Oil Pulling

This post is going to feel very “secular” compared to what I usually post, but I had the thought to share this information here. It has helped my family and friends in the past and, hopefully, it helps others beyond my immediate circle of influence.

Oil pulling is the practice of swishing about a half tablespoon of high-quality oil in your mouth for 15-20 minutes every day. You can find information about it on the internet in many places. It is purported to have many health benefits, including removing impurities from the blood across the highly vascular tissues under the tongue. I can’t speak to all of the claims of benefit for the practice, but I can tell you of some of the benefits that I and others I know personally have experienced. 

First, oil pulling can drain an abscess in an emergency.

Wait, is this where I have to tell you that I am not a medical expert and that I am not giving medical advice? OK. I’m not a medical expert and I am not giving medical advice. There. Done. 

I don’t know why, but dental emergencies have this way of happening after normal business hours. Very inconvenient. There have been about a half a dozen times I have told someone I know about oil pulling when they developed an abscess and couldn’t have it immediately treated by a dentist. Even when you can make it in to see a dentist, most dentists won’t treat an abscess until you’ve finished a round of antibiotics and the infection subsides. In my experience, oil pulling has helped drain abscesses by creating negative pressure within the abscess, moving the infection through the gum tissue to drain. The abscess can look worse before it gets better as the infection localizes before it drains, but it does eventually drain and that drainage brings with it a lot of pain relief.

Secondly, oil pulling removes tartar. Not immediately, of course, but oil pulling does free tartar from the teeth. This was something that I experienced first hand. I had some tartar on the back of my lower incisors and, after several weeks of oil pulling, the tartar came off while I was swishing. Someone else also reported to me that, after oil pulling for a while, he went in for a dental cleaning and the hygienist commented on how easily the tartar lifted off of his teeth. I would bet that the tartar would have come off on its own given just a little more time. Sure beats having the dentist scrape your teeth with a metal hook!

Lastly, oil pulling removes stains. People I know who have oil pulled long term report that their teeth look whiter. Personally, I had some stains on my molars completely disappear. They were stains left from the braces on my molars. Because they were in between my teeth, they were stains that dental cleanings had not been able to remove.

People ask me what kind of oil to use. I like sesame oil, but I’m half-Korean, so I don’t mind sesame oil so much. Some people can’t handle the taste of straight sesame oil and choose to use coconut, olive, or sunflower oil. Whatever oil suits you best, it should be as pure, unrefined, and unheated as possible.

People also ask me how I find 15-20 minutes in my day to do this regularly and I will admit that it was difficult at first. My poor kids got really good at charades. The best time I have found to do this is when I’m getting ready for the day. If I start my bathroom/shower/dressing routine by putting some oil in my mouth, I’ll finish getting ready with just a little bit of swishing left. If my kids have to play charades, it’s only for a few minutes.

There aren’t many drawbacks to oil pulling. It’s definitely one of those things that doesn’t hurt to try and you might even discover benefits not listed here. Hope this helps. 

Insights From My Study of King Benjamin and Other Life Experiences

I intended to post a “Part III” to my “What Righteous Political Leaders Should Look Like” series, but I don’t think that I will, at least not for a while. There are reasons for this that I will not enumerate here, but I will say that a continued study of Mosiah 2 is a very revealing exercise. Actually, a study of King Benjamin’s entire address can help us better understand what it takes to be a righteous leader and can help us better identify individuals who truly are righteous leaders. 

For now, I would simply like to share some overarching principles that the Lord taught me this morning, hoping that it will benefit others to the same or better degree than they helped me today.

When he delivers his address, King Benjamin is old and approaching death. He states, specifically, that one of the reasons why he called his people to gather is because of the fact that he knew he would soon die. He was told to deliver a message. He had a duty to perform before he died and his frailty in his old age wasn’t going to deter him from doing that.

Mortality is a funny thing. One reason why I think it is necessary for us to experience mortality is that it makes obvious to us the fact that there are things that last and things that don’t. Mortality forces you to confront the fact that your time here is limited, and so discovering what is of most value becomes a race against the clock. This world would have you believe that experiences, in and of themselves, are the things that should be sought. You only live once, right? Well, actually, no. There is more to our existence than what we experience in this life. This life’s experiences are meant to give you what will help you the most outside of mortality. They are meant to help you acquire truth and, in the end, both the acquisition of truth and the transmission of that truth to others are really the only worthwhile and lasting endeavors you can engage in while you are still here. 

Aging (and other illnesses and physical weaknesses) can make your mortality very real and very present, but the truth is that our lives right now are every bit as frail as what King Benjamin’s was when he delivered his final address. We need not wait for our years to advance to learn this and we absolutely shouldn’t. I believe this is why King Benjamin stresses the fact that God lends us breath daily. Our existence in this mortal sphere is both temporary and tenuous, and most of us don’t engage that reality until it gets right up into our face.

And so, what are we doing with that breath that God lends to us? King Benjamin says that we would be unprofitable servants even if we spent our whole lives in his service, but does that mean that we shouldn’t spend our lives in his service? What does being in his service look like? His work is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. He does this by imparting knowledge to us and we engage in his work as we acquire and incorporate more of his knowledge and then help others do the same.

None of life’s experiences are as important as the truth that is being communicated to you through those experiences. Situations change, but the truths that you can gain from passing through those situations stay with you, and, if you teach those truths to others, they can be of benefit to those who would pass through similar situations.

We try so hard to hold on to situations that we think will give us the most benefit—employment, health, reputation, relationships with family and friends—not realizing that these things, because of their existence in this world, are temporary. They are meant to teach us about things that are not temporary, but, in our attempts to hold on to the situations themselves, we blind ourselves to the truths they are trying to teach us and we suffer unnecessarily from our lack of truth.

Being able to let go of the situations in mortality and being able to focus on the acquisition and dissemination of truth is what enables a person to have inner peace. Your life becomes an investment in things that cannot be taken away from you. Truth becomes a part of you. You incorporate it.

I love that word—incorporate. I’ll just take a moment here to suggest some deep pondering of a few definitions of that word:

To unite; to blend; to work into another mass or body;

To embody; to give a material form to.

To form into a legal body, or body politic; to constitute a body, composed of one or more individuals, with the quality of perpetual existence or succession, unless limited by the act of incorporation;

To unite so as to make a part of another body; to be mixed or blended; to grow into, &c.

How cool is that?!?!  You know, I’m really not a “touch/feel love language” kind of a person, but there are times when I just want to give certain people a hug and thank them for how they have helped me understand things and Noah Webster is on my list of people to thank someday.

It works just like the sacrament. If you read the accounts of Christ administering the sacrament, the most important part of the sacrament is not anything that has to do with the immediate situation of the ordinance itself —the officiator, the prayer, the bread, the wine. What is important is the symbolism that what the bread represents is truth and that the truth is consumed by us and broken down into its simplest forms to be taken up again and reconstituted into what makes us what is outwardly manifested to people. How beautiful is that?!?!

I feel like this post has jumped around all over the place, but I hope that someone can pick up on my continuity of thought somehow and feel as much happiness and love as what I have this morning. These thoughts have been a salve to my soul.

Don’t hold on to situations. Hold on to truth. Hold on to God, as he is the source of all truth. 

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6)

What Righteous Political Leaders Should Look Like—A Study of King Benjamin-Part II

Our current wicked society is easily swayed to believe the idea that a political leader’s immoral private life has no bearing on his ability to righteously fulfill his public office—a projection of what they believe about their own lives, unfortunately. But this notion will not stand up to reason in the mind of anyone who believes in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Wisdom, both in public and private endeavors, is an extension of truth.  Wisdom is the righteous application of truth. Any increase in an individual’s acquisition of truth is a function of their obedience to the truth they have already received and their diligence in obtaining more. A righteous society will seek out leaders who are wise and you can measure the righteousness of a society by the degree to which they do this. 

12. Righteous political leaders understand and teach the importance of the two great commandments—to love God and to love others. The latter is kept in actual service to others. The people must “labor to serve one another.” No one, not even the leader, is exempt from this command. In fact, the leader should set the example for others to follow in this regard.

18 Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?

13. Love of God is the natural result of a correct understanding of the nature of God, and his relationship to and dealings with man. Righteous political leaders cultivate the love of God in the hearts of their subjects by reminding them of the fact that every good thing comes from God. An acknowledgment of this fact leads to gratitude for all that God blesses us with. Not only does God lend us breath, but the laws that he gives to us are what enable us to enjoy the blessings of a peaceable society. It is our heavenly King who deserves thanks and praise and a righteous earthly king will encourage his subjects to direct their thanks and praise to God, and away from himself. This keeps the people in a constant, proper, and enduring state of humility.

19 And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God, do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!

20 I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another—

21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.

14. Righteous political leaders teach people that obedience to God results in blessings and prosperity. This promise is sure because God does not vary from what he says.

22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

15. Righteous political leaders teach people that their indebtedness to God does not end with their obedience. Also, it is noteworthy that King Benjamin says that God “immediately” blesses us when we obey—a claim which some may find easily debatable. We should seek to understand exactly how this happens. 

23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.

24 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?

16. King Benjamin uses his own frailty and old age to demonstrate the nothingness of man to his people. Righteous political leaders will see themselves as less than “the dust of the earth” and will teach the people to view themselves the same way.

25 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.

26 And I, even I, whom ye call your king, am no better than ye yourselves are; for I am also of the dust. And ye behold that I am old, and am about to yield up this mortal frame to its mother earth.

17. Righteous leaders hold the correct understanding that they will be held responsible for their influence on the people. The roles of “king” and “queen” inherently come with the ability to affect many outside a small inner circle of associates. The influence of kings and queens spreads far and wide and this fact is no small matter in the minds of those who desire to rule righteously. Righteous leaders will strive to be found blameless before God by being obedient to everything that God commands them. 

27 Therefore, as I said unto you that I had served you, walking with a clear conscience before God, even so I at this time have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together, that I might be found blameless, and that your blood should not come upon me, when I shall stand to be judged of God of the things whereof he hath commanded me concerning you.

28 I say unto you that I have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together that I might rid my garments of your blood, at this period of time when I am about to go down to my grave, that I might go down in peace, and my immortal spirit may join the choirs above in singing the praises of a just God.

What Righteous Political Leaders Should Look Like—A Study of King Benjamin-Part I

What does a righteous political leader look like? When righteous political leaders in our day are so few and/or are so obscured from our immediate view, it is so nice to be able to turn to scripture and discover both what we lack in our current leadership and also what we should be searching for (and developing) in future leaders. From Mosiah, chapter 2:

1. Righteous leaders make sure that truth is taught to all of the people. 

1 And it came to pass that after Mosiah had done as his father had commanded him, and had made a proclamation throughout all the land, that the people gathered themselves together throughout all the land, that they might go up to the temple to hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them.

2 And there were a great number, even so many that they did not number them; for they had multiplied exceedingly and waxed great in the land.

2. Contrary to current popular opinion or practice, a righteous leader leads people to keep God’s commandments by teaching them to see God’s hand in every aspect of their lives.

 3 And they also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses;

4 And also that they might give thanks to the Lord their God, who had brought them out of the land of Jerusalem, and who had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and had appointed just men to be their teachers, and also a just man to be their king, who had established peace in the land of Zarahemla, and who had taught them to keep the commandments of God, that they might rejoice and be filled with love towards God and all men.

3. They recognize that families are the most basic unit of society and that righteous families lead to righteous societies.

5 And it came to pass that when they came up to the temple, they pitched their tents round about, every man according to his family, consisting of his wife, and his sons, and his daughters, and their sons, and their daughters, from the eldest down to the youngest, every family being separate one from another.

6 And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them;

4. As an extension of point #1, a righteous leader will go to great lengths to teach people truth, as living according to truth always results in a more prosperous society. 

7 For the multitude being so great that king Benjamin could not teach them all within the walls of the temple, therefore he caused a tower to be erected, that thereby his people might hear the words which he should speak unto them.

8 And it came to pass that he began to speak to his people from the tower; and they could not all hear his words because of the greatness of the multitude; therefore he caused that the words which he spake should be written and sent forth among those that were not under the sound of his voice, that they might also receive his words.

5. Righteous leaders don’t take lightly the things that they say. They are completely aware of their responsibility to impart understanding to those who listen to them. They don’t just rule over their subjects. Righteous leaders teach their subjects how to become wise rulers over whatever stewardship they may have.

9 And these are the words which he spake and caused to be written, saying: My brethren, all ye that have assembled yourselves together, you that can hear my words which I shall speak unto you this day; for I have not commanded you to come up hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand, and your minds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view.

6. Righteous leaders know that their governance has limits because of their own human condition. While they may hold a public office, that office can only be given by consent and does not eliminate the need for them to remain humble servants. Public service is the hallmark of public office. 

10 I have not commanded you to come up hither that ye should fear me, or that ye should think that I of myself am more than a mortal man.

11 But I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen by this people, and consecrated by my father, and was suffered by the hand of the Lord that I should be a ruler and a king over this people; and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power, to serve you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord hath granted unto me.

7. Righteous leaders do not seek for the things of this world. Gold, silver, or riches of any other kind are not a source of motivation for the service they render.

12 I say unto you that as I have been suffered to spend my days in your service, even up to this time, and have not sought gold nor silver nor any manner of riches of you;

8. Righteous leaders limit their actions to what is righteous and just. In doing so, they become living examples of how the Lord would govern—teaching their subjects how to live by living righteous lives themselves.

13 Neither have I suffered that ye should be confined in dungeons, nor that ye should make slaves one of another, nor that ye should murder, or plunder, or steal, or commit adultery; nor even have I suffered that ye should commit any manner of wickedness, and have taught you that ye should keep the commandments of the Lord, in all things which he hath commanded you—

9. Righteous leaders do not abandon their own livelihoods to facilitate their public service. If leaders cease laboring with their own hands, the cost of the public office becomes a burden to the people. This is a characteristic of righteous leaders that is easily observable.

14 And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne—and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day.

10. Righteous leaders neither boast of themselves, nor accuse others. Righteous leaders conduct themselves in a manner that is above reproach, answering to God for their actions.

15 Yet, my brethren, I have not done these things that I might boast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day.

11. Righteous leaders recognize that any service to the people is more correctly viewed when viewed as service to God. In this, there is not found a reason to boast.

16 Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.

17 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.

You Are Weak

 2 I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time.

3 Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again. (3 Nephi 17)

I am thankful for the fact that the Lord knows when we are weak. I’m thankful that he’s not afraid to call a spade a spade and tell us that we are weak. He knows when our understanding is lacking and he gives us the time and space to ponder what he has already given us and to go directly to the Father, in his name, for increased understanding. He is patient with us. He gives us what is possible for us to make sense of without completely overwhelming us (even though it can feel completely overwhelming). He doesn’t dump every bit of information on us. He lovingly withholds. He gives us time to closely examine what is right before us for the sole purpose of having us prepare to receive more. I love that the Lord ends these verses by telling the people of his intention to come back—that there is more to be had from him if we are diligent in receiving what we have already been given. 

 

To Those Who Are Struggling

This little blog page of mine is so obscure that sometimes I wonder if it is worth my time to write anything on it. I feel very inadequate when I try to express myself in writing, and I wonder if the reader gets even the slightest glimpse of what is in my heart.

I hope that this post (or at least the ideas in it) finds its way to anyone who might benefit from it. A couple of mornings ago, I felt that many people would benefit and the subject has rested on my mind since then.

Let’s start with a scripture. :)

And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall. (Helaman 5:12)

Has the devil sent forth winds in your life? Are you taking a beating from shafts in the whirlwind, hail, and storm? Does your life feel like a “gulf of misery and endless wo?” 

Two mornings ago, I was overwhelmed by a realization of the degree to which so many people do not have Christ as their foundation. We like to think that we do, but life has a way of revealing to us, at different times, just how much we don’t. We encounter circumstances that beat upon the beliefs that we hold, and our belief in Christ and his truths are not exempt from this beating, though they should withstand it. When we are faced with the realization that our supposed belief in Christ is not as strong as we thought, or not as based in truth as we thought, we can find ourselves in a terrifying and hopeless position. In the future, the situations that reveal these deficiencies will become increasingly more frequent and more revealing.

I empathize with those who arrive at this point. I have been there. I have had experiences that have called into question many beliefs that I thought could not be shaken. Those experiences are not what I would call “fun” to be sure. They can tear your sanity to shreds. They will try to convince you that God doesn’t exist, or that he doesn’t care, or that it is beyond his power to help you. They can make you believe that there is no value to this reality. They can make you believe that your daring to hope for something better won’t bring about the improved results you so desperately desire. They can bring you to the precipice of utter despair if you don’t have the tools to hold you back from going over the edge. 

It isn’t a coincidence that Helaman tells his sons to “remember” twice. It can be a difficult thing to come to your senses and realize that God has given you tools. If you are in a situation like this, or if you ever find yourself in a situation like this, I hope that you are still able to sense that the conflict within you is a result of God calling to you. It won’t feel like that. Other voices will try to drown out that call. God’s voice will feel almost imperceptible compared to those other voices. But it is his voice, and he is calling you to believe in Him. He is calling you to believe in his character, which is a sure foundation.

When I was growing up, I was taught to pray to a certain person, and for most of my life my conceptualization of God served me very well—until it didn’t. And when I hit that point, I didn’t know what to believe about him anymore. When my heart cried out to him, I didn’t even know how to address him.

What got me out of that space was the decision to believe that if there was chaos, there had to be order—somewhere. If there was someone that wanted me to believe in despair, there was someone who wanted me to have hope. And, remember, I no longer felt like I knew who that person was, but I believed that he existed, and that was enough.

In my prayers, I would say, “I believe in a God who loves me. I believe in a God who always has my best interest at heart and won’t betray me. I believe in a God of truth. I believe in a God of mercy. I believe in a God who is just. I believe in a God who wants me to be happy and who can show me how to obtain that. And whoever that God is, that is who I am praying to.”

Having a sure foundation in Christ means that you believe in, come to know about, and incorporate within yourself enough of his character that when life throws everything at you and then some, you cannot fall. You cannot fall because you rely on God’s strength, wisdom, and love. Nothing in this world is stronger than that.

I know that when you are in that hopeless space, believing these things is not something that comes easily. It is a conscious decision based on what can be the most imperceptible of evidences. You have to listen to that quiet voice that is calling to you and focus all of your efforts on heeding that call and nothing else. It will take all of your might, mind, and strength.

Little by little, your struggle to hold on to that call will result in an increase in your strength. His grip is like iron. We are the ones that let go. Don’t let go. Don’t get ripped from that foundation. Anchor yourself in it. Trust it. If you feel like you are slipping or giving way, ask him what you need to change about your beliefs to make you stronger. He will tell you. That is who he is and what he does. His character is the foundation that prevents you from being toppled over or carried away and, if you heed what he tells you, you will be able to build your character into something that will be able to withstand anything and everything the devil can throw at you. 

Tapestry

Last night, after Thanksgiving dinner, the adults in my husband’s extended family were asked to mention something that they were grateful for. We went around the room, more or less, and I ended up being the last to take a turn.

Being last gave me the opportunity to try and think about what I would say while others took their turns, but I couldn’t think of one, single thing to mention. What I mean is that any single thing I thought to mention felt like it would be at the exclusion of everything else. I was, literally, unable to see my entire life as anything but this beautiful tapestry that God has put his hand to and the thought of mentioning just one thing (or even a few things) was like expressing my gratitude for a single thread. It failed to convey the relationship that thread has to every other thread, which is what makes the tapestry beautiful to begin with. It failed to convey the gratitude that I felt in my heart for every aspect of my life—for the things that God has caused me to experience in the past, for the circumstances that he has me in presently, and for the opportunities and promises that he has for me in the future. Many people would not regard the things in each of those categories as blessings, either. There have been, are, and will be things that most people would not appreciate or see the value in, but I do, and each thing is a testament to me of God’s love for me and for all of his creations. 

Puzzles and Persuasion

I love puzzles—any kind of puzzle—and I wonder sometimes if that is just a quirky thing about me or if that is something innate in every person to varying degrees. Do other people have this insatiable need to intentionally take on problems to solve? I mean, seriously! Take jigsaw puzzles for example. Who honestly thinks that dumping out a thousand-piece problem to solve is the launch point for a really good time?

There are few things that I find more satisfying than tackling something that is completely unorganized, disarrayed, and perhaps even completely unknown and ordering it into something that is whole, beautiful, beneficial, and available. This is why I love studying the gospel. This is why I love discovering truth.

Completing a puzzle is a process. It begins by framing the puzzle with what is already known (or is easily known) to you. You look for the pieces with corners and straight edges. Then you move on to parts of the puzzle that are easily placed because their context is easily discovered. The more you familiarize yourself with each puzzle piece, you start to notice both similarities and differences, and each can be subtle or glaringly obvious. Individual sections of the puzzle might come together easily, but might remain unattached to the frame until you realize that the one puzzle piece that you overlooked a hundred times is the missing link and it instantly pulls the section into the whole. Many pieces will look like they are the “perfect fit” for another and it’s a long process of trial and error to rule out all of the imposters before you finally find the correct one. Other times, you will get on a roll, making connection after connection, and the pieces, almost literally, fall into place. As the puzzle progresses, it emphasizes what is missing without even trying. And when it is finally done, there is a peaceful satisfaction and enjoyment that comes with seeing the outcome and understanding the process that got you there.

What I recently came to realize is that puzzles are an exercise in persuasion. Puzzles are solved as quickly as the person putting the puzzle together notices the information inherent in the pieces of the puzzle and as quickly as he is willing to be persuaded by that information. Each puzzle piece tells you where it is supposed to go, but, to begin with, the solver is not attuned to what the puzzle piece is communicating. It takes deliberate, thoughtful, and focused consideration of each puzzle piece, as well as the ability to zoom out and mentally place each piece within the context of the whole. But, even when you notice the information that each piece provides, if you aren’t willing to be persuaded by that information and act on it, you won’t start to make enough connections for the puzzle to actually come together. The more willing you are to be persuaded by and act upon the information, the faster the puzzle comes together. 

Persuasion happens at different speeds based on the willingness of a person to be persuaded.

Personal experience leads me to believe that this is exactly how revelation works. 

Some revelation comes slowly because we are not familiar enough with the information itself or the information surrounding it. It’s there, right in front of us, but we either don’t recognize it or we don’t understand how to put it into context. We have to carefully notice things that are right before us and develop a familiarity with them that increases our awareness of how they relate to each other. This can take a lot of time if we either fail to notice the information or fail to attempt to act on the information we do notice. Sometimes the only way to tell if a piece of information is correct and “fits” is to just try it out.

As we gain more and more information and act on it, the process of assimilating that information becomes faster and this happens on both micro and macro levels. On the micro level, what starts as a long study of each individual piece of information morphs into very quick realizations of where each piece fits. You notice yourself saying, “Oh, this goes here! And, then, that goes there!”  And on the macro level, as entire sections of seemingly unrelated subjects coalesce, in one satisfying moment of intellectual triumph, the one missing piece of information to link that section to the whole is found.

My favorite kind of revelation happens when I am willing to be completely persuaded by all of the information available to me. I wish that I could say that this kind of revelation happens more often than it does. However, when it does, a huge volume of information is brought to my attention and is immediately, instantaneously, and perfectly put together in my mind. I think that this is what the scriptures refer to when they talk about our understanding being quickened. I call these experiences “downloads.”  They happen so incredibly fast that I am forced to admit that my own physical cognitive abilities had virtually no part in them. It’s very hands-off, on my part. The Lord takes the reins and what he reveals to me is amazing in both quantity and quality.

For several years now, the things that I have learned about “gospel” and “non-gospel” topics, alike, have felt like one massive jigsaw puzzle with no borders. But that’s ok because I have found that the best puzzles are the most challenging ones. They mean the most to you when you are done. Discovering truth means the most because discovering truth is what makes you capable of obtaining the most happiness. It is the most challenging, yet most rewarding, puzzle of all.

“Thou Shalt” and “Thou Shalt Not”

The Lord said:

16...My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (John 7)

“Thou shalt” and “thou shalt not” are interesting phrases. You can read them one of two ways. You can read them as directives (and plentiful examples of this use can be found, particularly, in the Old Testament where the Lord enumerates commandments to Moses, Aaron, Aaron’s sons, and the children of Israel) or you can read them as prophecy—a foretelling of things that will happen (for example, “...go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.” (Matthew 17:27)

I used to read most of the “thou shalts” and “thou shalt nots” as directives that insinuated the slightest threat of punishment. I no longer see them that way.

More and more, when I read “thou shalt” and “thou shalt not,” I see prophecy based on one’s adherence to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is especially true in my own personal walk with God and the commands that he gives directly to me. What, at first glance, looks like a directive turns out to be prophecy when I act in faith, trusting in the fact that the Lord will help me bring it pass.

When I obtain the most joy in this regard is when my nature changes and I can sense that I am a better person than I was previously. For example, the Lord says, “Thou shalt not kill.” Seems an easy enough commandment to obey. Most of us don’t go around killing each other. But in the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord equates anger and killing. He tells us that if you are angry with your brother, the consequence is the same. So, the issue isn’t your actions. The issue is your nature. And he can change your nature. And, when he does, a change in your actions is the natural result. If you allow him to change your nature, “thou shalt not kill.” See how that becomes prophecy? Read it again. It is no longer a directive. Your conformity to his command becomes a simple thing, though, I will say that arriving at the point where his directives to you become prophecy in every aspect of your life is often a tortuous process. But as you do arrive at that point, it’s almost as if God can say about the changes in you, “See? I told you that if you followed my gospel that you would become this kind of a person.” You get to the point where you don’t give gifts grudgingly—you don’t have to convince or motivate yourself to obey God’s word. This happens in more and more areas of your character. Your developing trust in Him and in the portion of his word that he has given you leads you to believe that he will continue to improve you until you trust in him completely.

We can know that Christ’s teachings are from the Father because they will change us. That change will be so obvious and so dramatic that there will be no way to doubt that an adherence to his teachings affected that change. Truly, if any man will do the Father’s will, he will know of the doctrine. 

Psalm 144

Scripture study this morning took me to Psalm 144. It might seem a little harsh at first, but the last four verses are, I think, what so many people want to see in our nation. We should ask ourselves how the first 11 verses are important in showing us what it takes to get there.

1 Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:

2 My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.

3 Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!

4 Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

5 Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.

6 Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.

7 Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children;

8 Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

9 I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.

10 It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.

11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:

12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:

13 That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets:

14 That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets.

15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.

Mood

It’s difficult to watch something die. And the greater that something was in its prime, the harder it is to watch. It is the hardest to watch when you are aware of the potential that that something had, but wasn’t realized.

And yet God will do what he always does and take what is without form and void and organize it into a new creation that is good. Hope we can all keep up.

Sanctification in a Nutshell

In my scripture study yesterday morning, I came across this verse:

6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. (Proverbs 16)

I was struck by how concise it is. Simple and elegant, but packed with meaning.

Mercy offers forgiveness of past sins, truth sheds light on any remaining sin, and a man’s continued reverence for God causes him to depart from evil.

For further study into these topics, I highly recommend the book Seek Ye This Jesus, available in print, e-book, and audiobook formats. 

How Are You Doing?

It is a common courtesy to ask people how they are doing. It’s a quick and easy way to get a conversation started while simultaneously expressing concern for another person. And sometimes, that concern is uncommonly genuine. But, let’s be honest. More often than not, it’s pretty superficial. We use that question to do a quick “check-in” with that person, but inevitably turn our attention back to other issues at hand. It is a rare thing to have someone ask you that question with both the intent of hearing everything you might have to say and the deep desire to help you in whatever way possible, even to the point where they would lay down their life for you (both literally and metaphorically).

This morning I was pondering what a deeply probing question that really is. It’s different from “what is going on?” It doesn’t ask a person to make a list of things that are happening in their life. It is even different from “how are you?” To me, that question addresses the current state of the person being asked the question.

“How are you doing” assumes that the person is actually doing something. It’s like the statement “It is well.” “Well” is an adverb. So, what is “it”?  “It” must be an action or process—something that is actually occurring, as opposed to something that is just being.

I’d be willing to bet that God doesn’t get asked this question a whole lot, even superficially. Even if all he did was just generate a list of things that he was up to, how many people would truly and honestly want to know what God is up to, much less engage themselves in his work to the point where they would lay down their life? That, by itself, is a very loaded question with a ton of implications—a question which has the potential to cause a lot of very painful self-examination, but which also has the potential to bring about a mighty change of heart.

Asking God for a list of things that he is doing can be beneficial, but perhaps rephrasing the question would yield a greater outcome. Perhaps it would be better to ask, “In what manner are you acting?” Not only do we need to know what he is doing, but we also need to know his motives, what methods he employs, and the character he possesses while doing what he is doing. This becomes an extremely valuable question to ask once we realize that what God does and how he does it—what anyone does and how they do it—is inextricably tied to the person that he is. As we are given more information about his character and come to know him better, we can contrast what we learn against ourselves and make the changes necessary to conform our character to his. 

One absolutely critical take away from this line of reasoning is the realization that our actions should, then, be more and more aligned with his. We should be better able to keep his commands. We should be more obedient to his laws. We should have a better understanding of scripture. We should have a better understanding of prophecy. We should better understand his work. We should be increasingly engaged in his work. Our engagement in his work should become as desirable and as consummate as it is for him. To the degree that that isn’t happening in your life, you either don’t have an accurate understanding of God’s character or you are unwilling to make the changes in your character that would make your character more like his. 

Matches

Anyone who knows me well knows that my opinions on a wide range of topics have shifted over the course of my life. As I look back on the events of my life that have shaped my opinions and beliefs, I’m not at all surprised at the fact that they have changed. The first hand recollection of my experiences gives me the perspective to see those changes as a process of growth and development that others, not having access to the same recollections, are unable to see. Quite often, their perspective only allows them to see what appears to be sudden, drastic, and reckless paradigm shifts. They can’t make sense of it and, if I am being completely honest, it is very difficult to explain it to them. 

Though it is difficult to convey all of the details of my changed opinions, I think that the principles that guided the shifting of my opinions are easy to understand (though, perhaps not adopted nearly as well).

When I was a child, my dad collected matchbooks. He had a job that required a lot of travel and he had quite a stash of matchbooks that were souvenirs of all of the places he had been. We had a wood-burning stove and my dad frequently used matchbooks that were not part of his collection to get a fire going. As a young child, it wasn’t difficult to think that I had figured out how to light a match just by watching him. The matchbook made it very simple—put the head of a match on the striker, fold the cover of the matchbook over on itself so that the match was in between the striker and front cover, apply some pressure to the head of the match by pinching the striker and front cover together, and then pull on the match. Light the fire. Simple. And there was a whole collection of matchbooks to tempt a curious kid to practice lighting a match herself. But, like any good father, my dad told me to never attempt to light matches (especially the ones in his collection).

Now, my dad was the type to always have his children watch him demonstrate something over and over again before we did anything ourselves. That was as true for making an omelette as it was for lighting a match. He wanted to make sure that we understood why he did what he did the way he did. As I grew older, my dad explained to me the ins and outs of, what I thought was, an easy process. For a little kid with no match-lighting experience, it proved to be more difficult than I thought it was going to be. Turns out that the amount of pressure when you pinch the matchbook has to be just right. Too little pressure and the match just slips right out. Too much pressure and the head of the match rips off. Once he explained to me how to light the match, he taught me how to hold it, how to build up the stack of fuel for the fire in such a way that lighting the fire would be easy with a thin, 1 1/2”-long piece of rapidly-burning paper in your hands. When the flame got too close to his fingers, he would drop the match in the stove and shake his hand back and forth. The danger of being burned became an obvious reality and he was humble enough to admit when he knew he could have done something better and pointed it out to me so that I wouldn’t make the same mistake.

And, of course, the day finally came when I was allowed to try my hand at lighting a match and starting a fire on my own. 

Now, what would have happened at that moment if I had dug in my heels and told my dad that I would absolutely not attempt to light the match simply because he had previously told me that I was never to attempt lighting a match? That would have been ridiculous, right? What good would have all of his instruction been to me? Some, perhaps, but not nearly as much as it could have been. Holding on to lower levels of truth has the inevitable result of lower levels of existence. 

My dad gave instructions to me based on both the level of understanding I had and the degree to which I could advance that understanding. Having never been taught how to light a match or start a fire, his rule to never light a match was completely appropriate at that point. But once I understood the process involved and the potential dangers at play, asking me to light a match and start a fire was just as appropriate. In fact, it was necessary in order for me to experience that what he was teaching me truly aligned with reality.  Void of my own experience, I would never know, for sure, to what degree his teachings were actually true and correct.

What led to massive shifts in my beliefs and actions was my understanding that God does the same thing with us. He carefully leads us into new truth as soon as we are able to benefit from it and we shouldn’t be surprised that our introduction to new truth might require us to abandon presently-held truth. We are supposed to grow in truth and Godly character. If we really believe that we have the potential to inherit all that God has, does that not include his truth? Does that not include his character? Shouldn’t we be anticipating paradigm shifts? Shouldn’t we be expecting changes to our thoughts and beliefs and, consequently, our actions? 

Ask yourself if your religion today looks any different than your religion did ten years ago. And by “religion” I mean your own personal interaction with and understanding of God, not a system or institution of organized religion to which you belong.  Religious institutions will often change things up in order to conceal the lack of progress had by individual members. Look for rebranding (e.g., logos, fonts, public image). Look for renaming (e.g., dropping “Mormon”, changing “Ensign” to “Liahona”, changing “Home/Visiting Teaching” to “Ministering” (which, I might add, is a complete travesty when one understands what it means to “minister” as laid out in the scriptures)). Individuals who see these things as weighty evidence of progress do so because they are likely devoid of any progress with God themselves.

We shouldn’t be happy to stay at one level of truth. We shouldn’t expect God to keep us at the same level of understanding we are at right now (or that we have been at for years). We should believe that progress with God will enable us to understand and apply more of his truth. We should expect him to require more of us as he introduces us to new principles.  We should expect those principles to undergird our future decisions so that we can test them and learn for ourselves that they are true and correct. He can teach us how to safely build and light a fire for ourselves or we can choose to sit and stare at a matchbook for the rest of our lives. 

Serpents

Serpents can be venomous or non-venomous. Personally, I’ve never been a big fan of snakes, but it is, at the very least, helpful to recognize the difference between these two groups. A non-venomous snake can actually be pretty beneficial to have around as it is a natural predator of rodents and other animals that can be nuisances to man. A venomous snake can likewise be beneficial, but caution is necessary as it can swiftly administer a deadly bite to further its purposes or to protect itself. 

Yesterday morning, while I was thinking about some things on my to-do list and some of the people with whom I knew I would associate, the image of a serpent popped into my head. I thought about how cunning serpents are. Recent interactions with people around me have taught me that people can be very cunning and so I looked up the definition in Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary:

CUNNING, a. [G. See Can.]

1. Knowing; skillful; experienced; well-instructed. It is applied to all kinds of knowledge, but generally and appropriately, to the skill and dexterity of artificers, or the knowledge acquired by experience.

2. Wrought with skill; curious; ingenious.

3. Artful; shrewd; sly; crafty; astute; designing; as a cunning fellow.

4. Deceitful; trickish; employing stratagems for a bad purpose.

5. Assumed with subtilty; artful.

Interestingly, only one of these definitions has specifically negative connotations. As definition 4 suggests, “cunning” is a negative quality when the motivation behind it is bad, but none of the other definitions suggest that it is inherently bad. In fact, definitions 1, 2, 3, and 5 can be accurate descriptors of God and his works. Marvelously so, at that.

The imagery of serpents is found in the scriptures. The most obvious one (probably because we are introduced to it first) is found in the Adam and Eve story. The serpent cunningly tempts mankind to partake of something of which he was forbidden to partake. The intention was bad as it led to sin and death.

But another serpent story that we have in the scriptures is the one found in Numbers 21:

4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

8 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Now there is a lot that could be said about this passage, but here we find the second of two kinds of serpents that represent forces that are diametrically opposed to each other—one resulting in death and the other resulting in life. Applying definitions 1, 2, 3, and 5 above, is either one less cunning? No. 

God is every bit as cunning. There is so much imagery in the details of this short story found in Numbers, but arguably the most important conveys the idea that everything God does is calculated to bring life to others—even the death of his Son. The placement of the serpent on top of a stick was not arbitrary. It was a type and shadow of a future sacrifice. It was calculated. It was cunning. That sacrifice was foreordained from the foundations of the world. It was designed to lay the foundation of a process that could save those who were unable to save themselves.

So how do you tell the difference between two things that, for all intents and purposes, look identical?

So much of discernment lies in understanding (1) God’s character, (2) God’s purposes, and (3) the degree to which any person has acquired God’s character and shares his purposes. If you cannot recognize any one of these three things, you will not be able to discern what circumstances and individuals are working to your favor or to your detriment. And this is critically important—it’s like not being able to tell the difference between a garter snake and a black mamba. These really are matters of life and death. There are forces at work who are constantly, consistently, and ever-lastingly working for your betterment and improvement, there are forces at work who are hellbent on your destruction, and it is in your best interest to be able to discern which is which. 

A Culture of Death

I have had this post on the back burner of my brain for quite some time. While it purposefully comes in advance of Halloween, the reader should not assume that it was Halloween, itself, that spurred the thoughts found in this post.

We live in a world of opposition. One of the main purposes of this life is to discover what opposites exist, the consequences of each, and the appropriate application of each that would bring the most benefit in any given situation. Once correctly understood, the application of these discoveries can help us sort the decisions we make into two groups—good and bad.  For the purposes of this post, I am going to relabel these groups “life” and “death”, respectively. 

It is important to understand some of the nuances in the definitions of these words in order to better understand the contents of these two categories.  Anything that we put into the “life” category should be prosperous, uplifting, inspiring, edifying, life-giving, life-sustaining, strengthening, and nourishing.  Anything that we put into the “death” category will be, by definition, the opposite—impoverishing, degrading, demoralizing, destructive, deadly, insalubrious (new vocabulary word for me 😉 ), weakening, and unwholesome.  God knows and understands how every decision in this world fits into either category at any given time and his will is constantly motivated by the desire he has to bring about outcomes that fall into the “life” category—in quantity, in quality, and in duration.  This should come as no surprise to any student of the scriptures. 

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.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3)

 

39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (Moses 1)

**I feel it important to mention here that, even if you don’t believe in God, it is undeniable that we can observe forces at work in the world that fall into these two categories. You can look around yourself and you can see “life” at work and you can also look around and see “death” at work. Their existence should be compelling enough to motivate a person to find out about what (or who) sets those forces into motion.**

The degree to which we choose to reconcile ourselves to God’s will is the degree to which we “choose the way of eternal life”:

23 Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life. 

24 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved. (2 Nephi 10)

Once we recognize and understand the relationship between the decisions we make and their inevitable outcomes, we are held accountable to God for the outcomes we affect through our subsequent decisions.

5 Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men; he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience. (Alma 29)

With every increase in our understanding of what fits into these categories, we become truly free to choose life or death, knowing full-well that our decisions will lead to the consequences that the Lord has shown us.

30 And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free.

31 He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you.  (Helaman 14)

And now, I’m going to interrupt this post for just a few minutes and talk about math. :)

When I was in high-school, I tutored other students in algebra.  I found it to be quite typical that, as soon as a good number of students started studying algebra, their level of enthusiasm about math dropped considerably.  They were easily frustrated by the application of mathematical basics to more complex problems. This made no sense to me. I loved math and I couldn’t fathom what made it difficult for others. 

What I eventually discovered was that, for every student I tutored, their frustration with and inability to understand algebra stemmed from a misunderstanding about how basic equations worked.  Functionally, many children translate “2 plus 2 equals 4” to “2 plus 2 makes 4”.  Young children naturally take in information from an “outcome-based” point of view. They learn that when you flip a light switch, a light turns on; when you touch a hot stove, your hand is burned; when you move in certain ways, you can walk, run, jump, etc. This is obviously valuable information and it is, rightly so, one way to look at basic math problems. (The word “problem” even implies that there is something that needs to be solved). But this can cause serious problems in higher math. Higher math is driven by the understanding of equalities.  I found that it was much easier for students to understand algebra once they realized that it would be better to say “2 plus 2 is the same as 4”.  Once they understood that equations were not declarations of outcomes, but rather a way to express numbers that were equal to each other, the student could then easily solve for variables by acting upon an equation as long as you did the same thing to each side of the equal sign in order to maintain the integrity of the original equation. It also made it easier to understand why “2+2=4” means the same thing as “4=2+2”. Saying “4 makes 2+2” doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but saying “4 is the same as 2+2” makes total sense.

So, what does this have to do with life and death? So happy you asked. 😎

It turns out that many truths can be gleaned from the scriptures using both the “outcome-based” and the “same as” thought processes.

39 O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal. (2 Nephi 9)

Did you spot the equation there? From an outcome-based perspective, to be carnally-minded makes, or yields, death. To be spiritually-minded makes, or yields, life (eternal life, at that). I think that Christians relate to this way of thinking the most because they view religion as an outcome-based endeavor. Believe in God and live his gospel here—>live in heaven after you die. Don’t believe in God and don’t live his gospel here—>live in hell after you die. Process—>outcome. And there is definitely truth to that, don’t get me wrong.

But let’s take another look at that verse from a “same as” perspective. Being carnally-minded equals, or is the same as, death. Being spiritually-minded equals, or is the same as, life eternal. Did you notice what happens when we take that perspective? Now we can talk about this in present tense. It puts the facts right before us in both space and time, which urges us to consider information in the here and now. From an outcome-based perspective, it would be tempting to put off trying to affect life or death because we don’t see those things as immediately before us. However, from an “equals” perspective, we easily see the immediate opportunity and necessity of affecting life and death because they are the same as the present conditions of being spiritually- or carnally-minded. Because they are the same, we can also reverse the equation and say that life eternal is the same as being spiritually-minded and that death is the same as being carnally-minded. “Life” and “death” are right before us—right now.

Now perhaps you are wondering what all of this has to do with Halloween (or anything else for that matter). Well, ask yourself how we, as individuals and societies, regard death.  Or, to be more specific, is death something that we celebrate? If we celebrate death, and if death is the same as being carnally-minded, aren’t we actually celebrating our current state of being carnally-minded? I would suggest that this is the case. I would suggest that we celebrate death and being carnally-minded more than we realize. Our celebration of death is a sure sign that we have adopted carnally-minded ideas and beliefs, whether we recognize them or not.  And so, it would be worthwhile to (1) cease celebrating death and (2) analyze our ideas and beliefs in order to determine which ones cause us to think it appropriate to celebrate death in the first place and then change those, too. (Hmm, kind of sounds like repentance, doesn’t it? 😏)

Halloween is an obvious example of a celebration of death, but, upon very close inspection, one will find that almost every major “holiday” either teaches, promotes, symbolizes, or depicts death—both temporal and physical. In contrast, the days set apart by the Lord in scripture as Holy Days do not celebrate death. While they address death as a necessary opposite, they teach, promote, symbolize, and depict life. They are NOT ends in and of themselves. Rather, they point our minds to the way of life eternal.

There are also less obvious ways in which people celebrate death. These ways appear to be so “normal” that it can be difficult to see just how harmful and abundant they are.  They are increasingly being accepted by people in our society.  It will be their undoing unless they repent. Only through repentance can the Lord teach people what truly leads to life and what truly leads to death in any given situation.

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;

29 And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom. (2 Nephi 2)

I have been completely flabbergasted by the fact that people will lament death when it happens—by disease, by war, by murder, by natural disasters, by suicide, or whatever—but they can’t wait to return to celebrating death and living principles that lead to death as soon as their lamentations wane. Please realize that, not only does this lead to death, it is death! They are the same! We live in a culture of death because we have strayed from God and the principles that he tries to teach us that give us life. The culture of death that surrounds us now is a sure sign that our ideas and beliefs do not align with God’s. Life, in the fullest sense of the word, can only be obtained through “...our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:” (2 Timothy 1)

 

Ether 4

I LOVE it when the Lord takes me down a path of seemingly unrelated thoughts and ideas and then just blows my mind with a download of information that I was totally not expecting! :)

I wouldn’t be surprised if there ends up being a part two (or more) to this post. 

1 And the Lord commanded the brother of Jared to go down out of the mount from the presence of the Lord, and write the things which he had seen; and they were forbidden to come unto the children of men until after that he should be lifted up upon the cross; and for this cause did king Mosiah keep them, that they should not come unto the world until after Christ should show himself unto his people.

2 And after Christ truly had showed himself unto his people he commanded that they should be made manifest.

3 And now, after that, they have all dwindled in unbelief; and there is none save it be the Lamanites, and they have rejected the gospel of Christ; therefore I am commanded that I should hide them up again in the earth.

4 Behold, I have written upon these plates the very things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared.

5 Wherefore the Lord hath commanded me to write them; and I have written them. And he commanded me that I should seal them up; and he also hath commanded that I should seal up the interpretation thereof; wherefore I have sealed up the interpreters, according to the commandment of the Lord.

6 For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord.

7 And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are.

8 And he that will contend against the word of the Lord, let him be accursed; and he that shall deny these things, let him be accursed; for unto them will I show no greater things, saith Jesus Christ; for I am he who speaketh.

9 And at my command the heavens are opened and are shut; and at my word the earth shall shake; and at my command the inhabitants thereof shall pass away, even so as by fire.

10 And he that believeth not my words believeth not my disciples; and if it so be that I do not speak, judge ye; for ye shall know that it is I that speaketh, at the last day.

11 But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record. For because of my Spirit he shall know that these things are true; for it persuadeth men to do good.

12 And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.

13 Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief.

14 Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation of the world; and it hath not come unto you, because of unbelief.

15 Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you—yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel.

16 And then shall my revelations which I have caused to be written by my servant John be unfolded in the eyes of all the people. Remember, when ye see these things, ye shall know that the time is at hand that they shall be made manifest in very deed.

17 Therefore, when ye shall receive this record ye may know that the work of the Father has commenced upon all the face of the land.

18 Therefore, repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and believe in my gospel, and be baptized in my name; for he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned; and signs shall follow them that believe in my name.

19 And blessed is he that is found faithful unto my name at the last day, for he shall be lifted up to dwell in the kingdom prepared for him from the foundation of the world. And behold it is I that hath spoken it. Amen.

God’s Word is Rich

Here are some of the definitions you will find in Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary for the word “rich”:

2. Splendid; costly; valuable; precious; sumptuous; as a rich dress; a rich border; a rich silk; rich furniture; a rich present.

3. Abundant in materials; yielding great quantities of any thing valuable; as a rich mine; rich ore.

4. Abounding in valuable ingredients or qualities; as a rich odor or flavor; rich spices.

5. Full of valuable achievements or works.

6. Fertile; fruitful; capable of producing large crops or quantities; as a rich soil; rich land; rich mold.

7. Abundant; large; as a rich crop.

8. Abundant; affording abundance; plentiful.

9. Full of beautiful scenery; as a rich landscape; a rich prospect.

10. Abounding with elegant colors; as a rich picture.

11. Plentifully stocked; as pastures rich in flocks.

12. Strong; vivid; perfect; as a rich color.

13. Having something precious; as a grove of rich trees.

14. Abounding with nutritious qualities; as a rich diet.

15. Highly seasoned; as rich paste; a rich dish of food.

16. Abounding with a variety of delicious food; as a rich table or entertainment.

17. Containing abundance beyond wants; as a rich treasury.

18. In music, full of sweet or harmonious sounds.

19. In Scripture, abounding; highly endowed with spiritual gifts; as rich in faith. James 2.

God’s word is rich.  

כ-פ-ר

In a prior post, I recounted a dream that I had about coverings. It was my understanding at the time that, in Hebrew, ״כפר״ meant “covering”.  In later studies, I found that that wasn’t exactly correct and what I discovered has caused me to ponder about what it means to be “covered.”

I highly recommend going back to that post to read about the dream. Here, I will only add things that were either not included in the previous post or not understood by me at the time that I delivered that message. 

First of all, I had forgotten that, in my dream, the blowing of trumpets announced the gathering storm. The long blasts drew every person’s eyes towards the heavens to see the thick blackness approaching.

It wasn’t until later, when studying the design of the tabernacle, that I realized that the large open field was just like the outer courtyard of the tabernacle.  It was bounded by unseen, distant walls, but there was no roof overhead—no protection from the looming destruction.

The outer courtyard of the tabernacle is like the telestial kingdom.  It is filled with people who “received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus.” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:82) That gospel and that testimony are like the blankets. The protection from the storm that is offered by the gospel is widely available and simple in its application, but, for various reasons, difficult for people to implement. People struggle with repentance mainly because, though it is simple in its form, repentance requires levels of submission, humility, and contrition that are rarely attained. The distant and unseen outer walls may afford some measure of protection, but, when the skies turn to black, and fire and brimstone rain down upon you, it is often too late to realize that you are not as protected as you think you are or to do anything about it.

It is also interesting to note that the blankets afforded a very basic level of protection. A roof overhead would have been a much more durable shelter and that is to be found within the shelter of the tabernacle’s inner court. Not everyone can enter into the inner court, however. Entrance into the inner court required certain qualifications to be met and those who could enter had certain responsibilities in both the inner and outer courts, to which they could move back and forth freely. Those in my dream who had no idea how to use the blankets were not even aware of the fact that a stronger shelter existed.

The most interesting things that I learned after my dream had to do with the Hebrew letters כ-פ-ר. They definitely have to do with Atonement. Yom Kippur (יום כיפור) is the Day of Atonement—the day on which the high priest makes an atonement for the nation of Israel. And לכפר means “to atone; to expiate; to pardon; to forgive.”  But what I didn’t know was that those letters are used when talking about a very specific covering.  The word ״כפרת״ (kah-por-et) references the “ark-covering”—the solid gold lid of the ark of the covenant. In the King James Version of the Bible, this is called the “mercy seat”. It is the place from which Jehovah regularly spoke to Moses. Two golden cherubim were part of the solid gold lid and within the ark were housed things that testified of Jehovah’s interaction with Israel. The ark resided in the Holy of Holies—the innermost part of the tabernacle. Things that were gathered under the wings of the cherubim and which were guarded by Jehovah himself would have been the most protected from any approaching storm. Noah’s ark is also a type of this kind of protection and, interestingly enough, he was commanded to ״pitch it within and without with pitch.” (Genesis 6:14)  Want to know what the Hebrew words for pitch are? ״כפרת״ (kah-fahr-tah/verb) and ״כפר״ (ko-fehr/noun). See any similarities? The pitch that Noah uses to “seal” the ark uses the same letters that are used to name the covering of the ark of the covenant, wherein are housed those things that testify of Jehovah’s dealings with the nation of Israel.

Yom Kippur is celebrated on the tenth day of the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. It is preceded by Yom Teruah, or “Day of Shouting”, or “Day of a Great Noise”, which is celebrated on the first day of the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. This day is traditionally (though, not scripturally) marked by the blowing of the shofar.  Because of Babylonian influences, Yom Teruah was conflated with a Babylonian New Year’s celebration and is widely recognized as a very happy occasion. Scripturally, God does not disclose to Israel the reason why Yom Teruah is set apart as a holy day and, after my dream, I would suggest that that is because it is a “Day of Shouting” for different reasons. While there are those who shout for joy, there are also those who shout for fear of destruction. Ten days later, the high priest makes a formal atonement for those who qualify to belong to the nation of Israel.

The fall feasts (including Sukkot, which I haven’t mentioned here, but may do a post on later) are days to ponder our standing with God and to what degree we are “covered.” Are you covered with a blanket, a roof of animal skins, a lid of solid gold and Jehovah himself, or are you covered at all? Last night’s sunset marked the beginning of Yom Kippur on the Hebrew calendar. For me, the days between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur have been days of pondering, penitence, contrition, and re-evaluation regarding my standing with God and what steps I need to take to strengthen the “covering” that I have. They have been, admittedly, days of affliction which I hope to turn into days of rejoicing.

Face to Face

I don’t remember when this happened.  It was more than a year ago.  Maybe two?  I was telling a friend about an event that some of my teenage children were planning to attend.  The event was a satellite broadcast in which a prominent leader of the LDS church either delivers a message to or fields questions from teenagers of the church. The leader doesn’t stand behind a pulpit. He (and his wife, actually) normally sits in a more conversational atmosphere. This setting attempts to achieve a level of closeness and intimacy that more formal addresses from church leaders do not. Meetings are held periodically and the leader changes each time. These meetings have been given the name of “Face to Face”.

When I told my friend about the “Face to Face” meeting my kids were going to, I recognized the connection that the words “face to face” had in the scriptures.

And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. (Genesis 32:30)

And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. (Exodus 33:11)

And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. (Ezekiel 20:35)

And then shall ye know that I have seen Jesus, and that he hath talked with me face to face... (Ether 12:39) 

And I [Enoch] saw the Lord; and he stood before my face, and he talked with me, even as a man talketh one with another, face to face;... (Moses 7:4) 

Then the Lord said, “They are supposed to talk to ME face to face.”

“They” didn’t just mean my children. “They” meant everyone looking for guidance and counsel by attending that meeting. And while I understood that he felt sorrow and disappointment at the fact that the members of the LDS church look to its leaders more than to Him, that sorrow was nothing compared to His contempt and indignation towards the leaders of the church who have hijacked the term "face to face" and used it to title a meeting in which church members are directed to look to mortal leadership instead of directly to Him.

“From Your Sins” vs “In Your Sins”

9 O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world.

10 And remember also the words which Amulek spake unto Zeezrom, in the city of Ammonihah; for he said unto him that the Lord surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not come to redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from their sins.

11 And he hath power given unto him from the Father to redeem them from their sins because of repentance; therefore he hath sent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of their souls. (Helaman 5, italics added)

These verses are very enlightening.  Of note is the delineation that Helaman makes between the idea of people being saved “in their sins” and the idea of being saved “from their sins”. The prepositions “in” and “from” may be small, but they have very big implications.

 

In denotes present or inclosed, surrounded by limits; as in a house; in a fort; in a city. It denotes a state of being mixed, as sugar in tea; or combined, as carbonic acid in coal, or latent heat in air. It denotes present in any state; as in sickness or health. It denotes present in time; as in that hour or day. The uses of in, however, cannot, in all cases, be defined by equivalent words, except by explaining the phrase in which it is used; as in deed; in fact; in essence; in quality; in reason; in courage; in spirits, &c. A man in spirits or good courage, denotes one who possesses at the time spirits or courage; in reason is equivalent to with reason; one in ten denotes one of that number, and we say also one of ten, and one out of ten. (Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary)

Whereas,

The sense of from may be expressed by the noun distance, or by the adjective distant, or by the participles, departing, removing to a distance. Thus it is one hundred miles from Boston to Hartford. He took his sword from his side. Light proceeds from the sun. Water issues from the earth in springs. Separate the coarse wool from the fine. Men have all sprung from Adam. Men often go from good to bad, and from bad to worse. The merit of an action depends on the principle from which it proceeds. Men judge of facts from personal knowledge, or from testimony. We should aim to judge from undeniable premises.

There is no question that mankind is sinful by nature, and one of the greatest evidences of God’s mercy is the opportunity that he extends to mankind to repent, but one of the biggest misconceptions that the majority of Christians have is the idea that God will save people who continually sin.  I frequently hear phrases like “We are all sinners” or “God saves sinners.”  Well, actually, no.  A sinner is someone who is “in” sin. A sinner is one whose present state is sinful. Jesus Christ did not come to redeem mankind in their sins.  He came to redeem them from their sins. He redeems individuals who remove themselves from sin and who create a distance between them and their sins.  He redeems those who depart from their sins and leave them behind.  These people are no longer sinners.  When people meet the conditions of repentance and obtain a remission of their sins, the scriptures clearly teach that they become “new creatures” and have “no more disposition to do evil”.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

 

25 And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;

26 And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. (Mosiah 27)

And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually. (Mosiah 5:2)

“No more disposition” doesn’t just mean that that they no longer had a desire to sin. It means that they no longer had a tendency to sin.  The following definitions of “disposition” are applicable here:

3. Natural fitness or tendency. The refrangibility of the rays of light is their disposition to be refracted. So we say, a disposition in plants to grow in a direction upwards; a disposition in bodies to putrefaction.

4. Temper or natural constitution of the mind; as an amiable or an irritable disposition.

5. Inclination; propensity; the temper or frame of mind, as directed to particular objects. We speak of the disposition of a person to undertake a particular work; the dispositions of men towards each other; a disposition friendly to any design. (Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary)

When men truly repent, God not only forgives them of their past sins, but he also removes their disposition to do evil. He removes their propensity to sin. Statements like “No one will ever be perfect in this life” are completely untrue.  The fact of the matter is that we have been commanded to be perfect.

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)

And we know that God always provides a means whereby we can keep his commandments. 

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them. (1 Nephi 3:7)

From the scriptures, we are able to understand that God is merciful and long-suffering. He is just. He is a God of truth. He is love. He doesn’t go around giving us commandments that we are unable to keep. And yet, keeping his commandments isn’t always easy.  While it is possible to keep all of God’s commandments, it isn’t exactly a walk in the park, but that is only because our understanding is not the same as God’s and so, consequently, we will not always understand why he gives us the commandments he does. When our understanding is lacking, our trust in his character and attributes must give us reason to believe that, having been forgiven of our past sins, our obedience to his commandments will result in a greater understanding of why he does what he does and that that understanding will steel us to withstand any temptation. And let me just mention here that an actual forgiveness of sin is a non-negotiable part of salvation. Heaven actually has to witness to you that you are clean, every whit. That forgiveness testifies of God’s character and attributes and it results in your improved ability to understand the things of the Spirit.

Our ability to remain perfect and steadfast in obedience to law—which is what makes God who he is and which is the means of our own salvation—improves with each decision we make to obey him because it invariably results in both a tangible positive outcome and an understanding of how that outcome was obtained. Satan becomes less and less capable of tempting us to disobey God’s laws because our “eyes become open”. His reasons to disobey don’t stand up to God’s reasons to obey and it becomes easier for us to leave behind our sins that previously beset us. Our improved ability to choose righteousness over sin (which is obviously a result of God’s grace in imparting forgiveness of sin and continued and increased understanding) is what creates that “distance from” sin. We separate ourselves from sin and, by natural consequence, are redeemed and inherit salvation.

You can’t remain a sinner and have that happen. You cannot continually yield to temptation and expect that tendency to sin to change once you die. The scriptures provide you with absolutely no reasonable expectation to believe that.  God does not save sinners. He saves those who repent and sin no more. He saves those who depart from their sins and remain clean.

36 Now Amulek saith again unto him: Behold thou hast lied, for thou sayest that I spake as though I had authority to command God because I said he shall not save his people in their sins.

37 And I say unto you again that he cannot save them in their sins; for I cannot deny his word, and he hath said that no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven? Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins. (Alma 11)

But behold, and fear, and tremble before God, for ye ought to tremble; for the Lord redeemeth none such that rebel against him and die in their sins; yea, even all those that have perished in their sins ever since the world began, that have wilfully rebelled against God, that have known the commandments of God, and would not keep them; these are they that have no part in the first resurrection. (Mosiah 15:26)

35 When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:

36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance. (1 Kings 8)

Quit telling yourself that you will never be perfect in this life. Quit telling yourself that it’s not possible to be obedient to all of God’s commandments. Christ has laid the foundation. Your own unwillingness to believe that he can make you capable of perfect obedience is your Achilles heel, a token of your unbelief, and an open mockery of the great sacrifice that he has made for you.

Quit believing that your verbally professed belief in Christ without an attendant obedience to his commandments is sufficient for salvation. Not only is it not enough for salvation, it will also not be enough to support you through the increasingly difficult times that lie ahead and that have been foretold in scripture. (And for those who believe in some form of rapture that will be a means of your escape from those difficult times, I would ask, what gives you reason to believe that God will raise you up to be with him when you are nothing like him?)

The idea that God will redeem people “in their sins” is a lie.  God cannot do that and remain just. He would cease to be God. He would cease to be any kind of being in whom we could exercise faith. We will need his deliverance in the days ahead.  We will need to exercise faith in him in order to obtain that deliverance. Let us exercise faith in him now.  Let us believe in his ability to make us perfect. Let our obedience to him be a manifestation of his power to change us, to redeem us, and to make us holy, without spot.