 | Vern Jensen <phonev6@gmail.com> |
| James E Faust |
| vern jensen <phonev6@gmail.com> | Fri, Feb 13, 2015 at 8:58 AM | |
| To: Michael Jensen | ||
| ||
Friday, February 13, 2015
Lord, I Believe; Help Thou Mine Unbelief James E. Faust, October 2003 General Conference "One cannot successfully attack true principles or doctrine, because they are eternal. The revelations that came through the Prophet Joseph Smith are still correct!"
| Vern Jensen <phonev6@gmail.com> |
| James E Faust |
Thursday, February 12, 2015
JRH What was so wrong with Lot's wife, anyway?
The Best Is Yet to Be
From a Brigham Young University devotional address given on January 13, 2009. For the full text of the address in English, visithttp://speeches.byu.edu.
As a scriptural theme for this discussion, I have chosen the second-shortest verse in all of holy scripture. I am told that the shortest verse—a verse that every missionary memorizes and holds ready in case he is called on spontaneously in a zone conference—is John 11:35: “Jesus wept.” Elders, here is a second option, another shortie that will dazzle your mission president in case you are called on two zone conferences in a row. It is Luke 17:32, where the Savior cautions, “Remember Lot’s wife.” [Awesome! Now why did he say that? What did it mean?]vj
Hmmm. What did He mean by such an enigmatic little phrase? To find out, I suppose we need to do as He suggested. Let’s recall who Lot’s wife was.
The original story, of course, comes to us out of the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, when the Lord, having had as much as He could stand of the worst that men and women could do, told Lot and his family to flee because those cities were about to be destroyed. “Escape for thy life,” the Lord said, “look not behind thee . . . ; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed” (Genesis 19:17; emphasis added).
With less than immediate obedience and more than a little negotiation, Lot and his family ultimately did leave town, but just in the nick of time. The scriptures tell us what happened at daybreak the morning following their escape:
The Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;
And he overthrew those cities. [Genesis 19:24–25]
Then our theme today comes in the next verse. Surely, surely, with the Lord’s counsel “look not behind thee” ringing clearly in her ears, Lot’s wife, the record says, “looked back,” and she was turned into a pillar of salt.
In the time we have this morning, I am not going to talk to you about the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, nor of the comparison the Lord Himself has made to those days and our own time. I am not even going to talk about obedience and disobedience. I just want to talk to you for a few minutes about looking back and looking ahead.
One of the purposes of history is to teach us the lessons of life. George Santayana, who should be more widely read than he is on a college campus, is best known for saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” (Reason in Common Sense, vol. 1 of The Life of Reason [1905–1906]).
So, if history is this important—and it surely is—what did Lot’s wife do that was so wrong? As something of a student of history, I have thought about that and offer this as a partial answer. Apparently what was wrong with Lot’s wife was that she wasn’t just lookingback; in her heart she wanted to go back. It would appear that even before they were past the city limits, she was already missing what Sodom and Gomorrah had offered her. As Elder Maxwell once said, such people know they should have their primary residence in Zion, but they still hope to keep a summer cottage in Babylon (see Larry W. Gibbons, “Wherefore, Settle This in Your Hearts,” Ensign,November 2006, 102; also Neal A. Maxwell, A Wonderful Flood of Light [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1990], 47).
It is possible that Lot’s wife looked back with resentment toward the Lord for what He was asking her to leave behind. We certainly know that Laman and Lemuel were resentful when Lehi and his family were commanded to leave Jerusalem. So it isn’t just that she looked back; she looked back longingly. In short, her attachment to the past outweighed her confidence in the future. That, apparently, was at least part of her sin.
So, as a new year starts and we try to benefit from a proper view of what has gone before, I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone, nor to yearn vainly for yesterdays, however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead, we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives. So a more theological way to talk about Lot’s wife is to say that she did not have faith. She doubted the Lord’s ability to give her something better than she already had. Apparently she thought—fatally, as it turned out—that nothing that lay ahead could possibly be as good as those moments she was leaving behind. [ And then there are Lot's daughters. Man there were so many gay guys in Sodom and here we are lost and alone in the wilderness. We'll never have kids! Well, mom's gone so she can't stop us. Let's get dad drunk and get children by him! Do you think these daughters were a little mixed up having been raised in Sodom?]vj
It is here at this moment in this little story that we wish Lot’s wife had been a student at BYU enrolled in a freshman English class. With any luck, she might have read, as I did, this verse from Edwin Arlington Robinson:
Miniver Cheevy, child of scorn,
Grew lean while he assailed the seasons;
He wept that he was ever born,
And he had reasons.
Miniver loved the days of old
When swords were bright and steeds were prancing;
The vision of a warrior bold
Would set him dancing.
Miniver sighed for what was not,
And dreamed, and rested from his labors;
He dreamed of Thebes and Camelot,
And Priam’s neighbors. . . .
Miniver cursed the commonplace
And eyed a khaki suit with loathing;
He missed the medieval grace
Of iron clothing. . . .
Miniver Cheevy, born too late,
Scratched his head and kept on thinking;
Miniver coughed, and called it fate,
And kept on drinking.
[Miniver Cheevy (1910), stanzas 1–3, 6, 8]
To yearn to go back to a world that cannot be lived in now; to be perennially dissatisfied with present circumstances and have only dismal views of the future; to miss the here-and-now-and-tomorrow because we are so trapped in the there-and-then-and-yesterday—these are some of the sins, if we may call them that, of both Lot’s wife and old Mr. Cheevy. (Now, as a passing comment, I don’t know whether Lot’s wife, like Miniver, was a drinker, but if she was, she certainly ended up with plenty of salt for her pretzels.)
One of my favorite books of the New Testament is Paul’s too-seldom-read letter to the Philippians. After reviewing the very privileged and rewarding life of his early years—his birthright, his education, his standing in the Jewish community—Paul says that all of that was nothing (“dung” he calls it) compared to his conversion to Christianity. He says, and I paraphrase: “I have stopped rhapsodizing about ‘the good old days’ and now eagerly look toward the future ‘that I may apprehend that for which Christ apprehended me.’” Then comes this verse:
This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 3:13–14]
No Lot’s wife here. No looking back at Sodom and Gomorrah here. Paul knows it is out there in the future, up ahead wherever heaven is taking us where we will win “the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
[Jesse Bird did a good job of pointing out to us as we studied the OT in SS last year that the Israelites seldom stopped wearying Moses with, Why don't we go back to Egypt? It was nice there. Sounds like Lot's wife's ailment. vj]
[Jesse Bird did a good job of pointing out to us as we studied the OT in SS last year that the Israelites seldom stopped wearying Moses with, Why don't we go back to Egypt? It was nice there. Sounds like Lot's wife's ailment. vj]
GBH Sins of Sodom here and in previous. SWK
Living in the Fulness of Times
"All of the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah haunt our society. Our young people have never faced a greater challenge. We have never seen more clearly the lecherous face of evil."
So why was Sodom destroyed? What is sodomy? And what is the point of sodomy?
*
What is the opposite of sodomy and what is it's point?
*
doesn't the ending of Lot's wife seem impossible to you? It does to me. And then his daughters got him drunk so they could get children by him? What?
*
For years I was burdened by a sin that made me feel unworthy. If one feels unworthy to we lift our face in pleasure toward God. Nope. We turn away in Shame.
*
But pride is what keeps us from apologizing to him and repenting. Satan would have us think that He doesn't want us nor love us any more.
*
But HF n JC knew where they were sending us. They knew the terrors and fears and gluttony we would face. So do they say, Hey when you come around come on back. NO! Instead they say, don't turn away from us. We know your sins. Even in the 12 step program for AA they admit and acknowledge and seek the power of the Higher Power to overcome addiction. Almost every sin is a type of addiction.
*
Dont turn away. Turn towards. He can still love us. This life would be pointless otherwise.
*
What is the opposite of sodomy and what is it's point?
*
doesn't the ending of Lot's wife seem impossible to you? It does to me. And then his daughters got him drunk so they could get children by him? What?
*
For years I was burdened by a sin that made me feel unworthy. If one feels unworthy to we lift our face in pleasure toward God. Nope. We turn away in Shame.
*
But pride is what keeps us from apologizing to him and repenting. Satan would have us think that He doesn't want us nor love us any more.
*
But HF n JC knew where they were sending us. They knew the terrors and fears and gluttony we would face. So do they say, Hey when you come around come on back. NO! Instead they say, don't turn away from us. We know your sins. Even in the 12 step program for AA they admit and acknowledge and seek the power of the Higher Power to overcome addiction. Almost every sin is a type of addiction.
*
Dont turn away. Turn towards. He can still love us. This life would be pointless otherwise.
Living in the Fulness of Times
"“Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
“Having a form of godliness; but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” ( 2 Tim. 3:1–5 ).
We see today all of these evils, more commonly and generally, than they have ever been seen before, as we have so recently been reminded by what has occurred in New York City, Washington, and Pennsylvania, of which I shall speak tomorrow morning. We live in a season when fierce men do terrible and despicable things. We live in a season of war. We live in a season of arrogance. We live in a season of wickedness, pornography, immorality. All"
a
form
of
godliness;
but
denying
the
power
thereof.
*
He deserves all the power and glory, forever. Not us. Not ourselves. Anything we accomplish we can thank him for giving us the tools and the fortitude and intelligence.
*
HF blessed me with inspiration twice last night. Wow. Thank you.
*
In the distant past I might have said to him, Don't worry about me. I am fine. I can take care of myself. But I was denying his/their offer of friendship. I didn't feel worthy. But I love, LOVE friends. If I had only known. . .
form
of
godliness;
but
denying
the
power
thereof.
*
He deserves all the power and glory, forever. Not us. Not ourselves. Anything we accomplish we can thank him for giving us the tools and the fortitude and intelligence.
*
HF blessed me with inspiration twice last night. Wow. Thank you.
*
In the distant past I might have said to him, Don't worry about me. I am fine. I can take care of myself. But I was denying his/their offer of friendship. I didn't feel worthy. But I love, LOVE friends. If I had only known. . .
The Atonement, Repentance, and Dirty Linen
"There is no pancake so thin it has only one side. Empathy is required here, the gift to feel what others feel and to understand what others are experiencing. Empathy is the natural outgrowth of charity. It stimulates and enhances our capacity to serve. Empathy is not sympathy but understanding and caring. It is the basis of true friendship. Empathy leads to respect and opens the door to teaching and learning. The Sioux Indians understand this great principle as they pray, “Great Spirit, help me to never judge another until I have walked for two weeks in his moccasins.”"
Ben 0a 1/2 to bps
“Settle This in Your Hearts”
Neal A. Maxwell, October 1992 General Conference
"This is an appropriate moment to thank Elder Hanks for his influence on my life in so many moments over so many years."
\\My conflict with Grave was on Friday, January 30, 2015//
***Which Way Do You Face?@By Elder Lynn G. Robbins@Of the Presidency of the Seventy@ By Elder Lynn G. Robbins@Trying to please others before pleasing God is inverting the first and second great commandments.@“Which way do you face?” President Boyd K. Packer surprised me with this puzzling question while we were traveling together on my very first assignment as a new Seventy. [I remember this question from BKP]Without an explanation to put the question in context, I was baffled. “A Seventy,” he continued, “does not represent the people to the prophet but the prophet to the people. Never forget which way you face!” It was a powerful lesson.@Trying to please others before pleasing God is inverting the first and second great commandments (see Matthew 22:37–39). It is forgetting which way we face. [I guess this does apply to me too, not just church leadership]And yet, we have all made that mistake because of the fear of men. In Isaiah the Lord warns us, “Fear ye not the reproach of men” (Isaiah 51:7; see also 2 Nephi 8:7). In Lehi’s dream, this fear was triggered by the finger of scorn pointed [the finger of scorn, the finger of scorn, sort of like the fickle finger of fate, what a potent clear image!] from the great and spacious building, causing many to forget which way they faced and to leave the tree “ashamed” (see 1 Nephi 8:25–28).[How sad! They were there, they had arrived, crud, no fair!] @This peer pressure tries to change a person’s attitudes, if not behavior, by making one feel guilty for giving offense. [The point of it all! That’s what A wants. Adversaries’] We seek respectful coexistence with those who point fingers, but when this fear of men tempts us to condone sin, [Sari Bunker was doing this with gays on facebook. I wondered if Ben Bunker was too. I wrote him. Brother Jeff Stipple had contributed to that conversation.. “These are faggots, these are not” was a picture Ben posted later and liked.] it becomes a “snare” according to the book of Proverbs (see Proverbs 29:25). The snare may be cleverly baited to appeal to our compassionate side to tolerate or even approve of something that has been condemned by God. [baited to appeal to our compassionate side, so carefully and well worded] For the weak of faith, it can be a major stumbling block. For example, some young missionaries carry this fear of men into the mission field and fail to report the flagrant disobedience of a companion to their mission president because they don’t want to offend their wayward companion. Decisions of character are made by remembering the right order of the first and second great commandments (see Matthew 22:37–39). When these confused missionaries realize they are accountable to God and not to their companion, it should give them courage to do an about-face.@At the youthful age of 22, [O, did I hurt for him in this lesson. I felt so grateful to Martin as well! But man did it ever pay off. I like to think of JS as perfect or nearly so. To know he blew it and really paid for it at the age of 22 is rich.] even Joseph Smith forgot which way he faced when he repeatedly importuned the Lord to allow Martin Harris to borrow the 116 manuscript pages. [weary the master with her requests] Perhaps Joseph wanted to show gratitude to Martin for his support. We know that Joseph was extremely anxious for other eyewitnesses to stand with him against the distressing falsehoods and lies being spread about him.[No fair, I couldn’t even stand this at the age of 50! When we opened TIS] @Whatever Joseph’s reasons were, or as justified as they may appear, the Lord did not excuse them and sharply rebuked him: “How oft you have transgressed … and have gone on in the persuasions of men. For, behold, you should not have feared man more than God” (D&C 3:6–7; [look how early only section 3!]). This poignant experience helped Joseph remember, forever after, [forever after] which way he faced.@When people try to save face with men, they can unwittingly lose face with God. Thinking one can please God and at the same time condone the disobedience of men isn’t neutrality but duplicity, or being two-faced or trying to “serve two masters”[woah, super potent] (Matthew 6:24; 3 Nephi 13:24).@While it certainly takes courage to face perils, the true badge of courage is overcoming the fear of men. [I believe this, but MC would like us (siblings) to get along better in society, not isolate ourselves further from it so this gets a little sticky for us] For example, Daniel’s prayers helped him face lions, but what made him lionhearted was defying King Darius (see Daniel 6). That kind of courage is a gift of the Spirit to the God-fearing who have said their prayers.10/10 Queen Esther’s prayers also gave her that same courage to confront her husband, King Ahasuerus, knowing that she risked her life in doing so (see Esther 4:8–16).@Courage is not just one of the cardinal virtues, [it is? Interesting. Now I want to know the others. Virtue. . .] but as C. S. Lewis observed: “Courage is … the form of every virtue at the testing point. …[These next examples are fantastic!] Pilate was merciful till it became risky.”1 King Herod was sorrowful at the request to behead John the Baptist but wanted to please “them which sat with him at meat” (Matthew 14:9). King Noah was ready to free Abinadi until peer pressure from his wicked priests caused him to waver (see Mosiah 17:11–12). King Saul disobeyed the word of the Lord by keeping the spoils of war because he “feared the people, and obeyed their voice” (1 Samuel 15:24). To appease rebellious Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai, Aaron crafted a golden calf, forgetting which way he faced (see Exodus 32).[Finally this last one makes sense to me. I have always been incredulous and wondering why? How could he? But it was their society! Oh.] Many of the New Testament chief rulers “believed on [the Lord]; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:42–43). [Ah, my heart goes out to those men. I so wish they had succumbed.] The scriptures are full of such examples.@Now listen to some inspiring examples:@• First, Mormon: “Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear” (Moroni 8:16; emphasis added).@• Nephi: “Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world” (1 Nephi 6:5).@• Captain Moroni: “Behold, I am Moroni, your chief captain. I seek not for power, but to pull it down. I seek not for honor of the world, but for the glory of my God, and the freedom and welfare of my country” (Alma 60:36). [beautiful 10/10!]
Moroni had such great courage in remembering which way he faced that it was said of him, “If all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men” [Do we really realize what that says? My, my, my.] (Alma 48:17).@Prophets through the ages have always come under attack by the finger of scorn.[Yes! Use that image!] Why? According to the scriptures, it is because “the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center” (1 Nephi 16:2), or as President Harold B. Lee observed, “The hit bird flutters!”2 Their scornful reaction is, in reality, guilt trying to reassure itself, just as with Korihor, who finally admitted, “I always knew that there was a God” (Alma 30:52). Korihor was so convincing in his deception that he came to believe his own lie (see Alma 30:53).@The scornful often accuse prophets of not living in the 21st century or of being bigoted. [this really bugs me. it is not fair. It is like saying jesus was using the power of beezlebub.] They attempt to persuade or even pressure the Church into lowering God’s standards to the level of their own inappropriate behavior, which in the words of Elder Neal A. Maxwell, will “develop self-contentment instead of seeking self-improvement”3 and repentance. [exactly! I am totally with you, E. lgr]Lowering the Lord’s standards to the level of a society’s inappropriate behavior is—apostasy. [well identified] Many of the churches among the Nephites two centuries after the Savior’s visit to them began to “dumb down” the doctrine, borrowing a phrase from Elder Holland.4@As you listen to this passage from 4[***THIS is as far as I sent bps today,2/14/15 top half***] Nephi, look for parallels in our day: “And it came to pass that when two hundred and ten years had passed away there were many churches in the land; yea, there were many churches which professed to know the Christ, and yet they did deny the more parts of his gospel, insomuch that they did receive all manner of wickedness, and did administer that which was sacred unto him to whom it had been forbidden because of unworthiness”[yikes!] (4 Nephi 1:27).@Déjà vu in the latter days! Some members don’t realize they are falling into the same snare when they lobby for acceptance of local or ethnic “tradition[s] of their fathers” (D&C 93:39) that are not in harmony with the gospel culture. Still others, self-deceived and in self-denial, plead or demand that bishops lower the standard on temple recommends, school endorsements, or missionary applications. It isn’t easy being a bishop under that kind of pressure. However, like the Savior who cleansed the temple to defend its sanctity (see John 2:15–16), bishops today are called upon to boldly defend the temple standard. It was the Savior who said, “I will manifest myself to my people in mercy … if my people will keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house” (D&C 110:7–8).@The Savior, our great Exemplar, always faced His Father. He loved and served His fellowmen but said, “I receive not honour from men” (John 5:41). He wanted those He taught to follow Him, but He did not court their favor. When He performed an act of charity, such as healing the sick, the gift often came with the request to “tell no man” (Matthew 8:4; Mark 7:36; Luke 5:14; 8:56). [I studied the NT last year and I was shocked out how early in his 3 year ministry the masses of sick and ailing would come to him to be healed. Over and over and over again. It was like, “here is the free doctor who can fix everything with the touch of his hand. Imagine all the aids victims today who would seek his touch! I was shocked at WCSkousen's announcement that they are the only epidemic that hasn’t been quaranteened that has been this bad! Jeff Stipple says in Cuba they put them in Leper colonies.] In part, [but only in part] this was to avoid the very fame which followed Him in spite of His efforts to eschew it (see Matthew 4:24). He condemned the Pharisees for doing good works only to be seen of men (see Matthew 6:5).[I don’t do it to be seen of men, I tell them all about it. Of course, it is just a few usually.] @The Savior, the only perfect being who ever lived, was the most fearless. In His life, He was confronted by scores of accusers but never yielded to their finger of scorn. He is the only person who never once forgot which way He faced: “I do always those things that please [the Father]” (John 8:29;), and “I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30).@Between 3 Nephi chapter 11 and 3 Nephi chapter 28, the Savior used the title Father at least 150 times, making it very clear to the Nephites that He was there representing His Father. And from John chapters 14 through 17, the Savior refers to the Father at least 50 times. [Now those are worthy statistics! Great!] In every way possible, He was His Father’s perfect disciple. He was so perfect in representing His Father that to know the Savior was also to know the Father. To see the Son was to see the Father (see John 14:9). To hear the Son was to hear the Father (see John 5:36). He had, in essence, become indistinguishable from His Father. His Father and He were one (see John 17:21–22). He flawlessly knew which way He faced.@ May His inspiring example strengthen us against the pitfalls of flattery from without or of conceit from within. May it give us courage to never cower or fawn at the feet of intimidation. [after we reach the age of 60! It is too hard before that.] May it inspire us to go about doing good as anonymously as possible and not “aspire to the honors of men” (D&C 121:35). And may His incomparable example help us always remember which is “the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:38). When others demand approval in defiance of God’s commandments, may we always remember whose disciples we are, and which way we face, is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.***[At 6a this morning these truths were so reassuring! They seemed so clear and soothed me. Relief. Standing up for truth and right is not being a fanatic nor bigot nor self-righteous.Gravid Morgan tried hitting me with those on Friday. Just quit making jokes about sacred things like the prophet, and being vulgar about the girls. I can take the false authority statements that you can never back up from the journal of discourses or general conference or CES firesides.]
Neal A. Maxwell, October 1992 General Conference
"This is an appropriate moment to thank Elder Hanks for his influence on my life in so many moments over so many years."
\\My conflict with Grave was on Friday, January 30, 2015//
***Which Way Do You Face?@By Elder Lynn G. Robbins@Of the Presidency of the Seventy@ By Elder Lynn G. Robbins@Trying to please others before pleasing God is inverting the first and second great commandments.@“Which way do you face?” President Boyd K. Packer surprised me with this puzzling question while we were traveling together on my very first assignment as a new Seventy. [I remember this question from BKP]Without an explanation to put the question in context, I was baffled. “A Seventy,” he continued, “does not represent the people to the prophet but the prophet to the people. Never forget which way you face!” It was a powerful lesson.@Trying to please others before pleasing God is inverting the first and second great commandments (see Matthew 22:37–39). It is forgetting which way we face. [I guess this does apply to me too, not just church leadership]And yet, we have all made that mistake because of the fear of men. In Isaiah the Lord warns us, “Fear ye not the reproach of men” (Isaiah 51:7; see also 2 Nephi 8:7). In Lehi’s dream, this fear was triggered by the finger of scorn pointed [the finger of scorn, the finger of scorn, sort of like the fickle finger of fate, what a potent clear image!] from the great and spacious building, causing many to forget which way they faced and to leave the tree “ashamed” (see 1 Nephi 8:25–28).[How sad! They were there, they had arrived, crud, no fair!] @This peer pressure tries to change a person’s attitudes, if not behavior, by making one feel guilty for giving offense. [The point of it all! That’s what A wants. Adversaries’] We seek respectful coexistence with those who point fingers, but when this fear of men tempts us to condone sin, [Sari Bunker was doing this with gays on facebook. I wondered if Ben Bunker was too. I wrote him. Brother Jeff Stipple had contributed to that conversation.. “These are faggots, these are not” was a picture Ben posted later and liked.] it becomes a “snare” according to the book of Proverbs (see Proverbs 29:25). The snare may be cleverly baited to appeal to our compassionate side to tolerate or even approve of something that has been condemned by God. [baited to appeal to our compassionate side, so carefully and well worded] For the weak of faith, it can be a major stumbling block. For example, some young missionaries carry this fear of men into the mission field and fail to report the flagrant disobedience of a companion to their mission president because they don’t want to offend their wayward companion. Decisions of character are made by remembering the right order of the first and second great commandments (see Matthew 22:37–39). When these confused missionaries realize they are accountable to God and not to their companion, it should give them courage to do an about-face.@At the youthful age of 22, [O, did I hurt for him in this lesson. I felt so grateful to Martin as well! But man did it ever pay off. I like to think of JS as perfect or nearly so. To know he blew it and really paid for it at the age of 22 is rich.] even Joseph Smith forgot which way he faced when he repeatedly importuned the Lord to allow Martin Harris to borrow the 116 manuscript pages. [weary the master with her requests] Perhaps Joseph wanted to show gratitude to Martin for his support. We know that Joseph was extremely anxious for other eyewitnesses to stand with him against the distressing falsehoods and lies being spread about him.[No fair, I couldn’t even stand this at the age of 50! When we opened TIS] @Whatever Joseph’s reasons were, or as justified as they may appear, the Lord did not excuse them and sharply rebuked him: “How oft you have transgressed … and have gone on in the persuasions of men. For, behold, you should not have feared man more than God” (D&C 3:6–7; [look how early only section 3!]). This poignant experience helped Joseph remember, forever after, [forever after] which way he faced.@When people try to save face with men, they can unwittingly lose face with God. Thinking one can please God and at the same time condone the disobedience of men isn’t neutrality but duplicity, or being two-faced or trying to “serve two masters”[woah, super potent] (Matthew 6:24; 3 Nephi 13:24).@While it certainly takes courage to face perils, the true badge of courage is overcoming the fear of men. [I believe this, but MC would like us (siblings) to get along better in society, not isolate ourselves further from it so this gets a little sticky for us] For example, Daniel’s prayers helped him face lions, but what made him lionhearted was defying King Darius (see Daniel 6). That kind of courage is a gift of the Spirit to the God-fearing who have said their prayers.10/10 Queen Esther’s prayers also gave her that same courage to confront her husband, King Ahasuerus, knowing that she risked her life in doing so (see Esther 4:8–16).@Courage is not just one of the cardinal virtues, [it is? Interesting. Now I want to know the others. Virtue. . .] but as C. S. Lewis observed: “Courage is … the form of every virtue at the testing point. …[These next examples are fantastic!] Pilate was merciful till it became risky.”1 King Herod was sorrowful at the request to behead John the Baptist but wanted to please “them which sat with him at meat” (Matthew 14:9). King Noah was ready to free Abinadi until peer pressure from his wicked priests caused him to waver (see Mosiah 17:11–12). King Saul disobeyed the word of the Lord by keeping the spoils of war because he “feared the people, and obeyed their voice” (1 Samuel 15:24). To appease rebellious Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai, Aaron crafted a golden calf, forgetting which way he faced (see Exodus 32).[Finally this last one makes sense to me. I have always been incredulous and wondering why? How could he? But it was their society! Oh.] Many of the New Testament chief rulers “believed on [the Lord]; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:42–43). [Ah, my heart goes out to those men. I so wish they had succumbed.] The scriptures are full of such examples.@Now listen to some inspiring examples:@• First, Mormon: “Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear” (Moroni 8:16; emphasis added).@• Nephi: “Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world” (1 Nephi 6:5).@• Captain Moroni: “Behold, I am Moroni, your chief captain. I seek not for power, but to pull it down. I seek not for honor of the world, but for the glory of my God, and the freedom and welfare of my country” (Alma 60:36). [beautiful 10/10!]
Moroni had such great courage in remembering which way he faced that it was said of him, “If all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men” [Do we really realize what that says? My, my, my.] (Alma 48:17).@Prophets through the ages have always come under attack by the finger of scorn.[Yes! Use that image!] Why? According to the scriptures, it is because “the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center” (1 Nephi 16:2), or as President Harold B. Lee observed, “The hit bird flutters!”2 Their scornful reaction is, in reality, guilt trying to reassure itself, just as with Korihor, who finally admitted, “I always knew that there was a God” (Alma 30:52). Korihor was so convincing in his deception that he came to believe his own lie (see Alma 30:53).@The scornful often accuse prophets of not living in the 21st century or of being bigoted. [this really bugs me. it is not fair. It is like saying jesus was using the power of beezlebub.] They attempt to persuade or even pressure the Church into lowering God’s standards to the level of their own inappropriate behavior, which in the words of Elder Neal A. Maxwell, will “develop self-contentment instead of seeking self-improvement”3 and repentance. [exactly! I am totally with you, E. lgr]Lowering the Lord’s standards to the level of a society’s inappropriate behavior is—apostasy. [well identified] Many of the churches among the Nephites two centuries after the Savior’s visit to them began to “dumb down” the doctrine, borrowing a phrase from Elder Holland.4@As you listen to this passage from 4[***THIS is as far as I sent bps today,2/14/15 top half***] Nephi, look for parallels in our day: “And it came to pass that when two hundred and ten years had passed away there were many churches in the land; yea, there were many churches which professed to know the Christ, and yet they did deny the more parts of his gospel, insomuch that they did receive all manner of wickedness, and did administer that which was sacred unto him to whom it had been forbidden because of unworthiness”[yikes!] (4 Nephi 1:27).@Déjà vu in the latter days! Some members don’t realize they are falling into the same snare when they lobby for acceptance of local or ethnic “tradition[s] of their fathers” (D&C 93:39) that are not in harmony with the gospel culture. Still others, self-deceived and in self-denial, plead or demand that bishops lower the standard on temple recommends, school endorsements, or missionary applications. It isn’t easy being a bishop under that kind of pressure. However, like the Savior who cleansed the temple to defend its sanctity (see John 2:15–16), bishops today are called upon to boldly defend the temple standard. It was the Savior who said, “I will manifest myself to my people in mercy … if my people will keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house” (D&C 110:7–8).@The Savior, our great Exemplar, always faced His Father. He loved and served His fellowmen but said, “I receive not honour from men” (John 5:41). He wanted those He taught to follow Him, but He did not court their favor. When He performed an act of charity, such as healing the sick, the gift often came with the request to “tell no man” (Matthew 8:4; Mark 7:36; Luke 5:14; 8:56). [I studied the NT last year and I was shocked out how early in his 3 year ministry the masses of sick and ailing would come to him to be healed. Over and over and over again. It was like, “here is the free doctor who can fix everything with the touch of his hand. Imagine all the aids victims today who would seek his touch! I was shocked at WCSkousen's announcement that they are the only epidemic that hasn’t been quaranteened that has been this bad! Jeff Stipple says in Cuba they put them in Leper colonies.] In part, [but only in part] this was to avoid the very fame which followed Him in spite of His efforts to eschew it (see Matthew 4:24). He condemned the Pharisees for doing good works only to be seen of men (see Matthew 6:5).[I don’t do it to be seen of men, I tell them all about it. Of course, it is just a few usually.] @The Savior, the only perfect being who ever lived, was the most fearless. In His life, He was confronted by scores of accusers but never yielded to their finger of scorn. He is the only person who never once forgot which way He faced: “I do always those things that please [the Father]” (John 8:29;), and “I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30).@Between 3 Nephi chapter 11 and 3 Nephi chapter 28, the Savior used the title Father at least 150 times, making it very clear to the Nephites that He was there representing His Father. And from John chapters 14 through 17, the Savior refers to the Father at least 50 times. [Now those are worthy statistics! Great!] In every way possible, He was His Father’s perfect disciple. He was so perfect in representing His Father that to know the Savior was also to know the Father. To see the Son was to see the Father (see John 14:9). To hear the Son was to hear the Father (see John 5:36). He had, in essence, become indistinguishable from His Father. His Father and He were one (see John 17:21–22). He flawlessly knew which way He faced.@ May His inspiring example strengthen us against the pitfalls of flattery from without or of conceit from within. May it give us courage to never cower or fawn at the feet of intimidation. [after we reach the age of 60! It is too hard before that.] May it inspire us to go about doing good as anonymously as possible and not “aspire to the honors of men” (D&C 121:35). And may His incomparable example help us always remember which is “the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:38). When others demand approval in defiance of God’s commandments, may we always remember whose disciples we are, and which way we face, is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.***[At 6a this morning these truths were so reassuring! They seemed so clear and soothed me. Relief. Standing up for truth and right is not being a fanatic nor bigot nor self-righteous.Gravid Morgan tried hitting me with those on Friday. Just quit making jokes about sacred things like the prophet, and being vulgar about the girls. I can take the false authority statements that you can never back up from the journal of discourses or general conference or CES firesides.]
Ben Bunker 0
This old world is sure getting mixed up. Here are my previous posts to Ben Bunker:
January 23rd, 5:46am
January 23rd, 10:26am
2/8/15 Sunday 9:54am
Monday, February 9, 2015
Early Monday at the FSL eventually surrounded by M i s s i o n a r i e s !
It is now 11:08a
I got here about 9am and I went to the training room because someone was at computer #60 and the training room was empty.
As I finished a couple of batches I realized the missionaries usually fill this room on Mondays and I hadn't seen one. But first a set of elders, then another set then a set of sisters and then another set and now the room is full. I am sitting in a room full of missionaries while they write their families etc. on this Monday prep day. The second set of sisters smelled like pleasant fruity perfume.
It is such a blessing to be here and have missionaries in Saint George. Many of them are Spanish speaking, both gringos and Latins. In the past I have listened to the supervising fsl missionaries ask them to be quiet and keep it down. I am not in charge so I don't have too. There was one time when an Elder shusshed but to realize that these are 19 year old sisters and 18 year old brothers by choice, out serving the Lord and building our HF's kingdom here on the earth just astounds and pleases me. I am so glad they have a mission president and zone leaders and district leaders.
In the past I have touched them and said, thanks for letting me touch South Africa, or England, or Fiji or Germany or where ever they were from. The love it and say, anytime!
Some of those that have worked with the Spanish people give each other abrazos as they see each other. But it is the boys doing it not the sisters! So fun. And they are exuberant!
I love having served as a Guatemalan missionary. I did not realize I could have kept in touch with my families. I think it was because of the Spanish barrier. I was always a bit shy about trying to speak Spanish unless it was about the gospel because I got such good practice with the gospel language. I never had a native elder companion. All mine were Americans. I saw Werner Cordova on a bus in Guatemala city. His was a special miraculous conversion. He had 2 sons, was separated/divorced from his wife, was studying to become a medical doctor and had a picture of Lyndon B Johnson in his study where we taught him that he would never answer about. One classy, educated man in my first area that Elder Lowell Brown was instrumental in converting. When I saw him on the bus I so wanted to give him and huge hug and ask all about him and his life and his family but I didn't dare. I did say hi once and exchanged greetings but I have always had such high hopes for him. His oldest son in Quezaltenango was named Wernercito as well.
Jason Chappell was our elder's quorum instructor yesterday. At one point he asked the question, what does it mean to have your heart continually turned to God in prayer? Tim Adams got the discussion started and Frank Haney contributed twice as did Phil HC Howell, Dave Black encouraged us to include thank yous when we get our prayers answered and Gene Hilton son dentist in New Mexico shared how he knew a wonderful straight surgeon who always prayed before each surgery. He considered doing the same before each dental patient/procedure but not to tell the patient he needed to pray before the procedure! We laughed again. Then I just had to make the points I had been waiting with: 1- that God here's every prayer even from nonmembers, but that since we know to pray in Jesus' name we should to honor him. 2- When do we turn our hearts away from prayer? when we want to sin. So to keep our hearts continually open in prayer we just have to be trying to do right! And when we are we are comfortable turning and talking to HF in prayer.
Jason had some stories to share and he had us in suspense. He told us he had to relearn to pray a few years ago. . . so sweet. And that he had to try to ponder and meditate and wait for an answer. He drove to CA each night with an oil tanker and tried to pray in his motel room, kneeling at his beside hearing noisy Spanish being spoken in the hallway as the cleaning people got going for the day. He said there were a number of times when he would wake up still kneeling at his bed in the attitude of listening and pondering.
I texted him last night and mentioned how we had a BoM class about meditation and pondering like Nephi and Lehi in the city of Zarahemla. Nephi was pondering as he walked towards his home and an angel began speaking with him who turned out to be the Lord! He never made it to his home. : )
I suggested to Jason as I did Thursday night that reliving our experiences is an example of pondering. That is when I notice the hand of the Lord in guiding me. Later, after it is all over. I even told FSL missionaries Brother and Sister Green that in my letter to them. Jason mentioned he has heard others say it is bad to dwell on the negative and relive it, but that he often does it because he believes he can consider the mistakes he made and try to do better next time. AS you can see we did text last night.
He worked with Bishop Salmon in turning his live around and committed to reading the Book of Mormon and praying everyday in his probation, repentance, turn around time.
Brother James gave the closing prayer and he did not use any vain repetitions! 11:54a
I got here about 9am and I went to the training room because someone was at computer #60 and the training room was empty.
As I finished a couple of batches I realized the missionaries usually fill this room on Mondays and I hadn't seen one. But first a set of elders, then another set then a set of sisters and then another set and now the room is full. I am sitting in a room full of missionaries while they write their families etc. on this Monday prep day. The second set of sisters smelled like pleasant fruity perfume.
It is such a blessing to be here and have missionaries in Saint George. Many of them are Spanish speaking, both gringos and Latins. In the past I have listened to the supervising fsl missionaries ask them to be quiet and keep it down. I am not in charge so I don't have too. There was one time when an Elder shusshed but to realize that these are 19 year old sisters and 18 year old brothers by choice, out serving the Lord and building our HF's kingdom here on the earth just astounds and pleases me. I am so glad they have a mission president and zone leaders and district leaders.
In the past I have touched them and said, thanks for letting me touch South Africa, or England, or Fiji or Germany or where ever they were from. The love it and say, anytime!
Some of those that have worked with the Spanish people give each other abrazos as they see each other. But it is the boys doing it not the sisters! So fun. And they are exuberant!
I love having served as a Guatemalan missionary. I did not realize I could have kept in touch with my families. I think it was because of the Spanish barrier. I was always a bit shy about trying to speak Spanish unless it was about the gospel because I got such good practice with the gospel language. I never had a native elder companion. All mine were Americans. I saw Werner Cordova on a bus in Guatemala city. His was a special miraculous conversion. He had 2 sons, was separated/divorced from his wife, was studying to become a medical doctor and had a picture of Lyndon B Johnson in his study where we taught him that he would never answer about. One classy, educated man in my first area that Elder Lowell Brown was instrumental in converting. When I saw him on the bus I so wanted to give him and huge hug and ask all about him and his life and his family but I didn't dare. I did say hi once and exchanged greetings but I have always had such high hopes for him. His oldest son in Quezaltenango was named Wernercito as well.
Jason Chappell was our elder's quorum instructor yesterday. At one point he asked the question, what does it mean to have your heart continually turned to God in prayer? Tim Adams got the discussion started and Frank Haney contributed twice as did Phil HC Howell, Dave Black encouraged us to include thank yous when we get our prayers answered and Gene Hilton son dentist in New Mexico shared how he knew a wonderful straight surgeon who always prayed before each surgery. He considered doing the same before each dental patient/procedure but not to tell the patient he needed to pray before the procedure! We laughed again. Then I just had to make the points I had been waiting with: 1- that God here's every prayer even from nonmembers, but that since we know to pray in Jesus' name we should to honor him. 2- When do we turn our hearts away from prayer? when we want to sin. So to keep our hearts continually open in prayer we just have to be trying to do right! And when we are we are comfortable turning and talking to HF in prayer.
Jason had some stories to share and he had us in suspense. He told us he had to relearn to pray a few years ago. . . so sweet. And that he had to try to ponder and meditate and wait for an answer. He drove to CA each night with an oil tanker and tried to pray in his motel room, kneeling at his beside hearing noisy Spanish being spoken in the hallway as the cleaning people got going for the day. He said there were a number of times when he would wake up still kneeling at his bed in the attitude of listening and pondering.
I texted him last night and mentioned how we had a BoM class about meditation and pondering like Nephi and Lehi in the city of Zarahemla. Nephi was pondering as he walked towards his home and an angel began speaking with him who turned out to be the Lord! He never made it to his home. : )
I suggested to Jason as I did Thursday night that reliving our experiences is an example of pondering. That is when I notice the hand of the Lord in guiding me. Later, after it is all over. I even told FSL missionaries Brother and Sister Green that in my letter to them. Jason mentioned he has heard others say it is bad to dwell on the negative and relive it, but that he often does it because he believes he can consider the mistakes he made and try to do better next time. AS you can see we did text last night.
He worked with Bishop Salmon in turning his live around and committed to reading the Book of Mormon and praying everyday in his probation, repentance, turn around time.
Brother James gave the closing prayer and he did not use any vain repetitions! 11:54a
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Partners
Saturday,
February 07, 2015,p5:56
What
about partners and companions?
As
I worked at the FSL-family search library this afternoon I was remembering the
different feelings I get working with different types of records.
-Deaths
are depressing to me.
-Marriages
are wonderful and uplifting.
-Births
are wonderful and uplifting.
There
is something very special about births. I have indexed over 10K Italian births
so I have had a lot of time to think and feel and consider and analyze.
-in
most cases there are parents for these new little children. They were born so
long ago all of them are dead now, but I am typing all their information at the
beginning of their lives.
-the
willingness of these parents to care for and provide for these little ones they
bring into the world is done with such love and faith and hope.
-they
had a partner to create the child. And if all goes well that partner will be a
twin to support and raise that child. It is so wonderful to have a partner, a
companion. There is an automatic listener and speaker that accompanies you and
cares and matters.
-why
did HF plan it this way or is it eternal and goes back beyond Him? Where ever
it began it is awesome. In a threesome one person usually gets left out. But in
a couple, in a pair each reflects the other. I am alone now and the value of
being able to pray and talk with God has become more and more important to me.
The relationship I have with each of my children and spouses and their children
is so unique and special.
-I
haven’t really cared about how people look much. But now retired and
considering family history, and having had a new medical doctor this week has
impacted me. Chris Nicholas is a general conference groupie and a Facebook
friend. I realized this week that he looks like my mother’s family and the warm
spot in my heart that I have for him just got warmer. He looks and feels comfortable to me. He
looks like us!
-Uncle
Harold had his funeral last week. (Funny way to say it!) In the pictures posted
by Aunt Jewel on Facebook he looked just like Uncle Leo.
-I
am not as comfortable with the appearances of the Jensen clan as I am with the
Wright clan and I am not sure why that is.
-David
Morgan made note of a statistic at a recent singles fireside. There are just as
many singles in the Church, not counting children, as there are marrieds and it
has been increasing. Bob Davis confirmed that stat for me this week.
-I
love companions. I love company and being accompanied in general. My days would
seem empty without my 3 labs and fish. I am constantly aware of those dogs and
even depressed by problems with them left unresolved.
-why
bother creating a world and plan of salvation if we are intended to be alone. I
hope that living the law of chastity will entitle us to the blessing of sexual
intimacy for eternity.
-I
am sad for those who don’t keep that law. I am sad that they won’t have the joy
of a wonderful partner(s) for eternity.
This life is just a little blip on the screen of eternity. Just enough
to prove ourselves to ourselves. We will
receive more than we can conceive in the Telestial Kingdom.
-Orson
Whitney is quoted with some of the most reassuring statements about family and
salvation. In the past I have thought it was referring to exaltation. Studying
it a little more carefully recently clarified it. And I had to apply it to my
wonderful, heartbreaking son Michael. I had to accept that his joy will be
greater than he can imagine in the next life.
-in
fact I have had to ask myself, am I really a candidate for the Celestial
Kingdom? I have always assumed, Of
Course! But Kathy never figured she
could or would qualify. Woah. Is that part of her decision?
-I
quit ldssingles.com at October conference. It was unfruitful. I did document a
number of very interesting and close encounters.
-I
love how my body can handle overeating! I had my yellow shirt on this morning
and looking in the mirror I saw how humongous my stomach and body are! 279 lbs with clothes was what we
measured at the docs this week. I will have to learn to manage that aspect of
my life better.
-I
have written before how I would like the ultimate sharing. Like is has in
science fiction sometimes. To be able to read each other’s mind;To be able to
live another’s life through their memories.
-So
in this here treatise (facetiously) I would like my commitment to partnerships
to be massive!
-WWoodruf
served totally faithfully with his whole body, mind and soul as a missionary.
Matthias F Cowley says Wilford was a missionary incarnate. At the age of 30 he
figured it was time to find a wife. He found one in Kirtland and in 2 months they
were married. Then one month later he was ready to missionary some more! So
long Phoebe. If you want we can meet at your dad’s house in Connecticut. And
off he went again! The Fox Islands where he felt directed rewarded him
handsomely. Totally awesome. When Phoebe
got there she walked the 10 miles to where he was. 10 miles walking! She was a
trooper too! Melissa Sevy just turned
30. I wonder?
-in
closing I want to thank heavenly father for making us social beings if he had
anything to do with it. Thank you! p6:46
PS. I have not been very motivated about fish for months and months. I got a little excited today when I realized I could change the water in my bedroom 55 gal. and transfer all the glofish I have been collecting and acclimatizing. I could take one of the light fixtures that works with just one bulb and use it for the Ultra-violet, black light 4 foot florescent tube! $20 for that bulb last year and I haven't used it well. Now with two fixtures on my bedroom tank I can use one for day light and one for night light, black light. I succeeded in changing the water and transferring the fish. E x c i t e m e n t !
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