Letting Your Light Shine vs Reflecting Someone Else's

 Each of us has the Divine Spark, also called the Light of Truth, within us. That Light can grow brighter and brighter until the perfect day, but it can also grow dimmer and dimmer until we are shrouded in darkness. How can it grow dimmer? By covering it up with false traditions. Sometimes these false traditions impersonate the shining light of truth by reflecting other light. A light and mirror will never produce as much light as two lights. 

Each generation has its prioritized virtues, as well as all the counterpart vices. Yet it seems that for as many people who truly shine with those virtues, there are many more who merely appear to shine with it by attempting to reflect the light of others. An apparent prioritized virtue of the present generation is authenticity, yet in a desire to be authentic, it is possible to force the appearance of authenticity by mirroring the actions of others. The person who shines and the person who reflects are both capable of shining, both are inherently the same at the core in that they are a part of the Divine Spark, but the one who reflects is covering their true light with a false light. 

While this idea is broadly applicable, the following is a personal example of how I have seen this. I love learning, I find immense joy when I experience that 'aha' moment that seems to shine greater light on a topic, helping me to see more clearly some truth. I also love helping others have that same experience. These two loves have undoubtedly guided me to my current profession which is essentially a mix of learning and teaching. Yet, my profession doesn't totally fill my cup, because it doesn't provide many ways for me to share my insights into religion, philosophy, ethics, and politics, so I am often left unfulfilled and frustrated. 

In my pursuit of learning I read a lot and listen to various podcasts, and I find great joy in benefitting from the insights shared by others. Yet I also feel envious of their ability to share their insights with such a large audience, thinking that because I have so much to share that I should also be given the opportunity to share my ideas with such a large audience. This line of thinking robs me of my joy and has also caused me to become judgmental and critical of those who have the current opportunity to share their insights with large audiences which in turn, inhibits my ability to learn from them. So, what am I to do? I have come to realize, that the main point of my frustration is that I have focused on wanting to share my insights in the same way that others are sharing their insights despite having no present options to do so, leaving me helpless. Instead, I need to focus on what I can control, sharing in the ways that I currently can that best suits my current interests and lifestyle. 

Hence, this blog. I started it over ten years ago when I was a missionary sharing the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and I remember feeling very fulfilled at composing my ideas in a way that made them available to others. Now, seeing the wisdom in my younger self, I am picking that blog back up and I am going to begin again at letting my light shine. Who knows where this will go, but I am excited to finally leave the frustration of the waiting place behind and begin a new journey. I hope this inspires you to let your light shine as well.

Trust Like a Child

When Jesus Christ invites us to be childlike there is much more to that commandment than what initially meets the eye. One thing that has always inspired me about children is their ability to trust. They firmly believe that their parents will provide for their needs and they happily enjoy their lives never giving another thought as to whether or not there will be food on the table. Our Heavenly Father in many ways is hoping to have a very similar relationship with us.

"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?... Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day isthe evil thereof." 

(Matthew 6:25,30-34)

He wants us to be able to focus our efforts and our energy on those things in this life that are going to bring us lasting joy. He has promised that if we humbly obey that he will provide for our every need. However, it seems to me that many good people are trying to do what they can to obey the commandments and to serve our Heavenly Father, but they wont let themselves trust his divine promises by allowing the burdens of guilt and worry to weigh them down, rather than letting a profound sense of peace prevail in their lives from day to day.

What I have found is that the times that I have been most happy on my mission here in Jacksonville, FL where when I was simply laboring away in the Lord's vineyard and not worrying about how I was going to obtain or accomplish the things that Lord has already promised to provide or complete. Just the other day I was reading from the book of Enos in the Book of Mormon and the following verse really stuck out to me.

"And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away." 

(Enos 1:6)

I am constantly amazed at the simple childlike faith that is demonstrated in this simple verse. The absolute trust in God. Guilt can be among the heaviest burdens that people will carry in the lives, and to know that in an instant that this burden was removed by simply trusting the words of a loving Heavenly Father is such a profound example to all of us. It is helpful for all of us to remember the following words of comfort.

"¶Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." 

(Matthew 11:28-30) 

I want to bear my simple testimony that if we will trust God when he promises to provide and simply lose ourselves in the service of others that the burden of worry and guilt can be removed from our shoulders, and we will be able to experience greater joy in the daily walk of this mortal probation. I know these things to be true and I know that Jesus is The Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Photographs are courtesy of LDS.org

Damage Control

I would like to discuss the simple principle of obedience, and to help us understand more fully what purpose it serves. It is not uncommon for a person to honestly ask, 'why is it that God gives so many commandments'? First and foremost a person must understand that God loves every person that walks on this earth. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son..." (John 3:16) To drive the point home even more, look around, see this beautiful world around us that God has created for us. Every single flower, every leaf, and animal is an expression of God's love for us. He could have left this world baron and boring, but He didn't because He loves us. This pure love is the driving force behind God's work and His glory, which is to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39) God loves us, and He desires our immortality and eternal life, surely all that He has commanded us to do is only intended to bring about that desired outcome, right? Absolutely. That probably seems obvious, but it is amazing how quickly we as His children seem to forget that.

In order to more fully demonstrate his love for us, our savior, Jesus Christ, has given us commandments to keep us safe from the destructive dangers that await the unwise. Consider the Savior's words to Simon (Peter): "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat." (Luke 22:31) Just as Satan desired to have Simon he also desires to have us. He knows how much potential we have, and the last thing he wants is for us to become who God wants us to become.

In order to stop us from reaching that potential Satan tempts us to commit sin. He fills our head with lies that lead into slippery paths. His temptations are rarely dramatic and they appeal to our weaknesses. Far too often people allow themselves to be tempted to such a great degree that they fall victim to the adversary. In order to keep us safe though, our loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ gave us guidelines (commandments) on how to be safe in this life.

If you want strength against the temptations of this world and if you want peace then all you have to do is obey the commandments and your life will be filled with joy. It will still be difficult and you will still have trials, but you will always have joy. On the other hand, if you disregard the commandments God cannot help you and you will succumb to the many temptations that surround us. You will never reach your potential, and you life will be filled with much sadness and misery. As the prophet Alma said, "wickedness never was happiness." (Alma 41:10)

It honestly is that simple. I know that it is because as I have lived the commandments I have experienced an increase of joy that is unlike anything else. On top of that, it is lasting and as long as I am obedient it will never leave me. I have come to learn more powerfully than ever before that my Heavenly Father loves me and knows me personally. I challenge you to find ways how you can be more obedient to the commandments of God so that you can experience that same joy. There in lies true happiness.

Deny Yourselves of All Ungodliness

It is amazing to see how much desire affects everything we do. I have come to realize that the only way to remain strong in the gospel is to have the right desires. It seems that many fall off the path of righteousness because the desires of their hearts are elsewhere. Whenever we desire something more than we desire to do the will of God we will naturally fall subject to diverse temptations.

Consider the parable of the great supper (Luke 14:16-24) in regards to the topic of self-denial. If we want to be part of the great supper at the last day we have to be willing to set aside things that may be honorable in of themselves, but are far less important than the things of god. How often do we allow ourselves to get caught up in having a greater desire to complete daily chores or other tasks more so than our responsibilities to our Lord who has so kindly invited us to partake of his goodness?

Something important to keep in mind however is that our God will never give a commandment unto the children of men that will not result in greater happiness for those who choose to follow. The adversary works hard to manipulate the perspective of men and women and by making sin look like a source of joy. The prophet Alma speaks plainly on this topic, "...wickedness never was happiness..." (Alma 41:10)

That leaves us with one question, how do we change our desires? I heard a story once of an old Apache man who told his grandson that in every man their is a fight between a good wolf and a bad wolf. The good wolf is love, selflessness, charity, humility, and meekness. The bad wolf is hate, selfishness, anger, envy, and pride. The boy than asked his wise grandfather, 'which wolf wins'? The man responded with, 'the one you feed.'

The good wolf represents our spirits which are of God, and the bad wolf represents the flesh which is of this earth and is susceptible to temptation. "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:41) If we want to change our desire and align it to the will of god we must feed the good wolf. We can feed it through small and consistent acts of submission to the will of God such as daily prayer and scripture study, weekly church attendance, and service. As we do this our desire to serve god will continue to grow until the day that we are perfected in Christ.

 "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."

 -Moroni 10:32-

A Labor of Love

If you desire to overcome the weakness within you, if you want improve your relationship with another, and if you would like to grow closer to Jesus Christ, then lose yourself in the service of others.

"Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you."

--John 13:13-15

The example that Christ has set is that of selfless service to others. As in all other cases, we would do well to follow his example.

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it."

--Luke 9:24

As we lose ourselves in the service of others, we will find that our true selves will begin to shine through and that we will have overcome our weaknesses. Of that I can bear testimony for as I have lost myself in the service of the people here, I find myself transforming into the man that I want to become.

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"

--Matthew 5:44

Serving others can improve the worst of relationships, notice how The Lord commanded us to "do good to those that hate you." As we follow the Savior's profound counsel we will find ourselves being filled with Charity (the pure love of Christ) towards those very people we used to harbor hard feelings against. Over time as we continue to serve, just as Ammon demonstrated (Alma 17) the hearts of people who once hated us will soften, and they will become our closest friends.

"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."  

--Mosiah 2:17

Just as serving others brings us closer to them, so it is with God. If we want to serve God then we must serve others and we will find that not only we will make friends on Earth, but we will make friends in Heaven.
A local member of the church, Br. Crews, shared at Stake Conference that for him love stands for, " Lots Of Voluntary Effort." Service is a labor of love, and as the Holy Bible tells us, we shall reap what we sow, or in other words, we shall be filled with love as we labor in love. I found it to be rather heart-warming when I discovered while writing this that the prophets message this month in the ensign was about service, and from him I quote,

“I believe, the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. Those who live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in service to others grow and flourish--and in effect save their lives.”

-- Thomas S Monson

Service truly is the key to a happier life, a lesson only learned from experience. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Beautiful Simplicity

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."

-Leonardo DaVinci

I so often hear men and women alike reminisce about the simplicity they once had as a child, and the freedom that came along with such simplicity in life. As children we don't have to worry about paying bills, putting food on the table, or making deadlines for work and school, often the only concern a child has --at least it was the only concern I had as a child-- is simply, what fun thing will I do today? Or in other words, what thing can I do today that will make me happy? Often times they complete that objective. It seems to me that adults, young and old, get so caught up with worrying that they never consider how they can be happy that day. Another mistake that adults seem to make is that they confuse complexity and being busy with the true source of happiness, that being simplicity and balance. I would like to help anyone who reads this realize what they can do to bring that simplicity back into our lives regardless of our circumstances. 

Now please understand, I don't want to create any confusion, when I suggest that we bring simplicity back into our lives I am not suggesting that we become simple minded, nor that we should be ignorant to the responsibility that comes with growing up. However, it continually becomes clearer to me that simplicity is a result of greater understanding, i.e. the more we understand the simpler things become. As President John Taylor put it, "It is true intelligence for a man to take a subject that is mysterious and great in itself, and to unfold and simplify it so that a child can understand it." (The Gospel Kingdom, Sel. G. Durham (1943), 270) Going along with that line of thinking, would it not stand to reason that the more we understand about life and the purpose of it the simpler it would become?

That is where religion comes in. Ever wonder why people who are faithful to their religion seem happier? Now you know. Perhaps the reason many people are drawn to religion is because they feel like it provides answers to the purpose of life, on that same note, perhaps the reason many people are separating themselves from religion is because they feel like the answers that many churches provide are not adequate enough to calm a worried soul. All in all, people want answers to the purpose of life. Answers that will simplify their lives, and that quench the thirst of a person who is earnestly seeking for a glass of pure understanding.

I want to assure you that the right answers are in fact out there, answers that embody all that we yearn for. That is the unique message that we as missionaries share with the world; we proclaim to the world that the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ has once again been restored to earth in its fullness. This message will bring simplicity into your life of that I can testify. It does that because the Gospel in and of itself is simply beautiful and beautifully simple. In fact, that is the pure genius of the Gospel, that it is so simple that even a child can understand it. That fact alone is also a demonstration of God's love for us, as Gerald Causse put it, "God would indeed be unjust if the gospel were accessible only to an intellectual elite." Let us not reject this loving gift from our Heavenly Father by overly complicating our lives, or "looking beyond the mark." (Jacob 4:14)

The more I understand about the Gospel of Jesus Christ the more I have come to realize that there is nothing complicated about it. It is a simple answer to the great questions of life, and the deeper we dig the simplicity continues to remain a constant unchanging characteristic. All the while, greater understanding helps us transform the complicated algorithms of our lives into simple arithmetic.

If you are someone who is looking for more simplicity in their life, and you have never fully considered the wonderful message that we teach than feel free to click on one of the links above, shoot me a message on Facebook, or wave down one of the local Mormon missionaries when you see them. I promise that if you do, you will not regret it, and that it would give you the simplicity, balance, and joy that I know we all want in life; you will finally be able to get back to the mindset of, "what fun thing will I do today"? Of these things I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

Don't Look Back, Look Up.

I am personally an advocate of the fact that if you want to change you definitely do not have to wait for the new year to begin. In fact, don't wait at all, do so immediately rather than continuing to live your life at its less than maximum capacity. However, I am grateful that someone had the idea to set a deadline that would convince millions of people to make the changes they should have made months ago. Maybe we should try to start a tradition of doing new months resolutions, that would really help pick up the pace, but I digress.

For a lot of people who go about making a new years resolution (NYR) at least some level of thought is put into it. Nevertheless, many NYRs are set almost mindlessly as people write down goals of losing weight and getting out more. While these are in fact worthwhile endeavors, I have witnessed the mass of people of all shapes and sizes that begin to flood the weight room every January, the frustration of which is eased by the fact that I know that crowd levels will return to normal as soon as February comes--sometimes even sooner-- demonstrating the all to common fact that a lot of people have a poor resolve to change. So, what is it that makes the difference between a determined person and one in the opposing category?

I will attempt to answer this question by first making a reference to the classic motion picture, Disney's Mulan. One of my favorite songs in that movie is called something along the lines of, "A Girl Worth Fighting For." In this song the soldiers all sing of a girl who would motivate them to fight with honor, or in other words they speak of what motivation would give them a greater resolve to conquer. What makes the difference in someones determination or resolve is there motivation. Sometimes in our lives it is a beautiful child of God that motivates us to be better people, but that only lasts as long as that person shows us some interest. While it is a good motivator for a moment may I suggest a better source of motivation. The motivation I speak of is the love for God. When you do anything out of love for another person, it only lasts as long as that love is being reciprocated, so the fact that God's love for us is unconditional and unfailing makes it a great place to ground our actions.

Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer suffered and died for everyone of us. He did this so that if we would come unto him, then He could remove the burdens of our sins and help us back on the path of Eternal Life. While some people trudge through life carrying the weight of their mistakes upon their back, Christ has a showed us a more excellent way to becoming the people we want to be. After the extreme expression of love that Christ showed unto us, should we not respond by showing our love and adoration for Him?

So, how do we go about showing our love for God? Consider the clear and concise council given by Christ himself, "If you love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15) Not only has Christ granted unto us the ability to change, but he has also showed us what we can change. As we strive to live the commandments we will not be left uncertain as to what we can do to become better people, and not only that, but Christ will also help us as we strive to live according to His will.

As you approach the start of this new year and as you review/create your NYR consider the motivation behind the goals that you have set. If you find that you are not changing out of love for God by resolving to live his commandments consider revising them. If you make your new years resolution to live the commandments of God, whether that be in the form of living the Lord's law of health of that of loving our neighbors, your heart will be filled with love and an undying motivation to change. Let Christ be your strength and your support so that this year the changes will be permanent, not just fleeting. It is my prayer that this year we usher in lasting positive changes into our lives as we change for God, and with God. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Pictures are courtesy of LDS.org

Once And For All

I personally find it to be beyond incredible that the most influential person in the world was born in a manger. Despite the humble circumstances of His birth, Jesus Christ has brought hope and joy into the lives of an innumerable host of God's children and continues to do so 2,000 years after his birth. Though I may have never met the Prince of Peace in this life, and I may not have been with the Son of Man on the Mount of Transfiguration, I know now as surely as I would have if I saw the Man Of Sorrows hanging on the cross, that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of my soul. I have been filled with his peace and love as I have prayed in earnest communion with my God for a remission of my sins; I have felt the comfort of his spirit as I have pondered in his Holy House, the Temple of God, and I know that he knows me by name and he has felt my pain. My testimony has come to me slowly and progressively over time, but it has come to the point that I do not doubt that I am living the life that my Heavenly Father would have me live.

Three things in particular have carried my faith to the point that it is at right now. The first would be the confirming witness of the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. The Second is the joy and happiness that fills my heart and soul as I live the Gospel of Jesus Christ and go to the temple. The third would be how as I ask questions and as I study all aspects of science I find that all truth completely agrees with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I would like to elaborate on those particular aspects of my testimony.

There is a promise given by the prophet Moroni roughly 1600 years ago. It is found in the last chapter of the Book of Mormon. It is as follows,

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

That is a powerful challenge with an incredible promise. It got to the point in my life that I felt that I needed to take Moroni's challenge. As I read the Book of Mormon I felt the spirit of God enter into my life, pre-preemptively testifying of the truthfulness of that Book. Finally I found myself in the shoes of Joseph Smith escaping to the very same grove of trees to approach my Father in humble prayer. As I prayed I didn't receive a vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ, but rather I felt the burning of the Spirit in my heart and to my mind came the comforting words, you know that these things are true, now see that you do them. From that point on I have never once doubted the divinity of the Book of Mormon, and I never will doubt it because it truly is the words of Jesus Christ.

My next experience is that of Joy and Happiness. My great-great-great grandfather, Alfred Cordon joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Liverpool, England shortly after the first missionaries arrived in the country. I had the opportunity to read his journals and to hear in his own words the story of his conversion, and the point he truly knew that the church was true without any doubt. Due to the nature of his story I will keep it brief and scarce in detail. I will say that it was in December and only six months after he had joined the church, and shortly after he had been ordained to the office of Elder. It was a scary night in which the life of his beloved wife, Emma, was threatened. The Devil saw that my grandpa was weak during this emotionally and mentally difficult time. He proceeded to cast doubt upon his mind filling his head with hopeless lies. My grandpa writes of a mental battle that took place throughout the night. As he reached the early morning when the world was awaking, he began to be filled with the strength as he recounted the joy and happiness that the Gospel had brought into his life. He reasoned that something that brought such beautiful joy into his life had to be true, and it must be of God. With the dawn of a new day arose a new man filled with the Spirit of God. With faith and confidence he blessed his wife with the authority of God that he held and she was healed that morning. Similarly to my great-great-great grandfather I too have experienced a life changing joy that fills my souls and calms my mind with the knowledge that what I am doing is right and is pleasing to the eye of God.

The way I look at life is that I will search for all truth and embrace it. Truth is true regardless of the source from whence it sprang (I think that is a quote I heard once). In this church you are not discouraged against asking questions in fact it is encouraged. As I have delved into the depth of understanding and pierced the veil of common knowledge I have found that the Gospel of Jesus Christ that has been restored by Joseph Smith, is taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and is found in the Book of Mormon is beautiful, complete, and perfect. You will receive answers to questions of your soul that will resonate with the cords of truth that form the foundation of your religious testimony. I am eager to learn and grow in the gospel and for the answers that I will continue to receive on my path to enlightenment. Which fittingly is a bright path full of confidence because I know that answers will come and it will meticulously agree with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I still have much life ahead of me and many trying experiences that will grow my testimony. I look forward to the trials ahead knowing that if I remain faithful I will be delivered from them all in due time, and that God will mold me into more of a man than I ever could be come on my own.  I want it to be known once and for all, forever and always, that I am a Disciple of Jesus Christ the Son of God, and that I will remain faithful to his divine cause for the rest of my life. I know that Jesus is the Christ and I know that through him we can receive a fullness of joy. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Lamb of God

"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."

Isaiah 53:7

The other day I had a very powerful scripture study when I came across the before mentioned verse. It struck me quite powerfully as I recalled something that one of my professors of religion in college shared with me. A portion of his life was dedicated to the humble work of raising sheep, which unavoidably leads to bringing them to the slaughter. He said that a unique thing about a lamb is it will not struggle or cry as you kill it. Other animals would struggle and cry as they realize what is about to happen to them, but a lamb never will.

How much more profound now is the metaphor of a lamb to the slaughter as a representation for our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. The whole time he was suffering for our sins, he never once raised a word in protest, but rather he humbly said, "nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." (Luke 22:42) Willingly subjecting himself to suffering he never deserved, but doing so to demonstrate his unimaginable love for each and every one of us.

"...he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."

Alma 7:11-12 

Having been the lamb, and experiencing all the suffering that such entailed, He is now the shepherd, and with perfect understanding He asks us to follow Him. He knows full well some of the afflictions that we may experience because of our allegiance to His will; Christ even tells His disciples, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves." (Matthew 10:16) Jesus Christ understands that worthwhile endeavors are not easily accomplished, but He is the good shepherd and He knows what is best for His sheep. He suffered much to be able to know to succor (or help) his people in our times of need. 

"I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture... I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."

John 10:9,11

All that Christ asks us to do is to be like Him. Reinforcing that point, Christ tells His Twelve Disciples in the Ancient Americas, "Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am." (3 Nephi 27:27) Similarly He tells His Twelve Apostles in Jerusalem, "For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." (John 13:15) Christ is the way! He is the only way! So, let us come unto Christ by doing as He would do. The blessings are immeasurable, and the path is possible. Of that we can have a sure hope because of the sacrifice of our Lord and Shepherd, The Lamb of God. 

"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."

Isaiah 40:11

Pictures courtesy of lds.org

It Hurts So Good

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;"

1 Corinthians 4:17 

As strange as it may sound we should be grateful for our trials and afflictions. That is what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving. As I look back on the short life I lived thus far, some of the most profound and life changing lessons that have shaped me into the man I am today happened at my lowest points; A time when I was finally desperate enough to hear and act. To hear the hard answer that God had been trying to give me, and act on that answer. Those trials taught me to rely on and trust God, and through him I became stronger than I ever was before. Trials mold us, trials shape us, and trials strengthen us so that we can stand against the winds of adversity. Just as a muscle never grows stronger without stress that causes it to tear, neither will we ever grow without adversity and trials that tear us down so we can grow stronger. I encourage all of you this wonderful Thanksgiving to be grateful for the trials in your life, and recognize them for the wonderful blessing that they are.

 "...we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

Romans 5:3-5 

Be The Light

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Matthew 5:16
 

"Don’t shine so others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see Him."

-C.S.Lewis

It is a tricky thing to do in life, to be the light that Christ asks us to be, to always be directing the attention of our righteous actions upward to God. To me, it always seems that if you try your best to be a diligent disciple of Jesus Christ that often people will praise you rather than God. Is that a bad thing to be complimented for our hard work though? Definitely not. There is nothing wrong with being grateful for praise, but we should make a point to always direct the praise upward to God, to whom credit is warranted. That is the most important part of it all, that we give the glory to our Father in Heaven, not to ourselves.

King Benjamin, a wise prophet-king in the Book of Mormon, helps put all of this in perspective while helping us understand why we really have no reason to boast of ourselves. In an address to all the people in the kingdom he gives the following bit of advice as part of his sermon/talk:

"...I say, if ye should serve [God] with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants. And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and... if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you. And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him. And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast? And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves? I answer you, Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold, it belongeth to him who created you."  

(Mosiah 2:21-25) 

I heard a story about two doctors once that helps to illustrate the principle I am hoping to convey. The two had the same level of education, they were experts in the same field, and both had just successfully completed a very risky surgery. The first man basked in the praise that others gave him constantly making mention to the hours he slaved away in medical school to earn such a valuable skill. The second doctor though, while grateful for the compliments, took no thought to mention himself however; instead, he gave thanks to God for blessing him with the ability to successfully complete the surgery.

In all that we do we should remember where are blessings come from. I believe that one of the profound lessons that a missionary learns is how much we truly rely on the Lord. We cannot successfully preach His gospel without His divine assistance. I have tried, it doesn't work. No matter how eloquent we make our lessons, no matter how meticulously we plan out the day, and no matter how much we know, nothing would get done without His hand in the work. As soon as I start to take the credit for successes that I have experienced the Lord lovingly reminds me with a nice chastening. As soon as I am humble enough to recognize that it has nothing to do with me, He once again reaches out in love to open the flood gates of blessings.

Christ, like with all other virtues, was a stellar example of giving the praise to our Heavenly Father. As Christ points out in the great intercessory prayer, "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." (John 17:5) Christ spent his entire mortal ministry engaged in the work of bringing the souls of men to our Heavenly Father. A work for which he received much praise of man. Man will do as they will, but it is our job to always remain humble and only seek to glorify the Father through our word and deed. As we follow the example of Jesus Christ and truly humble ourselves to the reality that we are nothing without our loving Heavenly Father, then we can do all things through him and be the light that Christ has asked us to be.


Pictures:
1: http://media.ldscdn.org/images/media-library/temples/atlanta-georgia/atlanta-temple-lds-811746-gallery.jpg
2: http://media.ldscdn.org/images/media-library/gospel-art/book-of-mormon/king-benjamin-addresses-people-39650-gallery.jpg
3: http://media.ldscdn.org/images/media-library/jesus-christ/woman-at-the-well-942631-gallery.jpg

The Instrument of Our Spirits

 My inspiration for this post comes from the following quote by Elder Melvin J. Ballard (1873–1939), a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

“The body that has been given to us was for the purpose of allowing the spirit to exalt itself to a nobler condition. The lightning that is seen flashing from cloud to cloud, from mountain top to mountain top, is an electrical force that may tear down buildings, set fire to property, and destroy life. Conduct electricity through the dynamo wire, and motor, and behold its wonderful results working for the service of man, accomplishing something under the control of a physical instrument, it thus becomes a power for good. So with steam, if allowed to evaporate freely it does little good, but restrain it in the boiler, send it through the engine, and under its power you may travel across the continent or sail from shore to shore. And so, too, with this highest, most potent of all spiritual forces, the intelligence that is in man; enshrine it in a spiritual body, that it may have the experiences of spiritual life; and then give it a physical body, that it may enter into and obtain the joy and experiences of physical life, and you have enlarged its powers immeasurably” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1912, 107).

One of the most important, and unique doctrines of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is the understanding of the everlasting significance of our bodies. It is widely misunderstood in mainstream Christianity that the body is evil, and a reward of heaven is that we get to discard these worthless tabernacles of sin. That couldn't be more wrong. Hence, why it is such an incredible blessing to have the truth explained and revealed to us in our modern age through living prophets of God.

A very potent truth that emphasizes the importance of our bodies is the fact that our Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ both have bodies of flesh and bone-- a point that Christ himself went to great lengths to prove. When the risen Lord appeared to his chosen Apostles he said, "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." (Luke 39:24) and he drove the point home by eating in front of them fish and a honeycomb.

When our Savior appeared to the people living in the Americas, he bid them to know for themselves that he truly had a body of flesh and bone when he invited them saying, "Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world." (3 Nephi 11:14)

And we learn that Christ will keep his body and will never again be seperated from it in Romans 6:9 when it says, "Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him."

Having a body is necessary for our eternal growth and development. If it wasn't so then Christ would not have been resurrected with a body. In fact, getting a body was part of the very purpose of our mortal existance. And when you combine the body and the spirit of a man you have his soul, the complete whole of who that invidual is. When we are absent of either half we are very much incomplete. The loss of our spirit is the loss of our essence, while the loss of our body is the loss of our substance. Or as Boyd K. Packer put it, "Your body really is the instrument of your mind and the foundation of your character." (2000, October General Conference)

Our spirits are of God and are perfect, but our bodies are of the dust and are subject to many imperfections. God communicates and influences man through our spirits, while Satan attempts to make us subject to the bonds of misery through the misuse of our bodies. In order for us to achieve our potential and get the most out of our mortal existence we must let our spirit take over. Such is the nature of the advice of Jesus to Nicodemus, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:5-6)

We must let our spirits take control just as a jockey must take control of his horse. If we let Satan convince us to misuse our bodies it is like a jockey who cannot take care of his horse, and that Jockey will never collect a first place trophy. In order to let our spirits take over we must do what Alma tells his son Shiblon, that is to, "bridle all [our] passions." (Alma 38:12) When we bridle all our passions we turn those wild unbroken mustangs into thorough bred stallions. That comes from have a healthy diet and exercising regularly. It comes from keeping ourselves well groomed thus showing respect for the temples that God has given us. All of that and more is why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has standards for health (Word of Wisdom) and well being (Law of Chastity). These standards that we given to us by God have always existed and are intended to help us live our lives at a higher, happier level.

I know that living this way will strengthen us spiritually and help us reach our fullest potential. Just as the music from a well-maintained instrument is beautiful in contrast to the horrific noise that comes from an out-of-tune, worn-out windpipe, so will it be with our lives if we maintain the instrument of our spirits. I know these things to be true and say them in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Picture/video Sources: (from top)
1: https://tunessence.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Electric_guitar_477101105.jpg
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3: http://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/images/gospel-library/magazine/neweralp.nfo:o:979.jpg
4: http://azracing.gov/Site/images/whatsnew.jpg

Growing In Light

While Elder Barcala and I were street contacting the other night we met a guy who said something that really got me thinking. He said:

A person who doesn't read is no better than a person who can't.

It really struck a cord in me on the importance of learning, and the fact that God gave us a brain for a reason. One of my favorite things about the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that if it is practiced in full, it encourages the study and learning of all subjects. In fact, that is the entire purpose of this life; to learn and to grow in light and knowledge.

I was further inspired when my grandpa, Alfred S. Cordon shared this thought with some family and friends the other day.

" GROWING IN LIGHT "

That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.

--DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS 50: 24

What a remarkable plan ---a light that grows "brighter and brighter until the perfect day." It speaks of growth, of development, of the march that leads toward godhood. What a profound challenge! We must go on growing. We must continually learn. It is a divinely given mandate that we go on adding to our knowledge.

--PRESIDENT GORDON B. HINCKLEY ( a quote from his little book )" STAND A LITTLE TALLER "

I firmly believe that as soon as we stop growing, learning, and improving with each new day, that we can stop worrying about whether or not we are going to be damned at the last day because we already are. That may shock or confuse you, but consider this usage of the word; when you dam a river you stop its progress. It stops flowing, and will never reach its intended destination. So it is with us. If we stop learning and stop growing, we have damned ourselves. Thus, we must never stop increasing in light and knowledge.

The best way to increase in light and knowledge is to seek learning by faith. We are admonished to do this by the Savior in the Gospel of Matthew 7:7 which says, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: "We are also told in James 1:5, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." The common thread in both verses is the invitation to act, by actively seeking knowledge through questions. Our job as intelligent beings is to continue to ask questions and to seek answers. If you never question, and if you never seek answers, you will never increase in knowledge, and you will never reach the potential that we all have. 

118 And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.

 --Doctrine and Covenants 88:118

Study, read, and devour every bit of information you can find, for all that is true is part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, no matter the source from whence it sprang. And remember that the best learning environment exists when the spirit is present, so learn not only by study but also by faith. Do as James directs and ask God for wisdom, then actively seek to find answers. If you do, the answers you seek will be given unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost. Of that I give my solemn witness and promise in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Cleansing the Inner Vessel

 "It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened."

Luke 13:21 

 "...now I would that ye should remember that God has said that the inward vessel shall be cleansed first, and then shall the outer vessel be cleansed also.""...behold it will be expedient that we contend no more with the Lamanites until we have first cleansed our inward vessel,..."

Alma 60:23-24

     I am sure you are wondering right about now what these two verses have in common. Let me tell you. Consider the first of the two, and liken the leaven to corruption and the meal unto us. When we have even a small portion of corruption in us, and we let it fester we will eventually be consumed by it. Therefore, as we learn in the second reference, our first and foremost responsibility is to cleanse the inner vessel first, before we cleanse the outer vessel. There are challenges and struggles all around us, but until we ourselves are prepared and ready to face those challenges we will never be able to overcome because the challenges within will destroy us. You must destroy the enemy within your walls or your walls become useless, and the enemy behind them irrelevant.

    I have learned in a very profound way that as a missionary we cannot ask people to change their lives, or even help them change their lives if we haven't changed our lives first. We must be our first convert, or as Mahatma Gandhi put it, "We must be the change we wish to see in the world." We all have weaknesses whether or not we recognize them, and we all have need to cleanse the inner vessel. It seems like a daunting task to extinguish the evil within when their is so much evil in the world around us pushing down on us. However, we are not without hope, for Christ has left us a profound promise of peace and encouragement. It is found in his words of comfort to the prophet Moroni, where he says:

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." 

 Ether 12:27

    Come unto Christ; cleanse your inner vessel; strengthen your defenses, and help all whom you love to do the same. "And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God." (2 Nephi 31:21) I love you all, I hope you have a wonderful week, and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.