Gratitude for the Atonement

I know I have a relatively small audience, so having a guest blogger might seem a little odd. However, a coworker and good friend, Joel Conte, shared the talk he gave yesterday with me this morning. I loved the pure doctrine and testimony of gratitude--specifically gratitude for the Atonement--so I asked permission to share it. I'll leave it to speak for itself. Enjoy!

Introduction

This month as we usher in the day of Thanksgiving, I have been reading daily expressions of gratitude from friends and family. In the same style of the Advent calendar for Christmas, each day I open the door to read messages of thanks like: Day 1: “I am thankful for health and family.” Day 11: “I am thankful for the veterans and armed forces who protect our freedoms”, and so on and so forth. A friend even encouraged me to join in the festivities of daily expressions of gratitude. While my initial reaction was to be a Scrooge, I knew deep down inside I have much to be thankful for. I thought I could sneak through the month as a “persona non grateful”. Somehow, God knew I needed to publicly express my thanks and granted me the blessing to speak before you today. Day 24: “I am thankful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and for the blessings we receive because of it.”

Atonement

As used in the scriptures, to atone is to suffer the penalty for sins, thereby removing the effects of sin from the repentant sinner and allowing him or her to be reconciled to God. Jesus Christ was the only one capable of carrying out the Atonement for all mankind. Because of His Atonement, all people will be resurrected, and those who obey His gospel will receive the gift of eternal life with God. We have hope through the Atonement of Christ to be raised unto life eternal.

Jesus's atoning sacrifice took place in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross at Calvary. In Gethsemane He submitted to the will of the Father and began to take upon Himself the sins of all people. The Savior continued to suffer for our sins when He allowed Himself to be crucified—“lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world” (1 Nephi 11:33).

Jesus Christ redeems all people from the effects of the Fall [of Adam and Eve]. All people who have ever lived on the earth and who ever will live on the earth will be resurrected and brought back into the presence of God to be judged (see 2 Nephi 2:5-10; Helaman 14:15-17). Through the Savior's gift of mercy and redeeming grace, we will all receive the gift of immortality and live forever in glorified, resurrected bodies.

The Atonement of the Savior is the greatest event in history. President Gordon B. Hinckley declared: “No other act in all of human history compares with it. Nothing that has ever happened can match it. Totally unselfish and with unbounded love for all mankind, it became an unparalleled act of mercy for the whole human race.”

Gratitude for the Atonement

Gratitude is a feeling of appreciation and thankfulness for blessings or benefits we have received. As we cultivate a grateful attitude, we are more likely to be happy and spiritually strong. We should regularly express our gratitude to God for the blessings He gives us and to others for the kind acts they do for us.

If we understood the great love the Savior had for us when He atoned for our sins, we would always love Him, be grateful to Him, and keep His commandments.

As President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) observed:

“One of the greatest sins, both in magnitude and extent … is the sin of ingratitude. When we violate a commandment, no matter how small and insignificant we may think it to be, we show our ingratitude to our Redeemer. It is impossible for us to comprehend the extent of his suffering when he carried the burden of the sins of the whole world, a punishment so severe that we are informed that blood came from the pores of his body, and this was before he was taken to the cross. The punishment of physical pain coming from the nails driven in his hands and feet, was not the greatest of his suffering, excruciating as that surely was. The greater suffering was the spiritual and mental anguish coming from the load of our transgressions which he carried. If we understood the extent of that suffering and his suffering on the cross, surely none of us would willfully be guilty of sin. We would not give way to the temptations, the gratification of unholy appetites and desires and Satan could find no place in our hearts. As it is, whenever we sin, we show our ingratitude and disregard of the suffering of the Son of God by and through which we shall rise from the dead and live forever. If we really understood and could feel even to a small degree, the love and gracious willingness on the part of Jesus Christ to suffer for our sins we would be willing to repent of all our transgressions and serve him.”

The Virtues of the Atonement

As there is an opposition in all things, ingratitude is gratitude’s opposite. Gratitude is to Ingratitude as Humility is to Pride and as Selflessness is to Selfishness. As we choose to disobey our Heavenly Father’s commandments, we increase our ingratitude for the Savior’s Atonement. As we choose to ignore the mercy of the Savior’s sacrifice and boast of our own feats and fortune, we increase our pride. Pride became the downfall of the Nephites. Beware of ingratitude, pride, and selfishness. Because the Atonement enacted for us mercy, redemption, and eternal life, we are blessed with the desire to put into living practice the virtues of gratitude, humility, and selflessness.

Gratitude as a Virtue

Jesus taught about the virtue of gratitude through the account of His service to the ten lepers. In the book of Luke, chapter 17, we read:

Luke 17:12-19

12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

President Thomas S. Monson taught:

“Through divine intervention, those who were lepers were spared from a cruel, lingering death and given a new lease on life. The expressed gratitude by one merited the Master’s blessing, the ingratitude shown by the nine His disappointment.”

Again, our living prophet warns of the undesirable effects of ingratitude:

“Like the leprosy of yesteryear are the plagues of today. They linger; they debilitate; they destroy. They are to be found everywhere. Their pervasiveness knows no boundaries. We know them as selfishness, greed, indulgence, cruelty, and crime, to identify but a few. Surfeited with their poison, we tend to criticize, to complain, to blame, and, slowly but surely, to abandon the positives and adopt the negatives of life.

We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues.”

Humility as a Virtue

The sermon of the unprofitable servant teaches humility as a virtue. King Benjamin in the Book of Mosiah depicts the ultimate example of humility:

Mosiah 2:20-22
20 I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another—

21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.

22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

We are truly humbled when we realize just how much God has blessed us and yet how little He requires of us.

Increase Gratitude for the Atonement

How do we increase our gratitude for the Atonement? Through daily prayer, repentance, and the partaking of the sacrament.

Gratitude may be increased by constantly reflecting on our blessings and giving thanks for them in our daily prayers. A constant expression of gratitude [for the Atonement] should be included in all our prayers. Often in our prayers we ask for specific blessings on the behalf of others which reflects our selflessness. We also show humility when we pray as we ask God for forgiveness and repent of our sins.

Through repentance we can apply the Atonement in our lives as we become humbled, seek cleanliness, and receive forgiveness for our sins. Repentance is more than simply acknowledging wrongdoings. It is a change of mind and heart. It includes turning away from sin and turning to God for forgiveness. It is motivated by love for God and the sincere desire to obey His commandments. Repentance not only helps us to feel good from within, but it empowers us to do good unto others around us and to see the good in all things God has granted us.

When we partake of the sacrament, we reflect on our Elder Brother’s atoning sacrifice. The sacred ordinance of the blessing of the bread and water symbolize the shedding of Christ’s flesh and blood. The sacrament allows us to renew our baptismal covenants and become clean. We cannot be saved nor become perfected without it. 

 
Conclusion

We should thank our Heavenly Father for His Plan of Salvation and for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We should practice the virtues of the Atonement by showing gratitude, humility, and selflessness. To show gratitude to our Heavenly Father, we acknowledge His hand in all things, thank Him for all that He gives us, keep His commandments, and serve others. We can increase our gratitude through daily prayer, repentance, and partaking of the sacrament. When we pray to Our Heavenly Father, we should especially thank Him for His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, for the Savior's great example, for His teachings, for His outreaching hand to lift and help, for His infinite Atonement. May we always be grateful for this wonderful gift, the Atonement of the Son of God, our Savior and Redeemer. [Amen]

Defining meekness

This isn't going to be a traditional blog post. It will end up being more of a list. I was fascinated last night as I read Elder Ulisses Soares's talk from this past General Conference, "Be Meek and Lowly of Heart." The caption pulled from the talk to introduce it is "Being meek does not mean weakness, but it does mean behaving with goodness and kindness." But what fascinated me was the way that meekness was described throughout the talk--not just as goodness and kindness. It's different seeing it in print. So, here's my list... and be aware that it is a mixture of nouns, adjectives, phrases, and possibly some verbs, as well. (Some of the brackets are in the text, others are my own interjections or explanations.)

What is meekness? What does it mean to be meek?

lowly in heart
Godfearing
righteous
humble
teachable
patient under suffering
calm
docile
tolerant
submissive
fruit of the Spirit
live in the Spirit
reflect righteousness
emulate His [Christ's] attributes
change our character to become more like Him each day

perfect

deny [ourselves] of all ungodliness

love God

Christlike attributes

use [our] agency wisely

desire to please God

recognize [our] weaknesses

be willing and anxious to improve

goodness

kindness

strength (yes, strength!)

serenity

healthy self-worth

self control

born with the seed of meekness

process of time

“take up [our] cross daily”

constant focus and desire

improve day by day

overcome them [our weaknesses] as fast as possible

[instill] this feeling in the hearts of our children

[behave] properly before Him [Christ] under all circumstances

dedication

perseverance

control our temper

convey our feelings with patience and gentle persuasion

gentle reminders

gentle

apt to teach

patient

calm

temperate

avoiding contention

subdue our pride

humble

teachable

ability to influence others to be the same

walk hand in hand with the Lord

conversion

kindly

humility

without resentment

strong desire to learn

listen

determination

courage

faithfulness

heart full of goodness and deep gratitude

influenced many lives for good

forgive

change our spiritual character

love

Do you see what I mean? Some of these may be repetitive or at least closely related to others. However, there were words in there that I don't think most of us usually associate with meekness: strength, courage, determination. A quotation from President Lorenzo Snow (use in Elder Soares's talk) is a good illustration of many of these qualities, including determination: "It is our duty to try to be perfect, … to improve each day, and look upon our course last week and do things better this week; do things better today than we did them yesterday.... If the husband can live with his wife [or the wife with the husband] one day without quarrelling or without treating anyone unkindly or without grieving the Spirit of God … he is so far perfect. Then let him try to be the same the next day. But supposing he should fail in this his next day’s attempt, that is no reason why he should not succeed in doing so the third day."

This is a good, solid list to help each of us develop meekness. It gave me the desire to work harder... to show determination and courage in working toward these qualities. I hope my list, or perhaps the original talk itself, can help others, as well. These Christlike qualities should be the aim of every Christian. I know Christ was the perfect example, and I know He will help us as we strive to become like Him.

Hastening the Lord's work--Bonneville YSA Stake Conference

At first I thought about just posting my notes from stake conference yesterday and today, but while I may end up doing that later, there are too many other thoughts in my mind following the meetings. Hopefully I can do them justice in this post.

Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge was the presiding authority (accompanied by Gene R. Chidester, since they were reorganizing the stake presidency), and I loved his messages both yesterday and today. He reminded us of the First Presidency's instruction that every Saturday evening session of stake conference throughout the church was to be about hastening the work of salvation. He mentioned that we often talk about the what and occasionally the how, but that we do not always talk about the why.

So he extended the question, relating to the why: "How will my life be better if I join your church?" or "What do you have to offer if I join your church?" He then asked for responses from the congregation. I'm glad I was able to offer the last response; it was necessary to pay close attention to the wording and intent of the question. The other answers that were given were doctrinally sound, but they touched on aspects of gospel beliefs rather than on how joining the church would better a person's life.

My response was that closely following baptism, a person receives the gift of the Holy Ghost, which provides many of the feelings others had already mentioned, and which provides us with strength, peace, joy, comfort, etc., as nothing else possibly can. Having the gift of the Holy Ghost also means that we can have the Spirit of the Lord as a constant companion.

Elder Corbridge took my answer (and my name; I'm the only one whose name he asked!) and explained that the greatest gift of God is eternal life, but the greatest gift we can have in mortality is the gift of the Holy Ghost. A person should join the church to be forgiven of sins and to be endowed with God's power, to partake of the fruit of the tree of life and of the fruits of the atonement.

He then cited a couple of scriptures relating to receiving these things and to sharing the gospel:

"And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be." (Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 13:37)

"Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth...." (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 2:8)

He also asked why we should be afraid or ashamed to offer what we have to others. If we understand what we have, the effect it has on our lives, and the effect it can have in others' lives, shouldn't we be eager to reach out and share?

Another benefit he mentioned was that as we help to build the Kingdom of God, we retain a remission of our sins and have the Holy Ghost in our lives.

All this was at the beginning of the Saturday evening session. As he spoke again at the end (following other wonderful talks on hastening the work of salvation), he posed several more questions:

What will I do? How can I do something more?

Personally, I need to ponder a lot more on that. I have some ideas, but I need to understand my sphere of influence and how I can best reach out to others--friends, family, people I may not have met... One suggestion that was made (I think it was last night, but I don't remember for sure) was to commit to meet someone new every Sunday. I need to work on that one; as an introvert, I sometimes find it easier not to talk to people, especially people I don't know. I need to be better at reaching out and getting to know people.

Elder Corbridge added that the consequences of the gospel being true are enormous. Knowing that, wouldn't we want to share it with everyone? If you don't have the gospel now, wouldn't you want to learn it? Because, you see, if it is true (and I know that it is), the consequences truly are enormous. This increases our responsibility and should give us the drive necessary to move the work of the Lord forward. He ended his Saturday remarks by saying that we need to declare the gospel: "Determine to do something. Everything depends on this."

I left with the desire to do more. I need to spend time on my knees and then be willing to act under the guidance of the Holy Ghost. I need to understand how the Lord would have me share the gospel.

There were many fabulous talks both days, but today it was again Elder Corbridge's talk that really hit home for me. He began by describing how the Lord invites us to become involved in His work, not for His benefit, but for our benefit--not to help Him, but to help us. He pointed out that even in the very name of the church, we are all invited to be a part of Christ's Kingdom: It is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--not of latter-day prophets, not of a select few. We are a part of His Kingdom and called to participate in His work.

Much of the rest of his talk focused on the questions: Who am I? and Who am I in the process of becoming? He cited a number of scriptures on keeping the commandments. The most interesting part to me was when he referenced Alma 50:20 (in the Book of Mormon). The first half of the verse says, "Blessed art thou and thy children; and they shall be blessed, inasmuch as they shall keep my commandments they shall prosper in the land." But he then explained that the rest of the verse explains what it means to prosper in the land by presenting the opposite situation: "But remember, inasmuch as they will not keep my commandments they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord." Have you ever thought of it that way? This also clarifies what king Benjamin said about how the Lord will "immediately bless [us]" if we keep His commandments (Book of Mormon, Mosiah 2:24). The blessings and the prosperity will not necessarily be physical. Prospering in the land does not necessarily mean we will be wealthy. What it does mean is that we will be in the presence of the Lord: we will have the Holy Spirit to be with us, to strengthen and guide us in all of our endeavors.

The other two questions I jotted down from his talk were:

Who is my God?
When everything earthly is taken from me, what kind of person will I be?

Each of these questions is a reminder to me that my focus needs to be on my Savior, on relying on the atonement and the influence of the Holy Ghost. I need to be a part of hastening the work of salvation. I don't fully understand yet how I can do this, but knowing that I need to be a part of the work is a beginning. Now I need to come to understand what the Lord would have me do. How can I reach out to others? How can I share with them a message that means so much to me, that even defines who I am--that hopefully can define me more fully and clearly each day.

This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is true. "Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth...." (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 2:8)

An attitude of gratitude

I really enjoyed doing gratitude posts last year, so I'm going to do it again! (Also, I must confess... the wellness challenge for November/December for a premium refund is emotional and spiritual well-being: I will be giving and grateful. It doesn't do much good to list what I might give--that's kind of selfish and prideful. So instead, I'll have at least one thing to be grateful for each day again.) All right, here goes:

1 November 2013. I am grateful for health. It can be so easy to take health for granted, but it really is wonderful! All of life depends on it. In order to have energy and to accomplish anything at all, I need to feel well. So I'm grateful: grateful to be generally healthy, grateful for simple things like the ability to walk, even just to breathe. These make it possible for me to enjoy so much more all around me!

2 November 2013. I am grateful for the Holy Ghost, and specifically for the gift of the Holy Ghost, which allows me to have the Spirit of the Lord as a constant companion if I live righteously. Through the Holy Ghost, I know of the truthfulness of the gospel; I can feel forgiveness and the strength to forgive; I find happiness, peace, and strength that I can't find anywhere else; and I feel Heavenly Father's love for me and receive the guidance I need to be able to follow His plan.

3 November 2013. I am grateful for inspired leaders: for a stake presidency, just released, each of whom has served so well, and for a newly called stake presidency, each of whom is eager and willing to serve the Lord. (For my friends who are not "Mormon," a stake consists of several congregations--in our case, thirteen--called "wards" and is similar to a diocese.) I am grateful also for general authorities who have spoken to us this weekend and shared messages that I needed to hear, even if I didn't know it beforehand. It has been a spiritually uplifting weekend.

4 November 2013. I am once again grateful for inspired leaders, this time for a living prophet and apostles who are in tune with the Spirit of the Lord. A new semiannual general women's meeting, for women and girls ages 8 and up, was just announced. It will replace the Relief Society and Young Women meetings, each of which was held annually. I am so excited to see the results of this as we grow together in the gospel and help to strengthen each other!

5 November 2013. Today I am grateful for snow. It really wasn't a bad walk to work this morning (even if I probably have to put the scooter away until spring). There's something beautiful and peaceful about watching snow fall... even if it's falling on you. :)

6 November 2013. I am grateful for a good job. It's a blessing to have a job where I like what I do. I'm glad that I occasionally get to learn new things in my work. I am especially grateful to work with (and for) some very good people who make the environment enjoyable.

7 November. I am grateful for powdered milk. Don't misunderstand... that doesn't mean I like powdered milk. But it's a blessing to have it on hand when you're too lazy to take the bus to the store... I'm also very grateful right now for my November Ensign--the General Conference issue. I was super excited to get it a couple of days ago, and I have been enjoying reading from it each evening. There's too much to be able to learn it all from the one weekend when we first hear the talks. What a blessing it is to be able to read and reread them!

8 November 2013. I am grateful for Friday--the end of a work week and the chance to wind down, relax a little, and catch up on things I haven't done during the week. I am also grateful I was given a little time for my own family history today--I got some more photos and documents scanned this afternoon.
9 November 2013. Sorry, this might be a longer one than normal. Today I am most grateful that Uncle Chris is home safe--and grateful to him and to the many who continue to serve our country. I am also grateful that a certain wall came down 24 years ago, making it possible for the gospel to spread into Eastern Europe. I am grateful for the courage of those who serve the Lord by sharing His gospel, sometimes in the face of great danger. (I saw Saratov Approach today.) And I am grateful for music and for a good friend to share it with. :)  I won't name names... you know who you are.

10 November 2013. I am grateful for music, and must especially that my parents taught me to love music and not to be afraid to sing and share my talents. I am grateful for opportunities to sing--today, a solo, but also just for congregational hymns in church. I am also grateful for the power of hymns and the way the Spirit carries a message to those who listen. I truly love the hymns of the gospel of Jesus Christ!

11 November 2013. I am grateful for veterans and for those who continue to serve--those I know personally and many I have never met, who put their lives on the line for the cause of freedom so that I can enjoy so many liberties. Today I am also overwhelmingly grateful for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and for living prophets and apostles. As I was reading conference talks after work today, it struck me hard: the world instills doubts and questions and confusion, but the gospel has the answers--all of the answers, though we must make the effort to seek them out. I am amazed and so grateful for the peace and reassurance I feel as I continue to study and learn.

12 November 2013. I am grateful for online reference sources and for the ability to think like a librarian. I have really enjoyed becoming familiar with some of the reference sources available online (subscription through the university and otherwise). As far as thinking like a librarian... it helps to be able to pinpoint a source and know how to search, and I know cataloging and familiarity with a catalog plays a major part in that. In two short evenings, I finished an assignment (entirely in the comfort of my home)--nearly a week before it is due. That feels pretty good. :)

13 November 2013. I am grateful for technology. It's amazing to think how drastically things have changed in my lifetime--and even since I graduated from high school. I left home with a calling card to reach my parents (with email being my other option); now I own a smart phone, which in addition to making calls has some capabilities that even my first computer didn't have. Then there's Facebook--I can see throughout the day what family members and others are sharing. It's a blessing to have so many ways of staying in touch with each other when there are several states between us.

14 November 2013. Oh, how grateful I am for the temple! I'm grateful for the overwhelming peace I feel there, and for the way that temple worship helps to put everything else in life back in perspective. I am grateful for a temple presidency who love the young single adults and for the many sealers and others who willingly gave of their time and stayed late tonight. I am also grateful for unseen angels. Sometimes I feel absolutely surrounded--by people I know and love and by some I don't know or don't remember, but whom I also love and whom I look forward to meeting someday.

15 November 2013. I am grateful that my dad "corrupted" me with music. That might sound funny, but I think it played a large part in my desire to learn a couple of instruments and my continued love of and appreciation for good music of many kinds--and it has also taught me to catch and appreciate little nuances or variations in arrangements of well-known songs. I am also grateful for an occasional girls' night. That was much needed. :)

16 November 2013. I am grateful for a lazy Saturday, and for a BYU football game that I could actually *watch* instead of just listening to the radio. I am also grateful for grocery store mark-downs that resulted in an unplanned pork chop purchase and barbecue pork chops that are just finishing in the crock pot. Yum! (I'll wait until tomorrow to eat them.)

17 November 2013. I am grateful to have learned that my hair will hold curl decently if I let it set overnight without heat. (Superficial? Maybe, but it's good to know...) I am also grateful for zebra sunglasses. Finally, and most especially, I am grateful for the opportunity to go to church and partake of the sacrament each week.

18 November 2013. I am grateful for clean laundry and for a fun Family Home Evening with friends. And I am grateful that a 4-week-old assignment has finally been graded.

19 November 2013. I am grateful for the opportunity to babysit on occasion. I am grateful for children and the love and light they bring to the world.

20 November 2013. I am grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and for His birth, and later His resurrection, which makes it possible for me to live again with those I love. I am grateful that I could once again begin the Christmas season watching the production "Savior of the World" (and sharing it with a few other people).

21 November 2013. As others in my family have said, I am grateful for my grandpa today--on his 84th birthday. I am grateful for his kind and generous heart and for his sense of humor. I am also grateful for his love for the Lord and for his commitment to the gospel.

22 November 2013. I am grateful to live near work and near the temple, in such an ideal location. Right now I am especially grateful for Friday and for knowing that I can sleep in tomorrow.

23 November 2013. I am grateful for an oven and baking ingredients... and for the willpower to bake roughly 5 dozen cookies without eating any. :) There's just something therapeutic about baking.

24 November 2013. I am grateful for Sundays: for a day of rest from the other activities of the week, for a chance to worship and partake of the sacrament, and for a little extra time to devote to studying the scriptures and the words of the prophets. I am also grateful (as I know I have said before) for living prophets and apostles through whom the love of the Lord radiates to us.

25 November 2013. I am grateful for a crock pot and for simple recipes that make delicious meals. I am also grateful for a friend who was willing to drive the one block or so to the church so my chili made it there tonight. And I am grateful for the Internet and the ease of finding and purchasing airline tickets... and for the quickly approaching Christmas holidays!

26 November 2013. I am grateful for a warm bed and for nighttime and the chance to sleep.

27 November 2013. I am grateful for a relaxing evening with a sweet nephew (and his "super hero coat"). The niece is already sound asleep, or I'd be enjoying her, too. I love these kids!

28 November 2013. I am grateful for a wonderful Thanksgiving feast, including delicious beans and Mexican stuffing. I am also grateful for time spent with family and for introducing Amanda to pumpkin pie (she ate half of mine). It would have been fun to be with the rest of the family, but it's been a great day.

29 November 2013. I am grateful for birthday festivities for the sweetest one-year-old niece and for the chance to spoil my niece and nephew a little bit. I am also grateful for baby wipes to clean off the remnants of sticky cow tongues (meaning we were licked by the cows we fed at the petting zoo).

30 November 2013. I am grateful to be home again and able to sleep in my own bed (which I will do very shortly) after a busy but very fun weekend. I am grateful for the time I got to spend with Tom, Whitney, Jacob, and Amanda this weekend, and I am grateful for how excited those sweet kids get when they see me. And I am grateful that we could all enjoy today, including some of the lights on Temple Square, in spite of not feeling well.

Choices, Christianity, and Politics

Yes, you read that title correctly. I've had some things on my mind today, and I want to share them.

Someone wrote to Matt Walsh complaining that Matt was being unfair by only accepting, publishing, and sending in the stories that represent the problems with Obamacare. This man basically said that he now has health insurance, and his success story is more important than the many, many disastrous stories. Watch Matt's response here. Matt's response was judged by some as cold because he said he would always choose to care for his family first.

A couple of Bible stories have come to my mind today, accompanied by the thought I've seen perpetuated by many Democrats recently that Jesus Christ was not Republican and that Republicans do not represent Christian values. I am not looking for confrontation here. I will say, however, that associating Jesus Christ with any political party (and accusing those of the opposite party of not being Christian) is not only un-Christian but sacrilegious.

The most common accusation I have seen is that too many Republicans complain about taxes being raised to give services to those who may be in need--or something along those lines. (I'm trying to keep these as unpolitical and as unbiased as possible, so please recognize that.) They point out that Jesus Christ would care for the poor and suggest that the Republicans do not.

It is, of course, true that Christ cares for the poor. Jesus Christ cares for all people. He cares for all of us so much that He has given us agency: the opportunity to choose for ourselves.

So which Bible stories have come to my mind? The first was the story of the rich young man who had been observing the commandments and wanted to know what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. The scriptures say, "Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions." (New Testament, Mark 10:21-22) Lest someone say this proves the point because this young man was un-Christian, there are several things that I believe we should all notice in this story. First, we know that Jesus loved the young man. Second, the young man was given the choice of whether to sell his possessions. Finally, all we know is that he went away grieved. The scriptures do not tell us what he did after he left. He was grieved, but perhaps we should also consider that he was caught off-guard. The scriptures don't tell us that he didn't sell his possessions to give to the poor; maybe he did. At one time or another, I'm sure each of us has left a church meeting sobered, perhaps even grieving, over instruction we received, because it was difficult. It doesn't mean we didn't do it.

My greatest point in sharing this story is that Christ did not demand this of the young man. He commanded it, yes, but He did not take the agency of the young man; he still had the opportunity to consider and choose for himself.

The second was that of the Elijah and the widow. If you remember the story, there was a famine in the land. Elijah asked the widow for food, but she only had enough for a last small meal for herself and her son:

"And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah." (Old Testament, 1 Kings 17:12-16)

Again in this case, we see that the widow had a choice. Could there have been a more difficult choice? But what a beautiful promise she received: "The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth." I can only imagine her faith in God and in His prophet here on earth, the absolute trust she must have felt in giving up what she believed to be her last meal to feed a man of God. She did it by choice. And she was blessed for it.

I'm not sure how clearly I can word what I want to say from here. I just know that it is painful to be accused, and to see others accused, of not being Christlike, and I am grateful that it is Jesus Christ Himself who will judge me, since He knows me and my heart and my desires perfectly.

But when either party accuses the other of not being Christ-like or Christian, it is as if they are attempting to put the government in the place of God. Not only did Christ not force obedience or giving from either the rich young man or from the widow, but He provided amazing blessings to the widow and her son. The government can't promise that--if they do, it's an empty promise. The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches self-sufficiency, which must involve caring for oneself and one's family first. Then, any surplus can be given to help those in need.

One major problem I see is using the government as a middle-man in caring for the poor. Our big government is out of touch with the people, and it takes to much overhead to implement any program, no matter how well-intended. There are other organizations to whom I readily and generously donate: various programs within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but also always to two or three other charities each year. I do want to help people! I do want to be a part of good causes! But I have yet to see an efficient government program, so yes, I do complain about money being taken from me to cover government attempts at caring for the poor. I would rather donate where I know that (1) every cent goes to those in need and (2) the money does not go only to provide for those in need, but to help them provide for themselves.

Not only that, but I've been grateful to feel like I can help others here and there: immediate family, grandparents, close friends. Is it un-Christian that I choose to help those I know who are doing their best to stay afloat? Especially when I can see their struggles to stay afloat? I'm pretty sure it is most Christian to care first for those I know and love, and then to reach out to others if I am still able. Matt Walsh's point in his response was not that he wants anyone to go hungry. It was simply that if someone must go hungry, he will feed his family first. I do not see this as un-Christian. His responsibility is to his wife and children before any other person. As a single person, my responsibility is first to myself (I can't help others if I can't help myself!), then to immediate family (parents and siblings).

But I'm not looking to place myself above anyone else, either. I know there are many Christians still in our country. Sometimes we do not agree on politics. But if we are to save this country, we need to join together. We can't point fingers and accuse others of not being Christian because they aren't exactly like us. We need to stand together on common ground. We need to stand for Jesus Christ and for the values He taught and lived. In short, we need to be Christian--we need to be disciples of Jesus Christ. If we are willing to work together instead of pointing fingers and accusing, I believe we will quickly find that conditions will improve for everyone. Remember the people of Enoch? "And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them." (Pearl of Great Price, Moses 7:18) Instead of pointing fingers and accusing, let's work on becoming a Zion community: a people who love each other and who truly want the best for each other!

Government will not be perfect until Jesus Christ returns in glory to the earth, to rule and reign. But we can prepare now by striving to become a Zion community. We can prepare by loving and serving and giving--and by allowing others the opportunity to choose to love and serve and give. Let us become a Zion people, a people whom Jesus Christ will claim when He returns to the earth!

Choice and Accountability

There seems to be an epidemic in the world today--not a physical disease, but an idea: the idea that there should be no consequences for our actions. This was prophesied long ago:

"Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us. And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God. Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false and vain and foolish doctrines, and shall be puffed up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark." (2 Nephi 28:7-9)

What happened to the understanding that with actions come consequences? I'm pretty sure most of us learned this when we were quite young.

One of the Young Women's values is Choice and Accountability. It is accompanied by the statement, "I will choose good over evil and will accept responsibility for my decisions." Young Women ages 12-18 recite their theme, which includes this value, every week. Is it too much to expect adults to remember the same?

For that matter, I learned a little song when I was four years old at most:

"Choices, choices, good and bad--

The good ones make me happy, and the bad ones make me sad.

When I make a mistake, then I'll fix it, I will,

'Cause my choices are connected to the way I feel."

Our Heavenly Father sent us to this earth with agency: the freedom to choose. With that agency came the ability to discern between right and wrong--the ability to judge. Agency does not exist without (1) opposition and (2) knowledge: "Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other" (2 Nephi 2:16). This ability to discern between right and wrong is given to every person:

"For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him. And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged." (Moroni 7:16-18)

Did you catch that? "I show unto you the way to judge" and "see that you do not judge wrongfully." Mormon's letter to his son, Moroni, makes it clear that our agency must involve judgment: we must judge between right and wrong, between good and evil. Not only must we judge, but we can judge with a perfect knowledge based on the criteria that are listed.

Those of us who have received the gift of the Holy Ghost have an even greater ability and responsibility to judge--not to condemn, but certainly to judge! We have the promise of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, but we can only have that constant companionship as we constantly make judgments and choose good over evil.

With agency comes the knowledge that there are consequences for our actions:

"And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away." (2 Nephi 2:13)

There will always be consequences. It was Lucifer's plan to force us all back to heaven--to remove agency and thus remove accountability and consequences. That plan was rejected. We chose our Heavenly Father's plan, in which we would have agency. We knew we would make mistakes. We knew that each action would come with a consequence.

Remember when Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden? Here are God's words to Adam and Eve:

"Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (Genesis 3:16-19)

They suffered consequences because of their choice to partake of the forbidden fruit. However, there is a phrase in there that stands out: for thy sake. There will always be consequences, not because of a desire for punishment or revenge, but for thy sake. I must be accountable for my own actions, but this is partly because the Lord will use these consequences as teaching opportunities, if we will allow it.

And remember, there is good news in all of this! We must accept the consequences, but because of the atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we are not called upon to bear the full punishment. He has redeemed us. "Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered" (2 Nephi 2:7). But our eventual exaltation depends not only on the atonement and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, but on the conditions described: a broken heart and a contrite spirit, which often come by accepting the consequences of our own actions.

Amulek further clarifies the conditions for salvation: "And I say unto you again that he cannot save them in their sins; for I cannot deny his word, and he hath said that no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven? Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins" (Alma 11:37). While Christ has taken upon Him all of our shortcomings, He will not save us in but rather from our sins. This is accomplished partially by our own judgment, aided by the gift of the Holy Ghost, when we choose good over evil; we will continually receive His help and guidance as we strive to choose right. It is also accomplished as we humble ourselves before God and repent of our sins, which must come with some penalty. There must be remorse, and there must be some degree of suffering on our part if we are to be forgiven. Jesus Christ, the only perfect Being to ever walk the earth, suffered all things. Can we expect, in our imperfections, not to suffer at all? Of course not. We must accept the consequences of our actions, as this is part of the repentance process.

Will the consequences bring sorrow? Probably. That's part of life. That's part of the process of learning and growing and repenting. If the sorrow leads to a broken heart and a contrite spirit, to an acknowledgement of our wrongdoing and a desire to be forgiven and to improve each day, then the atonement can "answer the ends of the law."

Our Heavenly Father has provided a perfect plan: a plan for our happiness, for our growth, and ultimately for our immortality and eternal life. Through the sacrifice of His Only Begotten Son, we have the opportunity to progress and to become like Him. Let us never forget our eternal potential! Along with that, may we also remember that consequences are for our own good, to teach us and mold us and help us to become like Him. And as we remember this, we must also remember how judgment relates to this plan of happiness.

Ultimately Jesus Christ will be our Judge. For that I am humbly grateful. He knows my heart, He knows me better than I know myself, and He will judge me as only He is able. I am also grateful to know that I do not have to carry the burden of judging other people; that judgment, too, is His. However, if I expect mercy in His judgment, if I want to become like Him, as He has commanded, I must continually be judging now: judging between good and evil and striving to choose good over evil.

Hold fast to your agency. Yield it only to your Father in Heaven, in the form of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Acknowledge His wisdom and power. Acknowledge His grace, through which we have the opportunity to repent and to be saved. Acknowledge His hand in all things. Acknowledge that He desires our happiness, and that sometimes unpleasant consequences come in order to steer us in the direction of lasting happiness. Acknowledge that He is the Creator of all things, and most importantly of all mankind, and that His plan is for us to return to Him and to partake of all that He has.

His plan is perfect. We accepted it once; we know this because we are here on earth. Let us continue to accept it and to fight for it, agency, consequences, and all!

Now we have a world where people are confused

I've been listening to C-SPAN this evening, and the most prevalent thought that comes from this is how very grateful I am for a living prophet on the earth today, who receives revelation for our day. I feel a greater excitement for General Conference, knowing that we will be instructed at the feet of men of God. Our government is full of talk, and that's about it. The last verse of the Primary song, "Follow the Prophet," comes to mind:

Now we have a world where people are confused.
If you don't believe it, go and watch the news.
We can get direction all along our way,
If we heed the prophets-follow what they say.

Safety comes only in hearing and following the words of the prophet--the words of God. Truth and assurance does not come from any mortal government. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

I know this is a short post. I just can't help thinking how grateful I am for living prophets and apostles. From them I learn truth. I know they will speak and act according to the will of God. When the country and its government, when the whole world is in confusion, peace and safety are to be found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this I am grateful.