Prayer Seen in a Different Light

I had a few thoughts about prayer that I have had on my mind that wanted to share. My sister compiled a book about the blessings our family has seen throughout the years. Many of them were how prayers were answered miraculously. Following is one of those stories.

When I was a teenager I went with my older siblings to my grandparent’s ranch for a few weeks during the summer. They live in an isolated area where the closest neighbor is a half-mile away, and the closest town was 30 minutes away. My uncle lived a mile away.

Somewhere up the canyon a person wrecked their car and started a fire. The firefighters came, put it out and left. No big deal.

Sometime later, perhaps during the night, a strong wind started. Blowing east, it caught some of the still-living coals and restarted the fire.

At noon the next day Grandpa came in for lunch. The range fire (which eventually burned 10,000 acres — a little over 15 square miles) was common knowledge by then. Since the wind was blowing east and causing the fire to spread Grandpa decided to help my uncle attempt to save his haystack. My uncle lived on the opposite side of the highway from where the fire was raging. Grandpa had gone on the tractor and asked Grandma to come in half an hour with a hose.

Around 12:30, my aunt called Grandma wondering if she shouldn’t bring her kids over to the ranch where they would be safer. Grandma wasn’t sure. Only minutes later, the sheriff came and told my aunt to get her kids out of the house. He asked if she had insurance. When she replied "yes", he said good; there was no way they could save her house. They grabbed their shoes and came over.

At Grandma’s house, my aunt tried to stop Grandma from taking the hose to Grandpa. She said there was no way she could make it. Grandma insisted, but we all decided to pray before she left. All of us: Grandma, my aunt, cousins, and siblings, knelt down on the living room floor and said a prayer.

Grandma then left with the hose. The sheriff stopped Grandma a short distance from her driveway. She insisted that she needed to help her husband, but the sheriff said Grandpa already had help. This pacified Grandma.

We found out later that about the same time we said our prayer, the wind turned and started blowing west. The fire had already crossed the road and started burning my Uncle’s property. Then blowing suddenly west, it pushed the fire back onto itself, depriving it of fuel. The fire stopped about 50 yards away from the 40 gallon gas tank which stands near the huge haystack and my cousin’s driveway. 

Another story about prayer comes from a podcast I was listening to. 

A man was speaking at an event in another state and his youngest daughter was having a baby. He asked wife to keep him updated by text. He told the other speakers that he was going to be a grandpa again and they said to keep them updated.

There came a point at which the texts from his wife stopped coming. He asked what was wrong and she didn’t respond. Finally she texted and said the baby was born, was gray, wasn’t breathing, and was posturing (jerking which usually is a sign of brain damage). The medical staff rushed the baby off to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit and his son-in-law ran with them because he wanted to give the baby a blessing. They didn’t even let his daughter see the baby and his wife and daughter had no idea what was happening,

He felt that he needed to pray with all the people at the event. When he ran up to the microphone someone else was speaking and said, ‘Oh! Let’s see what the announcement is.’ 

He grabbed the microphone and said the baby was born but not doing well. He asked the 4,000 women in attendance to pray for him, his daughter and his new grandbaby. 

On the podcast he then said, “It’s the prayers that allow me to know God so that I can trust Him whether or not His will is to bless the baby or to take the baby. That’s what we have to remember when we’re thinking about prayer. We need to shut the door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, don’t use vain repetition, but really, really pray. Vain repetitions aren’t prayers that are repeated because then the sacrament could be called the vain repetition. It’s a matter of do you sincerely mean the words you’re saying even when you pray for the same things over and over again”.

There are miraculous answers to prayers which can bolster our faith. However, we can also overlook that fact that sometimes the little prayers, such as “I feel overwhelmed and need help figuring out what to cook for dinner tonight” can be just as powerful in the moment.

I have heard many stories about prayer, and had my own experiences with the power of prayer, throughout my life. However, another story on this same podcast helped me to see the power of prayer in a different light. One of the host’s friends posted this on Twitter:

“Today is our stake conference. We walked in late because of broadcast problems so I didn’t catch the name of the speaker. She told the story of losing her daughter. She experienced immense grief and anger at God who would allow this. She said she was given a dream about five days after her daughter’s passing.

“She was hanging, white-knuckled over the edge of a cliff with a black void below. She was terrified of falling but her hands were cut and fatigued and she was afraid of losing her grip. In her dream she got the impression to let go. This seemed impossible to her because the void below was so dark. She was terrified but again and again she was impressed to let go and finally she trusted that feeling and released. 

As she was falling she saw of net of light below her. She could tell it was going to give her a soft, safe landing. When she hit the net she felt wrapped in love and warmth. Then she examined the net and what she saw surprised her. She noticed that there were people at the ends of the net and that the weave of it was made from light that streamed from them. This is the part that caught my attention. She was told in the dream the strands of the net were made up of the prayers they had offered on her behalf. She saw people close to her who loved her and they had the brightest and the biggest strands but she also noticed that there were hundreds of people that she didn’t recognize. She was told that the people she didn’t recognize were all the people who had heard what had happened and offered prayers from afar. She closed with the message that no prayer is ever wasted.”

There is power in prayer. What if when we speak we don’t think of it as “just another prayer” but actually helping those who need it. What if our prayers are doing more than we think?

Ministering

The topic of ministering is a little difficult for me. But I actually want to start with about our premortal existence. 

Before we came to earth our Father in Heaven had a plan set up for us. His plan would allow us to come down to earth and choose whether or not we would follow Him. From the beginning we knew that Jesus Christ was chosen to be our Savior. In the Grand Council in heaven, Lucifer, a son of the morning, proposed another way. 

Elder D. Todd Christofferson explained, 

“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” (D. Todd Christofferson, "A Message at Christmas", BYU Devotional, Dec 2017).

Agency is one of the most critical pieces of our Father’s plan. Our Father allowed 1/3 part of his children to follow Satan because they chose to. 

Agency is that important. 

Now on earth, we also have agency to choose what we will do and who we will follow.

Recently the method of our ministering assignments has been changed. We are not really accountable to anyone anymore. We can choose for ourselves if we will do it, and also when and how we will do it. There are guidelines, but the choice is ours.

On the Church’s website it describes what I think is the ideal when it comes to ministering.

“We naturally minister to our families, those we love, and others around us. In wards, we also receive assignments as ministering brothers or ministering sisters to care for ward members in an organized way. We ensure that all are cared for and no one is forgotten” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/ministering?lang=eng).

In a perfect world that might be true. However, as many of you might know, or might have experienced, sometimes people are forgotten.

We know that the natural man is an enemy to God, and sometimes we don’t want to do what He asks. Sometimes it is really hard. At the beginning of this post I said this was a hard topic for me, because I feel like one of those who, sometimes, has been forgotten. 

Looking back in my life I really don’t remember a time where someone touched my heart because they were assigned to minister to me.

However, I can remember numerous times when the spirit has guided me to do things to help others. This has caused me to think more about the purpose of ministering. Why is it something that we have been asked to do? Sometimes it can be really inconvenient, uncomfortable, or even awkward, and we know that the Lord “doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world” (2 Nephi 26:24). So there must be a deeper purpose, but what is it?

My thoughts brought me back to agency, and the council in heaven. 

Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught, 

 

“Choice…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 no one has control over outcomes and choice is meaningless”(D. Todd Christofferson, "A Message at Christmas", BYU Devotional, Dec 2017).

Agency is vital to our probationary time on earth. Satan’s plan wasn’t, as some might suppose, a plan to force everyone to be righteous. His rebellion was far more sinister.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained, 

“[Satan’s plan] offered a mortal life of carnality and sensuality, of evil and crime and murder, following which all men would be saved…Lucifer and his [followers] sought salvation without keeping the commandments” (Millennial Messiah p. 667).

Satan’s plan proposed that everyone could do whatever they wanted and everyone would receive the same reward, no matter what they did. That is how he “sought to destroy the agency of man” (Moses 4:3). It would make choice meaningless.

The Lord knows that the adversary will never progress from the current state he is in, and that he is absolutely miserable. He doesn’t want us to live in that same miserable state so he gives us commandments to help stretch us so that we can progress.

James E. Talmage gives us a little insight into this. He said, 

“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 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 retrograde rather than advance, and would be lost to the heavens” (James E. Talmage, “Jesus the Christ”, p16).

As mortal men and women, if we are left on our own, we will stop progressing. I know that my life would be horribly miserable if I could never change from who I used to be. The Lord gives us challenges to stretch us. He asks more of us than we sometimes think is possible because it gives us something to aim for. Something closer to becoming like Him.

The Lord understands what we are going through. He has been in our shoes. He understands when we’re overwhelmed, when we don’t feel like we can handle one more thing, and he also knows when we are trying.

That is why we have been given a gift. The Atonement of Jesus Christ. Its power allows us to change. Elder Lynn G. Robbins taught, 

“Repentance is God’s ever-accessible gift that allows and enables us to go from failure to failure without any loss of enthusiasm. Repentance isn’t His backup plan in the event we might fail. Repentance is His plan, knowing that we will” (Lynn G. Robbins, "Until Seventy Times Seven", General Conference, April 2018).

We will fail in this life. But to succeed we must be willing to try again. We need to reach for something higher and something better. 

Ministering can be seen as a greater law than visiting or home teaching. It is a way to stretch ourselves, through our own actions and efforts, to become more like our Savior.

The Lord allows us to use our own minds, experiences, gifts, talents, abilities, and our agency to choose what we will do. We are each unique, and ministering should not look the same for everyone. 

In the Doctrine and Covenants we read:

“Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; for the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in no wise lose their reward” (Doctrine & Covenants 58:27-28).

The Lord gave each of us unique gifts and challenges, but in the end, the Lord really wants our heart — our pure intent. If we are trying to “do good” but don’t get half of the “to dos” off of our checklist the Lord understands, and He loves our effort.

I believe that the Lord would rather we do one thing with real intent (even if that means leaving the rest for later), than doing a thousand things with half-hearted effort.

Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can try again and again in our efforts to improve. As President Nelson said in this last conference, “faith is the power that enables the unlikely to accomplish the impossible” (Russell M. Nelson, "Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains", April 2021 General Conference). We are some of the most unlikely creatures, but with God nothing is impossible. We can have faith that the Atonement of Jesus Christ has the power to change us, the power to heal, the power to give us the strength to do those things beyond our natural capacities.

However, we need to choose to use our agency to act. Under the Gospel Topics about ministering it says, “Through prayer and inspiration, we will be blessed to know how to minister as the Savior did”. And, as President Nelson has exhorted us recently we can, “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).

What might this look like when it comes to ministering? I think that ministering doesn’t mean just reaching out to our ‘assigned people’. It requires a change of heart. Opening our heart to “Hear Him” will bring specific revelation and inspiration. It may look differently than what we might have imagined.

I remember talking to a neighbor once who said “I am assigned to visit [a person that I knew] but I keep feeling that I need to stay away”. Knowing the circumstances that surrounded this person I told them, “Thank you so much for listening to the Spirit”. I knew that them visiting out of obligation would further compound the problem this person was dealing with.

Another time, my daughter and I were out walking when she said “Mom, we should go visit the lady who’s cat got into our yard”. I agreed (somewhat grudgingly because I was tired, I didn’t know her very well, and I wasn’t really sure what to say). We got to the door and when I asked how she was doing she told me that her son had been in an accident the previous weekend. She just needed someone to talk to, and I didn’t really need to say anything. I wasn’t assigned to her, but the spirit led my daughter to know that she needed someone to stop by.

Another example of "unusual" ministering happened in a ward that I lived in several years ago. I had a sister that I was assigned to and I didn’t know her. From her neighbors I had heard that she was scary and could be very mean and angry. I was a little scared and wasn’t sure how to approach her. I prayed about it and felt that I should send her a card. I did, explaining why I was reaching out, and gave her my cell number if she ever needed anything. She texted me back, and we texted for over a year, without ever meeting in person. We were able to build a relationship where her heart (and mine) were changed because I was acting on what the spirit directed me to do, rather than just checking her off my to-do list.

As we follow the admonition of our prophet to “Hear Him” (Russell M. Nelson, "Hear Him", General Conference, April 2020), our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and listen to the Spirit, we can come to know Him better. We can know His plan for us, and how we can grow in our efforts to become more like Him.

I love the quote by Joseph Smith that says, “Our Heavenly Father is more liberal in his views, and 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]).

Our Father in Heaven really does love us. He really knows our needs as well as our capacities. He wants to help us, and is giving us opportunities to become more like Him, and is waiting anxiously for us to turn to Him.

The Simple Things

Just the other day I was making a box out of wood and wanted the lid to have a slot in it. We don’t have a jigsaw, so I tried the next best thing - a drill. I drilled holes all along the center, and then tried to use a chisel and hammer to connect the holes. In the process I split the wood (making it so I would have to go back to the hardware store to purchase another piece and try again). I had no idea what I was going to do the next time. I decided to say a prayer. I asked that if it were at all possible that I could find a jigsaw to make the slot. 

It took a few days before I made it back to the hardware store. While there I showed the gentleman the split wood, told him I didn’t have a jigsaw and asked if he knew of any other way to make a slot in the wood. He thought for a minute and then said he would ask the guys in the back if they had a jigsaw and if they could do it. They did! To them it might have seemed like a small—even silly—thing, but to me it was an answer to my prayer.

Many years ago I had a very clear impression that I needed to join my roommate and spend a summer with her as a sales representative in a different state, selling door-to-door. It was something that I felt very strongly that I should do, and when everything fell into place in a very short amount of time I felt confident that I was where the Lord wanted me to be.

I realized very quickly that I am not a sales-person. I absolutely hate trying to convince people to buy something they may or may not care about. There was a team of about 9 of us, including our manager, who worked together. On average, each person on my team (and in the company, for that matter) made about 14 sales each week—except me. By the 5th week of the summer I had finally achieved 14 sales. My manager pulled me aside one day and said  that this job didn’t seem to be the right fit for me. Because of the way everything had fallen into place at the beginning of the summer I knew that I was where I was supposed to be and I told him I wasn’t leaving. He gave me one more week.

I had been praying to be successful in selling and to find people to sell to—but to no avail. My prayers seemed unanswered. After talking with my manager that day I decided that I needed to try something different. For the next week I determined not to ask the Lord for a single thing, but to only express gratitude. What an amazing experience! When I turned everything over to the Lord, and simply expressed gratitude, He was able to work miracles. In that week alone I had 31 sales.

Thinking of simple things I am reminded of the story of Naaman. Naaman was the captain of the host of Syria. He was a good man, honorable, and a man of valor. He was also a leper. (see 2 Kings 5:1). He went to the prophet Elisha to be healed of his leprosy, and when Elisha sent his servant out—telling Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times to be healed—Naaman left in anger.

“But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

“Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage” (2 Kings 5:11-12).

Naaman’s servant had great faith in the prophet of God. He recognized that Elisha was a prophet and that Naaman could in fact be healed if he would just listen and obey. He said: “My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?” (2 Kings 5:13). Naaman, humbled by his servant’s remarks, went to the River Jordan and washed seven times, “and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean” (2 Kings 5:14).

How often do we look for big thing to do to show our great faith, or our love of the Lord. The Lord doesn’t ask us to move mountains, but He does ask us to do simple things that require patience, sacrifice and faith on our part. That is how we grow.

In the parable of the ten virgins we read of five virgins who are wise and “took oil in their vessels with their lamps” while the foolish virgins “took their lamps, and took no oil with them” (see Matthew 25:3-4). The oil in their lamps represent simple things—simple acts of obedience that cannot be shared. President Spencer W. Kimball explains why,

“Attendance at sacrament meetings adds oil to our lamps, drop by drop over the years. Fasting, family prayer, home teaching, control of bodily appetites, preaching the gospel, studying the scriptures—each act of dedication and obedience is a drop added to our store. Deeds of kindness, payment of offerings and tithes, chaste thoughts and actions … —these, too, contribute importantly to the oil with which we can at midnight refuel our exhausted lamps” (Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, p256).

The Lord won't ask us to “run faster than [we have] strength” (Mosiah 4:27), nor will He ask us to do more than we are able to—with His help. He doesn't ask us to build a huge roaring bonfire, but asks that we do what we can and “Let [our] light so shine before men, that they may…glorify [our] Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Through our faith, and actions, ourselves and others can be blessed.

Nephi was instructed to build a ship to carry his family across the great ocean to the promised land. Nephi was not a shipbuilder, but he knew that the Lord would help him. When Nephi asked the Lord he did so with the intent to act. He didn’t ask the Lord to tell him what to do, but instead asked for help with something specific—a good lesson for each of us. 

“And I said: Lord, whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship after the manner which thou hast shown unto me?” (1 Nephi 17:9). 

With the instruction he received he then went to work. He did what he could do, and turned to the Lord frequently for more guidance. Guidance which he abundantly received.

“And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship.

“Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.

“And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.

“And it came to pass that after I had finished the ship, according to the word of the Lord, my brethren beheld that it was good, and that the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine; wherefore, they [his brothers] did humble themselves again before the Lord” (1 Nephi 18:1-4, emphasis added).

Nephi approached the Lord frequently to learn step-by-step how to accomplish the task at hand. Nephi moved forward—consistently—a little bit at a time. He showed the Lord his faith through the simple act of asking, and acting on the answers he received. His example of enduring, despite hardship, was key to his brothers humbling themselves before the Lord.

In the New Testament we read of some people who came to Jesus.

“And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee” (Matthew 9:2, emphasis added).

I find it interesting that their act of service, of compassion, of helping the man with palsy, was seen by the Savior as an expression of their faith. There may have been many people who professed to have faith, and really believed that the man could be healed, but failed to act. So it is with us—we show our faith, through our actions. “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26).

I have found that there are times when I am trying to be faithful, but feel discouraged, overwhelmed, or that my prayers are not being answered. If have discovered that if I instead pray to know how the Lord would have me help someone else it seems to open the channels to heaven. My burdens are then lifted as I act on the impressions I receive. 

Recently I had an impression to send a simple email to a friend that I haven’t talked to for a while. She responded back with “the Lord works in mysterious ways” and said my email was exactly what she needed to hear at that time in her life. Something so simple, yet profound, gives me a greater glimpse into the workings of the Lord. President Spencer W. Kimball taught,

“God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p82).

Often times it is our hands that are needed in doing the work of the Lord. He could do everything by Himself, but that would remove the purpose of our existence—we will never learn how to be like Him by just watching.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf told the following,

“A story is told that during the bombing of a city in World War II, a large statue of Jesus Christ was severely damaged. When the townspeople found the statue among the rubble, they mourned because it had been a beloved symbol of their faith and of God’s presence in their lives.

“Experts were able to repair most of the statue, but its hands had been damaged so severely that they could not be restored. Some suggested that they hire a sculptor to make new hands, but others wanted to leave it as it was—a permanent reminder of the tragedy of war. Ultimately, the statue remained without hands. However, the people of the city added on the base of the statue of Jesus Christ a sign with these words: ‘You are my hands’….

“As we emulate His perfect example, our hands can become His hands; our eyes, His eyes; our heart, His heart” (link to talk).

When the Savior called His disciple His words were simple, “follow me” (Matthew 4:19). As they followed Him they were brought to greater light and understanding. The same is true with us.

“We must the onward path pursue

"As wider fields expand to view,

"And follow him unceasingly,

"Whate'er our lot or sphere may be” 

(Link to Hymn: Come Follow Me)

No matter what this life offers us, we are here to live it day by day until the Lord calls us home. The Lord has outlined the path for us to follow. A simple path. Step by step we move slowly forward with His help. He will lead us, guide us, and bless us. We just need to be willing to act. As we do so we will find that He is right there waiting with open arms to bless us. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught,

“Our Father in Heaven is an eternal being whose experience, wisdom, and intelligence are infinitely greater than ours. Not only that, but He is also eternally loving, compassionate, and focused on one blessed goal: to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life.

”In other words, He not only knows what is best for you; He also anxiously wants you to choose what is best for you….

“Part of our challenge is, I think, that we imagine that God has all of His blessings locked in a huge cloud up in heaven, refusing to give them to us unless we comply with some strict, paternalistic requirements He has set up. But the commandments aren’t like that at all. In reality, Heavenly Father is constantly raining blessings upon us. It is our fear, doubt, and sin that, like an umbrella, block these blessings from reaching us.

“His commandments are the loving instructions and the divine help for us to close the umbrella so we can receive the shower of heavenly blessings.

“We need to accept that the commandments of God aren’t just a long list of good ideas.… They are divine counsel, based on eternal truths, given to bring ‘peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come’” (link to talk).

As we focus on the simple things in life—prayer, faith, gratitude, service—we will find joy. As we take a moment to look for the hand of the Lord in our life we will find that we are completely surrounded by showers of blessings. As we use these blessings to serve, and bless the lives of others we can find greater joy and happiness than we could have achieved on our own.

Jesus Christ: A Life Motivated by Love

When Jesus Christ came to this earth He said, “I came...not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38). God’s purpose—His will—is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

Through the Atonement our Savior was able to bring about immortality—living forever. Every human soul who lived on this earth will be given the gift of a resurrected body, “restored unto its perfect frame, bone to his bone, and the sinews and the flesh upon them, the spirit and the body to be united never again to be divided” (Doctrine & Covenants 138:17). Through His service on the earth He was able to bring people to His Father, and thus help them progress toward eternal life—living like God.

We live in a fallen world. Our bodies are fallen. our thoughts are fallen. The Lord stated, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). By lifting ourselves, and our thoughts, to a higher plain—far above our fallen state—we can see the horizon more clearly. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught,

“The nearer man approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sin; and like the ancients, arrives at that point of faith where he is wrapped in the power and glory of his Maker and is caught up to dwell with Him” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 51).

It must have been this clarity of vision that allowed the Savior to look beyond the throngs of people that continually surrounded Him. Some were interested in His teachings, others in His miracles, and others sought to condemn Him:

“But as he went the people thronged him” (Luke 8:42).

“there were many coming and going, and they [Jesus and His apostles] had no leisure so much as to eat” (Mark 6:31).

“and great multitudes followed him” (Matthew 12:15).

“And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole” (Mark 6:56).

Jesus had compassion on those who followed Him, “because they…were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). He wanted to teach them a better way, a higher way, so that they could find direction in their lives, and ultimately "seek for the things of a better [world]" (Doctrine & Covenants 25:10). 

Before this earth life our Savior had progressed so much that He was “like unto God” (Abraham 3:24). He had perfected every attribute possible: love, compassion, patience, kindness, gentleness, charity, and the list goes on and on. Tad R. Callister stated, 

“[T]he great Jehovah, creator of worlds without number, infinite in virtue and power, made his entry into this world in swaddling clothes and a manger. 

“Be that as it may, no one could mask his godhood. One might clothe his spirit with flesh and blood, wrap him in mortal garb, draw the veil of forgetfulness across his mind, but no one, absolutely no one, could rob him of his divinely inherited traits. They could not be buried in his mortal frame. They could not be silenced. Every moment of every day his godly attributes were etching themselves on his outer shell. They manifested themselves in every smile, every glance, every spoken word. Godliness exuded itself in every thought, every action, and every deed” (Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p64).

It makes me wonder if there are any attributes or gifts that I perfected in heaven that are trying to etch themselves on my mortal frame.

People were drawn toward the love that emanated from the Savior. Even getting close enough to touch His robe provided healing—to those who had faith (see Mark 5:25-34).

Jesus lived a life of service: service to His God shown by His service to others. King Benjamin taught, “that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17). Being in the service of His God, the Savior was acting like God. For “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do” (John 5:19). By watching how Jesus treated others, we can come to better understand how deeply our Heavenly Father loves each one of us, no matter where we are in life, or what we’ve done. We are all His children.

“And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

“They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

“Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

“This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

“So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

"And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

“And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

“When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

“She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8: 3-11).

Jesus did not condemn her. To condemn means to “express complete disapproval of, typically in public”, it can also mean to criticize, reprimand (link to definition), and many other things He could have done. But He did not. He did not bring up the sin, or chastise her for what she had done. He told her to go and sin no more. 

He looks at our sins in the same way. He may be sorrowful that we choose to sin, but He will not condemn us. He loves us—perfectly. Perfect love is something that I think we as mortals, living in an imperfect world, will never understand in this life. It is hard to understand someone who will love us so much, no matter what we do. When on the cross Jesus spoke of those who were crucifying Him when He said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). He held no condemning feelings even in the midst of His suffering. His love not only extended to those who were trying to do what was right, but for those who despitefully used Him and persecuted Him (see Matthew 5:44).

If we can understand the love of our Savior, we can catch a glimpse of the unending love that our Father in Heaven has for each of us. Elder Richard G. Scott said, “Our Heavenly Father did not put us on earth to fail but to succeed gloriously” (link to talk).

As we come to know more about the life of the Savior we will see the amazing good He did for the world. As we draw closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ, we will be able to come to know Him more. As we come to know Him more, we will recognize His never-ending, unfailing, and merciful love; and a life so motivated by pure love that He willingly lay down His life for each of us.

Finding a Life of Joy

I have been thinking about my life lately. I was raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and for most of my life I have tried to be faithful and obedient in living the gospel. I am trying to follow the steps and stay on the path and am hoping to keep that up until the end of my mortal life. I know the gospel can lead me to a better place in the next life, but I realized that I sometimes lose focus on the fact that it can also help me be happier in this life. In the Ensign magazine this month I found an article that seemed to fit this idea. The author said,

“We all know the things we should be doing regularly: scripture study, prayer, church attendance, and temple worship. While doing these things is an important first step, going through the motions isn’t enough; developing a relationship with our Heavenly Father and allowing the gospel to change us require more than a checklist state of mind.

“The more we feast upon the words of Christ—the scriptures—and delve into developing our spirituality, the more we are able to see the goodness around us and recognize His role in our lives. President Ezra Taft Benson pointed out that the scriptures are the ‘the words of life’ and that this is especially true of the Book of Mormon. He said, ‘When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance’” (link to article).

If someone, not of our faith, were to look at my life would they see my day-to-day life as different from theirs? Would my life be such an example of peace, love, and joy that they would be compelled to know more about what I had? Or would they find our day-to-day lives the same, except for my weird religious habits: reading the scriptures every day, praying a lot, going to church every week, and seemingly obligatory service?

Nephi taught, “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25, emphasis added). But sometimes I feel I am focused more on doing the “to dos” instead of focusing on the joy. I remember hearing a comment on the radio once that made me stop and think. The person said, “if your attempts to live your religion are taking all the joy out of life, you’re doing it wrong.” Something we could probably benefit from if we took the time to really think about it.

What about the word “joy”, could being joyful mean something different than blissfully gliding through my day? The definition that first comes to my mind is a familiar one, “a feeling of great happiness”. I found another definition that seems to be more fitting to another type of joy that we can find in this life; “success in doing, finding, or getting something” (link to definition).

It seems to me that those people who truly enjoy their lives are those who are working toward something bigger than themselves—something they have dedicated their whole heart and soul into. It also seems that these people have faced a lot of opposition and obstacles in the process, but are able to successfully overcome them with a greater resolve to continue.

One example that comes to mind is Martin Luther King Jr. He had a great desire burning within him to fight against the unfairness of segregation. He was on the “losing” team, but despite the opposition he faced he continued on. He was one man who followed his dream and changed the world.

I once read a book entitled “Three Cups of Tea” in which a man by the name of Greg Mortensen had a desire to improve education, especially for girls, in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He faced severe opposition and setbacks, but continued on to establish several schools, and establish other organizations to help promote education in those areas. 

Another example is that of Mother Teresa. She had many challenges in her efforts to help the poor, but what she ended up doing was so much more--she served as an example to anyone who may face seemingly insurmountable challenges. She showed that we do what we can do, and not be discouraged about what we can't do. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland spoke  about this when he said,

“A journalist once questioned Mother Teresa of Calcutta about her hopeless task of rescuing the destitute in that city. He said that, statistically speaking, she was accomplishing absolutely nothing....Notwithstanding the staggering number beyond her reach, she said she could keep the commandment to love God and her neighbor by serving those within her reach with whatever resources she had” (link to talk).

The Savior knows our capabilities and our limitations. He knows what we can do, even when it may seem less when compared to others. The Savior is no respecter of persons, and is merciful and kind to those who come unto Him. The story that comes to mind is of a time, shortly before his crucifixion, when He went to Simon’s house.

“[And] as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

“And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?…And Jesus said, Let her alone…She hath done what she could” (Mark 14: 3-4, 6, 8).

She had done what she could. The Lord knew what she was capable of, and didn't demand more. The same is true with us. Jesus Christ sacrificed His life for us so that He could make up the difference for us when we fall short. Through His Atoning sacrifice we can be forgiven, change, and improve. By joining with Him we can do so much more than we could ever do on our own. 

The individuals listed above seem to have found joy in a cause higher than themselves. During the hard times they kept their mind focused on their end goal, so that even with the hardships they faced there were able to recover and move forward toward their goal.

I was reminded of an experience I had that helped me understand this idea a little more. When I was taking Driver’s Education I was sitting in the driver's seat for my first time  of actually driving. As I started to drive, because I didn’t know differently, I kept my focus about 20 feet in front of the car. I noticed that my driving was really choppy and I kept jerking the steering wheel at every shift or bend in the road. The instructor taught me how to correctly adjust my gaze to look a little higher. From there I could see where I was wanting to go, and as I kept my eyes on my distant goal, rather than all the little changes in front of me, my driving became much smoother. I have since learned that when I keep my focus on a distant goal (as opposed to being bogged down by the trials right in front of my face) it makes life much more bearable. 

Another correlation between driving and life is to note that driving while focusing on the rear view mirror is incredibly ineffective and hazardous. The same can be true with dwelling on the past. Once you have done all within your power, turn your problems over to the Lord, and then let it go. 

Many years ago I started dating someone. Dating turned into talks of marriage, kids, and we even started looking for housing. I was excited at the prospect, but something didn't quite seem to fit. One night as I prayed I remember distinctly hearing words in my mind saying, "let him go, he's not what you want." It was unexpected and I didn't want to do it. I just cried and cried. It was hard, but I trusted in the Lord and did it. 

Now, as I look back, I am ever so grateful that I did. The Lord knew I would find someone who was so much greater for me than I could imagine, but I had to trust in Him and wait on His timing.

Letting go of whatever challenges, trials, heartaches we face may seem hard, but the Lord has said, “I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up” (Doctrine & Covenants 84:88). The Lord will be there by our side through whatever comes. Elder Jorg Klebingat counseled,

“Accept trials, setbacks, and ‘surprises’ as part of your mortal experience. Remember that you are here to be proved and tested, ‘to see if [you] will do all things whatsoever the Lord [your] God shall command [you]’—and may I just add, ‘under all circumstances.’…Some trials come through your own disobedience or negligence. Other trials come because of the negligence of others or simply because this is a fallen world. When these trials come, the adversary’s minions begin broadcasting that you did something wrong, that this is a punishment, a sign that Heavenly Father does not love you. Ignore that! Instead, try to force a smile, gaze heavenward, and say, “I understand, Lord. I know what this is. A time to prove myself, isn’t it?” Then partner with Him to endure well to the end” (link to talk).

One thing that I have noticed as I have been studying this topic is that the way to find joy and happiness in this life seems to be by applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives. Elder Klebingat further taught,

“Embrace the Atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance as things that are to be welcomed and applied daily according to the Great Physician’s orders. Establish an attitude of ongoing, happy, joyful repentance by making it your lifestyle of choice.…Spiritual confidence increases when you voluntarily and joyfully repent of sins, both small and great, in real time by applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ” (link to talk, emphasis added).

Elder Eduardo Gavarret spoke of finding joy through the process of becoming more like the Savior. The Savior first invites with “come unto me”, then “follow me”, and finally “walk with me”. Elder Gavarret said,

“As you strive to come to Him, you will gain the power to relieve life’s burdens, whether physical or spiritual, and experience a positive inner change that will help you be happier” (link to talk, emphasis added).

The Atonement was brought about for us not only to offer forgiveness for our sins, but to help us change for the better. Elder Bruce C. Hafen taught,

“The Savior desires to save us from our inadequacies as well as our sins. Inadequacy is not the same as being sinful—we have far more control over the choice to sin than we may have over our innate capacity….A sense of falling short or falling down is not only natural but essential to the mortal experience. Still, after all we can do, the Atonement can fill that which is empty, straighten our bent parts, and make strong that which is weak.

“The Savior’s victory can compensate not only for our sins but also for our inadequacies; not only for our deliberate mistakes but also for our sins committed in ignorance, our errors of judgment, and our unavoidable imperfections. Our ultimate aspiration is more than being forgiven of sin—we seek to become holy, endowed affirmatively with Christlike attributes, at one with him, like him. Divine grace is the only source that can finally fulfill that aspiration, after all we can do” (Bruce C. Hafen, The Broken Heart: Applying the Atonement to Life’s Experiences, p 19-20).

Tad R. Callister said,

“[T]he Savior is anxious that the Atonement make us better. He must be gravely disappointed if people merely acknowledge his Atonement as a magnificent sacrifice to be viewed in awe, but with no thought of change. The atoning sacrifice was designed to motivate us, to draw us unto him, to lift us to higher ground, and ultimately to assist us in becoming as he is” (Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p218).

Throughout my life I have tried to be obedient and to do the right things, but I’m not perfect and I still make mistakes. When I fail in my attempts, I ask for forgiveness. In the process of repenting I have been able to apply the Atonement of Jesus Christ to receive the peace and relief I seek. 

Lately, however, I have realized that I can also ask for the help of the Atonement in my daily life—with my weaknesses and shortcomings, “because some of them will be [my] companions until [I] depart this earth life” (link to talk). I have tried to focus on the Atonement in my morning prayers. As I think about the things I have planned for the day I also ask that somehow through the Atonement I can have the help to overcome my  weaknesses or tendencies that seem to creep up. The feeling is almost tangible--a feeling of having someone by my side helping me along. It reminds me of the scripture,

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

This scripture, I am finding, doesn’t just mean finding relief from the burdens of life or the weight of sin. It means easing the burdens of life itself. Elder Hafen wrote,

“Our understanding of the Atonement is hardly a shield against sorrow; rather, it is a rich source of strength to deal productively with the disappointments and heartbreaks that form the deliberate fabric of mortal life. The gospel was given us to heal our pain, not to prevent it” (Bruce C. Hafen, The Broken Heart: Applying the Atonement to Life’s Experiences, p5).

I remember one day that had been really rough, and I went to bed worn out and frustrated. I woke up in the middle of the night feeling completely overwhelmed, and I cried. I remember kneeling down and, through my sobs, asking if the Lord could somehow, through the Atonement of His Son, take away this overwhelming feeling. As I spoke the words I remember feeling a tangible relief as the weight was lifted up and away from me. My tears stopped. There was no more reason to cry. All I felt was peace. That was a testimony to me that the power of the Atonement can help us at times when we feel completely powerless in our circumstances. I still had to deal with the same issues, but I was no longer cumbered with their weight.

Life was not meant to be easy. We were put on this earth to prove ourselves “to see if [we] will do all things whatsoever the Lord [our] God shall command [us]” (Abraham 3:25) no matter our circumstances. Along with the blessing of life itself, the Lord has provided us with a lifeline to help us return to live with Him after this life. A lifeline through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

When the Savior was born on the earth an angel appeared to shepherds,

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11, emphasis added).

There came wise men searching for the Savior.

“[A]nd, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy” (Matthew 2:9-10, emphasis added).

Why is it that there was so much joy felt when the Savior was born? What could cause such a feeling of joy—of hope? King Benjamin gave us a little insight, when he shared what he learned from an angel.

“And [the angel] said unto me: Awake, and hear the words which I shall tell thee; for behold, I am come to declare unto you the glad tidings of great joy.

“For the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy righteousness, and hath sent me to declare unto thee that thou mayest rejoice; and that thou mayest declare unto thy people, that they may also be filled with joy.

“For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay…

“And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning…

“And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and…they shall consider him a man…and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.

“And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men.

“And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy” (Mosiah 3:2-5, 8-10, 13, emphasis added).

Why can we have such great joy? Jesus Christ died so that we can repent and receive a remission of our sins. Why is that something to be joyful about? We know that “no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven” (Alma 11:37). We know that when we disobey God's commandments we become “subject to the will of the devil…[and are] cast out…from [God’s] presence, because of [our] transgression, wherein [we become] spiritually dead” (Doctrine & Covenants 29:40-41). It is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we can receive a remission of our sins and become spiritually alive in Christ (see 1 Corinthians 15:22). The power of the Atonement can change our nature so that we can be “[m]ore fit for the kingdom [of God]” (link to Hymn: "More Holiness Give Me"). Tad R. Callister taught,

“[Repentance] is the internal desire of man combined with the external power of God, so merging in miraculous harmony that it enlarges, endows, and enlightens the human spirit with a godlike nature. Repentance is the divinely chosen process that leads to godhood while satisfying justice each step of the way…

“Repentance is more than a passive process to ‘get us even’; it is the affirmative process to improve us, refine us, and ultimately perfect us. Its purpose goes far beyond the satisfaction of justice. It opens the door to the cleansing and perfecting powers of the Atonement” (Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p225).

It is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, that all mankind may be saved (see Article of Faith 1:3). Through our obedience and faith in Jesus Christ we can become perfected—more like Him. As we seek to have our Savior, Jesus Christ, as an active, participating partner in our lives we can be guided more powerfully to become who the Lord knows that we can become. When we make mistakes we can repent, and reconnect that link, and we can continue on. The Lord asks us to do what we can, and when we fall short He is there to lift us up and put us back on the path.

My son once asked what happens to those people who fall into the river of wickedness, represented in Lehi’s dream (see 1 Nephi 12:16). Are they lost forever? No. If they will repent and turn to the Lord He will lift them out of the river and set them back on the path leading toward the tree of life. Elder Paul V. Johnson taught,

“Since each of us has sinned and thus has subjected ourselves to the will of the devil to some degree, we need to somehow be freed from the bondage of sin. The Atonement has power to break these bonds, these chains, this captivity….Deliverance and liberty come through Him and His Atonement….

“When we obey Satan, we give him power. When we obey God, He gives us power. This is not the message we get from the world, but it is the truth. Real power, the power to become like the Savior, is only found in obedience. Real freedom is found in obedience—in subjecting ourselves to God’s will rather than to the will of the flesh or the will of the devil. Freedom through obedience: this sounds like a paradox, but those who have lived this way can testify it is true. Obedience brings power, freedom, joy, peace, and hope” (link to talk).

Through obedience, and applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ daily in our lives we can be cleansed from our iniquities, strengthened in our weaknesses, and can overcome the natural man. President Thomas S. Monson taught,

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

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

God is our Father. He has a plan for each of us. Through His infinite mercy He has provided a way for us to not only overcome the challenges of this life, but to change and improve in our efforts to become more like Him. This gift can only come through the Atonement of His Son, our Brother, Jesus Christ. Truly these are glad tidings of great joy!