Wooden Shoes and the Abundance of Christ

"Living Water" by Simon Dewey

Every year at Christmas, my family reads about the Miracleof the Wooden Shoes. The story takes place many years ago in Germany, where a boy named Walter grappled with the responsibilities of manhood after his father fell ill. He knew from his mother’s whispered conversations with the doctor that his father was dying and Walter wanted to help his family however he could. He began hoarding candle stubs that were discarded at school, digging for forgotten carrots and turnips in the frozen ground of the garden until his fingers were bloody, and searching for hours for a few dry sticks to heat his home. It was not enough; the house was still cold and their stomachs were empty. With so little, Walter was grown up enough to know that there would be no Christmas.

When December 5^th rolled around, Walter’s mother reminded him to set out his shoes for St. Nicholas Day. In Germany, St. Nicholas traditionally comes on December 6^th and fills the children’s shoes with candy. Walter didn’t want to upset his mother, so he made some noise to hide his rebellion and went to bed.

Early the next morning, Walter’s mother called him from the kitchen. “Schnell!” She called. “Quick! Come and see your wooden shoes.” He found them on the doorstep full of enough candles to help his mother finish her sewing at night. There were enough candles for a proper Advent wreath. With the candles was a scroll, tied with a festive red ribbon, which quoted John 8:12, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

Walter and his mother were astonished. Neither of them knew who had filled the shoes. It was a miracle.

The next morning, Walter woke first. He put on his coat and reached for his shoes so he could go find a few sticks for the stove, but his shoes were gone. He could not find them anywhere. Cautiously, he opened the front door and found them again on the doorstep, this time overflowing with sticks. More wood was stacked nearby. In one of his shoes was a scroll, tied with a festive red ribbon, which quoted Jeremiah 20:9, “His word was in mine heart as a burning fire.”

For the second time, Walter and his mother were surprised and grateful for the miracle they had received. Walter was able to build a fire hot enough to heat the whole house, even his father’s bed in the back room.

Walter’s shoes were on the front step the next morning, too. This time they were filled with bread, rolls, and lebkuchen. A pail of milk and a basket of fruits and vegetables stood behind the shoes. This time, the scroll quoted John 6:35, “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

As Walter went to bed on the third day he set out his shoes and hoped for another miracle, but when he awoke the shoes were empty. Walter’s father was getting worse, even with the warmth and the food in the house. They had enough to last a little while, but then what would they do?

That same day there was a knock on the door. On the porch were two missionaries. Walter had seen them in town. When they looked longingly at the warm fire, Walter knew he should let them in. One of the missionaries reached into his satchel and pulled out a small scroll tied with a festive red ribbon. Walter and his mother looked at each other in surprise as the missionary began to read a verse from John 11: “I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”

Walter jumped to his feet and pointed at the scroll. “It was you!” he exclaimed. “You are the one who filled my shoes. You gave us the three scrolls.” The missionary shook his head in confusion. “I don’t know what you mean,” he replied. “I found this scroll in my shoes this morning with a note to visit your family today. I don’t know where it came from.”

Walter and his mother decided to listen to the missionaries as they taught them about a prophet named Joseph Smith who had restored Christ’s true church to the earth, including the keys of the priesthood. They gave Walter’s father a priesthood blessing and returned many more times to teach Walter and his family.

Walter’s father soon recovered and the family embraced the gospel message. One more scroll appeared on Christmas morning. Walter’s shoes were filled with chocolates and candy. The scroll read, “Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life” (2 Nephi 31:20).

Like Walter and his family, we all have five basic needs to sustain our lives: light, water, air, shelter, and food. Without one or more of these, we will not survive; and even when we have them today, we have no guarantees that we will have what we need to thrive tomorrow. Any of us could be affected by an illness, a turn in the economy, a wildfire, flood or drought, or some other change to our circumstances.

In a world of scarcity, where everything we need is consumable and fleeting, the Savior promises us eternal abundance and invites us to share that abundance with others.

Abinadi taught that “[Jesus Christ] is the light and life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death” (Mosiah 16:9). Joseph Smith wrote that Christ is, “the light and Redeemer of the world; the spirit of truth, … and in him was the life of men and the light of men” (D&C 93:9). “Therefore,” the Savior invites us to, “hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold, I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do” (3 Nephi 18:24).

At Jacob’s Well, the Savior taught that “Whosoever drinketh of this [well] shall thirst again, But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:9-15). He explained that “unto him that keepeth my commandments will I give the mysteries [or covenants] of my kingdom, and the same shall be in him a well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life” (D&C 63:23).

We are invited to follow the iron rod of His Word to “the fountain of living waters” (1 Nephi 11:25), where we may covenant to keep his commandments in the waters of baptism. He promises that “if [we] will come, [we] may, and partake of the waters of life freely” (D&C 10:66). As we do so, he also requires us to, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).

The Lord testified that He, “formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Moses 3:7). Jesus Christ is our Creator and “in him [is] life” (John 1:4). He preserves and sustains all living things by lending them breath from day to day and moment to moment (Genesis 7:22, Mosiah 2:21, Acts 17:25).

Yet, His work and His glory is the immortality and eternal life of each of us (Moses 1:39). He invites us to have unshaken faith in Him and “do the things which… your Lord and your 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. And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life…” (2 Nephi 31:17-18). When we are converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ and steadfastly walking the covenant path, “having a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God and of all men” (1 Nephi 31:20), the Lord admonishes us to “strengthen [our] brethren” (Luke 22:32).

Our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, is “a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall” (Helaman 5:12). He testified, “I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (Genesis 15:1). He is the founder of the house of Israel, and of Zion, and he will gather us, “as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me will full purpose of heart” (3 Nephi 10:6).

In the shelter of His holy temples, we can rest from the cares of the world and enjoy peace, like a river, unto our souls (Isaiah 48:18, D&C 121:7). We can extend that peace to our families and others we have never met through vicarious ordinances. He promises that “in my Father’s house are many mansions” (John 14:2) and that one day, if we are faithful, we will be “received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where [we] shall rest from all [our] troubles and from all care and sorrow” (Alma 40:12) and return to a kingdom of eternal glory (D&C 76, Revelation 7:14-17).

Finally, the Lord testified that He is the bread of life (John 6:35). “Yea, he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely; Yea, come unto me and bring forth works of righteousness” (Alma 5:34-35).

He invites us to feast of his abundance: to “feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do” (2 Nephi 32:3); to “lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love” (Jacob 3:2); and to “feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness” (2 Nephi 9:51).

When we have tasted of the bread of life, like manna from heaven, that fills our soul with “exceedingly great joy” (1 Nephi 8:11-12), we are also invited to bring forth works of righteousness in service to Him. “For the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye make walk guiltless before God,” King Benjamin advised, “I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants” (Mosiah 4:26). For “inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren,” the Savior taught, “ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40).

To His servant, Simon Peter, Christ taught that if we love him, we will feed his lambs and feed his sheep (John 21:15-17). To us, Peter echoed that we should, “feed the flock of God which is among you,” not by constraint, but by persuasion and by our own examples (1 Peter 5:2-3).

Without our Savior, Jesus Christ, we are like Walter and his family. We can figuratively dig in the frozen ground for forgotten carrots and search the forest for a few sticks, but the relative scarcity of even our best and most successful efforts cannot save us and our families from physical death nor the separation from God imposed by our own sinful behavior.

We need the abundance our Savior offers us through His servants. We need the light of his example, the unwilted strength of his covenants, the life his breath sustains, the shelter of His gospel, and the nutrition of his word. He offers everything we need to live, temporally and spiritually—everything we need to overcome sin and death—in such abundance that, if we are faithful, “there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10).

Jesus Christ is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), but is he the way we have chosen, the truth we believe, and the center of the life we live? Do we recognize the miracles in our lives? When he stands knocking at the figurative door of our lives (Revelation 3:20), do we let him in and allow him to teach us how to change? Do we study and live His gospel with scarcity, maybe on Sundays or certain holidays, or do we strive to consecrate all that we have throughout the year and during each day to taste of His fruit, hold up His light, and feed His lambs?

Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life, the light of the world, the living water, the breath of life, a sure foundation and shelter from the storm, and the bread of life. Because He lives, there is healing for our sicknesses and heartaches. Because He lives, we can be forgiven for our sins and strengthened in our shortcomings. Because He lives, His church is restored with covenants and ordinances to unite our families with His love. Because He lives, we can live eternally in the presence and glory of God. Because of a sacred, silent night in Bethlehem, there will be a Christmas this year and we can live each day in the abundance provided by our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Returning to the Covenant Path

When I was a teenager, my dad took my brother and I on a week-long wilderness backpacking trip. Our goal was to hike about fifty miles across a particular mountain range. Along the way, we had an experience that has taught me about sin and repentance on our path back to our Heavenly Father.

It took us a couple of weeks to prepare for the trip. My brother and I needed larger packs and we had to find food and other supplies that wouldn't add too much weight. I needed some new hiking pants and my mom found a cool pair that zipped off into shorts. Finally, we got a ride to the trailhead, confirmed where we would meet my mom at the end of the week, and set off.

For the first few days, everything went well. We were right on schedule, we found plenty of water and the food we had packed was so much better than when we had sampled it at home. The trail was challenging at times, and we had to find shelter during the daily afternoon downpour, but we were enjoying the experience and what time we had for a little fishing at the end of each day.

Around the fourth day of our expedition, we climbed a difficult pass and stopped at the top to rest for several moments. Although it was early in the day, we were tired and sore from three previous days of hiking with our heavy packs. As we prepared to resume, my dad, who had been studying the map, suggested an alternate route. The next part of the trail formed a large horseshoe shape, he observed, and if we could cut across the top of the horseshoe we would certainly save a lot of time and unnecessary distance.

With some uneasiness about the new plan, at least on my part, we began walking across the mountain tundra. It was harder to walk through the grass and rocks and after a few hours I began to wonder if we'd missed the trail somehow. When we ran out of water, we decided to keep going and hoped to find a spring ahead of us. Physically and emotionally exhausted, I prayed for help to keep going and survive the week.

At last we came to the top of a tall cliff. It was as long as we could see in either direction and the obvious reason for the trail's long detour. Unsure of how to proceed, we found a spot to take off our packs and rest while we decided what to do.

After a few minutes of catching our breath, my dad stood up and walked over to where my brother and I were seated. He picked up our packs, walked to the cliff, and threw the packs as far as he could down the mountainside. My brother and I were stunned. My dad paused for a moment and then said something like, "Well, I guess we'd better go and get them."

Eventually, we found our way down the cliff and slid down the rockslide at the base. More time passed as I worked to close a big hole I'd torn in the seat of my new pants and bandage a few good scratches. My brother located a spring (back at the top of the rockslide, of course) and refilled our water containers. When we were able to regroup, we continued our cross-country "shortcut" and found the trail another hundred feet from the bottom of the rockslide.

Although our chosen route was shorter, it was much more difficult and took more time to complete than if we had continued on the trail. I ruined my pants and some of our things were broken in their flight off the cliffs. Now less prepared than before and unable to make our planned rendezvous, we spent the rest of the week hiking carefully down a new trail that led off of the mountain to a small town. We made it just in time to call our ride home before she left to pick us up in the wrong place.

As we journey through life, we sometimes decide to take routes that detour off the "strait and narrow" covenant path. It can be especially easy to do when we are feeling tired, overconfident, or discouraged. 

When we leave the path, the Lord always invites us to repent-- to turn around and return to the trail that leads to our rendezvous with Him. He knows the covenant path is not easy. Like crossing a mountain range, our lives have peaks and valleys with obstacles and steep inclines between each summit. The Lord also knows that the covenant path is the surest way to our divine destination.

Repentance is "a change of mind and heart that brings a fresh attitude toward God, oneself, and life in general." It "implies that a person turns away from evil and turns his heart and will to God, submitting to God's commandments and desires and forsaking sin" (Guide to the Scriptures, "Repent, Repentance"). In other words, repentance includes returning to the trail and a humble willingness to continue to follow it. It includes gratitude for the trail, with all its obstacles and detours, and a recognition that it is the only way to achieve our goal.

Sometimes we wander needlessly through the more difficult wilderness even when there are indications we should return to the covenant path. We rationalize our way across the tundra, figuratively run out of water, and eventually find ourselves at the precipice of decisions that may have more significant impacts on our spiritual welfare and life journey.

If I had returned to the trail more quickly, I would have been able to recover much of the time that was lost. I would not have run out of water, injured myself, or ruined my pants. My dad and brother and I would have almost certainly reached our goal on the other side of the mountain range.

Likewise, when we do incur the damages of an unexpected cliff and rockslide, we sometimes forget that complete repentance includes changing the behaviors that originally led us off the path and toward the cliffs. We walk away from these experiences with resolve not to go over the cliffs, as it were, but without changing the attitudes and behaviors that led us off the trail in the first place.

The Gospel Topics essay on the Church website teaches us:

It is not enough to simply try to resist evil or empty our lives of sin. We must fill our lives with righteousness and engage in activities that bring spiritual power. We must immerse ourselves in the scriptures and pray daily for the Lord to give us strength beyond our own. At times, we should fast for special blessings.

Full obedience brings the complete power of the gospel into our lives, including increased strength to overcome our weaknesses. This obedience includes actions we might not initially consider part of repentance, such as attending meetings, paying tithing, giving service, and forgiving others.

Gratefully, all is not lost when we have gone over a cliff. Regardless of our route, we needed my mom to pick us up at the end of the week and drive us back to the safety and comfort of home. Our detour changed our experience in significant ways, but getting back on the trail and sticking to it allowed us to reach a different, but equally accessible, place where my mom could find us.

Sometimes our detours off the covenant path may have lasting effects on our life experience, but the trail is never far from where we are. As we repent and return to the path, the Lord can show us the route to His grace. With faith in Christ and our own significant effort, we can be reconciled to God (2 Nephi 25:23) and experience the joy and rest of returning home (2 Nephi 11:5).

Prospering by Degrees

After being captured by the Lamanites, the people of Limhi sought for deliverance. Three times they lashed out in armed conflict against their oppressors; and three times they were soundly defeated and suffered great losses. Finally, they turned to the Lord, but their prayers were answered in a way they perhaps did not expect.

The scriptures record that the people of Limhi "did humble themselves even in the depths of humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all the day long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver them out of their afflictions" (Mosiah 21:14). Perhaps their prayers were like many of ours, hoping for the Lord to grant a quick and complete relief from the burdens and afflictions they were forced to bear. Perhaps some of them were disappointed or began to waver when they woke up, day after day, with Lamanite guards still surrounding their city.

Although the desired outcome was not immediate, "the Lord did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens... [and] they began to prosper by degrees in the land, and began to raise grain more abundantly, and flocks, and herds, that they did not suffer with hunger" (Mosiah 21:15-16).

Relative prosperity allowed Limhi to send a group of men to find the Nephites. They were unsuccessful in their mission, but on their journey they discovered a record of a people who had become extinct. Thinking they had returned empty handed, the hearts of the people turned to the Lord and began to desire that they could be baptized and serve Him with all of their hearts.

Finally, Ammon and his men found the people of Limhi and helped them devise a plan to escape from their Lamanite captors. Mosiah, the Nephite king and a seer, translated the record and found it to be an insightful account and scripture in its own right. Though their prayers were not answered as quickly or in the way the people of Limhi had perhaps hoped, they were delivered from oppression in their bondage, strengthened in their faith, and then delivered from bondage as different people than they were when they were lashing out with wars against the Lamanites.

While we are promised that the Lord's grace is sufficient for us, sometimes we miss the blessings He grants in our lives because we are looking for grand and spectacular splashes of divine intervention. We want singing angels and the division of the Red Sea. While those things happen, we must learn that they are the exception rather than the rule. The Lord is usually more subtle.

Behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls" (Alma 37:6-7).

When we feel like lashing out against our oppressors, or that our faithful prayers are not being answered, we will often find that our faithful actions are being prospered by degrees. Maybe our clothes or our car or our employment is lasting longer or providing better than they otherwise should. Sometimes we will feel peace or patience or joy when others are panicked and distraught. Maybe we're learning foundational principles or building our relationship with God in ways that will enrich the rest of our lives.

However the Lord chooses to bless us, we can find confidence in his unbreakable promises:

The Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith. Nevertheless-- whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day (Mosiah 23:21-22).

"But behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me-- but he will show that he hath not. For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. They children shall make haste against thy destroyers; and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee" (1 Nephi 21:14-17).

Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day (Alma 37:37).

Nourished This Long Time

The allegory of the tame and wild olive trees in Jacob 5 has taught me many lessons. One of those has to do with our circumstances.

In the allegory, the master of the vineyard has a prized olive tree that begins to be old and decay. In order to preserve the tree, he and his servants nourish and prune it. They graft on branches from other trees and take branches that are grafted in various places around the vineyard. Eventually, the branches that were taken away are returned and the tree is able to produce good fruit.

At one point in the allegory, the servant asks his master why he took one of the natural branches of the tree to a particular spot in the vineyard. The Master's response is instructive to us all.

And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: How comest thou hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the tree? For behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy vineyard. And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Counsel me not; I knew that it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished it this long time, and thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit (Jacob 5:21-22, emphasis added).

Sometimes we feel like we have been planted in a poor spot of ground. Our circumstances may feel overwhelming or seem impossible to overcome. The Lord is aware of each of us and our circumstances. Through this parable, the Lord teaches us that he diligently nourishes especially those who are in a bad spot. His goal is often to strengthen us in those circumstances rather than removing us from them.

Prior to sharing this allegory, the prophet Jacob taught that "the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power" (Jacob 4:7). The Lord is there to support us at every age and to turn our trauma and struggles and difficult circumstances to our advantage and great benefit.

This message is repeated often in the scriptures. The sons of Mosiah didn't have much experience being the good guys when they left home to teach a people that were as likely to kill them as to listen to them. To the contrary, the sons of Mosiah had rebelled against God and sought to destroy the church for many years before their conversion. With their change of heart also came a desire to share their faith with those who did not believe.

As recent converts headed to the mission field, the sons of Mosiah "had many afflictions" and "did suffer much, both in body and in mind, such as hunger, thirst and fatigue, and also much labor in the spirit" (Alma 17:5). It would have been easy in those moments to feel like they did not measure up spiritually, like maybe they should turn around and go back to their life as princes among their people, or that perhaps they could not really be successful.

And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth...

And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted. And they were comforted. And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls (Alma 17:9-11).

There were a lot more hard days after that. They were persecuted and cast in prison. On more than one occasion, the Lamanites did try to kill them. Yet, at the end of a fourteen-year mission in a hostile foreign nation, Ammon rejoiced.

My brothers and my brethren, behold I say unto you, how great reason have we to rejoice; for could we have supposed when we started from the land of Zarahemla that God would have granted unto us such great blessings?... And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work. Behold, thousands of them do rejoice, and have been brought into the fold of God (Alma 26:1, 3-4).

He continued:

I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God. Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever (Alma 26:11-12).

Not many years later, the prophet-general Helaman found his army in a precarious situation. His armies were outnumbered by a well-supplied force that attacked them daily. Unable to fight or retreat, Helaman's army held their position until they had nearly starved to death. When reinforcements finally came, they were only a small fraction of what would be needed to be victorious and the provisions they brought were insufficient for the number of men in the camp. Helaman's army was embarrassed, grieving and afraid.

Therefore we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, yea, and also give us strength that we might retain our cities, and our lands, and our possessions, for the support of our people. 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 that we should hope for our deliverance in him (Alma 58:10-11).

Their prayers eventually led to a strategic retreat, a surprise attack and an unlikely victory without the loss of a single soldier. Helaman wrote afterward that their supplies and reinforcements were still inadequate, "but, behold, it mattereth not-- we trust God will deliver us, notwithstanding the weakness of our armies, yea, and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies" (Alma 58:37).

In each case, circumstance stacked the odds against the faithful. The novice sons of Mosiah were not the experienced clergy one might expect could convert the hardened Lamanites; nor were the armies of Helaman sufficient to defeat their enemies in battle. Success came not because their circumstances suddenly changed, but because the Lord nourished them this long time. He prepared them to have faith despite their trials and gave them strength through His grace to prevail in the critical moments.

Whatever our circumstances, the Lord is providing nourishment to strengthen us now and prepare us for what lies ahead. Sometimes that strength comes in ways we do not expect or enjoy. The Apostle Paul taught about one way the Lord taught him the humility and patience he needed for his life:

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh... For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

As I look back over the course of my life, I can see the multitude of methods the Lord has used to nourish me and help me grow in times of good and bad. I am grateful for the youth leaders who gave of their time to build my testimony and the embarrassing acne inversa that taught me compassion for others. I can see how struggling as an undergraduate student helped me learn how to do well as a graduate student; how a difficult home life as a youth has helped me be a better parent; how the Lord taught me leadership skills for the workplace through my church assignments; and how much I needed to wait for certain blessings.

Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our circumstances don't have to limit our outlook. Though we may feel like we have been planted in a poor spot of ground, we need not counsel the Lord. He has a plan for me and for you and his view of success is grander than our own. He will nourish us throughout our lives, if we will accept it. His grace is sufficient for those who turn to Him.

Three Lessons from the Rich Young Ruler

The Rich Young Ruler by Liz Lemon Swindle

The gospel of Matthew includes an account of a rich young ruler who approached the Savior for counsel. Their short conversation is of such value to all of us that it was recorded by Matthew and has been preserved over thousands of years. At least three lessons in this account are of particular emphasis.

First, the young man was seeking what he desired. Matthew records, "And, behold, one came and said unto [Christ], Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" Sincere desire is a first step in following Christ. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness," the Savior promised, "for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6). Do we seek after the blessings we want from God as actively and as often as we seek for a sandwich or a cup of water? This is the first lesson.

The Savior responded to the young man's inquiry:

And he said unto him... if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honor thy father and they mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Many of us would be content with this answer. The young man, evaluating himself, pressed for more, "All these things have I kept from my youth up," he continued, "What lack I yet?"

How often do we forfeit blessings because we stop asking for them? Are we satisfied with a surface-level answer or do we dig for how we can be better? And are we willing to sacrifice to make up for what we lack? This is the second lesson.

Again, the Lord, who knows all of our hearts, responded to the young man's inquiry:

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect,go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:16-23).

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven," the Savior taught on another occasion, "but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). The apostle James, a half-brother of Jesus', added, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:26).

We must ask a question to receive an answer. We have to actively seek for blessings to find them. If we desire to enter into heaven, we must learn how to knock on the door and enter in by the way (see Matthew 7:7).

The need for faith and works to obtain the blessings we desire is frequently demonstrated in scripture.  When his steel bow broke, leaving his family without a way to find food, Nephi prayed for the Lord's help and then started crafting a wooden bow. When he had done all he could, the Lord showed him where to find game in the desert (see 1 Nephi 16).

Moses was commanded to free his people and wanted to obey. Facing the pharaoh was a perilous task, but he had trust in God and acted on the direction he received. His faith and works contributed to parting the Red Sea and other mighty miracles.

For those seeking blessings of health, the Lord instructs, "And whosoever among you are sick, and... believe, shall be nourished with all tenderness, with herbs and mild food... And the elders of the church, two or more, shall be called, and shall pray for and lay their hands upon them in my name" (D&C 42:43). Blessings of healing include asking God and pursuing medical treatment.

Knowledge and learning requires faith and works. "Seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom," the Lord commands, "yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith" (D&C 88:118). When we do all we can, the Lord will multiply our efforts. This is the lesson the rich young ruler missed.

With the advantage of hindsight, we can learn from the Savior's encounter with the rich young ruler. We can remember that we find the things we seek most diligently, so we should seek the kingdom of God like a starving person seeks a meal; We can learn to ask probing questions of ourselves and the Lord in order to find where we can improve and better qualify ourselves for salvation; And we can learn to follow through on the knowledge we receive from God by doing all we can to receive the blessings we desire.

Withdrawing to the Wilderness

Sometimes after a busy day there's nothing better than sitting on the couch watching your favorite television show. Taking a few minutes to relax can take our minds off of the things that are causing our stress and rejuvenate our strength so we can finish out the day. But then sometimes we finish a television show with the same lingering feeling we might have when we just got home from vacation and realize we really need a vacation. So, of course, we watch another unsatisfying episode and another until we're so exhausted we can't help but fall asleep.

The average American watches about five hours of television per day. If we count the media we consume on tablets and phones, that number spikes to 10 hours and 39 minutes of screen time each and every day (The Total Audience Report: Q1 2016, Nielsen Media, 2016). We might have different reasons for being so plugged in, but most of us would agree that at least one primary reason is to "recharge our batteries," so to speak.

Yet, if any of us had a cell phone or tablet that needed a ten-and-a-half hour charge-- plus seven hours in sleep mode-- to function the other six hours of the day, we would likely think it was time for a new device. Most of our ancestors farmed the land from dawn until dusk, a job that required roughly 10-14 hours of hard labor per day. So what's wrong with us that we can barely put together six and a half nonconsecutive hours of work before we need to "recharge our batteries" for the rest of the day?

Perhaps the problem for at least some of us is that we're plugging our batteries into the wrong outlet. Each of us is a spirit child of our Heavenly Father. We chose to come to this earth to obtain physical bodies and become more like Him. Our bodies can become tired and fatigued, but so can our spirits. Responding to physical and spiritual fatigue with the same treatment of television and vacations is like grabbing a sandwich every time you get thirsty-- it might quell your hunger but you'll still be thirsty (and you're probably gaining some weight, too).

Most of us know what to do when our bodies our tired, but we're less sure how to plug in the ol' spiritual batteries. We can learn how to rejuvenate our spirits by carefully observing the example of our Savior, Jesus Christ, during his ministry.

Time isn't very carefully delineated in the New Testament, but it's clear that Christ had some very busy days. In Luke chapter five, for example, Christ recruited Peter, James and John; traveled several miles on foot to a certain city where he healed a man with leprosy; taught and possibly healed some Pharisees; healed a paralyzed man who had been lowered through the roof and forgave him of his sins; explained why he spent his time with sinners; called Matthew the publican to follow him; answered some questions about fasting and authored a new parable about putting new wine in new bottles. Whether all of this happened in a single day or over a few days, the text makes it clear that Christ was almost constantly thronged with people as he went about teaching, healing and ministering to them.

It must have been exhausting for the Savior to keep up this routine day after day after day. He was still mortal, after all, and subject to the same fatigue and burnout that we all experience when we work long hours. If he could feel the virtue leaving him as he healed the woman that touched his garment, how did he avoid feeling like he had an empty tank with nothing more to give?

We get a clue about halfway through the chapter. As Christ was teaching a crowd that included a number of Scribes and Pharisees, Luke reports, almost in passing, that "the power of the Lord was present to heal them" (v. 17). Taken alone, this statement may seem ordinary or even a little obvious. Luke could have made this statement at pretty much any time, but he only said it here. His statement builds upon the prior verse where Christ, "withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed" (v. 16).

There is a similar pattern throughout the scriptures and the ministry of Christ. Moses had to withdraw himself from the Israelites to talk with the Lord and receive the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Elijah was told to withdraw himself onto a mountain where he experienced the Lord's power and heard His voice. The spirit led Christ into the wilderness to be with God and prepare for his ministry (JST Matthew 4:1); he emerged triumphant over the devil and his temptations. The word of God came to John the Baptist in the wilderness and Christ went to John the Baptist to be baptized (Luke 3:2, 21). Christ went to a mountain in the wilderness to pray and then walked across the water to his disciples' boat. Peter, James and John climbed a mountain in the wilderness before witnessing Christ's transfiguration and receiving priesthood keys from Moses and Elias (Matthew 17). There are many more examples like these.

In every instance throughout scripture, the person goes into the wilderness with a stressor that is, to stay with our analogy, draining their batteries. It may be a particular question or a more general spiritual fatigue. In the wilderness they talk with God and have a spiritual experience that shows them God's power and teaches them more about His plan for us. The pattern concludes with emergence from the wilderness with a resolution to their stressor and an increased spiritual capacity that enables them to do great things they would not have otherwise been able to do.

Each of us can experience spiritual rejuvenation as we live the pattern found in scripture. We withdraw into the metaphorical wilderness when we separate ourselves from the world to seek after the things of God. This might be a few quiet moments in the scriptures or on our knees in prayer. It could be attending the temple and feeling the spirit of the Lord in His holy house. Certainly it includes when we seek to enter divine covenants such as baptism or marriage.

As we seek to know God, He will teach us through his spirit. We will learn the things that we should do and be endowed with the power to do all that He has commanded. It isn't uncommon to find that, bit by bit and grace for grace, the Lord has not only recharged our spiritual batteries but upgraded their capacity as well.

Then, just as an hour on the couch can give us a second wind, we will emerge from our experience with the spiritual strength to address the challenges and stressors we all have in our lives. We will have the knowledge and strength to do great things that we hadn't previously imagined we could.

Withdrawing from the world to recharge our spiritual batteries admittedly takes a little more effort than sitting on the couch to recharge physically, but if we will plug in to the right source we can find the strength and satisfaction we seek. No binge watching necessary.

Abiding in the True Vine

Over one-third of America's vegetables and two-thirds of the fruit and nuts are grown in California's San Joaquin Valley. Although the Valley is home to more than 90 percent of the celery, garlic, walnuts, artichoke and kiwi you'll encounter, the signature crop is the grapes that make those dancing California raisins.

Thousands of pounds of those raisins are produced at a Church-owned vineyard in the heart of San Joaquin. The mile-long rows of the vineyard stretch as far as the eye can see and each of the local congregations are responsible for harvesting a row or two of grapes, drying them into raisins and preparing them for packaging. The raisins grown here support the Church's welfare system and humanitarian efforts around the world.

My family is among those that volunteer. As my wife or I cut a bunch of grapes from the branches of the vine, our kids lay them out to dry on large sheets of paper. It doesn't take long to notice that some branches have lots of grapes, others have fruit that has not yet fully grown, and sometimes there are places where the branches have fallen or been cut from the vine and there are no grapes at all.

The image of a grapevine with its branches and fruit is the basis for one of the Savior's parables in which he taught that the world is like a large vineyard. "I am the true vine," he taught, "and my Father is the husbandman" (John 15:1). Each of us are like a branch of the vine. The fruit is a symbol of our righteous actions.

A vine brings life and nourishment to the branches. Had we been in the upper room in Jerusalem where Christ and his disciples ate the Passover together for the last time, we would have heard him testify that he is the Way, the Truth and the Life of the world. He is the Way because he provided a perfect example and it is only through him and his Atonement that we can return to live with God. He is the Truth because he is the source of all truth and lived all truth perfectly. He is the Life because he created all life in the heavens and the earth, he is "the light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things" (D&C 88:13), and he makes it possible to overcome physical and spiritual death and return to life through repentance and our eventual resurrection.

As branches in the vineyard, it is imperative to realize that the fruits we bear are not our own. If we cut a branch from a vine and plant it elsewhere in the vineyard, it will certainly wither and die. That is because the branches rely completely on the life and nourishment delivered through the vine to produce fruit for the harvest. Branches that have been partially severed or are too limited in their capacity fail to produce good fruit because they are not able to deliver enough nutrients in time for the harvest.

Accordingly, the Savior taught, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:4-5).

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught that the word "abide" used in these verses means to remain firmly and permanently attached to Jesus Christ and His Church ("Abide in Me," Ensign, May 2004, 32). When we abide in the true vine, we live abundantly because the light and life he provides flows through us and we become the instruments and bearers of his marvelous works.

The Bible Dictionary explains, "It is ... through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts."

Jesus Christ is the true vine. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life of the world. It is his light that sustains all that grows in the San Joaquin Valley and throughout the world. He was planted by the husbandman, our Heavenly Father, who cares for us and wants us to bear good fruit in abundance. He delivers life and nourishment to each of us so that we may have every possible opportunity to fulfill the measure of our creation.

In the end, the abundance of our lives hinges on whether we will choose to abide in him. He cannot give us the light and truth we need to prosper if we're only partially committed or are unwilling to grow our capacity to act on what we receive. On the other hand, if we will firmly attach ourselves to him through our faith and repentance, there is nothing we cannot do. Through the strength of the true vine and our own best efforts, we can lay hold on every good thing and prepare ourselves now for the harvest and exaltation in the Lord's vineyard.

Sequoiadendron Giganteum

High in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California is an organism unlike any other in the world. At well over 200 feet tall and sometimes more than 35 feet wide, the Sequoiadendron Giganteum, better known as Giant Sequoia trees, are the largest living things on earth.

They're also one of the oldest. Some of the Giant Sequoias standing today have held their ground for more than 3,500 years. They have tasted of the same winds that filled the sails of fishing boats during China's first dynasty. Perhaps they heard when Babylon fell, the singing of the Israelites being led out of Egypt, or the clanging of swords and shields as the Jaredites battled to their own extinction. Only the Bristlecone Pines of the Great Basin and Chile's Alerce trees have lived longer.

Over last three millennia, while Sequoias have stood tall, literally hundreds of forests have been eliminated due to fires, insects, droughts and other natural phenomenon. Others have been cut down to build homes, weapons, canoes and books. Some forests have regrown; some have struggled because of poor soil quality, harsh environmental conditions, or the prevalence of nut-eating animals that devoured their potential before it ever had a chance to take root. Surely Sequoias are among the luckiest species on earth to have avoided all of that.

Except, of course, that Sequoias haven't avoided those things at all. Sequoia trees grow at high elevations where life-sustaining air and water are both in short supply. Their trunks are so large and so soft (you can punch them without hurting your hand) that it is physically impossible for the trees to push sufficient water from the roots to the branches basking in the sun high above the ground. As they grow, Sequoias provide shade for other plants that soon begin to crowd the trees and suffocate their roots. Worst of all are the disasters.

In the mountains of central California, it is not uncommon for naturally occurring fires to burn hundreds of thousands of acres on an annual basis. Drought conditions can persist for several years and every twenty years or so there will be a winter with no snow at all. When most trees don't have enough moisture to produce sap, the insects invade and wipe them out. All of these and more-- like the earthquakes for which California has become infamous-- happen regularly in and around the groves of Sequoia trees. Really, Sequoias are set up for miserable failure. So how are they still here? How have they endured when nothing else has?

One meaningful way we can answer those questions is by looking for true principles in a similar situation set in a different environment. This will help us discern eternal truths from circumstantial evidence.

After the Saints were driven from Jackson County, Missouri, in 1833, the Lord commanded the Prophet Joseph Smith to lead a group of men from Ohio to help their fellow church members. Roughly 200 men were gathered for what many at that time thought would be a military mission to reclaim property and push back against the mobs that were persecuting the Saints. The group, originally known as the Camp of Israel but better known today as Zion's Camp, was entirely self-funded with some members consecrating as much as $170 (valued at more than $5,000 today), at a time when most Americans made less than a dollar a day. It would also prove to be an extremely difficult and soul-searching experience for its participants, who would walk as much as 40 miles each day through dehydration, hunger, sickness, humidity and heat.

Ultimately, the Lord would disband Zion's Camp before it had fought a single battle. Some of the men were angry at this outcome and apostatized from the church. Others were disappointed or supposed the camp to have been a miserable failure. Joseph Smith, who had contracted cholera and suffered a great deal himself while marching from Ohio to Missouri, would later explain to the Saints, "God did not want you to fight. He could not organize his kingdom with twelve men to open the gospel door to the nations of the earth, and with seventy men under their direction to follow in their tracks, unless he took them from a body of men who had offered their lives, and who had made as great a sacrifice as did Abraham" (History of the Church, 2:182n). Through incredible opposition, the Lord unlocked even greater potential.

The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Quorum of Seventy were founded in February 1835. Nine of the original Twelve and all members of the Seventy had marched with Zion's Camp. These men would go on to baptize thousands. They would organize the wagon trains across the plains and establish communities throughout the mountain west. In short order, and with faith in the Lord's blessings, they would make the desert blossom as a rose and build both the temporal assets and spiritual legacy that are a great strength to the Church even today.

The prophet Lehi taught that "it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, ... righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad" (2 Nephi 2:11; see also verse 15). This was true even in our pre-mortal existence, when Lucifer sought to destroy the Father's plan and capture His glory. Cast out of heaven, Lucifer and his followers roam the earth tempting and seeking to deceive those who were loyal to God. Yet, as Elder Oaks has pointed out, "that the evil one, who opposed and sought to destroy the Father's plan, actually facilitated it, because it is the opposition that enables choice... that leads to the growth that is the purpose of the Father's plan" (Opposition in All Things, April 2016).

Sequoia trees are no different: their adversity is their strength. Their height protects their cones from many of that animals that would use their cones for food and ensures the trees get the sunlight they need. Their soft trunks, useless to mankind for wood, store moisture and are naturally fire-resistant. Though insects may penetrate their bark, Sequoias are not dependent on their trunks to push water to the rest of the tree. The grace of an occasional fog provides moisture to the branches, preventing the trees from dying, and allows the tree to grow back where insects may have burrowed.

Then, every so often, the stress of drought and crowding underbrush reaches fever pitch and a bolt of lightning sets the forest on fire. What would be the end of most trees is a glorious beginning for the deep-rooted Sequoias as the fire's heat begins to expand the otherwise tightly sealed Sequoia cones. As the cones are opened, each tree releases up to 400,000 winged seeds onto the freshly fertilized ground below. Because the trees are so tall, seeds can float hundreds of feet away to find an open patch of ground. Through incredible opposition, even greater potential is unlocked.

As seeds turn into seedlings and seedlings turn into trees, Sequoias create an additional barrier around their groves. Where there are Sequoia trees, it will be difficult for other trees to grow; and where few other trees grow, fatal forest fires are reduced to brush fires that cause temporary pain and scarring but also fertilize the ground so the Giant Sequoias can grow stronger and establish a generation to last another three thousand years.

One thing that distinguishes us all from Sequoia trees is ability to choose. Sequoia trees are what they were created to be and they fulfill their role in God's plan. Each of us has been created as child of God with a divine and glorious potential. Our role is to learn to be like our Heavenly Father through faith in Christ and his Atonement, repentance, making and keeping covenants, relying on the Holy Ghost and enduring all things; but unlike Sequoia trees, we are allowed to choose whether the opposition inherent to this life will unlock our potential or weaken our ability to resist the dangerous fires of worldly philosophies and temptations. We can plant the seed of our testimony on fertile ground and become the faithful builders of an eternal Zion; or we can harden our hearts and become like the destructive apostates that are swept away when times get tough.

We get to choose what kind of a tree we will be in the forest of God's creations, but the choice we make will determine our destiny. If we will choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, using opposition to build the strength of our faith rather than deplete it, offering all we have and are as Abraham did, the Lord will send us his tender mercies as the fog to strengthen us now and expand our souls until they are more glorious than even the Giant Sequoias.

Sinners and Fools

Every Primary child knows the story of the Wise Man and the Foolish Man. The Savior taught:

Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it (Matthew 7:24-27).

Like the fool who built his house on a poor foundation, we have all made mistakes and errors in judgement. On a wilderness backpacking trip many years ago, my brother and dad and I set out to cross a particular mountain range over the course of about a week. After climbing a particular pass, we decided to leave the trail for what appeared to be a shorter path over a flat mountain summit. We thought our shortcut would give us more time to relax and go fishing.

Over the next couple of hours we crossed the rocky mountain tundra until we came to the top of a tall and seemingly impassable cliff face that stretched the entire length of the mountain. Below the cliff was a loose rock scramble to the base of the mountain. We did not have the equipment or expertise for either the cliff or the scramble, but we had also used the last of our water supply and were not anxious to walk back the way we had come.

It only took a few moments to decide to throw our backpacks off the cliff. We watched them bounce, roll and slide to a stop near the base. Then we began scaling the cliff face. It was slow going, but we made it to the scramble and slid down the loose rocks to recover our packs. Exhausted, but fortunately uninjured except for the 18-inch hole in my new pants, we recovered our packs and climbed over the last few boulders in the scramble to reach the meadow beyond. Now several hours behind schedule, we walked only a few paces to find the nicely groomed trail we had left hours earlier.

Our errant judgement had made our hike more difficult and cost us in time and the money I now needed for new pants. Ultimately, it also meant that we would not make it to our planned destination in the time we had. But though our mistakes were regrettable, they were not sinful nor were they without educational benefit.

The apostle John taught that "whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4). Elder Dallin H. Oaks has taught that sins result from willful disobedience of the laws we have received by explicit teaching of the scriptures, prophets, parents, teachers or the Spirit of Christ, our conscience, that teaches every man the general principles of right and wrong and provides a defense from situations that are spiritually harmful ("Sins and Mistakes", BYU Speeches, August 1994). We can transgress the laws of God by doing things we've been commanded not to do, such as lying or stealing, and by doing not doing things we have been commanded to do, such as keeping the Sabbath Day holy and sharing the gospel. Sins are, in essence, rebellion against God; certainly our blunder did not amount to rebellion.

The mistakes and folly common to us all, like the foolish man's construction on sandy ground, result from ignorance of the laws of God, the workings of the universe or the people God has created. Our mistakes may be choices to do something good rather than something better or best. Though our navigational error was regrettable, it was, like all mistakes, also educational. I learned the value of staying on the trail, having a plan for water and making decisions based on the best way forward rather than where I've been. If we learn from our mistakes, we diminish our ignorance and will make better decisions in the future.

It is important to distinguish between sins and mistakes in our own behavior, and the behavior of those for whom we have stewardship, because the Lord has commissioned different responses for each. The Lord taught the early leaders of the church that "any member of the church of Christ transgressing, or being overtaken in a fault, shall be dealt with as the scriptures direct" (D&C 20:80). Having separated transgression and fault as separate types of offenses, he later explained the difference between error and sin and gives instruction for the correction of each: "Inasmuch as they erred it might be made known, ... And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent" (D&C 1:25, 27).

For mistakes, the remedy is to correct the mistake, not to condemn the actor. The foolish man did not need to be humbled or penalized but rather to be taught how to find good ground for his house. When we make errors, we ought not to rant at ourselves for our stupidity but rather correct our mistake and move forward. Likewise, often those who are led astray from the Church or with whom we have political or other arguments are in error rather than transgression and merit correction, not chastisement or denouncement as sinners.

Of course, children of any age cannot sin until they have learned what is right. If they have not been taught, the scriptures say their sins are upon the heads of their parents (D&C 68:25). But it should be no surprise that most of our children's errant actions are borne of ignorance, not rebellion, meriting our teaching and correction rather than our condemnation and punishments.

An illustration of this principle may be found in a short story to which we can all relate. One night shortly after his daughter had begun dating, Brother Keith Merrill found himself anxiously waiting for her to come home. He had given her a strict curfew and had been suffering for twenty minutes because she was late.

"When she came in," he later said, "I immediately read her the riot act. I forgot my policies. I forgot all my positive thinking. I forgot all the great things that I knew I should do. I just simply said, 'You promised to be home at 12:00. You were not home at 12:00. I worry about you. We made a call. You weren't where you said you would be. You said you would call.' And I went right down the list---bing, bing, bing, bing, negative, negative, negative."

After some time, Brother Merrill's daughter responded. "'Stop!' she said... 'We haven't been drinking, we haven't been smoking, we haven't been immoral or unchaste. We didn't go to any R-rated movie. We haven't been to a party where there were drugs. We weren't out shooting speed or doing anything else. We haven't been making out, we haven't been doing anything bad, Dad. I'm 15 minutes late for curfew, so let's keep this in perspective'" (“Building Your Child’s Self-Esteem,” Families Are Forever, television series on VISN cable network, 1989).

Brother Merrill was able to find the humor in his own overreaction, and no doubt joy in his daughter's goodness, and spent the next several minutes laughing on the floor. It doesn't always end as well. One way we can improve our response in such situations, as the young Sister Merrill pointed out, is to keep things in perspective by correctly categorizing the offense and responding appropriately.

None of this is to say that mistakes are always okay. Some mistakes may lead to sins or become sins at an extreme level. We may disagree vehemently with a friend or family member, but contention is always a transgression. A big mistake, like stepping in front of a bus, may have more severe impacts than a small sin or may prevent us from reaching our desired eternal destination. Other times, the same act may be a mistake or a sin depending on the intention of the actor. The idea that ignorance is bliss is false because while ignorance may cause error rather than sin, intentional ignorance is in itself a sin. It is necessary for us to all make mistakes so we can learn and grow; we do not all need to sin.

In any case, our responses to ourselves and to those around us should be full of love. Our focus should be on those we serve and mercy should go hand in hand with reproof.

Elder Bruce C. Hafen has taught:

Mercy and repentance are rehabilitative, not retributive. The Savior asks us to repent not just to repay him for paying our debt to justice but also to induce us to undergo the personal development that will purify our very nature... When the Atonement and our repentance satisfy the laws of justice and mercy, we are, in effect, free from sin. But just as the sinless Christ was 'made perfect' through interaction with his Father's grace, so his atoning grace can move us beyond the remission of sins to the perfection of a divine nature. Those who inherit the celestial kingdom are 'just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood' (D&C 76:69, emphasis added)("Beauty for Ashes: The Atonement of Jesus Christ", Ensign, April 1997).

Though the Lord chastises us for our sins, everything is done in the interest of our progression and happiness. Rather than sitting comfortably on the thrones of power to look down and command those weaker than him, he descended below us all and suffered for us in Gethsemane and on the cross at Golgotha, so that he would have grace to give when we fall short. Certainly he has grace to give those who may be falling short around us; it is our honor and responsibility to accept that love and grace for ourselves and reflect it to our children and others around us even when sinful behavior requires us to chastise and call them to repentance.

The scriptures carefully distinguish between sinners and fools. Each of us has certainly been both of these from time to time. We can learn from and correct our mistakes. We should not willfully rebel against God and must be chastised and repent when we do. Understanding the difference between sins and mistakes helps us to better feel the love of our Father in Heaven and the Savior who suffered on our behalf, to respond and be better as parents and stewards, and to teach Christ-like responses to a world increasingly leaving the trail to build their easy lives upon the sand.

Because I Have Been Given Much

Around 86 B.C. the prophet Alma resigned his elected post as the leader of his country and, as the prophet at the time, effectively called himself on a mission. He would serve 2-3 years in the cities of Zarahemla and Gideon before taking a brief pause and calling himself to serve five more years in Mulek and Ammonihah.

While in Gideon however, Alma speaks of a tender mercy he received from the Lord. Referring to his first area, Zarahemla, he exclaims, 'Blessed be the name of God, that he hath given me to know, yea, hath given unto me the exceedingly great joy of knowing that they [in Zarahemla] are established again in the way of his righteousness.'

Most of us can probably relate to how Alma must've felt at the time. Zarahemla was the nation's capital. It was the city where he had grown up as the son of the prophet, where he and the king's sons had caused trouble as youth, where he was converted by the power of God, and where he had lived and worked as the nation's leader. He must have known many of those he taught. Some may have been family or friends. He cared for the welfare of the people and the city. He had worked hard to help individuals and families make better, more faith-filled decisions, and now he had somehow learned that it was all paying off. The people of Zarahemla were choosing to live righteous, happy, prosperous lives. Just as any of us would thrill to see a wayward friend or relative returning to the gospel path, the progress of the people in Zarahemla brought Alma 'exceedingly great joy' .

Alma doesn't say how he knew that the people of Zarahemla were righteous again. He wasn't in the city at the time. Perhaps he ran into someone in Gideon or got a letter from home or simply felt the peace of the Holy Ghost teaching him it was so. What he does say is that the knowledge of Zarahemla's righteousness was given to him from God.

Several years ago I was privileged to hear an MTC devotional given by Elder Bednar. At the time I was a recently returned missionary reveling in the stories he shared from the field. Among other topics in his talk, Elder Bednar took a few moments to address why some missionaries had success almost in spite of themselves while others, even those who worked very hard, did not seem to enjoy the same success in finding, teaching and baptizing new members of the Church. This is a question every struggling missionary has wondered about. Certainly I did.

Elder Bednar answered by turning to Alma 26:22. It reads:

Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing--unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance...

Elder Bednar then shared what I have learned to be a wonderful truth with the 2600 missionaries gathered at that devotional. The point of the verse, he said, was not that there is some magic formula for convert baptisms. We may qualify for blessings but there is not a point where we either earn them or deserve them. At the end of the day, success in the mission field is given. Missionary success is a gift from God that, like all gifts, comes at the timing and discretion of the Giver.

There are more than 280 references in the standard works of things that are 'given' from the Lord to his children on earth. These include: dominion, kingdoms, flocks, herds, children, manna, priesthood, Christ, wisdom, signs, responsibility, stewardship, lands, inheritances, freedom, rest, laws, spouses, companions, kings, cities, rain, hearts to perceive, eyes to see, ears to hear, answers to prayers, the shield of salvation, deliverance, frost, banners, travails, the tongue of the learned, cleanness of teeth, understanding, counsel, commandments, life, witnesses, a Sabbath, rewards, gifts, horsepower, heritage, meat, food, the reward of our hands, knowledge, might, blessings, revelation, promises, the name of Christ, Church organization and government, what to say or write, ability, mysteries, spiritual gifts, life missions, power to command water, direction, scripture, visions, callings, living water, thanks or blessings, names, the Holy Ghost, grace, hair, assurances, the words of Christ, authority, a thorn in our flesh, added days, faith, suffering, everlasting consolation, good hope, judgement, inspiration, love, doctrine, records, and a sound mind. The list grows if we consider things that he 'gives' or 'gave' or things we 'receive', 'are blessed with' or 'get'.

Looking through the list I realized that I was the too often ungrateful recipient of most of the gifts referenced in scripture. I enjoy the Sabbath, a full head of hair, freedom, a calling, an abundance of food to eat and the grace of God in more ways than I comprehend or know. As I see other blessings I enjoy and consider still more not listed explicitly in scripture, I begin to feel the joy that Alma felt for his friends in Zarahemla.

It is wonderful that we can feel the joy of gratitude, particularly through the holiday season. We must also remember that to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48, D&C 82:3). Moses taught the Israelites that 'every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee' (Deuteronomy 16:17).

Our feelings of gratitude are best expressed through our actions. To say we are grateful is nice; to show we are grateful by serving and giving to others is sanctifying. The Lord admonished us:

And again, verily I say unto you, I would that ye should always remember, and always retain in your minds what those gifts are, that are given unto the church. For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God. To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby (D&C 46:10-12).

Everything the Lord has given us is designed to bless our lives and the lives of those around us. Though we may strive to live worthy and do much good of our own free will, we simply cannot do enough to earn or deserve the many gifts the Lord gives us each day. The air we breathe, our spouses and children, the senses through which we experience life and the continuation of life itself are some of these most precious gifts.

There is no magic formula to receiving many of these gifts, but the Lord has told us how we can express our gratitude. The poet said it best:

Because I have been given much, I too must give;

Because of thy great bounty, Lord, each day I live

I shall divide my gifts from thee

With ev'ry brother that I see

Who has the need of help from me.

Because I have been sheltered, fed by thy good care,

I cannot see another's lack and I not share

My glowing fire, my loaf of bread,

My roof's safe shelter overhead,

That he too may be comforted.

Because I have been blessed by thy great love, dear Lord,

I'll share thy love again, according to thy word.

I shall give love to those in need;

I'll show that love by word and deed:

Thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed.

Grace and Piano Lessons

A lesson on grace from a 2011 BYU Devotional by Brad Wilcox. :

Christ’s arrangement with us is similar to a mom providing music lessons for her child. Mom pays the piano teacher... Because Mom pays the debt in full, she can turn to her child and ask for something. What is it? Practice! Does the child’s practice pay the piano teacher? No. Does the child’s practice repay Mom for paying the piano teacher? No. Practicing is how the child shows appreciation for Mom’s incredible gift. It is how he takes advantage of the amazing opportunity Mom is giving him to live his life at a higher level. Mom’s joy is found not in getting repaid but in seeing her gift used—seeing her child improve. And so she continues to call for practice, practice, practice.

If the child sees Mom’s requirement of practice as being too overbearing (“Gosh, Mom, why do I need to practice? None of the other kids have to practice! I’m just going to be a professional baseball player anyway!”), perhaps it is because he doesn’t yet see with mom’s eyes. He doesn’t see how much better his life could be if he would choose to live on a higher plane.

In the same way, because Jesus has paid justice, He can now turn to us and say, “Follow me” (Matthew 4:19), “Keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If we see His requirements as being way too much to ask (“Gosh! None of the other Christians have to pay tithing! None of the other Christians have to go on missions, serve in callings, and do temple work!”), maybe it is because we do not yet see through Christ’s eyes. We have not yet comprehended what He is trying to make of us.

Elder Bruce C. Hafen has written, “The great Mediator asks for our repentance not because we must ‘repay’ him in exchange for his paying our debt to justice, but because repentance initiates a developmental process that, with the Savior’s help, leads us along the path to a saintly character” (The Broken Heart [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1989], 149; emphasis in original).

Elder Dallin H. Oaks has said, referring to President Spencer W. Kimball’s explanation, “The repenting sinner must suffer for his sins, but this suffering has a different purpose than punishment or payment. Its purpose is change” (The Lord’s Way [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1991], 223; emphasis in original). Let’s put that in terms of our analogy: The child must practice the piano, but this practice has a different purpose than punishment or payment. Its purpose is change.

I have born-again Christian friends who say to me, “You Mormons are trying to earn your way to heaven."
I say, “No, we are not earning heaven. We are learning heaven. We are preparing for it (see D&C 78:7). We are practicing for it.”

They ask me, “Have you been saved by grace?”

I answer, “Yes. Absolutely, totally, completely, thankfully—yes!”

Then I ask them a question that perhaps they have not fully considered: “Have you been changed by grace?” 

They are so excited about being saved that maybe they are not thinking enough about what comes next. They are so happy the debt is paid that they may not have considered why the debt existed in the first place. Latter-day Saints know not only what Jesus has saved us from but also what He has saved us for. As my friend Brett Sanders puts it, “A life impacted by grace eventually begins to look like Christ’s life.” As my friend Omar Canals puts it, “While many Christians view Christ’s suffering as only a huge favor He did for us, Latter-day Saints also recognize it as a huge investment He made in us.” As Moroni puts it, grace isn’t just about being saved. It is also about becoming like the Savior (see Moroni 7:48).

The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can live after we die but that we can live more abundantly (see John 10:10). The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can be cleansed and consoled but that we can be transformed (see Romans 8). Scriptures make it clear that no unclean thing can dwell with God (see Alma 40:26), but, brothers and sisters, no unchanged thing will even want to.

I know a young man who just got out of prison—again. Each time two roads diverge in a yellow wood, he takes the wrong one—every time. When he was a teenager dealing with every bad habit a teenage boy can have, I said to his father, “We need to get him to EFY.” I have worked with that program since 1985. I know the good it can do.

His dad said, “I can’t afford that.”

I said, “I can’t afford it either, but you put some in, and I’ll put some in, and then we’ll go to my mom, because she is a real softy.”

We finally got the kid to EFY, but how long do you think he lasted? Not even a day. By the end of the first day he called his mother and said, “Get me out of here!” Heaven will not be heaven for those who have not chosen to be heavenly.

In the past I had a picture in my mind of what the final judgment would be like, and it went something like this: Jesus standing there with a clipboard and Brad standing on the other side of the room nervously looking at Jesus.

Jesus checks His clipboard and says, “Oh, shoot, Brad. You missed it by two points.”

Brad begs Jesus, “Please, check the essay question one more time! There have to be two points you can squeeze out of that essay.” That’s how I always saw it.

But the older I get, and the more I understand this wonderful plan of redemption, the more I realize that in the final judgment it will not be the unrepentant sinner begging Jesus, “Let me stay.” No, he will probably be saying, “Get me out of here!” Knowing Christ’s character, I believe that if anyone is going to be begging on that occasion, it would probably be Jesus begging the unrepentant sinner, “Please, choose to stay. Please, use my Atonement—not just to be cleansed but to be changed so that you want to stay.”

The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can go home but that—miraculously—we can feel at home there. If Christ did not require faith and repentance, then there would be no desire to change. Think of your friends and family members who have chosen to live without faith and without repentance. They don’t want to change. They are not trying to abandon sin and become comfortable with God. Rather, they are trying to abandon God and become comfortable with sin. If Jesus did not require covenants and bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost, then there would be no way to change. We would be left forever with only willpower, with no access to His power. If Jesus did not require endurance to the end, then there would be no internalization of those changes over time. They would forever be surface and cosmetic rather than sinking inside us and becoming part of us—part of who we are. Put simply, if Jesus didn’t require practice, then we would never become pianists.

(Click here for the rest of the talk.)

Nephi's Purpose

The different writers in the Book of Mormon offer many different reasons for contributing to the ancient record. Its editor-in-chief, Mormon, wrote that the Book of Mormon was written as a second witness to the Bible (Mormon 7:8-10). The title page includes many reasons, including reminding men of the great things God has done and "to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ".

Nephi, the first author in the Book of Mormon, explains one of his purposes in writing in the very first chapter of the book. After relating how his father was called, served and rejected as a prophet-- along with numerous others called of God in Jerusalem-- he states:

But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

There are many messages in this single sentence. One is the message of a merciful god. Another might be that we are chosen and extended mercy based upon our faithfulness. Still another may be that we can become mighty if we have faith and the grace of God.

A message that stands out to me in this passage is the role of agency in our path to deliverance. Even with faith and the grace of God, Nephi aims to show us through his experiences that we are not automatically delivered but rather given the strength and power necessary to bring about deliverance. In other words, though God may give us strength, we must still choose how that strength is used. God will not force our salvation. Though God may give us insight, we must choose to use that insight to build our testimonies. Though God may extend tender mercies without number, it is our decision to take action and make our goals reality.

Nephi exemplifies this principle throughout his life. The Lord preserved his brothers from the hands of Laban, but Nephi had to choose to make another attempt to get the plates. The Lord guided Nephi through his encounters with Laban and with Zoram, but Nephi had to choose to obey the spirit. He gave Nephi power to expound the truth to his brothers, but Nephi had to choose to open his mouth even when it angered them. The Lord taught Nephi how to build a ship that could cross the ocean, but Nephi had to construct the tools, make the bellows and build the ship.

When times got tough, Nephi chose to remember the tender mercies he had received and gather strength from the memory of them. When his heart groaned inside, he responded resoundingly: "I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions...filled me with his love...confounded mine enemies...heard my cry...[and] given me knowledge... O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?" (2 Nephi 4:17-35).

Like Nephi, it is given to us to choose. Each of us may experience the tender mercies of the Lord in our lives. How do we respond? Do we remember the prompting to spend more time with the kids when the boss asks if we can work more overtime this week? When we cannot see what lies ahead do we trust that God will see us through? Are we willing to share the testimonies God has given us and remember the special experiences that helped it grow?

Whatever tender mercies the Lord has blessed us with, the full benefit of God's grace often relies upon our righteous use of agency. We must choose to use the many tools he has given us to allow our experiences to buoy up our spirits and those around us. If we will do so, we can become mighty, as Nephi was mighty, to not only the power of deliverance but also to the ultimate goal of deliverance itself. We can be free from sin and death and return to live with our Heavenly Father through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Reaching that destination requires working together with the Lord and a great deal of his grace, but it is possible if we will choose that path.

This is the message of agency and empowerment that inspired Nephi to make his record in the Book of Mormon. His efforts were guided by the Lord and his words are true. With prayerful study, I hope that Nephi's reason for writing may also become our reason for reading-- that through the guidance of the scriptures we may have the opportunity to act in faith and be numbered among the mighty.