roots reaching out from the adjoining tree.  The thrusting power that cracked these heavy concrete sidewalks was too small to measure on a daily or even a monthly basis, but its effect over time was incredibly powerful.”6  While the small and simple commandments we keep have a powerful positive effect in our lives over time, the small and simple things we fail to do will also have great consequences.  President Oaks warns, “Even small acts of disobedience or minor failures to follow righteous practices can draw us down toward an outcome we have been warned to avoid.”6


Claudio D. Zivic compared the experience he had the first time he went kayaking to keeping ourselves safe on the covenant path.  He said, “I rented a kayak, and full of enthusiasm, I launched into the sea. After a few minutes, a wave overturned the kayak. With a great deal of effort, holding the paddle in one hand and the kayak in the other, I was able to regain my footing.  I tried again to paddle my kayak, but just a few minutes later, the kayak tipped over again. I stubbornly kept on trying, to no avail, until someone who understood kayaking told me that there must be a crack in the shell and the kayak must have filled up with water, making it unstable and impossible to control. I dragged the kayak to the shore and removed the plug, and sure enough, out came a large amount of water.  I think that at times we move through life with sins that, like the leak in my kayak, impede our spiritual progress.  If we persist in our sins, we forget the covenants we have made with the Lord, even though we keep capsizing because of the imbalance that those sins create in our lives.  Like the cracks in my kayak, the cracks in our lives need to be dealt with.”7


These are two great examples of how small things, either positive or negative, can have a profound impact.  Sometimes when we talk about keeping the commandments, we think about the big ones like the Ten Commandments, the law of chastity and the Word of Wisdom.  Clearly those are incredibly important in our lives.  But we need to be keenly aware of the effect that heeding or neglecting the smaller things can have in our lives.  The counsel and exhortations of our living prophet may be some of those small and simple things of the gospel.   Hearing and heeding the prophet helps us successfully navigate this life and endure to the end.  If we are not careful, seemingly insignificant things over time can have devastating consequences.  Surely that is why Elder Zivic cautioned us to “strive to obey all the commandments and pay close attention to those that are hardest for us to keep.”7


Quentin L. Cook’s talk was especially powerful to me.  He reminded us, “This life is the time for all of us to prepare to meet God.  The Book of Mormon provides multiple examples of the tragic consequences when individuals or groups fail to keep the commandments of God.”  Elder Cook spoke on enduring to the end.  He said, “Jesus Christ assured us that ‘he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.’ To endure means ‘to remain firm in a commitment to be true to the commandments of God despite temptation, opposition, and adversity.  Even those who have had powerful spiritual experiences and have given faithful service could one day go astray or fall into inactivity if they do not endure to the end. May we always and emphatically keep in our minds and hearts the phrase, ‘This will not happen to me.’ When Jesus Christ taught in Capernaum, ‘many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then Jesus said unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?’  I believe that today, Jesus Christ asks all of us who have made sacred covenants with Him, ‘Will ye also go away?’”8  


Those words should cause us all some introspection.  Perhaps today more than at any other time temptation, opposition, and adversity are all around us!  If we are not conscientious, small cracks will allow the wrong things to seep into our lives.   Unknowingly we may find that we are no longer walking with the Savior.  How tragic!  The surest way to protect ourselves against this is to, as Elder Uchtdorf encouraged, “seek to align our lives with Him, … strive to refine our natures and daily grow a little closer to Him.”3  As we do, we allow the Holy Ghost to be our companion.  Adding to that, Larry Y. Wilson said, “We must each be making the effort to align our lives with God’s commandments in order to be directed by Him.”9


President Nelson knows how important it is for each of us to have our Father in Heaven’s direction in our lives.  He urged us to “stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation.”   Remember his powerful declaration, “Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work. …  I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation.  Let this Easter Sunday be a defining moment in your life. Choose to do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly.”10


Exact obedience will keep us walking with the Savior.  Exact obedience will help us hear the voice of the Spirit.  Exact obedience will align us with God and His holy prophet.  Exact obedience will bless us, protect us, and guide us back to our heavenly home.

References:

  1.  September: Commandments – lds.org

  2.  Pure Love: The True Sign of Every True Disciple of Jesus Christ – Massimo De Feo

  3.  Behold The Man! – Dieter F. Uchtdorf


  4.  Let Us All Press On – Russell M. Nelson

  5.  Merriam-Webster Dictionary

  6.  Small and Simple Things – Dallin H. Oaks

  7.  He That Shall Endure to the End, the Same Shall Be Saved – Claudio D. Zivic

  8.  Prepare to Meet God – Quentin L. Cook

  9.  Take the Holy Spirit as Your Guide – Larry Y. Wilson

10.  Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives – Russell M. Nelson

Prophets & Revelation

by DoctrinesProphetsRevelation

The doctrinal topic for May’s discussion is Prophets and Revelation.  April’s General Conference is perfect for this discussion.  It was most definitely a very special one.  It began with a solemn assembly where we had the privilege of sustaining a new prophet.  M. Russell Ballard emphasized the importance of that sacred event, “As we each sustained President Nelson by our uplifted hands, we stood as witnesses before God and acknowledged that he is President Monson’s rightful successor.  With our raised hands, we promised to hearken unto his voice as he receives direction from the Lord.”1   We witnessed some of that direction as changes were announced by our new prophet, most notably what President Nelson calls “the beginning of a new era of ministering.”2  We should have no doubt that this came by revelation as he explained, “The Lord has made important adjustments in the way we care for each other.”2  During general conference, it was our great blessing to be taught often about the importance of both prophets and revelation.

Why it is so important to have a prophet?  And why is it important to listen to and follow our living prophet?  Ulisses Soares answers these questions, “Having prophets is a sign of God’s love for His children. … Prophets speak by the power of the Holy Spirit.  They testify of Christ and His divine mission on earth.  They represent the mind and heart of the Lord and are called to represent Him and teach us what we must do to return to live in the presence of God and His Son, Jesus Christ.  We are blessed as we exercise our faith and follow their teachings.  By following them, our lives are happier and less complicated, our difficulties and problems are easier to bear, and we create a spiritual armor around us that will protect us from the attacks of the enemy in our day.”3 

Neil L. Andersen said, “A prophet is a watchman on the tower, protecting us from spiritual dangers we may not see. … The prophet’s voice brings spiritual safety in very turbulent times.  We live on a planet clamoring with a million voices.  The internet, our smartphones, our bloated boxes of entertainment all plead for our attention and thrust their influence upon us, hoping we will buy their products and adopt their standards.  The seemingly endless array of information and opinion remind us of the scriptural warnings of being ‘tossed to and fro,’ ‘driven with the wind,’ and overcome by the ‘cunning craftiness’ of those who ‘lie in wait to deceive.’  Anchoring our souls to the Lord Jesus Christ requires listening to those He sends.  The prophet’s voice, while spoken kindly, will often be a voice asking us to change, to repent, and to return to the Lord.  When correction is needed, let’s not delay.  And don’t be alarmed when the prophet’s warning voice counters popular opinions of the day.  The mocking fireballs of annoyed disbelievers are always hurled the moment the prophet begins to speak.  As you are humble in following the counsel of the Lord’s prophet, I promise you an added blessing of safety and peace.”4

As members of the Church, we are sometimes accused of not having a mind of our own, blindly following what the prophet and our leaders teach.  Elder Andersen teaches, “Don’t be surprised if at times your personal views are not initially in harmony with the teachings of the Lord’s prophet.  These are moments of learning, of humility, when we go to our knees in prayer.  We walk forward in faith, trusting in God, knowing that with time we will receive more spiritual clarity from our Heavenly Father. … We listen to the Lord’s prophet with the faith that his words are ‘from [the Lord’s] own mouth.’  Is this blind faith?  No, it is not.  We each have a spiritual witness of the truthfulness of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  By our own will and choice, we raised our hand this morning, declaring our desire to sustain the Lord’s prophet with our ‘confidence, faith, and prayer[s]’ and to follow his counsel.  We have the privilege as Latter-day Saints to receive a personal witness that President Nelson’s call is from God.”4 

Receiving more spiritual clarity or receiving a personal witness that the prophet is called of God is called personal revelation.  Russell M. Nelson reminds us, “You don’t have to wonder what is true.  You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust.  Through personal revelation, you can receive your own witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that this is the Lord’s Church.  Regardless of what others may say or do, no one can ever take away a witness borne to your heart and minds about what is true.  I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation. … Oh, there is so much more that your Father in Heaven wants you to know.”2  

Henry B. Eyring also taught, “If you ask with real intent and with faith in Jesus Christ for inspiration, you will receive it in the Lord’s way and in His time.  God did that for the young Joseph Smith.  He does it today for our living prophet, Russell M. Nelson.”5  

President Nelson said the Prophet Joseph “set a pattern for us to follow in resolving our questions,” which is to take our questions “directly to Heavenly Father.  He sought personal revelation, and his seeking opened this last dispensation.  In like manner, what will your seeking open for you?  What wisdom do you lack?  What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand?  Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph.  Find a quiet place where you can regularly go.  Humble yourself before God.  Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father.  Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.  Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen!”2

Larry Y. Wilson shared an incredible example of this exact kind of seeking.  During the Korean War, Frank Blair was aboard a transport ship that got caught in a huge typhoon.  One of the three engines stopped working completely and another one was only functioning at half power.  The situation was serious.  The captain had asked Brother Blair to be the ship’s chaplain and now came to him asking him to pray for the ship.  How he prayed is very instructive.  Elder Wilson said, “He prayed to know if there was something he could do to help ensure the safety of the ship.  In response to Brother Blair’s prayer, the Holy Ghost prompted him to go to the bridge, speak with the captain, and learn more.  He found that the captain was trying to determine how fast to run the ship’s remaining engines.  Ensign Blair returned to his cabin to pray again.  He prayed, ‘What can I do to help address the problem with the engines?’  In response, the Holy Ghost whispered that he needed to walk around the ship and observe to gather more information.  He again returned to the captain and asked for permission to walk around the deck.  Then, with a lifeline tied around his waist, he went out into the storm.  Standing on the stern, he observed the giant propellers as they came out of the water when the ship crested a wave.  Only one was working fully, and it was spinning very fast.  After these observations, Ensign Blair once again prayed. The clear answer he received was that the remaining good engine was under too much strain and needed to be slowed down.”  When this information was given to the captain, he was very surprised because it was completely opposite from what the ship’s engineer suggested be done.  But the captain chose to listen to Brother Blair’s suggestion, which ultimately saved their lives.  Two hours after slowing the good engine down, it stopped working completely.  “With half power in the remaining engine, the ship was able to limp into port.”6

Elder Wilson reminds us that, although this story is quite dramatic and we are unlikely to find ourselves in such dire circumstances, from it we learn three important lessons “about how we can receive the Spirit’s guidance more frequently.  First, when it comes to revelation, we must properly tune our receiver to heaven’s frequency. … We must each be making the effort to align our lives with God’s commandments in order to be directed by Him. … Second, … instead of just listing our problems in prayer and asking the Lord to solve them, we ought to be seeking more proactive ways of receiving the Lord’s help and committing to act according to the Spirit’s guidance.  A third important lesson, … we need the Holy Spirit as our guide in calm waters so His voice will be unmistakable to us in the fiercest storms.”6 

President Nelson said something very important for us to truly understand, “One of the things the Spirit has repeatedly impressed upon my mind since my new calling as President of the Church is how willing the Lord is to reveal His mind and will.  The privilege of receiving revelation is one of the greatest gifts of God to His children.  Through the manifestations of the Holy Ghost, the Lord will assist us in all our righteous pursuits. … We can pray to our Heavenly Father and receive guidance and direction, be warned about dangers and distractions, and be enabled to accomplish things we simply could not do on our own. If we will truly receive the Holy Ghost and learn to discern and understand His promptings, we will be guided in matters large and small. … We live in a world that is complex and increasingly contentious.  The constant availability of social media and a 24-hour news cycle bombard us with relentless messages.  If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation. … In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost. … I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation.”2

President Nelson shared with us some experiences when he received revelations for his personal, professional and spiritual life.  These help us understand that the ability to receive revelation can and will bless every aspect of our lives.  He is such a great example of one who has the constant influence of the Holy Ghost.  We are truly blessed to have him as our prophet.   

Because there has always been a prophet on the earth during our lifetimes, we should be careful that we don’t take this great blessing for granted!  Think about this statement from Elder Andersen, “In a future day, looking back on our mortality, we will rejoice that we walked the earth at the time of a living prophet.”  And with great blessings come great responsibilities.  Elder Andersen continued, “At that day, I pray that we will be able to say:

“We listened to him.

“We believed him.

“We studied his words with patience and faith.

“We prayed for him.

“We stood by him.

“We were humble enough to follow him.

“We loved him.”4

From this day forward, may we commit to listen to our prophet, to believe him, study his words, pray for him, stand by him, humbly follow him and love him!  As we do, we will find true happiness, not only in this life but also in the life to come.

May we also heed President Nelson’s exhortation to “‘come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift,’ beginning with the gift of the Holy Ghost, which gift can and will change your life.”2  President Nelson knows and loves the Savior and knows how to bring us closer to Him.  Elder Andersen said, “A prophet does not stand between you and the Savior.  Rather, he stands beside you and points the way to the Savior.  A prophet’s greatest responsibility and most precious gift to us is his sure witness, his certain knowledge, that Jesus is the Christ.”4  Think about those powerful words!  My hope and prayer is that we will treasure the prophet’s gift of his sure witness of the Savior.  As the Primary song teaches us, “Follow the prophet.  He knows the way!”7 

References:

1.  Precious Gifts from God – M. Russell Ballard

2.  Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives – Russell M. Nelson

3.  Prophets Speak by the Power of the Holy Spirit – Ulisses Soares

4.  The Prophet of God – Neil L. Andersen

5.  His Spirit to Be With You – Henry B. Eyring

6.  Take the Holy Spirit as Your Guide – Larry Y. Wilson

7.  Follow the Prophet – Children’s Songbook p. 110

Jesus Christ is Our Example of Honoring the Sabbath

by DoctrinesJesus Christ

As we study the suggested scriptures in March’s fourth Sunday lesson, “Jesus Christ is our Example of Honoring the Sabbath,” we find the common theme of healing. In each of these scriptures, we learn that Jesus healed people of their various infirmities on the Sabbath day. One of the ways we can honor the Sabbath is by worthily partaking of the sacrament. And as we do, how tenderly symbolic it should be to us personally that each Sabbath day the Savior can heal us too!

Let’s consider for a moment what happened at the pool of Bethesda. The pool of Bethesda was believed to have special healing powers for the first one who entered the water as the mineral spring began to bubble up. Many would gather, with their various afflictions, anxiously awaiting their chance to be healed. Carl Bloch’s painting gives us an insightful look into what was happening here. Some were near the water’s edge. Others were conversing. All but one had their eyes fixed on something other than the Savior. To this one man, the Savior asked, “Wilt thou be made whole?” The man explained that he had no one to help him into the water and, try as he might, someone would invariably get in the water before he had a chance. Then Jesus said to him, “Rise, take thy bed, and walk.” The scriptures teach us that “immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked.”1 Dieter F. Uchtdorf recently reaffirmed, “The healing power of Jesus Christ is not absent in our day. The Savior’s healing touch can transform lives in our day just as it did in His.”2 How often are we, like those at the pool of Bethesda, waiting to be healed without looking to the Master Healer?

Of course the Savior’s healing is not only available to us on the Sabbath day. Nor is His healing only for sin. Russell M. Nelson reminds us that during Jesus’ earthly ministry He “went about preaching the gospel and healing all types of sickness. When the risen Redeemer appeared to the people of ancient America, He mercifully invited those ‘afflicted in any manner’ to come unto Him and be healed.”3

David A. Bednar teaches, “The Savior has suffered not just for our sins and iniquities—but also for our physical pains and anguish, our weaknesses and shortcomings, our fears and frustrations, our disappointments and discouragement, our regrets and remorse, our despair and desperation, the injustices and inequities we experience, and the emotional distresses that beset us. There is no physical pain, no spiritual wound, no anguish of soul or heartache, no infirmity or weakness you or I ever confront in mortality that the Savior did not experience first. In a moment of weakness we may cry out, ‘No one knows what it is like. No one understands.’ But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He has felt and borne our individual burdens. And because of His infinite and eternal sacrifice (see Alma 34:14), He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy. He can reach out, touch, succor, heal, and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do relying only upon our own power.”4

Especially at this time of year when we celebrate Easter, these words of President Nelson remind us not only of the Savior’s healing but also of His grace and the hope and peace we can have because of Him. “The gift of resurrection is the Lord’s consummate act of healing. Thanks to Him, each body will be restored to its proper and perfect frame. Thanks to Him, no condition is hopeless. Thanks to Him, brighter days are ahead, both here and hereafter. Real joy awaits each of us—on the other side of sorrow.”3

Whatever our affliction, the Master Healer desires to make us whole. But we must come to Him. There must be some action on our part. The scriptures repeatedly teach us to “come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel,”5 so that we can “partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption,”5 “lay hold upon every good gift,”6 “partake of the goodness of God”7 and, ultimately, “be perfected in him.”8 Think of how that applies to the Sabbath, especially during the sacrament. It is then that we can truly “partake of the power of his redemption and “be perfected in him.” We can more fully honor the Sabbath when we come to church ready to “partake of the goodness of God” and “lay hold on every good gift” that is offered there.

As a young surgeon, President Nelson found the Sabbath to be a day quite literally for personal healing. He said, “By the end of each week, my hands were sore from repeatedly scrubbing them with soap, water, and a bristle brush. I also needed a breather from the burden of a demanding profession. Sunday provided much-needed relief. … The Sabbath [is the Savior’s] gift to us, granting real respite from the rigors of daily life and an opportunity for spiritual and physical renewal.”9

We have been commanded to “remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”10 “The Savior identified Himself as Lord of the Sabbath,” said President Nelson. “It is His day! Repeatedly, He has asked us to keep the Sabbath or to hallow the Sabbath day. We are under covenant to do so. How do we hallow the Sabbath day? In my much younger years, I studied the work of others who had compiled lists of things to do and things not to do on the Sabbath. It wasn’t until later that I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, ‘What sign do I want to give to God?’ That question made my choices about the Sabbath day crystal clear.”9

The question President Nelson asked himself, “What sign do I want to give to God?” is particularly instructive. Honoring the Sabbath is a very personal thing! It is between us and God. As you will recall in the scriptures we studied for this month’s lesson, each time the Savior healed someone on the Sabbath, there were those who were waiting to find fault with Him and what He was doing on the Sabbath day. Oh how we ought to be careful not to be as those finding fault with the Savior and judge how others keep the Sabbath day!

Quentin L. Cook said, “Honoring the Sabbath is a form of righteousness that will bless and strengthen families, connect us with our Creator, and increase happiness. The Sabbath can help separate us from that which is frivolous, inappropriate, or immoral. It allows us to be in the world but not of the world. … Truly keeping the Sabbath day holy is a refuge from the storms of this life. It is also a sign of devotion to our Father in Heaven.”11

Recently there has been a renewed emphasis on Sabbath day worship. Neil L. Andersen gave this explanation, “As we find our way in a world less attentive to the commandments of God, we will certainly be prayerful, but we need not be overly alarmed. The Lord will bless His Saints with the added spiritual power necessary to meet the challenges of our day. … As evil increases in the world, there is a compensatory spiritual power for the righteous. As the world slides from its spiritual moorings, the Lord prepares the way for those who seek Him, offering them greater assurance, greater confirmation, and greater confidence in the spiritual direction they are traveling. The gift of the Holy Ghost becomes a brighter light in the emerging twilight. … The First Presidency and the Twelve have felt an undeniable direction from the Lord to declare and reemphasize the Sabbath day and the importance of worthily partaking of the sacrament. As we take the sacrament, we remember the Savior and His Atonement. We come repenting of our sins, pledging our loyalty to covenants made with Him, and hearing again the promises He makes to us. To always have His Spirit with us is a pearl of enormous value. Receiving the sacrament on Sunday is more and more like an oasis in the desert, bubbling with cool spring water, quenching our spiritual thirst, and relieving our parched souls. … Can you see the Lord’s purposes in helping us to more fully honor the Sabbath day? … This added spiritual power does not just fall upon us. It comes as we act.”12

Great are the promised blessings for honoring the Sabbath day. May we more fully honor the Sabbath day by following the example of our Savior. As we do, we will find healing for our souls and spiritual power to bless our lives.

References:

 1. John 5:6-9

  2. Bearers of Heavenly Light – Dieter F. Uchtdorf

  3. Jesus Christ—the Master Healer – Russell M. Nelson

  4. Bear Up Their Burdens With Ease – David A. Bednar

 5. Omni 1:26

  6. Moroni 10:30

  7. Jacob 1:7

  8. Moroni 10:32

  9. The Sabbath is a Delight – Russell M. Nelson

10. Exodus 20:8

11. Shipshape and Bristol Fashion: Be Temple Worthy—in Good Times and Bad Times – Quentin L. Cook

12. A Compensatory Spiritual Power for the Righteous – Neil L. Andersen

Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath

by DoctrinesJesus Christ

February’s discussion on the Sabbath begins by asking the question “Why do you think that Jesus Christ is called the Lord of the Sabbath?”  As we study the outlined scriptures, keeping that question in our minds and in our hearts, I believe the answer to that question will be clear and we will gain some very personal insights.

Let’s begin with the scripture found in Doctrine and Covenants 6:36 and 37, reading it as if it were written to each of us personally.  The Savior is speaking here.  What is He saying to me?  “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.  Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.”1  There is so much packed in these two scriptures!  Is He not telling us to look at the wounds in his hands, feet and side?  Is He not telling us that because of His atoning sacrifice, if we are faithful and keep the commandments, we have nothing to fear?  If we look to Him always and in all things, there is no reason to doubt?  And is there a more beautiful assurance that, because of Him, one day we can return to our heavenly home to live with Him and our Heavenly Father?

The two scriptures in Ether and Moroni are also invitations to us.  In them, Moroni invites us to seek Jesus so that grace “may be and abide in you forever”2 and to come unto Christ “that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ” and “sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.”3  These three scriptures invite us to look, seek and come.  Looking, seeking and coming all have the purpose of drawing us to the Savior, allowing His Atonement to change us and redeem us.

Surely we can see some of the words in each of these scriptures helping to point our thoughts to the ordinance of the sacrament.  As we partake of the emblems of the sacrament, it is a tangible as well as a spiritual reminder that Jesus Christ truly is the Lord of the Sabbath. 

D. Todd Christofferson recently taught, “The symbolism of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is beautiful to contemplate.  The bread and water represent the flesh and blood of Him who is the Bread of Life and the Living Water, poignantly reminding us of the price He paid to redeem us.  As the bread is broken, we remember the Savior’s torn flesh. … As we drink the water, we think of the blood He shed in Gethsemane and on the cross and its sanctifying power.”4  He reminded us of the need to receive “the Savior’s atoning grace to take away our sins and the stain of those sins in us.”4  But there is something more Elder Christofferson wants us to remember.  It goes to the very heart of the Savior’s invitation to look unto Him in every thought, to Moroni’s invitation to seek Jesus and come unto Christ, and to our sacramental covenant to always remember Him.  “Figuratively eating His flesh and drinking His blood has a further meaning, and that is to internalize the qualities and character of Christ, putting off the natural man and becoming Saints ‘through the atonement of Christ the Lord.’  As we partake of the sacramental bread and water each week, we would do well to consider how fully and completely we must incorporate His character and the pattern of His sinless life into our life and being.  Jesus could not have atoned for the sins of others unless He Himself was sinless.  Since justice had no claim on Him, He could offer Himself in our place to satisfy justice and then extend mercy. As we remember and honor His atoning sacrifice, we should also contemplate His sinless life.  This suggests the need for a mighty striving on our part.  We cannot be content to remain as we are but must be moving constantly toward ‘the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.’”4

So how do we accomplish this “mighty striving”?  Certainly the sacrament is a tremendous blessing to aid us in that striving.  Each week we can begin anew, repenting, making necessary corrections in our striving and worthily partaking of the sacrament.  Robert D. Hales testified that “the sacrament give us an opportunity to come to ourselves and experience ‘a mighty change’ of heart—to remember who we are and what we most desire.”5  But mighty striving cannot be a Sunday-only thing.  Cheryl A. Esplin said, “As we partake of the sacrament, we witness to God that we will remember His Son always, not just during the brief sacrament ordinance.  This means that we will constantly look to the Savior’s example and teachings to guide our thoughts, our choices, and our acts.”6

Grace also plays an important part in our striving.  Sometimes we find it hard to define or fully understand grace.  I have truly enjoyed my additional study on the subject.  The Bible Dictionary defines grace as the “divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ.  … It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means.  This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts.”7 

The apostles and prophets speak often of grace.  These are a few of my favorite quotes:

“While Jesus is the only one to have led a sinless life, those who come unto Him and take His yoke upon them have claim on His grace, which will make them as He is, guiltless and spotless.” – D. Todd Christofferson8 

“Trust and confidence in Christ and a ready reliance on His merits, mercy, and grace lead to hope, through His Atonement. …The power of the Atonement makes repentance possible and quells the despair caused by sin; it also strengthens us to see, do, and become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity.” – David A. Bednar9 

“The mercy and grace of Jesus Christ are not limited to those who commit sins either of commission or omission, but they encompass the promise of everlasting peace to all who will accept and follow Him and His teachings.  His mercy is the mighty healer, even to the wounded innocent.” – Boyd K. Packer10 

“By His grace He will do for you what you cannot do for yourself.” – Neil L. Andersen11 

The beautiful sacrament hymn, “With Humble Heart,” reminds us of our dependence on the Savior and our need for His grace in our lives to become more like Him.

With humble heart, I bow my head

And think of thee, O Savior, Lord.

I take the water and the bread

To show remembrance of thy word.

Help me remember, I implore,

Thou gav’st thy life on Calvary,

That I might live forevermore

And grow, dear Lord, to be like thee.

To be like thee! I lift my eyes

From earth below toward heav’n above,

That I may learn from vaulted skies

How I my worthiness can prove.

As I walk daily here on earth,

Give me thy Spirit as I seek

A change of heart, another birth,

And grow, dear Lord, to be like thee.12  

The change of heart that we seek in our mighty striving would be in vain if not for the ordinances and covenants of the gospel and the grace of Christ.  As Elder Bednar explains, “Ordinances and covenants are the building blocks we use to construct our lives upon the foundation of Christ and His Atonement. We are connected securely to and with the Savior as we worthily receive ordinances and enter into covenants, faithfully remember and honor those sacred commitments, and do our best to live in accordance with the obligations we have accepted.  And that bond is the source of spiritual strength and stability in all of the seasons of our lives.”9

That leads us to our final scripture.  Helaman 5:12 is one of my favorites.  There are a few words in it that really stand out to me.  I find it particularly instructive that we are told to “remember, remember.”13  That seems to be both an admonition and a pleading.  And what are we to remember?—“that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation.”13  Oh how we should pay attention to the word must.  The word when is also quite instructive—“when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you.”13  It seems clear that we are being warned that Satan will tempt us and try to weaken us, quite aggressively in fact!  There is also a wonderful truth this scripture teaches.  Satan will “have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.”13  This blessing is, however, conditional.  Why will Satan have no power over us?  The word if reminds us that it is imperative that we build our foundation on the Savior.  He is the source of that power which gives us the strength necessary to withstand Satan’s tactics.  But we must come to Him.  He must be our foundation.


What gratitude and love should fill our hearts as we contemplate what the Savior has done for us!  Especially on the Sabbath day, we should center our thoughts on Him.  Russell M. Nelson reminds us, “The Sabbath was given as a perpetual covenant, a constant reminder that the Lord may sanctify His people.  We partake of the sacrament on the Sabbath day in remembrance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  We covenant that we are willing to take upon us His holy name.  The Savior identified Himself as Lord of the Sabbath.  It is His day!”14

May we strive to more fully keep each Sabbath day holy.  May we look to the Savior in every thought.  As surely as we seek Him and come unto Him, we will find Him.  For as Jeffrey R. Holland lovingly reminded us, “In this and every hour He is, with nail-scarred hands, extending to us … grace, holding on to us and encouraging us, refusing to let us go until we are safely home in the embrace of Heavenly Parents.”15

References:

  1.  Doctrine and Covenants 6:36-37

  2.  Ether 12:41

  3.  Moroni 10:32

  4.  The Living Bread Which Came Down From Heaven – D. Todd Christofferson

  5.  Coming Unto Ourselves: The Sacrament, the Temple and Sacrifice in Service – Robert D. Hales

  6.  The Sacrament—a Renewal for the Soul – Cheryl A. Esplin

  7.  Grace – Bible Dictionary

  8.  Reflections on a Consecrated Life – D. Todd Christofferson

  9.  Therefore They Hushed Their Fears – David A. Bednar

10.  The Reason For Our Hope – Boyd K. Packer

11.  What Thinks Christ of Me? – Neil L. Andersen

12.  With Humble Heart – Hymn 171

13.  Helaman 5:12

14.  The Sabbath is a Delight – Russell M. Nelson

15.  Be Ye Therefore Perfect—Eventually – Jeffrey R. Holland

The Sabbath Day: A Day to Remember What God Has Done for Us

by CommandmentsDoctrinesJesus Christ

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have been encouraged to increase our devotion to the Lord by more fully keeping the Sabbath day holy. A few years ago, Neil L. Andersen said, “The First Presidency and the Twelve have felt an undeniable direction from the Lord to declare and reemphasize the Sabbath day and the importance of worthily partaking of the sacrament.”1 One recent declaration came from David A. Bednar when he reminded us, “The Sabbath is God’s time, a sacred time specifically set apart for worshipping Him and for receiving and remembering His great and precious promises.”2


I am excited for the opportunity to study the Sabbath day as our fourth-Sunday curriculum for the next six months. I am confident that as we prayerfully study and participate in the monthly discussions we will come to understand, in a greater way, the reasons for this reemphasis and the blessings that will come as we heed the admonition of the prophets and apostles—blessings Elder Andersen calls “compensatory spiritual power for the righteous.” He promises, “As the world slides from its spiritual moorings, the Lord prepares the way for those who seek Him, offering them greater assurance, greater confirmation, and greater confidence in the spiritual direction they are traveling. The gift of the Holy Ghost becomes a brighter light in the emerging twilight. … This added blessing of spiritual power does not settle upon us just because we are part of this generation. It is willingly offered to us; it is eagerly put before us. But as with all spiritual gifts, it requires our desiring it, pursuing it, and living worthy of receiving it.”1 


January’s lesson is “The Sabbath is a Day to Remember What God has Done for Us.” We are reminded that there are mighty works that God has associated with the Sabbath. The three discussed in this lesson are the Creation, the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt and the Savior’s Resurrection. Reflecting on their significance and considering the symbolism each can have in our lives will help us remember some of the mighty works our Heavenly Father has done for us and will continue to do for us as we rededicate our lives to Him.


The Creation


“Under the direction of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ created the heavens and the earth (see Mosiah 3:8; Moses 2:1). From scripture revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith, we know that in the work of the Creation, the Lord organized elements that had already existed (see Abraham 3:24). He did not create the world ‘out of nothing,’ as some people believe.”3   The symbolism I see here is that our Heavenly Father can make more of us than we currently are—new creatures, if you will. This is possible, however, only if we are willing to submit our will to His will. Neal A. Maxwell once said, “When you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!”4


When the Savior visited the Nephites after his Resurrection, an event which had been prophesied among this people for six hundred years, Jeffrey R. Holland teaches us something profound about what he calls the “introductory utterance from the resurrected Son of God.” Elder Holland said, “Of all the messages that could come from the scroll of eternity, what has he brought? … He speaks, ‘I am the light of the world; … I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, … I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.’  That is it. Just a few lines. Only fifty-two words. … I have thought very often about this moment in Nephite history. I cannot think it either accident or mere whimsy that the Good Shepherd in his newly exalted state, appearing to a most significant segment of his flock, chooses first to speak of his obedience, his deference, his loyalty, and loving submission to his father. In an initial and profound moment of spellbinding wonder, when surely he had the attention of every man, woman, and child as far as the eye could see, his submission to his father is the first and most important thing he wishes us to know about himself. Frankly, I am a bit haunted by the thought that this is the first and most important thing he may want to know about us when we meet him one day in similar fashion. Did we obey, even if it was painful? Did we submit, even if the cup was bitter indeed? Did we yield to a vision higher and holier than our own, even when we may have seen no vision in it at all?”5 


The Exodus of the Children of Israel from Egypt


The exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt symbolizes leaving the world behind as we free ourselves from the bondage of sin. That freedom from sin comes only through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Just as the Israelites celebrated their deliverance with a Passover meal, the sacrament is the weekly reminder of our own deliverance from the evils of this world and the sins which hold us down.

 
L. Tom Perry said, “During the administration of the sacrament, we set aside the world. It is a period of spiritual renewal as we recognize the deep spiritual significance of the ordinance offered to each of us personally. If we were to become casual in partaking of the sacrament, we would lose the opportunity for spiritual growth. Elder Melvin J. Ballard once said: ‘I am a witness that there is a spirit attending the administration of the sacrament that warms the soul from head to foot; you feel the wounds of the spirit being healed, and the load is lifted. Comfort and happiness come to the soul that is worthy and truly desirous of partaking of this spiritual food.’ (“The Sacramental Covenant,” Improvement Era, Oct. 1919, 1027)”6 

Speaking of the sacrament, Elder Holland reminds us that “every ordinance of the gospel focuses in one way or another on the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, and surely that is why this particular ordinance with all its symbolism and imagery comes to us more readily and more repeatedly than any other in our life. It comes in what has been called ‘the most sacred, the most holy, of all the meetings of the Church’ (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954–56, 2:340). Perhaps we do not always attach that kind of meaning to our weekly sacramental service. How ‘sacred’ and how ‘holy’ is it? Do we see it as our passover, remembrance of our safety and deliverance and redemption? With so very much at stake, this ordinance commemorating our escape from the angel of darkness should be taken more seriously than it sometimes is. It should be a powerful, reverent, reflective moment. It should encourage spiritual feelings and impressions. As such it should not be rushed. It is not something to ‘get over’ so that the real purpose of a sacrament meeting can be pursued. This is the real purpose of the meeting.”7


The Resurrection of Jesus Christ


The symbolism of the Savior’s Resurrection is new life, renewal, transformation. Because of Him, we have an eternal perspective and can see beyond the things of this world. As we “look to God and live,”8 we find new life. As we follow our Savior, Jesus Christ, our lives are transformed.


“No doctrine in the Christian canon is more important to all mankind than the doctrine of the resurrection of the Son of God,” said Howard W. Hunter. “In spite of the great importance we place upon the resurrection in our doctrine, perhaps many of us may not yet have fully glimpsed its spiritual significance and eternal grandeur. If we had, we would marvel at its beauty. … It is the greatest of all of the miracles performed by the Savior of the world.”9


Russell M. Nelson reminds us, “The gift of resurrection is the Lord’s consummate act of healing. Thanks to Him, each body will be restored to its proper and perfect frame. Thanks to Him, no condition is hopeless. Thanks to Him, brighter days are ahead, both here and hereafter. Real joy awaits each of us—on the other side of sorrow.”10


Dallin H. Oaks teaches, “The ‘lively hope’ we are given by the resurrection is our conviction that death is not the conclusion of our identity but merely a necessary step in the destined transition from mortality to immortality. This hope changes the whole perspective of mortal life. The assurance of resurrection and immortality affects how we look on the physical challenges of mortality, how we live our mortal lives, and how we relate to those around us. The assurance of resurrection gives us the strength and perspective to endure the mortal challenges faced by each of us and by those we love, such things as the physical, mental, or emotional deficiencies we bring with us at birth or acquire during mortal life. Because of the resurrection, we know that these mortal deficiencies are only temporary! The assurance of resurrection also gives us a powerful incentive to keep the commandments of God during our mortal lives.”11 

Studying these mighty works—the Creation, the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt and the Savior’s Resurrection—has given me greater insight to and appreciation for the many mighty works Heavenly Father has done and for the mighty works He has done for me personally. I testify that as we submit our will to the Father’s, He can make of us more than we can ever make of ourselves. As we submit our will to His, we will desire to turn from the world and to the Savior. As we submit our will to His, we will be following the example of His Son, whose Resurrection offers us hope and joy in a fallen world. As we submit our will to His, the Sabbath day will be more holy and sacred to us. As we submit our will to His, we will come to know, in a very real and personal way, the compensatory spiritual power promised for the righteous.

References:

  1.  A Compensatory Spiritual Power for the Righteous – Neil L. Andersen

  2.  Exceeding Great and Precious Promises – David A. Bednar

  3.  LDS.org Topics – Creation

  4.  Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father – Neal A. Maxwell

  5.  Obedience: Submitting to the Will of the Father – Jeffrey R. Holland

  6.  As Now We Take the Sacrament – L. Tom Perry

  7.  This Do in Remembrance of Me – Jeffrey R. Holland

  8.  Alma 37:47

  9.  He is Risen – Howard W. Hunter

10.  Jesus Christ—The Master Healer – Russell M. Nelson

11.  Resurrection – Dallin H. Oaks