God Will Lift Us Up

Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart I have written my law, fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

For moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool. But my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

I am he; yea, I am he that comforteth you. Behold, who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of man? And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth?

Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with signing into Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

2 Nephi 8:7-8, 12, 11; see also Isaiah 51

Parable of the Pencil

A Time to Prepare

In the October 2011 General Conference, Elder Ian S. Ardern delivered an address titled, 'A Time to Prepare'. It was an excellent talk worth reviewing again and again. In his remarks, Elder Ardern reminded us:

Time is never for sale; time is a commodity that cannot, try as you may, be bought at any store for any price. Yet when time is wisely used, its value is immeasurable. On any given day we are allocated, without cost, the same number of minutes and hours to use... What time we have we must use wisely.

Though it often seems like we own the time that is granted to us, the Lord has made it clear that he is very interested in how we use that time. He has instructed us to 'cease to be idle' and to be 'anxiously engaged in a good cause' (Alma 38:12, D&C 88:124, D&C 58:27). President Brigham Young taught that 'we are all indebted to God for the ability to use time to advantage, and he will require of us a strict accounts of [its] disposition' (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young [1997], 286). Indeed, the Lord has said that 'he who is faithful and wise in time is accounted worthy to inherit the mansions prepared for him of my Father' (D&C 72:4).

While our choices certainly determine how we use our time, clearly our relationship with time is one of stewardship. The gift of time we receive from our Heavenly Father is also a responsibility and an opportunity to prove our ability to manage ourselves well.

In the parable of the talents found in Matthew 25, Christ taught us something about how stewardship assignments work. The master of the house gave three of his servants some coins to invest while he was away. Two of the servants had doubled the investments assigned to their care to the pleasure of their master. 'Well done, good and faithful servant,' the master told them. 'Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.'

The third servant hid the coin given to him in the dirt. The master of the house was angry with this servant's slothfulness and took away this servant's stewardship, casting him out of the house.

As the stewards of our time, the Lord has commanded us that we 'shalt not idle away [our] time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent' (D&C 60:13). We are idle when we are 'uninvolved in righteous works'. The For the Strength of Youth pamphlet explains a few of the reasons why: 'Idleness can lead to inappropriate behavior, damaged relationships, and sin.' It continues, 'One form of idleness is spending excessive amounts of time in activities that keep you from productive work, such as using the Internet, playing video games, and watching television.'

Elder Ardern had the same message last October. He said:

The poor use of time is a close cousin of idleness. As we follow the command to 'cease to be idle', we must be sure that being busy also equates to being productive... I sense that some are trapped in a new time-consuming addiction—one that enslaves us to be constantly checking and sending social messages and thus giving the false impression of being busy and productive... Electronic games and cyber acquaintances are no lasting substitute for real friends who can give an encouraging hug, who can pray for us and seek after our best interest.

Perhaps this kind of idleness--when hours are wasted while appearing or even believing we a busy--is more dangerous than the bored image of idleness as a void of activity. In a recent CES Fireside, Elder David A. Bednar shared a similar concern as Elder Ardern. He said:

Sadly, some young men and young women in the Church today ignore 'things as they really are' and neglect eternal relationships for digital distractions, diversions, and detours that have no lasting value. My heart aches when a young couple—sealed together in the house of the Lord for time and for all eternity by the power of the holy priesthood—experiences marital difficulties because of the addicting effect of excessive video gaming or online socializing. A young man or woman may waste countless hours, postpone or forfeit vocational or academic achievement, and ultimately sacrifice cherished human relationships because of mind- and spirit-numbing video and online games...

I raise an apostolic voice of warning about the potentially stifling, suffocating, suppressing, and constraining impact of some kinds of cyberspace interactions and experiences upon our souls. The concerns I raise are not new; they apply equally to other types of media, such as television, movies, and music. But in a cyber world, these challenges are more pervasive and intense. I plead with you to beware of the sense-dulling and spiritually destructive influence of cyberspace technologies that are used to produce high fidelity and that promote degrading and evil purposes.

If the adversary cannot entice us to misuse our physical bodies, then one of his most potent tactics is to beguile you and me as embodied spirits to disconnect gradually and physically from things as they really are. In essence, he encourages us to think and act as if we were in our premortal, unembodied state. And, if we let him, he can cunningly employ some aspects of modern technology to accomplish his purposes. Please be careful of becoming so immersed and engrossed in pixels, texting, earbuds, twittering, online social networking, and potentially addictive uses of media and the Internet that you fail to recognize the importance of your physical body and miss the richness of person-to-person communication. Beware of digital displays and data in many forms of computer-mediated interaction that can displace the full range of physical capacity and experience.

 

In the Book of Mormon, Alma taught Zeezrom that though we all die, this life is a 'probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God' (Alma 12:24). Brigham Young taught that when we do meet God, we will be expected to give an accounting of that time. And Christ taught that if we are accounted worthy, we may be admitted into the 'joy of the lord' where we will be made 'rulers over many things' because of our wise stewardship.

Our use of time matters. With so many warnings to use our time well, we should be careful to put first the things that matter most, particularly our families and our relationship with our Heavenly Father. I join my testimony to Elder Ardern's:

I know our greatest happiness comes as we tune in to the Lord (see Alma 37:37) and to those things which bring a lasting reward, rather than mindlessly tuning in to countless hours of status updates, Internet farming, and catapulting angry birds at concrete walls. I urge each of us to take those things which rob us of precious time and determine to be their master, rather than allowing them through their addictive nature to be the master of us.

To have the peace the Savior speaks of (see John 14:27), we must devote our time to the things that matter most, and the things of God matter most. As we engage with God in sincere prayer, read and study each day from the scriptures, ponder on what we have read and felt, and then apply and live the lessons learned, we draw nearer to Him... 

Time marches swiftly forward to the tick of the clock. Today would be a good day, while the clock of mortality ticks, to review what we are doing to prepare to meet God. I testify that there are great rewards for those who take time in mortality to prepare for immortality and eternal life.

Living To Be Happy

Three short chapters after Lehi declared that "men are that they might have joy", Nephi reports that his people, now distanced from his dangerous, short-tempered brothers, lived "after the manner of happiness" (2 Nephi 5:27).

At first glance, Nephi's life may not look particularly happy. His father and mother had passed away, he lived in the wilderness where hard work was required to survive from year to year and he made swords in his spare time to defend his family from his brothers who would attack from time to time.

Obviously, those aren't likely the details to which Nephi referred. Instead, consider this list of behaviors that he mentions in that same chapter. As you read, contemplate which of these you are doing, which you could do better and how your life could be happier. Nephi reports:

All those who would go with me were those who believed in the warnings and the revelations of God; wherefore, they did hearken unto my words (v. 6).

We did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things (v. 10).

The Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly; for we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance. And we began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind (v. 11).

I, Nephi, had also brought the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass; and also the ball, or compass, which was prepared for my father by the hand of the Lord (v. 12).

We began to prosper exceedingly, and to multiply in the land (v. 13).

I, Nephi, did take the sword of Laban, and after the manner of it did make many swords, lest by any means the people who were now called Lamanites should come upon us and destroy us (v. 14).

I, Nephi, did build a temple (v. 16).

I, Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious, and to labor with their hands (v. 17).

I, Nephi, was desirous that [my people] should have no king; nevertheless, I did for them according to that which was in my power (v. 18).

By doing these things, Nephi writes that his people found happiness. The same principles can be likened to us today. As we live the gospel, we can be happy despite whatever else may be going on in our lives.

Marriage & Divorce

Read the entire address here.

The Roles of the Holy Ghost in First Nephi

Someone once suggested that many of the most important principles in the Book of Mormon are found in First Nephi. This wasn't a comment against the rich content of the rest of the book, rather an observation that many of the most important principles are introduced or repeated by the book's first inspired author. This allows those of us who start the Book of Mormon more often than we finish it to feast upon the principles most vital to our success.

I don't remember who it was that made that comment. I cannot certify that it is the official position of any person or organization other than the anonymous person who first shared that thought with me. But at the risk of sounding like my high school seminary teacher, I'd like to take this faith-promoting rumor and run with it for bit.

As I've read through the first chapters of First Nephi again, one major theme that I've never noticed before is the role of the Spirit in the lives of Nephi and his family. These roles can be found throughout scripture and are certifiable as official doctrine of the LDS Church, but seem to be concentrated and particularly striking in these first few chapters of the Book of Mormon.

Here are a few examples from the first dozen chapters. Quotes are in italics.

Chapter 1: Lehi, being overcome with the Spirit...was carried away in a vision.
Chapter 2: Lehi spoke to his sons with power, being filled with the Spirit, until their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them, that they durst not utter against him.
Chapter 3: Prophets write the words delivered unto them by the Spirit.
Chapter 4: In pursuit of the scriptural record held by Laban, Nephi was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which [he] should do.
Chapter 5: When Lehi was filled with the Spirit, he began to prophesy
Chapter 7: The city of Jerusalem will be destroyed because the Spirit of the Lord ceaseth soon to strive with them.
Chapter 10: The mysteries of God are unfolded by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him.
Chapter 11: Nephi is caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, unto an exceedingly high mountain where he saw his father's dream, learned the interpretation thereof, a spoke to the Holy Ghost as a man speaketh; for [he] beheld that he was in the form of a man.
Chapter 12: The Holy Ghost bears record of Christ from the beginning of the world until this time, and from this time henceforth and forever.

These few examples are by no means an exhaustive list. Within these same chapters the Spirit constrains or gives authority for Nephi to speak, testifies of the truths Lehi reads in a book and preserves scripture for future generations. Throughout the rest of the Book of Mormon, Bible and other scripture, still other roles for the Holy Ghost are discovered and expounded.

Yet, even from these first 23 pages of the Book of Mormon, less than 5 percent of the text, we learn a great deal about the third member of the Godhead. He can enlighten our minds with visions or prophecies and teach us what they mean. He testifies of the truth, including the reality of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and inspires us to write down what we learn. He can exercise great physical power, shaking our physical frames or carrying us to places we have never been before. He preserves records, people and even entire cities. He is in the form of a man and has an eternal purpose and destiny.

The Holy Ghost shares the mission statement of our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life" of each of us (Moses 1:39). His many abilities are used to that end. Understanding the way the Holy Ghost can and will influence our lives is likely among the most important principles we can learn in this life, regardless of where it may be expounded upon in scripture. As we seek to improve our lives and bring salvation to ourselves and those around us, we will have the tools we need to be successful as we heed the message inspired by the Spirit and delivered by the living prophet at our most recent conference:

Be influenced by that still, small voice. Remember that one with authority placed his hands on your head at the time of your confirmation and said, 'Receive the Holy Ghost.' Open your hearts, even your very souls, to the sound of that special voice which testifies of truth. As the prophet Isaiah promised, 'Thine ears shall hear a word... saying, This is the way, walk ye in it.

Family Disputes in Scripture

In his most recent General Conference address, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf helped us all understand a little more of what the gospel says about strained family relationships. He titled his remarks, "The Merciful Obtain Mercy", intended to remind us all that "with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

The scriptures, as always, include instructions on how to respond to strain and pressure on our family relationships. They teach us that these struggles are as old as time itself: Lucifer rebelled against God and divided our premortal family; Cain slew his brother, Abel, in the earliest years of human existence. The root causes of these and other family disputes-- pride, envy, lust for power and others-- are a part of our human natures; the scriptures remind us that our challenge is to put off the natural man and become a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord (Mosiah 3:19).

One particularly instructive example is the Old Testament story of Joseph. Joseph was the favorite son of his father and was blessed with the spiritual gifts to have and interpret dreams. Some of his dreams prophesied that his family would one day make obeisance to him. Joseph's brothers became angry with what they saw as Joseph's haughtiness and favored treatment from their father. Some of his brothers wanted to kill him. Reuben and Judah convinced their brothers to spare Joseph's life and sell him to a caravan instead.

Joseph spent several years as a slave and as a prisoner because of his brothers' actions. When Joseph encounters his brothers again in Egypt there were anxious moments. At first, Joseph didn't want his brothers to recognize him. Now in a position of power, Joseph was in a position to exact revenge on his brothers if he desired. He could've sent them to prison, sold them as slaves or had them killed. Instead, Joseph orchestrated the reunion of the entire family and saved their lives by providing much-needed grain in a terrible drought.

Nephi also experienced contention in his family. His brothers, Laman and Lemuel, beat him with a rod, tied him up and tried to kill him on more than one occasion. Nephi's in-laws were prone to complaining and sometimes helped Laman and Lemuel attack their brother, Nephi. Even Nephi's dad, a prophet of God, complained against Nephi to the point that he must be severely chastised.

As with Joseph, Nephi surely had some anxious family moments. Before his brothers attempted murder, there were surely disagreements and fights just as in Joseph's family. Nephi and Joseph chose to forgive, even when their offending brethren were unrepentant. In Nephi's case, he eventually had to move his family away from his violent and dangerous brothers. His story doesn't have the happy ending that Joseph's does. But in each case, the Lord used the trials to the benefit of those willing to forgive-- and as a testament against those who persecuted them. Joseph became an overseer in Egypt and the birthright son of his father, Israel. Nephi prospered in the promised land as a prophet and king.

In our families, we are likely to experience strain on our family relationships like Joseph and Nephi did. We may not see the resolution to these disputes that we would like, just as Nephi was unable to persuade his brothers to be humble and seek after righteousness. Sometimes divorce, separation or muted lines of communication will happen or even must happen to protect our families.As we choose to forgive anyway, we will experience what President Uchtdorf explained in his address:

The more we allow the love of God to govern our minds and emotions—the more we allow our love for our Heavenly Father to swell within our hearts—the easier it is to love others with the pure love of Christ. As we open our hearts to the glowing dawn of the love of God, the darkness and cold of animosity and envy will eventually fade...

People do things that annoy, disappoint, and anger. In this mortal life it will always be that way.

Nevertheless, we must let go of our grievances. Part of the purpose of mortality is to learn how to let go of such things. That is the Lord’s way.

He concluded with a challenge that would be good for each of us to observe:

Remember, heaven is filled with those who have this in common: They are forgiven. And they forgive.

Lay your burden at the Savior’s feet. Let go of judgment. Allow Christ’s Atonement to change and heal your heart. Love one another. Forgive one another.