A Name and a Blessing

"In His Constant Care" by Simon Dewey

In the first chapter of Luke, an angel named Gabriel appeared to Zacharias the priest and announced that his elderly wife would have a child. Gabriel directed that the baby's name should be John and then pronounced this blessing:

"For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord... and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb... And he shall go before [the Lord] in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:15-17).

Gabriel then appeared to the virgin Mary and declared that she, too, would give birth to a son. He declares that the baby's name is Jesus and pronounces a blessing on her child:

"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:32-33).

These miraculous births remind us of others we find in scripture. Abraham, like Zacharias, was promised that his elderly wife would bear a son. The Lord declared, "and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him" (Genesis 17:19).

The prophet Samuel was born to a barren woman, Hannah, who covenanted to dedicate her son's life to the Lord if the Lord would allow her to get pregnant. When she did bear a son, she named him Samuel, a recognition that God had kept his covenant with her, and took him to the temple. The temple priest had blessed her before she became pregnant and did so again when she returned with the child. As she gave her son to the priest, she offered a prayer or song of thanksgiving, praise, and worship for the blessing she had received from the Lord.

In each of these examples, a name was declared and a blessing given. We are also commanded to give our children a name and a blessing:

"Every member of the church of Christ having children is to bring them unto the elders before the church, who are to lay their hands upon them in the name of Jesus Christ, and bless them in his name" (D&C 20:70).

The priesthood holder performing this ordinance stands in the place of Jesus Christ, as Gabriel did, as his servant and messenger. Unlike other priesthood blessings, the one acting as voice first addresses our Heavenly Father and declares a name. Then the child is addressed by name and a blessing is pronounced as it is given by the spirit.

The blessing is not intended to be another patriarchal blessing or purely a proclamation of desired future events. Rather, the child, dressed in white and given to the Elders whose right it is to preside, is, in essence, dedicated the Lord with a name that is recorded on earth and in heaven. As one who belongs to the Lord, the child is entitled to God's protection and care until they reach the age of accountability and can choose to enter covenants on their own.

By allowing their child to be so dedicated, the parents of a child who is named and blessed in this manner signify their trust in the will of God for their child and acknowledge their responsibility to raise the child in righteousness. Often, the parents are also blessed through the child (Abraham received the numberless posterity he desired through Isaac; Hannah bore five children after Samuel; and Mary was "blessed... among women").

Children are a gift from God (Psalms 127:3). Each is a miracle, made holy through the atonement of Jesus Christ, with divine lineage and potential (D&C 74:7). Through the ordinance of giving our children a name and a blessing, we lead them to Christ so that one day they can also be called by His holy name.

Missing the Mark

"Enos Praying" by Robert T. Barrett

Words matter. Often, when it comes to gospel study, there are lessons hidden in the use of particular words or the way they are strung together. Perhaps that is why so many talks in church begin with definitions-- it's a little cliche at this point, but still instructive.

The definitions for the word "sin" are boring on their face: An offense against God. Being truly guilty. Wrongdoing. Exactly what we would expect.

Yet, when we look at the Greek and Hebrew words that are translated as "sin," we find something else: Hamartia and Chatta'ah, respectively, both refer to missing the mark, like missing a target in archery, or failing to reach a divine standard or goal.

Missing the mark is not a trivial thing, particularly for those who have been baptized. Elder Bednar has reminded us on many occasions that the gift of agency was not given so we could do whatever we want, but so that we could choose to follow Christ. He is the mark-- our deliverer and jealous God who commands our loyalty (Exodus 20:1-6). Those who have been baptized have covenanted to "always remember him" (D&C 20:77)-- and sin is evidence of a breach of that contract. The Lord is clear that he "cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance" (D&C 1:31) and Jacob wrote that the Jews were destroyed, "because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark" (Jacob 4:14). 

But imagine yourself learning to shoot arrows at a target. You want to hit the target so it's easy to promise your instructor that you will aim there. You're pretty novice, but if you keep practicing you have hope that you could compete locally, nationally, or beyond-- maybe even at the Olympics.

You start out simple. As you get better, you start to get farther from the target and use more sophisticated equipment. And then, for some reason, you miss one. You get distracted or nervous or slip or whatever else happens... and you miss.

Do you quit trying? Do you walk away from your instructor and the support of your team? Or do you reset your aim, remind yourself of what you have learned from your instructor, maybe ask for a little coaching, and try again?

Professional archers are incredibly accurate because they have practiced so much they can be very consistent with their form, aim, and release. Hitting the bullseye does not get easier, but the effort to do so becomes second nature because they have practiced it so often. Yet, even the most elite make errors, misjudge the wind, have a slight break in form, or just miss. They have missed thousands of times over decades of improving in their sport. None of them got good by deciding a particular miss was too bad or that they had missed too many times. When they miss, they are quick to grab another arrow and try again. In other words, they are quick to repent.

The primary Greek word in the New Testament for repentance is Metanoia, which signifies a profound shift in heart and mind away from sin and towards God. If sin is missing the mark, repentance is refocusing our lives on Christ and trying again. Guilt and punishment enter the definition through translations to Latin, French, and English, and Paul taught that "godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation" (2 Corinthians 7:10), but the act of repentance is more about striving to improve, no matter how often or how terribly we've missed the target, than it is about feeling bad that we missed.

King Benjamin taught, "I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them. But this much I can tell you, that [ye must] watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives" (Mosiah 4:29-30). There are an infinite number of ways to miss; but as we use our agency to practice consistently hitting the target, even as the level of difficulty increases, and keep trying when we miss, following Christ will become a second nature for us in our actions, our thoughts, and our words.

When Parents Go Astray (or Reject Us for Our Faith)

Amulek was a man "of no small reputation" when he was called by an angel to host a prophet in his home. He had a large extended family and many friends (Alma 10:4). Yet, as Amulek listened to the prophet Alma and returned to his faith, Amulek's many friends and family remained hard in their hearts and rejected Amulek (Alma 15:16). Among the many, Amulek specifically mentions one whose loss must have been most painful: his father, Giddonah.

For each of us, parents are foundational to our lives and identity. They provide essential love, guidance, and support that helps us develop physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially. Parents are our first role models and we first learn to see the world, and ourselves, through their eyes. Some of us, like Nephi, are fortunate to have "goodly parents" who provide support and counsel that sustain us for the majority of our lives (1 Nephi 1:1). Others, like Amulek, are given the emotionally wrenching trial of reconciling conflicts between their faith, family, and identity when parents go astray or reject them for their faith.

Abraham was among the second group. His father, Terah, turned from faith in God to practice the idolatry that was popular at that time. When Abraham refused his father's idolatry, his father "hearkened not unto [his] voice, but endeavored to take away [his] life" (Abraham 1:7). Abraham soon realized that he had to leave home to find greater peace, happiness, and knowledge for his life (Abraham 1:1-2).

Both Amulek and Abraham learned by experience that strait paths aren't always straight ones. Strait paths are narrow and often difficult. They wind and turn like the trail to a mountain summit with rocks and hills and cliffs along the way. Faith and family challenges do not exempt us from making the journey; rather, they help us recognize where the paths diverge.

Abraham could have joined his father in idolatry. He could have run away and then been satisfied to live an average life in some other city. In fact, he could have made a lot of choices that would have made him perfectly unremarkable and absent from the chronicles of history.

Instead, Abraham's experiences with his father kindled a desire to become a high priest and a father of many nations. He decided to pursue a path of obedience to the commandments that would help him realize the greater peace, happiness, rest, knowledge and righteousness he desired.

From the outside looking in, the strait path of Abraham's life looked anything but peaceful. Abraham wandered across the Middle East, fleeing from famines and wrestling with the challenges of a polygamous family. When his nephew, Lot, was captured by a coalition of four kings, Abraham built a small army and fought to save Lot from the kings. He witnessed the miraculous birth of his son, Isaac, and then was wrenched by a commandment to sacrifice his son just as Abraham's father had once tried to sacrifice Abraham.

Along the way however, Abraham was delivered many times until his faith became unshaken int the Lord. He was given priesthood power and received temple knowledge through revelation and the visitation of angels. Abraham was eventually blessed with posterity as the sands of the sea and the promised land that he desired.

Amulek faced a similar fork on the road. He had been a very successful businessman in the ancient American city of Ammonihah. After abandoning his profession to serve a mission, and being rejected by his parents and family for it, Amulek endured abuses in prison, watched his government murder innocent women and children, and lost all of his possessions in a war. He was also delivered from the prison and the corrupt society in which he lived, given the faith and power to teach, and preserved from an invading army.

The Lord who guided Abraham and Amulek is also mindful of those with challenging parental relationships in our day. He has promised: "I have looked upon thy works and I know thee... Behold, the days of thy deliverance are come, if thou wilt hearken unto my voice" (D&C 39:7, 10). As he delivered Abraham and Amulek from their sorest trials, he will also fight our battles and advocate with the Father on our behalf. He wants us to be wildly successful and looks for opportunities to bless us individually. He sees us as part of his family even when our families on earth no longer do.

At the same time, family challenges are an opportunity for us to decide which path to take in our lives. Are we willing to walk the strait path toward the mountain's summit and faithfully strive to overcome the many challenges there? Or will we settle for some other trail?

The trail to the summit is only possible if we will come unto Christ and yoke ourselves with him (Matthew 11:28-30). Experiencing rejection for our beliefs or watching parents or loved ones leave the Church can challenge our testimonies like an earthquake challenges the integrity of a building. It is critical in these challenges that we hold fast to the faith and testimony we have been given, fill our lives (and social media feeds) with the words of Christ, and then continue to build a solid foundation "upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God" (Helaman 5:12). 

As we climb, we will need to abandon any unnecessary weight we are carrying. This includes forgiving our parents or others who have been hurtful. Abraham forgave his father and helped him move to a new land when a serious drought came. Abraham's father returned to idolatry and Abraham left for good, but he still prayed that the Lord would take away the drought that plagued his father's house. We are not expected to stay in relationships or environments that are abusive or unsafe, but through faith in Christ we can learn to love and forgive those who may have hurt or offended us.

We may also have to be willing to give up our families for a time. Christ taught that it was better to lose a member of our body-- like an arm or an eye-- than to be whole and unworthy of his presence. Likewise, it is better to be separated from a member of our family-- even our parents-- than to follow them away from the strait path that leads to Christ. The Lord has promised that, as we do, "every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life" (Matthew 19:29).

Whether physically separated or not, the commandment to honor our parents remains in force. There are many meanings of the word "honor," but each returns to principles of respect and righteousness. President Spencer W. Kimball once taught, "If we truly honor [our parents], we will seek to emulate their best characteristics and to fulfill their highest aspirations for us... Nothing we could give them would be more prized than righteous living" (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982, p. 348). We honor our parents, both on earth and in heaven, as we strive to live righteously and follow their best examples.

Apostasy or abandonment from parents is an emotionally wrenching trial that can challenge even our core identity. As we turn to Christ with our challenge, we can be "born again" and learn to see the world, and ourselves, with a more eternal perspective. We can more readily receive of divine love, support, and guidance, recognize diverging paths, have the faith to forgive and endure, and be delivered from our sorest trials, even as we ascend toward the summit of everlasting life.

In Spirit and In Truth

When Jesus Christ introduced himself to the people in ancient America, all that were present fell to the earth in worship. He invited them to see and feel the prints of the nails in his hands and feet, "And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying: Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him" (3 Nephi 11:12-17).

When we think of what it means to worship, we might only think of extreme veneration with bodies bowed or prostrate before our divine King. Or we might think of 'worship' as something from ancient times that isn't common today.

In reality, worship includes any act of love, reverence, service, or devotion to God. Christ taught that we should worship the Father in spirit, or with genuine, heartfelt sincerity, and in truth, according to His revealed nature and teachings (John 4:22-23). We worship as we acknowledge the divinity of God and our own humble position relative to him. We worship as we fast or pray sincerely, study about Christ and strive to live more like him, serve those around us, and participate in the ordinances of the temple.

Each Sunday, members of the church gather to worship together in ways that we could not individually. We attend sacrament meeting, similar to what other denominations would call a worship service, where we worship in at least for distinct ways: as we listen carefully to prayers that are offered and join in them with a word of "amen," as we sing the hymns, as we partake of the sacrament, and as we listen intently to what the spirit teaches us as our fellow congregants preach the gospel. In each of these things, and many other acts of devotion that we might offer, Nephi taught that we should humbly "worship [Christ] with all [our] might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul" (2 Nephi 25:29).

True worship involves a deep, personal connection with God that is grounded in the reality of everything that is true about Christ. It involves submission to God, trust in him and his influence in our lives, and spiritual communion that edifies and uplifts us.

Amulek taught the Zoramites to "contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you" (Alma 34:38). Gratitude is a form of worship that expresses our love and devotion to God.

As we regularly worship God with hearts full of gratitude, the Lord has promised that we will be made glorious. We will meet our Savior and witness the prints of the nails in his hands and feet. At that day, we will do what we have often done in his presence: we will worship in spirit and in truth.

God Delights to Bless Us

The Kirtland Temple was dedicated on March 27, 1836. In the dedicatory prayer, Joseph Smith asked God to, "accept of this house, the workmanship of the hands of us, thy servants, which thou didst command us to build" (D&C 109:4).

One week later, on Easter Sunday, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were praying in the temple when the Savior appeared. He told them that their sins had been forgiven and that the people should rejoice because, "I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house" (D&C 110:1-7). This was everything they had prayed for, but the Savior added a promise that he would appear to his servants in the temple and that "tens of thousands" would "greatly rejoice" because of the endowment he would give them there. "And this," he noted, "is the beginning of the blessing which shall be poured out upon the heads of my people" (D&C 110:7-10). Immediately following the Savior's appearance, Moses, Elias, and Elijah appeared to restore priesthood keys in fulfillment of ancient prophecy.

The Lord also gives us forgiveness, joy, revelation, and blessings to help us know that our faithful efforts have been accepted. He also delights to give his children even more than what they pray to receive.

Lehi prayed for the salvation of his people. The Lord allowed him to preach in Jerusalem for a time, but then led him to a promised land and established a new nation with Lehi at its head.

Alma prayed for help for his sinful son. That son became the first of five more generations of prophets and faithful missionaries.

Joseph Smith prayed for forgiveness and knowledge of the true church. He was blessed with the First Vision and a promise that he would lead the restoration of the gospel in this dispensation.

Of course, not every prayer is answered with a grand promise, but the pattern in these and other examples can help us know that God, "delight[s] to bless [us] with the greatest of all blessings" (D&C 41:1). As we review our lives and the prayers we have offered, we will find times when we have received of his abundance, felt his presence, been forgiven of sin, heard his voice, and been blessed beyond what we could have even dared to ask.

"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children," the Savior taught, "how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7:11).

Anointing with Oil

The prophet Samuel went to Bethlehem to find a king. Guided by the spirit to the house of Jesse, Samuel met seven strong and impressive sons. His confidence grew: surely one of these was the man he sought! "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as a man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). Samuel then sent for Jesse's youngest son, David, who was out tending the sheep, "and the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward" (1 Samuel 16:12-13).

Anointing with oil has been part of revealed religion since the days of Adam and Eve. Prophets anointed men to become kings and priests. The faithful have been anointed as part of an ordination or blessing, including the healing of the sick and the temple initiatory (Exodus 40:13, 1 Kings 19:16, Mark 6:13, James 5:14). In each case, sacred anointings have used olive oil and been followed by an increased measure of the Spirit of the Lord.

Olive trees are a metaphor in scripture for the house of Israel, or God's covenant people. The olive branch is commonly used as a symbol of peace. Olive oil reminds us of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace and our Covenant Giver, because the bitter olive, when crushed, produces an oil that is sweet. It is used in scripture as a symbol of the healing and light that we can receive from the Divine Physician and the Light of the World (Matthew 25:1-13, Luke 10:34).

As we are anointed and our cells begin to bond with those in the oil, it is symbolically as if we were applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ directly to our illness, wound, or calling. The one giving the blessing does so by the power of the priesthood, received from Jesus Christ, and strives to speak the words of Christ given through the Holy Ghost. In a very real way, Christ is the one who heals and blesses us (Exodus 15:26). It is through him that we are given power to become kings and queens in his kingdom and receive an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord to guide us in our lives and prepare us for divine responsibilities.

Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, taught us in word and deed about the divine calling of those who are anointed or ordained to serve him. The titles Christ and Messiah themselves are translated from Greek and Hebrew words, respectively, that mean "anointed." Luke testified that "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him" (Acts 10:38).

Christ testified of himself using the words of Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified" (Isaiah 61:1-3, Luke 4:16-32).

Those who have been anointed in the temple initiatory, and those who have been called and ordained to serve in His kingdom, are called to follow the example of The Anointed One who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We were not chosen because of our stature, but because of the desires of our hearts. Just as David prepared to be a king for fifteen years after he was anointed, we have been anointed to prepare greater things, filling our metaphorical lamps with oil until Christ comes again. Guided by the Spirit, we are to serve those around us and lift up those in need. Part of our covenant with Christ is to "speak no evil of the Lord's anointed;" this includes our Savior, ordained church leaders, and all of our faithful brothers and sisters who have been anointed to become kings and queens, priests and priestesses in His kingdom.

We renew this covenant each Sunday as we partake of the sacrament bread and water. As we are figuratively anointed again each week, we are reminded that if we will take the name of Christ upon ourselves, always remember Him, and keep His commandments, we may receive an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord to guide us, comfort us, and prepare us to become kings and queens in the kingdom of God (D&C 20:77, 79). The Lord has personally sought you out for this divine role and blessed you with strength to slay your Goliaths, forgive the Sauls in your life, lead your armies of Elders or sisters or primary children, discern His will, and grow in humility, compassion, and resilience until the time of your coronation is come.

Knowing God Through Covenant Action

In the time of the New Testament, Jewish weddings often began in the evening. After the groom had paid the price for betrothal, he could spend a year or more preparing a bridal chamber. On the evening when the chamber was completed, and without any other warning about the day or time when the wedding was prepared, a trumpet and a shout heard across a small town would tell the bride that the groom was on his way to fetch her. Ten bridesmaids, hearing the trumpet, would gather outside the bride's home with lamps glowing to light the groom's path inside. The bride would then be collected and carried on a litter as the groom led a procession back to the his home for a seven-day wedding feast.

In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, the wedding trumpet sounds at midnight, long after anyone would have expected. The bridesmaids, who are all asleep, scramble to get to their places. In the process, five of the bridesmaids realize they are out of oil and miss the procession to the wedding feast entirely. Procuring oil at that time of night was nearly impossible, but when they finally had what they needed they went to the groom's home to join the wedding feast. To their surprise, they were turned away because, as the groom explained, "Ye know me not" (JST Matthew 25:11).

Of course, we are represented by the bridesmaids in the parable and the Lord is the groom. We can prepare for his second coming as we reflect his light and walk a procession of covenants that lead us back to him. To enter into his kingdom and the place prepared for us and his church, we must come to know "the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [he] hath sent" (John 17:3).

We learn about God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, through scripture study and the words of living prophets. These are the map. As we follow their counsel, we will find the treasure of truly knowing God through our actions.

We become familiar to him as we serve others (Mosiah 2:17). As we exercise the faith to repent and make covenants, we become his sheep and are known of him and learn to recognize his voice (Mosiah 26:21-27, John 10:14). In doing the Lord's will, which we often learn through quiet revelations to our mind and heart, we prepare our light for the procession back to His heavenly kingdom (Mosiah 5:13-15, 3 Nephi 14:21-23).

We do not know the day nor the hour when the Son of God will return; but through faithful, covenant action we can be prepared to hear his voice and be known of him.