Christ's Infinite Grace

Have you ever laid in bed at the end of a long day and just reflected? Have you ever experienced feelings of remorse or regret for something you wish had never happened, feelings of guilt for a temptation you succumbed to or intentionally chose, feelings of confusion, sorrow, or rage because of someone else's actions, or feelings of hopelessness for dreams that have shattered or loved ones you've lost?

After a time you may fall asleep, but in the morning the weight is still there, heavy on your heart. You try to smile and face the day, slowly putting one foot in front of the other. You struggle day after day searching for a brief moment of relief from the weight in your chest or the memories you wish you could undo. Where can you turn to feel the hope and peace that have long since disappeared?

Throughout my life I have had many experiences where I have felt lost and had difficulties and struggles that no one had any idea I was going through. At times I felt like I had hit rock bottom and the heavens were closed. There are other times when I have done things I knew would drive away the spirit, but did them anyway. All of us have regrets, sorrow, and heartaches that we wish we could change.

But, as we all know, sometimes when we are in the middle of our trials we can lose sight of hope and the promise of good things to come. Life is not fair, and it is hard. Bad things happen to good people. We all make mistakes, sometimes the same mistakes over and over again. Where do we turn for answers? For hope? For peace when we are struggling just to make it through the end of the day, or even the hour?

Several years ago I was sitting on my bed. It was 10:00 in the morning and I was pretty much worn out, tired, and exhausted. I had no idea how I was going to make it through the rest of the day. I pulled out my scriptures and read in 2 Nephi, 

“For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25:23).

My heart ached and I wanted to cry. “All we can do” seemed like such a burden. I turned to my Father in Heaven in prayer and said, “What if I’ve done all I can do for today?” 

As I waited, a peaceful feeling came over me. I knew He understood my capacity and limitations and that He understood that I really had done all I could that day.

Joseph Smith taught, 

“Our Father in heaven is more boundless in his mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive” (Joseph Smith, History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843]).

He loves us, in spite of our weaknesses and shortcomings. He has known us, His spirit children, for millions and millions of years. He knows what He is doing. He is not a junior God. He has created “worlds without number” and this world we live on is merely one of so many.

He has been where we are. He knows how hard life can be. He also knows what it will take to make it back to Him.

In Jesus the Christ we read, 

“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, Deseret Book Company, 1990).

Our Father in Heaven knew we would make wrong choices and that is precisely why we are here! Life is about making mistakes, big and small. It is not about doing everything perfectly. We came to earth to learn by our own experience, to see what kind of choices we will make, and ultimately to find out what kind of person we want to be. 

President Dallin H. Oaks taught,

“The revealed doctrine of the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that all the children of God—with exceptions too limited to consider here—will ultimately inherit one of three kingdoms of glory, even the least of which 'surpasses all understanding.' After a period [of time] all will be resurrected and proceed to the Final Judgment of the Lord Jesus Christ. There, our loving Savior,…will send all the children of God to one of these kingdoms of glory according to the desires manifested through their choices” (Dallin H. Oaks, "Kingdoms of Glory", General Conference, October 2023).

The plan of our Heavenly Father was based on agency, the ability to choose. In the pre-mortal world we had agency. The war in heaven started because “Satan rebelled against [God], and sought to destroy the agency of man.”

I love the perspective that Elder D. Todd Christofferson gives about this. He said,

“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….

“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.…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 Speeches, Dec 12, 2017).

The plan of our Heavenly Father was that Jesus would come down to earth and offer His life as a sacrifice for the demands of justice. Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained, “our Lord voluntarily abased himself, or, rather, emptied himself of all his divine power, or enfeebled himself by relying upon his humanity and not his Godhood, so as to be as other men and thus be tested to the full by all the trials and torments of the flesh” (Tad R. Callister, “The Infinite Atonement”, Deseret Book Publishing, 2000, p 119).

The price that was paid for us to have agency, the ability to make our own choices, cost  the life of His beloved Son and one-third part of all of our Father in Heaven’s spirit children. We had agency before we came to this earth, and it was so important that He allowed our spirit brothers and sisters the to use their agency to make that choice, knowing full well the eternal consequences of their decision.

Sometimes I have wondered why that third part was willing to follow Lucifer when they understood the eternal result of their choices. In response, Elder Robert D. Hales asks us an interesting question, “Do we ever do things that aren’t good for us, knowing full well what the consequences will be?”

In Matthew 25 the Savior teaches the parable of the talents. 

A man traveling to a far country called his servants together, “And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability;” and then he left. To clarify, in this context, "several" is an archaic term that means "individual" or "distinct." It doesn’t mean multiple abilities but instead emphasizes that each person has their own unique ability (Explanation from Duck.AI).

The one with five talents made five more and the one with two made two more. The servant who was given one talent hid it until the master returned. The first two servants were rewarded for their efforts and the last servant was chastised for not even trying. 

The Lord expects from each of us according to our individual and unique abilities. The Lord wants us to try with what we have (even on those days where all we can do is get out of bed), and to keep moving forward, which can be especially challenging on the hard days.

There may be some days where you feel like the widow of Zarephath who had done all she could do, and had nothing more to give. She was living during a famine and was using the last of her food to make a meal for herself and her son and then was planning to slowly die of starvation. In this crucial situation the prophet Elijah came and asked her to give even more. It was a test of her faith. In response to her faith, the Lord took her simple offering, 'an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse' (1 Kings 17:12) and made it enough for her and her family to thrive on until the famine was over.

There was a time in my life when I was overwhelmed with more than I could handle. I had tried to do everything I could do to find help and answers and had nothing more to give, and yet I was still lacking. I asked for a priesthood blessing and in the blessing I was told that the Lord was not going to take away this trial, but that He was aware of me. 

Honestly, my heart sank. I had always relied on priesthood blessings for comfort and had been hoping for that again. Just as with the widow of Zarephath, I had to trust that the Lord had a plan for me.

When we are doing everything we can, but know that we are still falling short, by a long shot, how can we be expected to do more? The simple answer is through the grace of God. He knows our weaknesses. He knows our abilities and limitations.

Orson F. Whitney reminds us, “Our little finite afflictions are but a drop in the ocean, compared with the infinite and unspeakable agony borne by him for our sakes because we were not able to bear it for ourselves”  (Tad R. Callister, “The Infinite Atonement”, Deseret Book Publishing, 2000, p128).

However, it is through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we are able to access His grace, his enabling power, his comfort, his help, and His love. 

Brad Wilcox shared a story that helped me understand grace a little better. He said: 

A BYU student once came to me and asked if we could talk. I said, “Of course. How can I help you?” 

She said, “I just don’t get grace.” 

I responded, “What is it that you don’t understand?” 

She said, “I know I need to do my best and then Jesus does the rest, but I can’t even do my best.”

She then went on to tell me all the things she should be doing…that she wasn’t doing.

She continued, “I know that I have to do my part and then Jesus makes up the difference and fills the gap that stands between my part and perfection. But who fills the gap that stands between where I am now and my part?”

She then went on to tell me all the things that she shouldn’t be doing… but she was doing them anyway.

Finally I said, “Jesus doesn’t make up the difference. Jesus makes all the difference. Grace is not about filling gaps. It is about filling us.”

Seeing that she was still confused, I took a piece of paper and drew two dots—one at the top representing God and one at the bottom representing us. I then said, “Go ahead. Draw the line. How much is our part? How much is Christ’s part?”

She went right to the center of the page and began to draw a line. Then, considering what we had been speaking about, she went to the bottom of the page and drew a line just above the bottom dot.

I said, “Wrong.”

She said, “I knew it was higher. I should have just drawn it, because I knew it.”

I said, “No. The truth is, there is no line. Jesus filled the whole space. He paid our debt in full. He didn’t pay it all except for a few coins. He paid it all. It is finished.”

She said, “Right! Like I don’t have to do anything?”

“Oh no,” I said, “you have plenty to do, but it is not to fill that gap. We will all be resurrected. We will all go back to God’s presence. What is left to be determined by our obedience is what kind of body we plan on being resurrected with and how comfortable we plan to be in God’s presence and how long we plan to stay there.”

Brother Wilcox continued, Christ asks us to show faith in Him, repent, make and keep covenants, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. By complying, we are not paying the demands of justice—not even the smallest part. Instead, we are showing appreciation for what Jesus Christ did by using it to live a life like His. Justice requires immediate perfection or a punishment when we fall short. Because Jesus took that punishment, He can offer us the chance for ultimate perfection and help us reach that goal. He can forgive what justice never could (Brad Wilcox, "His Grace is Sufficient", BYU Speeches, July 12, 2011).

I want to share what Tad R. Callister taught about what Jesus Christ went through for us.

“The Savior’s sacrifice required inexhaustible stamina in order to bear the consequences of our sins and weather the temptations of the Evil One. But his suffering must have been more than a resigned submissiveness or a fist-clenching ‘taking of the stripes.’…There was a need to rescue and deliver souls from ‘the chains of hell’….

“The Savior’s redemption was a one-man rescue mission to deliver the prisoners of all ages from death and hell, of which Satan was the ever-so-vigilant guard….

“With merciless fury Satan’s forces must have attacked the Savor on all fronts—frantically, diabolically, seeking a vulnerable spot, ,a weakness, an Achilles’ heel through which they might inflict a ‘mortal’ wound, all in hopes they could halt the impending charge, but it was not to beg. The Savior pressed forward in bold assault until every prisoner was freed from the tenacious tentacles of the Evil On….

“[On the cross] the Savior’s ordeal had reached its climax. The storm of guilt, remorse, embarrassment, shame, and hopelessness that accompanies sin pressed with its full weight and fury upon him. His pure and sensitive soul, which had no blemish, no spot, which had never known sin in any degree, at any time, at any place was now facing evil of cataclysmic proportions. The price for evil in infinite measure was accounted for and paid for. All the senses a man has—intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and psychological…—were monopolized by thew effects that follow evil. the last trace of God’s healing light withdrew, to let the unrestrained effects of evil run their full course. No longer could the Father’s Spirit remain in the presence of infinite evil, now being assumed by the very one who embodied infinite goodness. At that point, the Son of Man, acutely alone in the fullest sense of that term, cried out in a moment of ultimate pathos, ‘My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?’. No one could claim he was spared any consequence of sin. There was no softening of the blow. He descended beneath it all” (Tad R. Callister, “The Infinite Atonement”, Deseret Book Publishing, 2000, p129-130, 143).

Jesus Christ suffered more than we can ever imagine for you,,,and for me, because He loves us.

Now, when you lay in bed at the end of the day take time to reflect of God’s love for you. Rather than wonder if you deserve His sacrifice or His love—and none of us do—take time to ponder what He gave freely because of His love for you. Turn your thoughts from thinking about what you haven’t done and remember what He has done for you, and just celebrate it. Live in the wonder of it.

I testify that He is there. He is always there. He will always be there. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

When Mother's Day [Father's Day] is Hard

This was written for Mother's Day, but is very applicable for those who struggle with Father's Day as well.

-----

Mother’s Day is an interesting day. There are those who could stand and speak of their amazing angel mothers and the wonderful support that they’ve had from them throughout their lives. 

I am not one of those.

There are others who can speak of motherhood and the blessing it has been in their life and the tremendous love that they have felt for their children. Because of my upbringing I have struggled a lot with motherhood. It has opened my eyes to how inadequate, weak, and human I really am.

Today I felt that I should speak to those who need the hope and healing that can only come through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, especially today for some.

When we are young we have hopes, ideas, and dreams for the future. Many of those include having a family. But not everyone is blessed with a spouse or children in this life. There are many who’s hearts weep with sorrow at shattered or unfulfilled dreams.

There are others who may lose a spouse to death or through divorce, or lose their children to poor choices or unforeseen tragedies.

Life is not easy and it can hurt a lot.

I grew up with a mother who was very angry and I was terrified of her. I never wanted to be that kind of a mother. But when my children were young I saw that anger show up in myself, and it scared me.

Many times in life it is our trials that draw us closer to the Lord — if we will allow them to. Other times we may allow our trials to push us away from the Lord as we try to find answers on our own. Throughout my life I have seen examples of both. 

I have had times where the heavens have felt silent, where I’ve cried because I had no idea what to do, and where I have asked others for help, and for some reason or another couldn’t be there for me. Even in those times where I could have felt completely abandoned I have never doubted that the Lord was there. I have seen too many examples of His hand in my life.

One of my favorite scriptures is Mosiah 4:9, “Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth”

God our Father is real. He knows of our suffering and He hears our prayers.

I remember one day in particular, when my children were small. I had had a rough night. I think all 3 kids rotated getting up during the night; I would get one down and the other would be up — I guess I should have been grateful that they weren’t all up at the same time — but I didn’t get much sleep. In the morning I was getting breakfast ready and was really grouchy. I felt angry at everything and didn’t want my children to have to suffer from my lack of sleep. I remember standing by the kitchen sink and words from the previous general conference came to my mind. Sister Linda K. Burton had said, “all that is unfair about life can be made right through the atonement of Jesus Christ" (Linda K. Burton, "Is Faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ Written in Our Hearts?", General Conference, October 2012).

Right then I felt that life was very unfair and that a horrendous weight was on my shoulders. I really wasn’t sure what to do, but I chose to test her words. I told the kids that I needed a minute and dropped to my knees right there on the kitchen floor. I prayed to my Father in Heaven for help. I told Him that I didn’t know how accessing the power of the atonement of Christ worked, but I asked that if it were possible, that through the atonement of Jesus Christ the negative feelings that I felt could be taken away so that my children wouldn’t have to suffer.

And, do you know what?

They vanished. 

Completely. 

I stood up, ready to take on the day.

That experience was a testimony to me of the healing and enabling power that can come through the atonement of Jesus Christ. It is something that I have used many times, and that power has never failed to bring the comfort that I need when I have asked for it.

One of my favorite scripture stories is found in the New Testament. The disciples are on the Sea of Galilee and the Savior is asleep in the boat. A big storm comes. Okay, so these are fishermen who live on the water so they wouldn’t be afraid of just any storm. This was much bigger than they felt they could handle.

In life we will encounter storms. Really big storms. We may feel that Jesus has forgotten about us and is sleeping in the back of the boat. We may feel afraid and unsure of how to move forward.

The disciples chose to wake Jesus,

“And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39).

I remember lying in bed one night listening to a thunderstorm. It was loud. The lightning was flashing and the thunder was booming and I could hear the rain pouring down. I then imagined the Savior on the waters with His disciples and realized that He is someone who had the power to say “peace” and have that storm cease.

That is the power that Jesus Christ has. 

That is the power that is available to us through His atoning sacrifice. That power can heal our hearts. That power can calm our souls. And that power is real.

President Uchtdorf, testified, “There may be some among you who feel darkness encroaching upon you. You may feel burdened by worry, fear, or doubt. To you and to all of us, I repeat a wonderful and certain truth: God’s light is real. It is available to all! It gives life to all things. It has the power to soften the sting of the deepest wound. It can be a healing balm for the loneliness and sickness of our souls. In the furrows of despair, it can plant the seeds of a brighter hope. It can enlighten the deepest valleys of sorrow. It can illuminate the path before us and lead us through the darkest night into the promise of a new dawn” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Hope of God’s Light", General Conference, April 2013).

That is the healing power that is available to each of us through the atonement of Jesus Christ. 

In the New Testament we find the story of Jairus. His daughter is sick and dying and he comes to Jesus asking Him to heal her. On the way to Jairus’ house a woman with an issue of blood reaches out, touches the hem of Jesus’ robe, and is healed. In the midst of this miraculous healing Jairus is informed that his daughter has passed away.

Can you imagine the agony of Jairus, watching someone else enjoy what he had been hoping for, and seeing others celebrating while his hopes are dashed to pieces?

I have a nephew who was struggling with a lot of things and ended up committing suicide in 2021. I know where he is now, and I am comforted by that thought, but sometimes I just miss him. 

When dreams are unfulfilled and hearts are broken we can turn to the Savior. It doesn’t make the bad things go away, but we can find peace in Him.

The Savior, true to form, had not forgotten Jairus. He turned to him and said, “Be not afraid, only believe” (Mark 5:36). Sometimes the miracles we pray for won’t come right away. Sometimes they won’t come in this life. But, if we can trust in the Savior we can find the peace we seek.

The trend of the world today is that anything hard, unfair, or even uncomfortable can be seen as an unnatural tragedy. We know, however, that life is a test, and if we did not have the trials how could we grow?

Elder Richard G. Scott enlightened us with this knowledge: “so that the period of mortal testing and growth would yield its greatest benefit, you were taught and prepared for the circumstances you would personally encounter in mortality” (Richard G. Scott, "Truth Restored", General Conference, October 2005).

There is a girl who now lives in Utah named Meg Johnson. When she was younger she was a dancer. In her late teens or early 20s she came out to Utah to visit Saint George with some friends. She was fascinated by all the red rock and leaped from one rock to another until, as she tells the story, “I accidentally jumped off a cliff.” She fell and landed on the ground below — paralyzed from the neck down.

She is one who is blessed with the gift of dreams. In her book, “When Life Gets Hard, Just Keep Rollin’” she relates one dream in particular that has really impressed me. In her dream she knew that she was in the pre-earth life with a man who was wearing all white. He had a white binder and sat down beside her. He explained that during her life she would be paralyzed. She exclaimed, “I am so excited!” She then explained that she didn’t have any idea what being paralyzed would mean, “but” she said, “if that is what it would take for me to become like my Father in Heaven, I would do anything.”

I have not personally dealt with such a tragedy as she has, but others have. However, I have my own personally curated trials and challenges that will help me in my efforts to become more like my Savior and my Heavenly Parents.

But what about those times when we have worked so hard and tried again and again and have been so diligent and kept being obedient despite the obstacles? What happens when we become so worn out and tired and don’t have the strength to keep going on? Sometimes after expending all of our efforts with nothing seeming to work out, we are ready to be done trying.

I’ve been there multiple times.

In the New Testament we read about Jesus teaching a multitude when a man came to him with his son who had been afflicted since he was young. The father explained of the challenges that the family had dealt with:

“[O]fttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but,” he said, “if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us” (Mark 9:22).

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland shared, “With no other hope remaining, this father asserts what faith he has and pleads with the Savior of the world, ‘If thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.' I can hardly read those words without weeping. The plural pronoun us is obviously used intentionally. This man is saying, in effect, ‘Our whole family is pleading. Our struggle never ceases. We are exhausted. Our son falls into the water. He falls into the fire. He is continually in danger, and we are continually afraid. We don’t know where else to turn. Can you help us? We will be grateful for anything—a partial blessing, a glimmer of hope, some small lifting of the burden carried by this boy’s mother every day of her life.’” (Jeffrey R. Holland, "Lord, I Believe", General Conference, April 2013).

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:24).

Sometimes when the challenges have gone on for so long and we have lost hope, we have a hard time believing that there might be a light in some distant future where things will work out. In those times we may need to ask for the help to believe.

Joseph Smith taught that, our Father in Heaven is more “boundless in his mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive” (Joseph Smith, History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843]). 

Test out these words and promises and come to know for yourself.

In closing, I want to wish all of you a happy Mother’s Day. For those who have been fortunate enough to have wonderful amazing mothers, be grateful. For those who have the chance in this life to be mothers, be grateful. For those who don’t have either, remember that you have a Father and a Mother in Heaven who both love you dearly and long to have you back home with them again. 

I testify that it is through the prophet Joseph Smith that the plan of our Heavenly Father has been restored to the earth. This plan provided a way through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ to give us the comfort and help that we will need as we struggle throughout our lives. As we turn to our Savior we can find the strength and capacity to continue on through the difficulties we will face.

I know God lives. I know He loves all of us. He really is there.

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.

The Hastening of the Work of the Lord

When the Prophet Joseph Smith was in Kirtland, Ohio, the Lord told him, “Behold, I will hasten my work in its time” (Doctrine & Covenants 88:73). Since that time we have seen the hand of the Lord moving forth His work. We don’t always understand the way He goes about doing things but we can trust that He is in charge. As President Gordon B. Hinckley stated,

“God is at the helm. Never doubt it. When we are confronted with opposition, He will open the way when there appears to be no way. Our individual efforts may be humble and appear somewhat insignificant. But the accumulated good works of all, laboring together with a common purpose, will bring to pass great and wondrous accomplishments” (Gordon B. Hinkley, “God is at the Helm”, Ensign, May 1994).

Examples of the work of the Lord can be found in the scriptures. In Moses, the Lord Himself explained His work, “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). Other examples of His work include missionary work, temple work, and the work of serving His children here on earth.

In Isaiah we read that, “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9). We have seen the fulfillment of that prophecy in many ways. I will only list three relatively recent examples.

In 1961 construction on the Berlin Wall was started. “The Berlin Wall [was] a barrier that divided Berlin…Constructed by the German Democratic Republic…the wall completely cut off (by land) West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin” (wikipedia: Berlin Wall). Garold and Norma Davis wrote about the struggles of the church members in the area, and the ray of hope of the Lord preparing a way for the opening of the doors to the gospel again:

“During this time of darkness and difficulty, an event took place that later proved to be a turning point for the Church in the German Democratic Republic. On 9–10 November 1968, mission president Stanley D. Rees of the North German Mission and his wife visited the GDR, bringing with them Elder Thomas S. Monson of the Quorum of the Twelve. Sister Krause recalls: “He [Elder Monson] was so young we thought he was a missionary, because the Mission Presidents often brought missionaries with them when they came.” At a meeting in Gorlitz, Elder Monson promised the Saints of eastern Germany they would have all the blessings other members of the Church enjoyed. Although outward events of the “cold war” in the German Democratic Republic did not seem to be altered immediately, subtle changes began taking place within the Church in that country—slowly at first, but accelerating over the next twenty years.

"On 27 April 1975, on a hilltop overlooking the Elbe River between Dresden and Meissen, President Monson dedicated the German Democratic Republic for the preaching of the gospel. On 24 August 1977, President Spencer W. Kimball spoke to the saints in the Dresden chapel, the chapel that had been converted after the war from an officers’ casino. In August 1982, the Freiberg stake was created. On 23 April 1983, ground was broken in Freiberg for a temple. In June 1984, the Leipzig stake was created, and in 1985, the Freiberg Temple was dedicated. Permission was given to build new chapels for the saints: in Freiberg, alongside the temple; in Leipzig; in Zwickau; in Dresden; and in Karl-Marx-Stadt.

“Finally, in October 1988, it was announced that after fifty years, full-time missionaries would once again be permitted to come from outside the country to establish a mission. A brighter day was majestically dawning over the German Democratic Republic” (Garold & Norma Davis, “Behind the Wall: The Church in EasternGermany (Part 1: Saints in Isolation, 1945–1989)).

It was in November of 1989 that “the East German government announced…that all GDR citizens could visit West Germany and West Berlin. Crowds of East Germans crossed and climbed onto the wall, joined by West Germans on the other side in a celebratory atmosphere” (wikipedia: Berlin Wall). Despite the physical barriers that were in place, the Lord was able to work with the faithful saints to further His work behind the wall.

Another example of the Lord hastening His work occurred in June of 1978. It was at this time that the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaimed that, “all worthy male members of the Church [could] be ordained to the priesthood without regard for race or color” (Doctrine & Covenants; OfficialDeclaration #2). Since that time the priesthood, together with all the blessings available through it, has continued to spread throughout the earth.

The People’s Republic of China is another example of the Lord hastening His work. Even as recent as 2013, Elder Dallin H. Oaks, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, spoke about the country of China and the work of the Lord there. He said, "The church has no proselyting missionaries in the People's Republic of China…Nor does it have any plans to send missionaries, or to engage in any proselyting activities in China.” (Deseret News, “New LDS site answers questions about Mormons andChina”, 15 March 2013).

On the Church’s website about Mormons and China it states that, “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not one of the five recognized religions in China” (www.mormonsandchina.org). However, there is an LDS temple there—in Hong Kong. Elder Monte J. Brough and Elder John K. Carmack explain,

“In 1898 Hong Kong became a British colony with the signing of a 99-year lease, expiring June 30, 1997. In December 1984, British and Chinese authorities signed a declaration confirming that the British government would hand over Hong Kong to the People’s Republic of China on July 1, 1997” (Elder Monte J. Brough and ElderJohn K. Carmack, How the Hong Kong Temple Came to Be, Ensign, December 2006).

Through a series of miraculous events, a temple was built in Hong Kong, and dedicated in May 1996, so when Hong Kong was returned to the People’s Republic of China in 1997 the temple went with it.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has members living in China, but they are encouraged to obey the laws of the land (see Articles of Faith 1:12). “Over the years, the Church has built a strong relationship of trust with the People’s Republic of China by always respecting the important laws and traditions of that country" (www.mormonsandchina.org). The Church is observing Chinese laws and directions on religious activities by not allowing access to this website, containing religious information, to those in China.

The work of the Lord will continue to go forth, and it will be interesting to see how things will work out with the gospel spreading to all parts of the earth. I know that the Lord is at the helm, and in charge of His work. As Joseph Smith stated,

“[T]he Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540).

Photo Thought: Faith in the Face of Trial

"[I]f now or on some future day, you look around and see that other perhaps less-devoted acquaintances are succeeding in their jobs when you just lost yours; if major illness puts you on your back just at the moment critical tasks of service seem to come calling; if a call to a prominent position goes to someone else…if well-meaning efforts still somehow lead to disaster with a fellow ward member, a neighbor, or an investigator; if news from home brings word of financial setback or mortal tragedy you can do nothing about; or if, day after day, you simply feel like a bland and beaten background player in a gospel drama that really seems made for the happiness of others, just know this: many such things were the lot of Joseph Smith himself at the very moment he was being led to the stage of the single most transcendent thing to happen on this earth since the events of Golgotha and the Garden Tomb nearly 2,000 years earlier.

"'But,' you may say, 'my life and earthly destiny will never be like that of the Prophet Joseph.'

"That probably is true. But it is also true that your lives do matter to God, and your eternal potential and that of every soul you will meet is no less grand and significant than that of the Prophet Joseph himself. Thus, just like our beloved Joseph, you must never give up, give in, or give out when life in general…gets utterly painful, confusing, or dull. Rather, as Paul teaches, you must see that 'all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose'.

“Just as He did with young Joseph Smith, God is shaping and directing you every single day to ends more glorious than you can know!"

(Matthew Holland, "The Path to Palmyra", Ensign, June 2015)

The Armor of God (Part 3: Righteousness)

…and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (Ephesians 6:14)

When thinking about the armor of righteousness, I am reminded of Nephi’s vision.

“And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few… and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small...

“And it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God.

“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” (1 Nephi 14:12-14, emphasis added).

Nephi saw the covenant people of the Lord in the last days being few in number, but they were armed with 1) righteousness and 2) the power of God in glory.

To be armed means to be “furnished with weapons, or with something that provides security, strength and [the power to produce the desired result]” (Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 10 ed). Righteousness, through our obedience, can provide security and strength during our lives; but it often requires faith to be obedient.

To help explain what I learned about the power of God in glory I want to turn to the story of Lazarus in the Gospel of John. Lazarus had died and Jesus had been notified. After four days He came.

“Jesus…cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

“Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

“Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

“Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid….

“And…he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

“And he that was dead came forth (John 11:38-44, emphasis added).

The glory of God that the Savior demonstrated was the righteous use of Priesthood power. Such power is available to us today through our faith, obedience, and righteousness.

TEMPLE COVENANTS

When my children were younger they loved to dress up and pretend to be super heroes. My oldest came up with the super power of choice: anything power. This incredibly versatile power could meet whatever challenges the opposition could imagine. Bad guys coming? Anything power became the desired weapon of choice. Volcano erupting? Couch-cushion tower crumbling? Aliens invading? Anything power was there—and always defeated the enemy.

I have referred back to this often when talking to my children about the power of God—for He truly is all-powerful “to the fulfilling of all his words” (Alma 50:19).

One way to access this power, and spiritual protection, is through making and keeping covenants. A covenant is a two-way promise that we make with the Lord. Covenants aren’t something trivial where we can decide that we will do whatever we feel we want to do and expect the Lord’s blessings in return. As Linda K. Burton states, “the Lord sets the terms and we agree to keep them” (link to talk). In order to gain access to the Lord’s power and protection we need to abide by the Lord’s rules. Elder Russell M. Nelson teaches us that, “[We] keep [our] covenant by obedience to His commandments” (link to talk). As we keep our covenants, through our obedience, they can be a shield and a protection to us throughout our lives.

Nephi saw in the last days—our day—that the covenant people of the Lord would be provided with strength, security, and power through their righteousness. Elder M. Russell Ballard declared,

“When men and women go to the temple, they are both endowed with the same power, which is priesthood power….

“Our Father in Heaven is generous with His power. All men and all women have access to this power for help in their lives. All who have made sacred covenants with the Lord and who honor those covenants are eligible to receive personal revelation, to be blessed by the ministering of angels, to commune with God, to receive the fulness of the gospel, and, ultimately, to become heirs alongside Jesus Christ of all our Father has” (link to talk).

[For more of my thoughts on the Priesthood, click here]

The blessings and power of God can come to those who worthily attend the temple and make and keep the covenants therein. President Boyd K. Packer said, “Our labors in the temple cover us with a shield and a protection, both individually and as a people” (Boyd K. Packer, The Holy Temple, 1980, p 265). 

We can be sure of the blessings that come from making and keeping our covenants. The Lord has reassured us, “I will fulfil my promises which I have made unto the children of men” (2 Nephi 10:17), and “Who am I…that have promised and have not fulfilled?” (Doctrine & Covenants 58:31). We are also reminded that, “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 Lord will always do His part. Our commitment to our covenants is the catalyst for the blessings we are to receive.

DELIBERATE RIGHTEOUSNESS

In the New Testament we read about a visit the Savior made to two sisters: Mary and Martha.

“Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

“And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

“But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

“And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

“But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42).

Mary and Martha were both faithful, obedient women in the gospel. The Savior came to teach them. Martha was overwhelmed and focused on the physical logistics while Mary chose to “lay aside the things of this world, and [sought] for the things of a better” (Doctrine & Covenants 25:10). Many times in our life we are faced with choices. The question to each of us is whether we will choose to fill our daily lives being cumbered about by our own doing, or by spiritually sitting at the feet of our Savior.

Our daily, individual, righteousness will probably not be something that is touted in the news, or broadcast for the world to see. But, “the Lord seeth not as man seeth; [He] looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). We will be blessed by those day-to-day, seemingly unremarkable, acts of obedience. Howard W. Hunter quoted President Joseph F. Smith when he said,

“Those things which we call extraordinary, remarkable, or unusual may 
make history, but they do not make real life.

“After all, to do well those things which God ordained to be the common lot of all mankind, 
is the truest greatness. To be a successful father or a successful mother is greater than to be a successful general or a successful statesman”
(link to talk).

As we are deliberate in our righteousness and obedience to God we can be blessed more powerfully than ever before. 

At time we will be faced with challenges and temptations. These may be the adversary's attempts to thwart our efforts, or may be what happens to us due to the trials of life. No matter what the reason we can look to the example of our Savior when we need the faith to keep moving forward. As stated by Elder Tad R. Callister, "All that He had intellectually was an unanswered why, but what he had spiritually was faith, and with that faith he pressed forward" (Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p 153).

The Savior also “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). He didn’t do good because He wanted others to see how good He was. He did good because that is who He was. To be righteous is a personal matter of the heart. As we choose to follow the example of Jesus Christ we will be blessed. And the choice is always ours. President Henry B. Eyring reminds us, “Heavenly Father and the Savior are our perfect examples of what we can and must do. They never force righteousness because righteousness must be chosen” (link to talk, emphasis added).

BLESSINGS OF GUIDANCE

One of the blessings of living a righteous life, for those who have entered into the covenant of baptism, is the ability to receive the Holy Ghost. Elder Parley P. Pratt explains about the powerful refining nature the Holy Ghost can have in our lives.

“The gift of the Holy Ghost adapts itself to all these organs or attributes. It quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands, and purifies all the natural passions and affections, and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates, and matures all the fine-toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings, and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness, and charity.…

“Such is the gift of the Holy Ghost, and such are its operations when received through the lawful channel—the divine, eternal priesthood” (Parley P. Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology, 61–62).

As we choose to live righteously we can have the Holy Ghost in our lives, and we can know that it is by the hand of the Lord that we are led. We may not understand why things happen the way they do, but it will be for our ultimate good. Our lives are tailored individually to our own specific needs for growth and development. It may not be until the next life when we see the reason for different trials or challenges, but one day we will know. Sharon G. Samuelson, wife of Elder Cecil O. Samuelson, expresses it this way:

“[I]n retrospect, what transpired [in our lives] clearly was not just by chance or coincidence. Likewise, we want to emphasize that customized, special blessings that have come to us are not predictive of what might or will happen with you. Similarly, you will have individualized blessings and interventions that have not been afforded to us or to other people. While Jesus Christ has promised that those who are faithful, keep the commandments, and make and observe their sacred covenants will receive all that the ‘Father hath’, the timing is unique for each person and does not always happen in this life” (link to talk).

We may not understand everything that happens to us in this life, but as we don the armor of God with obedience, faith, and righteousness we can be guided and protected by the hand of the Lord.