How Agency Affects our Freedoms

Freedom and agency are interesting subjects to talk about when it seems like much of the world is in chaos and commotion about how to define freedom, choice, and rights.

As I have been reading the news, and listening to conversations about what is going on, I often wonder what I can do to better prepare my children for the world they are going to have to face in the future. We have heard many prophecies of the challenges that will surround us in the last days, and I recognize that it is going to be so much worse for them in the future than it is for us today. How can I help them be strong enough to teach their own children while the world is taking a nosedive with regard to the family, home, the value of life, honesty, integrity, forgiveness, and so many other values? How do we keep them on the straight and narrow covenant path?

Elder Francisco Viñas taught something that helped me better understand my role as a parent. 

“The principles that we choose to incorporate into our lives will determine the spirit that we contribute in our relationships with others. When we adopt a principle, its influence radiates from us and can be felt by others.

“Now more than ever, when we see that the family is at the center of attacks from the forces of evil—as in the days of the prophet Mormon, when ‘the power of the evil one was wrought upon all the face of the land’ it is necessary for us as parents to incorporate these principles into our lives in order to radiate their influence and for this influence to be perceived by our children” (Francisco J. Viñas, "Applying the Simple and Plain Gospel Principles in the Family", General Conference, April 2004).

As parents, we need to be the example for our children, not the church, not the schools, not their peers. The Lord has entrusted them specifically and intentionally to us.

I am grateful for parents who radiated faith and trust in the Lord. When I was young, my dad got a job as a liaison for the Welfare and Finance Departments for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After working there only a few months he was asked to go to Bogotá Colombia to investigate a potential case of embezzling. There was embezzling and the guy was fired. My parents had talked about moving internationally (and had already applied for a job in Mexico) so my dad asked to be considered for this job in Colombia. He got the job and my family moved to what would be 6 years in South America, when I was 7 years old. During this time I saw many examples of the contrasts between the freedoms we have in this country as well as people’s use of agency and the effects it has on others.

Right before Christmas break one year, the U.S. had extradited a couple of drug traffickers to the United States. In return there was a threat of killing 10 Americans for every Colombian extradited; a threat they had been carried out 10 years earlier. Our large, North American family suddenly felt like a target. Our friends, who's parents worked for the government, were transported in armored vehicles until they could get them out of the country. Our family, working for the church, was not so privileged. We rode public transportation like the rest of the country.

Someone who I will never meet in this life, made a choice at some time in their life to get into the drug business, and because of that the lives of my family members, along with countless others, were threatened.

During this time churches were being bombed. I am grateful that we had a small community that we were connected with. Together we choose a different time and a different family’s house to meet at every week for Sacrament Meeting so that we couldn’t be tracked and targeted. The Spirit was also with us during those troubling times. I remember riding the bus home from school one day and seeing a blue van behind us taking pictures. I felt prompted to stay in my seat and not join all the other kids running to the back of the bus to look.

Miraculously our family was able to get out of Bogotá within a week of notifying headquarters; which was between Christmas and New Years, when there is hardly anyone in the Salt Lake office. However, the Lord had prepared a way for us to leave the country, and so it happened.

They found a home for us in Quito, Ecuador, where we lived for 9 months while they looked for a permanent position for my dad. He continued commuting back to Colombia each week for work and he can tell you a whole lot more stories than I can about his bags being stolen at the airport, etc. I prefer to remember the many more stories of the miracles that we saw during that time.

In February of 1989, we were living in Caracas, Venezuela. In response to the government economic reform (causing the price of gas to go from $0.10 a gallon to $0.25 a gallon overnight), the country fell into chaos. It became known as “Caracazo”; a week of riots and protests. Stores were looted, buses were burned, and school was canceled (which we kids loved!). My parents were curious about what was going on and drove to the local mall to see what they could learn for themselves. There was no internet in those days, so sometimes you had to go and find out for yourself. They were told by a police officer to go home; it was a war zone. 

The day before all of this took place, my dad had to fly an hour out of the city to a construction project and back home the same day. He said that when he boarded the plane to come home they were told that the main airport they were going to was closed. However, they ended up taking off and he figured they wouldn’t take off unless they were going to be able to land. Which they did. While he had been gone, my Mom went to get our propane tanks filled. That night my parents felt they should fill up the gas tanks in the car. Some may say this is a coincidence, but I see this as the hand of the Lord in our lives.

Due to my parents’ promptness in listening to the spirit, and also being faithful in keeping and regularly using their food storage, we were spared having to go out during all the chaos. Because of their faithful obedience our family was not affected as so many others were, who were not as prepared. I remember not feeling worried even as I listened to the sound of machine gun fire as I fell asleep at night.

That was over 30 years ago, and sometimes it doesn’t seem like things have changed that much. Especially with the recent pandemic and the lockdowns we had.

Our obedience to the Lord is what will keep us safe and protected. Our agency is what we choose to do to prepare for the hard times that have been prophesied.

Elder Larry R. Lawrence said, 

“We have been battling the hosts of evil in an ongoing war that began in the premortal sphere before we were born.

“Because we had not yet received physical bodies, we fought the War in Heaven without swords, guns, or bombs. But the fighting was just as intense as any modern war, and there were billions of casualties.

“The premortal war was fought with words, ideas, debate, and persuasion. Satan’s strategy was [and is] to frighten people. He knew that fear is the best way to destroy faith” (Larry R. Lawrence, "The War Goes On", Ensign, April 2017).

We have been counseled recently by our prophet to increase our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in order to withstand the evils of our day. President Henry B. Eyring, of the First Presidency, also warned us, “If the foundation of faith [in Jesus Christ] is not embedded in our hearts, the power to endure will crumble” (Henry B. Eyring, "Mountains to Climb", General Conference, April 2012). 

I came across a quote by Wilford Woodruff that I find fascinating. He warned us, back in the 1800s, of exactly what is happening right now, and what we can do about it:

"We are approaching changes. There are judgments at our door. There are judgments at the door of this nation, and at the door of Great Babylon….[T]he Lord in ancient days swept away great cities when they were ripened in iniquity. Jerusalem was overthrown in fulfillment of the words of the Lord. Jeremiah and Isaiah prophesied what would come to pass, and it was fulfilled to the very letter. So I say to the Gentiles, so I say to the Latter-day Saints. What the Lord has spoken concerning our nation, and concerning the nations of the earth, notwithstanding that the unbelief of the world may be great, notwithstanding that they may reject the word of God and seek to put the servants of God to death—will all be fulfilled. War, pestilence, famine, earthquakes and storms await this generation. These calamities will overtake the world as God lives, and no power can prevent them....Therefore, let us round up our shoulders and bear off the kingdom. Let us labor to obtain the Holy Spirit—and power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ—which has been put into our hands, and inasmuch as we do this, the blessing of God will attend our efforts" (Wilford Woodfruff, JD 21:126-7).

He asked us to “labor to obtain the Holy Spirit” and the [power] therein, just as President Nelson has urged us to “do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost” and “to study prayerfully all the truths you can find about priesthood power” (see Russell M. Nelson, "Revelation for the Church, Revelation for our Lives", General Conference, April 2018 and "Spiritual Treasures", General Conference, October 2019).

These latter days have been prophesied about for millennia. Over 2000 years ago the apostle Paul  saw our day. Listen as he describes our day:

“[I]n the last days perilous times shall come.

“For men shall be lovers of their own selves [I see this as doing things for our own purposes, sometimes at the expense of others], covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful [something President Nelson felt impressed by the Lord that we needed to work on shortly after the pandemic started], unholy,

“Without natural affection [which may refer to the plague of homosexuality that is so prevalent in the world], trucebreakers, false accusers [don’t we see a lack of honesty and integrity all around us?], incontinent [meaning out of control], fierce [violently hostile or aggressive], despisers of those that are good,

“Traitors, heady [meaning willful or impulsive], highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

We are living in the last days. There is so much wickedness and corruption around us that sometimes I forget about the good that is out there too.

Recently, as I was driving to the temple, I was thinking about how the wickedness in this world is growing at an absolutely astounding rate. As I thought about it, the spirit reminded me that good will grow in proportion to the bad, just like the parable of the wheat and tares (see Matthew 13:24-30). I was also reminded that there seems to have been a significant increase in the number of temples that President Nelson has announced. I looked it up, and as of April 2022, President Nelson has announced 100 temples in the 4 years since he became the prophet.

How comforting that was to me to be reminded that the Lord is bringing light into the world, just as quickly as the evil is trying to cover it with darkness.

I remember watching a movie with my husband about a group of people who escaped from a concentration camp. After the movie, when I was saying my prayers, I pled with the Lord that my children and I would never have to face such horrific circumstances as that. The answer I received was not what I had expected. The Spirit whispered, “make sure you keep them in the next life”. This life will end, and where we go will be determined by our choices. 

Daniel H. Wells, in the Journal of Discourse, taught:

“The Gospel makes men and women free—free from sin—the greatest of all tyrants; and there is no greater slave on the earth than the man who is under the control of his own passions, and who is subject to the dictation of the spirit of evil which is so prevalent in the world. The acts of all such persons bring their own punishment, and it is swift and certain; while those who are controlled by the principles of the Gospel have a joy and peace, under whatever circumstances in life they may be placed, which the world knows nothing of, and which it can neither give nor take away, for they have an inward consciousness that their course secures to them the confidence of the Lord our God” (Daniel H. Wells, Journal of Discourse 16:125).

It is through the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ that we are able to become free from sin and spiritual destruction. Elder D. Todd Christofferson said,

“It is because of the Atonement of Christ that we can recover from bad choices, and it is because of the Atonement of Christ that the impact on us of others’ sins and mistakes—and every other injustice—is redressed” (D. Todd Christofferson, "Moral Agency", BYU Devotional, January 2006).

How grateful I am for the gospel, and for the knowledge I have of a Heavenly Father who loves me, and who I can talk to. I am grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ that has allowed me to change, and not be held back by my poor choices. I am grateful for a living prophet on the earth, especially during this perilous, yet marvelous, time that we live in.

I know God lives, and that He has a plan for each of us. I know that as we follow the counsel of our living prophet, to  “Hear Him, repent daily, seek and expect miracles, to do the spiritual work required to hear the voice of the Spirit, and to stretch beyond our current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, we can be guided and blessed during these trying times in which we live.

Agency & Obedience

Recently I was reading headline after headline about schools declining, the economy declining, the government declining, the food supply declining, and on and on and on. It was a bit depressing, so I decided to turn to the Church News to find something more up-lifting. Sister Bonnie Cordon shared an experience about how she “Hears Him”, and it reminded me that I need to remember that God is in charge. Not the government. Not the media. God, Himself is in charge, and in the Doctrine and Covenants, we read: 

“The works, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to naught” (Doctrine & Covenants 3:1).

ETERNAL TRUTHS

Elder Dale G. Renlund in this past general conference talked about some of the truths that are found in the new Young Women’s theme (see Dale G. Renlund, “Your Divine Nature and Eternal Destiny”, General Conference, April 2022).

1. You are a beloved daughter. Nothing you do—or do not do—can change that. God loves you because you are His spirit daughter.

2. We have heavenly parents, a father and a mother.

3. We have "a divine nature." This is intrinsic to who we are. It is spiritually "genetic," inherited from our heavenly parents, and requires no effort on our part.

4. We have an "eternal destiny."

Out of all of those truths, there is only one that we can control. Our eternal destiny. 

One of the blessings of this life is that we have been given the gift of moral agency — the right to make our own choices. Moral agency doesn’t simply mean that we can make whatever choice we want and have things go how we want them to. It doesn’t work that way. Moral agency is based on eternal law. For example, someone jumping out of a plane and “choosing” to ignore gravity is the same as breaking an eternal law and trying to avoid the punishment.

MORAL AGENCY

Before we came to this world we were given moral agency. This gift of agency is central to our purpose here on earth. It is so important that there was a war in heaven fought to protect and preserve it. It is so important to our Father in Heaven that He allowed one third part of His spirit children to walk away from eternal progress because they chose to.

In the scriptures we read:

“Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;

“And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice” (Moses 4:3-4).

In his BYU Devotional address, Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught, “When we use the term moral agency…we are appropriately emphasizing the accountability that is an essential part of the divine gift of agency. We are moral beings and agents unto ourselves, free to choose but also responsible for our choices” (D. Todd Christofferson, “Moral Agency”, BYU Devotional, 31 Jan 2006).

OUR FALLEN WORLD

We live in a fallen world, and the natural state of man seems to be chaos, rather than order, and a steady decline rather than spontaneous growth. For example, if you don’t clean your house it doesn’t stay beautiful, tidy, and dust-free. If you don’t prepare your soil or plant any seeds you won’t get the desired produce. If you don’t exercise regularly, or sleep well, or eat healthy, it affects how your body and your spirit feel.

Decline is the natural way of things, and a challenge that we will all have to face throughout our lives. I was talking to my aging mother the other day and she said, “you know, life doesn’t get easier when you get older. Having your body age is hard, and how you age depends on the choices you made long ago to take care of it.”

In his book “Jesus the Christ”, James E. Talmage wrote, 

“The Eternal Father well understood the diverse natures and varied capacities of His spirit-offspring; and His infinite foreknowledge made plain to Him, even in the beginning, that in the school of life some of His children would succeed and others would fail; some would be faithful, others false; some would choose the good, others the evil; some would seek the way of life while others would elect to follow the road to destruction. He further foresaw that death would enter the world, and that the possession of bodies by His children would be of but brief individual duration. He saw that His commandments would be disobeyed and His law violated; and that men, shut out from His presence and left to themselves, would sink rather than rise, would retrogress rather than advance, and would be lost to the heavens” (James E. Talmage, “Jesus the Christ”, p16).

Thus the need for a Redeemer, for which I am truly grateful.

LAWS AND COMMANDMENTS

How does that tie to moral agency? Because we, as mortals, are inclined to decline, the Lord gave us commandments and laws to guide us, so that we could pull ourselves as far away from this world as we could.

“There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

“And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (Doctrine & Covenants 130:20-21).

Irrevocably means unchangeably or irreversibly; in a way that can’t be taken back. And decreed means it is officially ordered by a recognized authority (Merriam-Webster Dictionary app).

There are eternal laws that cannot be changed, and if we want to be blessed we need to follow them. But, to truly have agency there must be consequences attached to those laws, otherwise it wouldn’t matter what we chose. Here are a few quotes about eternal laws and how they work:

“All blessings that were ordained for man by the Council of Heaven were on conditions of obedience to the law thereof” (Joseph Smith, “Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith” (2007), 164).

“[The] covenant path is the way we come unto Christ and is based on absolute truth and eternal, unchanging law. We cannot create our own path and expect God’s promised outcomes. To expect His blessings while not following the eternal laws upon which they are predicated is misguided, like thinking we can touch a hot stove and ‘decide’ not to be burned” (Dale G. Renlund, “Your Divine Nature and Eternal Destiny”, General Conference, April 2022).

“Commandments are no more restrictive to the spiritual man than street signs are to the motorists. Neither prohibits our progress; to the contrary, they enhance it by serving as guideposts or directional signs to help us find and reach our destination” (Tad R. Callister, “The Infinite Atonement”, p258).

“If you really want a certain blessing, you’d better find out what the laws are that govern that blessing and then work on becoming obedient to those laws.” (Russell M. Nelson, “The Mission and Ministry of the Savior: A Discussion with Elder Russell M. Nelson,” Ensign, June 2005).

SATAN’S PLAN

Timothy Ballard, in his book, “The American Covenant”, asks an interesting question.

“During the pre-mortal existence, Satan proposed a ‘plan of salvation’ for God’s children that would take away agency and replace it with forced obedience. Satan was so adamantly against any opposing plan that included agency, that when his own plan was rejected, he responded by waging a war in heaven, which he would ultimately lose. The relevant question in all this is Why would Satan work so hard just to deny us our agency?” (Timothy Ballard, The American Covenant: One Nation Under God, vol 1, p5).

It has only been recently that I have started to understood more about Satan’s plan. It wasn’t that Satan was just proposing a plan, he was trying to unravel the entire fabric of the Plan that our Heavenly Father had set up. I found a talk by Elder Christofferson that gave me a much greater understanding, and greater insight, into the adversary's motives and purposes. 

“[Referring to the Council in Heaven] This was not simply a case of Jesus supporting the Father’s plan and Lucifer proposing a slight modification. Lucifer’s proposal would have destroyed the plan by eliminating our opportunity to act independently. Lucifer’s plan was founded on coercion, making all the other sons and daughters of God—all of us—essentially his puppets. … 

“By contrast, doing things the Father’s way offers us an essential mortal experience. By ‘mortal experience’ I mean choosing our course, ‘[tasting] the bitter, that [we might] know to prize the good’; learning, repenting, and growing; becoming beings capable of acting for ourselves rather than simply being ‘acted upon’; and ultimately overcoming evil and demonstrating our desire and ability to live a celestial law. This requires a knowledge of good and evil on our part, with the capacity and opportunity to choose between the two. And it requires accountability for choices made—otherwise they are not really choices. Choice, in turn, requires law, or predictable outcomes. We must be able by a particular action or choice to cause a particular outcome or result—and by the opposite choice create the opposite outcome. If actions don’t have fixed consequences, then one has no control over outcomes and choice is meaningless. … 

“And let us remember, Satan was not volunteering to be our savior. He was not interested in suffering or dying for anyone. He wasn’t going to shed any of his blood. He wanted the glory, honor, and power of God without paying any price. What he failed to understand or to believe is that one cannot possess the power of God without being the embodiment of justice. Lucifer was seeking for power without goodness. He supposed that he could be a law unto himself, meaning that the law would be whatever he said it was at any given moment and that he could change his mind at any time. In that way, no one could count on anything, and no one would have the ability to be an independent actor. He would be supreme, and no one else could advance” (D. Todd Christofferson, “A Message at Christmas”, BYU Devotional, 12 Dec 2017).

As we become more and more obedient to the eternal laws, we can gain more and more power over those laws.

OBEDIENCE

In his book “The Infinite Atonement”, Tad R. Callister says, “Contrary to the belief of many, obedience is not the antithesis of freedom, but the foundation of it” (Tad R. Callister, "The Infinite Atonement", p258). He discusses how obedience to eternal laws can unlock the doors of knowledge, broaden our list of choices, and help us gain more power in this life.

For the past several years President Nelson has been giving us counsel about how to remember our Savior, so that we can keep the Spirit more readily in our lives. As we are obedient to his counsel we can receive the blessings he has promised us.

• Hear Him ("Hear Him", General Conference, April 2020).

• "As President of His Church, I plead with you who have distanced yourselves from the Church and with you who have not yet really sought to know that the Savior’s Church has been restored. Do the spiritual work to find out for yourselves, and please do it now. Time is running out" ("Come, Follow Me", General Conference, April 2019).

• "We hope and pray that each member’s home will become a true sanctuary of faith, where the Spirit of the Lord may dwell. Despite contention all around us, one’s home can become a heavenly place, where study, prayer, and faith can be merged with love. We can truly become disciples of the Lord, standing up and speaking up for Him wherever we are" ("Closing Remarks", General Conference, April 2019).

• "We have never needed positive spiritual momentum more than we do now, to counteract the speed with which evil and the darker signs of the times are intensifying. Positive spiritual momentum will keep us moving forward amid the fear and uncertainty created by pandemics, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and armed hostilities. Spiritual momentum can help us withstand the relentless, wicked attacks of the adversary and thwart his efforts to erode our personal spiritual foundation" ("The Power of Spiritual Momentum", General Conference, April 2022).

• "Keep on the covenant path and stay there"; "Discover the joy of daily repentance"; "Learn about God and how He works"; "Seek and expect miracles"; "End conflict in your personal life" ("The Power of Spiritual Momentum", General Conference, April 2022).

• "I invite you to pray to identify the debris you should remove from your life so you can become more worthy [to help prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord]" ("Welcome Message", General Conference, April 2021).

• "I entreat you to study prayerfully all the truths you can find about priesthood power"("Spiritual Treasures", General Conference, October 2019).

• "One of the things the Spirit has repeatedly impressed upon my mind since my new calling as President of the Church is how willing the Lord is to reveal His mind and will. The privilege of receiving revelation is one of the greatest gifts of God to His children" (Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives", General Conference, April 2018).

• "I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that 'if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal'" (Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives", General Conference, April 2018).

Our Heavenly Father loves us and wants to guide us back to Him, but can only do so as we are obedient to Him. There are eternal laws that He is bound by, and our obedience allows Him the freedom to bless us.

Jesus will come again, and as we are obedient to His laws and commandments we can better have His spirit to be with us, to help us overcome this mortal world we live in.

I want to conclude with words from Elder Renlund’s talk:

“I invite you to center your life on Jesus Christ and remember the foundational truths in the Young Women theme. If you are willing, the Holy Ghost will guide you. Our Heavenly Father wants you to become His heir and receive all that He has. He cannot offer you more. He cannot promise you more. He loves you more than you know and wants you to be happy in this life and in the life to come” (Dale G. Renlund, “Your Divine Nature and Eternal Destiny”, General Conference, April 2022).

The Power of Unity

In the Bible we read about a people who wanted to build a tower to heaven. "And they said, go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven" (Genesis 11:4). We know how the story goes. God puts a stop to it, confounds their language, and sends them their separate ways. 

I had always imagined that the reasoning behind this was because God was jealous that they were not focusing their efforts on Him. However, I think there is a different, more powerful, reason.

"There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

"And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated" (Doctrine & Covenants 130:20-21).

There is power in unity. 

When the Savior was in the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayed, "Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are" (John 17:11). 

When Paul was speaking to the Galations he said, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).

"So we, being many, are one body in Christ" (Romans 12:5).

The Lord has made it clear that He wants us to be united with Him. Why? I think it is because He understands the power that comes from the eternal law of unity. I love how Tad R. Callister explains God's use of laws,

"Gods do not live oblivious of laws, but through obedience have mastered the laws so that they might use them to accomplish their purposes" (Tad R. Callister, "The Infinite Atonement", p251).

So, why did God put a stop to the building of the Tower of Babel? I think that the reason can be found within the story itself.

"And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do" (Genesis 11:6).

When we are united, for good or for ill, nothing can be restrained from us.

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

The topic of faith has been on my mind lately, and I started thinking about what it is, how we can develop it, and how we can act in faith. 


What is Faith?
In the scriptures we read that the first principle of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is, "faith in the Lord Jesus Christ" (Article of Faith 1:4).

Other scriptural definitions of faith include:

“I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen” (Ether 12:6).

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

I have also heard of faith being defined as believing in something that we can not see that is true. 

What faith is not is really, really hoping that something will happen, and that through the strength of our will power we can make it happen.

If we substitute the greek translation of substance with “assurance”, and evidence with “proof” in the scripture from Hebrews 11:1, we see that faith is the proof of things which we hope for, that are not seen, with the assurance that they are true (see Hebrews 11:1 footnotes 1b and 1d). The key word I want to point out is "assurance", and that assurance can only come from the Holy Ghost. 

Webster's Thesaurus explains that assurance is "a state of mind in which one is free from doubt" (Merriam-Webster.com: assurance). In my own life I have felt that assurance for brief moments while other times it seems to last longer. We have been counseled to write down spiritual impressions, and it might be because we may sometimes forget the assurance we once felt. Having it written down allows us to go back to it and reaffirm that assurance.


How Do We Develop Our Faith in Jesus Christ?

This brings us to the question of how to develop our faith, and I want to specifically think about faith in Jesus Christ; because that is where the power of faith germinates. As Sheri Dew wrote, “It is our willingness to believe in the Savior…that unleashes His power in our lives” (Sheri L. Dew, “God Wants a Powerful People”, p 178).

However, as with anything else of great worth, there is no shortcut to developing our faith.

Elder Robert D. Hales taught:

"Our society has developed a shortcut mentality. In a day of instant oatmeal, instant messaging, and instant credit, far too many have come to expect instant gratification in everything....The truth is that we cannot receive the greatest blessings Heavenly Father has in store for us without developing the patience and faith to wait....We wait upon the Lord when we walk in faith with a humble expectation that His promises are sure. We also wait upon the Lord when we obey a commandment before completely understanding the rationale behind it....There are no shortcuts to becoming powerful servants of the Lord. We must do it, with the Lord's help, in the practice of prayer and fasting, of scripture study and gospel living" (Robert D. Hales, "Return", p 204-205, 211).

If we look to the story of Nephi, in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, we find many examples of faith. In the first part of the story, while living in Jerusalem, the Lord asks Lehi (Nephi's father) to take his family, leave everything behind except what they will need to survive, and flee into the wilderness (see 1 Nephi 2:2-4). We learn a little later that Nephi may not have been as eager to leave as one might think, especially from the faith-filled stories that fill his record. He shares, "I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers" (1 Nephi 2:16, emphasis added). Nephi might have struggled with this decision, but he turned to the Lord for guidance. He had faith in the Lord, and he showed his faith by his action to follow his father -- uncomplainingly -- into the unknown wilderness.

There was a time in my life where things were very hard. There were several challenges that all seemed to come at once, and they seemed to never end. During this time I felt that the Lord was trying to teach me something, but I didn't know exactly what. I was trying to be patient, but it was really hard. I remember opening my scriptures to where I had been reading about the people of King Limhi, who were in bondage to the Lamanites. The verse that struck me at this time in my life is when King Limhi is speaking to his people and says, 

"But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage" (Mosiah 7:33). 

It was then that I realized that the Lord could deliver me out of the bondage I felt myself in, if I would turn more fully to him and put my trust in him. As I did that, the challenges didn't go away. It still took several years. But looking back now, I see the spiritual growth that I gained from turning to the Lord during those hard times.

We, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have been taught of the increased need for faith in these final days before the Second Coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

In 2011, President Russell M. Nelson prophesied of this need when he said, 

"Why do we need such resilient faith? Because difficult days are ahead. Rarely in the future will it be easy or popular to be a faithful Latter-day Saint. Each of us will be tested. The Apostle Paul warned that in the latter days, those who diligently follow the Lord 'shall suffer persecution'" (Russell M. Nelson, "Face the Future With Faith", General Conference, April 2011).

In 2017, Robert D. Hales counseled, "The constellation of characteristics that result from faith in Christ...are all necessary to our standing strong in these last days" (Robert D. Hales, "Becoming a Disciple of Our Lord Jesus Christ, General Conference, April 2017).

In 2018 President Nelson prophesied, "Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory. But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost" He then pleads with us to "to increase [our] spiritual capacity to receive revelation" (Russell M. Nelson, "Revelation for the Church. Revelation for our Lives", General Conference, April 2018, emphasis added).

So, how do we increase our capacity to receive revelation? Elder David A. Bednar gives us a clue. "Just as expressing gratitude more often in our prayers enlarges the conduit for revelation, so praying for others with all of the energy of our souls increases our capacity to hear and to heed the voice of the Lord" (David A. Bednar, "Pray Always", General Conference, October 2008, emphasis added). I wonder if this is one of the reasons that the Savior was able to be so close to the spirit. He served others, and prayed for them as well.


Acting in Faith
So, how does one act in faith?

The other morning as I was thinking about faith, this thought came to my mind:

Faith is an assurance, from the Spirit, that something is true, will happen, will turn out okay, or whatever the feeling is. My part is to act on that assurance to allow the Lord to make it happen. With this in mind, it seems that the way we do our part to act on our faith is to look forward to something with hope, and act on that assurance.

There was a time in my life when I found myself needing to find a new apartment, as my roommates were moving out. I had been looking for a while and had found nothing. It was nearing the end of the month when I would need to be out, and I still wasn't sure what to do. About this time I remember driving past a friend's apartment when the impression came to me "you will live there". My friends were moving soon, so I was thrilled at the prospect. Shortly after, I called the landlord, who met me at the apartment. I told him I was interested, and he said, "you are the one I want to have this apartment". It was a perfect fit.

It wasn't until a few weeks later that some of my other friends asked how I was able to get into that apartment. As it turns out, they had been on a waiting list for 6 months!

I have come to learn that acting in faith is a choice, and Elder Neil L. Andersen affirmed. "My dear friends, your faith did not begin at birth, and it will not end at death. Faith is a choice" (Neil L. Andersen, "Faith Is Not By Chance, But By Choice", Ensign, November 2015).

As the Lord tests our faith, however, we might not always have an assurance as we try to move forward in faith. If we read in Ether, Moroni teaches us, "wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." (Ether 12:6).

Faith isn't merely believing, it requires action. Bishop Richard C. Edgley instructs, 

"Because of the conflicts and challenges we face in today’s world, I wish to suggest a single choice—a choice of peace and protection and a choice that is appropriate for all. That choice is faith. Be aware that faith is not a free gift given without thought, desire, or effort. It does not come as the dew falls from heaven. The Savior said, 'Come unto me' and 'Knock, and it shall be [given] you'. These are action verbs—come, knock. They are choices. So I say, choose faith. Choose faith over doubt, choose faith over fear, choose faith over the unknown and the unseen, and choose faith over pessimism" (Richard C. Edgley, "Faith—the Choice Is Yours", General Conference, October 2010).

I love the thought of faith being like a muscle. Something that we must use in order for it to grow. But, in order to increase our faith, I like the words of Elder Juan Pablo Villar, "If we want to increase our faith, then let’s do things that require faith" (Juan Pablo Villar, "Exercising Our Spiritual Muscles", Ensign, April 2019).

And what do we do when there are setbacks? Life is full of setbacks. We have a choice to become discouraged by them, or trust in the goodness of God and believe that "all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good" (Doctrine & Covenants 122:7).

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" (David A. Bednar, "The Spirit of Revelation", Ensign, April 2011).

When thinking of ways to act on faith I thought of choosing to believe...

• that there is a God in heaven who knows you and loves you more than you can imagine
• You are a child of Heavenly Parents, of royal birth, with a purpose on this earth. 
• Challenges in this life are for a reason; and can help us become like our Heavenly Parents.
• The Lord has a prophet on the earth (and then act on his words) 

Some of the words from our current prophet, Russell M. Nelson, include:

"My dear brothers and sisters, I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind-numbing addictions" (Russell M. Nelson, "The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?", General Conference, October 2017).

"[In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.

"My beloved brothers and sisters, I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation. Let this Easter Sunday be a defining moment in your life. Choose to do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly" (Russell M. Nelson, " Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives", General Conference, April 2018).

It is our choice. We can choose to act in faith, allow the Spirit to penetrate our hearts, and teach us truth. Or we can choose not to.

Parable of the Sower (Part 2: Spiritual State of the Soil)

“Spiritual” State of Soil

In the parable of the sower, that the Savior taught (see Matthew 13:3-9), we can look at the soil as all being equal in the beginning and evolving over time.

Alma teaches us that, “in the first place [we] were on the same standing with [our] brethren” (Alma 13:5). In the very beginning state of our pre-mortal existence, we all started out on equal footing. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all of us were born into mortality innocent before God, as Joseph Smith taught:

“Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning; and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again, in their infant state, innocent before God” (Doctrine & Covenants 93:38).

In the beginning all the soil—all of us—were on equal standing. The seed—the word of God—is available to all but there are some who, through their own decisions, have allowed the adversary to snatch the word away (see Matthew 13:19). To “snatch” means to “to take (something) quickly or eagerly” (link to definition). The adversary is ever on the lookout for opportunities to deceive the children of men. Peter admonishes us to, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). He may be subtle and crafty, or blatant and bold, but his intentions are the same – to deceive mankind.

The soil that has the seed snatched away are those who “[hear] the word of the kingdom, and [understand] it not” (Matthew 13:19). Like Laman and Lemuel, in the Book of Mormon, it could represent those who neglected to inquire of the Lord, or failed to keep the commandments, when they didn’t understand (see 1 Nephi 15:8-10). They failed to do what was required and never gave the seed a chance to sprout.

If we have sincere questions about the gospel we should continue to be obedient as we seek them out. In the Ensign magazine we are taught that, “A sincere questioner continues to be obedient while searching for answers….The doubter’s posture is generally to withhold obedience or limit it, pending resolution of the doubts” (link to article). As for obedience, we can always remember the Lord’s promise: “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.” (Doctrine & Covenants 82:10).

The stony soil represents those who receive the word with joy, but don’t make the effort to focus on their roots. They have not taken the work and effort to dig out the rocks and prepare the soil for planting so when temptation, trial, and tribulation come they have no root to hold them firm and steadfast (and there are a lot of stones in the way). The Apostle Paul’s counsel can apply to us today when he said, “continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel” (Colossians 1:23). We need to be obedient to the principles of the gospel so our feet can be firmly planted, deeply in the soil.

When I think of the stony soil I think of the experience I have had with fruit trees. After transplanting a fruit tree, it is very important to remove all of the buds for the first couple of years, so that the tree can focus more on establishing the roots than on producing fruit. If we attempt to produce “fruit” in our lives without establishing our roots, the tree will be less fruitful and the fruit will be smaller. This may be the type of soil that describes those who do things for show, or the praise of the world (see Matthew 6:2, 5, 16).

We need to take time to really establish our root system so that we can weather the storms of life. We need to prepare our soil by establishing the needed habits of daily scripture study, daily prayer, weekly Family Home Evening, and temple worship in order to sustain us during our trials. President Henry B. Eyring stated it so simply, “If the foundation of faith is not embedded in our hearts, the power to endure will crumble” (link to talk).

The soil that is covered with thorns describes one who hears the word, but seems to be distracted by “the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in” (Mark 4:19).

When thinking of “the cares of the world” we might include the philosophies of men. Elder Dallin H. Oaks speaks of, “the ‘captivity’ into which this ‘church [of the devil]’ seeks to bring the saints will not be so much physical confinement as the captivity of false ideas” (link to article).

The deceitfulness of riches is very prevalent. In this world if you have enough money you can buy pretty much anything you want - except for the important things, like family, love, faith, and an abiding testimony in the Savior. The other week in church one of the speakers stated it so plainly when he said, “some people are so poor all they have is money”. We must remember the words of the Savior, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). President Ezra Taft Benson taught,

“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).

One thing that has been taught over and over again is about the dangers of pornography (which I think applies to “the lusts” referred to in the parable). Elder Richard G. Scott so bluntly states,

“Satan has become a master at using the addictive power of pornography to limit individual capacity to be led by the Spirit. The onslaught of pornography in all of its vicious, corroding, destructive forms has caused great grief, suffering, heartache, and destroyed marriages. It is one of the most damning influences on earth. Whether it be through the printed page, movies, television, obscene lyrics, vulgarities on the telephone, or flickering personal computer screen, pornography is overpoweringly addictive and severely damaging. This potent tool of Lucifer degrades the mind and the heart and the soul of any who use it. All who are caught in its seductive, tantalizing web and remain so will become addicted to its immoral, destructive influence. For many, that addiction cannot be overcome without help. The tragic pattern is so familiar. It begins with curiosity that is fueled by its stimulation and is justified by the false premise that when done privately, it does no harm to anyone else. For those lulled by this lie, the experimentation goes deeper, with more powerful stimulations, until the trap closes and a terribly immoral, addictive habit exercises its vicious control” (link to talk).

Those in thorny soil may have lost focus of their true priorities. They have made something else more important than following the Lord. They may rely on their riches, or their own understanding, rather than trusting in the Lord. Those in thorny soil may feel like they will be able to get around to the spiritually important things later, or they may feel hopelessly entangled. To become free they need to access the power of the Atonement; which can rescue them from the choking influence of the world. Elder Scott continued,

“If you are ensnarled in pornography [or any other vice, for that matter], make a total commitment to overcome it now. Find a quiet place; pray urgently for help and support. Be patient and obedient. Don’t give up” (link to talk).

Elder Ullises Soares also offered this comforting counsel: “Don’t be discouraged. If you are striving and working to repent, you are in the process of repenting” (link to article).

The good soil represents those who hear the word, understand it and endure (see Matthew 13:23, JST). They have cultivated an attitude of seeking for the things of God (see Doctrine & Covenants 25:10).

Ask any farmer—or anyone who has planted a garden—good soil takes time, effort, and consistency to prepare it for planting. But once you plant the seeds the work is far from done. It requires the daily efforts of watering, weeding, and just walking through it to see if there are any trouble spots.

Like Captain Moroni who fortified his weakest cities (see Alma 48:7-10) we need to recognize our weaknesses and fortify ourselves against times of weakness, opposition or temptation.

I wonder if, like the parable of the Ten Virgins (see Matthew 25:1-13), the soil can be likened to members of the Church. How are we doing in weeding and watering our soil to keep it in a good state?

All plants need water, soil, and sunlight in order to survive. I like to think that in this parable the soil represents the experiences that we will have in mortality—the outcome of the soil is determined by our use of agency to make choices. The sunlight can be likened to the Light of Christ when He said, “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God…I am the light which shineth in darkness” (Doctrine & Covenants 6:21). This light is available to all. The water that is so essential to our survival can be likened to the living water that the Savior spoke of when He said, “whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). All of these are necessary for our spiritual growth.

We must not neglect the importance of the daily care and weeding needed to maintain good soil. Weeding can be likened to repentance. If we do it daily, we can pick the weeds when they are small. If we “procrastinate the day of [our] repentance” (Alma 13:27) we may have much larger weeds that are much harder to pull out. All weeds can be pulled out but some will take more effort than others. We must remember that is it through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we can repent. As we use our agency to follow the Savior we can be guided in our lives. Elder Ulisses Soares said,

“We were born with the seed of divinity in our spirits because we are God’s children. This seed needs to grow. It grows as we exercise our agency in righteousness, as we make correct decisions, and as we use the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost to guide us in the decisions we make during the course of our lives. This process takes time, and it is not possible to shape our lives from one day to another” (link to article).

When thinking of the parable of the sower we may ask ourselves why the sower allowed the soil to become thorny or rocky. Why didn’t he take care of it? The answer is simple. The Lord allows us to make our own decisions because of our agency. Our agency is worth so much that the Lord would not trade it for anything–not even His knowledge of the tragedies, pain, sorrow, fear, loneliness, and every other trial that His children would face. Not even for the sake of one-third of His spirit children.

Why?

He has been this way before. He knows what it takes to become exalted, because He once walked in mortal shoes. He knows that getting to where He is will be worth every heartache, every trial, or every challenge that we will ever face. Joseph Smith taught that,

“[God] was once a man like us; yea…God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ Himself did” (Joseph Smith, from the King Follett Address in History of the Church 6:305-6).

And Elder Bruce R. McConkie testified that,

“The Father is a glorified, perfected, resurrected, exalted man who worked out his salvation by obedience to the same laws he has given to us so that we may do the same” (Taken from "A New Witness For the Articles of Faith" by Bruce R. McConkie, pg 64).

The Lord isn’t sending us on a mission to do something because He doesn’t want to do it. He is asking us to follow in His footsteps, and do what He has done. As we follow Him we can become as He is.

The sower does care for his field. He has given instructions to each of us in how we may have a successful crop. As we are obedient to His instructions He is bound to keep His side of the bargain (see Doctrine & Covenants 82:10).

Those entangled in the thorns, or burned by the stones have not heeded the instructions of the sower. There may be times where we may wish to bask in the warm sun (until it scorches us) or enjoy the gentle caressing of the thorns (until they choke us), but if we disregard the instruction we have received we are only deceiving ourselves. The choice to change must come from within. We must take the first step, for the Lord will not stand in the way of our agency. I love the words in the following Hymn:

“Know this, that ev’ry soul is free

To choose his life and what he’ll be;

For this eternal truth is giv’n:

That God will force no man to heav’n.

“He’ll call, persuade, direct aright,

And bless with wisdom, love, and light,

In nameless ways be good and kind,

But never force the human mind 

(link to Hymn)

Once we come to ourselves (see Luke 15:17) and have “viewed [ourselves] in [our] own carnal state” (Mosiah 4:2) we will need to “[put] off the natural man” (Mosiah 3:19), bid Babylon farewell (link to Hymn) and turn to the Lord. He will help us to get rid of the thorns and stones so that we may have good ground. The process will not be easy, and may be painful and long, but if we trust in Him, we will be eternally blessed. Elder Richard G. Scott stated,

“Challenges help us become more like our Father in Heaven, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ makes it possible to endure those challenges. I testify that as we actively come unto Him, we can endure every temptation, every heartache, every challenge we face” (link to talk).

Sometimes it may feel incredibly difficult to commend ourselves fully unto the Lord (see Ether 6:4), but if we trust in Him we will be led to our own land of promise—a land more beautiful and fruitful than we can ever imagine.