Stars to Guide Us

A classic Christmas song heralds the twelve days of Christmas with gifts marking each one. While Americans sometimes tire of that particular Christmas song, many European and South American cultures celebrate all twelve days from December 25 to January 6 as part of the holiday season.

Each of the twelve days of Christmas has a particular meaning a purpose. The first day, of course, is a celebration of the birth of Christ. In some cultures, it is the messenger of the baby Jesus, rather than Santa, that provides gifts for the children on this day. The second day, Boxing Day, is a day for giving gifts to the poor, and so on.

The final day of Christmas has dual meaning. Twelve is a symbol in scriptures for authority and completeness; for God in heaven and His government. The twelfth and final day is therefore celebrated as Epiphany, a celebration of Christ's achievement and glory. It is also Three Kings Day, a grand finale in recognition of Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, or the three magi who are traditionally believed to have completed their travel from the east to worship the Christ child on this day.

The Gospel of Matthew teaches that the three magi or wise men followed a star that guided them to Jesus' location outside of Jerusalem. Stars had been used for navigation for thousands of years prior to this historic visit and continued to be the primary method for mariners and explorers to determine latitude, longitude and course until the late twentieth century.

In fact, a thousand years ago the largest empire in the world was established on an advanced understanding of celestial navigation. This empire was not in London, Paris, Madrid, Shanghai, Moscow or Rome. It was not the result of conquest nor secured with cannons. Its' leaders are not heralded in most history books or known in popular culture. Yet, the mighty Polynesian Empire once controlled an area of the Pacific Ocean nearly twice as large as the United States or Europe. Despite limited technology and the perils of sea travel, the Polynesians' knowledge of the stars allowed for epic voyages, the development of strategic alliances and one of the most impressive trade networks in the history of the world. From Aotearoa to Easter Island to Hawaii, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Tahiti, the Polynesian Triangle dominated more than six million square miles of the Pacific.

In the northern hemisphere, celestial navigation focuses on the position of the North Star. When the sun has set, travelers on land and sea look for the bright, unchanging star at the end of the Little Dipper's handle to set their course. While other stars move throughout the night, the North Star is positioned almost directly above the northern axis of the earth and so appears due North as the world turns.

Interestingly, the North Star is actually three stars: Polaris A, Polaris B, and Polaris Ab. Polaris A is roughly six times the size of our sun and two thousand times brighter. Orbiting around a common center of mass and located approximately 323 light years away, the three stars are indistinguishable to the naked eye.

Just as the stars have guided wise men, emperors and explorers, the Lord has provided lights to guide us back into his presence. Elder Boyd K. Packer has counseled us to, "Set that sextant in your mind to the word covenant or the word ordinance. The light will come through. Then you can fix your position and set a true course in life" (May 1987).

Ordinances are sacred acts performed by the authority of the priesthood and designed by God to teach spiritual truths. Five ordinances are essential to our salvation and exaltation: baptism, confirmation, ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood for men, endowment and sealing. Each of these ordinances, like stars along a plotted course, are accompanied by specific covenants and blessings.

A covenant is a sacred promise between God and his children. God sets the conditions for each covenant and offers blessings for our obedience. We are all given agency to choose to enter the covenant or not, but we cannot expect to reach the Lord's desired destination for us unless we plot the course he has outlined. That is, we have no claim on the promised blessings, including our own salvation and/or exaltation, unless we have agreed to the terms.

Baptism, for example, is the first of the essential saving ordinances. We enter a covenant when we are baptized by immersion in water by one having authority. The prophet Alma taught:

Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life--

Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you (Mosiah 18:8-10)?

Alma outlined both requirements and blessings for the faithful who are baptized, but it is clear in scripture that we must be baptized to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. Christ taught his followers that "strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:14). More explicitly, he taught Nicodemus: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).

Similar requirements and blessings are associated with the remaining essential ordinances. The Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood requires greater discipline and effort but offers greater rewards:

For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies. They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God. 

And also all they who receive this priesthood receive me, saith the Lord... And he that receiveth me receiveth my father; And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father's kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him. And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the priesthood (D&C 84:33-39).

Even greater than the ancient Polynesian Empire is the Kingdom of God spread out across the cosmos. We are invited to join this glorious kingdom. To do so, we must do as the wise men did millennia ago and seek the Lord by following the lights he has provided. In accepting covenants we will be strengthened and taught along our path. We will be able to to see the next step and learn what we need to know. We can be endowed with divine power and sealed to our families for time and for all eternity. Many other blessings are available to those who will seek divine light.

Success in this journey can take more than our lifetime, but we must not allow our efforts to tire or fade. Those who are faithful in keeping the covenants they have made and endure the crosses of the world are promised to be made perfect in Christ, to complete their journey in the presence of our Eternal Father, and to take their place in His grand and glorious kingdom. Then we will feel to rejoice in the Epiphany of Christ with the poet who exclaimed:

How great the wisdom and the love

That filled the courts on high

And sent the Savior from above

To suffer, bleed, and die!

He marked the path and led the way,

And ev'ry point defines

To light and life and endless day

Where God's full presence shines.

How great, how glorious, how complete

Redemption's grand design,

Where justice, love, and mercy meet

In harmony divine!

(Eliza R. Snow, 1804-1887)

The Power of the Holy Ghost

John Whitmer and his family were some of the first believers in the restored gospel. John was baptized in June 1829, almost a full year before the church was formally organized. He served as a scribe for Joseph Smith and was called to be one of eight witnesses who saw and handled the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated. He was an early leader in the church with the faith and confidence of the Lord and his prophet.

When Oliver Cowdery left on a mission in the fall of 1830, John Whitmer was appointed to keep a record and history for the church. Serving as a scribe was one thing; but John hesitated to write an original work. Though he could read and write, John was a farmer, not a writer.

"I would rather not do it," he wrote at the time, but he agreed to accept the assignment if the Lord manifested that it was his will through Joseph the Seer (John Whitmer, History, 1831 - circa 1847," 24). The result is a revelation now canonized as Doctrine and Covenants Section 47.

"Behold," the Lord revealed to his prophet, "it is expedient in me that my servant John should write and keep a regular history, and assist you, my servant Joseph, in transcribing all things which shall be given you... Wherefore, it shall be given him, inasmuch as he is faithful, by the Comforter, to write these things" (D&C 47:1,4).

We often talk about the Holy Ghost, or the Comforter, as a spiritual influence that brings comfort or guides us to do what is right. The impressions of the Holy Ghost are often understood as conscience or an inner voice. In this four-verse revelation to John Whitmer however, we find inference that the Holy Ghost not only comforts and guides but actually delivers power to act as well. It shall be given him... by the Comforter to write these things.

The Holy Ghost is the third member of the godhead with our Heavenly Father and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. These three, distinct personages are unified in purpose. It is our Heavenly Father's plan. Through the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, power is available for us to be sanctified and redeemed from sin and death. The grace of Christ can also expand our capacity to do good. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf has taught:

"God pours out blessings of power and strength, enabling us to achieve things that otherwise would be far beyond our reach. It is by God’s amazing grace that His children can overcome the undercurrents and quicksands of the deceiver, rise above sin, and ‘be perfect[ed] in Christ’ (Moroni 10:32)” (“The Gift of Grace,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 108).

The Holy Ghost is a messenger. He relays the words of God to our hearts and minds. The Holy Ghost is also the means whereby we receive both sanctifying and enabling power made available through the grace and Atonement of Jesus Christ.

"Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day" (3 Nephi 27:20, emphasis added).

"Ye are sanctified... [and] justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11, emphasis added).

"For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies" (D&C 84:33, emphasis added).

"By the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things" (Moroni 10:5, emphasis added).

"And again, verily I say unto you, to some is given, by the Spirit of God, the word of wisdom. To another is given the word of knowledge, that all may be taught to be wise and to have knowledge. And again, to some it is given to have faith to be healed; And to others it is given to have faith to heal. And again, to some is given the working of miracles; And to others it is given to prophesy; and to others the discerning of spirits. And again, it is given to some to speak with tongues; And to another is given the interpretation of tongues. And all these gifts come from God, for the benefit of the children of God" (D&C 46:17-26, emphasis added).

Jesus Christ taught that "the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." He continued, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:26-27).

The Lord's peace is given to us through the power of the Holy Ghost. Paul wrote to the Galatians that "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Galatians 5:22). When the Holy Ghost is present in our lives, as evidenced by these fruits, we can be confident that we are worthy to receive sanctification and enabling power also.

Consider the verses that teach us about the stripling warriors. These two thousand faithful young men went to battle with no experience and were miraculously preserved. In preparing to go to battle, these young men poured out their souls in prayer to God. Then, the record states:

Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him.

And we did take courage with our small force which we had received, and were fixed with a determination to conquer our enemies, and to maintain our lands, and our possessions, and our wives, and our children, and the cause of liberty.

And thus we did go forth with our might against the Lamanites (Alma 58:11-13, emphasis added).

In addition to spiritual comfort and guidance, or as a result of it, the Lord delivered the extraordinary physical strength and mental focus these young men needed. through the Holy Ghost. After quoting the verses as emphasized above, Elder David A. Bednar taught, "Assurance, personal peace, faith, and hope initially might not seem like the blessings warriors in battle might want, but they were precisely the blessings these valiant young men needed to press forward and prevail physically and spiritually" (Power to Become, p. 43).

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear," Paul wrote to Timothy, "but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). God desires to give us greater blessings through the power of the Holy Ghost. Like John Whitmer, these blessings are conditioned on our faithfulness. When righteous action leads us to repent and to become pure through a remission of our sins, we can enjoy the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost with all of the the sanctification, peace, strength and power available through the grace and Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Perhaps this is why the sacrament prayers don't ask specifically for the forgiveness of sin or the power to move mountains, but rather "that [we] may have his Spirit to be with [us]" (D&C 20:79).

The Lord kept his promise to John Whitmer. Within a few months of his call to write, John was involved with publishing Joseph Smith's revelations, a hymnal, a Church newspaper and other works. He kept a history of the church through 1838. Modern historians largely agree that John Whitmer's history, "illuminates many important concerns of the early church, including property issues, church discipline," the New Jerusalem, "the treatment of dissidents, and the establishment of a priesthood leadership hierarchy." The history is, "particularly significant for the revelations, petitions, and letters that form a large part of his history" (Revelations in Context, 2016).

Though he perhaps felt inadequate at first, John Whitmer's obedience continues to bless the Church . In recent years, the Saints narrative history series and other works have been released based on the writings of a faithful New York farmer. Though they were young and inexperienced, the Lord answered the prayers of the stripling warriors and gave them the assurance, the courage and the strength they needed to be delivered from their enemies.

The Lord will keep his promise to us, also.

If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:15-17, 27).

Finding Reality in a Fake World

Four years ago, I wrote a post about how worldly mirages can lead us away from the gospel path, the people we want to be and the lives we want to live. I quoted President Benson then, who said, "Without [Christ] we would be lost in a mirage of beliefs and worships, born in fear and darkness where the sensual and materialistic hold sway. We are far short of the goal he set for us, but we must never lose sight of it; nor must we forget that our great climb toward the light, toward perfection, would not be possible except for his teachings, his life, his death, and his resurrection" (April 1964).

Many years before I wrote my post, Elder Packer shared a parable that illustrates the same principle illuminated by President Benson. The parable was shared again by Elder Stephen Owen in a recent conference. He said Elder Packer told of a severe winter in Utah when deep snow had driven the deer very low into some of the valleys. Seeing that the deer were out of their natural habitat, some well-meaning agencies tried to respond by bringing in hay for the deer to eat. Unfortunately, many of the deer were later found dead. Those who handled the animals afterward said that their stomachs were full of hay, but they had starved to death. The deer had been fed, but they had not been nourished.

Considering this parable left me thinking again about how much in the world is not real. We make fake food (what Michael Pollan calls, "edible, food-like substances"), play fantasy sports and read fake news. There are drugs for fake highs and alcohol for induced relaxation. Many of us use social media to make pseudo-connections and act as fake experts.

Many people in the world have fake relationships, including "romantic" relationships that are the fantasized result of pornography, masturbation, online chats or one-night stands. We play electronic games that give us fake success as we pretend to be sports team managers, army snipers or home remodelers. We say this is virtual or simulated reality, but there isn't much reality in it at all.

Fake wrath is a thing now with angry mobs who are mad only because they've been told they are supposed to be. Fake victimhood is a thing too, especially when someone else has a turn doing something well. The news now reports fake disasters, fake emergencies and fake threats. There are fake religions, fake causes, fake truth and fake science. It's literally unbelievable.

In most cases, fake things are relatively simple to detect because they are hollow. They are positioned to appeal to the natural man or woman in each of us-- to prey on primal reactions and manipulate our thoughts and behavior-- offering little substance beyond sensual pleasure. Our physical instincts are powerful, which is why these temptations can be difficult to overcome even when we detect them.

Reality is the remedy for a fake world. Prophets have repeatedly plead with the saints to put down our devices, avoid pornography like an insidious disease, be slow to offense and abstain from drugs and alcohol. While the devil deals in deceptions, the Lord whispers simple truths to sober minds. 

The Prophet Jacob taught anciently: "The Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls" (Jacob 4:13).

Elder David A. Bednar added, "Obedience opens the door to the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. And the spiritual gifts and abilities activated by the power of the Holy Ghost enable us to avoid deception-- and to see, to feel, to know, to understand, and to remember things as they really are" (Things as They Really Are, May 2009).

There is nothing more real than our Creator, Redeemer and Advocate, Jesus Christ. He lives. He made all that is real. His Atonement is real and powerful. His gospel leads us down the path of truth to real happiness, real peace and real strength that we can enjoy in this life and after we die. He fulfills all of his promises; and with his help, each of us can discover what is real in our lives.

Our world is filled with mirages and misleading, though appealing, philosophies. Some would try to convince us that we can live our lives as if at a dessert buffet, gluttonously filling our hearts, minds and bodies with guilty pleasures and sweets that have no nutritional value. Choosing to follow the world will leave us in a hungover state of spiritual lethargy and darkness. We may gain information or entertainment for awhile, but we will be left with feelings of emptiness, loneliness, dissatisfaction, and of being unacceptable to God, to ourselves and to others. Our souls will slowly die of spiritual starvation.

As disciples of Christ, we must choose instead to follow our Savior, Jesus Christ. As we fill our lives with real things that are uplifting, true, faith-inspiring and good, the light of the gospel will illuminate what is real. "If your eye be single to my glory," the Lord taught, "your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things" (D&C 88:67).

We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul-- We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things (Articles of Faith 1:13).

Kicking Against the Pricks

The Apostle Paul was a Greek-speaking Jew (with Roman citizenship) born to a religious home in what is now Turkey. He was of the tribe of Benjamin, which was known for being military-minded, living in the area around Jerusalem and Jericho, and producing leaders like Saul, the first Israelite king.

Paul learned to read and write Greek in his hometown of Tarsus, but learned the scriptures in Jerusalem at the feet of Gamaliel, a doctor of the law and one of the leading rabbis of the day. Rather than carrying scrolls while he traveled, it is likely that Paul had memorized the Old Testament so he could recall verses quickly to ground or advance his arguments. Many scholars believe he also became a doctor of the law, having attended what would have been considered the Harvard of his day. Paul's future was bright and likely would have included service on the Sanhedrin, something like the Supreme Court for ancient Jews, following in the footsteps of his mentor, Gamaliel.

Like Gamaliel and his father, Paul became a Pharisee. This was no small commitment. Zealous Pharisees, like Paul, prided themselves on strict obedience to the law of Moses and believed they had a sacred prophetic right and duty to interpret the law and the oral traditions for the people. Christ came sharply into conflict with this belief, rebuking the Pharisees for reducing religion to the observance of rules without faith or conviction, rejecting their spiritual pride and calling on his disciples to serve and support others rather than burdening others with the requirement to support them (see Matthew 23, Mark 7:1-23, and Luke 11:37-44).

After the resurrection and ascension of Christ, Christianity was seen as a branch of Judaism the same way that Catholicism and Lutheranism are subdivisions of Christianity today. For Pharisees who believed in strict observance of the law of Moses, or their interpretation of it, Christianity and its teachings of revelation and a crucified messiah was an offensive and dangerous heresy. It was their duty, they believed, to address it.

Gamaliel is said to have defended the Christians among his fellow Pharisees. Paul, on the other hand, put the early saints in prison and approved of their execution (Acts 26:10). On one occasion mentioned in Acts 9, he obtained permission from the high priest to go on a crusade to Damascus and return with bound Christians from the churches there. Paul, who was originally known as Saul of Tarsus, was bent on the purging of all Christians-- heretics and apostates that they were-- from Judaism.

And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

And [Paul] said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou has seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I now send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me (Acts 9:2-5, 26:14-18).

Amid Paul's divine call to be an eyewitness of the Resurrection of Christ and later an apostolic minister of the gospel to the world, a calling he would embrace with the same diligence and vigor as he had his Pharisaical duties, is a brief statement: It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

A prick was a sharp spear used to drive animals. Often the animals would kick back when pricked, causing the spear to sink deeper into the animal's flesh (Come, Follow Me-- For Individuals and Families, 2019). In a similar way, parents and gospel teachers often share doctrines aimed at driving us to faith and repentance. The Book of Mormon prophet Jarom wrote that the prophets, priests and teachers of his day, "did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence... persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah... [and] by so doing they kept them from being destroyed upon the face of the land; for they did prick their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up unto repentance (Jarom 1:11-12).

Alma sought to prick the hearts of his people when he saw them turning to idolatry, perversions, iniquity and worldliness. He wrote:

And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead people to do that which was just-- yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them-- therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God. Therefore he took Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner... and Amulek and Zeezrom... and he also took two of his sons... to preach unto them the word (Alma 31:5-7).

The point of the gospel spear is the Holy Ghost. As we hear truth and the testimonies of the righteous, our hearts are pricked. If we follow the impressions we receive, we are led to do that which is just: to have faith in Christ, to repent of our sin and walk the covenant path. We can also choose to dig in our heels, to refuse to submit our will to God's, to harden our hearts, and to effectively kick against the pricks, or promptings, we receive.

Christ recognized Paul's righteous desire. He knew that Paul wanted to serve God with complete devotion. He knew that Paul, as a Pharisee, was taught, and likely believed, that his persecutions against the Christians were a service to the kingdom of God. Christ also knew that Paul, in his heart of hearts, knew what he was doing was wrong and that his extraordinary brutality toward the Christians was as much an effort to soothe his own conscience-- to salve the injury to his soul from resisting the promptings he may or may not have recognized as such-- as to purify the kingdom. So the comment, recognizing Paul's inner conflict: It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

We are no different than Paul. The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote from Liberty Jail:

When we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of righteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and... Ere [we are] aware, [we are] left unto [ourselves], to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God (D&C 121:37-38).

Each of us has known someone who has chosen the lonely path of kicking against the pricks. Our fellowship of these individuals is essential to preventing their destruction, if they will allow it, as our friendship and kindness continually provides direction back to the safe path.

Even more essential than our fellowship of the proverbial lost sheep is the internal evaluation of our own thoughts and behaviors. What has the Lord been trying to tell us that perhaps we have resisted? What favorite sin or vain ambition injures our souls and prevents our progress? What scriptures or General Conference addresses do we avoid because we know they carry messages that are hard for us to hear?

As Christ, our Redeemer, said to Saul of Tarsus, he says to us: Rise, and stand upon your feet. He has a purpose for each of us and he will qualify us to do his work. As we turn to him, and as we follow his direction, he will make us mighty, as sons and daughters of an almighty God, to the fulfilling of our life mission, the salvation of our souls and the completion of his work. He is directing us to greater happiness, peace, power and exaltation than we could ever claim for ourselves; we need only to stop kicking against the pricks.

Sons of Perdition, Sons of God

Benedict Arnold was an American general during the Revolutionary War. He had led several successful military campaigns including the capture of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775 and the Battle of Valcour Island, which allowed New York to prepare its defenses. Arnold had been injured in battle on more than one occasion and had proven himself a true American patriot. He had the full trust and confidence of George Washington.

In 1780, Benedict Arnold was given command of the strategic fortifications at West Point, New York. Shortly after his assignment was given, Arnold plotted to surrender his position for a cash payment from the British. His scheme was discovered and he fled for his life to the British lines, where he was given command of the forces fighting against the same troops he had once led.

Arnold lived the remainder of his life in exile in England. His name has since become synonymous with treason and betrayal. To this day, he has been removed or omitted from monuments and many historical records.

Like Benedict Arnold, the scriptures record that an angel of God, "who was in authority in the presence of God", "rebelled against the Only Begotten Son... [and] was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son. And was called Perdition, for the heavens wept over him-- he was Lucifer, a son of the morning" (D&C 76:25-26).

John the Beloved described:

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (Revelation 12:7-9).

On earth, the devil and his followers, "maketh war with the saints of God, and encompasseth them round about" (D&C 76:29). They are the authors of the great lies in the world that deny the power of God and seek to destroy faith and families, the unity of communities and the peace of nations. They seek perdition, which is destruction and damnation, and rebellion against the throne of God and His church and kingdom.

Lucifer carries the titles of Serpent, Devil, Perdition and Satan in the same way that Jesus Christ is called the Only Begotten of the Father, the Prince of Peace, Eternal, Savior and Redeemer. The followers of the devil are sometimes called sons of perdition. None of them obtained this status in a rash moment of unclear thinking or by some kind of unfortunate accident. In the premortal realm, these rebelled in the presence of God. Those who join the ranks of the sons of perdition in this world choose to follow Satan in defiance of divine knowledge delivered through the power of the Holy Ghost. President Spencer W. Kimball taught that "the sin against the Holy Ghost [to become a son of perdition] requires such knowledge that it is manifestly impossible for the rank and file to commit such a sin" (The Miracle of Forgiveness [1969], 123).

The sons of perdition are traitors and mutineers. They are men and women who have experienced the favor of the Lord, who know of his blessings and goodness, who have been trusted and rendered service and yet would still betray him and us to crucify the Lord again if they could. They have received every possible opportunity to change and have defiantly remained toxic and rebellious in the most extreme ways. Our own salvation requires their influence be severed from our lives.

Speaking of the sons of perdition, the Lord said:

Thus saith the Lord concerning all those who know my power, and have been made partakers thereof, and suffered themselves through the power of the devil to be overcome, and to deny the truth and defy my power-- They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had been better for them never to have been born; For they are vessels of wrath doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in eternity; Concerning whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come... And the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power; Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath (D&C 76:25-38, emphasis added).

The "second death" refers to separation from the presence of God. Though none of us walk with God as we once did, we are sustained by the Light of Christ, our conscience, and can often feel of God's love and direction through the Holy Ghost. When we die, we will be judged and enter one of three kingdoms of glory. The Apostle Paul explained:

All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial, and bodies telestial; but the glory of the celestial is one; and the terrestrial, another; and the telestial, another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead (1 Corinthians 15:40-42).

Even the liars, murderers and adulterers in the Telestial Kingdom, those who we might call the "children of their own desire", will be compelled to suffer for their sins in hell for a time and one day emerge from their redemptive process to live forever in a telestial glory. They will be resurrected and experience the presence of God through the Holy Ghost.

The sons of perdition have no such hope. They will be separated from God through all eternity in a dark and miserable hell comparable only to fire and brimstone. Such is the fate of traitors.

The treachery of Benedict Arnold is not in what happened because of his treason. His act was discovered, West Point remained under American control and the United States won the war a couple of years later. Arnold's treason was only directly responsible for one death: the messenger who carried the plot was caught and hanged.

Lucifer's treachery is arguably much more destructive, but the end results are unchanged. The Lord's plan is already accomplished. Christ has won the victory over sin and death. The outcome is certain.

The treachery of Benedict Arnold's treason, and of Lucifer's mutiny, was not the consequences of his choice but simply that he had a choice. He was an American patriot and hero. He needed only to remain loyal to be rewarded far beyond the 20,000 pounds he desired from the British. Instead, he abandoned what he wanted most for a cash payment he never received and a life of shameful infamy.

We also have a choice. In the true church of Jesus Christ, we covenant to take his name upon ourselves through baptism. As we do, we become "the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters" (Mosiah 5:7).

Paul said it simply: "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:26-27). "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be glorified together" (Romans 8:17).

All Benedict Arnold needed to do was to stay loyal to George Washington and the United States. To receive celestial glory, we need only to become the sons and daughters of God, the children of Christ, through making and keeping sacred baptismal covenants. The results are known, we need only decide whose side we are on-- Perdition, who will lose, or the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Good Shepherd, the Creator, and the Prince of Peace, who has already won.

Sacred Covenants, Sacred Gifts

It seems like everything has a contract these days. We sign agreements for rental housing and home mortgages, cell phone and internet service, employment or the sale of property, and even to buy a loaf of bread through member-only warehouses. These agreements allow us to secure pricing or payment and establish terms to ensure all sides will do what they say they will do or face the legal recourse provided in the agreement.

In a similar way, we sign an agreement with God when we are baptized. Like many other contracts we sign, the Lord has drawn up the terms and it is up to us to sign on or walk away. If we sign on, we covenant to dedicate our lives to following Christ, to prepare for a remission of our sins and to take the name of Christ upon ourselves and become one with him. In return, we are promised that our sins will be remitted when we repent and we will be prepared to inherit all the Father has and live as he does in a kingdom of great glory.

The Lord protects this sacred ordinance with a clause of caution: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain;" he states, "for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain" (Exodus 20:7). In other words, if we do not perform our end of the agreement by repenting and striving to follow Christ, eternal law prevents him from taking our sins upon himself and it is as though we were baptized in vain. He commands us-- and pleads with us-- not to let this happen:

"For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; but if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit--and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink" (D&C 19:16-18).

There is a second agreement that occurs around the time of our baptism that we need to acknowledge for a complete understanding. Jesus taught Nicodemus: "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven" (John 3:5). The Prophet Joseph Smith said it this way: "You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half-- that is, baptism of the Holy Ghost."

The scenario laid out in these quotes is similar to the situation college athletic programs face when signing young prospects. At some point in the recruitment process, the program and the athlete will agree to a letter of intent. These agreements state that the athlete intends to attend and play for a particular university and that the university intends to admit the athlete as a student and provide a scholarship for their education. Although they are not yet admitted, athletes agree to end their recruitment process and the university promises to save a scholarship for when they arrive.

Through baptism we express our intent to follow Christ and he expresses his intent to remit our sins, but it is through our confirmation and the reception of the gift of the Holy Ghost that we are sanctified and admitted into His Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We see this two-step process in the two-step renewal of these covenants through the bread and water of the sacrament. In partaking of the bread, we witness that we are "willing to take upon [ourselves] the name of [God's] Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given [us]; that [we] may always have his Spirit to be with [us]" (D&C 20:77, emphasis added). In partaking of the water, we witness that we "do always remember him... that [we] may have his Spirit to be with [us]" (D&C 20:79, emphasis added).

Each of us is familiar with the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost testifies of truth and is the voice by which many of our prayers are answered. He is a voice of conscience to all who do not drown him out and he gives us the direction and comfort we need for our lives. Through our confirmation, we covenant to act on our intent and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. The gift of the Holy Ghost is differentiated from our common experience with the Holy Ghost by at least three factors: cleanliness, companionship, and power.

First, though we can always repent of our sins, we are sanctified by the gift of the Holy Ghost. The prophet Nephi taught: "Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and Redeemer should do... For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost" (2 Nephi 31:17, emphasis added).

On a wilderness backpacking trip, a good pocket knife may be used for sharpening sticks, cleaning fish, preparing and eating food, first aid, and a dozen other things. If a hiker were to jump straight from cleaning a fish to removing a sliver from their finger, the bacteria and germs on the blade could cause a painful infection. Washing the knife in water alone may restore the blade's shine, but the flame of a campfire can sterilize the blade from bacteria and germs so it can be used to remove the sliver.

In a similar way, we are washed by baptism but it is the Holy Ghost that sanctifies us so we are perfectly clean from the sins that have tarnished our souls. We need this perfect cleansing to qualify for eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Because this sanctification comes by the Holy Ghost rather than by baptism, we can be cleansed again as often as we repent without being re-baptized.

Second, the gift of the Holy Ghost is a promise of constant companionship. Nephi taught: "For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do" (2 Nephi 32:5). Though we have all had the privilege of feeling the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, the gift of the Holy Ghost is a right to revelation that can result in much more frequent inspiration.

Elder Boyd K. Packer has explained, "You can receive this great blessing-- to become familiar with the still, small voice and learn that this voice will tell you all things that you must do. The word we use to describe this communication is promptings, the way we feel. These promptings can come many times, through many experiences. That is the voice of the Lord speaking" (2003, emphasis in original). Through our baptism, the Lord promises to prepare us for eternal life in His kingdom. The more we learn to recognize and follow the voice of the spirit, the more we will feel his presence in our lives guiding us in all things.

Finally, the gift of the Holy Ghost is the power to speak with the tongue of angels. Nephi taught, "Wherefore, my beloved bretheren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism-- yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel" (2 Nephi 31:13, emphasis added).

Nephi also taught that "angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, wherefore they speak the words of Christ" (2 Nephi 32). Therefore, to speak with the tongue of angels is to share inspired testimony, by the power of the Holy Ghost, to bring others to Christ. Those who are baptized and confirmed are promised that they will have power in their testimony if they will open their mouths and share that testimony with others. Just as receiving inspiration, our ability to testify with power improves as we practice doing it.

With our baptism we make a covenant with God. We affirm that we are willing to be a disciple of Christ and that we will strive to remember our Savior and repent often. Through confirmation, we enter an agreement that seals the deal we made at baptism. We become a member of His Church, with all of the blessings and responsibilities of that membership, and we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is a gift of sanctification, of guidance, and of power. In essence, we are given all we need to return to live with our Heavenly Father and commanded, with all the feeling of a loving parent, to do our part to make it home.

This is a contract that is easy to sign. It may not always be easy to fulfill, but the terms of the agreement specify that the rewards are in exchange for our genuine effort regardless of life circumstances or ability to complete your side of the deal. See if you can get that deal at a members-only warehouse.

Subtle Blessings

"Windows of Heaven" by Jeff Brimley

In 1899, President Lorenzo Snow felt prompted to make the long journey by train and horse-drawn carriage from Salt Lake City to Saint George, Utah. He had been deeply troubled about the crushing debt left over from the anti-polygamy crusades of the 1880s. At the same time, there had been no rain in Saint George for many months and the Saints in that area were at risk of not being able to grow their crops that year. He had been praying anxiously about how to help the Saints and the Church, but received no answer except a feeling that he should go to Saint George.

President Snow made the long trip to Saint George and witnessed dry fields and dying livestock all along the way. Soon after his arrival, a conference was organized so the people could hear the word of the Lord from a prophet of God. He stood to speak with deeper concern from all he had witnessed but without knowing what he could possibly say to make a difference.

Suddenly, in the middle of his remarks, President Snow paused for several moments. When he resumed his sermon, he had renewed confidence and his voice was stronger. Many of the people testified afterward that they knew he was speaking under the inspiration of the Lord. He said, “The word of the Lord is: The time has now come for every Latter-day Saint … to do the will of the Lord and to pay his tithing in full. That is the word of the Lord to you, and it will be the word of the Lord to every settlement throughout the land of Zion” (quoted in LeRoi C. Snow, “The Lord’s Way Out of Bondage,” p. 439). He promised that if they would pay their tithing, rain would fall and they would be able to plant and harvest good crops that year.

In the year following President Snow’s revelation, the Saints contributed twice as much in tithing as they had the previous two years. Not only were the Saints in St. George blessed with rain, but within eight years the Church was able to pay all its debts. Since that day, the Church has continued to have enough money to carry out the Lord’s work because faithful Church members pay their tithing.

The Lord promised Malachi that if the Israelites would pay their tithing he would, “open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:7-12). After months of drought and facing the prospect of having no food for the winter, I can imagine that the people in Saint George must have been overwhelmed with gratitude at the sight of rain.

At the same time, despite paying my tithing faithfully for years, I have sometimes felt that I had room to receive a lot more. I have wondered why this promise didn’t seem to be as true for me as I imagined it could be. In seeing only with my temporal eyes, have not understood what the Lord was really offering.

Elder David A. Bednar has explained:

Often as we teach and testify about the law of tithing, we emphasize the immediate, dramatic and readily recognizable temporal blessings that we receive. And surely such blessings do occur. Yet some of the diverse blessings we obtain as we are obedient to this commandment are significant but subtle. Such blessings can be discerned only if we are both spiritually attentive and observant (see 1 Corinthians 2:14).

The imagery of the "windows" of heaven used by Malachi is most instructive. Windows allow natural light to enter into a building. In like manner, spiritual illumination and perspective are poured out through the windows of heaven and into our lives as we honor the law of tithing.

Now I can see that my family has experienced an outpouring of light and understanding on several occasions. One of those experiences occurred while I was attending graduate school in Arizona. Soon after graduation, my wife and I accepted a job in Virginia. It was a big decision that came as a shock to a lot of our friends and family members. Some of them wondered out loud how we could make a decision so suddenly that wasn't even in realm of possibilities just the day before.

Of course, we hadn't made the decision suddenly at all. Years before we decided to move, we began praying for guidance and that we would be able to find a good job after graduate school. I paid close attention when my professors, most of whom were or had been active in my chosen profession, would give career advice. I interviewed for promotions within the company where I worked and started applying for jobs in my field around the metro area where I was attending school. I was constantly looking at job ads and talking with my wife about what we wanted from life, the kinds of communities where we would like to live and jobs that would help us reach our larger goals.

Over time, my wife and I began to have experiences that helped to clarify the path ahead. One interviewer at my then-employer told me I was overqualified and another told me it would be several years before the labor union would allow me to be considered for promotion. A guest practitioner in one of my classes shared stories from working in rural communities that resonated with me. The same advice about mobility and finding a first job was repeated over and over and over again by professors, mentors, role models and career counselors.

As graduation approached I was getting anxious to find a position, but it was much easier to identify the jobs that would get us closer to our long-term professional and family goals. My wife and I knew the entry-level job titles that were most likely to lead to management opportunities, the size and type of community where we wanted to live, and which states and communities we were willing to call home. Four months after graduation, I interviewed in Virginia and accepted a position that was everything we had learned we wanted.

Looking back, there was not a single epiphany that dramatically changed our course or a grand revelatory moment where the Lord commanded us to move to Virginia. Instead, the Lord opened the windows of heaven and steadily poured out a thousand smaller experiences, thoughts and impressions that gradually opened our minds, clarified our goals and led us gently down the path to where we needed to be.

Following the guidance we have received in this and other experiences like it has led to the opportunities, challenges and understanding we have needed to progress in our lives. We have been afforded greater happiness, testimony, strength, knowledge, experience and prosperity than we could ever deserve.

Just as the blessings of tithing most often come line upon line and grace for grace, Bishop Gerald Causse shared an experience in the April 2017 General Conference that highlighted the subtle blessings of priesthood service in his life:

When I was 30 years old, I began working for a retail group in France. One day the company president, a good man of another faith, called me into his office. His question startled me: "I just learned that you are a priest in your church. Is that true?"

I replied, "Yes, that is correct. I hold the priesthood."

Visibly intrigued by my response, he further inquired, "But did you study at a theological seminary?"

"Of course," I answered, "between the ages of 14 and 18, and I studied seminary lessons nearly every day!" He almost fell off his chair.

To my great surprise, several weeks later he called me back to his office to offer me a managing director position in one of the group's companies. I was astonished and expressed my concern that I was too young and inexperienced to hold such an important responsibility. With a benevolent smile, he said, "That may be true, but it doesn't matter. I know your principles, and I know what you've learned in your church. I need you."

He was right about what I had learned in the Church. The years that followed were challenging, and I don't know if I could have had any success without the experience I acquired by serving in the Church from the time I was a young man.

The Lord has taught, “There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated-- And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated" (D&C 130:20-21). Sometimes the blessings we receive are as sudden and significant as rain to end a long drought. Quite often however, the blessings of our obedience to any principle come so quietly that we do not even notice them at the time.

This is the Lord's way: "line upon line; here a little and there a little" (Isaiah 28:10). "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Elijah stood on Mount Horeb (Sinai) and witnessed that the Lord was not in the powerful wind nor the earthquake nor the fire, but rather a still, small voice (1 Kings 19:11-13). Instead of ushering in the restoration of the gospel with a visit to a prominent minister or president, the Lord appeared to a fourteen-year-old farm boy with a third grade education and a burning desire for truth. President Snow could have been inspired to know where to dig for gold or secure a large donation, but the Lord told him to go to Saint George and teach obedience to the ancient law of tithing.

You or I may still feel from time to time that we could use more of the Lord's blessings in our lives. This can also be guidance from the Lord. At such times, I have found I get the best results when I strive to be obedient and follow the counsel of a favorite hymn:

When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings; name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings; ev'ry doubt will fly

And you will be singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you his wealth untold.

Count your many blessings; money cannot buy

Your reward in heaven nor your home on high.

So amid the conflict, whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged; God is over all.

Count your many blessings; angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.

Looking Steadfastly Toward Heaven

"Mountain Lion" by K. Baughan

One night recently, I arrived home from a business trip after dark. As I got out of my car, I heard something rustling in the bushes a few yards behind me. It sounded like something bigger than a squirrel or a cat, which always gets my imagination working. I glanced in that direction and saw the porch light reflecting off a single pair of large eyes amid the darkness of the bushes.

This experience could be unnerving for anyone, but it is even more unnerving in a rural, forested area known for bobcats, bears and mountain lions. Feeling almost certain that I was being watched by a hungry mountain lion, I stopped where I was with my car door still open and turned on my cell phone flashlight. Turning toward the bushes, I pointed the light at my stalker only to find that my hungry mountain lion was really a deer who was probably more terrified of me than I was of it. With a deep sigh of relief, and a chuckle about the whole situation, I closed the car door and went inside the house.

All of us have had experiences where we thought we saw or heard something that turned out to be much different when we looked closer, asked again or decided to investigate. What may have been muffled or shrouded in darkness can suddenly become clear when we turn to face the source of a light, movement or sound.

Following the death of Christ, there was great destruction in the Americas. Valleys became mountains, mountains became valleys, entire cities burned or fell into the ocean and many people were carried away in large tornadoes. The chaos must have been overwhelming.

When the earth settled and the fires died down, there came three days of complete darkness. The darkness was so thick, flint wouldn't spark and fires wouldn't light. Amid the blackness, and in the wake of prodigious disaster, the air was filled with sorrowful cries of grieving and regret.

Dawn finally came and scripture records there were many people gathered around the temple marveling at the transformation of the land and "conversing about this Jesus Christ, of whom the sign had been given concerning his death". Suddenly, "they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard". It was a small voice, but it pierced them to their cores. The people had just experienced fires and earthquakes, but this voice made their bodies quake on solid ground and their hearts burn without a flame.

Though the people could hear the voice and feel of its power, they could not understand its message even when it came a second time. Finally, the people "did open their ears to hear it... and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came." This time they understood the voice and were privileged to hear God, our Heavenly Father, introduce His resurrected Son, the Savior Jesus Christ.

There have been many times in my life when the voice of the Lord has seemed muffled. Sometimes I have known something was there, like the eyes staring at me from the bushes, but was unable to recognize what it was. Other times it has seemed as if the answers to my prayers were being intercepted somehow so that I could not hear at all. This has been especially true when I have been discouraged or feeling rejected or lost.

In every instance, I've found the volume and clarity I needed to understand when I have turned toward the source of the messages I have sought. Praying more earnestly, studying more sincerely and striving more diligently to do the Lord's will turns our hearts and minds to Him and shines a light on the doctrines and principles we are seeking to understand.

Four Quadrants of Prayer

In his best-selling book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen Covey outlines a method for organizing our priorities and managing our time. Simply put, it begins with classifying each task we perform into one of four quadrants: urgent and important (Quadrant I), not urgent and important (Quadrant II), urgent and not important (Quadrant III), or not urgent and not important (Quadrant IV). By classifying our work in this way, we can be most effective with our time and effort as we identify and concentrate on the most important tasks first.

As obvious and straightforward as this might seem, Covey teaches it explicitly because, as it turns out, focusing on the most important tasks is not at what most people naturally do. Of course we all "put out fires" first, doing those things that are important and also very urgent. Then, however, most people tend to move to those tasks that are urgent but not really important. We delay more important tasks to check email, tend to a distraction or address some other "pressing" matter. Surprisingly, when the urgent tasks are all complete, most people drift toward tasks that are neither urgent nor important, leaving the important but not urgent tasks for last.

This quirk in human behavior is unfortunate because it is those important task that are not urgent that create the most value in our lives. These are things like building relationships, making plans for long-term success, preventing future crises, developing discipline and perspective, and improving ourselves through training or recreation.

"Effective people stay out of Quadrants III and IV because, urgent or not, they aren't important," Covey writes in his book. "They also shrink Quadrant I down to size by spending more time in Quadrant II... Quadrant II is the heart of effective personal management."

While putting first things first may help any aspect of our lives, there is great power in applying this principle to our daily prayers. Most of us already turn to God for help when we are in dire straits and we need the Lord to intervene to prevent serious consequences, but what do we pray for next? And when was the last time you prayed to build your relationship with God or discuss something important that wasn't on a tight timeline?

The pattern of revelation used to direct recent changes in Church procedure exemplifies what can happen when we spend quality time discussing the important elements of our lives in sincere prayer. President Nelson explained:

When we convene as a Council of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, our meeting rooms become rooms of revelation. The Spirit is palpably present. As we wrestle with complex matters, a thrilling process unfolds as each Apostle freely expresses his thoughts and point of view. Though we may differ in our initial perspectives, the love we feel for each other is constant. Our unity helps us to discern the Lord's will for His Church.

In our meetings, the majority never rules! We listen prayerfully to one another and talk with each other until we are united. Then when we have reached complete accord, the unifying influence of the Holy Ghost in spine-tingling! (April 2018).

This process can take many months as each member ponders, studies and prays about what is being considered. That was the case with the decision to combine ward Melchizedek Priesthood quorums into a single quorum. The result will be better direction for a more supportive, responsive and unified priesthood quorum. A similar process was used to call new apostles, assign counselors in the First Presidency, identify locations for new temples and modify and enhance the home and visiting teaching programs now wrapped into a cooperative ministering effort.

Following the examples of modern day prophets and apostles, we would do well to consider where we might prayerfully counsel with the Lord. What aspects of our testimony need to be strengthened before we have a crisis? What is our personal mission on the earth and how can we go about accomplishing it? Where should we dedicate our resources of time and energy to develop Christlike attributes and build metaphorical temples in our lives? What should we be learning now to help the people we will meet next year, teach our children in a few years and face the challenges of the next decade?

When urgent prayers are done, we make little progress with hurried, rote or habitual monologues offered to check the box that we think will bring blessings from heaven. "Ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts," the prophet Moroni taught, "but ask with a firmness unshaken that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true and living God" (Mormon 9:28).

Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save. Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him. Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks. Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening. Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies. Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness. Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them. Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.

But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness. Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you (Alma 34:18-27).

The Lord asks that we offer our prayers "with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ" (Moroni 10:3-5). We do this as we counsel with Him about those things, urgent or not, that are important in our lives and for which we need his guidance. As we do so, the promise is sure: "he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

That They Might Have Joy

The world is increasingly in commotion. There are political upheavals, wars and rumors of wars, personal tragedies, attacks on family values and all kinds of economic woes. One report to the United Nations confirmed that "weather-related disasters such as floods and heatwaves have occurred almost daily in the past decade, almost twice as often as two decades ago... Predictions of more extreme weather in the future almost certainly mean that we will witness a continued upward trend in weather-related disasters in the decades ahead" (Miles, Tom. Article linked).

While nightly news reports increasingly align with Biblical descriptions of "perilous times" when "nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places" (2 Timothy 3:1, Matthew 24:7), there are more personal disasters too. Nearly half of all marriages end in divorce; one in five Americans suffers from mental illness; almost a million people declare bankruptcy each year; we are afflicted by debilitating and life-threatening diseases and the suffering of those we love; and more people than ever are having crises of faith that eventually lead to having no faith at all.

President Boyd K. Packer summarized in 2004:

I know of nothing in the history of the Church or in the history of the world to compare with our present circumstances. Nothing happened in Sodom and Gomorrah which exceeds in wickedness and depravity that which surrounds us now.

Words of profanity, vulgarity, and blasphemy are heard everywhere. Unspeakable wickedness and perversion were once hidden in dark places; now they are in the open, even accorded legal protection.

At Sodom and Gomorrah these things were localized. Now they are spread across the world, and they are among us ("One Pure Defense", Feb 6, 2004).

Amid a world of stress, fear, chaos and wickedness, it is easy to become discouraged, worried or hopeless. Yet, the Lord has said that we can experience greater hope and peace in our lives as the prophecies that precede the Second Coming of Christ are fulfilled (Matthew 24:6; D&C 45:35). What's more, he has promised that the righteous in our times will be gathered while "singing with songs of everlasting joy" (D&;C 45:71). How can this be, when our lives are filled with so much suffering, confusion, oppression and difficulty?

The prophet Nephi experienced some of the conditions that are common to our day. As a young man, his father left a life of prosperity to take his family into the wilderness prior to the destruction of Jerusalem. On at least one occasion, the family nearly starved to death. Nephi's rebellious older brothers led wicked lives that led to a great deal of suffering for their family. They frequently fought with Nephi and tried to kill him and their father many times. As his posterity grew, Nephi's people separated into a new nation that took up arms to defend their liberties and their families from the descendants of Nephi's brothers that sought to enslave and destroy them.

Given all he experienced, we could easily expect Nephi to be a mess of a person with myriad mental afflictions worthy of our pity. Instead, Nephi writes that he and his people "lived after the manner of happiness" (2 Nephi 5:27). So what can we learn from Nephi's experience that will help us sing songs of everlasting joy despite the commotion all around us and even, at times, within us?

A further study of Nephi's resilience reveals that at least one source of strength was his unwavering focus on his purpose. The Lord has clearly declared his own mission relative to his children on the earth: "For behold, this is my work and my glory-- to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). Our purpose within God's larger plan may seem less clear.

Leadership guru Ben Zander has observed that the reason for much of what we do is simply to "make our eyes shine". Shining eyes, he explains, reveal our joy in the journey and our hope for the future. Most of us tend to do things that we think will awaken opportunity in us and those around us.

Nephi said it this way: "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25). This is the purpose of our lives on earth: to have joy. Every commandment the Lord has given leads to this outcome. Joy is the reason for multiplying and replenishing the earth and joy is the reason for keeping the Sabbath Day holy. As we learn to better live by the laws that God has given us, we will discover a greater measure of joy in our daily lives.

That, of course, does not mean we'll always be happy. Consider Paul's counsel to the members of the ancient church in Hebrews 12:

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God...

Ye have not resisted unto blood, striving against sin... despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou are rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth...

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby" (Hebrews 12:1, 2, 4, 6, 11).

None of us would suppose that the Savior was happy to be tortured and killed on the cross at Calvary, yet Paul explicitly states that Christ did so for the joy it brought him. Few of us take pleasure in the difficult challenges we encounter in life or in the humility of correction, but through the exercise of our trials we often grow in wisdom and find the peace that precedes the deepest joy.

Ultimately, like all else that is good in life, true joy is a gift from God predicated upon our ability to have his spirit to be with us. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, [and] temperance" (Galatians 5:22-23). And, like all other gifts from God, he is anxious to share it with us if we will allow it: "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7:11).

Painting by Greg Olson

The Lord illustrated how we can share in his joy in a vision given to Nephi's father, Lehi, and later to Nephi also. In the vision, Lehi was led to a glorious tree filled with the most delicious fruit he had ever tasted. He stated that the fruit was "desirable to make one happy" and that it "filled [his] soul with incredibly great joy" as he ate. The fruit was available to all, but many chose not to approach or left in shame after they had begun to eat.

The Lord explains later that the fruit Lehi saw was symbolic for the Love of God. Elder David A. Bednar has taught, "The greatest manifestation of God's love for His children is the mortal ministry, atoning sacrifice, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The fruit on the tree can be considered a symbol for the blessings of the Savior's Atonement."

Because of the Savior's Atonement, each of us can receive joy as we exercise faith in Him, repent of our sins, make and keep sacred covenants including baptism and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost in our daily lives. Interestingly, and unsurprisingly, as we accomplish our purpose of having joy in this life, we are also attaining God's purpose to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man.

Modern scripture expounds upon the testimony of ancient prophets with prophecies of thunderings, lightnings, tempests, and "the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds" (D&C 88:88-90). It continues, "And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men's hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people" (D&C 88:91). Yet, the Lord has promised that we need not be troubled when we see these things going on around us.

Ben Zander has suggested that if we are not finding joy in the goals and activities of our lives, we need only to "move the goalposts". As we turn to the Lord and strive to better live the gospel outlined in the Holy Scriptures-- that is, as we live after the manner of happiness-- our eyes can shine and we can sing the heartfelt songs of everlasting joy even in the darkness and chaos that sometimes surrounds us. This is our purpose here on the earth: that we might have joy.

Clean Hands and a Pure Heart

Since the time of Adam, the Lord has prepared his people for the blessings of the temple. In these holy houses, we can be taught, make certain covenants, and receive ordinances that enable us to live in the presence of God. Temples are literally houses of the Lord where we can feel His spirit and learn His will for us. Because "no unclean thing shall be permitted to come into [His] house" (D&C 109:20), the Lord has taught that we must prepare ourselves to be worthy for temple worship.

The concept of preparation prevails in many of our endeavors. A person is not admitted to a university, for example, until they have worked to achieve sufficient academic standing and met all other criteria for eligibility. Similarly, anyone may enter the temple who is willing to prepare well for that privilege. Priesthood leaders have the authority and responsibility to represent the Lord in determining our eligibility to attend the temple as we meet with them.

Preparation for temple attendance includes physical, intellectual and spiritual elements. Physical preparation includes an outward appearance that is modest and clean. Wearing our "Sunday best" as we enter the temple reflects our respect for the Lord and the importance of the learning, revelation and covenants that occur in the Lord's house.

Intellectual preparation might include a study of the scriptures, particularly the Old Testament and topics relevant to temple worship or principles we are seeking to learn. The Old Testament underscores the antiquity of temple worship and the enduring nature of its ordinances. Symbols were used anciently to teach profound truths and this method of instruction continues to be used in temples today.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we must prepare spiritually to attend the temple. In Psalm 24, King David asked, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?" He answered simply, "He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart... He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation" (Psalm 24:3-5).

When Christ came to the temple in ancient America, he taught:

And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end. Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day (3 Nephi 27:19-20).

Because of Christ's suffering, death and resurrection, we can be washed and sanctified as we act in faith; repent of our sin; covenant through baptism to take His name upon ourselves, keep his commandments, and always remember him; and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. We prepare for temple worship as we take appropriate steps to have clean hands and a pure heart.

The Lord was teaching the early members of the Church how to prepare for temple worship before a temple was even constructed. In December 1832 or January 1833, the Lord commanded the Saints to, "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God" (D&C 88:119).

One verse prior, the Lord instructs, "And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and by faith" (v. 118). As was the case for most farmers of that time, few of the early leaders of the Church had more than a third grade education. Before they, or the rest of the church members, would be ready for the blessings of the temple, they would need to further their education.

Obediently, these faithful men began gathering each morning after breakfast in an upstairs room of the Whitney Store in Kirtland, Ohio. There they were instructed in topics of religion, languages, history, geology, politics, and anything else that could be taught.

As was common in those days, many of the men in the newly established school would pull out their pipes once breakfast had settled in their stomachs. Often, the room would get too smoke-filled to see the instructor. Then, when finished with their pipes, many would use chewing tobacco in one side or both and spit with varying degrees of accuracy into spittoons located on the floor.

The disgusting mess of spit and tobacco left behind after one of these sessions was very difficult to clean and even stained the floor. After just a few weeks, Joseph Smith and his wife, Emma, to whom the chore of cleaning the floor often fell, became very concerned by the lack of cleanliness associated with using tobacco products. Joseph inquired of the Lord and received a revelation now commonly known as the Word of Wisdom.

The Word of Wisdom lays out the Lord's law of health for our time. It starts with this preamble: "Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of the evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation" (D&C 89:4).

The Lord then lays out the law. Alcohol, tobacco, coffee and tea are "not for the body," but "all grain is good for the food of man" and fruits and vegetables are to be eaten in their proper seasons. Meat is also ordained for our use, the Lord instructs, but it is to be eaten sparingly and with thanksgiving (D&C 89:5-17).

If we follow this law, the Lord promises that we "shall receive health in [our] navel and marrow to [our] bones; And shall find great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint. And I, the Lord, give unto them [that obey] a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them" (D&C 89:18-21).

In the context of history, the Word of Wisdom was clearly ahead of its time. There was no scientific research on tobacco products in the 1830s and alcohol was considered safer than water to drink. Temperance societies were just beginning to convince the public to replace their morning whiskey with a cup of coffee, which had been a rare luxury item until those same societies successfully lobbied for the removal of the import tariff on coffee beans. Manufacturers, meanwhile, were still discovering the profit potential of addictive substances, drugs and hormones to increase animal production, and genetic modification techniques.

At the same time, the Word of Wisdom was not unprecedented. Daniel, in the Old Testament, "purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank" (Daniel 1:8). Instead, he made a deal with the eunuchs: they would let him and his friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, eat only grains and drink only water for ten days, then they could compare their health with the other children.

Daniel clearly believed that his food choices were a matter of faith ordained by the Lord. To deviate from those choices wasn't just a physical setback, but a defiling of his soul. After ten days, the eunuchs saw his healthy countenance and took the meats and wine away from the other children. But another consequence of their behavior is sometimes overlooked. The scriptures explain, "As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams" (Daniel 1:17).

The particulars of the Lord's law of health have varied slightly in different periods of world history, but whenever there have been prophets on the earth the Lord has given commandments for the care of our bodies. These commandments help us to be ready to serve others and keep other commandments, to be sure, but also prepare us for the blessings of "hidden" knowledge and wisdom received by Daniel and promised to us through the Word of Wisdom.

It is this "hidden", or sacred, knowledge that comes through revelation from God to each of us in His temple. Through his spirit, He can teach us the answers to some of our most complex questions, give us the insight to seek a better approach or nudge us toward actions that will bless our lives. To hear his voice and receive the strength we need to obey His word, we must be prepared to receive Him.

So we see again that in every gospel dispensation, including our own, the Lord has prepared his people for the blessings of the temple. It is there that we can be sealed together as families for time and all eternity. It is there, in His house, that our Heavenly Father teaches us, His children, many of the most sacred doctrines of His gospel. Every other gospel principle leads us to the temple because the temple leads us to Him; but our eligibility to participate depends on willingness to come to him through our physical, intellectual and spiritual preparation.

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart... He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation (Psalm 24:3-5).