Peace on earth: can it be?

My heart aches today--for the children who were killed, for those who survived and will have to live with trauma of the violence they witnessed, for the families whose children will not come home to them. My heart aches as I think of unopened presents sitting under Christmas trees, parents who are burying their children instead of celebrating the most joyous time of the year. I can only imagine what those people are experiencing. But I know my own emotions have been overpowering: sorrow, anger, confusion. That is not to say that I have not also felt the peace of the Spirit. But I cannot comprehend how anyone could take the life of an innocent child, much less 20 of them. I pray for those whose hearts have been broken today, whose arms are empty. I pray that they may find some measure of peace.

I can't help but think how difficult Christmas will be for the families who are now in mourning. And it won't just be this Christmas. It will probably be every Christmas for the rest of their lives. Even for those who let go of any bitterness, there will always be a feeling of sorrow as Christmas approaches.

For this reason, and because of a question posed, "Where is the 'Peace on Earth, Good Will Towards Men?'" I found myself thinking of Longfellow's story and the words he penned "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." Longfellow said:

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Aren't we all feeling the same right now? Where is the hope for peace, when deranged men and women will take the lives of innocents? But the hymn continues:

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

There is significance to celebrating Christmas at the darkest part of the year--only four days after the solstice. We celebrate the birth of the Light of the World, our only hope for peace. As I thought about this, I also thought about the comforting words of Elder Bowen in this past general conference: "Because I Live, Ye Shall Live Also." His talk brought tears to my eyes then and still does now as I think about his words:

"Sometimes people will ask, 'How long did it take you to get over it?' The truth is, you will never completely get over it until you are together once again with your departed loved ones. I will never have a fulness of joy until we are reunited in the morning of the First Resurrection.

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

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

They won't "get over it." Not in mortality. Those parents, those children who survived, so many people who were affected will not get over it completely in mortality. But the Savior's atonement can help ease their pain and provide some measure of joy. And ultimately, because of the atonement and the resurrection, their joy can be full again.

So many other thoughts have been running through my mind. The words of the apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3, describing the perils of the last days. The words of Mormon writing to his son Moroni, reminding him of the innocence of children in Moroni 8: "But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world..." (verse 12). And yet in spite of Mormon's reminders, much of his epistle focuses on the wickedness of the people. Everywhere we turn, it seems there is evil and darkness.

But as I was listening to Christmas music on Pandora, Bing Crosby and David Bowie came up singing "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy." The words were all the more significant today:

Peace on earth: can it be?

Years from now, perhaps we'll see,

See the day of glory,

See the day when men of good will live in peace,

Live in peace again.

Peace on earth: can it be?

Every child must be made aware,

Every child must be made to care,

Care enough for his fellowman

To give all the love that he can.

I pray my wish will come true

For my child, and your child too.

We'll see the day of glory,

See the day when men of good will live in peace,

Live in peace again.

Peace on earth: can it be?

Can it be? This "day of glory" would be the second coming of Jesus Christ, who will restore peace to the earth. Unfortunately, until then we will not see peace. We can seek to establish peace in our own hearts and homes: Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me. But true peace must begin with Jesus Christ.

Which brings me to another song that has been on my mind lately: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel:

O come, o come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

Isn't this still our plea? We think of it as a Christmas hymn only. But does not Israel still mourn in lonely exile? Does not the Judeo-Christian world still look for the coming of the promised Messiah in clouds of glory? We still trust in Him as our only hope for deliverance. We look to Him as our only hope for peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

This is not just a Christmas hymn. It is a plea to God to send His Son. Though He came to earth as a baby, ministered among the people of Jerusalem and Galilee, and suffered and died to atone for our sins that we might all live again, both physically and spiritually--though He has already done all this, we still wait for Him. We pray for the peace that only He can offer. He will return to the earth, this time in glory. He will come to ransom His people, Israel. He will remove the darkness and despair and replace it with light and hope and peace. We can experience this to a degree right now, but we cannot comprehend the light and the joy we will experience when we are reunited with those we love and with our Savior and Redeemer. "O come, o come, Emmanuel!"

Till, ringing, singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

Worship and tolerance

"We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may." These words come from our 11th article of faith. How a person worships might, for some women, include wearing pants. I will not judge--it is not my place to judge--how another person chooses to worship.

On the other hand, those of us who choose differently--those of us who choose to wear a dress or skirt to church--should not be judged for that choice either. It does not mean we don't like women who wear pants. It does not mean we will ignore them. We will tolerate and even love them. Shouldn't we be able to expect the same? As I have said before, intolerance in the name of tolerance is still intolerance. Tolerance means open-mindedness, a willingness to love all people. Just because I do not agree with someone does not mean I do not love that person. And I don't expect everyone to agree with me. What a boring world this would be if we were all exactly the same and agreed on everything!

Which brings about an interesting question... What is equality? If equality means everyone is the same, I don't want it! Why should I want to be equal to men if it means being the same? I don't want to be "equal" to other women, either, if it's just defined as sameness. We are children of God. In that sense we are all equal. But we are individuals, with unique and wonderful characteristics. I don't want to give up who I am to join some agenda that seeks to equalize everyone. "And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you" (New Testament, 1 Corinthians 12:21). Every single one of us is needed, with our uniqueness. "If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?" (1 Corinthians 12:17). This is the beauty of the gospel. We can be individuals, and our individual identities are enhanced as we embrace and live the laws of the Lord.

I am tired of a small number of people claiming that they represent everyone--and specifically claiming that they represent me. I didn't like it with the "occupy" movement and the 99%, and I don't like it now. My frustration is not against those who choose to wear pants, but against those who suggest that if I don't, I must be submissive and willing to accept that I am somehow inferior to men. Obviously these people don't know me very well... I try very hard not to be judgmental, and I have never shunned a woman for wearing pants to church. I would appreciate the same respect in return. That is tolerance and equality.

I believe I can make myself more "equal" to men by embracing my femininity and complementing (LE, not LI) their masculinity. Think of how much we could accomplish if we each came with our individual strengths and shared those strengths as we worked together! If we were all the same, we would be missing out on a lot. The church runs well not because we are the same, but because we are different, and by bringing together our various talents we can help move the Lord's work forward.

The most important thing to remember is that the Lord's work will move forward. His team will win. The only question is, whose side will we be on? I don't choose to side with pants or with dresses. Neither can save me. I side with my Savior, Jesus Christ. He atoned for my sins and shortcomings, and only through Him can I be saved. If I choose to wear a dress or skirt, it is because I consider that a small way in which I can show respect to Him for all that He has done for me. It is because it makes me feel more worshipful. It is because I love Him. This one part of "how" I choose to worship, and as I respect others, I ask that they also respect me.

December: Christmas good

I really enjoyed doing the daily posting last month, so I've been trying to decide how I might continue that into December. As we are celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, I thought it might be fun to look for the good around me, whether it be small acts of service or specific Christlike qualities. I won't mention names. I just want to be more observant and notice the good in other people. :) I wanted it to be a little different from the gratitude posts, though.

1 December 2012. This was rather a big one, actually. I saw the generosity of many people who had donated trees, and many others who had purchased the trees at the Festival of Trees.

2 December 2012. I noticed today how there were many people eager to bear pure, sweet, simple testimony of Jesus Christ and of His gospel. Because they did, the Spirit was able to speak to the hearts of all who were listening.

3 December 2012. I saw eager giving of goods and services to auction and even more eager giving of money in an auction to help provide Christmas for families in need. It is good not just to see people giving at Christmas time, but to see them so excited about it.

4 December 2012. I saw sweet humility in a request for forgiveness. It was unexpected and unnecessary (I saw/took no offense), but still welcome. It makes me want to be better, too.

5 December 2012. I saw people who prepared and then willingly shared their talents. More importantly, I saw people who were quick to extend the hand of friendship to others.

6 December 2012. I saw excitement in learning and specifically in making connections and beginning to put things in context in relation to each other. The glory of God is intelligence. :)

7 December 2012. I saw patience demonstrated even in little, seemingly insignificant questions and problems that continue to arise.

8 December 2012. I saw the sweet innocence of childhood in a tiny helpless baby and in a toddler who loves his baby sister and is eager to share with her and with others.

9 December 2012. I saw people willing to give of their time and energies to fulfill callings and to support each other, even when their time is very limited.

10 December 2012. I saw many people eager to give of their time and energy to serve at the Food Bank, organizing food items that will eventually go to those in need, while building and strengthening friendships.

11 December 2012. I saw friendly smiles and well-wishes exchanged between complete strangers. (This is one of the best things about the Christmas season!) I also saw two men prepared to give a priesthood blessing at a moment's notice (not sure to whom, but it doesn't matter). It made me think how wonderful it is to work in an environment where a person need not hesitate to ask!

12 December 2012. I saw many people uniting in agreement that the most important part of church is not making a stand but worshiping God.

13 December 2012. I saw the benefits of working together to solve a problem and come to a realistic solution.

14 December 2012. I saw many people with broken hearts, joining in faith and prayer on behalf of those--strangers--who are suffering following today's tragic elementary school shooting. It brings the spirit of Christmas and the importance of family closer to home.

15 December 2012. I was reminded of the importance of finding unity instead of division, focusing on similarities instead of differences, and loving and praying for all of God's children.

16 December 2012. I heard the story of the candy bomber, who brought joy to children of West Berlin, and saw the overwhelming response (a standing ovation) for a man who has spent his life serving God and country--and the people of the world.

17 December 2012. I saw a lot of good discussion and collaboration among coworkers. I also saw more giving in the form of carolers with goodies.

18 December 2012. I saw community (some Catholic, some Mormon, probably some Protestant) come together to join in celebrating the birth of the Savior through Christmas carols. This included the preparation of the children who sang and the beauty and love they shared with everyone there.

19 December 2012. I saw beautiful, sweet gratitude expressed. I also saw the joy that comes from joining together in singing Christmas hymns with those with whom we work. (Christmas music is always joyful, isn't it?)

20 December 2012. I saw people willing to give of precious time to serve in the temple. What a beautiful Christmas gift. :)

21 December 2012. I was offered a ride over taking public transportation. (I'm excited to try Frontrunner still, but it can wait. I'll take the ride and the company!)

22 December 2012. I saw a few drivers who were aware of and courteous to others on the road in the midst of crazy, last-minute-holiday-shopping traffic. (In Provo/Orem, even Saturday qualified as last-minute, since Sunday is out for most of Utah valley.)

23 December 2012. I saw a sweet boy ready to share his favorite toys with his baby sister when she was crying. In a couple more months, she might actually be able to take some of them. :)

24 December 2012. I saw the excitement of preparing Christmas for a small child, including watching a brief nativity movie, then Muppet Christmas carol, then fixing up a stocking and making the Christmas tree more accessible.

25 December 2012. I saw the excitement of childhood over Christmas day, and family togetherness (even if we were all exhausted). It makes me more excited to have everyone together for a bit.

26 December 2012. I was offered a ride to work instead of getting up super early to take Frontrunner from Orem. Awesome!

27 December 2012. I woke up this morning to already-shoveled steps out of my building. I was offered a ride home from the grocery store. (There seem to be a lot of rides!) Also, I saw people quick to help a fellow passenger on the bus know where she needed to get off to get where she was going.

28 December 2012. I saw how hard work paid off in creating fun lights at the zoo, and I saw friends happy to share their evening out.

29 December 2012. The best I can come up with today is "seeing" (through pictures) the excitement of my parents meeting their granddaughter. I was lazy and didn't go anywhere at all...

30 December 2012. I saw priesthood power exercised not only in conducting meetings but in sustaining and setting me apart to a new calling.

31 December 2012. Mostly I saw family togetherness. It was fun to have almost all of us (my brother-in-law, Alex, excepted) together.

The Book of Mormon--nearing the end of another year

I began this year with a blog post about what the Book of Mormon means to me, mentioning that there might be more posts to follow. Up to this point, there haven't been (sorry!), but after today's Sunday School lesson, I wanted to share some thoughts again.

The lesson was on Mormon 7-9, Mormon's farewell and Moroni's first farewell. Mormon's farewell in chapter 7 is only 10 verses long, but it is beautiful. He bears his testimony of Jesus Christ and of the atonement and outlines the first principles and ordinances of the gospel: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. So simple, yet so profound. He mentions the resurrection and the beautiful promises made to those who have repented and embraced the gospel of Jesus Christ.

One verse that really stood out to me is in Mormon 8:35: "Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing." I take this to mean that he did not just see our day, but that he saw me specifically and knew my doing. This could be a frightening thing, but it doesn't have to be.

Even as Moroni continues to describe the pride and hypocrisy and secret abominations of the latter-days, he does mention that there are a few who do not fall into this category. He saw the bad, but he also saw the good. What does that mean for us?

I can't help thinking that even as my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want me to return home to them, and as Jesus Christ has prepared the way through His atonement, crucifixion, and resurrection, that there are many others who are also eager for me to prove myself and to return home to my Heavenly Father. It's encouraging to think that a great prophet like Moroni is among them. Going back to Mormon's words in chapter 7 adds further encouragement. Mormon wrote that he wanted the people to "know of the things of their fathers" (Mormon 7:1, repeated in verses 5 and 9). While this is literally directed to the descendants of the people he had just seen destroyed and of the people he saw continuing to battle each other, I believe it is also directed to us--to me. As I learn of my ancestors and others who have gone before, particularly as I learn of their love for the gospel and for the Savior Jesus Christ, I also come to know that there are many people who have already passed on who want to see me succeed, who want to see me return to my Heavenly Father. I am not alone! Between the friends and family I have, on earth and in heaven, and as I rely on the atonement of Jesus Christ, I can reach my eternal potential. I have an amazing support system, even if I cannot see all of them! Someday I hope to be able to meet them. :)

In Moroni's farewell in chapter 9, he speaks of the works of God and reminds us that God is a God of miracles. How can we not believe, when we see His wondrous works each day? "For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?" (Mormon 9:9) And he continues, "Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?" (Mormon 9:16) I only need to look around me, or to turn to the Book of Mormon or other scriptures, to feel the power of God's love and to know that He is a God of miracles, that His hand is over all the earth, that He has a plan for me and for each of His children, that He loves us all!

As Moroni tells us, "For the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled." (Moroni 8:22) The Lord has made such wonderful promises to those who will obey Him! He will fulfill those promises.

As I sat in Sunday School today, the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon was reconfirmed to me through the Holy Ghost. There are so many who have sacrificed, both then and now, so that I can have the word of God today. I know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. I know that it was written for our day. This becomes more clear as the turmoil in the world increases. I know that the Book of Mormon teaches us the plan of salvation and is a means to come nearer to Jesus Christ. I know that Jesus Christ lives, and that He is my Savior. I know that God is still a God of miracles. I find peace and joy in this knowledge. I bear this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.