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.

Constant Preparation for War

Around 74 B.C., an epic battle broke out between rival Native American nations. The battle became a war that lasted seventeen years and defined a generation on both sides of the conflict. Throughout the war, prophet-historians recorded many details that can help us in our fight against evil today.

The two nations were the progeny of four brothers who emigrated to the American continent more than five hundred years earlier: Laman, Lemuel, Nephi and Sam. When their father died, the two older brothers wanted dominion and absolute power over the entire family. The two younger brothers were unwilling to surrender their faith and eventually fled with their families for their own safety.

Five centuries later, the Lamanites still fought for power and dominion. They believed Nephi and Sam had stolen their right to govern and passed a tradition of hatred toward the Nephites from generation to generation. They sought now to use their armies to compel the Nephites into slavery. The Nephites, meanwhile, fought to defend their families and preserve their freedoms.

As the first battle commenced, the more numerous Lamanites attacked in large numbers. They were also slain in large numbers. The Nephites had an advantage: while the Lamanites wore only their loin cloths into battle, the Nephites had made breastplates, thick clothing and shields to deflect their enemies' blows.

The Nephites soon gained the advantage, and when they did their chief captain, named Moroni, called for a pause in the action. He offered to end the battle if the Lamanites would leave their weapons and depart with an oath of peace. The Lamanites fought a while longer before accepting the terms and returning to their own land.

Two years later, the Lamanites returned with the same body armor they had observed on the Nephite armies. Believing they would now overwhelm the Nephites, they approached a border city they had easily conquered in the past.

But behold, how great was their disappointment; for behold, the Nephites had dug up a ridge of earth round about them, which was so high that the Lamanites could not cast their stones and their arrows at them that they might take effect, neither could they come upon them save it was by their place of entrance...

And behold, [the] chief captains durst not attack the Nephites at the city of Ammonihah, for Moroni had altered the management of affairs among the Nephites, insomuch that the Lamanites were disappointed in their places of retreat and they could not come upon them (Alma 49:4, 11).

Determined to conquer the Nephites, the Lamanite captains swore an oath to attack the next city, which they found even more heavily fortified than Ammonihah. Yet, they had sworn an oath, so they attacked. As they did so, they discovered the Nephites were ready for them.

Thus [the Nephites] were prepared, yea, a body of their strongest men, with their swords and their slings, to smite down all who should attempt to come into their place of security by the place of entrance... And it came to pass that the captains of the Lamanites brought up their armies before the place of entrance, and began to contend with the Nephites, to get into their place of security; but behold, they were driven back from time to time, insomuch that they were slain with an immense slaughter.

Now when they found that they could not obtain power over the Nephites by the pass, they began to dig down their banks of earth that they might obtain a pass to their armies, that they might have an equal chance to fight; but behold, in these attempts they were swept off by the stones and arrows which were thrown at them; and instead of filling up their ditches by pulling down the banks of earth, they were filled up in a measure with their dead and wounded bodies.

Thus the Nephites had all power over their enemies; and thus the Lamanites did attempt to destroy the Nephites until their chief captains were all slain; yea, and more than a thousand Lamanites were slain; while, on the other hand, there was not a single soul of the Nephites which was slain (Alma 49:20-23).

Soon, Moroni had commanded that all the Nephite cities should have "heaps of earth round about"; and not just dirt mounds, but "timbers built up to the height of a man" along the ridges, a strong and high frame of pickets on top of the timbers and towers overlooking it all from which they could attack enemies approaching the city. "And now it came to pass that Moroni did not stop making preparations for war, or to defend his people against the Lamanites" (Moroni 50:1-6).

In a similar way, we are each engaged in the battle for our souls. Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has taught:

Brothers and sisters, we are at war with Satan for the souls of men. The battle lines were drawn in our pre-earth life. Satan and a third of our Father in Heaven's children turned away from His promises of exaltation. Since that time, the adversary's minions have been fighting the faithful who choose the Father's plan.

Satan knows his days are numbered and that time is growing shorter. As crafty and cunning as he is, he will not win. However, his battle for each one of our souls rages on (Ensign, May 2019).

We must not stop making preparations for this war, or to defend ourselves and our families against Satan and his minions. To prevail in this battle, each of us must put on the armor of God, as the Apostle Paul admonished the ancient Ephesians:

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feed shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints (Ephesians 6:11-18).

This armor is essential but no longer sufficient on its own. Just as the Lamanites replicated the Nephite armor, Satan is a master of imitation and deception. For every temple covenant, there are dark oaths and secret combinations. For every advancement in technology to speed the work of family history, there is a plague of spiritual disease and distraction using that same technology. For all the armor we can and must put on, there is an attempt by the minions of Satan to find the weak spots.

The prophets of our day have been inspired to alter the management of the affairs of the faithful to stay ahead of the enemy of our souls. They have, in particular, re-emphasized the need to focus on our families and gospel instruction in the home. "For our safety," Elder Renlund continued, "we must build a fortress of spirituality and protection for our very souls, a fortress that will not be penetrated by the evil one."

After handily defeating the Lamanites the first time, it would have been easy to feel safe. Some may have even resented Moroni's command to begin digging up mounds of earth around their cities. What for? They had won!

It can be just easy for us to become complacent about our spiritual preparation. It is not enough to enter into covenants, to attend church, or to be casual about the way we live the gospel. Satan is not concerned about collateral damage in his pursuit of power and dominion. We must join with Captain Moroni-- in memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children-- in the constant preparation for war.

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.

What is Our Heavenly Father Really Like?

Fourteen years ago, I sat on the second or third row of a chapel in Frankfurt, Germany, listening to prelude music and watching the rain roll down thick, cobbled windows. The whole mission was in the chapel anticipating the instruction we would receive from Elder L. Tom Perry, who had recently been assigned as the president of the European Central Area.

After the opening hymn and prayer, Elder Perry stood to address us. He did not use the microphone, but walked off the dais and stood in front of the sister missionaries in the first row. There was a short pause while he gathered himself, and then, with his typical booming voice, Elder Perry declared his testimony in two simple words: “God lives.”

I do not remember anything else he said that day, but this testimony seemed to pierce my soul to the very center. I remember the power I felt as he said it and I felt my physical frame trembling for several minutes afterward. I had been on my mission for over a year and could cite many instances before and during my service when I had felt the Holy Ghost testify of truth. I had also had many epiphanies as a high school and college student learning math, chemistry, physics, psychology and the arts. The feeling I had on that day surpassed all. I knew in that moment that God was real.

While I cannot pretend to give you the same experience here today, I can share my testimony that I know God lives. He organizes and governs all things in the universe. He knows all things, has all power, and is present in all places through His Spirit. He sees every sparrow that falls, knows every secret and wills the creation of stars, planets and solar systems. He lends each breath to all living things. All of time-- past, present, and future-- is laid before Him, yet he is not subject to our time or our timing. He is eternal, immutable and divine. We worship him as Elohim, a Hebrew name meaning the gods, but he prefers that we call him Father.

One of the great assignments of our lives is to come to know our Heavenly Father as he really is. During his great intercessory prayer on our behalf, the Savior lamented: “O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee… And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent” (John 17:25, 3).

Indeed, the world has not known Him. The Lakota tribes of North and South Dakota worshipped a “Great Spirit” they called Wankan Tanka, which means, “the Great Mystery”. Christian cultures are not any more clued in, often describing God with contradictions and portraying him in art and film as some variety of glowing orb, floating mist or unseen voice. Many people today are like those Paul found in Greece ignorantly worshipping at the altar of an "unknown God" (Acts 17:23).

This is not because God is hidden or hard to find. There is a great deal we can learn about God in the scriptures and the teachings of modern prophets. I will share some of those things here; but whatever we know about God, we really get to know Him by revelation as we draw near through prayer, serve his children on this earth, and diligently keep his commandments.

In other words, our personal relationship with our Heavenly Father, like any other relationship, requires our time and our attention. We should speak often with him, trust and rely on him and seek with a grateful heart to see his hand in our lives each day. Our testimonies will grow in proportion to our faith and our obedience; and if we look with sufficient faith, we’ll find that our eyes can be opened to see how He is in the details of our lives each and every day.

Now, with that introduction, I’d like to turn to the question suggested by Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. Who is the only true God, our Heavenly Father, and what is he really like?

Think for a moment about your idea of the perfect father. You may think of many traits your own fathers or grandfathers exhibited, or some things may be different, but I’d bet most of us are thinking of a lot of the same things. Let’s start simple and build up: he would be a man. He would be strong from hard work, but gentle with those he loves. He would love his children more than the whole world. He would respect women, especially his wife. He would be a man of faith and integrity. He would protect and provide for his family. He would teach his children discipline and help them to succeed. He would teach them how to be healthy and happy.

I have probably missed a few important things, but we’re well on our way to the point you know is coming.

Our Father in Heaven is an exalted man, separate and distinct from His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost who shares his influence. He has a body of flesh and bone just as we do (D&C 130:22). We look like him. He has a personality. He has feelings and emotions. He experiences great sorrow when his children suffer, when they sin, and when they commit horrific acts against one another. He also knows the thrill of watching his children overcome a difficult challenge or take a significant step in their journey back to him. Though he cannot always be physically with us, he loves it when we call.

Much of the world assumes that God has always been perfect; he has always been a god. We know that our Heavenly Father experienced mortality much as we do now and that he grew from grace to grace as we are are attempting to do. President Lorenzo Snow wrote the couplet, “As man now is, God once was: As God now is, man may be.”

Through eons of experience and hard work, our Heavenly Father has completed his development, so we say that he is perfect. He is perfect in his knowledge and power, but he is also perfect in his compassion, his empathy and his love for each of us. He understands what we are experiencing and he encourages us to continue in our development until we are complete. “Be ye therefore perfect,” the scriptures direct, “even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

Many in the world see God as harsh and vengeful. Martin Luther taught that “those who see God as angry do not see him rightly”. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).

“For I am persuaded,” Paul wrote, “that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:38-39). Nephi wrote that the love of God, “sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things… and the most joyous to the soul” (1 Nephi 11:22-23).

You and I are literally children of God. “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 also glorified together” (Romans 8). Our Father in Heaven offers us all he has because he loves us more than the whole world.

Our Father in Heaven is not a respecter of persons. He’s not impressed by the color of your skin or the country where you were born or the job that you have or wealth you have accumulated. His commandments are in effect for those with busy schedules, those who are lonely, those who are ignorant and those who are proud. Every soul, regardless of their status or circumstance, is of great worth to him-- worth his time, worth his effort, and worth his love.

The love of God includes a profound respect for women. He does not allow us to make our Heavenly Mother a profanity and he warns against abuse of spouse or offspring with the most serious language. He has placed women in some of the most crucial roles in the plan of salvation and trusts them to nurture and prepare each generation.

One of my favorite quotes from Karl G. Maeser, considered the founder of what became BYU, is his explanation of honor. “I have been asked what I mean by ‘word of honor’”, he said. “I will tell you. Place me behind prison walls--walls of stone ever so high, ever so thick, reaching ever so far into the ground-- there is a possibility that in some way or another I may escape; but stand me on the floor and draw a chalk line around me and have me give my word of honor never to cross it. Can I get out of the circle? No. Never! I’d die first!"

Likewise, our Heavenly Father commits with his word of honor that he is bound to keep his promises when we keep his commandments. It may seem a little obvious to say that God is a man of integrity, but it is crucial to understand if we are to trust him and trust is essential to walking the path toward eternal life. God keeps every promise. He always does what he says he will do.

One of the promises God has made to each of us is that he will pour out the blessings of heaven when we pay our tithing. My wife and I put this to the test when I completed graduate school and we moved for an entry-level job in Virginia. We had two kids, no contacts, a lot of debt and not very much income.

I don’t remember a specific instance when we got a check for exactly the amount we needed or found the food we couldn’t buy on our doorstep; but I do remember that our clothes seemed to last forever. As our kids grew, and we added one more, someone was always looking to donate the size we needed. Our car never broke down. The five dollar pizzas at Little Ceasars tasted amazing. Though we were living in a small house with a possum in the crawl space, life seemed abundant and we came to know our Heavenly Father better as we earnestly prayed for him to help us provide for our family’s needs.

I testify that your Father, who is in heaven, knows the things that you need. “Therefore,” the Savior taught, “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are you not much better than they?...”

“And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you?... But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:25-26, 28-30, 33).

In addition to providing for our physical needs, our Heavenly Father is anxious to teach us how to be successful and happy. Consider for a moment what you would do if Bill Gates approached you with an offer you couldn’t refuse. Pretend for a moment that the email and the Facebook scams we’ve all seen are true. Bill Gates does want to make you a millionaire or billionaire, and here’s the deal: he’s going to give you the strategy to get there and if you can try pretty hard at it and show some persistence, he will give you the capital to make it the rest of the way. Would you do it?

God has achieved more than any of us can imagine. Even Bill Gates’ money is no object for him. Worldly strength and power are insignificant by comparison. His lifestyle and his joy are the ultimate rewards of eternity. He has cornered the market on peace and happiness; these are his currency. Yet, none of this is proprietary information. Like every good parent, he has given us commandments to protect us and help us learn and grow. He has laid out the path to follow and offers to share everything freely with anyone willing to accept his invitation. We agree to try through five saving ordinances: baptism, confirmation, ordination, endowment and sealing. Lest we fear failure, he has ensured our success within the scope of our agreement; he will provide all that we cannot so long as we sincerely try. He provided a Savior to show us how this was to be done.

Sometimes as we try to follow in our elder brother’s footsteps, course corrections are needed. Paul explained:

“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?... Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For… he [chastens us] for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness” (Hebrews 12:6-7, 9-10).

While God loves all of his children, status quo is not his goal. Rather, he is focused on maximizing our potential. He has retired from whatever profession he may have once had, he’s seen what there is to see and there are no distractions to pull him away from the work of helping you and I, his family, succeed. His ways and his timing are often different from our own, but he is keenly interested in this work and wants each of us to be wildly successful as he measures it: in joy, in peace, in love and in faith. He will not take away our agency, but he gently guides us toward decisions that will ultimately lead us to our rightful places as heirs of his kingdom.

If you will remember what you thought was an ideal father, I think you’ll find we’ve discussed many of the core attributes of that ideal in the last several minutes. Each of us has a Father in Heaven who has known us for eons of time. He has walked the path we walk, appreciates our differences and sees the potential we all have to become like him. He is our biggest fan, our protector and provider, our mentor, our counselor, our teacher, our friend, our companion and our parent. He loves each of us more than the whole world.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught, “It is one thing to know about God and another to know him. We know about him when we learn that he is a personal being in whose image man is created; when we learn that the Son is in the express image of his Father’s person; when we learn that both the Father and the Son possess certain specified attributes and powers. But we know them, in the sense of gaining eternal life, when we enjoy and experience the same things they do. To know God is to think what he thinks, to feel what he feels, to have the power he possesses, to comprehend the truths he understands, and to do what he does. Those who know God become like him, and have his kind of life, which is eternal life” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1965-73], 1:762).

I have come to know God as I have seen his influence in my life during and since my mission in Frankfurt, Germany. He has helped me find peace when all was lost, share my testimony when I couldn’t find the words, repent when I have fallen short and learn truth when I did not know the way. He has shown me what it is to be father. He has provided for my family and brought joy into our home. So it is with confidence and admiration and love and joy that I can share my testimony that God lives.

Promises and Plural Marriage

One of the greatest Old Testament prophets is Abraham, originally called Abram. The scriptures record that he was one of the most valiant spirits in the premortal world and chosen to be a leader in the kingdom of God before he was born (Abraham 1-5). Forced to leave his homeland after religious persecution threatened his life, Abraham would go on to receive great revelations and a special covenant from the Lord with promises of priesthood, property and posterity "as innumerable as the stars". Hundreds of millions that have and do live on the earth regard Abraham as the "father of the faithful" and many refer to the place of the righteous dead as "sitting down next to Abraham" or "Abraham's bosom" (Luke 16:22-23).

Those who rightfully consider Abraham among the righteous have reason to consider the account given in Genesis 16: "Now Sarai Abrahm's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife" (verses 1-3).

The Lord has commanded the faithful in every generation to keep sexual relations within the bounds of marriage, to not commit adultery, to cleave unto a spouse and unto none else; yet here and hereafter the Lord seems okay with Abraham's plural marriage to not only Hagar but several other women as well. How can this be?

This is the question that the prophet Joseph Smith asked the Lord in the summer of 1843. "Inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and concubines," the Lord responded, "Behold, and lo, I am the Lord thy God, and will answer thee as touching this matter" (D&C 132:1-2).

The following 64 verses detail the Lord's doctrine of eternal marriage. "If a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law," the Lord instructs, "it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world... to their exaltation and glory" (D&C 132:19). Those married in holy temples by those authorized to exercise the appropriate priesthood keys can expect relationships far beyond the bounds of this life.

With that background, the Lord provided several reasons why righteous women and men obey the principle of plural marriage at certain times. The first is because God has commanded it and made it his law at those times.

"God commanded Abraham, and Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to wife. And why did she do it? Because this was the law; and from Hagar sprang many people. This, therefore, was fulfilling, among other things, the promises. Was Abraham, therefore, under condemnation? Verily I say unto you, Nay; for I, the Lord, commanded it" (D&C 132:34-35, emphasis added).

The Lord's perspective is different than our own. "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). God's commandments are designed by an omniscient Father to execute his plan for his children and complete his mission for our immortality and eternal life.

At certain times, the Lord's commandment to a particular individual or group may surprise us because it is different from what we would expect it to be under normal circumstances. There are several examples of this in the scriptures including Nephi killing Laban, Moses killing the master builder, and several specific instances of plural marriage. "Abraham was commanded to offer his son Isaac; nevertheless, it was written: Thou shalt not kill. Abraham, however, did not refuse, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness" (D&C 132:36).

In the case of Abraham and Hagar, the Lord seems to be saying that the fulfillment of his promise to Abraham is of greatest importance. This is a powerful reassurance for us to whom the Lord has promised forgiveness, salvation and exaltation. As promised, the union of Abraham and Hagar has resulted in millions of posterity who revere their father Abraham.

The proliferation of children and grandchildren is another obvious reason for the Lord to command the faithful to practice plural marriage, particularly when their numbers are few. The Lord explained to Jacob: "For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none... For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things" (Jacob 2:27, 30). 

At such times, plural wives "are given unto [a man] to multiply and replenish the earth, according to [the Lord's] commandment"; but also "to fulfill the promise which was given [to the wives] by my Father before the foundation of the world, and for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the souls of men" (D&C 132:63).

Finally, the law of plural marriage is part of the "restitution of all things" promised before the Second Coming of Christ (Acts 3:20-21, D&C 132:40). As in other dispensations, the Lord required early members of the church in our dispensation to follow this law.

This was not a desirable or easy thing for those required to follow this commandment. Marriage has been weakened and redefined over several decades in modern Western culture; it was much less selfish and much more sacred in the 1840s. Joseph Smith delayed for a decade until the Lord sent an angel with a drawn sword who threatened to remove him from his place if he did not obey. When first taught the principle of plural marriage, Heber C. Kimball "became sick in body [from anxiety], but his mental wretchedness was too great to allow of his retiring, and he would walk the floor till nearly morning, and sometimes the agony of his mind was so terrible that he would wring his hands and weep like a child, and beseech the Lord to be merciful" (as told by Vilate Kimball, wife of Heber C. Kimball, in Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball [1967], 325-38).

President John Taylor recalled, "I had always entertained strict ideas of virtue, and I felt as a married man that [plural marriage] was to me, outside of this principle, an appalling thing to do... It was a thing calculated to stir up feelings from the innermost depths of the human soul... Nothing but a knowledge of God, and the revelations of God, and the truth of them, could have induced me to embrace such a principle as this" (in B.H. Roberts, The Life of John Taylor, Third President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [1963], 100). And Brigham Young summarized, "I was not desirous of shrinking from any duty nor failing in the least to do as I was commanded, but it was the first time in my life that I had desired the grave, and I could hardly get over it for a long time. And when I saw a funeral I felt to envy the corpse its situation, and to regret that I was not in the coffin" (in "Provo Conference," Deseret News, Nov. 14, 1855, 282).

A restricted number of the early Saints were tested and tried by the principle of plural marriage. Those who obeyed the voice of the Lord and his prophet received the promised blessings of posterity, divine power and assistance, hearts full of rejoicing, forgiveness of sin and preparation for exaltation.

"Plural marriage did result in the birth of large numbers of children within faithful Latter-day Saint homes. It also shaped 19th-century Mormon society in may ways: marriage became available to virtually all who desired it; per-capita inequality of wealth was diminished as economically disadvantaged women married into more financially stable households; and ethnic intermarriages were increased, which helped to unite a diverse immigrant population. Plural marriage also helped create and strengthen a sense of cohesion and group identification among Latter-day Saints. Church members came to see themselves as a 'peculiar people,' covenant-bound to carry out the commands of God despite outside opposition" (in Plural Marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, www.lds.org/topics).

We do not know all the reasons why the Lord sometimes requires the faithful to live the principle of plural marriage. We know that it is carefully guarded and governed by priesthood keys: "For I [the Lord] have conferred upon you [the president of the Church] the keys and power of the priesthood, wherein I restore all things... And again, verily I say unto you, that whatsoever you give on earth, and to whomsoever you give any one on earth, by my word and according to my law, it shall be visited with blessings and not cursings, and with my power, saith the Lord, and shall be without condemnation on earth and in heaven" (D&C 132:45, 48). Plural marriage is acceptable only when commanded of the Lord and authorized only through the keys held by the president of the Church. It has been strictly forbidden since 1904.

We are not asked to live the principle of plural marriage today, but we can benefit from the promises given as a result. We can see the Lord's pattern and restoration in modern times and have greater faith in the divine origins of the modern Church. We can see that the Lord always makes a way to keep his commandments and prepare our hearts to hearken to his voice, as Abraham did. Perhaps best of all, we can know and be assured that when we keep the commandments of God, he will always keep his promises.

Faith Amid Persecutions

One of my favorite words in the scriptures is "nevertheless". Nephi grieved his sin and weakness before proclaiming, "Nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support" (2 Nephi 4:19-20). We can feel Nephi's faith and courage build as he then outlined the many instances when God delivered him from peril or gave him instruction when he did not know what to do.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, our Elder Brother plead with our Heavenly Father to remove the bitter cup of pain and suffering that was His Atonement for us all. "Nevertheless," he humbly submitted, "not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42).

Joseph Smith makes a similar pivot in a letter to the Saints in 1842. Himself in hiding and following decades of persecution, the Prophet prompts his testimony with a modern "nevertheless":

"Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth... a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy" (D&C 128:19). After citing many of the most wonderful events of the restoration, he concludes, "Shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad."

These and many other accounts inspire and uplift my soul when I'm weighed down with the corruption, sin and deception of the world in which we live. As more people abandon virtue, conscience and principle for doctrines of convenience, we may feel oppressed by the rising tide of manipulative voices trying to shame us into conformity. Indeed, those who are willing to speak up for truth and high morals are often persecuted on social media, in conversations and in the press.

Elder Gordon B. Hinckley stated in 1965, "We hear much in America these days of consensus. It simply means agreement, a meeting of the minds. The doctrine is abroad that whatever bears the brand of consensus is right and good. There never was a more serious fallacy. Fifty thousand Frenchmen can be wrong, as can 50 million Americans or 500 million Chinese... Consensus in matters of public and private morality is largely fruitless and often detrimental unless its roots are anchored in eternal, God-given truth" (Caesar, Circus or Christ, BYU Speeches. October 26, 1965).

Nevertheless, the Lord is mindful of us and hastening His work on the earth. The Lord revealed The Family: A Proclamation to the World in 1995 to prepare us and direct the Church through unprecedented confusion about love and gender that have arisen in recent years. The number of temples on the earth is growing quickly as faithful Saints increasingly need places to escape the claustrophobic crush of evil practices and philosophies. Prophets have been inspired to develop the Come Follow Me program to strengthen individuals and families against the increasingly targeted attacks of our adversary. Those prophets have been inspired again to say those things that the Lord would have us know at a General Conference broadcast around the world. Family history and temple work can be done with a few taps on a smartphone. The Church is reaching a larger and larger number of the world's poor and afflicted with its welfare program and partnerships.

As the Prophet Joseph Smith once said, "The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done" (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 4:540).

"What power shall stay the heavens?" the Prophet asked on another occasion. "As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints" (D&C 121:33).

Some days, when it seems we can see raging persecutions and mobs forming in even places of authority, it is valuable to remember our "nevertheless" that pivots our perspective toward faith in the eternal. The world may attempt to shame us into conformity, nevertheless the truth has been revealed to prophets in our day, and to each of our hearts, from God himself. They may threaten our prosperity, nevertheless the Lord has promised He will provide for those who ask Him. Ultimately, the world may take our lives, as opponents of Christ have done to the faithful in every dispensation, nevertheless we know the Lord will protect us and our days will not be numbered less because of oppression. The jaws of hell itself may gape open its mouth to swallow us, nevertheless it is little more than a man's puny arm attempting to redirect a massive river and cannot prevail if we remain true to the faith.

Finding Truth

Christ in Front of Pontius Pilate by Henry Coller

Toward the end of the final examination of Jesus Christ, the Savior testified to Pilate, "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice."

"Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all" (John 18:37-38).

As a young missionary in England, John Jaques pondered this exchange and Pilate's inquiry: What is truth? It is a simple question, yet one that philosophers, politicians and theologians have struggled for centuries to answer with any real satisfaction. Jaques contemplated while he served in Stratford-on-Avon, the home town of William Shakespeare, then penned his profound reply in prose that was published in the original Pearl of Great Price in 1851. He mused:

Oh say, what is truth? 'Tis the fairest gem
That the riches of worlds can produce,
And priceless the value of truth will be when
The proud monarch's costliest diadem
Is counted but dross and refuse.

Yes, say, what is truth? 'Tis the brightest prize
To which mortals or Gods can aspire;
Go search in the depths where it glittering lies
Or ascend in pursuit to the loftiest skies.
'Tis an aim for the noblest desire.

The sceptre may fall from the despot's grasp
When with winds of stern justice he copes,
But the pillar of truth will endure to the last,
And its firm-rooted bulwarks outstand the rude blast,
And the wreck of the fell tyrant's hopes.

Then say, what is truth? 'Tis the last and the first,
For the limits of time it steps o'er.
Though the heavens depart and the earth's fountains burst,
Truth, the sum of existence, will weather the worst,
Eternal, unchanged, evermore.

The Lord has defined truth as, "knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come" (D&C 93:24). When we remove the filters of our perceptions and bias, truth is what remains. Truth is what is real. It is the pursuit of long investigations and scientific studies. And while even the most widely held scientific theories can be disproven, and there is much we do not know, truth continues to govern, to hold the stars in their place, to patiently wait for its discovery like flakes of gold that, bit by bit, eventually amass into a great treasure.

Truth exists in bold independence from what societies may want it to be. It outlasts empires and is more valuable than a royal treasury of precious gems. It is the reason for universities and think tanks and many government agencies.

We might reasonably ask: if truth is so sought-after by researchers and investigators and, ultimately, all of us, why is it so difficult to find? Why do so many of us struggle to find the principles of truth that govern health and happiness? Why isn't there a consensus about the existence of God or what good morals are or the value of all kinds of life? Where is truth?

Although truth is there for the taking, finding it can be a little like hiking in the dark. If we rely only on light from other sources around us-- the moon and the stars, as it were-- we may miss important details that cause us to take a wrong turn or even stumble and fall. On the wrong trail, and with the wrong timing, our inability to see in the dark could be fatal.

A flashlight or headlamp may not be powerful enough to reveal the scenery around us-- only the sun can do that-- but they can illuminate the trail ahead so we know where to step, where not to step, and how to safely reach our destination. In a world that often embraces the dark, we need a light to reveal the truths that will help us find peace, joy and direction in our lives.

Jesus Christ is the light of the world. He is willing to share that light with us if we will come to him. Scripture records:

And the light which shineth, and giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings... And if your eye be single to my glory, 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 88:11, 67).

If we follow the light within each of us-- the conscience or inner voice that gives us life and law and understanding-- we will receive more light and be better able to recognize truth. "For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light" (D&C 88:40).

Likewise, the Lord taught, "that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers" (D&C 93:39). Isaiah wrote that, "[the devil] hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart" (John 12:40); and Jesus chided those who wanted more miraculous bread, "Having eyes, see ye not?" (Mark 8:18). When we choose to disobey or ignore that light, we turn off our metaphorical flashlights and are no longer able to find the path to the destination we intended to reach.

Jesus taught Nicodemus:

He that believeth on [the Son of God] is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God (John 3:18-21).

Oh say, what is that noble truth more valuable than rubies or diamonds? It is those deeds that can be done in the light. It is pure knowledge of divine origin, the fruit of the spirit, the source of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance (Galatians 5:22-23). It is the sum of existence, the Son of God in whom there is no fault, and its light shines within all of us who will listen to its voice.