Gifts We Can Give To The Savior

How would this world be if we could never repent? If we could never forget the wrongs we did—intentional or unintended? What about never having the guilt or pain of conscience taken away for our wrongs or misdeeds? If we could never receive forgiveness for past mistakes or errors we would be in an awful, miserable state. A state from which one, who is eternally miserable, can never escape (see 2 Nephi 2:27). But thanks be to God for the gift of His Son!

During this Christmas season, many of us make time to remember the birth of our Savior. For One who has given us more than we can ever repay (see Mosiah 2:21) what can we offer in return? I've thought of a few gifts that we can offer Him. I realize this is an incomplete list, but it's something we can start with.

The Gift of Repenting

King Benjamin taught, 

“[B]elieve that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you” (Mosiah 4:10).

We can choose to repent. 

Merriam-Webster defines repent as “to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one’s life” (link to definition). Tad R. Callister defines true repentance as, “a melting, softening, refining process that brings about a mighty change of heart….It is a burning resolve to make amends with God at any cost”. He later states that those who are "repentant [are] those who have given of their spiritual best" (Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p178, 311) In Acts we read, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19). 

As we look within ourselves we will find things that we can change; if we see nothing wrong within, we can pray to understand where we fall short. As we repent, we are in a position for the arm of forgiveness to be extended by the hand of the Lord. As we reach out and accept His forgiveness, through the power of the Atonement in our lives, we can be healed; wrongs can be righted; our sins can be blotted out; and we can have a renewed hope in life. Tad R. Callister explained,

“His spirit heals; it refines; it comforts; it breathes new life into hopeless hearts. It has the power to transform all that is ugly and vicious and worthless in life to something of supreme and glorious splendor. He has the power to convert the ashes of mortality to the beauties of eternity” (Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p206).

Let us choose to trust in the Lord’s atoning sacrifice, and the power it has to change us. Let us choose to give the gift of a repentant heart.

The Gift of Using Our Agency

In the Book of Mormon, Amaleki's short remarks include these words, “[C]ome unto Christ…and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him” (Omni 1:26, emphasis added)—our soul, comprised of both body and spirit. Offering our whole souls would require a commitment of heart, mind and strength; demanding physical and spiritual effort. It isn't something that can be done over the weekend, or even within a year's time. It is the quest of a lifetime.

In the scriptures we can read examples of people who have had dramatic experiences in which they turned their whole souls over to the Lord, and never looked back (Alma the Younger and the Apostle Paul come to mind). There are also others who were already being obedient and line upon line, precept upon precept, they continued in righteousness (Nephi and Joseph Smith, for example). Whether dramatically or little-by-little, all of these individuals (and many more) had numerous trials and tribulations in their mortal lives—but all of them made the choices that would bless them in the eternities. We can choose to do the same. In his direct way, Elder Maxwell admonishes us to choose to follow the Savior now:

“Joshua didn’t say choose you next year whom you will serve; he spoke of ‘this day,’ while there is still daylight and before the darkness becomes more and more normal. 

“When Jesus called his first disciples, the scriptures record that they left their ships and nets ‘straightway.’ They didn’t ask to join Jesus after the fishing season; they didn’t even delay their response in order to make just one more catch. They left ‘straightway’! 

“Act, my brothers and sisters, for once the soul is tilted toward belief, and once there is even a desire to believe, then marvelous things begin to happen!” (link to talk).

As we use our agency to act and turn our lives over to the Lord, instead of being acted upon—the natural result of inaction—amazing things can happen. President James E. Faust taught,

“If we will turn to the Lord and believe on His name, we can change. He will give us the power to change our lives, the power to put away bad thoughts and feelings from our hearts. We can be taken from ‘the darkest abyss’ to ‘behold the marvelous light of God’. We can be forgiven. We can find peace” (link to talk).

Everyone has a past that cannot be remade. The only thing we can do is to move forward. By accessing the power of the Atonement in our lives the guilt and frustration of past mistakes can be swept away, and we can begin anew. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can be made better. President Faust also taught,

“Each one of us has been given the power to change his or her life. As part of the Lord’s great plan of happiness, we have individual agency to make decisions. We can decide to do better and to be better. In some ways all of us need to change; that is, some of us need to be more kind at home, less selfish, better listeners, and more considerate in the way we treat others. Some of us have habits that need to be changed, habits that harm us and others around us. Sometimes we may need a jolt to propel us into changing” (link to talk).

We may have a shady past, or may have been faithful throughout our lives, or may still be deciding which way we want to go. No matter our state, one thing to remember is that the Lord is not as concerned with where we have been, as He is with the direction that we are heading. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland counseled, 

“My beloved brothers and sisters, to those of you who have been blessed by the gospel for many years because you were fortunate enough to find it early, to those of you who have come to the gospel by stages and phases later, and to those of you—members and not yet members—who may still be hanging back, to each of you, one and all, I testify of the renewing power of God’s love and the miracle of His grace. His concern is for the faith at which you finally arrive, not the hour of the day in which you got there.

“So if you have made covenants, keep them. If you haven’t made them, make them. If you have made them and broken them, repent and repair them. It is never too late so long as the Master of the vineyard says there is time.…Don’t delay. It’s getting late” (link to talk).

The Gift of Sacrifice 
In the scriptures we read of the Savior being approached by a wealthy young man who asks Him what he can do to have eternal life. Jesus replied,

"Thou knowest the commandments...

"And [the wealthy young man] answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

"Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

"And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions" (Mark 10:19-22).

In our own lives we may be asked to do something hard, something that will test our commitment to the Lord. Many times the hardest things to give up are those things that we don't want to change within ourselves.

The Lord has commanded, “Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit” (Doctrine & Covenants 59:8). To be contrite means to show sincere sorrow or remorse. The Apostle Paul taught of having our hearts softened (perhaps broken) insomuch that they can be penetrated. The law of the Lord is not something we just need to have memorized, or have written in stone, “but  [written] in [the] fleshy tables of the heart” (2 Corinthians 3:3). 

In order to truly sacrifice, we must humble ourselves enough to recognize our weakness and errors, and want to change. This willingness to change will allow our hearts to be softened, and become open to the whisperings of the Spirit, which will teach us "all things what [we] should do" (2 Nephi 32:5).

During His mortal ministry the Savior invited, 

“Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:34-36).

To some it may be a great sacrifice to get out of comfort zones, letting go of pride, putting aside our own desires, or trusting in the Lord when we don't fully understand. Still to others it may be the act of selfless serving that is hard. Whatever challenges we are faced with in this life, we will be tried to see if we will put the Lord first above everything and everyone else in our lives. Just as we are "immediately" blessed (Mosiah 2:24) by doing everything the Lord asks of us, putting Him first is not without benefit. President Ezra Taft Benson counseled, 

"When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims for our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities" (link to talk).

The end result of all that we do on this earth is not to gain the glory or riches of the world, but to live in such a manner that we may return to live eternally with our Father in Heaven again. What truly matters in life is our willingness to trust in Him, and do what He asks. By so doing we will be blessed in this world, but more so in the world to come.

Occasionally we can ask ourselves is if we are looking forward, as Alma asked, “with an eye of faith…to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?” (Alma 5: 15). Or, as Elder Neal A. Maxwell asked, if our hearts are “so set [upon the things of the world that] they must first be broken” (link to talk)?

To sacrifice means giving up something we want now for something better later. Elder Maxwell also said, “the submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar” (link to talk). Sacrifice isn’t intended to be easy—it is meant to stretch and refine us. Elder Richard G. Scott explained, “We were taught in the premortal world that our purpose in coming here is to be tested, tried, and stretched” (link to talk). David, in the Book of Psalms, teaches, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart” (Psalms 51:17). And, Tad R. Callister reminded us that, “sacrifices in and of themselves are meaningless. They are not an end. They become purposeful only if they serve to focus the mind and heart of the giver upon the Savior’s atoning sacrifice” (Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p280).

When we have our hearts in the right place—focusing our mind and heart on the Savior's sacrifice—is when we can truly offer a worthy sacrifice. May we take the first step by giving Him the gift of our trust; trust enough to sacrifice. 

Our Gift of Time

Throughout the scriptures we can find examples of those who have diligently spent their time and become so converted unto the Lord that they are confident in their standing with Him. One story that stands out in my mind is the story of Ammon. Ammon and his brothers had been converted unto the Lord and went to teach a ferocious and blood thirsty people—the Lamanites.

Ammon ends up as a servant to King Lamoni and is helping the king’s servants tend sheep. Other Lamanites come and scatter the sheep of the king. Apparently this has happened before and the servants are scared because they know they will be killed. Ammon “flattered them by his words, saying: My brethren, be of good cheer and let us go in search of the flocks” (Alma 17:31). They gathered the flocks and the Lamanites came again to scatter them. 

“[B]ut Ammon said unto his brethren: Encircle the flocks round about that they flee not; and I go and contend with these men who do scatter our flocks.

“Therefore, they did as Ammon commanded them, and he went forth and stood to contend with those who stood by the waters of Sebus; and they were in number not a few” (Alma 17:33-34). 

Ammon’s father had been given a promise, by the Lord, that none of his sons would die while teaching the Lamanites (see Mosiah 28:7). Ammon had such confidence in the Lord, and His promise, that he was not at all daunted by the number of opposing—and not a few—Lamanites: he killed “a certain number of them” with his sling, killed their leader with his sword, “and he smote off as many of their arms as were lifted against him, and they were not a few”. After killing several of the Lamanites there were also others that “began to flee before [Ammon]; yea, and they were not few in number” (see Alma 17:36-38). 

How did he gain such confidence in the Lord? We read that Ammon and his brothers, 

“had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.

“But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God” (Alma 17:2-3).

They searched the scriptures diligently, and had prayed and fasted much, then they did their best to act on those things they believed. It was through devoting their time to the seemingly small and simple things (that all of us have been asked to do) that they gained confidence in the Lord; and their standing before Him. We can gain that same trust and confidence by following their example. Then, when the challenges come into our lives, we will be able to move forward, acting in confidence. Elder David A. Bednar taught,

“In many of the uncertainties and challenges we encounter in our lives, God requires us to do our best, to act and not be acted upon, and to trust in Him. We may not see angels, hear heavenly voices, or receive overwhelming spiritual impressions. We frequently may press forward hoping and praying—but without absolute assurance—that we are acting in accordance with God’s will. But as we honor our covenants and keep the commandments, as we strive ever more consistently to do good and to become better, we can walk with the confidence that God will guide our steps. And we can speak with the assurance that God will inspire our utterances. This is in part the meaning of the scripture that declares, ‘Then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God’” (link to talk).

We don’t know very much about the early years of our Savior’s life on this earth, but we do know that He “grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom” (Luke 2:40). His wisdom came from applying the teachings He learned in such a perfect way that He gained  understanding (see Mosiah 12:27). James E. Talmage gave this insight,

“[T]he Boy was well taught in the law and the scriptures…He garnered knowledge by study, and gained wisdom by prayer, thought, and effort” (James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p106).

May we strive to do the same, by offering the gift of our time—time to learn of His ways, time to ponder, time to become the best we can be. May we choose to act now in bettering our ways and becoming more converted unto the Lord. None of us know when the Savior will come again, and none of us know when the end of our probationary state will be. May we decide today to be ready for when our probationary state ends. Elder Maxwell advised,

“There are reasons for your commitment to be made now, for as the rush of hours, days, and months grows stronger, the will to commit grows weaker….

“Act now, so that a thousand years from now, when you look back at this moment, you can say this was a moment that mattered—this was a day of determination….

“[F]or it will never be easier to do than it is now” (link to talk).

Ours is the challenge to overcome the natural man. It will be a daily struggle, even (and sometimes especially) after we  choose to follow the Savior. As we learn to rely on the power of His Atonement we truly can become like Him. Elder Russell M. Nelson taught, 

“God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, but we are not. Each day, ours is the challenge to access the power of the Atonement so that we can truly change, become more Christlike, and qualify for the gift of exaltation and live eternally with God, Jesus Christ, and our families” (link to talk).

Our Gift of Accepting His Sacrifice

The last gift I thought of is the gift of accepting His offering to us—shown through our willingness to repent and to follow Him. Each week as we partake of the sacrament we covenant to remember Him, and to stand as His witness. As we keep this covenant we are showing our willingness to accept His Atonement in our behalf. Tad R. Callister taught,

“The atoning sacrifice of Christ, and our full acceptance of it, is the spiritual antidote that heals the wounded soul. It is such an antidote that replaces despair with hope, darkness with light, and turmoil with peace” (Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p203).

In the concluding chapter of the Book of Mormon, Moroni exhorts us to remember the Lord's mercy, to gain a testimony and become converted ourselves, and to deny not the power nor the gifts of God (see Moroni 10). He then invites us to come unto Christ.

“Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ” (Moroni 10:32).

At this time of year, when we remember the birth of the Savior, may we offer the gift of our agency to repent; our gift of time to become converted; and our gift of a broken heart and contrite spirit to willingly come unto Him and accept of His offering for us. As we do this we will come to know Him, and will be prepared for whatever lies ahead, knowing we have Him by our side. 

The Gift to Change our Lives for the Better

If you look at the world that we live in things are constantly changing: the sun continually moves across the sky; leaves fall off trees and new ones grow back; tiny babies grow to adulthood. Everything in nature happens a little bit at a time, day by day. Change surrounds us, and the power to change lies within us. President James E. Faust taught, 

“Each one of us has been given the power to change his or her life. As part of the Lord’s great plan of happiness, we have individual agency to make decisions. We can decide to do better and to be better….

“Let us remember that the power to change is very real, and it is a great spiritual gift from God” (link to talk).

Throughout our lives we are continually changing. I am not the same person I was 20 years ago. I have changed physically, mentally, and emotionally, among other things. Where I am now is a compilation of little choices that I have made each day for many years. Some of these choices became habits through repetition, diligence and effort. Others were a one-time choice where I learned from my mistakes never to repeat.

Before we came down to earth we understood that we would be free to act for ourselves. We lived with our Heavenly Father as His spirit children for millions and millions of years. He watched us grow, choose, make mistakes, try again, and learn. He knows us so much more than we can fathom. He designed an individual plan for every single person on this earth—perfect in its intertwining nature as we interact with other people, environments, and circumstances. President Thomas S. Monson reminds us,

“Our Heavenly Father, who gives us so much to delight in, also knows that we learn and grow and become stronger as we face and survive the trials through which we must pass. We know that there are times when we will experience heartbreaking sorrow, when we will grieve, and when we may be tested to our limits. However, such difficulties allow us to change for the better, to rebuild our lives in the way our Heavenly Father teaches us, and to become something different from what we were—better than we were, more understanding than we were, more empathetic than we were, with stronger testimonies than we had before.

“This should be our purpose—to persevere and endure, yes, but also to become more spiritually refined as we make our way through sunshine and sorrow. Were it not for challenges to overcome and problems to solve, we would remain much as we are, with little or no progress toward our goal of eternal life” (link to talk).

In our pre mortal state we knew what we would be up against on earth and we knew we would fall short despite our best efforts. We knew that life would be hard but was a necessary step for us to progress from our spiritual state to a resurrected, perfected state.

We also knew Jesus Christ, our literal spirit Brother, personally. We watched Him, and knew who He really was. He was chosen to come down to earth to fill the gaps and holes that we would have because of our imperfect choices. We knew and trusted Him implicitly. I love how Elder Tad R. Callister expresses this idea,

“Over long eons of time in the pre mortal realm [Jesus Christ] proved faithful and dependable and honorable in every commitment, every responsibility, and every charge. The scriptures tell us that from eternity to eternity he is the same. He never deviated from the mark, never slacked in his performance, never shrank from his word. He kept every command with exactness; he discharged every duty with precision; he was not slack concerning his promise. His promises were immutable and unchangeable. As a result, his spiritual credit was rapidly escalating until it was pure gold, even infinite in value. That is why the laws of justice could recognize the benefits of the Atonement before the purchase price was ever paid, because his promise, his pledge, his credit was ‘good for it’, and everyone who honored their first estate knew it” (Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p74). 

Here on earth we interact with others, and deal with changing situations and circumstances. No one on this earth has ever been, nor ever will be, perfect—save Jesus alone. Imperfection is something we will have to deal with, in ourselves and in others. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “God is fully aware that you and I are not perfect” (link to talk). Elder Jeffrey R. Holland also stated, 

“Except in the case of His only perfect Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it. So should we. And when you see imperfection, remember that the limitation is not in the divinity of the work” (link to talk).

Through the Atonement of our Savior and Redeemer we can change. We will never attain to perfection in this life, but if it is a goal we are striving for in this life we an continue in that direction in the next life. Joseph Smith taught,

““When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the Gospel—you must begin with the first and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p 348)

We can strive daily to learn something new, whether intellectually, spiritually, manually, musically, geographically, whatever suits your fancy. By making little improvements day by day we can one day look back and see just how far we have come.

I used to get overwhelmed by the vastness of the things there are to learn in this world, and would not know where to start. Now I try and pick one thing to work on a time. I believe that if we are continually moving in the right direction and trying to improve ourselves in this life, when we die our surroundings may change but we will continue to be who we are. My father once explained it in this way, 

“For those who choose the lifestyle, I think spirit prison could very well describe what some folks are living here. I doubt if any of us make this world as nice as paradise. The next life and world is probably ‘patterned after’ this one. I think the phase shift that occurs between worlds (either coming to or departing from mortality) changes what and who we see, but doesn't change who we are or the type of choices we are inclined to make.  Only a personal choice to choose differently will ever get us on a different path.”

King Benjamin, found in the Book of Mormon, taught that in order to return to live with our Heavenly Father we need to become “as a child” (Mosiah 3:19). Elder Marlin K. Jensen explained, “becoming like a child is a gradual process of spiritual development in which we are aided by the Holy Ghost and our reliance on Christ’s Atonement” (link to talk). When Jesus’ disciples asked Him who was “greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:1), His response was insightful as to the character we should strive to develop.

“And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

“And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

“Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:2-4).

Little children are humble, loving, forgiving, accepting, nonjudgmental, very open and honest, and not tainted by the philosophies of men. 

Young David was very child-like and continued to be so for much of his life. In the Bible Dictionary we learn,

“The long and varied discipline through which he passed in the earlier part of his life fitted him for the duties of the throne. As shepherd he acquired the habit of deep reflection; as courtier he was trained in self-control and chivalrous generosity; as outlaw he acquired knowledge of men and power of government. Each successive phase of experience developed in him the conscious dependence upon God that was the secret of his strength throughout his life….David’s life illustrates the need for all persons to endure in righteousness to the end.” (link to reference).

One big question is how to make the change. 

First, true repentance is key. Secondly, we believe that all mankind may be saved by obedience (see Article of Faith 1:3). 

In the scriptures we can find the miraculous conversions of Alma the Younger, the sons of Mosiah, Paul (formerly Saul) of Tarsus, and many others. Once their hearts were changed, they showed their conversion through their unwavering obedience and devotion to the Lord. 

There are other examples of people in the scriptures who were changed, in not so dramatic ways. Nephi and his brothers returned to Jerusalem to Ishmael’s house to see if they could convince them to join them on their journey into the wilderness. The Lord softened Ishmael’s heart, and they start on their way.

“And it came to pass that as we journeyed in the wilderness, behold Laman and Lemuel, and two of the daughters of Ishmael, and the two sons of Ishmael and their families, did rebel against us; yea, against me, Nephi, and Sam, and their father, Ishmael, and his wife, and his three other daughters” (1 Nephi 7:6).

From this passage we learn that Ishmael has two sons, and they join Laman and Lemuel in rebelling against Nephi and those who follow him. His brethren are so irritated with Nephi that they tie him with a cord and want to leave him to die in the wilderness. Nephi, through his faith, is able to free himself from the chains [we can liken this to loosening the chains of sin through our faith]. The story continues,

“And it came to pass that they were angry with me again, and sought to lay hands upon me; but behold, one of the daughters of Ishmael, yea, and also her mother, and one of the sons of Ishmael, did plead with my brethren, insomuch that they did soften their hearts; and they did cease striving to take away my life” (1 Nephi 7:19).

I find it interesting that in this verse one of the sons of Ishmael pled with his brethren. Ishmael only has two sons, and both of them had rebelled against Nephi previously. I wonder if Nephi’s influence somehow helped to soften the heart of this brother so much that he then defended Nephi against his brothers. We don’t hear much else about this son of Ishmael in the scriptures, but his conversion seems to have had a start here.

We also find a story in the Book of Mormon about a people who were once rebellious and wicked and were converted unto the Lord. These people are so completely converted that when they learned of the plan of the Lamanites to attack them they chose to risk death rather than sin again by shedding the blood of their enemies.

“And now behold, since it has been as much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us, and our swords are made bright, let us hide them away that they may be kept bright, as a testimony to our God at the last day, or at the day that we shall be brought to stand before him to be judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of our brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us clean thereby” (Alma 24:15).

These converted people then teach their children, and it is their children who defend them in the future. Their children were taught so thoroughly that, speaking of those fighting in behalf of their parents, it was said,

“[T]hey were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all—they were...true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.

“Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him” (Alma 53:20-21).

I am sure that the influence of these righteous parents had a similar effect on the faith of their daughters as well.

I am always amazed at the faith of these young boys who, when asked to fight against a much more experienced army, stated (probably without hesitation),

“behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone” (Alma 56:46).

They went against this army from behind and fought with such strength that “the whole army of the Lamanites halted and turned upon [them]” (Alma 56:52). These young boys had never fought in their lives, but through the power of their faith, and the faith of their parents, we read the words of their leader, Helaman,

“But behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them; and for this cause did the Lamanites deliver themselves up as prisoners of war” (Alma 56:56).

Such is the power that change can have on generations to come.

Ether teaches what the Lord has said about changing for the better,

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).

We need to come unto the Lord. This specific chapter in the Book of Ether is one that talks repeatedly about faith. I think it takes faith to change. Sometimes great faith. It also takes an eternal perspective to have the power and vision to change. We may not be aware of the weaknesses that we have, that may be very obvious to others. The Lord, who is all-knowing, will show us our weakness, and how we can overcome it. 

President Deiter F. Uchtdorf spoke of a study that was done at Cornell University.

“[T]wo researchers invited college students to participate in a series of tests on various life skills and then asked them to rate how they did. The students who performed poorly were the least accurate at evaluating their own performance—some of them estimating their scores to be five times higher than they actually were.

“This study has been replicated in numerous ways, confirming over and over again the same conclusion: many of us have a difficult time seeing ourselves as we truly are, and even successful people overestimate their own contribution and underestimate the contributions that others make.

“It might not be so significant to overestimate how well we drive a car or how far we can drive a golf ball. But when we start believing that our contributions at home, at work, and at church are greater than they actually are, we blind ourselves to blessings and opportunities to improve ourselves in significant and profound ways” (link to talk).

If we approach the Lord, in humility, He can show us where we are weak. Elder Gene R. Cook said,

“You can’t find the word ‘weaknesses’ one time in any of the Standard Works….I always had a hard time thinking the Lord made me impatient; for example, one of my weaknesses. But it doesn’t mean that at all. He has a different definition of what it is He gave you. And the ‘weakness’ has more to do with the mortal state you’ve been put in. You used to not be weak. Now you are, because of this mortality you’re in” (Gene R. Cook, Personal Scripture Study, audio CD#2).

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines weakness as “the quality or state of being weak”. We are immortal beings living in an imperfect and mortal world. Sometimes I feel that my spirit is strong, but my body is weak, stubborn and willful. As we humbly approach the Lord our spirit can gain the strength needed to overcome the natural man.

In the Book of Alma we find Captain Moroni—an amazingly righteous man, and leader of the Nephite army. When preparing to fight against the Lamanite army,

“[Moroni prepared] the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God….

“And in their weakest fortifications he did place the greater number of men” (Alma 48:9).

Moroni knew where his army was weak. He helped his people turn to the Lord, and put more men to strengthen the weak spots, and thus they were able to more fully fortify themselves. The same is true for us. We need to turn to the Lord, and He will help us fortify our weak places. In order to receive the help and protection we desire from the Lord we need to be humble, and obedient to all He requires. 

In Moses the Lord states His eternal goal when He said, “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). President Dieter F. Uchtdorf expanded on this topic when he said,

“And while we may look at the vast expanse of the universe and say, “What is man in comparison to the glory of creation?” God Himself said we are the reason He created the universe! His work and glory—the purpose for this magnificent universe—is to save and exalt mankind. In other words, the vast expanse of eternity, the glories and mysteries of infinite space and time are all built for the benefit of ordinary mortals like you and me. Our Heavenly Father created the universe that we might reach our potential as His sons and daughters” (link to talk).

We are the reason He created the universe. We are here to learn to become like Him. His grace is sufficient to cover any imperfections, inadequacies, weaknesses, blatant sins, and even gross wickedness, if we will truly repent and turn unto Him. For the Lord, Himself, stated, 

“Come now, and let us reason together…though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

The Lord knows we will make mistakes. That is why we are here! We are here to learn how to overcome those mistakes, and if we make them again, we can try again to conquer them. The Lord knows who we are, and who we can become. He knows we will fail to attain perfection, but if we turn our lives over to Him we can become so much more than we could ever imagine. Tad R. Callister said, “It is as through the Lord wants to bless every attempt, however small or feeble it may be, to put our life in his hands” (Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p194). 

The Lord has walked this path before. He has placed prophets, scriptures, families, and friends, on this earth to help lead and guide us. He has also blessed us with the divine gift of His Son, that through Him we can return home again. We need to do our part, but once we have done what we can what a comfort it is to know that He has already made up the rest.

Each new day brings a new opportunity to change. Let us each decide to make that change for the better.

The Armor of God (Part 7: the Word of God)

“and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17)

I find it interesting that all of the previous armor listed seems to be protective in nature. The sword is the only offensive weapon. To me this means that using the word of God should be central to our plan of attack in the fight against sin. A soldier in combat holds his sword tightly; sometimes with both hands. A solder at the ready must also have a tight grip. Likewise, we must hold fast to the word of God throughout all the ups and downs this life has to offer us.

Sword

A sword is a weapon that one uses when face-to-face with the enemy. Projectile weapons, such as arrows or darts, are used from a distance to weaken the defenses. The adversary knows that if he can continually weaken us with his “fiery darts” (1 Nephi 15:24) it can keep us from being as effective in the battle against sin. President James E. Faust taught,

“Who has not heard and felt the enticings of the devil? His voice often sounds so reasonable and his message so easy to justify. It is an enticing, intriguing voice with dulcet tones. It is neither hard nor discordant. No one would listen to Satan’s voice if it sounded harsh or mean. If the devil’s voice were unpleasant, it would not entice people to listen to it….

“However, we need not become paralyzed with fear of Satan’s power. He can have no power over us unless we permit it. He is really a coward, and if we stand firm, he will retreat. The Apostle James counseled: ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you’. He cannot know our thoughts unless we speak them. And Nephi states that ‘he hath no power over the hearts’ of people who are righteous” (link to talk).

To be righteous means fighting whole-heartedly on the Lord’s side. The Lord, Himself, has said over and over again that He “shall fight for [us]” (Exodus 14:14). In Deuteronomy we read, “The Lord your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you” (Deuteronomy 1:30), and again in Nehemiah, “our God shall fight for us” (Nehemiah 4:20). In modern times He has again reiterated,

“For behold, I do not require at their hands to fight the battles of Zion; for, as I said in a former commandment, even so will I fulfil—I will fight your battles” (Doctrine & Covenants 105:14).

The Lord will be our arm as we fight for Him. Elder Robert D. Hales gave further insight into the protecting arm of the Lord when he stated, “In our day, the steadying arm of the Lord reaches us through the ordinances of His holy temples” (link to talk).

When wielding a sword we can only be effective in our own sphere of influence. Our sword will not help someone in a far away land. Our sword, or our influence, can greatly impact the lives of those around us—whether we choose to use it for good or ill.

Spirit

From my limited experience with video games I have learned that haphazardly shooting in any (and all) directions, or flailing a weapon wildly about is not very effective. In fact, I am always one of the first to be killed. Similarly, if we are not familiar, or comfortable, with the word of God we may feel as completely ineffective in our battle against the adversary.

As we put ourselves in situations where we can feel the Spirit we can be tutored by the promptings of the Holy Ghost and thus fine-tune our swords. As we study the word of God it will be “written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart” (2 Corinthians 3:3).

Looking to the example of our Savior we can see how He used His in-depth internalization of the scriptures to counteract temptation. 

In the Gospel of Matthew we read that Jesus went into the wilderness to be with God. There He fasted, prayed, and communed with Him—thus arming Himself with the Spirit of God. Satan came to Him to tempt Him; and did so three times.

“If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread….

“If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone….

“All these things [all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them] will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:3, 6, 8-9).

David O. McKay explains that the three kinds of temptations the Jesus experienced are the same kind that we are faced with in our day: 1) tempted with those things our bodies hunger for; 2) tempted by pride—to prove how great we are; and 3) tempted to do wrong to gain the riches and powers of the world (see Gospel Ideas, p 154-55).

In the first two temptations I find it very telling that the adversary starts with “if thou be the Son of God”. Satan knows full well that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus knows this too. If we compare this to the story of Moses, we see that Moses “saw God face to face, and he talked with him” (Moses 1:2). During this interchange God says, “thou art my son” (Moses 1:4), and “Moses, my son” (Moses 1:6). When Satan comes afterwards his tactics seem to be the same “Moses, son of man” (Moses 1:12). 

The adversary will try in any way shape or form to make us believe that we are not the literal, spirit children of God. If he can convince us of this he can place a wedge between us and God. Never doubt that you are a child of God. Stand firm in that conviction. 

President Uchtdorf taught of God’s love for us when he said,

“[T]he vast expanse of eternity, the glories and mysteries of infinite space and time are all built for the benefit of ordinary mortals like you and me. Our Heavenly Father created the universe that we might reach our potential as His sons and daughters….

“[W]e are everything to God. While against the backdrop of infinite creation we may appear to be nothing, we have a spark of eternal fire burning within our breast. We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation—worlds without end—within our grasp. And it is God’s great desire to help us reach it” (link to talk).

We are the reason that God created everything. His love for us surpasses anything that we can imagine. We are imperfect beings interacting with imperfect beings. God is perfect—something that is hard to comprehend, but nonetheless true.

When confronted by the adversary the Savior did not, even for a moment, think to justify Himself to the temptation. He simply responded with, 

“It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God….

“It is written…Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God….

“Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10, emphasis added).

Why, when the Savior had all of His miraculous power at His disposal, did He use words of scriptures against the adversary? Because He knew that,

“the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of body and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12, JST-12e).

The Greek translation of the word “quick” is “living” (see footnote b). Jesus knew the power that flows from the living word of God. The truth that IS the word of God will pierce the hearts of the guilty, and those trying to deceive. I can think of several times when we have been counseled to fill our arsenal with scripture, through memorizing them. Elder Richard G. Scott counseled, 

“I suggest that you memorize scriptures that touch your heart and fill your soul with understanding. When scriptures are used as the Lord has caused them to be recorded, they have intrinsic power that is not communicated when paraphrased. Sometimes when there is a significant need in my life, I review mentally scriptures that have given me strength. There is great solace, direction, and power that flow from the scriptures, especially the words of the Lord” (link to talk). 

He later taught,

“The scriptures provide the strength of authority to our declarations when they are cited correctly. They can become stalwart friends that are not limited by geography or calendar. They are always available when needed. Their use provides a foundation of truth that can be awakened by the Holy Ghost. Learning, pondering, searching, and memorizing scriptures is like filling a filing cabinet with friends, values, and truths that can be called upon anytime, anywhere in the world.

“Great power can come from memorizing scriptures. To memorize a scripture is to forge a new friendship. It is like discovering a new individual who can help in time of need, give inspiration and comfort, and be a source of motivation for needed change” (link to talk). 

Elder Gene R. Cook of the Seventy said: 

“I have discovered that many times you don’t fully understand a scripture until you memorize it. And sometimes I have memorized a passage because it seemed important and valuable to me—then afterwards I discovered deeper meanings that I hadn’t even known were there” (Searching the Scriptures: Bringing Power to Your Personal and Family Study, p114).

I am quite positive that this counsel to memorize is to help our minds and hearts be ready to respond with truth when the temptations or challenges come.

In Lehi’s dream about the Tree of Life we are taught that the word of God can be likened to an iron rod (1 Nephi 15:23-24). And, in the Book of Helaman we read, 

“that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked” (Helaman 3:29).

Whosover will. The choice is ours. If we will choose to hold steadfastly to the iron rod, the word of God, we will be able to “divide asunder all the cunning and snares and wiles of the devil”. It is our diligence that makes this happen. Alma teaches,

“[I]t is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to [the Liahona], which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.

“And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.

“O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.

“And now…see that ye look to God and live” (Alma 37:44-47).

The word of God is readily available to us. It is an easy course to follow, but sometimes may seem too easy. We have great access to the scriptures—more than any time before—and we need to be careful not to take them for granted. President Ezra Taft Benson counseled,

“[L]et us not treat lightly the great things we have received from the hand of the Lord! His word is one of the most valuable gifts He has given us. I urge you to recommit yourselves to a study of the scriptures. Immerse yourselves in them daily so you will have the power of the Spirit to attend you” (link to talk).

The Word of God

When I think of the word of God there are generally three things that come to mind: the scriptures, the words of the prophets, and personal revelation.

SCRIPTURES

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we embrace the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine & Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, as canonized scripture. In the Doctrine and Covenants we are taught that “the Book of Mormon…contains the truth and the word of God” (Doctrine & Covenants 19:26). Our Articles of Faith states, “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God” (Article of Faith 1:8).

PROPHET

In the first section of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord is speaking—delivering His preface to “the doctrines, covenants, and commandments given in this dispensation” (heading to Section 1). He declares, 

“What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (Doctrine & Covenants 1:38).

Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught, 

“The Lord and His prophets are one. They are united in the same mind and in the same judgement. Light and truth and righteousness come from God and are revealed and bestowed by Him upon chosen servants, who wear the prophetic mantle” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p1).

PERSONAL REVELATION

“Revelation is communication from God to His children. Prophets…are not the only people who can receive revelation. According to our faithfulness, we can receive revelation to help us with our specific personal needs, responsibilities, and questions and to help us strengthen our testimony….[M]ost revelations to leaders and members of the Church come through the whisperings of the Holy Ghost.

“Quiet spiritual promptings may not seem as spectacular as visions or angelic visitations, but they are just as powerful and lasting and life changing. The witness of the Holy Ghost makes an impression on the soul that is more significant than anything we can see or hear. Through such revelations, we will receive lasting strength to stay true to the gospel and help others do the same” (link to topic).

We can increase in understanding the revelation we receive and can know the will of the Lord in our own life and our unique circumstances. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught,

“A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; … those things that were presented unto your minds by the Spirit of God, will come to pass; and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p151). 

President Boyd K. Packer also taught this about receiving revelation.

“There are two parts to your nature—your temporal body born of mortal parents, and your immortal spirit within. You are a son or daughter of God.

“Physically you can see with eyes and hear with ears and touch and feel and learn. Through your intellect, you learn most of what you know about the world in which we live.

“But if you learn by reason only, you will never understand the Spirit and how it works—regardless of how much you learn about other things….

“Your spirit learns in a different way than does your intellect….

“You have your agency, and inspiration does not—perhaps cannot—flow unless you ask for it, or someone asks for you.

“No message in scripture is repeated more often than the invitation, even the command, to pray—to ask.

“Prayer is so essential a part of revelation that without it the veil may remain closed to you. Learn to pray. Pray often. Pray in your mind, in your heart. Pray on your knees….

“The flow of revelation depends on your faith. You exercise faith by causing, or by making, your mind accept or believe as truth that which you cannot, by reason alone, prove for certainty” (link to talk).

One thing we can receive by revelation is a testimony, or a spiritual witness of truth. It is given to us by the Holy Ghost, and can only be received through this channel. It comes as we have the faith to put forth the effort to prepare. 

As we arm ourselves with the word of God by searching the scriptures, listening to the words of the prophet, and responding to the personal revelation we receive—in times of peace and in times of trial—we can fortify ourselves against the attacks of the enemy. With this conviction in our hearts the sword of the Spirit will be strong and immoveable in our hand.