I Would Exhort You: Guidance Found in Moroni Chapter 10

I finished reading The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ last night. This book I have read multiple times. When I read Moroni chapter 9 a couple of days ago, I felt the Spirit of truth with me as I read, perhaps in anticipation of Moroni’s promise in chapter 10; perhaps because we still have hope even though we are living in troubled times like Moroni did.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are keenly aware of Moroni’s promise:

 3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye   should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

        5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye      
        may know the truth of all things.

We have put these words to the test and know that they are true; and we like to share them with others, so they can also pray and know for themselves. They are important verses. They are so important that Moroni uses the word exhort. In other words, he strongly urges, petitions, admonishes, perhaps even begs us to give heed. We need to remember that he is not writing to his family and friends; they have all been lost in battle. He is writing to the descendants of his enemies; and he is writing to us, here and now in the 21^st Century.

In these few verses, Moroni has a strong desire that we will read his words and the words of the other writers found in The Book of Mormon. He hopes that we will have gained an understanding of God’s love for us and feel His mercy in providing us with these sacred truths. He petitions us to pray, to ask our Heavenly Father in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and that if we do so with faith in Them, we will receive an answer to our query through the power of the Holy Ghost, as He warms our hearts and speaks peace to our souls. He then lets us know that this is a pattern by which we can discern all truth.

That’s wonderful. This is true. But it is not the end of Moroni’s testimony to us, nor is it the end of his exhortation.

Last night I continued reading the chapter with the familiar verses about God’s goodness and our need to develop faith, hope, and charity. But when I read verse 30, I had to pause. I looked up the cross reference to “touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing.” I then looked back at the earlier verses to gain context. A careful reading of the entire chapter is most beneficial. I would exhort you to read it.

Read Moroni Chapter 10

In verses 6 and 7, Moroni establishes that things that are good are also just and true, and that every good thing testifies of Jesus. He then reminds us that we can know of Christ’s existence and goodness through the power of the Holy Ghost, and that this requires faith on our part. Here’s another admonition:

          I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God                     (vs 7).

Moroni wants us to believe in Jesus and in our Heavenly Father. He wants us to believe that the Holy Ghost still speaks to the hearts of men and leads them to truth. He knows that we are on shaky ground if we deny this. He reminds us that God loves us today as well as He loved His children in former days. That God does not change and that His truth remains.

We receive a new exhortation in verse 8:

8 And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.

We live in a day of unbelief, yet Moroni tells us to be believing. In verses 9-18, Moroni specifies certain spiritual gifts. In verse 17, he tells us:

17 And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will.

The gifts are from Jesus, and He is the One who gives them to us at His discretion. They are given to bless us, and we use them in turn to bless others.

In verse 18, we have a new call to action:

18 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ.

We cannot take personal credit. We need to be humble. We need to remember from whence and whom our blessings come.

In verse 19, he reiterates that God does not change and that His gifts will ever be with those who are believing and faithful:

19 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that all these gifts of which I have spoken, which are spiritual, never will be done away, even as long as the world shall stand, only according to the unbelief of the children of men.

In verses 20-30, Moroni expounds on the need for us to have faith, hope, and charity. As we exercise these principles, the gifts of God will be abundant in our lives. If we do not feel the power of the Gifts of the Spirit in our lives, it is because of our own unbelief. We need to be equipped with faith, hope, and charity in order to have God’s plan of happiness unfolded to us.

And since we are still changeable beings, Moroni asks us to keep our memory of these things constantly fresh in our minds and in our hearts. If we forget and deny these things, it does not make them any less true, but it will work to our condemnation. Moroni’s words in verse 27:

27 And I exhort you to remember these things; for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust?

And here is verse 30, the verse that gave me pause:

30 And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing.

The entire Book of Mormon serves as an invitation for all to come unto Christ and be perfected in Him. How fitting that Moroni would conclude his message to us with this same invitation. We are invited to accept Jesus and to accept His Gospel and His redemption, and to not look for another. We do not need to modify Perfection’s order.

“Touch not the unclean gift” led me to this reference: 2 Nephi 18:19:

19  And when they shall say unto you: Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and mutter—should not a people seek unto their God for the living to hear from the dead?

And then in John 14:6, we read:

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Moroni exhorts us to remember that. We have the scriptures, and we have the prophets. We have the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. We do not need to look beyond the mark by trying to add elements or new guidelines to God’s Plan or to Christ’s Good News. Seeking to change the gospel to suit special interests or dissuasions we may feel may very well be touching the unclean gift and the unclean things. In our limited vision, let us trust Them who are perfect to support us perfectly through the sacred principles and ordinances of the gospel. Let us develop faith in Them and increase in faith, hope, and charity, relying upon the witness of the Holy Ghost and the Gifts of the Spirit to bring the enhancement into our lives that will bless and prosper us and make us ready for that great day when we stand before Them, saved through the goodness and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This last admonition is for all of us. We need to be on guard. We need to be vigilant. We need to hold strong to the very tenets of our faith, to the Doctrine of Christ. We can do it. The Lord has provided the way, if we wake up and stay alert. Closing verses:

31 And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

34 And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen.

(Italics added)

He Lives

Today was Fast and Testimony meeting in our Church. Although I didn’t stand today to bear my testimony, I want to share with you what was in my heart…what is in my heart today.

Artist: Brent Borup

Did Jesus really live again?

Yes! When the third day came, He wakened and He left the tomb….

Did Jesus really live again?

Oh yes! And so shall I.

(Song: Did Jesus Really Live Again)

The essence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that he lived an exemplary life, taught us the Gospel in word and deed, established His Church, atoned for our sins, died for all of us on the cross on Good Friday, and rose again Sunday morning. 

(Read: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ)

The essence of the message of Jesus Christ is one of Love. God is love, and He sent His Son. We can indeed feel the Savior’s love in all the world around us. It’s everywhere. We can hear and feel and see and know, because all things testify of Him. But if we look to the logic of the world, we will miss it. The Spirit will bear witness to our spirits that Jesus is the Christ if we look to him in every thought; if we try a little harder to doubt not, but be believing; if we trust in the radiating warmth of the Spirit as He witnesses to us that we are God’s children and that He loves us. As we search for God and for His Son, through reading the scriptures and through keeping the commandments, we will find Them. We will know that the Spirit is sent to us to comfort, teach, and guide us. And we will trust that Jesus will come again as He promised He will.

Some people think that they have grown beyond the need of a Savior; but none of us has. Though we are all children of God, and though He loves us, we still rely on Him for everything we have. All of us may be considered good people in the respect that I so often hear people say of others, “He is a good person;” because we do some pretty wonderful things and because we are children of God; and God is good. But without Him, we are nothing.

My testimony is that we need religion. Why? Because Jesus is the One who established His Church under His Father’s direction, and I trust that He did so because we need it. While there are many people living decent lives and living by their own light, we must remember that Jesus Christ is the Light of the World and without Him there is not any light at all.

My testimony is that no matter how good we are and how well we do there is absolutely no substitute available to certify our salvation other than the Lord Jesus Christ and His redemptive sacrifice for us. There is no substitute anywhere to be found that will offer us the security that comes from living the principles and ordinances of the gospel. And there will be no substitute for the Keeper of the Gate to Heaven, who is the Holy One of Israel, Jesus, our Messiah.

I love the Lord Jesus; I know He loves me; and I need Him.

Other scriptures and songs that were referenced:

God is Love

He Sent His Son

I Feel My Savior's Love

All Things Testify of Him

Spirit Bears Witness

Comforter Testifies of Christ

Look to Christ in Every Thought

If With All Your Hearts

Holy Ghost Will Teach Us

I Will Come Again

Everything Good Comes from God

We Need the Lord to Sustain our Lives

Christ Established the Church

Jesus is the Light of the World

Let Your Light So Shine

I Am the Light You Should Hold Up

His Light Governs All Other Light

No other Redeemer than Jesus

Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel

Keeper of Gate is Holy One

Jesus Makes Up the Difference

Jesus Makes Up the Difference in My Life

Drink It Up

Where do you draw the line? 

We all have so much in common in this life. We share similarities in family life, work, recreation, culture, happiness, sorrow, and so much more. Of course, we all have our own mindset, our own spirituality, our own gifts and talents, and our own way of interpreting the world around us. But we all share this wonderful human experience together.

Our understanding and our attitudes can make a profound difference in our perceptions and our ability to experience joy. We all know the proverbial cliché of whether the glass is half-empty or half-full. Either way, the level marker on the glass remains the same. So what makes up the difference for you?

I know who makes up the difference for me. It is my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. My glass would forever run dry if it weren’t for His living water. I’d like to share a couple of scriptures that come to mind.

Alma teaches us how we can begin to develop faith in Jesus Christ. The entire chapter of Alma 32 is great, but this verse carries the import of my message. Alma 32:7:

But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.


I know that it is my faith in Jesus Christ that has made me feel whole, even when I am broken. Even when I feel like less than a half a glass because of personal losses or shortcomings, He can make me feel whole.

Our attitudes often reflect our hope and our faith. When we do not feel conflicted, it is much easier for us to maintain a positive outlook, holding on to those important things that help us to feel happy and desire to share happiness. I guess our attitudes could be compared to a water catalyst or enhancer, expanding our little bit into something greater.

When I feel diminished, when I feel like my cup is running dry, that is the time that I know I need to turn to the Lord to be replenished. Isn’t it interesting even that the symbols of His sacrament are bread and water. Not only do they represent His body and blood which He gave for us in His atonement and death; they represent Jesus as the Bread of Life and our Living Water.

John 6:35:

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

John 4:14

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.


Our spirits, like our bodies, need constant nourishment; and, we cannot give up eating and drinking. So our cup needs to be replenished. Whether we feel that our glass is half-empty or half-full, we need to drink in order for it to be replenished.

2 Nephi 31:20:

Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.


I’m thankful for a Savior in my life. He is my personal Savior; and, He is yours as well. I know that because of our Heavenly Father’s love, Jesus was sent to make up the difference for all of us. He can turn darkness into light, night into day, death into life, sadness in to joy, and despair into hope. When you think about that glass of water, remember to drink it up, because it is His good pleasure to give us more.

Dealing with Loss

Dealing with Loss

Yesterday I addressed the topic of Pre-Conditioned Discipline: Changing our Song and Dance. The thoughts I shared were prompted by a Relief Society meeting in our Waterman Ward. Brother Goodson is a family therapist from LDS Family Services, and he came to share his personal experiences with us on many topics. Two of the topics were of particular interest to me.

The second topic, which I will address today, is Dealing with Loss. As mentioned in yesterday’s post, it is my experience that Jesus is our best Teacher and He is the One who can best reach every single one of us to help us through our suffering as a result of personal loss (see Matthew 11:28-30). This is mainly so, because He has vicariously taken upon Himself all of our experiences, both joyful and sorrowful (See Alma 7:11-14); and because He loves us dearly.

Knowing that Jesus was A Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief (See Isaiah 53:3-5) has also been very comforting to me. Enduring my grief with Him and through Him can make me become more like Him. It helps to know that the sadness we experience has a purpose beyond our own misery.

Brother Goodson rightly explained that we all suffer loss: whether it be the death of a loved one, declining health, divorce, or loss of employment. He also said that there are healthful and unhealthful ways to deal with losses.

On a chalkboard, he depicted the past, the present, and the future. Each had a plus and minus sign within its time frame. He explained that if we live in the future, especially if we are concerned about the unknowns of the future, that this will cause us extreme anxiety. While living in our negative past can thwart our current ability to progress. How about with loss? What is the most healthful thing for us to do when we experience loss?

Brother Goodson shared his own experience with loss. While on a family vacation, their seventeen-year-old was driving the car. When there was a turn in the road that she miscalculated, her mother saw it and told her. The daughter over-corrected and the car rolled multiple times. Many family members suffered severe injuries, and thirteen-year-old daughter Megan passed away.

For many years Brother Goodson sorrowed for the loss of his daughter. When he went to beautiful weddings, he would think, “Oh, this could be Megan’s wedding.” At some point, he realized that his own thinking was counterproductive, and he decided to change the pattern of his thinking. So in this same scenario, he know thinks, “This will be Megan’s wedding someday in the glorious future.” With that renewed faith, he looks forward to the future, when through Jesus’s grace we will all be together again.

My husband and I have also dealt with the sorrow of losing a child. In our case, Robby passed away the same day he was born. Though the year following his death was one of extreme sadness for us, it was also one of extreme joy. I felt a greater measure of the Spirit with me constantly, because I chose to turn to the Lord in this time of grief. During the Savior’s extreme suffering in Gethsemane, angels were sent to strengthen him. Still, being in an agony, He prayed more earnestly (See Luke 22:39-46). That’s what we need to do.

I was also given a personal angel to be my companion during this time (see Alma 38:7). This angel was my own son Robby. As I felt him walk with me through that first year, I felt as though I was walking between two worlds. The experience was sweet and joyful.

Brother Goodson stated that the deeper our valleys are, the higher our peaks will be. This can be true if we put our trust in the Lord. And it will be especially true if we hold out faithful until the end. Perfect joy will come in the morning of that perfect day (see Psalm 30:5).

Because Robby was taken so soon from us, we have very few memories of him. This caused me to learn to develop anticipatory memories early on. I know that I will see Robby grow from infanthood to adulthood to Godhood, and I will get to be his mother through it all if I remain faithful now. So there are ways for me to find joy in the milestones of other children, my own and others, knowing that Jesus will right all wrongs and wipe away all tears (see Revelation 21:4). And I marvel at the world that Robby will grow up in (see Isaiah 11:6-9).

I have since suffered many other losses. My younger brother Ed and my older sister Kathy (the two siblings closest in age to me) have both been gone for many years now. We’re also missing my mother-in-law; and, most recently, my own mother passed away. All of these losses have caused me great sorrow. But knowing the Lord’s hand is over all His creations (see Matthew 10:29-31) also gives me hope and encourages me to develop trust, faith, and patience, both for myself and with others.

If someone were to ask what is the hardest loss you’ve experienced? I think that would be an unfair question. The current loss is always the immediately most difficult, and it often brings back the tenderness of sensitivities of the other losses. But I have found that we may grieve differently at different times in our lives and with different losses. Truly, we cannot expect each other to grieve the same. Nor should we ever trivialize another’s loss.

With our losses, we cannot live in the past; but, I find it most helpful to be able to draw from the past and cherish the memories. Doing so can give us greater hope for the future. I have also found it most helpful to me, in experiencing the death of a loved one, when others share memories and impressions of that person with me. Sharing love, light, and hope is healing. We need to remember our baptismal covenants, so eloquently described by Alma, to mourn with those that mourn and comfort those who stand in need of comfort (See Mosiah 18:7-11).

I also think it helps to imagine, much like Brother Goodson does in thinking of his daughter’s wedding. Using our imaginations in constructive ways is a way of developing faith and hope, both in the goodness of our memories and the brightness of our future together. With an eye single to the glory of God, we can move on with a perfect brightness of hope (See 2 Nephi 31:20). 

We must also remember and cherish our testimonies. If there is anything that has helped both my husband and me to move forward even in times of sadness, it is our knowledge of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of the Gospel. We know that because Priesthood Keys have been restored, our separations are temporary; and because we have been sealed in the temple of our God, our family can and will be together forever. This is our testimony, our faith, and our hope. 

Scripture to Ponder:Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life: John 11:21-27. 

Read also: Pre-Conditioned Discipline: Changing our Song and Dance

Our Hope is in Jesus and Knowing His Words

We Must Know His Words

Have you ever noticed how many people make up quotes? Now, I’m not saying that we can’t be original and come up with great ideas to share and, as a result, we’ve made a quote. No; what I mean is when people attribute sayings to someone which, in all reality, that person never said…or at least there is no record of it.

While it is easy for all of us to draw conclusions from content we hear or read, we need to be able to acknowledge what is our opinion and what was actually said. That’s important. Even if we give a gist, we need to be careful that our interpretation isn’t way off from the intended purpose.

I think that this is especially true when we consider quoting the word of the Lord. We can’t just assume that since Jesus is a loving God, He would want things the way that we individually think they should be. No matter how loving and kind we are, we need to read His word and become accustomed to hearing His voice through the Holy Ghost and through His prophets if we really want to understand who He is and what He would have us do. Interestingly enough, when we do that, we really won’t have a desire to misquote Him. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (see John 10:27).

In today's world, especially, it is important for us to know what Jesus actually said. When we quote Him, we must be careful not to misquote Him or twist His meaning.

We hardly need to make Jesus into something He is not. He is our Savior and our Redeemer; and that does not ever need redefining, no matter how well-intentioned the self-appointed critic believes he is.

Now I have heard many people say things like they don’t understand a God who wouldn’t treat all His children the same. They think that no matter what path we choose to walk, God will invite all of us to sit down with Him in His kingdom. But He cannot deny His word, and what He really has said is that no unclean thing can enter into His kingdom (see 3 Nephi 27:19-22; Matthew 7:21-23; Moses 6:57; Revelation 21:27; 1 Nephi 15:34). 

The Need for a Savior

Well, of course Heavenly Father knew that all of us are unclean and fall short of the glory of God; that’s why He sent His Son, our Savior, who can make us clean through His atonement, if we come unto Him (see Romans 3:23-24; Isaiah 59:1-2; Alma 11:32-40; ). 

We are of the Most Worth to God

Some have misquoted Him, thinking they are rather clever. Jesus never said, “I didn’t say it would be easy; I only said it would be worth it.” I guess because we have experience in this life, we know it isn’t easy; and if we believe His promises and trust in Him, we have hope that it will all be worth it. But what did the Lord actually say about “easy”, and what did He actually say about “worth”?

Matthew 11:28-30:

“28 ¶Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.


In other words, following Jesus and taking upon us the good news of the gospel through obedience to His commandments is easier than falling in all the pitholes we may encounter if we ignore His word. Plus, His burden is light. I don’t think that this just talks about weight, but about direction and purpose. If we know that the burden we are carrying is aiding our journey, we will be much happier to carry it.

What is really of most worth to God? We are. We have been made a little lower than the angels (see Psalm 8:5). It is His work and His glory to bring about our immortality and eternal life (see Moses 1:39). The worth of souls is great in the sight of the Lord (see Doctrine and Covenants 18:10-16) . So what will be worth it? It will be worth it for us to keep the two greatest commandments (see Matthew 22:36-40). It will be worth it for us to choose to return to Him and to help others do the same.

As far as the misquote, the implication is that if we put up with hard things the Lord will give us great things. That’s both right and wrong. If we turn to the Lord, He will make difficult things become easier for us, so that we can carry the load with His help and His guidance (see Ether 12:27). What about the misquote of “It will be worth it.” That is actually one of the biggest understatements there is. It’s worth it if we put in a 40 hour week and we get a full salary, plus health benefits, plus vacation. But the Lord isn’t paying us for our efforts alone, because we could never buy or earn our salvation (see Ephesian 2:8). The Lord is inviting us to come unto Him and be perfected in Him and to share His glory (see Romans 8:16-18). 

God is our Father

So in the increasingly crazy environment we find ourselves in, with so many professing to proclaim profound truths; we need to remember that we are the children of God (see Hebrews 12:9) and that his purposes are higher than the purposes set forth by the world (See Isaiah 55:9). We need to have the faith, hope, and trust to rest assured that his promises will be fulfilled and that His love for us will never be betrayed (see Matthew 24:35; Doctrine and Covenants 1:37-38); and no matter what we have done, His hand is stretched out still (see Isaiah 5:25), mighty to save. The world’s views don’t make sense, but be not afraid, Christ has overcome the world (see John 16:33). Our hope must always be in Him.

We All Represent the One Lost Sheep

The following is a guest post. It was written by my childhood friend, Heidi Ryan Skanchy, one year ago today. I had asked my Facebook friends to share one of their favorite scriptures, and why it is important to them. Here is the scripture that she shared:

Luke 15:2-7:

2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

3 ¶And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

After sharing those verses, she shared another quote. Here is what she wrote:

Bruce Hafen said in his book, The Broken Heart, that

"The lost sheep are not just the people who don't come to church ... The lost sheep is a mother who goes down into the valley of dark shadows to bring forth children. The lost sheep is a young person, far away from home and faced with loneliness and temptation. The lost sheep is a person who has just lost a critically needed job; a business person in financial distress; a new missionary in a foreign culture; a man just called to be bishop; a married couple who are misunderstanding each other; a grandmother whose children are forgetting her. I am the lost sheep. You are the lost sheep."

She then shared her testimony. Thank you, Heidi, for doing that. Sharing our testimonies invites the Spirit and confirming power to our words. Her testimony:

I will be eternally grateful for a Savior that loves me and is never too busy to be there for me. He is never so busy administering to the 99 that he can't help the one. His atonement is infinite and eternal. I feel his love and am so thankful.

The Father and the Son are One in Purpose

“How are Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ the same but different?”

We have been told to worship the true and living God, and some people believe that the Father and the Son are just one personage of spirit. But this isn’t true. They are two separate identities who are one in unity, purpose, and likeness. How can we come to recognize Heavenly Father as the Father of our spirits and Jesus Christ as our Savior? 

These few scriptures provide a good beginning point in strengthening our understanding. There are so many more. You can open the links to these verses and find tools for cross-referencing them with other scriptures. Plus, you can use great tools such as The Bible Dictionary, True to the Faith, and Preach My Gospel. But don’t stop there; pray for answers. God will listen to your prayers and help you find answers to your questions.

John 3:16,35:

16 ¶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

John 17:20-23:

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Mormon 7:5-7:

5 Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers, and repent of all your sins and iniquities, and believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up.

6 And he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead, whereby man must be raised to stand before his judgment-seat.

7 And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end.

These are a few suggested scriptures in this month’s New Era, but there are so many more. Which are some of your favorites? How have the blessed you to have a greater understanding of our Heavenly Father and of His Son Jesus Christ? How can developing an understanding of both of Them help to enrich our lives? How can you share the truths that you learn with your own family? How can you share them with your friends and associates?

(Source: New Era: Learning of Heavenly Father: A Study of Epic Proportions)

End of Part 2
Part 1
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5 

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

Today’s Sacrament meeting was very good, beginning with the opening song, “I Know That My Redeemer Lives.” I thought about my brother Ed and his strong testimony as he sang that song when he was a young boy. I imagined how close he must have been to the Savior to choose that song. And of course, I miss my mother, and Ed, and Kathy, and Robby, and Nana, and Oma, and on and on. But the powerful message of the song reminds me that because Jesus lives, we all will go on living even after our bodies lay down in death. And because Jesus is resurrected and glorified, we will be, too! I marvel at His love and His goodness.

While I love many hymns, few affect me the way this one does. (Two others that do are “The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning” and “I Stand All Amazed.”)

Here are the words to the opening song today:

I Know that My Redeemer Lives

1. I know that my Redeemer lives.

What comfort this sweet sentence gives!

He lives, he lives, who once was dead.

He lives, my ever-living Head.

He lives to bless me with his love.

He lives to plead for me above.

He lives my hungry soul to feed.

He lives to bless in time of need.

2. He lives to grant me rich supply.

He lives to guide me with his eye.

He lives to comfort me when faint.

He lives to hear my soul's complaint.

He lives to silence all my fears.

He lives to wipe away my tears.

He lives to calm my troubled heart.

He lives all blessings to impart.

3. He lives, my kind, wise heav'nly Friend.

He lives and loves me to the end.

He lives, and while he lives, I'll sing.

He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.

He lives and grants me daily breath.

He lives, and I shall conquer death.

He lives my mansion to prepare.

He lives to bring me safely there.

4. He lives! All glory to his name!

He lives, my Savior, still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:

"I know that my Redeemer lives!"

He lives! All glory to his name!

He lives, my Savior, still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:

"I know that my Redeemer lives!"

Text: Samuel Medley
Music: Lewis D. Edwards

While the messages of every single verse speak of my love for Jesus and His relationship to me and mine to Him, the third verse always grabs me particularly. He is my Friend; He is my Prophet, my Priest, and my King! What greater reason do I have to sing? What greater reason do I have to rejoice and to lay my burdens down at His feet and continue forward in faith, hope, and good will? Because He is all these things to me, I need to trust in Him and allow Him to bind up my broken heart, and then do all that I can to serve Him.

I think that there is no greater song than this for expressing my belief, my faith, my hope, and my testimony in the Lord. While I sing this song, I feel His Spirit’s witness, and “I know that my Redeemer lives.”

After the Sacrament, the Bishop began the testimony meeting with a humble and sincere testimony like a child's. He knows the gospel is true, and he expressed thankfulness for his mother and father. This set the tone for many other powerful witnesses and the Spirit was sweet and real. I was deeply touched by the meeting, because the messages expressed what I feel and what I needed to hear; and reflecting on that, I feel that there is more unity in this newly combined congregation than I could have ever imagined. I am thankful. 

Turn to the Light

A Lesson for Relief Society based on the talk,

"The Lord is My Light," by Elder Quinton L. Cook

Songs for the lesson:

The Lord is My Light

Lead Kindly Light

In our pre-earth life, we all made the choice to follow the Son of God. In doing so we were given the opportunity to experience earth life with all of the challenges it presents. The best way to be successful again here is to make the choice, along with covenants, to follow the Son of God. He is our Savior, Lord, and Redeemer. He is our Light.

How many of you have seen sunflowers? Describe them. What do they do?

Sunflowers grow in extreme conditions. Sunflowers turn their faces towards the sun. Do we limit what we can do because we don't believe that our circumstances are optimal? Or do we take root and bloom even when we aren't necessarily where we want to be? Do we turn towards the Lord?

This life will present some real challenges for us. How will we respond? When the challenges presented come from friends, family members, or church members offending us or turning away from what we believe is right, how do we respond?

Do we experience anger and desire estrangement? Do we feel genuine love and sorrow, and hope to build others' faith as well as our own? Does pride get in the way of our own progression and desire to repent? Does it get in the way of us forgiving and accepting others? Do we allow pride to impede our progress?

“The Light of Christ plants the eternal nature of the family in the hearts of all God's children” (Elder Cook).

“So much in life is extraneous, [but]...the family is the real thing, the substantial thing, the eternal thing; the thing to watch over and care for and be loyal to” (Carla Carlisle).

Why is family the important thing, and how do we make family ties stronger?

It is important that we all build our testimonies. There are proper ways to do this.

“Patiently and humbly studying, pondering, praying, living gospel principles, and counseling with appropriate leaders are the best ways to resolve questions and concerns” (Elder Coook).

This can be true when we are seeking our own growth, or when we are trying to gain understanding concerning someone else, so that we can appropriately respond to his or her needs.

“If we faithfully have family prayer, scripture study, family home evening, priesthood blessings, and Sabbath day observance in our homes, our children will be counting on that pattern of faith even when they are away from home. These positive habits, accompanied with sincere concern and love for each others' well-bing, will provide our families with security and a safe harbor. Each member will gain the needed fortification to stand in today's world, making good choices” (Elder Cook).

We will be able to feel secure in the eternal safety of our children no matter what life's challenges may bring, knowing that Jesus will save them in this life and in the resurrection.

How can families work together towards their goal of eternal life? How have family prayer, scripture study, family home evening, priesthood blessings, and keeping the Sabbath day holy blessed you in your families and throughout your life?

How does our ward family act in harmony with each family's goal for eternal life? How does involvement in quorums and auxillaries help build us as individuals and strengthen our families? In what ways do home and visiting teaching offer us stability in an ever changing and challenging world?

“Our ward family is important to our progress, happiness, and personal effort to be more Christlike” (Elder Cook).

We need to avoid the temptation to become disjointed. The Lord's emphasis has always been on unity. When the Nephite and Lamanite people were all converted to the Lord, there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another.” As a result to this we read in 4 Nephi vs 16, “And surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.”

Because the love of God dwelt in the hearts of the people, there were no contentions. What must we do in our wards and in our homes in order to dispel contentions and build unity?

Our outlook is not bleak. If we look towards the Light, our destiny is to grow in His Light and become like Him. It will take a change of heart. We will need to determine now to love the Lord more and to love each other more. He will help us.

“Our protections in this life and for eternity will be in individual and family righteousness, Church ordinances, and following the Savior. This is our refuge from the storm. For those who feel they are alone, you can stand resolutely in righteousness knowing that the Atonement will protect and bless you beyond your ability to fully understand” (Elder Cook).

“We should remember the Savior, keep our covenants, and follow the Son of God as the young sunflower follows the sunshine. Following His light and example will bring us joy, happiness, and peace. As Psalm 27 and a favorite hymn both proclaim, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.”

Does Jesus Fit into your Christmas?

Does Jesus fit into your Christmas? Christians the world over have been taught about the prophecies leading to Christ’s birth: that the promised Messiah was born in a stable and cradled in a manger, that His birth was the greatest gift ever given to the world by God, the Father of us all; but, do Christians remember Jesus on Christmas day? Does Jesus fit into your holiday plans? Does He fit into your life all through the year?

My mother-in-law made each person in our family a Christmas stocking. When I was pregnant with our first baby, she made a stocking that just said “Baby” on it, and it had both pink and white yarn with white as well. This particular stocking evolved into our stocking for Jesus. This stocking became a place where we could deliver messages meant for the Christ-child; we deposited our gifts for Him there. It became a lovely family tradition. It is a way for us to fit Jesus into our celebration. What are some ways your family remembers Jesus at Christmastime?

Our current Bishop has challenged Ward members during the last quarter of the year to reread the Book of Mormon before Christmas. Reading the scriptures is another way that we can bring Jesus into Christmas, or to remember why we celebrate Christmas to begin with. In past years, our family has read the four Gospels during the months leading up to Christmas. And always, on Christmas Eve, the father in our home reads us the Christmas Story as found in the Gospel of Luke. What books of scripture or other inspiring books or magazines do you read to help you remember and to prepare you for Christmas?

Christ’s mission was all about service, giving, sharing, and saving. Every year we have enjoyed holiday baking and sharing our treats with neighbors and friends. One year our family acted as Santa Claus and took little presents to another family each day for twelve days leading up to Christmas. Our children felt the joy and excitement of giving anonymously and the anticipation of doing so without being caught. Other years we have chosen names from giving trees, so that we could help individuals or families receive a nice present for Christmas. My husband and I have been involved in missionary work, and there really is no greater pleasure than teaching people about Jesus and our Heavenly Father’s great love for all of us and watching them accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. What are some activities that you engage in that bring joy to others and the Spirit of Christmas into your heart?

We all have our own holiday traditions, and that is as it should be. We are blessed and entitled to believe and to celebrate as well choose. But Christmastime, for me, is a reminder that Christ does live! He is my Savior. He was born as an infant to Mary, His mother; and, God is His Father. Jesus is God’s Literal and Only Begotten Son. Joseph was a righteous man who acted as a mortal father to our Mortal Messiah, teaching Him about his earthly trade of carpentry and guiding Him in His spiritual development. Christmastime is a time for me to contemplate the great love that our Father in Heaven has for all of us in sending His Son to teach us by precept and example, to show us the way back to Heaven, and to pay the price of our admittance there with His own suffering, death, and resurrection. Christmastime is a time for me to remember that the focus of my life, not just the Christmas season, should always be centered in Jesus Christ. As I focus on Jesus Christ, my vision is not limited, but magnified, as I begin to see His great love for me and to feel my love begin to expand for others.

Today I am recommitting to fit Jesus into my Christmas and into my daily life throughout the year. I will need to make this a daily commitment in prayer each morning, and report back each night to my Heavenly Father. I know that some days I’ll do better than others, but Christmastime reminds me of God’ great Plan of Redemption. Each day I can repent and begin on my journey again. I’m thankful for this powerful gift. So my gift in return is to not give up, but to keep on trying, no matter how poorly or how well I think I am doing. Christmastime for many of us becomes a time to review our year and determine to do a little bit better. My gift for 2014 will be to review how I am doing much more often and to be concerned about charting my course more carefully from day to day. I desire for Jesus to fit into my Christmas now and to my daily routines, and spiritually guided deviations from my plans, each day of the year and coming years. Will I be successful at fitting Jesus into my life? If I do as He did and seek to do my Heavenly Father’s will and not merely my own, I know I will be.

Does Jesus fit into your Christmas? Will Jesus fit into your life in 2014?

Thanksgiving, Family, and the Great Plan of Happiness

Thanksgiving, Family, and the Great Plan of Happiness

I feel honored to be speaking on Thanksgiving week; plus, it is a privilege to be able to speak about families. In a way, I feel like I am giving my own eulogy. This talk will definitely be about my family and about the great Plan of Happiness. You may learn more about me than you wanted to know; but, I hope that what you really leave this meeting with is a greater appreciation for your own family and for our Heavenly Father’s love for us.

Bob and I were privileged to be born into Latter-day Saint homes. By this, I am not just saying that we belonged to Mormon families, but that we belonged to families who were truly trying to live the gospel. Our parents loved the Lord, and they did everything they could to serve Him and to serve their families. I know that my own parents made many sacrifices on behalf of their children, so that we could have the wonderful opportunities that they were not afforded themselves.

I believe that this love from parents to the Lord and from parents to their children extended way back in our family history. Those grandparents, close and further removed, who did not hear the restored gospel in this life or before they reared their families, still wanted to do their very best, and they still felt accountable to God. This is true for most of us here today. From our own current families back to Ephraim (or the Patriarch whose line you tie into), then to his fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; back to Noah, and on back to Adam, parents have cared for their children and wanted the best for them, and they have felt an accountability to God for their actions towards their families.

And so it is with our earthly family. We are all linked together, with Adam and Eve as our first parents. They were overjoyed when they heard the great Plan of Happiness, and they covenanted to be obedient and faithful so that the Atonement would be affective in their lives. But like Adam and Eve, all of their children have had agency. Some have followed the pattern that leads to happiness, and others have not. Satan would have us all believe that all is lost when we stray from the path, but Heavenly Father offered His Son so that nothing is lost. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on 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).

It is important that God sent us to live in families here on earth. That is His design. We lived with Him in Heaven during our premortal life, and there He taught us our first great lessons while we lived with Him as His Spirit children. Families are central to God’s plan for our happiness, and He intends for us to seek to live happily together as families now, so that we can be worthy to live as families eternally. His grand mission statement reads as follows, “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). Eternal life is not only life with God, but it is life like God’s. We will be blessed to have eternal increase, if we enter into the obligations, ordinances, and covenants that are necessary, and if we live up to those covenants, especially in how we treat one another.

I grew up in a family with seven children. My parents were not born in the United States. They were from far different European backgrounds from one another; but, they did have the gospel in common. They were blessed with strong-willed children, and they were strong-willed as well. But they always did their best to provide a loving and happy home. That does not mean that things were perfect. I have the perspective of the middle child. Those who are middle children will know what I mean.

My sister Kathy, who was nearly three years older than me, enjoyed annoying me. I mean it; she really did. One day when I was vacuuming the family room, she kept unplugging the vacuum. To begin with, I was singing while vacuuming. But after she unplugged the vacuum a few times, I lost my temper. Her response was something like, “My, you must be having a bad day.” She never held grudges though.

My brother Ed, who was two years younger than me, had some health issues as a baby and then developed rheumatic fever when he was young. As he grew older, he was just as healthy, if not healthier than the rest of us; but, he was often babied; and I was often asked to do things for him that he should have done for himself. I resented that.

As a youngster, I can remember thinking, I’m not sure that I want our family to be together forever. I was in a hurry to grow up and get out. But as we all continued to grow, we became good friends. These two siblings have returned to heaven, and I can tell you now that I am thankful for the knowledge that I have of the Plan of Salvation. I am grateful for the Lord’s love for me that He would atone for all of us and make it so that our family is a forever family.

When you believe in the gospel plan, you must take the decision of whom to marry very seriously. You will want to marry someone who shares your values, who is equally yoked with you in your understanding of the gospel, and who will be willing to commit all that they have and are to the Lord and to you and your children. And that is why I married my dear Bobby. I knew that he loved the Lord and I knew that he loved his family and he loved me. Also, it helped that his family members were active in the church and supportive of us and our goals. These are important things to consider, since eternity is weighed in the balance.

We have been blessed with six wonderful children. They are bright and capable, and they all have a desire to do what’s right. Like their parents, they aren't perfect; but they are on the right path. Bob and I have also tried to make sacrifices for our family so that each member could progress and excel and be happy. Also, we taught our children the importance of cheering for each other and being proud of each other’s accomplishments. In a family, we should not be contestants to outdo and oust each other, but we should eagerly help and persuade each other to be his or her best.

We have had great joy in watching our children progress from stage to stage. Life is a miracle. And for God to entrust us with his precious spirits, and to give us the time and the lessons to both teach them and to learn with them is the most incredible gift. It’s beyond comprehension. We've made our mistakes, but we've also made our apologies. Isn't it a great thing that our generation as parents has been allowed to apologize to their children and not lose face, but gain more faith and trust in doing so? And since God is so quick to forgive, we should also all be quick to forgive one another.

There are trials in rearing a family. No one can escape them. While some of them are similar for all of us, some are quite different; and all of them give us opportunities for growth. Some families experience health problems; others infertility; some women miscarry many children; some children have real physical or mental or emotional or social problems. But in our own unique families, it is important for us to realize that our combination is right, and God is at the helm.

Our first daughter was born with diastrophic dysplasia. While her dwarfism may have limited some of her life’s choices, it by no means has limited her capacity to grow and excel and be happy. From her early days, she was loved and treated as a capable individual. It was hard to recognize that Cathy was ever really a baby. She has such a mature adult spirit and nature. Bob and I know that we were extra privileged to have her come to our home.

I could brag about my children one by one. But I’ll spare you that today. The main thing about seeking happiness in family life is to remember to have a good attitude. Do all the important things together, especially praying together. The church provides so much good material and direction. Don’t ignore the established program of Family Home Evening. If your little boys are throwing punches, that’s okay; at least you are all together. And they will all learn to value that time. Reread The Family: A Proclamation to the World. It truly is an amazing document of scripture, written by prophets, and inspired by God.

Our family learned in a deeply personal way that families are forever when our fifth child Robert Jr. passed away. Everyone was looking forward to the birth of this dear baby boy, but it was followed closely by his death; and his siblings did not even get to see him alive. But they felt his spirit, and they all had experiences through the power of the Holy Ghost that let them know that Robby was their brother and would be forever. How sweet to hear Eliza, so young and small herself, comforting her little brother Tommy, “You’re still a big brother, Tommy. You’ll always be a big brother.”

Now I have children all over the country. Cathy still live is SLC, Utah. John and his wife are in Florida. Eliza and her husband are in Texas. Tom is in American Fork, Utah. And Christine, are special daughter that completed our family is with us for a short time yet. We can’t all be together for every holiday anymore. But we stay close through praying for one another and talking to each other by phone, by Facebook, and by letter. It is wonderful to see our children making temple covenants and beginning forever families of their own.

When Tom and Whitney got married, Jacob was just one-year-old. Tom loved Jacob from the time he started dating Whitney. And Jacob has always loved his Daddy. It was a wonderful blessing that Jacob’s birth father allowed for Jacob to be sealed to Tom and Whitney on their wedding day. I know that the Spirit was involved in this process, and I will ever be thankful to the birth father for allowing that blessing to take place. After Tom and Whitney were married, the temple sister brought Jacob into the very full sealing room. Little Jacob had the biggest smile on his face as he looked around the entire room from one person to the next. Yes, I believe he felt the significance of that event that day. The Spirit was strong. And Jacob is our first grandchild. Currently, Tom is in the process of adopting him. We are blessed and thankful. And Jacob’s little sister Amanda will be one year’s old in a few days. What a beautiful, loving granddaughter. The titles of “Mom” and “Grandma” or “Hamma” as Jacob says, are the most important titles to me. “Wife” is right up there, too.

I am thankful for family—past, present, and future. I am thankful that God would send us to families and entrust us to have families. May we value each other and live together in love, so that we will ever be privileged to do so.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Marriage is Ordained of God

I love my family. I am thankful for a husband who loves me and tells me what a good person I am. A special thanks to my children for teaching me how to be a mom. It's taking me many years, but I'm happy with the privilege that I've been given to be yours. And even though it's taking me years, that's okay because we have the promise of Eternity.

I recently read an article somebody posted on Facebook. 

Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher

Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher live in North Carolina. They have been married nearly 86 years. Zelma is 101 and Herbert is 104 (at the time of the article). For Valentine’s Day, they were willing to answer some questions about their lives together. Because of their commitment to the Lord and to each other, divorce was never an option or even a thought in their marriage. They were best friends before they married. They have done what was needed for each other and for their family. To those who are losing hope in finding a marriage partner, they said, “He/she is never too far away, so keep the faith—when you meet him, you’ll know.” The best marriage advice is to respect, support, and communicate with each other. Be faithful, honest, and true. Love each other with all of your heart. Zelmyra said that her husband is a hard worker and a good provider. He’s a good man. They looked for ways to serve each other and they celebrated each other’s successes and shared their accomplishments. They grew together. Their most important reward is their legacy of 5 children, 10 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild. With their children grown, they enjoy visiting together on the porch. They have always remembered that God put them together on the same team to be winners. Marriage is not a contest. They learned to compromise and work together. 

In the beginning God created man and woman (See Genesis 1:27, Matthew 19:4-5). Because of agency, Adam and Eve were allowed to enter mortality and become our first parents. God ordained that they be married and that their union be blessed with children, even all the families of the earth. In Genesis 2:24 we read, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” The same scripture is repeated in Matthew 19:5. Prophets today have also repeated these fundamental truths held by all former prophets in The Family: A Proclamation to the World. Because they have the spirit of revelation and the testimony of Jesus Christ, they were able to foresee the dilemma that would develop in our world over the issue of traditional, God-ordained marriage. 

Adam and Eve were good, faithful people chosen by our Heavenly Father in pre-mortality to be our first parents. Like Adam and Eve, all of their children have been given agency. Agency gives us the ability to make choices within the constructs of law to which we are all subject. Agency does not give us the ability to choose the consequences which follow our choices, nor does it give us the right to alter God ordained law.

There are those who have and will call me unkind because I believe that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. They have the sophistry of the day to support their logic. I have my testimony in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and God’s Plan of Happiness for His children. Acting superior by pretending to be magnanimous does not prove one believes in equality. True understanding must stem from having in place a deep-rooted belief system that although we are all children of God, He knows and loves us better than we do ourselves, and although He knows that obedience to His laws is what will bring us happiness, He will not personally impose discipleship. While He must certainly expect that His children also not impose obedience on each other, He most assuredly does not condone the repealing of His laws.

If the world was created, there is a Creator. If the universe is governed by law, there is a Law Giver. I believe that God is the Creator, and I believe that He is also the Law Giver. As His child and His creation, I have no power to re-create Him or to redefine His laws.

This life is a period of testing. It is a time for us to learn how to obey and to learn to walk by faith. It behooves us to do all that we can to strengthen our testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel so that we can help others to also walk by faith. It is only through keeping the commandments that we can gain a testimony of the sacred nature of each commandment. Obedience, or faithfulness, is what produces faith. We cannot expect the faithless to understand faith without inviting them to practice the principles that lead to it. But when one truly understand the promise of the gift of Eternal Life and that it is available to all, then putting our lives in harmony with God’s laws seems like a most favorable choice. I personally am in favor of conforming my life to His will so that I can receive the promised blessings, and I also desire that my brothers and sisters be allowed this choice. We cannot pretend that it’s all right to chase fabricated rainbows for non-existent pots of gold.

Because this life is a period of testing, we all have individual trials and challenges with which we must deal. We all have our quirks; we all have our problems; we all have our temptations. While it is true that God created us initially, he did not mean for us to stay in our infant condition, nor did He create us without the ability to choose. Within us are the seeds of godhood. One of the greatest gifts we have is agency or the freedom to choose. Each day we can redefine and recreate ourselves by the choices that we make, by our thoughts and our actions. To say that we are the way we are because God made us that way seems to be more of a copout than saying the devil made me do it. But life’s challenges are difficult, and we need to be loving and kind, and forgiving of ourselves and others. We need to be patient and we need to be accepting. We need to learn to embrace our brothers and sisters without embracing the actions that we know to be wrong. If we all tried to be more loving and accepting and less judgmental and offish, the world would spin ever more nicely on its axis and follow its orbit with greater ease. To some degree, we are all recovering sinners, in need of guidance, love, and forgiveness. It would be a wonderful thing to have our chapel filled with more sinners. The Lord didn’t come to call the righteous to repentance, but the sinners (See Luke 5:31-32). Because we have agency, we can choose our own attitude each day even when our challenges seem insurmountable. The Lord is always there to help us, and His hand is stretched out still. 

Testimony of the Savior, the Plan of Salvation, and Marriage that is Ordained of God:

I know that the Savior lives and He loves me, and He loves you. He has sent His peace and His comfort to me through the power of the Holy Ghost many times. I have felt His presence with me when I have needed Him here. I know that He is with all of us when we need Him, because He atoned for each of us and He knows and loves us personally. We can take our worries and our troubles to Him (See Matthew 11:28). He will sustain us despite our sins and weaknesses. He will provide a way for our progress and our deliverance. We can and should also turn to our ecclesiastical leader so that he can offer us help and direction in our times of spiritual need. When the dark of night overtakes you, look to the source of all light, Jesus Christ. He will again carry you through to the light of day.

I know that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. We have the choice and opportunity to follow God’s laws and to follow His prophets. I know that God is not a respecter of persons and that He loves us all. I know that there are actions, behaviors, and choices that the Lord cannot condone, nor can the Lord’s servants. This is not because He and His servants do not love God’s children, but it is because they do love us. They understand His great Plan of Happiness and they understand the far reaching power and effects of the Atonement. 

I know and understand that there are urges, temptations, and attractions with which many people struggle. Indeed, none of us is free from temptation in our lives. I also know that the Lord has promised us that if we are humble and we turn to Him that he will make weak things become strong unto us (See Ether 12:27). Of this I have a testimony. Some of us may struggle with the same problems and temptations our entire lifetime, but with good attitudes and faith in the Lord, the Lord will carry us through, give us hope, and help us on our journey to become like Him. He has said, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for my yoke is easy and my burden is light and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:28-30).

I understand that many people have struggled with same sex attraction. The problem is very real, and many are confused about the choices and eternal consequences that are available to them. I do not think that I am showing anyone great love or proper respect by making them believe that same sex relationships are acceptable. I, in essence, feel that if I were to do this, I would be denying the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation and Exaltation that are made available through the Atonement. I believe the Savior’s words to be true. We all must take up our crosses, whatever they may be, and follow Him. If we endure to the end, we shall have Eternal Life which is the greatest gift of all (See Doctrine and Covenants 14:7). Why would I want to deny anyone the opportunity for that gift by telling him or her that whatever lifestyle they choose is correct and acceptable when the Lord and His prophets have said that this is not so?

I am thankful that I personally heard and answered a prophet’s call. Make no mistake, the LDS Church did not write Proposition 8. The people of California did that. And the majority voted for and passed both Proposition 22 and Proposition 8. But when a prophet asked us to support Proposition 8 with our time and our money, my husband and I were happy to do so. We did not need to question if it were the right thing to do, because our testimonies were firmly planted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and in His restored Church. We did not have to take a new look or assess if we needed to take a different stand, because we know that the Lord said in His own Preface to the Doctrine and Covenants, “Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (See Doctrine and Covenants 1:38). We also realized that what the prophet asked us to do was in harmony with the gospel of Jesus Christ according to all the scriptures, with which we are familiar, and the voices of past prophets. 

Will we be asked to do the same thing again? I do not know. But I know that we will be asked to do things that are seemingly just as difficult or even much more difficult. Although many people of all different faiths made up the majority who voted in favor of Proposition 8 and who also donated money and time to this cause, many were offended with our Church’s involvement, among whom were members of our Church. (Some of these have used this issue to become disaffected from the Church and justify their choices to forsake their beliefs and disobey the commandments. Some now fight actively against Christianity altogether.) We need to make certain that the challenges of today do not have the power to make us feel conflicted too long, that they do not have the power to pull us away from the Savior. We have the choice to be humble and prayerful, to seek the Spirit and to remain faithful. 

What are all of us willing to do to make sure that we stay on the Lord’s side in these last days? What do you need to do personally? If you do not have a firm testimony of Jesus Christ, get one. Pray with all earnestness of heart. Read your scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon and the New Testament. Find out who Jesus is—He is your personal Savior and Redeemer; and He is mine. Once you know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and that He atoned for you, pray to know that His restored Church is true. Pray to know that Joseph Smith was the prophet of the Restoration and that Thomas S. Monson is the Lord’s prophet today. Continue to study the Book of Mormon and the New Testament, and begin to read and understand the Doctrine and Covenants. As you read this book, you will hear the Lord’s voice, because it is His book (See Doctrine and Covenants 18:33-36). Talk to the Bishop, set goals with Him and make promises to your Heavenly Father. Partake of the Sacrament worthily each week. Truly strive to remember the Lord in all that you think, do, and say (and write). Keep the commandments. Stay close to the Spirit and heed His counsel and His warnings. Know that if something is not in harmony with the teachings of the Lord as found in the scriptures or from the words available through modern day prophets, then that thing is incorrect. Use the scriptures, the words of our prophets, and the Spirit of the Holy Ghost as your guide. Do not let lesser sympathies or misunderstandings take charge of who you are or what you can become or of who other people are and what they can become. The Lord is faithful, and great blessings and promises are in store for all of His children who are faithful. 

(Written 1-27-12)