The Sacrament

While I take the Sacrament
I reflect on how my week was spent
Choices chosen, deeds were done
I can improve in weeks to come

While I take the Sacrament
I think of my surmounting debt
I seek for Grace, Christ's love for me
To help me to eternity

While I take the Sacrament
I pray that I will not forget
And as the days turn into weeks
That I will listen when He speaks

While I take the Sacrament
I seek to be at one with him
I think of Christ, and what He's done
Help me see who I can become

Power = Work / Time

Some people think it strange, but I actually enjoyed my physics courses in college. Learning about the forces that governed this world and the universe fascinated me. Sometimes physics isn't intuitive, or at least it wasn't for me. It seemed like often what I thought would happen under certain circumstances was the exact opposite of what would actually occur. However, the concept of Power is pretty straightforward.

The definition of Power is: the rate at which Work is done. Basically, Power tells us how much Work is being accomplished and how quickly. Power (P) equals Work (W) divided by Time (t).

With this background information, I share a scripture in Alma 18. In verse 35 Ammon says that the Spirit gives him knowledge, and also power according to his faith.  With increased power, Ammon would be able to accomplish more of the Lord's work in less time. In order to increase our efficiency, God has given us the Holy Ghost to lift us and strengthen us so we can accomplish more than we could on our own.

According to the verse, we are given these blessings of knowledge and power according to our faith and desires which are of God. To me, that sounds like a proportional relationship. Thus, one of my goals for 2017 is to increase my faith. I hope that by doing so I will be blessed with a greater portion of the Spirit in my life.

Side note: the unit of Power is the Watt.

God's Efficiency is Greater than Man's

Sometimes, while reading in the first few chapters of the Book of Mormon, I have wondered why God did not simply have Lehi grab the Plates of Brass on their way out. It seems to me like this would have been the most efficient way to get things done. However, much was gained as a result of Nephi and his brothers having to return to Jerusalem.

1. Nephi had a tremendous faith-building experience
2. Lehi's sons were visited by an angel
3. Sariah gained a further witness of her husband's seership

I'm sure there are many more blessings that could be listed here but the point is that God was not only interested in obtaining the plates for Lehi and Sariah's family, but also in helping them reach their full potential. So I asked myself, "Do I question the efficiency of the Lord's methods?" "Do I become impatient with God's plan for me?" I hope I will be able to stop looking for shortcuts and start focusing on what I can learn here and now.

The Cost of a Compliment

While serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the state of Montana I remember sitting in the home of a proud grandmother. She was boasting of her grandkids like any grandparent would do, except the praise she offered her grandchildren was always immediately followed by putting the other children down. This may sound harsh but, the truth is, we all do it. When we make comparisons we often place others below ourselves to make us seem better or above average. 

On the other end of the spectrum, something I have noticed myself doing is when I pay someone a compliment I will put myself down. As if telling the other person they are better than me somehow makes it more sincere. This isn't all that helpful either.

Pointing out other people's strengths is great but let's not cheapen our compliments by dragging someone else through the mud.

Beings Who Act

In the Book of Mormon, a prophet named Lehi speaks of God creating things to act and things to be acted upon. Like it or not, we are beings who act. We cannot choose not to act for that is in itself an action. Each day we are responsible for the decisions we make, whether we complain about our circumstances or not, and how we use our time.

Going Against the Grain or With the Flow

Growing up, I was often asked (and it's likely you were too), "If all of your friends were jumping off a cliff would you jump too?" This well-meaning question is meant to illustrate the need for one to make decisions for one's self and not simply follow the crowd. However, simply doing the opposite of the majority is just as dangerous as following the crowd. Sometimes the crowd gets it right. Sometimes the voice of the people make the right choice.

A trite example: a music artist releases a song that most people enjoy, yet some individual remarks that it's too "mainstream". They will likely go on to say that they used to listen to this artist before everyone else but now that other people like them, they have moved on to other, more obscure musicians. In an attempt to free themselves from the masses they simply confine themselves to doing the exact opposite of what there friends, neighbors, and coworkers do.

We would be wise to examine our decisions from multiple perspectives before making them. Why not listen to the song and decide for ourselves whether or not we like it, independent of what everyone else says? I would also submit that God will help us "know whether to fight, flee, or go with the flow." 1.

So next time all of your friends are standing at the edge of a cliff, don't jump just to be different.

Unless of course, you're at Lake Powell.

Heads Up!

In Mark 13:35, 36 we read, "Watch ye therefore . . . Lest coming suddenly he finds you sleeping." One of Satan's tactics is to lull us into a false sense of security. Going through the motions, we begin to go day in and day out with repenting and we quietly drift farther and farther away from our God.

Obedience

When I was younger and my mom wanted us to do something she would start singing the primary song, "When my mother calls me, quickly I obey..." And ya know, we would always come running. At least that's how I remember it...  She might recall things differently.

Obedience is the first law of heaven and therefore is an important concept for us to understand. There are many reasons people choose to obey God and few of them are:

1) Obedience out of fear.
2) Obedience in hopes of a reward.
3) Obedience out of love.

The way in which we obey is perhaps more important than obedience itself. Moroni quotes his father, saying, "a man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift ... unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing." Take Laman and Lemuel, for example, they did many of the same things as Nephi but with a completely different attitude and we see how that turned out..

To finish off my thoughts, I really like what Nephi writes as he finishes his record in the Book of Mormon, "for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must obey." Ultimately, being obedient to God should be a part of who we are, not because are afraid of Him or the persuasions of man but because of our gratitude and love for Him.

Stuff is Just Stuff

When those we know and love exit this world we are left to mourn their loss but we are also left with all of their stuff. Many people write wills instructing children and others on who gets what when they die. But literally, in the end, it's just stuff. TVs, fridges, pianos, pens, and pocketknives are all left behind when a person passes on. 

Sometimes I wonder if I place to much emphasis and effort into obtaining this stuff. Sure, some of it is important and makes life rather convenient but what is it that really matters? If you ask me, I'd probably say that people fall pretty high on that list. The relationships that we foster in this life are worth far more than anything with a price tag on it. 

In the words of Paul, "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." So enjoy the company of your family and friends and let em know how much they mean to you while we're all still here! And don't worry about accumulating more "stuff"!

Knowledge Unto Salvation

Moroni, a Book of Mormon prophet, writes in 3 Nephi 5:20, "that [God] hath given me and my people so much knowledge unto the salvation of our souls." I find this phrase interesting. When I think salvation I typically do not think of knowledge as the means of attaining it. But after thinking about it for a moment, it makes sense. When we have knowledge of something we are enabled and empowered to act. In order to perform a surgery a physician must first have specific training on the functioning of the human body. In order to develop computer software a programmer must first learn how to code. Once there is understanding there can be action and eventually a finished product.

In verse 25 of the same chapter Moroni talks about a specific kind of knowledge, knowledge of the covenant. In order for us to live with God and partake of salvation we too must gain an understanding of these covenants. And after doing so, if we are faithful, we can obtain the greatest of all the gifts of God, eternal life. 

Coming Up On Conference

With General Conference coming up in only a few days, I was just reviewing some of my notes from last October (something I should do more often). A couple things stood out to me that I feel would be easy to start doing:

1. Read Joseph Smith History often (Neil L. Anderson)
2. Watch less TV. Read more books (Tad R. Callister)
3. Ask, "Will this make me a better person?" (Quintin L. Cook)
4. Set goals to be good, not applauded by the world (Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

The overarching theme I pulled from these notes and from my institute of religion class today is this: We need to focus on the use of our own agency and not be overly concerned with how others use theirs or how they view us. If we make sure our lives are in order then we can be sure that God's blessings will flow and we can stop worrying about making every little thing work out perfectly.

Alma says it best in Alma 41:14, "Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren, deal justly, judge righteously, and to good continually; and if ye do all these things than . . . shall ye have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again . . . ye shall have good rewarded unto you again.

In the following verse he continues, "For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again..." 

Getting What You Want

"Ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof." - Alma 32:39

In our lives, we all desire certain things. It might be a successful career, a happy family, or eternal life. In order to get what we want, we have to put in time and effort to make it happen. Christ said, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." If we truly want something it will be manifest by our actions.

We may profess to want an eternal family but if we are not willing to "nourish the tree" then we "cannot have the fruit." This principle is known as the law of the harvest. Basically, the law of the harvest states that what you get out of something is proportional to what you put in.

The key word there is proportional. Because, if we got out exactly what we put in, there would not be any point in putting any work in at all. But that is what is wonderful about Alma's analogy. When nourished, a single seed may grow into a tree bringing forth an almost infinite number of similar seeds.

When we work along side God and Christ they can magnify our efforts and through Christ's atonement we can partake of the most precious fruit of all, eternal life.

Life is a Painting not a Puzzle

Life is full of trials: we make mistakes, we get sick, we lose people we care about. Sometimes my tendency is to view life like a puzzle, something to be solved. When I lose a piece, I'm sunk. Once a piece is missing, there is essentially no way to complete the picture.

However, a more correct comparison would be to say that life is like a painting. We may make a mistake here or there but a true artist can easily turn those blemishes into an overall beautiful picture. 

Elder Bednar relates the following in one of his conference addresses:

"In my office is a beautiful painting of a wheat field. The painting is a vast collection of individual brushstrokes—none of which in isolation is very interesting or impressive. In fact, if you stand close to the canvas, all you can see is a mass of seemingly unrelated and unattractive streaks of yellow and gold and brown paint. However, as you gradually move away from the canvas, all of the individual brushstrokes combine together and produce a magnificent landscape of a wheat field. Many ordinary, individual brushstrokes work together to create a captivating and beautiful painting."

Each day we paint a little bit more. And hopefully we don't get discouraged if things maybe don't turn out how we planned or if we feel like we messed up. With God's help, we can improve our lives/paintings each day. 

Owning Up to Our Actions

I recently had a very interesting experience... It all started when I was in the shower.. I had woken up just like any other morning but while in the midst of my morning routine I remembered that I had parked my car in a nearby lot that is only open to the public on weekends. Long story short, I ended up paying $75.00 to get a boot taken off my car.

As I waited for the company to come remove the boot I kept trying to think of ways it wasn't my fault, looking for a reason why I shouldn't have to pay the fine. But ultimately I came to the conclusion that there was me, and only me, to blame so I paid the fee and went on my way 75 dollars poorer. 

We make choices every day. Sometimes our actions are in line with the commandments of God and other times they aren't. It's my experience that we are quick to take credit for the good that we do but even quicker to make excuses when things go south. Perhaps all we need is to be a little more honest with ourselves and own up to our actions. And remember to move your car when you need to.

The College Student and the Concept of Zion

For those of us in school right now it's easy to get caught up thinking about ourselves. What classes am I going to take? What should MY career be? What shirt should I wear today? None of these questions are bad, they're a necessary part of our lives. But they sometimes make it hard for us to think about people besides ourselves.

In the scriptures we read about the concept of Zion. The Doctrine and Covenants speaks repeatedly on establishing Zion. Enoch built a city that was called 'Zion'. D&C 97 refers to Zion as, "the pure in heart". And we sing hymns about Zion in church on Sundays. So with that said I want to share this scripture...

"But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion, for if they labor for money they shall perish (emphasis added)." - 2 Nephi 26:31

As students, we are preparing ourselves to enter the work force. We know that we have a duty to provide for our future families but sometimes I think we get caught up in future fortunes instead. This scripture reminds us that our labor should always be to build God's kingdom, not ours.  In the end, money isn't important but people are and I hope that we won't forget it.

Knowledge is Freedom

I've heard it said before that "knowledge is power" and I don't disagree. I would simply like to add that "knowledge is also freedom".

In 2 Nephi 2:26 it states that Adam and Eve became free forever, knowing good from evil. When we gain knowledge we are free to make more educated decisions, freeing us from choices that lead to sin. Thus, one of the sole purposes of our existence on this earth is to learn how to tell the difference between good and evil, righteousness and wickedness.

It appears to me that making this distinction has become increasingly difficult as of late. In the world we see many that call good, evil and evil, good.  See Isaiah 5:20 for his prophecy on the subject. Society no longer looks to the laws of God or to His doctrine for answers on issues of morality. Instead, we are encouraged by the world to "choose what is right for us". This dangerous doctrine of doing whatever works was taught by none other than Korihor, an anti-christ in the Book of Mormon (see Alma 30:17, 60 to find out what happens to him...).

The truth is, there is a law. There are rules, commandments that God has given us. As we learn to keep them and to distinguish good from evil we are becoming more and more like Him. We are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death.. Pick whichever one you want.

What's in a name?

Names have really been intriguing me as of late. Why are they so important to us? Why do we care if someone remembers our name or not? And we do care. For some reason, when someone can call us by name we feel as if they know us. They may remember a hundred things about us but if they can't remember what we are called then we still feel like they don't care, or don't know us.

When we are born, our parents decide what our names will be. Whether its Joseph, Andrew, Jeffery, or Kyle that word becomes a part of us. It's kinda weird. Growing up, we get nicknames that sometimes mean more to us than our original name. For some reason, we like that. 

At baptism we take upon ourselves the name of Christ. We strive to represent Him in what we do and say. Mosiah 5:8 says, "There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ..." 

Christ said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." Christ does know us and is ever calling out to us. Let's listen and follow Him. 

The night is darkest just before the dawn

I don't know if that saying actually has any real scientific merit but it certainly rang true for me this summer. My summer job took me away from Utah and down to the northern part of Texas. It was hot, dusty, and at times a little bit miserable. But overall I was in good company and had an enjoyable time. However, my last week of work was indeed a trial and a tribulation. Tuesday was particularly awful. My exhaust system on my car broke. Like, we are talking pipes hanging from the bottom of my car, scraping the asphalt. I was terrified that I would have to stay an extra day or two for it to get fixed.

Thankfully, we were able to get it fixed on Wednesday and I started the journey home on Thursday morning. I was so grateful. My prayers had been answered. However, 200 or so miles from home I hit something on the road and my right rear tire was shredded. Let me just take time to point out that I had already replaced all four tires on my car over the course of the summer. Needless to say I was a little bit bummed.

Anyway, we put the spare on and somehow made it the rest of the way home. Shoutout to Dalton Facer for sticking with me the whole way just in case I got another flat. But as we were driving across the rather large state of Wyoming I couldn't help but think of the pioneers who made a similar trek but on foot. After initial thoughts of, “why me?” I realized I had so much to be grateful for. So I thanked God for my safety, for my friends, for my family waiting for me, for technology and innovation, for all the blessings which I enjoy everyday.

The night may be darkest just before the dawn but what better time to look up at all the stars?

Without Sail or Anchor

Let me start off by saying that I am not a sailor, nor have I ever even been sailing. I have, however, watched movies where people do and it actually seems like a lot of fun.

In the last chapters of the Book of Mormon, Mormon casts before us an awful scene of blood and carnage. The Nephites and Lamanites are at war (which by this point in the book is a regular occurrence) and to say the least, things are not looking good. But as bad as the war is, Mormon is more concerned about their spiritual welfare. Because of his people's wickedness he knows that we too will sorrow for the destruction of this people as we read his account. And he's right.

In verse 18 of Mormon chapter 5 we read that the people were as though they were, "upon the waves, without sail, or anchor, or without anything wherewith to steer..." Like I said before, I'm no sailor but I think it is safe to say that those three things are essential. They give us control of the boat. With them we can stop, change direction, and return to our proper course should we stray. Without them we are simply at the will of the ocean. And after watching Shark Week that is not something I desire...

So as we set sail today and tomorrow lets not forget that we have power to stop and to change our course. Hopefully if we make minor adjustments (See President Uchtdorf's talk: A Matter of a Few Degrees) along the way we'll make it home to our Heavenly Father without being entirely lost at sea or eaten by a shark.

Something new from Alma 32

This summer my parents, being the great folks that they are, challenged our family to read the Book of Mormon before school starts. This week I arrived at Alma chapter 32, the great discourse on faith. I thought to myself, "Self, see if you can find something new today." So I read carefully and something jumped out at me that I haven't looked at too closely before.

In verse 5 the poor of the Zoramites voice a concern. They complain to Alma that they have no place to worship because the rich have kicked em out of the synagogues. Thinking of my own life, I really only consider going to church on Sunday or going to the temple as qualifying as worship. It's likely that I would feel very much like these Zoramites if all of a sudden I was no longer allowed to enter church buildings or temples.

In the next chapter Alma says in verse 3, "Do ye remember to have read what Zenos, the prophet of old, has said concerning prayer or worship?" He then goes on to explain that praying unto God in the wilderness, over our fields, and in our closets is worshipping God.

Prayer is worship, if we make it that by being sincere and thanking and praising God in our conversation with Him. Richard G. Scott said, "Think of it: the absolute Supreme Being, the most all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful personage, encourages you and me, as insignificant as we are, to converse with Him as our Father."